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.

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

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

Please note the times below:

5 Apr Easter Egg Raffle and Easter Egg Hunt at St Peter’s 23 Apr Afternoon Tea for St George’s Day at St Peter’s

We have had a few important events in our parish over the last week, notably the World Day of Prayer, the WAF visitation and the Healing Service. I felt immensely proud of the teamwork, welcome and hospitality, and prayer of parishioners

The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession, Penance) assures us of the forgiveness of God. We might think that we can go to God directly ourselves, and we can and should. But, when we make a daily confession like this, we are asking for God to forgive us, just as we do at the beginning of Mass. When we go to sacramental confession with a Priest, we celebrate the power and fruits of Jesus' death and resurrection. Jesus said to Peter that we can be assured of our forgiveness in this sacrament and He gave authority to priests to do so in HIS name. Only God can forgive sins. If we are sorry, do not want to commit the sin again and intend to do so, then we are REALLY forgiven. Just as at our baptism our souls are washed clean in the blood of Jesus. We are given new life. We should try to go to confession regularly, for venial sins and especially grave sins. God is waiting to pour His mercy into our hearts.