New Pastoral Area
Churches of
St. Joseph’s, St. Elizabeth’s, St. Edmund Campion, St. Thomas More and Our Lady Queen of Peace.
Joining of our new Pastoral Area needs a name, and we need your help to find one. Ideally, the name should reflect our common Catholic heritage and faith, the shared environment, communities and history of the Thames Valley area which unites us and recognise our different histories and traditions, all under the five patrons of our churches, between Maidenhead, Cookham, Twyford and Wargrave.
Please give us your suggestions and let our parish offices know.
In the coming weeks, the clergy of these parishes will meet for an initial contact. There are three priests in the Maidenhead area, one in Twyford along with two deacons. So, six in total. In that meeting we hope to discuss and agree on the following:
We hope to develop five ‘working groups’ that will reach out into our parishes to look at -
Over time, sub-groups will be developed to expand the reach of the Pastoral Area. Over the coming weeks there will be an update to share how the Pastoral Area Council is working, and how we can all grow closer to Christ in prayer and mission. We have had our initial meetings and sent the outcome of that to the Bishop’s House.
Our hope is that we will have a working Council comprised of four members from St. Joseph’s and St. Elizabeth’s, four from St. Edmund Campion, and four from St. Thomas More and Our Lady, Queen of Peace. In addition to that, the six Clergymen. So, this Council will comprise of about 18 people and will propel us into the next stage of amalgamation.
| First Reading | Isaiah 55:10-11 | God’s word is like rain which fertilises the earth. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 64:10-14 | R./: The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest. | ||
| Second Reading | Romans 8:18-23 | All creation eagerly waits for God to reveal his glory in us. | ||
| Gospel | Matthew 13:1-23 | The Sower and the seed. The good soil of the receptive heart. |
| Friday 14th July | 10am | Martin Coker | RIP | First Anniversary | |||
| Sunday 16th | 11:15am | Sean Norbert Anyanwu | RIP | First Anniversary | |||
| Monday 17th | 9:30am | Sandor Biro | SI | ||||
| Tuesday 18th | 9:30am | Sean Norbert Anyanwu | RIP | First Anniversary | |||
| Tuesday 18th | 9:30am | Michael Cuddihy | RIP | AN | |||
| Wednesday 19th | 9:30am | Christopher Paul Hancox | RIP | AN |
| Saturday 15th | Maia, daughter of Stacey and Jeff | ||||
| Saturday 15th | Hannah, daughter of Josephine and Huw |
HOUSE BLESSING: House blessings (also known as house healings, house clearings, house cleansings and space clearing) are rites intended to protect the inhabitants of a house or apartment from misfortune, whether before moving into it or to "heal" it after an occurrence. It is also there asking God’s protection and blessing upon each member of the family.
In Christianity, house blessing is an ancient tradition dating back to the early days, that is usually performed by a priest who sprinkles holy water and blessed salt as he walks through every room of the house, accompanied by the occupants of the house, whilst praying for the occupants.
Leader: “Peace be to this house and: to all who dwell here, in the name of the Lord.
All: Blessed be God forever.
If you would like your home/apartment/room blessed, then please contact one of the priests and a time and date can be arranged. The blessing ritual takes about 20 minutes, and it is lovely if all occupants of the home are present.
ARE YOU NEW TO OUR PARISH? Thank you for your interest in our parish. Whether you're just visiting us for a brief time, looking for a new parish home, returning to the practice of your Catholic faith or are interested in finding out more about the Catholic Church, we are happy to answer your questions, listen to your comments and help you in any way that we can. We are a parish of the Diocese of Portsmouth, and are a very vibrant community, made up of ‘old’ Maidenhead families and relative “newcomers” from all walks of life.
We hope that you find our Catholic parish a caring community that is loving, welcoming and supportive of all.
Our mission is to grow in the image of Christ through the Holy Spirit, to be formed by the Word and our prayer, to use our gifts to welcome those who are here and reach out to those who are not. We invite you to join us as partners in the mission. Together, let us get to know Christ better and to make Him better known.
May God Bless you wherever you are and thank you for exploring our website and newsletter.
Please stop by the parish office to introduce yourself! We would love to meet you.
BAPTISMAL COURSE The Baptismal Course is available for all Parents whose child is being Baptised at either St Joseph’s, St Elizabeth’s or St Edmund Campion. The course is a 90 minute preparation and guidance. It is held at St Joseph’s the first Tuesday of the month at 7pm. The next meetings are:
FIRST FRIDAY HEALING SERVICE at St. Edmund Campion 4th August. Mass at 10am and 7pm. We bring together all our needs and especially asking God’s healing spirit upon people and situations in our parish. You are very welcome. Sacrament of Reconciliation and Anointing with Holy Oil will be available.
PARISH RETREAT DAY: Our annual retreat will take place on August 5th (Saturday) at St. Katherine’s Retreat Centre, Henley-on-Thames. A peaceful guided retreat day for anyone who needs a break. Retreat directed by Dr Judith Thomas. Maximum of 50 people. For booking contact 01628 628274 or email office@stedmundcampion.org.uk
PILGRIM WALKS:
The Vision Groups of St Edmund Campion and St Joseph’s are offering opportunities for all in the Maidenhead area to meet those who pray in the various churches of St. Edmund Campion, St Joseph's or St. Elizabeth's.
The first of these encounters has taken place on Sunday 9th July with a walk from St Joseph’s church after the 11am Mass.
The second walk is on 30th July. After the 9.15am Mass at St. Elizabeth's, to walk to St. Edmund Campion church. Hospitality from 12.15am onwards.
The third walk is on 3rd September. After the 11.15am Mass at St. Edmund Campion Church, walk to St. Joseph's.
You are welcome to attend Mass in your own church or join in the Mass of the hosting Community.
Details of the walk can be obtained from Carolyn Foster: candrfoster@btinternet.com.
PILGRIMAGE to Our Lady's Shrine, Banneux, Belgium, for the 90th anniversary of the Apparitions, 70th Anniversary of ‘Pilgrimage GB’) and for the Feast of the Assumption, 11th-16th August 2023. A coach will leave from St. Edmund Campion Church, Maidenhead SL6 4PY. Accommodation and full board (including travel and excursions): staying at the Hospitalité is £420. (Single room supplement +£100). The Hospitalité is very spacious and can accommodate all pilgrims, especially those who are sick, disabled or elderly. It also includes a full catering and medical staff. (There is a hotel next door for £650 sharing and single room supplement +£200). Fr. Liam Cummins (St. Edmund Campion Parish) will be the Spiritual Director for this pilgrimage and has been going to Banneux since 1996. If you are interested and you would like more information or to reserve a place before June 30th, please contact Lisa Pirie, pilgrimage director, on 07500288384; banneuxndgb@gmail.com or Father Liam, on 07776580596 (email him on lcummins@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk ). Also Goggle 'Our Lady's Shrine, Banneux', for history and more detail. The GB pilgrimage has been going for 70 years and it looks like this will be the last official trip from England, so get on board!
RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION FOR ADULTS (RCIA) We are all on a journey of faith, which is unique and personal, and yet a journey that we know is greatly enriched when we can come together and share with others. Maybe you are a non-Catholic Christian accompanying your family to Church and now feel drawn to become part of this community of faith. Maybe your “roots” are in another religion, or in none. Maybe you are a Baptised Catholic but never received, as a young person, the Sacrament of Confirmation. This programme is widely used in many parishes throughout the Diocese. RCIA is both a learning and teaching programme that aims to help those who would like to know more about the Christian faith from a catholic perspective and might be thinking about becoming a Catholic. To be a full member of the Catholic Church you need to complete the process of Christian Initiation, which is when you have been Baptised, Confirmed and made your First Holy Communion. The RCIA Programme will begin with the completion of the ten-step programme of the Alpha course run at Windsor. (Sept-Nov 2023). RCIA (Jan – April 2024). Talk to one of our priests. More information is online and on leaflets found at the entrance of the church.
GOOD NEWS, ALPHA IS RETURNING IN SEPTEMBER! This year, we are going to offer the course both online and in-person. Many people find it difficult to secure childcare, or prefer to meet others whilst in the comfort of their own home, so by offering an online version, we hope you will give it a try. If meeting in-person is your preference, that is still a great option too.
Start dates are as follows:
Monday, 18 September, Alpha Online, 19:30 - 21:00
Tuesday, 19 September, Alpha In-Person at St Edwards Parish Centre, 19:00 - 21:00.
Alpha is a 10-week course that explores life’s big questions, in an open, non-judgmental and safe place. We’ll be discussing questions like: Is there more to life than this? Does God exist? Why did Jesus have to die? and, why is there so much suffering in the world? Millions of people have already tried Alpha in over 100 countries and languages around the world - so why not you? Perhaps you have a friend or family member who has fallen away from the faith during the pandemic, doesn't feel as connected to the church as they once did, or maybe has never truly answered life's big questions for themselves - please invite them, we'd love to host them too! If you have questions about joining, inviting others, or joining our team of volunteers, please email Ryan Greig at: alphawindsor316@gmail.com
THE PARISH SUPPORT BEREAVEMENT GROUP are meeting again on 16th July for another informal meeting in the parish hall, with tea and cake between 2.30 pm and 5 pm.
This is a further opportunity to meet others who are grieving after a bereavement, to share with one another and to consider whether you feel the need for individual or small group support. It would be helpful to let Ruth, in the office, if you would like to come. You would be very welcome.’
PRESENTATION MINISTRY Volunteers wanted to join the rota to run the PowerPoint presentations at 9:30 Mass on Sundays. No experience necessary, just a working finger to work the mouse! Contact Mike on 07726 003355 or speak to the person operating the laptop at Mass.
PARISH COLLECTION Please continue to support your parish, its activities and outreach programmes by contributing to the weekly collection via the 'baskets' and/or Contactless. It is very positive that a lot of our parishioners, over the course of the pandemic, switched their contribution from cash to Bank Transfer.
NB: If you want to set up a direct debit or standing order (or even make a one-off donation) the account details are:
Account name: St. Edmund Campion Maidenhead
Sort code: 30-93-04
Account number: 00882551
CHILDREN’S SUNDAY LITURGY Children from the age of 4 can attend. Please put your child’s name on the register as you go into the church for Safeguarding purposes. PLEASE NOTE Sunday 16th July is the last Children's Liturgy until September 2023
FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING Monday 17th July 2023, St Edmund Campion.
SVP 6th OCT MUSICAL EVENING FUNDRAISER Tickets are now on sale for the St Vincent de Paul (SVP) Maidenhead musical evening on Friday 6th October from 7.30pm, being held in the hall of St Edmund Campion primary school. Just to note there is a Healing Mass taking place at 7pm on the same evening at St Edmund Campion church for those who would like to attend this beforehand. A wide range of local performers are already lined up and proceeds from the musical evening will be split equally between the local branch of Care4Calais, a volunteer-run asylum seeker charity and SVP Maidenhead - to help sustain and expand the support given by SVP to those in need, including local people who are lonely, sick, housebound or just struggling to cope. This is a cash only event and drinks and snacks will be available to buy from a Donations Bar. Tickets are £7 per person and are being sold after Sunday masses (from July onwards) at both St Edmund Campion and St Joseph’s churches. Tickets also available by contacting Peter (St Edmund Campion) on 07976 625 813 or Siobhan (St Joseph's) on 07816 445 416. Thank you for your support.
SVP A new notice board is in place outside the Parish Office. Notices about what is currently needed will be on this board. Donations can be left outside the parish office and will be collected regularly. Thank you all for your generosity.
MAIDENHEAD LIONS CLUB are offering fifty £200 grants to established voluntary groups in the Maidenhead SL6 area to celebrate their Fifty Years of Service to the local community. Applicants should be providing a service in the area and full details are to found on their website www.maidenheadlions.org.uk.
THE APOSTLESHIP OF THE SEA Thank you for giving to Stella Maris on Sea Sunday, which took place last weekend. Our parish raised £712. Your generous gifts will ensure that Stella Maris Chaplains and volunteers can continue to be a friend for seafarers and fishers in times of need.
Y6 LEAVERS MASS: FRIDAY 21st JULY AT 9:30am As we find ourselves at the end of the school year, we are extremely proud of all our pupils and our dedicated staff in our school of St. Edmund Campion. We also thank our committed Governing Body for the wonderful job they do in ensuring our school continues to thrive. This week, we say goodbye to our Year 6 pupils. Our Year 6 group this year have been outstanding; not just in their academic achievements but in the progress they have demonstrated around our core values of respect, tolerance, understanding and responsibility. They have also shown themselves to be people who are committed to God and that God is at the centre of everything they do. They are a credit to themselves, their families and our school and we wish each of them every success in the future as they head off for new adventures in their new schools. Well done, Year 6! We are so very proud of you!
COME AND FIND OUT ABOUT CAFOD'S WORK CAFOD Portsmouth is hosting two meetings in September so that volunteers and supporters can find out more about our work . The first meeting is on Saturday 9th September at St Bedes Church hall ,Popley Way, Basingstoke RG24 9DX from 10:30 am to 12:30pm where Philippe Mougin CAFOD’s Emergency Response Leader will talk about our work in Pakistan after last years floods.
The second meeting is on Saturday 16th September at St Michael & All Angels Church hall , Dunsbury Way , Leigh Park PO9 5BD from 10:30am to 1:30pm (lunch is provided) where Sara Moreno from CAFOD’s Partner SIEMBRA from Colombia will speak about her work with human and environmental rights defenders.
Everyone is welcome but please book so that we have an idea of numbers by emailing Jo Lewry portsmouth@cafod.org.uk
MAIDENHEAD CARE/FOODSHARE Parishioners who are interested in hearing more about Foodshare are invited to attend the Maidenhead Care annual commissioning service when Nigel Cohen of Foodshare will be giving a talk about their work. The service will take place at 7:30pm, on 20th July in the High Street Methodist Church. Everyone welcome.
YOGA CLASSES Next yoga class is Tuesday 25th July at 11am. Everyone is welcome, new to yoga or with some experience. Classes are free but, if possible, a donation for charity will be appreciated. Contact Rachel at wellhappyyoga@gmail.com or the parish office.
TODDLERS GROUP Every Termtime Friday 8.45-10.45 in the Parish Centre. No toddler group on 7th or 13th July. Last session for summer is 21st July.
FOOD IN THE CHURCH The church is cleaned every Friday afternoon. Recently there appears to be a lot of food debris on the Church floor after weekend Masses. If you or your child needs to eat during Mass, can we request that you please use the Parish Centre. Thank you for your cooperation.
FOODSHARE Are you an NHS, Emergency services or a Blue Light worker. Foodshare is now operating a shop, so if you're struggling to make ends meet, for a cost of £10 per visit you can "buy" a trolley of food. Call 01628 262711 for fast and fuss free support.
VACANCIES - Portsmouth For all job descriptions and how to apply, please contact: recruitment@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk. For an informal discussion, please contact Heather Hauschild COO: hhauschild@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk.
We have activities planned for later this year and would be happy to hear from you if you would like to get involved or have an idea of your own. Please contact Sarah Bowden (bowden.sarah@googlemail.com).
LIBRARY We have a parish library located in the foyer of the Parish Centre. One bookcase is dedicated to Theology/Religious books, another bookcase to Fiction/Non-Fiction and a third smaller bookcase to children's Bibles/Bible stories etc. Please feel free to borrow/swap.
If you would like to donate, we can only accept books that are in excellent and clean condition. Thank you and enjoy.
FOODSHARE We are a collection point for Foodshare. Our collection area is just inside the porch doors, but if you leave food outside, out of hours (in a bag or other covering) the building is regularly checked. Foodshare are currently really in need of tinned vegetables and tinned meat, amongst all the regular donations.
APPOINTMENTS If you wish to speak to Fr Liam, Fr Ephraim, Fr Tom or Fr Noah in confidence on any matter, please contact either one for an appointment. They are happy to visit your home if so desired, adhering to social distancing guidelines.
HOUSEBOUND If you know of anyone who is sick and/or housebound, please let Ruth (Parish Office), Fr Liam or Fr Ephraim know so that a visit can be arranged.
FOR PRACTICAL PURPOSES, FOR THE COMING MONTHS
Father Ephraim and Fr Noah are the ‘link people’ for pastoral matters concerning the parish of St. Joseph’s and St. Elizabeth’s. They are also chaplains to St. Mary’s school.
Father Liam will be the ‘link person’ for the parish of St. Edmund Campion and will be chaplain to St. Edmund Campion school.
Fr. Ephraim, Fr. Noah and Fr. Liam are on call each day and will serve our community as best they can. You can call either of them on their mobile numbers, contact them via email or visit them at St. Joseph’s Presbytery.
THE WELCOMING MINISTRY (Mass Rep) is dedicated to helping all parishioners and visitors enhance their worship experience at Mass by making them feel welcome and included in our Eucharistic celebration, helping them connect with our parish, and participating in the numerous ministry opportunities offered at St. Edmund Campion. The Mass Rep is the ‘overseer’ in ensuring that the various ministries during Mass are fulfilled. Further, they are there to help you with any queries.
We thank our mass reps:
6:15pm Saturday: Reena K. 9:30am Sunday: Elvira E-M 11:15am Sunday: Julie C.
ADMISSION INTO ST EDMUND CAMPION SCHOOL AND NURSERY is based on Mass attendance for some categories. In our parish, we have an attendance card available from the table in the church lobby. Every time you come to Sunday Mass please get your card stamped. For information on the current Admissions Policy see the school's website, www.st-edmund.org.uk.
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