WELCOME
This website is currently developing as our four parishes develop their new relationship and partnership.
Our four parishes strive to serve God and his people in the Tyne and Derwent Valleys. We believe that our faith can help to make us better people, caring for others while on our journey to our heavenly home. We respect and keep safe all who come to join us, what ever their circumstances. As the Catholic Church, we welcome everyone, inspired by the words of Pope Francis in his encyclical Fratelli Tutti:
Of the counsels (St) Francis offered, I would like to select the one in which he calls for a love that transcends the barriers of geography and distance, and declares blessed all those who love their brother “as much when he is far away from him as when he is with him”. In his simple and direct way, Saint Francis expressed the essence of a fraternal openness that allows us to acknowledge, appreciate and love each person, regardless of physical proximity, regardless of where he or she was born or lives.”
If you have not yet decided any Lenten commitments, perhaps the following might help, Pope Leo suggests:
“I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbour.”
Instead of giving up perhaps we could take on something extra – attending a weekday Mass, the Stations of the Cross or committing to a daily prayer for peace, vocations etc...there are many options listed below! We could visit an elderly neighbour or contact a friend or family member we’ve not been in touch with. If you want to try something a little more involved, why not think about volunteering at the Blaydon Community Larder or the Warm Space?
Taizé service @ St Barnabas', Rowlands Gill at 4:00pm on Sunday 1st March.
Almsgiving The CAFOD Family fast envelopes will be available this weekend (Fast Day 27th Feb) and the second collection at the beginning of March will be for our own diocesan Charity – St Cuthbert’s Care – there’s a letter on the noticeboard with more details from Nic Gilbert, the CEO.
Stations of the Cross Services in our parishes take place as follows:
- Every Tuesday after 10am Mass @ St Anne’s, Winlaton
- Sunday 22nd Feb, 3.00pm @ St Anne’s
- Sunday 1st March 3.00pm @ St Joseph’s, Blaydon,
- Sunday 22nd March after 11am Mass @ OLOL Chopwell,
- St. Joseph's, Highfield - stations to be arranged.
St Barnabas’, Rowlands Gill Lent Group meetings which are on Monday evenings at 6.30pm starting 2nd March. It's called Draw Near: Life-giving habits for Lent.
St Cuthbert’s CofE, Blaydon invite you to a half hour prayer and stillness on Wednesdays 5.30-6:00pm entitled Finding God, open to all. There might be soup afterwards!
CAFOD Soup Friday 13th & 27th March @ St Joseph's, Blaydon. Stations of the Cross at 12 noon followed by Soup & Bread Lunch in the church hall.
A Partnership Wide Lenten Course focused on helping people enter more deeply into prayer will be offered on Wednesday evenings during Lent in St Patrick’s Parish Centre, Felling at 6.30pm, starting Wed 25th February. The course will offer lots of practical tips, wisdom from the bible, stories from the saints, and advice about common difficulties people face when praying. Each hour-long session is based on a short, filmed presentation by Fr. Stephen Wang, (Who is also the author of the Sycamore RCIA Course). Topics covered include:
- Session 1 PRAYER FOR BEGINNERS
- Session 2 SEVEN RULES OF PRAYER
- Session 3 PRAYING WITH THE BIBLE
- Session 4 HOW TO PRAY THE MASS
- Session 5 SILENT PRAYER AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD All are welcome to attend.
Reflections on the readings for the Sundays of Lent written by former PP of both of three our parishes, Fr Sean Hall, Click HERE.
Lenten Reflection Resources are available on the homepage of the diocesan website. This includes We Dare to Ask which is a resource for small group faith-sharing and for individual meditation, featuring five sessions on the theme of our Baptismal Vocation. Each session includes scripture, prayers and a reflection with questions. Please consider joining with others this Lent to use We Dare to Ask, as we prepare to renew our baptismal promises at Easter. The booklet, which includes a foreword by Bishop Stephen, is available to view and download HERE.
Sycamore: Learning to pray this Lent Join us in this season of Lent as we look at how we might enter more deeply into prayer with sessions with lots of practical tips, wisdom from the bible, stories from the saints and advice about common difficulties we face when praying.
The online sessions will take place on Sundays during Lent from 22nd February – Sunday 29th March starting at 6pm till 7.15pm. You are all very welcome to attend as many sessions as you can, and why not invite a friend or two to join? Click HERE for more details and registration
For Holy Week, members of our diocesan writing team will prepare a set of daily reflections based on the readings from Palm Sunday through to Easter Sunday. This collection of Daily Reflections for Holy Week 2025 will be made available shortly before Holy Week on the diocesan website.
Upcoming events
- Coffee Morning at St Anne's, Winlaton, Saturday 21st March.
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Coffee Mornings at St Joseph’s, Blaydon and OLOL after Mass, Sunday 1st of March in aid of The People’s Kitchen.
Please remember in prayer at this time...
...all those in our parishes who are unwell/housebound, including:
Edward O’Halloran, Craig Sutton, Simon Burns, Chloe Cant, Tommy Carr, Valeria Coleman, Eleanor Dobson, Stephen Duffy, Jack & Ellen Goodfellow, Michael Hogan, Michelle Horrocks, Sienna Jane McNestry, Fr Alan Macknight, Annette Pinota, Frances Renwick, Norah Rogers, Barbara Wray, Kathleen Diamond, Melania, Joan Hambrook, Marcey Carter, Ann Smith, Owen McNestry, Maureen Thew, a sick person.
...and all those who have died recently, including:
- Jim Charlton and Anna Goosens/Cowing who died recently. May they rest in peace.
Please contact the parish office requesting the name of the person to be included in the published list for people who are sick/housebound. Only the named person, or their next of kin/close relative, is permitted to give permission for their name to be included in the published list in the newsletter. Please inform us if someone’s name can be removed from the list.
Cycle of Prayer
During this season of Lent, we pray especially for:
- Candidates for the Sacraments especially on the Sundays of Lent
- The Needy and Hungry of the World especially on Lent Fast Day (Friday after 1st Sunday of Lent)
- Women's World Day of Prayer (1st Friday in March)
- Survivors of Sexual Abuse especially on Friday of 5th Week of Lent
- Penitents and Wanderers
Stay connected
Join our community Facebook page for news and frequent livestreams of Mass in our parishes.
For details of this week's services and Masses, please see this week's newsletter.
Follow all of the news from Pope Leo and the Vatican.
Safeguarding in our parishes
We do all we can to ensure our parishes are welcoming and safe places for everyone. Our parish clergy and Parish Safeguarding Reps are here to ensure that we not only follow the policies of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle and the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) but also truly care for everyone. They are always happy to be contacted for any support or questions you may have.
Links to the Diocesan policies can be found here - Safeguarding - Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle and CSSA here - catholicsafeguarding.org.uk
This link will take you to more information on this website - With One Voice: Pilgrims of Hope - Safeguarding
Our churches display notices with some information regarding who to contact, some independent organisations who can help and a paper copy of the Safeguarding Policy.
