Parishes & Partnership: The Way Forward - An Open Meeting of the Finchale Partnership

Parishes & Partnership: The Way Forward - An Open Meeting of the Finchale Partnership. In a recent pastoral letter, Bishop Stephen said 'Parishes must work ever more closely together in partnerships'. In recent years, the Finchale Partnership has not been very active, but the recent publication of the Diocesan Vision is a great opportunity for us to look at how we respond to the Bishop's call to work together.

There will be an open meeting at 7.00pm on Thursday 16^th October at St. Leonard's school in Durham, and everyone is welcome. There will be the opportunity to hear more about how Partnerships fit alongside recent developments (such as the new Deaneries and the increased emphasis on synodality), and we would love to hear you views and ideas about how our parishes can work together across the Partnership. 

The meeting will take place in the 6^th Form block of the school.

10th October News from our Parish Schools

Parish School pages on our website

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

https://stjosephsgilesgate.bwcet.com/

We would like to thank all of the families who kindly donated to our Harvest Festival with hats, scarves and gloves for the charity Sanctuary 21. Every donation, big or small, makes a significant difference and your kindness brings us one step closer to creating a lasting change. 

On Friday 17^th October we will be wearing red to support and raise awareness for the charity Show Racism the Red Card. The children in school will be learning lots about the cause and taking part in workshops and activities.

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St Godric's Catholic Primary School

https://stgodricsdurham.bwcet.com/

After a lovely Parish welcome last Sunday, our Y4 children had their first catechist-led Sacramental Preparation session on Monday.  This week, we also welcomed Lynn Hobson from UK Parliament into school to deliver an assembly all about democracy and government work in the UK.  Year 6 are off to PGL for their outdoor adventure residential next week - please keep them in your prayers.

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St Thomas More Catholic Primary School

https://stthomasmorebelmont.bwcet.com/

St. Thomas More School are still seeking some volunteers, amongst our catechists or parishioners, to help run some sessions to Year 4, ahead of their First Holy Communion Preparation.  These sessions would be run every few weeks, after school, from 3:30pm until 4:30pm. The idea behind them is to extend the children's learning and knowledge (from what they learn in the school curriculum) about the blessed Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Please contact St. Thomas More school office, for more information, or if you think you could assist.

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St Leonard's Catholic Secondary School

https://stleonardsdurham.bwcet.com/

Year 7 Mass of Welcome: We will be celebrating all our Year 7 pupils at our annual Mass of Welcome, on Thursday 23^rd  October. Mass will take place at 6pm at St. Joseph’s Church, Gilesgate. More information will be shared on our social media and via Arbor to our Year 7 families.

12th October 2025 - Thought from Fr. Colm

We continue our Partnership journey next Thursday evening in St. Leonard’s (see the note in the bulletin). The Finchale Partnership includes Durham City and the outlying parishes. Do join us.

I hope you like the windows. They are timely, as we reflect more on the glory of God’s creation. I’m expecting that our energy bills will be reduced.

“Always try to keep a patch of sky above your life.”

Marcel Proust, Swann’s Way (In Search of Lost Time, #1

Thanks to our Parish SVP conference for a lovely lunch on Tuesday. The spirit was great. Fish and chips, with mushy peas for the purists, and for those brave souls with a taste for all things sweet and with a total disregard for the waistline, there was the triple layered multicoloured ice cream consumed with unapologetic delight by the few, as the majority looked on with envy.

It was all great fun and enjoyed by all .