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.
Education Sunday. Next Sunday is a day of special prayer for our schools and colleges. There will be a second collection for the Catholic Education Service.
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, 17th 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, 11th 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.
The Season of Creation 2026: “Make Living Water Flow”. Each year from 1st September to 4th October, the Christian family unites for this worldwide celebration of prayer and action to protect our common home.
News for Young Parishioners. On Saturday, 26th 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).
Harvest Thanksgiving. Sunday, 27th September, is a day of Thanksgiving for the Harvest. If you have any fruit and/or veg that you can bring to decorate the altar it would be welcome. Then after Sunday Mass we shall have a shared breakfast/lunch in the hall. Please bring something to share and enjoy.
Young Adult Community in Oxford. Are you aged 18-35 and looking for community in Oxford. ACTS29 is a vibrant young adult community who meet monthly to share friendship, pray and grow in faith together. Come along at 4.00 pm every 1st Sunday to Corpus Christi, Headington. Email: Christian.fitzgerald@kenlemyouthtrust.org.uk
The Sacrament of Confirmation. Bishop Richard will be coming to Sacred Heart on Saturday, 31st October. If you would like to be prepared for Confirmation, please fill in an application form from the back of church and return it to me by next Sunday. Lessons will be on Thursday afternoons at 4.30 pm, starting on 24th September.
Gardening Day. We need to have a gardening day to get the grounds under control before autumn turns into winter. Are you able to help, please? This Saturday, 12th September, between 9.00 and 12.00. Please bring any tools that you think may be useful. Thank you.
Parish Health and Safety Representative. We need to appoint someone who can make sure that we are safe here at Sacred Heart. Can YOU do it, please? Training will be available, but if you have experience that is a definite plus.
“The Eucharistic Miracles of the World.” An International Exhibition Designed And Created By St. Carlo Acutis. From Tuesday, 6th October – Sunday, 11th October, 10.00 am – 5.00 pm, in the Don Bosco Centre at Our Lady’s church, we shall have an exhibition, assembled by St. Carlo, to encourage devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Entry free, and all welcome. If you can volunteer to welcome visitors, please let me know.
Tailpiece: A man wanted to visit churches around the world and he started in New York. He went into a very large church where he saw a golden telephone on a wall with a sign which read “$10,000 a minute.” Seeing the parish priest, he asked about the ‘phone and the sign. The priest explained that the golden ‘phone was, in fact, a direct line to Heaven, and if he paid the price he could talk directly to God. He thanked the priest and continued on his way. He went to churches all around the world, and in other countries he found more golden ‘phones with the same sign. Finally, he arrived in Oxford. Upon entering a church, lo and behold, he saw the usual golden telephone. But THIS time the sign read “Calls: 50p per minute.” Fascinated, he asked the priest. “Father, I have been in cities all around the world and in each church I found a golden telephone, and I have been told it is a direct line to Heaven, but in the other churches the cost was $10,000 a minute. Your sign reads just 50p per minute. Why?” The priest replied, “Son, you’re in Oxford now. It’s a local call.”
May God bless you and all those whom you love.
Fr. Harry
For more details please see the Newsletter for the week.
Sacred Heart Oxford 