EVANGELISATION IN OUR PARISH
There is no true evangelisation if the name, the teaching, the life, the promises, the kingdom and the mystery of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God are not proclaimed.
Pope Paul VI Evangelii Nuntiandi 22
ADULT FAITH FORMATION
From time to time speakers are invited to help us explore aspects of our faith. The last short course in Lent 2022 was 'Belong and Believe' from CaFE which explored the influence of Celtic Christianity on our faith today. New events are advertised in the parish newsletter and on the website.
The Pastoral Ministry Office offers various courses and programmes, both in person and online. Click here for more information.
Always remember this : life is a journey. It is a path, a journey to meet Jesus.
Pope Francis
RCIA
Becoming a catholic is one of the most profound and joyous experiences of life. Life is a journey and all are welcome on this journey to discover more deeply God in their lives.
We welcome new members into the Roman Catholic Church through a process of study, prayer, faith sharing and rites known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. They undergo a process of conversion as they study the Gospel, profess their faith in Jesus and the Catholic Church and receive the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. With continual help and support from sponsors and the whole community, the new members are encouraged to take a full part in the life of the Church.
Please speak to the Parish Priest if you are interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith.
PILGRIMAGES & RETREATS
Over the years there have been a number of parish pilgrimages to holy places in England and abroad. There are also regular diocesan and group pilgrimages to Lourdes and Walsingham. Details of forthcoming pilgrimages and how to book will be given in the parish newsletter.
SECULAR ORDER OF DISCALCED CARMELITES
The Carmelite Secular Order is an association of lay people who pursue the path to holiness in the circumstances of their daily lives, inspired and assisted by the spirituality of the Teresian charism. It is an integral part of the Carmelite family and is open to men and women, married and single. A group of Secular Carmelites meet at St Joseph’s for prayer, worship, study and recreation on the third Saturday of each month from 10.45 am to 2:30pm. Click here for a link to the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites in England and Wales.
ECUMENICAL CHURCH LEADERS PRAY TOGETHER
The restoration of unity among all Christians is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council.
Unitatis Redintegratio, para 1
Over the years here at St. Joseph's there has been good fellowship among all the denominations, with many shared events and projects, including a very successful two week long joint Mission in 1992 - "The Big Tent Event". Since that Mission, the main church leaders have been meeting monthly to pray together and have recently started making an annual two day retreat together in Oxford.
As Pope Saint John Paul ll reminds us in "Ut Unum Sint" paragraph 28: "Prayer, the 'soul' of ecumenical renewal".
For at least forty years, on Good Friday evening a procession of witness with the cross comes to St. Joseph's where the Stations of the Cross are prayed together, and an invited speaker gives a reflection. As Pope Francis expresses it in Evangelii Gaudium paragraphs 244-246: "We must never forget that we are pilgrims journeying alongside one another" and "What the Spirit has sown in them is also meant to be a gift for us". So we share our gift of the Stations of the Cross with the other churches.
As Pope Saint John Paul ll puts it: "The Ecumenical movement is not just an 'appendix', but an organic part of the Church's life and work.......What unites us is much greater than what divides us". (Ut Unum Sint, paragraph 20). At St. Joseph's we fully believe these words.
So our work for ever greater unity with our brothers and sisters in all the local Christian churches continues to grow, and we truly believe that the words of Jesus in John 17:21 "that they may all be one ......" are at the heart of Christ's mission. (Ut Unum Sint paragraph 9).
These are the churches in our area:
St. Peter's Parish Church, Gold Hill Baptist Church, All Saints Church, St. Joseph's Church, The Methodist Church, St. Andrew's United Reformed Church, St. James' Churches, St. Mary's Church and Latimer Minster.