Parish News & Announcements
Stay up to date with the latest announcements, news and updates from the St Charles Borromeo parish. On this page, you will find this weeks stories together with links to previous news items
Please note Mass time changes at Hedon & Withernsea on 7th & 13th May respectively.
Please note Mass time changes at Hedon & Withernsea on 7th & 13th May respectively.
DIARY DATES
Thursday 7th May
Thicket Priory: Day of recollection given by Fr John Farrell O.P. Reflections on parables in the Gospel of St Luke. 10am - 3pm Full details on this page
Thursday 7th May:
Catechist Training: begins online with the Diocese Adult Formation office.
Thursday 7th May: MASS TIME CHANGE AT HEDON:
Mass with be at 6:30pm and not at 10am due to Diocesan Training
Wednesday 13th May:MASS TIME CHANGE AT WITHERNSEA
Mass will be at 6:30pm for Ascension Thursday (Vigil).
Saturday 23rd May
Pentecost Retreat Day with The Middlesbrough Charismatic Diocesan Service of Communion, on Saturday 23rd May at Sacred Heart church (HU9 3AP) in Hull, from 10am-4pm.
SUNSHINE SMILES AT ST CHARLES
Visitor Welcomed
At Mass on Monday 4th May, the St Charles congregation was joined in worship by Sara from Mozambique.
After spending three months in Withernsea, she is now en route to the Caribbean where she hopes to begin her journey towards becoming a Carmelite sister. Pictured with Margaret and Penny from our repository team, we wish her a safe journey and every blessing for the future.
CHOIR NEWS
St CHARLES CHOIR EARNS PRAISE FROM ALBERMARLE AUDIENCE
“A big thankyou and well done to St Charles Choir for performing in the choir class yesterday in Hull Music Festival at the Albermarle. You made me proud and there were many compliments afterwards!”
Edyta Prajsnar: Director of Music at St Charles.
Learn more about the St Charles Choir
Thine be the Glory
Performance by the Saint Charles Borromeo Choir Easter Sunday 2026
LOCAL PRIEST TAKES SENIOR ROLE IN ROME
PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION OF PRIESTS
Fr Richard Marsden, a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Middlesbrough and a native of Hull, has been appointed as Vice Rector and Formation Tutor at the Venerable English College in Rome. He will take up the role in September.
This prestigious appointment places Fr Richard at the heart of priestly formation for the Church in England and Wales. The College has a long and distinguished history of preparing seminarians for ministry, and his role will involve helping to guide and support those discerning a vocation to the priesthood.
Fr Richard brings with him a wealth of pastoral and educational experience. Since 2022, he has served as Parish Priest of Holy Cross, Cottingham, alongside chaplaincy work at Castle Hill Hospital and St Mary’s College in Hull, where he was once a pupil. Prior to this, he served in parish ministry following his ordination in 2018 at St Mary’s Cathedral.
In response to his appointment, Fr Richard expressed both humility and enthusiasm, describing the role as a “great privilege” and looking forward to helping prepare “the next generation of priests to be zealous missionaries and faithful shepherds.”
The Rector of the College, Stephen Wang, welcomed the appointment and asked for prayers for Fr Richard and the whole College community. Gratitude was also expressed to Marcus Stock for supporting this important step.
Fr Richard’s journey to the priesthood began in Hull. After studying Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he worked in Catholic media and as a news reporter before entering formation for the priesthood in 2010. His studies took him to both Valladolid and Rome, where he developed a strong connection with the Venerable English College.
This appointment is a source of encouragement and pride for the local Catholic community, reflecting the ongoing contribution of clergy from our region to the wider mission of the Church.
Please keep Fr Richard and all those in formation for the priesthood in your prayers.
Priests on the Move
Diocese Announcement
From the summer, Fr Charles Bassey will be P.P. of the parishes of S. Holderness
PARISH CHANGES
Fr David Howell Preaches on the English Martyrs at St Charles
Fr David Howell reflects on martyrdom, forgiveness, and the call to faithful witness today
St Charles Borromeo Church welcomed Fr David Howell of Solihull on Monday 4 May 2026, as he preached at Mass on the witness of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. Fr Phil assisted at the liturgy.
In a powerful and reflective homily, Fr David invited the congregation to consider the deep spiritual meaning of martyrdom, reminding all present that “they died in imitation of Christ. Christ is the King of Martyrs.”
Drawing a clear parallel between the suffering of Christ and that of the martyrs, he continued: “just as Christ was betrayed by His own people… so too our martyrs did the same.” He spoke movingly of the personal cost of their witness, noting that many were “betrayed by their fellow countrymen” and knew “the pain of that.”
Yet the heart of his message was not suffering alone, but forgiveness. Echoing the words of Christ on the Cross, Fr David reflected that the martyrs “learned how to forgive—even those who betrayed them, even those who put them to death.” Their response, he said, mirrored Christ’s own prayer: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Fr David also emphasised the lasting impact of their sacrifice, reminding the congregation that “their deaths were fruitful” and that those who witnessed them were “moved and transformed.” He described how the example of the martyrs led others to conversion, ensuring that their witness continues to bear fruit even today.
The homily held particular local resonance, as two of the martyrs are associated with Hull. A blue plaque near Charterhouse Hull stands as a lasting memorial to their courage and faith.
Reflecting on the legacy of the martyrs, Fr David reminded the congregation that “we are the fruit of that sacrifice,” and that their witness continues to challenge Christians today. He posed a simple but searching question: whether we seek “the passing crowns of this world… or the eternal crown that comes from God.”
The Mass concluded with prayers for the intercession of the martyrs, whose example remains a powerful call to faith, courage, and fidelity in every generation
Fr David Howell is a priest of the Archdiocese of Southwark, ordained on 16 July 2016. He studied at the London Oratory School and went on to read Classics at Oxford before training for the priesthood at the Venerable English College. He has served in a number of parishes in South London, including Brixton Hill and Lewisham, and has also spent time at Southwark Cathedral. Fr David has undertaken further studies in Rome, including canon law and patristics, and currently serves as an assistant priest while also working within the diocesan tribunal.
Saint Charles Borromeo Church
Kingston upon Hull
MASS
4th May 2026
Consultation Meeting with Bishop Marcus
Spring 2026
Two of our parishioners, Ruth and Stephen Driver, recently represented the parish at the consultation meeting with Bishop Marcus regarding the possible merger of the diocese of Middlesbrough with those of Leeds and Hallam. Here is their feedback:
“Fr Phil invited us to attend a meeting last week with Bishop Marcus Stock, Mgr Gerard Robinson, members of the Middlesbrough curial office, local priests and parish representatives. The meeting forms part of a consultation process to consider the future of the 3 dioceses: Leeds, Middlesbrough and Hallam. Fr Phil has asked us to share some feedback from the meeting and a fuller more detailed report will be available on the parish website.
“The meeting began with a welcome message from Bishop Marcus and an opening prayer. I’ve included the whole prayer as it set the focus for the meeting on Tuesday, and going forward for us as a congregation. “
Heavenly Father,
Pour out you Holy Spirit upon the people of the Dioceses of Leeds, Middlesbrough and Hallam.
Where there is uncertainty, give trust
Where there is fear, give hope.
Where there are differences, give charity and mutual understanding.
Teach us to listen deeply, to speak with wisdom and humility, and to seek not our own will, but your will for your Church.
May any steps we take be rooted in prayer, guided by your Spirit, and directed always toward the building up of your Body and the proclamation of your Gospel.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen
“Bishop Marcus then gave us some historical context. The diocese of Beverley, which encompassed the whole of Yorkshire, was established in 1850 following the restoration of the catholic hierarchy in England and Wales. It was then divided in 1878 into the Dioceses of Leeds and Middlesbrough because of flourishing numbers of clergy, parishes and the faithful. The Diocese of Hallam was created in 1980 taking parishes from the Diocese of Leeds and a smaller number of parishes from the Diocese of Nottingham. Merging the dioceses of Leeds, Middlesbrough and Hallam could therefore be considered reunification of what originally existed.
“Bishop Marcus used the term ‘reunification’ specifically to emphasise that this is not a corporate merger to form a larger firm, but a coming together of 3 dioceses as a family made up of individual parishes to share and work together. With our priority, the ‘Mission’ of the church, given to us by Jesus Christ “Go and make disciples of all nations”, and to make us more effective for mission in the future.
“The proposal to merge our dioceses is not new. Bishop Drainey made the recommendation in his Ad Limina Report of 2018. It was also one of the proposals made by Pope Leo in his role as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, responsible for managing bishop appointments, prior to his Pontificate in 2025.
“In many parts of the world, particularly in North America and Europe there is already a precedent for merging dioceses. One reason for this is a decline in the number of priests and seminarians. Bishop Marcus gave us a statistical breakdown of Diocesan priests in active ministry in the 3 dioceses. Without new vocations the number of priests in active ministry is expected to fall from 113 to 42 over the next 15 years because of an aging population of priests nearing retirement age and not enough ordinations to replace them. In the Middlesbrough Diocese we currently have 69 parishes and only 9 Diocesan priests under the age of 60. A new priest’s formation takes at least 6-7 years so even if there were to be an influx of seminarians, we need to explore new methods to present the Gospel in Our times. Deep -rooted change is needed and will require more collaboration between dioceses and the sharing of resources. On a positive note, Bishop Marcus stated that the trajectory of declining priests is not inevitable and there are great signs of growth and productivity in vocation and lay discovery of baptism.
“Merging dioceses has been directed or encouraged by the Holy See as part of a broader effort to reconfigure the Church’s structure to fit modern demographics and operational needs. Conversely there is growth seen in Africa and Asia and the Vatican continues to establish new dioceses in these regions.
“In the 2020’s the Vatican has increasingly used a strategy called In Persona Episcopi (in the person of the bishop) where 2 dioceses share a single bishop but remain separate legal entities, often as a precursor to a full merger. In 2025, following the retirement of Bishop Drainey we found ourselves in this position, when the Holy See announced that Bishop Marcus become the Apostolic Administer of the Diocese of Middlesbrough as well as his role as Bishop of Leeds. Earlier this year, he also became the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Hallam.
“On his new appointments Bishop Marcus went to Rome and met with the Prefect of the Congregation of the Dicastery of Bishops to get a better understanding of the task ahead. Bishop Marcus stated that the reunification of our dioceses is not a ‘done deal’ and will not happen overnight. It will be a long and complex process which will take some years to achieve. There will be several stages to go through including consultation which has now begun. This involves all members of the Church including the laity and we’d like to draw your attention to the on-line consultation feedback form which is an opportunity for you to have an input. “
Ruth & Stephen Driver
Invitation to Have Your Say
Saint Charles Borromeo
Parish Outing to Thicket Priory
Thursday 7th May 2026 - ALL WELCOME
Speaker: Fr John Farrell OP
"Parables in Luke"
Fr John Farrell, former Prior Provincial and Master of Students, and is now based at Holy Cross, Leicester from where he exercises a wide-ranging preaching ministry.
Minibus leaves Saint Charles at 09:00am
Please bring packed lunch
Cost £10 - (£5 Deposit)
List at the back of the church or email:janandpatdoyle@yahoo.co.uk
