ST JOSEPH’S JOURNAL Volume 53 No: 12
CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION & SAINT JOSEPH
23 ST JOHN’S STREET, HERTFORD SG14 1RX
https://parish.rcdow.org.uk/hertford
Email: hertford@rcdow.org.uk
Parish Priest: Canon Terence Phipps Tel: 01992 582109
DATE: 28 March 2021
PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD
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
So this weekend we begin our Holy Week celebrations and prepare ourselves for the joys of Easter. It won’t, I’m afraid, be as grand as our usual efforts but it will be a lot better than it was last year when the church was closed and I had to do all the ceremonies on my own. We shall have a small choir and a group of servers for the main ceremonies, and – most important of all – we shall have a congregation! We need to continue to keep social distance, so the booking of places will have to continue, and there may be some disappointment, as we are simply not able to cram people into the church. Let us hope that the numbers sort themselves out and that we manage a decent Holy Week celebration.
For Palm Sunday, palms will be blessed at all masses, but will be distributed at the end of Mass. We cannot have the outdoor procession we usually have at the 10.30 Mass, nor the groups of children helping with the indoor processions. Congregational singing is not allowed, so the choir will sing anything that needs singing; the crowd parts in the Passion reading will also be done either by one of the readers or by members of the choir at the 10.30 Mass. The four Palm Sunday Masses will be Saturday 10 and 6 and Sunday 10.30 and 6.
Masses on Monday and Wednesday will be at 10am but there will not be a Mass in church on Tuesday, 30 March, since I have to go to the Cathedral for the Chrism Mass. People are encouraged to watch the live stream from the Cathedral since there will be no service here in the church that day.
Maundy Thursday’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper will be at 7.30pm. We are not permitted to have the washing of the feet, nor the procession to the altar of repose, nor the watching until midnight, but if you wish to watch and pray with the Blessed Sacrament, the whole diocese is encouraged to make a virtual visit to https://corpuschristimaidenlane.org.uk/live/ and this will be from 8pm until midnight.
On Good Friday there will be the Liturgy of the Passion at 3.00pm and Stations of the Cross at 6.30.
On Holy Saturday, the Easter Vigil will begin at 8.00pm and will be a bit different from usual. We shall not have the fire outside; the Paschal Candle will be blessed on the sanctuary and the congregation will not have candles, but otherwise it should be very recognizable. On Easter Sunday there will be Masses at 8.30, 10.30 and 6pm and we shall go back to Masses at 10am on weekdays from Easter Monday. You will notice that there is no mention of Confession here. This is because of Covid restrictions also, but people are very welcome to make an appointment for confession and it can be done (with masks) either in the garden or at a properly distanced place in the house or church. Keep safe; keep smiling; keep going – we can get this done!
God Bless – Fr Terry
POPE’S INTENTION MARCH:
Sacrament of Reconciliation
We pray that we may experience the sacrament of reconciliation with renewed depth, to taste the infinite mercy of God.
ONLINE DONATIONS TO OUR CHURCH:
Westminster Roman Catholic Diocese Trustee Hertford as the account name.
Account number 21263242
Sort code: 40-05-20
If you would like to use STANDING ORDER to donate your weekly/monthly offering, the forms are available on the website to download.
IF YOU WRITE A CHEQUE TO THE PARISH please can you make payable to WRCDT Hertford. Thank you.
HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark is looking to recruit a Head of Communications.
The ideal candidate will have thorough knowledge of the Catholic church as well as 10 years plus experience in a senior communications role in a not for profit organisation. He/she will have exemplary written and verbal communication skills and proven experience in both proactive and reactive (crisis) communications through all media. For more information and to apply please contact sarahwood@rcaos.org.uk by the closing date of 6th April 2021.
LENT PRAYERS: Please see the parish website for the prayer sheet for each Sunday in Lent – kindly created by Fr. Philip Miller.
NEW OFFERTORY ENVELOPE BOXES
These are ready for collection from this weekend. Please come to the Presbytery to collect your boxes.
EASTER CARDS AND GIFTS are on sale in the Repository.
CHRISM MASS – Tuesday 30 March
LIVE STREAMING AT THE CATHEDRAL AT MIDDAY
https://www.churchservices.tv/westminster
MOUNT ST BERNARD MONASTERY
There is a film on BBC4 at 8pm on Sunday evening about Mount St Bernard Monastery and the Monks.
THE PASSAGE’S mission and work is developing to cope with more people becoming homeless it is raising funds through the Big Give until Wed 31st March to support No Night Out a new initiative to take newly homeless people off the street straight away. Further details at www.passage.org.uk.
MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday:
6.00pm: People of the Parish
Sunday: Palm Sunday
10.30am: Simon Pearson (RIP)
6.00pm: Cusack Family (Ints)
Monday:
10.00am: Special Intention
Tuesday:
NO MASS
Wednesday:
10.00am: John Parsons (RIP Anni)
Thursday: Lord’s Supper
7.30pm: SVP (Ints)
Friday:
3.00pm: Lord’s Passion
6.30pm: Stations of the Cross
Saturday: Holy Saturday – Easter Vigil
8.00pm: People of the Parish
RECENTLY DECEASED:
Paulo Messore, Florence Murray, Moya Robinson, John Steel, Yvonne Coyle
May they rest in eternal peace.