MASSES AND OTHER INFORMATION
Please visit the Mass Times page for more information on Mass times and other events, or click here.
Please note that there will be no Mass in our church on Thursday 8th October.
PARISH OFFICE OPENING HOURS
The parish office opening hours are from 8.15am to 12.15pm Tuesday to Friday. Closed on Bank Holidays.
REFLECTION
God cared for his people as a good vinedresser cares for his vineyard, yet they failed to produce the desired fruits. We are the new people of God, the vineyard planted by Christ. What do we produce? Sadly, we often also fail to produce the fruits Christ desires. Yet in spite of this he doesn’t abandon us. Lord, it was you who first planted us on earth. You fenced us around with the love of our family and friends. Their care towered over us. Under the shelter of this tower, we grew in safety and peace. We put out early blossoms and there was great hope for us. But now the year of our life is passing. The harvest is approaching. What have we got to show? What fruit have we produced? What, if after all this care, we should be found to be without the fruits of love? What if we had nothing to offer but the sour grapes of indifference, selfishness and neglect? May you, Lord, have mercy on us. And with your patient urging, help us to return your love.
SAVE THE DATE!
As you may now know, at the request of Bishop Philip, Fr Jamie, our parish priest for the last 15 years, will be leaving us at the end of October to take up the parish in Newbury. As a thank you, on Sunday 25 October after 10.15am Mass, we are planning a reception and presentation in the parish centre – ALL parishioners are warmly invited.
PRAY THE ROSARY
Pope Leo XIV invites the faithful to unite in praying the Rosary every day during October, “with the particular intention that wars may cease and that peace may be established among peoples in conflict.” He also asks us “to accompany this prayer with concrete acts of penance and mercy, committing ourselves always to fostering dialogue and reconciliation.”
PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
O Lord, guide our youth with Your gentle hand. May Your voice be the one they hear amid the clamour of our world, calling them to a life of service and devotion. Grant them courage to embrace Your will for them. May their hearts be open and their minds receptive to Your call. In moments of doubt or confusion, give them Your wisdom. Lead them to walk in right paths. Give them strength and perseverance to follow their calling, and instil in them a spirit of humility to serve You faithfully and selflessly. May they find joy in the journey of their vocation, knowing in each step they are doing Your will. We entrust our youth to You, Lord. Amen.
PRAYING WITH POPE LEO DURING OCTOBER
In his prayer intention for October, Pope Leo says: “Let us pray that the mental health ministry be established throughout the Church, helping to overcome the stigma and discrimination of persons with mental illnesses.” 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.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PREPARATION
There will be a meeting on Thursday 12th November at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre, for parents who wish to enrol their children in the 2027 preparation programme. It is ESSENTIAL that parents attend the meeting to receive enrolment forms and a copy of the programme. If you have any queries, please contact Hilary Webb at: humwebb53@gmail.com
DIOCESAN DAYS FOR CATHECHISTS & READERS
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The Diocese Catechists' Formation Day is on Saturday 10th October, from 9:30am–1:30pm at St Bede's, Basingstoke. To register your interest, email: ffm@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
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Fr Anthony Fyk, Director of Liturgical Formation invites Readers to sign up for the upcoming Formation Day for Ministers of the Word on Saturday 17th October from 9:30am–1:30pm at St Bede's, Basingstoke. To register your interest, email: ffm@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
PASTORAL PROGRAMME FOR AUTUMN
The Douai Abbey pastoral programme for the Autumn is now available here.
OUR PARISH SVP GROUP THANKS YOU
Many thanks to all of you who so generously contributed last week to the collection to support our work in the community. The money raised will help us to make a difference to many lives. If you would still like to make a donation, please do so by leaving it in the parish office in an envelope marked For SVP. Thank you.
PRAYER EVENT
A United Prayer Event is being organised by Churches in Abingdon (CiA) on Thursday 8th October at 7.30pm at the Abingdon Baptist Church. All are welcome. This is a chance for people from all the churches in Abingdon to come together to share what is going on in their churches and pray for the town and all the outreach work. Further details to follow.
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.
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 Wednesday morning 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
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.
UPCOMING SECOND/RETIRING COLLECTIONS
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The second collection this Sunday 4th October is for CAFOD. Your donations in envelopes from your family fast day can be used. You can also donate online here or on the contact system in the church.
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The retiring collection on Sunday 18th October (Mission Sunday) will be for Foreign Missions. This is the Pope’s charity, supporting world mission via Missio. Envelopes should be available at the back of the church for your use. You can also find out more and make donations here.
RED MISSIO BOXES
This month we gather in the red boxes for counting. If your box needs counting would you please phone Clare on 07810 192267 or Wendy on 07952 234115. Thank you.
WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS FRIENDSHIP GROUP
We have an afternoon session on the last Thursday of every month. So, our next session will be on Thursday 29th October between 1.30pm and 3pm. Thank you to all who have attended so far, and we look forward to meeting new parishioners. You can contact Dot Holliday or Mary Kelly through the parish office or the information in our parish newsletter.
DIOCESAN EVANGELISATION FORMATION DAY
We already have a Parish Evangelisation Cell (PECS) in our parish, but everyone is invited to join the Diocesan morning of prayer, inspiration, teaching and fellowship as we discover how Parish Evangelisation Cells (PECS) can enrich parish life. This will take place on Saturday 31st October, from 9:30am – 1:30pm at Christ the King, Reading. PECS are small, welcoming groups of parishioners who meet regularly to pray, reflect on Scripture, build friendships and encourage one another to live and share their faith. They offer a simple way to help people grow closer to Jesus, support one another and reach out to others with friendship and faith. Come and discover how these groups can deepen prayer, friendship and faith, strengthen parish community and mission; and build our confidence in our faith. Everyone is welcome, whether you are curious, active in parish life, or wondering more about how PECS could benefit our parish. To register and to get more information please click here, or email ffm@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
PILGRIMAGE - ST PAUL IN MACEDONIA
A 9-day pilgrimage in April 2027 following St Paul from his arrival in Europe in AD 49/50 (Acts 16:9 - 18:18). Visiting not only Phillipi, Thessaloniki, Bereoa, Athens and Corinth but also the sacred mountain area of Meteora and the Delphi Oracle. St Paul brought the Joy of the Gospel to a pagan culture and the Jewish Diaspora, daring to challenge and inspire. He was rejected, scoffed at, punished and imprisoned, and yet the Christian communities he founded and loved became the cornerstone of Christianity in Europe. A brochure is available here and for more information, please contact Della Shenton on dspilgrimages@gmail.com or 07808 957604.
NEW CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL
Since the closure of OLA School in August 2025, 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.
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.
FREE WEBINAR
Friends of the Holy Land are deeply grateful for the financial support from appeals they made in the parish. If you would like to hear more detail about their work supporting vulnerable Christian communities in the Holy Land, there is a free webinar on the fourth Monday of each month from 7.30pm-8.15pm. Just use the link here to register to attend and receive the online invitation.
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.
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.