Welcome to the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church Oxford

Sacred Heart Church in Blackbird Leys, Oxford is part of the Archdiocese of Birmingham. We hope that you will find our website useful and enjoy searching through the various aspects of life in the parish. Here you will be able to check our weekly newsletter, news and forthcoming parish events, read about how to go about with Sacramental preparation and find out Mass times and other services.

Whatever your reason for visiting us, we pray that God will bless your search and grant you many blessings

Parish Priest : Rev. Canon Harry Curtis

(Also serving Our Lady of Christians, Cowley, 01865 770910)

E-mail : fr.harry.curtis@rcaob.org.uk

Parish Secretary : Reena Bartrip

10:00 am – 1:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays

Telephone : 01865 455182

E-mail : sacredheart.oxford@rcaob.org.uk

This Parish operates in accordance with Statutory Safeguarding Guidance and the National and Archdioceses policies & procedures at all times. At present, our Parish Safeguarding Representative is Onyi Anyanwu. She can be contacted at: sg.sacredheart.oxford@rcaob.org.uk or alternatively the Diocesan Safeguarding team can be contacted on 0121 230 6240/ safeguarding@rcaob.org.uk if you have any concern. For more details, visit the page Safeguarding.

Citizens UK is an organisation that deals with the social welfare of local people. We should like to launch a group in this deanery and we hope to have 2-3 volunteers from each parish. If you would like to help please come and see me. 

Early notice: A Mass for the Sick, with the Sacrament of Anointing, will be celebrated here on Saturday, 17^th October, at 1.00 pm.  If you know of anyone who is sick and/or housebound who might like to attend if they are given help with transport, please tell them about it, and let me know about them.

Assisted Suicide Bill.  On Friday, 11^th September the House of Commons will debate and vote on a Bill to legalise assisted suicide.  We believe this is wrong for many reasons. Please contact your MP, urging him/her to attend the debate and vote against the Bill.

Situations Vacant.

1. The Brothers at Greyfriars (St. Edmund and St. Frideswide) are looking for someone to cook for them: 15 hours/week, Monday-Friday.  Please see the notice in the church porch for more information.
2. At Our Lady’s I am looking for someone to clean the hall and its kitchen, the chapel, and the toilets.  Starting at 4 hours/week.  Please see me for more details or email olhoc.oxford@rcaob.org.uk

Readers at Mass.  There is a new rota available for readers at the 9.00 am Sunday Mass.  If you would like to be included on the rota (or if you think that your name may somehow have been left off), please speak to Deirdre Wallace after Mass.  She will be happy to hear from you.

The Season of Creation 2026: “Make Living Water Flow”.  Each year from 1^st September to 4^th October, the Christian family unites for this worldwide celebration of prayer and action to protect our common home. This year, the theme for the Season is “Living Water”, from Ezekiel 47:1-12, which portrays God’s life-giving water flowing from the temple of God.

News for Young Parishioners.  On Saturday, 26^th September, for the Jubilee of St. Francis, the Kenelm Youth Trust will be doing a Pilgrimage Walk from St. Michael’s Church in Penn, Wolverhampton, to St. Francis of Assisi Church, Walsall.  All welcome (please ask Joyce for details).

Kenelm Youth Trust.  It is not too late for those aged 18-25 to apply to join the Kenelm Youth Trust Mission Team this year.  Whether you are thinking about deferring uni-versity, taking a gap year, joining the Diocesan Mission Team could be the perfect opportunity.  Contact Hannah: hannah.smith@kenelmyouthtrust.org.uk  01538 703224.

Young Adult Community in Oxford.  Are you aged 18-35 and looking for community in Oxford. ACTS29 is a vibrant young adult community in Oxford who meet monthly to share friendship, pray and grow in faith together. You will find something for you in this warm and welcoming community. Come along at 4.00 pm every 1^st Sunday at Corpus Christi, Headington, OX3 8AJ.  Email Christian: Christian.fitzgerald@kenlemyouthtrust.org.uk

Father Pat Armstrong, former parish priest here, is celebrating his 90^th Birthday. We wish him HAPPY BIRTHDAY and many happy returns.  May God bless him.

Tailpiece: One day, three men were trekking through a jungle when they came across a violent, raging river. They had no idea how to cross. The first man decided to pray: “Please, God, give me the strength to cross this river.” Immediately he grew enormous muscles in his arms and legs.  He dived into the river and with a great effort just managed to swim across it in a couple of hours. The second man saw this and he prayed “Please, God, give me the strength AND the tools to cross this river.” A boat appeared from nowhere.  He jumped into it and battled across the river in an hour, nearly capsizing many times.  The third man saw this and prayed “Please, God, give me the strength, the tools AND the intelligence to cross this river.” Immediately he turned into a woman. She looked at the map, walked upstream a hundred yards, and crossed over the bridge to the other side.

May God bless you and all those whom you love.

Fr. Harry

For more details please see the Newsletter for the week.