Lourdes
Cake Stall
Thank you to everyone who kindly baked cakes, flans and pies and to those
who generously gave donations and of course, to the people who supported
the stall. A total of £186.00 was raised in aid of the Lourdes Fund.
Thank you so much for your continued support.
From
the Synod on the Eucharist
“As fruit of the Year of the Eucharist, the Synod strongly recommends
that significant efforts be made to give value to and to live the “Dies
Domini” in the whole Church. It is necessary to affirm anew the
central character of Sunday and of the celebration of the Eucharist in
the different communities of the diocese………Sunday is
truly the day in which one celebrates with others the risen Christ, sanctified
day and consecrated to the Creator, day of rest and availability. The
Sunday Eucharistic celebration is a humanising grace for the individual
and the family, because it nourishes the Christian identity with contact
with the Risen One. Therefore, the duty to participate is triple: with
God, with oneself and with the community.”
| GIFT The subject will be: What is a gospel? The Day Course with Jeremy Corley takes place on Friday 11th November at the Cathedral Discovery Centre from 10.00am to 4.00pm |
Saturday Night Special
The next Saturday Night Special takes place at Fareham Leisure Centre
on Saturday 12th November from 7.30pm to 10.00pm – cost £3.00
Fairtrade
The Fareham Borough Fairtrade working group invites you to a Public Meeting
on Tuesday 22nd November at 7.30pm at Fareham United Reformed Church,
Osborn Road South. The speaker will be Simeon Greene from Windward Bananas.
For more information or to register your interest, please contact Rachel
Hicks on 01329 312895.
Concert
at Our Lady of Walsingham
On Friday 2nd December at 7.30pm there will be a concert in aid of Caritas
Romania – Street children. Anyone interested in taking part or helping
in any way, please telephone Rose Andrews on 023 9238 8494.
Christmas
Cakes
Available from Park Place Pastoral Centre – 6 inch and 8 inch cakes,
(£15 and £20 respectively), the base is 4 inches deep, full
fruit cake with ¼ inch marzipan layer topped with a smooth white
icing. The cakes have a variety of traditional Christmas motifs. Proceeds
will be donated to the Franciscan Projects for Street Children in Brazil.
Orders to be sent to Sr Judith, fsma at Park Place before 1st December.
See the poster for full details.
A
Taste of India
This takes place at Park Placed Pastoral Centre on Sunday 18th December
at 12.30pm. Come with family and friends and enjoy a Christmas Meal –
cost £12.00 (£6.00 for children). The proceeds will be donated
to the Franciscan Projects for Street Children in Brazil. Please contact
Sr Judith, fsma. Park Place Pastoral Centre – tel: 01329 833043
if you wish to go.
THE UNION
Thought
for the Week
We’ve all done foolish things in our lives. We’ve gone to
the grocery store and forgotten our list of items, or our wallet. These
are inconsequential things that have relatively easy fixes. The five foolish
virgins in this Sunday’s gospel parable take lamps with no oil.
Unlike most of the foolish things we do, the foolish thing the five virgins
did had serious consequences. Like all parables, this one is loaded with
metaphors and can be interpreted at different levels.
The reply of the five wise virgins, “No, for there may not be enough for us and you” is not a statement typifying a lack of generosity or charity. It underscores that our decisions during a time of waiting for the bridegroom (waiting for Christ’s return at the end of time) are ours – no-one can “give us” access to the Bridegroom and the feast. We can’t borrow our way into the kingdom! Our readiness for the Bridegroom is something for which we prepare during our entire lives.
Coupled with the first reading, the gospel further suggests that our waiting and watching must also include seeking. We must go out to meet Christ (“wisdom” is sometimes a metaphor for God) just as wisdom (God) seeks us. Seeking during the waiting is productive – that’s the staying awake! Liturgically, we are at “stay awake.” The Bridegroom hasn’t returned. We spend our lives awake and watching. At this time of the liturgical year we are reminded to be ready, to seek the Bridegroom, to remember that we don’t know when the Bridegroom will return. Waiting and keeping vigil by ourselves can be empty; that’s when we “become drowsy and fall asleep.” Actively seeking the Bridegroom helps us stay awake and be ready so that we’re not caught off guard when the Bridegroom comes; we don’t want to be met with a locked door. Too much is at stake – we’ll miss celebrating the feast with the Bridegroom!
From Living Liturgy
House
Group
The House Group meeting will be on Wednesday 16th November. This takes
place at 101 The Avenue, Fareham and all are welcome. For more information
please ring 01329 847533.
From
PEG
“Thank
you for supporting the recycling in our parish. We need to have the right
kind of foil. This means no medical tablet packs as these contain plastic.
Remember the scrunch test – if it doesn’t crush, it’s
not foil! Thanks again for all your help. John Vivian”
2005
Parish Advent Appeal – with children in mind
This year the Advent Appeal will support two local charities: The Rainbow
Centre, Fareham “helping children with cerebral palsy learn
to help themselves” and Catholic Children’s Society
Portsmouth Diocese “making tomorrow a brighter day”
for the many children under their tender care.
Parachute
Jump!
If you have always wanted to jump out of a plane…… do
it for the Alzheimer’s Society. Training and the jump itself are
free when you raise the minimum sponsorship, which can be as little as
£290.00! Parachute centres are all over the country; you can pick
a date that suits you and you will receive full training in advance. Get
your information pack by ringing 0870 417 0192.
|
Parish
Bazaar – 19th November 2005 Keep looking out all those unwanted birthday and Christmas gifts. The Bazaar will be in aid of Oasis En-Gadi, as last year. Gifts for the Bazaar such as Bottles – tins – toiletries – fancy goods – cakes – toys – books and jewellery and empty jewellery boxes can be brought to all three churches each weekend. Raffle tickets are available after all Masses. GRAND DRAW – 2.00PM |
St Jude's
RC Primary School
Current newsletter here
| 32nd
Sunday of the Year BAMENDA SUNDAY The Year of St Matthew |
 |
Bamenda Sunday
This week there will be a retiring collection for our Sister Diocese,
Bamenda. Bamenda is the Provincial capital of North West Cameroon in West
Africa. In 1970 the Bamenda Diocese was created and Paul Verdzekov appointed
as the first bishop. In 1974, Bishop Derek Worlock of Portsmouth created
a link between the two Dioceses. Over nearly 30 years, 10 Portsmouth priests
and many lay people have worked in Bamenda. More than £800,000 from
Portsmouth has been spent on projects there. Our spiritual link in prayer
and thanksgiving remains a living and priceless gift.
Blessing
of Graves
Prayers will be said at both Fareham and Roman Grove Cemeteries at 3.00pm
this Sunday 6th November and at Portchester Crematorium at 3.00pm on Sunday
20th November. Graves and memorial stones will be blessed as requested.
The Adoration
of the Blessed Sacrament
As
we conclude the ideas inspired by Ecclesia de Eucharistia for the Year
of the Eucharist, we remember John Paul II’s words on Eucharistic
Adoration in the third millennium: “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev.
22:20). “In the humble signs of bread and wine, changed into his
body and blood, Christ walks beside us as our strength and our food for
the journey, and he enables us to become, for everyone, witnesses of hope.
If, in the presence of this mystery, reason experiences its limits, the
heart, enlightened by the grace of the Holy Spirit, clearly sees the response
that is demanded, and bows low in adoration and unbounded love”(62).
Contacts:
Fareham - Lily Peach on 077 678 98885, Portchester - Veronica
Reeves on 023 9237 2864 or Rose Andrews on 023 9238 8494.
To all
adorers of the Blessed Sacrament in Fareham and in Portchester
Fr. Joe would like to meet you on Tuesday 15th November at 7.30pm in Sacred
Heart Church to reflect on the present state of our Eucharistic Adoration
and to discuss any concerns you may have. Please don’t miss it!
Advent
People in their world turned upside down
This takes place at Park Place Pastoral Centre on Sunday 4th December
from 10.00am to 4.00pm and is led by Dr. Anand Chitnis. Dr. Chitnis is
trained as a Spiritual Director at the Ignatian Spirituality Centre at
St. Beuno’s in North Wales. During the Retreat, he will reflect
on people who figure in the Church’s Liturgical Readings for Advent.
All are welcome. The cost is £15.00 – coffee/tea are provided
but please bring a packed lunch.
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.
|
PARISH
CHRISTMAS DINNER 2005 St Jude’s School Hall, Saturday 26th November, 7.30pm Tickets:
on sale after the Sunday Masses from this weekend or book your ticket on 01329 234436 or 01329 236275 |
Finance
Offertory Collection 23rd/30th October - £3,106.40
Mission Sunday - £399.63
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
fill in the form and return it to Father Joe, or complete the online
form