In today’s Gospel reading Matthew sets Jesus on a mountain. He depicts him as a new Moses who renews the covenant with God and teaches the way to live as God’s people.
In a world that teaches happiness consists in wealth, power, youth, sexual license and independence from authority, Jesus proposes another perspective. Happiness (or being “blessed”) is found in sharing what we have with the poor, being faithful in our relationships and in serving the reign of God on earth. Jesus invites us, when moments of decision come, to listen to his voice and to receive the life his way of living offers us.
Fr. James
Farewell to Father Peter
As you know, Father Peter will be leaving us and moving to his new parish in Huntingdon next month. It is customary to make a farewell gift from the parish to show our appreciation for his pastoral care while he has been with us.
Your Farewell gift
You can make your gift at the retiring collections today, in an envelope clearly marked ‘Father Peter’s Farewell Gift’. You can also leave your gift, again, in an envelope, at the presbytery. Last day for handing in envelopes is Sunday 8th February. It is important we know by THIS SUNDAY 1st February how many will be coming to the Friday evening Parish gathering, so please add your name, & total number if in a group, to the lists in church porches, also indicating your food preference. Please note numbers are restricted & we will be unable to cater for numbers not accounted for.
Parking As there will be many more cars than parking spaces in our church carpark we would ask as many as possible to please park elsewhere, (there is a nearby carpark off Grammar School Road [opposite the church] – free after 6pm, plus we hope to obtain permission to park in Paston Surgery’s parking area) This is so that those with walking difficulties plus those carrying items to the hall, can park near the church.
Our ‘Farewell’ Parish gathering for Father Peter will be on the Friday, 13th February, in both the hall and the church, from 7pm until 10pm, enabling our three communities to come together, to thank Fr Peter for his ministry to us and, sadly, to say goodbye and wish him God’s many blessings for the future. He will of course celebrate weekend Masses at Hoveton on the Saturday, at St John of the Cross, Aylsham & the Sacred Heart on the Sunday; so for those unable to attend the Friday ‘Farewell’ there will be the opportunity again to make personal/group farewells to Fr Peter.
The Diocese is celebrating its 50th Jubilee and we as a parish have been asked to celebrate the event. We would like to know from you in what way you would like to see this done. The main focus of this Jubilee is “What the Parish means to me”. All you have to do is write a one sentence answer and e-mail it to jholden54@talktalk.net We hope to gain a collection of answers that we can publish. Your full name will not be published against your answer nor kept within the Parish. Please use the same e-mail address for celebration suggestions.
The next Lectio Divina will meet on Monday 2nd February 7.00 pm at St. John of the Cross. Contact: mary.wallace79@gmail.com.
Coffee Morning at St Helen’s. There will be no Coffee Morning in February. The next one will be on Wednesday 4th March.
We pray for our sick parishioners: Matt Butler, Frances Palman, Mary Bell, Celia Cooper, Margaret Larkins, Maria Halsey, Joan Macnamara, Richard Skelton, Teresa Fitzmaurice, Bernadette Saunders, Doreen Rockey & daughter Sandra, Pam Thornton, Mary Long, Malcolm Akers, Frances Mack, Tony & Amy Heywood & Peter, Cathie Dickson, Carolyn Rayner & her mother Mary Rayner, Alan Ganney.
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur this week: Daisy Jarman, Norman Baguly, Wasil Mychajlyszyn, Andre Boucher, Anna Simpson, James Bradley.
May they rest in peace.
