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“Thursday 25th September 2025 marks the 110th anniversary of the Battle of Loos, a conflict of the First World War that left 48,387 UK and Empire soldiers dead or wounded. St. Mary’s parishioners using the main entrance from the quadrangle will notice what architects described as a “rusticated block” next to the flower bed commemorating the death of Walter Gaisford in this battle.

Walter was the youngest son of the founder of S. Mary’s, Sir Thomas Gaisford, and his third wife, Alice. A career soldier, he led his regiment, the Seaforth Highlanders, to his death on 25th September. Walter has no known grave, but is commemorated on the Loos Memorial at Dud Corber Cemetery in France (panels 112 – 115), and in the Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle, and on St. Mary’s own memorial on the external east wall of the church.

Walter’s mother erected a large Calvary in his honour in the quadrangle at St Mary’s, and the rusticated block is all that remains of this memorial. It appears to have disappeared around 1938. On that same day the son of another famous Sussex personage was killed at Loos – John Kipling, son of Rudyard. He had recently been commissioned into the Irish Guards. His father’s poignant and moving poem, “My Son Jack” was written about his search for his remains.

Please pray for an end to war and for peace on Earth, for the Gaisford family, and for our own church community.

THE KNIGHTS OF ST. COLUMBA RACE NIGHT will be on Saturday 11th October 2025 at 7.00pm at St Oscar Romero School [Chatsmore] Goring-By-Sea BN12 5AF.

First race 7.30.pm. Tickets, £11.00 each (to include a Fish and Chip supper) are obtainable from John Finch
on 01903 200369 or 07983641845.

Please support this fun event to raise money towards Pro Life charities and Perennial KSC Projects

There will be an information meeting for parents only, who wish their children 8 years old (not younger), to receive First Holy Communion in May 2026.

The meeting will be held in Saint Mary of the Angels Church on Monday 3rd of November at 7pm. It is most important that all interested parents from both of our Worthing and Lancing churches attend. Starting this Sunday the First Holy Communion enrolment form will be available on our website till the 19th October at midnight.

It is compulsory to complete two forms: Database form and Registration form for FHC.

“Uprising” is a transformational weekend for Young adults (ages 18–30) on 11–12 October 2025 at the University of Sussex.

It is a powerful seminar to equip all who attend to live the miraculous life Jesus promised.

Pope Benedict said at World Youth day 2009, “Let yourselves be guided by the Holy Spirit to be the leaven of new life, salt of the earth and light of the world.” Uprising is a response to that call — a time of Eucharistic worship, dynamic teaching, and Spirit-led prayer, forming young people as missionary disciples for today’s world.

The weekend is free. If you’re aged 18–30 or know someone who is, register at: https://www.abcharismatic.org/uprising-a-generation-burning-for-jesus/

The weekend is free so that it is open to everyone who is called to attend. Can you support this vital work? We’re asking for the generosity of our wonderful Catholic community and your gift will help young people attend who might otherwise miss this opportunity due to financial barriers.
Donate here: justgiving.com/crowdfunding/uprisingburningforjesus

There is a new approach to Baptism at the Catholic Parish of Worthing and Lancing. Please see our new Baptism page for further information. Click Here to go to our new Baptism Page

Clare Neal, a committed and long-standing parishioner, well-known to many, died recently. Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11.30am on Friday 18th July at St Mary of the Angels, Worthing. May she rest in peace.

TODAY IS SEA SUNDAY: Seafarers and fishers play a vital role in all of our lives, but they work in difficult, hazardous conditions, often separated from their families for months on end. On Sea Sunday, the Church prays for all those who live and work at sea. Your financial support will make a big difference to seafarers and fishers in need. Stella Maris Chaplains offer  spiritual and pastoral support to workers who may not have been able to receive the sacraments for months at a time.

You can donate in church, by visiting www.stellamaris.org.uk/donate, or by texting ‘SEA’ to 70460 to donate £5. The collection on Sea Sunday is vital for Stella Maris to continue its
important apostolic mission.

The parish is donating to a number of charities both home & abroad with money that’s tithed from the weekly collection during this financial year. In the next few weeks information will be given about each one.

The first one is St Martin’s Mission in Kingstown, Jamaica. The Dominican Friars (English Province) run two parishes, one of which is desperately poor and in an area policed by the  military because of gang violence. In addition to normal parish duties, and a food ministry to the poor and pre-schoolers, the friars aim to build up and empower the Catholic presence in Jamaica through education: a parish Nursery school, teenager and young adult catechesis , chaplaincy outreach in the local university and hospital. Young men are beginning to  enquire about vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and two of them who are currently living in the friary during a period of discernment have now been accepted into the English Province. This September, they will begin their year’s noviciate in Cambridge. After that, God willing, they will begin their priestly formation in Oxford.

The leadership of the English province visits the mission yearly, to oversee the mission and provide direction and guidance. Student friars are sometimes sent on pastoral placements during the summer to further assist in the mission to young adults. Leaflets are available at carpark entrance at St Mary’s and at Holy Family