The Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Prisoners Sunday

It is just about 10 minutes away on a Saturday morning if the A27 is running clear. Every week, one of three priests celebrates Mass for some of the Catholic prisoners in HMP Lewes. There is one of a number of lay people who comes to play the keyboard or play the guitar to accompany the music. There will also be 4 or 5 volunteers who come in to help. The number of attendees varies from about 30 to 50. Their ages vary from 20 to 50. Prison life is regulated with various activities. For example, Catholics can sign up for a Wednesday meeting to explore the Faith.

On the occasion of visits by family members, PACT members arrange games for the children and welcome the visitors. In the A&B Diocese, there are six prisons in Surrey and Sussex.

PACT is the national Catholic prison charity — Prison Advice and Care Trust. It brings hope, dignity, and a fresh start to prisoners and their families.

Our former Bishop is the Lead Bishop for Prisons. He writes: “We will remember prisoners and their families at Mass this weekend. Prisons are in crisis, and life for prisoners and their families is challenging. Do support the work of PACT through your kind donations. Please take an envelope.”

Mass Schedule

Sunday, 11 October, 10am – Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time / Prisoners Sunday
Monday, 12 October, 8.15am – St Wilfrid, Apostle of Sussex (at St Mary’s House)
Wednesday, 14 October, 9.30am – St Edward the Confessor
Friday, 16 October, 9.30am – St Teresa of Ávila
Saturday, 17 October, 8.30am – HMP Lewes
Sunday, 18 October, 10am – World Mission Sunday

Baptisms

We welcome Isla Coulter and Edward Clark as they are baptised as members of the family of the Church.

Julian Taylor RIP

Julian died on Monday evening. We pray for the repose of his soul and for Wendy, his wife, and their family. His father, Sam, was one of the stalwart Catholics involved in the construction of our church. Julian will be remembered for many things, especially his public service as a JP and his involvement as a Governor in Catholic education in local Catholic schools: St Mary Magdalene’s, St Joseph’s, St Bernadette’s, and Newman. He was a member of the Catenians and a supporter of Sussex Cricket.

His Requiem Mass will be on Friday, 30 October. Time to be announced.

Mission Sunday

Next Sunday will be observed as World Mission Sunday.

Eucharistic Congress: Adoremus 2026

Yesterday in London, in the Cathedrals of Westminster and Southwark, there were meetings and celebrations focusing on the Eucharist. Do watch the film on devotion to the Blessed Sacrament – click here.

Episcopal Ordination

In just over a week, Fr Stephen will be ordained a Bishop. Last week, we read of the items which will be presented to him. In the third degree of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the Bishops present will lay their hands on his head as a sign of the Holy Spirit. This will be preceded by the Litany of the Saints and followed by the Prayer of Ordination, during which two Deacons will hold the Book of the Gospels over his head. Please continue your prayers for him.

Send forth, send forth your Spirit, O Lord,
To renew, renew the face of the earth.

Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Countdown Time

Just over two weeks to the Episcopal Ordination of our new Bishop on Monday 19th October. Bishop-elect Stephen has now made his pre-Ordination retreat and immediate preparations are being made. A few Sundays ago we thought about the role of the Bishop of the Local or Particular Church of Arundel and Brighton within the Universal Church and his being a member of the College of Bishops. The word Diocese is mainly used and is described in this way: “The Diocese is in the Southwark Province. It was formed on 28 May 1965 by the division of the Diocese of Southwark into the Archdiocese of Southwark and the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton. It consists of the Counties of West and East Sussex, Surrey outside the Greater London boundary south of the River Thames, and the City of Brighton and Hove.”

When we are watching the Ordination in the Mass at Arundel Cathedral, there will be moments when certain objects will be given to the Ordinand:

The Ring, like a wedding ring, a sign of a bond;
The Pectoral Cross, worn close to his heart;
The Mitre, the tall hat worn on liturgical occasions; and
The Crozier, shaped like a shepherd’s staff.

All these point to the role the Bishop will have for all of us.

Harvest Thanksgiving

We give thanks for all that we receive from the earth and sea. Thank you for last Sunday’s gifts destined for one of the city’s food banks.

Mass Schedule

Sunday, 4 October, 10am: Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass
Monday, 5 October, 8.15am: St Faustina Mass (St Mary’s House)
Wednesday, 7 October, 9.30am: Our Lady of the Rosary Mass
Friday, 9 October, 9.30am: St John Henry Newman Mass
Sunday, 11 October, 10am: Twenty-Eighth Sunday Mass

The Word of Life

The October leaflet is now with us to help in our prayerful reflection with a verse of Scripture.

CAFOD

Envelopes for the development work of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development are available. You may prefer to make your donation by card online at cafod.org.uk.

The Month of October

During the month we are encouraged to pray the Rosary. If you have rosary beads, they help us to concentrate with 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, and 1 Glory Be. Failing that, use your fingers! More important is to think about the events from the Gospel on which to reflect.

BHCT

The Priests meet on Tuesday.

Praise to the Holiest in the height,

And in the depth be praise,

In all his words most wonderful,

Most sure in all his ways.

— St John Henry Newman

Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Paris Alive

Pope Leo has been in Paris these last few days and has been very busy with Vespers in the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral and an amazing Vigil with young people in the Stade de France, better known for its football. There are so many smiling faces. This Sunday he is in Lourdes at the shrine of Our Lady. Do discover the different events on your YouTube channels.

Harvest Sunday

The last Sunday in September is Harvest Thanksgiving Sunday. This year the farmers were busy harvesting in July because of the climate and, as we have heard, the yields have been smaller. We express our gratitude with a gift of some food, which will be destined for one of the food banks here in Brighton. Thank you for your generosity. When we commence the Preparation of Gifts or the Offertory, do bring your gift to the altar: “Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands…”

Mass Schedule

Sunday, 27 September, 10.00am: Sunday Mass (Intention: For migrants and refugees)
Monday, 28 September, 8.15am: Mass at St Mary’s House (St Lawrence Ruiz and Companions)
Wednesday, 30 September, 9.30am: Mass (St Jerome)
Friday, 2 October, 9.30am: Mass (The Holy Guardian Angels)
Sunday, 4 October, 10.00am: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass

Advisory

Clocks go back one hour on the night of Saturday, 24 October.

Looking Ahead

The Catholic Children’s Society has made available its order form for Christmas cards with religious themes.

Friday Self-Denial Wall Box

Donations are for the Refugee Fund.

Liturgical Rules

Two saints’ days have been superseded this year because the Lord’s Day rule for Sunday takes precedence: 27 September (St Vincent de Paul) and 4 October (St Francis of Assisi). Pray for us.

Bishop-Elect Stephen

Please pray for him as he makes his pre-Ordination Retreat.

Meet the Bishop

His Ordination and Installation will be on Monday, 19 October and will be live-streamed from Arundel Cathedral. Do a test run to the Cathedral website.

Mass of Welcome

At Worth Abbey on Saturday, 24 October: A Mass of welcome for our new Bishop. Each deanery or parish group has a coach funded by the Diocese to travel. Brighton & Hove Parish has a coach, and each community has been allocated six places. The coach will pick up at Hove Town Hall (travel there by the 5B or 5 bus). Please have a word if you wish to go (note: no independent travel to the Abbey).

Come, ye thankful people, come,

Raise the song of harvest home;

All is safely gathered in,

Ere the winter storms begin;

God, our Maker, doth provide

For our wants to be supplied;

Come to God’s own temple, come,

Raise the song of harvest home.

The Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Walsingham is once again a place of pilgrimage. It is situated in North Norfolk and is quite a journey from Sussex. Its origin is back in history with a replica of the Nazareth home of the Holy Family. There is a link on our website to the present-day shrine, which has information and history. As the English pilgrimage site to honour Our Lady, her feast is celebrated on 24th September. Our Mass will be on Friday at 9.30am. In your prayers on Friday, do remember to honour Mary.

“Evangelii Gaudium”

By tradition, the Latin words at the beginning of teaching documents from the Pope introduce the content. It was Pope Francis who, at the start of his appointment, wrote of the Joy of the Gospel, reminding us of our duty to live the life of disciples of Our Lord. Do read more at CBCEW (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales) about how, as Catholics, we share in the “Home Mission” responsibility to share our faith with others. There is also an opportunity to support the national department, which helps in this endeavour, through a gift towards the work.

The Mass Schedule

Sunday, 21 September, 10am – 25th Sunday Mass
Monday, 22 September, 8.15am – St Matthew Mass (St Mary’s House)
Wednesday, 24 September, 9.30am – St Padre Pio Mass (For James Fergus)
Friday, 26 September, 9.30am – Our Lady of Walsingham Mass (For the Patcham SVP)
Saturday, 27 September, 8.30am – Mass (HMP Lewes)
Sunday, 28 September, 10am – 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Harvest Thanksgiving Mass

Harvest Sunday

We show our gratitude for the work of the farmers and producers for the food we have. At the time of the Preparation of the Gifts, we are invited to make an offering of foodstuffs to support a local food bank.

Praying

Our Bishop-Elect, Fr Stephen, speaks of prayer in a CTS publication – see below.

Brighton & Hove Clergy

There will be a meeting this Tuesday at 3pm.

Pope Leo’s Pastoral Visit to France

Pope Leo will be in Paris and then in Lourdes. His visit begins on Friday 25th September and ends on Monday 28th September. You can follow him via our links to Vatican News and the Shrine of Lourdes.

For now a blessed mother thou shalt be

All generations laud and honour thee

Thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold

Most highly favoured Lady. Gloria.

Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for us.

The Seventeenth Week of Ordinary Time

The Diocesan Pilgrimage is now in Lourdes and we can join the 750 pilgrims with our prayers as they will be praying for us. You can follow the pilgrimage using the prayer book as directed below. The focus this year is on the Annunciation to Mary and her “yes” to God’s will.

2026 Lourdes Pilgrimage Handbook

Whether you are travelling to Lourdes this year, or making your Pilgrimage at home, you can read the Pilgrimage Handbook, to follow the Pilgrimage’s prayers, Masses and events, above, or download a copy by clicking the button below. You can also download a novena, to pray for the Pilgrimage.

Please follow this link.

This Sunday

With priests in Lourdes, on holiday, or filling in, it has not been possible to obtain a supply priest. For this Sunday only, we will gather for worship as usual. The Liturgy of the Word will take place as usual with the Bidding Prayers. Then, after the preparation and the Our Father, Holy Communion with previously consecrated hosts will be distributed before the final prayer of thanksgiving. Next Sunday’s Mass will be at 10am.

Mass Schedule

Sunday, 26 July, 10am — Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Good News

There is now a date for the Episcopal Ordination of Bishop-Elect Stephen. It will be in Arundel Cathedral on Monday, 19 October at 12 noon. It is the Solemnity of St Philip Howard, Patron of the Diocese.

Grandparents

This Sunday we remember grandparents for what they have handed on to us and for helping us know what really counts in life.

Assisted Dying Bill

Do let your MP know your objections to this proposed legislation.

Here are the Members of Parliament (MPs) representing the three local constituencies, along with their official contact email addresses:

Brighton Pavilion

MP: Siân Berry (Green Party)
Email: sian.berry.mp@parliament.uk

Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven

MP: Chris Ward (Labour Party)
Email: chris.ward.mp@parliament.uk

Hove and Portslade

MP: Peter Kyle (Labour Party)
Email: hove.portslade@parliament.uk

Note: When emailing your MP, please include your full name and full home address (including postcode) so they can verify you are a constituent. You can check which constituency you are in by pasting your postcode here.

Holiday Time

If you are having a break, do enjoy yourselves. If you are visiting, know you are most welcome in our community.

Patcham Community Centre

Remember the invitation to the showing of the film about the environment. 29th July 6:30pm Patcham Community Centre. See the noticeboard.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

St Bernadette, pray for us.

(Fr John will not be available this week. For personal emergencies, please try St Mary’s (07895 825296) or Rottingdean (07895 825296)

16th Week in Ordinary Time

It is holiday time now that schools have broken up and many people are travelling to different parts of the country or the world. Others will be relaxing and simply enjoying a change of routine. Whatever you do, may it be a time of renewal and refreshment, and do make sure it is something different. Around 750 people from the Diocese will be on pilgrimage in Lourdes and will be praying for you all.

Mass Schedule

Sunday, 19 July, 10am – Sunday Mass
Monday, 20 July, 8.15am – Mass at St Mary’s House
Tuesday, 21 July, 11am – Requiem Mass
Wednesday, 22 July, 9.30am – Feast of St Mary Magdalene
Friday, 24 July, 9.30am – Feast of St Sharbel Makhlouf
Saturday, 25 July, 8.30am – Mass at HMP Lewes
Sunday, 26 July, 10am – 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass

The Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes

You can follow the pilgrimage by visiting the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes website via our “Useful Websites” page. There, you can follow the daily events using the online prayer book. Please pray for the pilgrims, who carry so much with them.

The Assisted Dying Bill

Once again, we have been asked to contact our local MPs to voice our objections. You can read more and find guidance on how to do this by clicking here.

A Local Invitation

The Patcham Gardening Network will be showing a screening of a short film, The People’s Emergency Briefing dealing with the Climate and Nature crisis we face both nationally and globally, at our next meeting. This takes place on Wednesday the 29th of July, 6:30 to 9:00 pm, at the Patcham Community centre, Ladies’ Mile Rd, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 8TA (This is the community centre attached to Patcham Library, adjacent to Patcham High School).

Screenings of this powerful, timely film are being shown across the country, largely in community centres, church halls and small venues where people are invited not just to watch, but to reflect and discuss the issues that have been presented.

We are reminded that as Christians our concern is underpinned not just by the threat to our own interests but by core Christian principles of caring for God’s creation, Jesus’ command to love one another and responding to human need. The film’s message and screenings are supported by a wide range of national and international Christian organisations, including the Laudato Si’ Movement and CAFOD, and has been endorsed by the lead Bishop for Environment for the Roman Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.

Members of the Saint Thomas More congregation are warmly invited to attend.

Please note there is a small charge – £5 – for non-Gardening Network members.

Saint Sharbel Makhlouf

Born in Lebanon, Saint Sharbel entered monastic life and later lived in the hermitage of St Peter and St Paul. Revered as a saint of the Eastern Church, he died in 1898. Please keep the people of Lebanon in your prayers.

The seed is Christ’s

From birth to age, from age to death

Enfold us, Christ, within your arms.

Until the end, the great rebirth,

Christ be our joy in paradise.

– Hymn No. 670

The Fifteenth Week of Ordinary Time

Sea Sunday Seeing pictures of ships trapped in the Straits of Hormuz has reminded us of the crews who have been unable to go ashore and have been in fear of violence. We have experienced a rise in the cost of fuel and increases in the cost of other goods. How easy it is to forget the human cost to the seafarers away from the relief of being in a port even for a short time. This Sunday we pray for them and their families, and support the pastoral ministry of Stella Maris – the Apostleship of the Sea – in a retiring collection.

Our Bishop-Elect Fr Stephen has been interviewed on his appointment in a number of places – Alison Ferns on BBC Radio Sussex, in The Tablet, and on YouTube. He has a lovely smile and speaks of looking forward to meeting us and visiting the schools. We pray for him as he prepares for his future ministry and ordination.

Mass Schedule

Sunday, 12 July, 10am – 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass
Monday, 13 July, 8.15am – St Mary’s House Mass
Tuesday, 14 July, 1.30pm – St Bernadette’s School Leavers Mass
Wednesday, 15 July, 9.30am – St Bonaventure Mass
Friday, 17 July, 9.30am – Weekday Mass
Sunday, 19 July, 10am – 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass

Patronal Feast Thank you to all who prepared and enjoyed the refreshments. It was also good to see and hear our future Bishop and to view the photographs of the opening by the Bishop of Southwark.

The July Word of Life This month’s leaflet helps our continuing prayerful reflection on today’s Gospel.

Rey D’ Souza RIP Please pray for the repose of the soul of Rey, who died on Friday, and keep his wife, son, daughter and other family members in your prayers. Only recently, he received an honour for his long-time membership of the Knights of St Columba.

To Christ the seed, to Christ the harvest
Into the barns of Christ, may we be brought.

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Saints Peter & Paul

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.

The Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

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