Holy Innocents' Catholic Church Orpington

13/06/2026

Happy Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ♥️ 🗡️

We reflect today on the heart of Mary which was obedient to God throughout her whole life. She has a great love for Jesus and for each one of us as her spiritual children. Her suffering predicted by Simeon was realised in witnessing the passion of her dear Jesus and His agonising death on the cross for all of humanity.

Let us all unite our hearts with that obedience of Our Blessed Mother and ask God for the grace to love Him as we should and to love others more deeply.

12/06/2026

Happy Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus ❤️🙏 🔥 ✝️

The devotion finds its modern roots in the 17th century through the mystical visions experienced by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a French Visitation nun. Between 1673 and 1675, Jesus appeared to her, revealing His heart as a symbol of His burning love and His desire for the Church to publicly honor it in reparation for the sins and indifference of mankind.

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
Matthew 11

07/06/2026

Happy Feast of Corpus Christi! 🙏

Today we celebrate in a special way that Jesus is truly present with us, body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist.

‘Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food,
and my blood is true drink.’
John 6

One of our images here is from Friday when the Youth Ministry entered the Church for a time to adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament after learning about this feast of Corpus Christi.

Fr Victor recently blessed the new plaque of St Carlo Acutis whose devotion to the Eucharist has inspired people of all ages to develop a greater love of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The Adoration room is now known as the St Carlo Acutis room.

“The Eucharist is my highway to heaven”
St Carlo Acutis

25/05/2026

On this feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, take a look at how Our Lady is still leading her children home to Jesus in His Holy Apostolic Church. This is an incredible testimony from former Harvard Professor Roy Schoeman 🙏

Meet Roy Schoeman, a former Professor at Harvard Business School, a...

24/05/2026

Happy Feast of Pentecost! 🔥 🕊️

The birthday of the Church 🥳

Today at Holy Innocents’ we celebrate four years since the launch of ‘Good neighbours to all’ and one year since the ‘Youth Ministry’ began!

We invite parents and youth to a special party to celebrate and find out more at the Father Phelan centre today from 3.30-5.30pm with food and refreshments provided 😊

At this time, Father Victor will bless the plaque of Saint Carlo Acutis and the Adoration room will officially be named the ‘Saint Carlo Acutis’ room.

It is also with great joy that we announce that a PECS Youth Cell will be started in due course led by Nina Noss, one of the Youth Ministry leaders who is very used to PECS, as a member herself.

We give thanks to God for all of the many gifts He has bestowed on each one of us through His Holy Spirit 🙏

From the Vatican News:
During Mass for the Solemnity of Pentecost, Pope Leo XIV reflects on how the Holy Spirit continues to work wonders in our lives. By enlightening minds and instilling new vitality in our hearts, the Paraclete “transfigures history, opening it to salvation, which is the gift that the Lord offers to everyone.”

From the Book of Acts:

“When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,
they were all in one place together.
And suddenly there came from the sky
a noise like a strong driving wind,
and it filled the entire house in which they were.
Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.”

04/05/2026

The Month of Mary 🙏

During this month, we join with the request of our Archbishop John in praying the Rosary for the intention of the value of life. Before any morning midweek Masses, we will have a time of Adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and praying the Holy Rosary. Midweek Masses are usually at 10am with the Rosary and Adoration beginning at 9.30am.

Special thanks to Maire Quinn for the beautiful Marian display in front of the altar.

From catholicoutreach.org:

Honoring Mary during May began as early as the 13th century, when specific days in May were devoted to Mary. May is also associated with spring and new life, which Mary represents as the mother of Jesus, who gave the world new life through his death and resurrection.

Father Latomia of the Roman College of the Society of Jesus in Rome is credited with dedicating May to the devotion of Mary. He intended to prevent immorality and redirect students’ attention to the devotion of Mary. This practice spread from Rome to other Jesuit colleges and finally throughout the whole Church.

In 1815, Pope Pius VII encouraged May devotions by granting an indulgence to those who honored Mary with special prayers during May. In 1859, Pope Pius IX made the indulgence plenary. Then, in 1945, Pope Pius XII made the observance of Mary in May official.

There are several Marian feast days in May, contributing to the month-long celebration in honor of our Blessed Mother.

21/04/2026

Remembering Pope Francis one year on 🙏 🕊️

Pope Francis died on this date last year which happened to be on Easter Monday. Let us all remember to pray for his soul and for all the dearly departed. We thank God for the life and ministry of this much beloved Pope.

“Rivers do not drink their own water; trees do not eat their own fruit; the sun does not shine on itself and flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves. Living for others is a rule of nature. We are all born to help each other. No matter how difficult it is. Life is good when you are happy; but much better when others are happy because of you”
Pope Francis

12/04/2026

Today is DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY 🙏

Join us at 3pm for the Divine Mercy service and the sacrament of reconciliation. If you have not yet been to Mass today, you can celebrate Mass with us at 6pm. Receive the graces Jesus has promised to each one of us on this day.

“Jesus I trust in You” ❤️🩵

11/04/2026

Thank you to all who joined us for our ‘Prayer Vigil for Peace’ this evening and to all who joined with us in prayer from home.

We united our prayers with the whole Church as requested by Pope Leo. It was a time of Benediction, silent prayer, recitation of the holy rosary and the Evening Prayer.

Let us continue to pray every day for peace and justice in our world 🙏 🕊️

09/04/2026

Prayer Vigil for Peace this Saturday at 5pm and Divine Mercy Sunday 🙏

Pope Leo has invited everyone to join him in a prayer vigil for peace on Saturday, April 11.

Our parish of Holy Innocents’ will join the call of Pope Leo and we encourage our parishioners and all who want to pray with us for peace to join us at 5pm at the Church on Saturday for a time of unity for every person and child affected by war.

The Vigil will consist of the Evening Prayer, silent adoration, rosary and Benediction.

There will be no 6pm Mass this Saturday. The Mass will instead be at 10am on Saturday followed by access to the sacrament of reconciliation and the Divine Mercy Novena.

Divine Mercy Sunday will be celebrated with our usual Masses but also with a special Divine Mercy service at 3pm. Join us and enter into this very special devotion.

“I HAVE OPENED MY HEART AS A LIVING FOUNTAIN OF MERCY. LET ALL SOULS DRAW LIFE FROM IT.” Jesus to St Faustina

Let us bring our petitions to God and say with confidence “Jesus I trust in You”