1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

C ATHOLIC P ORTSMOUTH
Catholic Parishes and Schools in Partnership in the City of Portsmouth
22 FEBRUARY 2015 – FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
Come into the Desert…
Has the Holy Spirit called you to the desert yet? It is well known
that Jesus’ ministry began immediately following his 40 days of
suffering and, having proved himself faithful to the Father, he was
empowered by his desert experience to begin his ministry. So if God really really loves you, and He does, He
will probably call you into the desert, and that means suffering. But why do we go there – either in response to
his call or when we are hit by trials, affliction or disaster? If God is the source of all good things why does He not
keep us away from the bad? Is He aware of our troubles? Is He asleep? Is he unable or unwilling to help? Why
does He stand back? It is so easy for us to feel condemned – by ill health, mourning, financial ruin or injustice.
Well, thanks to Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension, God has the victory over suffering on earth (not just
heaven), and, if we are burdened, then we must have confidence that God allows that burden for good
reason. He is not the origin of suffering but He can use suffering to catch our attention, to bring us back to Him.
Job reminds us “happy the man who God corrects”. God bruises, but binds up, wounds, but heals. If we fall 7
times, we will bounce back 7 times and this surely is our hope, that the Lord will fulfil His purpose in us and we
need not fear times spent in such a lonely and difficult place.
But we do have a part to play in our suffering. God says that we shall not to be overcome by it: we should
offer God praise and thanksgiving in all things as an act of obedience; we should be honest and tell God how
we feel; we can ask what is the purpose of our suffering; we should choose to avoid anger and bitterness and
bless those who persecute us; we can soak ourselves in the Word of God as the weapon of battle against evil
(as Jesus said in the desert ‘it is written…’); and we should wait for restoration and be comforted that we have
become qualified to have the compassion to respond to suffering in others.
Malachi speaks very beautifully about the journey of coming back to dependence on God; that Jesus will be
‘as a refiner’. ‘He will purify us like … silver’. When silver is refined, it needs watching by the silversmith to make
sure it does not over heat and ruin, he constantly watches and scrapes of the impurities as the metal gets
hotter. Finally, he knows the silver is purified when it is perfectly reflective and he can see his face clearly on the
surface. What a lovely image, that through an uncomfortable desert experience, we shall become something
far more precious.
…the desert is a wonderfully creative space.
Lucy Sayer
Our Lady of Lourdes & St Swithun Fr Kazimierz Stefek - Assistant Priest: Fr Pawel Przybyszewski
tel. 023 9282 8305 – southseaparish@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
Our Lady of Lourdes Bransbury Road, Eastney, PO4 9JY - St Swithun 105 Waverley Road, Southsea, PO5 2PL
Pastoral Assistant: Sr Marie Elise Tel. 07747 728734 Parish Secretary: Mrs Clare Shore –
Office Hours: Mon 0900-1100 and Tues to Friday 0900-1500
Safeguarding Representative: Val Croughan 023 9234 1682
St John’s Cathedral: Bishop’s House, Bishop Crispian Way, PO1 3HG – Tel. 02392 826170
Cathedral Dean: Canon Dominic Golding VG – dgolding@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
Assistant Priest: Fr James McAuley – jmcauley@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
Parish Secretary: Mrs Lily Peach – cathedral@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk – Office Hours: 0900-1600 Monday – Friday
Parish Pastoral Assistant: Sister Maura Chin - Safeguarding Representative: Sue Smy 023 9273 0855
Corpus Christi & St Joseph Fr Steven Restori tel 023 9266 0927 – ccsj@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
Corpus Christi Gladys Avenue, North End PO2 9AZ – St Joseph Tangier Road, Copnor PO3 6JH
Parish Sister: Sr Mary Gleavey FMDM 07586 801868 – St Joseph Hall Bookings: Mrs Mary Vale 07897 488254
Safeguarding Representative: Elaine Lindsay 07749 200592
St Colman with St Paul Fr Joe McNerney (Hospital Chaplain) – Assistant Priest: Fr John Humphreys
scsp@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk - 023 9228 6408
St Colman St Colman’s Avenue, Cosham, PO6 2JJ – St Paul Allaway Avenue, PO6 4DG– tel. 023 9237 6151
Parish Assistant: Mrs Tess Pritchard Office Hours: 0900-1500 Mon to Fri
Safeguarding Representative: Irene Taylor 023 9264 0754 or 07914 722708
Pastoral Youth Worker: Dom DeBoo tel 023 9283 6524 mob 07769 185603 – ddeboo@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
PARISHES: Corpus Christi & St Joseph • Our Lady of Lourdes with St Swithun • St Colman & St Paul • St John’s Cathedral
SCHOOLS: Primary: Corpus Christi • St John’s Cathedral • St Paul’s • St Swithun’s • Secondary: St Edmund’s
Catholic Portsmouth - www.CatholicPortsmouth.org.uk
15 February 2015 – Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
CONTACT YOUTH CLUB (11 – 16)
CONTACT
AREA NEWSYouth Club, our youth
club for young people aged 11–16,
runs from 1900–2100 at St Colman’s
K;k;k;l
Catholic Church. £1 a week subs +
tuck shop. Next Session: Wednesday
25 February.
DISCOVERY (13 – 18)
We are going to be taking a little
break with DISCOVERY and then
resuming in mid-March. DISCOVERY is
for teenagers aged 13–18 to come
and explore their faith, asking some
of life’s deeper questions. Cracking
desserts. Our next session will be
looking at the theme ‘Why can’t
we always have what we want?’
Next Session: Tuesday 10 March.
Feel free to get in touch:
facebook: ‘Dom DeBoo Portsmouth’
twitter @Dom_DeBoo_Youth
www.catholicportsmouth.org.uk/youth
ddeboo@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
tel: 07769185603
YOUTH AND CHILDREN’S MASS
Thank you to all of the wonderful
parishioners and of course children
and young people at St Colman’s
Catholic Church who supported our
Youth and Children’s Mass on Sunday
8 February, and especially to all those
that helped make it a great morning.
Our next Youth and Children’s Mass
will be at Corpus Christi Catholic
Church on Sunday 15 March so if you
are from St Joseph’s or Corpus Christi
please look out for that and then get
involved.
RECONCILIATION
St John's Cathedral
St Swithun
Our Lady of Lourdes
Corpus Christi
St Joseph
St Colman
Saturday
1100 - 1145
1700 – 1745
Friday 1930 – 2000
Saturday 1030 – 1100
Saturday
1730 – 1755
Saturday
0930
Saturday
(Before 1800 Mass)
Saturday
1700 – 1730
PARISH DIARY
Monday 23 February
- Our Lady of Peace (Medjugorje) Prayer Group: 1100 - 1200
Jubilee Room, St John’s Cathedral
- Bible Timeline Study Course: 1930 St John’s Cathedral Hall
Tuesday 24 February 2015
- Parent, Toddlers and Baby Group: 0915 - 1115 St Swithun’s
Hall
Thursday 26 February
- The Search (RCIA – Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults):
1930 - 2030 St John’s Cathedral Discovery Centre
Friday 27 February
- Mothers Prayer Group – 1115 Our Lady of Lourdes Church
- Guides and Brownies meet 1700 – 2000 Our Lady of Lourdes
Community Room
- WCCM – Meditation Group – 2000 Meeting Room, St
Swithun’s Hall
SUNDAY NIGHT EXTRA (11 – 16)
Sunday Night Extra is our monthly
space for you to chill out on a
Sunday night with other young
Catholics, to eat good food and to
explore your faith deeper. It is held in
the Cathedral Hall from 1900–2045
and we ask for a donation of £2 per
person towards the cost of food. In
our next session, on Sunday 22
February we will be exploring the
question ‘Why bother with Lent?’
ZONED In (Year 6 Youth Club)
If you are in school year 6, then we
run a youth club for you on Thursday
nights from 1830–2000 at Corpus
Christi Catholic School with lots of fun
activities and equipment. £1 a week
subs + tuck shop. In our next session
on 26 February, we will be doing a
rap and poetry workshop looking at
have you got that lyrical touch.
Please pray for those who are ill, especially: Micheline Thompson,
Susan Forer, Michael Foster, Pat Needham, Tom Denny, John Malbon,
Margaret Badger, Rosemary Ashton, Anne Sullivan, Catherine Morgan,
Eileen Huddleston, Barbara Mulligan, Harry Murray, Arthur Tobin and Jo
Wheeler.
For those whose anniversaries occur at this time: Beatrice M Booth, Ida
Frazier, Sadie Davey, Kathleen Thompson, Ivy Evelyn Looker, Edith
Glenys Gregory, Florence Nelus, Elizabeth Merrett, Elizabeth Morgan,
Nellie Bailey, Joseph Maile, James Prest, Lauren Suzanne Marriott,
Peter Garrison, John Bernard Bullock, Frances Vassey, Edith Brotherton,
Alfred Limbrick, Ellen Ryan, Albert Head, Jenny D Lambert, Alfred
Randolf Knagg, Elizabeth Mary Merrett, Thomas Charles Harrison,
Monica Collings, Edna Grace Hanvey, Peter George Graves, Eileen
Gavan, Margaret Mary Harper, Mildred Wilkins, Josephine Margaret
Davis, Bridget Irene Collings, David Chappell, Beatrice House, William
Mullins, Maurice Phillipson, Joanna Kingston, James Healy, Winifred
Frances Mason, Loreta Newnham, James Smith, Jane Fitzwilliams,
Angela Barden, Lilian Morris, Valerie Willis, William Anderson, Bridget
Harrison, Bridget Harrigan, Eileen Mary Florence Emma Spencer,
Christine Sheila Haggar, Ian Alfred Charles Langford, Provost Bernard
Lindsay, Ivy Walsh, Hilda Ralls, Wendy Gray, James "Jim" Russell, Dennis
Kavanagh, Arthur Berry, May O'Shea, May Ellen Currie, Bob McCulla,
Muriel Van Staveren and Ian Alfred Charles Langford.
May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the
Mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen
WE ACKNOWLEDGE LAST WEEKEND’S COLLECTIONS
WITH THANKS:
- Corpus Christi with St Joseph: £769.85 incl SO
- Our Lady of Lourdes & St Swithun: £864.30 inc SO (67% GA)
- St Colman with St Paul: £1,002.50 inc SO (71% GA)
- St John’s Cathedral: £2,105.98 inc SO (40% GA)
Catholic Education Service: £263.64
Catholic Portsmouth - www.CatholicPortsmouth.org.uk
Pastoral Area News
MASS OF HEALING AND ANOINTING
With Fr Peter Glas at St Mary’s Church,
AREA
NEWS
High Street Gosport on Friday 27 Feb at
1900 followed by prayer for healing of
the family tree, deliverance prayer plus
anointing and blessing. All welcome.
CAFOD & UK AID MATCH FUNDING
The UK government has promised to
match every pound and penny you
give to CAFOD’s Lenten appeal (18
Feb-17 May) up to the value of £3.5M.
Your donations can be used to help
more of our sisters and brothers deal
with the devastating impact of
extreme weather such as storms,
droughts and floods. Thank you for
your generous compassion for those
living in poverty and for fasting in
solidarity with them on Lent Fast Day
(Friday 27 February 2015).
'CHRIST AND THE CHURCH NEEDS YOU'
In this year for consecrated life we
invite young men aged 18-40 to dream
big and consider a life on the spiritual
vanguard. 'Come and See' the
Community
of
Our
Lady
of
Walsingham, based in the diocese of
Brentwood, a new religious community
founded in 2004. As the male branch
begins to take shape you are invited to
consider if its spirituality speaks to you.
20-22 March. Abbotswick House of
Prayer near Brentwood in Essex
www.walsinghamcommunity.org or
call Jim on 01277 373848.
ALTON DAY OF RENEWAL
A TIME OF WAITING
To celebrate its 40th anniversary there
will be a mini-retreat with adoration,
rosary, Eucharist, praise, teaching and
healing prayer on 28 Feb, 1100-1600 at
St Lucy’s Convent, Medstead, Alton,
GU34 5LL. Speaker: Derek Williams.
EVANGELISATION STRATEGY TEAMS:
A MESSAGE FROM BISHOP PHILIP
Bishop Philip writes: “As you know, the
Church in our time is calling us to the
work of new evangelisation. We are
Christ’s missionary disciples, and He has
given us many charisms and talents for
this work. Now we want to set up in
every Pastoral Area an Evangelisation
Strategy Team, comprised of clergy
and laity, to direct the work of mission
at the local, parish level. In your
Pastoral Area there will soon be a Holy
Hour to pray for this initiative. The
Strategy Team is a new body to
replace the Pastoral Council. It should
represent all ages and types. It’s all
about vision! Its purpose is to sponsor
mission-projects across the area.
Teams will meet once a term. To find
out more, go to our diocesan website:
www.portsmouthdiocese.org.uk/evan
gelisation-teams. There you will find a
video with more info, and further
details.
OAKLANDS PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION
PRESENTS “KOJAK REVENGE”
On Friday 20 March from 2000-2300.
Tickets £10 includes entry into wine
raffle. Licensed bar (guests are not
permitted to bring their own drinks to
this event). Tickets available from
school White House reception or
call/text 07817 606571.
ANNUAL SENIOR CITIZENS’ PARTY
At St Edmund’s School Year 8 on
Thursday 26 Feb, 1400-1600. Senior
citizens from all Portsmouth parishes
are cordially invited. It is always an
enjoyable occasion and there will
again be food, drink and activities. If
you would like to attend please ring
Nina White on 02392 823766.
VISIT OF THE RELICS OF BLESSED LOUIS
AND BLESSED ZELIE MARTIN
As announced by Bishop Philip in his
Pastoral Letter, the relics of Blessed
Louis and Blessed Zélie Martin, one of
the first married couples to be
beatified, have been invited to the
Diocese this May. Blessed Louis and
Blessed Zélie were the parents of St
Thérèse of Lisieux. Wed 20 May, Liturgy
of Reception at St Theresa’s Totton,
Southampton. Thur 21 May, day of
Veneration at St John’s Cathedral
Portsmouth. Fri 22 May, Mass at Christ
the King, Reading. www.louisand
zeliemartin.org.
Parish News
NO FOOD BANK NEXT WEEKEND
Please note that the Food Bank have
AREA
NEWS
requested
that we DO NOT make a
collection of food until after Easter
whilst they sort out their existing stock.
If you wish to donate to the Food Bank
in other ways there are details on how
to set up a Direct Debit in their
February 2015 newsletter, copies of
which are at the back of Church.
ASCENT GROUP
The next Ascent Group will take place
at 2.15pm in St Swithun’s Hall on
Monday 23 February. The speaker this
month will be Brian McCreesh who will
be talking about St Swithun’s Church.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
During Lent there will be Stations of the
Cross in St Swithun’s Church at 9.30am
and 6.30pm on Fridays and 9.30am on
Saturdays and in Polish at 5.30pm on
Sundays.
CAFOD LENT FAST DAY
Friday 27 February 2015. Good news!
The UK government has promised to
match every pound and penny you
give to CAFOD’s Lenten appeal (from
18 Feb – 17 May) up to the value of
£5M. Your donations can be used to
help more of our sisters and brothers
deal with the devastating impact of
extreme weather such as storms,
droughts and floods. Thank you for
your generous compassion for those
living in poverty and for fasting in
solidarity with them on Lent Fast Day.
CAFOD envelopes are available at the
back of Church and gift aiders please
use the envelope provided in your
pack.
LENTEN ALMS
As in previous years we will be
supporting Murambinda Parish in
Zimbabwe with collections being
taken this weekend, 7/8 March, 21/22
March and 28/29 March. Gift Aiders
please use the envelopes provided in
your packs.
FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT
Starts on Monday 23 February and runs
until 9 March. Portsmouth is a Fairtrade
city and many churches of different
denominations are Fairtrade parishes.
There are several events to help us
celebrate 20 years of the Fairtrade
movement in the UK:
Mon 23 Feb, 1100. Launch of Fairtrade
Fortnight in Guildhall Square Portsmouth.
Portsmouth's Lord Major leads the sharing
of free Fairtrade bananas.
Thu 26 Feb (evening) Eating Well
Together. Celebrate Fairtrade with a
special vegetarian meal cooked with
Fairtrade ingredients and served with
Fairtrade wines. Music and a talk about
Fairtrade producers from Ghana. Havant
United Reformed Church, Elm Lane,
Havant, Tickets £6 each or £12 per family.
Tickets from: Havant URC, Elm Lane,
Havant, Email: sue.james@yahoo.com
02392
250267.
Further
information
www.portsmouthfairtrade.org.uk
For more information on how Christians
can support Fairtrade
www.portsmouthcatholiccathedral.org.u
k/fairtrade/
Catholic Portsmouth - www.CatholicPortsmouth.org.uk
Liturgical Calendar and Mass Times
S
SATURDAY 21 FEBRUARY
First Mass of First Sunday of Lent
SUNDAY 22 FEBRUARY
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
Genesis 9:8-15
1 Peter 3:18-22
Mark 1:12-15
MONDAY 23 FEBRUARY
TUESDAY 24 FEBRUARY
WEDNESDAY 25 FEBRUARY
THURSDAY 26 FEBRUARY
FRIDAY 27 FEBRUARY
[Lenten Fast Day]
SATURDAY 28 FEBRUARY
SATURDAY 28 FEBRUARY
First Mass of Second Sunday of Lent
SUNDAY 29 FEBRUARY
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
Genesis 22:1-2.9-13.15-18
Romans 8:31-34
Mark 9:2-10
1800
0800
0830
0900
0930
1000
1015
1100
1100
1200
1200
1600
1800
1800
0730
0915
1000
1130
1215
0915
1000
1215
1900
0730
1000
1200
1215
1300
1400
0730
0930
0915
1000
1200
1215
0730
1000
0930
1215
1830
1900
0900
1000
1215
1800
0800
0830
0900
0930
1000
1015
1100
1100
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1600
1800
1800
Our Lady of Lourdes
People of the Parish
St Colman
Francis Gerald Daley RIP (FM)
St John’s Cathedral
Elson Carvalho RIP
St Joseph
People of the Parish
St John’s Cathedral
Tom Lee RIP
St Swithun
St Joseph
Fr Francis Isherwood F
St Colman
James Hall RIP (FM)
St John’s Cathedral
Pamela Quick RIP
St Swithun
Jane McShane RIP P
St Paul
Pat Blake RIP (PM)
Corpus Christi
Trevor Trethowan F
St Swithun
Family Mass in Polish
St John’s Cathedral
Arthur Christmas RIP F
QA Hospital
John Joseph Cummings RIP (CC)
St Swithun
Mass in Polish
St John’s Cathedral
Daniel Nolan RIP
St John’s Cathedral
St Colman
Phyllis Searle RIP (FM)
St Swithun
John Bernard Bullock RIP
St Swithun
Funeral Mass for Patrick Mallon RIP
St John’s Cathedral
Deceased Benefactors F
St Colman
Ray Smith RIP (FM)
St Swithun
Dorothy Mabel Blockley RIP F
St John’s Cathedral
Ruby Margetts RIP
St Swithun
St John’s Cathedral
Joseph Salerno RIP
St Swithun
Rita Vella RIP F
Corpus Christi
Private Intention (PPH)
St John’s Cathedral
Pam Weller INT
Our Lady of Lourdes
Funeral Mass for Marion Madden RIP
St Colman
Requiem Mass - Harold Taylor RIP
St John’s Cathedral
St Joseph
Holy Souls
St Colman
Michael Hale RIP (PM)
St Swithun
Maurice Marshall Phillipson RIP F
Our Lady of Lourdes
St John’s Cathedral
Jane Carley Algar INT
St John’s Cathedral
Joseph Salerno RIP
St Swithun
Aubrey Family F
Corpus Christi
Intentions of Rita Haughian
St John’s Cathedral
Jane Carley Algar INT
St Colman
Cullinane Family, Michael, Marcella & Antony (FM)
St Swithun
Corpus Christi
Kay Robinson RIP
St Swithun
Rita Vella RIP F
St John’s Cathedral
10th Anniversary of Mgr Luigi Giussani
Our Lady of Lourdes
St Colman
Thanksgiving (FD)
St John’s Cathedral
Orland Borja RIP
St Joseph
People of the Parish
St John’s Cathedral
Martin Law RIP
St Swithun
People of the Parish
St Joseph
Angela Guidon RIP
St Colman
Adelheid Webber RIP (MH)
St John’s Cathedral
People of the Parish
St Swithun
St Paul
Sr Catherine Ennis RIP (PM)
Corpus Christi
Anthony & Adelaide DeBattista RIP
St John’s Cathedral
Major John Joseph Barry RIP
QA Hospital
Joyce Coppini RIP (PM)
St Swithun
Mass in Polish
St John’s Cathedral
F: Foundation – P: Perpetual
Catholic Portsmouth - www.CatholicPortsmouth.org.uk