We received the news yesterday that the official decree has come through and we are now the parish of Blessed Carlo Acutis! Once we are through the present difficulties with the pandemic, we will have a great celebration! Let us pray to Blessed Carlo that we will safely reach that day very soon.
God Bless,
Fr Mark

The Bishops of England and Wales met last week and responded to the IICSA Report by overhauling the Safeguarding Structures across all Dioceses, Religious Orders and other Catholic Organisations in the Country.  Please click the button below to read the Statement by the Archbishop of Birmingham and documents of the Bishops’ Conference confirming the acceptance of the independent Elliot Report’s recommendations which lay out the changes to safeguarding structures and procedures within the Church which are necessary to ensure best practice.

This weekend, we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King and National Youth Sunday. Many thanks to the young people who will be helping take part in the broadcasting of our Masses this weekend. From St Michael's for the 5.30 pm Mass tonight, from SS Peter & Paul for tomorrow morning's Mass at 10.15 am, and from the University tomorrow evening at 7.00 pm. 

The bulletin is now ready to download from the 'Mass Times and Bulletin' page, please note that all the information is there for the booking of Christmas Masses. Don't forget the link to the Advent Feast as a way to prepare your family bubble for Christmas, even now during lock-down. Let's pray that the public celebration of Mass may return in time for  Christmas!

As you will have seen at Mass this morning, the Diocesan Youth team came to promote their work in the diocese and provided the music and readings for our Mass. At the end of Mass, Lucas mentioned various links so that you can follow up on all that they are doing.  The buttons below will take to you straight to all the information you need.

Our two Seminarians in Rome, Dave and Toby are in Assisi today and they prayed for all of us at the tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis. Between 2015 - 2016 Toby spent a year at SS Peter & Paul's as a pastoral assistant whilst he discerned his vocation to the priesthood. He is now in his 5th year at the Venerable English College in Rome and, God willing, will be ordained a deacon next summer. Dave spent a year at SS Peter & Paul's similarly discerning his vocation from 2016-2017. He will be known to more of you because that was the first year of the amalgamation of our three parishes. Dave then spent a year at the Royal English College in Valladolid in Spain before moving to the Venerable English College in 2018. He is now in his third year of seminary. Many of you will remember when he received the Ministry of Reader online at SS Peter & Paul's earlier in the summer. As they have prayed for us, let us keep them in our prayers!

After praying at the tomb of Blessed Carlo, Dave and Toby also visited the new Youth Oratory which is dedicated to him. It lies just behind the old Cathedral where he is buried in Assisi. In the background you can see the tower of the Basilica of St Clare. Dave and Toby are looking forward to welcoming a parish youth pilgrimage there. Not to mention a parish pilgrimage for the not so young as well!

THIS WEEK'S BULLETIN is now ready on the Mass Times and Bulletin page. As I write this, I am aware that we may be going into another lock-down. If so, the schedule of Masses on the bulletin will have to be abandoned and we will produce a new schedule of online Masses for this week. This schedule will be posted on this parish news page.
God Bless, Fr Mark

At the beatification of Blessed Carlo Acutis on Saturday it was announced that his feast day shall be on October 12th, the day  he died and was born into Eternal Life. As our new parish patron this means that from now on October 12th will be our parish Feast Day. This means that our new parish will be blessed by the prayers of a great panoply of Saints! SS Peter & Paul Apostles, St Michael the Archangel, St Bernadette, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Blessed John Sugar, Martyr, and now Blessed Carlo Acutis, the first millennial to be beatified.  As we have not received the new official Mass prayers for the feast, we will be using the "Common of Men Saints for one Saint" from the Lectionary and the Liturgy of the Hours.

To download the prayers and readings for Mass today click the button below:

Prayer in Thanksgiving for the Beatification of the Blessed Carlo Acutis

Oh Father, we give you thanks for the ardent testimony of Blessed Carlo Acutis,
who made the Eucharist the core of his life
and the strength of his daily commitments
so that everybody may love You above all else. 

Confirm my faith, nurture my hope, strengthen my charity,
in the image of young Carlo
who, growing in these virtues, now lives with You.
Grant me the grace that I need …
I trust in You, Father,
and your Beloved Son Jesus,
in the Virgin Mary, our Dearest Mother,
and in the intervention of 
Blessed Carlo Acutis.
​
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be

If you have any questions about this, please contact David Spinks at david.spinks1949@gmail.com