Happy Mother’s Day
Today, with lots of hugs and special treats, we send all our love and grateful thanks to our Mums, Nans and Great Grandmas and pray through the intercession of our heavenly Mother that God sends them abundant Blessings! On the recent International Women’s Day, Pope Francis said “I think of all women: I thank them for their commitment to building a more humane society, through their ability to grasp reality with a creative eye and a tender heart…. A special blessing ….. and a round of applause for women! They deserve it!”
Love the Stranger
Love the Stranger is a new publication by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales’ which articulates our Christian duty to look beyond labels and see the person who has left their homeland in search of a better life. In 2023, people making dangerous journeys across the Channel to reach the UK are called by various names: ‘refugees’, ‘asylum seekers’, ‘migrants’, and often by more derogatory terms. Today there are over 280 million migrants and refugees worldwide, more than at any point in history. Quoting the Gospel of St. Matthew, Pope Francis calls on us to respond by welcoming, protecting, promoting, and integrating people, with the reminder that: “Every stranger who knocks at our door is an opportunity for an encounter with Jesus Christ, who identifies with the welcomed and rejected strangers of every age (Matthew 25:35-43).” The Secretary General of the Commission of Catholic Episcopal Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) has given a ringing endorsement of the new document for showing how the principles of the Social Doctrine of the Church “should be applied to the current challenges faced by our states and societies”.
Urgent Soup Run Appeal
The Soup Run urgently needs drivers to be able to continue to operate smoothly. If you could volunteer your time with car every 4/5 weeks on a Saturday from 6-8.30pm (or even help without a vehicle), please contact Kit – kit.greveson@gmail.com or call 07507 138582. There is a labelled box by the church door for donations – coffee, tinned tuna, sweetcorn, mayo.
Lent
As we continue our journeys towards the solemn celebrations of Holy Week from Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the foot of the Cross as sorrowful bystanders to His Passion, before rolling back the stone of the empty tomb and the joy of the Resurrection, we re-dedicate ourselves through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
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- Prayer and Life Workshops: The second session of the 15-week workshop programme is this Monday, 20th March, in the Parish Room at 7:30pm.
- Evening Mass on Tuesdays: at 7pm when Fr David will give a series of talks on ‘Listening to God and Hearing God’s Voice’. Come along and explore how God may be speaking to you today.
- Eucharistic Adoration starting in church after Friday’s morning Mass and ending at 5pm.
- This week’s Ecumenical Stations of the Cross will be on Friday 24th March at Holy Trinity Church, Granville Road at 7:30pm.
- Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal: A gift this Lent made online or using the wall safe or envelopes at the back of church will help fund initiatives in parishes, schools and charities in the Diocese bringing light and hope into the lives of people across our Diocese. Please be generous.
- Volunteer: If you feel called to join the community of volunteers who generously give of their time and share their skills at St Peter’s, there are many opportunities to get involved – e.g. driving for the Soup Run – see below! Why not take the first step and contact Fr David.
- Other suggestions for ways to make a Holy Lent can be found here.
Services
Sunday Masses are at 6:30pm (Saturday), 9:45am, 11:15am (livestreamed) and 7pm.
Sunday Scripture readings
Notes on the Sunday Scripture readings
Find other livestreamed Masses in the diocese.
Weekday Masses are at 9am Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday after Morning Prayer at 8:45am.
Rest in Peace: We have learned of the death of parishioner John O’Shea. Please pray for the repose of his soul and for his family. Funeral arrangements will be announced later.
Note: Church is closed and there is no Mass on Thursday.
Rosary: Tuesday after 9am Mass
Confession: The Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession is available on Saturday evening from 6-6:20pm.
Family Room: This week’s activity reflects on Letting God restore our souls in Lent. Continue reading Parish News – 19th March
Including the donations at Friday’s Frugal Supper (£120) you have so far given over £1,100 to last weekend’s CAFOD appeal to help families around the world to cope with the climate crisis. You can still give using the envelopes in church or 
Each year the Church gives us six weeks to take a long, loving look at our lives to see if our values and priorities are in line with God’s desires for us. Since most of us find that we’ve wandered from God’s path, Lent becomes that second chance, to “return to God with our whole heart.” The key elements of living a good Lent are to Pray, Fast and Give and you can find ideas on all three on this 