CHRISTMAS CONFESSIONS

Saturday 20th December – 10:00am Mass – St Joseph’s (Followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and individual confessions)

THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD

Wednesday 24th December

5:00pm – St Joseph (Christmas Vigil Mass)

6:30pm – OLSS (Christmas Carols)

7:00pm – OLSS (Christmas Vigil Mass)

8:40pm – St Joseph (Christmas Carols)

9:00pm – St Joseph (Mass during the Night)

THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD 

Thursday 25th December

8:00am – Notre Dame (Mass at Dawn)

10:00am – OLSS (Mass during the Day)

10:30am – St Joseph (Mass during the Day)

(No Evening Mass)

ST STEPHEN

Friday 26th December

10:00am – St Joseph (Mass for all Altar Servers)

The Way of the Nativity By Candlelight on 01st December at 7:00pm at Our Lady Star of the Sea.

An Advent service of prayer, reflection and readings followed by mince pies & hot drinks.

Advent is a me of preparation and it is important that Christ should be at the centre of our journey towards Christmas. To be ready for him we have to prepare ourselves. This will be an ideal way to step aside and accompany Christ to the crib. Do make an effort to attend.

MINCE PIES REQUIRED

Would you be willing to provide a few mince pies for the Parish Advent Service? If so please contact Sandy on 07781 193673 or bring them along on the night.

Ernie’s Angels Christmas Sale & WAYAYA Jam Sale this Sunday 30th November after 10:30am mass in St Josephs Parish Room.

There will be Christmas Crafts and gifts sale available.

There will be no The Holy Spirit Prayer Group meeting on Monday 1st December.

Instead we will be attending the Advent Service at Delancey with the rest of the parish community.

WAYAYA Charity Jam sale on Sunday 14th December at Delancey & Sunday 21st December at St Josephs.

Tony & Marian support 6 Zambian children with the support of many parishioners and others.

The money raised from the jam sale will go towards a planned visit to Guernsey for the young people.

DIY Nativity Service on the 20th December at 2:00pm at Our Lady Star of the Sea. Children can come dressed up as stable animals, camels, shepherds and angels. We will also have costumes you can borrow (please come early to try these on). We will be singing some carols accompanied by our wonderful music group with refreshments in the hall afterwards. All are welcome to join us.

Thank you so much to the Befrienders for speaking so well at all masses last weekend.

We thank you all for everything you do for the parish.

Anyone wishing more information please do contact the Parish Office in the first instance.

No confessions Saturday 22nd November due to Mass of the Faithful Departed.

Confessions will be heard during Holy Hour on Wednesday 26th November at 7:00pm.

Our regular Legion meeting for this Saturday 22nd November is cancelled. Normal schedule resumes the following week (29th November)

The Holy Spirit Prayer Group will be having an evening of ADORATION of the BLESSED SACRAMENT on Monday 24th November from 7:30pm-9:00pm in St Josephs Parish Room and then on the following last Monday of every month. There will be some hymns followed by silent ‘Adoration’. Prayer ministry will be available for anyone who would like individual prayer.

Tea/Coffee will be available from 7:00pm.

Everyone is welcome, either for the whole evening or for part of the time.

Coffee Morning on Wednesday 26th November in St Josephs Parish Room and on every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month.

Drop in any time between 9:30am-11:30am. Everyone is welcome.

There is also the option of staying for the Video Series on Mary (LET IT BE – A 5 session video series about Mary – This CaFE (Catholic faith exploration) course on how Mary helps us to be filled with God) at 11:00am in the St Yves room. Everyone is welcome!

Ernie’s Angels Christmas Sale and WAYAYA Jam Sale on Sunday 30th November after 10:30am Mass in St Josephs Parish Room. There will be Christmas Crafts and gifts sale available.

Join Us for a Heart-Warming Parish Carol Service on Thursday 18th December at 7:00pm in St Joseph’s.

Come and celebrate the joy of Christmas with carols, community and Christ at the centre. After the service, enjoy festive mulled wine and mince pies! A new parish tradition. This year we are supporting the Meningitis Research Foundation (Guernsey). Two incredibly brave mums will share their deeply moving stories of love and loss a reminder of why this cause matters so much.

Christmas Craft Stall: Beautiful homemade decorations available to buy.

DIY Nativity: Children are invited to dress as their favourite Nativity character and help bring the Christmas Story to life.

Save the date: We’d love to see you there! Please invite someone along. Anyone who loves the message of Christmas and the sanctity of life must come!

Changes have been made to the Disclosure and Barring Services Update Service (DBS), to which many volunteers already subscribe. To keep DBS Certificates up to date the Update Service are sending emails to volunteers 30 days before their certificates are due for renewal, dates are based on your joining date. This email will ask volunteers to access their Update Service Account and confirm. ln preparation for this change DBS advises volunteers to check that the email address attached to their subscription is the correct email address. For those who confirm, this request will be repeated annually. If no confirmation is made, their volunteer subscription will automatically be cancelled. Volunteers who do not renew their subscription will not be able to keep their DBS certificate(s) up to date and organisations will not be able to check them. They will need to reapply for a DBS as per a new applicant if they need one in the future. It is the policy of the Catholic Church to renew DBS checks every 3 years, this is a separate requirement to that of the DBS in renewing the Update Service subscription on an annual basis. Please do check your emails as they may automatically go into your junk or Scam mailbox, your DBS Certificate is personal to you, so if you have a query you can ring the DBS on 0300 020 0190 or enquires to www.gov.uk. Click for Update Service. Thank you.

Would you be willing to bake a few mince pies or bring ready made ones for the Parish Advent Service on Monday 1st December?

If so please contact Sandy Leightley on 07781 193673.

These can be left at the Parish Office or brought along to Delancey on the night. Many thanks.

Congratulations to our Parishioners who have been elected as parish douzeniers.

Cynthia Cormack (St. Martins) / Gaby Betley (St. Peter Port) / Anne Setters (Vale)

BIG THANK YOU TO THE LEGION OF MARY

Thank you to The Legion of Mary for speaking so well last Saturday/Sunday. Keep up the wonderful work. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

LEGION OF MARY

Active Members of Our Lady of Victories Praesidium meet Saturday mornings at 11:00am in the Parish Rooms.

Please come and visit us! New members are always welcome. For more information contact Mary Baldry – 07781 128462.

The Holy Spirit Prayer Group will be meeting on Monday 17th November from 7:30pm-9:00pm in St Josephs Parish Room.

Tea/Coffee available from 7:00pm.

Everyone is welcome! For more information contact Frank on 07781 108394.

The Annual Mass for the departed of the parish and all whose names are inscribed in the books of the Dead is on Saturday 22nd November at 10:00am in St. Josephs Church.

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of god, Rest In Peace, Amen

We wish parishioners who are candidates for Douzeniers in this week’s Douzaine elections good luck.

Voting takes place on Wednesday 19th November. Please do keep them in your prayers.

As we approach the season of Advent, both Notre Dame du Rosaire Catholic Primary School and St Mary & St Michael Catholic Primary School warmly invite our parishioners – especially our elderly parishioners and grandparents – to attend special performances of their school nativities. These performances are a lovely opportunity for the parish community to share in the children’s retelling of the Christmas story and to come together in faith and joy.

Notre Dame du Rosaire: Thursday 4th December at 1:30pm in the Infant Hall

St Mary & St Michael: Monday 8th December at 9:30am in the School Hall

Both performances will be followed by tea and cake. If you would like to attend, please let the school offices know so we know numbers and can prepare refreshments –

Notre Dame du Rosaire: ndp.office@education.gg

St Mary & St Michael: mmp.office@education.gg

We look forward to welcoming you to celebrate this very joyful time together.

Upon the warm welcome I’ve received from parishioners, more spiritual works of mercy was extended to my brother in his time of difficulties and to my entire family as well. Though words are too feeble for such appreciation, sincerely I will still say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone for prayers offered. Many organised prayers, individual prayers and even requests made to Religious Orders for more prayers yielded much fruits as he didn’t remain in the wrong hands. My family was very grateful when they heard of the prayers and best wishes. Kindly continue to pray for my country and many others, who like my brother, suffer such maltreatment. May God bless you all and may we continue to pray for one another till we reach the better land.

~oOo~

While adding my voice to that of Fr. Bernardine to thank you for the projects in his parish, I will like to let you know that his parish accommodates many displaced persons who need such facilities. Given that Fr Bernardine has worked for long in education, I can assure you without fear that he knows exactly how best to design it for the needs of that area. Your every initiative, donation and call to call for action directed towards Bamenda is much appreciated as it creates real and wholistic impacts. Thank you. “The least you do for these little ones, you do it for me” (Mtt. 25:40).

Fr Benedict Ndikum

The Holy Spirit Prayer Group will be meeting on Monday 10th November from 7:30pm-9:00pm in St Josephs Parish Room.

Tea/Coffee available from 7:00pm.

Everyone is welcome! For more information contact Frank on 07781 108394.

The UCM will be meeting on Tuesday 11th November at 7:00pm.

The meeting will be – “A Greener Christmas with the Greenings”.

Please bring a Christmas tea towel, toilet roll tubes and a raffle prize.

Coffee Morning on Wednesday 12th November in St Josephs Parish Room and on every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month.

Drop in any time between 9:30am-11:30am. Everyone is welcome.

LET IT BE – A 5 session video series about Mary. This CaFE (Catholic faith exploration) course on how Mary helps us to be filled with God will be shown in St Joseph’s, St Yves Room from 11:00-12:00pm on the coffee morning days (2nd and 4th Wednesdays) starting on Wednesday 26th November. Come and have a cup of tea/coffee first at the coffee morning or just come along at 11:00am for the video sessions. Everyone is welcome!

The programme will commence on Saturday 10th / Sunday 11th January 2026. Holy Communion this year will take place on Saturday 6th June at 10:00am at St. Josephs. A parent meeting will be held on Thursday 20th November at 6:00pm in Notre Dame’s School Hall. Registration forms can be collected from Notre Dame, St Mary & St. Michael and Blanchelande College. If your child doesn’t attend one of our three Catholic schools then forms can also be collected from the porch in all three Churches or the parish office.

WINGS, World In Need Group collection on 15th and 16th November will go to CAFOD for the Sudan Crisis Appeal.

Pope Leo has recently spoken of his deep concern for the people of Sudan. “With great sorrow, I am following the tragic news coming from Sudan, particularly from the city of El Fasher in the afflicted northern Darfur region,” Pope Leo said during the Angelus address. He decried the “Indiscriminate violence against women and children, attacks on unarmed civilians, and serious obstacles to humanitarian action,” that he said, “are causing unacceptable suffering to a population already exhausted by long months of conflict.”

CAFOD staff and partners continue to do all they can to support communities with emergency food, repair of water supplies and support for the refugees fleeing their homes. They often work through local churches. Your support is vital as are your prayers for peace. Whatever you can give makes a difference. Thank you.

The Parish Christmas Lunch on Sunday 7th December at Les Rocquettes Hotel is now for 12:00pm/12:30pm just to give parishioners enough me to get there after 10:30am mass.

The menus are now available in the porch of the Church. Please return all booking forms by 23rd November.

Remembrance Sunday 9th November at 11:00am at the War Memorial (Top of Smith Street)

We thank Deacon Mark for representing the Catholic Church at the memorial.

Le Platon results of the October draw –

1st – 79 – £100

2nd – 37 – £50

3rd – 34 – £25

BOOKS FOR THE DEAD

The books for the dead have opened in our three Churches. Please add the name/s of your dearly departed loved ones, relations and friends.

ANNUAL MASS FOR THE DEAD

The Annual mass for the departed of the parish and all whose names are inscribed in the books of the Dead will be held Saturday 22nd November at 10:00am in St. Josephs.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of god, Rest In Peace. Amen

Liz Dene will prepare a photo montage of the building of the nursery school which will be displayed to watch whilst having coffee after the 8:00am and 10:30am masses.

Bamenda news

Bamenda–Portsmouth Partnership presentation

 

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A post shared by Portsmouth Diocese (@catholicportsmouth)

With sincere thanks to all those who organised the social evening last weekend. We really do appreciate those who participated and all those who brought food to share.

Watch this space for the next one. God bless you all.

THE HOLY SPIRIT PRAYER GROUP 

The Holy Spirit prayer Group will be meeting on Monday 3rd November from 7:30pm-9:00pm in St Joseph’s Parish Room.

Tea/Coffee available from 7:00pm.

Everyone is welcome! For more information contact Frank on 07781 108394.

BIG THANK YOU TO THE HOLY SPIRIT PRAYER GROUP

Thank you to the Holy Spirit Prayer Group for speaking so well and full of the Holy Spirit last Sunday.

Please keep up your incredible work. Holy Spirit, enlighten, guide, strengthen and console me.

On Sunday 30th November after 10:30am mass in the Parish Room there will be Christmas Crafts and gifts sale available. Wayaya will also be doing a jam sale.

Confirmation preparation starts in January for young people in Year 8 and above who would like to be confirmed this summer, or don’t necessarily want to be confirmed but just want to explore more about their faith.

Contact Tom – Tel: 07781 129310 / E-mail: youth@catholic.org.gg

The rota for the period 2nd November to 21st December 2025 will be available in the sacristy this weekend please collect after Mass.

The programme will commence on Saturday 10th / Sunday 11th January 2026. Holy Communion this year will take place on Saturday 6th June at 10:00am at St. Josephs. A parent meeting will be held on Thursday 20th November at 6:00pm in Notre Dame’s School Hall. Registration forms can be collected from Notre Dame, St Mary & St. Michael and Blanchelande College. If your child doesn’t attend one of our three Catholic schools then forms can also be collected from the porch in all three Churches or the parish office.

ADVENT SERVICE

Monday 1st December at 7:00pm at OLSS

PARISH CHRISTMAS CAROL SERVICE

Thursday 18th December at 7:00pm at St. Josephs

The new Missals have now arrived if you pre-ordered one these can now be collected from the parish office.

If you would still like to order one then please email on office@catholic.org.gg.

The Parish Christmas Lunch is now confirmed for Sunday 7th December at 12nooon at Les Rocquettes Hotel.

Adults: £30.00 – Children 12 and under: £11.00

The menus are available below, and in the church porches. Please return all booking forms by November 23rd.

Menus

Access to Vauvert area will not be possible via Doyle Road, access will be via Trinity square, lower Vauvert, thereafter Vauvert will have normal one way traffic flow system reversed to travel uphill towards La Couperderie (one way reversed), Victora Road back out onto the top of the Grange Road. Please do allow more time to travel to Church. For more information visit www.gov.gg.

Our parish is blessed with many active and vibrant groups that play a vital role in the life of our community. These groups contribute in many ways – through prayer, service, outreach, and fellowship helping to strengthen our parish family. However, many of our parishioners may not yet be aware of the wonderful work these groups do. If you feel called to become more involved in the life of the parish, we warmly invite you to consider joining one of our groups. Together, let us continue to build a stronger, faith- filled community. Bishop Philip in his 6 holy habits asked us to participate in a small group for faith formation, prayer, and fellowship with others. If you haven’t yet joined a group why not get involved!

Thank you all to those who volunteer! The new rota beginning 4th January 2026 is now available. Copies can be collected from the Sacristy file – copy on the wall in the Parish Room Kitchen.

Exposition of the Bless Sacrament & Adoration – A time of reflecting and spending time with the Lord.

Tuesdays & Thursdays – 10:00am-10:30am – St Josephs

Wednesdays (Holy Hour) – 7:00pm – St Josephs

Our parish is blessed with many active and vibrant groups that play a vital role in the life of our community. These groups contribute in many ways – through prayer, service, outreach, and fellowship helping to strengthen our parish family. However, many of our parishioners may not yet be aware of the wonderful work these groups do. I will be meeting with each group personally to invite them to share a few words about who they are and what they do. Over the coming weekend Masses, we will introduce one group at a time so that everyone can learn more about their mission and their contribution to parish life. If you feel called to become more involved in the life of the parish, we warmly invite you to consider joining one of our groups. New members are always welcome! Together, let us continue to build a stronger, faith-filled community. God bless you. Father Inna

A Mass Intention is a specific offering of a mass in honour of or in memory of someone by name at a specific mass time on a specific date. A Mass Intention is traditionally offered as a gift to someone who is grieving a recent loss or celebrating a milestone. Please do email us at office@catholic.org.gg or pop into the parish office if you would like to offer a mass for someone. Mass cards are also available to send to the family or person you are offering the mass for.

The Parish Befrienders Group was set up with the support of Canon Michael 12 years ago. It aims to keep in touch with parishioners who may no longer be able to attend Mass especially if they are housebound or living in Care homes. By visiting them and sending cards at Christmas and Easter, they are assured they are not forgotten and their prayers are valued. Over the years the importance of making it possible for these dear people to meet together has been recognized. With the additional help of many lift givers including Wheelchair taxis, Befrienders organize Social events, tea parties, coffee mornings and a healing service when they come together joyfully, meeting up with life long parish friends as well as more able members of our Parish as one community. For further information see Parish website. If you feel you have some time to spend visiting or could help with organizing events we would be very pleased to hear from you. Please contact the Parish Office in the first instance.

Parents are reminded that children due to start school in September 2026 must be registered between Friday 24th October 2025 and Thursday 4th December 2025

If your child is baptised, or due to be baptised Catholic they can be registered at either of our Catholic primary schools: Notre Dame du Rosaire or St Mary & St Michael.

Please pop into the schools or email the school office to request registration forms:

• Notre Dame du Rosaire: ndp.office@education.gg

• St Mary & St Michael: mmp.office@education.gg

Families are warmly welcome to arrange a tour of the school with our Executive Headteacher, Mrs Mary Robertshaw.

Please share this information with any families you know who have a child due to start school.