Parish Advent Appeal
The final amount raised from the Christmas Dinner was £1618.00. The Tombola and Cake Stall raised £326.00 and the three Advent Breakfasts raised £146.00. Thank you for all your kind support.

Portchester Voluntary Care
This group has co-ordinators who receive requests by telephone for help with transport. They then find a suitable volunteer who will provide transport and if necessary, an escort, to Health Centres, Hospitals, Dentists etc. Donations are appreciated and can be placed in an envelope provided by the driver who will return it to the treasurer. Volunteer drivers can, if they wish, claim expenses. If you feel this service might be of help to you or if you would like to volunteer to be a driver or escort, please telephone 023 9232 1788.

Douai Abbey Pastoral Programme
Friday – Sunday 26 - 28 Jan – Silent Retreat
Friday – Sunday 02 – 04 Feb – Reading weekend
Saturday 10 Feb – 10.00am – Healing Workshop
Nicholas Broadbridge OSB
Saturday 24 Feb – 10.00am – Day of Recollection
Hugh Somerville-Knapman OSB
Friday – Sunday 02 – 04 March – Lent Retreat
John Bolton OSB
Monday – Friday 12 – 16 March – Quo Vadis?
Christopher Greener OSB & Gervase Holdaway OSB
Saturday – 17 March – Christian Art and Poetry
Oliver Holt OSB & Myra Cottingham
Friday – Sunday 23 – 25 March – Managing conflict the Benedictine Way
Fodhla McGrane & Gervase Holdaway OSB
For full information, contact Pastoral Programme Office, Douai Abbey, Upper Woolhampton, Reading, Berks. RG7 5TQ

Holidays for Children
Do you know 12 children in real need of a break? Harvest Trust is a charity which provides free seaside holidays for groups of 12 disadvantaged children between the ages of 8 and 11 years. All accommodation and transport is free of charge but organizations would need to buy food and provide 3 adult workers to accompany the children. Applications forms are available NOW by ringing 01559 371190.

Youth Club
The club will re-start this Sunday 7th January.

The Future’s not Bright if you’re Orange!
A talk on the plight of the Orang-utan and the threat to the people of the rainforests from Palm Oil Tree Plantations – Speaker Ed Matthew of Friends of the Earth. The venue is St Vincent College, Forton Road, Gosport – Monday 8th January 2007 at 7.30pm. This has been organised by Gosport and Fareham Friends of the Earth and all are welcome.

THE UNION

Thought for the Week

Blessed are you,
Lord God of all creation:
By the guidance of a star you led the magi to your child,
and by the light of faith you bring us to know Christ as Lord,
the Messiah you have sent.

May all who come to our home this year
rejoice to find Christ living among us;
and may we seek and serve, in everyone we meet,
Jesus who is Lord for ever and ever.
From an Epiphany Blessing

Elsie Stokes RIP
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Elsie Stokes who died recently. Please also pray for Sonia and all of Elsie’s family and friends. The funeral service took place on 4th January.

Robert Taubman RIP
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Robert Taubman who died recently. Please also remember Joan and all of Robert’s family and friends in your prayers. The funeral takes place on Wednesday 10th January at 10.00am at St Philip Howard Church and will be followed by cremation at Portchester.

Barbara Collins RIP
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Barbara who died recently and also remember Sarah and her family in your prayers.

Sr Annunciata RIP
Please pray for Sr Annunciata who died recently. The funeral will take place on Monday 8th January at Park Place at 1.30pm.

Catholic Bible School, Nutbourne, Study Days
Saturday 13th January 10.00am to 3.30pm – “Light in the Lord” – Sister Maria Natella: Saturday 27th January 10.00am to 3.30pm – “Walking in the Spirit” – Rev Jim Graham Contact the Catholic Bible School on 01243 371766 to book a place or to obtain further information.

Parish Pastoral Council
The next Meeting of the PPC is on Wednesday 10th January beginning at 7.30pm. Members are pleased asked to make note that the venue for this meeting will be the Presbytery.

Lay Ministers of Communion
The annual meeting for Lay Ministers of Communion takes place on Thursday 11th January at 7.30pm in Sacred Heart Church.

Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity
The Octave of prayer for Christian Unity begins on Thursday 18th January. Details of the Services in both Portchester and Fareham will be given in next week’s newsletter.

Skills for Life
Fareham College are offering to run FREE Skills for Life courses in community venues in Fareham. These are aimed at improving learners’ numeracy, literacy and ESOL skills. There is a range of courses including: football skills, interior design and computers for beginners. If you would like to find out more and meet heads of community centres, schools, charities and community groups then attend the Meet and Greet Event on Wednesday 10th January from 10.00am to12.00noon at West End Centre, St Anne’s Grove, Fareham.

St Jude's RC Primary School
Newsletter here

The Epiphany of the Lord 06/07 January 2007 The Year of St Luke

Hospitals and the Data Protection Act
The Patients Charter requires Hospital authorities to care for the religious and spiritual needs of their patients, while the Data Protection Act forbids those authorities to pass sensitive personal data, like religious affiliation of patients, to chaplains unless the individual patient has expressly requested this. When parishioners are admitted to hospital they should tell the hospital staff taking their details that they are Catholics, and express their wish that this information be passed to the Roman Catholic Chaplain. Those responsible for children or for those who are unconscious when admitted should do likewise.

Deacon Leslie Adams
Please pray for Leslie Adams who will be ordained priest on 10th February 2007 at St Bede’s Church in Basingstoke. During his training for the Priesthood, Leslie worked for a while in this Parish.

The Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
“In the grotto of Bethlehem we adore the same Lord who wanted to make himself our spiritual nourishment in the Eucharistic sacrament, in order to transform the world from within beginning from the human heart.” (Pope Benedict XVI, 14 December 2006, Meeting with Roman University Students).

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament resumes on Monday 8th January at Our Lady of Walsingham Church.

Contacts: Fareham (and Tuesday evenings) - Lily Peach on 077 678 98885 Portchester – Veronica Reeves on 023 9237 2864 (Monday Adoration at Our Lady of Walsingham Church only).

Day with Mary Pilgrimages 2007
Details of the following pilgrimages are on the notice board:

Fatima – 12 – 20 July including a 3 day conference on Our Lady;

Rome – 8 – 16 September visiting Subiaco and Manoppello;

For full details and booking forms, contact Trevor Downs, 15 Carlton Crescent, North Cheam, Surrey. SM3 9TS.

Diocesan Day for Justice and Peace – Becoming Stewards of God’s Creation
Saturday 17th February at Bishop Challoner School, Basingstoke from 10.00am to 4.30pm. Registration and coffee from 9.30am. If you wish to attend, please complete a booking form. These are available in the church porch.

Accommodation required
A young professional female urgently needs accommodation in the Fareham area. If you can help, please ring Jim or Pat Gilhooley on 01329 845307.

Temporary accommodation is also required for a teacher who is working for the Rainbow Centre for three months. If you can help, please ring Magdi Kovacs on 01329 221762.

Finance
Offertory Collection 24/31 - £2910.90

Christmas - £3691.00

Advent Appeal to date – Aid to the Church in Need - £3455.72

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