NEWSLETTER SUNDAY 2nd Mar 2008

Please pray for all the sick in the hospital and in our parish including:

Kitty Stubbs, Bertha Appleton, Flo Mullen, Christopher Brown, Jimmy Carson, Christine McDonald, Dennis Lynch, Joe Donkin, Olive Atkinson, Nora Gallagher, Ethel Fagan, Denise Calvert, Ken Hutchinson, Andrea Saward, Paul Tulloch, Jan Buckley, Lucy Mole, James Chapman, Bishop Kevin, and Brian McBain.  Also remember in your prayers Metropolitan Mar Makarios,  who died last Saturday.



 

Please remember in your prayers the following priests of the diocese whose anniversaries occur during the week:

THE CYCLE OF PRAYER– Lent

During Lent we are asked to pray for these intentions: Candidates for the Sacraments; Women; The Needy and Hungry of the World; Penitents and Wanderers.

LENTEN ALMS

This weekend there is a Retiring Collection for Lenten Alms in aid of St. Cuthbert’s Care our Diocesan Charity

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

World Day of Prayer Friday 7th March.  Nigel Oakley, who is the World development Officer for the Anglican diocese, that includes our area,  will be speaking at Sunderland Minister at 2.00 p.m.   His present role is to deal with the following issues: The cancellation of unpayable country debt; Trade Justice; Poverty Alleviation and the Environment.  Everyone is welcome to attend.   This year the service was prepared by the Women of Guyana.

YOUTH MISSION

There is a meeting for all our young people from Yr6+ in St. Cuthbert’s Chapel on Thursday, 13th March at 6.30pm.  All are welcome.

LENT

On Tuesday afternoons during Lent St Cuthbert’s Chapel will be open  from 1.30 p.m.  -  3.30 p.m. for private reflection and Stations of the Cross which start at 2pm.  Stations will also be celebrated at 3.00 p.m. every Friday afternoon.  On Sundays there will be a Lenten devotion at 4.00 p.m.  Today there is the Stations of the Cross.

Our Lenten Reconciliation Service is on Saturday 15th March at 10.30 a.m.  This is for everyone in the parish and our First Holy Communion Children will celebrate First Reconciliation.

On Monday 17th March we will be hosting West End Churches Together Taizé Prayer Hour for Holy Week.  Mass that day will be at 9.10 a.m.

On the notice board at the back of church there is a list for volunteers for the Washing of Feet during the Mass of Our Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday.

LENTEN RETREAT

St Mary’s  Cathedral - Travelling to Easter with Mary on Thursday 13^th March led by Fr Christopher Jackson.  The retreat begins at 10 am (with the opportunity for Confession from 9.30am) and concludes with Mass at 12.05pm. Tickets are priced at £4.00 and are available via the Cathedral Bookshop.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNIONS

Our First Communion programme continues on Wednesday 5th March at 6.30pm  in the Social Centre.    This weekend the children are asking parishioners to be their prayer sponsors as they prepare for First Holy Communion.   Please remember to pray for the children and their families.  Next weekend the children will be giving us their sorry prayers during Mass.

FAIR TRADE STALL

Next weekend our Fair Trade Stall is open for business.  As this is Fair Trade fortnight come along and sample the goods we have for sale.  One new item this month—Caramel wafer fair break biscuits at 20p each.  They’re rather morish.

PLANNED GIVING ENVELOPES

If you didn’t collect your Planned Giving Envelopes last weekend please do so today. The new envelopes do not start until 6th April.

WEST END CHURCHES TOGETHER

West End Churches Together are meeting in St. Cuthbert’s Chapel on Monday, 3rd March after evening Mass.

LITURGY GROUP MEETING

There is a meeting for the Liturgy/Mass Preparation Group on Monday, 10th March after evening Mass looking at Holy Week and Easter liturgies.  All are welcome.

REPOSITORY

We have a wide selection of gifts, Cards, etc for all occasions, and goods that have just arrived are Mother’s Day Cards, Easter Cards and also First Holy Communion Cards and Gifts.  Why not come and see what we are selling after Mass?   Father Resti has arranged for a supply of the Concise Catechism of the Catholic Church to be available from the Repository Price £6.95.

CHILDREN’S LITURGY ROTA

The new Sunday Children's’ Liturgy Rota is available from St. Cuthbert’s Chapel  The new rota includes everyone who volunteered to help.  Please take one and if you can’t take your turn organise a swap.

LOURDES MEMORIAL BOOK OF DECEASED PILGRIMS:

We are compiling a book of Remembrance which will be taken to Lourdes each year and placed on the altar when we celebrate Mass for the faithful departed.  If you know of anyone who has travelled to Lourdes with the Diocesan Pilgrimage, HCPT or a parish pilgrimage and has since died we will be happy to include them in the book. Please send their full names, parish and date of death to Father Michael Humble, Immaculate Heart of Mary,  Malvern Gardens, Lobley Hill, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. NE11 9LL or e-mail michaelhumble@live.co.uk

EASTER FLOWERS

Anyone wishing to make a donation towards the cost of the Easter Flowers in memory of a loved one should place an envelope, marked with the name of the deceased relative or friend, in the offertory basket by no later than Sunday, 16th March.  Unfortunately any offerings can’t be accepted after that date.

HUMAN FERTILISATION AND EMBRYOLOGY BILL

Currently all Labour MPs are being required to vote for this Bill, which includes provisions such as creating human/animal hybrids, extending experimentation on embryos, creating embryos so that their organs can be used for other people, and removing statutory recognition of a child's 'need for a father'.

Over 3000 people have signed the e-petition asking Gordon Brown to allow a free vote on the Bill.  However, this is not enough to get it to the Prime Minister's attention.  Please go on-line to http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/embryovote and ask the Prime Minister to withdraw the three line whip from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill is log on to the address below and add your name to the list. 

POLISH MASS  

Mass in Polish will be celebrated at 4 pm on the 4th Sunday of every month in St. Benet’s Church Sunderland.  Confessions before at 3.30 pm.  Refreshments after Mass in the Parish Hall.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Today: 4th Sunday of Lent:

Retiring Collection for Lenten Alms.

4.00 p.m. Lenten Service

Monday:

7.30pm WECT

Tuesday:

1.30—3.30pm Stations of the Cross in Chapel

Wednesday:

6.30pm  Benediction & Stations  & Novena

6.30pm First Holy Communion Programme

Friday:

3.00 p.m. Stations of the Cross 

7.00 p.m. Indian Prayer Group

Saturday:

1.00pm El Shaddai

5.00pm. Prayer Meeting

Sunday: 5th Sunday of Lent:

4.00 p.m. Lenten Service

Rotas week ending 8th/9th Mar 2008