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FR DAVID WRITES
Happy Easter! This past week has been the Octave of Easter, and today we celebrate the Octave Day itself. This Second Sunday of Easter is like another Easter Sunday. This great day is rich with meaning and has held a wonderful place in the liturgy from the earliest times. It is known from antiquity as Dominica in Albis (Depositis) meaning ‘the Sunday in white’ and ‘in which the white is put away’. This refers to the white baptismal garments of the newly baptised from the Easter water. In the Gospel we hear how Jesus appeared again a week later to the apostles, on the eighth or octave day. Today is also known as Quasimodo from the first Latin words of the Entrance Antiphon. Whether we have just been baptised or were baptised many years ago, we are called to be like new-born infants who are able to rise again with Christ our Risen Lord. We send many thanks and best wishes again, and thanks for the lovely Easter cards and gifts we have received. The wider Season of Easter lasts until Pentecost Sunday.

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THIS IS HOLY WEEK
Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. Let us ask the Lord for the grace to live the days of this sacred time with faith and devotion. We hope many of you will be able to participate in the great celebrations of this week in person, and look forward to seeing many of you during the Triduum and next weekend at Easter. If you haven’t done so already, please take a Holy Week poster to display in your window at home.

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Palm Sunday 9/10 April
Saturday Vigil Masses 4pm & 6pm
Sunday 8.45am, 10am, 11.15am, 12.30pm

Monday 11 April
8am Mass
10am Mass (followed by Confessions)

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FR DAVID: LENT, HOLY WEEK & LENTEN ALMS
Today, the Fifth Sunday of Lent, is the beginning of Passiontide. This is the inner heart of Lent that leads towards Holy Week and Easter. We can see that Passiontide has begun by the presence of the purple coverings in church. Next Sunday is Palm Sunday, the start of Holy Week. Please take the Holy Week sheet this weekend with the all the information and times of celebrations from Palm Sunday onwards. As advertised in the Lent sheet, today there is a second collection for Lenten Alms (Cardinal’s Appeal). Finally, if you have begun the school holidays we wish you a happy break—but don’t forget to come to church for the great celebrations of Holy Week and Easter!

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FR DAVID WRITES
Today is the Fourth Sunday of Lent, also known as ‘Laetare’ Sunday—a day of joy in the heart of Lent. Today is also Mothering Sunday or Mothers’ Day. We send our best wishes to all mums in the parish, and also pray for those mothers who have already gone to God. Next weekend is the beginning of Passiontide, the inner part of Lent that lead us towards Holy Week. This week will also see the end of term in our school. Please remember that although Holy Week this year falls in the Easter holidays, it is still important to join in the special celebrations at church. I hope you all have a lovely day and enjoy your weekend.

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FR DAVID WRITES
Today is the Third Sunday of Lent, and so we are heading quickly into the heart of the Lenten season and the coming celebration of Holy Week and Easter. Next Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday) is also Mothering Sunday. I hope that the Lenten journey is going well for you all. Thank you for your generosity towards the CAFOD Lenten appeal last weekend. Let us continue to pray for peace in the distressing conflict in Ukraine and for those who have had to leave their families and homeland as a result. Please pray for our children who are preparing to celebrate their First Holy Communion. Next Saturday they will celebrate reconciliation for the first time in their First Confession.

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FR DAVID WRITES
Today is the Second Sunday of Lent, when we hear about the Lord’s Transfiguration. This is a sign of the Passion and Resurrection to come. This mystery focuses our attention on the coming celebration of Holy Week and Easter. We look forward to seeing many parishioners take part once again in these great mysteries in all their fulness this year. Thank you to everyone who gave generously last week to Aid to the Church in Need and who supported our Fair Trade stall. On Friday we kept CAFOD Lent Fast Day. This weekend, there is the opportunity to give to CAFOD and help towards their work with the humanitarian crisis which is arising as a result of the invasion of Ukraine. Please continue to pray for peace and for an end to the war. Next weekend, I will be out at the seminary to help with work with candidates for priestly formation—please keep us in your prayers.

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FR DAVID WRITES
Lent began on Ash Wednesday, and today is the First Sunday of Lent. At the back of church you will find our Lent leaflet which will help you with opportunities for this season. It was a joy to see so many people at church on Wednesday as we continue to welcome back many parishioners since the end of Covid restrictions. We wish you well for Lent and look forward to a full and proper celebration of Holy Week and Easter in due course. On Wednesday we also held special prayers for Ukraine and for peace at this time. Please keep these prayers going at this difficult time. Bishop Sherrington has written to thank everyone for the wonderful celebration here on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes—thank you to all involved and everyone who came. Thank you also for all your good wishes since I returned from my break.

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ASH WEDNESDAY
Lent begins this Wednesday, 2nd March. There will be Mass with Ashes at 8 am, 10 am and 7.30 pm.  Ash Wednesday is a day of Fasting and Abstinence.  
This year it has been designated a special day of prayer for peace in Ukraine.

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ASH WEDNESDAY
An early reminder that Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, 2nd March. There will be Mass with Ashes at 8 am, 10 am and 7.30 pm.

CONFIRMATION 2022
If you signed up for our Confirmation Course, it will now begin with a meeting for all candidates and parents on Tuesday 8th March at 8 pm in the Parish Hall.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2022
The next meeting for parents will take place on Tuesday 22nd February at 8pm.
Children’s session will be on Saturday 26th February at 10am and family Mass on Sunday 27th at 11.15am.

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FR DAVID WRITES
Thank you to everyone for a wonderful celebration on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. There was a lovely celebration with the whole school in the morning, and then the Mass with Bishop Sherrington in the evening. It was also a joy to say thank you to those who have served our parish with such generosity over many years. Congratulation to Mgr. Tom Egan as he celebrates his 80th birthday! I will be away this week for a break, and the following week at some church events in the north. Have a lovely half term and see you all soon.