Dear Friends,
“Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace.”
The common theme of today’s readings is God’s command concerning our spiritual responsibility and individual accountability for others in our families, parishes and community. This accountability arises from our identity as God’s children. As brothers and sisters in Christ, then, we become each other’s “keepers”, and take on a painful, triple responsibility. We must lovingly and prudently correct each other when we err, forgive those who offend us, and ask forgiveness from those we have offended.
Today’s Gospel reminds us of the good we can do together, and of how we can do it. Jesus says, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” If any group of us gather, work, and act with the Holy Spirit guiding us, we will become much more than simply the sum of our numbers. Today, Jesus makes it clear how important we are, one to another. One in Christ, our parish community can draw on God’s power to make His healing, life-giving love, more effective among His people.
Father Peter
This Sunday is Education Day.
Next Sunday is Evangelii Gaudium Day. There will be a Second Collection for Home Missions.
Counters. Please note, a Mass Count will be taken next weekend, 16th/17th September, the first of four.
Children are invited to attend Faithful Flames on Sunday from 10.30am now held in the presbytery conservatory after first all meeting up with Kerry outside the church.
At St Helen’s, the Annual Filipino Pilgrimage of Our Lady of Penafrancia takes place on Sunday 17th September. Following the Fluvial Procession on the Broads in the morning, the statue of Our Lady will be processed from the Norfolk Broads Direct boatyard through Hoveton village centre at 1pm for Mass at St Helen’s at 2pm. All parishioners are welcome to join the Procession and Mass, and the feast afterwards! If you’ve never experienced this before it is absolutely unique in the Diocese.
SVP East Anglia is holding 2 open Festival days, on 30th September in Norwich and 1st October in Newmarket. If anyone would like to come along to find out more about the SVP please contact PresidentE06@svp.org.uk for more details.
CAFOD Harvest Lunch – Saturday 7th October, 1pm. St John of the Cross parishioners are hosting a “Soups & Puddings” fundraising lunch to support this autumn’s Family Fast Day appeal. There is no charge but donations can be made in aid of CAFOD. Please sign the sheet at the back of the church by end of September if you would like to join us. Thank you.
Nick Walmsley would like to thank Fr Peter and all parishioners for their generosity in the presentation to mark his 50 years as organist at St Helen’s, and for making the occasion of St Helen’s Feast such a memorable and joyful one.
Annual Shoebox Appeal. May we have your shoeboxes, please! Although a fair while before Christmas, preparation, such as covering said boxes (to save time), collecting appropriate items for the age groups etc. all need to start early. Just bring the boxes to your church and they will be collected.
We pray for our sick parishioners: Matt Butler, Frances Palman, Mary Bell, Mary Carr, Paul Watson, Cyril Shenton, Patricia Newton, Celia Cooper, Michael Haughton, Marie Barton, Gerry Francis, Robert Buhagiar, Margaret Larkins, Daphne Necchi, Bert Pooler, Maria Halsey, Shirley Teague and Joan Macnamara.
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur this week: Christopher Beardshaw, Peter Bonsall, Paula Seamons and Jane Cousal.
May they rest in peace.
