Sacrament of Confirmation 2026
A date for Confirmations has now been agreed with Archbishop Mark for Wednesday 17th June at St Francis Xavier, Broad Street. Anyone who would like their child to receive this Sacrament of the Church please contact your parish priest. Please include the full name and contact details of the young person seeking confirmation, also include their date of birth and the school they are currently attending. Registration details should be received no later than January 1st, 2026. Preparation classes will begin in the New Year. Further details to follow
As part of our ‘Warm Spaces Project’ the parish will be hosting a coffee morning on Tuesday 13th January 2026 from 10.30am in the Parish Hall. Please do your best to support the coffee morning and bring your friends as holding these community events helps to be up both the parish and wider community. Regular coffee mornings are held on the second Tuesday of the month.
Applications for the First Holy Communion Preparation Course is now closed and we cannot accept any further names at this time. Those who have already been in contact and expressed a desire to receive Our Blessed Lord for the first time in Holy Communion will be contacted in the next few days.
Here at Our Lady’s, and we are inviting years 7-11 to come join this group. Our motto is Love in Action ! The first meeting will be on Sunday 28th after 10am Mass in the parish Hall. The session will finish at 12:30pm. These sessions will be once a month, and its purpose is to serve our parish and community while learning about our faith in the process. If you know anyone aged between 7-11 who would be interested, then please come along. If there are any adults who can help either volunteers or support in other ways, please let me know. Any questions call me on 07792540333. Annie Ridgway.
If you would like a Mass to be said for your intention, there are envelopes available at the back of church for you to use. Holy Mass makes present the mystery of the Lord’s death and resurrection. There is no greater prayer than the Mass, since it is the most perfect offering we can make to God. In offering Mass for a specific intention, we are asking that the fruits of Christ’s redemptive power may be applied to the requested intention. The offering you make also helps support the clergy. I will try my best to accommodate your request however, if the date given is not available, the nearest possible date will be given. Please give a contact number so that I can ring you if need be.
O God, who in your providential design willed that your Church be built upon blessed Peter, whom you set over the other Apostles, look with favour, we pray, on Leo our Pope and grant that he, whom you have made Peter's successor, may be for your people a visible source and foundation of unity in faith and of communion.
WOW (Widow or Widowers) group Since 2022 we have steadily grown in numbers and now there are almost twenty of us, aged from 65 to 80+. We meet in the Belmont parish centre on the first Tuesday of the month at 11 O'clock, share a cuppa, cake and friendly chat. We also have some sort of activity, in March it was pancakes (as the meeting fell on shrove Tuesday) supplied by the kitchen at Belmont Abbey, and a quiz. Last month we had a game of “Bird Bingo” which was enjoyed by all. We go for the occasional meal out, the Cider Orchard Restaurant at the college being a particular favourite. In the summer months we have been on outings to local National Trust Properties. We go to parish events as a group meaning there is always someone you know to sit with. As a group we help with the Annual Summer Fete either as stall holders, washer ups or car park attendants. Although based at Belmont Abbey, the group is open to any widow or widowers not just parishioners, several of our members are non-catholic. That said, we always start the meeting with our WOW Prayer, where we particularly remember our loved ones’ anniversaries. New to this year I have also started to do a newsletter for the group. Anyone interested can just turn up on the meeting day or in any further info is required my email is: juliemirfin@btinternet.com . March 25 Newsletter
Our small team of volunteers needs more help with the soup lunches on Saturdays from 11.30am to 1.30pm. We serve tea, coffee, soup, bread & butter and biscuits to a small group of regular visitors. It is easy to do, no qualifications are needed except a willingness to be on a flexible rota and chat to those we support. Contact Denise, John or pop along one Saturday to see how it works. Thank you!
Our parish piety shop is now open for you to browse the wide selection of religious items and cards on offer. Please go and have a look what is on offer and if there is something you want but isn’t there let us know and we can try and order it for you.
We urgently need People to help with those parts of parish life that happen all the time but are rarely seen. If you can help count the collection (training will be given); cleaning the church, or to act as a welcomer please have a word with Father Andrew. Remember this is your parish family so if you can help in any way please do
Thank you for your continued financial support during these incredibly difficult and challenging times. Every Parish is struggling financially at the moment, and we are no different. We are especially grateful to all those who have signed up to new Standing Orders, posted their envelopes through the Presbytery door, and who have sent in cash and cheques. All your offerings are gratefully received. However, even during a cost of living crisis the bills still keep coming, and without your help we could go from a lockdown to a shutdown. Our Lady’s parish is running at a deficit this year. With this in mind I encourage you to think about: + Might you be able to Gift Aid your donations? If you area UK taxpayer, we can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you give at no extra cost to you! + Why not sign up to a Standing Order rather than using the envelopes or cash? Mandate forms are available. + We are also looking into the possibility of contactless giving Our Lady’s is a small church with a big hearted congregation who know how important it is to support the church both spiritually and practically. Thank you for all your help, big or small.