Dear Friends,
Job sees life as pointless – without hope or meaning. The way Mark portrays the work of Jesus and Paul describes his life show that for those who proclaim the kingdom and preach the gospel every activity devoted to that end is worthwhile. Truly a work full of hope and purpose.
We are continuing the regular monthly parish diary – see insert into this week’s newsletter for the month of February. Newsletters throughout the month will give more details of these events but it is useful to have an overview for each month.
Father James
The Mass today (Sunday) at the Sacred Heart is a Family Mass with the children taking major roles in the liturgy.
The Senior Citizens Group at North Walsham meets Monday 5th February at 11.00am. There will be the usual morning activities followed by lunch. In the afternoon Frances Cook will hold a quiz.
A Celebration of Our Lady of Lourdes – there will be Solemn Mass with Anointing of the Sick at the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Norwich on Saturday 17th February at 11.30am. A reminder about parking difficulties at the Cathedral.
Thanks from CAFOD. Thank you to everyone who bought a ‘World Gift’ this Christmas – you’ve made an enormous difference to families in poverty. With your help we can give over 2,000 goats to farming families to give them milk and manure; supply 505 solar lamps to families, helping children to do their homework and breath clean air plus spend over £75,000 getting clean, safe water to communities, preventing disease, amongst other things.
Lots of warm clothes for refugees in northern France have been coming in to all three of our communities. Well done!
Looking to events ahead:
During Lent there will be a series of Lent Station Masses celebrated by Bishop Alan at a number of different churches in the Diocese. The nearest to us will be on Thursday, 1st March at St George’s, Norwich. At 6.00pm there will be Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and the Sacrament of Reconciliation; at 7.00pm Mass will be celebrated by the bishop and priests of the Deanery. This will be followed by soup and cheese.
Women’s World Day of Prayer is on Friday 2nd March. There will be a Service at St Helen’s at 9.30am to 12noon and a rehearsal in the church (for the representatives) on the previous Friday, 23rd February at 9.00 to11.30am. At Aylsham the Service is at St Michael’s Church at 2pm and again at 7pm; at North Walsham the Service will be at St Nicholas Church at 2pm. These services are for both men and women.
There will be a Day of Renewal of Saturday, 24th February at Bowthorpe Church Centre, Norwich NR5 9AA. The day will include Mass, prayer ministry and confessions. Bring a packed lunch.
We pray for our sick parishioners, including Barbara Appleton, Margaret Wynes, Peter Walmesly, Mary Carr and Linda Dawson.
We pray for Lucy Ann Gawlina, Betty Hammond, Jean McKewan and Dorothy Rose who died recently: we remember their families and friends at this time. We pray also for those whose anniversaries occur this week including: Ivy Batty, Wasil Mychajlszyn, Jon Connolly, André Boucher and Anna Simpson.
May they rest in peace.
Living Simply
This month’s theme: Refugee Month
This week’s suggestion: Pray for the refugees in Calais and the
charities that support them.
