Get into the Spirit of Advent
All are invited to a meditation at Our Lady of Walsingham at Portchester on Friday 9th December at 7.30pm. The service will use a ‘Taize’ approach and last about 30 minutes. Teams invite you to a small reception which will follow.

Sacred Heart Messenger
Orders are now being taken for the following publications:

The Sacred Heart Messenger 2006 - £8.40 annual subscription

Living Prayer 2006 (Apostleship of Prayer) - £1.20

Sacred Heart Calendar 2006 - £1.80 plus p.p.

Please contact Anna Chandler 01329 234436 by Wednesday 30th November.

Traditional Latin Mass
Mass according to this Rite will take place at St John’s Cathedral, Portsmouth at 1.30pm this Sunday 27th November. All welcome.

Youth News
Copies of the Diocesan Youth News are available this weekend.

Portsmouth Chorus
The Portsmouth Chorus present a Charity Concert at St Michael and All Angels Church, Dunsbury Way, Leigh Park at 7.30pm on Saturday 17th December. Tickets: £5.00 including a glass of wine.

The Well
The Well is now taking bookings for Christmas parties on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning Tuesday 29th November at a cost of £12.95 per person. All meals are freshly prepared and include the usual seasonal trimmings. There is a total capacity of 20 people per day, so please book early.

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
This Sunday’s Gospel includes the image of “gatekeeper”, one who keeps watch. Indeed, Jesus admonishes us to “Be watchful! Be alert!” We are the gatekeepers – the sentinels of Christ’s coming. As gatekeepers our work is not passive; it is an active presence to the world. To be faithful as gatekeepers we must “Be watchful! Be alert!” The first two readings for this Sunday help us reflect on salvation and the need for watchfulness. In the first reading Isaiah describes what is happening in his time: the people have chosen their own ways, the way of sinning. But without God they are lost, pulled in many directions with nothing satisfying them. Without God we, too, “have all withered like leaves.” Like Israel, we await “awesome deeds we could not hope for.” In the second reading Paul describes a world in which fullness of life abounds – that for which we are waiting has come and in Christ the awesome deeds of God are already evident. To be a gatekeeper means we look at Isaiah’s world with all its longing, a world where God is hidden because of sinfulness; but at the same time we see Paul’s world where the fullness of God’s nearness has already been realised. We must be alert that our watching does not miss that for which we truly wait.

From Living Liturgy

Shoeboxes
“Many thanks to those of you who sent in shoeboxes for Romanian families. We sent 26 boxes this year. Thanks again. Marian”

Parish Bazaar
The total so far amounts to £2134.50. Thank you to all those who helped, those who donated, those who sold and particularly to those who came and bought, which enabled us to raise such a splendid amount.

Fr Tony Day’s Silver Jubilee
On Saturday 10th December after the 6.00pm Mass at Our Lady of Walsingham, there will be a simple two course meal to celebrate this joyous occasion. So that we know how many to cater for would you please sign your name on the lists at the back of the church against your choice of food – chilli, vegetable chilli or chicken in white sauce; jacket or rice. There will be a choice of sweets.

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.

St Jude's RC Primary School
Current newsletter here

News from The Vatican………
New Diocese for Vietnam
Pope Benedict XVI has established a new diocese in Vietnam called Ba Ria, with territory taken from the diocese of Xuan Loc. The Pope appointed Bishop Thomas Nguyen Van Tram as the first bishop of the new diocese, which includes 224,000 Catholics in a population of 908,000 and has 191 Priests and 598 Religious.

Advent
Pope Benedict invited participants at the general audience to make Advent a period of spiritual preparation for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. When taking leave of the more than 25,000 people in St Peter’s Square, he encouraged them to prepare “for Advent with spiritual fervour, drawing from the Word of God and the Eucharist the interior energy to receive the Lord who comes.” The Pope dedicated his reflection during the general audience to meditate on Jesus as the only Saviour of mankind, with the help of a biblical passage, Ephesians 1:3-10.

Swiss Guards
The Swiss Guards are preparing to celebrate their 500th anniversary, with special remembrances of the men of this security corps who died in service to the Pope. The celebrations will begin on 22nd January next year. That is when the corps starts to commemorate the five centuries since the entrance in Rome of the first 150 Swiss military men who placed themselves at the service of Pope Julius II (1503-1513.) It is planned to issue Vatican stamps dedicated to the 500th anniversary and there will be the coining of a commemorative 2 euro coin. An official medal of the Holy See will also be produced and awarded to current members of the Swiss Guard which numbers 100 soldiers.

First Sunday of Advent 26/27 November 2005 The Year of St Matthew

Advent
This weekend we begin the season Advent. The Lectionary Cycle for Sundays and Feasts will be Year B. During Advent the sanctuaries in our church are quite bare. Purple vestments and a complete lack of flowers speak to us of final judgement. The Advent Wreath provides the only decoration. It represents the spiritual darkness of our world waiting for the coming of our Messiah who is the light of the world.

Advent Penitential Services
Penitential Services in our Deanery will take place as follows -
Thursday 8th December – Sacred Heart Fareham at 7.30pm

Monday 12th December – St Joseph’s, Gosport at 7.30pm

Tuesday 13th December – St John’s, Lee-on-the-Solent at 2.00pm

Wednesday 14th December – St Margaret Mary, Park Gate at 7.30pm

Thursday 15th December – Immaculate Conception Stubbington at 7.30pm

The Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
“The true gift of the Son of God is the gift of the Incarnation, in which He gave Himself to us, and which remains with us in the Eucharist, in His Word, every day until the end of history” (Pope Benedict, 16th November 2005, General Audience).

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

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.

Advent Breakfasts
Everyone is welcome to share in the Advent Breakfasts which will be served on Thursday mornings during Advent in the Sacred Heart Hall, following 7.00am Mass. Proceeds will go to the Parish Advent Appeal.

Flower Arranging at St Philip Howard Church
Someone is needed to take over the flower arranging at St Philip Howard in the New Year, preferably from the weekend of 7th/8th January. If you feel able to help, please contact Mary Wrightson on 01329 312706.

Parish Social
3rd December – 8.00pm at St Philip Howard Hall – disco, licensed bar, children’s bar, Father Christmas, whisky roll, American Supper. Come and join the fun and bring a friend. Tickets £2.00 a head, £5.00 per family, are available from Graham Stanton on 01329 284057, Sarah Smith and Janet Saliba.

Catholic Bible School
www.catholic-bible-school.org
The following will be taking place at the Catholic Bible School, Nutbourne House, Farm Lane, Chichester:-

Wednesday 14th December at 7.30pm in Nutbourne Chapel Building – MASS OF THANKSGIVING for all the blessings of 2005 – celebrated by Father Michael Gwinnell. This will be followed by seasonal refreshments in Nutbourne House.

Friday 16th December at 7.30pm in Nutbourne Chapel Building – TAIZE STYLE HEALING SERVICE.

Finance
Offertory Collection - £1487.55

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