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CORONAVIRUS: the Parish Office is now open on Wednesday and Thursday from 9.30am to 1.00pm. The Parish Office can be contacted by email parish@worth.org.uk
Fr Paul can be contacted on 01342 710313 or email parish@worth.org.uk
Please note that we are no longer asking people to register for Mass.
Please remember that the green bin in the Parish Office porch is available for your food bank donations.
The Abbey Church Is Open for Public Mass
The Abbey Church is open for some celebrations of the Eucharist. These will take place each week on Saturday at 5pm, Sunday at 9.30am and Tuesday at 10am. (To protect the health of vulnerable monks, the monastic mass will be celebrated later.)
Message from Father Paul, 16th September:
It is very encouraging to see more people returning to mass each Sunday. However, as you know, the capacity of our church is very limited at the moment in order to protect us all from the virus. May I ask you to consider if you can come to the mass on Saturday evening at 5 pm, instead of Sunday morning? Or on Tuesday morning at 10 am? This would ease pressure on numbers. May I ask those who do come on Sunday please to arrive early? This will help our stewards who generously work to keep our church open, and would like to attend mass themselves. If we reach capacity, we will need to ask those who come later to be seated in the Unity Room, where we can offer audio streaming, and the opportunity to come to communion. Please kindly continue to place the paper provided, on your seat when you leave, this helps our cleaners to deep clean areas that they know have been used.
You must wear a face mask when attending Mass
Why not buy a face mask from The Saffron Stitch and support Refugee Tales and the Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group? Find out more here.
If you are able to help to bring Christ to others in a safe way during these difficult times please complete the Stewarding for Mass form. Thank you for your generosity.
Please note that the Sunday concelebrated monastic mass now takes place at 11.30am. Details of audio live streaming of daily Mass and the Divine Office in the Abbey Church can be found here
Mass Sheet 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) 20th September 2020
Wednesday Worship in Worth School, 16th September 2020
International Day of Prayer for Peace, 21st September Each year on this date the World Council of Churches (WCC) calls churches and parishes to observe the International Day of Prayer for Peace. Also taking place at this time is the World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel. The theme this year is ‘Creative Solidarity in Common Fragility’. Peace is always a fragile process. Far from being synonymous with pacts and strategic agreements, it is rather a profound attitude that must be rooted in hearts and in long-lasting institutions. The restoration of peace in the Holy Land, as various efforts over the decades have already shown, is a very fragile process. For prayers and a Bible reflection Continue reading
CAFODs’s Cancel the Debt Campaign
“Not to share one’s wealth with the poor is to steal from them and to take away their livelihood. It is not our own goods which we hold, but theirs”. (St John Chrysostom)
The coronavirus pandemic threatens to push millions of people into poverty around the world. Cancelling debt is critical for enabling the world’s poorest countries to respond to the crisis.
Many of the world’s poorest nations are not only dealing with the coronavirus emergency but are also facing unimaginable financial hardship as a result of the global economic slowdown. The quickest way to deal with this worrying financial outlook is to keep money in developing countries by cancelling debt payments now.
Between now and October, CAFOD would like you to send them a photo of you creatively displaying the words Cancel The Debt. Photos of supporters from across England and Wales will be collected together in October to send a message to world leaders that it’s time to #CancelTheDebt.
Find out how to get involved on CAFOD’s Time to Cancel the Debt Campaign page
Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s vision is a world free from religious persecution, where everyone can practise a religion or belief of their choice. Sign up to CSW’s weekly prayer email to support all those persecuted for their religious beliefs.
Counting Mass Collections
Could anyone help to count the collections taken at Mass, please? John Fitzpatrick writes: We need to appeal for an additional two or three volunteers to assist in the counting and banking of mass collections. Continue reading
Parish Finances: details of how to support the parish by standing order and through the Diocesan justgiving website can be found here.
Prayer Request Form
If you have a prayer request please follow the link and use the form on the following page.
Please pray for:
Elizabeth that her family will be reunited and that she will keep her current job.
Iris Higgins, who was a parishioner in Crawley Down for many years, and who is now suffering from cancer. Please pray for strength and peace of mind for her.
Krysta that she may find a way to renew a close relationship with her daughter and for all mothers and daughters.
Kerry, Karen and Barbara.
Healing for Denise from physical pain and mental anguish
Earlier prayer requests can now be found on the Pastoral Care page.
Prayer Line: If you would like to pray with Father Paul he is available each day, except Sunday, from 10.00am – 11.00am. Please call him on 01342 710313.
Prayer and Worship Resources
Resources for prayer and worship during the coronavirus pandemic
Coronavirus resources for children, young people and their families.
Diocesan Updates
Bishop Richard Moth reflects on the Gospel in the light of the challenges and difficulties of the world especially during the current pandemic and the need in such times to act with justice and being Christ to the world.
Bishop Richard’s podcast for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A), 20th September 2020. “The greatest journey of our lives is the journey to God. It is what our lives are all about. It is what gives us a purpose and fulfilment beyond anything we might imagine.”
Bishop Richard will be offering a private ‘Mass in a Time of Pandemic’ every Friday until the outbreak of COVID-19 passes.
Follow the links to some of the parishes in the Diocese which are live streaming Mass (see below Coronavirus – Live Streaming Mass and Services)
The Diocese recommends a number of ways we can foster a sense of wellbeing at this time. Here are some ideas and places to find information and support.
About The Parish
We, the parish of Worth Abbey, in the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, welcome parishioners from a wide area. We benefit from a unique location among the Benedictine monastic community of Worth. We wish to become, by the grace of God, a strong Community, united in prayer to Jesus and to one another, by relations of love and commitment.
Our mission is to foster values of welcome and hospitality towards our fellow Christians, and to those of other faiths and none.
We are committed to service and outreach to the poor and those in need; to evangelisation; to the young; and to the protection of God’s Creation.
We seek to build upon existing work to nurture a flourishing parish community.
