Newsletter - 28 September 2025
My dear brothers and sisters,
Monday, 29 September, is an important birthday. It is the birthday of our Diocese of Westminster, established on that day 175 years ago. The first Archbishop of Westminster, Nicholas Wiseman, was appointed by Pope Pius IX on 29 September 1850 and created a Cardinal the very next day. He served as our Archbishop until his death in 1865 and is now buried in our Cathedral.
So today and tomorrow we may rightly celebrate the Catholic life of this great Diocese, in the spirit of the words of St Paul we have just heard: 'Fight the good fight of the faith, take hold of the eternal life to which you were called'(1 Timothy 6:12).
There are two dimensions I would like to suggest for these moments of celebration. They are, of course, centred on the grace of God and the immensity of God's goodness to us, His people. This grace works according to God's intentions, and not our own, and in ways that ebb and flow within the patterns of our own history and personalities. Our Diocese in 1850 was not the Diocese of today. Catholic life was slowly emerging from centuries of opposition and suppression. Only gradually did we regain a recognised place in public and political life. Our duty is to hand it on to the next generations, better tuned to contemporary circumstances, responding to today's challenges and strengthened as ever by the bounteous grace of God.
Then there is a second reason for our gratitude to God. Today, in our parishes, there are wonderful Catholics who have come from very many different countries. Our parish congregations have a variety of colours and customs that reflect the streets of our cities today. What binds us together, is what lies at the heart of our faith: our intimate and shared love for Jesus, the Christ. The gift of this faith finds a home in the people of every land. Their traditions, rich and varied, enliven and deepen the life of the Church in our Diocese. Together we stand before our Blessed Lord, welcoming one another, being formed into one body in Him, a visible demonstration of the universality of the Church which our forebears could never have imagined.
May God continue to bless our Diocese.
Yours devotedly,
Cardinal Vincent Nichols
Archbishop of Westminster
Focus of the week
Creation Concert with
Jo Collins
Saturday 11 October – 7.30pm in the church
No tickets - first come first served
Refreshments in the hall
Collections in aid of the Parish
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
Registration is open for children from year 3 and above to receive First Holy Communion in May 2026.
Sunday morning sessions : 9.45 am - 11.00am.
Last day to apply : 20 October 2025.
Please contact Caterina by email (cockfosterspa@rcdow.org.uk) or the parish office to register.
Notices of the Week
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