Wildfire
Fareham United Reformed Church choir and drama group present Roger Jones’ musical “Wildfire” – the story of Stephen – at the church in Osborn Road South, Fareham. This takes place on Saturday 5th November beginning at 7.30pm. There will be a retiring offering in aid of “The Well”.

31st October:
Vigil Mass 7.30pm – St Philip Howard Church

1st November:
Mass 7.00am – Sacred Heart Church
Mass 9.30am – Sacred Heart Church
Mass 7.00pm – Our Lady of Walsingham Church

All Souls
2nd November we commemorate All Souls and Masses will be as follows:-

Mass 9.30am – Our Lady of Walsingham Church

Mass 7.30pm – Sacred Heart Church

The 7.30pm Mass will be the Bethany Group Mass for all those touched by bereavement. All are welcome.

THE UNION

Thought for the Week
This Sunday’s gospel begins with “When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees….” Immediately preceding this gospel selection in Matthew we see the Sadducees confront Jesus with one of their key issues: there is no resurrection. The story in question is the one in which seven brothers all die having successively married the same wife; the question is, whose wife will she be at the resurrection? The argument is taken to extremes. Jesus simply answers by saying no one’s wife since there is no marrying in heaven. This week in the gospel it is the Pharisees’ turn to put their pet issue (the Law) before Jesus and so Jesus takes them on, too.

The gospel is best understood in the context of the first reading and psalm. The first reading stresses love of neighbour and, indeed, describes the kind of behaviour that will lead us to eternal life. The responsorial psalm stresses love of God and that it is God’s love from which we derive the strength to love. The first reading reminds us of our responsibility and right perspective in relation to our neighbour; the responsorial psalm stresses the centrality of God as the starting point for all love.

The gospel brings these two together. It makes clear, on the one hand, exactly how central God is: love with all one’s heart, soul, mind. If the second commandment to love neighbour as self is like the first, then we might surmise that we must love our neighbour in the same way as we love God. Loving God isn’t merely a matter of fervour in our hearts; it is expressed in doing good for the sake of others. Having made this clear, Jesus goes one step further in responding to the Pharisees’ test. They focused so much on the minutiae of the Law that they actually lost perspective of what is central – love of God and neighbour. The prophets constantly kept the Law in perspective – keeping the Law is the external sign of keeping the covenant. Jesus did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfil it. Its fulfilment is to love.

From Living Liturgy

Regional and International Food Celebration
This takes place at Our Lady of Walsingham Church following the 6.00pm Mass this weekend. You are invited to come and celebrate the cultural diversity in our Parish.

One World Week
From Monday 24th October to Friday 28th October there will prayer from 12.00 – 12.15pm at Sacred Heart Church to celebrate One World Week. This will be organised by PEG.

Great South Run
Congratulations to Dave Ryan who successfully completed the run and would now like to collect his sponsorship money from those who pledged to support the LIFE Infertility Programme. He will be collecting the money after all Masses this weekend.

Jesus, Light of the World
This is a Borough-wide celebration at Hallowe’en and takes place at Ferneham Hall, Fareham on Monday 31st October at 7.30pm. This is for all Christians, especially children, especially this night. No charge, no tickets – just come.

Volunteers needed!!
The Parish Youth Club urgently needs more adult helpers…the commitment need not be great - just two hours on a Sunday evening about once a month. The children of today are the Church of tomorrow so helping them keep contact with the Church is worthwhile. It can also be fun. The Club is run on an easy going, casual basis……Volunteers of any age are welcome but it would be particularly helpful if we could have some younger adults, aged 18+. If you can help contact John Monfort on 01489 583629 or Dan Russell on 01329 236779.

St Jude's RC Primary School
Current newsletter here

30th Sunday of the Year 22/23 October 2005   The Year of St Matthew

British Summer Time Ends
A reminder that British Summer Time ends next weekend on Sunday 30th October and clocks will go back by one hour.

Monastic Vocations
A Monastic Retreat, Benedict’s Way, is being held at St. Peter’s Grange, Prinknash Abbey, Gloucester, between Tuesday 8th and Friday 11th November 2005 for practising Catholic men and women aged 18 – 35, who wish to explore the idea of a monastic vocation. Interested men should write to Father Stephen, Prinknash Abbey, Cranham, Gloucester, GL4 8EX (Email: paxprinknash@waitrose.com); interested women should write to Sister Benedict, Priory of St. Mildred, Minster Abbey, Ramsgate, Kent CT12 4HF.

The Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
“The prayer of the Rosary, or five decades of it, after the Sacred Liturgy of the Eucharist, is what most unites us to God by the richness of the prayers that compose it….we see that it is indeed a Trinitarian and a Eucharistic prayer, even more than a Marian one. I do not know if we can find prayers more sublime or more appropriate to recite before the Blessed Sacrament.” (Sr. Lucia of Fatima)

Contacts:
Fareham - Lily Peach on 077 678 98885, Portchester - Veronica Reeves on 023 9237 2864 or Rose Andrews on 023 9238 8494.

Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
On Sunday 30th October at Sacred Heart Church at 5.00pm, there will be Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament to mark the end of the Year of the Eucharist and the month of the Rosary.

A Day with Mary
St Peter’s Church, Jewry Street, Winchester – Saturday 29th October 2005 – a day of instruction, devotion and intercession, based on the message given at Fatima in 1917. The programme begins at 10.15am; Mass will be celebrated at 11.15am and the day concludes at 5.15pm. During the afternoon there will be Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the opportunity for Confession. Full details are on the notice board.

Half-Term
This week our school has a welcome half-term break and resumes on Monday 31st October.

Health Concerns in Fareham and Gosport
The Patients’ Forum for Fareham and Gosport will be holding their next Meeting in public on Wednesday 9th November 2005 at 11.30am at Thorngate Halls, Bury Road, Gosport, to give people the opportunity to comment on developments in our local health services. Members of the public are warmly invited to come and make their views known.

APF
If anyone in Fareham has an APF Red Box which has not been emptied recently, please contact Ron Lewis on 01329 847533, or anyone in Portchester please contact Joan Hamilton on 023 9238 5559, as soon as possible.

Presbytery
Now that the boundary wall at Sacred Heart Church has been rebuilt, it would be appreciated if all visitors to the Presbytery and Parish Office, including anyone who has a key, could once again use the front door.

PARISH CHRISTMAS DINNER 2005
St Jude’s School Hall, Saturday 26th November, 7.30pm

Tickets on Sale from 5th and 6th November after the weekend Masses.

Further information to follow in next week’s newsletter.

Finance
Offertory Collection - £1559.20

Forthcoming Collections
Bamenda – 6th November 2005

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 Joe 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 Joe, or complete the online form