FRIDAY, 1  DECEMBER  2023,  18.00 at FARM  STREET  JESUIT  CHURCH.    

 CELEBRANT  &  PREACHER,  FR.  KIERAN  FITZSIMONS  OFM.

IN  THE  PRESENCE  OF  THE  CITY  OF  WESTMINSTER'S  DEPUTY  LORD  MAYOR,  THE  HON.  ALDERMAN,  CLLR.  GUTHRIE  MCKIE.

A  DISPLAY  ON  HIV/AIDS  PASTORAL  SUPPORT  WILL  BE  MOUNTED  IN  A  SIDE-CHAPEL  FROM  25  NOVEMBER  -  4  DECEMBER. 

Read, also, a moving WAD reflection by Michael Carter:

https://www.thetablet.co.uk/features/2/23741/world-aids-day-a-road-less-travelled

St Ignatius of Loyola had a great ‘facility in finding God... and every time and hour he wanted to find God, he found Him’ (Reminiscences). Ignatius believed we meet God in every aspect of our lives, our experiences, our feelings and our imaginations. His spirituality is rooted in everyday life, offering guidance and ways of praying that are accessible yet profoundly life changing. 

The sessions will consist of input followed by a time of silent prayer and guided / imaginative contemplation, with opportunities to listen to each other and share together.

This prayer group meets weekly and includes a stillness, exercise, a little input from a prayer guide on an aspect of Ignatian spirituality, a time for quiet prayer on the reading / text chosen for the day and then some sharing as you feel called to.

We meet every week on Tuesdays at 7pm on Zoom. We are a welcoming group and if you would like more information email us by clicking HERE **

Pope Francis has challenged the whole Catholic world to dream anew of what it means to be Church in a 21st century, post-pandemic world, through calling for all Church members to journey and listen together in order to strengthen a sense of being at one with the Church in communion, to participate in the life of the Church, and to go out to proclaim Christ’s liberating message. 

Most importantly, the Pope has urged that the voices of those who are not heard, or who are ignored, should be listened to in this process. This includes children, women, men, LGBT+ communities, people of colour, people living with HIV, or abled in other ways. LGBT+ Catholics Westminster is actively involved in the Westminster Diocesan Synodal Pathway, enabling the voices of LGBT+ Catholics, parents and families to be heard at parish, diocesan, national and global levels. As part of the Synodal Pathway , we held 2 face-to-face Listening Sessions, 9 & 23 November 2022) in the Arrupe Hall, 114 Mount Street, Mayfair, London W1K 3AH as well an online listening session. The feedback has been collated and forwarded to the relevant synodal bodies. Thank you to everyone for your active participation.                                                                                                                        

The Synodal Pathway is an ongoing process and it is not too late to participate. Click HERE to find out more. 

The Vatican has announced an extension to this first phase of the Synodal process, giving us more time at grass-roots levels. We will therefore plan for an On-line Listening Session,  at a date to be confirmed, for those unable to join in face-to-face sessions.                                                                                                                                                            For more information on the Westminster Diocesan Synodal Pathway: https://rcdow.org.uk/synod/

Do you sometimes feel you can't pray, like to pray better but don't know how to, or just want to learn to pray and learn from others? 

The answer may be around the corner. 

These were the questions that St Ignatius Loyola asked himself. His experience in answering these questions led to valuable insights and so called "Ignatian spirituality", which five centuries later continues to inspire and transform the lives of millions of Christians worldwide. 

The day we have organised for Saturday 18 November is led by a trained prayer guide in Ignatian spirituality and a member of our community. Saturday 18 November will be a great opportunity to learn the tools of Ignatian spirituality and how to better discern what is happening in your life and prayer, leading to better decisions and a happier life. 

11:00 - 11:30:   Arrivals, tea and coffee

11:30 - 12:15:   Input on recognising the movements of consolation and desolation in prayer and daily life

12:15 - 13:00:   Guided contemplation and quiet prayer; sharing in small groups

13:00 -  14:00:  Lunch (please bring a packed lunch)

14:00 - 14:30:   Plenary 

14.30 Quiet Prayer & Opportunity for Sacrament of Reconciliation

15.00 Mass 

To register please send an email by clicking HERE 

We look forward to welcoming you!

Venue: ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  LAMB'S  BUILDINGS,  off  LAMB'S  PASSAGE  

EC1Y 8LD

Nearest tube: Liverpool Street / Barbican

Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/praying-hand-neon-signage-YBR-AWm1HQ4

The Working Document for the Synod of the Church, taking place in Rome, 4 - 29 October 2023, asks: 

How can we create spaces where those who feel hurt by the Church and unwelcomed by the community feel recognised, received, free to ask questions and not judged ?                                        

We might rephrase this as: How can the spaces created by LGBT+ Catholics be recognised and valued as integral to the life of the Church ?    

Paragraph 10: In this light, the purpose of the IL (Working Document) is not to be a first draft of the Final Document of the Synodal Assembly, only to be corrected or amended. Rather, it outlines an initial understanding of the synodal dimension of the Church on the basis of which further discernment can be made. 

The Members of the Synodal Assembly are the primary recipients of the IL, which is also made public not only for reasons of transparency but as a contribution to the implementation of ecclesial initiatives. In particular, it can encourage participation in the synodal dynamic at the local and regional levels, while waiting for the outcome of the October Assembly. This will provide further material on which the local Churches will be called to pray, reflect, act and make their own contribution.  https://www.synod.va/en/news/instrumentum-laboris-a-document-of-the-whole-church.html 

   Join with LGBT+ Catholics from around the country to consider these and other questions from the Synod Working Document.

https://www.farmstreet.org.uk/synod-on-synodality

    St.  Joseph's  Parish  Hall, 15  Lamb's  Passage,  London  EC1Y 8LE  -  Bring & Share Lunch, 12.00, followed by afternoon discussion & Mass.

NEAREST STATIONS: Barbican, Farringdon Thameslink & Elizabeth Line (Barbican Exit), Liverpool Street, Moorgate, Old Street.

RSVP  -  BEFORE  14  SEPTEMBER  2023: lgbtcatholicswestminster@gmail.com

We look forward to what will be a wonderful time of fellowship, sharing, growth and fun! 

Dear friends,

As you may know Pride in London 2023 that will take place on Saturday 1 July is fast approaching! Once again and bigger than ever we will have a fantastic opportunity to celebrate Pride together as a community. 

There are various ways how you can get involved:

1. Pride Parade through central London on 1 July

If you would like to march with us as a group, you will need to register to obtain your wristband using the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6W5FSCT 

If registering on websites is not your thing, there will be a paper enrolment form you can complete during the teas and coffees after Mass on the 2nd and the 4th Sundays at Farm Street leading up to Pride. Please remember that these are allocated on a first-come-first-served-basis and if your plans change and you can no longer attend, please let us know. The details on the logistics of the day will be announced not earlier than a week before Pride.

2. Community stall in Soho Square on the Pride Day of 1 July

As every year, we will have our own fabulous Soho Square Stall during the Pride Day from approx. 11.00 till 20.00. If you’re not planning to join the Parade, maybe you'd help staff the Stall? We'd like to hear from you by answering to this email!

3. Pre-Pride Celebration – Sat 17 June

Our pre-Pride celebration on Saturday, 17 June 2023 was a big success, with Mass at 12.00 followed by a bring & share lunch and discussion at ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, LAMB'S BUILDINGS, LONDON EC1Y 8LD. Nearest tube stations: Barbican and Old Street. 

Read the homily here

4. Keep in touch

Would you like to receive updates from us about activities we organize and our monthly newsletter. Please provide your name and email. We usually send out 3-4 mailings per month. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Please provide your name and email at this link https://forms.gle/rdZ68e657qWwfTHo7

5. And lastly - We are also delighted to offer you the chance to buy a t-shirt for you to wear during this year's Pride events. 

Please go the to the link https://teespring.com/en-GB/LGBT_Catholics_Westminster  where you can select your size and your very own t-shirt will arrive directly to you. The price is £18 (plus standard delivery and handling fee of £3.62). (If for some reason the website does not show you prices in £, please make sure that you select 'United Kingdom' in shipping info below the image).

For this Lent 2023, in line with 2021 and 2022 initiatives, Farm Street Church in partnership with Grosvenor Chapel, would like to invite each of us to a journey of prayer and sharing around the theme Enlarging the Space of our Tent. 

We will focus on Justice and Peace, covering the themes of homelessness, racial justice, care of creation, migrants and peace, in the light of the Scriptures, following the Catholic diocese of Westminster Sharing Faith resource booklet.  

This ecumenical Lent Group will take place on Zoom each Wednesday at 8PM from 1st March 2023 until 29th March. You can get the link by sending an email by clicking HERE

You are welcome to join all the sessions or just drop by for one to try it out.

We hope many of you can join us in this common adventure and are looking forward to meet you! 

AS  WE  JOURNEY  TOGETHER,  BUILDING  UP  THE  LGBT +  EUCHARISTIC COMMUNITY,  WE  GATHER  AGAIN  FOR  MASS,  12.00,  SATURDAY,  18  MARCH  2023, FOLLOWED  BY  BRING-&-SHARE  LUNCH  &  AFTERNOON  DISCUSSION  -  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CATHOLIC  CHURCH,  LAMB'S  BUILDINGS,  OFF  LAMB'S  PASSAGE,    LONDON  EC1Y  8LD.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             NEAREST  STATIONS:  OLD STREET (Northern Line - Bank Branch, London Overground);  BARBICAN (Circle, Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City Lines); FARRINGDON (Elizabeth Line - Barbican Exit); LIVERPOOL  STREET (British Rail, Central, Circle, Elizabeth, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan Lines); MOORGATE ( Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Northern - Bank Branch - Lines). 

The LGBT+ Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council warmly invites you to a Pre-Christmas Mass and gathering, Saturday, 17 December, 12.00- 16.00. This will take place at St. Joseph's Church, Lamb's Buildings, off Lamb's Passage, Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8LD.                                        NEAREST TUBES: BARBICAN, FARRINGDON (Elizabeth Line - Barbican Exit), OLD STREET  -   https://parish.rcdow.org.uk/bunhillrow/contact/ 

Please be prepared to contribute to a seasonal Bring-&-Share Lunch - light refreshments will be provided.  We intend this to be the first of regular additional gatherings for LGBT+ Catholics Westminster with the aim of strengthening our sense of being a Eucharistic community. We are pleased that a number of priests who ministered in our previous presiding rotas at Warwick Street and St. Anne's, Soho, have agreed to take part from time to time. This Saturday's Mass will be celebrated by Fr. Chris. Vipers, Parish Priest of St. Mary Moorfields in the City of London and Administrator of St. Joseph's, Bunhill Row. Fr. Chris. is also Director of Evangelisation for Westminster Diocese and takes a key role in the Synodal Journey.

After lunch there will be an opportunity to share ideas about how we can plan further gatherings, their frequency etc. The afternoon will end with a brief period of Lectio Divina. Please let us know if you plan to come on Saturday, for refreshment purposes by emailing us via Contact page on this website. 

LGBT+ Catholics Westminster & Catholics for AIDS Prevention & Support welcome everyone to the annual World AIDS Day Mass, 18.00, Thursday, 1 December 2022, The Church of the Immaculate Conception (Farm Street Jesuit Church), 114 Mount Street, Mayfair London W1K 3AH. Nearest tubess: Bond St and Green Park

The Celebrant and Preacher will be Father David Birchall SJ, Director of the London Jesuit Centre, who ministered on the AIDS Ward of San Francisco General Hospital, USA, at the height of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Music will be provided by the 530 Music Group. A Reception in the Arrupe Hall, 114 Mount Street, follows the Mass. This event is the only public religious celebration listed in London to mark World AIDS Day. All are welcome and if this is your first time attending you are encouraged to make yourself known to a greeter who can make you feel welcome. 

Catholics for AIDS Prevention & Support (CAPS) will mount an HIV/AIDS display in a Farm Street Church side-chapel from 26 November - 4 December, where red ribbons and information literature will be available. CAPS will hold an online Service - 17.00, Saturday, 26 November 2022, Stand Together Stronger, Healing Stigma. REGISTER HERE: 

 https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2916673105321/WN_4MKlI27VRZGKWi8ckWPASw

Photo by Janosch Diggelmann on Unsplash

Saturday, 25 June, one week before Pride-in-London, LGBT+ Catholics Younger Adults Group invites the whole community to an open-air spiritual celebration and Pride social. We will gather in thanksgiving for freedoms, offer up the challenges and suffering of many and celebrate those who campaign and speak on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves. 

This sharing of readings, prayer and song will be followed by a bring-and-share picnic, fun and games. We hope that this event will be a great preparation for the Pride Parade on 2 July. For those attending the open-air Spiritual Celebration and Pride Social we will meet at the bandstand on Clapham Common at 14.00,Saturday, 25 June. We will then decamp to a secluded spot nearby. In the event of bad weather, we can retire to the 2 Brewers. 

Please RSVP to Gemma & Mark at lgbtcatholicsyag@gmail.com if you plan to attend and may the Pride be with you!    

#HELPUKRAINE WITH EASTER EGGS - after Mass on Sunday 10 April

THANK YOU to all the donations for our sell out sale of Easter eggs, which raised £540!!

During our next gathering on 10 April after the 5.30pm mass at Farm Street there will be an opportunity to support #HELPUKRAINE, the emergency appeal being organised by a community partnership of Ukrainian churches and organisations in Great Britain & The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family of London, including the needs of LGBT+ refugees, with the sale of hand-crafted Easter-eggs.

These eggs are beautifully handmade using traditional methods (beeswax and water colours) from Eastern Slovakia. They are durable and for decorative purposes only. Price: £3/€3 per item or £15/€15 for a set of 6 or your choice (perhaps a rainbow set?) and any donations aboved that will also go to the appeal. These eggs are hand apinted by the relative of one of our community members and we can therefore vouch for their authenticity and good use of proceeds. These can also be ordered for mailing - £4.40 postage if you can not pick up in person. CONTACT Peter for details: foxadlo@gmail.com