Remembrance Sunday

At the all Masses this Sunday we pray for those who lost their lives in the World Wars and in Conflict since. May they rest in peace.

Books of Remembrance

In each of the Churches of the parish Books of Remembrance have been placed. Parishioners and visitors are invited to add the names of those who have gone before us in faith and who will be remembered at Masses during this month of the Holy Souls.

St Francis thanks Governors

The Children of St. Francis, one of our two primary schools, had prepared cards to thank Deacon Andrew Bayes, Mrs Sue Nelson and Mr. Ron Eakins for their great work as Governors over a total of 24 years. Mrs Connor, the Headteacher, joined Fr. Simon, in leading the children in prayers of thanksgiving. Mr Malcolm Braganza took the opportunity to introduce the new Governing Body to the Children.

World Youth Day 12 for 011

Following a meeting this evening in the Friary hall, during which Fr. Paul and Ray Mooney, the Diocesan Youth Adviser, talked about the next World Youth Day in Madrid in 2011 twelve of our young people have expressed an interest in attending. The real real challenge for them, and the parish, is to help them raise the money needed for the trip.

Welcome New Parishioners

This evening it was good to be able to meet with so many of the new parishioners who have moved to Crawley during the last year and to offer them a personal word of welcome.

Blessing of the graves at Snell Hatch

Thank you to all who gathered in Snell Hatch Cemetery to pray for those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith. During the short liturgy, before the blessing of individual graves, Fr. Simon invited us to pray especially for those deceased members of the parish community without family to pray for them.

Family Day

Thank you to the Mauritian Community for organising a tremendous Family Day at the Church Christ the Lord, Broadfield. The music for the Mass was outstanding and the feasting and festivities that followed were enjoyed by the huge number of people who attended.

Curry Night

Congratulations to all those whose excellent organisation made the Curry Night such a stunning social success. It was tremendous to have so many parishioners socialising together. Very many thanks to all who cooked, ran the bar, sold tickets, towards this event, cooks, barmen, ticket sellers, donated raffle prizes, the band and all who came to the Curry Night. We made £2061.50 for the Refurbishment Fund – a great result Thank you also to the pupils from St. Wilfrid's School who provided great musical entertainment.

Congratulations Natalie & Sean

Congratulation to Natalie & Sean who returned to Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Langley Green, for a Mass of Thanksgiving with the community following their wedding in Ireland.

Welcome Back Canon Seamus

It was great to welcome back Canon Seamus Hester - the first diocesan parish priest of the Friary and Tilgate. He has been very much in the prayers of the parish during his illness and it was good to see if looking so well. He wanted to see the new Friary and sends his congratulations to everyone involved as well as his gratitude to the parish for its prayerful support of him.

St. Wilfrid's - top 20%

St Wilfrid’s is delighted to report that the DCFS has placed the school in the top 20% of schools nationally in terms of ‘Value Added’. This is a measure which takes in to account the academic levels of achievement that students enter the school with judged against their actual attainment in Yr 11 (i.e. GCSEs & equivalent). In short it is a measure of student progress. This is a critical measure of a school’s effectiveness as it describes the school’s impact, including student progress in English & Maths, throughout a child’s learning career at the school.

Welcome Finn O'Driscoll

Congratulations to the O'Driscoll family on the Baptism of Finn at the Friary Church.

Bernadette Connor's Induction

During the Vigil Mass of St. Francis (one of our Patronal Feasts) Bernadette Connor was Inducted as the New Headteacher of St. Francis of Asissi Catholic Primary School. Thank you to the Children, Parents, Governors and Community who made it such a wonderful celebration.
Pictured: Jonathan Morris (Head St. Wilfrid's, Fr. Simon, Mary Reynolds (Diocesan Director of Education), Mgr. Tony, Bernadette Connor, Fr. Chris and Bill Connor.

Congratulations to some of our parishioners at St. Wilfrids School who have been comssioned as Extordinary Ministers of Communion. A bit thank you to Fr. Terry Martin, Parish priest of Horsham, who undertook their preparation.

RIBA Award

Congratulations! - to Deirdre Waddington, architect for the refurbishment of the Friary. Deirdre was Joint Winner of the Downland Prize, Community Section for her work at the Friary. The prize is given by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and celebrates the added value that an architect can bring to a relatively small project. We are delighted that Deirdre's dedication and hard work has been recognised in this way. A copy of the certificate issued can be seen on the notice board.

Golden Jubilee

The Church of St. Theodore of Canterbury celebrates it 50th Anniversary. Following an outdoor party in the grounds of the convent Mass is celebrated in the Church. The following day the community returned to the church for an hour of Exposition followed by Benediction.

Our Dominican Sisters

The Prioress General of the Dominican Missionary Sisters, and her Assistant Sr Kamfwa Mutale OP, are visiting our Sisters in Kenya. On 12th September 2009, Sr Ferrera and Sr Kamfwa joined the Sisters in this part of the Congregation for a triple celebration. It was the opening and blessing of our Formation House, the 11th anniversary of the presence of the Sisters in Kenya and the silver jubilee of one of the pioneer Sisters, Sister Maureen Lombe.
Throughout this visit Srs Ferrera and Kamfwa also take time to share in the life and work of the Sisters, in the schools, the hospital and multiple social projects. Most of the Children you see on these pictures are from our orphanages and our schools. During this time Sr Ferrera and Sr Kamfwa also take time to evaluate and plan the possibilities in which Sisters can continue to preach the Good News through their life and Mission in Kenya.

Ordination to the Diaconate

Deacon Andy Moss would like to express to the parish community his heartfelt thanks for the many cards and gifts received on the occasion of his ordination to the diaconate, as well as his appreciation for the generosity shown by Crawley parishioners in helping with the event.

More Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/crawley-parish/sets/72157621519548471/show/

New Chapel

Thank you to all those whose generosity and support means that our new Secondary School now has a beautiful chapel. Bishop Kieran has consecrated the Altar and blessed the Chapel. For pictures of the Chapel in usual mode and extended mode (as it prepared for the consecration) please clike here: More Pictures.

Canon Heaney

Congratulations to Canon Ollie Heaney, formerly Parish Priest of St. Edward's, Pound Hill, who has been made a Canon of Arundel Cathedral. Many parishioners were delieghted to join him for Vespers in the Cathedral during which he was installed.