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, 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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By referring to himself as a prophet in today’s Gospel, Jesus identifies himself with the long line of Old Testament prophets who suffered rejection or violence because of the unpopularity of their message. The failure of the people of his home town to accept him and his message anticipates the more general rejection of those who will hand him over to be crucified: “He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him.”
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Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Peter, the brother of Andrew, the Galilean fisherman who was called by the Lord to be the leader of the Twelve. Paul, the tent-maker from Tarsus, a Pharisee and a Roman citizen who was called to be the Apostle of the Gentiles. Jesus’ key question, addressed to Peter and the disciples in today’s Gospel, is addressed to all who are called to be Christ’s disciples. The key question is who Jesus is for us.
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St Paul, in our second reading today, tells us that, “For anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation: the old creation has gone, and now the new one is here.” St John in his Gospel puts it like this: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Those in Christ have been given the power to be children of God, because they have been re-born, created anew, born from above - born not by natural generation, nor by human choice, nor by man’s decision, but of God. Such is the nature of our supernatural life in Christ - a life which is a light to the world. A life we need to nurture if we are to be effective in evangelisation and mission.
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In today’s Gospel we hear Jesus telling Parables of the Kingdom. The first declares that the growth of the Kingdom resembles the mysterious process of nature; so too the growth of the Kingdom is equally mysterious, as God’s ways always are. A second parable, that of the Mustard Seed, stresses the enormous potential of the Kingdom in spite of its tiny beginning. A parable, from the Greek word meaning “laid alongside,” can be seen as an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.
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The Gospel of Christ is something so radically good and new that it can be difficult to accept - even by those who are closest to Jesus. The Gospel today tells us that Jesus’ own relatives thought he was “out of his mind.” And others accuse him of siding with Satan and with those who oppose God. They do not have “eyes to see” or “ears to hear” and so his message seems like foolishness or worse - like blasphemy against God - Such is their blindness and deafness to the true God who lives and speaks in Christ.
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Today’s feast turns our thoughts to the sacred mysteries of the Eucharist, and one of the peculiarities of the Eucharistic feast is that we, the Church, become the Body of Christ through our partaking of Christ’s Body and the consequence of our assimilation to the Body of Christ is that, like Christ, we become spiritual food for the life of the world, to be broken, given away and consumed. The Eucharist makes the Church, by making the Church Eucharist.
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We are not to approach God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God in three Persons as a mathematical puzzle or a philosophical problem but, rather, as the Divine community of love whom we are called to know and enjoy for ever, for the one God, who has revealed Himself as Trinity, has made us for himself - to know and enjoy him forever. That is why, in and through sacred mysteries which we celebrate in the Eucharist, he gathers us to himself so that, by grace, we might share in the life and love of the Most Holy Trinity for ever.
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Today the Church of God throughout the world celebrates the Solemnity of Pentecost. It is God’s Spirit who inspires us to obey God’s commandments. All who love God experience the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. He counsels us and reminds us of what Jesus has said. The Holy Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control. As we thank God today for the gift of his Holy Spirit let us pray that our Christian discipleship manifests these fruits of God’s Spirit
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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 |
|---|---|---|
| 26.10.2024 | St Margaret Clitherow Pilgrimage | On 26 & 27 October, including visits to the Shrine of St. Margaret Clitherow, her relics at the Bar Convent and the place of her execution. All welcome. For information and itinerary please see https://bookwhen.com/youngcatholicadults-yorkpilgrimage2024 |
| 26.10.2024 | Save the Children: Quiz night | Save the Children Quiz night will be held on 26th October at 7.30pm at St Peter’s Church Hall. Tickets are £14 per person including a supper of jacket potatoes (with a choice of fillings). Teams of 6 people. Tickets available from Linda Chesshire - telephone 07974932386. |
| 17.10.2024 | Prayer Group | Meeting fortnightly, starting 17th October at 4.00 pm at BRG for prayers or quiet contemplation and possible discussions of our faith. Suggestions as to format, times and structure are welcome. |
| 10.10.2024 | Marie Sylvia Rymer (RIP) | Please pray for the soul of Marie, whose funeral service takes place here on Thursday 10th October at 2pm. Please also pray for her family and friends |
| 09.10.2024 | Parish Coffee Morning | The next Parish Coffee Morning will take place in the Narthex on Wednesday October 9th at 10.30am - tea, coffee, scones and cake in abundance - everyone welcome to join us. |
| 08.10.2024 | Save the Children: Coffee morning | Save the Children Coffee morning will be held on Tuesday 8th October from 10am onwards in the Jordan room at the back of Berkswell Church. There will be a card stall and jigsaws and books for sale. |
| 08.10.2024 | Midweek Mass | There will be a Mass at Blessed Robert Grissold this Tuesday at 7pm – Intention Becky Hulme (RIP). |
| 07.10.2024 | National Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima | St. Marie’s in Rugby will be welcoming The National Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima, and Relics of Ss Jacinta & Francisco Marto on Sunday 6th and Monday 7th October, the Feast of our Lady of the Rosary. Everyone is welcome. Please see the noticeboard for details. |
| 06.10.2024 | 100 Club | Stefan Hunka and Ken Higgins will be collecting subscriptions after mass today and next Sunday |
| 06.10.2024 | Parish Supper | Thank you everyone who supported our Parish Supper last Saturday, and for all the help in making the evening such a success. We also made a profit of £333! Thank you all. Pam and Joe |
| 06.10.2024 | BRG Church 30th Anniversary Celebrations (Parish Meal) | 2024 marks the 30th Anniversary of the opening of our Church. Archbishop Bernard Longley will celebrate mass in our church on Sunday 3rd November, Parish Quiz Night – Saturday 16th November (please note this is a change of date) and Youth Mass (followed by a party for the youth and children) – 24th November 2024 (Youth Sunday) |
| 06.10.2024 | CAFOD Harvest Family Fast Day | This year’s Harvest Family Fast Day is on Friday 4th October. Please return your donations for Friday’s CAFOD Family Fast Day today or next Sunday. You can also donate online at cafod.org.uk/envelope. Your generosity is much appreciated. |
| 06.10.2024 | Thanks from Claire Leyland | My grateful thanks to all those who helped by collecting knickers for teenage girls in Malawi. I was able to send 608 pairs. It was great to get support from our surrounding parishes. |
| 04.10.2024 | St Francis Patronal | All are welcome to attend the Patronal Mass at 7:00pm on Friday 4th October. There will be refreshments served after Mass. |
| 01.10.2024 | Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at BRG | Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at BRG will follow the 7.00pm Mass every first Tuesday of each month, followed by Benediction at 8.00pm. All welcome. |
| 22.09.2024 | Father Hudson’s Care Collection | The Annual Parish collection for Father Hudson’s care will take place on 22nd September. This is a major fundraising event for the charity as the money raised goes to support their five themes: Homelessness, Older People, Disability, Children & Family and Refugees and Migrants. |
| 18.09.2024 | Job Vacancy | The Archdiocese is seeking to recruit an enthusiastic and experienced RICS Chartered General Practice Surveyor to join its Property Team. The key role of the Property Team is to provide advice and guidance for management of parish property, the school estate as well as manage all property held centrally by the Archdiocese. This is a permanent/full-time role. The application deadline is Wednesday 18 September. Please visit https://www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/Pages/FAQs/Category/jobs for details. |
| 15.09.2024 | Second collection 15th September | There will be a Second collection on the 15th September for Catholic Evangelisation |
| 14.09.2024 | Celebration Mass for Fr Bernard McDermott’s Golden Jubilee | The celebration Mass for Fr Bernard McDermott’s Golden Jubilee is being held at St George & St Teresa Dorridge on Sat 14th Sept at 10am. If anyone is interested in attending, please give your name to Joe Martin for catering purposes. |
| 11.09.2024 | Parish Coffee Morning | The next Parish Coffee Morning will take place in the Narthex this Wednesday September 11th at 10:30am - tea, coffee, scones and cake in abundance - everyone welcome to join us. |
26.10.2024
On 26 & 27 October, including visits to the Shrine of St. Margaret Clitherow, her relics at the Bar Convent and the place of her execution. All welcome. For information and itinerary please see https://bookwhen.com/youngcatholicadults-yorkpilgrimage2024
|
26.10.2024
Save the Children Quiz night will be held on 26th October at 7.30pm at St Peter’s Church Hall. Tickets are £14 per person including a supper of jacket potatoes (with a choice of fillings). Teams of 6 people. Tickets available from Linda Chesshire - telephone 07974932386.
|
17.10.2024
Meeting fortnightly, starting 17th October at 4.00 pm at BRG for prayers or quiet contemplation and possible discussions of our faith. Suggestions as to format, times and structure are welcome.
|
10.10.2024
Please pray for the soul of Marie, whose funeral service takes place here on Thursday 10th October at 2pm. Please also pray for her family and friends
|
09.10.2024
The next Parish Coffee Morning will take place in the Narthex on Wednesday October 9th at 10.30am - tea, coffee, scones and cake in abundance - everyone welcome to join us.
|
08.10.2024
Save the Children Coffee morning will be held on Tuesday 8th October from 10am onwards in the Jordan room at the back of Berkswell Church. There will be a card stall and jigsaws and books for sale.
|
08.10.2024
There will be a Mass at Blessed Robert Grissold this Tuesday at 7pm – Intention Becky Hulme (RIP).
|
07.10.2024
St. Marie’s in Rugby will be welcoming The National Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima, and Relics of Ss Jacinta & Francisco Marto on Sunday 6th and Monday 7th October, the Feast of our Lady of the Rosary. Everyone is welcome. Please see the noticeboard for details.
|
06.10.2024
Stefan Hunka and Ken Higgins will be collecting subscriptions after mass today and next Sunday
|
06.10.2024
Thank you everyone who supported our Parish Supper last Saturday, and for all the help in making the evening such a success. We also made a profit of £333! Thank you all. Pam and Joe
|
06.10.2024
2024 marks the 30th Anniversary of the opening of our Church. Archbishop Bernard Longley will celebrate mass in our church on Sunday 3rd November, Parish Quiz Night – Saturday 16th November (please note this is a change of date) and Youth Mass (followed by a party for the youth and children) – 24th November 2024 (Youth Sunday)
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06.10.2024
This year’s Harvest Family Fast Day is on Friday 4th October. Please return your donations for Friday’s CAFOD Family Fast Day today or next Sunday. You can also donate online at cafod.org.uk/envelope. Your generosity is much appreciated.
|
06.10.2024
My grateful thanks to all those who helped by collecting knickers for teenage girls in Malawi. I was able to send 608 pairs. It was great to get support from our surrounding parishes.
|
04.10.2024
All are welcome to attend the Patronal Mass at 7:00pm on Friday 4th October. There will be refreshments served after Mass.
|
01.10.2024
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at BRG will follow the 7.00pm Mass every first Tuesday of each month, followed by Benediction at 8.00pm. All welcome.
|
22.09.2024
The Annual Parish collection for Father Hudson’s care will take place on 22nd September. This is a major fundraising event for the charity as the money raised goes to support their five themes: Homelessness, Older People, Disability, Children & Family and Refugees and Migrants.
|
18.09.2024
The Archdiocese is seeking to recruit an enthusiastic and experienced RICS Chartered General Practice Surveyor to join its Property Team. The key role of the Property Team is to provide advice and guidance for management of parish property, the school estate as well as manage all property held centrally by the Archdiocese. This is a permanent/full-time role. The application deadline is Wednesday 18 September. Please visit https://www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/Pages/FAQs/Category/jobs for details.
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15.09.2024
There will be a Second collection on the 15th September for Catholic Evangelisation
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14.09.2024
The celebration Mass for Fr Bernard McDermott’s Golden Jubilee is being held at St George & St Teresa Dorridge on Sat 14th Sept at 10am. If anyone is interested in attending, please give your name to Joe Martin for catering purposes.
|
11.09.2024
The next Parish Coffee Morning will take place in the Narthex this Wednesday September 11th at 10:30am - tea, coffee, scones and cake in abundance - everyone welcome to join us.
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Parish Calendar
