Thank you - Christmas Offerings

 Adult formation / RCIA: We continue our programme, looking in a practical manner at the Bible, it’s major divisions and how to use one this Monday, 10th February at 7 pm. At present, given the small number of people, we will probably meet in the presbytery

Diocesan Pastoral Plan: Once again, our thanks to all those who have put forward their details to help with the changing landscape of the local church. Those details have now been collated and the ‘pro temp core group’ met during this last week to assist in identifying who might be ‘teamed’ with who, and matters progressed. Those who have offered to help will receive or will have received an e-mail acknowledging and thanking them for their assistance. Such a general e-mail will also include the names of the temporary ‘core team’ members, who have been delegated to contact those of you who have offered to help in the various arenas, so as to bring the differing skill sets and people together. This ‘phase’ will bring individuals together in a ‘group’ meeting which will have both a ‘social’ and ‘business’ element, the latter, in terms of what individuals are prepared to offer within the bounds of their broader responsibilities and commitments. On Tuesday there will be the first Deanery clergy meeting of the year and doubtless, there will be some ‘feedback’ on developments, expectations etc. Previous Updates------ Diocesan Pastoral Plan: Thanks to all those who have put forward their details to help with the changing landscape of the local church by filling in the forms, which are still available, should you be able to help in some way. Given the shortage of priests and the amalgamation of the Deaneries of the Diocese into single or ‘a moderated parish’, it is important that we are pro-active in assembling a ‘core team’ to take care of local administration but also to contribute to and be a model for effective evangelisation. The purpose of a ‘core team’ will be to help oversee and manage the different elements or strands of the local Church community and to liaise with local clergy and the other local ‘core teams’ and the priest administrator to best effect the proclamation of the Gospel and to support best pastoral practice. Having had a break after Christmas, Fr. Ian will now be looking more closely at the forms which have been returned, with a view to gathering a ‘core team’ together; obviously this is something which requires prayer and thought, so please keep this matter in both. Just to repeat, that concerned as we are to ‘cast our net wide’ in regard to how you might be able to support the changing local Church, if you have not filled in a form, requesting basic information about you and any manner you might be willing to help, please do so. Help in the life of the local Church, could be through prayer, liturgy (children’s especially), sacramental and catechetical preparation; support with parish social life and particular groups of people, such as the housebound, toddler, youth, men’ / women’s group, the ‘highly mortgaged group’ or perhaps your support could be more in terms of administration, property fabric and maintenance; please indicate any area you could help with. Many thanks. Yes, there is the immediate, but what about the longer term and bigger picture, encouraging vocation in the broadest sense to marriage, priesthood and religious life? As a community are we seminal in nurturing and encouraging all of our young in the love of God, in responding to His call (vocation) and in living their lives for Christ? If the harvest is to be reaped, we have to be the labourers. Put another way, what spiritual legacy will we leave the world? Diocesan Pastoral Plan: Our thanks to all those who have given time and thought towards our meeting this Sunday! It is hoped that we can outline something of the considerable change that has come about over the years in parochial life, not least, in terms of administrative demands, of which many people will be unaware! ‘What the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve’ however, we do need to look at and give consideration to a number of arenas with a view to forming a ‘core group’ of parishioners who will assist in overseeing the many elements of parish life, consequent, in part, on the decline in the number of priests. There may well be areas about which you have thoughts/ideas/ skills and abilities and other areas about which you are perhaps unaware or would not wish to be concerned or involved with and other things which are in between, besides! Essentially concerns are twofold, administrative and pastoral, you may have skills and aptitude in one area more so than another, but continued and further contribution to parish life in either area would be very much appreciated. The objective of our meeting this weekend is to be able to demonstrate the need for a core group / pastoral council to oversee the different ‘layers’ of parish life with a view to making both representation and contribution to the ‘moderated parish’ of the not too distant future. The different ‘layers’ will be responsible for different aspects of parish life, whether spiritual / liturgical, catechetical, pastoral (in a very broad sense), property maintenance, financial, administrative as well as other areas. Following the words of today’s second reading, we should be encouraged to use our variety of gifts in continuing to contribute ever more generously to the life of the Church, mindful of Mary’s words in the gospel ‘Do whatever He tells you.’ Growing the Church requires all kinds of talents, including yours, so do let your light shine, encouraging, supporting and being seminal in Her life in Dorking and surrounding areas. Previous news ------- Diocesan Pastoral Plan: Following on from the parish meeting on the 8th December, it would be helpful to have a gathering of persons who are concerned to further the discussion early in the New Year, with a view to enhancing the existing infrastructure. Given feedback on the day and the time, we will meet on Sunday 19th January after the 10.00 am Mass. To focus our thoughts and discussion, please have a look at the ‘buff coloured’ sheet / PDF (via e-mail) there is a non-exhaustive list of areas of concern (compiled by parishioners) for you to consider and perhaps make contribution, prior to the meeting. There may well be areas about which you have thoughts/ideas/ skills and abilities and other areas about which you are perhaps unaware or would not wish to be concerned or involved with and other things which are in between, besides! Essentially concerns are twofold, administrative and pastoral, you may have skills and aptitude in one area more so than another, but continued and further contribution to parish life in either area would be very much appreciated. The objective of a January meeting would be to be able to establish a core group / pastoral council to oversee the different elements of parish life with a view to making representation for the ‘moderated parish’. Growing the Church requires all kinds of talents, including yours, so do let your light shine, encouraging, supporting and being seminal in Her life in Dorking and surrounding areas.

 Monthly prayer hour: Takes place in the church this Thursday, 13th from 7.00 to 8.00pm with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Everyone is welcome.

ROSARY CIRCLE FOR PRIESTLY VOCATIONS:- If you haven’t already done so, but would still like to commit to praying a decade of the Rosary each day during January, then please do put your initial or a tick in one of the boxes on the ‘Rosary Circle’ chart in the church porch. Our thanks to all those who have ‘signed up’ already to be part of the ‘Rosary Circles’. So as to keep this spiritual exercise in our minds and hearts, the first Sunday of each month is a ‘sign up’ weekend, when people can recommit to this by 'signing up again' or indeed take up this prayerful activity. Let it be said, however, that anyone can join the Rosary Circles at any time, so, even if you haven’t done so thus far, please be encouraged to do so. Details of how to be involved are on the notice in the church porch. PLEASE BE PART OF A ROSARY CIRCLE PRAYING FOR PRIESTLY VOCATIONS FROM THE PARISH! Thank you.

Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage: Applications for this summer's Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes (25-31 July by air or own transport, 24 July-1 August by coach/jumbulance) are now open on the diocesan website: https://www.abdiocese.org.uk/lourdes/home

The Bethlehem Nativity Group:- Bethlehem is in the West Bank, and as you will be aware, the conflicts in the Holy Land have deterred many, many people from visiting the holy sites, including the birth place of our Lord.  The Christian community of Bethlehem is now less than 20% of the population, who have been dependent for many generations on other Christians visiting and buying the goods which are uniquely offered by the Holy Land. ‘The Bethlehem Nativity Group’ is a small enterprise of Christian families in Bethlehem which endeavours to bring Holy Land gifts, particularly hand carved olive wood items, to us, here in the UK, Germany and America. They will be visiting St. Joseph’s parish on the weekend of 22nd-23rd February, offering olive wood carvings and other artifacts for sale. Items that you may purchase will go directly to supporting the Christians of Bethlehem, now, the few guardians of the Holy City. The presence of these families in Bethlehem, will hopefully enable the wider Church and Christian community to return unencumbered and make pilgrimage to the Holy Land, which is so often referred to as ‘the fifth gospel’. If you are thinking of gifts for First Holy Communion, Confirmation, weddings, those moving into a new home or the arrival of a baby, do think of buying from the Bethlehem families and supporting the at this frugal point in their lives. February 22nd-23rd. Many thanks.

The prayer ‘The Morning Offering’:- O Jesus, through the most pure heart of Mary, I offer thee all my prayers, works, sufferings and joys of this day, for all the intentions of Thy Divine Heart in the Holy Mass.

Parish Youth Group:- A reminder that any young people of secondary school age are welcome to meet in the church hall on Friday afternoon from 4pm onwards. Tea and toast, or if the preference is for cheese pizza, will be available. An opportunity to meet informally, ask questions and have the opportunity to grow in faith, then to end the working week with the ‘Night Prayer of the Church’ at 5.45.

SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION:  The programmes continue this week. First Holy Communion The programmes continue this Tuesday11th February and Thursday 13th February respectively. For the older children, Year 5 and above, the meeting will be on Tuesday at 4.15 in the small hall and last about 1 hour. For the younger children the meeting will begin at 4 pm, however, you are welcome to come to the hall from 3.30 onwards to give your child/ren a snack etc. We will be looking at chapter 7 of the books ‘Jesus Loves us all.’ It would be most helpful if all the other chapters have been covered and work is up to date. Confirmation Programme: For those who signed up, Our programme continues this T hursday, 6th February at 6 pm. (Please note the corrected time)