Welcome to the Catholic parish of March and Chatteris.
The Parish of Our Lady of Good Counsel & St Peter
8 St Johns Road, March, PE15 8RJ
Diocese of East Anglia. Registered Charity Number 278742
Serving the communities of March, Chatteris, Manea, Wimblington & Doddington
Sunday 3rd July 2022
Lectionary: Sundays Yr C Weekdays Cycle II Week 2
Sat 2nd 6 pm Mass First Mass of Sunday
Sunday 3rd 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
9 am Mass Chatteris Parish Church
11 am Mass March (People of the Parish)
Mon 4th No Mass
Tue 5th 10 am Mass
Wed 6th 10 am Mass
Thur 7th 10 am Mass
Fri 8th 10 am Mass
Sat 9th 6 pm Mass First Mass of Sunday
Sunday 10th 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sea Sunday
9 am Mass Chatteris Parish Church
11 am Mass March (People of the Parish)
Confessions are available before Mass.
Please pray for those who are sick or housebound in March and Chatteris Parish:
Fr Ivan Weston, Carol Campey, Estelle Misso, Gerard Bourne, Jack Pettingill, Claire Reynolds, Mary Fabriz, Margaret Griffiths, Beryl Dow, Anna Sullivan, Teresa Monk, and all those who are known to us.
We also remember those whose anniversaries occur at this time: Ann Bryan, Dennis Paul-Clarke, Francis Clarke, Christina Lewis, Mary Buckley, Rea Gepp, Monica Fosbueary, Francis Frendo, Brian Sullivan, Helen Neave, Richard O’Leary, Teresa Duckett and Timothy Eugster.
News and Events
Please join us again for teas and coffees in the hall after 11 am Mass each Sunday.
Wednesday Evening Prayer: You are warmly invited to join us for Evening Prayer on Zoom, every Wednesday at 5.00 pm for 5.15 pm. Please feel free to pass on this email address to request a zoom link from Sr Mary: maryfitzpatrick1623@gmail.com
WE DESPERATELY NEED PEOPLE TO KEEP THE CHURCH AND HALL ETC. CLEAN AND TIDY. ALSO TO DO WEEDING IN FRONT OF CHURCH.
Many hands make light work. If anyone can manage 1 or 2 hours a month, that will be very helpful.
Please contact Lesley to join the rota on 07947143864 or 01354 680401
Missio (Red Boxes) The latest edition of Mission Today is in the Hall porch. Please email marchrcnewsletter@gmail.com if you are unable to collect your copy
Children of Honduras Trust: We have long been supporters of the CHT. A few copies of their latest newsletter are at the back of church for you to read; further information form Deacon Martin
The next Christian Aid lunch will be at St Peters on Wednesday, 13th July, Noon until 1pm.
Summer Fete Saturday 16th July!
Please see the notice board for details of our Church Fete at 11 am – 3 pm. Donations we need: Good as New items, raffle prizes, craft work, bottles for bottle stall and bottles of wine. Cakes nearer the time. Please put items either in the sacristy, the back of the church or up in the balcony.
Most importantly, we need lots of people to help by having a stall. Please support our Fete, we cannot make this successful without you. Please add your name to the list if you can help.
All proceeds from this fete will be to help refugees from Ukraine.
Bottle stall
Cake stall
Craft stall
Raffle
Teas and coffee
Hot dogs and frankfurters with onions
Good as new
Plant stall?
Everything 50p or £1 stall
Everytime a prize stall
Water or wine stall
Guess the weight of the cake
Books/dvd’s
Pound coin nearest to the bottle of whiskey
Martin 50/50 raffle
Escorted Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine, Ireland, 25th July 2022. £699.00 per person sharing. For more information see the poster on the Hall Notice Board.
Do you play a musical instrument? The music group play at the 11 am Mass about once a month. All ages and skills welcome. If interested please email marchrcnewsletter@gmail.com
Come on a Pilgrimage!
The Diocesan Youth Service have two opportunities for young people to go on pilgrimage this summer. These are Holywell ‘The Lourdes of Wales’ (age 16 – 30) and ‘England’s Way’, a walking and camping pilgrimage from Bury St. Edmunds to Walsingham (age 18 – 35). For more information see www.rcdea.org.uk/youth
Helping victims of Russian aggression in the Ukraine
St Olga Ukrainian Catholic Church in Peterborough is grateful for the second generous donation from parishioners of Our Lady of Good Counsel.
The supplies were sent on their 15th Lorry for the Ukraine. See below for goods required.
There are boxes in the porch next to the Food Bank box.
Survival Equipment
Portable stoves Batteries, (AA and AAA), Flash lights and torches, sleeping bags, thermos flasks, polystyrene cups, disposable tableware
Medical Products
Antiseptic cream
First Aid kits
Hygiene Products
Soap bars, flannels, sanitary products, hand gel , razor blades, toothpaste, toothbrushes
Nurofen tablets
Baby formula
Nappies and adult pads
Food supplies (no glass containers
Meal replacements
Non perishable food – pre-packaged meals, tinned food, dried fruit, nuts, tea / coffee sachets, small juice or squash boxes
Hosting refugees
Rosmini Centre will help with enquiries and sponsoring
Contacts:
Rosmini Centre
69a Queens Rd Wisbech PE13 2PH
01945 47442
rcw_manager@btconnect.com
Advice on how you can help people caught up in the war in Ukraine is available from the Catholic Social Action Network at https://www.csan.org.uk/ukraine/
Below is a transcript of the letter from Bishop Alan Hopes which was read out at the Masses on 21 & 22 May 2022
RC DIOCESE OF EAST ANGLIA
The Right Reverend Bishop Alan S Hopes B.D. A.K.C.
Bishop of East Anglia
eMail: bishop@rcdea.org.uk
Registered Charity No. 278742
A PASTORAL LETTER
FROM
THE BISHOPS OF ENGLAND & WALES
TO BE READ OUT AT ALL MASSES IN THE DIOCESE
ON THE WEEKEND 21 & 22 MAY 2022
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
At our recent meeting, the Bishops of England and Wales prepared a
statement marking the end of the provisions regarding the Sunday
Mass Obligation which were made two years ago at the beginning of
the Covid pandemic. Now that the reasons for those provisions have
lessened significantly, they will end as from June 5th as we celebrate the
Solemnity of Pentecost.
I have asked for our message to be read out to you this weekend and
for it to be made widely available for others to read. Our message is an
encouraging one – it is a message of invitation asking us to renew our
fundamental Christian duty of attending Mass on Sundays and Holy
Days.
Returning to Mass at Pentecost
An invitation from the Bishops of England and Wales
This is the bread come down from heaven (John 6:58)
A beautiful hallmark of the Catholic faith is the profound desire to
participate in the Holy Mass and share in the Eucharist. We do so with deep
gratitude and joy. The Eucharist gives the Church her identity – “The
Eucharist makes the Church, and the Church makes the Eucharist.” It
enables us to worship Almighty God, to support each other on our journey
of faith, and to be a visible sign of faith in the world. This hallmark is
supported and strengthened by the precept that our fundamental Christian
duty is to worship God by participating in the celebration of Mass.
Attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days is the greatest of all privileges,
sometimes referred to as “the Sunday Obligation.”
Since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, until the present time, we have
shared with you our judgment that the situation of the last two years has
meant that the Sunday Obligation has been impeded and has needed to be
fulfilled in other ways. We thank God that this situation has now changed.
The pressing challenges of the pandemic have lessened significantly. Most
people have resumed the wide range of normal activities, no longer
restricted by the previous Covid measures. We therefore believe that the
reasons which have prevented Catholics from attending Mass on Sundays
and Holy Days of Obligation no longer apply.
We understand there will still be some members of our congregations who,
for reasons of health, do not feel safe enough to return to Mass. It has
always been the understanding of the Church that when the freedom of any
Catholic to attend Mass in person is impeded for a serious reason, because
of situations such as ill health, care for the sick or legitimate fear, this is not
a breach of the Sunday Obligation.
Our Catholic people and parishes have benefitted during these difficult
times from the online streaming of Mass and other services. “Virtual
viewing” of Mass online does not fulfil the Sunday Obligation. It may,
however, be a source of continual spiritual comfort to those who cannot
attend Mass in person, for example those who are elderly and sick, for
whom the obligation does not apply. In this context, we recognise
gratefully the ministry of those who administer Holy Communion to the
elderly, sick and housebound.
We are grateful to our clergy, religious and lay faithful who have served
our parishes, schools and communities with dedication and distinction
throughout this pandemic. Now we look forward with renewed faith and
confidence.
In the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Lord’s Supper, the Lord Jesus
entrusted to us the precious gift of Himself. With humility, we glory in
being a Eucharistic people for whom attendance at Mass is essential.
Looking forward to the forthcoming feast of Pentecost, we now invite all
Catholics who have not yet done so to return to attending Mass in person.
As the Church needs the witness of the presence of each person, so too each
believer needs to journey in faith and worship with their fellow disciples.
Nourished by our encounter with the Risen Lord Jesus, fed with His Word
and His Body and Blood in Holy Communion, and supported by the
presence of each other, we receive strength week by week, to serve the
Lord and glorify Him with our lives.
Approved by the Plenary Assembly of the Bishops’ Conference
Friday 6th May 2022.
From the March Food Bank;
A very big and heartfelt thank you to all those who donated all the wonderful cleaning materials! They will keep them going for many months!
There will be a basic list of things needed near the food box in the church foyer. Donate when you can. All help is gratefully received.
And once again, Thank you.
Volunteers wanted: We are looking for volunteers male or female, young or old to help out at our Church now and again. Gardening, painting and odd jobs. We would like to develop a work party where we can meet up as and when needed.
Please contact Mary Anne 07435 145168. Lesley 01354 680401 mob.07947143864 or please give Father Nicholas your name and contact details. Thank you.
Readers required for Mass: If you are happy to read at the 6pm or 11am Masses, please email marchrcnewsletter@gmail.com or contact Fr Nicholas.
Financial Matters
5th & 12th June: £472.34 plus standing orders.
The Parish have changed their bank. For donations to the parish, please use the following details:
Bank; NatWest Bank
Account Name: Our Lady’s RC Church
Sort Code 53 – 81 – 42
Account Number 86729101
Please add your name in the reference box
Please make cheques payable to ‘Our Lady’s RC Church’
We are still carrying a large debt on our hall (funded by a Diocese loan) and whilst our outgoings are relatively light at the moment our main source of income is the weekly offertory which is obviously well down.
The offertory is to support your Priest, the church and the poor.
Many will be struggling or have lost work at this time, so no one should feel under any pressure or obligation. However, if you can, please consider setting up a Standing Order monthly into our Bank Account – you can cancel at any time needed. Or you can send one-off donations direct if you bank online:
Parish Contacts
• Parish Priest: Fr Nicholas Kearney 01354 650788 email: marchcatholicpriest@gmail.com
• Deacon: Rev Martin Wells 01354 741488 email: mwells42@btinternet.com
• Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (fmm) 01354 652266
• Newsletter: Please submit items for consideration to: marchrcnewsletter@gmail.com
• All Saints Inter-Church Academy Primary, County Road March 01354 659000
• Please visit the Parish website for the latest updates: https://www.catholicchurchmarch.co.uk/
May God bless you and keep you safe this week