PALM SUNDAY is also known as Passion Sunday. Today we are invited to recall three key features of Jesus’ ministry: His kingship as Lord and Saviour of all mankind, as he fulfilled the prophecies of Isaiah and Zechariah when he entered the Holy City amidst cries of acclamation, praise and worship and how He did this, not as a warrior seated on a horse, surrounded by his troops, but as a humble servant, seated on a lowly colt. Then, in the context of the Institution of the Eucharist, we recall how Jesus presents Himself as “one who serves”, and how He is calling us to imitate Him in this. Finally, as the Passion narrative unfolds we learn much about His loving and gentle attentiveness to those around him – (e.g. the way He affirms the disciples and was sympathetic towards them when they were sleepy, the way He reassures Simon Peter and how He forgave His critics and executioners).
Let us begin this most holy of weeks by pondering the message and example of our Lord and Saviour and strive to put it into practice in our own lives.
Fr. Philip Sainter
Warning:
Please do not believe those who are saying:
– that the Catholic Chaplaincy at Loughborough University is being abandoned
– that there will be no more Sunday evening Masses at 6.00pm.
These and similar alarmist statements should be ignored as they are not contained in the Proposals Questionnaire recently disseminated.
For Online Synoptic Gospels in Parallel see: www.utoronto.ca/religion/synopsis/meta-4g.htm
ANNUAL YOUTH PASSION: enactment of the events of Holy Week, presented by young people (age 10 to 16) from both parishes at 6pm on Palm Sunday. Suitable for all ages. Do come if you can – a lot of effort has been put into preparing this. Many thanks to The Knights of St Columba who organise this every year.
PENITENTIAL SERVICE: Tuesday 26th March, 6pm. Write on a piece of paper those things that are weighing you down and are preventing you from journeying forward in life, and leave them with the Lord who loves us, forgives us and heals us.
ST. MARY’S HAS A NEW WEBSITE! When contacting us regarding items you wish to have inserted into the newsletter, please send them to: newsletter@stmarys.org.uk by Wednesday at the latest (the earlier the better). Our heartfelt thanks to Sunday Eleode for his invaluable help.
CHILDREN’S FIRST HOLY COMMUNION: The parents’ meeting will take place on 18th April at 7.30pm in the Church Hall. Please don’t miss it – it is vitally important for children wishing to receive their first Holy Communion that their parents attend this meeting.
CHRISM MASS: will be celebrated by Bishop Malcolm at Nottingham Cathedral at 11.30am on Wednesday 27th March, with the Blessing of the Oils and the Priests and Deacons’ renewal of their dedication to their devotion. You are all invited!
LOUGHBOROUGH CHURCHES PARTNERSHIP invites you to take part in 2 activities on Good Friday. The first, to stand next to a cross for a half hour slot between 10.00am and 2.00pm and to talk to passers-by about the cross and its importance in our own journey. Secondly, to join a Procession of Witness assembling at the Carillon Tower in Queen’s Park at 11.15am.
PRE-EASTER CLEAN FOR THE CHURCH: Easter is nearly upon us and this is a wonderful opportunity to show our love for our church by supplementing our marvellous volunteers who clean the church, with more helpers so that we may have a church fit for the risen Lord. If you can offer a couple of hours during Easter week, please give your contact details to the parish office or to one of our priests.
Preparation of the statues for Holy Week and the Passion will take place on Wednesday, 27th March at 7.00pm, when there will be a team working in the church covering the statues.
ST. MARY’S EASTER CARDS for sale. All images from our church interior. £0.60 each, 4 for £2. All profits to our church funds. The following are also available at the Repository: Lent Extra £1.50, Children’s Activities Poster £0.50, and ‘walk with Me’ £1.00. Do have a look after all weekend Masses.
LIVING STONES: Please don’t forget that the revised date for St. Mary’s update on Living Stones is now Weds. 10th April, at 7.30pm in the Parish Hall. Please come along and hear about the progress made so far and our plans for the future.
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What’s on at ST. MARY’S |
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| Sun | 24th | 6.00pm |
KSC Youth Passion Enactment in Church |
| Mon | 25th | 7.00pm |
Volunteers’ Meeting in Front Room |
| Tues | 26th |
No Scripture & Tradition Group until 16/4/13 |
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| Weds | 27th | 2-4 pm |
Senior Citizens Club in the Hall |
| Tues | 2nd | 7.30pm |
Visiting Group – Front Room |
| Sat | 6th | 10.00am |
Pre-Baptism Class in the Church Hall |
SAME SEX MARRIAGE: The Report Stage of the Bill approving this will be debated in May in the House of Commons. SPUC has asked its branches if they could leaflet the voters in constituencies where they believe the MP could be swayed to oppose the Bill if enough of his/her constituents contact him/her.
ANNUAL SPUC YOUTH CONFERENCE: 22-24th March in Derbyshire. Please contact Arthur Clarke if you would like to go, or if you know of anyone under 25 who might be interested. Loughborough branch will pay all expenses.
CHRISTIAN AID LUNCH: This will be TODAY, Palm Sunday, 24th March, at the United Reformed Church in Frederick Street, Loughborough, at 12.30pm
JOHN AND DEBBIE ROBINSON wish to thank parishioners for the generosity of their gifts and for the many messages of goodwill received.
LEICESTER FAITHS SUPPORT GROUP for Asylum Seekers and Refugees seeks voluntary secretarial help. Also more (paid) situations vacant. See board.
CONGRATULATIONS to Kellan Cafferky on his Baptism last weekend.
PARISH VOICE: on sale after all weekend Masses on 23/24th and 30/31st March.
EASTER EGG DESIGN COMPETITION – please see our noticeboard!
COLLECTIONS for February amounted to £2,339 (non gift aided) and £3,273 (gift aided). Thank you very much. There will be a Family Fast Day on 12th April in aid of Kwediboma. Envelopes will be distributed after all Masses on the weekend of 6/7th April & collected on 13/14th. Baby clothes urgently needed for Kwediboma.
