Newsletter Sunday 13th March 2022

Our Lady of St Charles Borromeo

Parish Priest Fr James E Caulfield Telephone 01945 583466 Email: jamescaulfield@europe.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;

If you have not been vaccinated please stay at home because your choice places others at risk. I am not responsible for your poor judgment but I do have a responsibility for the safety of all who worship here.

Mass Times during coming week

Saturday. 12th March NO MASS Fr Caulfield will be in Lithuania

Sunday 13th March Mass 10:15 please welcome Fr John Ablewhite from Ely

Thursday. 17th March 10:00 Eucharistic service followed by Stations of the Cross

Friday 18th March 12:15 Eucharistic service including the De Profundis

Saturday. 19th March 18:00 Mass

Sunday 20th March Mass 10:15

Emergency cover during Fr Caulfieldeldes absence is being provided by the Parish Priest in March.

Aid to Ukraine >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The Ukrainian Church in Peterborough is our local point of contact for items to be sent to Ukraine. The logistics of shipping items is complex and they have the facilities to ensure that goods will reach the proper destination. There is a real danger that goods will be highjacked or may be sent to unauthorised private distribution points who will sell the goods on rather than give them to those in need. Please only donate goods or Money to organisations that have official Church recognition (Such as CAFOD or Christian Aid, or are recognised by the International Red Cross, the UN agencies or established NGOs such as OXFAM.

It is better to provide cash which can then be used by these agencies to buy the items actually needed rather than goods which are nonessential.

I have put links to various organisations on the parish Facebook page and we shall hold a special collection for the Ukraine this weekend and next and the money in the CAFOD box this Lent will be sent to the CAFOD Ukrainian Fund. This is separate from the money raised in the Family Fast Envelopes which you can collect from the back of the church and will be handled separately.

Arrangements are being made with the Ukrainian Church in Peterborough for a representative to come and talk to us at mass and for a local collection point to be established linked to their supply chain. In the meantime please look out for any clothing that you can send and ensure that it is washed and ready to be sent onwards. A full list of items wanted to will be published next week and in this way we will be able to send what is needed through the proper channels. This will hopefully be on Sunday 20th March when Fr Caulfield returns from Lithuania.

Trip to Lithuania Fr Caulfield will be a guest speaker at a conference in Lithuania and will be away from the Parish from Friday 11th March until Saturday 19th March. Please note that the situation in Ukraine may impact upon this conference and cause it to be cancelled. Praying that it goes ahead Fr Caulfield has arranged for a trip to the Hill of Crosses where he will offer prayers for the Parish. If you have a broken rosary or a cross from a broken rosary Fr Caulfield will place it along with some other crosses on the hill. Check out the Hill of Crosses on Google for more details about this amazing pilgrimage site.

Lent Walk. Wednesday 16th March 3pm starting outside Salvation Army, West Street all are welcome.

Stations of the Cross

During Lent there will be Stations of the Cross every Thursday morning following the 10am Mass.

Post Covid Mass 2020/21 have been difficult years and the pandemic is still not passed. It is important that we remain focused and vigilant in our efforts to ensure the eradication of the pandemic. A Mass will be offered on the Feast of the Annunciation on Friday 25th March We should also have an eye to the future and some positive objectives.

Cathedral Mass for Families

To mark the close of the Year of St Joseph, Bishop Alan Hopes will be celebrating Mass on Saturday March 19th 2022, 10am at St Johneldes Cathedral, Norwich. The Mass will include a special blessing for children. Please bring all your children! There will be cake and balloons afterwards. (Technically this does not count as the Sunday Mass but given the distance to travel I feel it would be acceptable to regard it as having fulfilled your Sunday obligation.

Dates for the Diary.

Friday 11th March CAFOD Family Fast Dayyysee envelopes at back of the church

Thursday 24th March. 17:00. Deanery Station Mass with Bishop Alan Hopes. Holy Family Church Kings

Lynn

Friday 25th March. 18:30. Feast of the Annunciation (Holy Day of Obligation). Post Covid Mass

Palm Sunday 10th April. 10:00 Assemble in Garden for Blessing of Palms.

Tuesday 12th April 12 noon St John the Baptist Cathedral Norwich

Tuesday 12th April. 18:30 Mass with the Pilgrim Cross walkers (Formerly the Student Cross)

Thursday 14th April Holy Thursday 10:00 Morning Prayer

19:00 Mass of the Lordeldes Supper with Mandatum (Washing of the Feet)

Friday 15th April TBC Ecumenical Procession of Witnesses

15:00 The Passion of Christ and Veneration of the Cross

Saturday 16th April 20:00 EasterVigil

Sunday 17th April 10:00 Easter Sunday Mass

Thursday 26th May Ascension Thursday (Holy Day of Obligation)

Tuesday 31st May 12 Noon Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham

Friday 3rd June TBC Queens Platinum Jubilee Celebration

Picnic in the Park

Sunday 5th June Pentecost

Sunday 19th June Corpus Christi

Wednesday 29th June St Peter and St Paul (Holy Day of Obligation)

Sunday 3rd July 10:15 First Holy Communion Mass

As events come closer details will be made available in the newsletter and the parish website.

Churches Together

World Day of Prayer.

The Baptist Church, Hill St, is hosting this event on 4th March at 7pm. Volunteers and readers wanted further details to follow.

Lent Walks

2. During Lent, Churches Together is offering a series of prayer walks. Each walk will begin with meeting outside one of our church buildings; form there we walk around the neighbourhood, pausing to pray for different aspects of community life, with those present contributing as they are led. Robin Hine will coordinate and facilitate these prayer walks. The walking will not be vigorous, and the time will not go over an hour, though it may vary. Of course, you may feel free to turn any walk you take into a prayer walk of your own.

Here is the programme as proposed:

Thursday 3rd March 6pm start at Friends Meeting House, North Brink

Tuesday 8th March 7 pm starting outside Our Ladyeldes, Queens Road

Wednesday 16th March 3pm starting outside Salvation Army, West Street

Monday 21st March 10.30 a.m. starting outside St Augustineeldes Parish Church

Wednesday 30th March 2 pm starting outside All Saints Parish Church, Walsoken

Friday 8th April 6 pm starting outside Wisbech Baptist Church, Hill Street

Covid Guidelines update.

The main Covid guidelines remaining are to maintain safe social distancing, wear face masks indoors and use hand sanitiser when entering the church. The bishops conference have given permission for communion to be received on the tongue as well as in the hand. Please wait until the back of the line and clearly indicate your intention to receive on the tongue so that the priest may sanitise his hands before and after, reception in the hand is the most hygienic option. There has still been no change in the ruling on reception from the chalice but if you are a celiac please speak to the priest before Mass and a small chalice/plastic thimble cup will be made available.

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Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (Registered Charity No 278742)

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