Blessed Robert Grissold Catholic Church
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Welcome to the website of Blessed Robert Grissold Catholic Church in Balsall Common. Here you can find details of the parish, our latest newsletter, services and sacraments offered by the Church and, in our parish archive, the events we have held. As a parish we value your privacy. Please follow the link here to learn more about the privacy policy that covers all catholic churches in the Archdiocese of Birmingham,
Father Frank writes
The invitation to welcome the God who comes to us in Christ and to cast away empty living is repeated in the liturgy of the Second Sunday of Advent. The Opening Prayer of the Mass asks that no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet Christ. And today we hear the lonely voice of John the Baptist who exhorts us to prepare a way for the Lord. May our faithfulness to the Spirit of Advent create a space so that the Lord can come to us.
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Safeguarding
The Parish follows the safeguarding standards advised by The Archdiocese of Birmingham. You can view these standards by following the link here.
A link to the Archdiocese safeguarding website can be found here.
Safespaces is a free and independent support service, providing a confidential, personal and safe space for anyone who has been abused by someone in the Church or as a result of their relationship with the Church of England, the Catholic Church in England and Wales or the Church in Wales. If you have been affected, however long ago, Safe Spaces can provide you with support. You do not have to have told the police or the church authorities, and you do not have to still be involved with the church. Your information will not be shared without your consent unless you or someone else is in immediate danger. To contact Safespaces, please follow the link to their website here.
The Isaiah Journey The Isaiah Journey is a working group of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales which has grown out of the need for a pastoral-spiritual response to the suffering of victims and survivors of abuse in the Church. It provides A Guide for Survivors of Abuse that can be found here.
The Safeguarding Rep for our Parish is Monica Green and she can be contacted via email at sg.brg.balsallcommon@rcaob.org.uk.
The Parish follows the safeguarding standards advised by The Archdiocese of Birmingham. You can view these standards by following the link here.
A link to the Archdiocese safeguarding website can be found here.
Safespaces is a free and independent support service, providing a confidential, personal and safe space for anyone who has been abused by someone in the Church or as a result of their relationship with the Church of England, the Catholic Church in England and Wales or the Church in Wales. If you have been affected, however long ago, Safe Spaces can provide you with support. You do not have to have told the police or the church authorities, and you do not have to still be involved with the church. Your information will not be shared without your consent unless you or someone else is in immediate danger. To contact Safespaces, please follow the link to their website here.
The Isaiah Journey The Isaiah Journey is a working group of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales which has grown out of the need for a pastoral-spiritual response to the suffering of victims and survivors of abuse in the Church. It provides A Guide for Survivors of Abuse that can be found here.
The Safeguarding Rep for our Parish is Monica Green and she can be contacted via email at sg.brg.balsallcommon@rcaob.org.uk.
Parish Events
Looking for the rest of the Parish Event List? We have archived the list from our old site but you can still view them here.
Date
| Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 24.05.2025 | Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes | Every year, hundreds of pilgrims from across the Archdiocese of Birmingham join together for the Lourdes Pilgrimage. 2025 is the Year of Jubilee and Archbishop Bernard invites you to come with us on this very special occasion in the life of the archdiocese: Its a great experience to be together with upwards of 700 fellow pilgrims. The pilgrimage dates have been announced: Saturday 24 Friday 30 May 2025, and you can now express your interest in a place or get more information by visiting www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/lourdes. |
| 10.03.2025 | Escorted Tour to Westport, Knock and County Mayo | Departing 10th March 2025. £799.00 pps price includes flight, 10kg hold luggage, 4 nights in 4* Castlecourt Hotel, Westport with dinner, bed & breakfast. Lunch on three days. All entertainment, excursions and transport included. Visit Knock, Galway City, Kylemore Abbey, Croagh Patrick, Ballintubber Abbey, Quiet Man Museum. Single supplement on enquiry. Contact 01268 762 278 or 07740 175557 or email knockpilgrimages@gmail.com. |
| 24.12.2024 | Christmas Mass times at BRG | Christmas Mass times at BRG: Tuesday 24th December at 6.00 pm Vigil of the Solemnity of the Nativity, Wednesday 25th December at 9.30 am Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord |
| 19.12.2024 | Church Lighting Replacement | The high-level lighting in the church and hall is due to be replaced with LED lights over Thursday and Friday 19th and 20th December. Please note that during these 2 days, access to the church and hall will be prohibited to comply with Health & Safety requirements |
| 15.12.2024 | Carol Service | Our Carol Service is at 6pm on Sunday 15th December, with the usual mix of traditional carols, readings and music from the choir, followed by mulled wine and mince pies in the Parish Room. Donations of mince pies are very welcome please bring them to Mass next Sunday 15th December. |
| 12.12.2024 | No Prayer Group this week | No meeting this week the group will commence again on Thursday 9th January at 3:00 pm. |
| 11.12.2024 | Parish Coffee Morning | Our next coffee morning will take place in the Narthex at 10.30am on Wednesday 11th December tea, coffee, mince pies, sausage rolls and good conversation in abundance - everyone welcome to join us. |
| 09.12.2024 | Midweek Mass on MONDAY 9th December | Mass at BRG at 7pm on Monday 9th December (Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary). There will be no mass on Tuesday next week. |
| 08.12.2024 | Second Collection next week | There will be a second collection on Sunday 8th December for the poor parishes of our Diocese. |
| 08.12.2024 | Sunday Mass Books | We are now using the new translations of the Lectionary. The Parish has purchased 100 new Mass books (parts 1 and 2) at a cost of £1000 for this year. In total there is a set of six books that we will purchase over the next three years. If you want to contribute to the cost by dedicating two books in memory of a loved one, or as a gift from a family, we suggest a donation of £10. Please complete one of the forms given out at Mass and hand to the wardens with a cash, a cheque or pay by bank transfer. |
| 08.12.2024 | Giving Tree | Our Christmas Giving Tree is in the Narthex. Please take a tag specifying a type of gift and return the wrapped gift (or gift card!) under the tree as soon as possible. Gifts will be donated to Fr Hudsons Caritas, to be distributed to those involved in their projects: www.fatherhudsons.org.uk/what-we-do/. |
| 08.12.2024 | Parish Quiz | Our recent quiz night raised £302 for parish funds thanks once again to Kathy and Bob for organising it and to everyone who helped out. |
| 30.11.2024 | Christmas Fayre | There will be a Christmas Fayre in our parish hall from 10.00am to 2.30pm on Saturday 30th November, in aid of Save the Children. Hand-crafted items, and other items suitable for presents, will be on sale. There will be refreshments, including home-made cakes. No charge for entry. If anyone would like to bake cakes to sell, or can help in any other way, please contact Julia Greensall on 07855 843 914. |
| 29.11.2024 | Bill on Assisted Suicide | In early September 2024, when Parliament returned and a Bill on assisted suicide so-called assisted dying started its passage through the House of Lords, our Lead Bishop for Life Issues, Bishop John Sherrington, called for Catholics to unite in prayer and compassionate action. That call is renewed now, urgently, as on Friday, 29th November, the House of Commons will hear the Second Reading of a bill on assisted suicide tabled by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater. This is another attempt to legalise assisted suicide and we ask you to contact your MP to voice your opposition. The charity Right to Life UK has a simple online mechanism to do this. It takes little more than a few minutes to input your postcode, make sure the suggested text suits your viewpoint and submit your message to ask your MP to stop assisted suicide being rushed into law. To contact your MP please visit: https://righttolife.org.uk/ASthreat. |
| 25.11.2024 | Job Vacancy 1 | The Archdiocese of Birmingham invite applications for the new CEO of the first enlarged Catholic Multi-Academy Trust in the Archdiocese. We are looking for an outstanding, dynamic, innovative and visionary Catholic servant leader to lead this new Trust of 63 schools by example and with wisdom. For further details, please see the Diocesan Education Service website: https://www.bdes.org.uk/vacancies.html . The closing date for applications is 25th November 2024. |
| 24.11.2024 | Youth Sunday | We will be celebrating Youth Sunday at our 9.30am Mass on Sunday 24th November. There will be craft activities and party food after Mass for the children. All are welcome. |
| 24.11.2024 | November is the month of Remembrance | Requests for Masses to be offered for your deceased loved ones in November and throughout this year in Masses for the Holy Souls can be made using the envelopes available in the Narthex |
| 24.11.2024 | Job Vacancy 2 | Friends of the Holy Land require two Office Administrators one full-time, one part-time. please contact the Office Manager, Jen Hill, initially by phone. Tel 01926 512980. For further details please see: https://www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk/jobs. |
| 24.11.2024 | New Lectionaries | Would all those who have made donations to offset the cost of the new Lectionaries please confirm with Fr Frank in order that the dedicatory book plates may be allocated. |
| 23.11.2024 | Baptism | Congratulations to Theodore Rupert McAtamney who was Baptised on Saturday. Please keep Theodore, his parents and godparents in your prayers |
24.05.2025
Every year, hundreds of pilgrims from across the Archdiocese of Birmingham join together for the Lourdes Pilgrimage. 2025 is the Year of Jubilee and Archbishop Bernard invites you to come with us on this very special occasion in the life of the archdiocese: Its a great experience to be together with upwards of 700 fellow pilgrims. The pilgrimage dates have been announced: Saturday 24 Friday 30 May 2025, and you can now express your interest in a place or get more information by visiting www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/lourdes.
|
10.03.2025
Departing 10th March 2025. £799.00 pps price includes flight, 10kg hold luggage, 4 nights in 4* Castlecourt Hotel, Westport with dinner, bed & breakfast. Lunch on three days. All entertainment, excursions and transport included. Visit Knock, Galway City, Kylemore Abbey, Croagh Patrick, Ballintubber Abbey, Quiet Man Museum. Single supplement on enquiry. Contact 01268 762 278 or 07740 175557 or email knockpilgrimages@gmail.com.
|
24.12.2024
Christmas Mass times at BRG: Tuesday 24th December at 6.00 pm Vigil of the Solemnity of the Nativity,
Wednesday 25th December at 9.30 am Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord
|
19.12.2024
The high-level lighting in the church and hall is due to be replaced with LED lights over Thursday and Friday 19th and 20th December. Please note that during these 2 days, access to the church and hall will be prohibited to comply with Health & Safety requirements
|
15.12.2024
Our Carol Service is at 6pm on Sunday 15th December, with the usual mix of traditional carols, readings and music from the choir, followed by mulled wine and mince pies in the Parish Room. Donations of mince pies are very welcome please bring them to Mass next Sunday 15th December.
|
12.12.2024
No meeting this week the group will commence again on Thursday 9th January at 3:00 pm.
|
11.12.2024
Our next coffee morning will take place in the Narthex at 10.30am on Wednesday 11th December tea, coffee, mince pies, sausage rolls and good conversation in abundance - everyone welcome to join us.
|
09.12.2024
Mass at BRG at 7pm on Monday 9th December (Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary). There will be no mass on Tuesday next week.
|
08.12.2024
There will be a second collection on Sunday 8th December for the poor parishes of our Diocese.
|
08.12.2024
We are now using the new translations of the Lectionary. The Parish has purchased 100 new Mass books (parts 1 and 2) at a cost of £1000 for this year. In total there is a set of six books that we will purchase over the next three years. If you want to contribute to the cost by dedicating two books in memory of a loved one, or as a gift from a family, we suggest a donation of £10. Please complete one of the forms given out at Mass and hand to the wardens with a cash, a cheque or pay by bank transfer.
|
08.12.2024
Our Christmas Giving Tree is in the Narthex. Please take a tag specifying a type of gift and return the wrapped gift (or gift card!) under the tree as soon as possible. Gifts will be donated to Fr Hudsons Caritas, to be distributed to those involved in their projects: www.fatherhudsons.org.uk/what-we-do/.
|
08.12.2024
Our recent quiz night raised £302 for parish funds thanks once again to Kathy and Bob for organising it and to everyone who helped out.
|
30.11.2024
There will be a Christmas Fayre in our parish hall from 10.00am to 2.30pm on Saturday 30th November, in aid of Save the Children. Hand-crafted items, and other items suitable for presents, will be on sale. There will be refreshments, including home-made cakes. No charge for entry. If anyone would like to bake cakes to sell, or can help in any other way, please contact Julia Greensall on 07855 843 914.
|
29.11.2024
In early September 2024, when Parliament returned and a Bill on assisted suicide so-called assisted dying started its passage through the House of Lords, our Lead Bishop for Life Issues, Bishop John Sherrington, called for Catholics to unite in prayer and compassionate action. That call is renewed now, urgently, as on Friday, 29th November, the House of Commons will hear the Second Reading of a bill on assisted suicide tabled by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater. This is another attempt to legalise assisted suicide and we ask you to contact your MP to voice your opposition. The charity Right to Life UK has a simple online mechanism to do this. It takes little more than a few minutes to input your postcode, make sure the suggested text suits your viewpoint and submit your message to ask your MP to stop assisted suicide being rushed into law. To contact your MP please visit: https://righttolife.org.uk/ASthreat.
|
25.11.2024
The Archdiocese of Birmingham invite applications for the new CEO of the first enlarged Catholic Multi-Academy Trust in the Archdiocese. We are looking for an outstanding, dynamic, innovative and visionary Catholic servant leader to lead this new Trust of 63 schools by example and with wisdom. For further details, please see the Diocesan Education Service website: https://www.bdes.org.uk/vacancies.html . The closing date for applications is 25th November 2024.
|
24.11.2024
We will be celebrating Youth Sunday at our 9.30am Mass on Sunday 24th November. There will be craft activities and party food after Mass for the children. All are welcome.
|
24.11.2024
Requests for Masses to be offered for your deceased loved ones in November and throughout this year in Masses for the Holy Souls can be made using the envelopes available in the Narthex
|
24.11.2024
Friends of the Holy Land require two Office Administrators one full-time, one part-time. please contact the Office Manager, Jen Hill, initially by phone. Tel 01926 512980. For further details please see: https://www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk/jobs.
|
24.11.2024
Would all those who have made donations to offset the cost of the new Lectionaries please confirm with Fr Frank in order that the dedicatory book plates may be allocated.
|
23.11.2024
Congratulations to Theodore Rupert McAtamney who was Baptised on Saturday. Please keep Theodore, his parents and godparents in your prayers
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Parish Calendar
