We are nearly there! This unique Advent concludes with the Fourth Sunday of Advent next Sunday. We then commence the Christmas Season with its Feasts. May we all be ready to let Christ into our lives, coming to know him, love him and serve him. Against the odds, keep CHRIST in Christ -mass. Above all, let the spirit of Joy flow from your Hope.
Pastoral Plan
Bishop Richard has written a new Pastoral Plan for the Diocese which will be released in the New Year called ‘The Word Who is Life: The Call to Mission’. As society becomes more secular our parishes must be ever-clearer beacons of light guiding people to Christ. The new Plan highlights how our community of faith can embrace this important time of renewal, forging diocesan parishes into communities of saints and strong, lively, and welcoming schools of discipleship. The new Pastoral Plan will be released on the diocesan website on Tuesday 2 January: www.abdiocese.org.uk/diocese/pastoral-plan with hard copies available to read in each parish.
Bishop Richard met with members of clergy earlier this week and will be hosting a Pastoral Plan Webinar for people across our diocesan community on Wednesday 10 January at 7.30pm. There is no need to register for this event, please use the following the link to join the presentation:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86457734895
Our Christmas Masses
- Sunday 24th December. The 10am Mass will be that of the 4th Sunday of Advent. We the commence the Christmas Season with the First Mass (at night) with the blessing of the Crib at 6pm. Om Monday 25th December our Christmas Day Mass will be at 10am.
- The following Days of Christmas with the special feasts have a Mass each Day at 10am culminating on Sunday 31st December with Feast of the Holy Family. Monday – New Year’s Day – will be celebrated with a Mass at 11am.
- Looking ahead to the 6th January 2024 the Epiphany of the Lord after the 10am Mass will be having a Party with a festive drink.
Invited – The Diocesan Mission – Episode 3 – Joy
The inspiring film which can be found below introduces the Third Week of Advent.
Mass Rota
- Sunday Advent 3 Sunday Mass 10am
- Wednesday Advent Weekday Mass 9.30am
- Friday Advent Weekday Mass 9.30am
- Sunday Advent 4 Sunday Mass 10am
- SEE OUR CHRISTMAS MASSES ABOVE.
Carol Service
This Sunday at 6pm in St Mary’s Church. Singers and Readers from the two Parishes. Come along and catch the real Joy of the News we share. Festive drinks in the Hall afterwards.
From The Second Preface of Advent
The Virgin Mother longed for him,
With love beyond all telling,
John the Baptist sang of his coming,
And proclaimed his presence when he came.
St Thomas More Church, Patcham, Brighton 