From Bishop Richard - 2nd June
Webmaster • June 1, 2024
We gather for our celebration of Corpus Christi at a significant time in the life of our Diocese when the Pastoral Plan – The Word Who is Life – is being implemented. While this is a time of change, all we do grows from our encounter with the True Vine - the person of Jesus Christ – who gives Himself to us in the Eucharist. Our continuing conformity to Him, our remaining part of the Vine, is the only way for us to ensure that we are faithful to the Mission to which He has called us. Our celebration today, elevated by the wonderful carpet of flowers, celebrates the gift of the Eucharist, and impresses upon us all the centrality of the Lord’s
Eucharistic presence in our lives.
The wonder of the Eucharist calls for our utmost thanksgiving - it is the greatest gift for our journey. We speak of Viaticum - food for the journey - as the last Communion before death, but the Eucharist is the food for our journey of life. The Lord gives us His very self as the supreme sustenance for our lives. The
Lord’s Passover - His life death and resurrection - is made present by none other than the Lord himself, acting through his Priest. Just as Jesus gave Himself to the Apostles in the Upper Room, under the appearance of bread and wine, so He gives Himself to us. He is the Bread of Life. Like the disciples at
Emmaus, we recognise Him in the breaking of bread and our hearts burn within us as He speaks to us on the road of our own pilgrimage and feeds us with his very self.
Every aspect of our life as His people should flow from the Eucharist and we bring ourselves and all our life's
experience to the foot of the cross and to the empty tomb as we gather to listen to Him, welcome Him, praise Him and receive Him. As the writer of the letter to the Hebrews explains: through His death on the cross, Jesus, Who is the new covenant, makes it possible for us to render service to the Living God.
The Eucharist is beyond our understanding. We see and receive Jesus, Who humbled Himself to share in our humanity and Who, in this action of the Mass, calls us to share in His life, in His divinity. This wonderful mystery, through which we become conformed to Christ, demands our lifelong reflection, prayer, participation and thanksgiving.
Our Eucharistic procession is a significant and powerful extension of this celebration. Pope St. Paul VI, whose feast we celebrated only yesterday, wrote of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament as “a proof of gratitude, an expression of love and a duty of adoration towards Christ our Lord”. Expressing our gratitude, love and adoration in a public way is a witness to our faith in Jesus’ Real Presence. The procession is an act of witness and, together with the celebration of the Eucharist itself, is a moment of evangelization. This public
witness to the Eucharistic Presence of the Lord proclaims Him to the world. The Eucharist is at the heart of our mission as the Church, for it is here that we encounter Christ, deepen our unity with Him and with one another. It is this encounter, this closeness to the Lord, which we proclaim.
Across the Diocese, Eucharistic Adoration provides opportunities for prayer to underpin the work of the Pastoral Plan. These times are a vital element in the life of the Diocese as we look to the future and the continuing renewal of our mission.
Many will remember the Adoremus gathering in Liverpool a few years ago, part of the celebration of Eucharistic Congresses across the whole world. Indeed, our flower carpet team laid a carpet in Liverpool’s Metropolitan Cathedral for that celebration. This year, Adoremus continues, as it were, with a gathering at
Oscott College in Birmingham on the 14th of September. Each Diocese has been offered 44 places for this event and you can book a place and find out more details on our diocesan website.
Spend time with the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, speak to others of his Real Presence, share frequently in the celebration of the Eucharist for it is participation in Him that brings about, in a way not possible in any other context, our conformity to Him, and the growth in holiness that will enable us to proclaim Him to the world.
With every blessing,
+ Richard
To tie in with our hosting of the Eucharistic Miracles Exhibition of Saint Carlo Acutis in the Parish Room at St Peter’s this autumn, we are planning a special day on Saturday 17th October , centred around Saint Carlo Acutis, with a FirstClass Relic. We are fortunate to have speaker Anna Johnstone, Guardian of the Relic and former Governess to the Acutis Family visiting our parish. Since 2017 Anna has given presentations on the life and spirituality of Saint Carlo Acutis, facilitated missions, and helped new Saint Carlo apostolates, across the UK. Anna is a British Catholic convert who read Theology at Cambridge. The day will include mass, prayer, veneration of the relic, adoration, exhibition and talks. You are welcome to all or part of the day. Tea/coffee available; please bring a packed lunch. Exhibition Dates: 17 October – 1 November 2026 Please help us spread the word by taking a poster and/or flyers. All are welcome
From our second reading: ‘Practise these things, and the God of peace will be with you.’ [Philippians 4:9] The phrase ‘the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’ appears in Psalm 118, and in today’s Gospel, and in the Acts of the Apostles, (4:11). Occurring before, during, and after the life of Jesus suggests to me that it is one of the more meaningful descriptions of the Messiah, Jesus. The cornerstone of a building is the most important stone in a foundation; it sets the angles, alignment, and structural integrity of the entire building. All other parts of the building are placed in relation to the cornerstone. So, what is our relationship with Jesus as cornerstone? Jesus is our spiritual cornerstone, and our prayer life should be modelled on His. Jesus is our physical cornerstone and everything we do should be aligned to His actions. Jesus is our mental cornerstone, and our thoughts should mirror His thoughts. I find thinking like Jesus the hardest because Jesus showed us how to pray, and he showed us what to do, but he did not specifically tell us what to think. Fortunately, St. Paul is a help, he suggests that whatever is true, honourable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, anything excellent and anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Happy thinking and Blessings, Deacon Simon
Following his episcopal ordination, Bishop Stephen will celebrate a Mass of Welcome at Worth Abbey on Saturday 24 October at 11.00 am attended by representatives from the diocesan deaneries, parishes and schools. The Diocese is sending one coach to each deanery to enable people to travel easily to this event. The coach will have three pick-up points, St Catherine’s Littlehampton, English Martyrs, Goring-by-Sea and Holy Family Lancing (all with car parks in which to leave your car). This is an invitation to you. If you are able to come, please contact Anne Niven either with an email to emgoring@english-martyrs.co.uk or leave a message on the phone 01903 242624, with your name and telephone number. The first 52 replies will be those who go. A waiting list will be kept so that if anyone drops out the next person on the list will be invited to take a place.
Preparing for the Sacraments There will be instruction starting in the coming weeks for the sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation. If you would like to express an interest at this stage or enquire (for you or your child), please speak to Deacon Simon or email the office: adurvalley@abdiocese.org.uk . First Holy Communion application forms are now available from the sacristy
WELCOME TO OUR PARISH On Satuday 17th October 2026 , our parish is hosting at St Peter’s: A Day With Saint Carlo Acutis. We are extremely fortunate to have speaker Anna Johnstone with us for the whole weekend, who set up www.ukmiracles.com in 2017. The website was launched as an information point designed to help bring Saint Carlo Acutis' International Exhibition of Eucharistic Miracles, and accompanying resources, to parishes and schools in the UK. Since 2024 this apostolate has also been making available a First Class Relic of Saint Carlo Acutis . Anna Johnstone is a family friend of the Acutis family, and the Governess, for three years, (2015-2018), to the brother and sister of Saint Carlo. Since 2017 Anna has given presentations on the life and spirituality of Saint Carlo Acutis, facilitated missions, and helped new Saint Carlo apostolates, across the UK. Anna is a British Catholic convert who read Theology at Cambridge. The visit on Saturday 17th October will mark the start of our parish hosting the Exhibition of Eucharistic Miracles. We are reaching out to other parishes, schools and universities. Please help us spread the word by taking a poster and/or flyers. All are welcome.
Saturday Sanctuary, 3 October , 11am-12.45pm, St John the Baptist, Brighton, BN2 1AP. A morning of fellowship, reflection, prayer and silence on selected Saturdays. This session includes an Introduction to Spiritual Direction. See website for more details: www.monksinthecity.uk
Last Friday’s parliamentary vote saw the Assisted Dying Bill defeated by 286 votes to 270. Archbishop John Sherrington thanked all who contacted their MPs and all who spoke up for the dignity of human life. He reminded us that compassion means accompanying those who suffer with care and solidarity, not encouraging an end to life.
Pope Leo appointed Fr Stephen Wang as sixth bishop of our Diocese on 2 July. In a video recorded recently for the Catholic Truth Society (CTS), Bishopelect Stephen offers a simple, practical introduction to prayer. “Prayer is wonderful,” he says, “prayer is so important, but prayer can be hard as well. How many times have people come up to me as a priest and said, ‘Father, I want to pray, but I don't know how to start. I don't know what to do, and I feel a bit stuck…’ “I remember the first time I prayed as an adult; I didn't really know what to do, but I was in my bedroom. I closed my door. I sat on the edge of my bed and… just talked to God and said something like, ‘Dear God, I'm not sure if you're there. I hope you're listening. These are the things on my heart, on my mind…’” “I encourage you, whatever way works for you in prayer, find it and stick to that. There aren't too many rules, but if you can find a little bit of quiet [or] silence, listening prayerfully to the Word of God… can be a great help to prayer.” Click here to see the talk in full: Bishop-Elect Stephen on prayer Or search for Catholic Truth Society on YouTube.
There will be a free ‘Poetry Café’ at St Peter’s on Thursday 1st October from 12.00-2.00pm. Music, poetry and refreshments. Free entry. All are welcome. See poster and Wordfest brochure for more details.
RNID's friendly volunteers can support you with: • Information on hearing loss and tinnitus • Free hearing checks for adults • Hearing aid cleaning, maintenance and basic repairs • Advice on accessing local support and services Join us at The Shoreham Centre, 2 Pond Road, Shoreham-by-Sea, BN43 5WU on the second Wednesday of each month from 1pm to 3pm. No appointment necessary. RNID - National charity supporting people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus.