St. Martin’s Vicarage

Upper Wellington Road

Brighton

BN2 3AN

February 2024

My dear friends,

We were all aware of how short the Advent season was last year and many commented how with Christmass Eve on Advent 4 how quickly we arrived at the Holy Family and then with the Epiphany observed on Sunday 7th all was concluded within two weeks!

With the early date of Easter and Half-Term incorporating Ash Wednesday the school community will have a much longer time to prepare for Lent. So as not to overlook them we shall be having a pancake celebration on the Friday before the holiday and with an INSET day on the first day after hold the Ashing Ceremonies one whole week after Ash Wednesday.

Each year we speak of keeping a ‘Good Lent’ and how this season of spiritual preparation will deepen our joy as Easter dawns. There is, of course the age old custom of fasting symbolised in the giving up of some indulgence and how this can be linked with the equally laudable custom of Almsgiving, (ACS boxes will be available from the beginning of February).

In more recent years it has become a tradition that our last thoughts are often helped by the taking on of some spiritual devotion, such as bible reading and one might hope attending an extra Mass in the week. As well as these I would stress the other Lenten Practice of weekly walking the Stations of the Cross: in Church this is held every Saturday at 10.30am leading in to Mass at the Station of the Resurrection.

I mentioned School Pancakes: we decided that after last year’s poor take up of the Pancake Party invitation we would include them in a Parish Lunch Menu on the Sunday before Lent begins. Tickets are now on sale and I hope to see many of you there.

With my love and prayers,

Fr. Trevor