Dear Friends,
Today’s Gospel reminds us of the importance of saying Thank You! This is true in our daily lives: it is also true in our prayer life. The greatest Thank You prayer is the Eucharist – the word means Thanksgiving. It is at the Eucharist that we join with the whole Church in thanking God for the saving work of his Son.
Today we celebrate the canonisation of John Henry Newman. He was one of the foremost churchmen and theologians of the 19th century. He studied and then taught at Oxford where he was known for his intellect, his preaching and his pastoral care. At great personal cost he became a Catholic in 1845. After his ordination to the priesthood he set up a community of Oratorian priests at Maryvale in Birmingham. He recognised the importance of an educated Catholic laity and was instrumental in founding a Catholic university in Ireland. Today the Church officially recognises the holiness of this gifted man who was such an important influence on the Catholic Church in this country and beyond.
Father Gavin tells me that he enjoyed his annual visit to the parish. I was able to have a proper break and to spend some time with my family. However it is good to be back!
Father James
This week is Prisons Week during which we are asked to pray for prisoners and their families.
Next Sunday is World Mission Day: there will be a retiring collection taken for Missio (Association for the Propagation of the Faith).
The Rosary will be said in each of our churches this month.
Collectors – Please note that during October we need to take a Mass count in each of our churches and record the numbers on the sheet provided at the back of the church.
The next St Helen’s Forum will take place after the Saturday Mass on 19th October. Please come along if you want to share what is going on at the moment! The meeting will last 30 minutes at the most.
The next meeting of the Parish Pastoral Council will be on Tuesday 22nd October at 7.15pm for 7.30pm. The meeting will be held at St Helen’s, Hoveton. If you have any points you would like raised please speak with one of the representatives for your church.
From: St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, Norwich, Head of School: Felicity Hope. Tel. No. 01603 441484. Reception Class Intake September 2020. Information Evening. If you are interested in a place for your child in the Reception Class at our school in September 2020, we would like to invite you to an information meeting (without your children if possible) at school on Thursday 14th November 2019 at 7pm. On the evening you will be able to meet staff, find out more about the school and the application process. We really hope you will be able to join us and look forward to meeting you. Thank you.
We pray for all our sick parishioners: Joe Seely, Maria Wilby, Matt Butler, John Gowing, Teresa Farrow, Tom Ender, Derek Palman and Lesley Jarvis.
We pray for Peter Harrison who died Wednesday week ago; his Requiem Mass is on Tuesday 22nd at 11am at Hoveton followed by a burial at East Ruston Church. We pray for all those whose anniversaries occur at this time including: Catherine (Kay) Higgs, Arthur Pitman and David Pugh.
May they rest in peace.
Next Family Mass: Sunday 3rd November
