MASSES AND OTHER INFORMATION
Please visit the Mass Times page for more information on Mass times and other events, or click here.
PARISH OFFICE OPENING HOURS
The parish office opening hours are from 8.15am to 12.15pm Tuesday to Friday. Closed on Bank Holidays.
REFLECTION
This Sunday we have the extraordinary scene of Jesus eating and drinking with sinners and outcasts. We are gathered around the table of Christ, not because we think we are better or more deserving than others, but because we know we are sinners, sinners who need his healing and forgiveness. In India the untouchables were those who did not belong to any caste. They were barred from entering the temples. In the cities they were confined to the slums and did only the most menial jobs. In the country they were forbidden to use the wells. Yet it was precisely the untouchables that Mahatma Gandi befriended. When he entered a village, he would ask ‘where are the untouchables? I want to stay with them.’ He touched them. He ate and drank with them and played with their children. He once said ‘I do not want to be reborn. But if that should happen, I would like to find myself among the untouchables, in order to share the suffering and insults they are subjected to In this way perhaps I would have the chance to liberate them and myself from their miserable condition’.
CONFIRMATIONS & MASS INFORMATION
This year Bishop Philip will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation for all the youth of the Pastoral Area on Friday 5th June, 7pm at Didcot. Please keep all our young people in your prayers. Please note there will be no Mass at the normal 7pm on Friday 5th June in our Church, due to Confirmations. Thank you.
Please note that there will be no weekday Masses on Monday 15th, Wednesday 17th, Thursday 18th and Friday 19th June. Also, no Confessions on Saturday 20th June.
POPE LEO'S ENCYCLICAL LETTER
The Holy Father Pope Leo XIV published his first Encyclical Letter. It is called Magnifica Humanitas (‘Magnificent Humanity’) and it is full of helpful commentary on how, in an age when artificial intelligence is really taking off, the dignity and value of human person might be safeguarded. You can read the summary here – or the full text here.
SIGNIFICANT WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES
If you are celebrating a 25th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th or any anniversary over 60 years, Bishop Philip would like to invite you to a Mass of celebration. This will take place at St Bede’s church in Basingstoke on Saturday 20th June at 11am. This will be followed by a buffet lunch. Please contact our parish secretary if you would like to attend and they will send you a form for you to complete and return to Kirsten McGuire in the Bishop’s Office by email: kmcguire@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk Thank you.
DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGES
Our Diocese is offering two pilgrimages:
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The pilgrimage to Lourdes from Monday 6th July until Friday 10th July will give the opportunity to pray for the Church, for Vocations to the priesthood, for the world, for peace, for the sick of our Diocese and all visitors and pilgrims to the Sanctuary. Information is available here, and the booking form is available here.
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The pilgrimage to Turin and Assisi in Italy from Monday 20th July until Sunday 26th July will give the opportunity to learn about and experience the lives of our two newest saints - St Carlo Acutis and St Pier Giorgio Frassati. Information is available here, and more details and the booking form is available here.
You can also contact Canon PJ Smith directly by emailing: fatherpj@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
PARISH DAY
Our Parish Day this year will be on Sunday 5th July. Keep this date in your diary. The morning Mass will be at 10.30am in the ‘garden’ behind the parish centre. It is not possible to livestream this Mass. The Mass will be followed by a barbecue. Cheques will also be presented to representatives from our Lenten projects – BEFSA and Marriage Care. Please note that there will be no 8.45am Mass on that day, but the 6.30pm Mass will be celebrated as usual. Please also note that seating is very limited, so please do bring your own chairs or rugs if you can.
HENDRED TO MILTON PILGRIMAGE
The Bishop Challoner Walk between Hendred and Milton will take place on Saturday 27th June, leaving Hendred House Chapel at 10am. There will be a sung Mass in Milton Manor Chapel at 12.30pm. All welcome. Please bring your own picnic lunch.
UPCOMING SECOND/RETIRING COLLECTIONS
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Sunday 21st June – Day for Life.
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Sunday 28th June – Peter’s Pence
GIFT AID GIVING
In the last 6 months we received £14,156 for Gift Aid from HMRC, representing about 20% of our total income as a parish. Thank you. However, as a result of changes to Diocesan record keeping and a change to our charity number we need to obtain an updated Gift Aid declaration from you. Without this we will be unable to continue to claim Gift Aid on your donations.
The diocese have developed an online form to make the process of obtaining valid Gift Aid Declarations easier. You can access the form here, or on the diocesan website, where the form can be found on the Support Us tab by choosing Gift Aid from the drop down menu. Filling in the form takes only a few minutes.
If you prefer, to fill out the paper-based Gift Aid Declaration, send a request to accounts.abi@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk and, once completed, return it to the Parish Office.
If you have any questions or need any help completing the form please contact Carole Sawyers on accounts.abi@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk or contact the Parish Office with your name and phone number.
PRAYER FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE
God our Father, we thank you for all our young people who have just made their First Holy Communion and those preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation in June. Send your Holy Spirit upon them to be their helper and guide. Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding and fill them with a sense of wonder and awe in your presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
CELEBRATE FESTIVAL
If you are looking for a fun, faith-time away as a family this summer, why not join in the very popular CELEBRATE festival in the beautiful West Sussex countryside at Worth School, West Sussex, from Saturday 15th to Wednesday 19th August. This event gets booked up very quickly, so to find out more, visit here.
NEW CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL
Since the closure of OLA School last August, a core group of parishioners have been working diligently to acquire the site to enable the re-establishment of a Catholic Secondary school. The school has to be independent until the education system enables a transition to a state funded school. The full proposal for the school can be read in the Prospectus which can be found here. More briefly, Bishop Philip's, and other endorsements of the proposal can be read separately here.
The group is now looking to recruit benefactors who will support the project financially which is a major undertaking. Please keep them and their work in your prayers so that the objectives can be achieved.
PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
Loving God, you call all who believe in you to grow perfect in love by following the footsteps of Christ your Son. Call from among us more men and women who will serve you as Religious. May they be signs of your Kingdom for the Church and the world. We pray for our young people today, that you enable them to know your great love for them, and a desire to share that love with others through their calling. Bless those who are serving now with courage and perseverance. Grant that many will be inspired by their examples and faith. Amen.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
33 children received their First Holy Communion recently. The Masses took place on a Saturday and Sunday at 2pm, with Fr Jamie celebrating. It was a joyous occasion and the children were radiant. In his short homily, Fr Jamie reminded them that this was a very special event in their lives - receiving Jesus for the first time, but that the next most important event would be receiving Jesus again next Sunday - and the next, and the next.... Jesus will always be with them through this sacrament. Please continue to pray for the children and their families.
PRAYING WITH POPE LEO DURING JUNE
Pope Leo’s prayer intention for JUNE invites Catholics to pray 'for the values of sports, 'that all sport may promote peace, fraternity and communion.' Pope Leo's initiative called Pray with the Pope can be viewed here and also his worldwide prayer network for Scotland, England and Wales is available here. Pope Leo also told a group of journalists that we should “Work for peace and seek solutions without weapons.” He said: “Pray for peace, work for peace, less hatred. Hatred in the world is constantly increasing.” “Stability and peace are not built with mutual threats, nor with weapons, which sow destruction, pain, and death, but only through a reasonable, authentic, and responsible dialogue,” he said. His prayer for peace can be followed here.
EVENTS AT BOARS HILL
This July the Carmelite Priory at Boars Hill are hosting three gatherings to mark the 300th anniversary of the canonisation of Saint John of the Cross and the 100th anniversary of his proclamation as Doctor of the Church. The events are open to all Catholics and available both in person at the Priory and online.
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Saturday 11th July: Within God - A Music Concert on the writings of St John of the Cross. You can view the programme and book a place here.
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10th to 11th July: Contemplative Creativity & Human Flourishing - Exploring the mystical wisdom of St John of the Cross for our times. You can view the programme and register here.
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12th to 16th July: Spirituality Summer School - Exploring the Sayings of Light and Love - a treasury of spiritual insight from St John of the Cross. You can view information and register here.
YOUTH MINISTRY GAP YEAR OPPORTUNITY
Are you aged 18-25 and looking for a new challenge? The Diocese of Lancaster has a Youth Ministry team based in Keswick in the Lake District. They run retreats at Castlerigg Manor and also work in Churches and schools around the area. The ‘Youth Ministry Internship’ scheme comes with high quality training, experience, and recognised qualifications and gives young people the chance to join a welcoming community and a vibrant team doing some amazing work. Interested? Visit their website here or email: director@castleriggmanor.co.uk or .
CAR PARKING PLEA
The residents of Penlon Place and Radley Road are having increased issues with parking within their street and road when services in our church are being held. Poor parking has also made it incredibly dangerous to enter and exit their road due to the junction being blocked. Please use the public car park near Waitrose (free parking on Sunday) or other public car park, and leave the church car park for those who are genuinely unable to walk the short distance to church. Thank you for your understanding and support.
PEOPLE'S EMERGENCY BRIEFING
You are invited to a special screening of the People’s Emergency Briefing at the Abbey Cinema in Abingdon on Friday 19th June at 7pm, followed by discussion until 9.30pm. The film brings together nine leading UK scientists and experts to present the latest evidence on climate and nature, and to explore what these changes mean for daily life in the UK, including extreme weather, food security, health and the cost of living. Since this is a private event, you will need to book your place here.
SUPPORT THE FOODBANK
We cannot miss the fact that food prices have risen and are still rising. As a parish, we encourage you to please continue to support those who cannot afford enough food - through the Abingdon Food Bank. For practical reasons, and because nearly all supermarkets now have collection points as you leave their premises, it is easier for you to place your donations there, so please do not leave your contributions in our church. You can find out what is needed, the location of collection points, and also make a money donation, here. Thank you.
CATECHISM IN A YEAR
Fr Mike Schmitz from Ascension Press has produced a 365-day podcast entitled "The Catechism in a Year". Fr. Mike Schmitz guides listeners through the Catechism of the Catholic Church, providing insight, explanation, and encouragement as the Church's teachings are explored, following a reading plan inspired by Ascension's "Foundations of Faith" approach. Listeners can follow along with any recent version of the Catechism and can find the reading plan on the Ascension website. More information is available here.
Abingdon Community Fridge fights food waste by redistributing surplus food from local businesses and members of the community. The Abingdon Community Fridge is open to all. For more information visit their Facebook page here, or email info@abingdoncommunityfridge.org.uk
They are located at Hadland Road Community Centre, OX14 3YH and open on:
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Mondays: 4.00-4.30pm
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Thursdays: 1.00-2.00pm
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Saturdays: 10.30-11.30am
The Community Fridge is in need of funding to continue its work (hire of hall, insurance, food safety training for volunteers, etc.). To donate, please use this link here, or contact margaretdhancox@gmail.com
PARISH NEWSLETTERS
Items for the newsletter should be sent to the parish office (abingdon@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk) by the Wednesday of each week please. Copies are available in the church and on this website here. Please keep contributions as brief as possible and please take newsletters home with you. Thank you.
DIOCESAN NEWS
To keep up to date with the news of the Diocese and the Bishop please follow on:
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E- News: use the link here. (subscription service available)
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Facebook: @PortsmouthRC
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Twitter: @PortsmouthRC
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The Diocese website: https://www.portsmouthdiocese.org.uk/
If you would like to share news with the rest of the Diocese, please contact: communications@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
NEW TO THE PARISH? OR CHANGED ADDRESS?
We warmly welcome all new parishioners who have joined our parish in the last year. Please do make yourselves known if you have not already done so, and also let us know if you would like to contribute to parish life in any way. If you have already registered with us, but have changed your address or contact details, please also let us know. Forms and other information are available on our website here to register. Forms and other information are also available in the porch at our church. You can view and download our welcome booklet here. You can also view our latest annual report here.
ARE YOU IN NEED OR WANT TO HELP OTHERS?
For nearly two centuries the St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) has been seeking and finding those in need and responding in love. As well as visits, we can offer practical and financial help where possible. We always maintain confidentiality. Our SVP members meet every fortnight on a Wednesday evening. If you are in need or know someone who is, do contact our parish SVP group via the parish office and we will see what we can do to help. Equally, if you would like to get involved in any way, please do contact us.
ST BIRINUS FESTIVAL
This will be held this year from Thursday July 9 to Sunday July 12 in Dorchester-on-Thames, and seeks to celebrate a remarkable and often overlooked part of England’s Catholic heritage - the arrival of Roman liturgy, chant, and sacred music in the Kingdom of Wessex. For information, please click here.
BIBLE STUDY SESSIONS
Bible study sessions resume for another six sessions which will be running on Tuesday afternoons from 2pm to 3.30pm in the parish centre, beginning on Tuesday 6th January. For more information please email: evangeliseabingdon@outlook.com
'YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES' PRAYER
O Lord, graciously look down upon us your servants and upon our work to build Your Holy Church here in this place. Enlighten our minds and lead us into all truth as we seek to do Your will. Abundantly bless our labours, that Your Holy Church may serve You ever more faithfully to the glory of Your Holy name. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
OPEN DOORS
Open Doors takes place on Mondays from 11am to 2pm in the Parish Centre and runs every Monday, except Bank Holidays. We offer tea/coffee, lunch (served at 12.15pm) and friendly conversation to anyone in the Parish or local community who is on their own or would like more company.
JOB VACANCIES IN OUR DIOCESE
All current vacancies in the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth can be viewed here.
LITURGY WEBSITE AND UPCOMING COURSES
The Diocese now have a Liturgy website, which provides reflection, guidance and a chance to ask questions. You can access by clicking on the image above.
