Dear Students, here is a prayer for you during this season of GSCEs and A Levels –

“O Great St. Joseph of Cupertino who while on earth did obtain from God the grace to be asked at your examination only the questions you knew. Obtain for me a like favour in the examinations for which I am now preparing. In return I promise to make your name known and cause you to be invoked by many. O Great St Joseph of Cupertino, Pray for me.”

(Repeat 3 times)

Thank you ever so much Canon Hetherington, for your continued help and especially for celebrating Holy Mass at Delancey at 9:15am last Sunday.

You are a true inspiration and are always available and approachable to all of us. Whenever I reach out to you, I already know the answer will be kind and supportive.

Life in the Spirit Seminar – Week 5 – Baptism in the Holy Spirit

The Life in the Spirit seminars continue on Monday 18th May in St Joseph’s Parish Room.

The session starts at 7:30pm with everyone invited to come along for a light buffet beforehand at 7:00pm.

Saturday 30th May at 9:30am in St Josephs – Holy Mass in honour of Our Lady at St Joseph’s

Wednesday 24th June at 6:30pm in St Joseph’s – Holy Mass of Thanksgiving

Many thanks – Father Inna

Are you celebrating a 25th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th or anniversary over 60 years? If so, Bishop Philip would like to invite you to a Mass of celebration. This will take place on Saturday 20th June at 11:00am at St Bede’s Church, Basingstoke. This will be followed by a buffet lunch. It is a wonderful occasion to celebrate and witness to Marriage. Please contact the Parish Office if you would like to attend and they will send you a form for you to complete and return to Kirsten McGuire (kmcguire@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk ) in Bishop’s Office. Thank you.

Bishop Philip has awarded the Diocesan Medal to musician Glenn Drake, for his selfless service over many years to the Catholic Church in Guernsey. Glenn is a talented musician, organist and pianist and has given so very generously of his time and extensive experience to the church. He initially co-led the various St Joseph’s youth music groups with Christine Woodall and in more recent years with Marie Banton and the Allegro group. Glenn has also played with the Delancey Music Group at interdenominational services over the years and has also shared the organ playing at Saturday evening Masses on a rota basis for many years. All of this on top of his commitments to the Methodist Church in Guernsey and Community Choirs. We are truly grateful to him.

A heartfelt thank you from Meg, Angela, Audrey and the Befrienders Group to all those who contributed to making the Tea Party such a beautiful afternoon.

Thank you for your offers of food, providing lifts and most of to all those who were able to join us.

As always, our thoughts and prayers to all those who were unable to attend. God Bless and we hope to see you at the next one!

Guernsey Welfare Service are currently in need of jam, sugar, custard and rice-pudding.

Food banks are in the back of all three churches. Thank you.

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes

Monday 6th July until Friday 10th July. The cost of the pilgrimage this year is £949.00 per person for a shared room, youth pilgrims can travel at £895.00. To find out more and to book a place please e-mail lourdes@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk, phone 07780 221686 or write to Canon PJ Smith at St. Edmunds House, Bishop Crispian Way, Portsmouth PO1 3QA.

~oOo~

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Turin and Assisi

Monday 20th July until Sunday 26th July. Why not join Canon PJ on a special pilgrimage to Turin and Assisi this summer. If you are interested and want to know more please visit www.jcjourneys.com/turin-assisi

~oOo~

Catholic Association Pilgrimage to Lourdes

Friday 21st August until Friday 28th August. Pilgrims will stay at the 4 star Hotel Eliseo on a full board basis and enjoy a rich spiritual programme. To express an interest, please contact Cheryl Macfirbhisigh via e-mail macf.cheryl@gmail.com or phone 07797 814646 for a booking form.

Le Platon Lottery Results for April –

1st – 49 – £100

2nd – 6 – £50

3rd – 74 – £25

A special time to deepen our devotion to Mary and draw closer to her Son through prayer. As a parish family, we unite in honouring her through the Rosary and Holy Mass. The saints have long treasured the Rosary as a powerful prayer. As Padre Pio reminds us, “The Rosary is the weapon for these times.” In this spirit, we place our hearts, our families, and our intentions under the loving care of our Blessed Mother.

Throughout the month of May, we warmly invite you to join us in praying the Rosary and celebrating Holy Mass:

Mondays – 11:30am – OLSS – Rosary followed by Holy Mass

Wednesdays – 7:00pm – St. Joseph’s – Rosary during Holy Hour

Saturdays – 10:00am – St. Joseph’s – Holy Mass followed by Rosary

Sundays – 5:30pm – Notre Dame – Rosary followed by Holy Mass

~oOo~

On the 30th May at 9:30am there will be a Rosary followed by a special Mass in honour of Our Lady at St. Joseph’s.

On this day, during the Rosary, you are invited to light a candle before Our Lady.

Let us gather as one family under Mother Mary’s care, asking for her intercession and drawing ever closer to Christ through her.

Life in the Spirit Seminar – Week 4 – Receiving God’s Gift

The Life in the Spirit seminars continue on Monday 11th May in St Joseph’s Parish Room.

The session starts at 7:30pm with everyone invited to come along for a light buffet beforehand at 7:00pm.

The UCM will be meeting on Tuesday 12th May at 7:00pm in St Josephs Parish Room.

There will be a talk on the Liberation of 1945 accompanied by singing.

There will also be a raffle. Anyone wishing to join our group will be very welcome.

Coffee Morning on Wednesday 13th May in St Josephs Parish Room and on every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month.

Drop in any time between 9:30am-11:30am. Everyone is welcome.

22 members of Guernsey Chamber Choir will sing in Montsserat Abbey, Barcelona Cathedral and the Basilica de Mercé. They will also sing in Sagrada Família, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Sagrada is the largest unfinished Catholic Church in the world designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi and has taken over 140 years to build! This year is the centenary of Gaudi’s death and to mark this, the choir will be giving a concert in Sagrada. If you can’t make it to Barcelona, the choir will be giving a pre-tour concert on Friday 15th May at 6:30pm in St Joseph’s Church where they will perform a selection of the Barcelona repertoire. Free entry, retiring collection.

The Notre Dame Team will be hosting a social gathering on Sunday 17th May after the 6:00pm Mass.

Drinks and Light refreshments will be served. Everybody is welcome. Please do try your best to attend.

This year the significant anniversary mass will be held on Saturday 20th June at 11:00am in St Bede’s, Basingstoke.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for all that you do for the parish. You support the parish in so many ways: financially, physically, spiritually and most importantly, through the generous gift of your time, prayers and presence. You are truly a blessing to our parish community. In appreciation for everything you have done and continue to do, I would like to offer a special Mass of Thanksgiving on Wednesday 24th June at 6:30pm in St. Joseph’s. Please make every effort to attend and kindly accept this invitation. I sincerely hope that you will be able to join us and allow us the joy of thanking you personally for your generosity and dedicated service to the parish. In the coming days, I will send an email invitation to the leaders of the various volunteer groups and I would be grateful if they could kindly share it with their members. After Mass, we will gather in the presbytery gardens, weather permitting; otherwise, the gathering will take place in the school hall. If you are able, we would be grateful if you could bring a plate of nibbles or snacks to share, although your presence alone is most important. Sandwiches, sausages, wine, and soft drinks will be provided.

Many Thanks, Father Inna 

Life in the Spirit Seminar – Week 3 – New Life

The Life in the Spirit seminars continue on Monday 4th May in St Joseph’s Parish Room.

The session starts at 7:30pm with everyone invited to come along for a light buffet beforehand at 7:00pm.

The Liberation Day Service will be held on Saturday 9th May at 11:00am at the Town Church.

We thank Deacon Mark who will be in attendance for the Catholic Church. Everybody Is Welcome!

Wednesday 13th May

St Josephs – 6:30pm – Vigil Mass (No Holy Hour)

Thursday 14th May

St Josephs – 7:30am

St Josephs – 9:30am (ND children in attendance)

OLSS – 11:00am (STMM children in attendance)

Blanchelande College – 2:00pm – (Primary School Mass)

On the 30th May at 9:30am there will be a Rosary followed by a special Mass in honour of Our Lady at St. Joseph’s.

On this day, during the Rosary, you are invited to light a candle before Our Lady.

Let us gather as one family under Mother Mary’s care, asking for her intercession and drawing ever closer to Christ through her.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Fr. Michael for his generous support and assistance. It was truly kind of him to travel all the way to be with us and to help our parish community. We are very blessed and grateful to have him here. On behalf of us all, we warmly invite him to visit us again whenever he wishes. You are always most welcome among us, Father.

Father Inna

The Life in the Spirit Seminars continue on Monday 27th April in St Joseph’s Parish Room.

A light buffet is available at 7:00pm and the session starts at 7:30pm.

The talk this week is on ‘Salvation’ and what Jesus has done for us.

It’s not too late to join in so if you missed last week don’t worry you can still come along. Everyone is welcome!

The next Befrienders Spring Tea Party will take place on Saturday 2nd May from 2:30pm-4:00pm at St Mary & St Michaels School Hall.

Any offers of cakes or savouries would be most welcome.

If you would like to come or know someone who would please let the following contacts know by Tuesday 28th April also if you need a lift or have any special requirements.

Audrey – 07781 107393

Angela – 07781 112221

Meg – 01481 252491

The hard work of the amazing staff team at Notre Dame du Rosaire Catholic School, eagerness to learn of the pupils and the support of their parents and carers has been recognised in the Ofsted Inspec on Report on the school published this week. The report has rated the school as ‘Excellent’ for Personal Development and Welfare, and ‘Good’ for Quality for Education, Behaviour and A tudes, Leadership and Management and Early Years Provision. The report identifies an ‘inclusive and welcoming ethos’ that helps pupils to feel safe, the high expectations of what pupils can achieve and how staff install pupils with a ‘strong moral code’ so that they become caring, reflective and independent citizens who have developed a strong sense of character. These underpin our shared Catholic ethos and are to be applauded. Well done to all involved with the school, as these excellent outcomes have been achieved through the hard work of the whole team!

Pope Leo XIV is inviting people around the world to pause each day at 3:30pm for one minute of prayer for world peace. You might like to set a daily reminder on your phone or an alarm at home and wherever you are, take just one minute to pray.

To support this, CAFOD are offering this short prayer –

Lord Jesus you conquered death without weapons or violence. You shattered its power with the strength of peace. Grant us your peace as you did to the women filled with doubt on Easter morning. As you did to the disciples who were hiding in fear. Send forth your spirit the breath that gives life and reconciles that turns adversaries and enemies into brothers and sisters inspire in us to trust in Mary, your mother, who stood at the foot of the cross with a broken heart firm in faith that you would rise again. May the madness of war cease and the earth be cared for and cultivated by those who still know how to bring forth protect and love life Hear us Lord of Life!

We will be meeting again every Friday at 7:30pm at the Centre of Peace. Please do come and join in praying the Rosary.

Everybody is welcome.

If you, or any of your family or friends are in hospital or due to go to hospital, please let the Parish Office know.

This is currently the only way that the clergy are aware of a Catholic being admitted.

The children and staff of Notre Dame du Rosaire and St Mary and St Michael Catholic Primary Schools would like to express our heartfelt thanks for your generosity and support during our Lenten Challenge, “Walking for Water.” Thanks to your kind donations and encouragement, we have raised an incredible £9,000. Your contributions made a real difference in helping us achieve this wonderful total. All funds raised will be sent directly to Tanzania via the Guernsey charity ‘The Eleanor Foundation’, where it will provide vital access to clean water for children and families who currently do not have a reliable supply. Once again, our parish community has come together to do something truly special. We are deeply grateful for your continued kindness and support.

Readers: 

The rota for the period 5th April 2026 to 12th July 2026 is available in the sacristy, please collect after Mass.

Eucharistic Ministers:

Rotas for the period 19th April to 7th June 2026 are now available for collection inside the Sacristy.

If you are NOT available on the date your name appears, please arrange a substitute.

Names and telephone numbers are on the back of the sheet.

The Parish is now using a system called ChurchSuite to manage our parishioner database. To ensure you remain registered as a parishioner and to continue to receive all communications from the parish including the newsletter please make sure you have filled out the new registration forms at catholic.org.gg/register. If you have any questions, please contact the Parish Office.

Blanchelande College are seeking a dedicated Grounds Person and Minibus Driver to join their Estate team.

For full details please contact Mrs Tracy Feehan, Principal’s PA –  Tel: 237200 / Email recruitment@blanchelande.sch.gg