newsletter Holy Family

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newsletter week 38

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newsletter week 36

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newsletter week 35

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newsletter week 34 B

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Newsletter 17/18th November Sunday 33B

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Newsletter 10/11th November Sunday 32 B

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Newsletter week 32 B

newsletter week 32 B

Newsletter 4/11/18 Sunday 31 B

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Mass times Alteration

Just to let you know Mass times today  Wednesday 31st is at 9.30 am
Holy day of obligation as in the news sheet
Holy Souls  Friday  9.30 am

Newsletter 20/21and 27/28 October Sunday 29/ 30 B

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newletter 13/14 October Sunday week 28 B

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newsletter 6/7 October - Sunday 27( B)

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Newsletter for 29/30 September - Sunday 26(B)

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Newsletter for 22/23 September - Sunday 25B

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Thank you - God be with you.

In this Sunday's newsletter I wrote this:

Dear Brothers and Sisters
Thank you for all your love and support over the last five years. I shall miss being with you very much. I thank you for your kindness, and ask forgiveness of any I have failed or wronged in any way.
Today’s Gospel tells us how Simon Peter recognised Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. At the Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress, Adoremus, in Liverpool last weekend, Bishop Robert Barron told us that our journey to sanctity involves the realisation that it’s not all about me! It’s all about the one whom Peter points out to us as the Christ, the one who died and rose again for us, and calls us to follow him. It is that Death and Resurrection we celebrate in every Mass: We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
On the last day of his visit to us in 1982, St Peter’s successor, St John Paul II, spoke to the young people of England and Wales at Cardiff. I have never forgotten the powerful impact his words made on me when I heard them on the radio: “It is my hope today, as I return to Rome, that you will remember why I came among you. And as long as the memory of this visit lasts, may it be recorded that I, John Paul II, came to Britain to call you to Christ, to invite you to pray!” That’s how I would like to be remembered among you!
Please welcome Fr Peter warmly. Work with him, pray with him, support him. Every new priest has fresh insights into the vast love of God, the deep riches of our faith, a faith and a love so deep that none of us can grasp more than a little of its beauty and depth.
I shall always pray for you with thanksgiving in my heart. Please pray for me.
God bless you all
Fr Colin

To these thanks, I would like to add my thanks for all the love I have experienced today. Your parting gift was wonderfully generous and will go a long way towards funding the travels we have planned this autumn. Cards and messages I have received have moved me greatly. It was so good to have the involvement of staff and children from St Charles School at my final Sunday Mass with you as parish priest. It was thrilling to see the number of people who stayed behind for refreshments after both Masses.
At the end of Mass I would have liked to thank so many people who have worked with me so willingly and given of their time so generously these last five years. However, I was afraid of two things: I feared that I would forget someone, and also that  I might get very emotional! Please forgive me, and know that, as I write this my heart is filled with gratitude to God and to you all.
God bless you. We shall pray for each other.

Bishop's Pastoral Letter on Education

Today Bishop Patrick has written to us about Catholic Education. You can read his Pastoral Letter here. He updates us on the changes to the way our diocesan schools are run, and issues an invitation for people to consider become Foundation Governors in our schools. He has asked for this to be put in newsletters this weekend:

Foundation Governors are an integral part of the leadership and management of our Catholic schools and make a substantial contribution to their success. Most people find being a governor to be highly rewarding. Across the Diocese of Nottingham, we have a number of vacancies that we need to fill. Bishop Patrick is inviting people to come forward who are willing to become Foundation Governors in our Catholic schools.  If you have the commitment and desire to become a governor now or in the near future, we would be delighted to hear from you.

More information about being a governor is available from the Diocesan Education Service Governor Support Team, (01332 293833) or from the Diocesan Education Service website http://www.dioceseofnottingham.uk/education  where you find a ‘Self-Nomination’  form which we would encourage you to complete and return to us.

Adoremus 2018 - Bite sized Bishop Barron!

I strongly recommend listening to the full presentations I posted here. They are wonderful. (And I've sorted out some problems with the links!) However, if you can't manage the time to listen to them in full, try these bite-sized tasters from Bishop Barron's account of his"Missionary Journey to England!  They may inspire you to listen to the talks in full.

This video from the day before he spoke, sees Bishop Barron's previewing part of what he would share on the Mass as call and response, particularly focusing on the Liturgy of the Word.
This presentation ends with more inspirational words from his keynote talk on the Mass. You might even spot some people you know applauding at the end!

Photos from Adoremus

You can find all the official pictures of Adoremus from the Bishop's Conference here. Can you find anyone you know?

Newsletter for 15/16 September - Sunday 24(B)

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There will be refreshments in the crypt after both Masses at OLOL this weekend to give people a chance to say goodbye to Father Colin. Please stay for a little while if you possibly can.

More from Adoremus

Here are some scenes from Sunday's Eucharistic Procession through the streets of Liverpool. This concluded Adoremus, the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress.



Those of us who were privileged to be in Liverpool this last weekend found an enormous encouragement in our life of faith. Bishop Patrick is keen that the legacy of this event should be a rich one. With this in mind, the diocese is providing a follow-up day on Saturday October 20th at St Benedict School, Derby, DE22 1JB. All are very welcome, not just those who were at  Liverpool.

Adoremus - the first two days.

I am deeply thankful that I was able to be in Liverpool for the first day of Adoremus 2018, the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress. ShalomWorldTV has provided a wonderful service to the Church in this country, screening the main events live, and posting them online so that we can catch up afterwards. You can catch up on everything here.

Here is my personal selection of what inspired me in the first two days from what is available online:
Talk by Sister Margaret Akins OSA - "Meals before the TV turn eating into feeding". What are the implications for our relationship with each other and the Eucharist?
First talk by Bishop Robert Barron - a brilliant look at the Mass, section by section, and our response to it.
Second talk by Bishop Robert Barron - How to be a Saint when I'm a sinner. Christ at the centre. It's not all about me!



I'm hoping that Sunday's Masses and Eucharistic Procession through the streets of Liverpool will be available before long. If/when they are, I will post them here.

Newsletter for 8/9 September - Sunday 23(B)

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Follow Adoremus online

A number of our parishioners are attending Adoremus, the Eucharistic Congress in Liverpool this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. You can watch some of the Congress on Shalom World TV.

Newsletter for 1/2 September - Sunday 22(B)

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Newsletter for 25/26 August - Sunday 21(B)

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Details of the SVP appeal for Kerala mentioned in the newsletter can be found here along with the opportunity to donate online.

Newsletter for 18/19 August - Sunday 20(B)

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"Catholicism" Video Series

I hope some of you have been benefiting from watching Bishop Barron's "Catholicism" videos. It's not too late to register and you can watch previous published videos to catch up. As we are reading John 6 - the Bread of Life - for our Sunday Gospel Readings at present, could I particularly recommend Episode 7 of the series? It's also excellent preparation for those participating at Adoremus next month.

Office Manager Vacancy – Sisters of St Joseph of Peace

We are looking for a dedicated Office Manager to set up and manage a new regional office for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace in the United Kingdom, who are soon to relocate to Nottingham from Rearsby, Leicestershire. Attractive salary and working hours. The closing deadline is 6:00 PM on Friday 7th Sept 2018.  This key position will ensure that the regional office of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace runs smoothly and help facilitate the charism, mission, and direction of the community in the UK.

To obtain a job description or enquire further details of these positions see link    http://csjp.org/news/2018/07/30/ukoffice or contact Sister Margaret Byrne 01664 424 251 or email csjphumanresources@gmail.com 

Newsletter for 11/12 August - Sunday 19(B)

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Please remember that Wednesday 15th August, the Assumption of Our Lady, is a Holy Day of Obligation.
Mass times for the Holy Day:
OLOL, Ashby: Tue (14th) 7pm, Wed (15th) 9am;
St Charles, Measham: Wed (15th) 10.30am

Free access to "Catholicism" videos

The excellent "Catholicism" DVD series from Bishop Robert Barron is available to view online free of charge for a limited period.

You get get all the details and register here.

Newsletter for August 4/5 - Sunday 18(B)

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Lourdes Pilgrimage - the Video

A few days ago I posted a slideshow of the Lourdes Pilgrimage. Today I came across this lovely video.

Lourdes Pilgrimage Slideshow

Newsletter for July 28/29 - Sunday 17(B)

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Young Catholic Adults Weekend at Douai Abey

Are you 18-40, do you want to deepen your knowledge of the Catholic faith, learn its devotions and meet like minded people? Young Catholic Adults are inorganic a weekend at Douai Abbey in Berkshire) with Lawrence Lew O.P., and Canon Poucin ICKSP. You’ll be able to hear catechetical talks, learn how to sing Gregorian Chant, say the Rosary, socialise and have fun. Book soon as places are limited! All Masses are in the Old Rite.

To book goto:- To Book goto:- https://bookwhen.com/youngcatholicadults-douai2018.

For updates goto:- http://youngcatholicadults-latestnews.blogspot.co.uk/.

For more details goto:- http://www.youngcatholicadults.co.uk/events.htm. Prices start from £13.

Keep in touch with Lourdes Pilgrims

I'm sure that many parishioners at home will be keen to see what those in Lourdes are doing and join with us in prayer next week. I shall be using Twitter to publish news and photos. You can access these posts without signing up to Twitter. All you need to do is click here. You may see an invitation to register but you can ignore this and still see everything.

My previous post gives further ways of linking parishioners at home with pilgrims in Lourdes.

May Our Lady of Lourdes pray for our parish and for all our intentions, and may we hear her invitation to do whatever her Son tells us.

Lourdes 2018 - Do whatever He tells you

Words of Mary at the Wedding at Cana provide the 2018 Pastoral Theme at Lourdes: "Do whatever he tells you."

A number of parishioners will be on our way to Lourdes next Monday morning. We shall pray for those at home, and hope that those at home will join us in prayer.


Here are some resources to prepare for our pilgrimage, or to make a spiritual pilgrimage at home.

• Our Bishop's Homily at the Centenary Mass gives us plenty of material for reflection. You can find some key points from the homily and a link to the full text here.
• Those at home might like to take a look at what is happening in Lourdes on Lourdes TV. You might see someone you know, especially in the processions each day at 4pm and 8pm, or at the International Mass on Wednesday at 8.30am - all times BST - our watches will be an hour further on in Lourdes!
• There is lovely video about Lourdes and this year's Pastoral Theme here.
• There is even an app with lots of useful stuff on it: iOS here, Android here.

A wonderful year at St Charles School

This has been an excellent year in the life of St Charles School. The close ties between parishes and school have been strengthened through a number of joint activities. I remember especially the Centenary Mass at OLOL in February, and the lovely parish picnic in the school grounds more recently.
The school was rated good in an OFSTED inspection in February.
In the last couple of days we have received the latest SATS results. Our children scored above the national average in these tests.
St Charles will join the St Thomas Aquinas Multi Academy Trust in September and will be the smallest school in the trust. However, it is in a good position to punch well above its weight in the new trust.
Congratulations to staff, children, and governors for all that has been achieved this year. We look to the future with great confidence.

Catenian BBQ - All welcome

Newsletter for July 14/15 & 21/22 - Sunday 15 & 16(B)

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Road closures for semi-final

Thank you Jacqueline

After Mass today we said "Thank you" and "Good bye" to Jacqueline Rodden who has been been our inspirational Chair of Governors at St Charles School for the last four years. She is now to be the first Chair of the St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi-Academy Trust which brings together the Derbyshire Catholic Schools in our Diocese.

It was wonderful to have Jacqueline, Paul and Alasdair with us at Mass this morning.

Thank you, Jacqueline, and God bless you.

Financial Statements etc

Last weekend, Tony Holt and Marie Allen updated us on the financial position of our two parishes. Here are the two statements for the 2017-18 financial year:
Our Lady of Lourdes, Ashby.
St Charles, Measham.

We also use this annual opportunity to draw people's attention to a number of other things in parish life that we need to review each year. Please could you read the script below the accounts and note what it says about gift aid, letting us known if you are new to the parish, and volunteering for the different task/ministries that enrich the life of our communities. In the last category I say in this weekend's newsletter: We are desperately short of volunteer Church cleaners. This task only comes round for each group about every nine weeks and it usually takes about an hour if we get enough people.

You can find the relevant forms to respond in these various ways at the back of the two Church or download them below:
Anything to do with Gift Aid.
New parishioners and change of contact details.
To volunteer for tasks/ministries.

Road closures for World Cup quarter-final

Please make this as widely known as possible. I only became aware of it this morning.

Newsletter for 7/8 July - Sunday 14(B)

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Happy ninetieth birthday!

Congratulations to Father Robert Rutledge on his ninetieth birthday on the feast of St Thomas, a very hot Ashby day. He tells me it was raining in Co Mayo the day he was born! We are so blessed to have you with us in Ashby, dear Father. God bless you.

Please pray for...

...our newest priest in Nottingham Diocese, Fr Jonathan Whitby-Smith, ordained in our Cathedral this weekend. Here is a lovely picture of him giving his first blessing to a young member of our Diocese.

Please pray for more vocations to the priesthood.

Newsletter for 30 June/1July - Sunday 13(B)

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Centenary Fun Day

Many thanks to all who prepared the lovely Picnic and Fun Day in our Centenary Year. Special thanks to St Charles School for the use of their grounds, and to those who donated so that the entertainment and special refreshments were free. A Centenary Cake was cut at refreshments after Sunday Mass this weekend. Here are some pictures.

Lots of fun on the field

Does "scone" rhyme with "gone" or "bone"?

Posh afternoon tea

Anyone for Pimms?

The cake!

Family Fun Day

Newsletter for 23/24 June - St John the Baptist

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From Father Colin

At Mass this weekend I announced that I would step down from being your parish priest in the autumn of 2018.
My last weekend as your Parish Priest will be 15/16 September. Your new parish priest will be Father Peter Wade. He was in this Deanery a few years ago as Parish Priest of Sacred Heart, Loughborough, and is at present Parish Priest of Skegness and Spilsby. He will be informing his parishioners of his move this weekend. He tells me that he will be on the Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage next month, so some of you will have the chance to meet him then.
Being your parish priest for more than 4½ years has been a very special time for me. I have loved celebrating Mass and the other Sacraments, sharing insights with you, and being privileged to share in the significant life events, joyful and sorrowful, of many families.
After a short break, I shall be available to help out in parishes and schools in the Deanery and beyond.
The level of support here from so many people has been a very special part of my time with you. I am deeply grateful for this and have already told Fr Wade that this is a great strength of our parishes.
Let us pray for each other and for Fr Wade as he prepares to say goodbye to his parishioners in Skegness and Spilsby and to move to Ashby and Measham.

Lourdes Website

I know that many of us our looking forward to our pilgrimage to Lourdes next month. You can find a lot of information about Lourdes and what happens there day by day by visiting the website of the Sanctuary.

On the website you can find a live video feed ("Lourdes TV") from the Sanctuary, often it simply shows the Grotto, but it also covers the processions and major celebrations such as the International Mass. It's well worth a visit from time to time.

Newsletter for 16/17 June - Sunday 11(B)

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Lead Lay Chaplain Vacancy

The Directors of the St Thérèse of Lisieux Catholic Multi- Academy Trust are seeking to appoint a Lead Lay Chaplain. For further details of the post please contact Louise Wilson, CEO Designate via email to louise.wilson@cmat-lincs.co.uk or visit: http://dioceseofnottingham.uk/education/recruitment/leadership-recruitment-guidance Closing date 2 July 2018

Eucharistic Procession

Thank to everyone who attended our Eucharistic procession today and congratulations to our First Holy Communion children. @FatherColin1 pic.twitter.com/IuVpRVLjn2

— St Charles (@StCharlesMeasha) June 12, 2018

First Holy Communion Sunday

Congratulations to all of the children from our school and parish who celebrated their First Holy Communion today with @FatherColin1 Thank you to our wonderful catechists for preparing them 🙏🏼 #blessedbegod #eucharist pic.twitter.com/5DziBCvtWw

— St Charles (@StCharlesMeasha) June 10, 2018

Newsletter for 9/10 June - Sunday 10(B)

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A beautiful summer's day...

... was God's gift to us for our Corpus Christi Procession. Thanks be to God.

Newsletter for 2/3 June - Corpus Christi

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Forty Hours Adoration - ten hours at OLOL

Loughborough Deanery Forty Hours Adoration

Newsletter for 26/27 May - Trinity

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Immediate staff Vacancies – Sisters of St Joseph of Peace

We are looking for new dedicated staff members to work for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace in the United Kingdom, who are soon to relocate to Nottingham from Rearsby, Leicestershire. Attractive salaries and working hours. The closing deadline for both positions is 6:00 PM on Friday 15 June 2018.

The new position of Business Manager will oversee all financial activities, personnel management, and coordination of maintenance needs of properties owned and rented by the Sisters

The new Health & Wellbeing Coordinator will promote the holistic care, health and wellbeing of sisters.

To obtain a job description or enquire further details of these positions see link    http://csjp.org/news/2018/05/18/ukjobs/ or contact Margaret Healy 01664 424 251 or email csjphumanresources@gmail.com   

Mary we crown thee...

Another lovely sunny day, another May Procession, this time at St Charles School. We prayed the Rosary, we sang our hearts out, we crowned our blessed Mother.