The Gift of a Shepherd

Our prayers have been answered. Pope Leo has appointed Fr Stephen Wang as the Sixth Bishop of Arundel and Brighton. He is currently the Rector of the Venerable English College in Rome and a priest of the Diocese of Westminster. When you read his CV, you can see he will bring much to the Diocese and lead us into the future.

He is now described as Bishop-Elect and will be ordained Bishop and take possession of the Diocese sometime in the autumn. We have to wait until then to include him in the Eucharistic Prayers, but we will be praying for him from now on.

He has spoken to us on video and has been welcomed by Archbishop Richard and Archbishop John Wilson of the Southwark Province.

For more details of Fr Stephen Wang’s appointment, please click here.

The Patronal Feast

9 July 1963 was the date the Bishop of Southwark blessed and opened the church of St Thomas More, serving the areas of Patcham, Westdene, and Hollingbury. It was the Parish Priest of St Mary’s, Fr Edward Fooks, who initiated its building for the growing area. Subsequently, it was erected as a parish with Fr Peter Rogers as its first Parish Priest.

St Thomas More—scholar, statesman, and saint—was executed on Tower Hill on 6 July.

The Mass of the Dedication of the Church can be found in the back part of your Sunday Missals. We will be celebrating with a celebratory drink after Mass.

Mass Schedule

• Sunday, 5 July, 10am – Patronal & Dedication Feast Mass
• Monday, 6 July, 8.15am – St Maria Goretti Mass (at St Mary’s House)
• Wednesday, 8 July, 9.30am – Weekday Mass
• Friday, 10 July, 9.30am – Weekday Mass
• Sunday, 12 July, 10am – 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sea Sunday Mass)

The Word of Life

Copies for the month of July’s prayerful reflection are now available.

The Pallium

St Bernadette’s Governors

The governors will meet this Thursday afternoon.

Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Psalm 122

This Holy Day falls this year on a Sunday and gives us the opportunity to celebrate these two foundational members of the Church.

Their names bind them together and feature in a nursery rhyme you may remember:

Two little dicky birds sitting on a wall, One named Peter, one named Paul. Fly away Peter, fly away Paul. Come back Peter, come back Paul.

Don’t forget to do the hand gestures!

Then there is the saying “to rob Peter to pay Paul” — said to originate from the 13th century when money from the Abbey of St Peter (known now as Westminster Abbey) was used to pay for repairs of St Paul’s Cathedral.

The lives and martyrdom of the two will be recalled in our Sunday Liturgy.

Mass Schedule

• Sunday, 28 June, 10am – The Solemnity of St Peter and St Paul (Sunday Mass)
• Monday, 29 June, 8.15am – Weekday Mass at St Mary’s House
• Wednesday, 1 July, 9.30am – Mass for The Dedication of Arundel Cathedral
• Friday, 3 July, 9.30am – Mass for St Thomas the Apostle
• Sunday, 5 July, 10am – Patronal & Dedication Feast (Intention: For members of the community)

Peter’s Pence

The traditional gift all churches make to assist the Pope with his charitable responses. The card machine is set up to receive your gift.

The Pallium

Archbishop Richard Moth, now of Westminster, will be in Rome to receive from the Pope the Pallium given to Metropolitan Archbishops and worn over vestments within his jurisdiction.

The white woollen band is woven from the wool of lambs, blessed on the feast of St Agnes, 21 January each year. The bands are adorned with six black crosses and are traditionally kept at the tomb of St Peter in Rome. It symbolises the role of the Archbishop as shepherd of his flock and his unity and communion with the Pope. The ceremony will be on YouTube.

(His Suffragan Sees are Brentwood, East Anglia, Northampton, and Nottingham.)

St Thomas More’s Community, Patronal & Dedication Feast

Next Sunday at the 10am Mass with refreshments afterwards. Do join us.

Cardinal Newman Summer Festival

Friday, 3 July, 4pm–7pm. See poster for details.

St Peter holds the highest place, Yet Paul is not the least by grace. An equal faith was given to Paul, The chosen vessel of God’s call.

On such foundations Rome may claim The highest service of God’s name; His noble blood has dignified The city where this prophet died.

Halfway through the year 2026, we have the longest day of the year, Father’s Day, and the Day for Life—and two days of heatwave ahead. We also have the last verses of Chapter 10 of St Matthew’s Gospel, containing the instruction of Jesus about undertaking his mission. Additionally, we wait patiently for a Bishop!

Mass Schedule

• Sunday, 21 June, 10am – 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
• Monday, 22 June, 8.15am – Ss. John Fisher & Thomas More (at St Mary’s House)
• Wednesday, 24 June, 9.30am – The Birth of St John the Baptist (Intention: Hilda Searle RIP)
• Friday, 26 June, 9.30am – Weekday Mass (Intention: Teresa & Patrick RIP [F.P])
• Sunday, 28 June, 10am – Ss. Peter & Paul

Day for Life

Each year, there is a Day for Life celebrating the dignity of all human life. This year, the theme is “The Wonder of the Child in the Womb”.

The Bishops of the UK and Ireland have sent a message and Pope Leo has added his prayers. There is a retiring collection to assist bodies promoting protection.

The Assisted Dying Bill

As this Bill is due to return to Parliament, please read Archbishop Sherrington’s letter.

The Missions & Red Boxes

There are copies available of the Annual Report showing the results of your giving to assist the Church in developing territories. Do please read it. If you have a Red Box that needs emptying, please bring it along next Sunday. Thank you.

Our Patronal Feast

The martyred saints, Bishop John Fisher of Rochester and St Thomas More, share 22 June as a combined Feast in the National Calendar on Monday. The original Feast of St Thomas More was on 9 July, the day on which our church was opened by Bishop Cowderoy of Southwark. Each year as a community, we celebrate the nearest Sunday as our Patronal Feast.

This year, we will be doing so on Sunday, 5 July at the 10am Mass. Do come along.

Forward Looking

Events in the future are currently being advertised, including the Marriage Anniversaries Gathering, the Pilgrimage to Walsingham, and the Adoremus Day in London.

St Bernadette’s Summer Festival

Saturday, 27 June, 11am. All welcome.

On Tower Hill 22nd June 1535

"I am come here to die for Christ's Catholic Church, and I thank God."

Saint John Fisher, Cardinal Bishop of Rochester

The fifty days of Easter conclude with the promise of Jesus to send the Holy Spirit, the Helper—advocate, consoler, and animator—expressed in the Creed as the Lord, the giver of life, proceeding from the Father and the Son. All the words we use are active, guiding and leading us. The Acts of the Apostles reveals an outpouring of energy, change, belonging, and unity. The Catechism describes the Holy Spirit as the life of the Church; that is why we celebrate the birthday of the Church and why our invitation is for the Holy Spirit to come anew.

Mass Schedule

• Sunday 24th May 10am Pentecost
• Monday 25th May 8:15am St Mary’s House Mary, Mother of The Church
• Wednesday 27th May 9:30am (Intention Frank Power)
• Thursday 28th May 12 Midday Arundel Cathedral Jubilarians’ Mass of Jesus Christ Eternal High Priest
• Friday 29th May 9:30am for the gift of a Shepherd for the Church of Arundel and Brighton
• Sunday 31st May 10am Trinity Sunday

Pope Leo XIV’s First Encyclical

On Monday morning, May 25, there will be a press conference introducing the Letter on the anniversary of the encyclical Rerum Novarum, a presentation of Catholic Social Teaching by Pope Leo XIII. The new Letter is entitled Magnifica Humanitas: “On Preserving the Human Person in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” We will be able to read the text on the Vatican News site or through our website.

Half-Term

Our schools will be closed this week. Have a happy and safe time!

Our Works of Art

Moving into the church, in the far corner, we have the statue of the Madonna—Mary holding the Child Jesus. It was created by Antonio Pacitti (1924–2009). He was born in Cassino, Italy. In 1928, his father, who was in the trade union movement, was given 24 hours to leave by the local fascist movement. The family then experienced severe poverty in Glasgow.

Antonio gained a place at the Glasgow School of Art. When war broke out, he joined the Highland Light Infantry. After the war, his family moved to London, and he gained a diploma at the Slade School of Fine Art. He later became a Head of Department in Adult Education and a part-time teacher at Wormwood Scrubs. In 1964, he won a commission for the sculpture in the newly built church in Patcham. When you venerate Mary and perhaps light a candle, please do remember the artist.

Renew your wonders in this our day, as by a new Pentecost.
Grant to your Church that, being of one mind and steadfast in prayer with Mary,
and following the lead of Peter,
she may advance the reign of our Divine Saviour:
The reign of truth and justice,
The reign of love and peace.

— Pope St. John XXIII

Of the four basilicas in Rome this is the most important, being the Pope’s cathedral as Bishop of Rome. The name originates form the  Lateran family which owned the land and that the Emperor Constantine bought from them. On the front of the present building there are fifteen colossal statues of Christ, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist and twelve Doctors of the Church. It is said that its title has changed during the centuries from St Saviour’s to St John and they could not decide which John so they included the two.

Its dedication is celebrated as a feast because it is regarded as the mother of all churches, the parish church of all Catholics.

Bishop Richard’s Weekly Message

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

For many of us, when we think of Rome, we think of St Peter’s Basilica. In a Jubilee Year such as this, the entry through the Holy Door of St Peter’s is a high point of any pilgrimage. It is from the Apostolic Palace, next to St Peter’s, that the Holy Father makes his Angelus addresses and it is there that the public audiences take place, as well as significant celebrations in the life of the Church: canonisations, the inaugurations of new popes and the requiem Masses for deceased popes.

Yet it is the Lateran Basilica, built originally by the Emperor Constantine, that is described as “the mother and head of all the churches of the City and the World.” It is the Cathedral Church of Rome, and popes lived in the Lateran Palace for hundreds of years. It is the Pope’s Cathedral, for he is the Bishop of Rome.

It is for this reason that the whole Church celebrates this feast. It is a celebration of our unity with the Holy Father, the successor of St Peter. 

This Sunday’s first reading, the vision of Ezekiel of the Temple in Jerusalem, speaks of the water that flows from the Temple bringing life to the desert. So it is for the Church. The waters of baptism – in which, as St Paul tells us, we die and rise with the new life of Christ – bring us to live our lives in the love that exists in the Trinity, as members of Christ’s Church.

The celebration of the dedication of any Church is a reminder, as St Paul tells us in this Sunday’s second reading, that the Church is made of the living stones of the baptised. We are the Church, called to reflect the wonder of the Gospel to the world around us. This is the mission that we have been given through our baptism – the mission that calls others to share in the wonder of the Church’s life, the life of Christ.

The Lateran Basilica, the “mother of all the churches” stands as a witness to the world and a reminder to us, who are the living stones, of the mission to which we are called, in union with Pope Leo, the successor of Peter.

With every blessing,

+Richard

Remembrance Sunday

Having celebrated the 80th anniversary of the ending of the Second World War earlier in the year, memories have been refreshed. In the nation there are occasions of remembrance, in moments of silence, parades, assemblies and in prayer for those who have died in wars and armed conflict – it is an opportunity too to be as the Beatitudes reminded us – Peacemakers. At this moment there are parts of the world where violence and destruction continue. Pope Leo reminds us to pray for peace.

Mass Schedule

• Sunday 9th November 10am Dedication of St John Lateran and Remembrance Sunday
• Monday 10th November 8:15am St Leo the Great St Mary’s House
• Tuesday 11th November 11am Requiem Mass for deceased clergy who have served the churches of Brighton and Hove
• Wednesday 12th November 9:30am St Josaphat
• Friday 14th November 9:30am
• Saturday 15th November 8:30am HMP Lewes
• Sunday 16th November 10am

Blessing of Graves

Sunday afternoon from 2:30pm – prayers of Remembrance. Pause at the military graves.

Barbara Hatton RIP

The Funeral Service will be at Woodvale North Chapel at 2pm this Friday the 14th November. Remember David in your prayers.

Get Together. Catch Up. Information

Do gather in our hall on Sunday 23rd. Christ the King Sunday. Offers of help and nibbles welcomed, teas and coffees.

So long thy power
Hath  blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on
O'er moor and fen
O'er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone,
And with the morn
Those angel faces smile,
Which I have loved long since, 
and lost awhile.

St John Henry Newman

The third Sunday of September, formerly known as Home Mission Sunday, now has the title of Evangelii Gaudium Sunday – the Joy of living the Gospel. This was the first of the messages of Pope Francis. The Bishop has sent us a Pastoral Letter for this Sunday and we are invited to donate to the support of the national body of the Bishops promoting the living of the Gospel.

The Inauguration Of The Parish Of Brighton And Hove

Last Sunday in St John the Baptist Church Bishop Richard in augurated the first of the new Parish arrangement by which the pastoral communities of the former Deanery will collaborate in fulfilling the mission of the Church. You can read about it here -Click to dioc.ebulletin.

The clergy meet for the biweekly meeting on Tuesday commencing with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

The Jubilee Of Justice

Bishop Richard introduces this week’s Theme in the Jubilee Year reflecting on the groups which work for justice Read more here.

The Season For The Care For Creation

Next Sunday is Harvest Thanksgiving Sunday and there will be the opportunity to bring to our Mass goods and produce which in turn will be passed to a local Food Bank.

Mass Schedule

• Sunday 21st September 10am
• Monday 22nd September 8:15am St Mary’s House
• Wednesday 24th September 9:30am The Feast Of Our Lady Of Walsingham
• Friday 26th September 11am Requiem Mass for Beryl Cheeseman RIP
• Sunday 28th September 10am Harvest Thanksgiving Mass

To Our Lady Of Walsingham

Here journeyed on the Pilgrims' Way,
With Christendom in youth and flower
The faithful of a happier day
When all the land was Mary's dower
And after many a faithless year
Since not in vain the martyrs sowed
We, as God wills, to worship here.
Return along the ancient road.