Stations of the Cross: Every Friday at 6pm during Lent
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
​The gospel today tells of a woman who was searching for a water that would quench her thirst for happiness. Right out of the blue she encountered a person who told her that he could provide her with water. The person was Christ. We are all looking for the illusive ‘something’ that will make us happy. We come here today to encounter the only person who can give us what we are looking for. There is a thirst in every human heart. Each of us is like that lonely Samaritan woman. We are thirsting for something, something that will satisfy all our longings. The only trouble is we often search in the wrong places. We draw water from many wells; the water of praise to quench our thirst for self-esteem, the water of success to quench our thirst for importance. The water of pleasure to quench our thirst for joy. But still, we get thirsty. For those who have encountered Christ the search is over. And that can happen at any time and any place. When it happens, he will cause a spring to well up inside us. The water from this spring will sustain us on our journey to the Promised Land of eternal life.
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.
ABSTINENCE DURING LENT
During Lent, Pope Leo invites us to undertake a “very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbour. Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgment, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves. Instead, let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect. In this way, words of hatred will give way to words of hope and peace.”
INVITATION FROM OUR RCIA TEAM
As we begin our journey through the glorious season of renewal the RCIA team invites you to join them exploring two new beautiful Sycamore films: The Prayer of Sorrow, Contrition and Confession - on Wednesday 4th March and Silent Prayer and The Presence of God - on Wednesday 11th March. Both films offer an intimate and richly reflective journey into prayer. They give practical wisdom and spiritual encouragement to help you grow close to God. Films will be streamed in our Parish Centre from 1.30pm to 2.30pm on both dates. Coffee, cake and contemplation. Do come and join us!
A LAMPS COLLECTIVE PRODUCTION
Set against a background of occupied territory in first century Judea, In contemporary drama, The Passion by The LAMPS Collective follows three very different individuals over the course of the week leading up to the first Easter.
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.
BEREAVEMENT GROUP
A new group will start on Tuesday 10th March at 10.30am in The Barn, Christ Church, Northcourt Road. This group is for people who have been bereaved in the last 12 months or so, and is open to all ages, all faiths or none. It will meet for nine sessions on the second Tuesday of each month with a break in August. The leaders are all volunteers – not counsellors, but all bring different experiences. If anyone would like to attend or would like more information, please contact Sue Quantick by email: Sue.quantick@cca.uk.net
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.
OXFORD PRO-LIFE COMMUNITY
​Oxford Pro-Life Community are working to build a living and lively community of people in Oxford that has a real impact in promoting the respect for the inviolable right to life of all human beings. If that sounds exciting to you and you can spare an hour or so a week visit oxfordprolife.org.uk/volunteer
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.
LENTEN RESOURCE
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales introduces this year's series of "We Dare to Ask", a Lenten resource seeking to encourage an appreciation of what is given in Christian Baptism. Easy to use by individuals, it is comprised of five sessions which reflect on the Baptismal promises we make or renew at Easter. You can access this resource 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 March is that nations move toward effective disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, and that world leaders choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy instead of violence. 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 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. The Pope warned of an immense tragedy if violence escalates out of control. “Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions,” he said, “I address to the parties involved a heartfelt appeal to assume the moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss!”
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, and will cover:
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Is Jesus God? (Monday 16th February)
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Is the Eucharist the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ? (Monday 23rd February)
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If God is Real, Why Do We Suffer? (Monday 2nd March)
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Is the Catholic Church the Body of Christ? (Monday 9th March)
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Is Mary the Mother of God? (Monday 16th March)
All welcome!
DOUAI ABBEY PASTORAL PROGRAMME
Douai Abbey in Reading have published their programme of Reflection Days & Workshops for the spring and summer months. You can view this on our notice board and also here.
THANK YOU!
Many thanks to all those who contributed so generously to the Big Breakfast and Produce Sale, raising funds for our Lenten projects. A total of £626.30 was raised.
CURRY NIGHT - THANK YOU
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this Lenten fundraising event and who helped in any way. Together we raised £636 for our Lenten projects.
FUNDRAISING COFFEE MORNING
There will be a coffee morning (with homemade scones and jam) in the Parish Centre on Tuesday 10th March from 10am to 12pm in aid of the Lenten charities. Everyone warmly welcome. Further information from Anne Dodd (Tel 07938 526762)
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.
LIFE IN THE SPIRIT
Our Diocese of Portsmouth will be running Life in the Spirit via Zoom again this year, on Thursday Evenings from 23rd April. Don't miss this opportunity to come to know Jesus in a personal way, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Watch out for further details.
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.
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.
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.