Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
                 Sittingbourne

DIARY  FOR  THE WEEK

 13th - 21st March 2010

We take this opportunity to thank the ladies, who provide the wonderful displays,

Not just at Easter and Christmas, but throughout the year.

HOLY WEEK SERVICES

MAUNDY THURSDAY - Thursday 1st April

8.00 pm  Mass of the Lord’s Supper

10.50 pm  Watching until 10.50 pm at the Altar of Repose

11.00 pm  Compline - Night Prayer of the Church

GOOD FRIDAY - Friday 2nd April

10.00 am Walk of Witness - start: West Lane, East Street

(Outside of Net Church) (9.45 for 10.00 am start). 

The route will be up East Street, onto the High Street.

There will be a stop outside Wilkinson's Store for a short Open Air Service.

11.00 am Stations of the Cross for Children

3.00 pm Solemn Liturgy of the Passion (There will be a collection for the Holy Places)

7.00 pm Stations of the Cross

HOLY SATURDAY - Saturday 3rd April

10.00 am  & Polish Blessing of the Easter food.

4.00 pm

7.30 pm Easter Vigil - The first Mass of Easter -

                                Celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and our  Redemption

EASTER SUNDAY - 4th April

Mass times are 9.30 am and 11.00 am

LENT COURSE AT THE CONVENT

This course will run on Wednesday evenings during Lent, at the

Convent, 11 London Road. 8.00pm start. The theme will be

“Knowing God Better”

MAUNDY THURSDAY - 1st April - Mass of the Lord’s Supper

We would greatly appreciate 12 male volunteers for the washing of the feet ceremony which takes place during the Mass.  The ceremony    symbolises the call to service and ministry to others (on the part of the priest) and our willingness to accept the ministrations of those sent to serve us.

There is a list on which you can place your name to take part in the  ceremony. 

This is located in the main porch of the church. 

Alternatively, you can give your name to one of the clergy.

Thank you for your help and co-operation.

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION DURING LENT

We will have a visiting priest available for confessions during Lent on the following dates:

Saturday 20th March 11.00– 12.00 noon

Father Michael Adams (from Parkwood)

Saturday 27th March  11.00— 12.00 noon

Canon Frank Moran (From Sheerness)

Please take this opportunity to prepare yourself for Easter by receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

ALTAR SERVERS - TRAINING FOR EASTER

There will be two meetings for our altar servers, to discuss and rehearse for the Easter Services, in the church at the following times.

                Thursday 1st April at 4 pm

                Saturday 3rd April at 12 noon

Please make every effort to attend if you would like to serve at Easter.

Please also take an alb home to wash after the Palm Sunday Masses.

POLISH PARISHIONERS - We have a Polish Priest, Father

Thaddaeus, with us on the afternoon of Sunday 21st March (5th Sunday of Lent.) He will be available in the church, to hear confessions,   between 4.00 pm and 5.00 pm.

THE YEAR FOR PRIESTS

Pope Benedict XVI has called the whole church to celebrate the Year For Priests.  His purpose for the year is to encourage priests in their “striving for spiritual perfection on which, above all, the effectiveness of their ministry depends” and to highlight “the importance of the priest’s role and mission in the church and in contemporary society”.

Please remember all priests in your prayers,  especially those who serve and have served in our parish.

13th Fr. Sunith Nonis

14th Fr. Peter Norris

15th Fr. Christopher O'Brien

16th Fr.- Gerard O'Brien - --

17th Fr. John O'Callaghan

18th Fr. John O'Connor

19th Fr. Joseph 0'Connor

20th Fr. Sean 0'Connor

21st Canon Michael O'Dea

22nd Fr. John O'Donoghue

 Prayer for Priests

O Jesus, our great High Priest,

Hear my humble prayers on behalf of your priests,

Give them a deep faith

a bright and firm hope and a burning love

which will increase

in the course of their priestly life.

In their loneliness, comfort them

In their Sorrows, strengthen them.

In their frustrations, point out to them

that it is through suffering that the soul is purified,

and show them that they are needed by the Church,

they are needed by souls,

they are needed for the work of redemption.

O loving Mother Mary, Mother of Priests,

take to your heart your sons who are close to you

because of their priestly ordination,

and because of the power which they have received

to carry on the work of Christ

In a world which needs them so much.

Be their comfort, be their joy, be their strength,

and especially help them

to live and to defend the ideals

of consecrated celibacy

 Amen                                   

NEW RECONCILIATION ROOM AND

CHURCH PORCH  

Envelopes are available in the church, marked “confessional”, if you would like to contribute in this way to the parish fund raising effort.

JARS can be picked up from either door and taken home. Please return them when they are filled with coins  - any change will do, it doesn’t matter how small.

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Easter Poster Competition

Pay a pound and collect a picture for your child to colour/design.

Pictures available after 9.30 Mass in the O’Sullivan Centre.

Three age groups – Under 5, 5-8 and 8+. The only rule is that it must be your child’s work.

Fr Michael will be the judge after 9.30 Mass on Easter Sunday.  

Three prizes –  BIG EASTER EGGS - A PRIZE FOR EACH AGE CATEGORY

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Auction of Promises - 23rd April - St George’s Day

Please don't forget to make your promises by returning the form that was on last week’s newsletter,  or copies that are available in the porch.

PLEASE PUT THIS DATE IN YOUR DIARY - IT  CANNOT HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!

CANON FRANK MORAN

We welcome Canon Frank Moran from the parish of St Henry and St Elizabeth on the Isle of Sheppey.  He will be celebrating the 9.30 and 11am Masses this Sunday.  This continues our local Deanery policy of being open, in changing times, to priests  making themselves more available for ministry in parishes other than their own.

It is also good for parishioners to see a different face, and hear a different voice, from time to time!

I will be on Canon Frank’s “patch”, across the water, this Sunday morning.  Fr Michael

LENTEN ALMS - Are collected throughout the Season of Lent, for the Cabrini Children’s Society.  Donations should be placed in the marked box in the wall of the church.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS - These will be each Friday of Lent at 7.00 pm.

Our Lenten Prayer Trail

The Lenten Prayer Trail this year will take the form of a path of pebbles around the church. Please join with the children by writing your prayers, Lenten promise or a message for God in the box on the pebbles which will be joined with all the children’s from school and parish, uniting us all together.

 Mass in Celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage   

St. George’s Cathedral, Southwark

Saturday 12th June 2010 at 3 pm

The Archbishop invites those who are celebrating  their 10th/25th/40th/50th/60th +      

wedding anniversary this year,  to attend this Mass with their families and friends. Please give  your names to Fr Michael as soon as possible to receive an invitation to attend the Mass in celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage.

Many Thanks to Sue McGoldrick who typed the Newsletter this week, from the Webmaster

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