 Lent
Breakfast is Served!
Breakfast will be served in the Sacred Heart Hall every Thursday during
Lent after the 7.00am Mass, commencing Thursday 26th February. All proceeds
from the Lenten Breakfasts will go towards the Parish Lenten Appeal. Everyone
is most welcome.
Lent Lunches
The Portchester Churches will be holding Shoppers’ Services and
Lent lunches every Wednesday in Lent beginning on Ash Wednesday at 12
noon. Catholics will be organising the lunches on the 10th March and the
7th April. Father Chris will lead these two Services. Do make a note in
your diary and support these ecumenical lunches. All proceeds are shared
between CAFOD and Christian Aid.
Prepare
for the Parish Day! –
27th March 2004
9.45am – 4.00pm
Venue -
St Jude’s School and St Philip Howard Church
Theme – Our Parish – 20/20
Vision
Please think and pray about this event. The following questions
may help to focus your thoughts and aid discussions on the day:
Prayer
for the Parish here
How are we LIVING our FAITH today?
In what ways could we improve this in the future?
What impact on parish life would this create?
We
would encourage everyone to join us on the 27th March. However,
there will inevitably be some people who will be unable to attend.
In order that your views are heard there will be Suggestion
Boxes at the back of all churches until after Easter. These
will be emptied before the event and then again after Easter
in case your views were not heard on the day. Representatives
from other parishes in the Deanery will be joining us for the
morning session, which will focus on the likely situation of
the Diocese and Deanery as the number of priests and parishes
reduces over the next few years. The discussions for the afternoon
session will be held in the light of this.
Bring a packed lunch – drinks will be provided
Please advise St. Jude’s if you require crèche
facilities
Prayer
for the Parish here
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Date
for the Diary - Festival of Light
Most Christians are becoming concerned about the cult of Halloween
which encourages our children to dress as witches and devils and encourages
‘trick or treat’ behaviour. Together with local churches,
we have decided to do something positive about it. Will you join us? We
have booked Ferneham Hall for the 26th October 2004 for a Festival
of Light. We want to involve the youngsters and keep them off the
streets that night, doing something positive for God. We need ideas how
to do this – YOUR IDEAS! We also need a Symbolic Act by Christians
on the night to emphasise the Light of Christ. Ideas for this too are
very welcome please! If you would like to volunteer to help with preparations
or you have an idea (however small or large!) please contact Roger Chadwick
on 01489 584250 or email roger@oaklands00.fsnet.co.uk
Lent/Easter
at Park Place Pastoral Centre
A Lenten Retreat entitled ‘Holy Words’ will be led
by Stephen Weaver on Saturday 3rd April from 10.00am-4.00pm. Cost: £15.00
Please bring a packed lunch (Coffee/Tea provided). B&B available £25.
Stephen Weaver is a psycho-therapist and Spiritual Director. He is well
known for his retreats in helping people discover themselves in the light
of the Gospel. During the Retreat he will explore the themes of Faith,
Hope and Love in the work of the Poets such as Emily Dickinson and T.S.
Eliot.
Holy Week
Experience led by Father Andrew McMahon from Wednesday 7th – Sunday
11th April. to gather and reflect on the central mystery of the Christian
faith, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. £184.00 Residential
full board.
Holy Week
Sadhana – Residential retreat from 7th – 11th April led by
Bernard Kilroy, Pam Lee and Caroline McKenzie. (This is a Residential
Retreat alongside the Easter Stay - Cost £212.00 full board.)
To make
a booking or for further details on any of the above, please telephone
Park Place Pastoral Centre on 01329 833043.
Are
You New?
Are you new to this parish? If you have recently moved to this area, please
fill in one of the 'Are you new?' forms to be found at the entrance to
the church and return this to Father Chris or to the Parish Office. Alternatively
complete our online form.
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THE UNION
Thought for the Week
Christ
faces people with a radical choice: to live by the values of this world,
or to be guided by the values of His Kingdom.
In his novel,
The First Circle, Solzhenitsyn tells the story of a Russian diplomat named
Boris. It was during Stalin’s time. Boris and his wife Dottie lived
a pampered life far away from the war front and the world’s agony
at that time. In each post he was sent to, a lavishly-furnished house
awaited them. And they lapped it up.
However,
in the sixth year of their marriage, Boris began to be restless and to
experience a sense of revulsion towards all material things. He had everything,
yet he lacked something. Even his loving wife was becoming a stranger
to him. Their smart way of life he found embarrassing, where everybody
was the same and where all would jump up to drink a toast to Comrade Stalin.
All was far from satisfying.
One day
he began to go through some letters and books his deceased mother had
left him. As he read the letters he discovered a set of values that were
in complete contrast with those of the circle to which he belonged. The
values of his mother began to make sense. In her letters she spoke about
such things as compassion, truth, goodness and so on. Then he came across
this extraordinary piece: ‘The most precious thing in the whole
world is the consciousness of not participating in injustice.’
Father
Charles Aylward
Freda
Howard RIP
Your prayers are requested for the repose of the soul of Freda Howard
who died recently. The Funeral Mass for Freda will take place on Tuesday
17th February at 10.30am in St Philip Howard Church. Please also remember
Freda’s family and friends in your prayers.
Marcelle
Halford RIP
Your prayers are requested for the repose of the soul of Marcelle Halford
who died recently. The funeral Mass for Marcelle will take place on Thursday
19th February at 9.30am in the Sacred Heart Church. Please also remember
Marcelle’s family and friends in your prayers.
Lent
Meditation
A Lent Meditation on the painting of ‘The Washing of the Feet’
by Seiger Koder will be held on Friday 27th February at 7.45pm in the
Sacred Heart Church, following the Stations of the Cross. Using scripture,
quiet and guided reflection this is an opportunity to start Lent and look
forward to the coming Easter season. Refreshments will be available in
the hall afterwards. All are very welcome.
Catholic
Children’s Society Annual Collection
Next weekend, 21st/22nd February, we will take the annual collection for
the work of the Catholic Children’s Society in our diocese. The
society provides adoption and fostering services, has a project for homeless
young people and provides homes for people with learning difficulties,
counselling in schools and community projects supporting family life.
If you contribute through the Gift Aid scheme, please note that we have
been asked to use the official Catholic Children’s Society envelopes,
which are available this weekend from the back of the church. Please
do not use your parish envelopes for this collection.
Lourdes
Buffet Lunch
The next Lourdes Lunch will take place in St Jude’s School Hall
on Saturday 6th March at 12.30pm. The lunch is in aid of the Fund to send
young helpers to Lourdes where they attend the sick pilgrims. Tickets
cost £5 and may be obtained by contacting Ann Corr on 01329 236575
or Pauline Jackson on 01329 236275. The annual Diocesan Pilgrimage to
Lourdes will take place from the 27th August – 3rd September 2004
under the leadership of Archbishop Kevin McDonald, Archbishop of Southwark.
If you are a sick or housebound member of our parish and would like to
go on this pilgrimage please call one of the above numbers. Any person
aged 17 years or over who would like to assist the sick at Lourdes please
contact Jane Cadogan on 01329 235987.
House
Group
The next meeting of the House Group will be on Wednesday 18th February
at 101 The Avenue, Fareham (7.30pm for 8.00pm). For more information please
telephone 01329 847533.
Union
of Catholic Mothers AGM
The UCM Mass and AGM will be held this week on Monday 16th February. The
7.00pm Mass in the Sacred Heart Church will be celebrated by Father Chris
Whelan for the deceased members of the UCM. The AGM will take place in
the Sacred Heart Hall following the Mass - new members are very welcome.
Day
Retreat –Gosport
Father
David Adams will lead a Day Retreat entitled ‘Motherhood of God’
at St. Joseph’s Church, Ann’s Hill Rd, Gosport on Saturday
13th March from 10.30am – 3.30pm (Tea/Coffee available from 10.00am).
Please bring your own lunch. For further details or transport please
contact Gosport Parish Office on 02392 580119. All welcome.
Saturday
Night Special
The next ‘Saturday Night Special’ for 11 – 17 year
olds will take place on the 21st February from 7.30pm – 10.00pm
at Fareham Leisure Centre. Price £2.80.
Co-Workers–Missionaries
of Charity (Mother Teresa)
Thank you to all who so generously gave support to the Sisters of Charity
and to the St Dismas Centre for the homeless over the last year. The
Sisters say “Thank you for all you are to us and to God’s
poorest of the poor.” In a letter received from the Manager of
St Dismas, he states, “Thank you all very much indeed. It is a
mark of the good quality items of clothes that you donate to us, that
our client group can use them straight away. Your support in this way
is very much appreciated.” Please do continue to contribute. A
list of items suitable for each charity is on the white wooden box in
the porch of the Sacred Heart Church. If items need to be collected,
please contact Anne Lewis on 01329 847533.
St
Jude's RC Primary School
Current newsletter here
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| 15th
February 2004
6th Sunday of Ordinary Time
The
Year of St Luke |
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 Benediction
There will be a Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament on Friday 20th February
at 7.30pm in the Sacred Heart Church. All are very welcome.
Ash Wednesday
Wednesday 25th February is Ash Wednesday, which is a day of fasting and
abstinence. Mass Times will be as follows:
Sacred Heart
7.00am
Our Lady of Walsingham 9.30am
Sacred Heart 7.00pm
There will
also be a school service (not mass) at 9.30am in St Jude’s School
Hall - parents are invited.
 The
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
“People need the Eucharist, which is a source of strength for
evangelization, in order to change the world, and help the neediest. More
than ever before, Christians need the Eucharist to promote the ‘missionary
renewal.’” (Pope John Paul II)
If you
are able to help with Adoration in Fareham please contact Lily Peach on
077 678 98885, or to help with Adoration at Portchester, please contact
Veronica Reeves on 023 9237 2864 or Rose Andrews on 023 9238 8494.
Women’s
World Day of Prayer
The theme for this year’s Women’s World Day of Prayer
is “In Faith – Women Shape the Future” prepared
by Christian women of Panama.
Fareham
– this will take place on 5th March 2004 at the Sacred Heart Church,
Fareham at 1.30pm (Speaker – Joy Ellis) and 7.30pm (Speaker - Deacon
Langford Vincent). There will be a rehearsal at 7.30pm on Thursday 26th
February at 7.30pm in the Sacred Heart Church for all those involved.
Portchester
- this will take place on 5th March 2004 at Our Lady of Walsingham Church,
Portchester beginning at 2.15pm and the Speaker will be Rebecca Goodlad.
Those who are reading are asked to attend a rehearsal at Our Lady of Walsingham
on Friday 27th February at 10.30am.
Senior
Citizens Party – St Edmund’s School
A Senior Citizens Party will be held on Thursday 4th March from 2.00pm
– 4.00pm at St Edmund’s School, Arundel St, Portsmouth. If
anyone would like to attend please contact the Parish Office, transport
can be provided if required.
Cleaners
Wanted – St Philip Howard Church
If you are able to help with the cleaning of the church please contact
Anna on 01329 312985.
Parish
Lenten Appeal 2004
Please support our 2004 Parish Lenten Appeal ‘Looking forward
– with your help’. All proceeds generated from the Appeal
will help two charities working for the blind:
‘Fareham & Gosport Active Groups for the Blind’
are recently formed local groups helping to give confidence and independence
to blind and partially sighted people. They provide necessary and special
equipment plus a range of social activities, home visiting, advice and
financial support.
‘Eye Contact’ is a special project for Central Asia,
serving firstly the blind children of Uzbekistan. A Fareham couple, Mr
& Mrs Stannard, organise ‘Eye Contact’ and their
aim is to provide every blind child in Uzbekistan with a Brailler and
to equip the children with ‘feely’ watches, simple jigsaws
and adapted tools. A bucket collection will be taken at the end of Sunday
Masses during Lent for this appeal.
Lent
2004 – “Face to Face”
This year, for five consecutive weeks during Lent, home-based ecumenical
groups will be discussing the Lent course “Face to Face”.
Catholic participation in these groups has been growing, but more people
taking part would enable Catholics to be amongst all the participating
groups. The course has been prepared jointly by Churches Together in Britain
& Ireland and the Bible Society and promises to be stimulating and
thought provoking, exploring how we can grow into the image and likeness
of God. Application forms are available at the back of the church and
these may be returned to either the named people on the forms or to the
Parish Office. Please do take a form and fill it in as soon as possible.
Finance
Thank you for your generosity in giving.
Offertory Collection - £1656.51
Catholic
Education Service - £316.25
Forthcoming
Collections
15th
February - Salesian Sisters Missionary Appeal
22nd February
- Catholic Children’s Society
Interested
in Becoming a Catholic?
A series of meetings and talks takes place each year for those interested
in becoming a member of our Church. If you would like to know more, please
contact Father Chris, or complete the online
form
Fr Chris Whelan
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