Blessed Robert Grissold Catholic Church
A Community based on Faith, Altar and the WordQuick Links
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If you are looking for our mass times for Christmas 2019, click here
The Gospel today encourages to “stay awake” - not to allow ourselves to become complacent in our Christian lives. Advent is a penitential season when the Church invites us to prepare for the many ways in which Our Lord Jesus Christ comes to us. We can be assisted in remaining vigilant through prayer, fasting and almsgiving, that’s why these disciplines are recommended in this season. Like the “doorkeeper” in Mark’s Gospel, Christians have to remain ever watchful and be attentive to what the Lord wants to reveal to us in all the circumstances of our everyday lives. I hope that you are all keeping well under these trying and frustrating circumstances and that you are coping with the new lockdown. You continue to be in my prayers daily as I offer the Mass. I will continue to post a weekly Spiritual Communion and reflection on the parish website so that we can still pray together. It has been encouraging to see the generous response to the call for volunteers needed to celebrate Mass. Once again I have cause to be impressed and grateful for your selfless dedication and for the love of Christ and his Church which this shows. Archbishop Bernard has also recognised the diligence and devotion of the volunteers and has asked me to pass on his gratitude and appreciation.
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The feast of Christ the King, which the holy Church throughout the world celebrates today, brings to a close the Church’s liturgical year. Our image of a monarch tends to be of one who lives a privileged life and lords it over others. Christ our King is not like that. He came to serve, not to be served and he wants us to imitate him in his loving service of others. That is why, as St. John of the Cross said: “In the evening of life we shall be examined on love.” If to love and to serve our neighbour is heavenly, hell is the suffering of one who refuses to love and serve.
I hope that you are all keeping well under these trying and frustrating circumstances and that you are coping with the new lockdown. You continue to be in my prayers daily as I offer the Mass. I will continue to post a weekly Spiritual Communion and reflection on the parish website so that we can still pray together.
Due to the current lockdown, Mass at Blessed Robert Grissold church has been suspended until further notice. Please see the bulletin, posted on the parish website, for updates and any news.
It has been encouraging to see the generous response to the call for volunteers needed to celebrate Mass. Once again I have cause to be impressed and grateful for your selfless dedication and for the love of Christ and his Church which this shows. Archbishop Bernard has also recognised the diligence and devotion of the volunteers and asked me to pass on his gratitude and appreciation.
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I hope that you are all keeping well under these trying and frustrating circumstances and that you are coping with the new lockdown. You continue to be in my prayers daily as I offer the Mass. I will continue to post a weekly Spiritual Communion and reflection on the parish website so that we can still pray together. Due to the current lockdown, Mass at Blessed Robert Grissold church has been suspended until further notice. Please see the bulletin, posted on the parish website, for updates and any news. It has been encouraging to hear from Joe Martin of the generous response to the call for volunteers needed to celebrate Mass. Once again I have cause to be impressed and grateful for your selfless dedication and for the love of Christ and his Church which this shows. In today’s Gospel we hear of a man who returned everything he had ever been given to his master - and yet he was censured. He was blamed, not for misusing the gifts he had been given, but rather for not having used them at all. This Gospel passage encourages us to reflect on how we use the gifts and talents we have received from God. The Parable of the Talents teaches us that true religion - a true response to Christ’s call to be his disciples - involves risk, adventure and enterprise. To use God-given gifts and talents aright is to share in the joy of the kingdom.
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I hope that you are all keeping well under these trying and frustrating circumstances and that you are coping with the new lockdown. You continue to be in my prayers daily as I offer the Mass. I will continue to post a weekly Spiritual Communion on the parish website so that we can still pray together. Due to the current lockdown, Mass at Blessed Robert Grissold church has been suspended until further notice. Please see the bulletin, posted on the parish website, for updates and any news. It has been encouraging to hear from Joe Martin of the generous response to the call for volunteers needed to celebrate Mass. Once again I have cause to be impressed and grateful for your selfless dedication and for the love of Christ and his Church which this shows.
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I hope that you are all keeping well under these trying and frustrating circumstances. You are in my prayers daily as I offer the Mass.
It was good to see so many of you at Mass last Sunday. Once again our thanks go to those who have volunteered to attend to the tasks necessary to keep the church open. It is intended that Mass on Sundays will be celebrated at the usual time of 9.30 a.m. In the first instance attendance at Mass will be on a first-come-first-served basis. There is a maximum capacity of 30.
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints when we give thanks to God for all those who are in heaven, both those recognised by the Church as saints and those known only to the Lord. The Church teaches that sanctity is within everyone’s reach and we ask for the intercession of the saints in heaven as we endeavour to follow their example. Tomorrow, on the Feast of All Souls, we commemorate all the Faithful Departed when the Church invites us to pray for our beloved deceased.
I will continue to post a weekly Spiritual Communion on the parish website and keep you informed of any developments concerning the parish.
If you feel anyone would be comforted by knowing that the Church is praying for them, please contact me - I can offer the Mass for them or include them in the prayers of the Mass.
With all good wishes and every blessing
Fr Frank
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My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, friends, I trust that you are keeping well. Although we cannot gather for the Mass at the present time, I believe it would be good if we could all be praying together as a community on Sundays, at 9.30 am, the usual time of the Mass praying for one another, for our country and world at this time of disease and sickness. To this end I have suggested below how we might make a Spiritual Communion together. I will say the Mass at 9.30 am on Sundays offering the intentions that have already been requested. I will also offer those intentions that have already been accepted through the week and, of course, it goes without saying that I will be praying especially for our community. Please take the time to read the suggestion below. In this time of quarantine, we might all share in prayer and making a Spiritual Communion on Sunday mornings - joined to the Eucharistic Christ and to one another.
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In today's Gospel Jesus speaks of the mysterious water which is capable of 'welling up to eternal life.' This is the life given, in Baptism - a life we are called to cherish and nurture. The elements of Baptism, namely the water of the font and the holy oils, refer us to the stuff of the cosmos - reminding us that everything is caught up in God's loving purposes of making all things new. In the early Church, Baptism took place during the Easter Vigil and Baptism spoke of the new life and the new time of which Easter is the celebration and manifestation. Baptism has always found its fulfilment in the Eucharist which is the sacrament of the Kingdom - the sacrament of the 'eternal life' of the world to come.
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Today in the Gospel we hear how the apostles Peter, James and John were given a glimpse of Christ's glory on the Mount of the Transfiguration - the same glimpse of glory that we are all given when we gather for the Mass, for in and through the sacred mysteries of the Eucharist we ascend to the heavenly places where, with Angels and Archangels and all the host of heaven, we worship the Beloved Son of God who sits at the right hand of the Father. God, the Holy Spirit, gathers us into the cloud of his glory. We listen to him in the scriptures. We feed on him in the Sacrament of the altar. No wonder the disciples "kept silence" and then proclaimed "Master, it is wonderful for us to be here."
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Holy Week and Easter are the climax of the Christian liturgical year. The time of the Passion and Resurrection is proceeded by Lent, a lengthy period of preparation for these saving and illuminating mysteries. Lent is a time of penitence. It is a time for us to examine our conscience and seek reconciliation with the Lord. Lent is also a time for spiritual growth and enlightenment. In Lent we are invited to listen, and respond, ever more faithfully to the voice of God. Lent also commemorates Israel's liberation from slavery in Egypt and their forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Lent relates this to our own spiritual journey, to our liberation, our pilgrimage, our feeding on divine manna and of our meeting with God. And, as we see from today's Gospel, Lent also recalls the forty days that Jesus spent in the desert during which he contended with Satan, the tempter. And our Lent must be a period of fighting against temptation. From this one can see that Lent is a very rich, a very deep mixture of elements which serve to purify and enlighten us. During the time of Lent the Church leads us towards the radiant glory of the Paschal feast. The more serious our Lenten preparation has been, the deeper we shall enter into the joyful mystery of Easter and gather its fruits.
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In the Gospel today, Jesus speaks of the nature of God's Kingdom which is breaking into this world even now. This is the 'perfect' life of the heavenly kingdom so we should not be surprised that his words sound strange for they are opening up to us a strange and new reality which is not of this world. This eternal life is that dimension of the kingdom which we pray will come on earth. The power and the glory of this eternal dimension of the kingdom which is breaking into our world transforms and renews all things so that discord, hatred and violence are overcome by the love and peace of Christ. It is this life of the kingdom which we see breaking into this world in the words and examples of Jesus and the saints - in the ones who 'love their enemies' and 'pray for those who persecute them.' And it is into this eternal dimension, that makes such strange new things possible, that God gathers us each time he summons us before him in the Mass. For in and through the Eucharist, the Holy Spirit gathers us and makes us one with Christ who sits at the right hand of the Father in the heavenly kingdom, so that, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominions and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven, we sing the hymn of his glory.
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In the Gospel today, Christ teaches us about the relationships we should nurture and enjoy as members of his Body - the Church. As the baptised we are called to live and act in a way that is caught up in God's love and life. In this way we witness to Christ in the world. We are not to live as those who do not know Christ - those who quarrel and divide over selfish preferences, those who are motivated by self-serving desire. Rather, as members of the Church, we are to live differently, bearing witness to the alternative life Christ brings, for, as members of his Body, we are bound to him in his loving mission to the whole of creation. As co-workers with Christ we are called to enact God's deep love for the world - to get our minds off ourselves and our petty self-interests and to live together harmoniously
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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. 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 from the world - then we are no longer fit for purpose for we are called to witness to the love and light of Christ by our lives so that all may "taste and see that the Lord is good."
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Candlemas, which we celebrate today, traditionally concludes the celebration of Christmas. So, with Christmas behind us we look forward to Lent and to that approaching period of prayer when we can reflect on all that is most important to our life of faith in Christ. Simeon and Anna, who we hear about in today's Gospel, are devout and prayerful people who are open to the prompting and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Church has always taught that the way we pray and worship is foundational to what we truly believe and to our Christian life. This vital teaching has been expressed traditionally in the words: Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi, Lex Vivendi - As we Worship, So we Believe, So we Live. So the Mass and our life of prayer should not be seen as something we "add on" to our busy lives - it must be seen for what it truly is - as absolutely vital and fundamental to all that we are as the Church and as Christians.
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Father Frank’s health continues to improve. Please keep him and his family in your prayers
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Thank you for all your prayers, support and kindness. Your generosity to me far outweighs what I deserve. My recovery is slow and I am a poor patient. I am looking forward to being back with you just as soon as possible and I spend my time planning for this - but I am still weak and tire easily. Please continue to keep me in your prayers and please pray especially for Sandra who has to bear the weight of my illness. I miss you all. Be assured of my prayers and love. Fr Frank
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Father Frank is unwell and is currently resting. Mass themes will return once he has recovered
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In the first reading today, we hear some of the loveliest words in Scripture. The prophet Isaiah, setting aside the fear and gloom of the contemporary political situation, looks forward to a Golden Age when God's salvation will transform every living thing. The barren places of nature will bloom; the weak and the frail will be strong; Jerusalem will be a new centre of creation. And if we listen carefully, we will recognise words used by Handel in his setting of the Messiah - celebrating the God, who comes to us in Jesus, to make all things new.
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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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As we begin Advent our thoughts are guided, through the liturgy, to the coming of Christ - his first coming to us in humility and weakness and his second coming in majesty and power. The description of the Second Coming of Christ should not fill us with fear, rather we should look forward to it and prepare for it through prayer and right living. So, let us resolve to stay close to Christ through our daily prayer. Perhaps praying the rosary daily - even if it is only offering up a decade - and meditating on what Christ wants to say to us in the Gospels. In this way we will learn to discern his voice - calling us to follow him in the way we must walk.
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The feast of Christ the King, which the Holy Church throughout the world celebrates today, brings to a close the Church's liturgical year. Our image of a monarch tends to be of one who lives a privileged life and lords it over others. Christ our King is not like that. He came to serve, not to be served, and he wants us to imitate him in his loving service of others. That is why, as St. John of the Cross said: "In the evening of life we shall be examined on love." If to love and to serve our neighbour is heavenly, hell is the suffering of one who can no longer love.
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Masses at Blessed Robert Grissold in Time of COVID-19
+ Attendees must wear a mask
+ Remain 2 metres apart
+ Sanitise hands on entering and exiting the Church
+ Follow the signs
+ Always follow the stewards’ instructions
Holy Communion
+ All responses during the Mass to be whispered
+ Single file queue for Holy Communion (in one kind only) - please follow Steward’s guidance.
+ The Host to be received in silence, on outstretched hand
+ Masks to be worn to receive the Host
+ Leave the church immediately after consuming the Host
Please do not congregate in the car park after leaving the church
During Mass there will be no:
+ Altar servers
+ Readers
+ Children’s liturgy
+ Offertory procession
+ Sign of peace
+ Parish missals, misalettes or hymn books
+ Singing
+ Passing of collection bags
+ No flowers
Please stay at home if...
+ You are feeling ill or show any symptoms
+ You suspect you may be ill or have been exposed to Covid 19
+ You have a sick family member at home
+ You have come into contact with someone who is infected
Those attending will be asked to supply contact details for track and trace
Please Note:
+ The Church will be cleaned after each Mass
+ In the first instance, attendance will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Once capacity (30 persons) has been reached the stewards will prevent entry
+ Wrap up warm - doors will be left open to increase ventilation wherever possible
+ All areas of the church, apart from the narthex and hall area during Mass, are out of bounds until further notice
Making a Spiritual Communion *
29th November 2020
FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
People of the Parish
Create a prayerful setting through the placing of a crucifix, Bible, statues, icons, etc Then follow this order of service:
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Read the Entrance Antiphon
To you I lift up my soul, O my God.
In you, I have trusted; let me not be put to shame.
Nor let my enemies exult over me;
and none that hope in you be put to shame.
In silent prayer call to mind your sins then make the following penitential act:
You were sent to heal the contrite of heart: Lord have mercy
You came to call sinners: Christ have mercy
You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us:
Lord have mercy
Pray the Collect (the Opening Prayer of the Mass of the day)
Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God,
the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ
with righteous deeds at his coming,
so that, gathered at his right hand,
they may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
First Reading: From the prophet Isaiah, 63: 16-17; 64: 1, 3-8
Responsorial Psalm:
R. God of hosts, bring us back;
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
O shepherd of Israel, hear us, shine forth from your cherubim throne.
O Lord, rouse up your might, O Lord, come to our help. R.
God of hosts, turn again, we implore, look down from heaven and see.
Visit this vine and protect it, the vine your right hand has planted. R.
May your hand be on the man you have chosen, the man you have given your strength.
And we shall never forsake you again: give us life that we may call upon your name. R.
Second Reading: From the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 1, verses: 3-9
Gospel: A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be on your guard, stay awake, because you never know when the time will come. It is like a man travelling abroad: he has gone from home, and left his servants in charge, each with his own task; and he has told the doorkeeper to stay awake. So stay awake, because you do not know when the master of the house is coming, evening, midnight, cockcrow, dawn; if he come unexpectedly, he must not find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake!’
The Gospel of the Lord.
Reflection
Today is the first Sunday in Advent and the central theme of Advent is the coming to us of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is, of course, already present to us, he is at hand, in our midst, within us, but the grace of Advent
allows us a more concentrated, vivid and renewed awareness of his presence among us.
During this liturgical season Christ makes himself known to us, in a special way, as the One who is God yet who wants to be with us for he is the God who wants us to know him and love him. He is the God who comes to us, in Christ, and makes himself one with us, in order that he might wed himself to us in love so that the two become one. Never has there been such a love story to compare with that of the love of God in Christ for us. No wonder the Psalmists praises God by saying: ‘Your loving kindness is better than life’
and elsewhere: ‘I will sing forever of your love O Lord!’
And that’s why Christian prayer during this season of Advent might be summed up in those words which close the last book of the Bible: ‘Amen - so be it - Come to us Lord Jesus.’ And he does come to us, to reveal the otherwise hidden mystery of the Godhead to us. So that we might know God and love him forever. It for this we were made. God made us for himself. We are the beloved bride whom he comes to win in Christ. Mere creatures, yes, but through divine grace to be made one with God through that same Spirit of love working in us which binds the persons of the Holy Trinity in unity. That is why Christ prayed for us saying: “May they all be one, as you Father are in me and I in you, that they may be in us.’
And out of his great love for us, Christ comes to us in many ways every moment of our lives and the season of Advent reminds us to stay awake
so that we don’t miss him. He stands at the door of our lives and knocks
and he graciously waits for us to let him in but if we are distracted with other things, - if our will is divided and our desires dispersed - if our lives are too cluttered and filled with other things - if there is no time for the God who comes to us - if there is no room for him then he will not impose himself on us. He is humble and gentle of heart. He will enter and make his home with us only when he is invited as our chief love and desire and as he is the
supreme being, infinitely surpassing all others in excellence, it is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation that he should have the first place in our hearts. His loving perfection is such that it is right and just that he is not prepared to be treated as second best, that he refuses to be an afterthought,
- a life-style accessory, - a comfort blanket, - a God of the gaps. When he is number one in our lives - when we desire him above all else
then he will enter and sup with us, become one with us and we with him.
Staying awake is therefore also about being aware of all that prevents Christ from entering into our lives, - being aware of all that prevents us from recognising not only Christ’s presence in the sacrament of the altar but prevents us from recognising him as he comes to us in the sacrament of every present moment.
So, through our wholehearted observance and celebration of Advent,
may we learn to stay awake in order that our desire for the God who comes to us in Christ may increase and so drive away all those things in our lives
which are incompatible with our knowing God and loving him forever.
Amen, so be it,
Come to us Lord Jesus.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us
Immaculate Heart of Mary, have mercy on us
Saints Michael, Raphael and Gabriel, pray for us
St Andrew, pray for us
St Edmund Campion, pray for us
St Francis Xavier, pray for us
St Birinus, pray for us
Blessed Robert Grissold, pray for us
Pray the Creed
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
was crucified, died and was buried;
He descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen
Offer up Prayers of Intercession for the Church, for the world, for our community, for the sick and for those who have died - and offer up your own intentions.
A Prayer in time of sickness and disease:
All powerful and merciful God,
our refuge and our shield,
bring healing to all those suffering as a result of sickness and disease.
Guard and protect us from all harm
and assist those whose skill and art can put an end to this affliction.
Through Christ our Lord.
Ask for Our Lady’s prayers, saying the Hail Mary…
Pray the Lord’s Prayer: Our Father…
Pray the Agnus Dei:
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
Make a Spiritual Communion* - asking Our Lord Jesus Christ to come into your heart and feed you with heavenly grace so that you might be one with Him. You can use the following prayer of St Alphonsus Liguori:
My Jesus, I believe that You are truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as being already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Ask for God’s blessing and protection:
May the Lord bless us and keep us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen
Make the sign of the Cross saying:
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Finish with the Prayer to St Michael:
Holy Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our defence against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust down into hell Satan and all other evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls. Amen
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* A Spiritual Communion can be made if one has a deep desire to receive Our Lord and to be one with him - even if one cannot, for whatever reason, receive him sacramentally. Spiritual Communion is an act of love and desire to be united with Christ and is a means of drawing on the life of the Holy Spirit dwelling within our souls.
The Church teaches us that we can receive Our Lord Jesus Christ in spiritual communion if we have a great desire to receive him and to feed on him, the spiritual heavenly bread, through our longing for the Blessed Sacrament. In spiritual communion we invite Our Lord Jesus Christ into our hearts.
In this way we can receive the graces and blessings of the Blessed Sacrament even in those circumstances where we are unable to receive Christ in Holy Communion. And the good news is that we can make a spiritual communion several times a day. Indeed, St Maximillian Kolbe endeavoured to make a spiritual communion - asking Our Eucharistic Lord - to come to him every fifteen minutes - every time his clock chimed.
St Teresa said: “Spiritual Communion is very profitable, therefore do not omit it for by it the Lord learns how much you love him.”
I will post the Sunday Collects, and Readings week by week on the parish website.
I hope this has proved helpful. Please don’t feel bound by these suggestions
- if you have your own better way of staying in prayerful and close spiritual communion with Our Lord then, of course, follow it.
Be assured of my prayers - please keep me in yours. Remember that the Rosary is a most powerful means of prayer.
With all good wishes and every blessing
Fr Frank
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Weekday Spiritual Communion
You can use the format for Sunday’s Spiritual Communion for daily worship and prayer. The Sunday Collect and scripture readings can be used throughout the week but if you prefer you might like to use the Gospel of the day - I will supply the scripture references for these. Also, please don’t forget the supreme value of praying the Rosary daily.
Gospel readings for the First Week of Advent
Mon 30 Nov Feast of St Andrew
Matthew 4: 18-22
Phoebe Stevens (Birthday)
Tues 1 Dec Feast of St Edmund Campion
Luke 9: 23-26
Wed 2 Luke 10: 21-24
Thurs 3 Memorial of St Francis Xavier
Matthew 7: 21, 24-27
Fri 4 Matthew 9: 27-31
Sat 5 Feast of St Birinius
Matthew 9: 35-37
Sun 6 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Our annual giving tree has to take a different form this year. Rather than buying and wrapping gifts for different age groups, Fr Hudson’s society has asked that we donate cash or store vouchers instead. COVID has hit us all this year but, as with any crisis, the people who were already disadvantaged will have been most affected. We are therefore asking the parish to come together, in a safely socially distanced way, to make a Christmas offering for this. We will be collecting cash, cheques, or store vouchers (please include a receipt with these) outside the church between 9.00am and 9.30am on Sunday 6th and 13th December. There will be an additional collection in the car park on Saturday 12th December 10.00am-11.00am .
Some of the funds collected will be used to send Christmas cheer to members of the parish who are unable to come to church during the pandemic. If you would like to help with distributing a local gift please leave your contact details for Kathryn Driffield at one of the collections
Father Sebastian Arikat was our Priest in charge from 2004 to 2010. On the 5th November 2020 he will reaching his retirement age of 75 years and on 5th January 2021 he will beginning his golden jubilee year as a priest. Friends of Father Sebastian in India are putting together a "Appreciation to Father Sebastian Arikat" and we were asked to provide an article remembering his time and ministry with us.
The article is reproduced below and is based on an original article written by Godfrey Chesshire with some additions by Ellie Clarke.
The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on 15th August 2004 was a memorable day for the parishioners of the parish of Blessed Robert Grissold in Balsall Common. It was on that day that Father Sebastian Arikat became our Priest in Charge. It is possible that few of his new parishioners were then aware of the state of Kerala let alone where about in the Indian Sub-Continent it was.
Soon we had the pleasure of meeting some of the Keralan people who had come to live and work in the UK, as our small but modern church building became a base for some of the prayer meetings, training events and retreats that Father Sebastian organised. In addition to his duties as our priest, and as chaplain to the Catholic secondary school in the nearby town of Solihull, Father Sebastian had come to the UK to be Spiritual Director for the Jesus Youth – a missionary movement that was well-established in India, but which was still in its infancy in the UK when he arrived.
In addition to the events held at our church, Father offered immense support to night vigils, prayer meetings and retreats for Keralans in the UK, often travelling across the country in his tiny car to participate in them. To support the young families in the ministry, for whom travel was difficult, Father Sebastian would drive over and visit them, to offer support. Particularly, he would visit families experiencing sickness or awaiting the birth of a child. In the later years, the ministry required to be registered as a charity, and Father played a vital role in this process as well. Father’s home next to our church was always open to members for personal retreats, meetings and pit-stops on journeys, and he showed great hospitality, cooking meals and praying for and with them.
In our own parish, Father Sebastian also gave an enormous amount of pastoral care and influence. He is still fondly remembered for his inspiring and thoughtful homilies – many of which began with a joke or an amusing story, which Father clearly enjoyed telling as much as we enjoyed hearing them. Many of our sick and older housebound parishioners were deeply moved by the peace and tranquillity he has brought into their homes. We have seen the joy and pleasure in his eyes as he receives the offerings from the children after they have participated in their liturgy group or when our young children’s choir sang at mass.
Under Father Sebastian’s guidance, the parish thrived. His ministry included “CaFE (Catholic Faith Exploration) courses to get small groups of Catholics thinking, talking and praying about their faith, house masses during Lent. A parish website was created, and Seasonal newsletters at Christmas and Easter were produced, featuring news and photos from the parish, and always started with a seasonal message from Father himself. Father was even a podcaster before it became fashionable! – his Advent and Lent sermons were recorded, along with the gospel reading, and made available to download from the parish website.
Our parish benefitted in many ways from Father’s work with his Keralan community. It was a pleasure to welcome some of his many guests to our Sunday masses, and, on occasions, to enjoy music provided by some of the members of Jesus Youth. Several Keralan priests (mostly former students of Father Sebastian) celebrated with us, and we were even honoured with a visit from Father Sebastian’s bishop. When Jesus Youth needed to undertake fund-raising, Fr Sebastian organised popular “curry nights” for our parishioners, with food and entertainment provided by the Keralan community.
Of course, combining all of these different responsibilities was a great deal of work, but Father Sebastian undertook his duties with joy and enthusiasm, focussing on pastoral care and delegating other tasks where he could. He enlisted many willing helpers – as one member of our parish commented “When Father gives you a job to do, he does it with such grace that you’re not only happy to do it, you feel honoured that he chose you!”
At the end of 2010 Father Sebastian was called back to Kerala by his bishop, and Father Soji Olikkal took over his duties at our church and for the Keralans in the UK. We were delighted to welcome Father Sebastian back to our church for a visit in 2014, and the joyful mass he concelebrated was a tribute to the gratitude and great affection our parishioners still feel for him.
Ellie Clarke, October 2020 (based on an original article by Godfrey Chesshire)
Although there have been no services during lockdown, the usual expenses of maintaining the church have had to be met. Having been unable to attend church during this time, it has not been possible for those of us using envelopes or loose cash to contribute in the usual way. Standing orders have, however, continued as before and we are very grateful to those contributors for their ongoing support.
Envelopes/ Cash
When church attendance is possible again you may wish , but only if your circumstances permit, to catch up on missed offertory donations. You can do this by putting your cash/ cheque in your envelope or the loose plate. If you prefer you can pass a cheque to any of those listed below or post it in the church post box. If you bank on-line you could catch up with a one-off transfer on-line using the bank details shown below.
Standing Orders
In view of the continuing uncertain times and possibility of further lockdowns, you may consider switching to a standing order and not have to worry about having cash etc when coming to church or if ,perhaps, we are again unable to attend Mass. If you bank on-line, then it is probably easier and quicker to set up a standing order on-line. The parish bank account details are:
- Natwest Bank
- Sort Code 60- 19 – 14 Account No. 05960711
- showing Blessed Robert Grissold (236) as recipient.
It does help if you let Bob Jones, Ciaran McSorley or John McLellan know what you have done, to make sure your standing order is reaching us alright. Alternatively you can download and complete the Standing Order/Gift Aid form here. Only complete the Gift Aid section if you pay income tax and you are not already registered for Gift Aid Donations. When completed please pass the form to any of us listed below.
Finally
If you have any questions about church giving whether by envelope ,cash or standing order or if you need more information about Gift Aid, please don’t hesitate to contact any of us. Thank you for your past support of the parish and in anticipation of the future!
John McLellan (07908 089816)
Bob Jones (01676 532475)
Ciaran McSorley ( 01676 534784)
Bethany Food Bank Appeal
Please find below information about an appeal from G&T SVP. Can you please bring it to the attention of all the parishioners you are in contact with, and if they can donate any food etc it would great. It can be delivered to Lesley Murtagh at 36 Arden Close Balsall Common. If they can't get there if they let Joe Martin know he will go and collect it and take it around. There is also a collection box in Tesco in the Village. Please help us to help disadvantaged families in the area.
The Bethany Food Bank Appeal has produced a weekly newsletter showing their progress. You can find there below:
Mass can be streamed directly from the internet. A number of churches in England and Ireland are available. Please visit this link to find out more.
Parish Events
Date
| Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 29.11.2020 | Parish Giving Tree 2020 | Our annual giving tree has to take a different form this year. Rather than buying and wrapping gifts for different age groups, Fr Hudson’s society has asked that we donate cash or store vouchers instead. COVID has hit us all this year but, as with any crisis, the people who were already disadvantaged will have been most affected. We are therefore asking the parish to come together, in a safely socially distanced way, to make a Christmas offering for this. We will be collecting cash, cheques, or store vouchers (please include a receipt with these) outside the church between 9.00am and 9.30am on Sunday 6th and 13th December. There will be an additional collection in the car park on Saturday 12th December 10.00am-11.00am. Some of the funds collected will be used to send Christmas cheer to members of the parish who are unable to come to church during the pandemic. If you would like to help with distributing a local gift please leave your contact details for Kathryn Driffield at one of the collections |
| 22.11.2020 | Normal Weekly Offering | The Finance committee would like to let any parishioners who wish to catch up with their normal weekly offering know that this can be done safely and easily by dropping a cheque payable to Blessed Robert Grissold Church to Bob Jones at 58 Balsall Street East or give it to one the Finance team who will pass it on. Bob will always ensure that you have a receipt. If you prefer to provide cash that is no problem. |
| 04.11.2020 | Sunday Mass will not be available for the next four weeks | As I am sure you now realise with the latest government announcement, we will not be holding Mass for at least the next four weeks. We would like to thank all members of the parish for offering to help with the cleaning and opening the church for mass for the last two Sundays which went very well. We had over 20 helpers and considering the size of our congregation we so lucky to have so much help thank you. We will keep you all informed what is happening as soon as more information becomes available. A weekly Spiritual Communion will be available on this website if you wish to use it. |
| 31.10.2020 | Balsall Common Coronavirus Community Help | Please be aware of the following service available in Balsall Common. Please use the phone number or email address if you need any support. |
| 17.10.2020 | St George and St Teresa Catholic Primary School Virtual Open Day | Notification of virtual open mornings at St George and St Teresa Catholic Primary School in Bentley Heath, Solihull. You can find out more at www.stgandt.solihull.sch.uk |
| 10.10.2020 | Midland Charities Association Christmas card shops | Due to the ongoing Covid19 situation, we have reluctantly decided not to open the Midland Charities Association Christmas card shop in Balsall Common or Allesley Park libraries this year. We are hoping to be able to sell cards from home for a limited number of charities as well as some sundry items such as wrapping paper, gift tags, money wallets etc. In order to do this, we would need to take orders in advance. If you would be interested in buying your cards in this way, please speak to Janice or Bob on 01676 534407 or email mcacards20@yahoo.com. I would like to thank both volunteers and customers for all your support over the years. We will make every effort to open the shops as normal in 2021 if the situation allows. Best wishes, Janice |
| 06.09.2020 | 100 Club | John McLellan and Chris Burleigh have just done a Zoom draw for the 100 Club, the results of the 3rd 100 Club draw for 2020, conducted using a random generator on a Zoom call with John McLellan, as follows: 1st 19 Tracey McAtammney (£75), 2nd 78 Kathy Jones (£45), 3rd 82 Judith Gibbs (£30). Congratulations to the winners! |
| 17.03.2020 | Solemnity of St Joseph | On Thursday at 10:00 am we celebrate the Feast of a very great saint of the Church: St Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This Mass will be followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until 11:00am. |
| 15.03.2020 | Coronavirus Diocesean response - please read | Please make every effort to read about the changes that the Diocese have asked us to make in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. You can click the link to the left or use the one at the top of this page. |
| 15.03.2020 | 100 Club | Thank you to all who have renewed or taken out a subscription this year. The first draw of 2020 will take place after Mass today. Prizes are £75, £45 and £30. |
| 15.03.2020 | Please pray for Eleanor Rose Orme | Please pray for Eleanor Rose Orme who is to be baptised here today, for her parents and godparents, her friends and family - that together with them we will grow ever more faithful to our baptismal promises. |
| 12.03.2020 | Mass and Stations of the Cross | There will be a Mass at 10:00am on Tuesday 17 Mar morning (Feast of St. Patrick) followed by Stations of the Cross. |
| 12.03.2020 | Parish meeting | There is a parish meeting next Thursday 12th March in the parish room after Mass to plan events for the coming year. All are very welcome to attend |
| 11.03.2020 | First Holy Communions | Meeting in the parish room on Wednesday 11th March at 4.30pm for parents who would like their children to make their First Holy Communion this year. Contact Chris Mitchell if any queries - 07742288722 |
| 08.03.2020 | Please pray for Brian Bernard Stokes | Please pray for Brian Bernard Stokes who is to be baptised here today, for his parents and godparents, his friends and family - that together with them we will grow ever more faithful to our baptismal promises |
| 08.03.2020 | Thanks from Solihull Cooperative Funeral Care | Our visitors from Solihull Cooperative Funeral Care were overwhelmed by the welcome and support which they received here last Sunday and by your generosity. With your help they raised £165.00 for Dementia UK. They have asked me to pass on their thanks. |
| 08.03.2020 | Thanks from Father Frank | Father Frank would like to thank those who are responsible for cleaning the church. |
| 06.03.2020 | World Day of Prayer | Women's World Day of Prayer on Friday 6th March at 10.30am, St Swithin's Church, Barston. Prepared by the Christian Women of Zimbabwe. All welcome, please contact Louise Perry if you can take part in the service. |
| 04.03.2020 | Get-together | Get-together on Wednesday 4th March at 11.30am in the parish room for soup and dessert. All welcome. |
| 01.03.2020 | Kneelers - Safety Considerations | Following a recent incident in the church, a risk assessment and inspection of the kneelers has been carried out (by the Parish Maintenance Committee). While the kneelers are in good condition and did not require repairs, the inspection concluded that keeping the kneelers in the 'down' position is more hazardous than in the upright position. The Committee would like to remind everyone to take care when entering and exiting the pews. |
29.11.2020
Our annual giving tree has to take a different form this year. Rather than buying and wrapping gifts for different age groups, Fr Hudson’s society has asked that we donate cash or store vouchers instead. COVID has hit us all this year but, as with any crisis, the people who were already disadvantaged will have been most affected. We are therefore asking the parish to come together, in a safely socially distanced way, to make a Christmas offering for this. We will be collecting cash, cheques, or store vouchers (please include a receipt with these) outside the church between 9.00am and 9.30am on Sunday 6th and 13th December. There will be an additional collection in the car park on Saturday 12th December 10.00am-11.00am. Some of the funds collected will be used to send Christmas cheer to members of the parish who are unable to come to church during the pandemic. If you would like to help with distributing a local gift please leave your contact details for Kathryn Driffield at one of the collections
|
22.11.2020
The Finance committee would like to let any parishioners who wish to catch up with their normal weekly offering know that this can be done safely and easily by dropping a cheque payable to Blessed Robert Grissold Church to Bob Jones at 58 Balsall Street East or give it to one the Finance team who will pass it on. Bob will always ensure that you have a receipt. If you prefer to provide cash that is no problem.
|
04.11.2020
As I am sure you now realise with the latest government announcement, we will not be holding Mass for at least the next four weeks. We would like to thank all members of the parish for offering to help with the cleaning and opening the church for mass for the last two Sundays which went very well. We had over 20 helpers and considering the size of our congregation we so lucky to have so much help thank you. We will keep you all informed what is happening as soon as more information becomes available. A weekly Spiritual Communion will be available on this website if you wish to use it.
|
31.10.2020
Please be aware of the following service available in Balsall Common. Please use the phone number or email address if you need any support.
|
17.10.2020
Notification of virtual open mornings at St George and St Teresa Catholic Primary School in Bentley Heath, Solihull. You can find out more at www.stgandt.solihull.sch.uk
|
10.10.2020
Due to the ongoing Covid19 situation, we have reluctantly decided not to open the Midland Charities Association Christmas card shop in Balsall Common or Allesley Park libraries this year. We are hoping to be able to sell cards from home for a limited number of charities as well as some sundry items such as wrapping paper, gift tags, money wallets etc. In order to do this, we would need to take orders in advance. If you would be interested in buying your cards in this way, please speak to Janice or Bob on 01676 534407 or email mcacards20@yahoo.com.
I would like to thank both volunteers and customers for all your support over the years. We will make every effort to open the shops as normal in 2021 if the situation allows. Best wishes, Janice
|
06.09.2020
John McLellan and Chris Burleigh have just done a Zoom draw for the 100 Club, the results of the 3rd 100 Club draw for 2020, conducted using a random generator on a Zoom call with John McLellan, as follows:
1st 19 Tracey McAtammney (£75), 2nd 78 Kathy Jones (£45), 3rd 82 Judith Gibbs (£30). Congratulations to the winners!
|
17.03.2020
On Thursday at 10:00 am we celebrate the Feast of a very great saint of the Church: St Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This Mass will be followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until 11:00am.
|
15.03.2020
Please make every effort to read about the changes that the Diocese have asked us to make in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. You can click the link to the left or use the one at the top of this page.
|
15.03.2020
Thank you to all who have renewed or taken out a subscription this year. The first draw of 2020 will take place after Mass today. Prizes are £75, £45 and £30.
|
15.03.2020
Please pray for Eleanor Rose Orme who is to be baptised here today, for her parents and godparents, her friends and family - that together with them we will grow ever more faithful to our baptismal promises.
|
12.03.2020
There will be a Mass at 10:00am on Tuesday 17 Mar morning (Feast of St. Patrick) followed by Stations of the Cross.
|
12.03.2020
There is a parish meeting next Thursday 12th March in the parish room after Mass to plan events for the coming year. All are very welcome to attend
|
11.03.2020
Meeting in the parish room on Wednesday 11th March at 4.30pm for parents who would like their children to make their First Holy Communion this year. Contact Chris Mitchell if any queries - 07742288722
|
08.03.2020
Please pray for Brian Bernard Stokes who is to be baptised here today, for his parents and godparents, his friends and family - that together with them we will grow ever more faithful to our baptismal promises
|
08.03.2020
Our visitors from Solihull Cooperative Funeral Care were overwhelmed by the welcome and support which they received here last Sunday and by your generosity. With your help they raised £165.00 for Dementia UK. They have asked me to pass on their thanks.
|
08.03.2020
Father Frank would like to thank those who are responsible for cleaning the church.
|
06.03.2020
Women's World Day of Prayer on Friday 6th March at 10.30am, St Swithin's Church, Barston. Prepared by the Christian Women of Zimbabwe. All welcome, please contact Louise Perry if you can take part in the service.
|
04.03.2020
Get-together on Wednesday 4th March at 11.30am in the parish room for soup and dessert. All welcome.
|
01.03.2020
Following a recent incident in the church, a risk assessment and inspection of the kneelers has been carried out (by the Parish Maintenance Committee). While the kneelers are in good condition and did not require repairs, the inspection concluded that keeping the kneelers in the 'down' position is more hazardous than in the upright position. The Committee would like to remind everyone to take care when entering and exiting the pews.
|
Parish Calendar
