FR DAVID WRITES
We continue our joyful journey through the Easter season. Easter isn’t just one day or even one week - it is a special season of fifty days which leads to the great feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost. Please keep on celebrating! I hope everyone had a good Easter holiday from school, college or work and send you all love and best wishes for the summer term which begins this week.
STONEWORK IN THE SANCTUARY
This week, the next and final phase of the work in church began. This is to install the permanent stone and marble gradine for the tabernacle (the temporary timber stand has been removed). Hopefully this phase of the work will be finished by the beginning of May, or thereabouts. Thank you for your continued support and patience with our centenary projects, and for those who have either raised funds or have helped with funding.
PRIEST TRAINING FUND
Next Sunday is Good Shepherd Sunday, the day when we pray vocations to the priesthood. The annual collection for the Priest Training Fund will take place next weekend. This fund pays for the formation of men for the Catholic priesthood. There are currently 49 men studying at Allen Hall seminary, 13 of whom are for our own diocese. We also have one seminarian in Valladolid and one at the Beda, presently on pastoral placement in Ruislip. There are also two on a propaedeutic year at Redemptoris Mater. Last year three deacons were ordained for Westminster. The Priest Training Fund also supports the ongoing formation of our ordained priests. Your generous donation helps ensure we can support these men who are called to be like Christ the Good Shepherd. Donation envelopes are available in the back of the church. Please take one home, read the information, and bring it back next weekend with your donation. Please continue to pray for vocations and for our priests. You can use the QR code to make your donation online or visit www.rcdow.org.uk/donations. Thank you for your generosity.
FIRST COMMUNION
The next parents’ meeting will take place on Tuesday 16 April at 7.30pm.
Children's session will be on Saturday 20 April at 10am—12.30pm which includes the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Family Mass will be on Sunday 21 at 11.15am.
CONFIRMATION
Candidates are reminded of their meeting on Saturday 20 April at 4.15pm. Please keep our young candidates and their families in your prayers.
ANNUAL MASS OF THANKSGIVING FOR THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY
Westminster Cathedral Saturday 25 May 2024 at 2.30 pm. The Cardinal is inviting, to this Mass, all couples in the Diocese, who are celebrating significant wedding anniversaries of Catholic marriage in 2024. If this is you, and you would like to attend, please email the Parish Office with the following details: husband and wife’s names, wedding date, full postal address and email (or number, if no email).
BERNADETTE CLUB
The Bernadette Club is pleased to extend an invitation to parishioners and friends to join our day trip to St Albans on Thursday 2 May. (This is polling day for the London Mayoral election). We will leave from outside the church at 10.30am and leave St Albans at 4pm. Tickets are available at £10 from Jackie. Please text or call 07956 809152 by Wednesday 10 April to reserve a place.
PILGRIMAGE TO LISIEUX
Thursday 6th—13th June 2024. Annual Pilgrimage from St Anselm & St Caecilia’s Church, Kingsway. Please see notice board for further details.
OUR LADY OF LOURDES SCHOOL
Help our school get £1500. Our school has applied for a grant from Tesco to upgrade the infant playground. We will be up against other schools and whoever gets the most votes will win the £1500. To vote you need to shop at Tesco and ask for the blue token when you check out. We will be in local stores—Colney hatch Lane, Hampden Square, Whetstone and others from April to June—thank you
FAIR TRADE STALL
The Fair Trade stall is open after every Sunday mass next Saturday 20th April and Sunday 21st.
PARISH OFFICE
The Parish Office will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday this coming week.