Photo of the Month - May 2016

Only one week to go until our Summer Celebration, so we thought it apt to show the candle tent as our photo of the month! This time next week, we will be lighting candles to Saint Jude inside this tent. Saint Jude, pray for us!

Full details on the Summer Celebration can be found, here.

If you can't attend, we're offering friends of Saint Jude the chance to have a candle lit for their intentions on this special day - either a Saint Jude pillar candle or a Saint Thérèse pillar candle. For each person who purchases a candle this weekend, we'll send you a free gift. Buy a Saint Jude candle, here; or buy a Saint Thérèse candle, here. 

Happy Feast Day of Saint Simon Stock

Happy feast of Saint Simon Stock, English Carmelite Prior General. The picture is from one of the Shrine's prayer cards. You can read an excellent blog update on Saint Simon Stock written by Fr Wilfrid McGreal, O.Carm back in 2014, here.

Summer Newsletter 2016

The Carmelite News - Summer edition

Our latest issue We are pleased to announce that the latest issue of Carmelite News is now available to all our on-line subscribers – a whole week before it arrives in the post for the rest of our supporters. Carmelite News is available to view via a system called Page Tiger. You do not need special software for the on-line magazine and you will be able to print all, or part of it if you wish to do so. The summer issue has all relevant web links enabled so you can click to go directly to any site mentioned. Each newsletter can be read either as a two-page spread or as a single spread. It is also possible to zoom into each page. In this edition, the Prior Provincial, Fr Tony Lester, O.Carm writes his summer letter to the friends of Saint Jude and discusses a collection of topics, including details of his recent trip to Lourdes with HCPT. The newsletter also includes the latest novena, the on-line shop, and much more. Remember if you decide you prefer the on-line version and you would like to give up the printed copy, you can do this by simply emailing us at: newsletter@stjudeshrine.org.uk, or by phoning the Shrine office on 01795 539 214 to make your request. If you have any problems with access, please email newsletter@stjudeshrine.org.uk Read our newsletter here

National Shrine of Saint Jude| Carmelite Friars | P.O. Box 140 | Kent | ME20 7SJ

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Holy Door of Mercy at the National Shrine of Saint Jude

We are very proud to be one of the four 'Doors of Mercy' in Southwark Archdiocese (alongside our sister shrine at Aylesford) during this Year of Mercy, and we encourage the friends of Saint Jude to make a Pilgrimage during this special Jubilee. All welcome.

There will be a procession through the door at our Summer Celebration on 28 May 2016.

If you would like to read more about our door, please read our blog update from our chaplain, and to read about the biblical origins of the Door of Mercy, please read our blog update from renowned biblical scholar, Fr. Craig Morrison, O.Carm.

For details on how to visit the Shrine and our opening times, please see below.

How to get to us
The address of the National Shrine of Saint Jude and Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is:
Whitefriars, 35 Tanners Street,  Faversham,  Kent,  ME13 7JW

By train
Faversham is served by four trains an hour running from London Victoria to either Dover Priory or Ramsgate. There is also a high-speed train link to Faversham from London Kings Cross - St. Pancras. For train times please visit the website of National Rail.

To reach the Shrine by foot (about a 10 minute walk), leave Faversham Railway Station and turn right into Preston Street. When you get to Stone Street turn left and follow along to the end, then follow the directions given below.

By car
The simplest way to travel to Faversham by road is via the M2 (Dover to London motorway). Leave the motorway at Junction 6 on the A251 and follow the signs for Faversham. This will bring you to a T-junction with the A2 London Road. Turn left and continue until you go down the hill into Ospringe. Turn right at the Ship Inn. Follow the road and take the 3rd turning on the left into Napleton Road. Take the first left at the 3 Tuns Public House into Tanners Street. You will pass the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on your right. After the Church and Friary turn right into the large gateway and follow round to the carpark behind the Church. There are steps up from the car park to street level.

Thoughts from the Chaplain - The Good Shepherd

One of the images of Christ which has always been popular is that of Jesus as the Shepherd of the Flock and this Sunday it is the subject of the reading of the Gospel according to John.  The theme of shepherd is addressed in all three Sunday cycles; A, B, and C; maybe underlining the importance of this concept of Jesus as Good Shepherd.  In this reflection I would like to ponder this image and its significance for our faith and as Christian Church.

The definition of the word noun shepherd is a ​person whose ​job is to take ​care of ​sheep and ​move them from one ​place to another a ​person whose ​job is to take ​care of ​sheep and ​move them from one ​place to another: a ​person whose ​job is to take ​care of ​sheep and ​move them from one ​place to another: a ​person whose ​job is to take ​care of ​sheep and ​move them from one ​place to another: a ​person whose ​job is to take ​care of ​sheep and ​move them from one ​place to another: a ​person whose ​job is to take ​care of ​sheep and ​move them from one ​place to another: a ​person whose ​job is to take ​care of ​sheep and ​move them from one ​place to another:. It can also be used as a verb a ​person whose ​job is to take ​care of ​sheep and ​move them from one ​place to another:  meaning to tend, guide, escort and accompany. All of these terms can be applied to Jesus in his ministry.  One of the things which is essential to being a shepherd is that you have a flock to tend and in the case of Jesus that Flock is those people given to Him by his Father; the ones who cannot be stolen from Him (cf. Jn 10:29).  Jesus also describes himself as the good shepherd, in other words He is not just a shepherd but is the shepherd, He is the only, the ultimate, the unique shepherd.  He also uses the adjective good; taken from the Greek word kalos which describes that which is noble, wholesome, good. It is an innate goodness. Therefore, in using the phrase “the good shepherd,” Jesus is referencing His inherent goodness, His righteousness, and His beauty. He is the one who nurtures, protects and guides His Sheep.

At the beginning of Chapter 10 Jesus describes the sheepfold and it place in guarding and protecting the sheep.  There is a gate through which only the shepherd can enter; anyone entering by alternative way must break in and is therefore a thief; a brigand.  When Jesus realises that His listeners do not understand this parable He goes on to explain it to them.  Using this image of the sheepfold He describes himself not just as the Shepherd but also as the as the Gate to the Sheepfold.  It is only through him that the sheep will find safety and protection and he will do this both inside and outside the fold. “Anyone who enters through me (the gate) will be safe: they will go freely in and out and be sure of finding pasture” (Jn 10:9).  But is also, as with all parables, speaking about a deeper meaning than this; He is contrasting Himself (the Good Shepherd) and the other religious leaders of his time; the Pharisees and temple authorities comparing them to the “hired man” who looks after the sheep just for money. 

Reading through verses 1-30 of chapter 10 of the Gospel according to John we can see this very definite image of Jesus as Shepherd; guide; protector; nurturer but also as obedient Son of the Father looking after those who have been given to him: us!

Fr Michael Manning, O.Carm, Chaplain of the National Shrine of Saint Jude. You can read more about Fr Michael, here.

Mothers' Mass 2016

For only the second time, a shared Mass will be celebrated at the National Shrine of Saint Jude in honour of Our Lady of Carmel and all mothers and grandmothers.

You can add the name(s) of a mother, or grandmother on our on-line donation site, here.

Those listed can be your mother, someone else’s mother, a grandmother, someone who is soon to be a mother, someone who is hoping for a child, or a maternal figure in your life.

Our Mothers' Mass will be celebrated at 11.00am on 15 July 2016 at the National Shrine of Saint Jude. All welcome.

Novena to Saint Jude

The following novena recently published in Carmelite News and from the National Shrine of Saint Jude is for nine days.

Our novena to Saint Jude is below and can be prayed over the next nine days until 15 April 2016. You can pray the novena in private, with your friends or family, or in a group:

Jesus, I praise you and bless you

And give you thanks for

all the graces and privileges

you have bestowed upon

your chosen apostle Saint Jude...

 (Make your special request now)

Loving God,

who revealed to Saint Jude

your desire to come to us,

and share your life with us,

open our hearts

so that your Spirit may teach us your truth,

and that keeping your commandments

we may know your abiding presence. 

Our new statue of Saint Jude was recently handed to Pope Francis in Rome, see here for more details.