Preparing to open our Church Doors
Fr Graham • June 12, 2020
Helping us to prepare for opening Our Church
Dear Brothers and Sisters of OLQP
Open Church Doors - Questionaire
Return your Completed Questionnaire Here
Many of you will have heard recently of the Government's outline of the easing of lockdown. It is good that this includes the possible re-opening of Church buildings for private prayer. I am sure this brings a great deal of joy to many of you that we will be able to pray in front of and to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
However, the opening of our buildings is not an easy step to take as there are many tasks that need to be completed and provision made before we are given permission to open. Sadly, it is not just about opening the doors all day. So things will not be able to go back to normal yet.
We have been working hard, even before this announcement, to prepare for this moment and we have much of the PPE in place already and have been preparing the buildings for access with self-distancing in mind as well as movement around the buildings or areas we are making accessible. We still need to complete a full risk assessment and submit our intentions to the diocese for approval before Bishop Richard permits us to go ahead. So you can see, given the short timescale we have received, time is of the essence.
I am writing to inform you of this and to ask for your help.
There are TWO key conditions that must be in place before we can open. We need volunteers to STEWARD the buildings while they are open and also volunteers to CLEAN the areas that have been used. This is to ensure everyone's safety.
I enclose a volunteer questionnaire. Please can you consider if you can help in any way. If you are vulnerable or belong to the vulnerable groups that are listed then please do not volunteer. We do not want to put anyone at risk. Stewards and cleaners will be given guidelines and all the equipment and PPE they need. You will not be working alone. It will also be helpful if you can state on the form if you have a current DBS certificate either through the diocese or through your work.
Please do not return these forms to me. Please can you return them to: the appropriate venues:
Teresa (St Peter's)
Fran (Christ the King)
Sr Patrick (The Towers)
Or You can use the upload link here
Complete the contact form and attach the completed questionnaire to it before you send
I am grateful to Teresa, Fran and Sr Patrick for agreeing to be the contact for their respective communities and indeed for all who have helped to get us this far.
Some parishes in our deanery will not be opening all of their buildings and many only for a couple of hours one day a week. I sincerely hope that we can open all our churches but this will depend upon volunteers for stewards and cleaning. We can start small and then build up if things go well. This will be a preparation for the public celebration of Mass and prayer in the future. Perhaps we can start with opening for a few hours over a weekend?
Once we have your name and availability we will begin to see our options and then proceed to seek permission. I hope we will have more information about this over the weekend with a view of starting as soon as possible.
Please commit this to your prayer and especially to the novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary that starts tonight.
God bless you
Fr Graham
Catholics across our community of faith welcomed a new bishop on Monday, when Fr Stephen Wang was ordained as the sixth Bishop of our Diocese. Words from St Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians form the basis of Bishop Stephen’s episcopal motto: “Veritas in caritate.” Reflecting on their significance on Monday, he said: “‘To speak the truth in love’ is a phrase that has inspired my whole priesthood: the search for truth, and the conviction that truth and love can never contradict. If we love God, and love our neighbour; if we seek the truth and speak the truth in love; what more could God want from us, and what more could we hope for each other? “I’ve felt remarkably peaceful over the last three months,” he continued. “It’s definitely a grace – the spiritual joy and consolation I’ve experienced since my appointment. I’m not complacent; I understand there will be challenges, but I know it’s all in God’s hands.”
Thank you for all your prayers, support, cards and patience. Thank you to Fr Tony and Fr Dominic, and everyone who has worked hard to keep our parish thriving. Just to say I’m back, but please be gentle! My prayer for you all and all visitors to our parish. God bless you. Fr Graham
The annual blessing of the graves will take place next Sunday, 1st November. Throughout November, we will have the Books of Remembrance in the church. Please come and write in names of loved ones who have died in the past year (no need to rewrite names from previous years).
This week, in our Gospel reading, we hear about exclusion. The first people invited to the feast exclude themselves, they are too busy, and so others are invited. Indifference to God can affects us all. So, what can be done? Jesus has not just pointed out the problem He has also given us a way from falling into the trap of being, too busy for God. What did Jesus say to Martha when she complained that her sister, Mary, was not helping with the preparation of food? “Mary has chosen what is better.” Jesus does not say that Martha is doing something wrong, preparing food is a good thing to do, but it was not the priority at that moment. Learning to prioritise the sacred over the secular is tricky, St. Vincent de Paul taught that “if you are praying in the chapel and hear a knock at the door from someone in need, you should leave your prayer because Jesus is knocking.” To help with this dilemma I offer a piece of advice once given to me by a Bishop. Read the gospels. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach. With Blessings and my prayers for you all, Deacon Simon
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