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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 Week

Welcome.

Rev Canon Gregory Verissimo arrived on Monday afternoon the 1st of September to begin his new role as Parish Priest of Church of the Good Shepherd Downham. Canon Gregory was previously Parish Priest at the Church of the English Martyrs Streatham before he went on a year's sabbatical in Nigeria. We wish him a blessed and fruitful ministry in our parish.

Summer Holidays

A warm welcome to all who went away for the summer break and for new arrivals to our parish. It will be a delight to see as many as possible for Tea/coffees after the 11am Mass to catch up and welcome our new Parish Priest.

Local News.

Downham Estate is celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year.

As part of the celebrations, there will be a

Thanksgiving Service at St Barnabas Church

on Sunday, September 21st, at 2:00 p.m.,

followed by refreshments in the Hall.

Fr Stuart Leck and the community at St Barnabas issue a warm invitation to all at Good Shepherd.

Day of celebration at St George’s Cathedral

Day of celebration and thanksgiving for jubilee Blessings on Saturday 4^th October 2025 (10.15am to 5pm) St George’s Cathedral. Archbishop John Wilson will be presiding and preaching at Mass at 11.15am. Day includes, Adoration, confessions, testimonies, praise and worship, bookstall, prayer ministry led by Catholic evangelist Ros Powell. More details of the day on the porch noticeboard or visit bit.ly/4OCT25; flyers available at the back of the church.

Join the Pro-Life Mission - SPUC Education Officer (England)

SPUC is hiring a full-time Education Officer, based in London, with travel across England.

Help bring the pro-life message to schools and communities through engaging talks and outreach.

A passion for life and youth engagement is essential.

To apply or find out more, visit: spuc.org.uk/joinourteam

CAFOD Family Fast Day 4th/5th October

Please donate to our Family Fast Day parish collection to share God’s abundant gifts with our global neighbours as they find lasting solutions to poverty and climate challenges. Your generosity offers “signs of hope” in this jubilee Year, helping build more water tanks in communities like Ware’s in Ethiopia where women have to walk for hours to get water. Use the CAFOD envelope in the church, donate online at cafod.org.uk/envelope or call 0303 303 3030.

This Week

Marriage Care.

Seeking volunteers to help with preparing couples for marriage

At Blackheath.

See link for further details.

Parish Activities

Holy Face Prayer Group

On Tuesday

Upper Hall at 3pm.

Bible Study Group

On Wednesday

24th September, Upper Hall at 7.30pm

Please call 07787010482 for more information.

^{All are welcome.}

Events in the Diocese

Southwark Catholic Youth Network News

Click to see all the activities for this year.

Our Local Jubilee Church.

A Jubilee Year

is a special time for Catholics

to seek reconciliation, conversion, and spiritual renewal.

Through local designated churches,

Believers can receive indulgences and reconnect deeply with their faith.

Visit link for details on this opportunity.

Dates for Diary

Inauguration of Holy Year Jubilee 2025

Seee link for latest.

Retreat Days for Eucharistic Ministers and Readers

on 18th or 25th October

See link for details

A Year of Hope: Introduction to the Jubilee Year

How can we respond to Pope Francis’ call to be “tangible signs of hope” in this Jubilee Year?

Find out by watching this inspirational event

find it and other Jubilee resources at cafod.org.uk/jubilee).

Featuring Fr Jan Nowotnik, Director of Mission at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales,

CAFOD Director Christine Allen and more.

Discover how we can act in faith and in love as pilgrims of hope this Holy Year.

You Can Help Your Marriage –Do you feel alone?

Are you frustrated or angry with each other? Do you argue … or have you just stopped talking to each other?

Does talking about it only make it worse? Retrouvaille (pronounced retro-vi with a long'i') helps couples through difficult times in their marriages.

Out of 21 couples who joined the Retrouvaille programme in February,

two couples have turned away from divorce, and others now found hope to restore their marriages.

There is no group therapy or group work.

This programme has helped 10s of 1000s of couples experiencing difficulties in their marriage.

For confidential information about Retrouvaille’,

or to register for the next programme commencing via Zoom on …

See list for 2025

Call or text 0788 7296983 Email info@retrouvaille.org.uk

www.retrouvaille.org.uk

Click on link for further details.

Growing in Faith

Details of all programmes,

listed above,

in the Headline menu.

First Holy Communion Programme.

Sunday Liturgy for Children

Sacrament of Confirmation

Discovering the Catholic Faith

Infant Baptism.

Supporting Young People & Family Life

Latest Youth Network Newsletter

click on the link.

Saturday Retreats (13 - 17 years).

Youth Days (10 - 14 years).

Vocations to Relgious Life

Vocations to Priesthood, Diaconate and Religious Life.

See link for further details.

for children aged 3 years and above.

contact the school on 020 8698 4173 or

www.goodshepherd.lewisham.sch.uk.

Appeal for School Governors.

Governors have an important role to play in ensuring sure schools are run effectively.

They work as part of a team with the Headteacher and other staff

to provide a happy, safe, and thriving learning environment as well as an excellent education for all the children.

See link for details.

Family Life

Is your marriage under stress?!!

Retrouvaille : A Lifeline for Married Couples.

See link for details

Do you wish to build a stronger marriage?

Worldwide Marriage Encounter.

See link for details

Building a Better Marriage in the Jubilee Year.

See link for events organised in the diocese.

Latest news on Jubilee Year 2025.

See link

Agency for Evangelisation and Catechesis

See link for latest newsletter.

Caritas in Southwark

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)

Latest Bulletin June 2024

See link.

Overseas Aid & Deveolpment

See link for details.

Cafod Family Fast Day (Spring).

Total sent £217.86

See link for details.

CSAN (Catholic Social Action Network).

Do Justice Campaign.

The aim of the campaign is to encourage Catholic parishes and schools to discern the needs of their local communities in the light of the Gospel and to act with the skills and resources they have at their disposal to bring about a more just society.

See link for details

Called to be Peacemakers

A new document of the International Affairs department of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.

A Catholic approach to arms control and disarmament.

See link for details.

Helping our Neighbours at home.