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
October is the month of the Rosary and the Rosary is 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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Restriction for Mass at Blessed Robert Grissold in time of COVID-19
Out of care for the welfare of others please social distance, wear a mask and sanitise hands:
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:
+ In the first instance, attendance will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Once capacity has been reached the stewards will prevent entry
+ Wrap up warm (if necessary) - doors and windows will be left open to increase ventilation wherever possible.
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:
+ In the first instance, attendance will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Once capacity has been reached the stewards will prevent entry
+ Wrap up warm (if necessary) - doors and windows will be left open to increase ventilation wherever possible.
The Diocesan Vision: Unfolding God’s Plan
You may recall a Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Bernard Longley was read out at Mass a few weeks ago. It outlined the vision for the Archdiocese as we move forward. Leaflets explaining The Diocesan Vision: Unfolding God’s Plan will be available to take away this weekend. Please pick up a copy for yourself, and take copies for those who are unable to come to Mass. More information on the Vision is available on the Diocesan website here.
You may recall a Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Bernard Longley was read out at Mass a few weeks ago. It outlined the vision for the Archdiocese as we move forward. Leaflets explaining The Diocesan Vision: Unfolding God’s Plan will be available to take away this weekend. Please pick up a copy for yourself, and take copies for those who are unable to come to Mass. More information on the Vision is available on the Diocesan website here.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 09.05.2021 | May - the Month of Mary | May is the month of Our Blessed Lady and what better way to celebrate the incomparable beauty of her Christ-like humility and obedience than to pray the Rosary daily - offering up at least a decade each day for the Church, for the world, for our own intentions and in reparation for our sins and those of the whole world? |
| 02.05.2021 | First Sunday Mass | Fr Chris Greaney will be presiding with the congregation gathered in the main body of the church this Sunday at the 9.30 am Mass. |
| 02.05.2021 | May - the Month of Mary | May is the month of Our Blessed Lady and what better way to celebrate the incomparable beauty of her Christ-like humility and obedience than to pray the Rosary daily - offering up at least a decade each day for the Church, for the world, for our own intentions and in reparation for our sins and those of the whole world? |
| 02.05.2021 | First Sunday Mass | Fr Chris Greaney will be presiding with the congregation gathered in the main body of the church on Sunday 2nd May at the 9.30 am Mass. |
| 24.04.2021 | Dymphna Cassidy (RIP) | Dymphna’s husband, Terry, has asked me to pass on his gratitude to all those Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion who took the Blessed Sacrament to Dymphna during her time at Harper Fields. |
| 11.04.2021 | Thank you | Thank you for your generous Easter offerings and for the way you contribute to the life of our worshipping community, so facilitating our mutual strengthening in the faith. |
| 28.03.2021 | Easter Offerings | The collection at Mass on Easter Sunday is the customary Easter Offering for your parish priest. |
| 28.03.2021 | Wanted: Gift Aid Organiser | John Mclellan, our Gift Aid Organiser at BRG, has decided to step down in April. As a parish we owe a great debt of gratitude to John for his work in this capacity, not least because the Gift Aid Organiser ensures that substantial funds are returned to the Parish each year. John has kindly expressed his desire for a planned and orderly takeover and is prepared to show his successor the ropes. If you would like to volunteer for this position, or if you want to explore the possibility further, please contact Fr Frank |
| 23.03.2021 | National Day of Reflection for Covid-19 | Tuesday 23 March has been designated a National Day of Reflection to mark the anniversary of the first national lockdown with a minute’s silence at midday and doorstep vigils of light at 8pm. All are asked to make this not only a Day of Reflection but also a Day of Prayer. |
| 14.03.2021 | Princethorpe Employment Opportunity | Teacher of English (Full or part time); Teacher of Mathematics (maternity cover). Also, Crescent School Rugby requires a Teacher of Science and Design Technology. Further details and application forms: www.theprincethorpefoundation.co.uk/join-us |
| 14.03.2021 | Archbishop’s Pastoral Letter | Archbishop Bernard’s Pastoral Letter will be read at the online Mass this weekend and feature as the Reflection in this week’s Spiritual Communion. |
| 26.02.2021 | Family Fast Day | CAFOD Family Fast Day is on Friday 26 February 2021. This Lent in lockdown, we can help transform lives! Abdella has to walk ten hours a day to find water to keep his family alive. Please watch the short film by clicking on this link: https://youtu.be/x8NOXN45t_A. More information about CAFOD’s work and their Lent 2021 appeal, including how to donate, are available on their website: www.cafod.org.uk. |
| 17.02.2021 | Ash Wednesday | I will also post the Mass for Ash Wednesday this week. Please use the same link above for both the Sunday and Ash Wednesday masses. |
| 14.02.2021 | Lent – Teaching and Discussion | If there is sufficient interest, I am happy to prepare talks and discussion, online, for Lent. These would provide a regular opportunity to reflect on our faith. Please contact Fr Frank if you are interested in taking part. I will publish any details of these events in this online bulletin |
| 14.02.2021 | A Prayer for Spiritual Communion | Please find below a prayer which you can join in praying during the Mass online as you make your Spiritual Communion: 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. We make this, and all our prayers through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. |
| 08.02.2021 | COVID 19 vaccination newsflash for the over 70s | Are you over 70 and not got a Covid vaccine appointment yet? The Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group have vaccination spots available to all those over 70 years of age who have not yet had their covid vaccination and who do not yet have an appointment. You will probably have to travel outside of Balsall Common to have the jab but you might gain several days. To book an appointment then do one of the following 1. Copy this address into your browser: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/ and follow the instructions or 2. Call 119 |
| 07.02.2021 | Fr Sebastian 75th Birthday and Golden Jubilee as a Priest | This year Fr. Sebastian celebrates his 7th birthday and his golden jubilee as a priest. Read more about it here |
| 03.01.2021 | Post for Fr Frank | Please hand to one of the stewards at Mass. They will see that Fr Frank receives all post, including Mass cards, after Mass. Fr Frank will respond to you during the week. |
| 03.01.2021 | “Giving Tree” Collection | Thank you to everyone who donated to our parish collection before Christmas to replace our usual Christmas Giving Tree. The total of money and vouchers donated was £410 – a wonderful result, especially with current restrictions on numbers able to attend mass. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to deliver a small gift and Christmas card to 21 of our older, more isolated parishioners, as well as a gratefully received donation to Father Hudson’s Care, which will be used to help those in need in our diocese. If you missed our parish collection, you can still donate to Father Hudson’s directly, via bank transfer, cheque or online – see their website for details: https://www.fatherhudsons.org.uk/getinvolved/donate/3.htm. |
| 03.01.2021 | Focus Group volunteers needed | The Joint Working Group of Balsall Common and Berkswell Parish Councils has invited local churches to form their own focus group to provide their views on the future development of Balsall Common centre, as part of their project to obtain community input. The group would consist of one or two people from each church who regularly use Balsall Common centre, and would “meet” via Zoom for a session of about 2 hours in January – probably in the early evening. If you are interested in representing Blessed Robert Grissold in this way, please email Ian Clarke at iehclarke@btinternet.com. This “Churches Focus Group” is just one of a number of groups that the Joint Working Group hopes to establish to discuss plans – there is a link to their general request for volunteers for focus groups especially on the home page of our parish website. The general groups are open to everyone – the Parish Councils are particularly keen to see that the views of all age groups are represented. |
09.05.2021
May is the month of Our Blessed Lady and what better way to celebrate the incomparable beauty of her Christ-like humility and obedience than to pray the Rosary daily - offering up at least a decade each day for the Church, for the world, for our own intentions and in reparation for our sins and those of the whole world?
|
02.05.2021
Fr Chris Greaney will be presiding with the congregation gathered in the main body of the church this Sunday at the 9.30 am Mass.
|
02.05.2021
May is the month of Our Blessed Lady and what better way to celebrate the incomparable beauty of her Christ-like humility and obedience than to pray the Rosary daily - offering up at least a decade each day for the Church, for the world, for our own intentions and in reparation for our sins and those of the whole world?
|
02.05.2021
Fr Chris Greaney will be presiding with the congregation gathered in the main body of the church on Sunday 2nd May at the 9.30 am Mass.
|
24.04.2021
Dymphna’s husband, Terry, has asked me to pass on his gratitude to all those Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion who took the Blessed Sacrament to Dymphna during her time at Harper Fields.
|
11.04.2021
Thank you for your generous Easter offerings and for the way you contribute to the life of our worshipping community, so facilitating our mutual strengthening in the faith.
|
28.03.2021
The collection at Mass on Easter Sunday is the customary Easter Offering for your parish priest.
|
28.03.2021
John Mclellan, our Gift Aid Organiser at BRG, has decided to step down in April. As a parish we owe a great debt of gratitude to John for his work in this capacity, not least because the Gift Aid Organiser ensures that substantial funds are returned to the Parish each year. John has kindly expressed his desire for a planned and orderly takeover and is prepared to show his successor the ropes. If you would like to volunteer for this position, or if you want to explore the possibility further, please contact Fr Frank
|
23.03.2021
Tuesday 23 March has been designated a National Day of Reflection to mark the anniversary of the first national lockdown with a minute’s silence at midday and doorstep vigils of light at 8pm. All are asked to make this not only a Day of Reflection but also a Day of Prayer.
|
14.03.2021
Teacher of English (Full or part time); Teacher of Mathematics (maternity cover). Also, Crescent School Rugby requires a Teacher of Science and Design Technology. Further details and application forms: www.theprincethorpefoundation.co.uk/join-us
|
14.03.2021
Archbishop Bernard’s Pastoral Letter will be read at the online Mass this weekend and feature as the Reflection in this week’s Spiritual Communion.
|
26.02.2021
CAFOD Family Fast Day is on Friday 26 February 2021. This Lent in lockdown, we can help transform lives!
Abdella has to walk ten hours a day to find water to keep his family alive. Please watch the short film by clicking on this link: https://youtu.be/x8NOXN45t_A.
More information about CAFOD’s work and their Lent 2021 appeal, including how to donate, are available on their website: www.cafod.org.uk.
|
17.02.2021
I will also post the Mass for Ash Wednesday this week. Please use the same link above for both the Sunday and Ash Wednesday masses.
|
14.02.2021
If there is sufficient interest, I am happy to prepare talks and discussion, online, for Lent. These would provide a regular opportunity to reflect on our faith. Please contact Fr Frank if you are interested in taking part. I will publish any details of these events in this online bulletin
|
14.02.2021
Please find below a prayer which you can join in praying during the Mass online as you make your Spiritual Communion:
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. We make this, and all our prayers through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
|
08.02.2021
Are you over 70 and not got a Covid vaccine appointment yet? The Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group have vaccination spots available to all those over 70 years of age who have not yet had their covid vaccination and who do not yet have an appointment.
You will probably have to travel outside of Balsall Common to have the jab but you might gain several days. To book an appointment then do one of the following
1. Copy this address into your browser: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/ and follow the instructions or 2. Call 119
|
07.02.2021
This year Fr. Sebastian celebrates his 7th birthday and his golden jubilee as a priest. Read more about it here
|
03.01.2021
Please hand to one of the stewards at Mass. They will see that Fr Frank receives all post, including Mass cards, after Mass. Fr Frank will respond to you during the week.
|
03.01.2021
Thank you to everyone who donated to our parish collection before Christmas to replace our usual Christmas Giving Tree. The total of money and vouchers donated was £410 – a wonderful result, especially with current restrictions on numbers able to attend mass. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to deliver a small gift and Christmas card to 21 of our older, more isolated parishioners, as well as a gratefully received donation to Father Hudson’s Care, which will be used to help those in need in our diocese. If you missed our parish collection, you can still donate to Father Hudson’s directly, via bank transfer, cheque or online – see their website for details: https://www.fatherhudsons.org.uk/getinvolved/donate/3.htm.
|
03.01.2021
The Joint Working Group of Balsall Common and Berkswell Parish Councils has invited local churches to form their own focus group to provide their views on the future development of Balsall Common centre, as part of their project to obtain community input. The group would consist of one or two people from each church who regularly use Balsall Common centre, and would “meet” via Zoom for a session of about 2 hours in January – probably in the early evening. If you are interested in representing Blessed Robert Grissold in this way, please email Ian Clarke at iehclarke@btinternet.com.
This “Churches Focus Group” is just one of a number of groups that the Joint Working Group hopes to establish to discuss plans – there is a link to their general request for volunteers for focus groups especially on the home page of our parish website. The general groups are open to everyone – the Parish Councils are particularly keen to see that the views of all age groups are represented.
|
Parish Calendar
