| Letter from Fr Mark McManus 18th March |
| Dear Parishioners of St Joseph's & St Charles, |
| Our Masses this week are:
Saturday, 19 March, at 5:00pm
Sunday, 20 March, at 8:45am & 10:00am Monday, 21 March, at 7:15am Tuesday, 22 March, at 10:00am Thursday, 24 March, at 10:00am Friday, 25 March, at 10:00am The patronal feast of St Joseph
Tomorrow, Saturday, 19 March, we will have Mass at 10.00am to celebrate the solemnity of St Joseph, to offer thanksgiving and to pray for the needs of the parish. I wish you a blessed feast day and encourage you to mark the day with something celebratory.
Rising cases of Covid-19
I respectfully ask you to still take care while attending Mass with regard to face-coverings and I also ask that we please don't crowd each other at Holy Communion or on exit. Most importantly, DO NOT come to church if you have any hint of a respiratory infection, sore throat or general Cold-like symptoms. Thank you.
Humanitarian Aid for Ukraine
A further £365.00 for was donated last weekend, thank you! An offerings box will remain in church throughout Lent should you wish to support this work by your Lenten alms. £930 has been collected so far.
Also, Pope Francis concluded his General Audience on Wednesday with a prayer for an end to the war in Ukraine: Forgive us for war, O Lord. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners! Lord Jesus, born in the shadows of bombs falling on Kyiv, have mercy on us! Lord Jesus, who died in a mother’s arms in a bunker in Kharkiv, have mercy on us! Lord Jesus, a 20-year-old sent to the frontlines, have mercy on us! Lord Jesus, who still behold armed hands in the shadow of your Cross, have mercy on us! Forgive us, O Lord. Forgive us, if we are not satisfied with the nails with which we crucified Your hands, as we continue to slate our thirst with the blood of those mauled by weapons. Forgive us, if these hands which You created to tend have been transformed into instruments of death. Forgive us, O Lord, if we continue to kill our brother; Forgive us, if we continue like Cain to pick up the stones of our fields to kill Abel. Forgive us, if we continue to justify our cruelty with our labors, if we legitimize the brutality of our actions with our pain. Forgive us for war, O Lord. Forgive us for war, O Lord. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, we implore You! Hold fast the hand of Cain! Illumine our consciences; May our will not be done; Abandon us not to our own actions! Stop us, O Lord, stop us! And when you have held back the hand of Cain, care also for him. He is our brother. O Lord, put a halt to the violence! Stop us, O Lord! Amen. Finally, here is this week's newsletter and intentions for prayer. Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for us. St Joseph, pray for us. St Charles Borromeo, pray for us. With my prayers, Rev. Mark McManus Parish Priest |