Dear parishioners,
As we joyfully celebrate the Christmas Season and usher in a New Year, I extend my warmest wishes to you and your families.
Christmas is a time of great joy and hope as we celebrate the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, who came into the world to bring us salvation and eternal life.
As we step into this New Year, my heart is filled with gratitude for each of you — for your faith, your kindness, and the way you live out the Gospel in our parish family. The past year has brought both blessings and challenges, yet through it all, God’s love has remained our constant light.
May this year be a time of renewed hope, deeper faith, and greater unity among us. Let us continue to pray for one another, to reach out to those in need, and to be living witnesses of Christ’s peace in our homes, community, and beyond. I pray that the Lord blesses you and your loved ones with good health, joy, and the courage to follow His will each day. May the Holy Spirit guide our steps, and may Christ’s love be the foundation of all we do.
Wishing you a blessed, joyful, and grace-filled New Year!
Fr. Peter
This Tuesday is the Solemnity of the Epiphany and a Holy Day of Obligation.
Diocese of East Anglia ‘Yearbook & Calendar’ – copies are available in church porches: £5 each. To those not familiar with this book, it is an absolute “fount” of information and extremely useful for all manner of references concerning our diocese at all times during the church’s year. – well worth £5!!
Lectio Divina meet again on Monday 5th January at 7pm at St John of the Cross, Aylsham.
Sunday Missals. A limited number of new Missals are available for Sunday Mass but please will you make sure you return them to the back of the church after Mass.
Readers at the Sacred Heart. Your new rotas are ready to be collected from the church porch, as soon as possible please so as not to miss your next reading. If unable to read on the stated Sunday, pl. make contact with another reader to take your place.
Message from the SVP. Thank you all so much for your most generous gifts given in response to the SVP Second Collection Appeal on 22nd/23rd November. We collected £942.69!! If you have decided to be a benefactor or to volunteer to join our conference group you can contact Steve on 07808901028 or Maria on 07746007508.
Apology and a plea. Apologies from the parish office for lack of Mass Intention envelopes in our churches from time to time – will do better in the coming year! However, requests do come in on cards and in correspondence to Father: when making such a request, please be sure the church for the Mass is named and whether or not the Mass of preference ie. a weekend Mass or weekday, is stated. A reminder too: Foundation Masses do take preference. However, all other requests are dealt with ‘first come, first served’.
We pray for our sick parishioners: Matt Butler, Frances Palman, Mary Bell, Celia Cooper, Margaret Larkins, Maria Halsey, Joan Macnamara, Richard Skelton, Teresa Fitzmaurice, Joan Gale, 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 & Antonia.
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur this week: Philip (Charles) Byrne, Pamela Corbould, Arthur Hodgson, Essie Rimmer, Kate (Kit) Denton, Derek Palman, Adele Green, Mahalla Waller, Lilian Pycroft, Mary Betts, Wladyslaw Przybyla, Marie Heath, Jayne Youngman, Michael Dalton, Jeremiah (Jerry) Griffin and Constance Keeble..
May they rest in peace
