Weekly Information
Urgent Meetings
Merging of the Parishes of St Joseph's, Burslem and Sacred Heart, Tunstall.
We will be holding a follow up meeting on the 21st June at St Joseph's directly after mass.
Fr George announced after both Masses this weekend (7th and 8th June) a proposal to merge the parishes of St Joseph's, Burslem and Sacred Heart, Tunstall. We have to prepare ourselves for the future of the area. The Diocese does not have enough Priests to cover the number of churches and masses the Diocese currently has. A lot of the current Priests are currently of an age where they are looking towards retirement. Most of the Churches in this deanery are in debt and attendance at most of the churches are well below capacity.
With this in mind the Diocese is looking for viable solutions for the future. The Diocese cannot afford to maintain empty churches as they are mostly listed buildings. Where there has been an interest to purchase one of the churches in this area it is regularly from non-catholic, non-christian organisations.
The diocese has been approached by the Syro-Malabar Catholic community, to take over the running and expenses of St Joseph's, Burslem. The initial proposal would involve the Saturday Vigil mass moving to Sacred Heart, Tunstall (exact time may vary). The Syro-Malabar are happy for the Wednesday evening mass to continue for as long as parishioners attend. Future funerals can also take place at St Joseph's , Burslem.
The proposed timeline would include the Saturday vigil mass continuing at St Joseph's until the completion of the Centenary celebrations (June 2027). Any Catholic groups currently using the Presbytery for meetings will be welcome to continue under their current agreements.
We are requesting that any constructive questions/ideas/alternative proposals are forwarded to the parish office via email sacredheart.tunstall@rcaob.org.uk as soon as possible. There will also be the opportunity to attend a meeting at St Joseph's Burslem after mass on the 21st June, so that all feedback can be presented to the Diocese before the 1st July 2025.
Bulletin
Mass Schedule
Mass on Tuesday 10th June has been cancelled as Fr George is not available. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Notices
Photos from Easter 2025
Booked Mass Intentions
Hospital Chaplaincy Team
The Royal Stoke Chaplaincy team can be reached on 01782 676400. You will need to specify that it is the Catholic Chaplain that you want.
Pope Francis RIP
Pope Francis, who served as Supreme Pontiff from March 2013 to this morning (Monday 21 April), has died aged 88, the Vatican has confirmed.
Message from Archbishop Bernard on the election of Pope Leo XIV
I welcome the wonderful news of the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. As he prepared to give us his first blessing as Pope in St Peter’s Square he also gave us a message of joyful encouragement, calling us to be bridge-builders who are the light of Christ in the world. As the first Pope from the United States of America he also remembered the people of Chiclayo in Peru where he had served as bishop until 2023.
I have just spent the last few days at Buckfast Abbey with all the Bishops of England and Wales as we prayed for the Cardinals in Conclave and as we waited to hear whom the Holy Spirit would identify as the Successor of Peter. It will be a great joy to serve the Church’s mission inspired by the guidance of Pope Leo. All the lay faithful, the Religious and clergy of our Archdiocese are praying for our new Holy Father that he may serve the Church for many years and be richly blessed in his apostolate.
N STAFFS EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS
Will be taking place from Thursday 10th to Saturday 12th July, and will be based in Tunstall, at Sacred Heart Church and St Margaret Ward Academy, though it will really be taking place across the whole Deanery. The programme will begin with a Deanery Jubilee Year Mass celebrated by His Grace, the Archbishop on Thursday 10th July at Sacred Heart Church, Tunstall at 7pm. This will be followed by the opening of the Congress with a talk, a Holy Hour, and all-night Eucharistic Adoration. The Friday will be a programme for schools in which all the Catholic Schools of North Staffordshire are invited to participate. On Friday evening, we invite all parishioners to come for the opening of the conference part of the Congress. There will be Mass, a talk, and Holy Hour and once again all-night Adoration. The Congress continues on Saturday with a full programme of talks, workshops and times of prayer, ending with Mass and a Procession of the Blessed Sacrament presided over by Bishop Timothy Menezes.
Vocations Weekend for Women (20s and 30s) -Discerning God's Call in your life
23rd - 25th May, Liverpool. The weekend is organised by the Sisters, Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ).
Jesus invites each of us to 'Come and See' - this weekend will give the opportunity to explore the vocation to religious life and to reflect on God's call to you.
If you are wondering if God is calling you to religious life and would like to find out more why not come along? You are welcome to stay for the weekend or just come along on Saturday for the day. There will be opportunity for prayer, reflection and input, chance to ask questions and to meet others who are also wondering where God is calling them. For more information contact Sr Lynne fcJ at fcjvocationeurope@gmail.com or visit our website www.fcjsisters.org
Financial Support for our Parishes
If you do not have a standing order in place, it is by far the best way of being able to give to the parish, as it attracts the lowest bank charges. You can set this up by contacting your bank or using your bank’s online functions or banking app.
The Jubilee Year ‘Pilgrims of Hope’
The Jubilee of Hope will begin in December 2024 with Pope Francis opening the ‘Holy Door’ in St. Peter’s Basilica, offering the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics the possibility of obtaining a plenary indulgence and a year of special graces. The Jubilee of Hope will end on the feast of the Epiphany in 2026.
The Jubilee Prayer
Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us Into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos In the sure expectation Of a new heaven and a new earth,
When, with the powers of Evil vanquished, Your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee Reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, A yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread The joy and peace of our Redeemer Throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed,
Be glory and praise for ever.
Amen
From ‘The Jubilee Companion Booklet’, available from the back of church minimum donation £1.50
The Jubilee Year ‘Pilgrims of Hope’
Jubilee Logo: Meaning
The logo chosen for the Holy Year depicts four stylized and graceful figures, in four colours that recall the shades of the rainbow: red, orange, green, and blue. The choice of colours is not random, just as the colour of sacred vestments throughout the liturgical year is not. Red symbolizes love, passion, and self-sacrifice, Christ’s sacrifice and His boundless love for humanity, but also the fire of the Holy Spirit and His strength that animates Christians. Orange expresses joy, vitality, and enthusiasm, the light that illuminates the path of faith. Green is universally recognized as the colour of hope, growth, and rebirth. Blue, finally, symbolizes faith, peace, and tranquillity, evoking the sky and spirituality, and inviting contemplation and prayer.
The four figures represent humanity as a whole, in its differences and similarities. They proceed to embrace each other, expressing the solidarity and brotherhood that should unite the peoples of the world. Leading them is the red figure, clinging to a Cross formed by a black curve that ends, at the bottom, with an anchor. The Cross is not rigid, not static, but bends towards humanity as if to embrace it. As for the anchor, Monsignor Fisichella himself explained its meaning: “As is known, the anchor has often been used as a metaphor for hope. The anchor of hope is the name given in seafaring jargon to the reserve anchor, used by vessels to perform emergency manoeuvres to stabilize the ship during storms.” The sense of this symbol in the Jubilee logo is clear: it is precisely in the most difficult moments that we need to rely on an anchor that gives us security and guarantees salvation, and what better anchor than the Cross, a symbol of Christ and His infinite love for all of us? The presence of small agitated waves at the bottom of the logo confirms the existence of dangers and obstacles, of those personal events and events of the world that make each of our lives not always easy.
Thus, the logo in its entirety takes on a clear meaning, and the Jubilee, with its twelve months of ceremonies and initiatives, becomes a long pilgrimage to be undertaken together, as brothers, towards salvation, guided by the Cross and the hope of salvation promised by God.
Appeal for the Churches
Sacred Heart, Tunstall
Tea and Coffee mornings after mass. Could you spare some time to help prepare tea and coffee after mass. It is a great opportunity to socialise after Mass and for us all to get to know one another.
Could you spare some time to help with the gardening?
Sacred Heart and St Joseph’s
Are you a driver, with access to a car that regularly comes to mass? Would you be willing to take communion to housebound and ill parishioners (subject to successful DBS check and training)?
Fundraising – both Churches require funds. If you have any ideas and are willing to help on any of our fundraising opportunities, please let us know. Both churches are trying raffles, tombola’s, car boot sales, day trips and anything else we can think of. For these to work, we need volunteers to help organise, donations of items we can use and parishioners willing to play and spend. Please do support as many of these initiatives as possible.
New Lectionary’s
Thank you to our very kind parishioners who have agreed to sponsor the New Lectionary’s at Sacred Heart, Tunstall and St Joseph’s, Burslem. We have been able to cover the entire cost.
“Volunteers aren’t free, they are priceless!”
Deanery and Diocese News
North Staffs Area Pastoral Council
Talk on the Meaning of the Jubilee Year by David McLoughlin B.Th and STL on Thursday 23rd January 7pm at The School Hall, St Wulstan Wolstanton, ST5 0EF
Pilgrimage to Lourdes
Every year, hundreds of pilgrims from across the Archdiocese of Birmingham join together for the Lourdes Pilgrimage. 2025 is the Year of Jubilee and Archbishop Bernard invites you to come with us on this very special occasion in the life of the Archdiocese: “It’s a great experience to be together with upwards of 700 fellow pilgrims.” The pilgrimage dates have been announced: Saturday 24 – Friday 30 May 2025, and you can now express your interest in a place or get more information by visiting www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/lourdes.
CAFOD Middle East Humanitarian Appeal
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) are launching an emergency appeal in response to the worsening crisis that we see in the Holy Land. CAFOD are pleased that the scale of the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East has been recognised and it plays an important role in how the Catholic community responds to this. Thanks to the support of the Catholic Community here in England and Wales, CAFOD have been supporting partners providing essential and life-saving responses to the huge need in Gaza to many thousands of people over the last year and have been able to allocate £60,000 out of core funds to Lebanon partners to support their immediate response. “Our Church partners have been clear that with more funds, they can do more to meet the desperate needs and provide essential items to their communities.” As a parish we will not be having a specific collection for the disaster appeal but if you would like to donate please visit the CAFOD website.
Encyclical Letter from the Holy Father
Dilexit Nos The fourth Encyclical Letter of Pope Francis’s pontificate Dilexit Nos – “He has loved us” on the human and divine love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, has just been published. The Holy Father describes his letter as bringing together precious reflections of previous magisterial texts and a long history that goes back to the Sacred Scriptures to re-propose to the whole Church, devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Pope Francis has written this Encyclical Letter amid the 350th anniversary celebrations of the apparitions to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. An introduction by Bishop Mark Davies on the Bishops’ Conference website can be accessed by this link: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/bishop-davies-dilexit-nos/
This Parish is part of the Archdiocese of Birmingham. Registered Charity 235216.
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