St Ralphs Derby

09/09/2026

This morning, Years 7 and 12 of Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy celebrated Mass to dedicate the new school year to almighty God.

It was a real joy to welcome those who are joining the school for the first time, including about twenty-five new members of staff.

At the end of Mass, I blessed a Crucifix that was previously in Christ the King Church that the parish has gifted to its secondary school, along with new lectionaries for the proclamation of the word of the Lord during the sacred liturgy.

I am pictured here with Lisa Walton, CEO of the St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, Steve Brogan, Interim Head, and Natalie Robinson, Deputy Head.

Tomorrow we have Start-of-Year Masses for the other year groups, and on Friday I will preside at the Start-of-Year Mass in St Mary’s, our primary school.

With the prayers of St Ralph Sherwin, the patron of our parish and the Catholic multi-academy trust which supports all our Catholic schools in Derbyshire, and St Benedict, it was my prayer that by ‘ora et labora’ - ‘by prayer and by work’, everyone in St Benedict’s will live for ‘today rather than tomorrow’.

Fr Andrew

08/09/2026

It was great to welcome Peter Giorgio, our Director of Education, and some of the team at the Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service, which supports the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Nottingham and which is based in the Diocesan Centre in our parish, to St Mary’s Church for a tour this afternoon.

Thank you, Peter and team, for your hard work with our CMATs and schools!

Fr Andrew

07/09/2026

We are having an entertainment evening on the 17th October in the Parish Centre, and are in need of groups or individuals to provide the Acts. After last year’s success we know there is a lot of talent in this parish- so don’t miss out on the fun 😊 Contact Veronica on the details below if you think you can help.

06/09/2026

This morning we welcomed the choir of St Austin’s Church in Wakefield, in the Diocese of Leeds, to sing at 11.00 am Mass in St Mary’s Church. They were visiting because we have one of the last remaining mediaeval bridge chapels in England in our parish, and it was lovely to have them with us.

As well as leading the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, Sanctus and other prayers and hymns, they sang from Victoria’s Missa O Quam Gloriosum, Palestrina's Sicut Cervus during the Presentation of the Offerings and Vivanco’s O Quam Suavis during Holy Communion.

It was lovely having them with us - thank you for coming!

Fr Andrew

06/09/2026

Sincere thanks to everyone who came into the parish centre this morning and supported the bric-à-brac sale! Over £500 was raised to help buy new cassocks and cottas for our altar servers!

Fr Andrew

05/09/2026

After the 9am and 11am Masses tomorrow there will be a bric a brac sale in the Parish Centre. Come along and bag yourself a bargain. All money raised will go towards our servers being in cassocks and cottas by the end of the year so we match across the parish.

05/09/2026