Solent Pastoral Area
Following the announcement of the formation of the Solent Pastoral Area as part of the Bishop’s Pastoral Plan, a steering group with a representative from each parish as well as one from the Pastoral Area Pastoral Council and our schools, has been formed. It will be gathering information over the next few months and advising on how we should take forward the process of deciding how we should implement the pastoral plan in our area. As yet they have only just started work – we will keep you informed as soon as there is something concrete to tell you. The representative for our parish is Paul O’Beirne, Gosport – Doug Savage; Stubbington and Lee – John Green; Park Gate – Angela Anderson.

Pilgrimage to Medjugorje
20th to 27th September 2007, flying from Bournemouth. Cost £429.00 per person, shared room basis: £70.00 supplement for single room. Full services of Medjugorje Peace Tours. Direct flight to Split, coach transfer to Medjugorje. Seven nights’ accommodation, half board, travel insurance. To reserve a place, please give £60.00 deposit payable to “Medjugorje Peace Tours”, to Barry or Jo Henwood tel. 01202 398216. More details are available from them.

Diocesan Day for Catholic Counsellors
Exploring the link between Faith and Counselling – Saturday 17th March at St Edward the Confessor Church, Winchester Road, Chandlers Ford – 10.00am coffee – tea at 4.00pm Cost £25.00 – lunch will be provided. To book, a place, please contact Eileen Stephenson on 01329 835583 or email. Attendees will be awarded an attendance certificate for continuing professional development (5 hours).

Park Place Pastoral Centre
24th February 10.00am to 4.00pm – Sadhana Lenten Retreat Watch and Pray – based on the Awareness prayer of Fr A. D’mello – cost £15.00 coffee/tea provided but please bring a packed lunch.

THE UNION

Thought for the Week
In Luke’s community, the radicalness of this Sunday’s gospel was to realise that being poor didn’t exclude one from God’s blessing. Perhaps for us, it involves more the question of whether our lives are oriented to God. Luke’s audience was concerned with what they thought were the signs of God’s blessings. Jesus challenges them and us to be rooted in the source of blessing: God who blesses all those who trust. In this sense, this gospel isn’t simply about moral imperatives and behaviours. Instead the gospel challenges us to trust in God, keep God at the centre of our lives, and recognise that all blessings come from God. Trusting in God is a permeating religious stance such that all the decisions about the kind of living we do emanate from God who is the centre of our life. As such, God blesses our life as it is - in whatever circumstances, in whatever happens to us. Then every day we can “rejoice and leap for joy.”
From Living Liturgy

Leslie Adams
Please pray for Leslie Adams who was ordained to the Priesthood at Basingstoke this weekend.

Sheer Gift!
A day to celebrate and explore Catholic stewardship in the Diocese of Portsmouth. Come and hear how the principles of stewardship are beginning to transform communities from across the diocese. Saturday 28th April 2007 at St Swithun Wells Catholic Primary School, Hillcrest Avenue, Chandlers Ford, Hampshire – 10.00am coffee – 10.30am to 4.00pm – please bring a packed lunch. Space is limited, so booking is essential. To book your place please contact Eileen Stephenson, Department of Pastoral Formation on 01329 835583 or email.

Malayalam
On 19th and 20th February there will be a Malayalam Retreat at St Philip Howard Church from 1.30pm – 8.30pm. For further information, please ring Jaison on 07737 133646.

Church Singing Workshop for Parish Choirs
Are you interested in developing music in your parish? Could any choir members do with some vocal tuition? Would an organist like some help with accompanying the choir and congregation? Do you need suggestions for repertoire? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes” then you might wish to take advantage of a Church Singing Workshop that is taking place at St John’s Seminary, Wonersh on Saturday 9th June 2007.

The event is hosted by St John’s Seminary in association with The Music Makers, an independent liturgical music publisher which has the overall mission to try to help improve the state of Catholic music at parish level. Full information on the day may be found at www.themusicmakers.org. The charge per person for the day is £15.00 including lunch in the seminary’s refectory. Enquiries to the General Manager of The Music Makers on 020 7207 5501.

Pilgrimage to Lisieux
The Confraternity of the Rosary have arranged a pilgrimage to Lisieux following the life of St Therese. It will take place from Monday 9th July to Friday 13th July 2007 staying full board at the Grand Hotel de l’Esperance. There will be Mass each day, a visit to the Basilica in Lisieux and two coach excursions – one to Alencon where St Therese spent her first years and a visit to Les Buissonet, her childhood home.

They will be sailing from Portsmouth to Cherbourg and continue by coach to the hotel, returning on the Friday sailing from Caen to Portsmouth. The coach will pick up from a Parish near you and you will be returned to your pick-up point. Included in the pilgrimage cost of £415.00 – all coach travel and excursions, accommodation full-board, travel insurance, sailing by Brittany Ferries. Fr John Dunne and Fr David Quarmby will be the spiritual leaders. A deposit is required as soon as possible to confirm sailing by Brittany Ferries - £80.00 - which includes the travel insurance. This will, of course, be deducted from the cost of the pilgrimage. Cheques to be made payable to (Pilgrimage Account). If you need further information, please ring Janet or Max on 023 9282 0744.

Worth Abbey
The Open Cloister invites you to seek God within the tranquillity and beauty of Worth Abbey in West Sussex, a Roman Catholic Benedictine Monastery as seen in BBC TV’s “The Monastery”. The Open Cloister offers you the opportunity to experience the rhythm of monastic life; retreat and engagement, contemplation and challenge, solitude and companionship. Events are open to men and women of any faith or none. Ring 01342 710318. www.worthabbey.net

St Jude's RC Primary School
Newsletter here

6th Sunday of the Year 10/11 February 2007 The Year of St Luke

Thanks… …
from Barbara McLachlan “Thank you all for your prayers and kind thoughts and cards, for when I went in for my hip operation last October and fell and broke my wrist, my hip operation having to be postponed. Also I thank everyone for their prayers for my hip operation which I had recently and now I am home and feeling really well. God bless you all.”

from Faith and Light “Just to say many thanks to Fr David and to the UCM for helping at the Mass for the Faith and Light Candlemas Service.”

Chinese Lunar New Year of The Pig
There will be a Mass to celebrate Chinese New Year on Sunday 18th February at 12.00 noon at St John’s Cathedral, Portsmouth.

The Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

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).

World Youth Day 2008
The countdown to the next international gathering has begun. The dates are 15th to 20th July 2008 with days in a host diocese the preceding week. Plans are under way to take pilgrims from the diocese to Sydney. If you would like to find out more, please email David – the cost will probably be about £2,000.

Teaching Vacancies at Oaklands Catholic School, Waterlooville
Required for September 2007:
Suitably qualified and experienced graduate teacher to be Co-ordinator for Curriculum Development and Teaching and Learning in Science – Scale TLR 1.Level 2 and to support the Head of Department in leading a team of committed and enthusiastic teachers of Science and will have the skills and leadership potential to enthuse other members of the team. He/she will be able to teach ‘A’ level in one discipline and will have a record of successful classroom practice at all levels.

A Teacher of Science/Main Scale is also required for September 2007. Newly qualified teachers are welcome to apply.

Oaklands is a very popular and successful school which is described by Ofsted as a “very good school with some excellent features” and categorised by the LA as “highly effective”. Please contact the Head, Mr Chris Whitfield B.A., M.Ed. immediately on 023 9224 8043. Closing date: Monday 19th February 2007.

Finance
Offertory Collection - £1459.80
Catholic Education Service - £408.87

Forthcoming Collections
18th 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