St. Martin’s Vicarage Upper Wellington Road Brighton BN2 3AN November 2025 My dear friends, My last piece of administration before packing, so that this issue may be published as I return at the end of October, has as usual led me to re-read the previous issues of the newsletter. I begin therefore with a heartfelt thanks to those who supported Fr Robert at the Cathedral, the Diocesan Walsingham Celebration and contributed so generously to the Harvest Celebration. There is, of course a change to the opening days of this year’s ‘Patronal Month’. In that November 1st falls on a Saturday, All Saints Day is transferred to the next day—who says the Church doesn’t make life easier some times? The knock-on off this being that All Souls Day moves to the following day—Monday 3rd. As per our custom , when the clocks have gone back, the Solemn Requiem will be at 12noon and the said at 5.30pm. The lists will be available for you to ask for names to be read at the opening of each but as always I remind you the thinking is you will intend to be there yourself! The exception to our ‘winter timetable’ is, of course, S Martin’s Day itself: what would the principal celebration be like without the School Choir? I am delighted to say that our friend and neighbour, Fr. Thomas, as accepted m y invitation to preach at this celebration. In the October issue I spoke of the Parish Lunch that we are planning for November 23rd, the feast of Christ the King. The menu has yet to be finalised so for now please book the date. Finally, much preparation is already under way for this year’s ‘Winter Wonderland’ on November 29th: once again this is a sincere plea for support by everyone to our fundraisers and volunteers. With my love and prayers,Fr. Trevor
My dear friends, As you know the traditional Harvest Lunch has had to be cancelled due to the Diocesan Walsingham Celebration taking up ‘Cooking Day’, but fear not, there will be a lunch on the 23rd November. Continuing the “fear not”, the traditional Harvest Favourites will be sung at Mass on Sunday 5th and you are most welcome to come to the School Harvest Celebration the following Wednesday at 2.30pm. As has been announced at the Parish Mass for the last two weeks, this year we are joining the School in supporting the Brighton City Mission so gifts of in date, non perishable gifts will be much appreciated. For the following two weeks you will be in the care of my brother priests as I shall be thinking of you when saying Mass on the Bay of Biscay and the Mediterranean respectively. As well as covering school worship, I am very grateful to Fr. Thomas for agreeing to cover the two Thursdays of my holiday and have published our neighbouring parishes Mass times on the back page for other days when cover has not been available. It is good to be able to announce that at the time of writing we are only four pilgrims short of the number next year’s Wagner Group Pilgrimage is budgeted on. I am assured these places will be claimed and therefore we can begin looking at what grants may be available. With my love and prayers,Fr. Trevor
St. Martin’s Vicarage Upper Wellington Road Brighton BN2 3AN September 2025 My dear friends, Once again the days have evaporated and publishing date is only three days away so this will be a channel to highlight what looks to be a busy month ahead. Returning from a break and the Clergy Conference I shall be pleased to be back in the centre of school life. One of the reasons for saying this is to draw your attention to the Mass Kalendar where there are a few occasions that it will not be possible to provide a Mass here, (there is a Mass on Monday at S Bartholomew's at 09.30 and at S Paul’s on Friday at 11.30). Two days after returning from Canterbury we have our Autumn Jumble Sale, the event that supports the Winter Wonderland, our major fund raiser. As I have said before both of these are events that everyone can support if only by coming for a coffee and I would urge you all to do so please. On Tuesday 16th we are hosting the Society of the Holy Cross local Chapter transferred celebration of Holy Cross Day. There will be a Solemn Mass at Midday to which you are all welcome. At the end of the month (28th) Fr. Robert is to be installed as a Canon of the Cathedral at 3pm. In that he is preaching here in the morning he will ensure that we can easily catch the 13.03 to be in Chichester in good time! Finaly I am sorry to say there is no Mass on the last day of the month as it is the Society of the Holy Cross Synod in Croydon. Please do remember those of us who work in this Order in your prayers that day. With my love and prayers,Fr. Trevor
My dear friends, A heartfelt thank you to those who supported the School Production of Matilda last month—it was greatly appreciated by my staff colleagues, as was also the support of the Leavers Mass the following Thursday. I am writing this letter as we prepare for the Walsingham Pilgrimage; please do remember that you can ask for Intercessions to be made in the Holy House. I would also like to thank those who have generously contributed to the Parish’s Lamp that burns there all year. On the Subject of Walsingham at the heart of August is the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady. In the evening of the 15th we are hosting the Wagner Group celebration when there will be chance to admit new members to the Group Cell of the Society of the Holy House. You will notice that there is a said celebration in the morning, it is a Holy Day of Obligation—for any who really can not join in the evening one. Lastly Fr. Thomas invites us to share with our friends at S Bartholomew’s on August 23rd at 5pm and I hope as many as possible will support him and them on that day. Please do look out for details of the next Jumble Sale that will appear on the Sunday Bulletin and be ready to help out, if only by being there on September 13th! With my love and prayers,