Latest News

Diocesan Youth Service – 40^th Anniversary Celebration – 4 September 2021 – Arundel Cathedral – We are delighted to be able to celebrate our Youth Service, which has impacted many people in the last four decades and we want to invite anyone who has ever attended an event hosted by the service to come along and join the festivities.  Whether it was a Maryvale Retreat, a World Youth Day Pilgrimage, Youthgather, Lourdes Redshirts, or you are a member of our new online community BeCome, or one of our other virtual networks, everyone will be welcome to give thanks for all that has been done and to pray for the success of the Youth Service in the future. Reminisce with old friends, and meet new friends in person (not just on a screen!). A thanksgiving Mass will be said by Bishop Richard, followed by a chance to chat over refreshments. Please click here for more information and to register

Margaret Westcar 1st RIP Anniversary – Thursday 29th July at 11:45am, Requiem Mass St. Wilfrid’s Church

It is my beloved Mum, Mrs Margaret Westcar 1st RIP Anniversary on Thursday 29th July 2021.  So I have arranged with Fr Rory to do a Requiem Mass In Celebration of my beloved beautiful Mum❤️Life & family life.  All dear parishioner friends are welcome to attend this Mass celebration.

The readings this weekend explain how God, like a good shepherd, redeems His people and provides for them. The readings challenge us to use our God-given authority in the family, in the Church, and in society, with faith and responsibility.  In the world of today this includes of course the pastoral care given by our priests but also includes the loving service given by all Christians who follow different callings to serve and lead others. 

We need God’s grace to become good shepherds. The Christian life can be regarded as being in the presence of God, then to the presence of people and then back to God again. We do this through prayer which is essentially listening to God and talking to Him. We should allow God the opportunity to speak to us and recharge us with spiritual energy and strength by setting aside time for Him to speak to us and for us to speak to Him. One important way we can facilitate this is by spending some time every day reading the Bible and meditating on the message God gives us in Scripture. We receive strength from God to do our share of the shepherd’s preaching and healing ministry by asking for it individually, in the family, and as a community in the parish Church, when we participate in Mass. We must be people of compassion. We must be able to feel deeply the suffering of others, to understand why they fear and worry. We are all called to lead and “govern wisely” living out what we communicate. We must guide people in right paths and are to be concerned about what is right and just. Our pastoral care should be involved with people’s real needs, both spiritual and material, and provide peaceful care and guidance. There are so many people searching for truth today, people hungering for instruction, good people who are looking for direction. They may be parents who are worried over the future of a troubled child; a man suffering because of unemployment; a woman facing a pregnancy alone; elderly people who feel lonely; people who are angry and confused because they have lost confidence in their leaders. They are all people who are looking for answers and for meaning. They are like sheep without a shepherd. They all need someone filled with the spirit of Christ the “Good Shepherd to help them.

Let us all try in the coming days to be people of compassion and put ourselves out to help at least one person in need. We can all be good shepherds.

Responsibility:  is always part and parcel of life.  The decision to raise the lockdown makes it very important to do our best to stay safe.  The chances of the numbers of cases of covid rising is quite certain to happen.  Continuing to wear masks when needed, and other practical ways of being cautious and careful are important.

It also presents us with an important opportunity to truly value and express our faith as communities, that we are grateful to God for the great gift that our faith brings to us.  All through the pandemic I can honestly say that there was something very special about saying mass.  When it came to the sign of peace I sensed a real depth of peace to be experienced then in the church.  In great contrast with the affliction and injury that was happening in the wider world, “My peace I give you”, greater than any peace the world can bring.  Please God, we continue to gather to experience that peace and to bring it to the world we live in.

Last Sunday we had a very valuable profound prayer as part of the Prayers of the Faithful:-

“We ask you Lord to guide us, so that we can improve communication within our own parish and help us to recognise opportunities to assist in working towards re-socialisation, friendship, providing comfort and creating safe spaces within a framework of Faith.  We need to all work together to achieve our goals.  Please give us your Grace and humility to succeed.  The Lord Hear Us”.

We have frequently been blessed by the prayers of the faithful that are prepared by fellow parishioners on our behalf.

Celebrations to take place on Sunday 15th August (The Assumption of Our Blessed Lady).  Refreshments will be served after and a tombola to help raise funds, donations of bottles and any unwanted gifts that are in pristine condition would be greatly appreciated.

Our Diocesan Youth Adviser, Lizzie, is hosting another round of Deanery Confirmation Catechist meetings this week, and is delighted to be able to tell you that your local secondary school chaplains have been invited, which will give you a chance to get to know them better. We will also be looking at the theme ‘Known and Loved’. If you are not already a member of your local network, please contact Lizzie directly [email protected]

St George’s First Communion Catechists have decided to run the ‘I Belong’ programme for 12 sessions from 12^th September the children will then all be prepared and ready to make their First Communion on the Feast of Christ the King Sunday 21^st November.  This programme is only for any children who have missed out on taking the sacrament over the last two years due to Covid restrictions and will be in school year 4 or above from September 2021.  If anyone would like to register an interest in being part of this programme please contact Sandra on 07791627368 or email [email protected]

St Wilfrid’s Community Lunch at the Treacle Mine – 12 noon on the 5th August:

After our very successful meal together in June, we have decided to have another on Thursday the 5th August at 12 noon at the Treacle Mine. If you are interested, please contact Joan tel: 07873390944.  We invite all our friends from St George’s and St Wilfrid’s and look forward to seeing you there. The latest date for confirming your place will be Sunday 1st August.  Please don’t leave it to the last date as I have to confirm ASAP with the management at the Treacle Mine. Thank you.

Today is Sea Sunday, when the Church prays for all those who live and work at sea.  Today’s second collection is for Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea), the Catholic Church’s official maritime welfare agency.  It supports seafarers both practically and spiritually.  For an appeal talk from Bishop Paul Mason, and a video showing some of what Stella Maris does, please visit www.stellamaris.org.uk/SeaSunday.  This collection is vital to enable Stella Maris to continue its important work.  To donate, please visit www.stellamaris.org.uk/donate or text ‘SEA’ to 70460 to donate £5. Stella Maris is dependant on voluntary donations, so please give generously.  Thank you.

Saint Oscar Romero (canonized 14 October, 2018, by Pope Francis) is an outstanding example of being a true witness of Christ. When he was made Archbishop of El Salvador in 1997, Romero was a conservative. But he soon changed when he saw what was happening. Every Sunday he preached at the Cathedral. His homilies so electrified the country that national affairs halted when he spoke from the altar. He made public the unspeakable crimes being committed by many agents of the government. He was under constant threat of death. Some of his best friends were murdered. And still he would not be silenced. Nor would he go into hiding or exile. “At the first sight of danger the shepherd cannot run and leave the sheep to fend for themselves. I will stay with my people,” he said. He was shot in March 1980 while saying Mass. According to Romero, staying in the open and bearing direct witness to the Truth Jesus IS didn’t take courage. All it took was the understanding that his enemies dwelt in fear, and the fact that he was not afraid of them, to take away any power they thought they had over him. They might be able to kill his body, but they would not and could not kill his soul. There is also a story of a Protestant minister who, during the genocide in Rwanda (1994), sheltered Tutsis in his house. When a mob arrived at his door and ordered him to release them, he refused to do so. They shot him and took the people away. Even though we may not aspire so such heights of heroism, people like these are an inspiration to us. (Flor McCarthy)

Our destination:  When God’s glory is revealed, then our joy will be full.  This is the true hope that is within us.  Now we are on a daily journey with the prayer Jesus left us “give us this day our daily bread”.  As we continue to live our lives with the virus having a major impact, it is important that we are careful even cautious, as we respond to the guidelines that are given.  But we must also be positive and hopeful placing proper trust and confidence in God’s providence.  I am deeply aware of the injury and damage that has been done to mental health and the barriers placed to compassion.  Please God, a return to the sacraments, especially to the mass, and events that support our community will now be positive. 

The celebration of First Holy Communions, Reconciliation and Confirmation have been moments like a silver lining on the clouds.  A profound witness has been lighting of baptismal candles.  It is the expression of faith “this light has been entrusted to you to be kept burning bright, your child has been enlightened by Christ to walk in the light of Christ”.  The occasional request to celebrate marriage and baptism our hope that the life of faith will go on.  Initial suggestion, meetings, outings for meals are beginning to take place.  I have organised that I have regular testing for the coronavirus and I am willing to visit, and to respond to requests and to encourage and encourage us to return to life as a parish community.  Suggestions for house masses, special prayers for healing, rosary and devotions or just a special hello, how are you after this time? and any other suggestions that might be helpful after this time.