Every Year around the Anniversary of St Thomas More’s Church and Parish we celebrate with a Mass of thanksgiving, remembering the Founder Priest and members who built the Church in 1963 and the comings and goings since then. We think of the benefactors who raised the funds and those who generously continue to support the Parish.
Why was it named after the Martyr, St Thomas More? Fr Edward Fooks and his brother, also a priest were sons of Arnold Fooks of the legal firm Arnold, Fooks and Chadwick who were the lawyers for the Catholic Diocese of Southwark which then covered the territory of South London, Surrey, Sussex and Kent. When the Canonisation of Thomas More and John Fisher was to take place in 1935, Mr Fooks sought permission to take his sons to Rome – they were both students for the priesthood at the time – and Bishop Amigo agreed. When Fr Fooks was Parish Priest at St Mary’s and recognised the need to build a Church for the growing areas of Patcham, Hollingbury and Westdene he requested that the new church would have the title of St Thomas More.
When Bishop Murphy O’Connor consecrated the Church on 10th July 1983, anointing the altar with Chrism – that is why the Celebrant kisses it – Fr Fooks was present and anointed the 12-consecration points around the church. Under the Table of the Altar the Bishop inserted a relic of the Martyr St Philip Howard.
Remembrance
We remember Fr Gerry Vann RIP and Fr Peter Rogers RIP who have served this Parish and Fr John who recently passed another anniversary of priesthood on 24th May, having been ordained in St Dominics, Waddon, Croydon, 1964.
Mass Schedule
- Sunday 7 July 10am Patronal Dedication and Feast Day
- Monday 8 July 8:15am St Mary’s Convent
- Wednesday 10 July 9:30am Weekday Mass
- Friday 12 July 9:30am Weekday Mass
- Saturday 13 July 8:30am HMP Lewes
The Word of Life
The leaflet for July takes for the scripture a line from Psalm 23.
The New Lectionary
From Advent, the Scripture will be taken out of the translation known as the ESV CE -The English Standard Version, Catholic Edition. It contains those Readings omitted from some Bibles.
Thank You
To the trio, Mike Mason, John Mason and Jim Pal who weeded the courtyard and gave a ‘short back and sides’ to the driveway. Thank you!
100+ Fundraiser
The Summer Draw will take place after Mass this Sunday. Annual Subscription £30.
Sea Sunday
Next Sunday the annual appeal for Stella Maris – The Apostleship of the Sea – will have a retiring collection.
Contactless Giving
A technical problem with the Card Machine should now have been corrected. In these days when cash is not normally used it should be easier to make your offerings. Follow the instructions on the table.
Give me Thy grace to long for Thy holy Sacraments and especially to rejoice in the Presence of Thy very blessed Body, sweet Saviour Christ, in the holy sacrament of the altar and duly to thank Thee for Thy gracious visitation in it.
- From St Thomas More's 'Treatise on The Blessed Body of The Lord'
St Thomas More Church, Patcham, Brighton 