Study Day: Understanding Islam

Sixty years ago the Second Vatican Council encouraged better relations between Catholics and our brothers and sisters of the Islamic faith (Nostra Aetate 3). The Council said: ‘We urge all people to work sincerely for mutual understanding, and to promote together social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom.’

Our distinguished speaker, Dr Sidra Naeem, an experienced teacher and lecturer, and Chair of Havering Interfaith Forum, will be helping us to understand the beliefs and beauty of the Islamic faith, in a time when misinformation is rife and hostility is encouraged.

Saturday 18th January 2025 11 am – 2 pm (11.00-14.00 GMT)

Those interested are invited to attend in person. Tea and coffee will be available in the hall from 10.30. Please bring a packed lunch. Easy access on the Elizabeth Line, five minute walk to church. The event is also available on live stream free of charge at www.whatgoodnews.org. No prior booking necessary. A recording of the talk will be available subsequently.

Catholic Church of Christ the Eternal High Priest, Brentwood Road, Gidea Park, RM2 6DH

Proclaim The Word: A Series Of Talks For Readers/Lectors

On the evening of 27th November 2024 Fr Adrian Graffy delivered the first of a series of talks designed for Readers (Lectors) and entitled ‘Proclaim the Word’. This first talk was called ‘He stood up to read’ (Lk 4:16) and took as its starting point the account of Jesus, as a lay reader, proclaiming the Scriptures in the Nazareth synagogue.

Fr Adrian also referred to other relevant New Testament texts and then traced the history of the ministry of reader from Justin Martyr, through the Middle Ages, to the Reformation and beyond.

Celebrating the Jubilee

Study Day

2025 will be a Holy Year for the whole church. Pope Francis has invited us to promote the rights of refugees in the Jubilee Year and beyond. On Saturday 12th October from 11 am (coffee available from 10.30) Victoria Firth and Liam Allmark of the Jesuit Refugee Service UK discussed how we can take up Pope Francis’ invitation.

The event took place at the Catholic Church of Christ the Eternal High Priest in Gidea Park (RM2 6DH).

Welcome to What Good News!

The Christian message is good news. That is essentially what ‘gospel’ means.

Our reaction as believers to the message of Jesus, and that of millions of people throughout the last two thousand years, has been one of gratitude.

With the apostle Paul we pray: ‘May the word of Christ in all its richness find a home in you.’ (Colossians 3:16)

Study Days

These are the most recent study days:

Faith Talks

Recent shorter talks:

Recent Publications

Sunday Gospels

A series of reflections for each Sunday’s gospel.

Vatican II Talks

A series of nine talks which illustrated the breadth of the work of the Second Vatican Council