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.

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.

THE UNION
Thought for the Week
“Lord, that I might love you” I prayed. He answered “You will come to love me, when you come to love the person who has caused you the most pain in your life.”

Not an easy way forward, in fact quite the opposite and definitely a radical one. It is easy to be kind to those who are nice to us – and to love those who love us. The challenge for us Christians is to go further.

Often the Lord brings people into our life and possibly within our sphere of influence who have spoken ill of us, harmed or hurt us, who have let us down or betrayed us or who have taken advantage of us. We have a choice to exercise our power to retaliate or we can show mercy and compassion, which leaves the wrong where it belongs. Our dignity does not depend on how others treat us but how we respond to the wrong that has been heaped upon us. Can we not be willing to sacrifice something of our self-interest in order to create harmony? God is never outdone in generosity and what we give, we will receive back ultimately in even greater abundance. We can all contribute to a spirit of open-ness, forbearance and love in our community. Let’s give it a try.
Langford Vincent

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.

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.

A Journey Through Lent
www.catholic-bible-school.org
The Catholic Bible School, Nutbourne House, Farm Lane, Chichester has organised four Friday sessions to help make Lent more meaningful in our busy world. These commence on Friday 12th March, 10.00am to 11.30am. Telephone 01243 371766 for further details.

Peace and Justice
The Road to Jerusalem – what does it mean to walk in the footsteps of Jesus? Fr Paul Fleetwood and Fiona Reader will lead this moment in Lent to pause and reflect on the Paschal Mystery. This residential weekend at Worth Abbey, Paddockhurst Road, Turners Hill, Crawley, West Sussex takes place on 26th – 28th March – cost per person £90: Concessions £75. Telephone 01342 710318 for details.

22nd February 2004 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time The Year of St Luke

Catholic Children’s Society Annual Collection
This weekend, we will take the annual collection for the work of the Catholic Children’s Society in our diocese. 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.

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
Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, burning with love for me, inflame my heart with love for You.

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.

Liturgy of the Word With Children
This is an opportunity for all involved in leading the Liturgy of the Word with children to explore resources and guidelines. It takes place on Monday 1st March from 7.30-9.15pm at the Cathedral Discovery Centre, Portsmouth. To book, contact Eileen Stephenson on 01329 835583 or email: estephenson@prcdtr-parkplace.org.

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”. The course promises to be stimulating and thought provoking. 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.

Traidcraft
We now have the price list for Traidcraft goods. Orders can be taken after each Mass in the hall starting with the weekend of 28th/29th February. Brochures will be available for collection the following weekend. We still need people at St Philip Howard and Our Lady of Walsingham to assist in collating the orders at their Masses.

Finance
Thank you for your generosity in giving.
Offertory Collection - £1731.50

Salesian Sisters - £5802.50

Forthcoming Collections
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