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 : Fr. 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.

Welcome.  Today, during the 9.00 am Mass, we shall welcome Amy-Rose Buckland into the community of the Church through the Sacrament of Baptism.  Please pray for her and for her family.

A big thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make our Easter celebrations so beautiful.  Thank you to the altar servers, the flower arrangers, the cleaners, the musicians, the Eucharistic ministers, the readers, and most of all to those brave souls (soles?) who volunteered to have their feet washed. 

Regina Coeli: One of the most joyous anthems of the Church is the Regina Coeli, the Easter hymn to Our Lady. During a plague in Rome, so the legend goes, Our Lady’s portrait (reputedly painted by St. Luke) was carried in a procession which included Pope St. Gregory the Great. As they approached St. Peter’s Basilica, the air became pure and free of pestilence. At the bridge which joins Rome to the Vatican, angels were heard singing the first three verses from the Regina Coeli and St. Gregory was inspired to add the fourth line ‘pray for to us to God, alleluia.’  This prayer reminds us, of how much we have to be thankful for, even in the midst of our daily trials. When our Lord conquered death in His resurrection, he opened the gates of Heaven for us to be able to share Eternal Life with Him.

O Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.

For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.

Has risen, as he said, alleluia.

Pray for us to God, alleluia.

Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.

For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray.  O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Congratulations to Sally McVeigh who will be celebrating her 90^th Birthday here on Tuesday. 

Traditionally the collection at the Easter Masses is your personal offering to your priest.  There are envelopes at the back of Church to use if you wish.  Thank you very much.

Divine Mercy Sunday.  This week we are encouraged to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet (leaflets at the back of church), and next Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday.

Easter Duties.  Because of the central importance of Easter to the Christian faith, the Church says that all Catholics who have made their First Holy Communion should receive the Holy Eucharist sometime between Ash Wednesday and Pentecost Sunday.  They should also take part in the Sacrament of Penance before receiving this Easter Communion. 

Gift Aid Envelopes.  If you gift aid your weekly offerings in the collection (thank you), please collect your new box of envelopes from the back of church today.

Tailpiece:  Darlene was sitting on her grandfather’s lap as he read her a bedtime story. From time to time, she would reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. She was alternately stroking her own cheek, then his again. Finally, she spoke, “Grandpa, did God make you?” “Yes, darling,” he answered, “God made me a long time ago.” “Oh,” Darlene paused, “Grandpa, did God make me too?” “Yes, indeed, poppet,” he said, “God made you just a little while ago.” Feeling their respective faces again, Darlene observed happily, “He’s getting better at it, isn’t He?”

Have a very happy and blessed Easter.

May God bless you and all those whom you love.  

Fr. Harry

For more details please see the Newsletter for the week.