First Sunday of Lent: 18 February – Jesus is tempted (Mark 1: 12-15)

In our recent spring newsletter, the Prior Provincial, Fr Kevin Alban suggested how we might understand the gospel for each of the five Sundays of Lent, and how we might pray them. Each Friday, we'll add these reflections to our blog so you can read them and prepare for the Gospel before Sunday:

First Sunday of Lent: 18 February – Jesus is tempted (Mark 1: 12-15)

Mark reminds us immediately of Jesus’ true and complete humanity. He is tempted in the desert, but God’s messengers, the angels, are always with him to emphasise that the Father always looks after the Son and protects him. The desert or wild places is a key concept in Mark’s gospel. The desert is a place of solitude where the presence of God may be more apparent. It is a place where the Spirit can act on us without distractions. But the desert is also a place of danger, of extremes of hot and cold. It is a threatening place where we are faced with our mortality. Are we ready to face up to the risk of belief?

I hope that Lent proves to be a fruitful time for you. One way of deepening our appreciation of this season might be to read the Sunday gospel during the preceding week so that when we hear it again at Mass we are really familiar with it.

• Read the full newsletter

Fr Kevin Alban, O.Carm

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Spring 2018 newsletter

We are pleased to announce that the latest issue of Carmelite News is now available to all our online friends.

Carmelite News is available to view via a system called Page Tiger. You do not need special software for the online magazine and you will be able to print all, or part of it, if you wish to do so. Page Tiger will allow you to read the newsletter as if it was printed.

The spring issue has all relevant web links enabled so you can click to go directly to any site mentioned. Each newsletter can be read either as a two-page spread or as a single spread. It is also possible to zoom into each page.

In this edition, the Prior Provincial, Fr Kevin Alban, O.Carm writes his third letter to the friends of Saint Jude where he discusses the outreach of Saint Jude and his shrine; some suggestions on how we might understand the gospel for each of the five Sundays of Lent, and how we might pray them; an update on province and Saint Jude news; plus much more.

• Spring 2018 newsletter

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Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes

The following novena was recently published in Carmelite News and is from the National Shrine of Saint Jude. Our novena to Our Lady of Lourdes is for nine days.

You can pray the novena in private, with your friends or family, or in a group. The novena starts on Saturday 3 February and continues until 11 February 2018

NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF LOURDES

3 - 11 February 2018

God of mercy,

we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes,

the sinless mother of Jesus, your Son.

May her prayers help us

to rise above our human weakness.

We ask this through

our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Make your special request now

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Sponsored Walk 2018

Yesterday, the Development Manager of the National Shrine of Saint Jude, Matt Betts, completed his walk from Rochester Cathedral to Canterbury Cathedral via the National Shrine of Saint Jude in Faversham.

The walk was to raise important funds for the Order of Carmelites for their much needed work in the UK and abroad. Matt will write a fuller report with lots of photos in the next few days, but below are some highlights of his very long walk.

If you would like to donate, please visit https://mydonate.bt.com/events/judewalk2018/446325, or people can send their cheque or postal order made payable to: “The Carmelites” to: Sponsored Walk, Carmelite Friars, P.O. Box 140, Kent, ME20 7SJ. Thank you.

Rochester Cathedral

Thames Estuary

Boats used in WW2

Saint Jude

Long walk to Canterbury!

Canterbury Cathedral

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Novena to Saint Jude - January 2018

Our novena to Saint Jude started on 11 January 2018 and can be prayed over the next eight days until 19 January 2018. You can pray the novena in private, with your friends or family, or in a group:

Jesus, I praise you and bless you

And give you thanks for

all the graces and privileges

you have bestowed upon

your chosen apostle Saint Jude...

(Make your special request now)

Loving God,

who revealed to Saint Jude

your desire to come to us,

and share your life with us,

open our hearts

so that your Spirit may teach us your truth,

and that keeping your commandments

we may know your abiding presence.

Pictured is the Adam Kossowski statue of Saint Jude in the Shrine Information Centre

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Happy Christmas 2017

Thank you for all your support and prayers in 2017. The National Shrine of Saint Jude will remember you all at Midnight Mass.

May you be blessed with peace and joy at Christmas, and health and happiness in the coming year.

Saint Jude, pray for us.

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Food bank donation

After our Christmas @ the Shrine, we had some spare mince pies. Today, the Shrine of Saint Jude were very happy to donate them to the local Foodbank, so that people can enjoy them over Christmas. Foodbanks are always looking for food...

No one in our communities should have to face going hungry. Faversham foodbank and many others are supported by The Trussell Trust, which works to combat poverty and hunger across the UK.

Why don't you donate some food this Christmas...and beyond? Details, here. Thank you.

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