Thursday 23 December 2021

Feast of the Holy Family


Like all clergy, I know that Mass attendance on Sunday will be below average (whatever that means these days) because some people will think, Oh well, I went to Mass just yesterday for Christmas." Of course, if we think about it, this is a strange bent of mind and it's unlikely that we apply the same "logic" to seeing members of our own family, our friends, or even going to the shops. Yet somehow, visiting Our Lord (newborn or not) two days on the run somehow seems excessive to us. 

Well, He's still here waiting for you, whether it's this Sunday or next!

For the Feast of the Holy Family this week, I came across this interesting article in the Catholic Herald by Gertrude Clarke.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Europe’s frightening birth rate.

Earlier this year, Pope Francis took part in a meeting in Rome to address the demographic crisis in Italy where the average number of children is 1.3 for the average woman – way below replacement rate for the population. He tackled squarely a problem that has affected Europe in general and Italy particularly acutely. “A society”, he said, “that does not welcome life, stops living.” He put part of the blame on the individualism of consumerist societies: “the lack of children, which causes an ageing population, implicitly affirms that everything ends with us, that only our individual interests count.” He called for “a culture that courageously promotes childbirth.”

Well, there’s one country that has taken this idea to heart. Hungary’s controversial government under Prime Minister Victor Orban has made it a priority to support couples who want to have children. And the woman in charge of putting that policy into effect, the families minister, Katalin Novak, was in London this week. She was talking about her government’s success in raising the birth rate in Hungary to an average of 1.56 children, still below the European average, but a dramatic improvement over the trajectory of the last 40 years. Even more impressively, the marriage rate has doubled in the last ten years – the biggest increase in the EU.

Mrs Novak hopes that if the present policies are persevered with – the country will hold a general election next year –  Hungary will reach replacement rate in twenty years’ time. But at present no EU country is replacing two parents with two children, though in neighbouring Turkey the birth rate is more than that. (The Turkish president is very pro-natalist.)

“A society”, Pope Francis said said, “that does not welcome life, stops living.”

What strikes her is how few people are asking why this is the case. “I think Europe is facing serious challenges right now”, she said, “including demographically. Europe is going down in terms of numbers. We don’t talk about that. We don’t raise the question that should be raised.”

So, what does she think the answer is to Europe’s dearth of children?

“I’ve been working in this field for almost eight years now”, she said, “and I have experience in this area. I see it’s not very high up the agenda in the EU. I see we avoid even mentioning this question of why women don’t want children. Why is it? Why is there a fertility gap, where couples want children, but don’t have them? And I always ask my international partners what is the reason why they think this is the case, and they say we don’t intervene into anyone’s personal life. But we in Hungary don’t intervene in anyone’s personal life. We don’t persuade, we don’t convince, we just enable. I think we should talk about this and share insights.”

And Hungary does go out of its way to enable couples to have children. The government has introduced a raft of pro-natalist measures which are among the most generous in Europe. Most recently, it has guaranteed that a woman who has a baby will receive by way of benefits the same income for six months as from her salary before she gave birth, but with no income tax – so a new mother will be better off than before. There are housing benefits. There’s a popular interest free loan of 30,000 euros for those intending to have a child, which need not be repaid if you have three children. Mothers with four children will never have to pay income tax, no matter how high their salary. There is generous childcare provision and benefits in schools. The cost of all this amounts to five per cent of Hungary’s GDP – way above the OECD average of 2.6 per cent – and is to rise to 6.2 per cent of GDP next year if the Orban government is re-elected.

So, the Hungarian government knows where it stands. She is perplexed that other European governments do not even ask what the demographic problems are.

“What is the answer?”, she asks. “I don’t know. Maybe the answers are different [in different countries]. I think there are some common points. If the reasons for the reluctance to have children are mainly financial, we can help; but if these are more cultural issues, for example this green agenda where they talk about not having children for the sake of the environment, we could address it differently. But in general, if you are to solve the problem you have to understand what the problem is about. And we give the wrong answers in Europe to a question that is never raised. We offer migration as an answer, but what is the question to which that is the answer?”

“If we are to speak about protection of the environment, which is a very important topic”, she says, “the best thing you can do is to have children and teach them how to preserve the planet.” – Katalin Novak

She is troubled that environmentalists respond to the issue of climate change, by discouraging procreation. “If we are to speak about protection of the environment, which is a very important topic”, she says, “the best thing you can do is to have children and teach them how to preserve the planet. If you say, we should not have children to preserve the planet, who do we preserve it for? For itself? That’s only understandable if you think in future generations.”

She is right. And she is, at least, asking the troubling fundamental questions that our politicians do not raise – though her programme in London included a meeting with Jacob Reese Mogg, who has done his bit for the birth rate. The refusal to have children for altruistic environmental reasons is anti-human. It would be good if our political classes could be similarly frank. Europe is shrinking, as she says, and we’re not even asking why. Apart, that is, from the Pope. He’s identified what he sees as the problem; shouldn’t others do the same?

Gertrude Clarke is a Chapter House columnist.

------------------------------------


Masses at St Catherine's this week

Please note weekday changes 

for this week only

Christmas Eve Mass at 7pm, with carols and readings from 6.35pm
Mulled wine and Mince pies afterwards.

Christmas Day Mass at 8.30am

Sunday 26th December. 
Feast of the Holy Family (Year C)
Mass at 8.30am & 10am


Monday  Mass at 9.30am

Tuesday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Wednesday Mass at 9.30am

Thursday Mass at 9.30am

Friday Mass at 9.30am

Saturday (New Year's Day) Mass at 9.30am



Sunday 2nd January. Second Sunday after Christmas.

Mass at 8.30am & 10am

Thursday 16 December 2021

CHARITY CAROL CONCERT ON SATURDAY

Adoration of the Shepherds by Friar Juan Bautista Maíno (1569 – 1 April 1649)

CHARITY CANDLELIGHT CAROL SERVICE 

THIS 

SATURDAY 18th DECEMBER 

at 7.30pm

with the

OCTAVIUS SINGERS

Mince pies and mulled wine afterwards.

Always a lovely evening.

Dress warmly due to extra church ventilation 

to keep us all as safe as possible.

There will be a collection to raise funds for those suffering from leprosy in Sri Lanka.


MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK


Sunday 19th December. Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year C)
Blessing of Cribs and Bambinos at each Mass.

Mass at 8.30am & 10am



Monday  Mass at 9.30am

Tuesday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Wednesday Mass at 9.30am

Thursday ---

Friday CHRISTMAS EVE. 
First Mass of Christmas at 7pm
Carols from 6.35pm

Saturday CHRISTMAS DAY. 
Mass at 8.30am



Sunday 26th December. Feast of the Holy Family

Mass at 8.30am & 10am

Friday 10 December 2021

Third Sunday of Advent. Gaudete!

 Great news to remind everyone that we will once again be holding our 

CHARITY CANDLELIGHT CAROL SERVICE 

This coming Saturday

SATURDAY 18th DECEMBER 

at 7.30pm

with the

OCTAVIUS SINGERS

Mince pies and mulled wine afterwards.


MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK


Sunday 12th December. Third Sunday of Advent (Year C)

Mass at 8.30am
Mass at 10am

Please note that there are no weekday Masses this week.

Sunday 19th December. Fourth Sunday of Advent.

Mass at 8.30am & 10am



ADVANCE NOTICE OF CHRISTMAS MASSES.

Christmas Eve at 7pm
Christmas Day at 8.30am



Saturday 4 December 2021

Second Sunday of Advent



 Great news to remind everyone that we will once again be holding our 

CHARITY CANDLELIGHT CAROL SERVICE 

on 

SATURDAY 18th DECEMBER 

at 7.30pm

with the

OCTAVIUS SINGERS

Mince pies and mulled wine afterwards.


MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK


Sunday 5th December. Second Sunday of Advent (Year C)

Mass at 8.30am & 10am



Monday  Mass at 9.30am

Tuesday Requiem Mass for Frances Tooher at 2pm

Wednesday ---

Thursday ---

Friday ---

Saturday ---



Sunday 12th December. Third Sunday of Advent. Gaudete.

Mass at 8.30am & 10am

Please note that the Funeral Service for Molly Woodburn will be held at Charnock Richard Crematorium at 12.30 on Monday 20th December. Molly has not been able to attend Mass for some years but some parishioners may remember her.


ADVANCE NOTICE OF CHRISTMAS MASSES.

Christmas Eve at 7pm
Christmas Day at 8.30am



Saturday 27 November 2021

First Sunday of Advent... and the Feast of St Catherine

 

This Sunday sees the start of the Church's New Year (Year C for Sunday for those with Missals).

It was to be the date that the Sunday Obligation was re-instated but the bishops of England and Wales have rescinded on that but they do make the point (see the statement below) that not attending Mass while you have returned to work, shopping and other activities is not really on. Mass by video link was a temporary fix and is no long-term substitute for the real thing.

Now it is Advent, I am also overjoyed to say that we will once again be holding our 

CHARITY CANDLELIGHT CAROL SERVICE 

on 

SATURDAY 18th DECEMBER 

at 7.30pm

with the

OCTAVIUS SINGERS

Mince pies and mulled wine afterwards.


MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK


Sunday 28th November. First Sunday of Advent (Year C)
Our patronal Feast - St Catherine Labouré.

Mass at 8.30am & 10am



Monday  Mass at 9.30am: Votive Mass of St Catherine Labouré

Tuesday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Wednesday Mass at 9.30am

Thursday NOVENA & BENEDICTION at 7pm

Friday Mass at 9.30am


Saturday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Confessions before at 11.30am - 11.50am



Sunday 5th December. First Sunday of Advent. 

Mass at 8.30am & 10am

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE BISHOPS' STATEMENT: HONOURING SUNDAY

During the pandemic, public worship was suspended for a time and there have been restrictions on parish life. As a result, people have been exploring other ways to practice their faith including Spiritual Communion via live streaming, for example. As people begin returning to more regular patterns of parish life and following the first face to face meeting of the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales in Leeds, the bishops have issued the following statement about the importance of honouring Sunday. While it takes into account that some people may be legitimately still shielding, we must be honest with ourselves and look at whether we can return to Sunday Mass in person. Perhaps we all know people who stopped attending during lockdown and perhaps followed Mass online. Perhaps some people have returned to work, shopping and visiting friends but are still not attending Mass - it is this that the Bishops are asking people to think about. It is true all over the country that Mass attendance is still well down on the pre-Covid figures in a way that seems far in excess of those who might still be shielding at home.

Honouring Sunday
We are attentive to the experience of the last year or so, when we have lived our faith through the limitations of the pandemic. We have heard of the longing which some express as a “homesickness”. We want to be in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. We yearn to celebrate the sacraments together, especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We desire to be nourished by our Lord in Holy Communion. The live streaming of the Mass and the remarkable response of our Catholic communities to those in need, have provided comfort, sustenance and resilience.

The Eucharist, source and summit
The Eucharist is the source and summit of our spiritual and pastoral life. Many people have said to us that they have appreciated the noble simplicity of the Mass at this time, which has allowed the mystery and majesty of our Lord’s sacrificial love to shine through. The central appeal of the Mass, its beauty and its transcendence, raises our minds and hearts to God in an unambiguous and compelling manner. Our Lord Jesus invites us to receive anew the gift of Sunday as the preeminent day, the day of the Resurrection, when the Church gathers to celebrate the Eucharist. Here we stand together before our heavenly Father, offering our thanksgiving and prayer, through our Saviour in the Holy Spirit. Here we receive Christ in his Word. Here we are nourished by Christ in his precious Body and Blood. This is our primary joy, for which there is no substitute, and from which we draw our strength.

The Gift of the Sunday Eucharist
The Sunday Eucharist is a gift; as God’s holy people we are called to praise and thank God in the most sublime way possible. When the Church speaks of the Sunday obligation, it reminds us that attending Mass is a personal response to the selfless offering of Christ’s love. At this time, we recognise that for some people there may be certain factors which hinder attendance at Sunday Mass. The pandemic is clearly not over. The risk of infection is still present. For some, there is legitimate fear in gathering together. As your bishops, we recognise that these prevailing circumstances suggest that not everyone is yet in the position to fulfil the absolute duty to attend freely Sunday Mass.

Responding to the Gift
We now encourage all Catholics to look again at the patterns which they have formed in recent months with regard to going to Mass on Sundays. This would include consideration and reflection about what we might do on Sundays, such as sports or shopping, or other leisure and social activities. This review, and the decisions which arise from it, fall to every Catholic and we trust this will be done with honesty, motivated by a real love for the Lord whom we encounter in the Mass.

The Sunday Mass is the very heartbeat of the Church and of our personal life of faith. We gather on the “first day of the week,” and devote ourselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers (Acts 2:42). The Eucharist sustains us and spurs us on, renewing our gratitude and our hope. When we say “Amen” to Christ in receiving his Body and Blood, we express the love of God which is deep within us, and at the end of Mass, when we are sent forth, we express our love for our neighbour, especially those in need. These two dimensions reveal the full meaning of our faith. We are gathered together and sent out, we pray and are fed, we worship and we adore; these are intrinsic to our lives as those baptised into Christ.


Saturday 20 November 2021

Christ the King

MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK


Sunday 21st November. Christ the King

Mass at 8.30am & 10am



Monday  Mass at 9.30am

Tuesday --- No Mass today

Wednesday Mass at 9.30am

Thursday NOVENA & BENEDICTION at 7pm

Friday - No Mass today


Saturday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Confessions before at 11.30am - 11.50am



Sunday 28th November. First Sunday of Advent. 
Our patronal Feast - St Catherine Labouré.

Mass at 8.30am & 10am


Saturday 13 November 2021

Remembrance Sunday


A SONNET FOR REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY 

(Malcolm Guite)

November pierces with its black remembrance

Of all the bitterness and waste of war.

Our silence tries but fails to make a semblance

Of that lost peace they thought worth fighting for.

Our silence seeths instead with wraiths and whispers,

And all the restless rumours of new wars,

The shells are singing as we sing our vespers,

No moment is unscarred, there is no pause,

In every  instant bloodied innocence

Falls to the weary earth, and whilst we stand

Quiescence ends again in acquiescence,

And Abel’s blood still cries in every land.

One silence only might redeem that blood

Only the silence of a dying God.

                                                                                                

MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK


Sunday 14th November. REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
32nd Sunday Year B.
Mass at 8.30am & 10am



Monday  Mass at 9.30am

Tuesday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Wednesday Mass at 9.30am

Thursday NOVENA & BENEDICTION at 7pm

Friday - No Mass today


Saturday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Confessions before at 11.30am - 11.50am



Sunday 21st November. Christ the King

Mass at 8.30am & 10am

Saturday 6 November 2021

Masses for the week of 7th November

 
Wednesday is the Feast of Pope St Leo the Great.

Pictured here turning back Attila the Hun from the gates of Rome.

Defending the Church and the Faith is, I suppose, 

the primary duty of the Successors of St Peter.

Let us pray for Pope Francis in these days of the Church's trials.


MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK


Sunday 7th November. 32nd Sunday Year B.
 Mass at 8.30am & 10am



Monday  Mass at 9.30am

Tuesday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon



Saturday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Confessions before at 11.30am - 11.50am



Sunday 14th November. REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY

33rd Sunday: Year B

Mass at 8.30am & 10am

Saturday 30 October 2021

All Saints and All Souls


 

This Sunday is the Solemnity of All saints - 

a wonderful celebration to cheer us all with the hope of Heaven.


The Feast of All Souls also falls this week -

Do come and take this opportunity to pray for those who have died.

we will celebrate a Vigil Mass on Monday evening at 7pm, 

(NB. NOT Tuesday, as it said on last week's Newsletter)

when we will begin a month of Masses offered for the Holy Souls

You may pick up a form from the back of church 

to write down the names of all you deceased loved ones. 

These will be placed at the altar 

and Mass will be offered for them throughout the month of November.


DON'T FORGET 

THAT THE CLOCKS GO BACK!


MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK



Sunday 17th October. ALL SAINTS. 

 Mass at 8.30am & 10am



Monday  Mass at 7pm for ALL SOULS

Tuesday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Wednesday Mass at 9.30am

Thursday  Novena & Benediction at 7pm

Friday Mass at 9.30am

Saturday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Confessions before 11.30am - 11.50am



Sunday 7th November

32nd Sunday: Year B

Mass at 8.30am & 10am

Saturday 23 October 2021

Masses for Sunday 24th October

Bartimaeus calls out “Jesus, Son of David. Take pity on me!”


MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK



Sunday 24th October.  30th week Year B

 Mass at 8.30am & 10am



Monday  2pm Requiem Mass for Seámus McLoughlin

Tuesday ---

Wednesday ---

Thursday  ---

Friday ---

Saturday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Confessions before 11.30am - 11.50am



Sunday 31st October

Solemnity of All Saints
Mass at 8.30am & 10am

Saturday 16 October 2021

Twenty ninth Sunday of the Year. Sunday 17th October.

 

Feast of Pope St John Paul II this week on Friday


MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK



Sunday 17th October.  29th week Year B

 Mass at 8.30am & 10am



Monday  Mass at 9.30am

Tuesday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Wednesday Mass at 9.30am

Thursday  Novena & Benediction at 7pm

Friday Mass at 9.30am

Saturday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Confessions before 11.30am - 11.50am



Sunday 24th October

30th week Year B
Mass at 8.30am & 10am

Saturday 2 October 2021

Masses for Rosary Sunday

 

This Sunday is Rosary Sunday

reminding us to pray the Rosary 

and so meditate on the Saving Mysteries of our Faith

and in commemoration of the 

Christian victory over the Turks at the Battle of Lepanto

despite overwhelming odds.


MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK



Sunday 3rd October.  27th week Year B. Rosary Sunday

 Mass at 8.30am & 10am



Monday  Mass at 9.30am

Tuesday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Wednesday Mass at 9.30am

Thursday  --- No Mass today

Friday --- No Mass today

Saturday --- No Mass today



Sunday 10th October

28th week Year B
Mass at 8.30am & 10am

Friday 24 September 2021

Parish updates

Wednesday is the Feast of the Archangels

This coming week sees the feast of the Archangels. May they protect the Church in these difficult times.

Masses as usual this week. Please note that our REFRESHMENTS after each of the Sunday Masses have now resumed. After consulting with parishioners and those who provide the refreshments, we decided that it was time. Considering theatres are open and back to full capacity, just like football games, with no obligatory masks or social distancing, the church is by comparison, a more more managed environment and so probably safer than a trip to the supermarket. We await a full return of all our people to Sunday Mass.


MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK



Sunday 26th September.  26th week Year B

 Mass at 8.30am & 10am



Monday  Mass at 9.30am

Tuesday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Wednesday Mass at 9.30am

Thursday  Novena & Benediction at 7pm

Friday Mass at 9.30am

Saturday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Confessions before 11.30am - 11.50am



Sunday 3rd October

27th week Year B
Mass at 8.30am & 10am

Tuesday 7 September 2021

Stations of the Cross Appeal - update

 
The Stations of the Cross for 

St Peter's School 

have arrived - in two very large and heavy boxes!

They are a good size (20") in height to be able to make an impact, 

so we are very pleased.


The new term began yesterday 

welcoming the boys back both new and old!

Here, playing pétanque in the old orchard, 

which is where we hope to set the Stations up.

There was another donation yesterday as well 

- given anonymously - thank you.

That has taken us to 57% of the cost of £2,500, 

which is greatly appreciated.

The fund is still open 

and you can help us make this place of prayer by giving 

HERE!

Thank you for any gift, large or small.

Saturday 4 September 2021

Sunday Masses

 

This week, on Friday, sees the feast day of local man, 

St Ambrose Barlow.

For those who live locally, you will be aware of the road resurfacing this week along the whole of Stanifield Lane that has led to some disruption. I've checked with the workmen and, although the work is not quite complete, the road is fully accessible this Sunday. See you at Mass!

MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK


Sunday 5th September.  23rd week Year B

Mass at 8.30am & 10am


Monday  Mass at 9.30am


Tuesday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon


Wednesday Mass at 9.30am


Thursday  Novena & Benediction at 7pm


Friday Mass at 9.30am


Saturday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Confessions before 11.30am - 11.50am


Sunday 5th September

24th week Year B

Mass at 8.30am & 10am

Saturday 28 August 2021

Masses this week at St Catherine Labouré

Friday is the Feast of Pope St Gregory the Great


MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK


Sunday 29th August.  22nd week Year B

 Mass at 8.30am & 10am



Monday  Mass at 9.30am

Tuesday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Wednesday Mass at 9.30am

Thursday  Novena & Benediction at 7pm

Friday Mass at 9.30am

Saturday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Confessions before 11.30am - 11.50am



Sunday 5th September

23rd week Year B
Mass at 8.30am & 10am

Wednesday 25 August 2021

Stations of the Cross Appeal. 50% there!


Go past the hollyhocks... turn left... turn right... and there begin the Stations of the Cross!

Well, not yet. But that is where St Peter's International School in France is hoping to be able to set up a Way of the Cross. 

The great news is that our giving campaign has just reached the half way mark. So we have raised £1,250. If you would like to be part of this project to install these beautiful Della Robbia style stations, each 20" high, please click on the link below.

Thanks to our wonderful donors - the small and the large amounts all add up!





 

Saturday 21 August 2021

Stations of the Cross Appeal - Update


We've now received 40% of the total amount, which is really great in just in few days.

We hope to install them throughout the old orchard at St Peter's International College, pictured here with an air balloon going over last week. It is just beyond Sacré Coeur House, pictured below.

 

Many thanks to the donors.

You can donate using the QR code here
 or by going to the crowdfunding page 








Twenty First Sunday at St Catherine's parish

 
This week sees the celebration of two feasts with local connections not far from our little parish.

Monday is the Feast of St John Wall of Preston, sent to his death on the charges that he had said Mass, heard confessions, and received converts into the Church.

Thursday is the Feast of Blessed Dominic Barberi, "Apostle of the English" buried at the former Passionist church of Sutton Monastery in St Helen's.


MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK


Sunday 22nd August.  21st week Year B

 Mass at 8.30am & 10am


Monday  Mass at 9.30am

Requiem Mass for Margaret Brennan at 11am

Wednesday Mass at 9.30am

Thursday  Novena & Benediction at 7pm

Friday Mass at 9.30am

Saturday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Confessions before 11.30am - 11.50am


Sunday 22nd August

21st week Year B

 Mass at 8.30am & 10am


Wednesday 18 August 2021

Stations of the Cross

 
STATIONS OF THE CROSS 

for

As many of you will know, the last months have seen me heavily involved as one of the co-founders, of this wonderful but challenging, new enterprise. The school grounds at St Peter's International College include a former orchard where we want to place a set of outdoor Stations of the Cross for formal use in Lent but for the boys to be able to use whenever they wish. This part of the campus is used for occasional outdoor activities but also a place where people can walk, talk or relax - and also pray. 

As well as adding a focus for the area, these beautiful Stations of the Cross in the Della Robbia style will help to Christianize the school environment and proudly proclaim our Catholic Faith. A set of outdoor Stations that is both large enough to be seen and will cope with the weather is not an easy thing to find but we hope these will be seen and used for many a year to come. Each one in this set is 20" high and the cost for the whole set is £2,500. This is quite a sum but we believe that the benefit is well worth it. 

When the site was bought just last year, the buildings were just an empty shell, so inside and out, everything has had to be sourced to help us build the school community and create a a suitable environment. Thank you for anything you might be able to give to assist us in this project. God bless you.

We are making an appeal through CrowdFunding. If you feel able to help in any way, large or small, then just click RIGHT HERE!





Saturday 14 August 2021

The grass is greener...

I've just returned from St Peter's International School in France, lending a helping hand as the college prepares for the new intake in September.  As the Covid problems become more manageable, the school is looking forward to welcoming more visitors to come and see the great work being done there. 


I'm posting these two before and after photos, taken exactly a year between one another on this day. In some ways, the front Quad doesn't look much different - though the grass is certainly greener!

Actually, in the first photo the buildings are still looking a little tatty and the place is awash with workers scrambling to get the place habitable. This year, there's a little more order and, like the avenue of miniature yew trees, a sense of order and incipient growth.

On this eve of the wonderful Feast of Our Lady's Assumption I will offer a prayer for her continuing protection for a project to provide a truly Catholic education in these days when it is needed more than ever. May I ask you to do the same for us?




Masses at St Catherine's this week

 

MASSES AT ST CATHERINE'S THIS WEEK


Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven.

 Mass at 8.30am & 10am


Monday  Mass at 9.30am


Tuesday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon


Wednesday Mass at 9.30am


Thursday  Novena & Benediction at 7pm


Friday Mass at 9.30am


Saturday Traditional Latin Mass at 12 noon

Confessions before 11.30am - 11.50am



Sunday 22nd August

21st week Year B

 Mass at 8.30am & 10am