This Monday is the feast day of our patron, St Edmund of Canterbury. We know him by this title because he was indeed the Archbishop of Canterbury (1233-1240). He is also known as Edmund of Abingdon (then in Berkshire, now in Oxfordshire), and St Edmund of Rich after his father
Continue readingThis Sunday, the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, is the fourth World Day of the Poor. The Holy Father’s message for today, from the website of the Irish Bishops Conference, is here. The gospel for today is the parable of the talents, Matthew 25: 14-30. God bless and take care Fr
Continue readingIn addition to our livestreamed Masses at 10am and 6pm today, there will be a Mass at 115pm livestreamed to the Diaconate formation community for most of the dioceses in SE England and Wales, of which I am Dean of Studies. Originally we would have been away in Hertfordshire for
Continue readingToday is the feast of St Frances Xavier Cabrini, declared to be patron saint of migrants by Pope Pius XII seventy years ago in 1950. A great saint in the United States, where there are many shrines to her (she is buried in New York); there is also now a
Continue readingRabbi Jonathan Sacks, who has died, was a fine religious leader and a good friend of several Catholic leaders, including Cardinal Nichols. May he rest in peace. I recently reviewed his last book, Morality, in the July issue of The Pastoral Review. You can read the review below; the book
Continue readingOur dear Fr Simplicio has finally left us. Having returned to us at St Edmund’s to assist during the first lockdown, rather than remain on his sabbatical, he has now been appointed Priest in Charge at St Dominic’s, Waddon. We shall miss his quiet calm presence and his ability to
Continue readingWith great regret we have to announce that (unless the government is defeated in the House of Commons tomorrow) we have to close the church for public worship from Thursday, so the last public Mass will be tomorrow evening at 6pm. Many of you have asked our MPs to try
Continue readingThis Sunday is All Saints Day. Public Masses at the usual time. This is a statement about the likely closure of churches from Cardinal Nichols and the Archbishop of Liverpool, on behalf the Bishops Conference: click here. Here in this diocese Archbishop Wilson is encouraging us to write to our
Continue readingSince March you will be aware that we have not been able to have any basket collections in the church during Mass. The parish income has fallen significantly because of this but the many causes which rely on parishes to support their work have lost most of their income. We
Continue readingThis weekend we would be having a second collection for the SVP. It is the third one this year that we have not been able to take so please read the item below and respond in your usual generous way. The parish branch of the St Vincent de Paul Society
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