Dear Friends,
“Lord, give me this one grace: to love you above all and love all in You.”
The central theme of today’s readings is the greatest commandment in the Bible, namely, to respond to God’s love for us by loving Him, and then to express that love in action by loving Him loving our neighbour. Our love for God is tested and put into practice by the way we love our neighbour.
Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, in response to His total love for us, means that we should place God’s will ahead of ours, seek the Lord’s will in all things, and make it paramount in our lives. There are several means by which we can express our love for God and our gratitude to Him for His blessings, acknowledging our total dependence on Him. We need to keep God’s Commandments, and offer daily prayers of thanksgiving, praise and petition. We also need to read and meditate on His word in the Bible and accept His invitation to join Him in the Mass and other liturgical functions. Let the love of God and love of our neighbour encompass our whole life.
Father Peter
This Sunday, 29th October – Second Collection in support of Missio (APF). Please bring your red boxes to be emptied.
Wednesday 1 November is the feast of All Saints and a Holyday of Obligation. Masses will be:
9.30am at St Helen’s, Hoveton
11.00am at The Sacred Heart, North Walsham
6.00pm at St John of the Cross, Aylsham
Thursday, 2 November is the feast of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day) Masses will be:
9.30am at St John of the Cross, Aylsham
11.00am at The Sacred Heart, North Walsham
6.00pm at St Helen’s, Hoveton
Books of Remembrance will be in our churches for you to list your loved ones and friends.
It is planned to start the Confirmation programme mid November. Anyone who would like to join the programme should contact either Ginny Keane at St John of the Cross, or Fr Peter.
The SVP North Norfolk Conference would like to most gratefully thank all parishioners for their generosity in response to last week’s appeal for cash to fund food and gift boxes for families, children and single people sheltered in the Temporary Emergency Accommodation houses in Sheringham & Cromer. The collection amounted to £1,011.35
SVP Conference. We will be welcoming Jon Cornwall, director of Membership to the SVP, to St John of the Cross on Sunday 5th November to give a talk after Mass on developing an SVP conference. Anyone from our three churches who would like to learn more, please come along.
Also at Aylsham: Saturday 4th Nov. Christmas Shoebox filling at 10am. All parishioners are welcome to join us and help.
The next St Helen’s Coffee Morning will be on Wednesday 1st November at 10.30am. Please do come and join us for refreshments including home-made bakes and a chat with friends for just £2. You will be made most welcome.
Come and Sing Fauré Requiem with Norfolk Camerata on Saturday 4 November at St Nicholas Church, North Walsham 10.00am -5.30pm; £10, with a free concert at 5.00pm. Please see poster in Narthex, Sacred Heart Church, for details.
We pray for our sick parishioners: Matt Butler, Frances Palman, Mary Bell, Mary Carr, Paul Watson, Cyril Shenton, Patricia Newton, Celia Cooper, Michael Haughton, Marie Barton, Robert Buhagiar, Margaret Larkins, Daphne Necchi, Bert Pooler, Maria Halsey, Shirley Teague, Joan Macnamara and Richard Skelton.
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur this week: Charles Thacker, Barbara Stringer, Lena Williams, Gordon Summerhill, Anthony (Tony) Starmer, Cecil (Harry), Reginald Wood, Czeslaw Pelik, Helena Oakley and Mary Flynn.
May they rest in peace.
