Please pray for the souls of all deceased parishioners, family and friends
- Philomena Nolan – Reception into St John’s 18th May and Requiem Thurs 19th May at 11am
May God console their families. May the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace;
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Please pray for those whose Anniversaries occur at this time including….
- 16: Mary Violet Clarke, Sister M. Berchmans Roden, Patrick Lucas, Catherine Mary Scutts
- 17: Mary Anne Mullarkey, Ethel Dorothy Hardy, Carmela Alexander, Mary Deborah Calvo, Philomena Harrison
- 18: James Fredrick Chapman, Mary Matilda Vaughan, Baby George Smith, Wendolin Boehm
- 19: George William Brown, Mary Ann Brennan, Peter Morrant, Hugh O’Kane, Milica Mira Smyth, Michael Joseph McDermott, Gerardo Esposito, Ellen Clent,
- 20: John Breslin, Tony Carey, Ellen Meaney, Gladys Potter
- 21: Antonia Maria Martin, Joyce Evelyn Irvine, Sonny Tobias Steven Whittam, Keith Christopher Hyland, Cynthia Sybil Stevens, Stephanie Doreen Florence Judge
- 22: William Herbert, Jason Hardy, James Groarke, Michael Grillo, Esther Theresa Pithman, Nora Gallagher, Dorothy Ellen Cross, Arturs Osipovs, Michael Brewer, Eileen Bridget Dowler, Dariusz Mielczarzewicz
- 23: Josephine Elizabeth McGowan, Giovanni Tramontano, Sister M. Carmel Boyle, George Henry Stocks, Adam Lawrence Colton, William John Colton, Bartley Gilhooly
May they rest in peace…
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Sick/housebound Please contact the parish office and let us know of neighbours/family members who are unable to come to Church and would like to receive Communion or call 07405803862. We remember in our prayers those who are sick, housebound or in hospital & those who care for them. Please, when on admission in the hospital or care home, volunteer the information of your faith as you won’t be asked ordinarily.
Fr Moses would like to express his sincere thanks for such an inspiring Holy Week. All the help throughout the week and so many people working and preparing behind the scenes and giving their time so generously made the Easter Triduum a wonderful experience. Thank you to our fantastic cleaners and all who prepared the church for the different services, welcome teams, altar servers and sacristans, choirs, flower arrangers, gardeners, special ministers, those who take communion to the sick and housebound, readers, collectors and gift aid, counters, repository and coffee bar team. It is lovely to see the parish community working so well together – we are blessed to have so many dedicated people at St John’s. Finally, thank you for all your good wishes and cards.
Last weeks collections Holy Places £653.20 Next week: second collection for Maintenance of St George’s Cathedral.
Gift Aid Boxes available for collection at all Masses this weekend in the sacristy.
The Divine Mercy Today is Divine Mercy Sunday (16th April). The “Divine Mercy Chaplet” will recited at St John’s at 3pm, followed by Mass.
Ladies group St John’s propose to start a group that meet at our parish. Please collect an information sheet at the back of the Church and consider supporting this new group. There will be an initial meeting for anyone interested today at 9.40am-10.15am in the coffee room but there will be more information next week.
Retreat Fr Joseph from the Divine Retreat Centre, Ramsgate will be joining Fr Moses at St John’s this Tuesday 18th April 5pm-9pm for a retreat “Inner Healing Session”. Everyone, including families are warmly invited to come and join us.
Precious Blood Following discussion at the Bishops’ Conference, and bearing in mind current guidance, it will be permissible to offer once again Holy Communion under both kinds (that is also from the chalice, receiving the Precious Blood.) from Maundy Thursday (6 April 2023) onwards. This practice remains optional. No one is obliged to receive Holy Communion from the shared chalice since Jesus Christ is received sacramentally, whole, and entire, under one kind.
Baptisms Application forms for Baptism are available from the back of the Church or the parish office. Families need to attend a talk before the baptism. Please phone or email the office if you wish to attend (Next session is 17th April).
Foodbank We will be collecting this weekend at all masses. Essential items include squash, fruit juice, pasta sauce, tinned fruit, biscuits, jam, instant mash. Thank you.
Altar servers Rally at The Friars, Aylesford on May Day bank holiday 1st May. Mass will be celebrated at 11.30am. Everyone is welcome to attend especially our servers, families and friends. Altar servers are encouraged to attend with family and friends.
RCIA We welcome anyone who is searching or wants to review their faith or may be interested in joining the Catholic community, or wishes to be Confirmed. Please contact the parish office or speak to Fr Moses.
School Forms Fr Moses will be available to sign school forms on Thursday between 12-3pm in the Presbytery. Please note that the day and times may change each week.
Nursery 2023 Would you like your child to start at St. John’s Catholic Primary School Nursery in September 2023? If your child will be 3 years of age on or before 31st August 2023 then now is the time to summit your nursery application form, which is available from our school office or download https://www.stjohnsprimary.kent.sch.uk/Information/Admissions/ and once completed, have it countersigned by your Parish Priest. We will also need to see your children’s original full Birth Certificate and evidence of their Christian Baptism. Completed documents can be brought into the school office or emailed as a PDF document to admissions@st-johns-gravesend.kcsp.org.uk before the end of April.
Round Britain Sailing Pilgrimage – Celebrating STELLA MARIS’ 100+ years of service to Seafarers & Fishers. Please come and join skipper Russ Fairman & Crew in the Mass, celebrated by Fr Moses, with Deacon John Fogarty from Stella Maris, at St John’s church in Gravesend at 6pm on Saturday 6th May and at 08.30 on Sunday 7th May. Hospitality will be provided in the hall afterwards, hosted by Dcn John Fogarty, Stella Maris Port Chaplain, followed by a stroll down to see the boat off from the Pier if you would like to. for more details, go to https://sailingpilgrimages.co.uk/stella-maris/ Leaflets at the back of the Church.
King Charles Coronation A special Mass will take place at St John’s to celebrate the Coronation on Fri 5th May at 7pm.
Padre Pio Prayer Group each Tuesday straight after 9.15am Mass in the Cry Chapel. All welcome to join us in prayer. We especially remember our sick friends and family.
Come and Rest is a contemplative group that meets around the Word of God on Wednesdays 8-9pm. Click here for the Zoom link.
Dona Card Machine We now have a self-service card donation point. It accepts contactless and chip and pin donations for those parishioners who may find this more useful than cash. We will try and have someone with the machine at all masses to help with any enquires about making donations this way.