Fr Tristan Writes 17th April 2025

Webmaster • May 17, 2025

'Baptised people of God/walk towards your light/Christ the Lord is risen/Alleluia!' We sang these words along with thousands of others on a Sunday in Lourdes a few weeks ago, during the Entrance Procession for the International Mass, which takes place in the vast underground basilica of St Pius X. It was a joyful reminder of the connection between our baptism and the Resurrection, which should really be a daily meditation for us as Christians. It reminds us that Baptism is not just an initiation ceremony or act of witness, it is a real participation in the rising of the son of God to life eternal! St Paul reminds the Christians of Rome: "we were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Rm 6:4)


The life of the Risen One we receive is something 'new'. In 21st Century Western culture we are obsessed by novelty: so much of what we own is ‘brand new' or the 'latest thing'. But 'newness' in the Biblical context cannot mean something disposable. It is the property of Himself who is ageless and without time. It is, put plainly, divine Love: that power to gaze steadfastly on the true good and become united with it afresh in every moment, in everrenewing wonder, without fatigue or decay.


Our Christian life needs to be a constant renewal of love. Every hour of every day brings challenges, but the goal is to see every hour in its 'newness'. Every prayer, no matter how familiar or repetitious to us, is Jesus's Word spoken anew. The sad thing is that we see our Christian life as something blasé; a key indicator of this is that we stop trying to grow. When we are challenged by a homily or a passage in Scripture, we think "I've heard that before and I already know what that means." When asked to help in the parish, we say to ourselves "no thanks; I've done my bit already". We assume we know how to 'do' faith. We have no desire to increase our knowledge, our outreach, our relationship with Christ or others.


Since the flower of eternal life has already been planted in us in the seed of grace, we should take care not to stifle its growth through a sense of over-familiarity. We can never be too familiar with the Persons of the Trinity who dwell within the soul filled with grace, just as They do not feel too 'familiar' in being united with us. We are to be open to life with Them forever. Especially crucial to this, and beautiful, is that encounter with the Son that we make so frequently, which is Communion with Christ's Risen Body in the Eucharist. Let us pray for our young people who will make this encounter for the first time this weekend! Throughout their lives, may they receive Holy Communion lovingly and always with a sense of doing something 'new'. May all our Communions, too, be warm and affectionate meetings with the Risen Lord, who sacrificed Himself for us, and draw from us a grateful 'Alleluia', each and every week!

Open Day - St Roberts Southwell Catholic School

By Webmaster • October 11, 2025
OPEN DAYS AT ST ROBERT SOUTHWELL CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL - We are delighted to invite prospective parents and carers to visit our school and see all that St Robert Southwell has to offer. Come and experience our warm, welcoming community, meet our dedicated staff, and see our children’s learning in action. Visit Dates:Thursday 13th November – from 1:30pm–2:30pm and 4:30pm– 6:00pm and Saturday 22nd November – from 10:00am. To book your place, please contact the school office on 01403 252357 or email secretary@strobertsouthwell.co.uk. We look forward to welcoming you to our school!

Parish Volunteers Party

By Webmaster • October 11, 2025
UPDATED: PARISH VOLUNTEERS’ PARTY, FRIDAY 21ST NOVEMBER – If you volunteer in any capacity here at St John’s – for example, with any element of the Liturgy, with anything to do with our buildings or grounds, in any of our Sacramental or formation programmes, with supporting our housebound parishioners – please join Fr Tristan for a little party on Friday 21st November from 7pm in the Main Hall. If you’re planning to attend, please email the Parish Office at horsham@abdiocese.org.uk, by Friday 31 October, giving your name and the number in your party, split between adults and children.

Confirmation Programme - 2026

By Webmaster • October 11, 2025
2026 CONFIRMATION PROGRAMME - the application form for the 2026 Confirmation programme will be available for those in Year 9 and above to collect from Sunday 26th October. They will be available after any Mass from either Fr Tristan or Deacon Tom who will give you a form in person. These will not be available from either the Parish Office or from the website. Please return the completed form with all the relevant documents to the Parish Office by the closing date of Friday 7th December 2025. Late applications will not be accepted.

Diocesan Vacancy

By Webmaster • October 10, 2025
DIOCESAN VACANCY - Communications Officer, part-time, permanent. Salary: £17,500 for 0.5 FTE (Based on a full-time salary of £35,000). Location: Based in Crawley, with hybrid working & travel across the Diocese required. Application deadline: 16 October Interviews: 22 October in Crawley. The successful applicant will produce and edit accurate, well-written online and offline content across diocesan platforms, telling the Church’s story and its contribution to society. The successful candidate will support the Head of Communications in managing the digital and print presence of the diocese, including content management for our website and social platforms and communications for fundraising campaigns. To find out more and to apply, go to the Diocesan website: abdiocese.org.uk/careers/ptcomms

SVP Update

By Webmaster • October 10, 2025
THE SVP - would like to express their warmest thanks to the parish for the generous support shown over the weekend of our annual appeal. We are grateful both for the financial contributions and to those who expressed an interest in joining us.

Holy Communion Programme - 2026

By bernadette cooper • October 10, 2025
2026 FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME – We are pleased to be able to open applications for next year’s formation for FIRST HOLY COMMUNION (school Year 3 and above). To register your interest, please speak to Fr Tristan or Deacon Tom after any Mass and they will be able to give you an Application Form in person; these will not be available from the Parish Office or from the website. Please return your completed Application Form, together with the necessary supporting documents, by the closing date of Friday 14th November 2025. We are unable to accept late applications, so please get your paperwork into the Parish Office as soon as possible.

Bishop Richard's Weekly Reflection - 12th October

By Webmaster • October 10, 2025
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Prisoners’ Sunday falls on 12 October, and it takes place, too, in the Jubilee Year that was started by Pope Francis before Christmas last year. The theme of the Jubilee Year is “Pilgrims of Hope”, and so we might reflect this Prisoners’ Sunday, on the need to enable those who are serving sentences, all those affected by crime, and those who work in our prison system, to be able to re-find hope that they have perhaps lost. I ask you on this Prisoners’ Sunday to pray very particularly for victims of crime, for those who work in our prison system and in our justice system, and to remember very specially those who are serving sentences, and those who are the hidden victims of crime, particularly young ones. Keep them in your prayers, reflect on ways in which you might perhaps volunteer for Pact: perhaps become a prison visitor or volunteer with the chaplaincy in your local prison. I encourage everybody to pray on Prisoners’ Sunday, especially during the celebration of Mass, and also for parishes, where they can, please, to hold a Second Collection for the support of Pact, the Prison Advice and Care Trust. Pact has the most wonderful history, and holds a very special place in care for prisoners and their families. With every blessing

Bishop Richard's weekly reflection - 28th September

By Webmaster • September 27, 2025
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is, I always find, especially strong in tone. Jesus gives the rich man no name, yet the poor man has that dignity. At the end of the parable, Jesus points out that "even if someone should rise from the dead" the rich man’s relatives would not be convinced. Jesus, of course, does rise from the dead and His warning is an indication of the all-absorbing lure of riches and power. Like the people against whom Amos speaks in the first reading, the rich man in the parable cares nothing for others. Jesus speaks elsewhere in the Gospel about the lure of riches – in the Parable of the Sower, this is one of the things that chokes the growing shoots, strangling them and preventing the crop. St Paul, writing to Timothy, provides us with the way forward: our lives must be marked by faith, love, patience and gentleness. We are called to be saints. This path is not an easy one – the gospels are filled with the Lord’s warning of the hard road, the narrow gate, the call not to look back, but to keep our gaze on Him, that our steps do not stray. Let us take the warning of the parable to heart, together with the guidance offered us by St Paul, that we do not fall into the traps that lie all around us, but keep mind and heart, every effort, on the building of the Kingdom of God in love and service – for this is true riches.  With every blessing,

Bishop Richard's Pastoral Letter - 21st Sept

By Webmaster • September 20, 2025
This weekend, people from all over the Diocese gathered to celebrate 60 years of the formation of the Diocese which took place at Ardingly on Saturday. Reflecting on these 60 years, Bishop Richard, in his pastoral letter this weekend has also been looking ahead to the future. “The journey has seen a good deal of conversation and renewed collaboration taking place across the Diocese, rooted in prayer. These conversations, leading to the development of leadership teams for our new-formed parishes, are bearing fruit. The formation taking place in our communities, together with the increasing working together in our new parishes will pave the way for ever more effective mission across the Diocese. Of course, we have a distance yet to travel; there is much to be done and this will always be so. However, there is no need for us to fear, for all is gift. “Jesus is at your side at every step of the way” Pope Francis reminded us, “He will not cast you into the abyss or leave you to your own devices. He will always be there to encourage and accompany you. He has promised and he will do it: ‘For I am with you always, to the end of the age’.”  The full pastoral letter will be read out at this weekend’s masses.

Fr Tristan Writes 14th September 2025

By Webmaster • September 12, 2025
This week we celebrate the feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross, commemorating the finding of the true cross on which Our Lord Jesus died, discovered by St Helena in the fourth century. Perhaps the name 'exultation' comes from Jesus' famous phrase in today's Gospel: that, like Moses' staff, the Son of Man must be 'lifted up'. Lifting the Cross refers, of course, to the actual raising of Jesus' dying body on Good Friday high above the crowds. However, it also has a deeper meaning: the crucified Jesus is 'lifted' above all the world - lifted by Christians in the manner of their lives imitating His sacrificial charity, lifted by Christians in their hearts which overflow with gratitude and adoration for the gift of salvation from sin and everlasting death. The image of the crucifix is lifted in our churches and homes and schools. It hangs from our necks, or even in our cars. It appears everywhere where Christian’s act in Jesus' name. And yet it is still an object of mockery for many. All the more reason to raise the Cross high in our lives by sharing love, even with those who hate us. A traditional prayer we offer wherever we pass the Cross is theEn Ego, which prays to draw from the Crucified Lord all the grace and all the necessary virtues to live in this way to do just this, and to resolve to follow Him more closely every day.  "Behold, O good and most sweet Jesus, I fall upon my knees before Thee, and with most fervent desire beg and beseech Thee that Thou wouldst impress upon my heart a lively sense of faith, hope and charity, true repentance for my sins, and a firm resolve to make amends. And with deep affection and grief, I reflect upon Thy five wounds, having before my eyes that which Thy prophet David spoke about Thee, O good Jesus: "They have pierced my hands and feet, they have counted all my bones" (Psalm 21) Amen."