This Sunday is set aside as Sea Sunday, when we think of seafarers who live and work on the sea – be they on container ships, cruise ships, ferries or fishing vessels- men and women with families, The Apostleship of the Sea or Stella Maris is the Catholic charity which provides pastoral care in ports where the ships call in, not only in the UK but also around the world. Do visit the website of the charity via the link on the parish website. A time to reflect on where food and goods come from and how they travel here. There is a second or retiring collection or you can donate on line by following this link.

Mass Schedule

• Sunday 14th July 10am
• Monday 15th July 8:15am St Mary’s Convent Mass
• Tuesday 16th July 1:30pm St Bernadette’s Leavers’ Mass, St Mary’s Church
• Wednesday 17th July 9:30am Weekday Mass
• Friday 19th July 9:30am Weekday Mass
• Sunday 21st July 10am Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The End of the School Year

By the end of the week the Schools will be closing for the Summer Break. We wish the staff, students and parents a restful and happy time.

Our Patronal Feast

Thank you for celebrating our Patron St Thomas More, the dedication of ourselves as the visible Church and in giving thanks for our predecessors, also for socialising.

The 100+ Draw

The winners in the Summer Draw are no39 Paula O’Sullivan no9 Cora Kiernan no 32 Juliet Taylor no6 Stephanie Lewis no 4 Loretta D’Souza.. Our gratitude to subscribers- annual fee £30 – and to John Mason and Julia for refreshments and organising.

The cheque for the 23-24 year was presented and gratefully received for major roof repairs.

The Synod

In preparation for the second part of the Synod in Rome in October, a Document has been published. It is 60 pages long and can be found as a download file on this webpage.

St Thomas More – Patron of Politicians and Statesmen

Appropriately following the General Election and the Bidding for the newly elected here are the dates of his political and legal career:

• Studied Law at Oxford and London
• Elected to Parliament 1504
• 1510 engaged in a Diplomatic Mission at the request of Henry VIII
• Member of the King’s Council
• Presiding Judge of various Tribunals
• 1523 Speaker of the House of Commons
• 1529 Lord Chancellor.- the first layman to hold this Office (when you enter the Church observe the Chain of Office around his neck with the English rose in the centre.)
• 1532 Not wishing to support Henry’s intention to take control of the Church and being true to his principles he was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London.

“I die the King’s faithful servant but God’s first”

The July Word of Life

Don’t forget to take a copy to help with your prayerful reflection.

A Holyday of Obligation on June 29th, transferred to Sunday this year. Both died for the Faith that they preached, being put to death in Rome. The two great basilicas – St Peter’s and St Paul’s outside the walls are places of Pilgrimage for the many millions who visit Rome. They are described in the Preface as “Peter foremost in confessing the Faith, who established the early Church from the remnant of Israel: Paul its outstanding preacher, master and teacher of the Gentiles that you call”
Along with many other Martyrs the rousing hymn expresses our loyalty and respect for their faithfulness.
“Faith of our Fathers, Holy Faith
We will be true to thee till death!
We will be true to the till death!”

The Pastoral Plan

As promised, a brief note on the meeting of the parish reps and priests of the present deanery of Brighton and Hove in a “get to know you meeting” in the light of the Pastoral Plan. Those of you who follow the Diocesan Website or the Diocesan ebulletin will have read how some of the Deaneries have moved to new structures to work together in various aspects of Church Life. There are unfamiliar descriptions which will need explanation but nothing to be alarmed about! We will look forward so that the mission of the Church in Brighton and Hove can flourish. Some of the items raised were: keeping in touch, communication, sacramental preparation, formation, utilising skills, the role of Catholic Schools, social media, cooperation.

In a separate meeting with Father Sebastian initial plans were discussed and will be brought forward to be realised.

Have another read of the Plan – in the green covered booklets – and pray the prayer for the implementation of the Plan.

You may remember how at Mass just after Easter the Bishop’s Vision was reviewed. Under his photograph you can read Our Parish Mission.

Mass Schedule

• Sunday 30 June 10am Solemnity of Ss. Peter & Paul
• Wednesday 3 July 9:30am St Thomas the Apostle
• Friday 5 July 12 midday Requiem Mass for Fr Laurence Quin-Morris RIP, St Joseph’s, Redhill
• Sunday 7 July 10am Patronal Feast of the parish and dedication of Saint Thomas More.

The Word of Life Leaflet for July

To help you pray with scripture during the month.

The General Election

Thursday July 4th Polling Stations Open 7am – 10.00pm
Remember to take Photographic ID with you to be able to vote – Bus Pass, Passport etc.
 

Patronal Feast

Do come into the Hall after Mass on 7 July for some light refreshment, the Summer Draw and a meet up after the 10am Mass.

Words of Saint Thomas More

Let us not lose this time, therefore, suffer not this occasion to slip, which we can never little tell whether ever we shall get it again or never. Let us endeavour ourselves to keep him still, and let us say - ‘Stay with us. Good Lord.’
 

After celebrating the Seasons of Easter and the solemnities of Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity, the Body and Blood of Christ and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we return to remembrance of the ministry of Jesus with his teachings as we read St Mark’s Gospel. This has another title -translated from the Latin as “Ordinary Time“- a poor translation which in English implies something of little significance! One attempt at clarifying the term is “ordered“. In the meantime you will notice the green vestment and the abbreviation ‘OT’.

The Day For Life

For information on this year’s theme please follow this link.

A Bishop has written drawing attention to the “culture of death “ prevalent in proposed legislation.

 Patronal Feast

Each year on the Sunday nearest to the Anniversary of the Dedication of our Church we celebrate the Patronal Feast. This year we will be celebrating on Sunday 7^th July at the 10am Mass and afterwards with a drink.

Missio

The Missions Society – has sent us reports of recent activity. Thank you for filling the red boxes with those coins that are not seen so often. There are some red boxes available for you.

Mass Schedule

• Sunday 9th June 10am 10th Sunday in OT
• Wednesday 12th June 9:30am St Anthony of Padua
• Friday 14th June 9:30am Weekday Mass
• Sunday 16th June 10am 11th Sunday in OT
• Wednesday 19th June 9:30am Weekday Mass
• Friday 21st June 9:30am St Aloysius Gonzaga
• Saturday 22nd June HMP Lewes Mass 8:30am
• Sunday 23rd June 10am 12th Sunday in OT
• Wednesday 26th June 11:30am Funeral Mass for Tom Perrin RIP
• Friday 28th June 9:30am St Irenaeus
• Sunday 30th June 10am Saints Peter and Paul
• Wednesday 3rd July 9:30am St Thomas, Apostle
• Friday 5th July 9:30am Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart
• Sunday 7th July 10am Patronal Feast
• Wednesday 10th July 9:30am St Benedict
• Friday 12th July 9:30am Weekday Mass
• Sunday 14th July 10am 15th Sunday in OT
• Wednesday 17th July 9:30am Weekday Mass
• Friday 19th July 9:30am Weekday Mass

Tom Perrin RIP

Tom died last Monday, a staunch Catholic and family man, husband, father and grandfather. May he rest in peace.

His Requiem Mass and funeral will be in St Thomas More’s Church on Wednesday 26^th June at 11.30am followed by cremation at Woodvale, North Chapel at 1pm. Remember in your prayers Margaret his wife and Kath, Mary and the other members of the Perrin Family.

Foundation Governors for Catholic Schools

An informative poster will be displayed inviting response from practising Catholics for the role .

Reminders

• St Bernadette’s Summer Festival Saturday 29th June
• St Thomas More’s Patronal Feast Day July 7th

The Lectionary 

The new version will be in use from the First Sunday of Advent.

You can read about it here.

The Clergy have in-service training on it this week so you will be hearing more about it in the future.

The Parish Website

Our parish website will be having a short break before returning. Please keep up to date by checking the noticeboard in the entrance to the church.

Brother, sister, let me serve you,
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I may have the grace to
Let you be my servant too.

Our response to God is one of Faith – I believe – and is the relationship which builds up each day. Through the Scriptures we discover God revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons in one God. Do not attempt to work it out like an equation. It is a Mystery of Revelation. We find in our prayer life that we are close to God when, like his Son, we say “ Our Father. Abba”; when we pray to “Our Lord Jesus Christ”, and when we invite the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit. This feast reminds us to become more aware of how we address God at the beginning of prayer and how we conclude our praying. We may be amazed how Trinitarian our prayer and worship become.

The General Election

The Bishops of England and Wales remind us to bear in mind the Common Good and have set out some of the issues to be discerned and considered in our voting and discussion. In recent months some leaflets from political parties have come through the letterbox mainly about local issues . When the Parties Manifestos are published then we should examine them carefully and be prepared to question candidates and callers on their content. One example would be the role of Faith Schools , remembering how important a place they have in the Church’s mission for education.

To research further you can find on the Bishops’ Conference some of the issues which may not be heard in the Media deluge over the next 6 weeks.

Click here to read more about the following issues: Criminal Justice, domestic poverty, family life, education . environment, life issues, migration, international relations, the common good.

Corpus Et Sanguinis Christi – The Body and Blood of Christ

The annual celebration of this Solemnity takes place next Sunday at the 10.am Mass to be followed by a time of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and thanksgiving for our Holy Communions. A time to remember our First Holy Communion Day and to recall how our devotion has developed since.

Arundel Cathedral Celebration

The long tradition marking this Feast in Arundel with a Solemn Mass and Procession into the grounds of Arundel Castle will commence on Wednesday May 29^th with the display of the Carpet of Flowers and on Thursday 30^th May with the Mass and Procession at 5.30pm

You can read more here.

Online Live Broadcasts

Arundel Cathedral website.

From Lourdes. Each day you can follow the Procession and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at 4pm BST. Go to Useful Websites on our website – The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, The procession ends with blessing of the Sick and a time of Adoration.

Mass Schedule

• 26th May Trinity Sunday Mass 10am
• 28th May Tuesday Mass 9.30am For the Diocese & Bishop Richard
• 29th May Wednesday Mass 9.30am Memorial of St Pope Paul VI
• 31st May Friday Mass 9.30am The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• 2nd June Sunday. The Feast of the Body & Blood of Christ. Mass 10am.

Tuesday’s Anniversaries

• The Diocese of Arundel and Brighton was created on May 28^th 1965
• Bishop Richard became the Bishop of Arundel & Brighton on May 28^th 2015

The 100 Club

On Sunday 7th July, our Patronal Feast Day we will have a Summer draw and celebration. Membership of the 100 Club is £30 pounds a year. If you can please join.

The Catenians

Please see the poster below about the work of The Catenians. The local Sussex branch can be contacted below by visiting this website or by calling 07795 233908

Father, Jesus, Spirit, we adore you.
Lay our lives before you,
How we love you.

The action-packed account in the Acts of the Apostles of Pentecost is seen as the birth of the Church, the end of the Easter season but most significantly of the coming of the promised Holy Spirit. There is remarkable energy in the symbols of a wind and fire manifested in enthusiasm ,courage and action. From the first mention by Jesus of an advocate and God’s Spirit there was anticipation of what this would mean. Subsequently  the message of Jesus and its effects became evident in the spreading far and wide of the knowledge of the meaning for individuals and communities, At Baptism and all the other moments of Christian celebration the presence of the Spirit is evident, Remember those word at your Confirmation “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”.

Bishop Richard’s Weekly Reflection

This week’s reflection can be found here.

Praying For Vocations To The Priesthood

We pray for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on our Diocese to produce many vocations.

Read about the variety of spiritual gifts that make up the Church.1 Corinthians 12.3 -13.

Two Deacons will be Ordained to Priesthood in Arundel Cathedral in June. Deo gratias.

Mass Schedule

• Pentecost Sunday Mass Sunday 19th 10am
• Monday 20th May St Mary’s House 8.15am. Mary, Mother of the Church.
• Wednesday 22nd May Mass 9.30am. 7^th in Ordinary Time
• Friday 24th May St Bede the Venerable Mass 9,30am
• Trinity Sunday 26th May Mass 10am

Ordinary Time

The next two Sundays will celebrate the Holy Trinity and the Body and Blood of Christ.

And then we will be back to the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In the Weekdays the memorials of various Saints occur and this week is Week Seven in cycle 2 of the weekday Lectionary.

The New Lectionary

The publication details have now been announced.

Next week these will be shared with you.

The Clergy have an In-Service time soon.

Mary’s Month

St Bernadette’s has a May Celebration this Friday.

The Catholic Shrine in Walsingham, Norfolk now has a new website. Please click here.

The Diocesan Plan

There is a gradual roll out around the Diocese. For general information you may like to read a recent progress report.

We have heard that Canon David Parmiter who is shortly to take over St Peter’s ,Hove, will in 2025 become the Moderator of the area. He is presently dean of the Cathedral in Arundel.

Send your Spirit upon us,
As helper and guide
May he fill us with wonder and awe.
Seal us O Lord with your holy gift.
Send your Spirit to renew our lives.

This coming Thursday 40 days after Easter Day we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord as He returns to the Father and commissions his followers to “go out and bear much fruit” – a challenge to us. He sends us His Spirit and he gives us the hope of one day reaching the place he has won for us. The day is a Holyday when we are expected to attend Mass. There are 2 Masses in our church: in the morning at 9.30am and in the evening at 7pm. Do make the effort to participate.

Day of Prayer for The Eastern Churches

We are asked to pray for the members of the Eastern Catholic Churches which include the Catholics in the Holy Land. These remain in union with the Pope and have their own Liturgies and Canon Law. For example, Greek Catholic, Coptic, Syrian. There are also other Churches who are described as Orthodox who as yet are not in union with the Catholic Church. They are celebrating Easter this weekend.

Praying for Vocations

In this 6^th week of Easter, we reflect on the spirit of sacrifice and pray for greater numbers to respond generously to celebrate the sacrifice of the Mass.

The Diocesan Plan

There was a first gathering of the five parishes of the Brighton part of the Deanery to begin the consideration of how in the future the Church can co-operate, for example with preparation for the Sacraments, training for ministries, levels of administration, Mass times etc.

Now is a good time to read again the green covered copies of the Bishop’s Plan – either the A4 copy or the abridged version – along with the prayer!

The Ministry of Welcome

A Parish Community likes to be called ‘welcoming’. This depends on members thinking that the other people are also present to be part of the worshipping  group forming community. It makes all the difference if there is someone there to greet us at the door. A friendly welcome, a smile, offering a hymn book but no inquisition! Could you fit the profile? Do let Fr John know.

Sudan Crisis Appeal

There is a wall box in the Entrance for your generosity.

Mass Schedule

• Sunday 5th May Mass 10am. Int. For the people of the Parish
• Eastertide Wednesday 8th May 9.30am
• ASCENSION THURSDAY 9TH MAY HOLYDAY OF OBLIGATION
• Masses at 9.30am and 7pm
• Eastertide Friday 10th May Mass 9.30am
• Saturday 11th May HMP Lewes Mass 8.30am
• Seventh Sunday of Easter Sunday 12th May Mass 10am

New praises be given,
To Christ newly crowned 
who back to his heaven
a new way hath found,
God’s blessedness sharing
Before us he goes
What mansions preparing
What endless repose.