18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Masses and devotions

Date	Church	Time	Intention or devotion
Saturday 1 August	Our Lady of Walsingham	5.00pm	Mary Hurst RIP; People of the Parish
Saturday 1 August	St Brendan’s	6.00pm	Ron, Pat, Clive Davies RIP; Pauline Fahy RIP; Mary Hurst RIP
Sunday 2 August	St Brendan’s	8.45am	Marion Thomson RIP; Winnie White RIP
Sunday 2 August	Our Lady of Walsingham	10.00am	Charlie Lynn RIP; Michael Lindsay Fay Reilly intention
Sunday 2 August	St Brendan’s	11.30am	Paddy Carr RIP; Mary Hurst RIP
Monday 3 August	Our Lady of Walsingham	9.30am	Helen McEleney RIP; Bob Garvey RIP; Jim Reilly RIP; confessions follow
Monday 3 August	St Brendan’s	6.00pm	Exposition & Confessions
Monday 3 August	St Brendan’s	7.00pm	Angela O’Neill RIP; Kevin Cutliffe RIP
Tuesday 4 August	St Brendan’s	9.30am	Eric Legg RIP; Margaret Watson RIP; Doherty and Lynch Families intention
Wednesday 5 August	Our Lady of Walsingham	9.30am	Margaret Watson RIP; Peace in Ukraine
Wednesday 5 August	Our Lady of Walsingham	10.00am	Holy Rosary
Thursday 6 August	St Brendan’s	9.05am	Holy Rosary
Thursday 6 August	St Brendan’s	9.30am	Barry Conroy RIP; John Garvey RIP
Friday 7 August	St Brendan’s	10.30am	Requiem Mass: Marion Thomson RIP
Saturday 8 August	Our Lady of Walsingham	5.00pm	Frank Harding RIP; Julie McAuley intention
Saturday 8 August	St Brendan’s	6.00pm	Richard Mitchell Jnr RIP; Bozena Bates RIP; Bridie Coyle RIP
Sunday 9 August	St Brendan’s	8.45am	Bob Garvey RIP
Sunday 9 August	Our Lady of Walsingham	10.00am	Harry Connelly RIP; Ciaran Warren RIP
Sunday 9 August	St Brendan’s	11.30am	Betty McIvor RIP; Marie Kennedy RIP; Dorota Garnham B’day intention

This week’s liturgy

• Monday 3 August: Feria
• Tuesday 4 August: St. John Mary Vianney
• Wednesday 5 August: Feria
• Thursday 6 August: The Transfiguration of the Lord – Feast
• Friday 7 August: Feria

The Sunday psalm response is “You open your hand and fulfil us, O Lord.” Catholic Truth Society Missal page 754; Parish Mass Book page 111.

August prayer intention

For evangelization in the city: Let us pray that in large cities often marked by anonymity and loneliness we find new ways to proclaim the Gospel, discovering creative paths to build community. The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network.

Parish news

The new Parish of the Good Shepherd

In the coming weeks, the parishes in Corby will unite to form the new Parish of the Good Shepherd, with our two churches: Our Lady of Walsingham and St Brendan’s. Fr Mark will continue to keep everyone updated as we move through this exciting time of transition. Together, we look forward to shaping the mission of our new parish, building on the faith, witness, and dedication of the four former parishes: Our Lady of Walsingham, St Brendan’s, St Patrick’s, and St John Ogilvie’s.

The way our parish communities have come together throughout this process has been a powerful sign of the strength of the Catholic community in Corby. While some of the changes have been difficult, the spirit of cooperation, generosity, and shared faith has given us every reason to be hopeful for the future. As we continue this journey together, we do so with confidence, trusting in the Lord to guide and strengthen us.

May we embrace the opportunities ahead with faith, hope, and a renewed commitment to serving one another and our wider community. Please continue to keep one another, and our new Parish of the Good Shepherd, in your thoughts and prayers.

First Holy Communion and Confirmation preparation

Children in Catholic and state schools prepare for First Holy Communion and Confirmation together within the parish, following the diocesan approach. Parish catechists and clergy support the programme, with lessons on Saturday mornings. It helps children from across Corby get to know one another and grow in faith.

Parents’ meetings:

• First Holy Communion (Year 3): Thursday 10 September, 7.00pm, at St Brendan’s Church.
• Confirmation (Year 6): Wednesday 16 September, 7.00pm, at Our Lady of Walsingham.

Please attend the relevant meeting, where the programme and expectations will be explained.

Readers and Eucharistic ministers

A meeting for readers and Eucharistic ministers from both churches will be held at Our Lady of Walsingham on Tuesday 22 September.

Anyone interested in becoming a reader should let the parish know. Fr Mark and Fr Chris will also invite parishioners to become Eucharistic ministers.

Help with church cleaning

The cleaners at Our Lady’s have asked for help (they clean on a Thursday morning). Thank you to the new volunteers who came forward and started last week. We are indebted to the volunteer cleaners at both churches, who help to keep our churches clean and welcoming. Fr Mark often says that the cleaners are far more important than they realise as they help create a wonderful first impression when people visit. So, if anyone in either church can help, please let us know.

To those who already clean our churches – a huge thank you!

SVP food bank

The SVP supports people in need through the Catholic schools and parishes in Corby. Leave donations with a steward at the back of the church.

Gift Prayer Group

The Gift Prayer Group, which meets on Tuesdays, will resume on 1 September after the school holidays.

A summer message

We know some parishioners have started going away for their summer holidays and many more will head off now the schools have started their summer break. Whatever your plans are, if you’re going away or staying at home to enjoy your break, let’s hope it is a time when everyone can recharge their batteries and enjoy some downtime. God bless, Fr Mark and Fr Chris.

PLANS FOR OUR NEW PARISH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD, CORBY As we come together as one parish, we are looking at ways to improve the facilities at both Our Lady’s and St Brendan’s so that they better support our parish community and our mission for the future. At Our Lady’s, work is already under way in the presbytery to create a larger parish office.

This will allow the administration from our former four parishes to be brought together in one place, providing a suitable workspace for Anne, our parish secretary, the priests, and Liz, Chair of the Finance Committee. We hope this work will be completed by the end of September. At St Brendan’s, more substantial improvements are being planned. These include a disabled toilet at the back of the church for general use, helping to reduce movement and distraction during Mass.

We also hope to modernise and enlarge the Parish Room, provide an additional accessible toilet, and create access to the garden so that it can be enjoyed during parish events. We will be exploring fundraising opportunities to help make these improvements possible. These changes will benefit the whole parish and help make our administration and facilities more welcoming and effective. Fr Mark will keep everyone updated as the plans progress.

Summer Mass schedule

Fr Mark and Fr Chris will look at the Mass schedule in September, but during July and August we ask you to check the newsletter for weekday Masses. Fr Chris is now back and Fr Mark will be going away in August. We plan to keep the Sunday Mass schedule as normal during the summer.

Young Adults Group

The next meeting is Friday 7 August, 7.00pm, in St Brendan’s Parish Room, followed by refreshments. All young adults aged 18–35 are welcome. Please bring a friend and speak to Fr Chris for more information.

Diocesan news

Diocesan Music Day

Everyone involved in parish music ministry is warmly invited to the Diocesan Music Day on Saturday 19 September (venue to be confirmed). The day will offer music, formation, practical resources, and fellowship for all who support the Church’s liturgy through music. Whether you are a singer, choir member, cantor, organist, music director, or member of the clergy, you are most welcome to come along for this enriching and inspiring day.

Diocesan Mass for Marriage and Families

All are warmly invited to the Diocesan Mass for Marriage and Families at Northampton Cathedral on Saturday 5 September at 12noon. The Mass will be a special celebration of the gift of marriage and family life, with couples marking milestone anniversaries especially welcome. Please register online to let us know about your anniversary and to book refreshments. A form is also available at the back of the church.

Prayer and remembrance

Seven-day candles

• Our Lady of Walsingham: Ross Northing intention.
• Our Lady of Grace: Tracey Chalmers Sheerin RIP
• Sacred Heart (statue): Eamonn McAuley and Family intention.

Please contact the office if you would like to sponsor a seven-day candle for a loved one or a special intention.

May they rest in peace

• Marion Thomson RIP: Received into St Brendan’s on Thursday 6 August at 4.30pm – funeral service at St Brendan’s on Friday 7 August at 10.30am
• Patricia McSherry RIP: Funeral service at Kettering Crematorium on Wednesday 12 August at 2.30pm
• James Cox RIP: Received into Our Lady’s on Wednesday 12 August at 4.30pm – funeral service at Our Lady’s on Thursday 13 August at 10.00am

Please pray for their families at this sad time.

Parish directory

Contact details below are those printed in this edition.

• Parish priest: Fr Mark Floody
• Assistant priest: Fr Chris Colaço
• Parish office: 01536 203121
• Our Lady of Walsingham: Occupation Road, Corby, NN17 1EE
• St Brendan’s: Beanfield Avenue, Corby, NN18 0AZ
• Our Lady of Walsingham office: Monday and Friday, 10.00am–4.00pm; Tuesday and Thursday, 1.15pm–4.00pm
• St Brendan’s office: Tuesday and Thursday, 10.00am–1.00pm
• Our Lady of Walsingham website: https://ourladyofwalsinghamcorby.org
• Our Lady of Walsingham email: mailto:parish.ourladyofwalsingham@northamptondiocese.org
• St Brendan’s website: https://stbrendanscorby.org.uk
• St Brendan’s email: mailto:parish.stbrendan@northamptondiocese.org

Safeguarding contacts

• Diocesan safeguarding: Danielle Dixon, 07833 050628
• Our Lady of Walsingham: 07947 485935
• St Brendan’s: Catherine MacLellan

Parish Catholic schools

• St Brendan’s Primary School: Beanfield Avenue, NN18 0AZ; 01536 202491; mailto:office@sb.cor.olicatschools.org
• St Patrick’s Primary School: Patrick Road, NN18 9NT; 01536 744447; https://www.stpatricksprimaryschool.com
• Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School: Occupation Road, Corby, NN17 1EE; 01536 203805; mailto:office@olw.cor.olicatschools.org