DIARY DATES:
NATIONAL GALLERY EXHIBITION OF ZURBARAN WORKS BOOKED FOR THURSDAY 16 JULY
Highlighted in ‘The Tablet’ magazine as one of the great masters of the Spanish Golden Age of painting this is an opportunity to view examples of his work from collections around the world. If you have signed up please contact Suzanne Kavanagh or the parish office for contact details.
FLOWER ARRANGING DEMONSTRATION 9TH JULY 7PM
The church flowers are arranged each week by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you would be interested in joining the team please come along to the demonstration to meet them and get a taster of what’s involved. Please let the office know if you are able to come.
PARISH SOCIAL -25 JULY 3-5PM TIME TO SIGN UP!
All parishioners are invited to a tea and scones summer social to join in fellowship and friendship and hopefully sunshine!
If you want to attend please sign up on the sheets placed at both entrances so we can get an idea of numbers. Thank you!
EUCHARISITIC MINISTERS 12PM MASS
We are still looking for any parishioners who wish to become Eucharistic Ministers and assist at the 12pm Sunday Mass. If you are interested please speak with Father Antony in the first instance and contact the parish office. Please note that this role requires a DBS.
SAFEGUARDING
Following on from Safeguarding Sunday parishioners are reminded that safeguarding is a shared responsibility. In our parish community this calls for us all to support creating spaces where everyone is safe, valued and protected. If you have any safeguarding concerns please speak to the Parish Safeguarding Reps - Angela Pitcher and Kim O’Brien or contact the parish office. Contact info on the newsletter.
PARISH LENDING LIBRARY
This new initiative will allow Parishioners to borrow books exploring their Christian faith. If you have any books you wish to lend out please contact the Parish Office in the first instance. We would also like children’s books that support children’s liturgy and explain the Bible stories. Thank you for your support.
MEDITATION GROUP - NEXT MEETING 7 JULY 215PM IN THE CHURCH HALL.
TUESDAYS AFTER MASS - NEXT DATE 7 JULY
Teas and coffees will now be served after Mass on Tuesdays. If you are able to help serve please let the parish office know.
PARISH LEADS—AN OPORTUNITY TO SERVE YOUR PARISH
Parish Leads will be key members of their parish community who have accepted their Parish Priest’s request to be a principal point of contact in their parish for either Evangelisation (proclaiming Christ and his gospel by word and example), Catechesis (handing on the faith to children and young people) or Adult Formation (supporting continuing growth and development in the faith). Information about the role of Parish Leads is available from the Sacristy, and to find out more about ‘Some Definite Service’, the Archbishop’s vision to develop and grow as a missionary archdiocese, please visit https://aec.rcaos.org.uk/sds
ST RAPHAEL’S WELLBEING CENTRE
Have you been diagnosed, or are you caring for someone with a life limiting, progressive or chronic illness or are you recently bereaved?
The Wellbeing Centre offers social, therapeutic and advisory support for residents of Merton and Sutton, over the age of 18.
Come along to our bright, modern centre based in St Bede’s Conference Centre located in the same grounds as St Raphael’s Hospice.
We are open for morning and afternoon activities on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Our sessions are fun and friendly and are designed to empower you to live well with your diagnosis, offer peer support, promote independence and offer respite and relaxation.
The services are free of charge although donations are most welcome.
To find out more or to have a look around our Centre please call our Wellbeing Centre Team on 020 8099 1722 or email us on wellbeingcentre@straphaels.org.uk
You can also visit our website
for further information www.straphaels.org.uk/wellbeing-centre
Diocesan Directory
A searchable PDF of the 2025 Diocesan Directory can be found here: https://www.rcaos.org.uk/diocese/diocesan-directory/
Mass Online & Daily Liturgical Resources:
A weekly schedule of live-streamed Masses can be found on Church Services tv
Each day, Vatican News live-streams Pope Francis' 6am (GMT) Masses at Casa Santa Marta on
Facebook and YouTube
The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham’s schedule of live-streamed Masses and services
The Bishops' Conference of England and Wales’ directory of churches streaming Catholic Mass on line can be found at cbcew.org.uk
Children's Liturgy can be watched on CAFOD’s website