A Prayer for Ukraine (Bishop Patrick)
We pray that the Lord God send His Holy Spirit to all the people of Ukraine
and gives them the grace of endurance in faith, hope and love amid the current ordeals;
may peace be granted throughout Ukraine
and may the Ukrainian nation be delivered from all enemies,
so that we may glorify the good and merciful God in justice and truth.
Lord hear us and have mercy. Amen.
On this Laetare (‘Rejoice!’) Sunday at the mid-point of Lent, our liturgy centres on the boundless forgiveness of our loving God. We may choose to turn away from his love, but God forever turns towards us, longing to embrace us with compassion and rejoicing when we come back to him.
In the First Reading, God tells Joshua that he has taken away the shame of the people of Israel: their years in exile eating manna in the desert are over. From now on, they eat from the bounty of the land.
The generosity of God’s goodness and forgiveness is proclaimed throughout the Psalm. God comes to us in our need and distress, desiring us to put aside our shame and be radiant with his transforming love.
Paul’s letter to the Corinthians continues this feast of forgiveness. We are reconciled to God through Christ, and in him we are a new creation, liberated from our sins. (Second Reading)
Finally, the beautiful parable that Jesus shares in today’s Gospel sums up the whole message of the Good News and the promise of reconciliation. This reconciliation is made complete through the events of Holy Week and Easter that we will soon celebrate.
In this Jubilee Year, we pray as Pilgrims of Hope, made new in Christ. This week, we pray for all those in the world who are unable to secure enough food to eat from their land as a result of a changing climate. May we be moved with compassion to take whatever practical steps we can to alleviate their food poverty.
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER 2026
Every year, on the first Friday in March, churches around the world celebrate the World Day of Prayer. Communities within towns gather together to celebrate the work of a chosen country to be the focus for that year. A short service is held, a collection is made, and light refreshments are available afterwards.
The focus for 2026 is Nigeria, and “I will give you rest, come.”
The format of prayers, readings and hymns are prepared and provided for the host church, together with background information about the country and suggestions for displays to enhance the service.
It requires someone to lead the service, usually from the host church, to hold a few meetings, each about an hour long, in the year beforehand, working with the representatives from the other churches in the town to prepare for the service. Occasionally, the service has involved children from a nearby school (usually primary) so it would be necessary to liaise with the school if that is the case for 2026.
Our Lady of Good Counsel is the host church in Sleaford on Friday, 6th March 2026. We last hosted in 2020, during lockdown, when Barbara Browning and I were our representatives. Everything had to be done over the internet then, and the churches made their own fundraising collections independently when they started opening up again. However, we need someone, or a couple of people, who would be willing to take on this challenge and work with the Sleaford group in order to produce this service next March.
Could that person be you? If you are interested or would like further information, please contact me or Deacon Tony as soon as possible please.
Many thanks,
24 Hours with The Lord.
Friday, 28th March -Saturday, 29th March 2025.
Friday:
Daily Mass 11.30 a.m.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament-12 noon – 13.00.
Stations of the Cross-19.00.
Saturday:
Lent Retreat Day.
10.00 -Morning prayer and Rosary.
11.00- 14.00- Retreat Day—Contemplating the Passion of Jesus.
14.00 -15.00- Exposition and Benediction.
Tuesday, April 1st Deanery Jubilee Mass @ The Church of the Immaculate Conception and St Norbert’s Spalding. Bishop Patrick will celebrate Mass.
All are welcome to attend. Attendance, Confession, Reception of Holy Communion, and prayers for the Pope’s intentions can lead to a plenary indulgence.
LENT 2025. Prayer, fasting, helping those in need.
Ash Wednesday 5th March: Mass and distribution of Ashes 10.15 & 19.00.
Stations of the Cross Friday 7th March and every Friday in Lent at 19.00.
Sundays in Lent: 9th March 16th March 23rd March, 30th March, 6th April,13th April (Palm Sunday) 19th April Easter Vigil ( 8p.m.) 20th April Easter Sunday (10.00)
Dates in March.
Friday 7TH March: World Day of Prayer-Methodist Church @ 13.30
Monday 10th March: Lent Lunch -Parish Hall -12noon.
Saturday 15th March: Women’s Breakfast Club Parish Hall 09.00
Sunday 16th March: Little Church,10.00 Mass
Sunday 23rd March: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction, 15.00.
Wednesday 22nd January @ 19.00 –Parish RCIA programme begins. This is an invitation to anyone who would like to learn more about the Catholic Faith as well as those who would like to be received into the Catholic Church. Please meet in the Parish Hall.
Parish piety shop; There are lots of new religious items in stock including statues, crucifixes, and rosary beads plus cards for all occasions. Please come along and see for yourselves. Thank you to Ann for organising it all.
Volunteers required:
Musicians for the 10a.m. Mass on Sundays. We have a vacancy for a keyboard player. The instrument will be provided. Please contact Deacon Tony if you are interested.
Parish groups:
Parish piety shop; There are lots of new religious items in stock including statues, crucifixes, and rosary beads plus cards for all occasions. Please come along and see for yourselves. Thank you to Ann for organising it all.
The Jubilee Year is a special occasion that occurs every 25 years, and it is a time for Catholics to come together to celebrate their faith and to seek forgiveness for their wrongs.
Many Catholics will travel to Rome on pilgrimage to celebrate the Year of Jubilee.
Parish Activities.
Little Church resumes Sunday 2nd September @ 10a.m. Mass. Children aged between 3-11 with parents most welcome. Every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month. See the poster in the church porch.
Weekly Offertory Collection.
If you would like to make an offering via the envelope system, please give your name to Fr Peter. If you want to gift aid your offering, then speak to Fr Peter or Deacon Tony.
- Altar Servers
Children who have made their First Holy Communion are invited to become altar servers. Please contact Deacon Tony if your child is interested in becoming one.
Cathedral Restoration
The Trustees of the Catholic Diocese of Nottingham have been awarded a substantial grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to embark on an exciting ‘Restoring Pugin’ project at Nottingham Cathedral. The total grant awarded for the first phase of development work is £277,558. A potential delivery grant of £524, 858 has also been awarded. Both grants represent 60% of total costs. Proposed and led by Nottingham Cathedral, the project is a unique partnership with Nottingham Trent University and Culture Syndicates (a CIC heritage and arts consultancy that offers paid development opportunities to museum sector entrants)
Nottingham Cathedral was designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, one of the key pioneers of the Gothic Revival architectural style in Britain during the early Victorian period. Through his works, publications and close collaboration with the architect Sir Charles Barry in the design of the Houses of Parliament, Pugin brought the Middle Ages to life with all its richness, colour and detail. At the heart of the Nottingham Cathedral project is the restoration of the three chapels at the east end of the building to Pugin’s original vision and design. Early investigations of the paintwork by conservators have showed that Pugin’s original decorative scheme, sadly covered over with later paint, can be uncovered and brought back to its former glory
A letter from Bishop Patrick —Diocesan support for the people of Ukraine
I thank you for all the prayers, practical initiatives, and generosity that people across our diocese have already been engaged in, and especially in support of CAFOD’s appeal for Ukraine.
On behalf of the diocese I have been in regular contact with Father David Senyk, the Chancellor of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of London, who also ministers to the Ukrainian communities in Derby, Leicester and Nottingham. I have offered him our prayers for the people of Ukraine and for an end to the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian forces.
More recently I asked him how best he thought we could cooperate with and support the Ukrainian communities within our diocese so as to welcome, house and guide refugees from Ukraine when they arrive amongst us. They, after all, have the contacts in Ukraine and among the Ukrainian refugees that we do not.
He explained that through their direct contacts with charity organisations already working on the ground in Ukraine they have been able to send £400,000 to each of the following charities, Caritas Ukraine, Red Cross Ukraine and Medicin sans frontiers. They are continuing to collect funds, but now it is for the use of refugees, mainly women and children, when they arrive here. Any donations for this work can be deposited directly into a dedicated account, sort code 16-00-16 account number 10121272, name, ‘Ukrainian Catholic Church’. Any cheques should be made payable to ‘Ukrainian Catholic Church’ and sent to Very Rev David Senyk, Chancellor, Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy, 21-22 Binney Street, London, W1K 5BQ.
N.B. Musicians are welcome to join us at Sunday Mass each week — 10a.m.
Readers at weekend Masses.
There is always room for more volunteer readers at Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses.
Please contact Deacon Tony if you would like to be added to the rota.
Parishioners in local care homes—If you would like to visit a parishioner, please contact Deacon Tony for details.