Women’s World Day of Prayer
This year’s Service takes place on Friday 3rd March and has been prepared by Christian women of South Africa. The Service at Portchester will be held at the Methodist Church in Castle Street beginning at 2.15pm and all are welcome. Those who are reading at the Service are asked to attend a rehearsal on Friday 24th February at 10.00am at Portchester Methodist Church.
Saturday Night Special
The next Saturday Night Special takes place on Saturday 25th February at Fareham Leisure Centre for Year 7 and above – cost £3.50.
Charity Concert
On Friday 28th April there will be a concert at Our Lady of Walsingham Church, Portchester (charity to be announced later). If anyone would like to join in or would like to help in any way, please ring Rose Andrews on 023 9238 8494.
Challenges with a difference!
Emmanuel Healthcare is organising a sponsored bike ride and a sponsored trek. The trek, in aid of Tiyanjane Clinic in Blantyre, Malawi is in October 2006 and starts at St Catherine’s monastery, deep in the Sinai Desert, goes up Mt. Sinai before crossing the desert to the coast near the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea. There will also be an opportunity to visit the pyramids. In May 2007, they will be cycling in Malawi in aid of medical mission projects in Southern Malawi. If you would like to find out more, log on to www.emms.org or see details in the church porch.
Calling
all Lay Ministers of Communion and Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament
You may remember that Father Joe promised that there would be a Day of
Retreat for all Ministers of Communion and Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament.
This has now been arranged and Father John Edwards SJ will be leading
a Day of Reflection at Park Place on Saturday 11th March from 10.00am
to 4.00pm (Mass will be celebrated at 3.00pm). There will be coffee/tea
at 10.00am and a packed lunch at 12.00 noon. We need to know numbers,
so would you please complete the tear-off slip below and return it to
the Parish Office if you wish to attend. This notice will be in the newsletter
for the next two weeks.
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Day of Reflection – 11th March 2006 at Park Place I will be attending the Day of Reflection
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Extract of the Pope’s Message for the Assembly of World Council of Churches
“Mindful of our shared baptismal faith in the Triune God, the Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches seek ways to co-operate ever more effectively in the task of witnessing to God’s divine love…..We look forward to continuing this journey of hope and promise…..Our trust is solely in the prayer of Christ himself: “Holy Father, keep them in my name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one” (John 17:11).
Park Place Lenten Retreat
Sister Frances fsma will be leading a Lenten Retreat, Watch and Pray, on Saturday 11th March at Park Place Pastoral Centre from 10.00am to 4.00pm. Tea and coffee will be provided but you will need to bring a packed lunch. The cost is £15.00. The Retreat will include reflection on our own “watchfulness” in our response to God’s Word in our daily living. There will be time for quiet personal reflection and the Gospel theme will be depicted in Indian Dance during the day.
Contact The Secretary, Park Place Pastoral Centre, Winchester Road, Wickham, Fareham, Hants PO17 5HA to book your place. Please enclose a stamped addressed envelope.
THE UNION
Thought
for the Week
In the gospel for this Sunday, Jesus “returned to Capernaum,” his home town. We might surmise that he was home for some R and R. It wasn’t to happen – the townspeople gathered around in great crowds. Such desperation the four men carrying the paralytic had – they couldn’t get in the door, so they climbed up to the roof and lowered the paralytic to Jesus!
The divine compassion and mercy described by Isaiah in the first reading are revealed in Jesus – the healing and forgiveness of God incarnate. Whether one is broken in body or burdened by sin, Jesus heals and forgives. We have only to come.
Forgiveness comes from God but it does require something from us. The four men in the gospel acted to bring the paralytic to Jesus. They overcame obstacles to reach him…..They had faith in Jesus’ power and they acted on this faith. This kind of faith demands dying. We must die to hanging on to our infirmities, to excuses for why we are powerless to act, to paralysis in face of obstacles to healing and forgiveness. When we embrace this kind of dying, we place ourselves in the presence of Jesus, and there discover the resurrection.
From Living Liturgy
Christina Greenfield RIP
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Christina Greenfield who died recently. Please also remember all of her family and friends in your prayers. Chris’s funeral takes place on Friday 24th February at 9.15am at Our Lady of Walsingham Church. The family have agreed that any monetary donations will be divided between the Catholic Children’s Society and flowers for the three churches in the Parish for Easter.
Roy Raggett RIP
Please also pray for the repose of the soul of Roy Raggett who died recently. Please pray too for his family and friends. Roy’s funeral takes place on Thursday 2nd March at 9.30am at Sacred Heart Church.
Thanks from the Rainbow Centre
“Dear Father Joe, I would like to say thank you to you and the congregations of the Fareham and Portchester Catholic Churches who raised money for the Rainbow Centre through this year’s Advent Appeal. I confirm receipt of your very generous cheque to the value of £1894.00. It was a great pleasure for me to attend the Fareham services and we were delighted that you chose to support us for a second year in succession. We are most grateful. Yours sincerely, Helen Somerset-How, Appeal Director”
Parish Ecology Survey
PEG will be conducting a survey at all Masses this weekend and will be distributing a questionnaire.
Visit to PEG
Mark Harrison Jones, Fareham Borough Council Recycling Officer will be speaking to PEG on Friday 24th February in Sacred Heart Hall at 7.30pm. All are welcome.
House Group
The next meeting of the House Group will be on 22nd February (7.45pm for 8.00pm) at 101 The Avenue, Fareham. For the next few months we will be studying the Gospel of St John, on video, led by Professor Tim Grey of EWTN. For more information ring 01329 847533.
A Call to Prayer for the Community of Fareham Deanery
Come for a time of quiet, prayer and spiritual formation – Mass * Confession * Teaching to the church of St Margaret Mary, Park Gate on Friday 3rd March 2006 10.00am (Mass) – 3.00pm. There will be a reflection on the second vision of Margaret Mary revealing the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Bring your own sandwiches. Tea, coffee and soup will be available.
Fareham Trefoil Guild
Kind thanks and appreciation to the Trefoil Guild for donating £50.00 of their funds to Adopt Sri Lanka. This money will go towards our next ASL Project, supporting the re-housing of needy families still living in temporary accommodation since the tsunami hit southern Sri Lanka. Thank you for your interest and support.
Lenten
Discussion Groups
Witnessing Christ in the Conflict of Life is the topic for Fareham
Lenten Ecumenical Discussion Groups. Portchester Ecumenical Groups will
also be having Lenten Discussions but the topic has yet to be decided.
Applications for the Fareham Groups are available at the back of the church
and need to be returned by Tuesday 7th March at the latest. The Groups
are small and these discussions are lively and home based in comfortable
surroundings.
St Jude's
RC Primary School
Current newsletter here
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7th Sunday of the Year 18th/19th February 2006
The Year of St Mark |
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Laurence Tothill
Congratulations to Laurence Tothill, who will be receiving his First Holy Communion this Sunday at the 6.00pm Mass at St Philip Howard Church.
Table Top Sale and Raffle
The sale takes place after the Sunday Masses and all proceeds go to ‘Adopt Sri Lanka’ – offering a helping hand to aid the re-housing of the tsunami victims. EVERYONE WELCOME.
The Adoration
of the Blessed Sacrament
Contacts:
Contacts: Fareham - Lily Peach on 077 678 98885, Portchester
- Veronica Reeves on 023 9237 2864 or Rose Andrews on 023 9238 8494.
Vacancy at Oaklands Catholic School
Required as soon as possible a suitably qualified and experienced graduate to be Head of Design Technology TLR Level 1 to lead a successful team of six highly committed and enthusiastic colleagues who teach students in all years up to GCSE and A Level in this extremely popular and successful Catholic School, described by Ofsted as “a very good school with some excellent features” and categorised by the LEA for the third year running as “highly effective”. Please contact the Head, Mr. Chris Whitfield, BA., M.Ed enclosing CV and the names of two referees. For further details and application form please send an A5 stamped addressed envelope to Oaklands Catholic School, Stakes Hill Road, Waterlooville, Hants. PO7 7BW. The telephone number is 023 9225 9214.
‘Eye Contact’ – serving the blind children of Uzbekistan
All are invited to the Open Day on Saturday 4th March 2006 at Portchester Parish Hall, Castle Street, Portchester from 2.00pm to 4.00pm. Entrance is free and there will be a demonstration of braillers and an opportunity to meet some special guests from Uzbekistan.
Health and Care
The next Meeting in public of the Patients’ Forum for Fareham and Gosport will be held on Wednesday 8th March 8.00pn to 9.00pm in Fareham Community Centre, 38 Queens Road, Fareham. Discussion will focus on the proposed reorganisation of our local NHS.
St John’s College Politics Society, Southsea
Two meetings are scheduled for the second half of the Spring Term, both at 7.30pm with refreshments from 7.00pm.
- Friday 24 February: David Willetts MP – Conservative MP for Havant and Shadow Education Secretary
- Friday 17th March: Roger Knapman MEP – Leader of the UK Independence Party.
Entry is free and all are welcome. For further details please contact Dr Graham Goodlad on 023 9281 5118 or at grahg@stjohnscollege.co.uk.
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??? QUIZ ??? Sunday 26th February 2006 at Sacred Heart Hall 12.30pm for a 1.00pm start Bring a plate of food to share
Adults £3.00 Children 50p |
Finance
Offertory Collection - £1647.48 (this includes the collection at the Mass in Malayalam)
Catholic Education Service - £344.37
Forthcoming Collection –
26th February – Catholic Children’s Society
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
