Dear Friends,
In the first reading today wisdom is portrayed as a female character. It is seen as more than cleverness or intelligence; it comes from a deep experience of life and learning from it. It is also a gift, a share in the divine wisdom. In the gospel reading the young man is also searching for wisdom: ’what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ he asks. But is this kind of wisdom something that can be earned or claimed for oneself? Is eternal life something that I earn through my own efforts? For Jesus salvation is not something that is inherited or earned: it is given, it is grace. It is achieved through renunciation of self and possessions. These open the way for the life of grace to give us true wisdom.
Father James
At the Sacred Heart, North Walsham, all Masses both on Sundays and on weekdays (Tuesdays and Thursdays) are accessible from your computer or tablet. Simply click here or go to the parish website and click on ‘Live Streaming’.
It is no longer necessary to book a place at the weekend Masses in any of our three churches. However we are still encouraged to use the QR codes when we arrive at the church or to give our contact details to the stewards.
This week is Prisons Week during which we are asked to pray for prisoners and their families.
CAFOD Family Fast Day, (which was Friday 1st October) – Thank you so much for your donations of £1,336.90 to CAFOD this Family Fast Day. Your generous gifts will help people like Ivanilde in the Amazon to protect our common home. You can add your voice to CAFOD’s petition calling on the Prime Minister to show leadership in tackling the climate crisis and find out more about how you can get involved by visiting cafod.org.uk/reclaim
A Mass Count will be taken; this will be the fourth and final count of the four consecutive Sundays.
At the Sacred Heart tea/coffee is now available in the parish hall and at Aylsham in the church, following the Sunday Mass.
St Helen’s Coffee Morning will resume after Mass on the first Wednesday of the month beginning on 6th October. For £1.50 we can once again enjoy a chat over tea/coffee and refreshments including home-made cakes/scones. Proceeds go to local charities.
Fortnightly Bible Study at the Sacred Heart – the next meeting will be on Friday 22nd October at 2.30pm in the Committee Room. Topic: Forgiveness.
Minutes of the recently held PPC meeting, (on 7th September), are now available to read on church notice boards and can also be viewed on the parish website here in the section headed “Parish Life”: one or two hard copies are also available in church porches. We would urge parishioners to take an interest in the running of our parish and catch up on the latest details from these Minutes.
The time has come for election of Parish Pastoral Council representatives. Nomination forms are at the back of all three churches. Due to last year’s disruptions we are looking for two new representatives from each church. This is a vital service for your church community so please think prayerfully about whether you could contribute in this way to the life of the Parish.
We pray for our sick parishioners: Matt Butler, Derek and Frances Palman, Mary Bell, Monica Hawley and Mary Carr.
We pray for Charlotte Drury, daughter of Simon and Veronique Cornish who died recently and those whose anniversaries occur at this time including: Christopher Beardshaw, Peter Bonsall, Paula Seamons, Jane Cousal and Mary Mousley.
May they rest in peace.
