Dear Friends,
Jesus has left us a life to be imitated much more that doctrines to be known. Better still, he has left us a word to live in our hearts, in our deepest being, where he himself lives through faith, where our love and freedom give themselves to him. A life without words is better than words without life.
On Wednesday we begin the season of Lent with Mass in each of our churches and the blessing and distribution of ashes.
Today copies of our Lent book ‘The Shattering of Loneliness’ are available and cost a modest £5.
God bless
Father James
Today the Journey in Faith group meets in the presbytery at 5 pm.
On Monday 11th March Fr James will lead a Day of Reflection for Lent starting at 11am. Mass will be at 12noon followed by a shared lunch. Father will continue with the reflection at 2pm.
During Lent Fr James is going to hold a Lenten Course which will take place on the following Saturday mornings in the parish hall at the Sacred Heart following the 9.30am Mass: 9th March, 23rd March & 6th April.
The Senior Citizens Group (NW) meets Monday 4th for their usual morning activities. In the afternoon they will be making pancakes, both savoury and dessert!
The Lenten daily reflection and prayer booklet “My Day by Day” is available in our churches (£1).
Stations of the Cross, in the Sacred Heart Church at 12noon on Friday 8th March.
On Sunday 10th March from 2pm till 4pm Kerry & Lauren invite 8-14 yr olds and their parents to a Summer Camp “Taster” Day! – to give the young people a fuller picture of the enjoyment to be had at the annual Diocesan Summer Camp. Questions to Kerry on 07504 048352.
Tickets for Support Cambodia’s “Soups, Slides & Crafts” lunch is on Saturday 16th March are virtually sold out. Please return any unwanted tickets to Katie for resale. Entry to the Crafts and the Slide show is free but the soup lunch will only be available to ticket holders. Proceeds from the event will provide a Hand Wash Facility for Rohal Proimary School near Svay Sisophon. Contact: 01263 577784.
St John of the Cross are happy to announce another “Spring Serenade – Singers Unlimited”: a concert of songs from the shows, operetta and comic songs. It is on Saturday 30th March at 7.30pm. Tickets £7.50 which include refreshments. Tickets will be sold at St John of the Cross, following the Mass on Fridays and Sundays: also on Sundays following Mass at the Sacred Heart and on Saturday evenings, following the Mass at St Helen’s. For details ring 0776 218 2844.
Another concert will be taking place, this time in North Walsham, on Saturday 23rd March at 7.30pm but at the Methodist Church in Grammar School Road, from “Ladies Who Sing”. The proceeds are in aid of Action For Children and choir funds. Tickets cost £7 and are available by phoning 01263 768441.
Minutes of the PPC meeting held 29th January are now available on-line. Copies are also in our church porches.
We pray for all our sick parishioners; Mary Johnson, Joe Seely, Maria Wilby, Frances Palman, Thomasina Hopkins, Carolyn Raynor, Matt Butler, Peter Lloyd and John Gowing.
We pray for Eric (Bill) Bailey who died recently; we remember his family and friends at this time. We pray for all those whose anniversaries occur at this time including: Henry (Harry) Trainor, John Broom, Ann Carty, Margaret (Peggy) Forder, Joan Elsmore, Leslie Hammond, Jim Bowden, Shaun Tusting and Patrick Shiell.
May they rest in peace.
