Dear Friends,
Today we celebrate the great event when the Spirit of God was poured out as gift on the apostles, hidden indoors, and transformed them into missionaries. We see the Church at its birth alive with a new breath, telling the world of a new, undreamed of and crowning happiness. They proclaim good news – about the forgiveness of sin, about what eye had never seen, nor ear heard, nor had man’s heart hitherto experienced.
Is this not the Church that we dream about? Fully alive, confident in faith, filled with joy and able to lead humanity to the place where God awaits it. Pentecost is the annual reminder to us not to allow our communities to become inward-looking and timid.
The Annual Supper and Meeting of the whole parish on Monday was a great evening. Excellent food and wine! I found Father Sean Connolly’s talk on the New Evangelisation thought-provoking!
Donations for the Organ Fund continue to come in. 6 stops are already paid for but donations can be any size! So far we have collected nearly £8,000.
God bless you all,
Father James
From a church newsletter: ‘Baptisms will take place at the north and south sides of the church. Babies will be baptised at both ends’!
Parish Safeguarding checks: Just to reassure all our parish volunteers who have CRB/DBS certificates for the work you do in the parish, that the diocese rechecking process will commence when the National DBS processes are settled. This is likely to be in 2016. If you have any concerns that your situation has changed since your last parish check, please speak to Steve Stachini, your Parish Safeguarding Representative or Father James. Mobile: 07766117718 or Home No: 01692 650017
The annual (30th) Children’s Pilgrimage to Walsingham is on Tuesday 26th May, during the school half-term holiday: details on posters.
Support Cambodia: the Plant Sale last weekend raised £104.50 towards the Phnom Priel Solar Energy Project. Huge thanks to all who donated, bought or contributed in any way to this superb total. Particular thanks to Adrian and the team for their truly wonderful efforts.
St Helen’s 4th Wednesday Club will be on May 27th. Coffee at 11.30am, a simple hot lunch at 12.30pm followed by social activities, games and free raffle. We finish at 4pm with tea and cake. All over 60’s welcome. Would new members coming for the first time please ring 01692 582418 and leave a message letting us know for catering purposes. You may join us for any part of the day or all day and feel free to leave whenever you are ready.
A Celebration Mass for Marriage and Family Life is on Saturday 20th June at 10.30 am at the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Norwich. A buffet lunch reception will follow the Mass. For information and to RSVP, please contact Kerry Urdzik on 01473 2511301 or go to mflc@east-angliadiocese.org.uk
Mission Team Vacancy are now looking for one more person, an 18-29 year old to complete their full-time Diocesan Mission Team. Could this be you? If interested in working with young people, please go to www.catholiceastanglia.org/youth for more information. This is a residential position.
Come to Celebrate East Anglia 30-31 May in Bury St Edmund. Go to www.celebrateconference.org click on “Celebrate Weekends” & East Anglia.
A Thank You from Hamish MacQueen (Director of Diocesan Youth Service) Thank you to everyone who came and helped at our ‘Ignite Youth Festival’ a fortnight ago. With over 300 people there from many parishes across the diocese it was an amazing weekend!
We pray for Alan Dorsett who died on the 12th; we remember his family and friends at this time. We pray also for those whose anniversaries occur during this week including: Carmel Larter, Francis Murphy, Mary Lamb, Mary Stockham, Valerie (Val) O’Hara and Joan Williamson. May they rest in peace.
