Another unusual peculiarity of the 2025 Calendar. The solemnity of All Saints is a Holyday of Obligation but like other such Days in England if it falls on a Saturday or Monday it is transferred to Sunday – which is always a Holy Day of Obligation. So we will celebrate All Saints on Sunday and as a result All Souls (The Commemoration of the Faithful Departed) is moved to Monday.
Bishop Richard’s Weekly Reflection
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
This Sunday we celebrate the beautiful feast of All Saints. This day reflects the full wonder of the family of the Church. Throughout the year, we celebrate the feasts of those who, through canonization, are set before us as examples, teachers and guides – those who through their martyrdom, their teaching, the witness of their lives inspire us on our pilgrim journey. We seek their intercession in our need.
Today we remember the countless numbers of people – “a huge number, impossible to count, from every nation, race tribe and language” as St John described them in today’s first reading, who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith. They are our family members, our friends, fellow parishioners, people we have known and loved, people we have never known. They too, like the canonized saints, pray for us. They have attained the destiny that the Lord won for us through His passion, death and resurrection – that live in the love of God in its completeness for all eternity.
In the second reading, the same John who wrote the Apocalypse – this time in his first letter – offers us this wonderful hope: “What we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; all we know is that when it is revealed we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as he really is.” To know God in his fullness, to be LIKE Him – this is the hope of a love beyond anything we could possibly know in this life, for it is completeness, wholeness, peace and utter joy.
St John also reminds us in the letter that we must, in this life, prepare ourselves for this destiny-beyond-description. The beatitudes of today’s Gospel provide a sure guide for our pilgrim journey. Reflect on these words of Jesus: poverty of spirit, gentleness, acceptance of sadness, desire for all that is right, mercy, purity, striving for peace, acceptance of persecution and difficulty on account of our following of Him. This the way we are called to follow.
Let us rejoice, then, in all those who share the wonder of heaven and, enriched by the gift of hope, follow the way that leads to life. Let us become a community of saints.
With every blessing,
+Richard
The Month of November
By custom during this month we remember our deceased Family members and Friends in a number of ways –
Recalling what they meant for us and how we grieved their loss, visiting their graves if possible, having a Mass offered for them, attending the blessing of graves on Sunday 9th November in the cemeteries of Brighton and Hove at 2.30pm.
Envelopes for Mass Intentions are on the table in the Entrance.
If you can listen to Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius , Faure’s’ Requiem or other composers’ settings of the Requiem.
The November Word of Life
The monthly leaflet to accompany you in your prayer is now in the Entrance for you to pick up.
The Mass Schedule
- Sunday 2nd November 10am The Solemnity of All Saints
- Monday 3rd November The Solemnity of All Souls 8:15am St Mary’s House, 9:30am Saint Thomas More
- Wednesday 5th November 9:30am
- Friday 7th November 9:30am
- Saturday 8th November 8:30am HMP Lewes
- Sunday 9th November The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (St John’s)
This Week
- Monday 3rd November Diocesan health and safety visit
- Tuesday 4th November Brighton and Hove clergy meeting
- Thursday 6th November Clergy safeguarding training at AMEX stadium 9am to 4pm
- Friday 7th November (PM) St Bernadette’s planning
Next Week Brighton and Hove Parish
- Requiem for deceased clergy who have served the area
- Tuesday 11th November Mass at 10:55am to include the National Minute’s Silence at St Thomas More’s Church. All welcome
Noticeboard
Do check this for details of forthcoming events
St John Henry Newman, Doctor of The Church
Pope Leo declared St John Henry Newman the 38th Doctor of the Church on Saturday 1st November. It coincides with the Jubilee Celebration of Catholic Education and the publication of the Pope’s second Letter for the occasion.
You can read more about this here.
Lead kindly light amid the encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on
The night is dark and I am far from home
Lead Thou me on
Keep Thou my feet, I do not ask to see
The distant scene - one step enough for me.
St John Henry Newman.
St Thomas More Church, Patcham, Brighton 