Meet Meg

The new Retreat Centre Director

Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself formally to you. My name is Megan Cox, and I am the new Retreat Centre Director for the Kenelm Youth Trust. This means I am now director of both of our residential retreat centres, Alton Castle and Soli and our related outreach and day retreat projects. I am immensely proud to take up this position after previously being both on the mission team and being programme staff at Alton Castle and completing my Theology degree at Newman university right here in the Archdiocese of Birmingham. Most recently I have served for five years as a frontline Paramedic in the NHS but now feel called to take up this incredible opportunity as Retreat Centre Director. Coming to Alton in this jubilee year really feels like a time of celebration and with the Church now under the leadership of our new Pope Leo XIV, a new chapter begins in the history of the Church, and we are right in this wave of new challenges and ideas. Alton Castle itself reaches a huge milestone in its own history in 2026 as we will be celebrating our 30thanniversary of Alton Castle and ministering to young people on our site here, across the archdiocese and beyond. Bringing young people close to Jesus has and always will be key and central to the work of our missions. Keep your eyes peeled for some celebrations to be announced for this incredible milestone anniversary.
Whilst I am still new to this role, I am eager to jump straight into telling you what your retreat centres can offer for your young people in the upcoming year:
Alton Castle:
Attached is a short summary of the retreat themes and programmes which we offer at Alton Castle. Alton Castle can offer your students an exciting and challenging time on retreat in our outdoor retreat centre. Strengthening bonds between friends and helping your young people to really explore what a relationship with God looks like in their life. We are currently having real success with our Jubilee retreat and sharing what this extraordinary year means to young people. Bookings are currently open for both residential retreats and day retreats here in Alton- get in touch if there is anything we can help you with or if there are any specific themes or ideas you think we could offer to your young people! Booking enquiries can be made at the following link and we'd love to start a conversation with you this way too.
https://www.kenelmyouthtrust.org.uk/booking-enquiry2.html
Be on team:
Do you know a young person who would be open to having their life changed by a year on the Alton Castle or Soli team? We would absolutely love to have them visit us and see if this year is for them! Keep your eyes peeled for later in the year when we will be offering some taster events for interested young people. Alternatively, I'd be more than happy to answer any queries on team recruitment on my email retreatcentredirector@kenelmyouthtrust.org.uk and in the meantime, more information can be found on our website here: https://www.kenelmyouthtrust.org.uk/youthministryteam.html and by subscribing to our newsletter here https://www.tfaforms.com/5181093
Our calendar is open, and we would love to hear from you! Please do get in touch and see how we can best serve your young people in this upcoming year.
With prayers and best wishes
Meg

Afternoon Tea Raises a Whopping £1251 for the Restoration Fund

The parish enjoyed a wonderful afternoon tea on Saturday 7th June 2025. Thank you to all bought tickets, our amazing bakers, those who made donations and our fantastic event team . Together we raised £1251 for the Restoration Fund …BRILLIANT! 

An Important Message from CAFOD

Pope Leo XIV reminds us that his ministry has begun in the 'heart of the Jubilee Year, devoted in a particular way to hope'. Describing Jubilee as a time of conversion and renewal, he emphasised how Jubilee is 'an opportunity to leave conflicts behind and embark on a new path, confident that, by working together, each of us in accordance with his or her own sensibilities and responsibilities, can build a world in which everyone can lead an authentically human life in truth, justice and peace.' In this year of Jubilee, 'Pilgrims of Hope', all are invited to return to a right relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation. We have lots of resources which can be found on our Jubilee webpage. There are four activities I'd like to draw your attention to: 

1. We are joining with Missio, Aid to the Church in Need and Stella Maris in this Jubilee Year to pray the "Rosary of Hope" online on Tuesday 10 June at 7pm. You can register here to get the Zoom link. Please promote in your bulletins – all are welcome as we pray the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary together.Pope Leo XIV said, "Our blessed mother Mary always wants to walk with us, be close to us, she always wants to help us with her intercession and her love." He invited us to pray together, "for all of the Church, and for peace in the world." 
2. Resources for parishioners and groups can bring people together and foster a sense of unity among the diverse cultures and communities that make up our vibrant Church family. Our Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of hope reflection guide is ideal for groups and individuals looking to deepen their faith and renew their hope in the special Jubilee Year. We've had lots of great feedback from those visiting the housebound, in prisons and hospitals and from prayer and catechesis groups. So please pass on to people and groups you think may use them. The Leaders' Guide can be ordered from our online shop.
3. Global church jubilee campaign on debt cancellation so that the poorest countries lift themselves out of poverty. Debt was a big feature of Jubilee in 2000 and debt cancellation help countries to spend funds on hospital and schools etc. This year with the Vatican we have joined with Catholic church leaders across Africa, Latin America, Asia to call for debt cancellation. If you have a CAFOD parish volunteer s/he can give more details how parishioners can get involved, but get in touch with us if you don't have a volunteer and you'd like the parish to take part in the campaign. 
4. Schools are telling us they are excited to share with their local parishes all they are doing to inspire children and young people this Jubilee Year. They want to invite parishioners to pray and act with them. Perhaps you can invite schools to show all they are doing as part of a display or presentation in the parish, or even join in their activities? Visit Jubilee-schools.org.uk for more info on what's happening in schools. CAFOD has joined with the Catholic Education Services, Caritas Social Action Network and the Catholic Youth Ministry Federation to support schools during 2025. 
5.  Finally! Please get in touch if you think we can contribute to:

• Gathering our culturally rich and diverse communities for an international celebration,

• Praying with the Jubilee Icon, 

• Sharing a short talk introducing the Jubilee Year, 

• Hearing more about the biblical roots of debt cancellation and why debt cancellation is still relevant today,

• Making a special pledge to be active in charity and giving this Jubilee year and beyond.

Intercultural Mass in the Jubilee Year

­Saturday 7 June

All welcome to join this year's Ethnic Chaplaincies and Eastern Churches Intercultural Mass.

Marking the Solemnity of Pentecost at Our Lady and St Brigid's in Northfield.

Mass will be celebrated by Bishop David Evans

Day for Life 2025

As part of our ongoing Restoration and redevelopment, we have been looking at our whole site including the grounds. We have also had a survey done as part of our insurance cover. This has highlighted a few issues, but we will not cover all of them here. Our main concern today is with the structure behind the church called Calvary

It has been deemed unsafe as some of the walls are in a perilous state. Unfortunately to keep everyone safe and to reduce the amount of people visiting that area of the graveyard we have been instructed to conduct some maintenance and restructuring work in the area and to temporarily fence the area off to avoid any potential injuries.

The first thing we will do is erect fencing around the path, this will hopefully be in place by Easter Week. The building work will follow sometime later when a contractor has been instructed to proceed with the renovation works.

We are aware that this may be an inconvenience for those who may wish to visit Family plots. However, you will still be able to view the Calvary area through the fence and we will endeavour to create 'visit times' when families can gain entry to the area on the understanding that they are accepting any liability for being there. This can only happen until the builders take charge of the site.

When the work is carried out temporary protection will be placed on the ground over the plots so that any items under the ground surface will be protected. All plaques will be temporarily relocated to a safe area in the church hall and reinstated in their original position upon completion of the remedial works.

Starting with Friday and Saturday 17th and 18th April the area will be open from 10.30am – 12Noon. This will remain the case for the next four weeks. To begin the visiting times, come to the office or church to find one of the priests, he will then open the area for you. If a family wish to remove anything from their plot at this time please inform one of the priests and contact Father Kieran by email detailing what has been removed, maybe even including pictures of the objects removed.

If you wish to leave that to us, we will remove all plaques etc sometime after Easter Week, and store them respectfully until they are reinstalled when the works have been completed. 

Congratulations to our Cameroonian brothers consecrating themselves to the way of St. Joseph. They are in formation for the Catholic Men's Association (CMA). Some of them are from our dear Cameroonian Chaplaincy here in Erdington. Please keep them in your prayers. 

Craft & Coffee

• Sunday 6th April 2025
• 8:45am - 1:30pm
• Cash Only Event

Come along and support our parish

EASTER EGG RAFFLE - Time has ticked and Spring has sprung! Please can you donate quality Easter eggs/or boxes of fancy chocs for the Easter Egg Raffle. Please deliver to the Parish office or Holy shop. Tickets will be sold after all Masses on Palm Sunday weekend 12/13th April with the draw to take place on Tuesday 15th April at Warm Welcome.

Stained Glass Window Restoration - Latest Updates

Click on the video to see how much progress we made with our church yard clear-up. However, we still need a lot of help so please do get in touch if you would like to volunteer to keep our surroundings looking beautiful for everyone.

You can also text Text CAFODSUDAN to 70450 to donate £10.Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message, and you'll be opting into hearing more from us. If you would like to donate but don't wish to hear more from us, please text CAFODSUDANNOINFO instead.

The time capsule contains the names of all who have bought slates. Names of priests of the abbey past and present. A history of the abbey since 1843 and information of our abbey today. For posterity. Thanks to the continuing work by many to raise funds. Especially to Nicholas Bartleet, Ron Heeley, Ronnie Sweeney and Caroline McGonagle for the various ways they have helped this particular project to be realised.