ST JOSEPH’S JOURNAL Volume 54 No: 19
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: 29 May 2022 SEVENTH 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
As we said last week, our Health and Safety Inspection, carried out by Precision, was unexpectedly postponed and we now have a new date of 20 July. Let’s hope it all goes well, since the whole area of Health and Safety has become so important in recent years.
I must thank you again for your generous response to the collection for the Priest Training Fund. The final total was £1058.15 and we shall send this off as soon as we can. It is a very important fund for the diocese, so I am very grateful to you for your response.
As you may well have heard, the ceremony of Confirmation went extremely well and everyone, including the bishop, was very happy with it. I would like to thank all those who played some part in the ceremony and I think particularly of the altar servers, the choir and organist and the flower arrangers. I would also like to thank Peter Boyle for his work as a catechist, but principally I thank those who were confirmed and their families and sponsors. These young people are at a busy time of their lives, with many school commitments, so it was heartening to see so many of them following the course of preparation and receiving the sacrament.
Schools are now on half term and I wish all pupils, teachers and those who work in schools a very good week. I also send my congratulations to Ms Helena Grahame, who was appointed as Deputy Head at St Joseph’s from September. I wish her well and hope that she will be with us for a number of years.
The Finance Committee had its meeting last Tuesday and one topic that came up was the membership of the committee. It is a very important element of parish administration, so it would be good to have another couple of members. There must be a number of parishioners who have some experience in finance and it would involve only three or four meetings a year. Do have a think about it and let me know if you are interested. It would be a great service to the Church.
We are now in that great period between Ascension and Pentecost when we pray for the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. We also have the unprecedented celebration of a Royal Platinum Jubilee. Next weekend we shall have a prayer for the Queen at all Masses and the 10.30 Mass will be celebrated for her intentions. I thought we might also have a glass of wine available, along with tea and coffee and juice, after that Mass, to toast the Queen and it would be good to see people there. Some people will surely be away over the half term and bank holiday, but the rest of us can mark the occasion with prayer and refreshment. And there are still some of the prayer cards for the Queen on the chest at the back of the church.
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
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.
A MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA: From the Beatles to Beethoven. At the Hertford United Reformed Church Cowbridge, Hertford,
SG14 1PG onSaturday 25 June 2022 from 3-5pm. The concert is free but donations for Save the Children can be made after the concert.
Refreshments will be served at half time.
URGENT APPEAL FOR CHILDREN’S CLOTHES:
From baby to teenage years.
Please leave with Mrs Walker in the church hall, Mon-Fri 8am-12noon.
THE LOBSTER POT LUNCH: Friday 17 June 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.
THY KINGDOM COME is a global prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray for more people to come to know Jesus. It has grown into an international and ecumenical call to prayer inviting Christians around the world to pray from Ascension to Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus Christ. Since its start in May 2016, 172 countries have joined in praying ‘Come Holy Spirit’.
During the 11 days of Thy Kingdom Come, it is hoped that everyone who takes part will:
Deepen their own relationship with Jesus Christ
Pray for 5 friends or family to come to faith in Jesus
Pray for the empowerment of the Spirit that we would be effective in our Witness
A wealth of resources can be found at
For further information see: https://www.thykingdomcome.global/
https://www.thykingdomcome.global/resources/resources-catholic-church
MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday:
6.00pm: Linda Radford (RIP)
Sunday: SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
8.30am: Catherine Archer (RIP)
10.30am: Maureen Mackaill (RIP Anni)
6.00pm: People of the Parish
Monday:
10.00am: Private Intention
Tuesday: The Visitation of the BVM
12.15pm:
Wednesday: St Justin
10.00am:
Thursday: CHURCH CLOSED
Friday: St Charles Lwanga
12.15pm: Patrick Creighan (RIP)
Saturday:
6.00pm: People of the Parish
Confessions: 10-10.30am & 5.00-5.30pm
Exposition of the blessed sacrament 5-5.40pm
Recently Deceased
Valerie Ailes, Winnie Kudish
RECENTLY BAPTISED:
Micha Ebenezer Mattius Gill