Dear Friends,
Today’s Gospel speaks to us about the importance of listening and also of serving. Both are necessary but listening – spending time with the Lord and pondering his words – is ‘the better part’. However meals also need to be prepared and the housework done! We need to strike the right balance between the two.
Next weekend will see what has become an annual gathering of my family and friends at North Walsham – 15 altogether this year including 3 small grand-nieces. Hot dogs, salads and desserts will be available to members of the parish from 12 noon to 3 pm on Saturday. Come and join us – you can bring a salad or a pudding if you wish. Food will be served via the back door of the presbytery. There might even be a bar!
God bless
Father James
The Senior Citizens Group (NW) on 22nd July will be going on their Summer Lunch outing to The Crown at Banningham.
Canonisation. John Henry Newman will be canonised on Sunday, 13th October. If anyone would like to be there I can provide details of a group pilgrimage to Rome from 12th-15th October.
Car Parking at N.Walsham. Parking at the Sacred Heart church is for parishioners (from all three communities) and people using the parish hall. For some time a number of people without any connection to the church or the hall having enjoyed free parking! This has sometimes caused problems on Sunday mornings as well as for funerals and other church services. Over the last month we have successfully tightened up on illegal parking. Parishioners still have free access at all times. However to avoid a note on your windscreen simply place an “up-to-date” parish newsletter in your car where it can be seen.
The next meeting of St Helen’s 4th Wednesday Club is on 24th July. Coffee is served from 11.30am; there is a simple hot lunch at 12.30pm followed by a free raffle, social activity and games. We finish with tea and cake at 4pm. All senior citizens are welcome.
The Foodbank is holding its Summer Fete on Saturday 27th (for the Cromer & District Foodbank) at St Joseph’s Church, Sheringham from 10.30am until 2.30pm. Please see the poster for more information.
Representatives for the Pastoral Parish Council This coming October, in addition to last week’s notice that Elaine Haughton will be stepping down from her three-year term as a Parish Pastoral Council representative for St Helen’s, Becky Walker (Sacred Heart), Carol Shippey (St John of the Cross) are also due to stand down in October after their three years as reps of their Eucharistic Communities and consideration needs to be given to nominations for their replacements on the PPC. Nomination forms will be available in the next few weeks. We thank them for the contribution they have made to the life of the Parish.
The Norwich Secular Franciscans invite you to join them on a Norwich Pilgrimage on Sunday 28th July starting from St John’s Cathedral at 1pm. (You are welcome to bring a picnic lunch to the Narthex at midday) They will walk to the Julian Shrine, back to St Peter Mancroft for talk on their historic bells, finish about 4.30pm. For further information please contact Debbie Bool on 07737 909366.
We pray for all our sick parishioners: Mary Johnson, Joe Seely, Maria Wilby, Matt Butler, John Gowing, Teresa Farrow, Tom Ender and Derek Palman.
We pray for Pamela Lowe, Sheila Cutting and Teresa Dowse who died recently, we remember their families and friends at this time. We pray also for all those whose anniversaries occur at this time including: Eva Dooney, Frank Diamond, Terence Green, Anthony Randall, Florence Cullingford and Victor Azzaro.
May they rest in peace.
The next Family Mass will be on Sunday 6th October – Harvest Thanksgiving
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