Dear Friends,
The spring weather is in full bloom and nicely complements the new life of the Resurrection. In these weeks after Easter the Sunday readings have a particular freshness and immediacy. Today’s Gospel leads directly from the Emmaus story into another appearance of Jesus. The Lord shares food with his disciples and points to the scriptures that he is fulfilling. It will be important for their future eye-witness accounts that the disciples see for themselves that Jesus is the same Lord that they had known albeit in a resurrected and glorified body.
This weekend our parish will receive the Youth Cross and take our turn for extra times for prayer and adoration. This is part of the diocesan programme for the new Evangelisation. Please try to come and spend some time with the Blessed Sacrament. On Sunday Exposition will be at North Walsham from the end of Mass ending with simple Benediction at 5.45 pm. On Friday it will be the turn of Aylsham and then Hoveton on Saturday.
The appeal for a new digital organ at North Walsham has not been formally launched. So I am setting it in motion as from this Sunday. We have already collected an impressive amount in donations and fund-raising: £7,250 (the St Patrick’s Night raised £920). If you wish to make a donation please make out your cheque to ‘The Sacred Heart Parish’. The new organ will have 40 stops and you may wish to buy one or donate the cost in memory of a deceased member of your family. The cost of a stop is £100.
A date for your diary: the Annual General Meeting of the parish will take place on Monday, 18th May.
God bless you all,
Father James
More from the hospital reports in Glasgow: ‘ Healthy appearing decrepit 69-year old male mentally alert but forgetful’.
Next weekend (25/26th) there will be a 2nd collection for the Priest’s Training Fund.
Senior Citizens’ Group NW: No meeting on Monday 20th in the hall as they will be going to lunch at The Cockerel.
At St Helen’s, Hoveton there is Liturgy of the Word & Holy Communion on Monday 20th April at 7.00pm.
St Helen’s 4th Wednesday Club’s for our senior citizens this month takes place on 22nd April. We will be celebrating our 6th Anniversary with home-spun entertainment, songs, quizzes etc. Coffee at 11.30am, a simple hot lunch at 12.30pm and tea and cake at 4pm. Do come along for any part of the day: if coming for the first time please let me know in advance for catering purposes on 01603 270092 or 01692 582418.
The Bible Study Group resumes on Friday, 24th April its twice monthly meetings at 2.30pm in the parish hall when they will be seeing again DVDs of Fr Baron’s series Catholicism by popular request. Open to all.
Ignite Catholic Youth Festival (for Year 9 and above) takes place on 2/3/4 May 2015 at the Sacred Heart School, Swaffham: ticket £13. Book via www.ignitefestival.co.uk or email: igniteteam@eastangliadiocese.org.uk or phone Diane Peters on 07823 706090. See poster for details.
There is a PPC Meeting on Tuesday 5th May at 7.30pm in the Committee Room of the Parish Hall.
Letter of thanks from the Foodbank with list of items most needed is on noticeboards at Aylsham and North Walsham.
We pray for those all whose anniversaries occur during this week including: Bert Alley, Inga Courtenay, Freda Edwards, Joan Sims, Anne Papendick, Alfred Pycroft, Bernard Lipscombe, Frederick Webster, Marin Conneely and Connie Newsham.
With many apologies: anniversaries last week. We pray for Eileen Codd, Mary Jones, Betty Paul, Joseph Clark, Mary Turner, Eric Hall and Mario Vanzino.
May they rest in peace.
Thank you: parent and child now have somewhere to live.
