Roman Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth Registered Charity No. 246871

Corpus Christi Wokingham

South Berkshire Pastoral Area

Parish Priest: Canon Simon Thomson Telephone: 0118 978 0348

Office e-mail: wokingham@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk Website:- www.corpuschristi-wokingham.org

15th March 2020, Third Sunday in Lent —Year A

MASS TIMES

Saturday Vigil 14th March 6 - 6.20pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 6 - 6.20pm Sacrament of Reconciliation 6.30pm Christine Barnett RIP Sunday 15th March Third Sunday in Lent 09.00 Roy Allen RIP 11.00 Sue Herbert RIP Monday 16th March No Mass Tuesday 17th March St Patrick, Bishop 7 pm Private Intention Wednesday 18th March 09.30 Ken Purvis RIP

Important Contacts.

Hospital / Home visits. Sick Communion—If you are sick or going into hospital and would like a visit or Holy Communion, call the parish office on 0118 978 0348 Baptisms—Firstly, speak to Deacon Ben after 11.00 Mass on any Sunday email bndubuisi@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk Other Priests in the area : Fr Marcus Brisley 01252 876820 Fr. Danny Mc Avoy 01344 425729, Fr Kevin Bidgood 01344 620591 Safeguarding Team: Claire & Jordana Tel: 0773 185 1296; email safeguarding.wok@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk SVP: David Thomas 07786 492948 ; davidrthomas@sky.com

Thursday 19th March St Joseph No morning mass 7– 7.30 pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 7.30 pm Intentions of the UCM Friday 20th March 09.30 Terry Crees—Intentions Saturday 21st March No Morning Mass Saturday Vigil 21st March 6 - 6.20 pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 6 - 6.20 pm Sacrament of Reconciliation 6.30 pm Canon Simon’s Intentions Sunday 22nd March Fourth Sunday in Lent 09.00 People of the Parish 11.00 Rosaleen Davis RIP

Parish Office Opening Times :- Tuesday to Friday, 08.30 to 13.30 Your Parish Administrator, Una Smith, can be contacted on Tel: 0118 978 0348 or email wokingham@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

“Are you hiding anything?” It’s an uncomfortable question

that probably invites a heated denial from most of us; yet

most of us are probably hiding something. We might be trying

to shrug off a nagging guilt or an unforgiving sin. We might be

trying to forget an episode in our lives where we behaved

unwisely. We might be trying to cover up the agony of a failed

relationship or putting a brave face on a lifetime of loneliness

and rejection. How many of us are covering up weaknesses

and flaws in our character? Most of us are trying to hide something, yet we would all

acknowledge that burying something isn’t the best way to find healing or

improvement. The woman at the well in today’s gospel was struggling through life with a great deal

of baggage. Firstly she was a woman with a lesser role in society, not only that, but a

woman without a husband and to add insult to injury, a woman with a bad reputa-

tion. Secondly the woman was a Samaritan, a foreigner, and as such, regarded by

most as a person to be avoided altogether. Jesus puzzles the woman. He is a man

and he is a Jew, in other words, the very last person she would have expected to

strike up a conversation. Life had taught the woman to expect something very

different. Life had taught her to expect contempt and rejection. Is this why we keep

our own failings under wraps? Do we, like the Samaritan woman expect our friends

family and work mates to be unforgiving and uncompromising if they new the real

us?

In your prayers, please remember all who are sick, in hospital or housebound especially Joyce Unwin, Patricia Morton, Helen Power, Hugh Dwan, Mary Ann Froude, Daniel Sutton, Joseph Nemeth, Sarah White, Daniel Neylon, and Sr Veronica.

Last Week’s Collection : Envelopes: £132; Cash: £616; Standing Orders: £1252 Thank you for your Contribution Portsmouth Diocese Charity No: 246871

Confirmation—A registration and information meeting for Confirmation candidates and their parents will be held in the church on Sunday 22nd March immediately after the 11am Mass. Following the Away Weekend at KIntbury (27-29 March) the preparation sessions will commence on Sunday 19th April immediately after and including the 11am Mass (attendance at the 11am Mass is expected) finishing by 1pm at the latest. The sessions will then be every Sunday up to and including Sunday 31st May. The Confirmation Mass at which Bishop Philip will preside will be on Sunday 7th June (time to be confirmed but probably 3pm) at St John’s Cathedral, Portsmouth, where we will be joining the Bournemouth Pastoral Area .

CAFOD Lent Fast Day—our parish has raised £1,993 which will help ensure no-one is beyond reach of the love and care they need to flourish. Thank you to all those that have cooked and attended the Lenten Soup lunches on Fridays but these have now been suspended.

Please find copies of “Count your Blessings” Christian Aid booklets and children’s activity sheets at the back of the church. Please take a copy to find out more about the charity. This year’s House to House collection takes place 10-16 May. It would be very much appreciated if we could have a few more volunteers this year. Please contact the parish office if you can help in some way. Thank you.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE With the move from the ‘containment’ to ‘delay’ phase, hymn books and Mass books have now been withdrawn, in addition to the removal of Holy Communion from the chalice, refraining from touching at the Sign of Peace, and the main collection being taken at the end of Mass rather than after the Intercessions. Hymn sheets are being produced for both Sunday morning Masses with sufficient for one per person. Please return these to the porch on leaving so they can be disposed of safely. All refreshments after Masses are suspended until further notice. If you have a cold or develop a cough, please do not come to Mass and follow the instructions given by NHS 111. For those who are unable to attend Mass and have access to the internet, all the Masses from St John’s Cathedral, Portsmouth are broadcast live and can be viewed at https://portsmouthcatholiccathedral.org.uk/live-mass.php

Bible study – Friday 20th March at 10am and Tuesday 24th March at 7.30pm, both in the Keenan rooms. This year has been designated The Year of God Who Speaks to encourage us to reflect on the Bible in our daily lives. For further information contact Sue Cooper on 07939495774 or at sue@eagleswings.org.uk

Penitential services in our Pastoral Area have provisionally been arranged as follows:- Thursday 26th March , 7.30pm , Immaculate Conception, Sandhurst ; Friday 27th March, 7.30pm, St Francis of Assisi, Ascot; Thursday 2nd April, 7.30pm, Corpus Christi

Easter Cards at Traidcraft stall—available after all masses this weekend, 14/15 March

All the ladies of the parish are invited to the next UCM meeting on 19th March for the feast of St Joseph the Worker when members will share past and current work experiences . Also the UCM Day of Recollection (DOR) on 28th March starting at 9:45am in the Keenan room. Please see the UCM notice board for booking details.

CHRISM MASS, CATHEDRAL PORTSMOUTH – Tuesday 7 April 2020. It is with great sadness that Bracknell parish have had to take the decision to CANCEL the coach booking taking parishioners to the Chrism Mass in Portsmouth. Thank you for your support and, if you have made a donation for the coach, we will arrange a refund please contact the parish office on 01344 425729 or email stjb@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk.

Altar Server Practice for Holy Week Services. If you are available and wish to serve at the Holy Week services you must attend the following rehearsals:- For Maundy Thursday and Good Friday—rehearsal at 11-00 on Thurs 9th April For Easter Vigil—rehearsal at 2pm, Sat 11th April. Jeremy Best and Canon Simon look forward to seeing you in the church at those times.

The Youth Group would like to thank all the fathers who came out and participated in the snooker and table tennis competition last week. Well done to Dave Pye for winning both trophies. . There is no youth group in April but we will be back in May. Should you wish to join us, contact Arlene on ccygwokingham@gmail.com

Parish Panto raises £1800 for Wokingham Charity—A huge thank you to all who supported the parish pantomime, Alice in Pantoland, this year. With your help we made an excess of £1800 which has been passed onto “Building for the Future”. A Wokingham based, parent led charity that provides activities, support and therapy for children with disabilities (and/or additional needs) and their families. The Corpus Christi Parish Panto Group is a social group of the parish. Those involved range in age from 11yrs’ to 60+. Every year new members get involved. Contact parishpantocc@gmail.com

if you’d like to join in the fun as we plan our next pantomime.