OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE

It is easy to struggle with hope especially when we read the news. Yet hope is not merely a vague optimism. Hope is one of the three theological virtues of faith, hope and love. It is therefore much deeper than a feeling. It is a choice and a grace that comes from God. This is where I struggle. My feelings waiver but I must continually choose to hope in God and to trust in Him. Otherwise, we can be led to despair. As Bonhoeffer said "Anyone who knows Easter cannot despair”. This is where our hope is founded. The despair of the cross of Jesus, the darkness of the tomb and mourning - a darkness like no other. If this week ended there then there would be no hope. There is no real hope without Jesus. But this is the crucified and risen Jesus. God does not avoid pain and suffering or even the reality of death. He faces it head on in Jesus who is really God and a man. So, we have hope in Jesus because He changes and gives meaning and even hope in all that oppresses us including sin and evil. Without the crucified and risen Jesus, we are still condemned.  This is also why the Divine Mercy Novena and chaplet is so powerful and meaningful to me. Saint Faustina was commissioned by Jesus to be His secretary of Mercy, to share this message around the world. The novena starts on Good Friday, from where all blessings flow. The concluding prayer speaks to me every time. It changes my despondency into hope. Please pray it and the Novena with me. Jesus is crucified and risen. To Him be glory for ever.

Divine Mercy Novena: starting on Good Friday We will begin The Divine Mercy Novena on Good Friday, nine days of prayer in preparation for the feast on Sunday 12th April. You can follow the Divine Mercy Novena using the leaflets we have in the church porch, or a good online resource is PrayMoreNovenas.com to get a daily novena prayer sent to your inbox or ask Patsy at patsydaniels@gmail.com to send you details. What is Divine Mercy Sunday? Jesus made a promise to us via St Faustina that the person who receives the Eucharist in a state of grace on the 8th day of the Octave of Easter (the Sunday after Easter) now known as Divine Mercy Sunday will have all sins and punishment forgiven, if he asks for It. This equates to a second baptism, as stated by Fr Chris Alar a Marian father at the Divine Mercy shrine in Massachusetts in this 3.5 minute video . He suggests we say the following words or something similar when we return to our bench after receiving Holy Communion: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, You promised St Faustina that the soul that has been to Confession [I have] and the soul that receives Holy Communion with trust in Divine Mercy [I have] will receive complete forgiveness of all sins and punishment. Lord, please give me this grace. Jesus I trust in You.” This feast incorporating this most generous of gifts was inaugurated by St John Paul Il in the year 2000 when he instituted Divine Mercy Sunday.

As last year we will come together as a united parish of Our Lady Queen of Peace to celebrate the Sacred Triduum. For practical reasons, the best place to do this is St Peter’s in Shoreham. I hope that people from all parts of the parish will want to be involved in the liturgy. We need welcomers, volunteers for feet washing, readers, servers, people to keep watch (on Thursday evening), and singers.  I’d like to have a team of people fully representing our wonderful parish. If you can help (including offering lifts to fellow parishioners), please email the office or leave a message 01273 452654. All are welcome.

Last week we celebrated the Annunciation of the Lord. The moment when the Archangel visited Mary and greeted her with the words of the rosary. It is at this moment, after Mary's consent, that the Word became flesh - God with us in the womb of Mary. I wonder if Mary perceived that her simple and uncomplicated "yes" would lead to the events of Holy Week? Yes, she was scared at the sight and message of the Angel but this would fall into distant memory compared to her emotions during her Son's suffering and death. Mary heard the prophesy of Simeon and expected a "sword to pierce her own soul". This was it's fulfilment. She would not have left her Son's side, especially in death. When we give our consent to God's will in our life, when we renew our promises of baptism, we cannot envisage what being faithful to Jesus will mean for us either. Jesus calls us to pick up our cross daily and follow Him, step by step. We know where our final destination is but we do not know the route, only that there will be a Gethsemane, a betrayal, a crowd, a mocking and a Calvary for each of us. Persevere to the end through faith. Do we think that Mary, our heavenly Mother, will abandon us? Our sufferings cause a pain in the same heart of Mary as for her Divine Son, as each sin caused her Son to flinch in an inflicted wound. For love of us He died, for Love of us she follows. Try to keep Jesus and Mary company this Holy Week, especially the last Three Days. The Triduum is the climax of the year, the holiest of Holy Week. Come and see how much He loves you. With my prayer for you and a profound Holy Week. God bless you,  Fr Graham.

The diocesan Chrism Mass will be celebrated at Arundel Cathedral by Bishop Gerard Bradley, Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark, on Wednesday 1 April. The Mass offers us an opportunity to come together as the diocesan family, gathering in faith and unity to celebrate the gift of the ministerial priesthood, and the life of grace that flows through the Sacraments of the Church. During this Mass, the Oil of the Sick and the Oil of Catechumens are blessed, and the Oil of Chrism is consecrated. These are then distributed to parishes throughout the diocese for use in the sacraments during the coming year: the Oil of the Sick to bring healing and comfort to those who are ill; the Oil of Catechumens to strengthen catechumens preparing for Baptism; the sacred Chrism, used in Baptism and Confirmation, ordinations of priests and bishops, and the dedication of churches and altars.

Thank you to everyone who came to our Fatima day. The attendance numbers were much higher than previous years. Thank you to all parishioners who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, before, during and after the weekend. We had several comments from visitors noting how welcome they felt. Jerry, (one of the representatives from the WAF) wrote: Thank you very much for an inspiringly beautiful weekend at OLQP! I told the team that this was an edifying start of our year of visitations! It makes us continue to volunteer and spread the message of Our Lady at Fatima. I would like to extend again the invitation for a parish pilgrimage to Westminster Cathedral on Saturday, 31 October, from 12 noon to 5 pm. This will be the Culmination of the Cathedral Visitations in celebration of the Pontevedra Centenary, which began in May 2025. Ave Maria!

The Sacred Paschal Triduum (at St Peter’s, Shoreham) Maundy Thursday (2nd April 2026) 19.30 Mass of the Lord’s Supper Good Friday (3rd April 2026) 15.00 Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion Holy Saturday (4th April 2026) 20.30 The Solemn Vigil of Easter Easter Sunday masses across the parish (5th April) 09.00 Mass at St Peter’s 10.00 Mass at The Towers 11.00 Mass at Christ the King

Lenten Alms: Let the Children Live Some information about the second charity we are supporting this Lent: Many boys and girls in Medellín (Columbia) live in poverty, and in recent years their numbers have been swollen by an influx of Venezuelan children, forced by hunger to seek refuge in Colombia. They need food, shelter, medical care, catechesis, clothing, education, toys and recreation. It is our mission at Let The Children Live! to try to provide these for as many children as we can. Colombia receives very little aid from the UK. Your gift will benefit children there who are in great need. It will help to keep them alive, to make their lives worth living, and to build a better future. Unlike some charities, we never spend more than 5 pence in the pound on fund-raising.  1. £50 would provide lunch and a healthy snack for one child at Casa Walsingham for one month. 2. £25 would pay for one child's bus fares to and from Casa Walsingham for one month. 3. £10 would buy a school pack for one child of primary age

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord. Everyone who believes in me shall never die. According to the Gospels, Jesus raised three people from the dead during his ministry, demonstrating his authority over life and death. These specific miracles are the raising of Jairus's daughter, the widow's son at Nain, and Lazarus of Bethany. Jairus's Daughter (Mark 5:21-43): Jesus raised a 12-year-old girl immediately after her death, telling mourners she was only sleeping. This occurred in the home of Jairus, a synagogue leader in Capernaum, living a long way away from Jerusalem. The Widow's Son at Nain (Luke 7:11-17): Jesus interrupted a funeral procession, moved by compassion for the widow, and commanded her only son to wake. This occurred approximately 6 miles southeast of Nazareth, located a long way away from Jerusalem. Lazarus of Bethany (John 11:1-44): Jesus raised Lazarus after he had been dead for four days, demonstrating his power even after decomposition had begun. This occurred in Bethany, a small village about two miles from Jerusalem, right under the noses of Jewish authorities. Some people who witnessed the raising of Lazarus reported it to the Pharisees and when Caiaphas hears this ‘from that day on they made plans to put him to death.’ Why did the Jewish authorities decide this? Caiaphas said ‘it is better for you that one man should die for the people not that a whole nation should perish.’ Ironically Caiaphas is correct, without the death of Jesus there is no resurrection and only by the resurrection can all be saved. With my prayers,  Deacon Simon