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
Christ has risen. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the joy of Easter. Today, with the Holy Church of God throughout the world, we proclaim and celebrate the truth which is foundational to our Christian faith, that on the third day Christ rose from the dead. And Christ, the Risen One, does not depart from us but returns to greet us with his peace and to remain with us until the end of time. And we share his peace and rejoice in his presence in the Mass.
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Holy Week begins today with Palm Sunday when the Church recalls the entrance of Christ the Lord into Jerusalem to
accomplish his Paschal Mystery. The Paschal Mystery, the passage from death to life, is the heart of our faith. The account of the
Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus forms the oldest part of the Gospels. It is what the evangelists recorded first. For them,
it was the heart and nucleus of the Lord’s witness to the loving purposes of God. That is why the Paschal Mystery is at the heart
of our communal celebration as the Church and is at the heart of our lives as Christians and this is why the liturgies of Holy Week
and Easter are so important. Through the Easter Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday we celebrate the
greatest mysteries of our redemption keeping, through very special celebrations, the memorial of our Lord’s crucifixion, burial and
resurrection. I hope as many of us as possible will gather for these key celebrations in the Church’s calendar.
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We see in the Gospel today how the Jewish Law was interpreted at the time of Jesus such that it prescribed the death penalty for the sin of adultery. Jesus rejects the lack of humility and lack of mercy, shown in the story, by the woman’s accusers. “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” Jesus’ just authority made her accusers, all men, walk away. Jesus forgives the woman taken in adultery and rejects the cruelty and double standards of her accusers.
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Jesus’ parables invite us to reflect on where we find ourselves in the story he is telling. So in today’s Parable of the
Prodigal Son who do we most identify with? With the Father, having a care and concern for those in need and having a good nose
for when a party is needed? Or do we identify more with the reckless, but eventually repentant, younger son? Do we see something
of ourselves in his destructive self-centredness? Or do we see more of our self in the elder son - are we more like him in being full
of resentment and making other people pay for our loveless faithfulness? Perhaps we see a little of all the characters in us. Wherever
we find our self in the story, Christ invites us to reflect on the journey we have to make to be one with him.
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In today’s Gospel Christ calls us to repentance. It is a call for us to come to our senses - to realise who we really are and to be those people - and through Baptism we are children of God. Repentance is about turning away from all that prevents us from realising our true identity and a turning towards the God who wants us to live in a loving relationship with him and with one another. Repentance is about us realising the abundant life God created us for. It’s the reason Christ came to proclaim his message of repentance - for as he said: “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full” and to that end he calls us to, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”
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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.” “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 mystery of Easter and gather its fruits.
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In today’s Gospel Jesus says: “A man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.” Lent begins on Wednesday - Ash Wednesday - with the Blessing and Imposition of the Ashes. The Church’s season of Lent is an opportunity for us to go deeper into what is at the heart of our lives and what should be first in our hearts. It’s a season in which we are invited to grow in our awareness of those things that blind us to the truth about ourselves and the truth about Christ. Lent is an opportunity to notice the “plank” in our own eye that prevents us seeing clearly how to love God and how to love our neighbour as our self. And it is only by seeing clearly that we can act and speak lovingly. On Ash Wednesday, a day of penance, abstinence and fasting, we enter into the joyful season of Lent - joyful because it is a time established for the purification of our souls and the renewal of our hearts.
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In today’s Gospel Jesus calls us to love our enemies - to love like the God in whose image and likeness we were originally created. Humanity has made itself the enemy of God through its sinfulness - our turning our backs on the way of God’s love. This is seen most keenly in the way humanity treated God’s beloved Son. Yet God loves us. He loves us as we are, but he loves us too much to let us stay as we are. His love wants to transform us, more and more, into the likeness of Jesus, who is true the image of God and who loved his enemies - praying for those who crucified him: “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing.”
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We were made by God and created for God - to know him and love him forever. So we are happy now if we are poor - poor in the sense of knowing our poverty with regard to the riches of the life for which God has created us. We are happy because this knowledge of our poverty allows us to realise our absolute need of God which leads us to turn to him in trust - trusting in his power to save us. And God does not disappoint those who turn to him in trust.
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After the miraculous catch of fish, which we hear about in the Gospel today, Peter realised, as never before, his own sinfulness and the holiness of Jesus. He asked Jesus to depart from him but Christ showed him that his sins and weaknesses would not prevent him from sharing in his work. While our sinfulness humbles us we should not let it get us down or make us feel that we do not belong to the company of Christ. Christ came to “call sinners.” He is known as the “friend of sinners” - he comes to help us to overcome our sins. That is why, with confidence, we can come before him in the Mass to confess our sins.
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Mary the Mother of Jesus lovingly and willingly united herself to her Son’s sacrifice on the Cross, sharing
in his self-giving for our salvation and redemption. That is why several Popes have called Mary Co-Redemptrix. Mary
teaches us to have faith. If our faith is week, we should turn to Mary. Jesus dying on the Cross bequeaths his mother
to all mankind and especially to all his disciples.
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In today’s Gospel Jesus says: “A man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.” Lent begins on Wednesday - Ash Wednesday - with the Blessing and Imposition of the Ashes. The Church’s season of Lent is an opportunity for us to go deeper into what is at the heart of our lives and what should be first in our hearts. It’s a season in which we are invited to grow in our awareness of those things that blind us to the truth about ourselves and the truth about Christ. Lent is an opportunity to notice the “plank” in our own eye that prevents us seeing clearly how to love God and how to love our neighbour as our self. And it is only by seeing clearly that we can act and speak lovingly. On Ash Wednesday, a day of penance, abstinence and fasting, we enter into the joyful season of Lent - joyful because it is a time established for the purification of our souls and the renewal of our hearts.
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Can we trust the Gospel accounts of what Jesus said and did and of who he claimed to be? Luke, Gentile doctor, Christian convert and missionary companion to St Paul, seems to have no doubts. In the prologue to his Gospel he describes the received teaching as “well founded.” and his confidence is in no small part due to the fact that the accounts of Jesus’ life and mission which had been handed down, were the work of those who, from the outset, were “eyewitnesses.” So we can reliably learn what Jesus said and did, and about who he claimed to be, by attending to the Gospels.
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Love and marriage are very much in the air in our readings today. The scriptures reveal how God created us in order that we might know and love him. God delights in us or, as Isaiah in our first reading puts it: ‘As the bridegroom rejoices in his bride so will your God rejoice in you.’ Two become one in marriage and God created us so that we might be united with him in love - and our God is passionate about our being made one with him - So passionate that he gives himself totally for us in Christ who is born among us to win our love and devotion. This is the greatest love story ever told. Christ reveals the God of love to us in order that we might fall in love with him and so, like him, be prepared to leave all to be wedded to him.
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and we leave behind the touching scene of the crib. Jesus has moved from the helpless infant of Bethlehem to a grown man who takes upon himself a tremendous burden and responsibility. The burden is the weight of the sins of humankind. The responsibility is to make reparation for those sins.
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Today, with the holy Church of God throughout the world, we celebrate the great Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. Epiphany means “manifestation” and it was made manifest to the Magi, who were led from afar by a bright star, that Jesus came, not just for the people of Israel but for everyone. This feast draws us away from the temptation to confine the mystery of the Christmas celebration to our own private world and interests. For the Church, Epiphany is a call and a challenge to never become narrow and inward-looking but to remember that, as the baptised, our vocation is to be a light for all people.
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In today’s Gospel Luke relates the story of the Visitation and it involves the encounter of two pregnant women. Mary, who is from Galilee, journeys to Judea, the place where, one day, the son she is carrying will be cruelly rejected and condemned to die. At Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child in her womb “leapt for joy.” Joy is the first response to the coming of the Messiah. Preparing for the great celebration of the Nativity of the Lord means experiencing the joy of knowing that our God is the God who comes to us - the God who gives himself for us because he loves us.
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John the Baptist, who we hear about in today’s Gospel, marks the end of the time of waiting and the beginning of the new age in Jesus. John is the last of the great prophets; for a long time, the people had been without a messenger from God but in John the Baptist the people discovered an end to God’s silence. Through John, they could hear the word of God. We are told that many went out from the towns and cities to see John - which is testimony to his charismatic power to attract people - such is the powerful attraction of the word of God alive and active in a person.
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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
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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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Faith in the God of love can bring great happiness and confidence for “perfect love casts out all fear.” The warnings about the end times in the Scriptures are meant to be a source of hope for us, not fear, for “Christ, by his death and resurrection, has achieved our sanctification.” All we need to do is to place our trust in Christ and so be able to make the words of today’s psalm our own: “You will show me the path of life, the fullness of joy in your presence.”
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Today in the Gospel we hear the story of the “Widow’s Mite.” The mite was the tiniest coin in circulation. In the Temple the rich were giving from their loose change, but the widow, out of her extreme poverty, gave everything she had: two small coins. Although poor and in need of the few coppers she had, she never hesitated, never counted the cost. She gave everything to God. The widow became famous, not because she gave so little but because, in her extraordinary generosity, she gave so much.
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Through liturgy and worship, formation, evangelisation and social outreach, the Diocesan Vision calls us to work for the renewal of the Church. The then Cardinal Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI, insisted that, “The true celebration of the Sacred Liturgy is the centre of any renewal of the Church whatever.” This is why the New Evangelisation must be founded on the faithful and fruitful celebration of the Sacred Liturgy as passed down and presented to us by the Church in her tradition. This is because it is in the Sacred Liturgy, especially in the Mass - the source and summit of the Church’s life, that we encounter the saving action of our Lord Jesus Christ in the most profound way. Liturgy for us in the Church is not just a series of actions or rituals but an encounter with the living Christ who alone offers perfect worship to God and who draws all people to himself through the Sacrifice of the Cross made present in the Eucharist.
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October is the month of the Rosary, and we have prayed a decade of the Rosary at each Mass during October as a gentle reminder, if it is needed, of the great riches that are to be had in this form of prayer. Padre Pio, the holy saint who received the stigmata, loved to pray the Rosary. He always kept his Rosary beads in his hand. Because he prayed it almost constantly, he was known as the ‘living Rosary.’ One day his superior asked him how many Rosaries he had prayed that day. Wanting to be respectful and honest with his superior he told him: “I have prayed thirty-four Rosaries today.” On another occasion a follower asked him to teach him a prayer that was most pleasing to our Blessed Lady. Without hesitation, he insisted that none is more beautiful or pleasing than the Rosary. And he further instructed him: “Always say the Rosary. The Rosary is a weapon in our hands.” Near the end of his life, he didn’t talk much and when people sought his advice or help, he would simply show them the Rosary. Let us follow St Pio’s example and always have our Rosary with us.
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October is the month of the Rosary, and the Rosary is Trinitarian and Christ-centred, but it is also a Marian prayer. In the Rosary, we are happy to praise the mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the words of the Archangel Gabriel and her cousin Elizabeth: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women.” And in the Rosary, we meditate and reflect on the important events in Our Lord’s life through the eyes of Mary. Another prayer that makes the Rosary Marian is the concluding prayer - the “Hail Holy Queen.” But the two most important prayers of the Rosary are the Lord’s Prayer and the Hail Mary. As St. Louis de Montfort said: “How could there possibly be any more pleasing prayers to Almighty God and the Blessed Virgin, or any that are easier, more precious or more helpful than these two prayers?”
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October is the month of the Rosary, a rich and complete form of prayer. In the first place it is “Trinitarian”. We begin the Rosary with the sign of the Cross as we invoke the Three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity: “In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” We then recite the Apostles Creed, which calls to mind each of the Divine Persons in turn: “I believe in God the Father Almighty…and in Jesus Christ his only-begotten Son…I believe in the Holy Spirit”. And each decade of the Rosary concludes with the Trinitarian prayer: “Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit”. The Rosary is also Christ-centred, for the mysteries of the Rosary upon which we meditate are the mysteries of Christ’s life. And in every “Hail Mary” prayed, we honour Christ by saying: “Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus”.
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October is the month of the Rosary, a rich and complete form of prayer. In the first place it is “Trinitarian”. We begin the Rosary with the sign of the Cross as we invoke the Three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity: “In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” We then recite the Apostles Creed, which calls to mind each of the Divine Persons in turn: “I believe in God the Father Almighty…and in Jesus Christ his only-begotten Son…I believe in the Holy Spirit”. And each decade of the Rosary concludes with the Trinitarian prayer: “Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit”. The Rosary is also Christ-centred, for the mysteries of the Rosary upon which we meditate are the mysteries of Christ’s life. And in every “Hail Mary” prayed, we honour Christ by saying: “Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus”.
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October is the month of the Rosary - a form of prayer which has been practiced and encouraged by saints and Popes down through the ages. More importantly, it is a prayer that has been urged by Our Blessed Lady herself. Mary appeared to St Dominic and instructed him to use the Rosary in combating heresy. In the apparitions in Lourdes in 1858, Our Lady appeared with the Rosary in her hand and recited it together with Bernadette. And in Fatima, in 1917, she appeared again holding the Rosary and encouraged the faithful to be diligent in praying the Rosary. It was at Fatima that Mary identified herself as “the Lady of the Rosary” and asked for the “Fatima prayer” to be said after each decade: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.”.
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The Gospel today presents us with a lesson in humility. Whilst the disciples were arguing amongst themselves about who was “the greatest”, Jesus was arguing for being “last of all” and “servant of all” and Jesus backs up his words with his actions, for that is exactly what he became. He washes his disciples’ feet, the work of a slave, and he dies the death of an outcast criminal. And he wants us to share in his way of humility because it is the way of the God who stoops low to gather us into his kingdom.
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“Who do people say I am?” - This is the question posed to his disciples by Jesus in today’s Gospel. But more important is the question he poses to Peter: “But you, who do you say I am?” for this is a question posed to all of us too. So who is Jesus for us? Is he just a fine example of what it means to be a thoroughly decent human being or is there more to him than that? Is he, in fact, divine, the Son of God, the Second Person of God, the Most Holy Trinity made flesh? How we answer this question will determine how we respond to him and his message. It will deeply affect the way we live our lives, for if we truly believe that he is the Messiah and Son of God then why wouldn’t we make every effort to get to know him and his will for us and strive to live accordingly?
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St. James reminds us in our second reading today that we should not have a higher regard for those who are well-dressed and well-heeled. For him such an attitude is incompatible with faith in the one who washed the feet of his own disciples and who said: “Anyone who wants to become great among you must be your slave.” Discrimination against the poor, or partiality towards the wealthy, is seriously at odds with the teaching of Christ who, though equal with God, made himself poor so that we might be rich.
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Whilst people are often caught up with appearances, God looks on the heart. That’s why when He began His preaching Jesus said: “Set your hearts first on the Kingdom of God.” Like the Prophets of old Jesus calls for conversion of the heart rather than mere conformity to external standards and laws. This is not to say that the external customs and tradition of the Church are unimportant – far from it – The Christian faith is Incarnational. The Gospel of Christ is an affair of the heart that must be fleshed out in our daily life.
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The Gospel reading today points up the vital significance of the Eucharist. The fundamental importance of the Eucharist for the life of the Church can be seen in the words of St Irenaeus: “Our teaching is in accordance with the Eucharist, and the Eucharist, in turn, confirms our teaching.” The Fathers of the Church perceived the Eucharist as the revelation and fulfilment of the entire mystery of the salvation of the world by Christ and therefore of the entire content of the Christian faith. No wonder, therefore, that the Catechism teaches that the Eucharist is the ‘source and summit of the Christian life.’
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In today’s Gospel Jesus is teaching us what he wants us to know concerning the Eucharist and he says things that his followers find hard to accept. Nevertheless, this is his teaching and he insists that he is the “bread of life,” that “comes down from heaven,” that “anyone who eats this bread will live for ever,” and the “bread” he gives is his “flesh” which he gives “for the life of the world.” And Christ’s “flesh,” his Body, is the “bread from heaven” we feed on in the Mass today.
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The journey to the God of life is not an easy task. We tend to get lost along the way and we are discouraged by the efforts we have to make. On their way to the promised land, the Jewish people turned against Moses - their difficulties made them yearn for a mediocre but familiar existence. Freedom frightened them, slavery being more familiar seemed more secure. This is the temptation of every believer and this is why Jesus says to his disciples: “Do not be afraid.”
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After receiving Holy Communion, Mother Teresa prayed that God would give her the grace to radiate Christ to the people she moved among after being sent out from the Mass. This was her prayer: “Dear Jesus, help me to spread your fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with your spirit and life. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that my life may only be a radiance of yours. Shine through me, and be so in me, that every soul I come in contact with may feel your presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me, but only Jesus!” In this prayer we can see what is at the heart of the Archbishop’s vision for the Diocese - the worship and prayer of the Eucharist, the source of our Christian life, forming us for mission, evangelisation and social outreach.
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In the Gospel today Jesus says to his Apostles that they should come away to some lonely place all by themselves and rest for a while for there was so much coming and going that the Apostles had no time even to eat. So Jesus takes them off to a lonely place where they could be with Him by themselves. Jesus still invites us to find quiet and rest in His presence especially through Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Our Lord Jesus Christ is present in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. He invites us, He is waiting, He is longing for us to spend time with Him. Coming to Him just as we are. Love lives with Jesus present in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Through this Sacrament Jesus shares with us all that belongs to Him.
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The disciples had already responded to the Lord’s call to them to “Come” and follow him, now Christ commands them to “Go.” The kingdom of God is at hand and the call is urgent. They are instructed to travel light. They were not to rely on their own resources but on the bountiful providence of God. Their simplicity of life would help them to remain unencumbered by distractions and help them to stay focused wholly on their mission.
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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 |
|---|---|---|
| 24.06.2025 | Kenilworth Parish Pilgrimage to Lourdes | The Kenilworth Parish Pilgrimage to Lourdes is on 24th-28th June 2025. For further details and booking contact Peter Rand on 01926 852163 or peter.rand@btinternet.com. Bookings and deposits required by 9 March to guarantee flights. |
| 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: “It’s 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. |
| 10.05.2025 | Diocese Day Pilgrimage to Walsingham | The Diocese Day Pilgrimage to Walsingham is on 10th May 2025: For further information please contact the pilgrim organizer, Fr Philip Griffin on 01384 395308 or email olas.stourbridge@rcaob.org.uk |
| 03.05.2025 | Thanksgiving Mass for Marriage 2025 | Married couples, those celebrating a milestone anniversary and those preparing to marry this year, are invited to the annual Mass for Marriage at St Chad's Cathedral on Saturday 3rd May at 12 Noon, followed by light refreshments. Please visit www.vocations.org.uk/marriage-mass to confirm your attendance by 13th April. |
| 01.05.2025 | Parish Prayer Group | Our Prayer Group will not be meeting this Thursday 17th April (Holy Thursday) or the following week Thursday 24th April. The Prayer meeting will resume at the usual time 4pm to 5pm on Thursday 1st May. Everyone is most welcome. |
| 22.04.2025 | Weekday mass | Weekday mass this week at Blessed Robert Grissold is at 7pm for Easter Tuesday, Solemnity |
| 20.04.2025 | Easter Raffle | Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Raffle by donating gifts and/or purchasing raffle tickets. Congratulations to the prize winners! The Prize Draw was a successful morning and £260 was raised. |
| 20.04.2025 | Easter Offering | Thank you for the collection today which is the customary Easter offering to your priest. I am grateful for the generosity of spirit which is shown in so many ways in the life of the Parish. |
| 20.04.2025 | The Trustees of the Birmingham Diocesan Trust Safeguarding appointment | The Trustees of the Birmingham Diocesan Trust are looking to recruit a skilled, Catholic volunteer with professional experience of safeguarding to join the Board of Trustees and chair the Safeguarding Sub-Committee. We’d welcome discussion with anyone interested in this important role - Further details available here www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/Pages/FAQs/Category/safeguarding |
| 17.04.2025 | Eucharistic Ministers | Eucharistic Ministers will renew their commitment, and new special ministers of Holy Communion will be enrolled, during the Liturgy of Holy Thursday |
| 16.04.2025 | Chrism Mass | Chrism Mass on Wednesday 16th April at 11.30am in St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham city centre. All welcome to attend. |
| 13.04.2025 | Kenelm Youth Trust's Mission Team | Kenelm Youth Trust's Mission Team is recruiting young people aged 18–25 to help lead outdoor activities, empowering the next generation, or simply exploring their own faith journey. For more information visit https://www.kenelmyouthtrust.org.uk/youthministryteam.html |
| 13.04.2025 | Jubilee 2025 | Pilgrims of Hope: To find out more about how your parish, family or school can celebrate the Jubilee Year in our Archdiocese, and how you can participate in events nationally and internationally, visit our Diocesan website: www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/jubilee-year |
| 09.04.2025 | Parish Coffee Morning | The next parish coffee morning will take place in the Narthex on Wednesday April 9th at 10:30am – tea, coffee scones, cake and good conversation in abundance – everyone welcome to join us |
| 06.04.2025 | First Holy Communion | If there is anyone who would like to begin preparation for First Holy Communion, please supply contact details to Fr Frank or Chris Mitchell. Thank you. |
| 06.04.2025 | Easter Mass Times | Click on the link to see when Masses will be celebrated at Blessed Robert Grissold this Easter |
| 05.04.2025 | Churches Together Coffee Mornings | Churches Together are running Coffee Mornings on the first Saturday of each month from 10:30am-Midday at the Jubilee Centre on Station Road. Each month a different congregation acts as host. Upcoming dates and host congregations are: 1st March (St Marys Temple Balsall), 5th April (St John the Baptist Berkswell), 3rd May (Methodist Church), 7th June (St Peters). All welcome. |
| 01.04.2025 | Weekday mass | There will be no weekday Masses this week. Please see the Deanery website for other weekday Masses in the area: https://banburyandwarwick-catholicdeanery.org.uk/ |
| 29.03.2025 | Spring Fayre in aid of Save the Children | There will be a Spring Fayre in aid of Save the Children on Saturday 29th March at St Francis Church Hall, Kenilworth. 10 am to 2pm. |
| 29.03.2025 | Baptism of Baptism of Ottilie Audrey Thérèse Blewitt | Chris and Roz invite parishioners to join them to celebrate Ottilie’s baptism on Saturday 29th March at Midday. Please pray for Ottilie, her parents, godparents, family and friends. |
| 23.03.2025 | Piety Stall | The Piety Stall has been re-stocked, please take a look, help yourselves and put the money into the box in the wall. There are some new St Patrick Day cards and Easter cards. |
| 22.03.2025 | Churches Together Lenten Talks 2025 | Saturdays during Lent from 8:45-10am, with refreshments. Venue: Methodist Church, Station Road. This year’s subject is the Council of Nicaea. All welcome. Dates and organisers: 8th March (Methodist Church), 15th March (St Peters), 22nd March (St Marys Temple Balsall), 29th March (St John the Baptist Berkswell), Saturday 5th April (Blessed Robert Grissold). Donations welcome. |
| 22.03.2025 | Deanery Day Pilgrimage to Littlemore | The Deanery Day Pilgrimage to Littlemore is on 22nd March 2025. For further information please contact Peter Rand at peter.rand@btinternet.com by 17th March. |
| 16.03.2025 | Prayer for Vocations | Throughout March prayers will be offered up for vocations during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and at the Holy Rosary, at St Francis after the 9am Masses on Wednesdays and Thursdays. |
| 14.03.2025 | CAFOD Second Collection next week | Lent Family Fast Day was on Fri 14th March and there will be a second collection on Sunday 23rd march for this. Please support communities experiencing the impacts of war, poverty and climate change. You can also donate online at cafod.org.uk/envelope, by phone 0303 303 3030 or donate £10 by Text to 70085 ref: CAFODLENT. |
| 12.03.2025 | Coffee Morning | The next parish coffee morning will take place at 10.30 am this Wed 12th March, in the Parish Room. Join us for tea, coffee, scones, cakes and good conversation in abundance! All welcome. |
| 11.03.2025 | Lent and Stations of the Cross | Lent has begun. Let us make every effort to make a good start to the season and use this time to renew and deepen our life in Christ. To help us, after the 7pm Tuesday Mass during Lent there will be an opportunity to pray the Stations of the Cross. All welcome to join in these devotions. |
| 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. |
| 10.03.2025 | Petitions for Knock | Chris Mitchell and Anne Stewart are going to Knock on 10th March. If you would like them to take a petition or light a candle for you please make contact with them. Suggested offering is £2 per candle |
| 09.03.2025 | Job vacancies | The Archdiocese is recruiting for the following four positions, which will all be closing for applications shortly: Operations Director, IT Manager, Finance Manager and Gift Aid Officer. Full details and closing dates can be found at www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/jobs. |
| 07.03.2025 | World Day of Prayer | This year’s theme is “I made you Wonderful”. This year’s Churches Together service will be held at St Peter’s at 7:30pm on Friday 7th March. The service has been written by women from the Cook Islands and is based on Psalm 139 and woven around the story of three Christian women who live in the islands. This tiny island nation is only two thirds the size of the Isle of Wight. 84% of the population identify with one of the major Christian denominations. Religion is important and Sundays are widely observed as days of worship and rest. Flowers and fruit are prolific and we are invited to wear flowers in our hair, behind our ears or on our clothing when we attend the service. (Please note this used to be the Women’s World Day of Prayer but this was changed a few years ago and it is now renamed World Day of Prayer). Churches Together take turns to host the service. If you require more information please ask John & Louise Perry jlgperry@btinternet.com . All are welcome to attend, and refreshments will be served after the service. |
| 02.03.2025 | Second Collection this Sunday for Cathedral Maintenance | Today the Solemnity of St Chad will be celebrated in the Cathedral. St Chad was born in the 7th century and was educated in Lindisfarne. As a bishop he established his See at Lichfield. His reputation spread quickly and favourably as a kind pastor who sought out the lost and cared for the sick. He died in 672 and his shrine is located in St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham. He is the patron saint of the Archdiocese. |
| 02.03.2025 | Parish Events Committee | We are looking for volunteers to help organise fund raising and social events in the coming year. If you are willing to help please give your name to Joe Martin after Mass. |
| 23.02.2025 | First Holy Communion | Any parents with children aged 7 or above wishing to make their First Holy Communion should contact either Father Frank, Chris Mitchell or Eileen Selby. |
| 23.02.2025 | Jubilee 2025 – Pilgrims of Hope | Jubilee 2025 – Pilgrims of Hope: To find out more about how your parish, family or school can celebrate the Jubilee Year in our Archdiocese, and how you can participate in events nationally and internationally, visit our Diocesan website: www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/jubilee-year |
| 16.02.2025 | Recently deceased | Jim Flynn (RIP), brother of Anne Stewart, passed away this week. Please remember Jim and his family and friends in your prayers. |
| 16.02.2025 | Congratulations | Congratulations to two of our younger parishioners, Emmy Chesshire-Ramon and Felicia Stinner, who have both recently received the Lions Young Leaders in Service Silver Award for work in our local community. Well done to both of you. |
| 12.02.2025 | Coffee Morning | The next parish coffee morning will take place at 10.30 am this Wed 12th February, in the Parish Room. Join us for tea, coffee, scones, cakes and good conversation in abundance! All welcome. |
| 11.02.2025 | Parish Pastoral Council meeting | There will be a Parish Pastoral Council meeting on Tuesday 11th February after the 7.00pm Mass. Please forward to Fr Frank suggested items for the agenda. |
| 09.02.2025 | Baptism of Anya Grace Pointer | The Baptism of Anya Grace Pointer will take place on Sunday 9th February at 1pm: Please pray for Anya, her parents, godparents, family and friends. |
24.06.2025
The Kenilworth Parish Pilgrimage to Lourdes is on 24th-28th June 2025. For further details and booking contact Peter Rand on 01926 852163 or peter.rand@btinternet.com. Bookings and deposits required by 9 March to guarantee flights.
|
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: “It’s 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.
|
10.05.2025
The Diocese Day Pilgrimage to Walsingham is on 10th May 2025: For further information please contact the pilgrim organizer,
Fr Philip Griffin on 01384 395308 or email olas.stourbridge@rcaob.org.uk
|
03.05.2025
Married couples, those celebrating a milestone anniversary and those
preparing to marry this year, are invited to the annual Mass for Marriage at St Chad's Cathedral on Saturday 3rd May
at 12 Noon, followed by light refreshments. Please visit www.vocations.org.uk/marriage-mass to confirm your
attendance by 13th April.
|
01.05.2025
Our Prayer Group will not be meeting this Thursday 17th April (Holy Thursday) or the following week Thursday 24th April. The Prayer meeting will resume at the usual time 4pm to 5pm on Thursday 1st May.
Everyone is most welcome.
|
22.04.2025
Weekday mass this week at Blessed Robert Grissold is at 7pm for Easter Tuesday, Solemnity
|
20.04.2025
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Raffle by donating gifts and/or purchasing raffle tickets. Congratulations to the prize winners! The Prize Draw was a successful morning and £260 was raised.
|
20.04.2025
Thank you for the collection today which is the customary Easter offering to your priest. I am grateful for the generosity of spirit which is shown in so many ways in the life of the Parish.
|
20.04.2025
The Trustees of the Birmingham Diocesan Trust are looking to recruit a skilled, Catholic volunteer with professional experience of safeguarding to join the Board of Trustees and chair the Safeguarding Sub-Committee. We’d welcome discussion with anyone interested in this important role - Further details available here www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/Pages/FAQs/Category/safeguarding
|
17.04.2025
Eucharistic Ministers will renew their commitment, and new special ministers of Holy Communion will be enrolled,
during the Liturgy of Holy Thursday
|
16.04.2025
Chrism Mass on Wednesday 16th April at 11.30am in St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham city centre. All welcome to attend.
|
13.04.2025
Kenelm Youth Trust's Mission Team is recruiting young people aged 18–25 to help lead outdoor activities,
empowering the next generation, or simply exploring their own faith journey. For more information visit
https://www.kenelmyouthtrust.org.uk/youthministryteam.html
|
13.04.2025
Pilgrims of Hope: To find out more about how your parish, family or school can celebrate the Jubilee Year in our Archdiocese, and how you can participate in events nationally and internationally, visit our Diocesan
website: www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/jubilee-year
|
09.04.2025
The next parish coffee morning will take place in the Narthex on Wednesday April 9th at 10:30am – tea, coffee scones, cake and good conversation in abundance – everyone welcome to join us
|
06.04.2025
If there is anyone who would like to begin preparation for First Holy Communion, please supply contact details to Fr Frank or Chris Mitchell. Thank you.
|
06.04.2025
Click on the link to see when Masses will be celebrated at Blessed Robert Grissold this Easter
|
05.04.2025
Churches Together are running Coffee Mornings on the first Saturday
of each month from 10:30am-Midday at the Jubilee Centre on Station Road. Each month a different congregation acts as host. Upcoming dates and host congregations are: 1st March (St Marys Temple Balsall), 5th April (St John the Baptist Berkswell), 3rd May (Methodist Church), 7th June (St Peters). All welcome.
|
01.04.2025
There will be no weekday Masses this week. Please see the Deanery website for other weekday Masses in the area: https://banburyandwarwick-catholicdeanery.org.uk/
|
29.03.2025
There will be a Spring Fayre in aid of Save the Children on Saturday 29th March at St Francis Church Hall, Kenilworth. 10 am to 2pm.
|
29.03.2025
Chris and Roz invite parishioners to join them to celebrate Ottilie’s baptism on Saturday 29th March at Midday. Please pray for Ottilie, her parents, godparents, family and friends.
|
23.03.2025
The Piety Stall has been re-stocked, please take a look, help yourselves and put the money into the box in the wall. There are some new St Patrick Day cards and Easter cards.
|
22.03.2025
Saturdays during Lent from 8:45-10am, with refreshments. Venue: Methodist Church, Station Road. This year’s subject is the Council of Nicaea. All welcome. Dates and organisers: 8th March (Methodist Church), 15th March (St Peters), 22nd March (St Marys Temple Balsall), 29th March (St John the Baptist Berkswell), Saturday 5th April (Blessed Robert Grissold). Donations welcome.
|
22.03.2025
The Deanery Day Pilgrimage to Littlemore is on 22nd March 2025. For further information please contact Peter Rand at
peter.rand@btinternet.com by 17th March.
|
16.03.2025
Throughout March prayers will be offered up for vocations during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and at the Holy Rosary, at St Francis after the 9am Masses on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
|
14.03.2025
Lent Family Fast Day was on Fri 14th March and there will be a second collection
on Sunday 23rd march for this. Please support communities experiencing the impacts of war, poverty and climate change. You can also donate online at cafod.org.uk/envelope, by phone 0303 303 3030 or donate £10 by Text to 70085 ref: CAFODLENT.
|
12.03.2025
The next parish coffee morning will take place at 10.30 am this Wed 12th March, in the Parish Room.
Join us for tea, coffee, scones, cakes and good conversation in abundance! All welcome.
|
11.03.2025
Lent has begun. Let us make every effort to make a good start to the season and use this time to renew and deepen our life in Christ. To help us, after the 7pm Tuesday Mass during Lent there will be an opportunity to pray the Stations of the Cross. All welcome to join in these devotions.
|
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.
|
10.03.2025
Chris Mitchell and Anne Stewart are going to Knock on 10th March. If you would like them to take a petition or light a candle for you please make contact with them. Suggested offering is £2 per candle
|
09.03.2025
The Archdiocese is recruiting for the following four positions, which will all be closing for applications
shortly: Operations Director, IT Manager, Finance Manager and Gift Aid Officer. Full details and closing dates can be
found at www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/jobs.
|
07.03.2025
This year’s theme is “I made you Wonderful”. This year’s Churches Together service will be held at St Peter’s at 7:30pm on Friday 7th March. The service has been written by women from the Cook Islands and is based on Psalm 139 and woven around the story of three Christian women who live in the islands. This tiny island nation is only two thirds the size of the Isle of Wight. 84% of the population identify with one of the major Christian denominations. Religion is important and Sundays are widely observed as days of worship and rest. Flowers and fruit are prolific and we are invited to wear flowers in our hair, behind our ears or on our clothing when we attend the service. (Please note this used to be the Women’s World Day of Prayer but this was changed a few years ago and it is now renamed World Day of Prayer). Churches Together take turns to host the service. If you require more information please ask John & Louise Perry jlgperry@btinternet.com . All are welcome to attend, and refreshments will
be served after the service.
|
02.03.2025
Today the Solemnity of St Chad will be celebrated in the Cathedral. St Chad was born in the 7th century and was educated in Lindisfarne. As a bishop he established his See at Lichfield. His reputation spread quickly and favourably as a kind pastor who sought out the lost and cared for the sick. He died in 672 and his shrine is located in St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham. He is the patron saint of the Archdiocese.
|
02.03.2025
We are looking for volunteers to help organise fund raising and social events in the coming year. If you are willing to help please give your name to Joe Martin after Mass.
|
23.02.2025
Any parents with children aged 7 or above wishing to make their First Holy Communion should contact either Father Frank, Chris Mitchell or Eileen Selby.
|
23.02.2025
Jubilee 2025 – Pilgrims of Hope: To find out more about how your parish, family or school can celebrate the Jubilee Year in our Archdiocese, and how you can participate in events nationally and internationally, visit our Diocesan website: www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/jubilee-year
|
16.02.2025
Jim Flynn (RIP), brother of Anne Stewart, passed away this week. Please remember Jim
and his family and friends in your prayers.
|
16.02.2025
Congratulations to two of our younger parishioners, Emmy Chesshire-Ramon and Felicia Stinner, who have both recently received the Lions Young Leaders in Service Silver Award for work in our local community. Well done to both of you.
|
12.02.2025
The next parish coffee morning will take place at 10.30 am this Wed 12th February, in the Parish Room. Join us for tea, coffee, scones, cakes and good conversation in abundance! All welcome.
|
11.02.2025
There will be a Parish Pastoral Council meeting on Tuesday 11th February after the 7.00pm Mass. Please forward to Fr Frank
suggested items for the agenda.
|
09.02.2025
The Baptism of Anya Grace Pointer will take place on Sunday 9th February at 1pm: Please pray for Anya, her parents, godparents,
family and friends.
|
Parish Calendar
