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
Many people who confess their sins, confess only the things they have done wrong. But Christ tells us that we can sin even if we never commit the external act. We can sin in our thoughts, desires, motives, attitudes. Sin comes from within, and it has deep roots in each of us. Sin is not only outside us but also inside. It is in the heart. How can one describe or sum up the heart? Darkness of the heart is the blackest night of all. A heavy heart is the most wearisome burden of all. A cold-hearted person is like a fireplace without a fire. The heart is like a wellspring. All our thoughts and words and deeds flow from there like water from a hidden spring. If a spring is polluted, then the water that flows from it will also be polluted. But if the spring is pure and clear then the water that flows from it will be clean and wholesome. “Blessed are the clean of heart, they shall see God” – Christ said.
OUR LENTEN PROJECTS
Our two Lenten fundraising projects this year are:
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BEFSA: Borien Educational Foundation for Southern Africa is an educational charity trust, non-profit organisation (NPO) and public benefit organisation (PBO) working to reduce poverty in South Africa through a diverse set of interventions.
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MARRIAGE CARE: specialising in marriage preparation, relationship counselling and relationship knowledge. They also provide crisis support and helplines.​
There are leaflets at the back of the church and information, photographs and a donation link on our parish website here where you can also make a donation. Please think of practical ways in which you can raise money, and also support those events advertised in our newsletter.
BIG LENT WALK
The season of Lent begins on 18th February, so you may like to consider registering to take part in The Big Lent Walk, which is a challenge, organised by CAFOD, where you are asked to walk 200km over the 40 days of Lent and get sponsored to raise money for life-saving water. You can walk alone or with friends. Visit their website here to find out more.
ASH WEDNESDAY SOUP SUPPER
Our annual Ash Wednesday Soup Supper will take place after the evening Mass on Wednesday 18th February at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre. All are very welcome. This is a fundraising event for our Lenten projects.
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
This is a women-led global ecumenical movement and the service, to be held on Friday 6th March at 2.30pm in our church has, this year, has been prepared by the women of Nigeria. Please put the date in your diaries! The organisers would really appreciate the ideas of any members of our congregation from Nigeria! Please speak to either Chris Chater or Margaret Hancox after Mass.
MONTHLY BREAKFAST CLUB
We mow have a monthly breakfast club for parishioners and the wider Abingdon community from 9am to 11am in the Parish Centre on the first Saturday of each month - the next session will be on Saturday 7th March. Come along for fellowship and friendship, while enjoying a lovely breakfast with others. Bring a friend. We will be serving croissants, sausage or bacon baps and hot or cold drinks.
PRAYING FOR PEACE
From Friday 13th February to Sunday 15th February there will be 40 hours of Eucharistic adoration in the chapel of St John Henry Newman at Littlemore, Oxford. The main intention will be to pray for peace in the world, for peace in the hearts of people, and for peace in family life. During this time the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed from 9.30am to 9pm on the Friday and from 7am to 9pm on the Saturday and Sunday. There will also be opportunities for confession. You can view further details on the poster 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.
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DIOCESAN NEWS
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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
GIFT AIDING YOUR MONETARY DONATIONS
If you aren't doing so already, please consider gift aiding your donations – it makes them all the more worthwhile, because if you tell us that you pay tax in the UK, then we can claim back 25% from the Government - that's 25p for every £1 you give! You can do so by filling in the yellow form available at the back of the church or online on our website here. Thank you.
JOB VACANCIES IN OUR DIOCESE
All current vacancies in the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth can be viewed here.
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.
PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
God our Father, we thank you for calling men and women to serve in your Son's Kingdom as priests, deacons, and consecrated persons. Send your Holy Spirit to help others to respond generously and courageously to your call. May our community of faith support vocations of sacrificial love in our youth and young adults. Amen.
PRAYING WITH POPE LEO
Pope Leo’s prayer intention for February is that children suffering from incurable diseases and their families may receive the necessary medical care and support, never losing strength and hope. Pope Leo has launched a new initiative called Pray with the Pope. You can find out more here and also his worldwide prayer network for Scotland, England and Wales here.
GROWING IN FAITH
We will be running five sessions to introduce anyone interested to the Ambassadors for Christ programme (put together by Fr Gaston Forbah, Episcopal Vicar for Evangelisation). The five sessions will be held on Monday evenings from 7pm to 8pm in the parish centre, beginning on Monday 16th February, and will cover:
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Is Jesus God?
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Is the Eucharist the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ?
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If God is Real, Why Do We Suffer?
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Is the Catholic Church the Body of Christ?
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Is Mary the Mother of God?
All welcome!
DOUAI ABBEY PASTORAL PROGRAMME
Douai Abbey in Reading are offering a number of courses and days of reflection this spring. You can view the programme here or visit their website here.
BIG BREAKFAST AND PRODUCE SALE
This is a fundraising event for our Lenten projects. On Sunday 1st March after the 8.45am and 10.15am Masses, there will be an opportunity to enjoy a hot bacon or sausage roll, (vegetarian and vegan choices also available), tea, coffee or juice will also available. This is such a great event and is back by popular demand! Also, on that day we will hold our Produce Sale. Could you bake a cake or other family favourite to sell at our Sale? Biscuits, chutneys, jams, pickles or other preserves or edible goodies will be gratefully received. Cakes, and other items can be dropped off at the Parish Centre any time after 8.30am on the day.
CURRY NIGHT
Following the success of last year's Curry Night, we will have another Lenten fundraising night on Wednesday 4th March at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre. A raffle will also be held on the night (raffle prizes are very welcome). Our two charities in the Lenten fundraising project will benefit from the proceeds. Please sign-up on the booking form available at the back of the church. For further information contact Paul Brooks on 07909 227566.
GOLF DAY - FUNDRAISING EVENT
We will be holding our Annual Golf Day again this year on Monday 30th March at Drayton Park. A big thank you to Mary McKenna for letting us hold this event free of charge to support our annual Lenten Appeal. Thank you also to Ian for his help on the day. Meeting up at 9am for tea/coffee and bacon rolls. First tee at 10am. The usual format – teams of 4 – prizes for the first two teams, plus nearest the pin prizes. The cost will be £25 for the day. We usually get terrific support from our golfers for this very worthy cause. Please book in with Terry Murphy – Tel: 07584 248169 or email: terry.murphy62@yahoo.co.uk We look forward to seeing you all.
PRAYER FOR CHRISTIANS IN AREAS OF CONFLICT
Pope Leo invites the faithful to pray that Christians living in the midst of war may be seeds of peace. You can watch his video above, and here is the text of Pope Leo’s prayer intention:
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God of peace, who through the blood of Your Son has reconciled the world to Yourself, today we pray for Christians living amidst wars and violence. Even surrounded by pain, may they never cease to feel the gentle kindness of your presence and the prayers of their brothers and sisters in faith. For only through You, and strengthened by fraternal bonds, can they become the seeds of reconciliation, builders of hope in ways both small and great, capable of forgiving and moving forward, of bridging divides, and of seeking justice with mercy. Lord Jesus, who called blessed those who work for peace, make us Your instruments of peace even where harmony seems impossible. Holy Spirit, source of hope in the darkest times, sustain the faith of those who suffer and strengthen their hope. Do not let us fall into indifference, and make us builders of unity, like Jesus. Amen.
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. ​​​
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.
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.
CAR PARKING
​With the very restricted parking space available at the church, please use alternatives if you can, so that those who are less able may use our car park. Thank you for your understanding.