Blessed Robert Grissold Catholic Church
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Welcome to the website of Blessed Robert Grissold Catholic Church in Balsall Common. Here you can find details of the parish, our latest newsletter, services and sacraments offered by the Church and, in our parish archive, the events we have held. As a parish we value your privacy. Please follow the link here to learn more about the privacy policy that covers all catholic churches in the Archdiocese of Birmingham,
Father Frank writes
October is the month of the Rosary - a form of prayer which has been practiced and encouraged by saints and Popes down through the ages. More importantly it is a prayer that has been urged by Our Blessed Lady herself. Mary appeared to St Dominic and instructed him to use the Rosary in combating heresy. In the apparitions in Lourdes in 1858, Our Lady appeared with the Rosary in her hand and recited it together with Bernadette. And in Fatima, in 1917, she appeared again holding the Rosary and encouraged the faithful to be diligent in praying the Rosary. It was at Fatima that Mary identified herself as “the Lady of the Rosary” and asked for the “Fatima prayer” to be said after each decade: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.”
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Friday 2nd October marks the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels. This celebration was placed in the Roman Calendar in 1615. Sacred Scripture is full of stories of angels coming to help Patriarchs and all. Each person has his or her Guardian Angel. Angels are God’s messengers whose mission is to take care of us, to protect our way on earth, and to share with Christians the apostolic zeal to get souls closer to God. Saint Peter was liberated from gaol by an angel. Our Lord spoke of the angels of children who constantly behold His heavenly Father’s face. Our Guardian Angels are our friends.
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Mary appeared to St Dominic and instructed him to use the Rosary in combating heresy. In the apparitions in Lourdes in 1858, Our Lady appeared with the Rosary in her hand and recited it together with Bernadette. And in Fatima, in 1917, she appeared again holding the Rosary and encouraged the faithful to be diligent in praying the Rosary. It was at Fatima that Mary identified herself as “The Lady of the Rosary” and asked for the “Fatima prayer” to be said after each decade: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.”
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At the heart of the revelation of God in the scriptures is his gratuitous love and today’s Gospel teaches us that this kind of love is to be the norm of our relationship with others. According to Jesus’ teaching forgiveness is a vital part of the daily life of the Christian community. Peter wants to know just how far our forgiveness should go. Jesus answers that we must always forgive - that is the meaning of the mysterious expression “seventy-seven times.” This symbolic number indicates that there is to be no limit to forgiveness in the Christian community for love is not compatible with obligations that can be counted, rather it is gratuitous, like the love of God.
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In the second reading today St. Paul tells us: “Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbour” And Jesus, in the Gospel says, “If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him.” We should remember that correcting others is a delicate business requiring discernment - we can easily expect too much too soon. People need time and space to grow - and that means time and space to grow through their mistakes. Jesus was blunt, forceful and highly critical in correcting the Pharisees but was patient, with hardly a word of criticism, in his dealings with sinners and humble folk. He wanted to correct all of these, not to hurt them, and he accomplished this because he worked from a discernment informed by love for all people. “Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbour.
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Jesus never pretended that it would be easy to be a disciple of his. In today’s Gospel, Peter refuses to accept Jesus’ way - he is not prepared, at this stage, to accept the costliness of discipleship, the price of following him. Jesus strongly rejects Peter’s reaction but at the same time he is telling him to take up his place as a disciple again. Jesus knows that discipleship is a process, and, like Peter in the story, none of us is the finished article. So when we stumble and fall, like Peter, we must take our place behind Jesus and follow him in his way of the Cross and Resurrection.
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The Catechism teaches that from the beginning of his public ministry Jesus chose certain men, twelve in number, to be with him and to participate in his mission. He gives the Twelve a share in his authority and sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal. Simon Peter holds the first place in the college of the Twelve. As we hear in today’s Gospel, Jesus entrusted a unique mission to him. Because of the faith he confessed Peter will remain the unshakeable rock of the Church. His mission will be to keep this faith from every lapse and to strengthen his brothers in it. Pope Francis, as successor to St Peter, is called to the same ministry and mission as the first Bishop of Rome. We pray that God will grant him the grace to be faithful to this Divine calling
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The saints are our models of Christian life. This is especially true of the Blessed Virgin Mary because of the place she occupies in the history of salvation. Mary, our Lady of the Assumption, is the perfect Christian and as such she is the model for the whole Church. She can be seen as the Church in miniature. She shows us that we must be dedicated completely to Christ as she was, that we must be willing to suffer with him, as she did. And she also shows us that loyalty to Christ guarantees immortality, body as well as soul in complete happiness in heaven.
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In today’s Gospel Peter’s faith is tested when the going gets tough. When everything is going swimmingly we do not realise how small our faith is. We find out about our insufficiency and our absolute dependency on Christ when we are buffeted by the storms of life. As Thomas Merton says, when we have “nothing of our own to rely on, and nothing in our nature to support us, and nothing in the world to guide us or give us light - then we find out whether we live by faith.” But it is when we know our poverty of spirit that we are blessed according to Jesus, for it is then that we are aware that we are not self-sufficient but that our sufficiency is all in him.
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This Thursday is the Feast of The Transfiguration of our Lord. The Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ took place on Mount Tabor. Christ revealed himself in this glorious light in order to strengthen his disciples for the challenges which lay ahead. It would not be long before the weakness, humiliation and suffering of his Passion and shame of the Cross would become apparent. The Transfiguration reveals that light and glory of Easter - the light of the Resurrection which overcomes the darkness of sin and death. Christ reveals himself on Mount Tabor as the Son of God who is Light from Light and the glory of heaven.
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Both the “treasure” and the “pearl” spoken of by Christ in today’s Gospel express what the Kingdom of Heaven must be for disciples: something of ultimate worth. The demand of the Kingdom is radical - everything must be relativised in relation to the absolute value of the Kingdom. Finding the “hidden treasure” or the “pearl” is not the outcome of our work or calculation. With the Kingdom we are in the presence of something gratuitous - something freely given, not something we have earned and, therefore deserved. However, when the gift is given, our response has to be selling all we have in exchange for it.
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The thirteenth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel presents several parables on the Kingdom. All of them emphasise the presence of the Kingdom of God in history - a presence which involves a process. In the parable of the wheat and the darnel Jesus teaches us that that the enemy of souls is at work in the world, seeking to destroy the good seed sown by Christ. It also teaches us how difficult it is to distinguish between those who are in the Kingdom and those who are not and that, therefore, we should not judge others, for God will give the definitive judgement in the end
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Friday is the anniversary of the martyrdom of Blessed Robert Grissold. Robert Grissold was born around 1575 in Rowington to a Catholic family. When he grew-up he became the servant of Mr. Sheldon of Broadway, Worcestershire, in whose service he probably met the priest Fr. John Sugar. Fr. Sugar was once an Anglican priest but, having been received into the Catholic church, went to the English College at Douai to be formed for the Catholic priesthood. Robert and Fr. John came to Rowington and on Sunday 8th July 1603 they were captured in a lane near Baddesley. Both were offered their freedom if they would conform to the Church of England - both refused. On the 16th July, both men were taken to Gallow’s Hill, outside Warwick, and were executed. Robert was buried beneath the gallows. Almighty God, you gave to John Sugar and Robert Grissold the joy of sharing in the suffering of your only Son, may the lives of your holy ones inspire us to greater endeavour in the service of your people. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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What great condescension and humility is revealed in the Gospel today. The Master comes to console his fallen servants. He shows us pity when we deserve punishment - he addresses the guilty ones with words of kindness and compassion: “Come, learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.” God is humble; we are proud. He bends low in order to raise us up. We can see his gentleness and humility from what he has become. Heaven is his throne.
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Regarding discipleship and following Jesus, Christ calls us to radical commitment to him. The cost is great, it demands our all but the reward is inexpressibly greater. We cannot follow him in our own strength. He leads us, he empowers us, he gives us the strength to follow so that we might increasingly immerse ourselves in that incomparable love of his which was revealed in his Passion and Cross - a love that is stronger than death and the love we were created to know and share in forever.
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In today’s Gospel Jesus tells us: “Do not be afraid,” but there is so much fear in the world today. All sorts of harm spring from fear. The world today, its political and economic structures, reflect the fears that our in our hearts - the fears that lead to gross inequalities, injustice, hatred and conflict. Jesus came to show us another way - the way to overcoming fear with that change of heart that desires the love of God and neighbour above all else. This is the perfect love that casts out all fear and marks the coming of God’s Kingdom. This is the love we feed on in the Mass. This divine love is the source of that peace that Jesus shares with us - a peace that the world cannot know or give. We are called to be filled with his love that casts out fear so that we can bring its healing influence to a world in much need of healing and peace.
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We are all called to holiness, we are all called to follow Jesus, we are called to make Jesus known to all people. This is a matter for all of us. As Cardinal Newman wrote "He called us first in Baptism: but afterwards also; whether we obey His voice or not, He graciously calls us still...Abraham was called from his home, Peter from his nets, Matthew from his office, Elijah from his farm, Nathaniel from his retreat; we are all in the course of calling, on and on, from one thing to another.
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Everything begins, one might say, from the heart of Christ who, at the Last Supper, on the eve of his passion, thanked and praised God and by so doing, with the power of his love, transformed the meaning of death which he was on his way to encounter. The fact that the Sacrament of the Altar acquired the name "Eucharist" - "thanksgiving" - expresses this: that changing the substance of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is the fruit of the gift that Christ made of himself, the gift of a Love stronger than death, divine Love which raised him from the dead. This is why the Eucharist is the food of eternal life, the Bread of Life. (Pope Benedict XVI)
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We are not to approach God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God in three Persons as a mathematical puzzle or a philosophical problem but, rather, as the Divine community of love whom we are called to know and enjoy for ever, for the one God, who has revealed Himself as Trinity, has made us for himself - to know and enjoy him forever. That is why, in and through sacred mysteries which we celebrate in the Eucharist, he gathers us to himself so that, by grace, we might share in the life and love of the Most Holy Trinity for ever.
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Today the Church of God throughout the world celebrates the Solemnity of Pentecost. It is God’s Spirit who inspires us to obey God’s commandments. All who love God experience the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. He counsels us and reminds us of what Jesus has said. The Holy Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control. As we thank God today for the gift of his Holy Spirit let us pray that our Christian discipleship manifests these fruits of God’s Spirit.
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For Jesus the Cross is His glory and the way to the glory of eternity. But wherein lies the glory of the Cross? Jesus' life was glorious and drew many to Himself but his death on the Cross was even more glorious. For, as He said, "When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself." This is because the death of Christ on the Cross shows the incomparable and infinite love of God - a love that is prepared to go to any length to win us to Himself. In His obedience to finish the work of salvation given to Him by the Father, Christ completed His mission, when God's great love for us shone in all its glory from the Cross.
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In today’s Gospel we are told of the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Lord calls the Spirit ‘another Advocate’ a term which is difficult to translate from the original Greek but which means something like ‘being with’ being the defender - one who intercedes for. We can see from this that the Spirit continues Christ’s mission for Jesus is with us, at our side as a friend representing us and defending us. The Spirit is sent to be with us forever and we know him because he lives in us. Not only is the Spirit revealed as being with us, he is also ‘the Spirit of truth.’ Jesus and the Spirit lead the Christian community into communion with the Father and into all truth.
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The Gospel today reveals how Jesus is the full expression of God the Father. The invisible God fully manifests himself in the humanity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to the fullest extent that this can be expressed in human nature. That is why he is the “Way” to the Father - to have seen him, to have heard him, is to have seen and heard the Father. And Christ embodies and reveals the “Truth” about existence - the truth that God made us for himself, so that his creatures might know him and love him forever. That is the truth about how and why we were made and that is why, as St Augustine said: “Our souls are restless until they find rest in God.” And Christ is our “Life.” All things were made through him and for him and he shares his life with us so that the life that is in him may be in us too. That is why he can properly proclaim himself, “the Way, the Truth and the Life.”
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Today is World Day of Prayer for Vocations. We pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and religious life and that all believers will be faithful to their baptismal vocation. To follow Christ is to love him, to trust him, to serve him and to do his will - which is also what it means to be faithful to our vocation. Christ, the Good Shepherd, tells us that his sheep follow him “because they recognise his voice.” We have to learn to distinguish the voice of the one true God from the voices of the many false gods and idols which call to us today.
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In the Gospel today we hear how the two disciples on the road to Emmaus recognised Jesus in the breaking of bread. At the time the Gospel was written the expression “the breaking of bread” had become synonymous with the celebration of the Eucharist. The risen Christ revealed himself to the two disciples through the scriptures and through the breaking of bread. This same Risen Christ is present to us in word and sacrament every time we gather to celebrate the Eucharist. We are able to encounter him through hearing his voice in the proclamation of the scriptures and through feeding on him, the Bread of Life, at his table. That is why in the Mass we proclaim the scriptures as the “word of the Lord” and acknowledge with an “Amen” that the Bread we receive from the altar is the “The Body of Christ.”
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Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. Humankind not only receives and experiences the mercy of God, but is also called to practice mercy towards others. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” It is to this end that we receive the transforming Spirit of God - the Holy Spirit, who through the power of God’s great loving mercy, transforms our interior life in order that it might radiate outwardly and be a transforming power in the world.
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Christ has risen. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the joy of Easter. Today, with the Holy Church of God throughout the world, we proclaim and celebrate the truth which is foundational to our Christian faith, that on the third day Christ rose from the dead. And Christ, the Risen One, does not depart from us but returns to greet us with his peace and to remain with us until the end of time. And we share his peace and rejoice in his presence in the Mass.
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Holy Week begins today with Palm Sunday when the Church recalls the entrance of Christ the Lord into Jerusalem to accomplish his Paschal Mystery. The Paschal Mystery, the passage from death to life, is the heart of our faith. The account of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus forms the oldest part of the Gospels. It is what the evangelists recorded first. For them, it was the heart and nucleus of the Lord’s witness to the loving purposes of God. That is why the Paschal Mystery is at the heart of our communal celebration as the Church and is at the heart of our lives as Christians and this is why the liturgies of Holy Week and Easter are so important. Through the Easter Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday we celebrate the greatest mysteries of our redemption keeping, through very special celebrations, the memorial of our Lord’s crucifixion, burial and resurrection.
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Next week marks the beginning of Holy Week - the most important week in the Church’s calendar. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday. During Holy Week we celebrate the Easter Triduum, comprising the liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday evening). These sacred liturgies shine forth as the high point of the Church’s year. The Paschal Triduum is at the heart of all that it means to be the Church and we owe it to ourselves as Christians to be present at these key moments in the life of the worshipping community, for the sacred mysteries, which we celebrate on these three days, are the axle on which the rest of the liturgical year turn
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In the early Church Lent was a time of completing the formation of candidates for the Baptisms which would take place at Easter and the readings of the Sundays in Lent reflect this time of baptismal preparation. Last week the Gospel spoke of the “living water” welling up to eternal life. This week Jesus reveals himself as the “light of the world,” and next week, the raising of Lazarus from the dead will proclaim him as the “resurrection and the life.” As Pope Emeritus Benedict says: “Water, light and life are symbols of Baptism, the sacrament that “immerses” believers in the mystery of the death and Resurrection of Christ, liberating them from the slavery of sin and giving them eternal life.”
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In today’s Gospel Jesus speaks of the mysterious water which is capable of ‘welling up to eternal life.’ This is the life given, in Baptism - a life we are called to cherish and nurture. The elements of Baptism, namely the water of the font and the holy oils, refer us to the stuff of the cosmos - reminding us that everything is caught up in God’s loving purposes of making all things new. In the early Church, Baptism took place during the Easter Vigil and Baptism spoke of the new life and the new time of which Easter is the celebration and manifestation. Baptism has always found its fulfilment in the Eucharist which is the sacrament of the Kingdom - the sacrament of the ‘eternal life’ of the world to come.
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Today in the Gospel we hear how the apostles Peter, James and John were given a glimpse of Christ’s glory on the Mount of the Transfiguration - the same glimpse of glory that we are all given when we gather for the Mass, for in and through the sacred mysteries of the Eucharist we ascend to the heavenly places where, with Angels and Archangels and all the host of heaven, we worship the Beloved Son of God who sits at the right hand of the Father. God, the Holy Spirit, gathers us into the cloud of his glory. We listen to him in the scriptures. We feed on him in the Sacrament of the altar. No wonder the disciples “kept silence” and then proclaimed “Master, it is wonderful for us to be here.”
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Holy Week and Easter are the climax of the Christian liturgical year. The time of the Passion and Resurrection is proceeded by Lent, a lengthy period of preparation for these saving and illuminating mysteries. Lent is a time of penitence. It is a time for us to examine our conscience and seek reconciliation with the Lord. Lent is also a time for spiritual growth and enlightenment. In Lent we are invited to listen, and respond, ever more faithfully to the voice of God. Lent also commemorates Israel’s liberation from slavery in Egypt and their forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Lent relates this to our own spiritual journey, to our liberation, our pilgrimage, our feeding on divine manna and of our meeting with God. And, as we see from today’s Gospel, Lent also recalls the forty days that Jesus spent in the desert during which he contended with Satan, the tempter. Our Lent must be a period of fighting against temptation. From this one can see that Lent is a very rich, a very deep mixture of elements which serve to purify and enlighten us. During the time of Lent the Church leads us towards the radiant glory of the Paschal feast. The more serious our Lenten preparation has been, the deeper we shall enter the joyful mystery of Easter and gather its fruits.
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In the Gospel today Christ teaches us about the relationships we should nurture and enjoy as members of his Body - the Church. As the baptised we are called to live and act in a way that is caught up in God’s love and life. In this way we witness to Christ in the world. We are not to live as those who do not know Christ - those who quarrel and divide over selfish preferences, those who are motivated by self-serving desire. Rather, as members of the Church, we are to live differently, bearing witness to the alternative life Christ brings, for, as members of his Body, we are bound to him in his loving mission to the whole of creation. As co-workers with Christ, we are called to enact God’s deep love for the world - to get our minds off ourselves and our petty self-interests and to live together harmoniously.
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In the Gospel today Jesus teaches that the lives of his followers should have a distinctive quality. Like salt, we should add a peculiar flavour to life because our life in Christ is distinctive and peculiar - different from what the world has to offer. This distinctive and peculiar quality of the Christ-life in us should shine like a light in the world, because Christ is the Light of the world. But if we lose our distinctive and peculiar taste - if the light in us is dimmed or hidden through sin, or compromised with the world - then we are no longer fit for purpose and we fail in our witness to the love and light of Christ - a witness that is vital in order that all may “taste and see that the Lord is good”.
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According to Christ's teaching, even the destitute, if they have the faith, hope and love of Christ, are in far happier circumstances than the selfish rich. Jesus says, "Woe to you rich ones you have your consolation now." If through the faith, hope and love of Christ the poor can avoid the destructive bitterness which often accompanies destitution, they are far more open to the Gospel message and the Kingdom of Heaven than the rich and comfortably indifferent. The faithful poor have no treasure here below, their treasure is above, their solitary refuge and boast is in the Lord – their greatest treasure.
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This is the Sunday within the Octave of Payer for Christian Unity and, as Christians, we must be deeply committed to that unity among believers for which Jesus prayed. The two great commands of Christ, to love God with our whole strength and being and to love our neighbour as our self, show us the way to that unity, for the more we grow in love and unity with God the more we will grow in love and unity with one another. The scriptures proclaim God’s great love for the world and of his plan to draw all things together in unity in Christ. It is our great privilege to be caught up in this great love of God which we celebrate in the Eucharist where, by faith, we perceive God drawing and gathering his scattered creation into one in Christ.
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In today's Gospel the Baptist calls Jesus the 'Lamb of God.' This title expresses Jesus' sacrificial character for, in the Old Covenant, a lamb was one of the usual animals of sacrifice. This name also points to Jesus' purity, to his gentle patience and to his humble and loving resignation with which he submitted to the sacrifice of the Cross.
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and we leave behind the touching scene of the crib. Jesus has moved from the helpless infant of Bethlehem to a grown man who takes upon himself a tremendous burden and responsibility. The burden is the weight of the sins of humankind. The responsibility is to make reparation for those sins.
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The Pope’s Prayer Intention for January: Let us pray that praying with the Word of God be nourishment for our lives and a source of hope in our communities, helping us to build a more fraternal and missionary Church
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Safeguarding
The Parish follows the safeguarding standards advised by The Archdiocese of Birmingham. You can view these standards by following the link here.
A link to the Archdiocese safeguarding website can be found here.
Safespaces is a free and independent support service, providing a confidential, personal and safe space for anyone who has been abused by someone in the Church or as a result of their relationship with the Church of England, the Catholic Church in England and Wales or the Church in Wales. If you have been affected, however long ago, Safe Spaces can provide you with support. You do not have to have told the police or the church authorities, and you do not have to still be involved with the church. Your information will not be shared without your consent unless you or someone else is in immediate danger. To contact Safespaces, please follow the link to their website here.
The Isaiah Journey The Isaiah Journey is a working group of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales which has grown out of the need for a pastoral-spiritual response to the suffering of victims and survivors of abuse in the Church. It provides A Guide for Survivors of Abuse that can be found here.
The Safeguarding Rep for our Parish is Monica Green and she can be contacted via email at sg.brg.balsallcommon@rcaob.org.uk.
The Parish follows the safeguarding standards advised by The Archdiocese of Birmingham. You can view these standards by following the link here.
A link to the Archdiocese safeguarding website can be found here.
Safespaces is a free and independent support service, providing a confidential, personal and safe space for anyone who has been abused by someone in the Church or as a result of their relationship with the Church of England, the Catholic Church in England and Wales or the Church in Wales. If you have been affected, however long ago, Safe Spaces can provide you with support. You do not have to have told the police or the church authorities, and you do not have to still be involved with the church. Your information will not be shared without your consent unless you or someone else is in immediate danger. To contact Safespaces, please follow the link to their website here.
The Isaiah Journey The Isaiah Journey is a working group of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales which has grown out of the need for a pastoral-spiritual response to the suffering of victims and survivors of abuse in the Church. It provides A Guide for Survivors of Abuse that can be found here.
The Safeguarding Rep for our Parish is Monica Green and she can be contacted via email at sg.brg.balsallcommon@rcaob.org.uk.
Parish Events
Looking for the rest of the Parish Event List? We have archived the list from our old site but you can still view them here.
Date
| Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 25.10.2026 | Discussions and reflections of the Faith | Father Frank plans to run a course on one evening in the week at Blessed Robert Grissold starting around the end of September. If anyone is interested in exploring the Catholic faith especially with a view to being received into full communion, this course would be helpful. All welcome. |
| 17.10.2026 | Quiz Night | Quiz Night in aid of the Charity Save the Children: Saturday, 17th October - 7.30pm start. Venue: St Peter’s Church Hall, Balsall Common, CV7 7EA. Teams of 6. Price of ticket is £15 pp - which includes a Baked Potato Supper. BYO drink and nibbles. If you would like to participate, please contact Julia Greensall by email: julia@greensall.com or on 07855 843914. |
| 14.10.2026 | Parish Coffee morning | Our gatherings return this month and will held in the hall at 10.30 on Wednesday 14th October with coffee and tea, cakes and good conversation. All welcome! |
| 11.10.2026 | Prisons Week | Begins on Sunday 11th October, please see the poster on the notice board for details. |
| 04.10.2026 | Revised times for weekday Masses | Please note that weekday Mass will begin at 9.30am on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday unless otherwise indicated in the Newsletter. Masses this week: Tuesday 6th October 9.30am Mass Becky Hulme (RIP), Wednesday 7th October 9.30am Mass Our Lady of The Rosary, Thursday 8th October 9.30am Mass, Friday 9th October 9.30am Mass Feast of St John Henry Newman, Priest |
| 04.10.2026 | CAFOD | Second collection this Sunday for CAFOD Family Fast Day which was on Friday 2nd Oct. Chris Lynn will be giving a short talk about CAFOD’s work after Mass today and will be giving out envelopes at the beginning of Mass, to be collected in at the end. All donations will make a difference, Thank You. |
| 01.10.2026 | Prayer Group | The Prayer Group will meet this Thursday, 1st October at 4-5pm in the narthex. Everyone is most welcome |
| 26.09.2026 | Quiet Morning | Quiet Morning at St. Mary the Virgin Church, Temple Balsall 9.30-12.00 on Saturday 26th September led by Mark Bratton (vicar at Berkswell). All welcome. |
| 23.09.2026 | St George and St Teresa Catholic Primary School Open Mornings | Families looking ahead to primary school are warmly invited to upcoming Open Mornings at St George and St Teresa Catholic Primary School in Dorridge. Come and meet staff, explore our school and discover how we help every child to learn, grow and flourish. Open Mornings will start at 9:15 am and are being held on Wednesday 23rd September, Thursday 22nd October and Thursday 19th November. |
| 19.09.2026 | CAFOD Event at St Chad's Cathedral | You are invited to join on Saturday 19th Sept from 10am in the Masterson Room, St Chad's Cathedral, to learn more about CAFOD's work. Prayer will be led by Archbishop Bernard. Guest speaker Teamrat Belai, Country Director for CST Ethiopia, will share insights into the challenges facing communities in Ethiopia and the impact of CAFOD's work. Email birmingham@cafod.org.uk for more information. All welcome. |
| 08.09.2026 | Change of Mass time this Tuesday | The Mass this Tuesday will begin at 9.30am to allow Fr Frank to attend the Deanery Meeting. |
| 05.09.2026 | Churches together Coffee Morning | As part of Churches Together Balsall & Berkswell (CTBB), we will be hosting the coffee morning on Sat 5th Sept from 10-12 am. If you are available to help, making cakes, setting up, serving tea, coffee, cakes and clearing up, please see Louise or John Perry. Everyone welcome. |
| 23.08.2026 | Fr Frank’s summer break | Father is on his summer break until Tuesday 25th August. There is cover for the Masses this weekend but there will be no Mass on Tuesday this week |
| 16.08.2026 | Notice from Fr Frank | As some of you will already know it was announced last weekend that I will be leaving St Francis on 15th September. I am pleased to say that I will be continuing my priestly ministry at Balsall Common. |
| 14.08.2026 | Funeral details for Vincent McArdle | Vincent’s funeral will be held on Friday 14th August at 12pm at Blessed Robert Grissold, then at 2pm at Woodlands Crematorium, Coleshill B46 1DP, and afterwards at Maxstoke Park Golf Club, Castle Lane, Coleshill, B46 2BU. As per Vincent's request, wearing bright colours is preferred. Family flowers only, any donations to The British Heart Foundation are gratefully received. |
| 12.08.2026 | Parish Coffee Morning | The next gathering will be in the Narthex at 10.30 this Wednesday 12th August with coffee and tea, scones, cakes and good conversation. If you haven’t been before, give it a try - you will be made very welcome! Please note we will be having a break in September so there is no planned Coffee Morning next month. |
| 09.08.2026 | CAFOD | For anyone still wishing to sign the CAFOD petition to Parliament about the global debt Crisis the petition sheet is still in the Nathex. CAFOD will present the petition to Parliament and Chris will also send a post card to our local MP telling him of our concerns and how many signatures we have amassed. |
| 09.08.2026 | Notice from Fr Frank | As some of you will already know it was announced last weekend that I will be leaving St Francis in September. I am pleased to say that I will be continuing my priestly ministry at Balsall Common. |
| 26.07.2026 | Diocese Legal Compliance | Many thanks to the team who completed the Compliance documentation for the Parish for this years return. Your hard work is noted and appreciated. |
| 28.06.2026 | Stay and Play | St George and St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School warmly invites babies and toddlers to our Stay and Play every Friday 2:00 to 3:15. Contact the school office for further details: 01564774906 or office@stgandt.solihull.sch.uk |
| 20.06.2026 | Baptism | Please keep in your prayer Baby James Henry Meakin who will be Baptised here next Saturday 20th June. Also pray for his parents and Godparents. |
| 20.06.2026 | Relic of St Francis of Assisi | During this year of St Francis, a Relic of St Francis will be available for veneration at St Francis, Baddesley Clinton, after the Mass on Saturday 6.30pm and Sunday 11.00am. |
| 07.06.2026 | Reception into full communion with the Catholic Church | If anyone is interested in preparing to be received into full communion with the Catholic Church, please contact Fr Frank as soon as possible a new course of formation is about to begin. Also please keep in your prayers Catherine and Daniel who are to be received into full Communion with the Church today, Sunday 14th June, at Baddesley Clinton. |
| 06.06.2026 | Churches together Coffee Morning | The next Churches together Coffee Morning is Saturday 6th June from 10:30am -12pm in the Jubilee Centre. The Churches together Coffee mornings are held on the first Saturday of each month, hosted by local churches in turn - Blessed Robert Grissold’s next turn hosting will be in September. |
| 02.06.2026 | Change to Tuesday Mass Time | This week the Mass on Tuesday will begin at 6.30pm. The Mass will be followed by the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with Benediction at 7.30pm all welcome |
| 31.05.2026 | Corpus Christi | Next Sunday the Church celebrates Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ |
| 06.05.2026 | Parish Coffee Morning | The May Parish Coffee Morning was held on May 6th rather than May 13th - Please note that the earlier timing is a one off and things will return to normal in June. |
| 02.05.2026 | Baptism | Please pray for Louis Alexander Shopland who was Baptised here this weekend, Saturday 2nd May. And for his parents, godparents, Family and Friends |
| 01.05.2026 | Stay and Play | St George and St Tereas Catholic Primary School warmly invites babies and toddlers to our Stay and Play every Friday 2:00 to 3:15. Contact the school office for further details: 01564774906 or office@stgandt.solihull.sch.uk |
| 27.04.2026 | Potluck Supper Photos | On the 14th march, the parish held a potluck support with entertainment. Click on the link to see the photos |
| 15.04.2026 | Churches together Balsall & Berkswell | Here at Blessed Robert Grissold on Wednesday April 15th at 7:00pm, there will be an Eco talk aimed at looking to save energy in our Churches. Please let John or Louise Perry know if you are willing to attend. |
| 12.04.2026 | Easter Offering | Thank you for the collection in the Easter Masses which is the customary Easter offering to your priest. I am grateful for the generosity of spirit which is shown in so many ways in the life of the Parish. |
| 11.04.2026 | Baptism | Please pray for Elizabeth and Tom whose baby, Rosanna, will be Baptised on Saturday the 11th April |
| 08.04.2026 | Parish Coffee Morning | The next Parish Coffee Morning will be held in the Narthex at 10:30 on April 8th with coffee and tea, scones, cakes and good conversation. If you haven’t been before, give it a try – you will be made very welcome. |
| 05.04.2026 | Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion | Anyone interested in becoming an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion please contact Fr Frank. |
| 29.03.2026 | Easter Offering | The collection at Mass at Easter is the customary Easter Offering for your parish priest. If you are away this Easter, you can make this offering to your priest at any time by leaving a cheque payable to Rev Frank Smith or cash in an envelope marked ‘Easter Offering.’ Thank you for your support. |
| 29.03.2026 | Save the Children Spring Fayre | Julia Greensall would like to thank those parishioners who attended the Spring Fayre - held on 14th March at St Francis of Assisi in Kenilworth, which raised £1,490 for the Charity 'Save the Children’. |
| 29.03.2026 | Lent CAFOD collection | Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Lent CAFOD collection from Chris Lynn. I am delighted to say that we raised over £400! More than half of us also filled out the gift Aid form. So the final total should be about £460. An excellent amount! |
| 29.03.2026 | Planned Giving Update | Following on from the events we held in our parish, you have helped us to increase our planned giving and also increased the number of people volunteering to support our parish. After our financial planned giving event, 5 new standing orders have been raised and 25 existing standing orders (approx. 50% of our total existing standing orders as of the end of October 2025) have been increased. Overall, standing order planned giving has increased by over 30%. With the addition of gift aid, this represents a significant increase in planned giving for our parish and is a fantastic result. In March, we invited you to support the ongoing running of our parish. This resulted in 20 additional volunteers for the parish groups and rotas. The rota and group coordinators will be in touch with everyone who volunteered to discuss next steps and include you in the rotas. You will also be contacted by Monica Green, our parish safeguarding representative, to ensure that you are able to comply with the Diocesan Safer Recruitment guidelines. The team would like to thank you for your generosity in the way in which you have responded to these events, it is greatly appreciated. |
| 29.03.2026 | Safeguarding audit | The Parish has to complete a Safeguarding audit. To comply with Diocesan Safeguarding policy, all volunteers in the Parish need to complete Level 1 safeguarding training. This is reading a leaflet about safeguarding (posted on the notice board and there are a few copies at the back of Church) and confirming that they have done this to Monica Green or Iain Butlin-Moran so it can be documented on the Parish Audit Spreadsheet. Everybody that has a role that needs a DBS check will have to complete level 2 or 3 training which is an online module. Monica will be in touch with all the relevant people with the details of this. |
25.10.2026
Father Frank plans to run a course on one evening in the week at Blessed Robert Grissold starting around the end of September. If anyone is interested in exploring the Catholic faith especially with a view to being received into full communion, this course would be helpful. All welcome.
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17.10.2026
Quiz Night in aid of the Charity Save the Children: Saturday, 17th October - 7.30pm start. Venue: St Peter’s Church Hall, Balsall Common, CV7 7EA. Teams of 6. Price of ticket is £15 pp - which includes a Baked Potato Supper. BYO drink and nibbles. If you would like to participate, please contact Julia Greensall by email: julia@greensall.com or on 07855 843914.
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14.10.2026
Our gatherings return this month and will held in the hall at 10.30 on Wednesday 14th October with coffee and tea, cakes and good conversation. All welcome!
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11.10.2026
Begins on Sunday 11th October, please see the poster on the notice board for details.
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04.10.2026
Please note that weekday Mass will begin at 9.30am on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday unless otherwise indicated in the Newsletter. Masses this week: Tuesday 6th October 9.30am Mass Becky Hulme (RIP), Wednesday 7th October 9.30am Mass Our Lady of The Rosary, Thursday 8th October 9.30am Mass, Friday 9th October 9.30am Mass Feast of St John Henry Newman, Priest
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04.10.2026
Second collection this Sunday for CAFOD Family Fast Day which was on Friday 2nd Oct. Chris Lynn will be giving a short talk about CAFOD’s work after Mass today and will be giving out envelopes at the beginning of Mass, to be collected in at the end. All donations will make a difference, Thank You.
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01.10.2026
The Prayer Group will meet this Thursday, 1st October at 4-5pm in the narthex. Everyone is most welcome
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26.09.2026
Quiet Morning at St. Mary the Virgin Church, Temple Balsall 9.30-12.00 on Saturday 26th September led by Mark Bratton (vicar at Berkswell). All welcome.
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23.09.2026
Families looking ahead to primary school are warmly invited to upcoming Open Mornings at St George and St Teresa Catholic Primary School in Dorridge. Come and meet staff, explore our school and discover how we help every child to learn, grow and flourish. Open Mornings will start at 9:15 am and are being held on Wednesday 23rd September, Thursday 22nd October and Thursday 19th November.
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19.09.2026
You are invited to join on Saturday 19th Sept from 10am in the Masterson Room, St Chad's Cathedral, to learn more about CAFOD's work. Prayer will be led by Archbishop Bernard. Guest speaker Teamrat Belai, Country Director for CST Ethiopia, will share insights into the challenges facing communities in Ethiopia and the impact of CAFOD's work. Email birmingham@cafod.org.uk for more information. All welcome.
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08.09.2026
The Mass this Tuesday will begin at 9.30am to allow Fr Frank to attend the Deanery Meeting.
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05.09.2026
As part of Churches Together Balsall & Berkswell (CTBB), we will be hosting the coffee morning on Sat 5th Sept from 10-12 am. If you are available to help, making cakes, setting up, serving tea, coffee, cakes and clearing up, please see Louise or John Perry. Everyone welcome.
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23.08.2026
Father is on his summer break until Tuesday 25th August. There is cover for the Masses this weekend but there will be no Mass on Tuesday this week
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16.08.2026
As some of you will already know it was announced last weekend that I will be leaving St Francis on 15th September. I am pleased to say that I will be continuing my priestly ministry at Balsall Common.
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14.08.2026
Vincent’s funeral will be held on Friday 14th August at 12pm at Blessed Robert Grissold, then at 2pm at Woodlands Crematorium, Coleshill B46 1DP, and afterwards at Maxstoke Park Golf Club, Castle Lane, Coleshill, B46 2BU. As per Vincent's request, wearing bright colours is preferred. Family flowers only, any donations to The British Heart Foundation are gratefully received.
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12.08.2026
The next gathering will be in the Narthex at 10.30 this Wednesday 12th August with coffee and tea, scones, cakes and good conversation. If you haven’t been before, give it a try - you will be made very welcome! Please note we will be having a break in September so there is no planned Coffee Morning next month.
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09.08.2026
For anyone still wishing to sign the CAFOD petition to Parliament about the global debt Crisis the petition sheet is still in the Nathex. CAFOD will present the petition to Parliament and Chris will also send a post card to our local MP telling him of our concerns and how many signatures we have amassed.
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09.08.2026
As some of you will already know it was announced last weekend that I will be leaving St Francis in September. I am pleased to say that I will be continuing my priestly ministry at Balsall Common.
|
26.07.2026
Many thanks to the team who completed the Compliance documentation for the Parish for this years return. Your hard work is noted and appreciated.
|
28.06.2026
St George and St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School warmly invites babies and toddlers to our Stay and Play every Friday 2:00 to 3:15. Contact the school office for further details: 01564774906 or office@stgandt.solihull.sch.uk
|
20.06.2026
Please keep in your prayer Baby James Henry Meakin who will be Baptised here next Saturday 20th June. Also pray for his parents and Godparents.
|
20.06.2026
During this year of St Francis, a Relic of St Francis will be available for veneration at St Francis, Baddesley Clinton, after the Mass on Saturday 6.30pm and Sunday 11.00am.
|
07.06.2026
If anyone is interested in preparing to be received into full communion with the Catholic Church, please contact Fr Frank as soon as possible a new course of formation is about to begin. Also please keep in your prayers Catherine and Daniel who are to be received into full Communion with the Church today, Sunday 14th June, at Baddesley Clinton.
|
06.06.2026
The next Churches together Coffee Morning is Saturday 6th June from 10:30am -12pm in the Jubilee Centre. The Churches together Coffee mornings are held on the first Saturday of each month, hosted by local churches in turn - Blessed Robert Grissold’s next turn hosting will be in September.
|
02.06.2026
This week the Mass on Tuesday will begin at 6.30pm. The Mass will be followed by the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with Benediction at 7.30pm all welcome
|
31.05.2026
Next Sunday the Church celebrates Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
|
06.05.2026
The May Parish Coffee Morning was held on May 6th rather than May 13th - Please note that the earlier timing is a one off and things will return to normal in June.
|
02.05.2026
Please pray for Louis Alexander Shopland who was Baptised here this weekend, Saturday 2nd May. And for his parents, godparents, Family and Friends
|
01.05.2026
St George and St Tereas Catholic Primary School warmly invites babies and toddlers to our Stay and Play every Friday 2:00 to 3:15. Contact the school office for further details: 01564774906 or office@stgandt.solihull.sch.uk
|
27.04.2026
On the 14th march, the parish held a potluck support with entertainment. Click on the link to see the photos
|
15.04.2026
Here at Blessed Robert Grissold on Wednesday April 15th at 7:00pm, there will be an Eco talk aimed at looking to save energy in our Churches. Please let John or Louise Perry know if you are willing to attend.
|
12.04.2026
Thank you for the collection in the Easter Masses which is the customary Easter offering to your priest. I am grateful for the generosity of spirit which is shown in so many ways in the life of the Parish.
|
11.04.2026
Please pray for Elizabeth and Tom whose baby, Rosanna, will be Baptised on Saturday the 11th April
|
08.04.2026
The next Parish Coffee Morning will be held in the Narthex at 10:30 on April 8th with coffee and tea, scones, cakes and good conversation. If you haven’t been before, give it a try – you will be made very welcome.
|
05.04.2026
Anyone interested in becoming an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion please contact Fr Frank.
|
29.03.2026
The collection at Mass at Easter is the customary Easter Offering for your parish priest. If you are away this Easter, you can make this offering to your priest at any time by leaving a cheque payable to Rev Frank Smith or cash in an envelope marked ‘Easter Offering.’ Thank you for your support.
|
29.03.2026
Julia Greensall would like to thank those parishioners who attended the Spring Fayre - held on 14th March at St Francis of Assisi in Kenilworth, which raised £1,490 for the Charity 'Save the Children’.
|
29.03.2026
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Lent CAFOD collection from Chris Lynn. I am delighted to say that we raised over £400! More than half of us also filled out the gift Aid form. So the final total should be about £460. An excellent amount!
|
29.03.2026
Following on from the events we held in our parish, you have helped us to increase our planned giving and also increased the number of people volunteering to support our parish. After our financial planned giving event, 5 new standing orders have been raised and 25 existing standing orders (approx. 50% of our total existing standing orders as of the end of October 2025) have been increased. Overall, standing order planned giving has increased by over 30%. With the addition of gift aid, this represents a significant increase in planned giving for our parish and is a fantastic result. In March, we invited you to support the ongoing running of our parish. This resulted in 20 additional volunteers for the parish groups and rotas. The rota and group coordinators will be in touch with everyone who volunteered to discuss next steps and include you in the rotas. You will also be contacted by Monica Green, our parish safeguarding representative, to ensure that you are able to comply with the Diocesan Safer Recruitment guidelines. The team would like to thank you for your generosity in the way in which you have responded to these events, it is greatly appreciated.
|
29.03.2026
The Parish has to complete a Safeguarding audit. To comply with Diocesan Safeguarding policy, all volunteers in the Parish need to complete Level 1 safeguarding training. This is reading a leaflet about safeguarding (posted on the notice board and there are a few copies at the back of Church) and confirming that they have done this to Monica Green or Iain Butlin-Moran so it can be documented on the Parish Audit Spreadsheet. Everybody that has a role that needs a DBS check will have to complete level 2 or 3 training which is an online module. Monica will be in touch with all the relevant people with the details of this.
|
Parish Calendar
