We are part of the Pontop Partnership and also come together as a Family of Parishes including St. Joseph’s, Stanley, St. Patrick’s, Dipton and Sacred Heart, Byermoor and Fr. Dermott Donnelly is Parish Priest of all three parishes. Within our Family of Parishes there are four primary schools, ourselves, St. Mary’s, South Moor, St. Patrick’s, Dipton and Sacred Heart, Byermoor. Although our school serves the parishes of St Joseph’s and St. Teresa’s we work with all the churches and schools within our Family as well as many more in the wider community. We are very lucky to share grounds with St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, our local Parish Church, which means the children are able visit church often.
Fr. Dermott, regularly comes into school to talk with the children and staff. Throughout the year Fr. Dermott says Mass both in school and in church for individual classes and for the whole school. He also supports Collective Worship and the Catholic Life of the school. Not only does Fr. Dermott support and guide the children, he is also there for staff, governors, parents/carers and families and the whole parish community.
Mass Times
Weekday Mass
Please see the church newsletter or the notice in the porch of church.
Sunday Mass
5.00 pm (Saturday Vigil Mass) Sacred Heart Byermoor
9.00am St Patrick’s, Dipton
11.00am St Joseph’s, Stanley
Church Newsletters
Worship Dates
In line with COVID 19 guidelines there is no Collective Worship.
Sacramental Preparation
We have begun this year’s preparation programme for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion for our Y4 children.
We follow the Diocesan programme which has planned sessions led by parish catechists after school followed by a specific Liturgy within the Parish Mass the following Sunday. The children will also continue to receive Sacramental Education within their RE lessons in school.
Children will be going to church on the following dates and will need collecting from church on a Tuesday at 4.15 pm – parents are asked to stay for approximately 10 minutes so the children can tell you what they have been doing:
Current preparations on hold due to COVID 19 guidelines
Forward Together in Hope – Exploring the Way with Our Neighbours
At the very heart of Forward Together in Hope was the invitation to every Catholic in the diocese to think again about what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Last year our worshipping communities consulted about, and then completed, a detailed Parish Questionnaire – providing the opportunity to look carefully at themselves and think about how best the community might flourish into the future. Following the consultation the Pontop Partnership was developed and is made up of the following; St Teresa’s Annfield Plain, Our Blessed Lady and St Joseph, Brooms, The Sacred Heart, Byermoor, Our Blessed Lady Immaculate, Blackhill, St Patrick’s, Consett, St Patrick’s Dipton, All Saints, Lanchester, St Pius X, Moorside, Our Lady of the Rosary, Shotley Bridge, St Joseph’s, Stanley
Bishop Séamus describes our Partnerships as:
‘A group of parishes agreeing to work together, to share resources, both human and material, to become stronger and better equipped for furthering the Kingdom of God’.
To support partnerships a document called ‘Why Partnerships? – Some Key Messages‘ is now available, providing further background and the key reasons why the decision was made to establish partnerships around the Diocese.
Please visit the Diocesan website for more details.
Forward Together in Hope Prayer
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