A WARM WELCOME TO ANY VISITORSwho may be with us this weekend, staying with family and friends or just here on holiday: we hope you have an enjoyable time in beautiful North Norfolk. You are welcome to stay for coffee after our weekend Masses and meet some of our parishioners.
We welcome back Fr Michael and thank him again for his ministry to us during this interregnum.
TODAY is ‘DAY FOR LIFE’, the day in the Church’s year dedicated to celebrating the dignity of life, from conception to natural death. In this year’s “Message for Day for Life” the Bishops of Ireland, Scotland, England & Wales wish to follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis and invite everyone to get involved in caring for, nurturing and protecting life at every stage and in every condition. The message especially to our young people is “Livelife”,from its beginning to its natural end. Every one of us, young and old alike can play our part in the promotion of life. Everything has been entrusted to our protection and all of us are responsible for it. As Pope Francis tells us that being a protector of life is about respecting each of God’s creatures and respecting the environment in which we live.
Do read the enclosed card for information and the Day for Life prayer. There is a second collection today to support the work of the Anscombe Bioethics Centre and other life-related activities supported by the Catholic Church.
CHANGES TO OUR MASS TIMES Again, please note there may still be the necessity to change a number of our usual Mass times during the next few weeks, so do be sure to check with the bulletin each week.
CHILDREN’S LITURGY There will be no children’s liturgy sessions in our churches until the children return to school in September.
MASS NEXT FRIDAY 1ST AUGUST The 9.30am Mass at St John of the Cross will be SIMPLE CAMBODIA STYLE. Do come and join us; followed by tea & biscuits.
ST BENET’S ABBEY ECUMENICAL SERVICE is to be held next Sunday August 3rd 2014. It takes place in the open air on the Broads at 3.30pm. All are welcome to this rather beautiful service set on the historic site where once the Benedictine Abbey of St Benet’s stood. To get there, take the Ludham road from Wroxham, turn right just after “The Dog” public house at Johnson Street and follow the signs.
PARISH PICNICis on Sunday 17th August in the grounds of the Sacred Heart, North Walsham following the morning Mass at 12.15pm until 3.00pm. Bring your own picnic, rug etc plus, if possible, some food for sharing for the Food from “Around the World” Table.
OUR ANNUAL MASS IN THE GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE (North Walsham) takes place on Thursday 21st August at 6.00pm. Everyone is welcome but especially those who have their loved one’s ashes buried there. If it is wet, Mass will be held in the church. We will need help that evening with setting up and putting back of the chairs. If you can help please have a word with Antonia or ring the presbytery. Many thanks.
THE SUMMER EDITION OF MANGO NEWS is now available. Some parishioners will already have received it by email as part of a plan to reduce the number of printed copies needed. In future we propose to extend this to as many people as possible so if you are willing to receive Mango News by email it would be very helpful if you could make your wishes known by contacting Katie at katbob@live.co.uk A limited number of printed copies will continue to be available in our 3 churches and Mango News is also on the parish website under Support Cambodia.
PARISH PHOTOGRAPHERS:The PPC would like to improve the photographic record of parish events. Any of your photographs which you think may enhance our records please send to John Bolger – bolger@waitrose.com
Response from St Helen’s! At the time of their Golden Jubilee Peter Walmsley produced a small booklet on the 1st fifty years of St Helen’s Church and, in response to John’s appeal for photographic records, suitable extracts of events that have taken place over the years have been put on the website under the heading ‘“Our three churches” – St Helen’s’. Do continue to look at your old photo albums and see what you can find with a “parish connection”.
WINE & CHEESE EVENING for St John of the Cross Roof Fund – Kay and Clare would like to thank all those who supported the Wine & Cheese evening last weekend either by coming or by giving a donation. We were able to raise the magnificent sum of £1,067 so, currently the ‘Roof Fund’ stands at £7,869 with further fund raising ie. ‘Race Night’, planned for the Autumn.
SPONSORED BIKE RIDE & WALK(Norfolk Churches Trust) is on Saturday 13th September, 9am – 5pm. Sponsorship forms are available in church porches also online at norfolkchurchestrust.org.uk/sponsored-bike ride. It is hoped that a number of you will feel able to rise to the challenge of this very worth and healthy event.
We pray for all those whose anniversaries occur at this time, including Edmond O’Flaherty, Mary Elizabeth Mildred Bianco, Derek George Rayfield, Michael Joseph Conroy, Mary Ann Watts and Elizabeth Hebden.
May they rest in peace. Amen.
