Pastoral Services

“Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”
St Matthew 11:28

The key thing about our ministry is that it is offered non-judgmentally…

“We do not condemn what we do not condone, but seek only to manifest within all that we do… within all that we are… and within all that we can be… the love of God through His Son, Jesus Christ for ALL people.” +Jerome OSJV, cf Romans 14:10-12

The Clergy of the Brighton Oratory minister to a wide and varied number of people who need and require different things from The Church … Our ministry is not just for those seeking Baptism, Marriage and Funeral rites but includes the housebound and others unable to attend public worship… people in nursing homes and hospitals… people in hostels and hospices… people who feel excluded or exclude themselves from mainstream Christianity perhaps because of sexuality, lifestyle or a spiritual crisis… people who prefer traditional liturgy and forms of worship and those who prefer more meditative or open styles of worship… as well as those who mourn, those who are lost, those who have lost their way and those who require assistance spiritually and who seek to develop their lives with Christ.
This page is designed to provide you with more information about our ministry and the different ways we seek and are able to provide spiritual and pastoral assistance to ALL those who call on our aid…

PASTORAL VISITS Our Clergy are more than happy to visit anyone at home, in a hospital or residential care home who feels they would appreciate the ministrations of a priest. Wherever possible a friend, family or staff member should be available during the visit. The Blessed Sacrament can be taken to communicants unable to attend public Mass through infirmity or Mass may be celebrated in a home for a group of two or more individuals. Our Clergy will happily perform blessings of houses and new homes. To arrange a Pastoral Visit or a House Blessing simply contact us!

HEALING & RECONCILIATION “Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” St James 5:14
Anointing is an opportunity to receive prayer whether one is physically or feeling spiritually debilitated. The priest gently lays hands and anoints with the Oil of Infirmorum those who present themselves in faith to receive prayer, either for themselves or for someone else, with the intention that God’s will be done; there is no guarantee of a miracle!
Any person who would like to enquire about the Christian Faith, or who would like to discuss spiritual matters with a priest are invited to make an appointment with our Mission Clergy. The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) is also available to all Baptised persons irrespective of denomination if they do not properly belong to an existing parochial ministry.

FUNERALS, MEMORIALS & REQUIEMS Our Mission Clergy are experienced and sensitive funeral officiants and are happy to conduct the funerals of lapsed Christians, those with some faith or none to ensure the proper conduct of a loved ones memorial service.
Spirituality can be seen as a way in which we understand what brings meaning, value and purpose to our lives, what it means to be human, perhaps to have place in a community – and a way of linking with ‘the beyondness of things.’
For many people, life is so much more than simply breathing in and out – it involves a journey, both one’s own journey and the journey shared with others. That journey is often difficult and can involve sadness’s, disappointments and regrets. It can involve experiences that change not just our lives but also our understanding of God – for example wartime experiences, or the loss of a child. Such experiences force us to ask questions which do not always support easy answers. They equally demand of us the characteristics of courage, endurance, tolerance, forgiveness.
The journey also blesses us with times of great happiness and joy, experiencing the beauty and wonder of creation, not just of the natural world, but also human creativity in music and poetry, in great works of art and building, and the legacy of history and time. We are blessed with companions, friends and lovers. Through them, particularly, we discover our own purpose in life. We are made fully human by the experience of Love, with all its joys and sacrifices.
The only real resource we have to help us on our own journey is that same gift of Love. It is truly that force which can change the world, especially our own world. It is that force of love which we could understand as being the expression of God. And it is that which we celebrate when we meet together to say farewell to those whose own journeys of life are ended.
Contact Us to discuss the memorial of your loved one.

EX ECCLESIA [Latin lit. “outside church”] is our outreach ministry aimed particularly at those who for a variety of reasons are estranged from the Church. People living alternative lifestyles, people who have been hurt by other Christians, people who have lapsed in their faith, people who are curious about faith and spirituality…
Would you like to talk to a Priest or Counsellor about spiritual or personal problems but don’t currently belong to a Church or would rather not at the moment? Are you housebound, infirm, elderly, hospitalised and would appreciate a visit but don’t belong to any particular Church? Do you belong to a group that would appreciate the pastoral care of a Priest or Counsellor for your members but don’t feel able to approach a mainstream denomination?
Our Community Chaplaincy exists to serve those who for whatever reason, cannot or are unable to accept service from mainstream denominations… perhaps for personal reasons, alternative lifestyles, or unable simply to be noticed or be heard. Ex Ecclesia provides different programmes to engage discussion, debate and enquiry about the Catholic Faith, it’s relevance to people individually and as a whole.
Look out on the Parish Blog for notices of upcoming Ex Ecclesia events or Contact Us.

CATECHESIS So many Catholics don’t know or understand the doctrines and teachings of the Church, let alone the Bible! Fortunately our Study and House Groups exist to deepen understanding about the teachings of the Church, so that through them the Faithful can deepen their understanding of the Catholic Faith and their relationship with Jesus Christ through Biblical exegesis.
Catechism/Study Groups take the form of Question & Answer dialogues with a Priest or theologian and may be tailored to a particular aspect of Church teaching or doctrine, or for a specific purpose e.g. First Holy Communion, Confirmation or Adult instruction. Groups may study subjects ranging from basic Christian and Catholic doctrine through more general discussions about lay vocation and living the traditional Catholic faith.
Keep an eye out for notices of when and where Catechism or Study Groups will be taking place.