News and Events
Confirmations 2025: Registration is now open for next year’s confirmation classes. As usual, the classes will take place at the cathedral but the confirmation Mass will be at St Walstan’s. The link to the online registration form is https://www.sjbcathedral.org.uk/registration-for-the-first-holy-communion-and-confirmation-programmes-2024-25-is-now-open/
Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion 2025: We are welcoming applications from those who wish their child to prepare for the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in 2025. If your child will be 7 years old or over in June 2025, please contact Julia Murphy via email – Boot2982@outlook.com , as soon as possible for an application form. The programme will start in January 2025. Closing date for applications is Sunday 29 September 2024.
Census: It is nine years since we took the parish census and so it is time to do it again, especially with the parish mission coming up early next year. There will be time to fill out the census forms during both weekend Masses on October 12th & 13th. Forms will also be sent by email to all on the parish list in case you are absent that week. We will be starting the new census from scratch so please complete a new form even if you have filled one in recently. Could Ministers of the Eucharist who take communion to the housebound also take forms to those they visit, please?
House Blessings: On the recent questionnaire, a few people asked about having their house blessed. This can be arranged by contacting Fr David (email address & phone number are on the front of the newsletter).
Bereavement Leaflet: If you or someone you know has been bereaved you may like to pick up from the porch one of the leaflets produced by our parish bereavement group. It contains contact details of several agencies that can help along with the phone numbers of parishioners who will be happy for you to get in touch and talk.
Confessions: If you are unable to make one of the regular times (Wednesday 6.00-6.30pm & Saturday 10.30-11.00am) you can always make an appointment with Fr David to meet either in the Presbytery or at your home.
Adoration: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, ending with simple Benediction, takes place every Thursday morning from the end of the morning Mass until 10.00am.
Altar Servers: If you are over the age of 8 and have already made your First Communion, why not join our band of altar servers? You can join either team – Saturday 6.00pm or Sunday 10.30am – and full training will be given, along with a very smart cassock and cotta! If you want more information, please speak to Father David, Deacon Bill, or one of our MCs – Stephen Newton & Christopher Potter.
Union of Catholic Mothers: Calling all ladies – the UCM has been serving the parish for nearly 50 years, and to survive we need more ladies to join us. Young, old, single, or married, everyone is welcome. We meet in the Garden Room at 10.45am on the first Tuesday of the month.
Hospital Visits: If you or any member of your family is admitted to the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital and would like to have a visit from a Catholic priest, please inform the staff on the ward and ask them to contact the chaplaincy department in the hospital with the request.
Foodbank: With prices rising, donations to food banks have been falling. Remember that we have a basket in the church porch for donations.
‘Gift Aid – the good way to give to your Church’
Gift Aid is an arrangement that allows charities, including churches, to reclaim tax on donations made by a taxpayer. It covers weekly giving as well as one-off donations.
This means that every donation you make is worth 25% more to your Church, at no cost to you. For example, if you donate £20, we will be able to reclaim £5 on your donation from the government, meaning the Church gets £20 from you and £5 from the government. If you’re already paying tax on earnings, pensions or income/capital gains from investments, the government simply gives back to the Church some of the tax you have already paid. We don’t need to know your personal details such as income, nor your National Insurance number. Your donations will qualify as long as they’re not more than 4 times the tax you have paid in that tax year (6 April to 5 April).
All you have to do is complete a simple form called a Gift Aid Declaration with your name and address. Please help us to make the most of this scheme to benefit our Church.