THE FUTURE OF HOLY FAMILY CHURCH: A NOTE FROM FR. PETER MCGRAIL:

Dear all, last week I announced the Archbishop’s decision to remove Holy Family Church from sacred use. I know this will have been difficult news for many of you, as Holy Family Church has been the spiritual home of generations of parishioners, and its walls are filled with memories, both happy and sad. I also appreciate that those who moved to Holy Family from St. Andrew’s are facing a second move, which I’m sure no-one welcomes.

The FINAL MASS to be celebrated at Holy Family will take place at 5:15pm on Saturday 21 November.

I also announced last week that the weekend of 21/22 November will mark the end of Fr. Peter Murphy’s time as assistant priest at St. John Vianney and St. Mary’s. We are all deeply grateful for Fr. Peter Murphy’s ministry among us over the past years, and I especially have cause to say ’thank-you’ to him for the help and support he has given me since I arrived here as your parish priest.

Fr. Murphy’s departure and the closure of Holy Family Church mean that we urgently need to review the times and locations of Sunday Mass. From the First Sunday of Advent, we will be down to one priest serving both parishes. I am working on the presumption that we will aim to have one Mass on Saturday evening and two on Sunday morning; it is therefore important to gauge people’s preferences, so we have launched a questionnaire. This obviously can’t be a simple project of taking a ‘democratic vote’ - in making the final decision, we will need to keep in mind factors such as bus timetables and the time it will take for me and Deacon Peter to travel between the churches.

The questionnaire is available in two ways. If you are tech-savvy, please scan the QR Code or use the link to complete the questionnaire online Questionnaire on Mass Times

Alternatively, paper copies will be available in Church at all Masses this weekend. We need to move quickly, as the new timetable will start on the First Sunday of Advent; the closing date for submissions is Wednesday 11 November.

This is a huge change for all of us, so please keep these matters in your prayers. With prayers for God’s blessing on you and your families, Fr. Peter McGrail

REPORTING ABUSE

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child or adult at risk, do not delay in contacting the police, using 999 if a child or adult is believed to be in immediate danger.

It is the policy of the Catholic Church in England and Wales to report all allegations of abuse to statutory authorities, regardless of whether the abuse occurred recently or in the past, or whether the accused person is living or deceased.

If you are in any role within the Catholic Church in England and Wales, you must refer allegations directly to the safeguarding office for your diocese or religious congregation, or directly to the Police. 

If you are a member of the public, please refer allegations directly to the police and also to the safeguarding office in your diocese; (the relevant Diocesan safeguarding office can be located using the interactive map on the links page of the CSAS website www.csas.uk.net - contact details will be shown when you click on the relevant area of the map). You can also contact CSAS by telephoning 0207 901 1920 or via email at  

The email for the Archdiocesan Safeguarding team is .

Reporting Abuse

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