Breviary – The Official Prayer of the Church
The Official Prayer of the Church is called the Liturgy of the Hours. It is also known as the Divine Office or the Breviary. Once the preserve of Priests and Religious, the reforms of the Second Vatican Council encouraged it to be the prayer of the whole Church, not just its “professionals”. Many in our Parish do pray a part of the Office every day, some say the whole Office. If you would like to use this very rich form of prayer but are unfamiliar with how it works, why not come to a short (45 minutes) introductory evening led by Father Joe, on praying the Liturgy of the Hours on 9th May in Sacred Heart Church beginning at 7.30pm.

Live Simply Pilgrimage
You are invited to join the Pilgrimage on Sunday 29th May starting from Our Lady and St Edmund of Abingdon, Radley Road, Abingdon walking to the Carmelite Priory at Boar’s Hill for a picnic lunch and prayers in the chapel, before returning to Abingdon for tea and refreshments at approximately 4.30pm. A mini bus is being arranged and if you are interested, contact Esme Percival on 01329 319301. See the poster on the notice board for further details.

Happy 90th Birthday!!!!
Congratulations to Mrs Dilly Hoare who celebrates her 90th birthday on Thursday 17th May 2007.

Open Air Mass
Date for your Diary – Open Air Mass Sunday 10th June at St Jude’s School Field. If anyone needs transport, please contact Alison Ivison on 01329 230049.

Open Garden for Charity
You are invited to attend an Open Garden for Charity on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd June at 27 Elms Road, Fareham (garden open between 10.00am and 4.00pm. The entrance fee is Adults £1.50 and children 50p which includes Fairtrade refreshments kindly donated by Fareham branch of Friends of the Earth. A selection of paintings and a raffle will be available and all proceeds will be donated to Kids which helps 600 local disabled children, young people and their families.

Christian Aid Week 13th – 19th May
If you can help, please contact Alison Ivison on 01329 230049.

Job Vacancy
Cleaner required, 4 hours per week, at St Philip Howard Church Hall. For further details please contact the Parish Office.

United Service
The Churches Together in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight United Service takes place on Sunday 13th May at 3.00pm in St Thomas’ Cathedral, High Street, Portsmouth. The Preacher is Matthew Reed, Director of Church and Community, Christian Aid. If you would like to sing in the ‘united choir’ please contact David Price by email or 023 9243 9430. Do come to the Service and join other Christians as we celebrate Working Together.

Parish Diary
All group co-ordinators within the Parish are asked to send details of the dates, times and venues of their activities for the period of September 2007 to August 2008. It would be appreciated if these could arrive at the Parish Office by the end of May.

Marmalade/jam jars needed
Sr Judith at Park Place has asked you to save medium sized empty jam/marmalade jars for her.

THE UNION

Thought for the Week
We are able to love as Jesus did only because of the power and grace which come from our first being loved by God. God’s dwelling is now “with the human race” (second reading). God transforms us into those who love as the divine Son loved.

Our paschal transformation is our passing from keeping the old commandment to keeping the new, from loving as ourselves to loving as Jesus did, from dying to the old self-centred, sinful self to rising to a new life in Christ. What is new in our paschal love is that now our love is like divine love. What is new in our paschal living is that now our very identity is that of the risen Christ. The new measure of love is Jesus. He has been raised to glory and lives forever. So will we by loving!

By our own self-sacrificing love, we are the presence of the risen Christ for others. Christian living is, bottom line, to love as Jesus loved, to be the risen Christ for others. By loving as Jesus did, we are transformed, and so is all the world. “Behold, I make all things new” and this newness will last forever.
From Living Liturgy

Confirmation
Bishop Crispian will confer the Sacrament of Confirmation in our parish on Friday 18th May 2007 at 7.00pm in St Philip Howard Church. Please remember all the Candidates in your prayers.

Day of Reflection for Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament and Lay Ministers of Communion
On Saturday 12th May from 10.00am to 3.30pm there will be a Day of Reflection for all whose Ministry directly involves the Blessed Sacrament. The Day of Reflection will be given by a Brother of the Franciscan Friars of Atonement at St John’s Cathedral, Portsmouth. At the same time we encourage especially all Ministers of Communion to attend as our Pastoral Area Co-ordinating Pastor, Fr David Adams, will be commissioning all existing and new Ministers of Communion. Please bring a packed lunch.

Lay Ministers of Communion
All Lay Ministers of Communion are reminded that they need to complete a CRB form if they wish to continue in this Ministry. Forms are available from the Parish Office or from Mrs C. McGrew at St Jude’s School.

Review of the Year 2006
Copies of the Review of 2006 are available in the church porch, free of charge. Please take one.

Are you a law abiding citizen?
Could you be a Magistrate? Did you know that magistrates, also known as Justices of the Peace, are volunteers? People with common sense and personal integrity and knowledge of the local community are needed to deal with most criminal cases in local courts. You need to be between 27 and 65 years of age and be able to listen to all sides of an argument and contribute to fair and reasonable decisions. You do not have to have academic or formal qualifications or previous knowledge of the law. There will always be someone on the bench who has been trained to guide less experienced people through its business. The time commitment is a minimum of 26 half days each year and you do have to be available for full day’s sittings. If you want to find out more, please ring Nicky Staveley on 023 9258 8347.

Plant Sales for Adopt Sri Lanka
Plants will be on sale after 11.00am Mass on Sundays 13th and 20th May. All proceeds will go to the Adopt Sri Lanka Appeal. Anyone not at those Masses who would like to buy plants is welcome to call Frankie Lane on 01329 310785 and arrangements can be made to buy the plants from home. If anyone wants to order specific plants – particularly tomatoes as these go very quickly – then contact Frankie as soon as possible.

Day visit to Aylesford and Faversham, the Shrine of St Jude
The Confraternity of the Rosary have also arranged for a day visit to Aylesford and Faversham, the Shrine of St Jude, on Wednesday 30th May beginning with Mass at 12.00 noon. Please ring 023 9282 0744 to book a seat – cost of coach £12.00 – leaving Faversham for the return journey home at 6.00pm. Lunch may be purchased in the cafeteria or a packed lunch may be taken.

St Jude's RC Primary School
Newsletter here

Fifth Sunday of Easter 05/06 May 2007 The Year of St Luke

Thanks from Mary Knight
Mary Knight would like to thank all friends and parishioners for their prayers, cards and presents on the occasion of her 90th birthday.

Portchester Lent Lunches
The total amount raised at the Lent Lunches was £374.73. This will be shared £124.91 to CAFOD and £249.82 to Christian Aid. Many thanks to all who helped with the lunches and to those who supported them.

Farewell Social Evening for Father Charles Aylward
As mentioned previously, Fr Charlie has kindly agreed to return to the Parish for a farewell social evening. This has now been arranged and will take place on Thursday 17th May from 6.00pm to 8.00pm (approximately), in Sacred Heart Hall. It will give us an opportunity to give him our good wishes and to thank him for all he has done for us during his time here. A collection for Fr Charlie will be taken after all Masses this weekend.

May Concert
All are invited to a May Concert on Sunday 13th May at St Philip Howard Church starting at 7.30pm. There will be light refreshments after the Sunday evening Mass prior to the concert. Father John Glynn is Parish Priest at Wickford in Essex. He is a musician and hymn writer. He has been performing locally for some years and is coming with his group Aquila, to share his love of spiritual song with us. Among his more well-known hymns are ‘Where are you bound, Mary?’ and ‘Peace is the gift of Christ to the World.’ This concert should be of special interest to all involved in music ministry. He also writes very thoughtful and contemporary lyrics, which will be of interest to liturgists and those who enjoy spiritual reflection.

Rosary Rally 2007
The annual Rosary Rally takes place on Saturday 19th May at St John’s Cathedral, Portsmouth beginning with Mass at 12.15pm and followed by the rosary, procession, hymns and prayers. At 2.30pm there will be Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and enrolment into the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the afternoon ends with tea in the Cathedral Centre. This has been arranged by the Confraternity of the Rosary.

Finance
Offertory Collection - £1601.33
Clergy Training Fund - £591.00

Forthcoming Collections
Sunday 6th May – Father Charlie

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