Dear Friends,
In today’s Gospel we hear part of the Sermon on the Mount. The teaching of Jesus is clear and direct. The images of salt and light are simple and easy to understand – salt without taste or light hidden away are both useless. St Paul complements this with his approach. He insists that it was not with ’any show of oratory or philosophy’ that he brought the gospel to the Corinthians: he simply told them of the promises of God and of the crucified Christ. In the last resort it is the power of the spirit that brings people to know Christ.
God bless,
Father James
This Sunday is Racial Justice Day.
The next session of Journey in Faith will be next Sunday, 16nd February, at 5pm in the presbytery.
The next Sacred Heart Bible Study will be on Friday 14th February at 2.30pm in the parish hall. Please note the change of date.
At the Sacred Heart – help is urgently needed.
Your church needs YOU! Please take a look at the list of jobs where help is urgently needed to keep our church running. Please help by putting your name down for the Sacred Heart’s Taskforce. A box for completed forms is in the church porch. Please give whatever time you can to help your church. Thank you.
In preparation for Lent a Diocesan Retreat Day is going to be held in Our Lady of the Annunciation Church, Poringland, beginning in the Thirkettle Room on Saturday 15th February, 10am – 4pm. For more details please go to mmmcfadyen@gmail.com
Katie Maidment and David Pattrick, (both Aylsham parishioners), left last Tuesday for the annual Trustee Visit on behalf of Support Cambodia. During their 3-week trip they will be visiting our twin parish of St Francis Xavier, Svay Sisophon, presenting on behalf of our parish some beautifully illustrated books on bible stories. Follow their progress at supportcambodia.org.uk or join the charity’s WhatsApp group.
Last year we had an appeal for the Association for a Better World. We joined with 6 other parishes in our deanery and together we raised £5,370. This has gone to provide a new classroom block in Sitma, complete with benches and chairs as well as ramps for wheelchairs. This could not have happened without your generous response.
All are welcome to join the CAFOD Lent Fast Day Planning Meetings. They are a great opportunity to hear first-hand how parish donations support highly skilled, highly trained experts living in the communities where we work, enabling people to change their futures:
Saturday 15th February: 11am-1pm St George’s Church, Sprowston Rd, NR3 4HZ.
Sunday 16th: 2pm-4pm St Laurence’s Catholic Church, 91 Milton Rd, Cambridge CB4 1XB and
Sunday 23rd Feb 2pm-4pm St Peter & All Soul’s Church Geneva St, Peterborough PE1 2RS. (If you would like to attend the Peterboro’ meeting and would like a £1 ticket for the carpark please contact jcrone@cafod.org.uk)
We pray for our sick parishioners: Joe Seely, Maria Wilby, Matt Butler, John Gowing, Tom Ender, Derek Palman, Kevin Fitzmaurice and Mary Carr.
We pray for all those whose anniversaries occur at this time including: Stephen McKoen, June Traffod, Audrey Greensword, Robert Watson, Mary McKoen, Marion Yapp and Mary (Beatrice) Devitt.
May they rest in peace.
Next Family Mass: Sunday 1st March – St David’s Day
(11.00 am Mass at the Sacred Heart)
