Confessions in Holy Week

Fr Finigan will be available to hear confessions this week as follows:

• After all Masses Monday to Wednesday
• After Maundy Thursday 8pm Mass
• After 11am Stations on Good Friday
• After 3pm Liturgy on Good Friday
• 11am-12noon and 5-5.30pm on Holy Saturday

Holy Week Services

During Holy Week we focus more particularly on the Passion and death of Our Lord, before celebrating his glorious resurrection.

The veiling of the statues gives a striking austerity to the Church, reminding us of the solemn and mournful time of the suffering and death of the Lord as we approach the liturgical celebration of his Passion.

At the website, you can look up times of all our Holy Week Services and Confessions.

Pope's Letter to Irish Catholics

There will be much comment in the media this weekend concerning the Pastoral Letter of the Holy Father Pope Benedict to the Catholics of Ireland. The Holy Father apologises to victims of abuse who have suffered the “grave betrayal” of these “egregious crimes”. Pope Benedict also refers to “grave errors of judgement and failure of leadership” on the part of some Bishops. May I encourage you to read the letter itself: the text is available on the Vatican website at the link above.

There is also a shorter official summary of the letter.

Please remember in your prayers all those who have been victims of abuse. The Holy Father encourages the Irish Catholics to offer up their Friday penances for the coming year to Easter 2011 to beg for God’s mercy, healing and for the renewal of the Church.

It would be fitting for us in England to join in solidarity with this spiritual proposal and to respond to his request to give particular attention to regular Eucharistic Adoration and the Sacrament of Penance.

Feast of St Patrick

There will be an extra Mass this Wednesday 17 March, the feast of St Patrick, at 7.30pm. The Mass will be in English with hymns. The Rosary Social club will be open after the Mass.

Lenten Lunch next Saturday

The Union of Catholic Mothers are organising a Lenten Lunch of soup and sandwiches for you and your families to enjoy. The Lunch will be from 12.30 to 2.30pm on Saturday 20 March. Tickets are on sale after all Masses this weekend: £3 for adults, £1.50 for children.

Confirmation Mass

Bishop Lynch will be coming to minister the sacrament of Confirmation during Mass on Thursday 25 March. All are welcome to come to the Mass. Candidates are asked to be in the Small Hall at 7pm. Others coming to the Mass are asked to be in their places by 7.15pm. The Mass will begin at 7.30pm.

There will be a reception for all in the Large Hall after the Mass.

Confirmation Rehearsal this Friday

The rehearsal for Confirmation candidates and their sponsors will be this Friday 19 March after the Stations of the Cross. Candidates and sponsors are encouraged to come for the Stations at 7.30pm and stay on afterwards. The rehearsal itself will begin shortly after 8pm.

If the sponsor is unable to come to the rehearsal, the candidate will need another adult to stand in for the sponsor during the rehearsal.