We give thanks for Canon Michael and his long years of priesthood who has served at various parishes in our Diocese and is fondly remembered here in Guernsey and latterly Alderney. Canon Michael is retiring this week and we wish him a happy Blessed Retirement. Fr Chris.

Last year Father Chris celebrated his Silver Jubilee. Sadly due to lockdown, celebrations were restricted to just a few people behind locked Church doors. The parish would like to acknowledge his Silver Jubilee (+ one year!) with a Mass of thanksgiving at St Joseph’s on July 22nd at 7:00pm, followed by a tea party in the hall afterwards. Details to follow but meanwhile do keep the date free for us all to come together for what will be a very special parish occasion.

Tumaini Charity Variety Concert on Friday 19^th June at 7:15pm at Spurgeon Baptist Church, North Clifton. Free Admission. Refreshments served – Generous donations appreciated. For more info contact Vic Richer on 722004 / vic.richer@gamil.com

Bingo & Dinner night Saturday 3rd July at 7:00pm at St Martins Parish Hall. Ticket price: £15 per person; Included: *2 course meal buffet style *1 drink (tea/coffe or juice) *1 bingo card. Additional drinks and bingo cards can be purchased at £1 each. To book please call / text Gloria Dekker 07781 412352 or Mary De Garis on 07781 122175. Or follow the link below to donate. Please add a description of ‘bingo night’ and how many tickets https://giving.marysmeals.org/en_gb/projects/glow-guernsey-friends-of-marys-meals-uk. Raising much needed funds for our sponsored school in Malawi.

For the first time in many decades Catholic families now have access to full Catholic educational provision from 2½ – 18 for both boys and girls. Blanchelande College offers an outstanding independent education in beautiful surroundings and characterful, well-equipped buildings. For more information or to arrange a visit, please visit www.blanchelande.sch.gg or contact Sonia Hollowell  (hollowells@blanchelande.sch.gg / 232744)

CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION

Sunday 6^th June at 10:30am in St Joseph’s Church. The procession for The Solemnity of Corpus Christi will take place after the 10.30am Mass. Please follow the clergy and altar servers from the Church to Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto at Ampthill House. Teas & coffees will be served in the Parish Room after the procession. All welcome to join us. Until we have a passionate love for Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament, we shall accomplish nothing. St Peter Julian Eymard

PETALS

Please bring along biodegradable petals for the Corpus Christi Procession. The petals can be brought in bags or baskets. Please leave them at the back of the Church. They will be decanted and handed out.

The month of June is traditionally dedicated to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, the feast itself falling on the Friday after Corpus Christi, this year Friday 11^th June. Here’s a prayer to say each day… O loving Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, you move hearts that are harder than rock, you melt spirits that are colder than ice, and you reach souls that are more impenetrable than diamonds. Touch my heart with your sacred wounds and permeate my soul with your precious Blood. Lord Jesus, let my heart never rest until it finds you, who are its centre, its love, and its happiness. By the wound in your heart, pardon the sins that I have committed whether out of malice or out of evil desires. Place my weak heart in your own divine Heart, continually under your protection and guidance, so that I may persevere in doing good and in fleeing evil until my last breath. Heart of Jesus, save me. Heart of my Creator perfect me. Heart of my Saviour deliver me. Heart of my Judge forgive me. Heart of Father govern me. Heart of my Spouse love me. Heart of my Master teach me. Heart of my King crown me. Heart of my Benefactor enrich me. Heart of my Pastor defend me. Heart of my Friend embrace me. Heart of my infant Jesus, draw me. Heart of Jesus, I greet you in all your states. Give yourself to me. Amen

Thanks to your support, CAFOD has been helping communities around the world cope with the pandemic. Just in Zambia, in the past year, our reports show we’ve been able to reach 1,234,200 people with messages on COVID-19, provide 13,312 people with access to safe water, train 392 frontline health workers from Zambia’s 11 dioceses on how to prepare and respond to COVID-19 in their local communities and donate over 1000 hand washing hygiene stations in communities to support hand washing measures. Thank you for standing alongside people in Zambia and for supporting people in more than 30 other countries worldwide. For more information visit our facebook page (1) CAFOD in Portsmouth | Facebook. CAFOD Portsmouth Blog | Updates from CAFOD in the Portsmouth Diocese (wordpress.com) and twitter @CAFODPortsmouth

Sunday 26th June our parish has been invited to join in a beach clean with The Clean Earth Trust. This will be such a good opportunity to show our environmental credentials in what is always a useful and enjoyable event for all. More details to follow.

As part of our Trinity Sunday celebrations we are celebrating our formal agreement with the Princess Elizabeth Hospital as members of the Chaplaincy team. Two new lay chaplains were commissioned by Rev Tim Barker Anglican Dean two weeks ago and this Sunday in my Capacity as Catholic Dean of the Bailiwick I will be formally commissioning Fr Gaston and Fr Inna and reaffirming Deacon Mark’s commission. This will be at St Joseph and St Mary at 4:30pm during Sunday Vespers and Benediction. Rev Linda Le Vasseur lead Chaplain at the hospital will be with us and will say a few words about the role of Hospital Chaplain. The two lay Chaplains will be in attendance and Rev Tim Barker Anglican Dean has also been invited. You are all warmly welcome to join us.

Corpus Christi Procession on Sunday 6^th June at 10:30am in St Joseph’s Church. The procession for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi will take place after the 10:30am Mass. Please follow the clergy and altar servers from the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto at Ampthill House. Teas & coffees will be served in the Parish Room after the procession. All welcome to join us.

The Catenians invite you to join them for Stations of the Cross, led by Deacon Mark, in the grounds of The Little Chapel, Les Vauxbelets on Monday 31st May 2021 at 11:00am the Feast Day of The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

St Joseph’s Hall & Parish Rooms 

Security and safe guarding at Notre Dame School St. Joseph’s site is paramount. After due consideration with the Diocese and Head teacher at Notre Dame School we have concluded that the school building needs to be more secure. Therefore all Parish meetings and Teas & Coffees will take place in the Parish Room and over spill into the Youth Room. Toilets are located next to the Parish Room. St. Joseph’s Hall will still be available for one off special Parish events.

Notre Dame Church Access 

Likewise as above and following diocesan safeguarding guidelines regarding schools and a conversation with the Head Teacher, the school grounds must be secure during the week. This means no
access through the school to the church. Access to the Church on Sunday evening is permitted and new signage will convey this information. If you should need access through the school during
the weekday to carry flowers through etc, permission should be gained from the school office, and you will be walked through.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: ST JOSEPH’S CHURCH PARKING 

We are thankful to States Property Services for continuing to allow us the use of the upper car park at Grange House, (former Education building above the slope) – however please note that our use is restricted to Sundays only. The States have begun renting out spaces so therefore we are asked to avoid the 6 spaces clearly marked OPUZ and importantly not to block them.

MONITORING OF OUR CAR PARKS

We are most grateful to André Hervé who has monitored the church car park in La Couperderie over many years. His careful diligence has ensured that the car park is freed up for those
attending church and the school, by legally ticketing those vehicles which clearly have no valid reason to be parked in there. André is now retiring from the role and we seek someone to replace him. This could be a shared role perhaps or a rota of people. If you feel you can help the church in this way or want more information please contact the office in the first instance. Thank you.

Orbital Youth Festival on Saturday 14th August–Wednesday 18th August at Rue Maingy.

For young people currently in school years 7-13.

Contact Tom for more details – Tel: 07781 129310 / E-mail: youth@catholic.org.gg