His Holiness Pope Francis passed away this morning at 7:30 am at the age of 88.
May he rest in peace.
Easter
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. […] What I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures […]. Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:1-3.20
May the blessings of the Risen Lord be with you on Easter and always, and may His love surround you like a warm embrace. Happy Easter to you all!
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to the preparation, running, and cleanup of our Holy Week celebrations. A big “Thank you” goes out to all who were able to attend and participate. Each of you made this Holy Week truly special!
Assisted suicide vote
The UK Parliament will soon be voting on assisted suicide. Please scan the QR code on the poster or visit https://carenotkilling.uk/petition to sign the petition and email your MP in a few easy clicks!
WEE BOX Appeal (updated)
The Lenten SCIAF’s Appeal comes to its conclusion at Easter. Those who have collected monies in the Wee Box are requested to bring them to the church, preferably by Sunday 27 April, for counting and banking to transfer the funds to SCIAF. Alternatively, you count the money yourself and donate it online on the charity’s website. For more information about the appeal and/or to donate online, visit sciaf.org.uk/weebox
Visit to Uganda
We recently had an engaging presentation about the visit to Uganda last September, where we saw the positive impacts of the incredible support from the donors. Many parishioners contributed to this visit and may be interested in seeing the benefits of their donations. The presentation was successfully recorded (which may not be as obvious as you might think) and is now available below for viewing.
Readers’ Workshop
Prior to the introduction of the New Lectionary, an evening session for readers was held at the Parish Hall. This session was recorded to ensure that those who could not attend due to bad weather or other commitments would still have access to the information shared.
WhatsApp Parish Channel
Unpredictable events can get in the way, like challenging weather or tricky road conditions striking unexpectedly. I suggest subscribing to the parish WhatsApp channel if you use the WhatsApp app. It’s a one-way communication tool used to make short-notice and last-minute announcements. You will remain anonymous.
DO NO HARM
“Do No Harm” is a short documentary on assisted dying, created by Being Catholic TV, which highlights some of the grave concerns around proposals to legalise assisted dying in the UK and Scottish Parliaments.
Jubilee 2025
Pope Francis has declared that next year, 2025, will be a Holy Year in the Universal Church and that 2024 should be a year of preparation for this great Jubilee.
The idea of Jubilee has its roots in the Old Testament, with a celebration of a year of forgiveness and reconciliation. The Sabbath was the seventh day, a day of rest, and the Jubilee year was the year following seven times seven years, so the Jubilee took place every 50th year. In the tradition of the Catholic Church, we now celebrate the Jubilee every 25 years. The Holy Year of 2025 will begin at the Christmas Vigil 2024 when the Holy Father will open the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.