Newsletter- 4th Week of Lent
Dear Parishioners
Rejoice! In Christ we are a new creation: The 4th Sunday of Lent is traditionally called Laetare Sunday. Laetare is the Latin word which means “rejoice.” We rejoice that on Laetare Sunday we are at the mid-point of Lent, and our liturgy this weekend centres on the boundless forgiveness of our loving God. We may choose to turn away from His love, but God never turns away from us. He waits longing to embrace us with His great compassion and rejoicing when we come back to him.
On Laetare Sunday we rejoice too as our Lenten observance is lifted slightly, we see this in the rose-coloured vestments worn by all the clergy at Mass, this Sunday brings us closer to the joy of Easter! Today is also Mothering Sunday, the day on which we give thanks for all our mothers, living and dead, and we give thanks for all who have cared and nurtured us in life and in our journeys of faith thus far. On this Sunday we rejoice in the knowledge and power of God’s great love for us and for all humanity, and as a Church we give thanks for the special place Our Lady holds in the mystery of our salvation.
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 Responsorial Psalm. God comes to us in our need and distress, desiring us to put aside our shame and be radiant with his transforming love. St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Second Reading, continues this feast of forgiveness. We are reconciled to God through Christ and in him we are a new creation, liberated from our sins. 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.
During this Jubilee Year, let us 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 because of a changing climate. May we be moved with compassion to take whatever practical steps we can to alleviate their food poverty.
Tuesday 1st April at 7 pm: This Tuesday the Bishop will celebrate a special Jubilee Year Station Mass in our deanery, at the deanery Jubilee church of The Immaculate Conception and St Norbert’s, Spalding. I do hope as many parishioners as possible will be able to come this Tuesday to Spalding to welcome the Bishop to our deanery. There will be No Mass in St Mary’s Grantham that day.
Adoration – from 6 pm – 6.45 pm
Confessions – from 6 pm – 6.45 p.m.
Station Mass – 7 p.m. – Principal Celebrant and Preacher – Bishop Patrick, concelebrants (priests of the deanery), deacons of the deanery (assisting at the altar).
Refreshments – There will be a chance to meet with Bishop Patrick informally and members of the deanery clergy and other parishioners of the deanery over fellowship and light refreshments in the parish hall, immediately after Mass.
Parishioners attending the evening in Spalding can receive the special Jubilee Year Indulgence *(Please see information in the Bulletin regarding criteria).
Stations of the Cross – Most Fridays at 7 pm during Lent. N.B. (at 6 pm on Good Friday, 18th April). In addition, Stations of the Cross on Wednesday in Holy Week at 6 pm.
Extra times of Confession on a Friday (Directly after Stations of the Cross) N.B. (No confessions on the 18th of April (Good Friday).
Prayers for Pope Francis: Let us continue to keep our Holy Father in prayer each day this week. He has now returned home after his time in hospital, but he still needs our prayers each day, as he takes a time of recuperation to gain his strength. Let us pray that Pope Francis may know the power of Gods great love for him and find healing and strength during his time of convalescence.
With prayer and best wishes for you and your families as we continue our Lenten journey together,
Your parish priest and friend,
Fr Jonathan
2025 30th March – Newsletter – Download