You are never ready for the death of a loved one. Whether it comes suddenly or as a result of a terminal illness, you are never prepared for the grief, pain and the sense of loss you experience.  When the practical things, like funeral arrangements are dealt with, the normal feelings associated with grief are left with you.  It can be a very lonely time.

The Group meets every two months in St Teresa’s Parish Centre with a reminder of dates in the newsletter before each meeting. There is no need to talk but to enjoy supportive company and friendship together with tea and cakes. It is a confidential meeting and whatever is shared stays in the room.

Christine Murray leads this group and she can be contacted on 07768 026 611 or via email at murray.christine@talk21.com. 

For more information please contact the parish office on +44 1494 673 018 or email the parish office on parish.stteresabeaconsfield@northamptondiocese.org.

The Bible Sharing Group start each week by meeting every Monday morning in the Parish Centre. Our meetings start with coffee or tea at 10:15 so that we are ready to start with a prayer at 10:30. Our attention then turns to Holy Scripture and we close by reciting the Angelus at 12:00.

Our approach is summed up in the acronym EDDIE where:

                        E = Explore the books of the Bible ;

                        D = Discover what the people at the time were thinking ;

                        D = Discern what the episode under review means to us today ;

                        I = Identify what we personally might be called to do in response ;

                        E = Engage with the result

The focus is on understanding, on encouragement and engagement.

We welcome any visitors – there is no need to register or prepare or let anyone know that you will attend. Please just come and see!

If you do have any questions, please contact Francis Thompson on 01494 875 151 or on his email address at t fb.thompson@outlook.com.

We look forward to welcoming you!

We have CAFOD groups active in both St Teresa’s and St Dunstan’s in Bourne End who organise a number of local initiatives such as Cake Bake Sales and Lenten Soup Lunches. We follow the CAFOD centrally driven seasonal Fast Days which are always fantastically well supported. 

In February 2022 we formed a Joint Parish CAFOD team involving  St Teresa’s in Beaconsfield, St Dunstan’s in Bourne End and St Augustine’s from High Wycombe. This collective group has serious critical mass and has been highly successful on fund raising since its inception, the total raised to date being in excess of £2500.

We have an ambitious program of events scheduled for 2023 and beyond, incorporating a repeat of our highly successful and highly enjoyable Quiz night, a Race night which will take place in March of this year and a continuation of a series of Family Walks which further boosts our fund raising but also strengthens the feeling of community across all 3 parishes.

We would love to hear from anyone who wants to join us and contribute to a fantastic cause. We can guarantee good fun and real satisfaction on supporting CAFOD efforts. If you are interested please contact the relevant parish team member below:

St Teresa’s – Michael Duffy – Tel No. 07757 014487 – email DuffyMichael@hotmail.co.uk

St Dunstans – Pat Lally – Tel No. 07721968976 – email pglally@btinternet.com

St Augustine’s – Sheila Ashmore – Tel No 07703 358102 – email sheila.ashmore@talktalk.net

To sing in the Choir or Folk Group is to be part of a music ministry, an act of service to God and to the Church, in which we sing and pray, each time we meet. New choir members, including pupils from secondary school age upwards, are welcome and there is no upper age limit. The choir sings a variety of music and so the ability to read music is an advantage, together with a musical ear for singing in harmony.

The Folk Group leads the singing at the 8.45 am Mass each Sunday and typically have about twenty musicians each week (singers and various instrumentalists of all ages). The Group has represented St. Teresa’s at numerous interfaith gatherings over the years and provided the band for Lighthouse several times.

The Folk Group will, if requested, play at weddings and baptisms, and warmly welcomes newcomers.   Visit the Folk Group  at www.folkgroup.co.uk.

If you are interested in joining this group, please contact David Moroz on 07870 248614 or via his email address at david@hivesolutions.co.uk or contact Kevin Broderick on 01494 675270 or via his email address at kevin.broderick2@btinternet.com.

The Choir

For more information please contact the parish office on +44 1494 673 018 or email the parish office on parish.stteresabeaconsfield@northamptondiocese.org.

On the First Sunday of every month, we celebrate a Children’s Mass at 08:45. The children play an active part in this Mass and we especially welcome families with young children to this Mass. 

Every other Sunday, during the 08:45 Mass, children are invited to share in the enjoyment of the parish’s thriving Children’s Liturgy Group.  The group is run by parishioners (all of whom are DBS checked) and help is particularly welcomed from parents. The Liturgy of the Word is presented in a child-friendly manner to two age categories – one for pre-First Sacraments and the other for Post-First Sacrament children.

Each week an activity in the form of a craft, a game or role play is undertaken to enhance the children’s understanding of that week’s Gospel. Children are safely escorted to and from the Parish Centre, leaving parents free to enjoy Mass. Parents wishing to accompany their children and stay until they are settled are very welcome.

The Group returns to Church for the offertory procession where they present what they have learnt to the presiding priest.

We do also arrange many activities for children during the year such as a Christmas Crib Service, Lenten activities and an Easter egg hunt in the presbytery garden. New leaders and/or helpers are very welcome and a new helper will always be paired with an experienced leader. 

For more information please contact Victoria Hall on her email address at  victoriakquinn@hotmail.com or the parish office on +44 1494 673 018 or email the parish office on parish.stteresabeaconsfield@northamptondiocese.org.

There are a number of groups that offer ways for us to explore our faith and provide a deeper understanding of scripture and prayer. Groups offer different formats but all are inclusive and welcoming.     

In a relaxed and welcoming environment we journey together and reflect on different aspects of the Catholic faith including how God makes himself known to us and the life Christ shares with us through the Sacraments of the Church.

Sharing Our Faith

In John’s Gospel, Jesus invites two of his disciples, Philip and Nathaniel, to ‘come and see’ and this describes the nature of the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) Programme which we refer to as Sharing our Faith.

The programme is aimed at adults wishing to explore and find out more about what it means to become a full member of the Catholic Church. Through teaching, sharing and questioning and discussing, the group is able to gain a greater understanding of Catholic beliefs and practices. These discussions are intended to deepen their personal faith and relationship with Jesus Christ.

If you would like to make an enquiry (however tentative!) about this program, please contact Father Sean Healy via his email address at frsean.healy@northamptondiocese.org or Deacon Brent Adonis via his email address at deaconbrent.adonis@northamptondiocese.org or the parish office on +44 1494 673 018 or email the parish office on parish.stteresabeaconsfield@northamptondiocese.org. 

Once a month, a group of volunteers meet for about two hours to clean the silver and brass and the many nooks and crannies of the Church. We usually work on a rota basis and all cleaning materials are provided. If you would like to join us, even if only for an hour or one session, please contact the parish office on +44 1494 673 018 or email the parish office on parish.stteresabeaconsfield@northamptondiocese.org. 

Coffee and company is exactly what it says – Come and enjoy a cup of coffee (or tea) and see good company.

It is hosted in the Parish Centre every Tuesday morning from 10.30 to 12.30 – if you need directions to get here, please follow this link. We welcome anyone from Beaconsfield and the surrounding communities. Coffee and Company is free but we do welcome any cash donations which we use to offset the costs of our annual summer outing.  
We also provide delicious home made cakes and savouries and if you are able to assist with a cake or platter, this is always very much appreciated! 
So please come along and join us – we always look forward to new faces! 

For more information please contact Maria Cox on home phone number on 01494 670 461 or via her email address at marialouisecox@googlemail.com or the parish office on +44 1494 673 018 or email the parish office on parish.stteresabeaconsfield@northamptondiocese.org.

A small group arranges floral decorations for the altar and the church for weekend and feast day Masses.  We would welcome anyone interested in flower arranging who would like to work with us on a rota basis.

For more information please contact Ethena Morant on 01494 677 686 or the parish office on +44 1494 673 018 or email the parish office on parish.stteresabeaconsfield@northamptondiocese.org. 

St Teresa’s has a beautiful garden which is a delight in the summer especially. If you like gardening and can spare an hour or two, why not join us? 

For more information please contact the parish office on +44 1494 673 018 or email the parish office on parish.stteresabeaconsfield@northamptondiocese.org.

Ministers of the Eucharist

The ministers of the Eucharist assist with the distribution of Communion at all Masses and some also take Communion to those who are sick or housebound, bringing the Eucharist to those who are unable to attend Mass. 

Readers

The readers proclaim the Word of God at Mass and announce the intentions for us to pray for in the Prayers of the Faithful. 

If you would like to become a reader or a welcomer, please contact:

Margaret Frall on 01494 675996 or via her email address at margaret@frall.com

Welcomers

Volunteer welcomers greet parishioners as they arrive for weekend Masses and occasionally, perform a welcoming function at parish activities.

Rota

Clicking on this link will download the Rota for January and February 2023.

For more information please contact Deacon Brent Adonis via his email address at deaconbrent.adonis@northamptondiocese.org or the parish office on +44 1494 673 018 or email the parish office on parish.stteresabeaconsfield@northamptondiocese.org. 

The Parish Council aims to meet once every quarter to deliver a thriving Catholic community.  There are 10 parishioner members on the Parish Council, in addition to, Parish Priest, Father Seán Healy (frseanhealy@northamptondiocese.org) and Parish Deacon, Brent Adonis (deaconbrent.adonis@northamprtondiocese,org) 

You may contact the Parish Council Chairperson, Jim Murray on his email address at james.murray@talk21.com.

Awaiting Content

The parish has an active SVP Conference. There are currently eight active members who attend meetings regularly, and five auxiliary members who help out with visiting when necessary.

The Society is Catholic in character but is open to all.  Meetings are held weekly on Monday evenings in the Parish Centre, normally lasting about one hour. 

Visits are carried out to the needy, sick and elderly.  Help is given with shopping, transport for hospital appointments, transport to Mass and general support.  The Conference carries out approximately 1,200 visits a year.

The Conference is twinned with two Conferences in India and one in Grenada.  It sponsors four Students of Nursing in India and has adopted two Tsunami orphans so as to assure their education for five years.  It has also supported a major project in India, for which £4,000 was raised to purchase fishing nets desperately needed by a poor village in India.

For more information please contact the parish office on +44 1494 673 018 or email the parish office on parish.stteresabeaconsfield@northamptondiocese.org .

The group was formed nearly 5 years ago to attend to items in need of repair. Since then, there have been constant projects: drapes, vestments, altar cloths, purifiers, lavabos to name a few. We have fully restored Our Lady’s Chapel and 90% of the drapes have now been restored to their former glory.

The group meets on a Tuesday morning from 10:30 – 12:30 in the Parish Centre and welcome anyone with a passion for a needle and thread!

For more information please contact the parish office on +44 1494 673 018 or email the parish office on parish.stteresabeaconsfield@northamptondiocese.org.

STEP UP – Saint Teresa’s EcoParish UnityProgram.

An EcoParish Vision

STEP UP is a transformation programme that touches all aspects of our church and parish community. It will involve collective action around a number of initiatives that reduce our carbon footprint, and change our behaviours so we take better care of Our Common Home.

For more information please contact either Ed Gemmel on his mobile number 07440 763 530 or at his email address ed@gemmell.info or Kevan Keegan on his mobile number 07796 698 900 or at his email address kevan.keegan1@gmail.com. 

The STEPUP website aims to provide straightforward access to details about the programme, along with useful resources.

The Parish has just started a group for the younger members of our Parish (and friends) aged between 12 and 16 who meet every second month. The nature of these meetings are always food based with fun activities. In the past they have had “Make your own pizza” evening, “A Mexican Food” evening and a Games evening in the Presbytery garden.

For more information please contact the parish centre on +44 (0) 1494 673 018 or via email at: parish.stteresabeaconsfield@northamptondiocese.org