 The Marriage and Family Life team in the Archdiocese have been in touch with us to say that they remain in post during the lock-down and are providing many of their courses online; they are keen that clergy and parishioners are aware of the following:
Marriage Preparation - the team continues to provide marriage preparation on all the scheduled dates using the same online format which worked well and was well received by the couples participating. Forthcoming dates for official online Marriage Preparation courses in our pastoral area are available on request For more details email Lisette Blanchett-Ball. Building A Better Marriage - in order to help married couples enrich their marriages they are holding more online courses. During the lock-down period an online Building a Better Marriage opportunity is being held on 6 June and 4 July, running from 10:00-13:00. You are able to attend from your own living room so there is no group sharing! For more details contact Carole Batty by ‘phone 07983 524727 or by email. Passing on The Faith - parents have a lot more time with their children at the moment. They feel it is timely to offer a programme that they have run in the past in several parishes and have made it available as an online service for families. For more details email Lisette Blanchett-Ball. 
 If you know what an RSS feed is and how to use it, or link it to your email client, then did you know we have a feed available from this, our Latest News page?
If your email client doesn’t support RSS feeds then a simple bit of free software such as the RSS Feed Reader Feedly (other feed readers are available) will do the job for you. This is the link you need to copy and paste into your chosen client/software: https://stbartsnorbury.co.uk/4/feed There is also an RSS Feed from our Confirmation Blog page: https://stbartsnorbury.co.uk/8/feed If a news item is amended at a future date, you will receive an update.
For additional times elsewhere in the Archdiocese, search the list to be found here.
Archbishop John invites everyone in the Diocese to join him for a special online gathering on Wednesday 27 May. He will be leading a live streamed May Devotions, including a Scriptural Rosary at 19:00 from the Cathedral. At this time when we are asked to be more isolated than usual it is an opportunity to 'spiritually gather' together. The live stream will be found here.  Southwark Catholic Youth Service has launched a YouTube channel and produced a short mini-series ‘Christ is Alive’. The bite-size videos follow the reflections of Matthew, Fletcher, Martha and Niamh on Pope Francis' document Christus Vivit. The series consists of 6 x 2min videos, each with questions for reflection and supporting resources. It is an invitation for young people to focus on staying spiritually healthy and to ponder some of the big questions about life, through journaling, Lectio Divina and prayer. Archbishop John introduces it below, and the videos he introduces are being added here. The resources mentioned above may be found beneath each individual video in the series. The Higher Committee of Human Fraternity is calling for women and men to pray to God for an end to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
While recognising the role of science in fighting the disease, the Committee says, “we should not forget to seek refuge in God, the All-Creator, as we face such a severe crisis”. In calling for worldwide prayer, the Committee says, “Each one, from wherever they are and according to the teachings of their religion, faith, or sect, should implore God to lift this pandemic off us and the entire world, to rescue us all from this adversity”. Their call also emphasises the importance of asking God “to inspire scientists to find a cure that can turn back this disease, and to save the whole world from the health, economic, and human repercussions of this serious pandemic”. A day for prayers and supplications The Committee suggests Thursday 14 May, as a day “for fasting, works of mercy, prayers, and supplications for the good of all humanity”. The full text of this notification may be read on the Website of the Bishops's Conference of England & Wales HERE. With our weekly Sunday Offering reduced from around £1,800 to about £750 (the amount provided by those who give by standing orders), plus a yet unknown additional income from those who have responded to our appeals for donations, you will understand the growing concerns that exist for our parish finances as time passes without our regular Sunday Masses. The anticipated income from the Parish Hall is not providing as expected, and a number of other income steams have, understandably, dried up. These concerns will most certainly deepen the longer the current situation exists. The buildings still have to be maintained, the bills still have to be paid, and our priests need to eat! It is so important that our parish remains financially solvent.  We have now joined Southwark’s JustGiving scheme. It offers those without on-line banking, but still with internet access, the opportunity to contribute to the longer-term welfare of the parish at no cost to themselves. Donations may be Gift Aided, and may be made on a one-off or a more regular basis.
Please do look at our Parish Finances page and see if you are able to assist in any small way. If you can assist, then please follow the guidance given carefully so that the parish benefits fully from your generosity.  Today, Sunday 10 May, we would in normal circumstances have been celebrating our third, and final, First Holy Communion Mass. Sadly this was not to be the case. Father Deo has written some lovely words to our First Holy Communion children and they may be read HERE. Please remember them all in your prayers.
On Friday 8 May the country celebrated the 75th Anniversary of VE Day. In acknowledgement of this, and in remembrance of the people of Norbury who gave their lives in service during the Second World War, the images and words below appeared on our Home page.
The 75th Anniversary of VE Day on 8 May - Norbury’s War Memorial, in front of The Royal British Legion’s building in London Road.
Close-up image courtesy of and Copyright © Sean Creighton.
NHS Prayer Buddies: Rebekah O'Keeffe, a catechist who works within the Diocese, will pair people up as prayer buddies placing each one by name into God's care. If you would like to accompany an NHS worker in prayer at this time, please email Rebekah O’Keeffe with your name and parish details (name and area only). No email addresses will be passed on at any point. An interesting short video, relevant to last Sunday’s World day of Prayer for Vocations, regarding life at Wonersh, our Diocesan Seminary The God Who Speaks: The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales have dedicated 2020 as a year of focus on the Bible and ‘The God Who Speaks’. Here you will find ideas to help you create a prayerful, scriptural and reflective time at home during this difficult period.
The Diocesan Vocations page on the website has some information on ordained ministry in Southwark, along with contact information for those seeking more information. One of our recently ordained priests, Father Francis Murphy, has written a short reflection on his journey to priesthood: Click here to read more. The Diocese has several students in formation for the priesthood. Four of these students have written about their response to God's call. Click here to read more. The Diocesan Seminary, St. John's Seminary in Wonersh, annually produces a Seminary magazine. The 2019 edition has been made available to the Diocese. It can be downloaded in PDF format by clicking here (205Mb file). 
 Each year, near to the Feast of St Joseph the Worker, the migrant communities of Brentwood, Southwark and Westminster gathers for a Mass that is full of song, vibrant energy and great joy. Read more>>>
Father Tomasz will be streaming Mass live on Facebook at 09.30 on Sunday 26 April, the third Sunday of Easter.
Father Tomasz will be streaming Mass live on Facebook at 09.30 on Sunday 19 April - Divine Mercy Sunday (also known as Low Sunday and the second Sunday of Easter) - the final day of the great octave of Easter.
With immediate effect all further news items will be posted on this our Latest News page.
Links to our Coronavirus Information page will be deleted tomorrow Saturday 11 April. The page will, for those who may wish to revisit it, remain for the time being as an archive and will only be accessible from here.
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Accessibility - St. Bartholomew's does its utmost to accommodate those with additional needs. Whilst the main body of the church is wholly accessible to people with mobility disabilities, the choir gallery is both approached by stairs and the seating is then stepped by design. The church has a wheelchair-accessible toilet, and baby-changing facilities. There is a Loop System (AFIL) in place in the church.
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All text and pictures on this Web site Copyright © St. Bartholomew's Roman Catholic Church and/or the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark 2016 - 2020 unless otherwise stated.
St. Bartholomew's Catholic Church cannot be held responsible for the content of links to external sites.
All text and pictures on this Web site Copyright © St. Bartholomew's Roman Catholic Church and/or the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark 2016 - 2020 unless otherwise stated.