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 Welcome
This weekend we welcome Fr Peter Glas from Gosport, who will be celebrating the Masses in our Parish. Fr Joe and Fr Pat will be at Stubbington.
Parish Office
The Parish Office will be closed from Tuesday 22nd December and will re-open on Wednesday 6th January 2010.
Entrance Antiphons for this week
Monday - Funeral
Tuesday – Gates, lift up your heads! Stand erect, ancient doors and let in the King of glory.
Wednesday - A little child is born for us and he shall be called the mighty God; every race on earth shall be blessed in him.
Thursday – The appointed time has come; God has sent his Son into the world.
Friday - Christmas Day
Saturday - Altar Servers’ Mass |
Portchester Christmas Cards
Churches Together in Portchester have once again produced Christmas Cards for delivery to every household in Portchester. These give details of Christmas Services. If you are able to help with delivery, please speak to Joan Hamilton or Yvonne Hart.
A time to remember the children we mourn
There will be a Service at Immaculate Conception Church, Bells Lane, Stubbington on Monday 28th December at 2.00pm on the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Everyone is welcome and tea, coffee and refreshments will be served in the hall afterwards.
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From Fr Joe
You don’t need me to tell you that Christmas can be a frantic time. It is even more so when we are trying to combine the religious with the secular and family commitments. I often envy a community of nuns I know who keep Christmas completely as a holy day with prayers and exposition and then the following day “let their hair down” (wimples!) for all the jollifications. For most of us that is completely impractical, but just remember to keep Christ in Christmas.
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2009 Parish Advent Appeal
Harbour Cancer Support Centre
The Parish Pastoral Council have selected Harbour Cancer Support Centre as the charity we will assist and fund raise for during the season of Advent. The Centre is based in Gosport and opened in 2001. Its mission is to provide cancer patients, their families, carers and friends with emotional and practical support. Their objective is to help people with cancer live their lives as normally as possible, promoting independence and quality of life.
Red collection buckets will be at the back of our three churches every weekend of Advent. Thank you.
Children’s Christmas Tree Service
Any children who would like to decorate the Christmas Tree at Our Lady of Walsingham Church and sing and play some carols are welcome to come to the church at 10.00am on 24th December. There will be refreshments after the Service.
Father Joe, Father Pat, Canon Richard, Father Peter, Father David, Father Tony and Deacon Langford wish you and your family a peaceful and happy Christmas and every joy and blessing for the New Year |
Crib Offerings
This year the Crib Collection will be for Christians in the Holy Land and some information regarding this is on the notice board. Over the past few years a number of people from our Diocese have been on pilgrimage to the Holy Land and have seen for themselves the difficulties that are imposed on them in their daily lives, especially on the West Bank and Gaza. This appeal is sponsored by the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre whose task it is to support the work of the Patriarch in caring for the Christian Community.
Youth Club
This weekend’s meeting of the Youth Club will be a free night and the Youth Club will next meet on 17th January.
From Trenton, New Jersey
It is often said that to sing is to pray twice. A New Jersey Diocesan initiative shows that singing Christmas Carols can be an effective method of evangelization. “Carols contain the kernel of the Gospel Message and singing them opens our hearts to the Good News about Jesus,” said John Boucher, Director of the Office of Evangelization and Parish Development for that Diocese. He and his wife created the Christmas Carol Festival which aims to re-introduce faithful and non-practising Catholics to the message of Christmas. (From www.zenit.org)
St Jude's
Catholic Primary School
Web site here
Welcome
A warm welcome to all visitors to Fareham and Portchester and welcome, also, to those who are newcomers to our parish. If you have recently moved to this area, please fill in one of our “Are you new?” forms to be found at the entrance to the church and return this to the parish office. Alternatively
complete our online form.
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20th December 2009
4th Sunday of Advent |
Christmas Services
Details of all Christmas Services in the Solent Pastoral Area are on the notice board. In this parish, Services are as follows:-
Christmas Services
24 December
10.00am -
Children’s Christmas Tree Service - Our Lady of Walsingham
05.00pm – Vigil Mass - St
Philip Howard
06.00pm – Vigil Mass - Our Lady of Walsingham
10.30pm – Midnight Mass - Sacred
Heart
25 December
09.00am – Christmas Day Mass - Sacred
Heart
11.00am – Christmas Day Mass - St
Philip Howard
26 December
10.30am – Pastoral Area Altar Servers’ Mass - St Margaret Mary, Park Gate |
A Message from the Finance Committee
As is the usual custom, the collection on Christmas Day is our personal gift to the Parish Clergy. If you contribute by way of Gift Aid by standing order or by envelopes, the Church can reclaim the tax paid on your gift. Simply use an envelope and mark it clearly with your number or name and the words ‘Christmas Gift’.
Carol Singing in QA Hospital on Christmas Eve
If you would like to come please ring 023 9228 6408. We meet in the Chapel on A level at 6.00pm and aim to finish between 8.00pm and 8.30pm, you may email
Coffee at St Philip Howard
There will be no coffee after the 11.00am Mass at St Philip Howard on Sunday 27th December.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Please note that Adoration finishes on 18th December 2009 and recommences on 4th January 2010.
Michael Ambler RIP
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Michael Ambler, who died recently. His funeral will take place on Wednesday 23rd December at 11.00am at Holy Family Church, Alma Lane, Farnham; 12.30pm at Aldershot Crematorium. Any friends who would like to join Mary and her family would be most welcome.
First Fridays
There will be no First Friday day of devotion for the month of January. We will resume on the First Friday of February 2010. A big thank you to Fr Peter Glas for all the time he has given to this monthly day of retreat in his very busy schedule.
CAFOD Supporters’ Day
Saturday 9th January, St Bede’s Parish Hall, Popley Way, Basingstoke RG24 9DX, 10.30am to 3.30pm (Stations of the Cross at 3.30pm). An opportunity for all CAFOD supporters across the Diocese to get together and hear about upcoming plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Lent Fast Day. Refreshments provided, but please bring your own lunch. To book a place contact 01252 329385.
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
Finance
Offertory Collection - £1802.00
Advent Appeal to date - £2253.15 |
