CHRISTMAS CARDS for HMP Winchester

Fr John is celebrating a Christmas Mass in the prison on Sat 23rd December. If you would like to send a greeting, please give him your unsealed Christmas card (no gifts allowed) by the 3rd Sunday of Advent (17th Dec).

Title the envelope ‘For you at Christmas’. Inside you can write your message e.g. promising them of your thoughts & prayer intentions on Christmas Day. Please sign it; From, ‘[Your first name/s (no surnames)] of Fr John’s Parish’. The cards & messages are very gratefully received and may be the only card a prisoner receives.

CHRISTCHURCH FOOD BANK

We've been overwhelmed by your generosity. Stock levels are looking good for the Christmas rush but, as well as Christmas-specific items , we could still do with more tinned potatoes, smash, jam & crisps. Sorry, but we're unable to accept toys or alcohol. We will be closed on the Mondays of 25th Dec & 1st Jan but open to receive donations only on Weds 3rd Jan from 10-12. God bless you all for your continuing care and concern and a big thank you from all the team and those that need the Foodbank+

CONFIRMATION - 2018

Fri 12th Jan 7- 8.30pm Session 2

In the St Joseph Centre (for the whole pastoral area)

BAPTISM ‘Welcome to God’s Family!’

Please contact Dcn Hugh Parry (details on the front page) to arrange for the

preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism.

FIRST EUCHARIST PROGRAMME ‘18

The first & most important stage toward the process for requesting the Sacraments is to join your community for the celebration of the Eucharist on a Sunday. St Joseph’s prep:-

Session 3. Children’s Session: Sat 9th Dec 9 -11am Family Celebration Mass : Sun 10th Dec 9am

ACTIVATE LUNCH Tues 5th Dec 11.45 - 2.30pm At the Captain’s Club Hotel. ‘A Christmas

celebration’! With the Bournemouth Pendelfin Singers Cost £16 tickets via Jillie on 01202 471773

EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT Silent vigil of Adoration, an oasis of peace and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.

Holy Redeemer Church: Monday 10.30am - 3pm

Immaculate Conception & St Joseph Church: Mon, Weds, Thurs., 9am - 10am Friday 9am - 7pm (1st Friday to 10pm)

COME TO THE FEAST - RESOURCES

Many thanks to the 115 people who participated so wholeheartedly in the Come to the Feast house-groups over the past 5 weeks, and especially to the 26 group leaders and 16 hosts. Let us pray that as a result of this process we will all continue to develop a deeper understanding and richer experience of coming to mass, and that those who visit our parishes will thereby sense Christ’s presence more clearly in our communities.

All resources are still available to view/download on

https://rmartin236.wixsite.com/feast/weekly-resources

‘BOOK FOR PRAYER’ St Joseph’s Church

There is an A4 note book Book for Prayer in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, next to the statue of Our Lady, where you can write in personal intentions and prayer requests.

During the weekday Mass, we will bring our Book for Prayer up with the Offertory gifts and include some of the prayers during the Mass.

ST PETER’S COMMUNITY CHOIR

Tues 5th Dec 7pm

Join us for a Christmas Carol Concert in St Joseph’s Church. The performance will be followed by a glass of mulled wine & mince pie, included in the ticket price of £4. For tickets call Ann-Marie Bridle on 01202 463488 or after 9am Mass this Sunday

ST JOSEPH’S PARISH READERS

Would those who read at the Sat 6.30pm and Sun 9am Masses, please collect your new rotas from the rack in the Narthax. Thank you.

ADVENT IV & CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES

Fourth Sunday of Advent Sat 23rd Dec

10.30am Christmas Mass - HMP Winchester 6.30pm Advent IV - Mass at St Joseph’s

Sun 24th Dec (as per a normal Sunday) 9am Advent IV - Mass at St Joseph’s 11am Advent IV - Mass at Holy Redeemer

——–——————

Christmas Eve Sun 24th Dec.

2.30pm A children’s Crib Service at St Joseph’s

5pm Children’s Mass - St Joseph’s 8pm Vigil Mass - Holy Redeemer 10pm Carols & Readings - St Joseph’s 10.30pm ‘Midnight Mass’ - St Joseph’s

Christmas Day Mon 25 th Dec.

9am Christmas Mass - St Joseph’s 11am Christmas Mass - Holy Redeemer

GAUDATE SUNDAY: 17TH DEC We invite you to bring your ‘baby Jesus’ figure from

your cribs at home for a special blessing during Mass.

First Sunday of Advent Year of Mark (B) 3rd December 2017

THE WEEK AHEAD Diary - at a glance ... Sun 3rd 9am Prayer ministry after Mass 3pm Hospitality Ministry meeting Mon 7pm St Joseph School Advent Service Tues 9.15am St Joseph KS1 Advent Service 6.30pm St Peter’s Choir concert (St Josephs) Weds pm Visits 7pm St Joseph Euch. Ministers meeting Thurs 9.15am St Joseph KS2 Advent Service 10am Requiem - Amalia Miccoli RIP 1pm Requiem - Rita O’Grady RIP Fri 4pm Installation - Holy Redeemer Church 7.30pm Installation - O.Lady & St Joseph’s Sat 7am HMP Winchester Sun 10th 9am FHC Family Mass

HIGHCLIFFE & CHRISTCHURCH CATHOLIC CHURCHES

Holy Redeemer Parish

13-15 Kilmington Way, Highcliffe, BH23 5BL

Tel: 01425 274 838 Email holyredeemer@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

Other useful contacts/info Christchurch Parish Office - opening times Tues, Weds, Thurs 10am-12 noon (leave a message if closed)

Dcn. Hugh Parry Tel: 07971 071 571 hparry@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

Safeguarding Co-ordinators Highcliffe: Amanda Pillinger c/o Highcliffe Parish office Christchurch: Reena Kelleher 07802 954 936 Any concerns / advice, tel. 023 9281 6396 (Diocesan Office)

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Head teacher: Miss Louise Buxton Tel. 01202 485 976

St Peter’s Catholic Secondary School Head teacher: Mr David Todd Tel. 01202 421 141

Director of Lay Formation for Pastoral Area - Richard Martin Tel. 07990 826 934 rmartin@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

Hospital Chaplains

Bournemouth & Christchurch: Fr Darryl Jordan Contact 01202 704 221 Urgent / out of hours 01202 303 626

Poole: Dcn. Declan McConville 01202 442 167 / 665 511

Avon Stour Pastoral Area Website: www.avonstourpastoralarea.org

Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth Bishop: Rt. Rev. Philip Egan

Reg. Charity No. 246871

The Immaculate Conception & St Joseph Parish

67 Purewell, Christchurch, BH23 1EH

Tel: 01202 483 340 Email icsjoffice@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

Parish Priest: Rev. John Cooke Deacon: Rev. Hugh Parry Pastoral Assistant: Mrs. Clare Ryan Administrators: Mrs Mary Tolfree (HC), Mrs Bridget Brien (CC)

Avon Stour Pastoral Area:

Other Priests in the Pastoral Area:

Cn. Paul Townsend 01425 653 131 Fr. Darryl Jordan: 01202 485 588

Fr. Kevin Hoiles: 01202 424 960

Our neighbouring Church communities

Fordingbridge, Iford, Ringwood & Southbourne

Our Pastoral Area is in the Deanery of St. John XXIII, West Solent

Dean & Coordinating Pastor: Cn. Paul Townsend

ADVENT HOPE

The Gospels of Mathew, Mark and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels. The word Synoptic comes from the Greek words ‘syn’ meaning together and ‘optic’ meaning sight.

When recording the life, death and resurrection of Our Lord these Gospels record many events in the same way and often with the same sequence of events, narrative arrangement and sentence structure. So much so that we say that they were seen with the same eye, syn-optic-ally.

In a way, Advent is a synoptic season. We try to look at the whole of our salvation history with one eye. Advent is about the past actions of God, his promises and covenants with his people; His entering time when He took on flesh and was born in Bethlehem.

It’s about the present and the New and Eternal Covenant He establishes with us during the Mass when we truly receive His Body and Blood.

It is also about the future when God the Son will come again on a ‘cloud’ with power and glory to judge the living and the dead.

Advent is also a good time for us to think syn-optic-ally about our own life. The past, the present and the future. Where have I come from? Where am I going? Who am I? When we truly discover the ‘self’ we discover God, in whose image and likeness we are made.

Wishing you all a wonderful and reflective journey through this Advent season of grace and hope.

‘Come, Lord Jesus’.

ADVENT RECONCILIATION

St Joseph’s Church - Service Sat 16th Dec at 2.30pm We are hosting the Pastoral Area Reconciliation Service where all the Clergy will be available to hear confessions.

Holy Redeemer Church - Extra confessions Weds 13th Dec 2.30 - 4.30pm

Please can we encourage you to come to the Lord’s mercy in the Sacrament during these allocated times.

REST IN PEACE

Please pray for Amalia Miccoli RIP, whose Requiem is on Thurs 7th December at 10am at St Joseph’s.

Please pray for Rita O’Grady RIP, whose Requiem is on Thurs 7th December at 1pm at Holy Redeemer.

May they rest in peace & rise in glory.

HIGHCLIFFE ‘HEALTH & SAFETY’ REP

Volunteer/s urgently needed to help with an overview of the Site. Please let Mary T / Fr John know if you can help. Guidance can be provided from the Diocese.

BIBLE STUDY GROUPS

Highcliffe Parish Meets every Wednesday from 7.15pm in the Annexe at Holy Redeemer Church, Highcliffe.

Christchurch Parish Home Group Meets every Wednesday from 7.30pm in Mudeford Please contact Moira 01425 279467 or 07722 170 117

All are v. welcome to come together to ‘unpack’ the Word.

FORMAL WELCOME & INSTALLATION

Fri. 8th December ‘17

Cn Dominic Golding, V.G. (on behalf of the Bishop) and Cn Paul Townsend, Dean will be formally installing Fr. John as Parish Priest of our two parishes.

Holy Redeemer Parish

4pm Installation & Benediction - followed by hospitality in the Annex.

Immaculate Conception & St Joseph Parish

7.30pm Feast Day Mass & Installation followed by hospitality in the Centre. For our gathering at St Joseph’s, we are going to have a bring and share finger buffet. There will be a list of suggested foods in the Church porch, please sign up to indicate what you are going to contribute, thank you.

All are welcome to attend either / both events and to meet Cn. Dominic, visiting on behalf of the Bishop who sends his apologies, best wishes & prayers.

CHRISTMAS BAZAARS

Thank you to everyone who helped at the Bazaars for our churches.

‘St Joseph’s’ The overall profit on the day was £1,585 and there is still some more money coming in. A list of stall and their takings will be on the notice board in the church porch

CHRISTMAS GRAND DRAW - 2nd Prize Luxury Hamper has kindly been re-donated. Raffle tickets 50p on sale this weekend after the two Masses.

‘Holy Redeemer’ Thank you to all those who helped to organise & all who attended last week’s Bazaar. £1,000+ was raised!

ANNUAL ALTAR SERVER MASS Tues 26th Dec 10am at Holy Redeemer

Please do come & support our wonderful Altar Servers on the Feast of St Stephen. We’ll celebrate Mass - with Guild enrolments, a renewal of promises & refreshments afterwards too.

DON’T BE ON YOUR OWN THIS CHRISTMAS DAY

Why not join us for lunch? With the Christchurch Community Partnership, we are putting on the annual Christmas Day lunch, in the St Joseph Parish Centre (instead of the Baptist Hall).

You are very welcome to join us from 12.30 - 4.30pm for a traditional Christmas lunch and enjoyable company. It is open to everyone who is not able to have a “family” Christmas: single parent families, the elderly, people in temporary accommodation: everyone comes and has a great time.

There are forms available in the porch, please put your name down A.S.A.P.

CAN YOU HELP?

Donation - thank you! WOW! We are truly blessed with the parishioners we have in Highcliffe & Christchurch! The CCP volunteers were completely overwhelmed by the generosity of one of our parishioners who has donated £500 to cover the costs.

Already we have 3 volunteers to help on the day, plus 3 beforehand & a number of Santa gifts. Please continue to clear out your stock of "Lovely but I won't use this" items, which will make the day special for our guests, who are aged from 3 months to 93 yrs. There will be a box under the table in the porch to receive them. Or contact Irene 01202 481937 if you can help in any way: wrapping presents beforehand, making table decorations (our theme is silver), putting up tables on Christmas Eve, helping on the day, providing transport.

PRAYER MINISTRY 3rd December

On the first Sunday of the month after the 9am Mass at St Joseph’s, a few members of our community will be available to pray with you, and over you, should you wish to approach them (in confidence). Prayer is, of course, the calling of everyone, since Baptism initiates us into the one Body of Christ and commissions us as a priestly people to care for one another by prayer as well as action, but this is a specific purposeful and powerful way of praying together in a small group.

ST JOSEPH CHURCH, LITURGICAL BANNERS

Today, you will notice two banners either side of the Sanctuary. The Parish have paid for this first set, but there are others sets to compliment the entire year (Christmas, Ordinary Time, Lent, Pentecost, November, Marian, Eastertide and so on). If you’d like to sponsor a banner, in thanksgiving or in memory of someone, please contact the Office. The cost is £95 a banner. 4 have already been sponsored - thank you. A big thank you also to the Team who went to the trouble to put up the accessible pulley system to raise the banners too! A.M.D.G.!

Mass Book Page 82

Advent Week 1

Prayer of the Church - Wk 1

Mass & Service Times & Locations

First Sunday of Advent Yr B

2nd Dec / 3rd Dec 2017

Sat 2nd Sun 3rd Sun 3rd

6.30pm 9am 11am

For the People of the Parish Dorothy Adams RIP Carol Welsh RIP

Christchurch Christchurch Highcliffe

Sat 9th Sun 10th Sun 10th

6.30pm 9am 11am

Frances McEwan RIP Ints. of Bill & Kate Noone Antoni Anuszewski RIP

Christchurch Christchurch Highcliffe

Advent Week 2

Prayer of the Church - Wk 2 Second Sun of Advent Yr B

9th Dec / 10th Dec 2017 Mass Book

Page 85

Question for reflection this first week of Advent

How do I bring light into the lives of others?

What person or people do I think needs a special light in

their lives? How could I bring that to them? Name a light

someone brought into my life today.

How will I try to hold back from the distractions of Christmas, so as to allow myself time to wallow in the grace of Advent as a period of preparation?

‘Sunday’s Scripture Musings’

Mark 13:33-37

CHURCH CLEANING ‘We need you!’

This is a behind the scenes vital ministry, that helps us all to lift our hearts & minds to the Lord and one I know from experience that goes often unappreciated - until it is not done at all! We can all do our bit.

Could you give some time regularly on a rota basis, to assist the cleaning of our two churches every month or so? Duties include: vacuuming, dusting, sinks / toilets / floors (as appropriate), and even ironing the wax out of the carpet etc. Please contact the relevant Parish offices for more info. or to volunteer your services.

St Joseph’s, Christchurch

Anyone who is able to give an hour of their time each month and join one of the cleaning teams for 2018, please sign up on the notice in the church entrance. We would be very grateful for all extra help.

Liturgy of the Word & Eucharist For the People of the Parish

Patricia Taggart RIP Confession available

Ints. of Liam & Theresa Mackey

Amalia Miccoli RIP Rita O’Grady RIP

Nuala Kelleher RIP Holy Hour & Formal Installation Mass & Formal Installation All day adoration

Ints. of the prisoners Confession available

Mon

Tues

Wed

Thur

Fri

Sat

Advent

Advent Reconciliation

Advent

Requiem Requiem

Immaculate Conc. Installation Installation ‘Adoration’

HMP Winchester Reconciliation

10am 10am

10am after Mass

10am

10am 1pm

10am 4pm

7.30pm 9am - 7pm

10.30am 5.30pm

Highcliffe Christchurch

Highcliffe Highcliffe

Christchurch

Christchurch Highcliffe

Highcliffe Highcliffe Christchurch Christchurch

Winchester Christchurch

Please pray for the sick of our community

Especially for Martin Benson. Thank you.

HOSPITALITY THIS CHRISTMAS

We hope to encourage those who have been away from the Church to return to our two communities and perhaps start that relationship of belonging once more. Cards are available with our Service times for Christmas for you to give to friends & neighbours.

We are holding a meeting TODAY Sun 3rd Dec 3pm in St Joseph’s Church to consciously look at our welcome - in the car park, the Church and our hospitality afterwards. Come & see how you can help.

TRAIDCRAFT STALL Sat & S un 9th / 10th Dec In the St. Joseph’s Centre

The stall is available after both masses, please come in and support us. Thank you. SERVICE OF NINE CAROLS & READINGS

Sun 17th Dec 3pm Holy Redeemer, Highcliffe

Do join us for this lovely Service as we approach the later half of Advent.

ST JOSEPH’S - EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS Please could ministers try to attend a brief logistics meeting on Weds 6th Dec at 7pm in the Church - looking at how to aid the flow for Holy Communion, especially for the Christmas Services. Many thanks

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS - CALL FOR SUPPORT Do you support Catholic schools and the right of Catholics to send their children to them? Then we need you to make your voice heard.

The Government is making a critical decision on whether to overturn the admissions cap which prevents Catholic schools from allowing all Catholic pupils to attend.

They have acknowledged that this policy discriminates against Catholics and promised to abandon it, now we need you to tell them not to u-turn on their promise to Catholics.

Visit http://catholicnews.org.uk/education-cap or search for ‘Catholic Education’ in your search engine to write to the Government, and urge them to drop their policy which bans new Catholic schools.