Jesus wants us to see through the eyes of a child and not be someone who simply cannot see good in anything – e.g. John the Baptist living like a hermit was deemed to be possessed; Jesus eating and drinking normally was called a glutton. Life with negative people grinds to a complete halt. Jesus opens life up by inviting his hearers to come to him, and to have joy. Joy is what he calls his “yoke”. Now “yoke” may not seem a very comfortable word. The rabbis called the Law of Moses a “yoke”. They did not mean something unpleasant - it was a delightful way of binding oneself to God. As one rabbi said: “My burden is my song”. We do not pretend that we are burden-free, nor confuse happiness with joy - they are not the same. As Christians we are free, and like Jesus, we are free to serve. Many from the outside see Christians as brainwashed, being led by the nose. That is very sad. We are the children of joy. Joy is the cousin of freedom. “One who really has Christ chooses freely what others do under compulsion”. Ask yourself – am I joyful? Can people sense in me a freedom of spirit, coupled, as I get older, with a growing sense of gratitude? Not “happy”, (h-a-p-p-y like on a trip to the seaside with bucket and spade). Joyful. Where joy is living, Christ is living.
Where joy dies, Christianity dies, no matter how many proclamations there may be to the contrary
| First Reading | Zec 9:9-19 | Behold, your king is coming to you, humble. | |||
| Responsorial Psalm | 145 | I will bless your name for ever, my God and king | |||
| Second Reading | Rom 8:9, 11-13 | If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live | |||
| Gospel | Matt 11: 25-30 | I am gentle and lowly in heart |
| Fri 3rd July |
10:00 19:00 |
Healing Mass @SJ Healing Mass @SEC |
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| Sat 4th July |
17:30 18:15 |
Confessions Mass |
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| Sun 5th July |
9:30 11:00 11:15 |
Mass Confirmation Mass @SJ Mass |
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Seafarers (2nd Collection) | ||
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Mon 6th July |
9:30 |
Mass |
MI: Andrea McQueen | |||
| Tue 7th July | 9:30 | Mass | ||||
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Wed 8th July |
9:30 |
Mass |
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| Thurs 9th July | 9:30 | Mass | ||||
| Fri 10th July |
10:00 19:00 |
Healing Mass @SJ & @STM Healing Mass @SEC |
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| Sat 11th July |
17:30 18:15 |
Confessions Mass |
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| Sun 12th July |
9:30 11:15 |
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Mass Mass |
MI: Alan Shippey |
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. 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. 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.
FIRST FRIDAY: The First Friday of the month is traditionally a time when a priest visits a home to anoint anyone who is house bound, with holy oil, and to administer the sacrament of Holy Communion. The parish has several people on this list. If indeed, you or someone you know would like a visit from a priest, then please contact Fr. Vuni or Fr Elvis.
FIRST FRIDAY HEALING MASS These special Masses will take place on:
Friday 3rd July 10am at St. Joseph’s; 7pm at St. Edmund Campion Church; 10am St Thomas More, Twyford
WHAT IS A HEALING MASS?
Healing Masses are opportunities to directly seek physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual healing. These Masses include a homily that is focused on healing, prayers of the faithful that are directly asking God to heal us, and prayers after communion that are prayed by the Priest to help facilitate greater healing in our lives.
The Mass is the most powerful way that we can seek healing as Christians. Jesus is present in the Mass through the Scriptures, through giving Himself to us in His Body and His Blood, and through our worship of Him. He is the one who heals us. The Mass helps to facilitate the healing that Jesus wants to give to all of us.
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 meeting is:
DIOCESAN NEWSLETTER: The Diocesan Mailing is produced every week and contains news, training opportunities and events from around the diocese and wider Catholic Church. The weekly newsletter is designed to bring you the latest information and events, straight to your email inbox. We try to keep it short and sweet (though, occasionally we can't help but get carried away with a great story or a brilliant opportunity). Click or go to the following site to sign up: www.portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
House Masses/Blessings: Father Vuni or Father Elvis are more than happy to celebrate a House Mass or a House Blessing for any family or group of families who would like it. If you are interested, then please email Father Vuni or telephone the Parish Office.
Contact: If you wish to speak to Father Vuni in confidence on any matter, please contact him for an appointment. He is always happy to visit your home if so desired. Email: tvuni@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk Telephone: 07888627223
Hospital: If you are going into hospital or know or someone that is, please inform the hospital chaplain on arrival. Please also let Father Vuni know so that arrangements can be made for a visit. Please note that under the Data Protection Act, hospital staff cannot disclose patient information. We rely on Parishioners to keep us in the loop.
Housebound: If you know of anyone who is sick and/or housebound please let Carina (Parish Office) or Father Vuni know so that a visit can be arranged.
FIRST FRIDAY: The First Friday of the month is traditionally a time when a priest visits a home to anoint anyone who is house bound, with holy oil, and to administer the sacrament of Holy Communion. The parish has several people on this list. If indeed, you or someone you know would like a visit from a priest, then please contact Father Vuni or Father Elvis.
MASS INTENTIONS: There is a long and venerable tradition in the Catholic Church that the faithful ask their priests to celebrate Holy Mass for particular, specified intentions. An individual may ask a priest to offer a Mass for several reasons: for example, in thanksgiving, for the intentions of another person (such as on a birthday, good health, peace in family life), or as is most common, for the repose of the soul of someone who has died or on their anniversary. This custom, which was well-understood in generations past, is increasingly being forgotten. Since the practice is of immense spiritual benefit to both the living and the dead, and because it also helps to support your clergy and parish, we would encourage you to request that Masses be offered for your intentions. Please contact Ruth in the Parish Office, if you wish to have a Mass celebrated for your intentions. Pope Paul VI said, “The Mass is the most perfect form of prayer!” It has immense power and countless miracles and conversions have occurred throughout the centuries by offering Masses for a specific intention or person. Mass intentions are a great treasure of the Church and have a spiritual weight that is incalculable.
Eucharistic Adoration:
We all have busy and demanding lives and sometimes we just need a moment to gather our thoughts and take a moment to just be. The church is encouraging all its parishioners to take 10 minutes, 20 minutes or even 30 minutes to sit in church before mass to do just that. To simply rest in God’s presence and consider these common activities:
* Meditative Prayer: View the time as a conversation with a close friend. Tell God about your struggles or simply sit quietly and listen to what He might be telling you.
* Scripture Reading: Bring a Bible and slowly read a passage (like the Gospels), meditating on how the words apply to your life.
* Pray the Rosary: Reflecting on the mysteries of the Rosary is a highly effective way to focus your mind on Jesus.
* Journaling: Write down your personal prayers, thoughts, or feelings in a notebook to reflect on later.
* Spiritual Reading: Bring a book authored by a saint (e.g., The Diary of St. Faustina) or read through a devotional essay.
* The Liturgy of the Hours: Pray the Psalms or other ancient liturgical prayers of the Church.
This is the act of praying and worshipping Jesus Christ, who is believed to be truly and substantially present in the consecrated Eucharist. It involves sitting or kneeling in silent reverence before the Host.
Notre Cercle Français – Our French Circle
2000-2026
This stalwart community group, founded by St Edmund Campion congregation member and retired languages teacher, Shirley Forde, who also ran the Scout group in her time, has finally decided to call it a day and go out on a high. Age and other commitments make it a sensible, though slightly sad, step. Since January 2025 it has been led by Patricia Powell, a group participant, at Shirley’s request. Shirley sadly died not long after but it’s felt she would be pleased to see how it continued, with themed conversation, translations on-the-hoof, singing, story-writing and more, in lively fashion. All good things must end and this is one – but we are all grateful to have had such a wonderful run in a welcoming and very pleasant venue. Our final hurrah will be ‘un pique-nique.’
11 July 7-9.30pm M’head Youth Gathering in St Peter’s Church. Come along for an evening of fun, games, and worship! Free Mr Whippy Ice Cream! Email youth@stjosephsparish.co.uk to book.
SVP – Smarties Appeal
New Influx of people at Holiday Inn in need of:
Time to finish up your Smarties! And fill the tubes with notes or coins to aid the work of local SVP groups in South Sudan. This includes running baby feeding centres, providing free life-saving medical treatment at SVP medical centres, and offering vocational training for young people. Your donation funds these critical SVP projects that bring hope and peace into lives torn apart by war. Please return Smarties tubes to St Joseph's or St Edmund Campion Church by Sunday 13th July 2026. Thank you
ADoRE spiritual mini-retreat 25 Jul 10-1pm ADoRE mini online retreat. Mass, Adoration, Praise, talks & more! See https://www.altonrenewal.com/july_2026
Sept – May 2027 Praying the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises Fortnightly Mondays 1.30-3.30pm in person at St Katharine’s Parmoor. Group and 1-1 spiritual direction. For more info/ application form, email oxfordsen@btinternet.com
17 Sep 7pm International Staff Songsters of The Salvation Army Concert Salvation Army Hall in Maidenhead (East Road, SL6 1PJ). Tickets: www.ticketsource.com/maidenhead-salvation-army
The School for Synodality exists to support the Church’s synodal journey of openness to the Holy Spirit through listening, sharing, and discernment. In partnership with dioceses, religious congregations, parishes, communities, and individuals, we create resources, workshops, and opportunities to reflect together, as well as speaking, writing and offering formation on synodality.
MUSIC AT 11.15 MASS AT SAINT EDMUND CAMPION CHURCH .
Would anyone who is able and willing to sometimes play the organ, piano or guitar at 11 .15 Mass at Saint Edmund Campion church please contact either Carina or myself .This would be to cover the Sundays when I will be unable to come to this Mass .
Any help would be greatly appreciated . Many thanks and God bless ,
Shelagh .
Shelaghcurran@hotmail.co.uk
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: CDP MAIDENHEAD ST EDMUND CAMPION
Sort code: 30-93-04
Account number: 00882551
WELCOME A very warm welcome to all parishioners and visitors who join us, whether in our Churches of St. Joseph’s, St. Elizabeth’s, St. Edmund Campion, St. Thomas More or via the live-stream. If you are new to the area, please register as a member of our Parish New Parishioners - The Holy Family Parish. The parish offices are situated at St. Joseph’s Church, Cookham Road and St. Edmund Campion, Altwood Road. The parish office details are available on the website and in the church porch.
GIFT AID If you are a UK taxpayer, please consider signing up for Gift Aid. If you have not completed a form in the last 12-18 months, we will no longer be able to claim gift aid on your donations. Please make sure you complete the form in the link below ASAP or use the QR code attached. You can get paper copies in the church porch. Please return completed forms to the office and please email the office if you complete the online form. Thank you for your ongoing support and generosity.
Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth - Gift Aid Declaration Form
CAN YOU HELP?
We are excited about the future of our church and the opportunity to grow into an even more welcoming, vibrant community. As we open our doors wider, we’re looking for passionate volunteers who want to make a real difference. Whether it’s through hospitality after mass, setting up mass as a representative, an alter server or reader, every act of service, big or small, helps create a space where people feel inspired. There are also groups that would love the extra support, such as the Liturgy Group, and the Vision Group who work so hard and would appreciate all the helping hands that are available.
Please contact the parish office or Fr. Vuni/Fr. Elvis if you would like to be a part of our volunteers and sacristans.
SACRISTANS - We have had a couple of our Sacristans step back from their role after many years in this ministry. We especially need a volunteer to help on Friday mornings, to prepare for 10am Mass and First Friday 7pm Mass. Please speak to one of our priests, or let Carina know if this is a role you can help with.
ALTER SERVERS & READERS - Our parish is always growing and it has been lovely to see so many children help in the church. If any child would like to part of a mass as an alter server or a reader, please email Carina (office) or speak to Fr. Vuni.
CELEBRATE festival, one of the UK's leading Catholic family events, returns to Worth School in West Sussex from 15–19 August 2026 and tickets are now available.
Now in its 32nd year, CELEBRATE brings together an intergenerational audience of Catholic families, young adults and communities from across the UK for an annual summer gathering combining keynote talks, sacramental liturgy, children and youth programmes, and communal worship in the grounds of the historic Benedictine Abbey at Worth. You can find out more about the programme for the event at https://www.celebratefestival.org/.
The Festival is run by CELEBRATE Trust (Charity No. 1195730), a Catholic ministry supporting families and communities to live authentic Christian lives in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Tickets are available now, with an instalment plan allowing families to pay 50% now and 50% on 1 July at no extra cost and - for a limited time - camping spaces are available at 25% off. Family tickets start from £380, giving you great value for the whole family, with no hidden fees for each child place. Individual tickets start from £95 (young adult).
*New* Sewing circle in SJ Hall. Bring your projects (alteration, pattern cutting, etc) and learn from each other. Free 1st session on 5 May 10-12pm .
YOGA CLASSES TUESDAY: Classes are starting again. The next class will be 14th July. For more information contact Rachel: wellhappyyoga@gmail.com or the parish office.
TODDLER GROUP Every Friday in termtime, 8:45am-10:45am in the Parish Centre.
THURSDAYS ZOOM www.tinyurl.com/2hz5axvp 2pm Rosary; 6pm Journey together through Holy scriptures
Union of Catholic Mothers (UCM) 1st & 3rd Tuesdays 2.30 – 4.30pm in St Joseph’s, St Elizabeth’s Room
RED BOX HOLDERS: We will be emptying the boxes from the beginning of June. Please give your box to either Louise Jennings or Barbara McWalter at 11:15 mass or leave them at the parish office.
Talkin’ Tables by the Catenians
Every second Thur of the month starting 14 May 10.30-11.30am The Bardo Lounge, High Street, Maidenhead, SL6 1QJ. Everyone is welcome. Let us build our community one table at a time — come along, buy your own refreshments, and enjoy relaxed conversation with fellow parishioners.
GIFT AID: If you have a standing order or direct debit donation to the Parish and gift aid your donation, please complete a new Gift Aid form. These will need to be completed for all existing Gift Aid Declarations. New Direct Debit and Gift Aid forms are available in the church porch and in the drawers outside the Parish Office. Please return all completed forms to the Parish Office. Thank you to everyone who has completed a form over the last few months.
ATTN - CONTACTLESS MACHINES: Please re-register for Gift Aid the new machines are on a different platform. All previous donations made on the new machines can then be backdated for Gift Aid
Thank you!
DONA CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS - Available in the church porch. You can Gift Aid your donation to the church and Second Collections. You only need to put your details in once and all future donations using the same card will be Gift Aided. Donations, Repository, Candles, Mass Intentions can all be paid for using the machine– just select the option on the screen.
REPOSITORY Please see our repository for cards & mass cards for all occasions. Cash payments in the box on the wall or via the Dona contactless machine (minimum £1 payments).
SCHOOL PLAYGROUND The Reception area playground is not for use at the weekends. Please make sure that children are not entering this area before or after weekend Masses. The staff prepare the area on Friday afternoon so that it is ready for learning on Monday morning. Thank you for your understanding and 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 - For job vacancies in the Diocese please see Diocese website https://www.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. Please ensure that this is kept neat and tidy for everyone to enjoy.
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 Vuni or Fr Elvis 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 Carina (Parish Office), Fr Vuni or Fr Elvis know so that a visit can be arranged.
FOR PRACTICAL PURPOSES, FOR THE COMING MONTHS
Father Vuni & Fr Elvis 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 Vuni will be the ‘link person’ for the parish of St. Edmund Campion and will be chaplain to St. Edmund Campion school.
Fr Elvis & Fr Vuni 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: TBD. 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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