There are four catholic churches within the Forest of Dean area all served by our Parish Priest, Fr. Barnabas Page. Fr. Barnabas also serves the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes in Newent with St. Michael in Blaisdon. Our parishes lie within the Clifton Diocese, which is part of the Catholic Church in England & Wales.

Our Churches:

Our Lady of Victories

Our Lady of Victories, 70 Abbey Street, Cinderford, GL14 2NP. [ Map » ]

Pastoral Council Members: Teresa Hare (Secretary), Greg Moger

St. Margaret Mary's

St. Margaret Mary's, 4 High Nash, Coleford, Glos, GL16 8HN. [ Map » ]

Pastoral Council Members: Peter Chisholm, Sarah Perkins.

St. Joseph's

St. Joseph's, Tutshill, Lydney, Glos, GL15 5PA. [ Map » ]

Pastoral Council Members: Pip Deave (Chairperson), Dorota Dufort

Sacred Heart Chapel

Sacred Heart Chapel, Grahamstown Road, Sedbury, NP16 7AD. [ Map » ]

Pastoral Council Members: Helen Molyneux

Parish Office

Although our churches are closed during the lockdown we will try and help and keep everyone in contact.
Our aim is trying to reach as many people as possible through this website, by phoning those who do not have computers and by videoing the Mass. You please can be part of this by phoning those who are isolating. By clicking on the Vimeo link below you can watch Sunday Mass, Wednesday Mass and a talk on Fridays.
We pray for all who are sick or who have died and for our front line staff. If you give me the names, they will be included in the Mass. But as well as this, as a church we are listening to what God may be saying through this crisis.

God Bless and protect you.
Fr.Barnabas

: 01594 833173

: 4 High Nash, Coleford, Gloucestershire. GL16 8HN.

Forest of Dean RC Churches

Mass Times

Current Masses and Services

Masses and talks

Sunday Mass and Wednesday Mass from Coleford Click here

Daily Mass from Clifton Cathedral can be found here

Friday talks from Fr.Barnabas on our Parish Vimeo Channel

Phone contacts;

To help those without internet, Mass by phone 01642 130120 [ calls charged at local rate and free if included in your minutes]

Hospital; Gloucester and Cheltenham Chaplaincy Team will visit and Pray with patients on our behalf 0300 422 6200/4286.

News

We are a family of God, a community of disciples, striving to continually deepen our relationship with Christ and with each other. We recognise and value each member of our community, encouraging everyone to share in our life and worship. Together we celebrate the joy of the gospel and witness in faith our hope of eternal life with our heavenly Father.

Lockdown Updates:

Parishes of the Forest and Newent

Parish Priest Barnabas Page 01594 833173

barnabas.page@cliftondiocese.com

Parishes of the Forest and Newent
Parish Priest Barnabas Page 01594 833173
barnabas.page@cliftondiocese.com

Solemnity of The Most Holy Trinity (Year A)
7th June 2020

Sunday Mass)
Wednesday Mass) https://vimeo.com/forestrcchurch - available from 9am
Friday Talk)

Anniversaries:

If Newent don’t mind indulging us this time, I have been reminded of three Anniversaries. Fr. George Batten was on the 28th April, Fr. Liam Fanning on the 30th May and Fr. James Halpin is on August 1st.

I find it comforting we remember Anniversaries and that we pray for the dead and in this way are still connected with them.

The trouble with a Funeral in Ireland is that it happens too quick to be able to attend. I missed the Funerals of both Fr. Fanning and Fr. Halpin. However Alan and Julie Burcher took me over for Fr. Halpin’s Months Mind. This is the custom of having a Mass one month from the date of death. Handy if you didn’t make the funeral. This took place in Athy, County Kildare where Fr Halpin had assisted in a Rehab centre for addicts.

The congregation were mostly the addicts who were filed in and overseen by a tough little Nun. The back two rows were in pyjamas, their clothes having been taken away for the first two weeks to stop them doing a runner. This could have been an episode from ‘Fr. Ted’. I just wish we could have the same healthy attitude to a funeral in this country!

Hopefully you remember your family anniversaries, there is a book in Cinderford and if I remember correctly also in Newent?
May the Lord Bless us all including our loved ones.

Church opening?

We are still waiting to be told when we can open our Churches for private prayer. The rules will be strict but the time has come for us to have this opportunity. I’m sure people will be sensible and it would bring us comfort. We will let you know as soon as we hear anything.

Forest 'Round Robin'

Paul Morgan has offered to send out a 'Round Robin' during this time of lockdown to which people can contribute. I'm sorry l didn't organise it better and that everyone's email was included. Perhaps if you wish to be included you could send your email to Paul at
pa-morgan@hotmail.co.uk and the 'Round Robin' will be sent out 'Bcc'.
With thanks to Paul and l look forward to reading your articles.

Bless you all
Barnabas

There are lots of resources for anyone who needs to contact someone in a safeguarding capacity on our diocesan website – www.cliftondiocese.com/departments/safeguarding
The Silver Line – a helpline for older people 0800 4 70 80 90 www.thesilverline.org.uk
Child Line – a helpline for children 0800 111 www.childline.org.uk
Our safe guarding representatives are also available to help you with your needs at this time please contact Jenny Heseltine Tel: 01989 750665 PSR.newent.ourladyoflourdes@cliftondiocese.com for Newent and Fiona Mills 0758 717 2279 or 01594 516175 for the Forest.

Parishes of Newent and Forest
Parish Priest Barnabas Page 01594 833173
barnabas.page@cliftondiocese.com

Bless you all. Barnabas

Fr Barnabas Pastoral Talk Friday 8th May:https://vimeo.com/416034273

Message from Bishop Declan:

Following the disappointing announcement that potentially our churches will not re-open until 4 July 2020, the Bishops’ Conference is actively engaging with the Government to try and agree that churches can be opened as soon as possible for private prayer. However, we will need to guarantee that we will fully observe public health guidelines. Detailed plans of how this can be achieved are being prepared and full guidance and procedures will be provided once a decision on the way forward has been agreed.

Meanwhile I hope you are continuing to keep safe and well.

With my best wishes and prayers

+Declan

Church Hall

Our Church Hall is located next to St. Margaret Mary Church in Coleford and is available for hire. If you wish to find out more, arrange a viewing or to discuss requirements, please contact the Parish Office.

Address: St. Margaret Mary's, 4 High Nash, Coleford, Gloucestershire. GL16 8HN. Get Directions »

Our hall is in frequent use. Below are some of the regular activities currently running. To find out more about any of these activities, please contact our Office.

Hard of Hearing - Fourth Monday of the month - 10 - 12.
FoodBank - Every Monday 2 - 4pm & Every Thursday 9am - 11am.
Pilates - Tuesdays 1 - 2pm. Please contact the office for dates.
Tai Chi - Tuesday 2 - 3pm. Please contact the office for dates.
Busy Bees Parent & Toddler Group - Tuesdays during term time 9.30 - 11am. Snacks provided. Activities for the Children.
West Dean Wind Band - 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 7.00 - 9.00pm. www.westdeanwindband.uk
Faith Group - 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month from 7.30 - 8.30pm with tea & coffee from 7pm.
Young @ Heart Group - Thursdays 2 - 4pm.
Yoga - Thursday 7 - 8.30pm.
Gloucestershire Wildlife Group - Once a month on a Friday from 7-10pm. Contact the Parish Office for dates.
Lunch Club - Held every last Friday of the Month. 3 Course meal followed by tea/coffee.
Coffee Morning - Third Saturday of the month 10 - 12 noon. No Coffee Morning in Dec, Jan or Feb.

To download the hall booking form click here

To view regular bookings please click here

Links

Below are several links that we think might be of interest to you. Clicking on the logos will open the link in a new browser tab.

The Catholic Diocese covering the Counties of Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire, North Somerset and Bath, the City and County of Bristol and North East Somerset.

The Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination in the world. It has more than one billion members worldwide and around five million of these live in England. There are 22 dioceses in England and Wales seeking ways to help all the people of God grow closer to Christ.

The school's mission is to provide a rigorous and broad education within the context of a Christian environment. An understanding of the Roman Catholic faith, in line with the Gospel message, underpins the whole work of the school.

CAFOD is the official Catholic aid agency for England and Wales. In more than 40 countries across the world, we bring hope, compassion and solidarity to poor communities, standing side by side with them to end poverty and injustice.

Celebrating Family: Blessed, Broken, Living Love, is the overarching theme of a range of pastoral initiatives developed by the Bishops following the Listening 2004 conversations.

The UK's premier campaigning and charitable organisation affirming and defending human dignity, and the right to life of every member of the human family, from conception to natural death.

SPUC represents a voice for the unborn. SPUC promotes awareness of the humanity of the unborn child to encourage more widespread recognition of the obligation to defend those with no means to defend themselves.

Marriage Care helps couples and individuals to build and sustain strong, fulfilling healthy relationships, as well as providing counselling support in times of relationship difficulty. Our vision is a society in which all adults can build and sustain strong, fulfilling, healthy relationships.

We exist to save lives and transform the futures of some of the most disadvantaged children and young people in the UK by supporting vulnerable pregnant mothers and young families through difficult times, offering them the help they need to turn their lives around.

We are a Christian organisation that seeks to put the hope of Christ at the heart of our nation. We aim to empower Christians to speak out with a strong voice in the media, in law and in government.

Gloucester Cathedral sits in the heart of the city of Gloucester, acting as the centre for the areas' Anglicans and the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Gloucester.

Mid-Wyedean Churches: the Church of England serving Coleford, Broadwell, Staunton, Clearwell, Newland, and Redbrook and surrounding areas.

CLIFTON DIOCESE (a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales under number 10462076. A registered charity number 1170168. Registered Office: St Ambrose North Road Leigh Woods Bristol BS8 3PW)