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.

Novena Prayer for the Canonisation of Blessed Dominic Barberi

O God, who so lovingly raised Blessed Dominic to the heights of holiness, learning and apostolic zeal and made him a powerful minister of your mercy, listen to our humble request. We pray that you will in your goodness, grant a miracle through the intercession of Blessed Dominic, so that the Church may further honour him on earth and that many more people will come to know and invoke the help of this faithful servant of the Church. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Mary, Mother of Holy Hope, Pray for Us.

Saint John Henry Newman, Pray for Us.

Blessed Dominic Barberi, Pray for Us.

Annual Diocesan Novena to pray for the Canonisation of Blessed Dominic Barberi, 18^th August, until his feast day on 26^th August.  Blessed Dominic arrived in the Archdiocese from Italy in February, 1842. He was known for holiness of life and for his love for the poor.  He received many people into the Catholic Church, the most famous being St John Henry Newman in October 1845.

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 to kickstart this project. If you would like to help please come and see me.  Thank you.

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 university, taking a gap year, reconsidering your options after results day, or simply looking for an unforgettable year before moving on to university or employment, joining the Diocesan Mission Team could be the perfect opportunity.  They are still accepting applications for this year, so get in touch as soon as possible.  Contact Hannah Smith: hannah.smith@kenelmyouthtrust.org.uk  01538 703224.

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.

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, the Kenelm Youth Trust will be taking part in a Pilgrimage Walk from St Michael’s Church in Penn, Wolverhampton, to St Francis of Assisi Church, Shelfield, Walsall.  The Walk is around a 12-mile route between two diocesan shrines for the Jubilee of St Francis of Assisi.  All are welcome to join.  Please ask Joyce for more details.

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.

Tailpiece: A surgeon, a civil engineer, and a computer scientist were arguing about which of their three professions was the oldest. The surgeon remarked, ‘Well, in the Bible it says that God created Eve from a rib taken from Adam. This clearly required surgery, so I can rightly claim that mine is the oldest profession.’  The civil engineer said, ‘But even earlier in the book of Genesis, it states that God created the heavens and the earth by bringing order to chaos. This was the first application of civil engineering. Therefore, doctor, you are wrong; mine is the oldest profession.’  The computer scientist leaned back, smiled and said, ‘Ah, but who do you think created the chaos?’

May God bless you and all those whom you love.

Fr. Harry

For more details please see the Newsletter for the week.