“God sees hearts as we see faces.”
Today’s readings from Scripture teach us that Lent is the ideal time to clean out the Temple of our own hearts and to offer to God proper Divine worship by obeying the Ten Commandments. They teach us that our New Covenant with God demands that we should keep our parish church holy, and our Divine worship vibrant by our active participation in the liturgy with hearts cleansed by repentance, and made holy by allowing the Holy Spirit to control our hearts and lives.
Father Peter
Today, Sunday, there is a 2nd collection to raise funds for the HCPT, a national charity, rooted in the Catholic faith, offering disabled & disadvantaged people pilgrimage to Lourdes. Our local group is fundraising in order to take 3 children for a fun and safe week this Easter. There will be a Bake Sale at St John of the Cross, Aylsham after Mass that day.
Stations of the Cross: for details see Mass Times.
PPC Meeting takes place at 7.00 for 7.30pm, Tuesday 5th March at St John of the Cross, Aylsham.
Churches Together North Walsham Lent Lunches – please see here and in porch for dates, venues and speakers.
Please remember: the parish hall is still officially out of bounds.
Chrism Mass, held at the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Norwich is on Tues. 26th March at 11.30am. A coach from Our Lady of Refuge, Cromer, can offer us 25 seats. If you wish to go, please sign, the list a.s.a.p. now at the back of your church, giving a telephone number. Pick up times will be announced shortly. Regrettably, the coach will not pass through Hoveton so parishioners from there will need to join those going from either Aylsham or North Walsham.
Lectio Divina group meets at St John of the Cross tomorrow, Monday 4th March, at 7pm. Please contact Mary Wallace if you wish to attend: 07725572142 or go to mary.wallace79@gmail.com
The first St Helen’s Coffee Morning of 2024 is on Wednesday 6th March at 10.30am. Do drop in to say hello and enjoy refreshments and, of course, chat. All are welcome.
The Lenten Retreat Day takes place on Saturday 9th March, at the Sacred Heart Parish Hall from 10am until 4.30pm. Entitled “Encounter with Christ”: the speaker is Fr Luke Goymour. There will be Confessions and Mass. Please bring a packed lunch; tea & coffee will be provided. For further information pl contact Maggie on 07886 249254 of mmbdullaghan@gmail.com Copies of the programme for the day now available at the back of the church.
A Deanery Lenten Station Mass will be celebrated at the Cathedral on Tuesday 12th March with Adoration & Confessions from 6pm followed by Mass at 7pm. Priests available for Confession – an excellent opportunity for a Lent Confession, especially if you prefer to have it heard anonymously!
The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency audit backs safeguarding services in the Diocese of East Anglia.
The Diocese of East Anglia has been awarded a judgment of Comprehensive Assurance by the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) in an audit of its safeguarding provision.
The audit was conducted in Spring 2023 and the Executive Summary of its findings have been published here. It is hoped that parishioners and visitors to our diocese will be reassured by its findings. Bishop Peter, clergy and all who work and volunteer in the diocese are encouraged by it and remain committed to following up on the small number of recommendations to further improve. Particular gratitude is due to the Diocese’s Safeguarding Coordinator and Administrator, and to all Parish Safeguarding Representatives for their hard-work and commitment, which is reflected in this report.
Requiem Mass for Mary Carr is on Thursday 7th March at 11am at St John of the Cross, Aylsham.
We pray for our sick parishioners: Matt Butler, Frances Palman, Mary Bell, Paul Watson, Cyril Shenton, Patricia Newton, Celia Cooper, Marie Barton, Robert Buhagiar, Margaret Larkins, Daphne Necchi, Bert Pooler, Maria Halsey, Joan Macnamara, Richard Skelton, Teresa Fitzmaurice, Joan Gale and Debbie Caruana.
We pray for Margaret Francis who died last weekend and remember her family at this time.
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur this week: Henry (Harry) Trainor, John Broom, Ann Carty, Anne (Nancy) Powles, Margaret (Peggy) Forder, Margaret Ford, Anthony Kelly, Alexander Whitwell, Bernard Sandy, Joan Elsmore, James Brown, Shaun Tusting and Tony Shiell. May they rest in peace.
