Dear Friends,
Where your pleasure is, there is your treasure; where your treasure is, there is your heart; where your heart is, there is your happiness.
Today’s readings teach us that Faith in Jesus as our God and Saviour and sacrificing everything in life to do the will of God are equivalent to discovering and possessing the most valuable treasure or the pearl of great price. In other words, keeping a personal relationship with Jesus, remaining in a state of grace, and sharing his view of life are the most beautiful and the most precious things in the world.
The first reading tells us how the young King Solomon opted for the great treasure of accepting God to rule his life by doing His will. In the second reading, Paul teaches that “all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” This is true of all who accept a close relationship with God as their greatest treasure. In the Gospel, using three mini parables and one concluding simile, Jesus teaches us that God’s Kingdom, is something of extraordinary value, like a hidden treasure or a costly pearl. Possessing that treasure demands from us a total commitment if we are to preserve it.
Father Peter
An invitation from St Helen’s – a date for your diary!
We are holding a Patronal Celebration Mass on Saturday 19th August at 5.30pm at St Helen’s. 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 refreshments also celebrating Nick Walmsley’s 50 years as an organist.
You are all invited to join Aylsham’s next ‘Knit and Natter’ session on the morning of Monday 31st July from 10.30 until 12.00 at St John of the Cross church. You are welcome to bring any craft work you wish, or just come along for a good chat. Teas and coffees are provided and cake is almost obligatory!
The 75th Anniversary Exhibition commemorating the great 1948 Cross Carrying Pilgrimage to Walsingham is taking place from July until the end of October 2023 between 10:00 and 16:00. For details please contact Zyg Rakowicz on Zyg@walsingham.org.uk
Your Catholic Legacy Free Wills Service. Legacies are a vital one-off support for the Church’s mission. They often make possible the significant projects that parishes have wanted to undertake for years. The diocese recently joined the organisation Your Catholic Legacy which promotes bequests to the Church and has made available a free will-writing service which supports individuals and couples to make their wills. There has been good take-up of this initiative in many parishes. For more information contact finance@rcdea.org.uk
Follow our Diocesan Group at World Youth Day in Portugal. Please pray for the group of over 50 young people from East Anglia on pilgrimage at World Youth Day in Portugal culminating in Mass with Pope Francis. For the latest updates from the pilgrimage please see www.rcdea.org.uk, twitter.com/RCEastAnglia and facebook.com/catholiceastanglia
Large traditional cot for a baby – free to a good home, but please collect. Contact Jeannie on 0798 419 6757.
Looking ahead to further forthcoming events:
Memorial Garden Mass at the Sacred Heart on Thursday 17th of August at 6.00pm.
40th Annual Bike Ride & Walk 2023 – Sat 9th September: 9am – 5pm.
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 and Shirley Teague.
We pray for Maria Wilby who recently died and for those whose anniversaries occur this week: Derek Rayfield, Michael Conroy, Jennifer Copeman, Elizabeth Hebden, Richard Furlong, Kathleen Harkin, Norah Nyland, June Ennals, Ronald Perkins, Jean Eastaugh and Stephen Britchford.
May they rest in peace.
