Dear Friends,
“Storms in life are not meant to break us but to bend us towards God.”
The readings for this week speak of God’s saving presence for His people and the need for trusting faith in a loving and providing God who always keeps us company. The first reading tells us of how Elijah the prophet who had defeated the 450 false priests of Baal with the help of just such a trusting Faith in the power of Yahweh (then had to flee for his life), encountered the Lord God on Horeb. In the second reading, Paul laments and mourns over the Jews who, having lost their Faith in Yahweh and His prophets, had rejected their promised Messiah, Jesus. The Gospel episode explains how Peter lost his trusting Faith in Jesus for a few seconds, failed his attempt to walk on water, but was rescued when he called on Jesus for help.
We all need to call Jesus in the storms facing us in the Church and in our lives. Let us approach Jesus with strong Faith in his ability and willing availability to calm the storms in the life of the Church and in our own lives.
Father Peter
Tuesday 15th August is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Holyday of Obligation. Mass times: Aylsham 9.00am; N Walsham 11.00am; Hoveton 6.00pm.
Faithful Flames is back this Sunday! Kerry has returned from World Youth Day in Portugal and will hold the weekly Sunday session for the children from 10.30am in the presbytery conservatory, having first all met up outside the church.
A Mass with Anointing will take place at the Sacred Heart Church for the parish on Friday 1st September at 6pm. This is not only for the seriously ill but for those who feel in any way unwell or are about to undergo major surgery. Parishioners are also warmly invited to come and pray for those from our community who will be anointed.
The Memorial Garden Mass at the Sacred Heart is this Thurs 17th at 6pm. Help in setting up the chairs in the garden and returning them to their shed after the Mass would be very much appreciated. Please let Tom or other ‘welcome’ stewards at the church know that you are willing to assist. If it is wet, Mass will be held in the church.
This Saturday (19th) at St Helen’s we are holding our Patronal Celebration Mass at 5.30pm. This is open to all the parish and we do hope lots of parishioners will come. After Mass there will be a procession of St Helen in the church grounds and some refreshment: also we’ll be celebrating Nick Walmsley’s 50 years as an organist.
Saint Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) would like to recruit a Membership Support Officer (MSO) for East Anglia Diocese. 15 hrs per week for 2 years. For more details, please refer to the Diocesan website, search for MSO, also see poster on the church notice board.
Message from the Parish Office Thank you to the one person who responded to the request for items of parish news!! Please, let’s have in our newsletter a handy source of information for parishioners. It would be helpful to receive news items ideally by Tuesday, or, at the latest by Thursday – email: rcnwalsham@gmail.com or ‘phone 01692 403258.
Aylsham holds a monthly session on the last Monday of each month, from 10.30am until 12 noon, called Knit and Natter when people can get together at St John of the Cross, bringing any knitting/sewing/craft or none, have coffee & cake enjoying companionship of others: folk from North Walsham & Hoveton are most welcome to join them.
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 Ronald Blackwell, Alison Trappes-Lomax and Donald Newstead who have recently died and for those whose anniversaries occur this week: Sheila Chard, Audrey Miller, Barbara Jackson, William Healy, Jane Moy and Hilda Howard.
May they rest in peace.
