ST JOSEPH’S JOURNAL Volume 53 No: 9
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: 7 March 2021
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
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
Lent marches on and this weekend we reach the Third Sunday. In the gospel we see a rather angry Jesus throwing out of the Temple the money changers and the sellers of animals for sacrifice. He was trying to get across the idea that the Temple was meant to be a place of prayer for all people, not just the Jews. He makes his point rather forcefully, but he certainly gets across the idea that the Temple should not be turned into a market. Our church also should be a house of prayer for all people, and we need to be very vigilant about making sure that it remains a welcoming place, full of beauty and the fruits of the spirit.
Many of you will know that the Holy Father has designated this year as the Year of St Joseph and has asked that we pay special attention to his many qualities and ask for his intercession. Last weekend I put out prayer cards for people to take with them so that they could pray the prayer and this week, from 11 March, we shall begin a Novena to St Joseph, which will end on the Feast of St Joseph on 19 March. I shall provide some hard copies of the novena, but at the moment we are not supposed to have paper copies of prayer sheets which people use and then hand back. Therefore, if you take a copy of the novena, please keep it for your own use. You will also find it on the Parish website. We shall pray the novena at the end of Mass from 11-19 March, and since we are a church dedicated to St Joseph, we need to be fervent in the prayers we offer this year. In the Gospels, St Joseph rather fades from view after the finding of Jesus in the temple, but perhaps that very discretion of his can teach us a great deal about how we should live our lives. We would normally have a reception of some kind to celebrate both St Joseph and St Patrick, but we shall have to do that next year. St Joseph, pray for us.
We shall have another opportunity to contribute to the work of Cafod this week as we shall have a retiring collection continued from last weekend. As we mentioned last week, Cafod this year is concentrating on their projects round the world to bring clean, fresh water to communities where it is not available at present. Please use the envelopes, especially for any Gift Aid donations. Many thanks for all your generosity. Just give what you can.
I received some guidance during last week about what to do for the liturgies of Holy Week and Easter. We shall have to continue our social distancing measures and the booking of places, and we shall have to do without some of the regular highlights of the liturgy (such as the washing of the feet on Maundy Thursday). It will be a week with a difference, but we shall do our best to make it both dignified and prayerful. After Easter there will be further relaxation of the restrictions, as long as there is no great increase in infection, so we must keep praying for the perseverance necessary. Keep safe. Keep smiling. Keep going.
God Bless Fr Terry
POPE’S INTENTION FEBRUARY:
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.
LENT PRAYERS: Please see the parish website for the prayer sheet for each Sunday in Lent – kindly created by Fr. Philip Miller. There are also some hard copies in the cloister.
CAFOD – FAST DAY: Abdella lives in an extremely remote and mountainous part of Ethiopia. It takes him ten hours a day to collect water. He says his life is being wasted as he has no time for anything else. Give today to reach vulnerable communities around the world with water and to provide other vital support. Donate online at cafod.org.uk/give. You can also easily give via text. Text LENT to 70460 to donate £10.00. Envelopes are available on the chest at the back of the church.
CARDS AND GIFTS are on sale in the Repository for Mothers’ Day, St Patrick’s Day and Easter
CARDINAL’S LENTEN APPEAL 2021 Cardinal Nichols thanks you for your generous support for the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal, especially throughout the unprecedented events of 2020. Your donations help fund initiatives in parishes, schools and charities in three mission areas which are more critical than ever. Marriage and Family Life: enriching and supporting marriages, the essential building block of society and the Church. Youth and Evangelisation: helping young people, the future of the Church, as they grow in their relationship with God and deepen their Catholic faith. Caritas Westminster: putting our faith into action by serving those in need. Education Service: supporting our schools. This year, the Cardinal is asking us to think about families who are struggling to put food on the table. Poverty is deepening across our Diocese and the need for foodbanks and supermarket vouchers has accelerated. Through your generosity we’re continuing to provide food for those people most in need. Please take a donation envelope. You can use the QR code to make your donation online. Thank you for your generosity.
FOOD BANK:
We are still in need of food for the foodbank. Items can be dropped off at the church hall with Mrs. Sue Walker any weekday morning. Don’t forget that foodbanks also accept essential non-food items such as toiletries and hygiene products, helping people in crisis to maintain dignity.
Pray, too, for the Holy Father as he travels to Iraq that he may stay safe as he visits that turbulent country.
MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday:
6.00pm: People of the Parish (Ints)
Sunday: Third Sunday of Lent
10.30am: Simon Pearson (RIP)
6.00pm: Pope Francis (Ints)
Monday:
10.00am: St Joseph’s School (Ints)
Tuesday:
10.00am: Curtis Family (Ints)
Wednesday:
10.00am: Frederick Clifford (RIP)
Thursday:
7.30am: Lawrence Philpott (RIP)
Friday:
10.00am: Arthur White (RIP)
Saturday:
10.00am: Donald Williamson (RIP)
6.00pm: People of the Parish
RECENTLY DECEASED:
Simon Pearson, Paulo Messore, Florence Murray.
May they rest in eternal peace.