X WELCOME TO A NEW ACADEMIC AND PASTORAL YEAR 2025/2026
- I take
this opportunity to welcome and wish us all a very good academic and pastoral
year 2025/2026. Our focus during this new year is to reflect together on how to
increase the involvement of many and all our parishioners in the life of the
parish. God has given each one of us TIME, TREASURE AND TALENTS to be used for
his greater glory, and in so doing we return God’s gifts to Him through our
service to the community, worship of God, commitment to the faith, financial
maintenance and our contributions to the spiritual growth and mission of the
parish.
Many parishes in our Archdiocese of Southwark have used “Planned Giving Drive” to help their members to make use of their God given gifts as mentioned above. Our parish will be reflecting on “Planned given Drive” on 27th/28th September; 4th/5th October and 11th/12 October 2025. My desire is to encourage all the parishioners to take part of the three slots by attending Mass in the parish during those three weekends. Please keep the dates in your diaries, so that you can attend Mass in the parish, to experience what “Planned Given Drive” means. Thank you all for your generosity in sharing Time, Treasure and Talents with your parish.
X RECEPTION OF HOLY COMMUNION DURING MASS – Only
Catholics in state of grace receive communion during Mass. The priest/minister
raises the host slightly and shows it to each of the communicants, saying The
Body of Christ; Response: Amen.
Those Christians who are not in full communion with the Catholic Church and Roman Catholics not able to receive Holy Communion are welcome to receive a blessing. Those wishing to receive a blessing are asked to approach the priest with their arms crossed over their chess. Those receiving Holy Communion in your hands please put it in your mouth before leaving the minister/priest.
X SCAN THE QR
CODE TO DONATE DIRECTLY TO THE PARISH, THANK YOU.
X INFANT BAPTISM – May only happen after undergoing a
preparation with the parish priest. Baptisms can then be celebrated at either
3pm on a Saturday or 1pm on a Sunday on the 1st or 3rd
Sunday of the month. Please note the preparation for infant Baptism will take
place every second Sunday of the month after 11 am Mass in the Hall.
X CATECHETICAL WORKSHOPS Every parishioner, as well as teachers and parents in our schools, has free and unlimited access to the workshops created by the world-renowned Catechetical Institute. From Scripture to parenting workshops, to catechetical training and mentoring, there is something for everyone. For information on how to register your free account visit: https://aec.rcaos.org.uk/franciscan
X WE PRAY FOR THE SICK - We remember all those who are sick or housebound and that they remain in our prayers including Catalina Fernández, Anne Sharp, Kathleen Lynch, Bernadette Pay, Blanche Ellis, Liz Willis, Stacy Rodrigues, Ann Robinson, Uzo Mbanugo, Bob & Tess Vickery, Canon Luke Smith, Beulah Blomfield, John Lodge, Veronica Poulton, Margaret Woolley, and all those who have asked for our prayers.
X WE PRAY FOR THE RECENTLY DECEASED - Please pray for the repose of the soul of Ema Deba, Christine Mary Kempson, Ortila Yvonne Maroney, Debbie Jones, Charles Barr, Robert Claridge, Silvana Costa-Solaro, and all those who have died recently, and those whose anniversaries fall at this time including: Delia Tulloch, Alexander McCaw, Dorothy Sobol (31st Aug); Ruby Thompson, Esther Blumire, Serafina Rico, Cyril Chantler (1st Sept); Janet Rynehart, Peter Hughes, Florence Bateson, Alice McLaughlin (2nd Sept); Annie Maxwell, Bronislav Bernas, William Davies, Neville Apthorpe, Yvonne Avanne, Myra Pound (3rd Sept); Suzanne Boileau (4th Sept); Capt William Twyman DCM, Daniel Hennessey, Giovanni Pomponio (5th Sept); Florence Raeburn (6th Sept); James Donoghue, Dierdre Barfoot, Jan Karaban, Martin Starr, Joseph Kotowski (7th Sept).
X ENROLMENT FOR SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME FOR 2025/2026. All our Parish
sacramental programmes start in October 2025. Therefore, the enrolment has
started from 6th July 2025 and will continue through to 30th September 2025.
Anyone,
within the following categories, who is thinking about First Reconciliation;
First Holy Communion; Confirmation for young people; Reception into the Church
as unbaptised; Baptised Non-Catholic; and an adult Catholic who has not been
confirmed is now called to fill in the appropriate form available at the back
of the church and return it to the Presbytery for their enrolment.
From the 1st October 2025, all the sacramental Programmes will start – so please spread the word to those you know are in the categories listed above.
X REMINDER AND LAST CALLS – re the above. The
deadline for enrolment for First Holy Communion, First Reconciliation,
Confirmation and Order of Christian Initiation for Adults is 30th SEPTEMBER 2025. Please anyone
wishing to celebrate the Sacraments in 2026 is urged to return their forms as
soon as possible.
X FORTHCOMING DIOCESAN/NATIONAL SECOND COLLECTIONS:
14th September – The Catholic
Education Service
21th September–Evangelii Gaudium Sunday (Home Mission)
X AMARIYE IS RUNNING OR WHEELING ALONG IN THE GREAT NORTH RUN - Hello fellow parishioners, some of you may know me. I am Amariye and I go to the 11.00 Mass. I am 12 years old and have Wolf Hirschhorn Syndrome and permanently use a wheelchair. I am a happy boy and my mama says I am beautiful and mamas are always right! I would like to help raise funds to improve disability access in our lovely church and hall. Will you help me please? I am going to be ‘running’ or wheeling along in The Great North Run on September 6th this year with Mama in my papa Brian’s memory. It would be wonderful if you could sponsor me please. Any amount great or small would be appreciated. In the next week or so I will be setting up a ‘Just Giving Page’ with a QR code. Everything raised will be ring-fenced for disability improvements. If you prefer there will be a form at the back of the church to sign your name with your promised amount and we can collect after the event. We have a little way to go but if we all pull together we can do it! Watch out for other fundraising events too. Wish me luck Thank you. Love Amariye.
X FRIENDS OF KENT CHURCHES ANNUAL SPONSORED RIDE & STRIDE 2025 – will take place on Saturday 13th September. We would like to be able to welcome walkers/cyclists to our church and sign off their sponsor forms in person. If you are able to help for an hour or two, please put your name down on the sheet at the back of the church. Thank you. For further information please contact Sara Adams 07745 247102
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve: to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O merciful, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Amen.
WE FLY TO THY PROTECTION
We
fly to Thy protection, O Holy Mother of God.
Do
not despise our petitions in our necessities, but
deliver us always from all dangers,
O
Glorious and Blessed Virgin.
PRAYER TO ST MICHAEL
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.
Presbytery and Parish Office:
41 Guildhall Street, Folkestone, Kent CT20 1EF
Tel: 01303 252823
e-mail: folkestone@rcaos.org.uk
Parish Priest: Fr Alex Saba MA, MSLR, MCL, JCL
Hall Bookings: hallbookingonline.com/folkestone/
