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What does it mean to be a

Catholic?

Catholics are members of a worldwide family of local churches, all of which are united to each other in living faith by their visible communion with the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. Individual Catholics are united with each other in a parish community, gathered around the priest who serves them as the living sacramental sign of Jesus the Shepherd. Parishes in an area are united with each other in a diocese, gathered around the bishop who carries on the pastoral mission of the Apostles. The dioceses of the world are united with each other by their common bond with the Pope as the visible centre of communion. These simple structures are there to serve the most important unity of all: our real, living communion with the Risen Jesus who is powerfully present among us as our Lord and Shepherd, our Teacher and our great High Priest. Everything in the Catholic Church is designed to help us grow closer to Jesus, and to share his life and his work.

It is above all at our weekly Sunday celebration of the Mass, the Eucharist, that this unity with each other in Christ is most powerfully shown and strengthened. ‘Going to Mass’ has always been a key sign of a committed Catholic, from the first Christians who met in their houses for the ‘breaking of bread’, to Catholics who risked their lives by celebrating Mass during times of persecution, to those Catholics today who make a conscious choice to take an active part in the life and worship of the Church. There have always been people who have opted out, but taking part in the Mass, above all on Sundays, has always been seen as central and crucial for living fully the Catholic faith. Coming to Mass, taking part in a Catholic Eucharist every Sunday, is still the main visible sign of being a Catholic; it is at the heart of our Catholic identity. Living the Mass, allowing the Lord’s presence to transform and direct our lives, is what being a Catholic is all about.

Mass times

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION (Confession)

SATURDAYS 10.30  - 11.30am, 4.30 - 5.15 p.m.

ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

MONDAY, FRIDAY: 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. TUESDAY, THURSDAY: 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

ROSARY

after the 10.00 a.m. Mass, Monday - Friday.

Sunday Masses

There are five very different celebrations of Sunday Mass in our parish.

• Saturday, 5.30 p.m. (eve of Sunday) at St Augustine’s
• This is a simple and reasonably quiet celebration, usually with no music.

• Sunday, 8.00 a.m. at St Augustine’s

  The smallest congregation at St Augustine’s church on a Sunday.

  A very quiet Mass, with no music.

   

• Sunday, 9.30 a.m. at St Augustine’s

  This is our ‘Family Mass’, with plenty of crying babies and wandering toddlers. The music is led by our Music Group. On most Sundays, there is a special Children’s Liturgy during the first half of the Mass. At the beginning of Mass, those children who wish to do so leave the church in four groups with a team of catechists; they are divided into 2.5-4 year olds, 4-6 year olds, 6-8 year olds, and 8-11 year olds. In the parish hall and our three parish meeting rooms, they have a service of their own, and then return to the church after the Bidding Prayers. Children are involved each week in bringing forward the Offertory Gifts and holding candles at Communion. Occasionally there is a special Children’s Mass when there are no Children’s Liturgy groups. By far the biggest congregation comes to this Mass, and most of our main parish celebrations take place at it. It is a Mass at which parents with young children can feel very much at ease. Because there is such a large congregation, it usually lasts over an hour. There is always coffee in the hall afterwards.

   

• Sunday, 11.15 a.m. at St Augustine’s

This is a more reflective celebration of Mass, and music is led by our Traditional Choir. Mass is celebrated in English, but the Kyrie, Alleluia, Sanctus and Agnus Dei are sung by the whole congregation to simple plainsong settings. Either the Rimsky-Korsakov setting of the Lord’s Prayer or the Latin Pater Noster is sung. Besides traditional hymns, the choir sings pieces from our great Catholic musical heritage.

• Sunday, 5.45 p.m. at St Augustine’s

  Many of our young people come to this Mass. There is a monthly Youth Mass lead by the Youth Band, at which we try to get our young people as involved as possible. We also have a monthly Mass with songs from Taize: this is popular with people of all ages.

Nearly every week at St Augustine’s

Parking at St Augustine’s

For a parish of our size, we have only a very small car park, with space for 36 cars at the back of the church. Parking is only for people coming for Mass or prayer, or on parish business.  It is much easier to park in the multi-storey car park opposite the church. Please leave the two spaces at the front of the church for ‘Disabled Only’. When there are baptisms, funerals or weddings at the church, the car park is restricted to those attending these services.

The Holy Shop

One of the special resources at St Augustine’s is our ‘Holy Shop’, run by Pam McCulloch and her band of volunteers. It sells books, cards, icons, statues, rosaries and much besides. The shop is open for business after every weekday 10.00 a.m. Mass, and after all Sunday Masses.

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