Parish Newsletter, week beginning Sunday, 8th March 2015.

Third Sunday of Lent

Mass and sevice timesThe Prayer PagePast weeks' newslettersMinistries and rotas for the next two weeks.

 

This week:

  • Reflections for the week
  • Parish Handbook
  • Heating Appeal
  • News
  • Lent 2015 - Highlights of Our Journey to Easter
  • Prayer
  • Forthcoming Events in The John Paul II Centre
  • Mass Attendance Last Week
  • Regular Features
  • From me

    One of the important celebrations during the year is the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation. It was nice to have Bishop Kenney with us last Wednesday. My sincere thanks to Bishop Kenney for Confirming the young people of our parish. I would also like to thank the teachers, staff, catechists, choir, musicians and the John Paul II Centre staff for their support. It was a great evening.Our hearty congratulations to allthe confirmandi (below). May God bless them abundantly.

    2015 confirmandi

    Baptisms: Can Ilet you know that every Monday after the 9.30am Mass I will be available to see parents who wish their children to be Baptised here at the Immaculate Conception. Please get in touch with the Parish Office tomake an appointment to see me

    Parents of Year 2 Pupils: If your child has not yet been enrolled onto the Reconciliation programme and attends a non-Catholic school, can I request that you get in touch with the Parish Office as soon as possible..

     

    Parish Handbook cover

    PARISH HANDBOOK ON SALE A mine of useful information about the parish only £5.00 a copy available from the "Parish Information" display in the church porch or from the parish office.
    CHURCH HEATING

    CHURCH HEATING As you are aware the church heating is neither efficient or cost effective. In order to preserve our church building and to feel more comfortable, we need to replace the existing under floor system which was originally installed 50 years ago with a modern, efficient system. To install gas central heating it would cost £47,000 inc. VAT, plus £4,789 inc. VAT for infrastructure works. £51,789 in total.

    Now I am appealing to every family in the parish to contribute in a generous way, as is financially possible to you to help us meet the total costs. Donations can be made by cheque to ‘Parish of the Immaculate Conception’ or by Bank transfer. Please contact the parish office for details. Progress so far.

    .

    PARISH NEWS

    LENT 2015 AT THE PARISH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, BICESTER.

    A HOLY SEASON OF PENANCE, FASTING AND ALMSGIVING

    Walk With Me cover

     

    Highlights of Our Journey to Easter This Year

    Tuseday, 24th March ~ Community Concert - Resurrection Rock 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm

    Wednesday, 25th March - The Solemnity of the Annunciation. Holy Hour ~ 7.00 pm - 8.00 pm. For all Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, Reders, Altar Servers, Wardens, Welcomers, Flower Ladies, Chior Members, Counters, Cleaning Teams, Children's Liturgy Teams, Catechists, Coffee Rota Members

    Monday, 30th March 7.00 pm ~ Penitential Service with the opportunity for individual Confession

    Extra Masses on Tuesday at 7.00 am in the church and on Thursday at 8.00 am either in the church or in St. Mary's School.

    Stations of the Cross each Friday at 7.00 pm.

    Walk With Me booklets, pictured left, and Lent calendars for the children are available in the church porch. £1.00 donations for the booklets gratefully received.

    SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME - RECONCILIATION (CONFESSION)

    reconciliationThis affects children who are currently in Year 2 in primary school. Please note that some changes have been made to the next course for children's reconciliation in the 2015 programme compared to previous years. Children will be prepared for the sacrament while they are in Year 2. The course will start in March. A rite of enrolement will be celebrated at the 9.00 am Mass on Sunday, 15th March which all children must attend as well as regularly attending one of the Masses each Sunday. Classes of preparation will take place on five Saturdays from the 21st of March - details on this wbsite or from the back of the church or the parish office. The final session will be on Saturday, 4th July. The children will then make their first Confession at 7.00 pm on Wednesday, 8th July at the Church of the Immaculate Conception.

    First Reconciliation application form (PDF file will open in a new window)

     

    SECOND COLLECTION

    The Second Collection last weekend for CAFOD raised £428.34. Thank you. The second collection this weekend will be for cathedral maintenance.

    LEGACIES AND LAST WILL
    Have you thought of including the parish in your last will? In the past Parishes were left with legacies. If you would like to leave a legacy to the parish, please contact Fr. John. The large statue of the Immaculate Conception that adorns the front of the church, Bicester's first piece of public Sculpture was paid for by a legacy left to the parish. May the donor rest in peace.
    CANDLES

    It has been noticed that poor quality votive candles are being burnt on our church stands. The church supplies good quality church candles that comply with health and safety regulations for burning and we respectfully ask that only these be used. Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.

    WINTER WARMER LUNCH

    An amazing £564.85 was raised towards the heating fund. Thank you to the organisers and to everyone who came along to the lunch. The next one, the Spring Lunch, will be on Tuesday, 24th March.

    COFFEE MORNING

    Many thanks to all those who braved the fact that it was Friday, the 13th, and attened the latest coffee morning. £149.58 was raised towards parish funds. The next coffee morning will be on Friday, 20th March.

    NEW EXTARORDINARY MINISTERS AND READERS

    There will be a meeting for all new extraordinary ministers and readers on Thursday, 19th March anfter the 7.00 pm Mass. If you are interested in carrying out either or both of these important ministries, please contact Fr.John or the parish office.

    MOTHERS DAY COFFEE MORNING

    At The John Paul II Centre between 9.30 - 11.00 am. Croissant and coffee £2.50. Please purchase tickets in advance. Now on sale

    FAIR TRADE FORTNIGHT

    Runs from the 23rd of February to the 8th of March. Please visit the traidecraft section of this website to see where you can buy fairly traded items in Bicester.

    EASTER LILIES FOR REMEMBRANCE

    Lilies can be bought in memory of a relative or friend for £2.50 each during Lent. They will be used to decorate the church during Easter. Please see any of the flower ladies at Mass times or alternately please complete a slip available in the church porch and return it via the welcomers or parish office.

    ROSARY CLUB AT ST. MARY'S SCHOOL

    Can you spare one hour every Wednesday between 12.00 and 1.00 pm during term time from the beginning of March for two months? If so, would you be prepared to run the Rosary Club at St. Mary's School during my absence? Please contact Barbara Nichols for further details. "I do hope that somebody will come forward. The club will cease to run otherwise, which would be a great shame."

    NEW LIFE FOR YOUR UNWANTED ROSARIES

    An appeal for unwanted rosaries has been made by the Catenians. These are sent to third world countries and the Pacific islands. If you do have any please give them to the welcomers at the Sunday Masses, any member of the Catenians or the parish office

    ANNUAL MISSIO MASS

    Missio logoThe Parish of the Immaculate Conception has been honoured to be named at the venue for the 2015 Annual Missio Mass. This will be celebrated at 12.00 on Sunday, 12th July. More details nearer to the time. More about Missio and the work that they do on their website from where the following extract is taken:

    "Since 1922, Missio has been the Catholic Church's official charity for overseas mission. We bring the hope of the Gospel where there is turmoil, poverty and uncertainty in the world, and where the Church is new, young or poor. Missio empowers local people to form and sustain communities of faith and we train and nurture future leaders so that the vital work of the Church in the world can take place."

    SUNDAY COFFEE

    If any parishioners would like to join the coffee teams, please contact the parish office. The 11.00 a.m. are down to five teams and ideally we would like to recruit three more.

    100 CLUB

    100 clubRenewals for the next twelve months are due from 1st April with the first draw in the new financial year taking place on Sunday, 26th April. The annual fee is £60 per annum payable in full by cheque or monthly standing order. In the coming year there will be three prizes each month - £100, £50 and £25 with a bonus draw of a further £100 in December - and members of the Catenian Association will be present at each Mass on the first three weekends of April to accept renewed or new subscriptions. If you currently pay by Standing Order no further action is necessary. Please support this major Parish fund raiser if you possibly can and make it a real 100 Club in 2015/16. Thank you.

    February 100 Club winners: £100 - 29 - Conlon family, £50 - 73 - Ron and Lucy Weaver, £25 - 21 - Penny Haslam.

    CHURCH CLEANING

    We are very fortunate that, to date we have had a small number of dedicated men and women who regularly clean our church for us, some come after work, others are retired. However, we will be in desperate need of more cleaners to help clean the church in 2015. Currently teams clean once every 7 weeks for about 2-3 hours. Cleaning provides a good work out and is free, save money on expensive gym subscriptions! Please contact the parish office if you can help or need more details.

    SEEKERS/RCIA

    Are you thinking of becoming a Catholic? Are you supporting your children on the sacramental programme? Have you been away from the church and are nervous about coming back? If you would be interested in the next course starting in November then please contact Fr. John, Ron Weaver, or the parish office. Full programme here.

    PRAYER

    PRAY FOR THE SICK

    Your prayers are requested for the following who are sick: H Starrett , B Shepard, P Harris, F J Smith, G Newton, P Davies, C Busby, E Browne, E Cotter, J Hurst, L Lambert, F Ostrowski, S Clarke, P Lunney, J Fowler, J James, B & D Weaver, T Kirby, N Southey, A Connell, E Stonell, A McCambridge, M Smith, D Spiteri, J Calver, P Selwood, P Dean, J James, J O’Rourke, M Lewandowski, M May, A Davies, N Cahill, Mrs Curzon, B Hunt, J Calnan, C Brown, S Condon., C Burns, C Morgan, E Hawkins, M Starrett, E Batchelor, M Bokhari, K Cashman, R Admans, Sr. Mary Humbert, C B Corpus, Anna Kustra. Myrna Delos Saintos, Michael Jordan Murray, Imelda Cook.

    Heavenly Father, source of all healing, visit and heal your servants from all physical and spiritual ailments, through the grace of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

    Thought for the week:

    A hermit said, "All chatter is unnecessary. Nowdays everyone talks but what is neede is action. That is what God wants, not useless talking." (Anonymous)

    FORTHCOMING PARISH EVENTS IN THE JOHN PAUL II CENTRE.

    MARCH

    Monday, 9th March - 6.45 pm Youth group.

    Tuesday, 10th March - 8.00 pm RCIA talk on "The Last Things",

    Saturday, 14th March - 9.00 am First Holy Communion class for children attending non-Catholic schools.reminder 1

    7.30 pm - St. Patrick's Family Night. Tickets £12.50 (family), £5.00 (adult), £2.50 (children) now available from the parish office of St. Mary's School or after Sunday Masses.

    reminder 2Sunday, 15th March - After Sunday Masses, Mothering Sunday celebrations from 9.30 am until 11.00 am. £2.50 for coffee and croissant. Please buy tickets in advance, now on sale.

    Tuesday, 17th March - 8.00 pm RCIA talk on "The Role of the Laity",

    Friday, 20th March - 10.00 - 11.45 am Coffee morning. £2.00 includes Tea/coffee and home-made cakes. Everyone is welcome.

    Saturday, 21st March - 9.00 am First Holy Communion class for children attending non-Catholic schools.

    Tuesday, 24th March - 12.00 Monthly lunch

    8.00 pm RCIA recap and questions.

    APRIL

    Sunday, 5th April - After the 11.00 am Mass, drawing of the Easter Raffle. Tckets available from mid-February.

    Saturday, 18th April - 9.00 am An opportunity for parents of children preparing for their First Holy Communion to understand more about this Sacrament.

    carl and daveSaturday, 25th April - And now for something completely different, "Carl and Dave's Comedy Magic and Illusion Show". It is suitable for all age groups so put the date in your diaries now. It will be a terrific evening, More about them including a photograph gallery and testimonials of their past performances on their website.

    MAY

    Saturday, 8th May - 7.00 pm for a 7.30 pm start. Ukulele sing along evening with the Haddenham Ukulele Band. Tickets £5.00 from Oonagh or the parish office. More about the band on their website

    Saturday, 23rd May - 7.30 pm. Fr. John's Indian Cusine Evening.

    JUNE

    Saturday, 13th June - Summer Fete at St. Mary's School.

    Sunday, 21st June - 12.30pm Father's Day Celebration.

    JULY

    Sunday, 5th July - The Summer Family Festival.

    The John Paul II Centre now has its own website here

    SUNDAY COFFEE Come along for a coffee and meet new and old fellow parishioners after 9.00 am and 11.00 am Masses this weekend and every Sunday in the in the main hall downstairs of The John Paul II Centre. Come along...all welcome!

    MASS ATTENDANCE LAST WEEKEND

    Saturday 6.00 pm 163
    Sunday 9.00 am 170
    Sunday 11.00 am 174
    Total: 507 devout Christian souls

    REGULAR FEATURES

    PATTAYA TRUST

    Donations of wool for blankets for children in Thailand are needed. Please deliver to Ann Swanson or to Sonia Drury or to the back of the church. Thank you for all the wool donated so far

    VOTIVE LIGHTS

    The votive lights in Our Lady's Chapel are now £1 each. Those in front of the statues of the Sacred Heart and St. Joseph are now 50p. Please put your donations in the wall collection box next to Our Lady's Chapel.

    PRESENTATION ASSOCIATES

    Meet on the first Wednesday of each month.

    TRAIDCRAFT

    tradecraftTraidcraft is a Christian response to poverty, established in 1979 to fight poverty through trade. By buying these products you can help craft workers and farmers across Africa, Asia and Latin America to build a better future for themselves, for their families and for their communities. As well as goods on the stall you can order additional items through the catalogue, or buy online at Tradecraft For further information, please contact Ann Poole. Please also visit the Traidcraft pages on this website.

    "My children, our love is not just to be words or mere talk, but something real and active." 1 John 3: 18.

    BAPTISMAL PREPARATION

    Fr. John would like to meet all parents requesting the Sacrament of Baptism for their children. An application form is available for download here or can be collected from the Parish Office. Please e-mail Fr. John or the Parish Office to arrange an appointment.

    PREPARATION FOR THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY

    If you are planning to get married either within The Parish of the Immaculate Conception or elsewhere, please use one of the forms below to make contact with the Parish Office. Thank you.

    Sacrament of Matrimony application form (PDF file will open in a new window)

    'Out of parish' Sacrament of Matrimony application form (PDF file will open in a new window)

    BATTHULA CARE TRUST
    Batthula Trust logio

    This is a charity started by Rev. Fr. John Batthula to raise funds to help poor families in India. The funds are used for a wide range of activities such as building homes for a Leper colony, purchasing books and educational equipment for impoverished schools, helping the aged and much more. More on their website.

    PRINTED BULLETIN NOTICES

    Please note that the deadline for notices to be included in the weekly bulletin is 3.00 pm of the Thursday of each week.

    PIETY STALL

    The piety stall will now be available once a month in the porch after 9.00 am & 11.00 am Mass. Volunteers are requested to help run the stall after 6.00 pm Mass on Saturday evenings and 11.00 am mass on Sundays. More volunteers are urgently needed to help run the stall. Please contact the parish office if you can help.

    MISSION BOXES/APF
    APF

    Thank you to all the red box holders. Please remember to regularly empty your boxes and deliver the contents to the Parish Office or to the welcomers at the Sunday Masses. Please remember to include your name when making your donation. Empty boxes can be found in the church porch. More about the work of the APF here.

    MASS INTENTIONS

    Please use the Mass offering envelopes at the back of the church. These can be posted through the door of the presbytery or given to the welcomers. Please be sure to give plenty of notice if specific dates are require

    WEEKLY SCRIPTURE GROUP

    Meets every Thursday between 8.00 and 9.30 pm to reflect on the forhcoming Sunday readings. For further information, please contact Nick or Clare StJohn.

    PARISH OFFICE

    The parish office is located on the first floor of The John Paul II Centre. If the main doors are closed, then please press the buzzer located near the doors and wait for a member of staff to respond. When you exit the building please ensure that the door is fully closed. Office hours are 9.00 am to 3.00 pm, Monday to Friday. The telephone number is 01869 253 277.

    BABY AND TODDLER GROUP

    Meets every Thursday from 9.15 am to 10.45 am in the Presentation Convent during term-time. Come along or Contact the parish office. More details

    WANTED

    Do you have any old photographs of parish life, the church (Priory Road or The Causeway), St. Mary’s School, etc. that could go into a parish archive? If so, please could you deliver these to the parish office marked with your name. These will be scanned and returned to you. Thank you. A selection of older photographs can be seen here

    ROSARY WEBSITE

    This website has been set up by a parishioner. Please take a look on therosary3.com which takes you to a quiet place within; away from the noise and din of life, and all its distractions into the presence of God.