Bishop Stephen to Visit St Anne’s

Roger EleyNews

Bishop Stephen will visit our three parishes over the weekend of 16th/17th March.

At the Vigil Mass at St Anne’s he will confirm 12 candidates from our 3 parishes.

Afterwards there will be a buffet in the Hall where there will be a chance to meet the Bishop.

Clergy Training Fund 2023

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This years Clergy Training Fund is being launched this Sunday. A letter from Father John Bagnell giving full details can be downloaded by following thew link here

Our Lady of Fatima – Saturday 16th September

Roger EleyNews

On Saturday 16th September at St Anne’s there will be a Visitation of the Pilgrim Virgin Statue

and the Relics of Saint Jacinta and Francisco

The Programme for the day will be as follows –

1.30   Welcome

1.40   Rosary

2.15    Fatima Film

3.30   Break – Tea/Coffee

4.00   Investiture in Brown Scapular

4.15    Exposition/Reconciliation

5.00   Benediction

5.15    Procession

5.30    Mass

All are welcome to attend. For those not familiar with St Anne’s although our address is Rokeby View NE 9 7UD

the best access is off Waverley Road in Harlow Green Gateshead.

 

Bishop Stephen Wright

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On 14th June His Holiness Pope Francis appointed Rt Rev Stephen Wright as the Fifteenth Bishop of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.

Bishop Stephen has written a letter to introduce himself to the people of Hexham and Newcastle which can be downloaded by following the link bishopwrightletter

A Message from the Rector of the National Shrine to Our in Walsingham

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Dear Parishioners, I share with you this Reflection from the Rector of the National Shrine to Our Lady in Walsingham:-

“St Maximilian Mary Kolbe once said, “Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much – you can never love Her more than Jesus did. Our love for Our Lady will always lead to a deeper love for Our Blessed Lord. So, let us be bold and generous in our love for Our Lady. In Her humility, She points the way to Her Son, so remember that our love for Her can never be too much – only too little.”

“Our Lady is the gateway to the Heart of Christ. She was the first tabernacle, safely carrying the Word Incarnate within Her womb. Therefore, She is the means in which we return to Jesus. Think of all the perils we encounter on a regular basis and compound them with the spiritual sufferings which assail each one of us. Could we possibly overcome them all? Of course, we rely upon God’s grace to resist temptation. But we have at our assistance the most beautiful Mother of God, who can swiftly and assuredly resolve our troubles by pleading to God on our behalf.”

During this Lenten season, beseech Our Blessed Lady’s intercession often and you will draw nearer to Heaven. When we come to Mary’s Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart, we come to love Her Son even more than we did before. Once we develop and deepen our devotion to Her, we cannot even fathom our interior life without Her presence within our souls, without Her guidance and Her Motherly gentle mercy. What a joy to remember that She is our Mother, She loves us and knows our weaknesses, we have nothing to fear under Her mantle.

“As our Mother, She is intuitive and able to discern the nuances of our hearts and souls that others may overlook. Mary our Mother is able to do this concerning our sins, weaknesses and failings. She is capable of reaching into our hearts, to those most vulnerable places in order to bring healing. She meets us where we are, with the kindness of a mother. Within Her heart, we shall find rest and refreshment.”

“I entrust all of you to the Immaculate Heart of our Most Blessed Mother, as we journey through Lent. Know that you are always in our prayers and hearts.”

“Immaculate Heart of Mary, we consecrate ourselves to You.”

Father James Mary

Encouragement for Advent and Christmas

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The Host Apostolate have leaflet issued a leaflet “Encouragement for Advent and Christmas” and is worthy of a read in preparation for Advent. Click here to download

Clergy Training Fund

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This Sunday and for the next four weeks the Clergy Training Fund is appealing for your donations.

A letter from Fr John Bagnell, the Diocesan Director of Priestly Vocations, can be downloaded by following the link here

Statement from Cardinal Nichols on the Death of Queen Elizabeth

Roger EleyNews

Below is a Statement from Cardinal Nichols the President of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales and some Prayers which you may wish to use –

On 21 April 1947, on her twenty-first birthday, Princess Elizabeth said, ‘I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service.’
Now, seventy-five years later, we are heartbroken in our loss at her death, and so full of admiration for the unfailing way in which she fulfilled that declaration.
Even in my sorrow, shared with so many around the world, I am filled with an immense sense of gratitude for the gift to the world that has been the life of Queen Elizabeth II.
At this time, we pray for the repose of the soul of Her Majesty. We do so with confidence, because the Christian faith marked every day of her life and activity.
In her Millennium Christmas message, she said, ‘To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ’s words and example.’
This faith, so often and so eloquently proclaimed in her public messages, has been an inspiration to me, and I am sure to many. The wisdom, stability and service which she consistently embodied, often in circumstances of extreme difficulty, are a shining legacy and testament to her faith.
Our prayer is that she is now received into the merciful presence of God, there to be reunited with her beloved Prince Philip. This is the promise of our faith, and our deep consolation.
Queen Elizabeth II will remain, always, a shining light in our history. May she now rest in peace.
We pray for His Majesty the King, as he assumes his new office even as he mourns his mother.
God save the King.

Prayers for the Repose of the Soul of Her Majesty the Queen can be found by following the link HM The Queen – Prayers

Returning to Mass

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On Friday 6th May the Bishops of England and Wales issued a statement on Returning to Mass after the pandemic.

The full text can be read by following the link here