Our Lady and St Charles Borromeo
Prayer of St Charles Borromeo
Almighty God, you have generously made known to human beings the mysteries of your life through Jesus Christ your Son in the Holy Spirit.
Enlighten my mind to know these mysteries which your Church treasures and teaches.Move my heart to love them and my will to live in accord with them.
Give me the ability to teach this Faith to others without pride, without ostentation, and without personal gain.
Let me realise that I am simply your instrument for bringing others to the knowledge of the wonderful things you have done for all your creatures.
Help me to be faithful to this task that you have entrusted to me.
Amen.
Parish Priest Fr James E Caulfield
The Rectory
69 Queen's Road
Wisbech
PE13 2PH
Telephone
Email:
Parish Secretary Mrs Veronica Marsden.Please note Veronica is a volunteer and is only in the office on Monday and Friday mornings. For any general enquiries please email or drop a letter into the rectory.
Email: secretary-catholic-wisbech@outlook.com;
Our Lady and St Charles Borromeo Newsletter 14th April 2024
3rd Sunday of Easter; Year B: Weekday Cycle 2; Devine Office Wk
Parish Priest Fr James E Caulfield Telephone 01945 583466 Email: PPWisbechRC@outlook.com
Parish Secretary Mrs Veronica Marsden.Please note Veronica is a volunteer and is only in the office on Monday and Friday mornings. For any general enquiries please email or drop a letter into the rectory.
Email: secretary-catholic-wisbech@outlook.com;
Mass Times:
Saturday 13th April 18:00 Mass
Sunday 14th April 10:00 Mass The Harrington Family
Monday 15th April 10:00 Mass
Wednesday 17th April 10:00 Mass
Friday 19th April 12:15 Mass and De Profundis.
Saturday 20th April 18:00 Mass
Sunday 21st April 10:00 Mass all those taking Public Examinations
Confessions Saturday 10:00 - 11:00
Tea and Coffee in the St Joseph's Hall after 10:00 Mass all welcome
Gluten Free Hosts. If you are a celiac sufferer and require a gluten free host, please contact the Sacristan before Mass and arrangements will be made for one to be placed in a pyx for you.
Children at MassThe future of the parish is in the hands of our young people. Parents should feel welcome in church and if their children are a little noisy then we should not be over critical but rather welcome the next generation. If a child is being particularly disruptive then parents may take them into the hall or the garden and help them calm down. This is not easy to do because the parent may have more than one child and trying to supervise the tribe is not easy. Children can play either at the back of the church or up in the bell tower, provided they are supervised. We do not have the facility to offer a crèche but even if we did it would not be the correct solution, in my opinion.
Children should be engaged in the liturgy and the church building. Perhaps coming a little early and showing them some of the fixtures and fittings might help. Talk about the statues and the stations of the cross, the stained-glass windows, all of these things were originally teaching aids not items of devotion. The pictures tell stories and if the children look at them they should learn from them, but they will ask questions. There are some good books available for children that give illustrations on the Mass and what is happening. Why not invest in a few. I loved the old LadyBird book of saints, sadly discontinued, but there are modern equivalents.
Children should feel that coming to church is a positive experience not a Sunday ritual to be endured. Perhaps if as parents you were enjoying the experience more you might help convey that enjoyment to your child. Perhaps you can contribute more yourself by becoming a reader or joining in the music group or perhaps just joining in with the singing, If language is a problem then come and join with the rest of the N after the 10:00 Sunday Mass and practice conversational English, don’t be a mysterious stranger be someone who engages and becomes known to the congregation and then if you have to take one child out the others are safe in the care of your friends in the pew.
It is difficult to focus on a sermon if a child is screaming but spare a thought for the parent, why can they not take the child for a walk or why do they feel so uncomfortable thar they decide not to come in future. Folks I don't know a manic solution, but tolerance and a warm welcome is what we should offer. Make children, and their parents' welcome. Help them engage in the Mass by being closer to the front where they can see what is going on rather than stuck at the back. Just a few thoughts folks but if we don't get this right, it is the future of the parish that we are excluding.
Walsingham Pilgramige. The Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham is on Monday 6th May 12:00 pm - 4:30 pm. Further details to follow. The funeral of Fr John Daly gave an excellent example of parish cooperation with the pooling of lifts. Over tea and coffee perhaps arrangments can be made for the pilgrimage.
Inviting young adults (age 18 -30) to walk the Camino.
Join Bishop Peter as he leads a walking pilgrimage to Santiago de Compestela from 21st – 29th July 2024. The estimated cost is £675 which includes a subsidy from the dioceses made possible by a generous benefactor.
For more information and to book a place, please see www.rcdea.org.uk/youth. Places are limited and bookings accepted on a first come first serves basis.
Children’s Liturgy Following a recent safeguarding review there are to be changes in the Children’s liturgy at the 10am Sunday Mass. It is policy to regularly review all safeguarding issues and adopt ‘Best Practice’.as a standard across the diocese where possible. There is nothing wrong with our current practice but to ensure that the children gain the maximum benefit of a volunteer catechists time some changes will be introduced after Easter.
1) The children must be attending primary school.
2) Once the child has received their 1st Holy Communion, they should remain in church rather than join the children's liturgy. (They are welcome to apply to become Altar Servers,)
3) No Children over 11 may join the children's liturgy or be in attendance, even if ‘supervising’ a sibling.
4) Parents may take younger children out during the Mass to use the toilet or to sit quietly for a while, but they may not bring younger children to the children’s liturgy group.
5) There is space at the back of the church and in the choir loft for parents to supervise younger children in activities such as colouring in.
6) The Children's Liturgy will be less distracted by the younger children and hopefully those attending will be more receptive to the excellent tuition provided by the catechists.
Jubilees there are two Jubilee years coming up and planning for them needs to start now. The first is the International Year of Jubilee in 2025. This is lead by his Holiness the Pope and he had called it to be a year focused on learning how to pray. There is a calender on the notice board outside the church with the specific dates for various groups, such as youth to focus their attention.
The second Jubilee is in 2026 and will mark the 50th anniversary of the Diocese. There will be a number of diocesan events, but we are also encouraged to have a major Parish celebration. As part of this jubilee, I have asked that the Parish History be revised and possibly have the history booklet reprinted. I would also like to commend the youth of the parish to consider conducting YouTube, interviews with some of the older members of the Parish and build an archive of memories from those who have lived in the parish for 50 years or more. This is of cause also depended on those people volunteering to be interviewed. If the interviews are conducted over the next 18months the archive will be ready for the Jubilee in 2026. Anyone who is able to provide assistance in editing these clips into a single archive that can be stored in the cloud and made available for download would be a very valuable volunteer. Please note all those involved in the interviews will be asked to sign a consent form so that the interview can take place and the recording stored in an archive that will be accessible to the public. If anyone has other ideas as to how the parish can mark the diocesan birthday, please drop Fr Caulfield a note.
Pentecost The Feast of Pentecost is the next Sunday 19th May. This is the birthday of the church so as well as being the next major feast for the Music Group to focus on it will also be an opportunity or a parish party.
The familiar format, potluck bring and share. It will also be a chance for a song a long and some fun and games.
First Holy Communion Several of our Children will be making their 1st Holy Communion on Sunday 30th June and one on the 7thJuly. We pray for them as they make their final preparations. Most families will be holding their own parties on these days with visiting relatives. There will therefore be a parish picnic on Sunday 14th JulY. This will also be an opportunity to thank the Altar Servers for their good work.
Confirmation please could all confirmation candidates remain after 10:00 Mass on Sunday 21st April. There will be a 15-minute briefing. This will be the last opportunity for candidates to enrol if you have not already done so.
Sacristy. Please note that the Sacristy is out of bounds to all except essential personnel. The passageway between the church, the door by the front, and the sacristy is out of bounds at all times except to the Altar Servers. If you require access to the sacristy, please use the door from the sanctuary. This is to ensure that we are fully compliant with safeguarding regulations.
If you need to speak with the priest, please make an appointment via the telephone or email. Do not turn up on Sunday morning, or Saturday evening, and expect to be given a positive welcome. There are many things that the priest needs to focus on before Mass and your poor planning does not make your appointment his urgent priority. If you wish to speak casually or to drop something off, then there is ample time after Mass particularly over tea and coffee on Sunday for such matters.
Confessions are heard on Saturday morning; you will not succeed in seeking to make your confession before Mass.
