News

Holy Communion at St Dominic’s is distributed along the altar rails where many people like to kneel. We recently commissioned cushions to help give added comfort for those choosing to kneel to receive Holy Communion.

If you are able and willing to contribute to the cost of having these cushions made, please contact Fr Joseph, the parish priest, at joseph.bailham@english.op.org. All donations are always greatly appreciated.

Parish Passports are available to all Primary School children to help them grow in faith. There is an activity each week to be done in church after Sunday Mass, involving prayer and discovering different parts of the church building, and those who look after it and the parish community. Only one activity can be done each week. When an activity has been completed, bring the passport to a priest who will stamp and sign the passport in the presence of your child.

Use of Parish Passports are essential to being admitted to the First Holy Communion programme each year and evidence of consistent use is expected. 

To collect your Parish Passport, see a priest after Sunday Masses.

Mass times for the Solemnity of the Assumption – 15 August 2024

Day of Obligation

7.30am & 10am (Lady Chapel), 6pm

Heartfelt thanks to all who contributed in various ways to our summer fayre, which raised an incredible £6000! A special thank you to all who helped on the day, and in particular to those who generously donated items towards the fayre for the raffle prizes and tombola. The parish relies on your generosity, so thank you for your support!

The Dominican community are pleased to announce that Fr Matthew Jarvis, O.P., currently resident at our house of St Albert the Great in Edinburgh, has accepted his election as the new prior of St Dominic’s Priory, London, succeeding Fr Dominic White, O.P., who was recently elected Prior of Oxford. Please pray for Fr Matthew as he begins his new role. He will move to London in the coming week. Fr Joseph Bailham, O.P., continues as parish priest and rector of St Dominic’s Church – The Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary.

In recent days, Fr Dominic White, O.P., hitherto prior of St Dominic’s, London, accepted his canonical election as Prior of the Priory of the Holy Spirit, Oxford. Whilst we are very sad to say goodbye to Fr Dominic, we wish him well and all the Dominican brethren in Oxford. Please pray for the community in London who will begin the process of electing a new prior in early July. Fr Joseph Bailham, O.P., continues as parish priest and rector of St Dominic’s Church – The Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary.

The Dominican Friars’ mission over eight centuries has been supported by many gifts left in people’s Wills. Today such gifts provide one fifth of the annual income needed to support this mission, allowing the friars to enrich thousands of people’s lives – as can be seen in the joyful testimonies below.

This week is Catholic Legacy Week, and we invite you too to consider leaving a gift to Catholic charities in your Will – including to the Dominican Friars. Since we believe it is really important for everyone to have an up-to-date Will, we are pleased to offer practical assistance in this, including a free Will-writing service.

Testimonies

This week we have gathered joyful and moving personal testimonies from our supporters – stories of how the Dominicans have enriched people’s lives in different ways. Here is a small selection:

• ‘The Dominican emphasis on preaching and living the gospel particularly to the poor and marginalised and its loving welcome to all was a revelation.’
• ‘I find your on-line liturgy of the greatest help here in Italy. At 86 I’m a little beyond learning enough Italian to follow the homilies […] so yours fill in for them admirably.’
• ‘I spent three really enriching years with the Studium in Oxford which encouraged and equipped me for teaching adults.’
• ‘The Dominicans helped our family without hesitation when asked. They carried us through a very sad and low time. The help, guidance and support given will never be forgotten by our family. Thank you so much.’
• ‘I would like to thank the community at Oxford for the sacramental succour they gave a mutual friend in her dying days and at her funeral.’
• ‘I really don’t know what I would have done over the past few years without the Dominicans; the deeply inspiring preaching, the beautiful, reverent liturgy, the warm-hearted fellowship after Mass, the safe place in which to find decent, wise, faithful and kindly Catholics to mentor our children. I do not think our daughter would still be attending Mass if we had not found the community.’

Over 30 such testimonies have now been given on our website.

When you leave a gift in your Will to the Dominicans, you can be sure that your act of charity will touch many other people’s lives, enabling the friars through your practical support to continue their vital ministry.

What to do?

If you don’t yet have a Will drawn up, or need to update it, we offer a free Will-writing service to our supporters in the UK. Follow the link and send us your details, then we will send you information and a list of participating lawyers near you. When you have completed your Will, our charity covers the small charge for the service.

Alternatively you can speak with any reputable law firm. For most people, writing their Will is a very straightforward process and can be completed quickly.

Your lawyer will raise with you the question of whether you wish to support charities in your Will. The information to share with him in order to leave a gift to the Dominicans can be found here.

The friars pray daily with gratitude for all their benefactors, living and deceased.

Need help or advice?

Just email Richard in the Development Office on development@english.op.org and I will be happy to help you.