THIS IS HOLY WEEK
Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. Let us ask the Lord for the grace to live the days of this sacred time with faith and devotion. We hope many of you will be able to participate in the great celebrations of this week in person, and look forward to seeing many of you during the Triduum and next weekend at Easter. If you haven’t done so already, please take a Holy Week poster to display in your window at home.
HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE
Please take this newsletter with you and check carefully the times of the celebrations this week. Please remember that many of the Mass times are different in Holy Week. Please note especially that no morning Masses are permitted by the Church on Holy Thursday or Good Friday, and no Vigil Masses at 4pm and 6pm next Saturday due to the great Easter Vigil (7.30pm here) which must always be the First Mass of Easter. Thank you in advance.
GOOD FRIDAY INFORMATION
Good Friday is a day of fasting and abstinence. The church hall will not be open for overflow so please come to the church in person. The livestream for home will be on but experience tells us that heavy online use can cause difficulties with the webcast.
HOLY WEEK COLLECTIONS
On Good Friday there will be the collection for the sacred places of the Holy Land. On Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday there will be the Easter Collection which is very important for the life of the parish. If you are going to be away, you can leave your offering before you go. Envelopes are available in the church porch.
CHRISM MASS
If you would like to attend the Diocesan Chrism Mass, this will take place at Westminster Cathedral (Victoria) on Tuesday this week at 12 noon.
WASHING OF FEET
If you would like to volunteer to be part of the ceremony of the washing of feet on Holy Thursday at 7.30pm please sign the list in the church porch. At the Mass, please sit at the end of the pew so the priest can reach you. Thank you.
FRANCES JEYARAJAH RIP
The Requiem will take place at 10 am on Wednesday 13th April. May he rest in peace
PLANNED GIVING ENVELOPES
Please collect your planned giving envelopes from the back of the Church. Envelopes are in alphabetical order—thank you.
PAPER SHOP
The shop can now be found to the right as you enter the Parish Hall. There are a lot of items, including cards for various religious events, including First Communion and Confirmation. The shop is open on Sunday mornings between 9.30am and 12.30am. We have a rota of volunteers. However, if there is no one there when you call in, please leave your offering on the counter. Please note that the shop is NOT OPEN on Saturday afternoons.
VOLUNTEERS SUNDAY MORNING REFRESHMENTS
Volunteers are needed to help run the Sunday morning refreshments after the 10am & 11.15am Mass. Please leave your details with the Parish Office if you able to help—Thank you.
100KM SPONSORED WALK IN AID OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES PRIMARY SCHOOL
Our school turned 50 last year, and to raise much needed funds Tony Frisino, one of the dads, is going to walk 100km from 8th April to 8th May. All money raised will go towards a new library and refurbishment of the caretaker’s house. To sponsor Tony please go to https://wonderful.org/fundraisers/454
FOODBANK NEWS
‘The foodbank continues to support an increasing number of families week on week. We would really like to recruit a few more volunteers. If anyone is interested in helping on one or two Wednesdays per month (from 2pm to 4.15pm), please contact Fr Matt This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. We are grateful for all donations. Currently we are running short of tinned fish, rice, coffee, shower gel, shampoo, toilet rolls and laundry products. Thank you.’
UKRAINE REFUGEES
Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN) are in close dialogue with the UK Government on responding to the war in Ukraine. Guidance on how Catholic households and groups can support refugees from Ukraine is available on their website, updated as new information becomes available: https://www.csan.org.uk/ukraine/
CATHOLIC PAPERS
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Catholic Herald: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone: 020 7082 6529.