Laetare Sunday – Mother’s Day
In the Church’s liturgical calendar this Sunday is known as “Laetare Sunday” meaning “Rejoicing Sunday” because we are now over half way through Lent. This is the only day in the year when the liturgical colour is pink or rose. It fits nicely this year with the secular celebration of Mother’s Day. We give thanks to God for our own mothers and pray for them whether they are alive or dead.
Gift Aid
Again, this Sunday at the end of Mass various members of the Parish Council will be speaking to us about Gift Aid. The reason for this is that for years there has been no systematic attempt to keep up our Gift Aid programme here at the Cathedral and consequently many people who could give using Gift Aid are not – with the net result that the Cathedral has one of the worst percentages of people giving by Gift Aid in the Diocese! More importantly this means that we are losing out on a very important source of income. So – please if you are a UK taxpayer and you come regularly, and you have not signed up for Gift Aid – please speak to one of the team at the back of the Church and take the opportunity to sign up today. Remember – it costs you nothing and it means that the Cathedral gets 25% extra from the government.
Divine Mercy Holy Hour – This Sunday at 3pm.
Today at 3pm in the Cathedral we will have a Eucharistic Holy Hour guided by the Divine Mercy Group. As well as the opportunity for confession, the group will offer meditations from the writings of St. Faustina.
Sponsor a Kneeler!
You will no doubt have noticed that some of our kneelers have recently been repaired. One of our Polish parishioners is doing the work and, as you will see, is making an excellent job of them. The cost of this repair is £120 per kneeler. We have renewed six, through the generosity of a parishioner, if anyone felt like sponsoring a kneeler or two please speak to me after Mass.
God bless you and your families this week, Fr Patrick, Fr Nick, Deacon Peter and Sr Mary Cora