Dear Friends,
High above the city of Rio de Janeiro there is a huge statue of Christ with arms extended over the city. Its message is a simple one: Come to me! It is a powerful symbol of the all-embracing love that is offered to us. And there are no conditions. Come to me whoever you are! No one is outside the love of God. Let us keep that in mind as we listen to the readings at Mass today.
God’s love should not stop with us: it flows out to others in many different ways. You will find in this newsletter a report from the local conference of the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP). It gives us some idea of the excellent work done locally in our name. To enable this work to continue there will be a retiring collection after the Masses today.
We had a great evening on Thursday when Bishop Kike presided at the Mass and joined us for the reception in the hall. Father James
Quote: ‘When God saw us it was love at first sight!
There is to be a Diocesan Procession of Witness with the Blessed Sacrament and an all-night Vigil in Norwich on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd October. It will mark the end of our first year of preparation for the New Evangelisation and be the start of the second. We are asked to take part as fully as we can and to attend some, if not all, the events. Please see the poster or flyer for the timetable of the two days and make the necessary arrangements for your involvement over that time.
The Senior Citizens Group meets on Monday 28th: there will be the usual Computer Workshop to which parishioners, who are not part of the group, are most welcome. Members are going to play hoy in the afternoon.
The new organ will be installed on Thursday and Friday of this week.
Next Sunday it is the turn of our parish to hold the Mission Appeal given this year by Sister Natalia Gomes from the Comboni Missionary Sisters. There will be a retiring collection.
CAFOD Harvest Fast Day which would normally fall in a week’s time (Friday 2nd October) will now take place the following Friday – 9th October.as there will be a mission appeal that weekend. We remember that what we save by “going without” on Friday we are invited to put in the CAFOD envelope. These envelopes will be distributed weekend of 3rd/4th as you leave Mass for returning as second collection the following weekend.
The Harvest Thanksgiving will now be celebrated in our Masses the weekend of 10th/11th October. At Aylsham and North Walsham parishioners are invited to bring harvest items, either before the Mass or in the Offertory Procession. A reminder: No plastic bags, please. Perishable items will be sold after Mass for CAFOD, store cupboard items will go to the Food Bank.
Notre Dame High School has two Open Days on Monday 5th & Tuesday 6th October to see the school. For details go to www.ndhs.org.uk
We pray for Mary Bell’s daughter who died recently and for those whose anniversaries occur at this time including: Jack Roberts and John (Jack) Barrett.
May they rest in peace.
Our congratulations to Peter and Teresa Butler who are celebrating their 40th Wedding Anniversary today!
Coming Home
Loving Father,
we pray for those baptised who no longer
or rarely attend Church:
that they will understand and experience in their hearts
that Christ is the source of unconditional
love and reconciliation.
We pray for everyone
who worships in our parish community,
that they may find the right words and means
to invite our absent brothers and sisters
to return to the practice of their faith.
