Welcome to the website of the Catholic Parish of St John Henry Newman, which was founded on 1st October 2010, by the Rt. Rev. Peter Doyle, then Bishop of Northampton.
We consist of two Catholic churches: St Wulstan’s church in Totteridge and Our Lady of Grace church in Booker.
We are part of the R C Diocese of Northampton whose bishop is the Rt. Rev. David Oakley.
Our Parish Newsletter
Our newsletter is an important document which brings to our parishioners all the latest information, including:
- Times of Masses and devotions at our two churches.
- Readings and prayers.
- Parish and Diocesan notices and news.
- Contact details.
TO DOWNLOAD OR VIEW the most recent Newsletter, simply click the link at the top right of this web site.
The month of March is dedicated to
St Joseph
The Holy Father’s intention for March:
For New Martyrs
Let us pray that those who risk their lives for the Gospel in various parts of the world might imbue the Church with their courage and missionary drive.
NEXT WEEKS MASSES – YEAR B
16th – 23rd March 2024)
SATURDAY (16th) 5.00pm Our Lady of Grace
SUNDAY (17th) 9.00am St Wulstan’s (FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT – YEAR B)
SUNDAY (17th) 11.00am Our Lady of Grace (FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT – YEAR B)
MONDAY (18th) 9.30am St Augustine’s (St Cyril of Jerusalem – Bishop & Doctor of the Church)
TUESDAY (19th) 10.00am St Wulstan’s (ST JOSEPH – SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY)
WEDNESDAY (20th) 9.30am St Augustine’s
THURSDAY (21st) 7.00pm Our Lady of Grace
FRIDAY (22nd) 10.00am St Wulstan’s
SATURDAY (23rd) 9.30am St Augustine’s (St Turibius of Mogrovejo – Bishop)
Pope’s Prayer Intention for March
For the new martyrs
We pray that those who risk their lives for the Gospel in various parts of the world inflame the Church with their courage and missionary enthusiasm.
You can watch the video here
Bishop David’s Lenten Gospel Reflections
Bishop David has produced a Gospel reflection for the fifth Sunday of Lent.
You can listen to Bishop David’s reflection here: https://on.soundcloud.com/XGrxN
Right to Life
Support an amendment to reduce our abortion law from 24 weeks to 22 weeks. Babies born prematurely at 22 weeks are thriving and there is a contradiction in our abortion law. Collect a postcard today from the back of the church and post it to your MP insupport of this amendment.
Right to Life
Pro -Abortion MP’s Stella Creasey and Diana Johnson , have tabled two extreme abortion amendments in an attempt to hijack the Criminal Justice Bill. Right To Life has launched a tool on its website that makes it easy for you to email your MP to ask them to oppose the two extreme abortion up to birth amendments and sign Early Day Motion 131 to stop abortion pills being sent out without an in-person medical appointment. Please visit https://righttolife.org.uk/abortionamendments to contact your MP now. It ony takes 30 seconds.
EMMAUS – Opening the Scriptures
Our South Bucks Pastoral Area.
SPRING 2024 TALKS
They will be held on the1st Wednesday of each month from 7:30-9pm. Venue: St Teresa’s Church, Beaconsfield, HP9 2PL Register Now at: www.stjosephs.org.uk/Emmaus
Wednesday 10th April “You are my witnesses ( Isa 43:10)” Speaker: Fr Pius Amoako
Through Lent with Pope Francis
There’s a great online retreat at https://www.onlineprayer.net/lent-2024/ with a quotation from Pope Francis, scripture, a picture, music and reflection for each day and a printed booklet available too. Contact Joanna joanna.hale@northamptondiocese.org if you’d like to reserve a copy of the booklet or would like the link for prayer together on weekday mornings, 7.40am for 7.45 to 8.15.
St Hilda’s, Whitby – Oasis of Silence
Lead a programme of contemplative prayer days and retreats based at the Priory in Whitby, North Yorkshire. The retreats are based on the Gries Path of Prayer developed by the Jesuit Priest Fr. Franz Jalics. The programme is ecumenical and open to Christians from all denominations.
Mass for the Sick and Housebound
Mgr Kevin McGinnell will celebrate Mass for the sick and housebound at Northampton Cathedral on Saturday 27th April at 11.00am.
AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED
Aid to the Church in Need are seeking new volunteers. Please see the poster below for more details.
Mission Northampton
The Secrets of St Paul is a 10-week online course beginning on Wednesday 10th January and finishing on Wednesday 20th March. Participants will have an opportunity to reflect on the life of St Paul as a model missionary disciple. For more information visit www.northamptondiocese.org/courses or call 01604 434362
Life in the Spirit
Beginning on Tuesday 16th April and running for 6 weeks including a retreat day on 18th May, Life In The Spirit Seminars are designed for anyone looking to know more about life in the Spirit of God. The seminars are free to attend and can be joined at Northampton Cathedral or one of the ‘hub’ venues in Milton Keynes, Luton, Slough, Bedford, Corby or Aylesbury. For more information visit https://northamptondiocese.org/life-in-the-spirit-seminars-2024/
Pilgrims of Hope Tour
Bishop David has announced a list of dates he will visit parishes across our diocese for ‘an evening with…’. During the evening Bishop David will pray with those present, offer some words and take questions before spending time socially with the community. The evenings will be open to all, Catholic’s and non-Catholic’s. You are invited to come along and bring a friend or family member who is interested in our Catholic faith. We hope that people will feel able to cross parish boundaries and attend an evening in the local area. For more information and full list of venues and dates visit https://northamptondiocese.org/pilgrims-of-hope-tour/
Notre Dame Cathedral
The Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich has presented several initiatives for the reopening of the Cathedral of Notre Dame on December 8, 2024, including an inaugural triduum and an octave of prayer. More here https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2024-02/france-paris-catheral-notre-dame-reopening-schedule.html
Ignation Pilgrimage – Spain (7th – 13th April)
St Joseph’s Gerrards Cross pilgrimage travelling by coach from Bilbao to Barcelona would welcome more participants: please contact joanna.hale@northamptondiocese.org for details.
Diocesan Pilgrimages
For information on all the planned pilgrimages for 2024-2025 please visit our webpage here. Information will be updated as it is known
Northern France 2024 Rome/Assisi
In October 2024, as part of the year of prayer, our diocese have organised a pilgrimage to Lisieux, Chartres and Paris. You are invited to join Bishop David Oakley and Canon John Udris on this pilgrimage of prayer. Bookings open on Monday 18th March and places are limited. For more information visit https://northamptondiocese.org/france/
Rome/Assisi 2025
In March 2025, as part of the Jubilee year with the theme of ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, our diocese has organised a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi. You are invited to join Bishop David Oakley on this Jubilee pilgrimage of prayer. Bookings open on Monday 18th March and places are limited. For more information visit https://northamptondiocese.org/rome-and-assisi/
Catholic Association Pilgrimage to Lourdes
Incorporating Northampton & other Dioceses
Will take place from the 23rd to the 30th August
For more information or to register your interest email:
contact@catholicassociation.co.uk
The Beckett Festival
Will take place over the weekend 6-7th July 2024 at Northampton Cathedral. On Saturday 6th Mass will begin a daily program at 11.00am. It is hoped that each pastoral area will consider transport to enable parishioners to attend on this day. A program for the weekend will be available in the next few weeks.
‘Fiduccia Suppilcans’
Furher Information:
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has issued a press release concerning the reception of Fiducia supplicans. I encourage you to read this document as it clarifies some of the concerns that have been heard from you recently. The release can be read online here
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of The Faith, with approval from Pope Francis has issued a declaration on the pastoral meaning of blessings. Cardinal Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago has said:
“At the heart of the declaration is a call for priests to take a pastoral approach to being available to people, who recognise the need for God’s help and presence in their lives, without claiming a legitimation of their particular status. As such, the Declaration is a step forward”
Please read the document thoroughly here: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2023/12/18/0901/01963.html#en
2024: Year of Prayer
Our prayer resources for Lent and the Year of Prayer has been updated here https://northamptondiocese.org/prayer-resources/
Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa OFM, preacher to the Papal houselhold, has written a prayer for the Year of prayer
Spirit Paraclete,
thou who hast raised up in the Church the Charismatic Renewal,
descend again with power On all the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the world.
Grant that the whole “current of grace” be animated with new momentum.
With your holy anointing, enable all of us to proclaim the good news to the poor and to heal afflicted hearts.
Purify what is unclean in the Charismatic Renewal, Heal what is wounded in it,
Warm what is chilled,Straighten what is astray.
Bring together the scattered children of God and Christians divided among them.
Renew our courage,fill our loneliness in the world,
create in us intimacy with God!
Come, Holy Spirit, from the pierced side of Christ on the cross! Come from the mouth of the Risen One! Come and renew the face of the Church. Amen
His Em. Card. Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa O.F.M. Cap.
After a year devoted to reflecting on the documents and studying the fruits of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Francis has proposed that 2024 should be marked as a year dedicated to prayer. In preparation for the Jubilee, parishes are invited to promote initiatives to remind people of the centrality of both individual prayer and community prayer.
Jubilee Year https://northamptondiocese.org/jubilee-2025/2023:
Year of the Council https://northamptondiocese.org/council/
2024: Year of prayer https://northamptondiocese.org/year-of-prayer/
General Prayer Resources https://northamptondiocese.org/prayer-resources/
Catholic Parish Summit
Catholic Parish Summit is a three-day event planned for June (12-14) next year in Harrogate, Yorkshire and is open to all Catholic parishes across England and Wales. The Summit hopes to bring together parishes who are seeking to develop or enhance a missionary approach to parish life. Book here https://northamptondiocese.org/cps/
COP28
The Holy Father has called on leaders at COP28 to do more and prevent the climate crisis from causing more damage to communities who did the least to cause it.Write to your MP to share Pope Francis’ important message ahead of the UN climate talks.https://action.cafod.org.uk/page/137965/action/1
World On Fire Institute
The institute consists of 40+ online courses accessed through a dedicated app. The UK now has a dedicated Director and forum within the institute. If you would like to find out more and try it out for three months free (with optional cancellation at any time and no obligation to pay) please visit https://institute.wordonfire.org
Responding To The Psalms
Each month the spirituality committee of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales share reflections on the Psalms. https://northamptondiocese.org/responding-to-the-psalms/
Agenzia Fides
Here is the link to the Catholic Church Statistics for 2023.https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/FMfcgzGwHLpZKbczNXrdkCDwgBgWrvzj?projector=1&messagePartId=0.3
Conflict in the Middle East – CAFOD
Cardinals Statement
Cardinal Vincent Nichols has issued a statement on the killings in the Church compound of the Catholic Parish of the Holy Family in Gaza City: “I am heartbroken at the information provided by Cardinal Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, of killings in the Church compound of the Catholic Parish of the Holy Family in Gaza City. I have immediately sent a message to His Eminence, expressing my horror at these events and assuring him of the prayers of Catholics in England and Wales. “I have twice been warmly welcomed to this parish by its people. They are a remarkable community of faith and genuine service to their neighbours. Together with the dedicated Religious Sisters, they have continued to provide shelter and sustenance to many people during these weeks of warfare. They are a people who yearn for peace. “The information provided by the Cardinal, gives a picture of seemingly deliberate and callous killing by IDF soldiers of innocent civilians: an elderly woman and her daughter in the grounds of a church. This killing has to stop. It can never be justified. “I ask all people of faith and goodwill to continue to pray for an end to this conflict by all sides.”
Cardinal Vincent Nichols
President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales
16 December 2023
CAFOD have produced three ways we can respond; prayer, donating and sending a message to our Foreign Secretary. Find out more here https://cafod.org.uk/news/emergencies-news/israeli-palestinian-crisis-how-you-can-help
Here is the link to the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa pastoral letter sent to his Diocese.
https://www.lpj.org/posts/letter-to-the-entire-diocese.html
GAZA / ISRAEL
You may be interested in this snapshot overview of the impact of the war in the Holy Land. The data, provided by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs was published on 13 November. https://www.ochaopt.org/content/hostilities-gaza-strip-and-israel-reported-impact-day-38
CSAN, Caritas Social Action Network have published this statement on the conflict
Two Apostolic Exhortations
Laudato Deum : Pope Francis has followed up on his 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si with another document focussed on the current ecological situation in our world. It is worth reading either the full document
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/20231004-laudate-deum.html
Or a summary from Bishops Conference here
https://www.cbcew.org.uk/laudate-deum-summary/
C’est La Confiance
This exhortation was given to mark the 150th anniversary of St Therese of the Child Jesus birthday. As the Church prepares for 2025, the Holy Year or Jubilee year, with 2024, a Year of Prayer, it might give you some inspiration to draw on this wonderful young saint as an example of confident prayer for the year ahead.
IN PREPARATION for the SYNOD OF BISHOPS 2023
To get a good brief overview of the first week of the Synod in Rome, follow this link:
16th General Ordinary Assembly of Bishops, Rome
You will be aware that the synod on synodality has reached the global phase in Rome. They have reached the half way point and this little video from ‘Rome Reports’ gives a summary of the last two weeks. https://youtu.be/wmlFgk27zS0?si=bjrD2RcdTU0qoXhy
Diocesan Assembly Update
Many thanks to all who attended the Diocesan Assembly, Pilgrims of Hope, on Saturday. It was a joyous, Spirit-filled day where stories of hurt and healing were told, and dreams shared for the future. The livestream of the day can be found here: https://youtu.be/xb0y7G3lTeM and a video of some of the working party findings can be found here. https://youtu.be/ajn8lGIkpg8. You can find all the reports and webinar recordings here, https://northamptondiocese.org/diocese-focus-synod/ and join the conversation via our portal.
In his final address, Bishop David said:
- An action plan will be finalised over the summer to address the main concerns of the listening.
- Every area of diocesan life will be encouraged and supported as we look to meet the changing needs of our Church and the world.
- There will be a new Diocesan Pastoral Council to take forward the agenda of the Assembly
Come Holy Spirit!
Synod On Synodality
This week the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops concluded following three weeks of (relatively) unreported dialogue.
The delegates issued a letter to the people of God, pre-empting the release of the synthesis closing this part of the synodal journey.
The letter to the people of God can be found here https://northamptondiocese.org/listen-to-everyone-start-with-the-poorest/
The synthesis can be read here https://northamptondiocese.org/a-synodal-church-in-mission/
Synod on Synodality
Alongside the above document from CBCEW, you may wish to read the homily from the Holy Father at the closing Mass of the Synod in Rome https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2023/documents/20231029-omelia-conclusione-sinodo.html
To learn more about the Synod click on the picture below
Guidance for Parishioners attending Mass in our churches
A full explanation of the procedures and precautions that are necessary in and around our churches can be found on our COVID-19 page.
Latest updates appear in our Newsletter, which can be downloaded from the link at the top of this page.
Live streaming from our Cathedral in Northampton
Those who happen to isolate for various reasons will be able to connect with our Cathedral in Northampton and join the live stream on: https://northamptondiocese.org/live/
The daily Mass readings, provided by Universalis, can also be read on our Liturgy web page
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
My Jesus,
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
As You are already there, I embrace You and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
based on a prayer by St Alphonsus Liguori
PRAYER TO ST MICHAEL
Holy Michael, the Archangel, defend us
in the day of battle.
Be our safeguard 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 down
to hell Satan and all the wicked spirits who wander through
the world for the ruin of souls.
PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
V. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful.
R/ And kindle in them the fire of Your love.
V. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created.
R/ And You will renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray. O God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His holy consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen
ANGELUS DOMINI
V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary…
V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R. Be it done to me according to thy word.
Hail Mary…
V. And the Word was made flesh.
R. And dwelt amongst us.
Hail Mary…
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Donations
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Thank you for your continuous help and support. I know we are living in very surreal times.
You all have always contributed to the maintenance of our churches, some through Standing Orders and others via envelopes or cash. But among the impacts of COVID-19, some ways of contributing have become more difficult.
The standing orders are still coming into our account. Others have already started giving online on the Diocesan Website, which is truly appreciated.
I know that some families in our parish might be in financial difficulties and not be able to donate, so they should not feel obliged to do so.
Our DONATE page lists the ways in which you can continue your contribution to our parish. These include an online donation on the Diocesan website, a standing order via the donor’s own bank, and our 200 Club. All necessary links and details are included.
Thank you for your generosity!
Our Patron: Saint John Henry Newman
In October 2010, the parishes of St Wulstan’s in Totteridge and of Our Lady of Grace in Booker were merged together into one parish & the chapels of St Edmund Campion in Hazlemere and St James’ the Great in Downley were joined to the new parish.
The new Parish was dedicated to the XIX Century English cardinal, Saint John Henry Newman, who was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI during his State Visit to the UK on 19th September 2010. He was subsequently canonised by Pope Francis on 13th October 2019 at St Peter’s in the Vatican State.