News and Events for week beginning May 16th

“The month of May is Mary’s Month,” began the great poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, in “The May Magnificat.” We know that for many centuries, the Church has used the month of May as a special time of honour and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Parishes and families often celebrate with special pilgrimages, devotions, and placing a floral crown or real crown on a statue of Mary, traditionally called a “May Crowning.”

The Blessed Virgin Mary is often described as the Mother of God. This title refers to her as the mother of Jesus. The Greek term for this is Theotokos, which means the God-bearer. This term is used to confirm the divinity of Jesus Christ as fully God as well as being fully human. Mary also serves as an example of a mother to the rest of humanity. She supported Jesus all throughout his ministry and she was also there at the time of his death and resurrection. In many ways Mary was the very first true disciple and follower of Jesus. We try to follow her example by being true disciples of Jesus, having Mary’s faith and trust.

Today we give Mary special honour at the end of our Mass, with a procession, flowers and the crowning of Mary’s statue as our Queen and Mother.

HTR PCC meet at The Rectory on May 27th at 6:30PM.

May 30th is The Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. This is our Patronal Festival. Festival Mass at 10:00AM. Hopefully if the restrictions are lifted by the end of the month, we could enjoy Coffee again after Mass in the hall.

The Annual Parish Meeting will take place in Church on Sunday June 6th. Is God calling you perhaps to stand for election to office by the congregation, to serve and commit to working to make our church a place of deep Christian and Catholic apostolic witness? Official forms for the election of Churchwardens and PCC are now in Church.

The Blessing of the Sea – Bank Holiday Weekend MAY 31st. We have been invited by our neighbours at St Augustine’s and St Ethelbert’s Roman Catholic Church to be part of their celebrations for The Blessing of the Sea at 2:00PM. Watch this space for further information.

CORPUS CHRISTI FESTIVAL 2021 You are all invited to Deal! It is hoped that our two parishes of Holy Trinity and St Andrew’s Deal will come together for the annual Corpus Christi Mass and Procession on Thursday June 3rd at 7:00PM. This is quite a spectacle and a wonderful way to honour Our Lord Jesus.

A NEW CHILDREN’S MASS ON SATURDAYS AT 4:30PM

Until Sunday School begins again later in the year (September), Fr Paul is offering a very short and child friendly Mass of about thirty five minutes duration on Saturdays at 4:30PM as a Vigil Mass for the Sunday. This will be an age-appropriate Mass, with only one Gospel reading and a special simple Eucharistic prayer for children. We will begin this new liturgy on Saturday May 22nd the Eve of Pentecost. You are asked to come to Church dressed in RED for this exciting occasion when we think about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church.

Parish Pilgrimage to The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. Monday August 16th – 20th. (Monday – Friday). There are places now available, but time is limited for booking. Cost: Full board from Dinner on Monday until after Breakfast on Friday is approximately We now have the actual cost from the Shrine which is £292. Children £170. Travel costs will be extra. Travel details will be arranged when we have firm numbers. Please inform Fr Paul as soon as possible to book. 01843 654102 or [email protected]