News

Martin Stebbings, on behalf of Group 17 writes:- “This Easter, I will be travelling to Lourdes with HCPT Group 117, whose helpers come from across A&B, including Crawley, Reigate, Merstham and Horley. I would be very happy to take prayer petitions or intentions from parishioners. If you would like me to carry an intention to the Grotto on your behalf, please feel free to pass it on. This year our group includes several sponsored pilgrims whose needs are considerable, and for whom the Lourdes experience can be profoundly healing and joyful. They include Daniel who is 8 and is recovering from leukaemia, Alex who is 9 and is autistic, George, who is 26 and has cerebral palsy and Jemil who is 24 who has a congenital condition meaning he requires 24-hour care. To support these pilgrims in being able to get to and access all Lourdes has to offer, with Fr Ian’s permission, I have set up a JustGiving page. Any contribution—no matter how small—would be received with real gratitude. I completely understand that times are tough, and our own parish already does so much, so please know that there is no expectation whatsoever—your prayers are what we need most of all. However, if anyone does feel able to help, the link to the page is here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/martin-stebbings-2?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL Please keep all our pilgrims in your prayers, and be assured of mine for you when I travel to Lourdes at Easter. Thank you .  Martin Stebbings

We are currently exploring the possibility of starting a Youth Group for teenagers at St Joseph’s. Our hope is to create a safe, welcoming, and engaging space where young people can build friendships, develop a sense of community, and grow spiritually. To help shape this initiative, we kindly invite parents of teenagers to complete a short survey (approximately 5 minutes). Your input will help us understand interest, age groups, and the most suitable meeting times. Survey closes at 10 pm on Monday 23rd February. Thank you very much for your time and support.  https://forms.gle/wbcb6vMi1wZ89BJx8

The programme is open to everyone, but especially those who wish to know more about the Catholic faith with a view to becoming a Catholic. Our programme continues after the half term break, on Monday 23rd February , when we give thought to Jesus as Saviour, which is distinct from His work and Mission as Redeemer. We begin at 7.30 and all are welcome.

Will run on a Tuesday morning from 11 am for about an hour as of 24th Feb . This Lent we will follow the booklet entitled ‘We dare to ask’ which ‘comprises of five sessions which reflect on the Baptismal promises we make or renew at Easter. Accompanied by beautiful sacred art, the sessions include passages of Holy Scripture, prayer and reflective meditations to explore how our baptism is not only rooted within God’s plan of salvation but also a calling to a new way of life.’

An opportunity for parents with small children to have a shared lunch and to talk about more than sleep or the lack thereof! It will take place on Sunday 22nd February, from 12 mid-day . Any parents with younger children are invited to come along, bring some food etc to share for this very informal opportunity to meet and talk.

PARISH REPOSITORY / BOOK STALL : - Is something perhaps, which we take for granted in the church narthex, but which has been looked after and managed for many years by one person with assistance from others. Given the passage of time, it would be appreciated if a couple of people would assist in learning of how to manage and order items for the repository with a view to taking on the role in due time. If you would be willing to help withs, please e-mail the parish office with your details, which will then be passed on to the current manager. Many thanks.

Our thanks to all those of you who contribute to the parish through the ‘Gift Aid Scheme’ by whatever means. As you may be aware, for every declare £1.00 contributed by a tax-payer to the parish as part of a Registered Charity, generates a further 25 pence, so your £4.00 becomes £5.00 at no extra cost to you. As we approach a new tax year, and if you are a tax-payer contributing to the parish and are not in the gift aid scheme, might we encourage you to join it, please? Many thanks.

If you haven’t already done so, but would still like to commit to praying a decade of the Rosary each day during February, then please do put your initial or a tick in one of the boxes on the ‘Rosary Circle’ chart in the church porch.  The ‘Chart’ lists the 20 decades of the Rosary and a number of columns for people to put their initial or a tick in a box to indicate they will commit to praying the particular decade each day for the month of February, and hopefully, this will create a number of ‘circles’ praying for this intention. This is a very simple spiritual exercise many of us could join in with; at least 20 people praying one decade of the Rosary each day, so the whole of the Rosary is prayed for this particular intention, thus creating a ‘Rosary Circle’. Let it be said, however, that anyone can join the Rosary Circles at any time.

Begins on Wednesday, 18th February, so we should be thinking and praying about what to do during this penitential season, both for our own conversion, to conform ourselves more readily to the person of Christ Jesus, but also for the conversion of the world. Perhaps rather than giving things up we should take things on! Should we be giving things up for Lent, we should not make our abstinence someone else’s penance! This means that if giving something up is going to make us miserable and unbearable for others, then we should do something else. Of course, in our modern era, we might give up 'social media', computer gaming or 'window shopping' on the internet and give that time to the Lord in prayer or the corporeal works of mercy! If we are giving things up, food, drink, the commercial coffee, the bought sandwich,(which could be made at home) the money saved should be given to charity, and thereby become 'a more pleasing offering to the Lord'. Remember, our Lenten self-denial is not about losing weight or improving our lung or liver function, but it is about uniting ourselves with the Passion of our Lord and making an effort to conform ourselves more fully to His person. Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence, i.e. no meat or indulgent food, simply enough for the day. During Lent there will be Stations of the Cross on Friday evening at 7.00 pm . The Lent CAFOD family fast day is on February 27th.