Sunday: March 16th 2025
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
Second collection: CAFOD Lent Fast Day (Friday last)
MASS (OLHoC): 6.00pm (Sat. 15th) (Bob & Tess Vickery – Well Being)
MASS (OLHoC): 9.00am (Pro Populo)
X ”We Call to Bear Fruit” feedback session after this Mass
X Refreshments in the Hall after this Mass
MASS (OLHoC): 11.00am (Maria Byrne - Birthday)
X ”We Call to Bear Fruit” feedback session after this Mass
X Refreshments in the Hall after this Mass
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• MONDAY, March 17th – St Patrick
MASS (OLHoC): 9.00am (Liz Willis and family – Well Being)
• TUESDAY, March 18th – Feria
NO MASS
• WEDNESDAY, March 19th – ST JOSEPH
MASS (OLHoC): 10.00am (Kathleen Lynch – Well Being)
X Refreshments in the Hall after this Mass
X OLHoC
Hall: after 10am Mass – “We Dare to Hope”
Lenten reflection
• THURSDAY, March 20th – Feria
MASS (OLHoC): 9.00am (Holy Souls)
Parish Open Office with Fr Alex
4.00pm-7.00pm at the Presbytery (OLHoC)
• FRIDAY, March 21th – Feria
MASS (OLHoC): 9.00am (Lourdes Antonio Alemao RIP)
Stations of the Cross (OLHoC): 12 Noon
•SATURDAY, March 22th – Feria
9am FHC Class; 10am Confirmation Class
MASS (OLHoC):10.00am (Brian Bucktrout RIP)
Confessions & Exposition (OLHoC):11.00am-12 noon)
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Next Sunday: March 23th 2025
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
Second collection: Poor Parishes
MASS (OLHoC): 6.00pm (Sat. 22th) (Denis Croft RIP)
MASS (OLHoC): 9.00am (Lando & Rafferty Powell RIP)
X Refreshments in the Hall after this Mass
MASS (OLHoC): 11.00am (Pro Populo)
X Refreshments in the Hall after this Mass
X Lent Lunch (OLHoC Hall):12.30
STATIONS OF THE CROSS: A Perfect Devotion for Lent. Stations of the Cross will start on Friday 7th March at 12 noon in the Church. Please come on Fridays through Lent and share in 'the Way of the Cross'. All are welcome.
X LENTEN REFLECTION PROGRAMME – “WE DARE TO HOPE”
Following on from the
successful 2024 programme “We Dare to Pray”, the programme for 2025 will be “We
Dare to Hope”. There will be five sessions of around one
hour each held during Lent in Our Lady’s Hall as follows:
19 March – morning
after the 10am Mass: The Decision to
Hope
26 March – evening at
7 pm: The Prayer of Hope
2 April - morning
after the 10am Mass: Hope against Hope
9 April – evening at 7pm: Christ Our Hope
PLEASE JOIN YOUR FELLOW PARISHIONERS IN THIS JOURNEY.
Refreshments will be provided, and the supporting booklet is now available to purchase from the Bookshop at a cost of £3 per copy.
X CALLED TO
BEAR FRUIT
In his pastoral letter
on Called to Bear Fruit, Archbishop John Wilson, asked parishioners to gather
in small groups to reflect on the six key themes outlined in the consultation
document. To allow as many parishioners as possible to contribute to the
discussion two feedback sessions will be held in Our Lady’s Church Hall on
Sunday the 16th March one after the 09:00 Mass and one after
the 11:00 Mass. Your points on the 6 theme areas will be captured
and submitted to the Call to Bear Fruit
team. For those who would like to make their
comments individually, please scan the pages and post a copy of these to
the presbytery. These will be collated and submitted with the
feedback from the two discussion sessions to the team.
X RECEPTION OF HOLY COMMUNION DURING MASS – Only Catholics in state of grace receive communion
during Mass. Those Christians who are not in full communion with the Catholic
Church and Roman Catholics not able to receive Holy Communion are welcome to
receive a blessing. Those wishing to receive a blessing are asked to approach
the priest with their arms crossed over their chess. Those receiving Holy
Communion in your hands please put it in your mouth before leaving the
minister/priest.
X INFANT BAPTISM –
May only happen after undergoing a preparation with the parish priest. Baptisms
can then be celebrated at either 3pm on a Saturday or 1pm on a Sunday on the 1st
or 3rd Sunday of the month. Please note from January 2025 the
preparation for infant Baptism will take place every second Sunday of the month
after 11 am Mass.
X WE PRAY FOR THE SICK - We remember all those who are sick or housebound and that they remain in our prayers including Bernadette Pay, Blanche Ellis, Liz Willis, Robert Claridge, Ema Deba, Stacy Rodrigues, Ann Robinson, Uzo Mbanugo, Bob & Tess Vickery, Canon Luke Smith, Beulah Blomfield, John Lodge, Veronica Poulton, Margaret Woolley, and all those who have asked for our prayers.
X HOLY COMMUNION FOR THE SICK OR IN HOSPITAL
For those sick at home –
The parish has a team of Extraordinary Ministers of
Holy Communion, who are all commissioned by the Archbishop and DBS checked.
Their ministry is to take the Sacrament of Holy Communion to people who are
long-term sick or disabled, and who are thus unable to get to Mass. If you know
of anyone in this category who is not currently receiving the Sacrament at home
(or where they are living), please inform Fr Alex Saba via the Parish Office on
01303 252823 or email folkestone@rcaos.org.uk
For those in hospital - people who are seriously ill or undergoing operations may ask for the Anointing of the Sick. Those who are going into hospital should remember to ask for a visit from the hospital’s Catholic Chaplain: If not a priest, they will arrange for a Catholic minister or an extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion to visit them, or - if anointing is required - for a priest to visit (but, hopefully, you will have already asked for anointing before you go in). Catholic chaplains are often clergy or laypeople from the hospital’s local parish. Contact the parish office 01303 252823 or email folkestone@rcaos.org.uk
X SOCIETY OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL - LENT LUNCH – Sunday 23rd
March at 12.30 in OLHoC Hall. Choice of 3 soups/bread/tea/coffee £5. Raising
funds for their charitable work.
X WE PRAY FOR THE RECENTLY DECEASED - Please pray for the repose of the soul of Kathleen Mary Brivio, Brian Davenhill, Pam Boxall, Sybil Conchita Henry, Obdulia Julie Di Martino, Margaret Angela Dixon, Bishop John Hine, Lillian Orfila, Robert Jones, Christine Mary Kissane, James Kissane, Ron Hall, Suchada Robinson (who was known as Jo or Jojo), Fr Wenna Henry Tiku and all those who have died recently, and those whose anniversaries fall at this time including: Ethel Finch, James Gavigan, Aillen Keevil, Gwen Bourgois (16th Mar); Salvatore Sechi, Gordan Laye (17th Mar); Richard Ellis, Baroness Margaret Otto (19th Mar); Patricia Tagford, Daniel Connolly, Jean Stokes (20th Mar); Martin Hruska, Jean Ortoli (22nd Mar); Jessie Davey, David Bryce (23rd Mar).
X FORTHCOMING 2025 SECOND COLLECTIONS
· Poor Parishes: 23rd
March
· Parish
Building & Maintenance: 30th March
· Easter Flowers: 6th April
● Holy Places of Palestine: 18th April
X ARCHDIOCESAN JUBILEE CELEBRATION DAY AT THE
FRIARS, AYLESFORD 7th JUNE 2025
Led by Archbishop John Wilson, we will gather as an Archdiocese at The Friars, Aylesford for a day of prayer, reflection, celebration, and fun. There will be lots of activities, for children as well as for adults. This will be the centre-piece event of the 2025 Jubilee in the Archdiocese of Southwark. There will also be a walking pilgrimage from St George’s Cathedral in Southwark to The Friars (2-6 June 2025). The event itself is free. You can find out more about the event, including how to join the walking pilgrimage, and the wider Jubilee Year plans in the Archdiocese at rcaos.org.uk/jubilee2025.
X AN APPEAL FROM THE SVP – they are helping a previously homeless gentleman who has been provided with a Council flat, but has nothing in it. They have helped with a bed and other items. If anyone has a bedside cabinet they no longer need, please contact John Grace on 07814 786839 who will happily collect it. Thank you.
X CONGRATULATIONS – to the 8 adults
from our Parish who attended the Rite of Election on 8th March 2025. Please
keep them and our First Holy Communion and candidates in your prayers.
WE FLY TO THY PROTECTION
We
fly to Thy protection, O Holy Mother of God.
Do
not despise our petitions in our necessities, but
deliver us always from all dangers,
O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.
PRAYER TO ST MICHAEL
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.
Presbytery and Parish Office:
41 Guildhall Street, Folkestone, Kent CT20 1EF
Tel: 01303 252823
e-mail: folkestone@rcaos.org.uk
Parish Priest: Fr Alex Saba MA, MSLR, MCL, JCL
Hall Bookings: hallbookingonline.com/folkestone/
