ST JOSEPH’S JOURNAL Volume 54 No: 17
CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION & SAINT JOSEPH
23 ST JOHN’S STREET, HERTFORD SG14 1RX
Email: hertford@rcdow.org.uk
Parish Priest: Canon Terence Phipps Tel: 01992 582109
DATE: 15 May 2022 FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
The page numbers for the prayers for this Sunday’s Mass are at the front of The Parish Mass Book. Please note that there is a Loop system in the Church.
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THE VIEW FROM THE PRESBYTERY
Many thanks for your cooperation in the fire drills last week. We evacuated the church very well, really. The shortest time was 55 seconds and the longest time 1 minute and 23 seconds. We can now give these times to our Health and Safety inspector who comes this coming Thursday and hope that he will be pleased with them. As I have said before, the number of things that need to be done in the area of Health and Safety increases all the time, so we have to thank Sue and Roger Walker for all the time and effort they have put in to keep us safe and sound. Let’s hope, too, that we get a good report on Thursday. It is only right to see effort rewarded.
Because of the fire drills last week, the collection for the Priests’ Training Fund was a little disorganized. We shall try again after Masses this weekend to complete the collection and there are still some Gift Aid envelopes on the chest at the back of the church. As I mentioned last week, there are currently 58 men studying for the priesthood at Allen Hall, 17 of whom are for our own diocese of Westminster. There are also two men studying in Rome. The Fund also supports the ongoing formation of the priests of the diocese, so it does have many commitments. Please give what you can, since we need to support the priests of the future, who have quite a task ahead of them.
The Sacrament of Confirmation will be administered at a Mass at 7pm on Thursday of this coming week. We have 32 young people who will receive the Holy Spirit at this celebration, and this is a splendid total. The candidates have been very diligent in their preparations and I thank them for their good behaviour. I am sure that our Area Bishop, Paul McAleenan, will be impressed by them. Please remember that, since we have quite a small church each candidate can have a maximum of 6 guests (including their sponsor). If each candidate does have 6 guests then the total numbers of candidates and guests is 224, which will make things very full. The candidates will sit, with their sponsors, in the main nave and we shall try and find enough room for everyone else. We still have one other problem: the photographer who was to photograph the proceedings is now unable to come and I wonder whether anyone knows a photographer who might be willing to take on the job. Please let me know as soon as you can. Thank you.
You will find some prayer cards at the back of the church with a prayer for the Queen as she celebrates her Platinum Jubilee in a few weeks. Do feel free to take one. She will need our prayers as she prepares for this important and quite unique event.
As always, keep smiling, keep safe and keep going. And, for now, keep wearing the masks and using the sanitisers.
God bless – Fr Terry
POPE’S INTENTION FOR MAY
Faith-Filled Young People
We pray for all young people, called to live life to the fullest; may they see in Mary’s life the way to listen, the depth of discernment, the courage that faith generates, and the dedication to service.
VOLUNTEER DBS CHECKS:
Thank you so much to all those people who emailed in their volunteer posts and their email addresses. The position on DBS rechecks has recently been clarified by the Diocese: those people who undertake important roles (e.g. readers, cleaners, the flower arranging team) yet without any direct responsibility or contact with vulnerable adults, young people or children are not required to have a DBS check.
If you are unsure as to whether you need to complete a DBS check please get in touch with Liz or Daniel via email: hertfordsg3@safeguardrcdow.org.uk or hertfordsg1@safeguardrcdow.org.uk
PLANNED GIVING ENVELOPES:
If you no longer use your envelopes please do let the office know. Maybe you might consider changing your offering to standing order, if so please contact the office.
If your box is not there please do let the office know and it will be reallocated to you.
URGENT APPEAL FOR CHILDREN’S CLOTHES:
From baby to teenage years.
Please leave with Mrs Walker in the church hall, Mon-Fri 8am-12noon.
ROSARY GROUP: Come and join us in the church on Tuesday evenings at 7pm for recital of the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
THE LOBSTER POT LUNCH: Friday 20 May at 12.45pm in the church hall. Lunches cost £15 for a three-course meal, glass of wine, coffee and chocolates. Please call Sue on 07711 584 517.
COMMUNITY EVENT IN HERTFORD
A community event is to take place in Hertford later this month, to allow people to meet officers from their local Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT).
The family friendly event will take place in Hartham Common, between 11am and 1pm on Monday 30 May.
Officers from the SNT will be in attendance, alongside colleagues from the Gangs and Schools Team and the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Dog Unit.
Members of the Volunteer Police Cadets will be on hand to give information about how you can join your local group and a selection of police vehicles will also be on display, including specialist quad bikes. Sergeant Nathan Howson, from the Hertford SNT, said: “This community event will allow people to meet with local officers, to discuss any issues or concerns they feel we should be focusing our efforts on.
MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday: St Matthias, Apostle
6.00pm: Shelagh & Roger Stacey (RIP)
Sunday: FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
8.30am: Robert Gillmor (RIP)
10.30am: Catherine Max (RIP)
6.00pm: Bridget Barrett (RIP)
Monday:
10.00am: People of the Parish
Tuesday:
12.15pm: Terry Russell (Ints)
Wednesday:
10.00am: Bridget Peters (RIP)
Thursday:
7.00pm: Confirmation Candidates
Friday:
12.15pm: Terry Russell (Ints)
Saturday:
6.00pm: Julian Brotherton (Ints)
Confessions: 10-10.30am & 5.00-5.30pm
Exposition of the blessed sacrament 5-5.40pm
Recently Deceased
Valerie Ailes, Winnie Kudish, James Zsibrita,