Tuesday 26 May 2026 Lourdes Pilgrimage Day 2 Expand Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto Mass Today the Opening Mass at the Grotto was celebrated alongside pilgrims from the Diocese of Middlesbrough, whose Bishop, Marcus Stock, was principal celebrant. Archbishop Bernard Longley delivered the Homily: He let his glory be seen and his disciples believed in him. For many of us this morning - and that includes all the Birmingham pilgrims - we are celebrating the Opening Mass of our pilgrimage to Lourdes. It is a great blessing for us to be together again this year with the Middlesbrough diocesan pilgrims and to share the sanctuary here with the Middlesbrough clergy, with dear Bishop John Crowley and with Bishop Marcus Stock - recalling his long personal association with Birmingham and praying for his new responsibilities in Middlesbrough and Hallam. Every pilgrimage to Lourdes is going to bring its measure of joyful surprises to the pilgrim filled with hope - and especially to those who are making this pilgrimage for the first time. Looking up at the grotto we can only imagine St Bernadette’s surprise at seeing Our Lady just here beside the River Gave. Whatever must have passed though her mind and her heart as she looked up at the vision of the beautiful lady? Read Homily in full The Mass was followed by the Accueil Passage through the Grotto, enabling our assisted pilgrims a private moment in the Grotto. Grotto Mass Livestream Replay Photo Gallery - Grotto Mass and Passage through the Grotto Reconciliation Service The Reconciliation Service in the afternoon was held at the Underground Basilica of St Pius X and we again celebrated with fellow pilgrims from the Diocese of Middlesbrough, whose clergy led the service and provided musical accompaniment. During the Service hundreds of people took the opportunity to attend individual confession. Photo Gallery Torchlight Procession Every night in Lourdes pilgrims gather to take part in the Marian procession, praying the rosary together as we walk, carrying candles as darkness falls. Tonight our young pilgrims led the procession with banners from across the Archdiocese, and we walked together in prayer, answering Mary's call. Our Archbishop, Bernard Longley, together with Bishops David Evans, Timothy Menezes and Richard Walker, and our Clergy here in Lourdes, were also part of the procession - following directly behind a lit glass case enshrining a statue of Mary. Archbishop Bernard also led us in prayer and a blessing. Thousands of people from all over the world were part of tonight's procession and at least four dioceses, including Birmingham, were represented. Photo Gallery Watch! Start of the Torchlight Procession Watch! End of Torchlight Procession
Monday 25 May 2026 Lourdes Pilgrimage Day 1 Expand Mary, Mother of the Church Today is arrival day, with hundreds of pilgrims travelling by three coaches and two flights throughout the day. Around 570 pilgrims from across the Archdiocese are making the journey. We think of our pilgrimage intentions: The Church throughout the worldHis Holiness, Pope Leo XIVThe Canonisation of Blessed Dominic BarberiOur ArchdioceseArchbishop Bernard LongleyBishop David Evans, Bishop Timothy Menezes, Bishop Richard WalkerBishop William Kenney, Bishop Philip PargeterOur Priests, Deacons, Religious & LaityVocations to the Priesthood, Diaconate and the Consecrated LifeThose whose Intentions we bring to LourdesAll those who celebrate anniversaries whilst here in LourdesAll who are SickAll Victims of Abuse, Injustice or ViolenceRefugees and Asylum SeekersThe Work of Stella Maris with SeafarersAll affected by WarOur BenefactorsThe Faithful Departed Novena Prayer for the Canonisation of Blessed Dominic Baberi O God, who so lovingly raised Blessed Dominic to the heights of holiness, learning and apostolic zeal and made him a powerful minister of your mercy, listen to our humble request. We pray that you will in your goodness, grant a miracle through the intercession of Blessed Dominic, so that the Church may further honour him on earth and that many more people will come to know and invoke the help of this faithful servant of the Church. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen. Mary, Mother of Holy Hope, Pray for Us. Saint John Henry Newman, Pray for Us. Blessed Dominic Barberi, Pray for Us. Photo GAllery: Mass at the Basilica Mass was held in the afternoon for those who had already arrived, in the Rosary Basilica. Frank Tota, who has cycled from Worcester to Lourdes to raise money for an overseas medical centre, attended the Mass on Monday afternoon. He said: "How fitting that our first Mass in Lourdes was on the feast day of Mary, Mother of the Church. Canon Brian McGinley, our beloved, former parish priest from St George's, Worcester, was the chief celebrant. "At the end of Mass, Canon Brian very kindly promoted the self-funded sponsored pilgrimage that I completed on Saturday. It humbled me to receive a round of applause from the pilgrims. "Canon Brian, whilst he was at St George's, was a huge supporter of our fundraising for the medical centre in Zimbabwe. Now in Lourdes, he continues to support the cause. God bless Canon Brian and his priestly vocation. "Many pilgrims then came to me, to donate money or collect a QR code from me. As a result, the amount donated has increased significantly. Thank you Birmingham Lourdes pilgrims for your generosity. Please continue to pray for the success of this project." Read blog posts of Frank's cycling adventures Please donate if you can, thank you
Parish Finance Officer (Payroll) Diocesan Offices, St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham, with some travel to parishes as required Expand Department: FinanceContract: Permanent, Full timeSalary range: £33,000 - £36,500 per annum Role Purpose The Parish Finance Officer provides professional financial support to parishes and the Archdiocese, promoting strong financial stewardship, effective governance, and consistent financial practice in support of the Church’s mission, in accordance with the Parish Handbook. Working closely with clergy and parish representatives - many of whom are volunteers - the post-holder will support the development of financial capability within parishes, ensure compliance with diocesan policies, and contribute to the effective and transparent management of parish finances. This role includes a specific responsibility for payroll services, ensuring high-quality delivery, compliance, and the development of consistent payroll practices across the Diocese. While this role is responsible for payroll, the post-holder will work collaboratively with colleagues and may provide support across other specialist areas as required. Working for the Archdiocese, you will meet many people from different walks of life. We welcome applications from all faith/non-faith backgrounds creating a culture of respect, openness, and a commitment to embracing the diocesan vision and building positive relationships regardless of your faith/non-faith background. Applications including a CV and supporting statement to be submitted to the HR department to [email protected] by 10am on Friday 12 June 2026. Shortlisting: w/c Monday 15 June 2026 Interviews: w/c Monday 22 June 2026 Person Spec and Job Description
Human Resources Administrator Diocesan Offices (with occasional travel across the Diocese) Expand Terms: Permanent/Part-Time – 21 hours per week Salary: £25,000 - £30,000 p.a. (pro -rata) (depending on experience) About the role: The Human Resources Administrator provides efficient and effective administrative support to the Human Resources function, ensuring that HR processes are carried out accurately, consistently, and in compliance with employment legislation and organisational policies. The role supports the full employee lifecycle and acts as a first point of contact for routine HR queries. Working closely with staff, clergy and parish representatives and volunteers, the post-holder supports the development of HR capability within the Archdiocese and parishes, ensures compliance with employment law, diocesan policies, and the development of consistent HR practices across the Diocese. Working for the Archdiocese, you will meet many people from different walks of life. We welcome applications from all faith/non-faith backgrounds creating a culture of respect, openness, and a commitment to embracing the diocesan vision and building positive relationships regardless of your faith/non-faith background. Applications including a CV and supporting statement to be submitted to the HR department to [email protected] by 10am on Friday 19 June 2026. Shortlisting: w/c Monday 22 June 2026 Interviews: Tuesday 30 June 2026 Job Description
Full-time Caretaker St Paul's School for Girls, Edgbaston, Birmingham Expand Full-time Caretaker St Paul's School for Girls, Edgbaston, Birmingham We are seeking a dependable and proactive Caretaker to join our team at a busy secondary school. The successful candidate will play a vital role in ensuring the school premises are safe, secure, and well-maintained for students, staff and visitors. Main Duties: Opening and securing the school buildings at the start OR end of the dayCarrying out routine maintenance, repairs, and general upkeep of the siteEnsuring the cleanliness and safety of all indoor and outdoor areasMonitoring and managing heating, lighting, and security systemsPreparing classrooms, halls, and facilities for lessons, exams, and eventsConducting regular health and safety checks and reporting issuesSupervising contractors and supporting site project Closing Date: Friday 19 June at 12noon More Information and Apply