‘CONFIDENT PARENTING IN A WORLD OF SCREENS’ - webinar - 29th April, 20.00 Hardly a day goes by without some headline highlighting the impact of smartphones and social media upon teenagers. They face a whole new level of complexity as they grow up in a digital world, but as parents and carers there are so many things we can do to help them navigate it well. CELEBRATE Trust has invited a speaker from Care for the Family, a national UK charity, to share how we can best support teenagers through the challenges of our digital world, and offer practical advice and principles to apply in our own unique families. This is the first of 2 webinars for parents and carers of teenagers. The second webinar will be on ‘Raising Teenagers in a Catholic Family’ with the Messy Family Project, a Catholic family ministry from the US on 2 nd June 2026, 20.00 To book: www.celebratetrust.org/faith-parenting

As we prepare for coming of Pentecost this year the Epsom Deanery will be holding an extended time of prayer for 24 hours. The event will take place in St Joseph's Church, Epsom, KT18 7JQ commencing with 10.00 Mass on Friday 22nd May and concluding with Mass at 10.00 Saturday 23rd May . This is a graced moment for us all to gather in prayer around the Lord in the Eucharist - to pray, to adore, to be silent, and to hold the brokenness of our world before the healing presence of Christ. The event will be divided into 1 hour slots to which parishioners from all across the Deanery are invited to commit to coming to the church and spending 1 hour in prayer. We need at least two people to commit to each hour (so that is a minimum of 48 people across the Deanery). If you are unable to offer an hour you can come at any time for as long or short a time as you can manage during the 24 hour period - and of course more than two people can sign up for any particular hour. Those who are sick or housebound and unable to attend are invited to send their prayer intentions (in writing and in good time) via their local Parish Office and these will be placed before the Blessed Sacrament. There will also be opportunities to pray the Rosary, celebrate Reconciliation, and join in communal prayer at specific times (more information to follow). Sign-Up Sheets will be available in all the Epsom Deanery Churches from next weekend (25 th & 26 th April). For those who would like to attend but do not have transport, it is hoped to coordinate lift-sharing through the Parish Offices of the church where you are registered. Once we have a clearer picture of who may require assistance and who is able to offer a lift, we can try to make the necessary arrangements. As St Theresa of Avila said in the 16th Century, 'the world is on fire' - how much more so today. May the Lord bless all our efforts and desires to bring His Peace into the world. Fr Simon Hall, Epsom, on behalf of the Deanery

Wednesday 1st April, 18.00, Arundel Cathedral, BN18 9AY. People from across our diocesan family of faith are invited to join Bishop Gerard Bradley and members of clergy at the annual Chrism Mass – one of the most beautiful Masses of the year, celebrated in Catholic cathedrals across the world in Holy Week. All are welcome

DO NOT FORGET ! Our annual ‘Lenten Reconciliation Service for Adults’ takes place THIS FRIDAY 27th March at 19.30 in the church of Our Lady of Sorrows, Effingham, KT24 5JP. We join with the Parish of Effingham & Fetcham in celebrating the Lord’s forgiveness ready for the great festival of Easter. We will be joined by four priests to aid us in this celebration. This is the major opportunity this Lent to ask for God’s forgiveness.

Applications for our Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage are open now! Is Our Lady calling you to Lourdes this summer? Travelling to Lourdes is a wonderful experience full of fun, companionship, faith, friendship and laughter. Each person on our pilgrimage brings distinctive gifts and graces with them, benefitting those they meet during the week. What do we do during our Pilgrimage Week? We have a daily programme of events which includes a number of Masses and liturgies in different settings, with different themes. The Pilgrimage opens with a Mass of welcome for everyone and opening ceremony, where everyone is invited to have their hands blessed in recognition of the service we offer each other as we make our pilgrimage together. We also celebrate Mass at the Grotto where we remember friends and family members who have died, and a Mass of farewell shortly before we leave Lourdes. There is a Holy Hour during the week, a time for Lectio Divina, and many other opportunities for private and group prayer at the Grotto and in the Sanctuary.

30th January, 18.30, Arundel Cathedral. People across our diocesan family are invited to join a special Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by Bishop Richard, followed by a reception in the Baron’s Hall, Arundel Castle, by kind permission of His Grace, the Duke of Norfolk. All are welcome

The Order of Franciscan Friars Minor has announced that 2026 will be a Franciscan Jubilee Year, with a Plenary Indulgence linked to the Jubilee. Francis of Assisi was born in Italy in 1181 or 1182. After a carefree youth, he amended his ways and the Order of Friars Minor - commonly known as the Franciscans - began. A young woman, Clare of Assisi, wanted to share St Francis’ choice of life, with the Order of the Poor Clares originating from her. Francis received the stigmata on the mountain of La Verna in 1224. The following year he composed the famous Canticle of Brother Sun, a poetic prayer of praise to God the creator of everything; this prayer and his attitude of respect for creation inspired his proclamation in 1979 as the patron saint of ecologists. Francis died on 4th October 1226 in Assisi and was declared a saint in 1228. In a letter to the Franciscans, Pope Leo writes: “In this age, marked by so many seemingly interminable wars, by internal and social divisions that create mistrust and fear, [St Francis] continues to speak. Not because he offers technical solutions, but because his life points to the authentic source of peace.”  “The Franciscan vision of peace is not limited to the relations between human beings, but also embraces the whole of creation. Francis, who calls the sun “brother” and the moon “sister,” who recognises in every creature a reflection of divine beauty, reminds us that peace must be extended to the entire family of Creation. This insight resonates with particular urgency in our time, when our common home is threatened and cries out under exploitation. Peace with God, peace among human beings and with creation are inseparable dimensions of a single call to universal reconciliation.”

CATHOLIC RESPONSES TO WAR AND PEACE - Five Tuesdays from 13th January, 12.00 - 13.00, online (Cost: £60). An exploration of the history and development the of Catholic ‘Just War’ theory with Dr Aidan Cottrell-Boyce, starting in late antiquity and tracing the story of the Catholic response to war and peace up to the present day.  www.londonjesuitcentre.org to book. CATHOLIC UNION PUB TALK : ‘Reflections on a First Year in Parliament’ - 19 th January, 18.00, London, SW1V 1AU. Sojan Joseph MP will talk about his reflections on his first year in Parliament, drawing on his background working in the NHS in mental health for 22 years and inclusion in the community.  www.catholicunion.org.uk/eventscalendar/ to book. DAY OF REFLECTION FOR MINISTERS OF THE WORD - 24th January, 11.00-16.00 at St Michael’s Church, Worthing, BN13 3AL. Led by Bishop Richard and Catherine Christmas (diocesan Liturgy & Music Adviser) this day will include talks on the Scriptures, the Lectionary and its use in the Liturgy, the Liturgy of the Word, and preparing to minister as a reader. Register your free place:  www.abdiocese.churchsuite.com/events/ MAKING CHOICES WITH ST IGNATIUS - 31st January, 10.00 - 16.00, The House of Prayer, Molesey, KT8 0PB (Cost: £35). Ignatius offers wisdom to help us make choices: both the big decisions about what kind of life we lead, and the smaller ones of how we live out our day. The day will offer input on praying about our choices.  www.christian-retreat.org for details/booking MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING - 7th February, 10.00 - 15.00, St Philip Howard Centre, Crawley, RH10 6RP (£40). The number of people experiencing poor mental health is rising. This course will help attendees understand the impact and reality of poor mental health, enabling them to identify the early signs and symptoms and signpost people effectively.  www.abdiocese.org.uk/diocese/events to book your place.

This was formed last Sunday (7th December) at an Inauguration Mass celebrated by Bishop Richard at Christ the Prince of Peace. The Mass, which was attended by people and clergy from across the community of communities,’ ten churches and Mass centres, marked an important milestone in the development of mission in the Diocese, with Weybridge the third new parish to be formed this year. Speaking during the Mass, Bishop Richard remarked: “There have been many conversations and a lot of wonderful meetings to bring us to today’s celebration. Let us pray for one another, and continue to pray together, delving more deeply into the wonder of the Faith and working ever more closely in this great mission that the Lord has given to us, journeying with one another towards the Kingdom of Heaven.” Weybridge is the second deanery in Surrey to become a parish in the care of a group of priests working together ‘in solidum,’ with the priests as a whole - and each priest individually - responsible for the pastoral care of the new Parish.