Fr. Aaron Writes :5th December 2021

Webmaster • December 4, 2021


Dear Friends,


Advent Talks – All are welcome to the following talks at St John’s to help us prepare for the great Feast of Christmas.

    • Monday 13th December: A talk on “Joy” – Fr Tristan Cranfield

    The evening begins with Teas and Coffees in the Hall at 6:30pm, the talk begins at 7pm in the Church. All are welcome to begin our        Advent season with an evening of reflection.


Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception – There will be a Vigil Mass at 6:30pm on Tuesday evening and a Mass at 10am on Wednesday.


Gaudete Sunday – The traditional blessing of crib figures and Nativity sets will take place on the Third Sunday of Advent (11/12 December). Blessed hay will be distributed at the end of Mass that weekend.


Christmas Mass and Services Times – These are now available, please see the posters around the church and also on the parish website and Facebook page. There will be Advent Confessions on Monday 20th December at 7pm and Carol singing around the outdoor crib in the courtyard on Wednesday 22nd December at 4pm. Parish Masses on Christmas Eve will be at 5pm, 9pm and 12 Midnight, on Christmas Day there will be Mass 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am. On the Sunday of the Holy Family there will be only two Masses at 10am, 11:30am.


School Form Signing – It is that time of year for school SIF forms to be signed, so I shall be hosting three after school sessions in the parish office when parents and carers can just turn up and meet with me for school form signing. These will take place on Monday December 6th, Tuesday December 7th and Monday 13th December - all sessions will be between 4pm and 5pm in the Presbytery.


Synod of Bishops on Synodality – we will host meetings for the diocesan listening stage of the Synod in for three weeks in January. The materials are now available on the diocesan website: www.abdiocese.org.uk for you to download.


Our meetings will take place in January from the week beginning the 10th, however in the meanwhile during Advent, I would encourage the various groups, in our parish to gather and meet and begin to reflect on the questions asked of us in this listening phase.


I encourage families and individuals to look at the material so that when we come to the meetings in January we can bring our Advent reflections to the general parish meetings. Please note anyone can submit their own contributions to the diocese, the parish meeting facilitators will submit a parish contribution.


I am approaching some members of our parish to be facilitators for the meetings. If, I can get enough facilitators I hope to host a three meetings in the week, over three weeks on the topics of Communion, Participation and Mission. I think it is important to host meetings at different times of the week in order that a wider participation may take place.


So I envisage a Monday Evening Meeting, a Meeting after the Friday morning Mass and a Meeting after the 11:30am Mass on a Sunday. All meetings are to take place in the hall.


Guest Speaker from the Holy Land - The Bethlehem Nativity Group TBNG, A missionary from Bethlehem, The Holy Land will visit us on the weekend of 4th – 5th December to briefly talk about the Holy Land and sell religious articles made from Olive Wood from the Holy Land, to help and support the poor Christian families. Any help you could give to them will be highly appreciated.


Fr Alban’s Induction – Fr Alban is inviting all parishioners to join with him in celebrating his Induction as Parish Priest of English Martyrs, Horley by Bishop Richard on Friday 10th December at 6pm. We wish him well in his new role.


Holy Communion – when you approach for Holy Communion, if you are a couple or family, please come forward together to receive the Lord. This will expedite the time for Holy Communion. The gaps between the Sunday Masses are short, and so this will help increase the time between liturgies. Many thanks.


Restart – Again I make an appeal for those who would like to help with certain parish activities and ministries. Perhaps you might consider using your time, talent or treasure to assist in one of the following areas of parish life. I will focus on the following to begin with:

    • Children’s Liturgy.

    • Refreshments after Sunday Mass.

    • Adult and Children Formation Programs.


Appointment of an additional Parish Health and Safety Representative - I wish to appoint an additional Parish Safety Representative to eventually take over the role from the current parish volunteer. The role is to assist me in the discharge of my health and safety responsibilities. Please contact me if you wish to consider this role.


The Sacrament of Confirmation – Congratulations to all our young people who were confirmed by Bishop Richard at Worth Abbey last Sunday.


In Memoriam :


Dorothy Kew RIP – Dorothy’s Funeral will take place at Worthing Crematorium on 8th December at 1:30pm.


Nunzio Loffredo RIP – His Requiem Mass will take place 9th December at 11am, please keep him and his families and friends in your prayers at this time.


With my very best wishes and prayers for the week ahead.


Fr Aaron

OUR VISITING SEMINARIAN, BARNABAS, WRITES - 22nd March

By Webmaster • March 20, 2026
“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” This Sunday we find ourselves between various significant points in the Church’s liturgical calendar; last week we celebrated Laetare Sunday, in which we rejoiced in anticipation of the coming celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection. This week, we celebrated the feast of St Patrick and the solemnity of St Joseph. Next Sunday, we will process with palm branches in our hands as we begin that solemn journey to Calvary with Our Lord in Holy Week. And this week, the Church gives us one of the most moving Gospel readings in the lectionary; the bringing of Lazarus back from the dead. Something that has always struck me in this passage is the unapologetic way in which Jesus shows us His humanity, whilst also showing us so clearly His Divinity. In the midst of the death of His friend Lazarus, after Jesus testifies that He is the Resurrection and the life, we read one of the most awe-inspiring passages in scripture; that “Jesus wept”. Why are we told this? For what reason does Jesus let us in on this little secret, this brief glimpse into His emotions, His frailty, His pain? How are we to respond to Jesus’s tears? Perhaps one reason among many is so that we may be consoled. If Jesus had merely brought Lazarus back to life, of course, that would be enough. But how generous it is of Him to share with us not only His power, but also His sorrow. Jesus’s moving display of emotion emphasises to us a simple fact of life that He does not ask us to deny; death is tragic, and it is painful when we lose someone we love. And yet, God’s glory shines through all the same. Jesus weeps, yet He does not let death have the last word. Instead, He makes them open the tomb, not so that He can say a last farewell to his friend, but instead so that He can confidently call him out of the sleep of death. And so, as God’s children who await the glory of the Resurrection, we may also weep when faced with life’s tragedies, but we can do so not just with the comforting knowledge that Christ has wept with us, but also with the joyful hope that, at the end of all things, He will stand before the tombs of all His friends and say, this time without tears, ‘ come forth ’.

Easter Week Services 2026

By Webmaster • March 17, 2026
You can download our full schedule of Holy Week and Easter Services - HERE (PDF)

OUR VISITING SEMINARIAN, BARNABAS, WRITES - 15th March

By Webmaster • March 16, 2026
“Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning;” Laetare Sunday is already upon us! “Laetare” meaning “rejoice”, the Church now encourages us to remember the ultimate destination we are journeying to on our Lenten pilgrimage; the joyful celebration of Christ’s conquering sin and death. Therefore, we can take this as an opportunity to slightly relax our observances, whilst keeping in mind that this is merely a little foretaste of the paschal celebrations that are to come. It is particularly fitting therefore to see which passage of scripture the Church has given us for this Sunday’s Gospel; Jesus’s healing of the man born blind. Whilst others see in the man’s misfortune an indication of guilt, Christ sees this man’s vulnerability as an opportunity for God’s grace to shine through, and brings him healing and transformation ‘that the works of God might be displayed in him’. Through his healing the man is transformed beyond recognition…crucially, not only did Christ show the power of the Father over natural evil by working this miracle, but also He showed His disciples a sign of the inner transformation that was to come to us once He had defeated sin and death on the Cross, and ascended to His Father, sending the Holy Spirit to His Church. A cause to rejoice indeed, and yet all the Pharisees choose to see is an infraction of the Law, given that a work had been performed on the Sabbath…  Laetare Sunday is a timely reminder to us in Lent as to why we fast, pray, and give. It is not merely to satisfy a rule, or prove to ourselves and others how religious we are; quite the opposite! It is, amongst other things, to show more clearly our vulnerabilities, our frailties, and our wounds, so that Christ may enter into them to bring them healing, or indeed, so that the works of God might be displayed in us. Ultimately, it is to prepare us to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, He who gives us eyes to see and ears to hear, and transforms us beyond recognition into the people we are called to be. Let us joyfully continue our Lenten resolve to draw closer to Christ then, and ask Him to strip away any obstacles in our lives to Him as we continue this holy season of Lent.

Fr Tristan Writes 1st March 2026

By Webmaster • February 28, 2026
How is your Lent going? If you are anything like me, it may be not be 'spectacular'! I don't think I've succumbed to any massive temptations yet (at the time of writing this!) but, at the same time, I certainly don't think I've been living the season as intensely as I could do. The main way to do this, of course, is to spend time pondering the Scriptures that the Church gives us in the liturgy. But it's very easy to put this off and to miss hearing the Word of God with fresh ears. And this is more than a shame, because, as we remember from last week's narrative of Christ tempted by the devil to make bread from stones, in fact the Word of God is our true food. But Lent has only just begun. It is never worth putting off our conversion to Christ, just because we feel we have already dragged our feet. On Ash Wednesday, we heard the words of St Paul saying 'Behold now is the favourable time; behold now is the day of salvation.' (2 Cor 5:20-6:2) 'NOW' is the crucial word. Jesus, revealing Himself as the Son to the apostles in the dazzling sight of His Transfiguration, shows us that He, although truly a man, as a divine person, will lift that which is human, limited, temporal into the life of eternity. He is always "NOW" - as the Letter to the Hebrews puts it: "Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever" (Heb 13:8). He is speaking to us in every moment, waiting for our hearts to return to Him, and working hearts that accept Him. As we also have heard in the previous week: "I have set before you life and death" (Deut 30:19). We must choose at every moment to follow Him or not: to spend eternity with Him, or not. We should not believe we can put off that choice indefinitely.  In the Transfiguration, Peter, James and John receive a 'sneak preview' (or 'foretaste') of the beauty, glory and majesty of the Risen Lord, dwelling in the eternal day of the Resurrection. Now is the time to choose that day, and not the night of our own self-absorption. The thought of Jesus's eternal divine love can spur us on in the here and now, even when that here and now is troubled.... and it already brings us back to life in the 'NOW' when we are struck and transformed by the sweetness of His grace. In particular, do not delay to respond to His call to experience Him in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where His Word washes us clean. Hear the Father's voice calling us in the now: 'This is my Son the Beloved: listen to Him!'

Fr Tristan Writes 22nd February 2026

By Webmaster • February 21, 2026
Today's Gospel reminds us of the importance of fasting and abstinence in the face of temptation. In the first of his annual Messages for Lent, Pope Leo XIV reminds us: "Fasting is a concrete way to prepare ourselves to receive the word of God. Abstaining from food is an ancient ascetic practice that is essential on the path of conversion. Precisely because it involves the body, fasting makes it easier to recognize what we “hunger” for and what we deem necessary for our sustenance. Moreover, it helps us to identify and order our “appetites,” keeping our hunger and thirst for justice alive and freeing us from complacency. Thus, it teaches us to pray and act responsibly towards our neighbor. [...] In this regard, I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor. Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgement, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves. Instead, let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media and in Christian communities. In this way, words of hatred will give way to words of hope and peace."

Fr Tristan Writes 15th February 2026

By Webmaster • February 14, 2026
On Wednesday, Lent begins: forty days where the Church invites us to return, with all our heart, to Christ, in preparation to celebrate the mysteries of our redemption in Holy Week. When we receive ashes on our forehead we hear the words, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." It is a beautiful phrase: not really a comment on our sinfulness, so much as a reminder of our fragility. We are creatures, made in God's image; we are utterly dependent on Him! It is the illusion of independence that is what so often leads us astray, and it is this illusion which the disciplines of Lent - prayer, fasting and almsgiving - seek to put right, by putting our relationship with God and with others first. Each action of Lent is a chance to "remember" our dependence on the Father. In recalling our dust, which He gave life to, He fills us again with the breath of His mouth, the everlasting life of the crucified Son so that we may not die in sin, but rise as He did on Easter Sunday. Together, we walk as a community through Lent, in reconciliation with the Father and one another, like the people of Israel on their forty years wandering towards the Promised Land. Last year, you may remember that I recorded a short podcast each day entitled "A Lenten Alphabet"; these are still available on YouTube, should you wish to use them. This year, on Mondays, I will be giving a live catechesis on the meaning of the Lenten liturgies and the Triduum to prepare us to celebrate the Easter Mysteries together. And on Fridays, Barnabas will be leading in-person sessions on the beauty of St Matthew's Gospel (together with video material from renowned biblical scholar and Catholic convert Scott Hahn). Along with extra time for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Stations of the Cross, there is plenty for us in the parish to help kick start a time of spiritual renewal, and to walk more closely with Christ; to die to self and live for others: to live for Him, who died for us.

Lent 2026

By Webmaster • February 14, 2026
Preparing for the important Lenten journey. Activities at St John's Horsham.

OUR VISITING SEMINARIAN, BARNABAS, WRITES - 8th February

By Webmaster • February 7, 2026
It feels like only yesterday that we celebrated the Nativity, and it’s been wonderful to be able to pray before the infant Jesus at the crib during this time leading up to Candlemas. But now the year is already marching on with great force, and the holy season of Lent is but a mere week and a half away! Those of us who find the beginning of Lent at times a bit daunting are, I dare say, in good company. It is certainly tempting to enter into this period in which the Church invites us to practice an increase of prayer, fasting and almsgiving feeling a bit unprepared. However, we can use this time to ask the Lord what it is we can do to make more space in our lives for Him and our neighbour. At St John the Evangelist, we have various things on our parish calendar to be aware of to help us along the way. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available daily (except Wednesdays). On Fridays we will pray The Stations of the Cross in the morning and evening. Fr Tristan will give an online catechesis course on the Triduum on Mondays, and I will be giving a course on the Gospel of Matthew with the assistance of Dr Scott Hahn’s St Paul's Institute online course on Fridays. If you’re interested to find out more, the parish website has more information about our Lenten schedule, as well as some informative posters and flyers that are being put up and distributed around the parish. Concerning our outreach to our neighbour, there will be plenty of opportunities to support the SVP and our other charities during this season as well.  If we respond well to the Church’s invitation to prepare for the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection in this season of Lent, we will find ourselves able to rejoice all the more joyfully in the Easter season. “Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, ‘In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:1- 2). Now, let us prepare well for this favourable time to grow closer in our love of the Lord, our charity to our neighbour, and sorrow for our sins, that we may receive whatever graces our Lord has in store for us in this approaching Lenten season!

Fr Tristan Writes 25h January 2026

By Webmaster • January 24, 2026
This Sunday's Gospel tells the story of the call of Simon Peter and Andrew, the fishermen, to leave their nets behind on the sea-shore and to follow the Lord. In that moment, they are given a new vocation. It would have been impossible at that moment to say what their time with Jesus would entail: walking with the Word Incarnate, experiencing His loving power to heal the world, witnessing His fulfillment of the prophecies, sacrificing Himself for mankind.... Nor can they have imagined to what end it would lead them: becoming, along with the other apostles, the foundation stones of the New Israel, the Church, abandoning Christ in His hour of need; being restored to His friendship and forgiveness at Easter when He appeared to them Risen in the flesh; receiving His Spirit poured out on them at Pentecost; preaching Him and celebrating His sacraments as leaders of the churches of Rome and Constantinople, converting both Jews and Gentiles, and finally experiencing a death like His, both crucified like their Master. We do not know what wonderful graces we will receive nor the trials we will suffer when we follow Jesus: all we can do is leave our nets and go after Him! With this in mind, we pray especially this week for Archbishop-elect Richard Moth, who will celebrate his final Mass at our Cathedral this Friday. We pray that having served us here in Arundel & Brighton, he will be filled with great courage and zeal to follow the Lord to new pastures in the Archdiocese of Westminster. For him, it wil surely be a moment needing great humility and strength from the Lord as he faces a new mission, not knowing what it might entail. We give thanks for his faithful ministry to us here in our diocese, and pray that the Lord will give him peace and joy and he continues to follow Him, and lead His flock in a new way. And we pray, too, for a new shepherd to be appointed soon to lead us.  "Let us pray. O God, shepherd and ruler of all the faithful, look favourably on your servant whom you will set at the head of your Church of Westminster as her shepherd; grant, we pray, that by word and example, he may be of service to those over whom he presides, so that, together with the flock entrusted to his care, he may come to eternal life. Through Christ our

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY, SUNDAY 18TH TO SUNDAY 25TH JANUARY

By Webmaster • January 17, 2026
We invite you to join Horsham Churches Together for the 2026 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, from 18th to 25th January 2026. This year, we are guided by the ancient, prayerful traditions of the Armenian Church and St. Paul’s timeless call to be ‘one body and one Spirit’ in Ephesians 4. There will be daily prayer meetings and a United Service at St Mary’s, The Causeway, Horsham RH12 1HE at 6pm on Sunday 25th January 2026 – this will be led by Fr Tristan and he would love to see as many St John’s parishioners there as possible! Other events taking place during the week are as follows: Sunday 18th Jan, 6:30pm – Prayer Meeting at Horsham United Reform Church, RH12 2RG. Monday 19th Jan, 1pm – Prayer Meeting with Horsham Eco Church @ St Marks, Holbrook, RH12 5PU. Tuesday 20th Jan, 7:30pm – Prayer Meeting at Cornerstone Methodist Church St Andrew’s, Roffey, RH12 4DX. Wednesday 21st Jan, 7:30pm – Turn the Battle Encounter Night at Kingdom Faith Church, Horsham, RH13 5PX. Thursday 22nd Jan, 7:30pm – Prayer Meeting at Brighton Road Baptist Church, Horsham, RH13 5BD. Friday 23rd Jan, 1:30pm – Prayer Meeting at Trafalgar Road Baptist Church, Horsham, RH12 2QL. Saturday 24th Jan, 10am – Prayer Meeting at St Margaret’s Church, Warnham, RH12 3QW.