Dear family members and friends: Today we celebrate the All Saints Day. The Gospel passage of today says who are the people who are blessed. Jesus speaks about eight situations when people can be counted as blessed. The saints are those who have realised in their life what Jesus had told. When we say All Saints Day it does not simply mean those Canonised Saints. We remember all those who have received reward in heaven. In today’s responsorial psalm we have recited, “Such are the people who seek your face, O Lord.” Saints are those who have sought the face of the Lord. The first reading of today reminds us that the saints are those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Let the blood of Jesus purify us and make us pure and blessed. Amen.
On Monday there will be Solemn Mass for the Holy Souls at 7pm. On this day we gather to remember and to pray for the souls of all the faithful departed, all those whom we have loved and lost and see no longer. The names of our family and friends who have died since last All Souls day, contained in the parish Book of Remembrance, will be read out at this Mass. The book will stay on the Sanctuary throughout November.
Remembrance Sunday is we remember those who have died in all armed conflicts. There will be a Solemn Mass of Requiem for the fallen at the 10.30am Mass where we will hold our annual Act of Remembrance. The 6.30pm Mass will be of Thirty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)
The Archbishop’s Appeal is a Diocesan second collection that funds key areas of ministry: Youth and Evangelisation, Our Faith in Action (Caritas) and Clergy Care and Formation. Your support will enable the Archdiocese of Southwark to support innovative projects taking place within Catholic parishes and Schools throughout South London and Kent that seek to invest Faith, Hope and Love into the communities they serve. Please be generous to the Archbishop’s Appeal 2026. Every gift is welcome. If you wish to gift aid your offering, and are not in the parish gift aid scheme, please use one of the envelopes provided on the newsletter table.
The 21st of January 2027 marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of the parish of St. Simon of England (Stock) as a separate Ashford parish.
We will be holding a week of celebrations starting Sunday 17th January culminating with a celebratory evening Mass on Sunday 24th January presided over by Bishop Paul Hendricks and followed by a reception in the hall.
Please mark the dates in your diary and look out for announcements about the programme of events for the week.
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