Parish Retreat 2019

Are you interested in joining the 2019 parish retreat to the beautiful Abbey of Lérins, France on 27 to 31 May? More detailed information is available from Hanna Hart or by clicking here.

Unsurprisingly, many of the texts which explain the historical importance of Lérins are written in French, however this article in English is very interesting.

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Pastoral Letter, Lent 2019

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Lent Services and Activities

This year our corporate Lenten Pilgrimage will include these things:

Wednesdays in Lent

at 10am we will be meditating on a few Stations of the Cross before Mass starts at 10.30am. At 5pm we are also warmly invited to Stations of the Cross in the Chapel of the Holy Cross at Archbishop Holgate Hospital.

Fridays in Lent

there will be a Mass at S Helen’s at 12 noon followed by a soup lunch.

Please have a good think about who you might be able to invite to come along for Mass at noon followed by a simple lunch. Perhaps someone who lives on their own or someone who doesn’t get out much. Or just someone who would be interested in coming with you to church to see what it is about. These Friday lunches of worship and fellowship are perfect opportunities to invite someone new to join us. Please also sign up to help with making soups and providing bread.

Stations of the Cross will take place at 6.30pm in these locations:

Mar   8         S Helen’s

           15       Sacred Heart

           22       S Helen’s

           29       Sacred Heart

Apr    5         S Helen’s

           12       Sacred Heart

All through Lent

Reading

Special Lenten devotional reading material is available in Church.

Confessions

We get the name ‘Shrove Tuesday’ from the ancient tradition of people going to confession on the day before the start of Lent. They went to be ‘shriven’ of their sins. As the Prayer Book teaches, confession is a wonderful part of our Anglican heritage.

If you have never been to Confession but want to know more PLEASE, PLEASE ask for help. If you have slipped away from Confession, now is the perfect time to come back.

Fr Robert will be available for Confession at the usual times – see here, or book an appointment (01977 610507).

Almsgiving

This year we will be supporting Tariro a small but excellent charity based in the UK that raises money to support orphans or young people whose own parent can’t look after them anymore in Zimbabwe. Please be generous.  There are no lent boxes so please take a jar and fill it throughout Lent and bring it back to the Mass on Maundy Thursday. Read about the great work of Tariro here.

Ash Wednesday

#FollowTheStar

Join us in Saint Helen’s Church, Hemsworth this Christmas with your family and friends. Find our services and events here

#FollowTheStar

Christmass Confessions

External preparations form part of the season of Advent: they help create the Christmas atmosphere of joy and expectation. A lot of people are extremely busy at this time. All this is part of the Advent season but it’s not the most important thing. Let us never lose sight of the utmost importance of our interior preparation to celebrate the first coming of Our Lord: “by preparing my heart, so that Jesus may be happy” as the little girl once said with all the simplicity and truth which can only come from a child. We do that, or rather God does that, in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or Confession as it’s better known. It offers us an important way of getting closer to God (or rather God getting close to us) – to be forgiven for our sins. As Pope Francis puts it “it’s an encounter with the Lord’s mercy which spurs us on to do our best”.

Confession is not a tool of spiritual one-upmanship for the highly committed and ultra-pious. It should be a normative part of the Christian life and above all something we should offer to new Christians and to the undecided. How can we hold back from that wonderful joy of knowing God’s complete forgives us? This beautiful sacrament has the power to renew your lives.

Now is the time to plan, prepare and make your Christmas Confession. Is your heart ready to receive the Christ Child this Christmass?? Come and celebrate this sacrament of renewal and transformation.

 

Wed 19 Dec: 10.00 – 10.30am & 11am onwards*

Thu 20 Dec: After 7pm Mass

Fri 21 Dec: 6.00 – 6.30 pm

Sat 22 Dec: 10.00 – 10.30 am & 6.00 – 6.30 pm

Sun 23 Dec: 11am onwards*

Mon 24 Dec: 10.30 – 11.00 pm

Or by appointment with Fr Robert (Tel: 01977 610507)

 

* On Wed 19 Dec Fr David will be available after Mass and after the Sung Mass on Sunday 23 December

 

 

 

Christmas Grand Draw Winners 2018

	Prize	Number	Name
1st	£60 Shopping Vouchers	4894	Julie Singleton
2nd	Tesco Christmas Hamper	3650	Rob Marshall
3rd	£25 Tesco Vouchers	0628	Janet Gillespie
4th	Glass Bowl	2708	Amanda Clifton
5th	Dartington Decanter	2392	Emma Parsons
6th	Lantern	0249	Karen Thorley
7th	Teddy Bear	0354	Mr A. Andrews

Thank you to all who supported us by buying tickets and those who donated prizes!

All the prizes have now been claimed.

Canon Rodney Marshall RIP

Christmas @ S Helen’s 18

Detailed programme here.