Hunstanton parishioners held a Strawberry Fair at St Cecilia’s Catholic Church in Dersingham recently and raised an amazing £700 for the Alzheimer’s Society. Every pound raised will directly fund Alzheimer’s Society’s vital support services so it can offer help and hope to everyone affected by dementia. There are currently around one million people living with dementia in the UK, including more than 17,500 people in Norfolk.
Pictured above, Maureen Vernon and Chris Davey present a cheque for £700 to Jacky Phipps, Community Fundraising Ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society.
The Norwich ‘Pax et Bonum’ Secular Franciscan group celebrated the 800th anniversary of St Francis receiving the Stigmata on Tuesday September 17 reports Anne Murrin. This was held at St George’s church on Sprowston Road, Norwich. There’s was a programme of the service displayed in the satellite churches so participants were able to choose which parts they preferred to attend. Members from surrounding parishes were also invited.
The four-hour evening began with refreshments followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the Robert Southwell Chapel. This was followed at 7pm by readings of various extracts from sources on St Francis explaining the details of what St Francis endured through his great love of Jesus. There were also some beautiful prayers by St Clare of Assisi on the stigmata of St Francis.
A cloak made of sacking, representing Francis’s usual garment as he went about his life preaching and teaching, was laid in front of the alter. Five candles marking the five piercings were lit and placed appropriately on the garment as the narratives progressed. A time of contemplation followed.
We then had a time of praise and intercessions lead by Philip Walters from the Tuesday Prayer Group, with his guitar. The Crown Rosary was recited during the last hour and the evening concluded with Compline.