Tag: easter

Sixth Week of Easter

Thursday of this week marks the Ascension of the Lord. In the Nicene creed it is described as “He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father” It marks the end of Jesus’ historical physical life and the beginning of a far-reaching, all pervasive presence unlimited by time or location. We who believe are given the promise that we shall one day share his glory”. There are now nine days of preparation for Pentecost.

Mass Schedule

  • Sunday 10th May 10am Sixth Sunday of Easter
  • Monday 11th May 8:15am St Mary’s House
  • Tuesday 12th May 9:30am Carthusian Martyrs’ Mass
  • Thursday 14th May 9:30am and 7pm Ascension Day – Holy Day of Obligation
  • Friday 15th May 9:30am
  • Sunday 17th May 10am Seventh Sunday of Easter

Pope LeoXIV’s First Anniversary

Please read this message from Archbishop Richard Moth

The Carthusian Martyrs

At Mass on Tuesday we will remember the courage of the monks from the London Charthouse taken to the gallows at Tyburn. It is said St Thomas More saw them being taken from the Tower to their martyrdom under Henry the eighth.

England’s remaining Charterhouse, St Hugh’s, is just up the road from Henfield to Cowfold.

The Life of Christ

Discover the wonder of Jesus’ life with an unforgettable event for all the family. The Life of Christ is a play like no other, placing you in the middle of an immersive theatre experience. Join over a hundred actors in the stunning grounds of Wintershall Estate as this magnificent story is movingly recreated with authentic detail in an epic open-air production. Watch the Wedding in Cana, the Feeding of the 5000 and the Last Supper unfold before your eyes. It’s the perfect day out for families, faith groups, theatre lovers and schools.

Tickets can be booked at  https://www.wintershall.org.uk/event/life-of-christ/    

World Communications Day

Next Sunday with retiring collection/ Dona card machine.

Message From The Diocesan Administrator

My dear brothers and sisters,

It’s become a regular Sunday evening ‘thing’ for me to flick through parish websites and social media platforms to get a glimpse of the life of our communities of faith.  How blessed we are to be in such good company with one another in our discipleship of Jesus and in our service of the Gospel.  I recently spent a week in Rome with the Bishops of England and Wales, amongst whom there was much talk of, and encouraging interest in our Diocesan Pastoral Plan.  I know that, across the Diocese, you are working closely with your priests and deacons to help realise the beautiful vision Bishop (Archbishop) Richard set out for us in ’The Word Who is Life’.

I pray for you all daily.  I’m especially mindful of the people of the parishes in which I have been privileged to serve;  of the specific needs, sorrows, and joys marking the life of our parish communities in any given week;  and of those whose names appear in your newsletters by reason of receiving the Sacraments, or in sickness or bereavement, and the souls of those of our number who have died.  All of these prayers I gather together in the Mass I am asked to offer each Sunday ‘for all the people of the Diocese’.  Please pray for me;  and keep praying, each day, for the election of a new Bishop for our Diocese.

God bless you all.

Father Jonathan Martin

Diocesan Administrator

Prayer For Vocations

During the Month of May keep up our prayers for vocations to Priesthood.

His glory still praising

On thrice holy ground

The apostles still gazing

His mother around

With hearts that beat faster

With eyes full of love

they watched while their

Master ascended above.

No. 493 Venerable Bede

Holy Week

The forty days seem to have gone quickly and we may be saying what have they meant for us? The small efforts, the moments of prayer, the acts of reaching out, the returns or turn arounds, the moments of growth and so… you name them.

After the time of preparation of Lent we now come to the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem where he faces his destiny. In the last 3 days or Triduum we recall in slow motion what he says, what he does and what he goes through and it is up to each one to understand more fully why.

Our Holy Week Schedule

  • Sunday 29th March 10am Palm Sunday Of The Passion, The blessing of Palms, the procession and the Passion of Jesus from St Matthew’s Gospel
  • Tuesday 31st March 9:30am Mass
  • Wednesday 1st April 9:30am Mass
  • Wednesday 1st April 6pm The Chrism Mass in Arundel Cathedral. All welcome or you can livestream. The renewal of Priestly Promises and the blessing of the oils used in the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders and for those seriously ill.
  • Thursday 2nd April 7pm Maundy Thursday, The Mass of the Lord’s Supper and the new Commandment
  • At the end of Mass the Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the Chapel and there is “watching”, silent praying, – as did Jesus and Apostles in the Mount of Olives or Gethsemane until 9pm
  • Friday 3rd April Good Friday 10am Way of The Cross in church
  • Friday 3rd April Good Friday 10am – 11am Walk of Witness – from India Gate (Pavilion Gardens) to St Nicholas’ church by Christians of Brighton and Hove
  • Friday 3rd April Good Friday 3pm – The Passion Of The Lord and Veneration Of The Cross
  • Saturday 4th April Holy Saturday 7pm The Easter Vigil and Mass Of The Resurrection
  • Sunday 5th April 10am Easter Sunday Mass

Easter is celebrated as The Easter Octave

Practical Notes

The palms will first be blessed and then handed out.

Good Friday is a Day of Fasting & Abstinence

Do join in the crowd parts of the Passion Reading

A collecting Basket will be on a table for the Holy Places in the Holy Land under prevailing war conditions -AM & PM

Holy Saturday. Candles with drip trays to be picked up on arrival and for a light from the Paschal Candle to gradually be shared.

Three Films Explaining Holy Week

Do take time to watch three short videos by three of our priests describing the Three Days of Holy Week

Fifth Week Of Lent

As we commence the final days of Lent we are encouraged to intensify our spiritual practices – prayer, almsgiving and fasting.

The last two sound unusual. What can they mean ? Almsgiving is described as generosity -for example, if we are able, giving a gift, some time or a kind response to another. We could think how we give of ourselves may be to appeals such as the Disaster appeal following the earthquakes or the refugee fund or the foodbank bin in your Superstore. Then there is fasting which is when we make a conscious decision to take less, to reduce or to withhold what we may eat or drink, Self denial or saying no to oneself.

In appreciating what we are remembering the Scriptures tell us of the growing opposition to Jesus and his realisation of what is to happen.

Pastoral Letter – 6th April 2025 – 5th Sunday of LentDownload

The Pastoral Message From The Bishops of England and Wales

The Terminally ill adults end of life Bill will come up for a vote towards the end of April. You can pick up from the media the ways in which this is being promoted , by articles, stories, comparisons with other countries, Provision for Palliative Care and the Hospices does not receive the same support. Those of you who have already written to our local MPs now know their attitudes.

The Bishops’ Message concludes “We too press on with this struggle important in our times.”

The Not Dead Yet group have mad available cards to be sent with a stamp to our MPs.

The Jubilee For People Who Are Unwell, People Who Experience Disability, And People With Caring Responsibilities

Through this Jubilee Year each month there is a particular group celebrating different categories. This afternoon there will be a special Mass with the Sacrament of the Anointing  at 3pm In St Mary’s. Some of our housebound will be there.

Mass Schedule

  • Sunday 6th April 10am 5th of Lent
  • Sunday 6th April 3pm St Mary’s Church Mass with Sacrament of the Sick
  • Monday 7th April 8:15am St Mary’s House
  • Wednesday 9th April 9:30am
  • Friday 11th April 9:30am
  • Sunday 13th April 10am Palm Sunday, blessing of palms, and procession

The Contactless Machine

This is now working for your offertory donation

The Sacrament of Reconciliation

A timely reminder of Christ’s constant offer to seek forgiveness and the joy of hearing words of pardon and peace.

Sunday 2pm St Mary’s.

At times by arrangement

Saturday 11am

Holy Week

  • Sunday 13th April 10am Palm Sunday of the Passion
  • Monday 14th April 8:15am St Mary’s House
  • Tuesday 15th April 9:30am
  • Wednesday 16th April 9:30am
  • Wednesday 16th April The Chrism Mass, Arundel Cathedral
  • Thursday 17th April 7pm The Mass of The Lord’s Supper
  • Friday 18th April 10am Way of The Cross
  • Friday 18th April 3pm Celebration Of The Passion Of The Lord
  • Saturday 19th April 8pm The Easter Vigil St Mary’s Church
  • Sunday 20th April 10am Easter Sunday Mass
My song is love unknown
My Saviour's love to me
Love to the loveless shown
That they might lovely be
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take frail flesh and die

Fifth Week of Easter

The Season is rushing by, and Thursday week (May 9th) will be Ascension Thursday, a Holyday of Obligation. We have another image used by Jesus, one understood by the Chosen People, and one we can easily grasp. It reminds us to find strength by adhering to Jesus, like a branch attached to its stem. Every now and then it is good to ask ourselves how we are developing our understanding of the Faith and what it means for our sense of membership. There is a regular reminder as we pray the Eucharistic Prayer with parts  such as “that we may become on body one spirit in Christ”, in union of mind and heart with Pope Francis and our shepherd, Bishop Richard.

‘Intricately Woven By The Lord’ – from the Bishops of England & Wales

A Pastoral reflection on gender by the Bishops. With all the media comments and hype, a calm informative document to inform the discussions in which we may be involved, to read please click here.

Mass Schedule

  • Sunday 28th April 10am 5th Sunday of Easter
  • Monday 29th April, St Mary’s House St Catherine of Siena (Patron of Europe)
  • Wednesday 9:30am St Joseph The Worker
  • Friday 3rd May 9:30am St Philip & St James (Apostles)
  • Sunday 5th May 10am 6th Sunday of Easter

Praying For Vocations

We continue praying for responses to vocations to Priesthood. Praying for the families from which will come future candidates.

Do you ever talk about his at home? Do you ever pray about it ?

Please equip yourself with a prayer card and a leaflet.

Read what Pope Francis says to us here.

SVP & CAFOD

In preparation for a General Election, the SVP and CAFOD are to equip Catholics to question candidates about tackling issues of poverty and injustice.

CAFOD’S SUDAN CRISIS APPEAL

You can read more about this appeal and donate here. You can also donate cash to the wall box in the entrance.

Catch Up

Peter Cropp has received the Benemerenti Medal for his long commitment to the SVP, including managing of gift aid in the Parish. Well done! There was a tribute to Hilda Searle’s involvement in the Parish, her charitable activities with the SVP and her fidelity to the Mass. Thank you to those able to attend her Requiem.

Memorial Bench

The Family of Rita and Melville Smith RIP have kindly donated a bench for the courtyard in their memory. It is awaiting a plaque to dedicate it.

Polling Station

On Thursday it is the election for the Police & Crime Commissioner. Remember to bring Photo ID when you come to vote.

Saints of the Week

  • St Catherine of Siena who was influential in bringing the Pope back from Avignon to Rome
  • St Joseph the Worker, the carpenter who reminds us of the value of work
  • SS Philip and James – Apostles

New Lectionary to be introduced from Advent 2024

From 1st December this year a new lectionary will be introduced in England and Wales. More information about this can be found here

St George Patron of England

St George appeared to have received very little publicity this week.

Leader, now on earth no longer
Soldier of the eternal King
Victor in the fight for heaven
We thy loving praise sing

Great Saint George our patron
Help us, in the conflict be thou nigh,
Help us in that daily battle,
Where each one must live or die.

No. 414

The Third Sunday of Easter

Following the Emmaus Story and the Thomas incident this week we have another post resurrection moment when the disciples like ourselves are called to be witnesses to the Risen Christ. It is an encouragement for us to reflect on the description of a Parish on the first pages of the Pastoral Plan documents.

Human Dignity

You may have heard the Thought for the Day on Friday by a Catholic Catherine Pepinster. It can be found here. It focussed on a recent Declaration from the Congregation for the Faith . You can read Bishop Richard’s brief summary here and read the full Declaration here.

Vocations Day of Prayer

Next Sunday is Vocations Sunday, a Day of Prayer for Vocations. This is not an easy subject because of the mentality of the time. There is also the annual collection for the six year’s training for future priests.

The Word of Life Leaflet for April

Copies of the leaflet are in the entrance for you to keep handy for reflection on the scripture text with prayer and effort to make it part of your spiritual life and attitude.

Mass Schedule

  • Sunday 14th April Mass 10am
  • Monday 15th April St Mary’s Convent 8.15am
  • Wednesday 17th April Eastertide Mass 9.30am
  • Friday 19th April Eastertide Mass 9.30am
  • Saturday 20th April HMP Lewes Mass 8.30am
  • 4th Sunday of Easter (21st April) Mass 10am

Requiem Mass

A Requiem Mass for Hilda Searle (RIP) will be celebrated at 2pm on Tuesday 23rd April.

External Information

May 2nd Polling Day. Remember to bring photo ID when you come to vote.

B&H advice on avoiding falls and information on activities to strengthen mobility – leaflets are available in the porch.

Paschal Prayer To Our Lady

Queen of heaven, rejoice alleluia.
For he whom you were worthy to bear alleluia,
Has risen as he said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia,
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
For the Lord has risen indeed, alleluia!
 
Let us pray.
O God, who through the resurrection of your Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ, did vouchsafe to give joy to the world :
Grant, we beseech you, that through His Mother, the Virgin Mary, we may obtain
the joys of everlasting life, 
Through the same Christ Our Lord.
Amen