Let the Church always be a place of mercy and hope,
where everyone is welcomed, loved and forgiven.
~ Pope Francis
Safeguarding – The Holy Name Parish operates at all times in accordance with Statutory Safeguarding Guidance, the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) and our Diocese’s policies and procedures. Our parish Safeguarding representative is Madeleine Hardy who can be contacted via the parish office (0191) 281 0940. Alternatively, you can contact the Diocesan Safeguarding personnel by email at safeguarding@diocesehn.org.uk, by telephone (0191) 243 3305 or via its website here
Please remember the following who are ill – Fr John Skivington, Frank McCombie, Winifrede McCombie, George Taylor, Bob Murphy and a severely mentally ill person. May the Lord grant them comfort, strengthen them in their weakness, take away their fear and give them his peace.
A Stay in Hospital – If you or any members of your family are going into hospital and would like to see the Catholic Chaplain, please ask a member of the ward staff to contact the Catholic Chaplain. Alternatively, you can contact the Chaplaincy Department Office directly. For the RVI and Freeman Hospitals here in Newcastle, telephone 0191 233 6161 (Catholic Chaplain: Fr Mariadass). In an emergency, please ask the Ward Sister to contact the on-call Catholic chaplain. Please do not contact your own parish priest who will be unable to respond due to hospital protocols.
Prayer for People Critically Ill or Facing Great Uncertainty
God of the present moment,
God who in Jesus stills the storm and soothes the frantic heart,
bring hope and courage to all who wait or work in uncertainty.
Bring them hope that you will make them the equal of whatever lies ahead.
Bring them courage to endure what cannot be avoided,
for your will is health and wholeness;
you are God, and we need you.
—Adapted from New Zealand Prayer Book, p. 765
Office Hours – Excluding Bank Holidays, the normal parish office hours are Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm. Emails received outside these times will be answered on the next working day.
Who We Are – Our parish has a growing, talented congregation – growing in the numbers taking part in Mass, in the diversity of participants, including young families, and in the range of social, spiritual and cultural activities. Everyone is welcome to join us. The average number of people taking part in Mass for the four weekends of October was 285.
In our parish we currently have a total of 96 people carrying out 30 different roles. Would you like to join them? If so, please contact Fr Campion.
Sunday 25 January – Third Sunday of Ordinary Time
Wednesday is the feast day of St Thomas Aquinas, born 1225, an Italian Dominican friar and priest, theologian and philosopher. He is considered one of the most influential thinkers in the history of Catholic theology and Western philosophy. Thomas was a proponent of natural theology and the father of a school of thought (encompassing both theology and philosophy) known as Thomism. He argued that God is the source of the light of natural reason and the light of faith. He embraced several ideas put forward by Aristotle and attempted to synthesize Aristotelian philosophy with the principles of Christianity. Thomas Aquinas’s philosophy influenced modern virtue ethics, aesthetics, and cognitive theory. He has been criticized, notably by Bertrand Russell, for seeking to justify conclusions already dictated by faith rather than follow reason independently. Thomas’s best-known works are the unfinished Summa Theologica, the Disputed Questions on Truth and the Summa contra Gentiles. His commentaries on Christian Scripture and on Aristotle also form an important part of his body of work. He is also notable for his Eucharistic hymns, which form a part of the Church’s liturgy. As a Doctor of the Church, Thomas is considered one of the Catholic Church’s greatest theologians and philosophers. (wikipedia.com)
Here is Gerard Manley Hopkins’ translation of the opening verse of Aquinas’ hymn Adoro Te Devote which we sing usually at Holy Communion in Mass.
Godhead here in hiding whom I do adore
Masked by these bare shadows, shape and nothing more.
See, Lord, at thy service low lies here a heart
Lost, all lost in wonder at the God thou art.
Mass Times and Intentions 24 January – 1 February 2026
Saturday – Mass 4pm – Jo Wilson (A)
Sunday – Mass 10am – Sheila Unsworth (A)
Tuesday – Mass 10am – Mary Stott RIP
Thursday – Mass 10am – Melanie Wilde (A)
Saturday – Mass 4pm – Kathleen Gregor (A)
Sunday – Mass 10am – John Forster (A)
Requiescant in Pace – Please remember in your prayers Canon Robert Spence whose Funeral Mass takes place on 3 February at 12 noon at Ushaw; Christine Gill whose Funeral Mass will be held here on Friday 13 February at 10am; Molly Hearne (mother of Catherine) whose Funeral Mass takes place at St Mary’s Church, Whickham on 20 February at 11.30am; and Joseph Pey (brother of Anne Boardman) who died on 14 January.
Pilgrimage – Many of you will have heard of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, a 500-mile ancient pilgrimage across northern Spain. In fact, there are many recognised routes, all culminating in Santiago de Compostela, and I have been fortunate enough to have walked two of them. I invite you to join me in sharing reflections and stories from my experiences through a visual presentation and to bring your thoughts and experiences to share at an informal gathering on Tuesday at 7pm in the church hall. ~ Kerry Clegg
In the 2025 Holy Year of Jubilee, Holy Name parishioners undertook three pilgrimages to follow the Northern Saints and visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Jesmond. Each of them was a joyful occasion with the opportunity for reflection, prayer and celebration of community. To read more and view the gallery of photographs, click here.
Holy Name Book Club – All are welcome to join our Book Group for our next meeting on Wednesday to discuss His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet. Using fictional historical documents, it tells the story of a 17-year-old boy named Roderick “Roddy” Macrae, who commits a triple homicide in the village of Culduie, on the Applecross peninsula, in 1869. Future selections are Persuasion by Jane Austen, Horse Under Water by Len Deighton, Never Mind by Edward St Aubyn and Between Two Worlds by Olivier Norek.
Parish Bookstall – Did you receive a book at Christmas that you have already read or wasn’t your thing? Or did you enjoy one so much that you would like to share it with other people? Please consider donating it to the bookstall. You can leave any at the back of church after Mass on Saturday or take them round to the hall on Sunday morning. Many thanks for your generosity. ~ Lynn and Kevin Dresser
Today is the birthday of St. Edmund Campion, born 1540, an English Jesuit martyred by the government of Queen Elizabeth I. The son of a London bookseller, Campion was teaching at Oxford University at the time of his ordination (1568) as a deacon in the Anglican Church. But, in a crisis of conscience, he discovered that his sympathies lay with Roman Catholicism. He was received into the Catholic Church at Douai in northern France and in 1573 went to Rome to become a member of the Society of Jesus. In 1580 Campion joined the first mission that was sent by the Jesuits to minister to the Catholics of England, who were strictly forbidden to practice their religion. Unlike Robert Parsons, he carefully avoided any political involvement on behalf of his religion. After preaching at secret Catholic meetings in Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Lancashire, Campion created a sensation by having 400 copies of his ‘Decem rationes’ (“Ten Reasons”), a pamphlet denouncing Anglicanism, distributed before a service in St. Mary’s, Oxford in 1581. He was arrested by a spy at Lyford, Berkshire, on July 17, 1581, and taken to the Tower of London. When he refused under severe torture to recant his religious convictions, his captors invented charges that he had conspired to overthrow the queen. He was convicted of treason and executed by hanging and drawing and quartering. Throughout his ordeal Campion exhibited religious zeal and great courage. Campion Hall at Oxford was named for him. He was canonized in 1970 by Pope Paul VI as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. (britannica.com)
Turning Anger into Community Pride – Fr Chris Hughes represents our Diocese in the work of ‘Tyne and Wear Citizens’, a charitable community organisation which aims to bring people together to build a fairer society, using practical actions to promote wellbeing and combat disadvantage in their own communities. The Guardian promoted this charity for its Christmas Appeal and the article praising Fr Chris’s work was added to our HN newsletter in December. Father Chris will explain the work of the charity and how we might support it at an open meeting in the hall on Saturday 31 January at 11am. All are welcome. To read The Guardian article click here.
Today’s Gospel: When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee …From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ (Matthew 4:12-23)
The Kingdom
by R. S. Thomas
It’s a long way off but inside it
There are quite different things going on:
Festivals at which the poor man
Is king and the consumptive is
Healed; mirrors in which the blind look
At themselves and love looks at them
Back; and industry is for mending
The bent bones and the minds fractured
By life. It’s a long way off, but to get
There takes no time and admission
Is free, if you purge yourself
Of desire, and present yourself with
Your need only and the simple offering
Of your faith, green as a leaf.
International Law and its Limits – You describe in graphic detail how the situation in Venezuela has become so dreadful that it poses the question whether an invasion such as Trump’s was justified. A few pages on, professor of international peace studies Mary Ellen O’Connell gives a very definite no to the question. Might I disagree with her with a firm yes. While President Trump wants to take possession of the world’s biggest oil field, the situation is also something else. Venezuela is a country savaged by mass imprisonment, uncounted murders, dreadful poverty, utter lawlessness and frightful insecurity in every household. The Venezuelan population has been subjected to this by a gang of ruthless rogues. If I lived there, in the cruel reality the country has become, I would welcome US soldiers on the streets. Then it might just stand a chance of getting better. ~ Letter to The Tablet, Michael Knowles, Congleton, Cheshire
Altar Serving at Holy Name – Would you like to be an altar server at Holy Name? The ministry of Altar Serving is an important liturgical role which assists the priest at Mass and at other services to enhance the celebration and which serves God and the community. We are looking to add to our current Team of altar servers. You must have received your First Holy Communion in the Catholic Church and there is no upper age limit. All training will be provided. To find out more, or to express an interest, please contact Deacon Jeremy either in person or by email at jeremy.wynne@diocesehn.org.uk
Holy Name Film Club – On Friday 6 February at 7pm we will be showing Roman Polanski’s 1988 neo-noir mystery thriller Frantic, starring Harrison Ford, Emmanuelle Seigner, Betty Buckley and John Mahoney. Ford is Richard Walker, a surgeon visiting Paris with his wife to attend a medical conference. A shocking turn of events leaves him isolated and frantic and sets him on a nerve-jangling tour of the underbelly of Paris that climaxes in a life-or-death confrontation on the Seine. Critics on its release variously hailed it as “Polanski’s best film ever” and “vintage Polanski”, while American critic Roger Ebert, éminence grise of 20th century cinema, said: “to watch the opening scenes of Frantic is to be reminded of Polanski’s talent. Here is one of the few modern masters of the thriller and the film noir. Frantic is a reminder of how absorbing a good thriller can be”. So, join us for a great evening and see what all the fuss is about! ~ Martin Wheeler
Thursday is the birthday of W.C. Fields, born 1880, an actor whose flawless timing and humorous cantankerousness made him one of America’s greatest comedians. His real-life and screen personalities were often indistinguishable, and he is remembered for his distinctive nasal voice, his antisocial character and his fondness for alcohol.
Baptism Preparation – The parents and godparents of babies and young children who are to be baptised must take part in a short Baptism Preparation Course held in the Parish Hall. The course helps them understand what they are undertaking in asking to have their children baptised and it also provides practical advice and help with the ceremony. The course is for parents for whom it is their first child to be baptised and who have been invited by the parish priest to take part. The next courses are from 10am to 12 noon on Saturday 28 March and Saturday 6 June. For further information about Baptism at Holy Name, please check this link: Baptism – Holy Name
A Changing Priesthood? – St John Henry Newman wrote, in his Essay on the Development of Doctrine, ‘Here below to live is to change and to be perfect is to have changed often’. Regarding in particular the Sacrament of Orders, what changes might be possible? What might not be possible in the future? Fr Sean Hall will give a lecture on ‘A Changing Priesthood?’ on 10 MARCH at 7pm in the hall. Fr Sean is parish priest of St Mary’s, Forest Hall and St Aidan’s, Benton. Having studied at the universities of Durham and Louvain, he taught Theology and Church History at Ushaw College. Since then, he has held a number of posts in the diocese, including Director of Religious Education and Director of Diaconate Formation. He continues to be actively involved in adult education in the diocese and further afield.
Female Cardinals – The three excellent letters regarding alternatives to female deacons (3 January) still fail to address the fact that the governance of the Church is entirely in the hands of men. Men make the laws which affect women in even the most intimate aspects of their lives; women have only to obey. We need urgently to return to the practice of the early Middle Ages, when abbesses, overseers of the great double monasteries, held quasi-episcopal responsibilities, exercising authority alongside their male counterparts. Suitably qualified women should sit alongside men at episcopal conferences, and female as well as male cardinals should meet in conclave when a new pope is chosen. ~ Letter to The Tablet, (Dr) Annie Inman, Longfield, Kent
Holy Name Choir – After a short break, our choir resumes singing at Sunday Mass today. Rehearsals resume next Saturday at 5pm in church.
Thursday is the anniversary of the death of Alfred Sisley, born 1839, a painter who was one of the creators of French Impressionism
Poetry Club – We next meet on Wednesday 18 February at 7pm in the hall for poems on the theme of ‘Humour’. All are welcome to join our merry group – just take along a published poem of your choice related to the theme. Here is one poem chosen for last Wednesday’s meeting on ‘Mystery’.
The Mystery
Ralph Hodgson 1871-1962
He came and took me by the hand
Up to a red rose tree,
He kept His meaning to Himself
But gave a rose to me.
I did not pray Him to lay bare
The mystery to me,
Enough the rose was Heaven to smell,
And His own face to see.
Nature Notes – The annual New Year Plant Hunt, organised by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, often turns up interesting results — and this year was no exception, with a Mediterranean nettle found growing in a pavement crack in Jesmond, a suburb of Newcastle. First recorded in Warwick in 2006 — though thought to have become established there some years earlier — it was also found in Berwick-upon-Tweed in 2019, though it’s likely that further examples have yet to be recognised given that it looks not unlike a common nettle, or perhaps a young garlic mustard plant. Native to the Mediterranean basin, it has been extending its range into France, Germany and the Netherlands, doubtless assisted by the milder winters caused by climate change. ~ Melissa Harrison in The Times, 20 January
Walking Group – Our next outing will be on Thursday 12 February at the Derwent Walk Country Park. This will be an easy pleasant riverside walk of 4-5 miles which takes us along a disused railway track, into woodland and through the Thornley Wood Sculpture trail. Regular walkers will be sent details in due course . If you are interested and have not yet registered please contact Barbara Cooper, Parish Secretary
Refugee Project Donations – The next collection will be on Saturday 7 February from 9 to 10am in the hall on Towers Avenue. Items requested this month are cooking oil, sugar, plain white flour, washing up liquid, evaporated milk, cornflakes, tomato ketchup, corned beef, nappies size 5 & 6 and unopened toiletries. Any spare plastic bags are always welcome.
Friday is the anniversary of the death of John Barry, born 1933, the British composer who provided the musical scores for more than 100 motion pictures and television programs, notably 11 movies featuring Ian Fleming’s iconic spy James Bond.
Holy Name Bridge Club – We meet each Wednesday in the Holy Name parish hall on Towers Avenue from 1pm to 3.30 pm. We are a friendly group who welcome all, whether beginner or experienced and all the stages in between. Play is non-competitive but social. You don’t need a partner as we play with a different one each week and experienced players are quite happy to play with a beginner. At present we have one male member who would like more men to join so he wouldn’t feel outnumbered by the women. We bring a drink and pause halfway through for a chat. If this sounds appealing, please come and join us. Just turn up!
Church Visit – Would you like to know more about the various objects and items we routinely see within a Catholic Church? If so, come along to the church on Saturday 28 February at 10am for an explanation. Then from 11am to 12 noon we will meet in the Parish Hall to consider how the Holy Spirit works in the Church, bringing us together into one Christian family, touching our lives in so many ways, above all through the sacraments. All are very welcome to attend. ~ Deacon Jeremy Wynne
Diocesan Vacancy – The Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle is seeking to appoint a part-time Parish Secretary at Our Blessed Lady Immaculate Church, Village Lane, Washington, Tyne & Wear, NE38 7HS for 15 hours per week on an 18 months’ fixed term contract for salary of £10,537.80 pro rata per annum. For further details and how to apply, visit https://diocesehn.org.uk/vacancy/parish-secretary-17/. The closing date is Tuesday 03 February 2026
Holy Island SVP Summer Camps 2026 – Applications are now open for children in school Years 5-7 for Holy Island Summer Camps. The children spend a week in our centre on the island over the Summer holidays. Transport takes the children from Tyneside to our residential centre and all meals, accommodation and activities are included in the cost. For more information, please visit our website: Holy Island SVP Vinnies Camp https://svp.org.uk/microsite/ozanam-camp
Do you have some spare time on your hands and want a fulfilling volunteer role? – Our residential centre on Holy Island needs volunteers in 2026. There are lots of roles: Working with the children on our Vinnies Summer Camps, during the summer holidays as a caretaker, kitchen assistants, cooks, and volunteering to work directly with the children. It’s hard work, but so much fun and very worthwhile! No cost, just your time and patience for an interesting week on this beautiful island! Or perhaps you are retired or have flexible holidays and could give some time to help at our Term Time Camps. We need people who can take on a caretaking role or help in the kitchen with serving meals, cooking or operating the dishwasher! These Camps allow hundreds of children from the Diocese and further afield have a great residential holiday in our centre. Guaranteed hard work but fantastic memories too! To join our fabulous team or find out more information about any of the roles and to volunteer, please visit our website: Holy Island SVP Vinnies Camp https://svp.org.uk/microsite/ozanam-camp or contact BarbaraT@svp.org.uk
Diocesan Vacancy – Sacred Heart Church, Great North Road, North Gosforth, NE3 5EB is seeking to appoint a Cleaner, part-time 5 hours per week, at a salary of £3,276.00 per annum. Applicants should visit https://diocesehn.org.uk/vacancy/cleaner-sacred-heart-north-gosforth/ by 12:00 pm on Friday.
Jesmond Library Talks – On Thursday at 6.00pm retired teacher Les Walton talks about his book “The Chronicles of a Time-Travelling Teacher”, reflecting on the changes in education during our lifetimes. Admission £3 at the door.
Understanding Cognition in Adults -On Thursday 5 February at 6pm Abi Price of Newcastle University is giving us the chance to get a sneak preview of some of the world-leading science going on here on Tyneside – she talks about her ongoing research into memory and thinking in the human brain.
Here is an old Rolling Stones number … this girl can sing!
Parish Council – Members are nominated by parishioners and appointed by the parish priest. Current members are: Clare Robson (Chair), Aaron Gamboa, Dominic Manfredi, Deacon Jeremy Wynne, Sheila Jackson, Susan Carr, Madeleine Hardy (Safeguarding), Michael Howard (Finance), Tony McPhillips, Tessa Burton-Roberts, Nicholas Stonor, John Waddell and Fr Campion (ex officio).
Finance & Buildings Committee – This committee shares with the parish priest in the financial management of the parish. Members have some expertise and experience in financial matters. The current members are: Michael Howard (Chair), John Devine, Stephanie Grant (Health and Safety), Paul Lee, Joan Louw, Tony McPhillips and John Welsh. Clare Robson also sits on the Finance Committee in her role as Chair of Parish Council. New members are always welcome. For further information, contact the Chair on (0191) 281 5769 or any member of the committee.
Used Stamps, Medals and Jewellery – Used postage stamps (any country or period), foreign currency (notes and coins from any country), broken or unwanted pieces of gold/silver jewellery, military medals from any conflict and any old stamp albums may be left at the back of church in a marked envelope or dropped off at the presbytery for Barbara, our parish secretary, to deliver them to David and Theresa O’Neill. David can be contacted on telephone 0191 264 5771 or email david-oneill3@sky.com
Parish Social Events – Our Book Club, Wine Club, Bridge Club, Poetry Club, Walking Club, Film Club and other social activities are open to all members of the community. You don’t have to be a Catholic or a member of the parish to join. All are welcome.
Holy Name Cookery Book – I thought we might write a cookbook together and use it to raise funds in 2026 for Holy Name. This is a first call to ask if anyone is interested. If you have a great recipe that you are willing to share (not copied out of a published book), or you wouldn’t mind testing recipes, or you could be part of a working group on this, please email welcome@holynamejesmond.co.uk with the subject line COOKBOOK and we will draw up a list to see if it is viable. I think it could be a lovely project and there is a lot we can share, we can include the significance of our recipes and maybe a spiritual passage. ~ Katherine Vero
Dissatisfied? Taking part in Mass at Holy Name should be a prayerful and uplifting experience. If you are dissatisfied with the service you receive or with any aspect of parish life, including its management, please let Fr Campion know. Our members’ satisfaction is paramount. ‘The Christian faithful have the right and even at times, the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters that obtain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known’. (Code of Canon Law 212.3)
Let the Church always be a place of mercy and hope,
where everyone is welcomed, loved and forgiven.
~ Pope Francis
Safeguarding – The Holy Name Parish operates at all times in accordance with Statutory Safeguarding Guidance, the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) and our Diocese’s policies and procedures. Our parish Safeguarding representative is Madeleine Hardy who can be contacted via the parish office (0191) 281 0940. Alternatively, you can contact the Diocesan Safeguarding personnel by email at safeguarding@diocesehn.org.uk, by telephone (0191) 243 3305 or via its website here
Please remember the following who are ill – Fr John Skivington, Frank McCombie, Winifrede McCombie, George Taylor, Bob Murphy and a severely mentally ill person. May the Lord grant them comfort, strengthen them in their weakness, take away their fear and give them his peace.
A Stay in Hospital – If you or any members of your family are going into hospital and would like to see the Catholic Chaplain, please ask a member of the ward staff to contact the Catholic Chaplain. Alternatively, you can contact the Chaplaincy Department Office directly. For the RVI and Freeman Hospitals here in Newcastle, telephone 0191 233 6161 (Catholic Chaplain: Fr Mariadass). In an emergency, please ask the Ward Sister to contact the on-call Catholic chaplain. Please do not contact your own parish priest who will be unable to respond due to hospital protocols.
Prayer for People Critically Ill or Facing Great UncertaintyGod of the present moment,
God who in Jesus stills the storm and soothes the frantic heart,
bring hope and courage to all who wait or work in uncertainty.
Bring them hope that you will make them the equal of whatever lies ahead.
Bring them courage to endure what cannot be avoided,
for your will is health and wholeness;
you are God, and we need you.
—Adapted from New Zealand Prayer Book, p. 765
Office Hours – Excluding Bank Holidays, the normal parish office hours are Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm. Emails received outside these times will be answered on the next working day.
Who We Are – Our parish has a growing, talented congregation – growing in the numbers taking part in Mass, in the diversity of participants, including young families, and in the range of social, spiritual and cultural activities. Everyone is welcome to join us. The average number of people taking part in Mass for the four weekends of October was 285.
In our parish we currently have a total of 96 people carrying out 30 different roles. Would you like to join them? If so, please contact Fr Campion.
Sunday 25 January – Third Sunday of Ordinary Time
Wednesday is the feast day of St Thomas Aquinas, born 1225, an Italian Dominican friar and priest, theologian and philosopher. He is considered one of the most influential thinkers in the history of Catholic theology and Western philosophy. Thomas was a proponent of natural theology and the father of a school of thought (encompassing both theology and philosophy) known as Thomism. He argued that God is the source of the light of natural reason and the light of faith. He embraced several ideas put forward by Aristotle and attempted to synthesize Aristotelian philosophy with the principles of Christianity. Thomas Aquinas’s philosophy influenced modern virtue ethics, aesthetics, and cognitive theory. He has been criticized, notably by Bertrand Russell, for seeking to justify conclusions already dictated by faith rather than follow reason independently. Thomas’s best-known works are the unfinished Summa Theologica, the Disputed Questions on Truth and the Summa contra Gentiles. His commentaries on Christian Scripture and on Aristotle also form an important part of his body of work. He is also notable for his Eucharistic hymns, which form a part of the Church’s liturgy. As a Doctor of the Church, Thomas is considered one of the Catholic Church’s greatest theologians and philosophers. (wikipedia.com)
Here is Gerard Manley Hopkins’ translation of the opening verse of Aquinas’ hymn Adoro Te Devote which we sing usually at Holy Communion in Mass.
Godhead here in hiding whom I do adore
Masked by these bare shadows, shape and nothing more.
See, Lord, at thy service low lies here a heart
Lost, all lost in wonder at the God thou art.
Mass Times and Intentions 24 January – 1 February 2026
Saturday – Mass 4pm – Jo Wilson (A)
Sunday – Mass 10am – Sheila Unsworth (A)
Tuesday – Mass 10am – Mary Stott RIP
Thursday – Mass 10am – Melanie Wilde (A)
Saturday – Mass 4pm – Kathleen Gregor (A)
Sunday – Mass 10am – John Forster (A)
Requiescant in Pace – Please remember in your prayers Canon Robert Spence whose Funeral Mass takes place on 3 February at 12 noon at Ushaw; Christine Gill whose Funeral Mass will be held here on Friday 13 February at 10am; Molly Hearne (mother of Catherine) whose Funeral Mass takes place at St Mary’s Church, Whickham on 20 February at 11.30am; and Joseph Pey (brother of Anne Boardman) who died on 14 January.
Pilgrimage – Many of you will have heard of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, a 500-mile ancient pilgrimage across northern Spain. In fact, there are many recognised routes, all culminating in Santiago de Compostela, and I have been fortunate enough to have walked two of them. I invite you to join me in sharing reflections and stories from my experiences through a visual presentation and to bring your thoughts and experiences to share at an informal gathering on Tuesday at 7pm in the church hall. ~ Kerry Clegg
In the 2025 Holy Year of Jubilee, Holy Name parishioners undertook three pilgrimages to follow the Northern Saints and visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Jesmond. Each of them was a joyful occasion with the opportunity for reflection, prayer and celebration of community. To read more and view the gallery of photographs, click here.
Holy Name Book Club – All are welcome to join our Book Group for our next meeting on Wednesday to discuss His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet. Using fictional historical documents, it tells the story of a 17-year-old boy named Roderick “Roddy” Macrae, who commits a triple homicide in the village of Culduie, on the Applecross peninsula, in 1869. Future selections are Persuasion by Jane Austen, Horse Under Water by Len Deighton, Never Mind by Edward St Aubyn and Between Two Worlds by Olivier Norek.
Parish Bookstall – Did you receive a book at Christmas that you have already read or wasn’t your thing? Or did you enjoy one so much that you would like to share it with other people? Please consider donating it to the bookstall. You can leave any at the back of church after Mass on Saturday or take them round to the hall on Sunday morning. Many thanks for your generosity. ~ Lynn and Kevin Dresser
Today is the birthday of St. Edmund Campion, born 1540, an English Jesuit martyred by the government of Queen Elizabeth I. The son of a London bookseller, Campion was teaching at Oxford University at the time of his ordination (1568) as a deacon in the Anglican Church. But, in a crisis of conscience, he discovered that his sympathies lay with Roman Catholicism. He was received into the Catholic Church at Douai in northern France and in 1573 went to Rome to become a member of the Society of Jesus. In 1580 Campion joined the first mission that was sent by the Jesuits to minister to the Catholics of England, who were strictly forbidden to practice their religion. Unlike Robert Parsons, he carefully avoided any political involvement on behalf of his religion. After preaching at secret Catholic meetings in Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Lancashire, Campion created a sensation by having 400 copies of his ‘Decem rationes’ (“Ten Reasons”), a pamphlet denouncing Anglicanism, distributed before a service in St. Mary’s, Oxford in 1581. He was arrested by a spy at Lyford, Berkshire, on July 17, 1581, and taken to the Tower of London. When he refused under severe torture to recant his religious convictions, his captors invented charges that he had conspired to overthrow the queen. He was convicted of treason and executed by hanging and drawing and quartering. Throughout his ordeal Campion exhibited religious zeal and great courage. Campion Hall at Oxford was named for him. He was canonized in 1970 by Pope Paul VI as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. (britannica.com)
Turning Anger into Community Pride – Fr Chris Hughes represents our Diocese in the work of ‘Tyne and Wear Citizens’, a charitable community organisation which aims to bring people together to build a fairer society, using practical actions to promote wellbeing and combat disadvantage in their own communities. The Guardian promoted this charity for its Christmas Appeal and the article praising Fr Chris’s work was added to our HN newsletter in December. Father Chris will explain the work of the charity and how we might support it at an open meeting in the hall on Saturday 31 January at 11am. All are welcome. To read The Guardian article click here.
Today’s Gospel: When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee …From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ (Matthew 4:12-23)
The Kingdom
by R. S. Thomas
It’s a long way off but inside it
There are quite different things going on:
Festivals at which the poor man
Is king and the consumptive is
Healed; mirrors in which the blind look
At themselves and love looks at them
Back; and industry is for mending
The bent bones and the minds fractured
By life. It’s a long way off, but to get
There takes no time and admission
Is free, if you purge yourself
Of desire, and present yourself with
Your need only and the simple offering
Of your faith, green as a leaf.
International Law and its Limits – You describe in graphic detail how the situation in Venezuela has become so dreadful that it poses the question whether an invasion such as Trump’s was justified. A few pages on, professor of international peace studies Mary Ellen O’Connell gives a very definite no to the question. Might I disagree with her with a firm yes. While President Trump wants to take possession of the world’s biggest oil field, the situation is also something else. Venezuela is a country savaged by mass imprisonment, uncounted murders, dreadful poverty, utter lawlessness and frightful insecurity in every household. The Venezuelan population has been subjected to this by a gang of ruthless rogues. If I lived there, in the cruel reality the country has become, I would welcome US soldiers on the streets. Then it might just stand a chance of getting better. ~ Letter to The Tablet, Michael Knowles, Congleton, Cheshire
Altar Serving at Holy Name – Would you like to be an altar server at Holy Name? The ministry of Altar Serving is an important liturgical role which assists the priest at Mass and at other services to enhance the celebration and which serves God and the community. We are looking to add to our current Team of altar servers. You must have received your First Holy Communion in the Catholic Church and there is no upper age limit. All training will be provided. To find out more, or to express an interest, please contact Deacon Jeremy either in person or by email at jeremy.wynne@diocesehn.org.uk
Holy Name Film Club – On Friday 6 February at 7pm we will be showing Roman Polanski’s 1988 neo-noir mystery thriller Frantic, starring Harrison Ford, Emmanuelle Seigner, Betty Buckley and John Mahoney. Ford is Richard Walker, a surgeon visiting Paris with his wife to attend a medical conference. A shocking turn of events leaves him isolated and frantic and sets him on a nerve-jangling tour of the underbelly of Paris that climaxes in a life-or-death confrontation on the Seine. Critics on its release variously hailed it as “Polanski’s best film ever” and “vintage Polanski”, while American critic Roger Ebert, éminence grise of 20th century cinema, said: “to watch the opening scenes of Frantic is to be reminded of Polanski’s talent. Here is one of the few modern masters of the thriller and the film noir. Frantic is a reminder of how absorbing a good thriller can be”. So, join us for a great evening and see what all the fuss is about! ~ Martin Wheeler
Thursday is the birthday of W.C. Fields, born 1880, an actor whose flawless timing and humorous cantankerousness made him one of America’s greatest comedians. His real-life and screen personalities were often indistinguishable, and he is remembered for his distinctive nasal voice, his antisocial character and his fondness for alcohol.
Baptism Preparation – The parents and godparents of babies and young children who are to be baptised must take part in a short Baptism Preparation Course held in the Parish Hall. The course helps them understand what they are undertaking in asking to have their children baptised and it also provides practical advice and help with the ceremony. The course is for parents for whom it is their first child to be baptised and who have been invited by the parish priest to take part. The next courses are from 10am to 12 noon on Saturday 28 March and Saturday 6 June. For further information about Baptism at Holy Name, please check this link: Baptism – Holy Name
A Changing Priesthood? – St John Henry Newman wrote, in his Essay on the Development of Doctrine, ‘Here below to live is to change and to be perfect is to have changed often’. Regarding in particular the Sacrament of Orders, what changes might be possible? What might not be possible in the future? Fr Sean Hall will give a lecture on ‘A Changing Priesthood?’ on 10 MARCH at 7pm in the hall. Fr Sean is parish priest of St Mary’s, Forest Hall and St Aidan’s, Benton. Having studied at the universities of Durham and Louvain, he taught Theology and Church History at Ushaw College. Since then, he has held a number of posts in the diocese, including Director of Religious Education and Director of Diaconate Formation. He continues to be actively involved in adult education in the diocese and further afield.
Female Cardinals – The three excellent letters regarding alternatives to female deacons (3 January) still fail to address the fact that the governance of the Church is entirely in the hands of men. Men make the laws which affect women in even the most intimate aspects of their lives; women have only to obey. We need urgently to return to the practice of the early Middle Ages, when abbesses, overseers of the great double monasteries, held quasi-episcopal responsibilities, exercising authority alongside their male counterparts. Suitably qualified women should sit alongside men at episcopal conferences, and female as well as male cardinals should meet in conclave when a new pope is chosen. ~ Letter to The Tablet, (Dr) Annie Inman, Longfield, Kent
Holy Name Choir – After a short break, our choir resumes singing at Sunday Mass today. Rehearsals resume next Saturday at 5pm in church.
Thursday is the anniversary of the death of Alfred Sisley, born 1839, a painter who was one of the creators of French Impressionism
Poetry Club – We next meet on Wednesday 18 February at 7pm in the hall for poems on the theme of ‘Humour’. All are welcome to join our merry group – just take along a published poem of your choice related to the theme. Here is one poem chosen for last Wednesday’s meeting on ‘Mystery’.
The Mystery
Ralph Hodgson 1871-1962
He came and took me by the hand
Up to a red rose tree,
He kept His meaning to Himself
But gave a rose to me.
I did not pray Him to lay bare
The mystery to me,
Enough the rose was Heaven to smell,
And His own face to see.
Nature Notes – The annual New Year Plant Hunt, organised by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, often turns up interesting results — and this year was no exception, with a Mediterranean nettle found growing in a pavement crack in Jesmond, a suburb of Newcastle. First recorded in Warwick in 2006 — though thought to have become established there some years earlier — it was also found in Berwick-upon-Tweed in 2019, though it’s likely that further examples have yet to be recognised given that it looks not unlike a common nettle, or perhaps a young garlic mustard plant. Native to the Mediterranean basin, it has been extending its range into France, Germany and the Netherlands, doubtless assisted by the milder winters caused by climate change. ~ Melissa Harrison in The Times, 20 January
Walking Group – Our next outing will be on Thursday 12 February at the Derwent Walk Country Park. This will be an easy pleasant riverside walk of 4-5 miles which takes us along a disused railway track, into woodland and through the Thornley Wood Sculpture trail. Regular walkers will be sent details in due course . If you are interested and have not yet registered please contact Barbara Cooper, Parish Secretary
Refugee Project Donations – The next collection will be on Saturday 7 February from 9 to 10am in the hall on Towers Avenue. Items requested this month are cooking oil, sugar, plain white flour, washing up liquid, evaporated milk, cornflakes, tomato ketchup, corned beef, nappies size 5 & 6 and unopened toiletries. Any spare plastic bags are always welcome.
Friday is the anniversary of the death of John Barry, born 1933, the British composer who provided the musical scores for more than 100 motion pictures and television programs, notably 11 movies featuring Ian Fleming’s iconic spy James Bond.
Holy Name Bridge Club – We meet each Wednesday in the Holy Name parish hall on Towers Avenue from 1pm to 3.30 pm. We are a friendly group who welcome all, whether beginner or experienced and all the stages in between. Play is non-competitive but social. You don’t need a partner as we play with a different one each week and experienced players are quite happy to play with a beginner. At present we have one male member who would like more men to join so he wouldn’t feel outnumbered by the women. We bring a drink and pause halfway through for a chat. If this sounds appealing, please come and join us. Just turn up!
Church Visit – Would you like to know more about the various objects and items we routinely see within a Catholic Church? If so, come along to the church on Saturday 28 February at 10am for an explanation. Then from 11am to 12 noon we will meet in the Parish Hall to consider how the Holy Spirit works in the Church, bringing us together into one Christian family, touching our lives in so many ways, above all through the sacraments. All are very welcome to attend. ~ Deacon Jeremy Wynne
Diocesan Vacancy – The Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle is seeking to appoint a part-time Parish Secretary at Our Blessed Lady Immaculate Church, Village Lane, Washington, Tyne & Wear, NE38 7HS for 15 hours per week on an 18 months’ fixed term contract for salary of £10,537.80 pro rata per annum. For further details and how to apply, visit https://diocesehn.org.uk/vacancy/parish-secretary-17/. The closing date is Tuesday 03 February 2026
Holy Island SVP Summer Camps 2026 – Applications are now open for children in school Years 5-7 for Holy Island Summer Camps. The children spend a week in our centre on the island over the Summer holidays. Transport takes the children from Tyneside to our residential centre and all meals, accommodation and activities are included in the cost. For more information, please visit our website: Holy Island SVP Vinnies Camp https://svp.org.uk/microsite/ozanam-camp
Do you have some spare time on your hands and want a fulfilling volunteer role? – Our residential centre on Holy Island needs volunteers in 2026. There are lots of roles: Working with the children on ourVinnies Summer Camps, during the summer holidays as a caretaker, kitchen assistants, cooks, and volunteering to work directly with the children. It’s hard work, but so much fun and very worthwhile! No cost, just your time and patience for an interesting week on this beautiful island! Or perhaps you are retired or have flexible holidays and could give some time to help at our Term Time Camps. We need people who can take on a caretaking role or help in the kitchen with serving meals, cooking or operating the dishwasher! These Camps allow hundreds of children from the Diocese and further afield have a great residential holiday in our centre. Guaranteed hard work but fantastic memories too! To join our fabulous team or find out more information about any of the roles and to volunteer, please visit our website: Holy Island SVP Vinnies Camp https://svp.org.uk/microsite/ozanam-camp or contact BarbaraT@svp.org.uk
Diocesan Vacancy – Sacred Heart Church, Great North Road, North Gosforth, NE3 5EB is seeking to appoint a Cleaner, part-time 5 hours per week, at a salary of £3,276.00 per annum. Applicants should visit https://diocesehn.org.uk/vacancy/cleaner-sacred-heart-north-gosforth/ by 12:00 pm on Friday.
Jesmond Library Talks – On Thursday at 6.00pm retired teacher Les Walton talks about his book “The Chronicles of a Time-Travelling Teacher”, reflecting on the changes in education during our lifetimes. Admission £3 at the door.
Understanding Cognition in Adults -On Thursday 5 February at 6pm Abi Price of Newcastle University is giving us the chance to get a sneak preview of some of the world-leading science going on here on Tyneside – she talks about her ongoing research into memory and thinking in the human brain.
Here is an old Rolling Stones number … this girl can sing!
Parish Council – Members are nominated by parishioners and appointed by the parish priest. Current members are: Clare Robson (Chair), Aaron Gamboa, Dominic Manfredi, Deacon Jeremy Wynne, Sheila Jackson, Susan Carr, Madeleine Hardy (Safeguarding), Michael Howard (Finance), Tony McPhillips, Tessa Burton-Roberts, Nicholas Stonor, John Waddell and Fr Campion (ex officio).
Finance & Buildings Committee – This committee shares with the parish priest in the financial management of the parish. Members have some expertise and experience in financial matters. The current members are: Michael Howard (Chair), John Devine, Stephanie Grant (Health and Safety), Paul Lee, Joan Louw, Tony McPhillips and John Welsh. Clare Robson also sits on the Finance Committee in her role as Chair of Parish Council. New members are always welcome. For further information, contact the Chair on (0191) 281 5769 or any member of the committee.
Used Stamps, Medals and Jewellery – Used postage stamps (any country or period), foreign currency (notes and coins from any country), broken or unwanted pieces of gold/silver jewellery, military medals from any conflict and any old stamp albums may be left at the back of church in a marked envelope or dropped off at the presbytery for Barbara, our parish secretary, to deliver them to David and Theresa O’Neill. David can be contacted on telephone 0191 264 5771 or email david-oneill3@sky.com
Parish Social Events – Our Book Club, Wine Club, Bridge Club, Poetry Club, Walking Club, Film Club and other social activities are open to all members of the community. You don’t have to be a Catholic or a member of the parish to join. All are welcome.
Holy Name Cookery Book – I thought we might write a cookbook together and use it to raise funds in 2026 for Holy Name. This is a first call to ask if anyone is interested. If you have a great recipe that you are willing to share (not copied out of a published book), or you wouldn’t mind testing recipes, or you could be part of a working group on this, please email welcome@holynamejesmond.co.uk with the subject line COOKBOOK and we will draw up a list to see if it is viable. I think it could be a lovely project and there is a lot we can share, we can include the significance of our recipes and maybe a spiritual passage. ~ Katherine Vero
Dissatisfied? Taking part in Mass at Holy Name should be a prayerful and uplifting experience. If you are dissatisfied with the service you receive or with any aspect of parish life, including its management, please let Fr Campion know. Our members’ satisfaction is paramount. ‘The Christian faithful have the right and even at times, the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters that obtain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known’. (Code of Canon Law 212.3)
Sunday Mass: Saturday 4pm, Sunday 10am 