Dear Friends
Today’s Gospel narrates the desertion of many of Jesus’ disciples. Will the Twelve also leave him? Significantly it is Peter who rallies the others and commits the twelve to Jesus: ‘Lord, who shall we go to?’ There may have been times when we too have been tempted to give up, to follow our own path or to leave the Church. But for those whom the Father has called to follow Jesus there is simply no one else.
As you have probably seen in the media, floods have devastated whole areas of Kerala in southern India. Hundreds have lost their lives and around a million people are displaced. Kerala is the most Christian state in India and can trace its religious roots to St Thomas the Apostle who visited in 52 AD. The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) has more than 36,000 members in Kerala and they are playing a major role in helping the many thousands of victims of the floods. Funds are urgently needed without delay. With this in mind I have sent £500 from the parish to the national SVP centre in London. We will have a retiring collection next Sunday which I am sure will reach this amount. Anything over will also be sent off. Meanwhile we keep our sisters and brothers in Kerala in our prayers.
God bless
Father James
Next Saturday is World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation
The next PPC Meeting will be held at St John of the Cross, Aylsham on Tuesday 28th August at 7.30 pm.
The vacancy for a representative on the Parish Pastoral Council from the St Helen’s community has now been filled. We welcome Richard McGreevy to join our members.
The latest edition of the diocesan newspaper is here and is free!
Regrettably, owing to lack of support the Pop-up Lunch to support the work of the SVP arranged for Saturday 1st September has had to be cancelled.
Support Cambodia will hold their Annual Appeal throughout the month of September, culminating in a Race Night at the Sacred Heart Parish Hall on Saturday 29th September at 7pm. Tickets (£1), horses and jockeys will be on sale after weekend Masses. Proceeds from the Appeal will go to the Rice Soup/Baby Milk Programme in Svay Sisophon. Details at www.supportcambodia.org.uk or phone 01263 577784.
An ecumenical Songs of Praise Service will be held at Hoveton Riverside, Pocket Park, Hoveton, this afternoon, Sunday, 26th August, at 3.30 pm (This is an area adjacent to Riverside, off Station Road).
The Norfolk Churches Trust are putting on their annual Bike Ride, Walk or Drive on Saturday 8th September. There will be an additional attraction: they would like people to send in pictures on the day and Brown & Co., who are sponsoring the event, will choose a couple of photographs, give a £50 prize and send them to the EDP to be published. http://norfolkchurchestrust.org.uk/bike-ride/competitions/
Advance News. Churches Together (NW) are having their annual Safari Supper on Saturday 22nd September. The Sacred Heart will be providing the main course. Please let Adrian Rudman or Chris White (CTNW reps) know if you would be able to help with this meal.
We pray for John Holmes, the husband of Mary Holmes who died last week and all our sick parishioners, including Mary Johnson, Joe Seely, Sheila Hall and Maria Wilby.
We pray for all those whose anniversaries occur at this time including: Florence Loads, John Mardon, Christine Miller, Kenneth Jameson, Leokadia Lloyd, Christina Quinn and Catherine (Kitty) Brooder
May they rest in peace.
