Parish Contact Information - Google Form
We are buiding a new database of our parish community.
Would existing and new parishioners
please click below.
Parish Contact Information (google.com)
Fundraising at Good Shepherd
This is the Justgiving site where you can contirbute to our parish finances.
You can use the code reader scan or the link below to make a contribution.
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Good-Shepherd-Church-Downham
All churches are suffering financial hardship since the pandemic and now further exacerbated by our current economic climate.
You may not be a regular attender at Good Shepherd but have family links or fond memories of the church of your youth. Your parish is dependent on your generosity to continue serving our community.
Thank you for your support.
Latest News
This Weekend.
We celebrate
Fourth Sunday of Easter (B).
Fourth Sunday of Easter.
Vocations Sunday.
Second Collection.
Press link for further details.
Feast Days this week.
Tuesday: Feast of St George, Patron of England.
Thursday: Feast of St Mark, Evangelist.
Second Collection on Fifth Sunday of Easter.
The Maintenance of St George's Cathedral.
Press link for further details.
Thank You.
15 boxes
£191.76
to Missio.
Next Collection in the autumn.
Assisted suicide debate
There will be an important debate on assisted suicide in the House of Commons
on Monday 29 April at 4.30pm.
This debate is taking place as a result of the campaign
by media personality Dame EstherRantzen
who wants a change in the law to legalise assisted suicide.
It is vital that as many MPs as possible speak up in the House
to oppose any move to make assisted suicide legal in England and Wales.
Please go to https:!/www.spuc.org.uk/livesworthliving for:
• A briefing on the case against assisted suicide
• Three video stories opposing any change in the law
• An online tool to contact your MP
Taekwondo European Champions.
Two of our young parishioners have achieved the status of European Champions
and are members of the British Squad.
See link as we honour these two young men -
Timi since 2019
and Gabriel in 2023.
How Beauty Draws Us Closer to God |
Fr Patrick van der Vorst| 7 PM, Friday, 17th May 2024 |
St Patrick'sChurch, Soho Square, London
Fr. Patrick van der Vorst is a priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster,
a former Director of Sotheby's Europe, and the founder of the evangelistic initiative www.Christian.Art.
Fr. Patrick will explore how beauty elevates us to encounter the Divine,
how the Church has historically sought to create art that facilitates this meeting,
and how this can happen in our visually overstimulated world.
The lecture will be followed by a Q&A and then refreshments will be available.
See link for booking and poster or this event.
CAFOD Israeli-Palestinian Crisis Appeal.
Donate to CAFOD’s Israeli-Palestinian Crisis Appeal at cafod.org.uk/ipc or call 0303 303 3030 to support those affected
and get funds to local trusted experts in Gaza and southern Israel who have been working alongside communities,
helping those most in need.
Your donation will help support aid workers providing urgent humanitarian aid
including food, water and emergency shelter to those in need.
Thank you for your prayers.”
A donation box is available at the back of the church.
For fuller details on how Cafod is already working in the region
First Holy Communion.
We celebrate on Saturday 11th May at 10.30 am.
All 6 Modules should now be returned.
Final Meeting on Saturday 20th April beginning with Mass at 10 am.
Sunday Liturgy sheet sent on Wednesdays.
Any questions directed to email: downhamparish@gmail.com
(no other parish email address will respond for this course).
See link for full details of the course.
Sacrament of Confirmation
Celebrated on 20th February 2024.
Next course will begin in October 2024.
Sunday Mass at 11am (Children's Liturgy).
Worksheet suggestion and Reading sent by email
Child and parent work together at home
Child presents work at Sunday Mass
Join us: email downhamparish@gmail.com
Our First Holy Communion children will lead this liturgy from Sunday 22nd October at 11am Mass.
See link for further details.
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
(For those who wish to learn more about the Roman Catholic Church and teachings).
Enquiries: speak with Fr John or email: downhamparish@gmail.com
see link for further details.
Our Course is now completed for this year.
We begin again in October.
Applications available from August.
Mass for New Catholics
Please note that further to our previous email, the 25 May Mass for New Catholics has changed location and will now be celebrated at St Anselm’s Tooting Bec. Please kindly inform your neophytes of the opportunity to celebrate Mass with Bishop Paul Hendricks or Bishop Philip Moger, on any of the dates mentioned below. They are very welcome to bring friends and family and refreshments will be provided after Mass.
This year, the Mass for New Catholics will be offered, to all those who are being received into the Church this Easter, in three different locations. Please invite those who will be new Catholics (neophytes) to attend the Mass of their choice (along with any friends, family or supporters) and ask them to register their intention to do so through the relevant link, provided below.
Mass for New Catholics (05-May-2024) · ChurchSuite Events(main celebrant: Bishop Paul Hendricks)
St Teresa, 4 Maidstone Road, Ashford, Kent TN24 8TX
Mass for New Catholics (15-May-2024) · ChurchSuite Events(main celebrant: Bishop Philip Moger)
St Peter the Apostle, 103 Woolwich New Road, Woolwich, SE18 6EF
Mass for New Catholics (25-May-2024) · ChurchSuite Events(main celebrant: Bishop Philip Moger)
St Anselm's, 309 Balham High Rd, Tooting Bec, London SW17 7BA
Diocesan Youth Ministry.
Under 18's
Young adults (18 - 35).
Pope Francis has called young people to be,
'Living stones in the Church'.
See link for details of events
Young Adults (18+). Mass on First Sunday at the Cathedral followed by Social.
Weekly Socials on Thursday evenings.
Advance notice of Flame 2025.
Largest gathering of Youth in UK.
Join the register for future updates
Archbishop John Wilson challenges his diocese to respond.
Pope Francis reminds us,
‘Each individual Christian and every community,’
he says ‘is called to be
an instrument of God for the liberation and promotion of the poor,
and for enabling them to be fully a part of society.
This demands,’ says Pope Francis ‘that we be docile and attentive to the cry of the poor
and to come to their aid.’
(EG 187)
First Bulletin 2024
See link.
More than 1 in 5 of the UK population is living below the poverty line.
Here is the best way to access local services
click below for further details
Catholic Children's Society.
Crisis Fund (Emergency Support for families in crisis).
Who is eligible?
One-off financial Support
We have helped
Families whose homes have been destroyed by fire.
Families where redundancy has brought hardship.
Families affected by illness/death of a loved one.
See link for details.
Would you be willing to open up your heart and home
and welcome individuals displaced
by the unnecessary war in Ukraine?
Help St John of God find homes for Ukrainian families (mailchi.mp)
See link for latest newsletter January 2024
Newsletter of the Commission for Promoting Racial Justice and Cultural Inclusion
February 2024 ISSUE 8
Organisations supporting
Respect for Life and all of God's Creation.
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Child
Act now to stop DIY abortion up to birth
Diana Johnson MP has tabled an amendment (New Clause 1) to the Government’s Criminal Justice Bill,
which is coming up for the Report stage in Parliament in early March.
This amendment seeks to change criminal law
so that “no offence is committed by a woman acting concerning her pregnancy” at any gestation.
This means that a woman who induced her abortion
at home using pills (or any other method) at any stage of pregnancy,
including just before natural birth, would commit no offence.
This is dangerous for women and lethal for unborn babies.
Please contact your MP urgently,
asking them to oppose this extreme and barbaric proposal.
You can do this using SPUC’s easy-to-use web tool,
at https://www.spuc.org.uk/abortionamendments
See link for details.
The Question of Artificial Human Embryos.
Are they really human?
See link.
Catholic Bishops' Conference of England & Wales.
invite you to write to your MP
asking for votes to limit the abortion timeframe from 24 to 22 weeks
&
the amendment to decriminalise abortion up to birth.
click below
Opposing the Decriminalisation of Abortion - Catholic Bishops' Conference (cbcew.org.uk)
Life is a UK pregnancy support charity.
See link for details.
Right to Life.
Latest News.
Pro Life Groups are asking for 1 million signatures to MP's this week
in support of an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill
to reduce the abortion time from 24 to 22 weeks.
Postcards are available from the back of the church.
See link for further details.
Since Catherine emailed you on Monday to ask you to sign the petition to the Prime Minister
calling for a reduction in the abortion time limit,
thanks to your help, we have gone far beyond our target milestone of 80,000
and now have 85,344 signatures on the petition!There is still time to sign the petition.
See link above.
This week 102,00 signatures were taken to Downing Street asking for a vote on reducing Abortion limit from 24 to 22 weeks.
See link for details.
Care (For what you believe).
The Government is currently consulting on guidance for English schools on dealing with “Gender Questioning Children”. A consultation will run until Tuesday 12 March. This issue is very important – especially to parents. As a mother of two teenage children, I’m deeply concerned about what is happening in schools. Heartbreaking accounts tell of children being encouraged down a pathway to experimental drugs and surgery in pursuit of the dangerous idea that they can ‘change sex’.
The Conversion Practised Prohibition Bill failed in its Second Reading before Parliament so this danger is removed for now.
See link for details.
Liam Fox MP has tabled an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill,
to make illegal the provision of abortion up to birth for those with Down syndrome.
See link for details.
Easter Edition
now available from the back of the church.
This is a useful little book (A5) which contains the daily Mass Readings.
Link yourself with the Universal Church in taking a few minutes,
on your way to work or during a break,
to unite with God's Word,
as it is received throughout the world on each day.
Available from the back of the church. Price £1.
Is your marriage under stress?!!
Couples celebrating significant anniversaries in 2024.
Special Mass for couples with their families on 13th July at St George's Cathedral.
Booking essential.
See link for details.
Beginning Experience’
Beginning Experience provides peer support for Separated, Divorced, and Widowed persons,
to facilitate the grief resolution process, and enable those wounded by grief
to rediscover love for themselves, others, and God.
Facilitated by trained peer ministers, grief resolution programmes
take place in nine countries on three continents,
including here in the south of England.
See link for poster details
The next weekend, 12-14 April 2024.
Trustee Vacancy with Marriage Care
Marriage Care is a Catholic organisation
providing marriage preparation and relationship counselling services
across England, Wales and Gibraltar.
We are looking for trustees to strengthen our board
and to help us continue to provide vital relationship support services
to the Catholic community and beyond.
For more information please visit:www.marriagecare.org.ukor email:volunteer@marriagecare.org.uk
Saturdays during the year at varied venues.
St. Joseph's Bromley.
Saturday 27th April from 9.30 am.
Escorted Pilgrimage to Knock & Co Mayo,
3rd March 2024. £899.00 pps.
Price includes flight, 10kg hold luggage, 5 nights in 4* Castlecourt Hotel, Westport with Dinner, Bed & Breakfast. Lunch on three days.
All entertainment, excursions and transport are included.
Visit Knock, Galway City, Kylemore Abbey, Croagh Patrick & Ashford Castle. Single supplement on enquiry.
Contact Patricia or Natali on at 01268 762 278 or 07740 175557 or email knockpilgrimages@gmail.com.
See link.
Further information
A Day With Mary 2024 Pilgrimages
to Fatima (7-14 June)
and Italy (4-12 September)
is available at
www.adaywithmary.orgor email adwmary.uk@gmail.com
See link for details.
MEDJUGORJE IRISH CENTRE PILGRIMAGES APRIL - OCT 2024:
7 Nights Apartment B&B from €273 per person sharing. Airport transfer is available on request. Contact us for details and book the dates that suit you.
Tel. 020 3239 8662 or website www.med-irishcentre.com
MEDJUGORJE: 00387 36 651 518
ENGLAND: 0044 20 3239 8662
Email:reservations@med-irishcentre.com
Website:www.med-irishcentre.com
See link
Mottingham Parish - Polish Led Pilgrimage to Medjugorje.
27th April 2024 to 5th May 2024
See link for details.
Volunteers Required.
Sense Charity.
Location462/464 Bromley Road, Downham, Kent, BR1 4PP
See link for further details.
YOUTH MINISTRY LEADER IN THE LAKE DISTRICT?
Castlerigg Manor (Diocese of Lancaster Retreat Centre) are looking for a Programme Leader to join their youth ministry team.
The work involves working on retreats in the heart of the Lake District, and occasionally working on outreach visits around the area.
The post is residential and comes with a salary package in the range of £26-28k, made up of paid salary, accommodation, food etc.
Would suit somebody with youth ministry experience perhaps recently graduated. Interested –jack@castleriggmanor.co.uk
Jack Regan,
Director of Youth Services, Diocese of Lancaster.
Laleham Lea,
a Catholic Independent School in Purley,
is looking for a Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) to start as soon as possible.
For more information and application forms please visit our school website -www.lalehamlea.co.ukor call 0208 660 3351.
Catholic Papers and Magazines.
We have no demand in our parish for printed newspapers
but it's important to provide access to digital newspapers
or an opportunity for those who might wish to subscribe to
a physical or digital copy of our popular UK Catholic media.
Newspapers and Magazines offer us a fuller perspective
on the issues of the day rather than settle for headlines.
Below you will find the means of accessing the subscriptions.
Forthcoming Funerals
Grazio Horace Galea RIP
Funeral Mass: Friday 3rd May at 10.30 am.
Committal: Hither Green Cemetery at 12 noon.