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
Please remember that the obligation for the faithful to attend Holy Mass on a Sunday or Holy day of Obligation is removed until further notice. If you fall into the vulnerable category, it is perfectly acceptable to attend one of the quieter daily Masses or Saturday evening. You are reminded that you must wear a face mask and that your hands will be sanitised before and after Mass. Toilets will be open but please only use the disabled toilet unless there is a queue.
Chatteris Mass: We are planning on moving the 9am Sunday Mass to Chatteris from 15th November. Mass will take place in the hall adjacent to the church. There will be 20 chairs available. For this to happen, we must have volunteers to act as stewards, sanitising hands, putting out the chairs and stacking them away after Mass. If you are able to assist, please email Father Nicholas in the next two weeks at marchcatholicpriest@gmail.com.
Masses this week
Sunday 25th October 2020
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: Sundays Yr A Weekdays Yr 2 Week 2
Sat 24th Feria.
6 pm First Mass of Sunday (Evening Vigil)
Sunday 25th October 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
9 am Sunday Mass March – (People of the Parish)
11 am Sunday Mass March
Mon 26th Feria. No Service
Wed 28th Saints Simon & Jude. 10 am
Thu 29th Feria. 10 am
Fri 30th Feria. March Mass at 10 am followed by Exposition
Sat 31st
6 pm First Mass of Sunday (Evening Vigil)
Sunday 1st November All Saints. Solemnity.
9 am Sunday Mass March – (People of the Parish)
11 am Sunday Mass March
Confessions – Saturday between 12 noon and 1 pm. If the church is closed, please ring the presbytery bell or confessions may be heard before Mass.
An Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Mary, mother of health and hope, pray for us!
The Church door into the Church will only open 30 minutes prior to Mass starting. This ensures that our Stewards are in place and that people are not sitting too long inside the building. The windows will be open and the emergency exit will be too, so that good ventilation is maintained…so you may want to wear a coat, just in case you get chilly. You are reminded that you must wear a face mask and that your hands will be sanitised before and after Mass. I must encourage people to remain vigilant and cautious.
Due to the limited amount of space available we will be restricted to around 28 people/couples at each Mass and once the church is full further arrivals will be asked to attend a later Mass. Please follow the instructions of the stewards as rows will be filled from the front and it will not be possible to reserve seats beforehand. Stewards will guide everyone out through both church entrances at the end of Mass.
NHS Test & Trace: You are invited to download the NHS Test & Trace app and scan the QR code in the church entrance on your visit. If you don’t have a smart phone you may place a completed contact form in the box after Mass. The forms, which are voluntary, will be kept for 21 days.
Missio Red Box holders: If you are a red box (Missio) holder, the latest edition of Mission Today is available in the church porch. Please take a copy. If you are unable to get to Mass, please email marchrcnewsletter@gmail.com with your name and address and we’ll get a copy to you.
Mass intentions: If you have any intentions for which you would like Mass to be offered please email them to marchcatholicpriest@gmail.com, or post to the address at the top of the newsletter or by Mass Intention envelope.
Please remember in your prayers all those who are sick and housebound in our March & Chatteris parish especially: Gerard Bourne, Jack Pettingill, Claire Reynolds, Susanna Roberts, Mary Fabriz, Margaret Griffiths, Beryl Dow, Rita Porter, Anna Sullivan and all those who are known to us.
We also remember those whose anniversaries occur at this time: Sr Joan Rafferty fmm, Joe Smith, Philip Kinsella, Ron Lawrence, Sr Nora Cotter fmm, Fr Peter Eedy, David Wildegger, Mychailo Kowbas, Teresa (Pat) Britchford, Mr Barry Harcup, Bonita Welham and Margaret Frayn.
Financial Matters
Thank you for the collections on 17th/18th October: The offertory collection and 2nd collection for Missio will be added presently.
Although we are still carrying a large debt on our hall (funded by a Diocese loan) we are reasonably healthy with our local bank balance. Whilst our outgoings are relatively light at the moment our main source of income is the weekly offertory which is obviously well down. 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:
The Parish’s bank details are:
Bank; Barclays Bank Plc
Account Name: Our Lady’s RC Church
Sort Code 20 – 46 – 65
Account Number 1395 0476
Please add your name in the reference box
Please make cheques payable to ‘Our Lady’s RC Church’
News and Events
Zoom Evening Prayer Wednesday 28th Oct : You are warmly invited to join us on Zoom, Wednesday, 28th October, at 5.15 pm for Prayer. I hope to open the “Zoom doors” at 5.00pm. Please email maryfitzpatrick1623@gmail.com for a link to the meeting. I look forward to seeing you if you are able to join us.
Every blessing
Mary
FRANCISCAN MISSIONARIES OF MARY
Parish Census: You may be approached before or after Mass in the next couple of weeks to see if you are happy to update your family and address details.
Stewards wanted to help out before and after Mass. Duties include sanitising hands, distributing bulletins, guiding the congregation in and out of church and “fogging” the church with the sanitiser. If you can help, please see Fr Nicholas or send a mail to marchrcnewsletter@gmail.com with your preferred Sunday Mass time.
First Holy Communions: Please keep in your prayers the children who will be making their First Holy Communions on Saturday 7th November.
This reflection appeared on Fr Sean’s St George’s parish website :
Perhaps those of us who are now able and choosing to come to Mass might be conscious of those who cannot yet join us or who feel they are not ready for this next step in the easing of lockdown. Remember Aaron’s breastplate: whenever Aaron entered the Holy of Holies and came before God as high priest, he donned a breastplate with 12 glittering jewels fixed into it to represent all the peoples of the twelve tribes of ancient Israel. Those of us coming to Mass, exercising our priestly ministry as baptised members of Christ’s Church can wear a mental breast plate and bring to the sanctuary all our friends, family, and fellow parishioners who are not yet physically with us.
Online Masses
Daily Masses will be live streamed from St John’s Cathedral every day at 10am. You can watch all of these Masses at: www.sjbcathedral.org.uk
St. Luke’s https://twitter.com/saintlukesbull
Link from parish website saintlukesparish.org.uk
https://www.facebook.com/105785057750972/live/
Walsingham https://www.walsingham.org.uk/live-stream/
And also churchservices.tv has Masses from all over Britain and Ireland.
Children’s Liturgy Websites (They can be accessed via google search engine)
Children’s Liturgy-Cathedral-St Marie’s Cathedral
Sermons4Kids
Cafod – Children’s Liturgy
Diocese of Westminster Children’s Liturgy
Catholicmom.com
For craft orientated sites, see Catholic Inspired and Catholic Icing
Sunday Liturgy for Children
Also some hymns –
You have called us (with lyrics) – You Tube By Bernadette Farrell
Shepherd Me, O God – You Tube By Marty Haugen:
Here I am Lord (with lyrics) – YouTube: by Eric Tom
One Bread, One Body with lyrics.wmv You tube
Dial A Mass opportunity: Telephone Sunday Mass from St Mary’s cathedral, Middlesborough is being offered by Middleborough diocese.
The Mass is recorded at 12noon on Sunday and is available once it’s been uploaded so after 1pm is best. It is then available all week.
The number to call is 01642 130120. Calls are charged at local rate and free if in your included minutes.
Rebecca tried it and you can hear it hands free with your speaker volume up so a couple can listen together.
Foodbank: As we can’t do our usual monthly collection for the Foodbank in church, if you are able to do so please consider adding an item if you are shopping in Tesco, Sainsburys, Iceland, Badgeney Road Co-op and direct to the Foodbank on Monday mornings (10:30-11:30). Both stores have collection boxes which are emptied weekly. The Foodbank continue to distribute supplies to about 25 families a week in March and the surrounding areas. All donations gratefully received but they are short of uht milk, coffee, peas, carrots, mashed potato, and even baked beans at the moment. Also household items and toiletries; bleach, washing up liquid, shampoo, toothpaste, and shower gel.
CCORRN have supplied more craft and activity boxes and Cambs CC provided 50 craft bags. These are so valuable to families with limited resources.
Eastern Spice are offering free meals to several clients each week with a voucher from the Foodbank.
Chat-tea are providing free take away hot meals on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from St. John’s church hall.
If you or someone you know is in difficulties at this time, it may help to know that March Foodbank is open 1pm – 2.30pm on Tuesdays at Centenary Baptist Church in the High St in March. Just turn up to speak to someone.
Fenland District Council’s local COVID-19 response hub is coordinating help and support throughout the district to ensure the most vulnerable members of community can access critical support as soon as they need it.
The hub took over 300 calls in its first three days of its launch with callers being signposted to more than 50 known support services.
The Customer Services and Community Hubs has been re-opened on an appointment only basis. To book an appointment, please complete the webform. For further information on attending appointments, please refer to the Appointment Booking Guidance [409kb].
A community hub service has been setup that brings together volunteers, support groups and partners across Fenland to help those most at risk during the coronavirus pandemic. If you’re a resident and need help with food shopping or collecting medicines, they can provide details of a local voluntary service who can help you. Call on 01354 654321 or email covid19@fenland.gov.uk. If you’re a resident and are able to offer help to people in need, please email covid19@fenland.gov.uk.
Some of the committee meetings have been postponed. Others will be available to view online via our YouTube channel.
Further details can also be found at https://www.fenland.gov.uk/coronavirus, where there is also advice and information for local businesses.
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
Please visit the Parish website for the latest updates: https://www.catholicchurchmarch.co.uk/
All Saints Inter-Church Academy Primary, County Road March 01354 659000
May God bless you and keep you safe this week