Welcome to the parish of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary

The Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary is a thriving parish community in Charlton Kings, Cheltenham. We look forward to meeting and celebrating the word of the Lord with you at Mass or at one of our many parish events.

Here at Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Charlton Kings we strive to be a family-friendly community, where sincere affection, patience, tolerance and mutual respect be freely given to all.

NEWSLETTER & Notice Board

Parish Giving

Rather than using the collection plate, you can now make your donation to Sacred Hearts parish online by clicking on the ‘Dona’ logo below.

 

It will accept all Debit and Credit cards.

Contributions supporting the work of the Parish are always kindly received.

Thank you for your on-going support

Alternatively

1. click HERE and download a standing order form and post it back to the parish signed and completed or

2. Envelopes can be put through the presbytery door

 Streamed masses during the week

You can watch mass live at the scheduled times throughout the week, by clicking on the appropriate screen.

The mass recording will then be available throughout the week – click on the down arrow to see which recordings are available for that mass time.

Daily (except Wednesday & Thursday)

Thursdays

Vigil [Saturdays]

Sundays

Sundays

Click here for a printable Order of Mass to aid with responses and full participation

Track, Trace and Test information - supporting the NHS

10 + 2 =

Parish life

Readings for Today

Find the reading and prayers for the day for reflection
Today's Readings

Safeguarding

Being loved and being kept safe go to the very core of the Church’s Ministry
Safeguarding

Parish Hall

A large hall with a stage, lounge/bar, committee room and kitchen
More details

Clifton Youth Ministry

Opportunities to further Your involvement in the Catholic Church
More details

Our Film Society

Charlton Kings Film Society is delighted to introduce its 4th season.
Our Film Club

Squash and Racket Ball Club

the valuable benefits of membership, which is open to the public.
Squash & Racketball Club

HALL UPDATE

From Monday 6th September and for the rest of the year: Access to the hall premises will be restricted to ONLY ONE group in the morning, in the afternoon and or the evening.

All external users, in compliance with the Diocesan Insurers guidelines, will be required to provide a covid risk assessment, highlighting their responsibility and the measures they are putting in place to keep their group safe. If they are using the kitchen facilities they will be required to include their action plan for serving refreshments etc. They will also need to provide public liability insurance for their event in compliance with our Diocesan Insurers

To contact Gill Cogram, Linda Portwain or Fr Mark please ring 01242 524932 and leave a message on the answerphone or alternatively CLICK HERE to send an email. 

Parish Office

From 6th September the parish office will be open between 9.30am until 12.30pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays ONLY

Sacred Hearts parish is always welcoming new people and encouraging them to get involved in one of the many ministries within the parish – as a community we are called to accept the invitation to come to faith in Jesus, to love and serve one another

Please download the parish census form, complete it and return it to the parish office.

New to the parish (Form)

Information provided on this form, together with all other personal data held by the Parish and the Clifton Diocese, is processed in accordance with the Diocese’s Privacy Notice; which is available at https://cliftondiocese.com/privacy-notice

or from the Parish Office.

Maintaining things as they are does not transform and change people’s lives – getting involved in parish life will help to do that!

Going into hospital

It is important that on admission to hospital, a patient (or his/her carers) inform the admission staff that they are Catholic. The hospital will not ask for this information, it is up to the patient to make it known and to make sure that a note is made.

The NHS Trust has now relaxed its visiting regulations to some extent and is allowing faith representatives to visit patients who are not at death’s door as long as it is by request of the patient or family (if the patient is unable to express their own wishes).

ALL visit have to be booked in advance with the ward (unless it is an emergency call)

PLEASE NOTE: Visits relating to the distribution of Holy Communion at the weekend, are still not possible within the hospital.

Anointing of the sick

If you know you are going into hospital, please ensure that you are anointed before you go in, as visits to hospitals have been severely restricted.

In an emergency

ALL emergency requests must continue to go through the Chaplaincy office or the switchboard at the hospital ring 03004 222 222 and ask for the on-call Chaplain.

or

If you need a priest, other than for the hospital, and you can’t contact the parish priest at Sacred Hearts please contact the Cheltenham Dean at St Gregory the Great, 10 St James Square, Cheltenham, GL50 3PR, on 01242 523737

Dare to Dream
Prayer resources
Vatican News Updates & broadcasts
Link to NEWS and UPDATES from the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales
Walsingham 24/7 Livestream
Clifton Cathedral Livestream

Guidance on attending mass at Sacred Hearts

As the restrictions are lifted public acts of worship can return to normal practice, with some exceptions for the time being. Moving forward, as from 1st October

  • ALL the remaining benches are now back in the church and areas at the front are now available for wheelchair users

  • The front benchs may be used but priority should be given for those who need to receive communion in their place

  • It is recommended that you sanitise your hands as you enter and leave the building. The wearing of face masks is recommended and parishioners should endeavour to space out, wherever possible, from those with whom they are not in a bubble or household.

  • Track, Trace and Test information – supporting the NHS, is still requested each and every time you enter the church

  • People should continue to exercise good responsible behaviour while they are seated and especially when moving around the church, lighting candles, coming forward to receive Holy Communion, exiting the building etc. You should avoid getting too close to each other.

  • Holy water will not be placed in the church but continues to be available on request from the sacristy, when you bring a small bottle or container

  • Holy Communion will continue to be given under ONE form and parishioners should exercise good responsible behaviour especially when moving to receive Holy Communion during Mass and should avoid getting too close to each other.

  • The sacrament of confession will continue to take place in the William Lampley Room.

Ministers of Holy Communion: will assist with the distribution of Holy Communion.

Sunday Masses: Hymn books are now back in use for the Vigil and 10.30am masses for Sunday. Four hymns and the mass settings will be used.

Face coverings should be worn by members of the congregation whilst singing together, until infection levels reduce. 

Altar Serving: We invite any children who would like to resume altar serving to ask their parents to email Fr Mark to express their interest. We will be establishing a rota for altar serving with a maximum of four servers at any one mass. 

Attending Mass: We continue to strongly recommend that those attending mass wear a face covering unless exempt from doing so, and to use the hand sanitiser provided. While appreciating that any number of reasons can cause someone to be late, we do ask all attending weekend and weekday masses to make every effort to be on time. Arriving unnecessarily late for mass is not only a distraction for the priest and congregation, but it dishonours the attention and participation that is due to the celebration of mass. Adults and children who wish to receive a blessing at Holy Communion time are reminded to give a clear indication of this by crossing their arms in front of their chest. All who come forward to receive Holy Communion are asked to consume the Host while facing the altar and before returning to their place. Mass will continue to be live streamed. This continues to be available on the home page of the parish website.

World Mission Sunday – Sunday 24 October 2021

World Mission Sunday – the one day in the year when the entire global Church comes together in support of mission – will happen on 24 October this year. Coordinated by Missio, this special day is celebrated in every Catholic community in the world. It is a moment of grace to express solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christ who are living in situations of poverty, violence and oppression.

The theme the Holy Father has chosen this year is: ‘We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard’ (Acts 4:20). In his message for World Mission Sunday, Pope Francis says:

‘Once we experience the power of God’s love we cannot help but proclaim and share what we have seen and heard. Jesus’ relationship with his disciples and his humanity shows us the extent to which God loves our humanity and makes his own our joys and sufferings, our hopes and our concerns’.

Fr Anthony Chantry, Missio’s National Director in England and Wales shares:

‘Celebrating World Mission Sunday is so important and relevant in these times. If we are to emerge from all our present global problems stronger in our commitment to Jesus and the coming of his Kingdom of peace and justice, we must work together, helping and supporting each other across the world. World Mission Sunday is about expressing the solidarity that comes from being the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church’.

Help to build peace in Nigeria this World Mission Sunday

Intense violence continues to rock communities in Nigeria, with fatalities, mutilations, and destruction of property devastatingly commonplace. The violence is essentially caused by poverty, and historical religious tension is easily manipulated to encourage division and mistrust.

To quell the tension and create a peaceful and harmonious environment, free from suspicion, the Women’s Interfaith Council was established in Kaduna, northern Nigeria, by the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles in 2010.

The Council encourages women of different faiths to work together to build peace through training programmes.

These programmes empower women and contribute to healing and reconciliation in their community. Sr Veronica has been leading the Council since 2019. She shares:

‘When you train a woman, you train a nation. We bring them together as women and build peace. Every religion talks about love, there is no religion that talks about war’.

One Christian woman who has been personally affected by the violence is 23-year-old Rachel*. Her village and family were attacked in their village by suspected militant Fulani herdsmen. Rachel heard the gun shots that killed her son. Then she and her small daughter were assaulted, and Rachel’s left arm was cut off below her elbow. She says:

‘When thinking about those who killed my son, if they are still alive, I pray for them: “May God forgive them because they don’t know what they have done”’.

Today, with the support of Sister Veronica and the Women’s Interfaith Council, Rachel is rebuilding her life and attempting to heal through forgiveness.

This World Mission Sunday, help Missio ensure selfless missionaries like Sr Veronica can keep loving, serving and sharing God’s peace.

By supporting Missio, you play a valuable part in creating a vibrant Catholic Church for the future. You can find out more about World Mission Sunday (24 October) at missio.org.uk/wms

 

CHURCHES & CHAPELS IN CHELTENHAM

Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, 
Moorend Road, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, GL53 9AU

Nazareth House
London Road, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham GL52 6YJ

Please visit their website for further updates

PLEASE NOTE: Nazareth House’s chapel remains closed to ALL visitors.

St Gregory the Great, 
10 St James Square, Cheltenham, GL50 3PR

St Thomas More,
Princess Elizabeth Way, Cheltenham, GL51 7RA

For mass times at the other churches in Cheltenham please visit their website: St Gregory the Great or St Thomas More

Redemptorist Publications is pleased to introduce Celebrate: an initiative designed to help children grow in their faith.

Each week they will provide a Children’s Liturgy in the form of a video of the week’s Gospel reading, a reflection and a final prayer.

Fun, engaging and practical worksheets/resources will also be provided to help children continue to practise their faith during this difficult time. Please click on their image to go to their webpage. Thank you 

Your #OnlineSafetyAtHome pack is now available for you to download, containing new activities for parents and carers to use at home! Access them by clicking the image above:

You can also access the new guidance for parents and carers designed to help them manage some of the key challenges they are telling us about in our survey.