St. Edmund Campion Parish, Maidenhead

Readings

	First Reading		Deuteronomy 26:4-10		Offering the firsts fruits of harvest, they give thanks to God.
	Responsorial Psalm		Psalm 90: 1-2, 10-15		R./: Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
	Second Reading		Epistle to the Romans 10:8-13		The core of our credo is that Jesus is our Saviour and Lord.
	Gospel		Luke 4:1-13		Jesus was tempted like we are, but he did not sin.

 

Mass Intentions

	Friday 7th March			10am		David Oliver		RIP, whose funeral is today
	Friday 7th			10am		Patrick Wall		RIP AN
	Saturday 8th			6:15pm		Pat Molloy		RIP
	Saturday 8th			6:15pm		Gianni Sartorio		RIP
	Sunday 9th			11:15am		Ann & Pat O'Connor		SI
	Sunday 9th			11:15am		Johan Hirth		RIP AN
	Saturday 15th			6:15pm		Winnie Ripley & Evelyn Quinn		RIP

 

HOUSE BLESSING: House blessings (also known as house healings, house clearings, house cleansings and space clearing) are rites intended to protect the inhabitants of a house or apartment. It is also there asking God’s protection and blessing upon each member of the family. In Christianity, house blessing is an ancient tradition dating back to the early days, that is usually performed by a priest who sprinkles holy water and blessed salt as he walks through every room of the house, accompanied by the occupants of the house, whilst praying for the occupants. If you would like your home/apartment/room blessed, then please contact one of the priests and a time and date can be arranged. The blessing ritual takes about 20 minutes, and it is lovely if all occupants of the home are present.

ARE YOU NEW TO OUR PARISH? Thank you for your interest in our parish. Whether you're just visiting us for a brief time, looking for a new parish home, returning to the practice of your Catholic faith or are interested in finding out more about the Catholic Church, we are happy to answer your questions, listen to your comments and help you in any way that we can. We are a parish of the Diocese of Portsmouth, and are a very vibrant community, made up of ‘old’ Maidenhead families and relative “newcomers” from all walks of life. We hope that you find our Catholic parish a caring community that is loving, welcoming and supportive of all. Our mission is to grow in the image of Christ through the Holy Spirit, to be formed by the Word and our prayer, to use our gifts to welcome those who are here and reach out to those who are not. We invite you to join us as partners in the mission. Together, let us get to know Christ better and to make Him better known. May God Bless you wherever you are and thank you for exploring our website and newsletter. Please stop by the parish office to introduce yourself! We would love to meet you.

FIRST FRIDAY: The First Friday of the month is traditionally a time when a priest visits a home to anoint anyone who is house bound, with holy oil, and to administer the sacrament of Holy Communion. The parish has several people on this list. If indeed, you or someone you know would like a visit from a priest, then please contact Fr. Liam, Fr. Ephraim or Fr. Tom.

FIRST FRIDAY HEALING MASS These special Masses will take place on:

• Friday 4^th April 10am at St. Joseph’s; 7pm at St. Edmund Campion Church; 10am St Thomas More, Twyford

• Friday 2^nd May 10am at St. Joseph’s; 7pm at St. Edmund Campion Church; 10am St Thomas More, Twyford

WHAT IS A HEALING MASS?

Healing Masses are opportunities to directly seek physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual healing. These Masses include a homily that is focused on healing, prayers of the faithful that are directly asking God to heal us, and prayers after communion that are prayed by the Priest to help facilitate greater healing in our lives.

The Mass is the most powerful way that we can seek healing as Christians. Jesus is present in the Mass through the Scriptures, through giving Himself to us in His Body and His Blood, and through our worship of Him. He is the one who heals us. The Mass helps to facilitate the healing that Jesus wants to give to all of us.

BAPTISMAL COURSE The Baptismal Course is available for all Parents whose child is being Baptised at either St Joseph’s, St Elizabeth’s or St Edmund Campion. The course is a 90 minute preparation and guidance. It is held at St Joseph’s the first Tuesday of the month at 7pm. The next meetings are:

• Tuesday 1^st April 2025
• Tuesday 6^th May 2025

DIOCESAN NEWSLETTER: The Diocesan Mailing is produced every week and contains news, training opportunities and events from around the diocese and wider Catholic Church. The weekly newsletter is designed to bring you the latest information and events, straight to your email inbox. We try to keep it short and sweet (though, occasionally we can't help but get carried away with a great story or a brilliant opportunity). Click or go to the following site to sign up: www.portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

House Masses/Blessings: Father Liam is more than happy to celebrate a House Mass or a House Blessing for any family or group of families who would like it. If you are interested, then please email Father Liam or telephone the Parish Office.

Contact: If you wish to speak to Father Liam in confidence on any matter, please contact him for an appointment. He is always happy to visit your home if so desired. Email: lcummins@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk Telephone: 07776580596

Hospital: If you are going into hospital or know or someone that is, please inform the hospital chaplain on arrival. Please also let Father Liam know so that arrangements can be made for a visit. Please note that under the Data Protection Act, hospital staff cannot disclose patient information. We rely on Parishioners to keep us in the loop.

Housebound: If you know of anyone who is sick and/or housebound please let Ruth (Parish Office) or Father Liam know so that a visit can be arranged.

TRANSPORT TO MASS We are aware that some parishioners are having difficulty in finding transport for weekend Mass. If those parishioners could identify which Masses they would prefer to attend, then an effort will be made to organise a lift. Likewise, if you can offer a lift to fellow parishioners, who live locally to you, then we can match the needs on a register that will be held in the Parish Office. Any queries, please contact John Lynn 07931 292934

SAVE THE DATE SUNDAY 22^nd JUNE 2025 Holy Family Parish of Maidenhead and Twyford Picnic & Open Air Mass

NEW MASS TIME From 9^th March until Pentecost, there will be a 5pm Sunday evening Mass in St Joseph’s

RITE OF ELECTION: Saturday 8^th March 11am, The Rite of Election will take place at Portsmouth Cathedral. Catechumens and Candidates from all over the Diocese will gather to be formally enrolled for Reception into the Catholic Church, which will take place at the Easter Vigil 19^th April. We have five adults in the process of being received into the Catholic Church and becoming full initiated members of our community of St. Edmund Campion. Please pray for them.

SEDER MEAL 29^th March in the evening at St Edmund Campion School This is a lovely opportunity to learn about the Passover meal and Last Supper and to enjoy a simple but celebratory meal with friends. We are able to offer tickets at £20 per head with thanks to Cowdery’s of Cookham who have subsidised the meat for the evening.  Please bring cash for your ticket or pay via contactless machine in the church porch. Please note the Seder meal will contain nuts. We can arrange for a vegetarian meat substitute please let us know if you would like this option when purchasing your ticket. We are urgently collecting empty Gu desert pots or ramekins for the Seder Meal.  If you have some that you can donate please take them to the church office.  Any questions, please contact Deb 07766245144

Lent is a Sacred Season helping you slow down, seek still moments, and behold God’s presence with you in the everyday.

THE HOLY SEASON OF LENT: What is Lent? Lent, the solemn 40-day period before Easter, holds profound significance in the Catholic Church and other Christian traditions. Starting on Ash Wednesday and concluding on Holy Thursday, it is a season of penitence and preparation. The three traditional pillars of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Through the three pillars of Lent we journey to develop a closer relationship to God. The 40 days of Lent should be filled with reflection, service and prayer. Lent is an invitation to reflect, repent, and renew one's commitment to living a life of faith, ultimately leading to the joyful celebration of Easter. This year 2025, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5^th and concludes on Holy Thursday, April 17^th. The evening of April 17^th, we begin the Holy Season of the Easter Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, Easter Sunday.

DAILY READING Something for Lent: to read a bit of the gospel every day. Pray your own favourite gospels. Read the gospel to the children. We look to the word of God to build us up as God’s children and community and find strength to use all in the service of God and others in love.

National Novena to St Joseph 10^th – 18^th March in St Joseph’s Church

The Feast of St Joseph is celebrated on the 19^th March. Mass Times: Mon-Sat: 10am; Sun: 11am and 5pm. There will also be daily evening prayer in Church at 7pm. If you wish to fill in a petition during the Novena, you can find petition slips in the church. Just place your petition slip in the petition box with any donations. Please join the Mill Hill Missionaries in this important novena

SIGNIFICANT WEDDING ANNIVERSARY MASS Saturday 21^st June at 11am St Bede’s church in Basingstoke. Are you celebrating a 25^th, 30^th, 40^th, 50^th, 60^th or anniversary over 60 years? If so, Bishop Philip would like to invite you to a Mass of celebration. This will be followed by a buffet lunch. It is a wonderful occasion to celebrate and witness to Marriage. Please contact the parish office or send an email to anniversaries@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk to request a form for you to complete and return. To help celebrate the occasion please could you provide a COPY of your Wedding photograph, you can upload it when you return the form. Again, if you have no access to the internet you can post a COPY along with completed form by post to the following address: St Bede’s Parish Office, Popley Way, Basingstoke, RG24 9DX

LENTEN PROJECT 2025 (March 5^th to April 17^th): Thank you, once again, to all those who submitted proposals for our Lenten projects for this year. After careful consideration of them all, the PPC has decided that this year we will concentrate our effort on supporting the following 4 local charities:

· St. Edmund Campion Primary School www.st-edmund.org.uk

· SVP (St. Vincent de Paul Society) www.stedmundcampion.org.uk/svdepaul

· DASH - They provide specialist support to adults and children experiencing mental health issues, modern slavery, immigration, trafficking, homelessness and complex needs associated with Domestic Abuse, empowering them to live a life beyond crisis and ensuring their voices are heard. All in our local area. www.thedashcharity.org.uk

· Thames Hospice www.thameshospice.org.uk

There will be second collection each weekend at the end of Mass and other concerts and activities throughout this season. Please support such good charities and causes.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Saturday 15^th March 5pm at St Edmund Campion Church

SVP MAIDENHEAD are in need of adult and children bicycles for the asylum seekers. If you upgraded any bikes over Christmas, please consider donating your old bike to us. For more information, please contact the Parish Office. We are still collecting clothes, toys and toiletries. Please check the SVP noticeboard for meeting dates and other updates.

ST EDMUND CAMPION NURSERY:

• Nursery Admissions The nursery is currently receiving applications for the academic year 2025-26, children born between 1^st April 2022 and 31^st March 2023 can attend our nursery when they turn 3 years old. Places will be allocated this March. The SIF is available on the school website: https://www.st-edmund.org.uk/admissions-1/ Contact Mrs Powell if you want to arrange a visit. Tel 01628 639891 nursery@st-edmund.org.uk
• Nursery Cleaner - We are looking for a cleaner to work 2 hours in the nursery Monday to Friday from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM or afternoons from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Please contact Mrs Powell alma.powell@st-edmund.org.uk.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:

• EASTER LITURGY to lead the Easter Sacristan Group. Preparing the church for the Easter services in the period from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday and liaising with the Liturgy Group. Please contact Kathy on 07935937875. A full handover will be provided and the existing 3 group members will continue to assist.
• FIRE MARSHAL 9 people minimum to be trained as Fire Marshalls for the Parish, 3 for each weekend Mass. Ideally we would have a rota so holidays etc are covered. Fire extinguisher/marshal training 25^th March 10:45am in St Joseph’s. Please email the office/let Ruth know if you can volunteer for this role.
• SACRISTAN for weekday Masses. Please contact the office if you can volunteer for this role.

LENTEN SOUP LUNCH every Thursday during Lent, 12pm-2pm in the Parish Centre. If you are able to contribute a pot of soup, home baking, bread or butter, please contact Ruth in the Parish Office. All money donated will go to the Lenten Project.

CAFOD Lent Appeal – Family Fast Day collection 14^th March Please donate to our Family Fast Day parish collection and be a pilgrim of hope with CAFOD this Jubilee Year. You’ll be supporting communities experiencing the impacts of war, poverty and climate change to find solutions and hope. Use the CAFOD envelope in church, donate online at cafod.org.uk/envelope or call us on 0303 303 3030. You can also text CAFODLENT to 70085 to donate £10.

CATECHISTS LENT DAYS OF PRAYER, FORMATION AND NETWORKING The Vicariate for Evangelisation will be hosting three online events during Lent for Catechists across the diocese. These events offer a chance to connect with other catechists, share experiences, and find inspiration to hand on the faith in our parishes. Each event will begin at 7:30 PM and last for one hour. Catechists can choose from the three events based on their area of catechesis:

Thursday 13^th March (Children’s Liturgy and First Holy Communion)

Thursday 20^th March (Marriage Preparation and Baptism)

Thursday 3^rd April (Confirmation and RCIA)

To sign up for these events, please go to https://forms.office.com/e/VkCdj1SWzA.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:

 

YOGA CLASSES Tuesday 11am – 11:45am The next Yoga class will be Tuesday 11^th March 11am. Everyone is welcome. No charge for the class, just a small donation to charity if able. For more information contact Rachel: wellhappyyoga@gmail.com or the parish office.

LENTEN PROJECT CONCERT SATURDAY 22^nd MARCH 7:30pm in the school hall, performed by musicians from the 9.30 music group. Songs and music from the last 60 years. Tickets £10 including bread and cheese supper. Please bring your own drinks. To reserve tickets please speak to musicians after Mass or text Mary on 07745 347984

LOSS AND BEREAVEMENT GROUP Sunday 9^th March 2:30pm-5pm in the Parish Centre

TODDLER GROUP Every Friday in termtime, 8:45am-10:45am in the Parish Centre.

LEGION OF MARY GROUP Fridays 6pm in St Joseph's Church contact Fr Ephraim 07785 727951 or Thereza 07878117907

JUBILEE YEAR RECONCILIATION SERVICE 13^th April 3pm at St Joseph’s Church, followed by refreshments in the Hall

QUENCH BOOKSHOP Quench will be present over the weekend of 15^th/16^th March for the purchasing of books and religious artifacts, and especially for First Holy Communion items.

CAFOD FAST DAY AND TALK Children will talk during the Masses at this weekend inviting us to fast and raise funds for Cafod on Friday 14^th March 2025.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

GIFT AID: If you have a standing order or direct debit donation to the Parish and gift aid your donation, please complete a new Gift Aid form. These will need to be completed for all existing Gift Aid Declarations. New Direct Debit and Gift Aid forms are available in the church porch and in the drawers outside the Parish Office. Please return all completed forms to the Parish Office. Thank you to everyone who has completed a form over the last few months.

DONA CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS are now available in the church porch. You can Gift Aid your donation to the church and Second Collections. You only need to put your details in once and all future donations using the same card will be Gift Aided. Donations, Repository, Candles, Mass Intentions can all be paid for using the machine– just select the option on the screen.

WELCOME A very warm welcome to all parishioners and visitors who join us, whether in our Churches of St. Joseph’s, St. Elizabeth’s, St. Edmund Campion or via the live-stream. If you are new to the area, please register as a member of our Parishes. The parish offices are situated at St. Joseph’s Church, Cookham Road and St. Edmund Campion, Altwood Road. Carolyn or Ruth can send you a soft copy of the registration form if you so wish, or pick up a hard copy at the church. The parish office details are available on the website and in the church porch.

CHILDREN’S SUNDAY LITURGY 9:30am Mass Children from the age of 4 can attend. Please put your child’s name on the register as you go into the church.

MISSALS Please email office if you want to pre-order the CTS Daily Missal available in May. £70 with Sunday, £55 weekday readings only

VOLUNTEERS: From Sunday 8^th December 2024, subscribers to the Update Service will be emailed 30 days before their renewal date to ask if they wish to stay subscribed. Renewal dates are based on original joining dates. DBS advises volunteers to check that the email address attached to their subscription is linked to the individual who is subscribed. The renewal email will ask volunteers to access their Update Service Account and confirm that they wish to continue with the service. For those who confirm, this request will be repeated annually. If no confirmation is made, their volunteer subscription will automatically be cancelled. Volunteers who do not renew their subscription will not be able to keep their DBS certificate(s) up to date and organisations will not be able to check them. They will need to reapply for a DBS if they need one in the future. If you are a volunteer that is subscribed to the update service, please check that the correct email address is linked to the subscription service.

REPOSITORY Please see our repository for cards & Mass cards for all occasions. Cash payments in the box on the wall or via the Dona contactless machine (minimum £1 payments).

RED BOXES It’s time to empty your red boxes. Please bring yours to the church and give to Lousie Jennings or Barbara McWalter at 11:15am Mass or hand them into the Parish Office. There are a number of boxes for collection in the church porch. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

PARISH COMMUNICATION We have reduced our newsletter to one two-sided A4 sheet. In order to make sure you are receiving up to date communications, please consider signing up to receive information by email. Parishioner registration forms are available in the church porch and in the drawers outside the Parish Office – please complete one and return it to the Parish office.

SCHOOL PLAYGROUND The Reception area playground is not for use at the weekends. Please make sure that children are not entering this area before or after weekend Masses. The staff prepare the area on Friday afternoon so that it is ready for learning on Monday morning. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

FOOD IN THE CHURCH The church is cleaned every Friday afternoon. Recently there appears to be a lot of food debris on the Church floor after weekend Masses. If you or your child needs to eat during Mass, can we request that you please use the Parish Centre. Thank you for your cooperation.

FOODSHARE Are you an NHS, Emergency services or a Blue Light worker. Foodshare is now operating a shop, so if you're struggling to make ends meet, for a cost of £10 per visit you can "buy" a trolley of food. Call 01628 262711 for fast and fuss free support.

VACANCIES - For job vacancies in the Diocese please see Diocese website https://www.portsmouthdiocese.org.uk/

SUSTAINABILITY

We have activities planned for later this year and would be happy to hear from you if you would like to get involved or have an idea of your own. Please contact Sarah Bowden (bowden.sarah@googlemail.com). 

LIBRARY We have a parish library located in the foyer of the Parish Centre. One bookcase is dedicated to Theology/Religious books, another bookcase to Fiction/Non-Fiction and a third smaller bookcase to children's Bibles/Bible stories etc. Please feel free to borrow/swap.

If you would like to donate, we can only accept books that are in excellent and clean condition. Thank you and enjoy.

FOODSHARE We are a collection point for Foodshare. Our collection area is just inside the porch doors, but if you leave food outside, out of hours (in a bag or other covering) the building is regularly checked. Foodshare are currently really in need of tinned vegetables and tinned meat, amongst all the regular donations.

School News

ADMISSION INTO ST EDMUND CAMPION SCHOOL AND NURSERY is based on Mass attendance for some categories. In our parish, we have an attendance card available from the table in the church lobby. Every time you come to Sunday Mass please get your card stamped. For information on the current Admissions Policy see the school's website, www.st-edmund.org.uk.