Novena for Easter: 24 March - 1 April 2018

The following novena for Easter was recently published in Carmelite News. The novena can be prayed over the next nine days until 1 April 2018.

You can pray the novena in private, with your friends or family, or in a group:

Loving God,

by this Easter mystery you touch our lives 

with the healing power of your love.

You have given us the freedom

to be children of God.

May we who now celebrate your gift find joy in it for ever in heaven.

Grant this through

our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Some of the beautiful roses in the gardens of the Shrine of Saint Jude

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Mass times

Following a lengthy consultation process as from Sunday 8 April we are reducing the number of Masses being said at weekends to :

Saturday 6pm Faversham
Sunday 10.30am Faversham

This will mean that we will no longer have an 8am or 6pm Mass on Sunday.

Fr Brendan Grady, O.Carm

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Happy Feast of Saint Joseph

Happy Feast of Saint Joseph!

The Church keeps the 19 March as the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, the Husband of Mary and Foster Father of Jesus Christ each year. The scriptures refers to Saint Joseph being upright and honourable. Certainly his sensitivity towards Mary and his care for both Mary and Jesus shows him as a person of action and care.

The Carmelite Order has had a particular devotion to St. Joseph for many centuries, venerating him with the title "Principal Protector of the Carmelite Order". Since Joseph cared for Mary and Christ in a particular way, we believe that he also cares for the Carmelite Order which is devoted to Mary and Christ. Saint Teresa of Avila had great devotion to Saint Joseph and saw him as a protector of her new foundations.

In our prayers, we can turn to Saint Joseph and pray that he will care for us in difficult times when loving protection is needed.

Our novena to Saint Joseph finishes today. Our Fathers' Mass in honour of Saint Joseph and all fathers will be celebrated by the chaplain, Fr Brendan Grady, O.Carm at 9.30am. All welcome.

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