Category: Uncategorized

Twentieth Week Of Ordinary Time

“Forget war, think of peace ” so spoke one of the veterans at Friday’s VJ Remembrance. The fervent hope of our prayers for Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan. Cardinal Vincent has encouraged us to pray and if we are able to observe a day of fasting of some other form of self denial.

Preparedness is becoming a watchword and Sunday’s Gospel gives us an opportunity to reflect on how it may apply to ourselves.

Mass Schedule

  • Sunday 17th August 10am (20th in OT)
  • Monday 18th August 8:15am St Mary’s House
  • Wednesday 20th August 9:30am (St Bernard Abbot and Doctor)
  • Friday 22nd August 9:30am (The Queenship of Our Lady)
  • Saturday 23rd August 8:30am HMP Lewes
  • Sunday 24th August 10am (21st in OT)

Assumption Homily – Pope Leo

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today is not Sunday, yet we celebrate in another way the Paschal Mystery of Jesus, which changed the course of history. In Mary of Nazareth, we recognize our own history: the history of the Church, immersed in the common lot of humanity. By taking flesh in her, the God of life — the God of freedom — has conquered death. Yes, today we contemplate how God overcomes death — yet never without us. His is the Kingdom, but ours is the “yes” to his love that can change everything. On the Cross, Jesus freely uttered that “yes” which would strip death of its power — the death that still spreads wherever our hands crucify and our hearts remain imprisoned by fear and mistrust. On the Cross, trust prevailed; so did love, which sees what is yet to come; and forgiveness triumphed.

Read more here

Walking Pilgrimages

After a day of rest the diocesan walking pilgrimage continues. You may also wish to be involved in the Jubilee Pilgrimage to Nottingham a much longer journey. Read about it here.

Hospital Pager

My turn to cover emergency calls over the weekend!

We are grateful to Fr Celestine , the Catholic Hospital Chaplain for ministering to some of the parishioners when notified of their admissions.

Patcham Duck Fayre

Next Sunday on the Patcham High School Field -11am to 4.30pm. More details here.

Wedding

Friday 12:30pm St John the Baptist Church, Kemp Town. Ellen Higgins & Kane Webb. Congratulations and prayers.

Contactless Offertory

The machine is now working for your card donations which can also be gifted aided.

Spurious Websites

There are two websites which are not approved or accurate. Please visit the authentic version with the picture of the interior of our Church – if you are reading this you have come to the right place!

Hail Queen of heaven, the ocean star,
Guide of the wanderer here below
Thrown on life's surge, we claim thy care save us from peril and from woe
Mother of Christ, star of the sea 
pray for the wanderer, pray for me.

The Nineteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time

August 15th

A date which surprises holiday makers in certain parts of the world when they find the locals celebrating, shops closed and churches in use. It is a Holy Day for Catholics and for blessing first fruits and crops in southern Europe. In the prayers we hear Mary to be the sign of hope and comfort on our pilgrim way – with Mary’s intercession because she gave birth to Jesus who became our Saviour. It provides us with an opportunity to deepen our devotion to Mary especially when we greet her  the words of Gabriel and Elizabeth – Hail Mary, full of grace. She is a model of prayerful listening.

Annually, the date reminds us of another event and this year in particular of V.J.Day marking the end of the war with Japan, but also of the loss of life by the dropping of nuclear bombs,  killing so many. The fear of such use of these weapons continues to this day – remember what you say “deliver is from Evil”

Mass Schedule

  • Sunday 10th August 10am 19th in OT
  • Monday 11th August 8:15am St Mary’s House – St Clare of Assisi
  • Monday 11th August 12 Noon Requiem Mass for John and Ann Nugent
  • Wednesday 13th August 9:30am
  • Friday 15th August The Assumption of Our Lady (Holy Day) Masses at 9:30am and 7pm
  • Sunday 17th August 10am 20th in OT

Community Event

Patcham Duck Fayre Sunday 24th August 11am – 4.30am, the school fields of Patcham High School

Devolution

Our Hall is now booked for a date in May 2026 for use as a Polling Station for the election of a Mayor for a single strategic authority for Sussex and Brighton. Do keep informed of the developments in the months ahead. Read the Report on the noticeboard.

Thank You!

To Mike, Jim and Mark who have dealt with the weeds in the courtyard and driveway  and the kind parishioner who removed the rubbish from the steps.

Jubilee Of Young People

During the Mass for the Jubilee of Young People at Tor Vergata, Pope Leo XIV reminds the young people that Jesus is our hope, and urges them to “adventure with the Lord toward eternity” as the Lord is “gently knocking” at the window of their soul.

Jesus is our hope, adventure with Him throughout your life, and let Him enlighten you…

Pope Leo XIV expressed this during the Mass for the Jubilee of Young People at Tor Vergata in Rome on Sunday, 3 August. You can read more here.

St John Henry Newman – Doctor Of The Church

There are some informative items about St John Henry Newman and his thoughts and writings that can be found here.

Walking Pilgrimage

This is now underway. Do have a look at the poster to see if you might join in a section. It will be under way for the next three weeks.

Happenings

  • The parish phone playing up.
  • Annual service of gas boilers completed Friday
  • Two horse drawn hearses for Monday’s Funeral.
  • The car passed its MOT
  • Over 30 crab apples thrown at the church by two lads
  • Happy holidays!

Holy Mary, Mother of God and queen

Lady of heaven and empress of the world below

Have mercy on us and Christian people.

Every generation will call me blessed for great indeed are all the things the Almighty has done for me!

The Eighteenth Week In Ordinary Time

When we hear the word ‘Doctor’ we immediately go into medical mode and wonder why the word is used in conjunction with, for example, last Friday’s Saint – St Alphonsus. It will be highlighted again in the recent news that Pope Leo will proclaim our English Saint John Henry Newman a Doctor of the Church sometime soon. 

The title is given to a person whose teachings on the Catholic Faith has been of great significance to the Church. The person must be an example of sanctity and described in a formal proclamation.

Born in London 1801 and dying in 1890 in Birmingham he was beatified by Pope Benedict when visiting this country in 2010 and canonised by Pope Francis in 2019. He will become the 38th Doctor of the Church and the second English Saint after Bede to become one.

Among the many visitors to Brighton, he is numbered as one who visited his Sister in Sussex Square.

The Word Of Life For August

The free copies are now on the table in the Entrance, The purpose is to take a verse from scripture with a paragraph of commentary to accompany you through the month in your prayer and your life.

A Festival Of Hope

Saturday 20th September. We have been allocated 10 tickets for this planned Diocesan Event. Coaches will be going from Brighton to the South of England Showground Ardingly.

Mass Schedule

  • Sunday 3rd August 10am (18th Ordinary Time) Int. People of the Parish and Jubilee of Young People
  • Monday 4th August 8:15am St Mary’s House St John Mary Vianney (Patron of Parish Priests)
  • Wednesday 6th August 9:30am The Feast Of The Transfiguration Of Our Lord (Int. Therese Lelliott RIP)
  • Friday 8th August 9:30am Feast Of St Dominic (Int. Denis Tree)
  • Sunday 10th August 10am (19th Ordinary Time)

Recently Deceased

John Nugent and Ann Nugent. May they rest in peace.

Firmly I believe and truly
God is three, and God is one,
And I next acknowledge duly
Manhood taken by the Son.

St John Henry Newman no. 258

17th Sunday In Ordinary Time

Holiday time for many, catching up with family and friends, journeys far and wide and pilgrimages. In particular there is the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes this year with the theme -With Mary, Pilgrims of Hope. We may not be there in person but we can be there virtually.

To visit the Grotto using your Tablet, PC or smart phone by clicking here. You will then be at the Lourdes website to find the Grotto and also the Processions of the Blessed Sacrament, the Torchlight Procession and Masses. Remember France is one hour ahead of the UK – so the Blessed Sacrament and Blessing of the Sick commences BST 4pm.

Another way to participate is to find the Pilgrimage Prayer Book with lots of information and the daily programme by visiting this link. There is the link to the Prayer Book at the bottom of the page and you can turn the pages.

Bishop Richard Moth will be posting on social media during the pilgrimage. The diocesan X account can be followed here.

From The Diocesan Website

Our annual pilgrimage


Our pilgrimage to Lourdes is one of the most significant pastoral events in our annual diocesan calendar, with hundreds of members of our community of faith visiting the Grotto together each year.

Read more by following this link.

Mass Schedule

  • Sunday 27th July 10am Ordinary Time (17)
  • Monday 28th July 8:15am St Mary’s House
  • Wednesday 30th July 9:30am St Peter Chrysologus – int. Therese Lelliott RIP
  • Friday 1st August 9:30am St Alphonsus Liguori – int. Terrence Sweeney RIP (Foundation Mass)
  • Sunday 3rd August 10am Ordinary Time (18)

First Holy Communions

Please keep in your prayers the six children who received Holy Communion for the first time last Sunday and their parents and family members.

For the poor, sick, afflicted
Thy mercy we crave
And comfort the dying
Thou light of the grave.
Ave! Ave! Ave, Maria!

Following Bishop Richard In Lourdes this week…

Here is a link to the official diocesan Instagram account – click here.

Sixteenth Week In Ordinary Time

We have a date! September 14th is the Sunday when the Bishop will come to inaugurate the Parish of Brighton and Hove made up of the existing Communities of the area. It will happen during a 5.30pm Mass in St John the Baptist Church, Kemp Town – the oldest Church in Brighton. More details will follow. You may like to read more on the diocesan website.

First Holy Communions

Six children will take the next steps in their Christian journey as they receive holy Communion for the first time.

It always reminds us of the words spoken at our Baptisms- “In Holy Communion they will share the banquet of Christ’s sacrifice…”

Pilgrims To Lourdes

Over 700 Pilgrims  from the Diocese will be journeying to Lourdes by the end of this week. Keep them in your prayers as they will do so for us.

You can participate by going to Useful Websites, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes – to visit the Grotto and join in the Masses and Processions. Read also the item in the Diocesan ebulletin and the Diocesan website. Bishop Richard will also be speaking to the Diocese during the time.

Mass Schedule

  • Sunday 20th July 10am 16th Ordinary Time
  • Monday 21st July 8:15am St Mary’s House
  • Wednesday 23rd July 11am Requiem Mass for Sonia Von Geyer
  • Friday 25th July 11am Requiem Mass for Owen Haywood
  • Sunday 27th July 17th Ordinary Time

End Of School Term

All good wishes to families and children for the Summer Holidays!

The Holy Family Church, Gaza

Read the reaction to the damage to buildings of the Church compound, click here.

To be in your presence,
To sit at your feet
Where your love surrounds me
And makes me complete
This is my desire O Lord, this in my desire.

Sea Sunday

When we have a glimpse of the sea from one of the hills, or are braving the beach, we may see ships on the horizon or in Shoreham Harbour if we are travelling that way. You may wonder what is on the ships or when the fishing boats will set sail again. More to the point you may ask, “Who is crewing the ship?” or “When will the seafarers be back home to their families?” One thing to remember is that one of the pastoral activities of the worldwide Church is that of Stella Maris or of the Apostleship of the Sea. There is a collection on the Second Sunday of July for that purpose. There are envelopes if you wish to use one or you can donate by card directly. So if you are on a ferry a cruise or just looking out to the sea, say a prayer for those who go to the seas and help those who welcome them when they come to land.

Bishop Richard’s Weekly Message

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

This Sunday’s Gospel is the Parable of the Good Samaritan. This is a text that we know so well, that there is a danger that familiarity hampers a real listening to the proclamation of the Gospel. St Benedict, whose feast we celebrate on Monday 11th, speaks of ‘Listening with the ear of the heart.’ This is so much more than hearing, it is more than listening at the level of the mind, it is a listening that brings the Word of God to the very core of our being, the place of love. This Sunday, with a Gospel we know so well, listening at that depth brings so many blessings.

Pope Francis, in his encyclical letter Fratelli Tutti, uses the Good Samaritan as a model for every interaction – including the international stage. The going out to brothers and sisters, enjoined by the Lord in this parable, is the way forward for the world, he tells us. This may seem so difficult – even in our homes, with those closest to us, it can be hard. Yet we are reminded in this Sunday’s First Reading, from the Book of Deuteronomy, that the law given by God is truly possible, for the Word is IN us.  

This is reflected again when we read the Parable of the Good Samaritan in a slightly different way – seeing ourselves as the one who is in the ditch and the Lord Himself coming to our aid. St Paul expresses this in his hymn at the beginning of the Letter to the Colossians (the Second Reading this Sunday), where he rejoices at the victory Christ has won. We need have no fear, the Lord has rescued us and now we – with the Word Who is Life in our hearts – can go out to our brothers and sisters, carrying out the work the Lord calls us to do in His name.

With every blessing,

+ Richard

The Pastoral Plan

At the Council of Priests, the proposal that the parishes of Brighton and Hove become a new parish made up of the existing parish communities of the deanery was put to a consultative vote for the Bishop. He has accepted the proposal and in September this will be enacted with Canon David Parmiter being the Moderator of the team of Clergy.

At Thursday’s meeting, the first steps at producing a vision statement commenced. Thank you for the reposes you are returning to the box in the entrance.

The Statement From The Moderator

In the third edition of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan: The call to Mission, Bishop
Richard wrote about the need to change the shape of deaneries and parishes.
Reflecting on the many discussions that had taken place and the needs of the
Diocese to enable her to carry out her mission, he wrote “…the groupings of
parishes that form deaneries currently, will themselves become parishes.” I am
pleased to say that the current Deanery of Brighton and Hove has in place now
the basic structures to become the new Parish of Brighton and Hove, which
Bishop Richard will inaugurate in September.
There is still much work to be done to develop fully as one parish. We will need
to undertake this work gradually and carefully, clergy and lay people together.
The overarching purpose of this change is that we work more closely together
in the mission of the Church. Bishop Richard describes the Church’s mission in
this way: “All are called to build up the Body of Christ, lead a holy life and
promote the growth of the Church.”
Each existing parish will become a community of the new parish and will
continue to be served by your current parish priest who, together with the
other parish priests, will also have responsibility for the whole parish
coordinated by a Moderator. The clergy will work collaboratively with the
Leadership Team and the Finance Committee for the mission. I look forward to
working with you all in the new parish.

Canon David Parmiter

Mass Schedule

  • Sunday 13th July 10am Sea Sunday Mass (15th in Ordinary Time)
  • Monday 14th July 8:15am St Mary’s House
  • Tuesday 15th July St Bernadette’s Leavers’ Mass 1:30pm
  • Wednesday 16th July 9:30am Our Lady of Mt Carmel
  • Thursday 17th July 11am Requiem Mass for Maura Mason RIP
  • Friday 18th July 9:30am
  • Sunday 20th 10am 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (First Holy Communions)
Eternal Father, strong to save
Whose arm doth bind the restless wave
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea

No. 243 The Seafarers' Hymn

Patronal Feast Day

It is good to celebrate Anniversaries – to remember and give thanks. As this Jubilee Year continues, we are pilgrims of hope. So it was 60 years ago when the Patcham, Westdene and Hollingbury areas of Brighton were being developed that Fr Edward Fooks of St Mary’s promoted a search for a site to build a Church for worshippers in the area. The Catholic population first had Mass in a Doctor’s house and then in the Patcham Junior School. Eventually a new Church was built and on Sunday 9th July 1965 the Bishop of Southwark opened St Thomas More’s Church.

We think of our predecessors and benefactors who generously donated to the cost.

There are three works of art originating from leading members of the Brighton College of Art – the Carved statue of our patron, the Mother and Child statue and the Stations of the Cross. Bishop Cormac Murphy O’Connor consecrated the Church with the twelve crosses and the ambo, altar and baptism font decorated in green Cumberland Stone.

Bishop Richard’s Weekly Reflection

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus send out the seventy-two and gives them a word for those they visit. This word, this message, is the message of peace – and peace is the first gift of the Risen Christ to the Apostles, spoken as He appears to them in the Upper Room.

In the 4th Century, as monasticism began to develop in Egypt, Syria and the Holy Land, monks would go to their spiritual fathers and ask for a word by which they might be saved. The word that was given to them, although expressed in different terms, was often about living in peace, in harmony, and in the silence that opens our hearts to the promptings of the Spirit. Just as the seventy-two offered a “word”, given them by the Lord, so these monks of earlier times did the same – and this practice continues in the spiritual accompaniment sought by so many in our own times.   

Openness to the word demands a spirit of listening, and we might reflect that the first word of St Benedict’s Rule is “Listen.” 

When the seventy-two went on their journey, Jesus told them that if the word of peace was not received, it would come back to them. Listening is just as important as speaking, for the word that is spoken must find a home to be effective.

This message of peace is so necessary in our present world, and the need for the spirit of listening is equally necessary. May our word to the world be that of the seventy-two, for it is the gift of the Risen Lord: “Peace be with you.” May this message find a home in the hearts of all.  

Peace is the gift of the Risen Lord to those gathered in the Upper Room on the first Easter Day. It is in Him that true, lasting, peace is to be found, for the Risen Lord has won the victory over sin and death. He offers us the gift of His peace – it is something real and it is a reality to be accepted.

In a world where, in so many places, peace is not a reality, it is our task, always and everywhere, to offer that greeting of the seventy-two disciples and the joy that is the gift of the Risen Christ.

With every blessing,

+ Richard

The Mass Schedule

  • Sunday 6th July 10am (Patronal Feast)
  • Monday 7th July 8:15am St Mary’s House
  • Wednesday 9th July 9:30am (Martyrs of China)
  • Friday 11th July 9:30am (St Benedict, Patron of Europe)
  • Saturday 12th July 8:30am HMP Lewes
  • Sunday 13th July 10am (15th Sunday OT)

Sea Sunday

Next Sunday is Sea Sunday. At Mass, there will be a collection for Stella Maris, the Catholic provider of pastoral care for seafarers and fishers. You can also make a donation here.

The Word Who Is Life

The July leaflet is ready for you to help with your prayerful reflection on the scripture and prayer.

St Benedict’s Week

Some information about prayer opportunities with the monks in St John the Baptist Church, Kemptown:

  • Monday 7th July 12-12:30pm – Community Prayer
  • Tuesday 8th July 12-12:30pm – Individual Prayer
  • Wednesday 9th July 12-12:30pm – Lectio Divina
  • Friday 11th July 12pm – 1pm – An hour of music, prayer, on themes from the Rule of St Benedict

Outstanding!

St Bernadette’s Primary School has achieved this status after the Catholic Inspection. Congratulations to the teachers and children and for the support of parents and carers.

The Pastoral Plan

We are approaching its implementation .

On Thursday Evening there will be a gathering to formulate a vision and mission objectives . Have a word with Fr John if you wish to participate in this process. The meeting will be in St Bernadette’s Hall 7-9pm.

Fr. Ray Blake RIP

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Fr Ray, former parish priest of St Mary Magdalene’s who died during the week.

Requiem Masses

  • Maura Mason (RIP) – Thursday 17th July 11am
  • Sonia Von Geyer (RIP) Wednesday 23rd July 11am

Soup and Sandwich

At Thursday 12 Noon in the church hall. All welcome

A Man For All Seasons

This play will be showing in Brighton from 22nd July to the 26th July – tickets are available here. As well as depicting the life of St Thomas More, the film version of the play earned Paul Scofield (who played the part of St Thomas More) an Oscar in 1966. Scofield, a baptised Catholic, attended Varndean Grammar School for Boys (1934-9) -the building is now Varndean College. 

" Give me, good Lord , a full faith, a firm hope and a fervent charity, a love for the good Lord incomparably above love for myself, and that I love nothing to thy displeasure but everything in order to love Thee"

A devout prayer written in the Tower of London by St Thomas More.

Saints Peter and Paul

These two have been in the news recently because of the happenings in Rome. The shrine of St Peter is in the Basilica of the Vatican where Pope Leo went to pray before his inauguration as the successor of St Peter. As Bishop of Rome he visited the Basilica of St Paul outside the walls. Both were martyred as witnesses to Christ.

We honour them as Founders of the Church, and they will be celebrated by the many Pilgrims of Hope during this Jubilee Year.

Bishop Richard’s Weekly Reflection

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

As we celebrate the solemnity of Saints Peter & Paul, I invite you all to join me in prayer for Pope Leo, that he continues to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit in his task as shepherd of the flock entrusted to him. As our Holy Father, he brings particular gifts to the Church through his experience in Peru, where he served with some of the priests of our own Diocese; his times of leadership of the Augustinian Friars, and his service in the Dicastery for Bishops.

He comes to the Petrine Office at a difficult time for the world. Let us join him in fervent prayer for peace – for which he has called so many times in these first weeks of his papacy. With him, and in the spirit of his predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, let us continue to strive for justice and promote the dignity of every person at every moment of life.  

St Peter, our first Pope, could not have imagined the steps he would be called to take in the service of the Lord. This is true of Pope Leo and, indeed, of every one of us. The life that is given to us in baptism – life lived in the love of the Holy Trinity – calls us to follow the Lord Himself, wherever he may lead us. As His disciples, we are called to learn from Him, to grow ever closer to Him, to be always faithful in our witness to Him. This is what it means to be a Pilgrim of Hope, for we journey towards the One who died and rose from the dead that we might have life – and whose first gift after the Resurrection was the gift of peace.  

As Pilgrims of Hope, may we – with Pope Leo – strive to share that gift with the world.

With every blessing,

+ Richard

Clergy In-Service

This week we have two days away together to focus on “How do we live our vocation in the parishes of the future.” Say a prayer for us.

The Pastoral Plan

At the forthcoming Council of Priests the Bishop will hear from each of the existing Deaneries with the Moderators elect of the proposed New Parishes, made up of the parish communities, before he decrees their election.

The Vision Meeting

Thank you for those who have offered to participate in the Vision making process on 10th July.

Your Questions

  1. What do you consider the mission of the one Parish will be ?
  2. What mission objectives do you consider important ?
  3.  What are your expectations for the new Parish?

Have a think and put pen to paper and return your response to the box in the Entrance.

Our Patronal Feast

Next Sunday we will celebrate the 60th Anniversary of our Church , its consecration and St Thomas More. After Mass we will have a social gathering and celebratory drink.

Mass Schedule

  • Sunday 29th June 10am Solemnity SS Peter and Paul
  • Monday 30th June 8:15am St Mary’s House
  • Tuesday 1st July 9:30am Anniversary of Arundel Cathedral
  • Friday 4th July 9:30am St Thomas Apostle
  • Sunday 6th July 10am Patronal Feast Mass
Peter, blessed shepherd to you was entrusted the power of opening the gate of heaven,
Paul, teacher without equal, fashion our live aright and carry off our hearts with yours till faith is sole master of our hearts.

The Solemnity Of The Most Holy Body And Blood of Christ

We celebrate the great gift of Jesus in the Eucharist. For many, it is the one occasion of the bond of Jesus with his people. So what do you believe? Is it simply attending Mass, or is it something more nurturing? Our Gospel reminds us of the gift of food from Jesus and his advice to the disciples—“Give them something to eat yourselves”—and the example of generosity and abundance signified by the twelve baskets.

A diamond is an apt image to help us realize the richness of the gift of the Eucharist, with its many facets. One summary is that of St Thomas Aquinas in “O Sacrum Convivium”—O Sacred Banquet in which Christ is received, the memory of his Passion is recalled.

Our hearts are filled with grace, and we have the promise of eternal life.

We are prepared well for meeting Christ by his words shared with us in the Liturgy of the Word, and then, remembering His self-giving, before in communion we meet and are united.

Bishop Richard’s Weekly Reflection

Dear  brothers and sisters in Christ,  

The  celebration of Corpus Christi that takes place at our cathedral each year is  a wonderful occasion. The celebration of the sacrifice of the Mass, the  procession of the Blessed Sacrament and the Carpet of Flowers, laid in honour  of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, is a high point in the life  of the cathedral and diocese.  

It  is a clear reminder to us all of the central place of the Eucharist in our  lives. The absolute love of the Lord – seen in the feeding of the five  thousand that is the gospel reading this week – is there for us every time we  celebrate Mass. As St Paul reminds us in the Second Reading this  Sunday, the sacrifice of Calvary is made present and the Lord feeds us with  His very Self, for He is the Bread of Life. We find life every time we  join in this celebration, together with our brothers and sisters. It is  this life that sustains our every action – indeed, every moment of our  lives. The Mass, the Eucharist, is a proclamation of our faith in the  One who died and rose from the dead for us; it is the food for our journey  and the source of all our action. We leave the celebration, as the  dismissal at the end of Mass reminds us, to “announce the Gospel of the  Lord.” Without our closeness to Christ in the Eucharist, this  proclamation would be less effective. The sustenance of the Bread of  Life Himself makes life and mission possible for us.   

In  the Eucharist, we are in the Divine Presence, we are in the presence of  Christ, who is a “priest for ever” as Psalm 109 reminds us. May this  encounter with the person of Christ Himself – truly present in the  Eucharist – be the wellspring of our every breath, our every moment, our  every action, that all we do may proclaim to the world the wonder of all the  Lord has done for us.  

With  every blessing,

+  Richard

Assisted Dying

Cardinal Vincent Nichols responds to the Third Reading Of Terminally Ill Adults (End Of Life) Bill

On Friday 20th June, Cardinal Vincent Nichols issued the following response after the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons by just 23 votes:

‘The vote in the House of Commons in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is a watershed moment in the history of our country. It fundamentally changes society’s long held values and relationships on matters of life and death.

‘The task is now clear: every effort must be made to limit the damage that will be done by this decision. This duty lies both on the House of Lords and on His Majesty’s Government. The list of challenges is long. It has been well rehearsed in recent weeks by responsible bodies and distinguished individuals, including the Public Commission on Palliative and End-of-Life Care whose recommendations have yet to be discussed. The appeal to personal autonomy, so much at the centre of the Parliamentary debate, cuts both ways: the provision of a choice to die cannot exclude the provision of properly resourced care for those who choose to live until a natural death.

‘As Catholics we will continue to play our part in the building of the common good. The decision of Parliament does not change our firm belief in the sanctity of life, never simply a burden, but always a gift of God, given and received. Our duties are clear: to live by the teaching given to us by God; generously to accompany with care and compassion those facing disability, isolation and suffering; to continue to put forward, with respect and clarity, the objective norms that inform our firm beliefs on how to live, and to die, well.’

Cardinal Vincent Nichols
President
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales

Your Ideas For The New Parish Of Brighton And Hove

No date has yet been fixed by the Bishop. It is likely to be in September, Can you imagine how the existing Parishes will become pastoral Communities in the larger Parish ?

One or 2 questions to think about –

  1. What do you consider the mission of the one Parish will be ?
  2. What mission objectives do you consider important ?
  3.  What are your expectations for the new Parish?

There will be a box in the entrance for your replies.

Thank you!

Our Patronal Feast

The Sunday nearest July 9th each year is observed as a Solemnity. It recalls the Opening of the Church in 1965,

Its Consecration by Bishop Cormac and the original date of St Thomas More’s Feast. Do come along to celebrate on Sunday July 6th for the 10am Mass and for a drink afterwards.

Mass Schedule

  • Sunday 22nd June 10am The Solemnity Of The Most Holy Body And Blood Of Christ (Int People of the parish
  • Monday 23rd June 8:15am St Mary’s House
  • Monday 23rd June 10am Funeral Mass for Sheila Jenner RIP
  • Wednesday 25th June The Birth Of John The Baptist (Int Therese Lelliott)
  • Friday 27th June 9:30am The Sacred Heart Of Jesus
  • Friday 27th June 2pm Funeral Mass for Margaret Perrin
  • Sunday 29th June 10am Saint Peter and Saint Paul

Please Pray For

  • Maura Mason RIP
  • Gema Rosado RIP

Soup And Sandwich

Thursday 26th June at 12pm in the Church Hall – all welcome!

Lauda Sion Salvatorem

(Sung in Lourdes during the Blessed Sacrament procession. Join daily at 4pm -click here)

Praise O Sion, praise your Saviour
Praise your captain and your pastor
With hymns and solemn songs