Welcome
A warm welcome to all visitors to Fareham and Portchester this summer and welcome also to those who are new to our 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 the Parish Office.

Lift Required
An elderly disabled lady in the Bishopsfield Rd. area of Fareham requires a lift to either the 9.00am or 11.00am Sunday Mass for two weeks only on the 8th and 15th August (9.00am Mass preferred if possible). If anyone is able to help, please contact Veronica Chadwick on 01489 584250 in the first instance and she will put you in touch with the person concerned.

School Uniform Shop – St Edmund’s School
The School Uniform Shop is open 9.30am - 3.30pm, Mon-Fri, including School Holidays. If you prefer, please telephone for an appointment on 023 9283 3766 or 023 9289 2585 or collect an order form from Reception and return it with your child. Parents of present Year 9 Pupils – don’t forget that your child will need a Black Blazer for Year 10 in September, available from the shop.

Hall Bookings
The Richeldis Room, the Sacred Heart Hall and the St Philip Howard Hall are used regularly by parish groups but may also be booked for meetings or celebrations. Please contact one of the following people for more details and/or to make a booking:

Richeldis Room
Annette Woolley 01329 310091

St Philip Howard Hall
Ann Doherty 01329 313361

Sacred Heart Hall
Pauline Jackson 01329 236275

A Message from Sheelagh Pickard
I am a teacher at St. Jude’s School. A child in my class, Matthew Donnelly, is currently suffering from Ewing’s Sarcoma, a childhood cancer. He is receiving treatment at two hospitals, the Piam Brown Ward at Southampton General and the Stanmore Hospital in Middlesex. On 1st August 2004 his father, Ged, is organising a 100 mile sponsored cycle ride between the two hospitals with the intention of raising money for them. My husband and I are going to cycle 10 miles on the day. Further information about this ride can be found on the website www.therideforlife.co.uk. If anyone would like to sponsor this worthy cause, I can be contacted on 01329 318442. Many thanks in anticipation.

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, teach us to pray’
There are three thoughts on prayer brought out in our Gospel this week: Firstly, the way in which we are to address God – as Father, secondly to be persistent and thirdly to be generous.

We are called, through prayer, to have an intimate relationship with God. God, as spoken to us by Jesus, is no longer to be distant, accessible only to those whom he chooses. God has chosen to be close to each one of us - we are to be in relationship with God as Father or Daddy. As God is Father we are called to be childlike in our persistence in asking God for the things that we truly need – our daily bread, the forgiveness of our sins and the grace to forgive those indebted to us. And God, who knows all, will be generous to us who ask. So, just as God is a generous giver, so must we be in our response to others in their need.

The Lord’s Prayer is truly the daily prayer of those who follow Christ giving us the wisdom, knowledge and nourishment we need to sustain us in our Christian lives.

Father Andrew Chandler

Dr. Matthew Crowley RIP
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Dr. Matthew Crowley who died recently. Matthew’s funeral will take place on Thursday 29th July at 9.30am in the Sacred Heart Church. Please also remember the friends and family of Matthew in your prayers.

Youth Club “Resting” in August!
The last Youth Club before the summer break will be held this weekend, 25th July. The Youth Club will then close during the month of August and will recommence on Sunday 5th September at 7.00pm in St Philip Howard Hall.

Day of Reflection – Douai Abbey
Day of Reflection on Saturday 7th August from 10am – 4pm at Douai Abbey, Reading led by Christopher Greener OSB. This day is designed to enable Ministers of the Eucharist, Readers, Cantors, Musicians, Servers and others engaged in ministry to be ministered to themselves. Suggested donation for waged £10, bring food for lunch, drinks will be provided. Please email: pastoral@douaiabbey.org.uk to book or write to the Programme Director, Upper Woolhampton, Reading, Berks RG7 5TQ.

Summer Quiz
Test your knowledge and have fun with friends by completing the Summer Quiz in aid of LIFE. Quiz entries will be on sale after all masses this weekend - £1 per entry. If you are unable to collect one at Mass this weekend, forms are available from either the Parish Office or by telephoning Rebecca Goodlad on 02392 381802. All entries to be returned by the 31st August 2004.

CAFOD Sudan Emergency Appeal
There will be a Voluntary Special Collection taken after all Masses this weekend in aid of the CAFOD Sudan Appeal. Please do give generously.

Lourdes Buffet Lunch
Thank you so much to everyone who supported the Lourdes Lunch, especially to those who gave donations and also to the ‘helpers’ who made the event a happy parish gathering. A total of £479 was raised for the Lourdes Fund – this fund enables young people, aged 17+, to travel to Lourdes where they care for the sick pilgrims. It is a very enriching experience for all who participate, if you are interested in being part of the young team please contact Jane Cadogan on 01329 235987. The annual Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes takes place this year from 27th Aug- 3rd Sept. under the leadership of Archbishop Kevin McDonald, Archbishop of Southwark. Please pray for all those who will be attending from our diocese.

Thanks
Marie Woodhall would like to thank everyone for their prayers, cards, flowers and letters. God bless you all.

Diocese of Portsmouth Vacancy
A vacancy has arisen for a part-time Parish Administrative Secretary to work for Rev. Sean Tobin, Parish Priest at St Colman with St Paul, Cosham. The successful applicant will be located in the Parish Office at the Presbytery and will work 16 – 20 hrs. per week, commencement date 6th September. Experience and Qualifications required: experienced Administrator with excellent secretarial skills, time management and prioritisation skills, computer literate in word processing, desktop publishing, spreadsheets, database management and the internet. Personal Attributes: sympathetic to the Ministry and Mission of the Catholic Church, self motivated, flexible with the ability to work on own initiative and judgement without supervision. Diplomatic, discreet with a sympathetic nature and emotional resilience, able to cope with change and work under pressure.

For an application form, job description and salary details please contact: Mrs. Mary Swaffield, Personnel Administrator, St Edmund House, Edinburgh Road, Portsmouth. PO1 3QA, email: mswaffield@prcdtr-finance.org or telephone: 023 9282 3567. Closing date: Monday 23rd August 2004.

Walsingham Prayer Festival 2004
The 13th annual prayer festival for young people takes place at Walsingham over the summer bank holiday weekend, 26-30th August 2004. Last year over 1,500 young people from the UK and other parts of the world took part in this event, as did Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster. The festival is run on a ‘donation only’ basis in order to enable everyone, irrespective of their means to attend. So what can you expect? Great music and inspirational talks from the likes of the Friars from the Bronx, New York: Workshops on a variety of topics: A chance to take time out in prayer, to learn more about the Catholic Faith and meet and talk to people your own age – festival age range 14-35 years old. All accommodation is under canvas and basic meals are provided. Bring a sleeping bag. Creche facilities and kids’ camp available. To book, contact Youth 2000 on 01937 579700/720/730/740/750 or online at www.youth2000.org.

25th July 2004 17th Sunday of the Year The Year of St Luke

August Parish Newsletter
As in past years, there will be one newsletter published for the month of August, rather than one each week. The August newsletter will be published next Sunday, 1st August. If you have an item for inclusion in this newsletter, please ensure that this is given to the Parish Office by noon on Wednesday 28th July. Items received after this date will not be published in ‘The Union’ until 5th September.

Adoration
Please note that, as in previous years, there is a break in Adoration during the summer holidays. Adoration will recommence on Monday 6th September.

The Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
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.

Thank You
This week, as the term ends, we say a big thank you to Christine McGrew, the Staff, Governors and all who work at St Jude’s, our parish school. All aspects of work in our Catholic Schools demand hard work, commitment and dedication. As a parish, therefore, we express our grateful thanks and wish both the staff and the children a happy and restful summer holiday.

Children’s Liturgy of the Word
Children’s Liturgy of the Word will cease from today for the summer break and will recommence on the 4th/ 5th September.

The Sacrament of Baptism
Those who ask for the Sacrament of Baptism for their child are invited to take part in a short course of preparation. These courses take place on a regular basis and Godparents are very welcome to attend. To book a place for the next available meeting, contact Jayne or Philip O’Riordan on 01329 515991. Please arrange the date of the baptism of your child with Father Chris.

American Style Parish Lunch at Our Lady of Walsingham
There will be an American Style Parish Lunch at Our Lady of Walsingham on Sunday 15th August 2004 at 1.00pm. There is a list and details in the foyer of each church. If you are able to come enter your details on the list. This will provide an indication of the numbers attending and food available. Please ring Annette Woolley if you would like to help, 01329 310091.

First Holy Communion Certificates
For those children who were not presented with their First Holy Communion Certificates at the Open Air Mass, these will be awarded at the 11.00am Mass at St Philip Howard Church this weekend and also on Sunday the 1st August.

Clergy Revue - Jersey
Why not make a trip to Jersey this autumn? Take a break and support the work of CAFOD all at the same time! This year’s Clergy Revue will be held at Fort Regent, St Helier, Jersey on Friday 15th October at 7.30pm. The Variety Show provides great entertainment by clergy…its fame and fortune go before it! This year Father Chris Whelan will be taking part and with relatively cheap flights leaving from Southampton airport with Flybe and British Airways, why not fly over and join in the fun with him! Tickets for the show are priced at £7.50 and £5.00 and are available through CAFOD in Jersey, please telephone Sr. Hilary Brown on 01534 732583. The organisers have negotiated rates for overnight accommodation at the Merton Hotel at St Saviour, Jersey (£42 B&B single ensuite and £35 p.p. B&B twin ensuite). Contact Anita Van Der Walt on 01534 724231. Please see the poster on the notice board for further details and names of clergy taking part.

Co-workers of Mother Teresa
(Missionary Sisters of Charity) Thank you for your very generous response to the appeal for clothes for India. After the coming July meeting, the group will not meet again until the end of September. It would, therefore, be appreciated if any further donations could be held back until September.

Gift Aid
Would the person using Special Collection Envelope 1101, please put their name on the next envelope they use. Thank you.

Finance
Thank you for your generosity in giving.
Offertory Collection - £1894.00

S.V.P. - £373.86

Forthcoming Collections
25th July – CAFOD Sudan Emergency Appeal
12th September - Racial Justice

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