Dear Friends
It is part of our contemporary culture to judge people by how they look and dress. St James in today’s second reading challenges us to think again! It is a challenge of faith – ‘the making of distinctions between classes of people’ is incompatible with faith in Jesus Christ. This is a real challenge to everyone who wishes to live by the values of the Gospel. We need to see others as God sees – not by appearances.
We welcome Father Gavin Small who is with us until the end of September. He is exchanging the Australian winter for a late English summer! He also makes it possible for me to have a break. I know that you will look after him!
I shall be taking part in the Eucharistic Congress in Liverpool this weekend and ask you all to join with me in the prayer of the Congress.
Father James
A prayer for the Eucharistic Congress in Liverpool: We thank you, Father, for the love you have shown us in the gift of Jesus, your Son. Keep us grateful each day for the blessings that surround us. As we are fed by you, so now send us out to share what we have received with our hungry brothers and sisters. We humbly ask your help to become the Church that you are calling us to be: a community that listens, that trusts, that lives with courage and that puts out its nets into new waters. May the gentle presence of Christ in our hearts be a source of healing, of new life and of a deeper trust in you. We ask this in faith through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen
Today is Education Sunday
Next Sunday is Home Mission Day: there will be a retiring collection following the Sunday Masses.
The Senior Citizens’ Group (NW) resume their weekly meetings on Monday 10th. Lunch will be provided.
A Stalham Area Mass will be held at St Mary’s Church, Stalham on Friday 14th September at 7pm.
At Hoveton on Sunday 16th September at St Helen’s there will be a Celebration Mass at 1.00pm for Our Lady of Panafranca. During the afternoon there will be a River Procession and also a procession through the town. A truly festive afternoon – do join us!
Churches Together in North Walsham are having their annual Safari Supper on Saturday 22nd September. The Sacred Heart will be providing the main course. Please let Adrian Rudman or Chris White (CTNW reps) know if you would be able to help with this meal. Tickets’ for this most enjoyable evening, are only £7.50 (an incredibly small charge for a three course meal!) and will be on sale after Mass on Sunday.
Harvest Celebrations On Sunday 7th October we will gather as a Parish at the Sacred Heart to celebrate Harvest Thanksgiving with a Family Mass at 11am (our monthly Mass where the children take major roles in the liturgy) followed by a Parish Harvest Lunch in the hall at 12.30pm. Parishioners from St John of the Cross will provide the main course and those from St Helen’s will provide the desserts. Michael Mc Mahon, President of the North Norfolk SVP, will speak to us during the lunch about the work of the SVP. Please sign the lists at the back of each church to let the cooks have some idea of numbers wanting to attend.
We pray for all our sick parishioners, including Mary Johnson, Joe Seely, Sheila Hall and Maria Wilby.
We pray for all those whose anniversaries occur at this time including: Pauline Gilmore, Christopher Beardshaw and Peter Bonsall.
May they rest in peace.
