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
In the Gospel today Jesus teaches that the lives of his followers should have a distinctive quality. Like salt, we should add a peculiar flavour to life because our life in Christ is distinctive and peculiar - different from what the world has to offer. This distinctive and peculiar quality of the Christ-life in us should shine like a light in the world, because Christ is the Light of the world. But if we lose our distinctive and peculiar taste - if the light in us is dimmed or hidden through sin, or compromised with the world - then we are no longer fit for purpose and we fail in our witness to the love and light of Christ - a witness that is vital in order that all may “taste and see that the Lord is good”.
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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 |
|---|---|---|
| 14.03.2026 | One Pot Supper with entertainment | We are holding an evening of food and merriment on Saturday 14th March at 7 pm. The cost is £10 per head. Pam is collecting names / money on Sunday after Mass. Please support this event in aid of Parish funds |
| 06.03.2026 | World Day of Prayer | This years’ service, prepared by the people of Nigeria, will be held at the Methodist Church on Friday 6th March at 6.30pm and will be followed by light refreshments. Everyone is welcome. |
| 21.02.2026 | Lent Breakfasts | As usual the Methodist Church is the venue for the Churches Together Lenten Breakfast talks. The theme is “Good Books”. These will be each Saturday morning from 21st February until 21st March, breakfast from 8.45am (pastries, tea & coffee) donations please. The talk begins at 9.00am. Each church will act as host in turn. Blessed Robert Grissold will be hosting on 7th March. Volunteers welcome |
| 17.02.2026 | Churches Together Quiet Mornings | The next Quiet Morning will be on Shrove Tuesday, 17th February, 9.30 am – 12 noon. It will be at St Mary’s Church in Temple Balsall and led by the vicar Debbie Collins. |
| 11.02.2026 | Parish Coffee Morning | The next Parish Coffee morning will be in the Narthex at 10.30am on 11th February with coffee and tea, cakes, scones and good conversation. If you haven’t been before, give it a try - you will be made very welcome! |
| 10.02.2026 | Midweek Mass | Weekday Mass at BRG: 09:30am am on Tuesday 10th February to enable Fr. Frank to attend a deanery meeting |
| 01.02.2026 | Second Collection | There is a second collection next Sunday (1st February) for Racial Justice. |
| 01.02.2026 | Planned Giving | Thank you to everyone who responded to our first Planned Giving event by taking out a new standing order (or increasing an existing standing order) and/or signing up for Gift Aid. If you haven’t yet set up a standing order or Gift Aid and would like to do so, Iain Butlin-Moran will be available in the Narthex for the next few Sundays with forms and details of how to set these up. |
| 01.02.2026 | Choir | Weekly choir practice will start today after mass, working on music for Easter. New members very welcome – no previous choir experience needed! Please speak to Ian or Ellie Clarke if you are interested in joining. |
| 01.02.2026 | Healthcare Volunteers in Lourdes | Are you a doctor, nurse or carer? Would you consider donating your time and expertise on next year’s Lourdes Pilgrimage? Every year sick pilgrims are able to make the journey to Lourdes thanks to the support of a dedicated Healthcare Team. Without their expertise many pilgrims would not be able to go. If you are a healthcare professional and would like to try something new, please consider joining us. You will make a real difference. For more information, and to access the Volunteer Pilgrimage Pack and an application form, please visit https://www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/lourdes-pilgrimage. |
| 01.02.2026 | Reception of Adults into full Communion with the Church | If any adults are interested in entering into full Communion with the Catholic Church, please contact Fr Frank ASAP as formation will begin shortly |
| 01.02.2026 | Sacrament of Confirmation (for young people) | If any young people in our Parish, from Year 6 upwards, are interested in preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation, please contact Teresa Green on 07583 540060 or speak to Fr. Frank. Preparation will commence at the end of January. |
| 27.01.2026 | Weekday Mass this Tuesday | There will be no weekday mass this Tuesday. Fr. Frank will be taking his post-Christmas break at this time, apologies for any inconvenience. |
| 18.01.2026 | Churches Together Service for Christian Unity | A service for Christian Unity will be held today, 18th January at 4pm at St John the Baptist Church Berkswell. The theme this year is ‘Light from Light for Light’ and it has been prepared by the Armenian Apostolic Church. All welcome, light refreshments will be served. |
| 18.01.2026 | Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity | The week of prayer for Christian unity begins this Sunday 18th January with a theme of “One Body, One Spirit”. |
| 14.01.2026 | Coffee Morning | The next Parish Coffee morning will be in the Narthex at 10.30am on Wednesday 14th January with coffee and tea, cakes, scones and good conversation available to all. If you haven’t been before, give it a try - you will be made very welcome! |
| 13.01.2026 | Planned Giving Campaign | There will be a meeting for members of the Planned Giving Steering Group and co-ordinators of volunteer rotas at 7.00pm on Tuesday 13th January in the Parish Room, to discuss the next phase of our Parish Planned Giving Campaign |
| 08.01.2026 | Prayer Group | Next meeting is on Thursday 8th January at 4pm. Everyone is most welcome |
| 04.01.2026 | Christmas Mystery Prize | A sincere thank you to everyone who contributed towards the Christmas Mystery Prize Draw. The results were announced and three very satisfied winners took their bag of mystery prizes home! We raised £150 towards parish funds. |
| 04.01.2026 | Thank you | Thanks to all those who worked so hard to prepare for the Christmas celebrations. Thanks also for your cards, gifts, kindness and support. I am overwhelmed by your generosity. Also, I am grateful for your devotion to the Mass - for ensuring that there is in this place a faithful witness to the love, light and hope of Christ and his in-breaking Kingdom. That is the peculiar and incomparable gift we are called to offer to the world as the Church, but, in order for this to happen, we have to be faithful to the Mass, to worship and prayer and many have to give of their time and energy in raising funds and being responsible for day to day administration and maintenance. May the Lord bless you for all your hard work on behalf of Christ and his Kingdom. It is a privilege and a joy to share with you in this service. Fr. Frank |
14.03.2026
We are holding an evening of food and merriment on Saturday 14th March at 7 pm. The cost is £10 per head. Pam is collecting names / money on Sunday after Mass. Please support this event in aid of Parish funds
|
06.03.2026
This years’ service, prepared by the people of Nigeria, will be held at the Methodist Church on Friday 6th March at 6.30pm and will be followed by light refreshments. Everyone is welcome.
|
21.02.2026
As usual the Methodist Church is the venue for the Churches Together Lenten Breakfast talks. The theme is “Good Books”. These will be each Saturday morning from 21st February until 21st March, breakfast from 8.45am (pastries, tea & coffee) donations please. The talk begins at 9.00am. Each church will act as host in turn. Blessed Robert Grissold will be hosting on 7th March. Volunteers welcome
|
17.02.2026
The next Quiet Morning will be on Shrove Tuesday, 17th February, 9.30 am – 12 noon. It will be at St Mary’s Church in Temple Balsall and led by the vicar Debbie Collins.
|
11.02.2026
The next Parish Coffee morning will be in the Narthex at 10.30am on 11th February with coffee and tea, cakes, scones and good conversation. If you haven’t been before, give it a try - you will be made very welcome!
|
10.02.2026
Weekday Mass at BRG: 09:30am am on Tuesday 10th February to enable Fr. Frank to attend a deanery meeting
|
01.02.2026
There is a second collection next Sunday (1st February) for Racial Justice.
|
01.02.2026
Thank you to everyone who responded to our first Planned Giving event by taking out a new standing order (or increasing an existing standing order) and/or signing up for Gift Aid. If you haven’t yet set up a standing order or Gift Aid and would like to do so, Iain Butlin-Moran will be available in the Narthex for the next few Sundays with forms and details of how to set these up.
|
01.02.2026
Weekly choir practice will start today after mass, working on music for Easter. New members very welcome – no previous choir experience needed! Please speak to Ian or Ellie Clarke if you are interested in joining.
|
01.02.2026
Are you a doctor, nurse or carer? Would you consider donating your time and expertise on next year’s Lourdes Pilgrimage? Every year sick pilgrims are able to make the journey to Lourdes thanks to the support of a dedicated Healthcare Team. Without their expertise many pilgrims would not be able to go. If you are a healthcare professional and would like to try something new, please consider joining us. You will make a real difference. For more information, and to access the Volunteer Pilgrimage Pack and an application form, please visit https://www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/lourdes-pilgrimage.
|
01.02.2026
If any adults are interested in entering into full Communion with the Catholic Church, please contact Fr Frank ASAP as formation will begin shortly
|
01.02.2026
If any young people in our Parish, from Year 6 upwards, are interested in preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation, please contact Teresa Green on 07583 540060 or speak to Fr. Frank. Preparation will commence at the end of January.
|
27.01.2026
There will be no weekday mass this Tuesday. Fr. Frank will be taking his post-Christmas break at this time, apologies for any inconvenience.
|
18.01.2026
A service for Christian Unity will be held today, 18th January at 4pm at St John the Baptist Church Berkswell. The theme this year is ‘Light from Light for Light’ and it has been prepared by the Armenian Apostolic Church. All welcome, light refreshments will be served.
|
18.01.2026
The week of prayer for Christian unity begins this Sunday 18th January with a theme of “One Body, One Spirit”.
|
14.01.2026
The next Parish Coffee morning will be in the Narthex at 10.30am on Wednesday 14th January with coffee and tea, cakes, scones and good conversation available to all. If you haven’t been before, give it a try - you will be made very welcome!
|
13.01.2026
There will be a meeting for members of the Planned Giving Steering Group and co-ordinators of volunteer rotas at 7.00pm on Tuesday 13th January in the Parish Room, to discuss the next phase of our Parish Planned Giving Campaign
|
08.01.2026
Next meeting is on Thursday 8th January at 4pm. Everyone is most welcome
|
04.01.2026
A sincere thank you to everyone who contributed towards the Christmas Mystery Prize Draw. The results were announced and three very satisfied winners took their bag of mystery prizes home! We raised £150 towards parish funds.
|
04.01.2026
Thanks to all those who worked so hard to prepare for the Christmas celebrations. Thanks also for your cards, gifts, kindness and support. I am overwhelmed by your generosity. Also, I am grateful for your devotion to the Mass - for ensuring that there is in this place a faithful witness to the love, light and hope of Christ and his in-breaking Kingdom. That is the peculiar and incomparable gift we are called to offer to the world as the Church, but, in order for this to happen, we have to be faithful to the Mass, to worship and prayer and many have to give of their time and energy in raising funds and being responsible for day to day administration and maintenance. May the Lord bless you for all your hard work on behalf of Christ and his Kingdom. It is a privilege and a joy to share with you in this service. Fr. Frank
|
Parish Calendar
