Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
                 Sittingbourne

DIARY  FOR  THE WEEK

4th - 12th September 2010
 

HOLY GHOST FATHERS - MISSION APPEAL

There will be an annual Mission Appeal at all the Sunday Masses next weekend on behalf of the Holy Ghost Fathers.

Father Michael Emerike Ezenwammadu, who was born in Nigeria, will make an appeal.  After ordination in 2003 he was appointed to Trinidad where he served as Chaplain to St Mary’s College before being assigned as Pastor to the poor fishing communities of Toco and Matelot.  He was then appointed to the UK where he worked with young people in  Manchester, as Justice and Peace Co-ordinator.  He has recently transferred to the Holy Ghost Fathers Community in Bickley, near Bromley, as Assistant Superior with responsibility for the care of elderly and retired priests.

PAPAL VISIT TO THE UK

16th - 19th SEPTEMBER 2010

There are 17 parishioners going to the Hyde Park vigil on 18th

September and 4 to Birmingham on 19th September.

Kathy Lambert will be the Pilgrim Leader for London and Mark

Lambert for Birmingham.  They will be the main point of contact for both pilgrims and the Archdiocese.

There will be a meeting in church for all Pilgrims to finalise arrangements on Wednesday 15th September @ 7.30 pm.

This will be an opportunity to raise any questions and perhaps to get to know the other parishioners who are travelling with you.

Each parish going to Hyde Park is invited to take a banner with them.  John Owen has agreed to be the banner bearer for this parish.

WE NOW HAVE A PARISH BANNER. THANK YOU.

PAPAL VISIT PRAYER BOOK

A special Prayer Book has been produced to mark the visit of Pope Benedict XV1 to the United Kingdom.  Its aim is to enable Catholics to participate in the visit as prayerfully and as fully as possible, whether we are present at one of the venues where the Holy Father will be, or whether we participate at home through the television, radio or internet,

The Prayer Book contains the text for the various times of worship that will be led by Pope Benedict, together with articles to explain the

context and background to the other parts of the visit.  A short form of morning and evening prayer is included.

There are sufficient copies of the Prayer Book available for everyone in the parish - if you are aware of anyone who is unable to get to Mass, please take an extra copy for them.

The Prayer Book may be taken free of charge.  However, a suggested donation of £2 for each copy would go a long way to defray the costs being borne by the Church.

Donations can be placed in the jars in the main porch or at the side door of the church.

LUCKY NUMBERS DRAW

The numbers for the draw were as follows:-

1st prize - 79

2nd prize - 146

3rd prize - 96

4th prize - 102

UCM

The UCM restarts with a meeting on Tuesday 7th September at 8pm in the O’Sullivan Centre.  There will also be a Committee Meeting in the presbytery on Monday 6th September.

FRIENDS OF KENT CHURCHES

Sponsored Ride and Walk

This year’s bike ride takes place on

Saturday 11th September

The rota has been completed - thank you to

 all those who volunteered

CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES

With effect from Christmas 2010, I am proposing to introduce the following new Mass times.

                Christmas Eve - 6 pm (Mass for Children)

                Midnight Mass - 10 pm

                Christmas Day - 9.30 am and 11 am

I feel sure that these new Mass times will be more suitable and convenient for the majority of parishioners.  I have been considering for some time moving the time of the “First Mass of Christmas Day” from midnight to 10pm.  This is in line with what many other Parishes have done. Sadly many people today just do not feel safe travelling home in the early hours of the morning.  The earlier time will make it easier for them.

On Christmas Day morning it is, in my experience, very unusual for the Christmas Day Mass times to be different from the usual Sunday morning Mass times.  It would also seem to me that a later morning Mass time on Christmas Day, rather than a very early one, would be of more benefit and convenient for a large number of people.

However, I do not wish to make these changes without first

allowing parishioners to have their say.  Therefore, if you have any views, suggestions or concerns about my proposal, please let me have them, in writing, with your full name and address, by 30th September 2010.

Thank you.  Fr Michael

THE PRAYER GROUP—starts back 8th September

We meet at the Convent each Wednesday evening at 8pm  for a prayerful consideration of the following Sunday’s gospel. Please think about giving it a try, new members always welcome.

EVER WONDERED ABOUT BECOMING A CATHOLIC?

A course will be starting in September for those who feel that they might like to become a Catholic.  It will follow the guidelines laid down by the church in the Rite for Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).

The focus of the course sessions is to ‘come and see’,  a way of finding out what it is that God is calling you to.

The course will be starting on Thursday 16th September at 7.30pm in the presbytery.

Application forms are available from the presbytery.

TEA & COFFEE

Please come and join us after 9.30 Mass for a cup of tea or coffee.

Wine and Wisdom - September 17th

Please collect your tickets this weekend

or on the night.

Pay on the night -  £6 per person

 Tables of 6 - bring your friends.

7pm for 7.30pm start

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Dates for your diary

Musical Evening - October 1st

Beetle Drive - for the children - November

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 We are putting together a Parish Recipe Book.

Please email your favourite recipes to

sacredrecipes@gmail.com  and put “Recipes”

in the subject line.

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Your donations towards the building

 work now total

£16,437.52

Thank you for your support and generosity

EVER  WONDERED  ABOUT  BECOMING  A  CATHOLIC?

A course will be starting in September for those who feel that they might like to become a Catholic. 

It will follow the guidelines laid down by the church in the Rite for Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).

The focus of the course sessions is to ‘come and see’,  a way of finding out what it is that God is calling you to.

The course will be starting on Thursday 16th September at 7.30pm in the presbytery.

Application forms are available from the presbytery.

CATHOLIC  CERTIFICATE  IN  RELIGIOUS  STUDIES  (CCRS)

The Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS) is a course to  explore the key aspects of the Catholic faith.  It attracts catechists,

teachers and those seeking personal formation in their faith.  Information evenings will be held at 7.30 pm in St Thomas’ Hall, Sevenoaks, on Tuesday 14th September and at the Christian Education Centre on 

Thursday 30th September.  For more information please contact www.cectootingbec.org.uk  or for course booklets please contact the Secretary at the Christian Education Centre (CEC) on 0208 672 7684 or email: office@cectootingbec.org.uk

Thank you to Sue McGoldrick for typing the newsletter this week, from the Webmaster