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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 06.04.2025 | Easter Mass Times | Click on the link to see when Masses will be celebrated at Blessed Robert Grissold this Easter |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 27.04.2025 | Thank you | Thank you, once again for your generous Easter offerings and for the way you contribute to the life of our worshipping community throughout the year. I feel privileged to be part of a church in which so many people give of themselves so selflessly and in so many different ways for the good of the community. |
| 27.04.2025 | The Pope | We continue to pray for the repose of Pope Francis and that the Holy Spirit will guide the deliberations of the Cardinals as they elect a new Pope. |
| 01.05.2025 | Devotions in the Month of May | May is the month of Our Blessed Lady. We can honour her, pray for the Church and for the world by saying the Rosary every day - especially in her month of May. |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 22.05.2025 | Funeral Mass for June McArdle | Funeral Mass for June McArdle will be held on Thursday 22nd May 2025, 11am at St. Thomas More Church (where June and Vince were married), Horse Shoes Lane, Sheldon, B26 3HU; and 1pm at Woodlands Crematorium, Coleshill, B46 1DP; followed by a gathering at the Cameo Suite, The Coleshill Hotel, B46 3AY. As per June’s request, wearing bright colours preferred. Flowers or donations to Walsgrave Hospital, special care baby unit or NSPCC. |
| 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. |
| 25.05.2025 | Devotions in the Month of May | May is the month of Our Blessed Lady. We can honour her, pray for the Church and for the world by saying the Rosary every day - especially in her month of May. |
| 25.05.2025 | 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 |
| 25.05.2025 | A Message from Archbishop Bernard Longley | I welcome the wonderful news of the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. As he prepared to give us his first blessing as Pope in St Peter’s Square he also gave us a message of joyful encouragement, calling us to be bridge-builders who are the light of Christ in the world. As the first Pope from the United States of America he also remembered the people of Chiclayo in Peru where he had served as bishop until 2023. I have just spent the last few days at Buckfast Abbey with all the Bishops of England and Wales as we prayed for the Cardinals in Conclave and as we waited to hear whom the Holy Spirit would identify as the Successor of Peter. It will be a great joy to serve the Church’s mission inspired by the guidance of Pope Leo. All the lay faithful, the Religious and clergy of our Archdiocese are praying for our new Holy Father that he may serve the Church for many years and be richly blessed in his apostolate. |
| 28.05.2025 | Funeral Mass for Dorothy June Ward (RIP) | The Funeral Mass for Dorothy June Ward (RIP) will take place on Wednesday 28th May 2025, 11.30am at Blessed Robert Grissold Church. Please pray for Dorothy, her friends and family |
22.01.2017
Eileen passed away peacefully, at home, surrounded by her loved ones last Sunday. We keep Eileen and her family and friends in our prayers. There will be a Requiem Mass for her here, at Blessed Robert Grissold church, this Tuesday 24th January at 1.00pm
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22.01.2017
The Churches Together Service will take place this afternoon at 4.00pm in St Peter’s Church.
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22.01.2017
Meditations before the Blessed Sacrament continue to reflect on the writings of Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan who in 2000 Pope John Paul II chose him to preach a course of Spiritual Exercises for himself and the Vatican staff. Archbishop Van Thuan majors on “hope” in his addresses - a hope that he discovered during his 13 years imprisonment, nine of which were spent in solitary confinement. The hope he discovered in Communist prisons, where he was incarcerated for his faith, is also hope for the Church and the world. Faced with any darkness, we have a reason for confidence and that reason is Christ our Lord, the Hope of the world.
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19.01.2017
Our first parish council meeting for 2017 is being held on Thursday, 19th January at 7:30 pm in the Parish Room when we will be planning our programme for the year. We would be delighted to have some new members please come and join us and give us your views and support
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15.01.2017
Coming up in 2017 a new churches together youth group will start. It will be on alternate Sunday nights for year 7 and older and starts on 15th January. It is being run jointly between the churches and will involve a mix of games, discussion and cake. Kathryn Driffield and Claire Keane are involved from our parish so please have a chat with them if you want to get involved.
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15.01.2017
The candle is lit this week for the John Hughes
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15.01.2017
The first session will be held at the Methodist Church hall this evening from 6.45 until 7.45. All secondary school students of any faith will be very welcome. The session on 2nd April is going to be hosted by Blessed Robert Grissold and we are hoping that some of the BRG adults will come along to help out on the evening. Please ask Claire Keane or Kathryn Driffield for details
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15.01.2017
Thank you to all those that supported the parish Christmas Raffle this year and congratulations to those lucky enough to win one of the prizes. We raised an impressive total of £1,130 for parish funds
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11.01.2017
On Wednesday evenings, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament with Meditations and silent prayer will follow the 7.00pm Mass, finishing at 8.00pm with Benediction. Why not be still and silent in the presence of Christ in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar? We so need silence in our busy, noisy lives, especially if we are to listen to the Holy Spirit within - then the Holy Spirit inspires us and fills us with his love. This is what it meant when it says in Holy Scripture that the Holy Spirit prays within us in sighs too deep for words. All welcome
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08.01.2017
The diary for 2017 is now available at the back of the church. Our candle of Dedication next to the statue of the Sacred Heart, is lit anew each Sunday and burns for a week (Sunday to Saturday) in remembrance of a loved one, or in thanksgiving for a special occasion. The Dedication is included each week in our bulletin. Donation offers of £5 are suggested. You can request a Dedication by completing the details on the special envelopes at the back of the church and also filling in the name on the dates in the dairy. These can be handed to Bridget Harrison or Ann Ostler, if not, one of the wardens
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08.01.2017
The candle is lit this week for the People of the Parish
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08.01.2017
Many thanks for those who gave gifts. Altogether there were 57, of which 29 for Children. These were sent to Father Hudson's Care at Coleshill. The others were distributed among the local housebound, the sick & elderly of our Parish by our young people and in some cases their parents. A big and sincere thank you to all who did this. It was greatly appreciated
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03.01.2017
Get-together this Wednesday, 3rd January. Meet at 12 noon in the parish room for a buffet lunch. All welcome.
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01.01.2017
"Thank you for your generous offerings, gifts and cards. Once again, I have very much appreciated the prayerful preparation for, and celebration of, Christmas at Blessed Robert Grissold. I am especially grateful to all those who attended the Advent meditations, talks and discussions. I hope, that like me, you experienced the mutual support and prayers of your brothers and sisters in Christ helpful in getting ready to receive the God who comes to us in Christ. Thank you, to all of you, for the many different ways in which you contribute, throughout the year, to the life of the community at Blessed Robert Grissold. With all good wishes for 2017." Fr Frank
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01.01.2017
Father Frank is on his post-Christmas break from Monday. There will be a Eucharistic Service this Tuesday (3rd January). We welcome Fr Christopher Greaney to Blessed Robert Grissold next Sunday when he will celebrate the Mass of the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.
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01.01.2017
The candle is lit this week for Baby Clara
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28.12.2016
Christmas meditations will accompany adoration of the Blessed Sacrament after 10.00am Mass on Wednesday. Meditations, silent reflection and prayer will last for half an hour after Mass finishing with Benediction at 11.00am.
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26.12.2016
For those of you who were unable to attend our carol service this year or who would like to listen to it again, click on the link to be taken to our carol services page then navigate to the bottom of the page and click on 2016. A full recording of the service is available there.
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25.12.2016
The dedication for this week is for the Ian Stewart RIP and next week for Baby Clara
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25.12.2016
Monica Green is the new Safeguarding Representative (children and adults) for Blessed Robert Grissold, with Louise Perry being her deputy. A new requirement is for all children under 18 to have parental/ guardian consent for their photographs to be used by the Parish, on the website, display boards in the Church or published Parish newsletters etc. Monica will be at the back of Church after Mass over the next few weeks with the relevant form. If you have any questions about this, please speak to Monica or Louise
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Parish Calendar
