Dear Friends,
Today we begin the week that we call Holy. It is the high point of the Church’s year when we re-live the central events of our faith. During these days we come together as one parish community to celebrate together the Paschal Mystery – the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The beautiful services of the Triduum are in effect one liturgy spread over three days and ideally we should try to take part in all three: The Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7 pm on Maundy Thursday, the Solemn Liturgy of Good Friday at 3 pm and the Easter Vigil at 8.30 pm on Holy Saturday.
God bless you all.
Father James
Today there will be a Journey in Faith meeting in the parish hall at 5 pm.
Altar Servers from the three churches are welcome to serve at the Holy Week Services at the Sacred Heart in North Walsham.
The Senior Citizens’ Group (NW) will not meet until after Easter.
There is a collection basket at both Aylsham and Hoveton and the wall slot at North Walsham for Lenten Alms; the money goes towards training priests in Missionary countries.
Good Friday Processions of Witness.
North Walsham – gather at the Market Cross at 9.45 am
Aylsham – gather at the Bure Valley railway at 9.30 am
Hoveton – gather at St John’s Church Hoveton at 10 am.
The Alive in Faith campaign is now officially over in our parish. To date £119,385 has been pledged or donated. With 4 pledges still to come we will have reached our target (£120,000) this weekend. Well done everyone!
The Chrism Mass this year will be on Tuesday, 22nd March at 7pm in the Cathedral. A minibus will be picking up parishioners at 5.15pm from Aylsham; 5.35pm from North Walsham; 5.50pm from Hoveton. Please, be punctual: the bus cannot wait for late-comers. The bus will depart from the Cathedral between 9.30pm and 9.45pm. There are 6 more seats available. Please speak to Antonia if would like to add your name to the list. 01692 406452.
Lent Lunches continue to take place, during Holy Week, in Aylsham on Wednesday 23rd March at Emmanuel Chapel, Cawston Road at 12noon.
The Student Cross (Oxford leg) will be coming to Aylsham on Holy Thursday for Mass at 7.30pm. Offerings of bread, cheese, apples to help make up a lunch for the students to eat on their way the following day to Walsingham would be most appreciated.
Here in North Walsham on Holy Saturday the Blessing of Food will take place at 2.00pm in the Sacred Heart Church. This is a custom particularly for the Polish community who come to have their food for Easter Sunday blessed but anyone in the parish is most welcome.
Support Cambodia: the Spring issue of the charity’s newsletter, Mango News, will be available after today’s Masses together with “Coins for Cambodia” home collecting jars for anyone interested. Mango News is also available online by email, on Facebook and on the parish website. If you haven’t received your e-copy, please contact Katie at katbob@live.co.uk
There will be no meeting of St Helen’s 4th Wednesday Club in March. Our next meeting will be on 27th April when we will be celebrating our 7th Anniversary.
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur during this week including: John Flatley, Geoffrey Soden, Kathleen (Kay) Pearce, Henry (Dukie) Leeland, Denis Condon, James (Jim) McCartan, Ivy Cafferky, Lawrence Carroll, Herbert Coates and Gertrude Carter-Leavy.
May they rest in peace.
