Register
18 Jul 9:30 am Sat
St Thomas - Altar Servers summer party (9:30 - 12:00)
22 Jul 7:30 - 900 pm Wed
St Thomas - Bible Study - Opening up the Word
23 Jul 10:00 am Thu
St Thomas - Coffee morning to 11:45 (Gilly Fenner - Poetry)
23 Jul 11:40 am Thu
St Thomas -Divine Mercy Chaplet
23 Jul Noon Thu
St Thomas - Mothers Prayer, after noon Mass
31 Jul 07:15 am Fri
St Thomas - Fathers Prayers
The Parish Priest writes:
19 JULY 2026 - SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Dear Friends,
The world around us often encourages quick judgements. We like clear answers, immediate solutions, and tidy divisions between right and wrong. Yet this Sunday's readings reveal a God who is patient, merciful and remarkably gentle. Rather than acting in haste, he gives time for repentance, strengthens us in our weakness through the Holy Spirit, and patiently allows the wheat and the weeds to grow together until the harvest. God never lowers his standards, but neither does he give up on anyone.
That is a lesson we all need in our daily lives. Whether in our families, workplaces, schools or parish community, we constantly encounter imperfections—in others and in ourselves. The temptation is to criticise, to become discouraged, or to expect instant change. Christ invites us instead to trust in God's patient work, remembering that every person is still a field in which grace is at work. We are called not simply to judge the harvest, but to cultivate the soil with kindness, prayer and hope.
Thank you to everyone who came to our Parish Garden Party. It was wonderful to see so many people of every age enjoying one another's company and celebrating the gift of our parish family. My sincere gratitude goes to the army of volunteers who gave so generously of their time and talents before, during and after the event. From those who planned, cooked, baked, served, organised stalls, entertained, cleared away and quietly worked behind the scenes—thank you. Events like this simply could not happen without your generosity, enthusiasm and willingness to serve.
This weekend also marks the end of another academic year. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to our amazing Headteacher, to every member of staff, our governors, volunteers and everyone who contributes to the life of St Thomas' Catholic Primary School. Your dedication, care and witness help shape not only young minds but also young hearts, and that is a ministry of immense value.
Finally, to all our children and young people: congratulations on all that you have achieved this year. May the summer holidays be a time of rest, joy, adventure and precious family moments. May God bless you all and keep you safe throughout the holidays.
Fr Peter Kucharski (Parish Priest)
PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
Gracious and loving God, we thank You for the gift of our priests, help them to be strong in their vocation and become instruments of Your love and grace. Send Your Holy Spirit to give courage and guidance to all You are calling to the Priesthood, Diaconate and Religious Life in our Archdiocese. May those called, hear Your voice, and respond wholeheartedly to become the person You have created them to be. Heavenly Father, form us all in the likeness of Your Son, Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd, so that we may love You more deeply and serve You more faithfully. We ask this through Christ Your Son, the Eternal High Priest. AMEN
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PARISH OFFICE. We will be closed from 17th to 31st of August. Office hours will resume on Tuesday 1st September. Some of the priests will be away as well during this period. If you have any queries, if possible, please wait until we are open again. Thank you for your understanding.
ALTAR SERVERS’ SUMMER PARTY. Calling all altar servers from our four churches for a celebration on Saturday 18th July, starting with Mass at 9:30am, at St Thomas’. The programme will include prayer, formation, food and games till 12noon. Come and have fun! Please, email the parish office at sevenoaks@rcaos.org.uk to confirm your presence.
RIDE + STRIDE FOR CHURCHES 2026 will be held on Saturday 12th September, from 10:00am to 6:00pm. Join us and cycle, walk or run around Kent's churches to raise money for their maintenance. Last year, more than £ 150,000 were raised, which was a record breaking amount. Sponsorships forms are available in the parish office. Email sevenoaks@rcaos.org.uk for information. If you can help welcoming the participants in our churches, let us know.
MENTAL WELLBEING. Sevenoaks Counselling is hosting the panel Raising Teens in a Digital World: How can we support our teenagers' mental wellbeing? on Tuesday 22nd September at 7:00pm at Otford Methodist Hall. The discussion will feature counsellors, young people and wellbeing professionals. The goal is to explore how parents can support teenagers as they navigate today's digital world. All are welcome.
FATHERS PRAYERS. Are you a father, godfather or grandfather? Are you concerned about the spiritual welfare of your children, grandchildren or godchildren? Would you like to meet like-minded men in the parish? If that's you, we are setting up a Fathers Prayers group and plan to meet on the last Friday of each month. Come when you can, bring a friend. No need to commit. Meetings will be at 7:15am in the St Thomas's parish centre. There’s the option of going to 8:00am Mass afterwards followed by coffee, croissants and fellowship for those who would like to stay. Text or WhatsApp James McBrien on 07713 152190 if you would like to join us.
REPOSITORY SHOP TIMES THIS WEEK.
Saturday 18th July: Repository NOT OPEN after 6:00pm Mass
Sunday 19th July: after 8:00am Mass; after 6:00pm Mass
Saturday 25th July: after 6:00pm Mass
Sunday 26th July: after 8:00am Mass; after 9:15am Mass; after 6:00pm Mass
More copies of Pope Leo's encyclical Humanitas have been ordered.
SUPPORTING SEVENOAKS (LOAVES AND FISHES) FOODBANK. The foodbank is very grateful for your continued support. They have really noticed the difference! Goods can be donated in the Tom Quinn porch or you can give financially (details on the Loaves and Fishes Sevenoaks Foodbank website). Current priorities are: tinned meat (e.g. chicken korma, stewed steak, Fray Bentos), pot noodles, biscuits and squash drinks. Just an extra item or two in your shopping trolley on a regular basis is so worthwhile. Thank you.
BIBLE STUDY. It has started, but there is still time to join. Meetings are on Wednesdays from 7:30pm to 9:00pm in the St Thomas's parish centre. Next session is on the 22nd July. Normally it is a fortnightly schedule. For information, email Paul Boyle .
TRIP TO POLAND. Save the date for our Parish trip to Poland with Fr Peter in June 2027. Details to follow.
ADORATION. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is a quiet meeting with Christ truly present — a time to rest with Him, to speak, or simply to be. It is a moment where faith becomes personal. It is heartbreaking to see some of our Holy Hours so lightly attended, especially on Tuesday evenings at St Thomas. Please consider coming, even for a short time, each Tuesday from 7:00pm to 8:00pm. More Holy Hour times across our churches can be found at the back of the Newsletter.
THURSDAY COFFEE MORNING. Meetings are on Thursdays, from 10:00am to 11:45am, in the parish centre. There is a series of special events scheduled that start at 10:30am. The next one is on 23rd July on Poetry as prayer, led by Gilly Fenner.
RESIDENTIAL FOR CHILDREN. Summertime 2026 will be held from 11th to 14th August in the Westminster Pastoral Centre. The price is £199. For children aged 11-15, this residential trip has the goal of deepening their catholic faith, in a great social atmosphere, including football, sports and visit to Thorpe Park. For details of how to get to the venue, with a coach laid on at St. Anselm’s, Dartford, contact the parish office or Fr. Stephen Boyle, chaplain to the Guild of St. Stephen or 01322 220075.
MOTHERS PRAYERS. The St Thomas’ Mothers Prayers group meets on Thursdays, after the 12:00noon Mass. We start at 12:45pm, in the parish centre, and we finish by 1:30pm. Mothers Prayers is for ALL women, even if you are not a biological mother. Age is not important either or whether you have young or adult children. We have grandmothers who pray for their grandchildren too. You can check the MP website here.
For dads, there is a Fathers Prayers movement. And the one for children is called Children of Faith, which helps children to pray for anyone or something they may be concerned about. For information, email the parish office
DIVINE MERCY. Pray the Divine Mercy chaplet every Thursday, starting at 11:40am, just before the 12:00noon Mass, at St Thomas’ church. All are welcome.
ROSARY. Every Saturday, after the 9:30am Mass, you are invited to pray the Rosary at St Thomas’ church. At the same time, there are also Confessions.
HOME VISITS. We would like to come closer to you by visiting your homes to chat about how we can improve our ministry. Sign-up forms are available in the porch to schedule a priest’s home visit. Think of a day and suitable time when you could receive a priest for a cup of tea or coffee and a friendly conversation (no longer than 45 minutes). If you wish, we can also bless your home. Visits will continue throughout the coming year, until next Christmas.
RETROUVAILLE. Does your marriage need some TLC? Need help with communication and trust? Retrouvaille helps marriages. It can bring hope and healing to relationships.
For information, go to www.retrouvaille.org.uk or call 07887 296983.
LISTENING TO YOU. The team welcomes anyone who would like to meet to be listened to in a safe, friendly and confidential environment, on an individual basis at a convenient time for them. If you want to make an appointment, contact the Parish Office.
SEVENOAKS COUNSELLING is a professional service offered by Christians to the whole community. We have provided a trusted, affordable counselling service to Sevenoaks and the surrounding district since 1983. We are welcoming and non-judgemental to everybody. We provide counselling which is professional and caring; confidential; tailored to individual needs, either short term or long term and offered by qualified and experienced therapists. Click on the website for information.
MASS INTENTIONS - A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO PRAY. We have available spaces for Mass intentions in the coming weeks. Offering a Mass for a loved one, whether living or deceased, is a profound act of love and faith. Please contact the parish office to reserve a date. Let us continue to pray for one another through the powerful gift of the Eucharist
SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE. The Maryvale Institute is launching a new course this September, designed for all who wish to go deeper into the Sacrament of Marriage. It is for parish priests, counsellors, those working with married couples, and couples themselves. The course is rooted in the Church's richest theological tradition. The programme explores marriage as vocation, covenant, and a path of sanctification — not merely a ceremony, but a lifelong participation in Christ's love for the Church. It runs over six modules, designed to be both academically robust and accessible to participants without prior theological background. Details may be found HERE.
MORE HUMAN. Pope Leo has just published a new encyclical Magnifica Humanitas. It speaks about what it means to be human in our time, especially with in the age of AI. Join us for these 3 short workshops to introduce and explore aspects of this timely document with input, as well as reflection and prayer. The in person sessions will be at St Aloysius Parish Hall, Phoenix Rd, London NW1 1TA on Mondays 13th July, 21st September, 23rd November, from 7:30pm to 8:45pm. All are welcome. Register to attend HERE. The workshops will also be online. Email info@fcjecojustice.co.uk for information.
ST GREGORY'S CATHOLIC SCHOOL is having an Open Morning on Tuesday 7th July from 9:00am to 10:00am. There will be a Welcome by the Headteacher and tour of the school. Click here for information. Every child is known, loved and called to greatness. St Gregory's is located on Reynolds Lane, Tunbridge Wells TN4 9XL. Tel: 01892 527444
RECENTLY DIED
Sofija Bilic
Funeral on Wednesday 22nd July at 1:30pm at St Thomas’
Brigid Newton
Funeral on Wednesday 22nd July at 12:00noon at Most Holy Trinity
Phyllis Gouldstone
Funeral on Friday 24th July at 11:00am at St Thomas’
Joseph Patrick Murphy
Funeral on Friday 29th July at 2:30pm at St Thomas’
MAY THEY REST IN PEACE
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Parish Summer Party - Thank You to All
A huge thank you to everyone who helped to make the Parish Party such a fantastic day. We are blessed to have such a generous community. The sun was shinning, the BBQ was sizzling, the children took swings at the rat, some bargained in the bric and brac while others enjoyed the bottle stall. And everyone savoured Fr Shaiju's curry and Fr John's Jollof rice and all the delicious food on offer.
The big moment was the raffle where we had more than 50 fantastic prizes to be won. The lucky ones took home teeth whitening and cleaning sessions, family photo shoots, theatre voucher, wines, champagnes, whiskeys and Waitrose, Giggling Squid and Sea Salt vouchers and more. The afternoon was filled with laughter and especially good company.
An event like this takes a lot of work and an army of volunteers to make it happen. Last week we thanked most of the donors who provided our amazing raffle prizes. There were many, many others who rolled up their sleeves, fired up the BBQ, shifted tables, set up the marquees, washed up, sold tickets, served food and tidied away. Some of those are named below, but many others worked quietly behind the scenes, giving their time, talents and energy. Whether you cooked, carried, cleaned, sold, stacked, smiled or simply stepped in wherever you were needed — thank you.
* Simon Mauduit and Andrew La Trobe for BBQ food and for helping, Giuseppe De Simone, Willem Steyn and Kees Kempenaar
* Margaret Briggs, Jenny Allan, Ann Bailey, Anne-Marie Corrigan, Chris Butler, Michelle Manning, Melanie Sullivan and Borough Green Community for providing salads.
* Barbara and John Morton for hot food
* Fr John for Joloff rice
* Fr Shaiju for Kerala curry
* Sarah Harrison, Mary Scott, Barry Authers, John Frith, Lonnie Christophers, Trish Pinnington and Otford community for the delicious strawberries and cream
* Marion Dowell, Christine Bunton, Linda Harding, Kathy Buck and Christine Speranza and West Kingsdown community for sweet tombola
* Jackie Pembroke and Frances and Ian Smith, Karen West and all those who donated the delicious cakes and the cheese board for the tea and cake stall
* Tony and Jill Cooper and Maureen for Bric and Brac stall
* Andrew Pembroke and Catherine Brown for running the Bottle stall
* Knights of St Columba Southwark Norbert Okpye, Godwin Bassey and David Howard for party set up
* Sean Corrigan for lending his marquees and Brendan Ducey for coordinating set up
* James McSharry for the game Whack the Rat
* Madeleine Busvine and Sandie Peters for the bunting
* Catherine Tate, Paul Boyle, Wendy Steyn, Catherine Wong, Emmanuela, Genette Ahern for running the Toy Stall
* Mark O’Prey for running bar and sound system
* Aidan Kiely for his solo performance
* Pamela Rutabyma for children’s games
* Paul McNamara for donating a prize
*Charles Sexton, Andrew Pembroke, James McSharry, Margaret Briggs, David Cooper, Andrew La Trobe, Simon Mauduit, Christine Bunton, Barry Authers for selling raffle tickets
* Adrian Pinnnington for running the card machines
* Andre Wilkinson for the First communion stall
* Silvana Wuttke and Aurea Longworth for the raffle prizes wrapping up and coordination
* Michele Carlton and St Thomas’ school choir
* Ben Andradi for coordinating the event
Magnifica Humanitas — Pope Leo XIV
the Soul of the Human Person in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
With his first encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo XIV addresses one of the defining questions of our age: what happens to humanity when technology develops faster than moral wisdom?
At first glance, the document appears to focus on artificial intelligence, digital systems, and technological ethics. But beneath the discussion of algorithms and machines lies something much deeper. The encyclical is ultimately about the human person — about whether modern civilisation still understands what a human being truly is.
The title itself, Magnificent Humanity, reveals the Pope’s concern. Humanity is not magnificent because of technological achievement, productivity, or intellectual power. Human dignity comes from something far greater: that every person is created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27). Pope Leo deliberately places this encyclical within the tradition of Catholic social teaching. Just as Pope Leo XIII responded to the Industrial Revolution in Rerum Novarum, Pope Leo XIV now responds to a new digital revolution. But this time the danger is not only exploitation of human labour. It is the gradual reduction of the human person into data, efficiency, consumption, and controllable behaviour.
One of the strongest themes running through the document is the concentration of power. The Pope repeatedly warns about systems — political, technological, and economic — that increasingly gather influence into the hands of a small number of individuals or institutions. Artificial intelligence can become a tool not only of progress, but of manipulation: shaping opinions, controlling attention, influencing behaviour, and quietly reducing human freedom. In many ways, Pope Leo identifies one of the greatest temptations of modern civilisation: the desire to maximise power, productivity, and influence by extracting more and more from others. Human attention becomes a commodity. Relationships become transactional. Even silence and rest are treated as inefficiency.
Theologically, this reflects one of the oldest patterns of sin: the desire to dominate rather than to serve. This is why the encyclical repeatedly contrasts intelligence with wisdom. Artificial intelligence may analyse information, imitate speech, and organise knowledge, but it cannot love, repent, sacrifice, worship, or possess conscience. Human beings are not machines. We possess souls. We are capable of communion with God and with one another. No algorithm can reproduce this mystery. Pope Leo also warns that society increasingly risks losing its relationship with truth itself. Synthetic media, digital manipulation, and systems designed to influence emotion create a culture where reality becomes unstable. Here the encyclical echoes Christ’s own words: “The truth will make you free” (John 8:32). When truth is weakened, freedom itself begins to disappear.
Another major theme is work. The Pope strongly rejects the idea that human worth should be measured only by productivity or usefulness. Catholic theology has always understood work as participation in God’s creative action. Human labour possesses dignity because the worker possesses dignity. Technology should assist the human person, not slowly render humanity spiritually irrelevant.
The encyclical is particularly powerful when discussing autonomous weapons and AI-driven warfare. Machines may calculate probabilities, but only human beings can make moral judgments. To delegate decisions of life and death to systems without conscience is, for Pope Leo, a deeply dangerous step for civilisation.
Yet perhaps the deepest insight of Magnifica Humanitas is its spiritual diagnosis of modern humanity. The real crisis is not technological but theological. The danger is not simply that machines become more human-like, but that human beings begin living like machines: constantly connected yet isolated, endlessly stimulated yet spiritually empty, efficient yet incapable of contemplation.
At several points the Pope recalls the image of the Tower of Babel. Humanity again seeks greatness through its own power while attempting to build a civilisation without transcendence. The result is confusion, fragmentation, and loss of meaning.
The Christian response is therefore neither fear of technology nor blind enthusiasm for it. The Church does not reject scientific progress. Rather, she insists that every development must remain ordered towards the good of the human person and ultimately towards God.
In the end, Magnifica Humanitas is far more than an encyclical about artificial intelligence. It is a warning about a civilisation that risks losing its soul. And at the same time, it is a call to rediscover what it truly means to be human.
St Thomas of Canterbury, pray for us.
St Joseph, pray for us.
St Bernadette, pray for us.
St Edith of Kemsing, pray for us.
Fr Peter Kucharski, Parish Priest of Sevenoaks
12 Granville Road email
Sevenoaks 01732 454177
TN13 1ER