News

“It is Friday 4th September as I sit here writing this. Now, you may ask, ‘so what’? Aha! I tell you, it is in fact the date on which I complete my 8th year here in the Catholic Parish of Bishop’s Stortford! People say ‘time goes so fast’, and ‘I don’t know where it’s gone’. […]

Parish Message for the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time Dear Parishioners, ‘Do I really know you?’ This is a question that many couples ask each other at some point of their relationship. It can either be taken seriously or as a casual comment. I usually tell couples that marry that they really know each other […]

Parish Message for the 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time Dear Parishioners, ‘Who do you say I am?’ This is the question Jesus puts before to his disciples at Caesarea Philippi in this Sunday’s Gospel. It seems to be a simple question. It can even be responded differently. Obviously, the question really provokes us to ponder […]

Thank you to our brilliant team of volunteers who are helping with the Anglicans to keep the Church open for private prayer. As the Anglican community is returning to celebrate their public liturgies, we need to assess how we can continue the possibility of private prayer at Holy Cross. Because it requires a Diocesan Risk […]

Parish Message for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary   Dear Parishioners,   On 8 May this year, we celebrated the 75th Anniversary of VE Day. In fact, there are some parishioners who remember that day when the War in Europe came to an end. Winston Churchill marked the day with these words: Now […]

*Please note* HM Government is adding museums, galleries, cinemas and places of worship to the list of places where face coverings should be worn in England. It is currently a recommendation, but will become law on 8 August.  

The ‘ Events’ page is now open for you to be able to ‘book’ to attend Mass   Why do I need to book to attend a Mass? In line with the latest Government and Diocesan Guidelines, it is most important that we can ‘track and trace’ everyone who comes to Mass in the event […]

We now have our new 3 Phase Electricity connected! This has involved digging up the pavement outside the Church and the Bishop’s Stortford Town Council Offices to allow the cabling to be installed along with a new electricity meter. We are just awaiting another company to come and fill in the hole. Traffic lights had […]

Things are looking up at the Food Bank I thought it might be useful to give people an update on how things are going with Bishop’s Stortford Food Bank, following on from the article in last week’s Independent, ‘Food Bank demand trebles in lockdown’. These have been difficult times for all those living with the […]

RE-OPENING ST JOSEPH’S CHURCH FOR THE CELEBRATION OF MASS If you know of Parishioners who do not have access to the internet, please consider printing consider printing this information off for them . Thank you We are pleased to announce that we expect to re-open St Joseph and the English Martyrs church for some public […]

We hope to hold an evening Memorial Mass for Canon Eddie on Thursday 1st April 2021 at St Joseph and the English Martyrs Catholic Church on the first anniversary following his death. Further details will follow..   ARCHBISHOP’S HOUSE WESTMINSTER Canon Edward Matthews R.I.P. ‘The liturgy, through which the work of our redemption takes place, […]

Paulo from Portugal was very happy to be photographed doing a great job laying our Spanish stone

You may have heard that Her Majesty’s Government, in partnership with Public Health England, have agreed to allow us to celebrate Mass with parishioners present, but only under very specific and rigid conditions. This is not a return to normal Sunday Masses at all, but only another stage as we go forward with the presence […]

Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ, Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. On Tuesday we heard the announcement that, from the 4th July this year, places of worship will be able to reopen for prayer and services. We welcome this news with great joy. Since the lockdown […]

As you will have heard by now, the government has announced today that, from 4th July, we can resume our public liturgies. We welcome this good news that will allow us to gather once more with parishioners to celebrate Mass and the other sacraments. We await further guidance from the government and from the Bishops’ […]

I was looking at the readings for this Sunday’s Mass and, as always, it’s the little snippets that shout out at me and stick in my mind. As you can see from the first reading, Jeremiah is going through a pretty bad time but in the midst of all his fears he says, ‘But the […]

  PLEASE SEE THE LINKS BELOW WHICH IS COVID-19 and SAFEGUARDING GUIDANCE FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS – this has also been sent to those individuals directly  COVID-19- Guidance for Volunteers. 2020.06.08 – Safeguaridng Advice for Stewards – Guidance on Reopening Ca…

Please see the latest photographs taken on 18th June 2020 of the inside of St Joseph’s taken by Fr Peter, some of which have a similar resemblance to that of a Roman hypocaust and our own Terracotta army..     Welcome to ‘ Carel’ 🙂   The ‘ Boiler free’ Plant room

Photos courtesy of Fr Peter    

These are difficult times. Many of us here in the UK have suffered terribly because of coronavirus, coping with grief, anxiety and hardship. In the world’s poorest countries, health care systems are not coping with the coronavirus and families are going hungry because people cannot go out to earn money. CAFOD is helping protect and […]

Please be aware that there is a new ‘ hoax email entitled ‘ Blessed be God’ using the email address parishpastor1373@gmail.com in circulation. Subject: Blessed Be God Hi,Hope you are having a nice day? i need your help with a very important errand. Email me as soon as you get my message. Fr. Peter Harris […]

Photo courtesy of Fr Peter

As we emerge from lockdown, how can we best support friends who are grieving for loved ones who have died during the coronavirus pandemic? Helping people cope with bereavement and grief in the wake of the pandemic Dr Lynn Bassett, a retired healthcare chaplain, looks at some of the challenges to be faced in dealing […]

An online course that helps participants learn how best to accompany people with intellectual disabilities as they face death and bereavement. 22 June to 2 August 2020 Online Only This online course, provided by the University of Roehampton and created by Cristina Gangemi from the Kairos Forum, helps participants learn how best to accompany people with […]

Ten suggestions from an enclosed religious order on how to get through these days in confinement and not perish in the attempt! 1. FREEDOM OF SPIRIT First and most fundamental of all is your approach, the way you interpret the situation, your awareness that it is not defeat. Paradoxically, now can be your chance to […]

We think that Fr Joseph Hanton RIP would have approved of this fantastic handiwork created by and kindly shared  by one of our Parishioners, Dominic. A former Redemptorist novice-master and Rector, Fr. Hanton was  an avid fan of Everton. As Chaplain to St. Joseph’s Catholic primary school, Bishop’s Stortford, he was revered and loved by […]

Applications are now open for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion 2021 for those Children who live in the parish, which will take place on Saturday 8th May 2021 at St Joseph and the English Martyrs and on Sunday 9th May 2021 at Most Holy Redeemer and Holy Cross. The preparation programme is […]