Lenten Meditation
The second in the series of reflections for Lent takes place on Friday 11th March at 7.45pm at Sacred Heart Church. The reflection will be centered on the parable of the Man born blind and will last for about one hour. All are welcome.

Stations of the Cross
During Lent there will be Stations of the Cross on Fridays at 7.00pm at the Sacred Heart Church and on Sundays at 5.00pm at Our Lady of Walsingham Church.

Lent Breakfasts
Every Thursday morning, during LENT, breakfast will be served in the Sacred Heart Hall following the 7.00am Mass. An ideal way to start the morning, so do something different during LENT and join us at the Sacred Heart Church. Everyone most welcome. All proceeds to the Lenten Appeal.

Lent Lunches
The Portchester Churches will be holding Shoppers’ Services and Lent Lunches every Wednesday in Lent. The Services begin at 12.00 noon and take place at Portchester Methodist Church in Castle Street. Do make a note to support these Lunches as all proceeds will be shared between CAFOD and Christian Aid. Catholics will be responsible for the lunch and Service on the 23rd March and Father Chris will lead the Service.

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes
This year, the Portsmouth Diocese Pilgrimage to Lourdes is being led by Bishop Crispian Hollis from 26th August to 2nd September. To make a pilgrimage to Lourdes is a wonderful and up-lifting experience especially when you see around you people from almost every nation. Portsmouth Diocese has a strong Youth Group who selflessly give their time pushing wheelchairs, pulling voitures or assisting at the Accueil Notre Dame. Any young people aged 17 – 25 years interested in going to Lourdes as a helper are asked to speak to Father Chris or Jane Cadogan.

Party after Easter Vigil Mass at St Philip Howard Church Hall
Following the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday 26th March, there will be a party to welcome Zina, Paul, John and Brian into the Church. As usual you are invited to donate items of food for the finger buffet. In the entrance hall of each church is a list of food, please sign your name against your contribution. Please bring your donations on the Saturday to St Philip Howard Hall between 2.00pm and 3.00pm or Our Lady of Walsingham between 10.00am and 11.00am. 

THE UNION
Thought for the Week
This fourth Sunday of Lent is also known as Laetare Sunday, so called from the opening words of the entrance antiphon, “Rejoice (laetare in Latin) Jerusalem.” The Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) is observed in a similar way, from the entrance antiphon, “Rejoice (this time Gaudete in Latin) in the Lord always.” On both these days, the more joyful rose-coloured vestments (not pink) may be worn instead of the full penitential purple. These rose-coloured vestments should not be mistaken, however, as an encouragement to look at the world through rose-coloured glasses, (pretending things are better than they are), but should encourage us to be joyful by looking at the world with Christ-coloured glasses, (seeing the world as Jesus Chris sees it).

This Sunday can be thought of as a Sunday of encouragement, in which we remind ourselves that our Lenten penances and sacrifices are not ends in themselves, but a preparation for a worthy celebration of the glorious Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the same way, in today’s Gospel according to St John, the restoration of the blind man’s sight is not an end in itself but, rather, an invitation for the man and us to rejoice and learn how to see the world with the eyes of Christ. We also can “Rejoice” today as we celebrate and pray for all mothers, whether or not they are still alive, on this Mothering Sunday. May God bless them all.

Father Chris

Diolch yn Fawr – Thank you very much
Our thanks go to Elizabeth Evans for organising the Welsh themed coffee morning and preparing Welsh ploughman’s lunches on St David’s Day. Thanks to everyone who supported this happy event. A total of £175.00 was raised for our Parish Lent Appeal.

Churches Together in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight
On Friday 11th March, Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne MEP will speak on a ‘2020 Vision for Europe’ and will then join a “Question Time” panel with Church leaders from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to answer your questions on the future of Europe. This will take place at St Thomas’ Anglican Cathedral, High Street, Old Portsmouth from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. Admission is free and all are welcome.

Thanks from CAFOD
“Thank you very much for your recent donation of £8,882,00 to support the emergency work of CAFOD and our partner agencies in Asia, following the devastating tsunami and earthquake on Boxing Day. As I write this the death toll is already more than 150,000 and it is estimated that over one million people in the region are affected. Thanks to generous donations like yours, CAFOD is helping some of the most vulnerable people, whose lives have been torn apart by the disaster…….Our long term commitment to the communities affected is a key component of our response. Currently, in Aceh province, Indonesia – one of the worst hit areas – we are supporting a local organisation – the Jesuit Refugee Service. They are helping set up basic camps where people can get food, shelter and assistance in tracing friends and relations. In Sri Lanka and India, CAFOD’s partners have been working to set up hundreds of camps providing food and health services……..Please continue to pray for all who are touched by this crisis.” Chris Bain, Director.

From the Parish Ecology Group
An evening of talks and displays including practical advice on composting presented by Gosport and Fareham Friends of the Earth, will take place at St Vincent College, Gosport on Monday 14th March. This will begin at 7.00pm and end around 9.00pm.

Quiz thanks
Thanks to all who organised and supported the Quiz afternoon at Our Lady of Walsingham Church last Sunday and to Annette and her team for setting up and clearing away. Grateful thanks also to Dr Graham Goodlad for his Quiz preparation. A total of £130.00 was raised which will be split between the Lenten Appeal and the LIFE group.

Easter Quiz
Test your knowledge and have fun with family and friends! The Easter Quiz will be on sale this weekend after all Masses, priced at only £1.00. If you are unable to collect a copy this weekend, please contact Rebecca Goodlad on 023 9238 1802. Closing date for entries is Monday 25th April 2005.

Do you like poetry?
Booklets of poems written by Brian Wright are on sale at £1.00 in the Repository. All proceeds will go to Parish funds.

Thanks from Christine Petersen
Christine would like to thank everyone for their prayers, cards and gifts during her recent stay in hospital. Their kindness was very much appreciated.

Thanks to St Jude’s School
Thanks to the children from St Jude’s School for raising the magnificent sum of £388.50 to help the victims of the Tsunami. It will go to our Lent Appeal.

5/6th March 2005 4th Sunday of Lent The Year of St Matthew

Mothering Sunday
The fourth Sunday of Lent is Mothering Sunday. Today is a day when children give presents, flowers and cards to their mothers but the history of Mothering Sunday has a much deeper origin. Most Sundays in the year churchgoers in England worship at their nearest parish or “daughter” church. Centuries ago, it was considered important for people to return to their home or “mother” church once a year. So each year in the middle of Lent, everyone would visit their “mother” church, or the main church or Cathedral of the area. Inevitably this became an occasion for family reunions when children who were working away returned home and those working as domestic servants or apprentices were given the day off to visit their mother and family. As they walked along the country lanes, children would pick wild flowers to take to church or give to their mother as a small gift.

Adoration
“During this year Eucharistic Adoration outside Mass should become a particular commitment for individual Parish and Religious communities. Let us take the time to kneel before Jesus present in the Eucharist, in order to make reparation by our faith and love for the acts of carelessness and neglect, and even the insults which our Saviour must endure in many parts of the world.” (Pope John Paul II, Mane Nobiscum Domine, 18; 7th October 2004.

Let us pray for the Holy Father.
Contacts: Fareham - Lily Peach on 077 678 98885, Portchester - Veronica Reeves on 023 9237 2864 or Rose Andrews on 023 9238 8494.

Best wishes for Pope John Paul II
On the Vatican website: www.vatican.va is a link entitled “Best wishes for the Holy Father” which enables an e-mail to be sent to Pope John Paul II.

Hosts for Coeliacs
If anyone requires these types of hosts please speak to Father Chris.

Thanks from The Scout Holiday Homes Trust
“On behalf of the Trustees and Executive Committee may I thank you and the Fareham District Scout Fellowship for your continued and much valued support of The Scout Holiday Homes Trust. It is only with the dedicated help of such groups as yours that we are able to provide facilities for those who, without our presence, would not be able to enjoy the holidays, which they would otherwise be denied.”

St John’s College Politics Society
An invitation to come along to hear speakers of national reputation at St John’s College, Grove Road South, Southsea. On Thursday 17th March the speaker will be David Willetts MP (Conservative MP for Havant and Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary). The meeting begins at 7.30pm and no charge is made for admission. For details of Meetings and of Society membership, please contact Dr Graham Goodlad at the College on 023 9281 5118 or by e-mail at: grahg@stjohnscollege.co.uk.

Finance
Thank you for your generosity in giving.
Offertory Collection - £1528.80
Lenten Appeal to date - £1771.82

Forthcoming Collections
6th March – Clergy Assistance Fund

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.

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