A new Diocesan free monthly newspaper will launch on the 4th of October . Keep an eye out for it at the back of our churches. Items for publication are invited!
“Our Lady of Unfailing Help! Pray that the Lord of the Harvest will send labourers into His harvest and that He will grant an abundance of vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and religious life within the Diocese of Leeds, and throughout the world. Amen.” This coming Wednesday is the first of St Padre Pio and will mark the 9th anniversary of my entry into the Pontifical Beda College in Rome to begin four years of training for the priesthood. Though it was challenging (as is the life and ministry of the priest) it is something I absolutely do not regret. If any man is thinking about if the Lord is calling them to the priesthood, or the permanent diaconate, please do speak to me. Do not think that the Lord’s call is a kind of “blinding flash” of inspiration (mine certainly was not), it may be just something you may find speaking to you quietly, but insistently in your mind and soul. Fr Chris
If you come to church in the parish but are not a Catholic, or if you know someone who wishes to explore becoming a Catholic, preparation sessions will commence on Wednesday the 7th of October at 6.30pm in the meeting room at St Urban’s with the intention of people being received into the church at next Easter. Also, Catholics who would like a “refresher” on the faith are very welcome to join too. At the first meeting we will discuss what days and times for future meetings suit people best. Fr Chris
A gentle reminder of the need to make a donation for votive candles, and to pay for Mass cards at both of our churches, also to pay for items from the repository cupboard at St Urbans (restocking of which cost £80 last time around). If you do not have cash on you payments can be made on our Dona machines. Thank you.
40 DAYS FOR LIFE - prayer, fasting and peaceful vigil near the MSI abortion facility, Leeds, 23 September to 1 November, 7am to 7pm. The last sign of hope and first sign of mercy to those attending MSI Leeds. Over 24,000 lives have been saved by campaigns worldwide since 2007. To get involved as a prayer partner or as a vigil volunteer contact: Chris Redding 07815 681343 email 40daysforlifeleeds@gmail.com . Further information at www.40daysforlife.com/leeds
BAPTISM PREPARATION: the next baptism preparation session will be Saturday the 26th of September at 2.00pm in the meeting room at St Urban’s. Registration forms are available from the parish office.
Tuesday 13 October 2026, 10am1:30pm, Cathedral Hall, Leeds. This event, hosted by Growing Old Grace-fully will explore Catholic Social Teaching regarding the blessings of later life, led by theologian Dr Peter Kevern. To book a place, please email growing.old.gracefully@dioceseofleeds.org.uk
BAPTISM PREPARATION: the next baptism preparation session will be Saturday the 26th of September at 2.00pm in the meeting room at St Urban’s. Registration forms are available from the parish office.
From Wednesday the 2nd of September, the online support group for unpaid carers will now have two sessions on the first Wednesday of the month at 2.00pm and 7.30pm. if you care for a friend, neighbour or family member you are invited to join the group for the opportunity to make new friends, chat and have space and time to pray. Contact Michelle for more information or to register carersproject@growingoldgracefully.org.uk
Holy Trinity on Boar Lane are hosting as part of the Leeds Digital Festival a panel discussion on faith and artificial intelligence, titled “Magnificent Humanity: What the Pope Wants the Tech Industry to Hear” . It will explore human dignity and what it means to be human in an age of AI, taking the Holy Father’s recent encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas” as the starting point. Joining the academics will be two people working with AI here in Leeds. The date is Thursday the 1st of October, 12:30pm , Holy Trinity Boar Lane. Tickets are free through Eventbrite — https://www.eventbrite.com/e/magnificent-humanity-what-the-pope-wants-the-tech-industry-to-hear-tickets1994569727748
Our Parish Friendship group is joining the Leeds Jewish Welfare Board for an outing to Junction 32 Retail Park in Castleford on the 6th of October . Please see the posters at the back of the church for more information. It’s a good exercise in interreligious dialogue!
Tuesday 13 October 2026, 10am1:30pm, Cathedral Hall, Leeds. This event, hosted by Growing Old Grace-fully will explore Catholic Social Teaching regarding the blessings of later life, led by theologian Dr Peter Kevern. To book a place, please email growing.old.gracefully@dioceseofleeds.org.uk
Dear Brothers and Sisters, How obedient were you as a child? Were there occasions when you said “yes” to a request from your mum and dad and then ignored it? And what about as an adult? Do you ever say one thing for a quiet life and then do something else? I guess that if we are honest with ourselves at some point we have all been either of the two sons in this Sunday’s gospel. When I was in the seminary in Rome, I was there for the canonisation of St John Henry Newman. It was on a Sunday morning and it was decided that there would be no Mass in the College to give us all an opportunity to go to St Peter’s Square. For some reason I was not enthusiastic about going as I knew that it would be very hot and crowded and I decided to go to Mass more locally without telling anyone. Was it a decision based on logic or was I succumbing to a temptation? However as the time for the canonisation drew near, I felt an impulse to go to St Peter’s and with God’s help I made it on time. Yes, it was hot and very crowded but I was glad I was there. With the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and the help of my guardian angel (whose feast we mark later in the week), I went from duplicity, and what would have been dishonesty, to at least having a measure of integrity. Do you have your own story? How did it end? Good outcome or bad? Light or dark? This Sunday’s gospel shows one of three parables that Jesus puts together to drive home to His listeners, the religious establishment, the need for belief in Him and His kerygma (or proclamation) of the kingdom. During this sequence in the gospel Jesus declares to the authorities that they are subject to divine disfavour, something that it must have been difficult to hear let alone own in their hearts. Worse than that, the lowest of the low – tax collectors (Roman collaborators, embezzlers and little more than criminals) and prostitutes – were closer to the kingdom than them. Can you imagine that happening here and that being said directly to you? What would your response be? The same outrage as that of the Jewish elders perhaps? What is the point that Jesus wants to make in this Sunday's parable? What is the change He is seeking? As with many of Jesus’ parables it is capable of more than one interpretation. One interpretation is that the father in Sunday's parable is God; the first son represents the tax collectors and the prostitutes, who despite their failings come to obey God, initially through the ministry of John the Baptist. The second son represents the chief priests and the elders who, despite their religious profession and their important position disobeyed God by not believing first in John’s ministry and then in Jesus’ teaching. And more than that, Jesus characterises His opponents as hypocrites; worse still for His listeners He tells them that rather being at the front of the heavenly queue for salvation they are, at best, firmly at the back. What are we to make of this? What does it mean for us? Well, merely coming to church, just showing up, is not enough. Do we take time to seriously consider the implications of Jesus’ teaching for our own lives? Week after week, do we just listen to the familiar stories but see them as somehow only having a fleeting meaning for our own lives? John, and then Jesus, still call us to move from a mere reception of words to "metanoia", a change of mind, a reorientation, a fundamental transformation of outlook of our vision of the world and of ourselves, loving God and others. This is big stuff, frightening stuff, overwhelming. Yes it is, certainly on our own, but we are not alone, through the grace and power of the word of God and the sacraments, Jesus Himself is always with us. Where and how can we start this change in our lives? Perhaps begin each day with a simple commitment to God, a few words will do; perhaps in the day do a simple act of kindness; perhaps at the end of the day a look back calling into minds, hearts and souls the actions of God which, I promise you, you will find. Do not lose hope or trust, Jesus understands our frailty but also our desire to be like Him, and our commitment to this. If we do our best to love Jesus He will come to us, we have His word for it; He always keeps his promises. As always, please accept an assurance of my daily prayers for your needs and intentions. God bless and keep you. Fr Chris
BAPTISM PREPARATION: the next baptism preparation session will be Saturday the 26th of September at 2.00pm in the meeting room at St Urban’s. Registration forms are available from the parish office.
We are people subject to paradoxes. On the one hand there are situations in life when we see things as being positive when they beneficially effect us, but, almost the next second, as being negative when we see that what another receives is more than what have received. Be honest, we have all been there. Those times, from our earliest years when we say bad temperedly, “it’s not fair!”. No one is immune from this throughout our lives. As an older man entering the priesthood, having served what appears to be the minimum post-ordination apprenticeship of three years as a curate, for right or wrong, Bishop Marcus sent me to this parish. I have observed that when you are a younger priest you have to wait longer for a parish than I did. It’s that sort of thing that can understandably cause ripples in the clergy – "he’s only being doing it for two minutes and he already has a parish!". I suspect that my appointment has been a case of necessity not favouritism. I know that you will have your story too on either side of this particular fence – times when it has not “been fair”. This Sunday in the gospel parable the behaviour of the owner of the vineyard has nothing to do with necessity but everything to do with generously to the point of irrationality. The less work he gets from his late hirings, compared to those who have been slaving away all day, brings the greater reward. Surely it would have been fairer to pay the late hirings in proportion to the actual hours worked, which is what happens in real life, but no, those who arrive at the end of the day get the same as the others. You can understand why some of the workers complain that their treatment is "not fair". What is Jesus getting at? The clue is in Sunday's first reading from Isaiah. God tells us that He does he does not think like we do, “my ways are higher than your ways, my thoughts than your thoughts”. This leads to God, also Jesus, doing what looks like outrageous things. In Isaiah God wants the bad person to come to Him, not for punishment and retribution, as we would expect, but so that God will behave with compassion and pardon. He says that He is near to the sinner, not far away; He wishes to save not to punish; He is close to all who call him who are mired in sin and covered in shame. To many Jesus was outrageous in His life and ministry. He ate and drank with people who were seen as being below contempt, people who in our context, if we are honest, we do not want to associate with, even to acknowledge. More than this He did what only God could do, forgive sins and reconcile people to God and each other. Perhaps His last outrageous act was to forgive the lifelong sinner hanging beside Him on the cross and to give him immediate admittance into heaven. God in His compassion, love, generosity, and mercy is, by our standards, irrational and needlessly extravagant. He constantly calls us to Him, He embraces his children and rejoices when we return to him. All we need to do is approach Him, particularly in the sacrament of reconciliation, say sorry, be resolved not to sin again, and leave the rest to His grace. God knows that this is a lifelong process. All He wants us to do is try, He knows that, despite our best efforts and resolve, we will need to do this time and again during our lives and He is always there for that. We see in the vineyard, that though we may think we are a lost cause, this side of eternity, it is never too late to turn to Him. Teaching St Faustina about His Divine Mercy, Jesus told her that at the end of earthly life He will rescue a soul that turns to Him. In John's gospel He says that he loses nothing that is His. The Lord is always close to those who call on Him, who call on Him from their heart. As always in comes down to us about how we respond. As always, please accept an assurance of my daily prayers for your needs and intentions. God bless and keep you. Fr Chris
Pope Francis
If peoples are to remain brothers and sisters, prayer must rise unceasingly to Heaven, and one single word constantly echo on earth: peace.