Memorial Sunday Mass 23rd November 2025

Our annual Memorial Sunday Mass will take place on Sunday 23^rd November at St. Joseph's at 3.00pm.   All families of deceased parishioners who have been bereaved during the past year will receive a personal invitation from Fr. Colm to come along and light a candle in remembrance of their loved ones.   Fr. Colm will light three larger candles (one for St. Joseph’s, one for St. Godric’s, and one for St. Bede’s Chapel) which represent the deceased members of the wider parish and our families and friends.  These will be lit at every Mass until Christmas. Please come along to the Mass and join us for seasonal refreshments in the Jubilee Room afterwards.  Everyone welcome.

24th October News from our Parish Schools

Parish School pages on our website

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

https://stjosephsgilesgate.bwcet.com/

St Joseph's School would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and extend warm wishes to all our friends and families. 

It has been a busy term, filled with learning, growth and many moments have reminded us of the strength of our school community. We are especially grateful for the way our pupils have embraced their learning and cared for one another and lived out our Gospel values each day.  From collective worships in school and support to our charitable projects, we have seen faith in action in so many ways.  Thank you once again for your support and trust and we look forward to welcoming all of the children back for a new exciting term.

Loving God

Thank you for this time of rest.

Watch over us and keep us safe wherever we go.

Bless our families and friends,

and help us to return refreshed and ready to learn.

May we always walk in your light and love.

Amen

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St Godric's Catholic Primary School

https://stgodricsdurham.bwcet.com/

We have had such a lovely start to the school year, and it is hard to believe the first half term is already over! The children have settled in so well, worked hard and brought so much joy and energy to school life - living out the school mission to be the light. 

A big thank you to all our wonderful staff for their continued dedication, care and hard work.  We are really proud of everything the children have achieved and so grateful for the support of our parish family. We hope everyone enjoys a fun, restful and well-deserved half-term break!      Mrs Bridon

Our next Y4 Sacramental preparation Mass takes place at 9am Sunday 2^nd November in St. Godric’s Church.  The theme for this Mass is Baptismal renewal.  We then have our next session on Wed 5^th November 3.15-4.30pm.

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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.

Please contact the school office if you can help.

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St Leonard's Catholic Secondary School

https://stleonardsdurham.bwcet.com/

Year 7 Mass of Welcome: We had a wonderful celebration on Thursday 23^rd October.  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.

26th October 2025 - Thought from Fr. Colm

The Parish Council met on Wednesday. It was a very productive meeting with shared ideas on the Parish moving forward building on our strengths. The many groups, the changing face(s) of those attending our Masses. The new challenges of church usage. The outreach to the wider community. Loneliness and isolation experienced by those living alone.

The schools links with parish via welcoming, music and Youth activities. Building on the university’s expansion and increasing numbers of university students attending our Masses. Much lively discussion to reflect…and act upon.   

St. Leonard’s Mass of welcome at St. Joseph’s was a lovely celebration tinged with sadness, as next years will no longer be in the parish but in the newly built, state of the art school.

Congratulations to Beth Otty on receiving the award from Durham Constabulary as the most outstanding investigator of the year. Beth, along with husband and fellow PC  are past pupils of St. Leonard’s. Beth and twin sister Alex, who recently received her doctorate in Educational Psychology, were both Mass servers at St. Joseph’s while attending St Joseph’s School, and both served my very first Mass in the Parish all those years ago. Well done girls. Your late Mum, Andrea would be very proud .

Despite unfair parking restrictions recently imposed in Durham City Centre on Sunday mornings, our attendances continue to improve at our 9.00am Mass. Young families continue to attend and what a witness that is. It’s no joke getting a brood of very young energetic children out so early on a Sunday morning for 9, or indeed 10.30am. Well done.