PARISH NEWSLETTER FOR ST. JOSEPH’S (MAIDENHEAD)
& ST. ELIZABETH’S (COOKHAM)
2nd Sunday of Lent, Year B
Jesus heard at the Transfiguration that he was ‘beloved’! We all want to know that someone would say they love us. We are all the time God’s favoured ones – it’s ourselves that miss out on it, when we don’t believe it.
We live in the big wide world of God’s love, and Jesus on Tabor was allowing himself to be loved in the radiant light of God, shining even in the cloud.
Together we are loved as Peter, James and John were loved in community. Light is caught from one to the other. We are the light of Tabor Mountain for each other. All are loved. The ones I like and don’t like! The radiant body of Christ was hammered and killed later by ourselves.
Love killed at Calvary rose again. Love cannot die.
We can transfigure or disfigure each other.
We can bring out the light and the hope and the joy in our belonging to God!
We can transfigure a school, a parish, a community any group by first of all our being loved by God and letting love go out. If we really believe we are loved by God then the world we live in is transfigured, changed.
In the light of the cross, the sign of our faith, the way we are saved.
Imagine yourself breathing in the light of God.
Let it fill your body bit by bit. Praise God for this light.
Light of God, love me, save me, call me.
Attende refrain Hear us O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinn’d against thee.
1st Reading: Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18
Psalm: Psalm 116 R/: I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living
2nd Reading: Romans 8:31-34
Acclamation: From the bright cloud the Father’s voice was heard: This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.
Gospel: Mark 9:2-10
Communion Antiphon: This is my Son, my beloved, in whom is all my delight: listen to him.
Vacancy: St Mary’s School Business and Finance Officer Term time + 3 weeks (37 hrs/week) pro rata £35,838 – £44,232 www.stmarys-maidenh ead.org.uk/vacancies
Others www.portsmout hdiocese.org.uk/about-us/other/jobs/Portsmouth
What's happening in Church:
Complimentary tea & coffee after 11 am Mass
Every last Sunday 11am Let us welcome readers and Mass helpers from St Mary’s school! J
10 Mar, 2.30-5pm, Bereavement Support Group St Edmund Campion Hall. Come for a cup tea and cake to talk or share with others who are also grieving
10-18 Mar Novena to St Joseph After Mass: 10am Mon-Sat & 11am Sun. In church and Zoom 6pm millhillmissionaries.co.uk/novena/
17 Mar, Filipino Mass All are welcome!
Magazine We need writers, contributors, photographers for our upcoming Parish Magazine. Please contact the office if you’re interested in helping or advertising!
BABY AND CHILDREN PROGRAMMES
25 Feb & 10 Mar 9.30am FHC in the Parish Hall
25 Feb 11am Children’s Liturgy In the Hall
2 Mar 4.30pm Confirmation session at St Edmund Campion Primary School
5 Mar Baptismal Course at St Joseph’s: For parents whose child is being baptised in M’head. Please meet one of the parish priests before attending.
Children’s toy request for St. Elizabeth’s: Can you contribute sensory books, Duplo/ Lego, dolls, foam building blocks, Hotwheels+ramps, crayons/ colour pens/pencils +sharpener, doctor/ kitchen toys, train sets, jigsaw/ wooden puzzles? Please e-mail [email protected]
Toddlers Group Every Friday in termtime, 8.45am-10.45am St Edmund Campion Hall
We have a new contactless machine that will accept Gift Aid! You only have to input your details ONCE and ALL future donations with the same card will be Gift-Aided!
To reduce repeating information in the printed newsletter, we have printed hand-bag/ wallet-friendly information packs and placed them at the entrance/exits of the church. Please keep this with you for future reference. Thank you for helping us save the environment by reducing paper waste!
LENT
- Lenten Project: The three “Pillars of Lent” are Prayer, Fasting and Alms Giving. This year, the chosen Charity for our Parish Lenten Project is the “Basankusu Missionary Charity” in The Congo. We at St Joseph’s and St Elizabeth’s will be helping to provide a Fast River Ambulance. To raise funds for the Project through Soup Lunches on Sundays, Raffles, a Quiz Night on 15 March and 2nd Collections after weekend Masses. In addition, any other individual Alms Giving for the River Ambulance will be appreciated by Father Philip. Donations to CDP Maidenhead St Josephs Church Ac 00882667 / 30-93-04. Please include your name and “+Lent” as reference, to earmark your contribution
- 2nd Collection for CAFOD Family Fast Day This Lent, your donations to CAFOD’s Family Fast Day appeal will help hardworking people with resources, tools and training to feed their families for good. Give using the envelope or online cafod.org.uk and join us in praying that our sisters and brothers around the world have what they need to feed their families.
- 27 Feb & every Tues 7.30pm Choir Practice in Church. Lend us your voice and talent! We welcome new voices and musicians to join us this season and also for Sun 11am Mass. Please talk to Joanna or Claire.
- Reconciliation services: 9 Mar 11am St Edmund Campion 14 Mar 7pm St Thomas More 16 Mar 11am St Edward’s 20 Mar 7pm Joseph’s
- 17 Mar Bake Sale After 11am mass. Bake one, bring one, buy one! Proceeds to Lenten Project. Please contact Teresa Osborne 07947 020393 / Margaret Curran 07548 215260 about how you can donate!
- 23 Mar Lent Reflection Day led by Barbara Priest, an oblate of Douai at Douai Abbey. £15. Optional £10 Please email [email protected] in interested to organise carpool/lift.
- Stations of the Cross W: Every Friday after 10am Mass in St Joseph’s and every Wed 7pm in St Elizabeth’s. Kindly DO NOT remove the Stations of the Cross books left in the church for this service.
- Please be reminded we will not have flowers at the altars during Lent.
- Check newsletter for regular updates
Dates for your Diary
- 29 Feb 2pm Rosary (No Bible study) Zoom: ID 82806901794 Password 312990 or: https://tinyurl.com/2hz5axvp
- Now to 24 Mar: 40 Days for Life Lent Vigil: We seek to reach women in pregnancy crises, offer them alternatives to abortion, and spiritual and practical support. If you would like to take part in the 40DFL, email Livia Tossici-Bolt (Bournemouth 40DFL coordinator) [email protected]
- 1 Mar, 2pm WORLD DAY OF PRAYER (WDP) 2024 is hosted by High Street Methodist Church. Focus of prayer: Women of Palestine. Please join this ecumenical church service and stay for refreshments afterwards. More details available from St Joseph’s WDP representative, Bel Flynn.
- 2 Mar 10am 2024 Day of Recollection led by Fr Liam Cummins at Corpus Christi Church. £10/person includes lunch and refreshments. Parking at St Teresa’s Catholic Academy, Easthampstead Road
- 2 Mar Safeguarding Training at St Edmund Campion. Training is mandatory for anyone working with children (10.00am-12pm) or Adults at Risk 1-3pm. Email [email protected] to book a place
- 5 Mar 12:30-1pm Caritas Online Networking Lunch: LiveSimply Award Hosted by Jo Lewry from CAFOD – Live more simply, sustainably and in solidarity with the poor. Register: https://bit.ly/49gvDwG
- 9 Mar 11am Divine Mercy Lenten Retreat led by the Marian Fathers, in St Michael & St George Aldershot GU11 2BY. Contact Millie 07957594646 for more information.
- 16 Mar Bishop Philip’s Symposium 2024 on medical and social ethics entitled ‘What does it mean to be Human? In Winchester. Tickets at £20 can be purchased from: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/what-does-it-mean-to-be-human-medical-ethics-and-social-care-today-tickets-773097012977
Can you help?
Inspire and empower children & young people in your local Catholic schools by delivering an assembly or a workshop. CAFOD will provide training and all resources. Contact Jo Lewry [email protected] or phone 07710 094447 for more info.
If you want to donate directly to SVP for helping refugees who are facing homelessness & destitution, you can do so via CDP Maidenhead St Josephs Church Ac 00882667 / 30-93-04. Please include your full name and “+SVP” so we can earmark your contribution.
A steering group of religious and other groups are trying to establish three new initiatives under the auspices of the Brett Foundation. One is temporary hosting for refugees through a Gift-a-Room scheme. The second is a temporary Winter homeless shelter for all rough sleepers.The third is a Drop-in Centre to provide basic support for all people living on the streets, such as food and shower facilities. We are asking for any or all of:-
*Offers of a room for a refugee for up to two months – references will be taken for both host and refugee and a mentor provided to help both with any issues
* Volunteers to help with the homeless shelter for all rough sleepers for a variety of tasks, such as cooking, cleaning up, welcoming people and/or occasional overnight stays either once a week or once a month
* Volunteers at the Drop-in Centre for all rough sleepers for tasks such as making teas/coffees and making guests feel welcome either once a week or once a month.
We have created the following material to explain the schemes on The Brett Foundation website: there is a full page devoted to each of the streams, as well as an introductory page with links to each of the streams: https://www.brettfoundation.charity/homeless-project
This is a link directly to the Gift-a-Room scheme: https://www.brettfoundation.charity/homeless-project/gift-a-room-scheme
If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate call us on 07749 917134
3 hours per week on to include youth club session on Thursday evenings and prep beforehand.
For details please contact Ros Webb on 07500766947.
appeal for volunteers. Would you enjoy meeting and helping all kinds of people on Saturday and pay-day Friday nights? Come try a taster session around Maidenhead town centre with a small friendly group. Contact: [email protected] or see facebook.com/maidenheadstreetangels
PILGRIMAGES/ WALKS/ RETREATS
£899.00 pps. Price includes flight, 10kg hold luggage, 5 nights’ in 4* Castlecourt Hotel, Westport with Dinner, Bed & Breakfast. Lunch on three days. All entertainment, excursions and transport included. Visit Knock, Galway City, Kylemore Abbey, Croagh Patrick & Ashford Castle. Single supplement on Enquiry. Contact Patricia or Natali on 01268 762 278 or 07740 175557 or email [email protected].
Holy Week & Easter 2024 Walking Pilgrimage (104 miles over 7 days) to Walsingham, Norfolk. More info/ sign up here: https://pilgrimcross.org.uk/event/oxford-leg-24/ or call Marguerite on 07505 368 218. Join us to deepen your faith, find fellowship with friends or just to take some time to think.
RESOURCES
Magnificat: This is one of the best publications around for following scripture readings for daily Mass and every Sunday. There are also many interesting articles to help you in your spiritual life. If you would like a copy please get in touch with the Parish Office to arrange. We can leave in the sacristy or post out to you. The Magnificat is only £5 per month.
Day by Day: Available in the church at all times. Please leave the £1 in the candle box.
Library: We have a parish library located in the corridor of the Parish Centre. This is dedicated to Theology/Religious books. Please feel free to borrow/swap.
St Joseph’s Church Repository: is open after 11am every Sunday. We have lots of cards, candles, rosary beads, statues and many more religious gifts on sale. If a Sunday does not suit to visit, then please phone the office on 01628 783988 and we can arrange a time that best suits.
Vacancies: We currently have some exciting opportunities across the Diocese for an Estate Manager, IT Manager, Choral Director, and Parish Administrators.
All vacancies posted here.
Other information and links
Rosary Group via Zoom every Thursday at 2pm (See here for joining instructions) ►
Last session for December will be on Thursday the 14th of December at 2pm
Rosary will resume on Thursday the 11th January 2024 at 2pm
Missio If you have a Red Box which is ready to be emptied, please bring it in over the coming weeks.
If you’re away from your church or the Diocese, you can still keep in contact with all the latest news from the Bishop or the Diocese via: E- News (subscription service available)
Twitter @PortsmouthRC
Facebook @PortsmouthRC @StJoMaidenhead
Are You New To Our Parish?
Thank you for your interest in our parish. Whether you’re just visiting us for a brief time, looking for a new parish home, returning to the practice of your Catholic faith or are interested in finding out more about the Catholic Church, we are happy to answer your questions, listen to your comments and help you in any way that we can. We are a parish of the Diocese of Portsmouth, and are a very vibrant community, made up of ‘old’ Maidenhead families and relative “newcomers” from all walks of life.
We hope that you find our Catholic parish a caring community that is loving, welcoming and supportive of all. Our mission is to grow in the image of Christ through the Holy Spirit, to be formed by the Word and our prayer, to use our gifts to welcome those who are here and reach out to those who are not. We invite you to join us as partners in the mission. Together, let us get to know Christ better and to make Him better known. May God Bless you wherever you are and thank you for exploring our website and newsletter. Please stop by the parish office to introduce yourself! We would love to meet you.
Code: SI: Special Intention, RIP: Rest in Peace, A: Anniversary, FM: Foundation
We would like to get the newsletter distributed on time and are grateful for understanding in the deadline for submissions of announcements and mass intentions. Please send all contributions no later than Thursday 10am.