Churches & Charities

The Papal Flag

The Catholic Church celebrates a Jubilee Year every twenty five years. It is a special time of renewal of faith, marked by pilgrimage, acts of mercy and the opening of the Holy Door (In Rome) focusing on restoring our relationship with God. In announcing the jubilee year for 2025 the late Pope Francis said that the jubilee motto was to be  “Pilgrims of Hope” and “That we must fan the flame of hope that has been given to us, and help everyone to gain a new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far sighted vision”
On January 6^th Pope Leo formally ended the Jubilee year with the closing of the Holy Door in Rome. It is a sobering thought to realise that when the next Holy year comes around many of us will not be here to celebrate it!

Celebrating the Jubilee year was one of the reasons for putting out the Papal flag in the grounds of the chapel by Friars Lane. The flag symbolises the Pope’s spiritual and earthly authority hence the yellow for heavenly power and the white for earthly power. There are two crossed keys in gold and silver, bound by a red chord and topped with a Papal Tiara symbolising the Pope’s three fold office which reflects Christ’s mission, to teach (Prophet) govern (King) and sanctify (Priest).

The other reason for the Papal flag still to be flying is that this year the chapel of St Peter and St Paul is celebrating its three hundredth year since its opening in 1726. Prior to the Reformation, the village and parish were under the care of the Augustinian Friars who looked after St George and resided at what is now the Old Rectory. The present chapel is a converted Malt barn and below this building is the Croft which housed a large fire place and a corridor of farmhouse rooms which I imagine served as kitchen quarters and a food store for the community. Following the Dissolution of the Rectory in 1538, the property was taken over by the Bishop family and, remaining true to their Catholic faith, held secret Masses in the former Rectory, building two Priest holes. The family must have been well liked and respected by the villagers as they were never reported to the authorities for this action. 

As part of the celebrations, I am hoping to put on show, in the Croft, vestments dating back to the Penal period: What is so interesting about them is that whilst they are incredibly ornate, there are no religious symbols embroidered on them whatsoever: A sure sign of the dangerous times in which they were used.

The main part of the celebration will be a special Mass celebrated by Bernard Longley, the Archbishop of Birmingham, to coincide with the feast of St Peter and St Paul. We are also hoping to produce a booklet giving more information about the Chapel and its history.

The Chapel is open throughout the day and is well worth visiting for its historical importance. You might also notice the Papal flag in the front garden: It is flying in thanksgiving and recognition for the past three hundred years and beyond that time when the village has had the presence of the Catholic faith and the support and care of its neighbours. 

Best wishes for the coming month.  

Fr David Tams

I was saddened to read of the closure of the NatWest bank in my previous parish at Acocks Green in Birmingham. Being a working-class parish, I was often left with the job of taking the coin-filled bags to the branch some one hundred yards away in the village for banking. It left me wondering who now would have the thankless task of driving to the nearest bank some five or six miles away, having to find suitable car parking place, and then presenting the money to a, no doubt, disgruntled cashier. Closer to home, also the NatWest bank in Stratford has just closed; as has Lloyds bank in Shipston. And the bank in Kineton has long since left the High Street. And it not just the banks that are deserting the villages and towns. Since my arrival in Brailes in 2018, the curtain shop has closed down and the post office and convenience store also, and in Shipston specialised shops have succumbed to the power of the supermarket, Amazon and online shopping. 

But in Brailes, literally at the centre and heart of the village, we have the three shops that attract the custom of many of the villagers and beyond. La Tradition with its excellent bread, pastries and deli products. Baldwin’s newsagents that also doubles up as a convenience store with fresh seasonal vegetable available, and of course Paddock Farm butchers.

It is always wonderful to see queues forming outside this little area and I have often visited the bakers when workmen are patiently waiting for their sandwiches to be made up. Likewise I am always uplifted when I see a villager walking from the newsagents with paper in hand, no doubt ready for the daily cryptic or concise crossword challenge. But it is the butchers where I frequent most regularly, and enjoy discussing the merits (or otherwise) of Birmingham City, the Arsenal, or my own team, Aston Villa. The blackboard listing the restaurants that they supply speaks volumes for its quality of service and produce and I know I have family and friends in Birmingham who would be very disappointed if they did not receive a pork pie or game pie as a Christmas gift. 

We are so lucky to have these shops in our villages and towns and they are so deserving of our custom and our thanks. And it’s not just the three shops in Brailes that I am thinking of, but the shops in Long Compton, Shipston, Tysoe, Kineton and Sibford Ferris that I have visited also. And no doubt you will think of others that I have not mentioned.

And having mentioned our local shops I must say that I have recently enjoyed some lovely meals at the George in Brailes. Having had some wonderful pub lunches also at The Malt Shovel (Gaydon), The Lion (at Tredington), The Bell (at Alderminster) and the Red Lion (at Long Compton) and witnessed its many diners there, I just feel that the George is worthy of such custom and popularity. Likewise, do not forget that we have our own Michelin star restaurant and chef at Whatcote. The Royal Oak serves exceptional food and is worthy of a visit especially for a special occasion.

So I hope that these wonderful shops, restaurants and pubs continue to survive and are well supported by us all this year, for as Joni Mitchell once sang “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”. May you have a joyful and blessed 2026, and I hope and pray that you and your loved ones receive many graces and blessings in the year ahead. God bless.

Fr David Tams

The Christmas Crib
ILMODB

The first Christmas crib was the idea of St Francis of Assisi who on Christmas night in 1223, having been inspired by seeing Christ’s birthplace in Bethlehem, introduced the first living crib to the  people of Greccio in Italy. Since then, throughout the world, churches have traditionally displayed their own Christmas crib. Most churches will have them in place for Christmas Eve and will leave it in place for the celebration of the feast of the Epiphany, when the Kings or Magi are added. Many cribs remain in place until the feast of the Baptism of the Lord when the Christmas season liturgically ends, or some churches will leave them on display for the full forty days after Christmas day when the feast of the Presentation of the Lord is celebrated (Candlemas). Whichever option is taken, the crib stands as a beautiful symbol and reminder of the Christmas season.

I remember as a boy gazing at the nearly life size figures of the crib in my home parish at Sacred Heart in Aston. And how, even then, I was drawn into its wonder and beauty. I remember seeing a four-year- old Jonathan boldly opening the doors of my parish church in Headington and running up to the crib with his older brother, Dominic. Jonathan fell to his knees in wonder and awe at the crib in front of the altar, oblivious that I was in the church and able to witness the sight of such wonderful innocence on Christmas day. That same Jonathan is due to be ordained to the priesthood next year, and I often wonder how that little boy’s soul was so moved and touched that he was willing to follow the Lord in such a privileged and special way.

Even now I get so much pleasure in gazing at the three cribs to be found in Brailes, Shipston and Kineton, and how childhood and parish memories are often recalled and cherished as I contemplate the view before me. 

Of course, putting the crib on display in the house was something that my dear friend and departed parishioner David Brooks encouraged us to do. Indeed, he took great pride in the fact that so many people would stop and gaze at the wonderful crib that was displayed in the front of his house. I am sure David’s widow, Catherine, will do the same again this year and will do so with a great sadness, but also the cherished memory that the season brings, when your loved ones are no longer there. 

So I hope you will take time to put your crib on display in the home for the Christmas season. And I hope that in recalling the absence of departed family and friends you will do so with that childlike trust and awe in the great miracle of Christmas: That “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us”  
(John 1:14)

The Mass times for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are as follows:

Christmas Eve:
St Francis of Assisi Church (Kineton) 7.00pm (First Mass of Christmas)
St Peter & St Paul Chapel (Brailes) 11.30pm  (Carols from 11.00pm)

Christmas Day:
Our Lady & St Michael Church (Shipston)  9.15am
St Francis of Assisi Church (Kineton) 11.00am

I wish you and your loved ones a most blessed and joyful Christmas time. 

God bless.  

Fr David Tams

Beautiful Brailes
ILMODB

I think that November is the dreariest month of the year. The field walks are abandoned and the road to Winderton is trod with torch in hand and much needed woolly gloves hat and coat: The cloudy skies hide the stars and the moon gives little comfort on those chilly walks. For Saturday evening Mass at Brailes the portable lamps are put out and taken in dutifully, and this will be the norm for the next few months.

Very early on in the month All Souls Day is commemorated and it is the tradition in many parts of the world during this month to bless the graves of loved ones. Many churches have a remembrance book available for the month and Remembrance Day and services remain poignant reminders of the great loss and sacrifice that occurs in war and the great tragedy to humanity that any war brings.

In commemorating the faithful departed we pray for those holy souls in purgatory. Now I have never had a problem in believing in this. I am fully aware of my own faults, failings and sinfulness and I know that these areas of my life need to be rid (or purged) of before I can enjoy the eternal life of heaven. I see purgatory as a necessary purification; though I must admit the western concept of purgatory can be quite frightening; where we have the image of the purgatorial fires, no doubt inspired from the Bible and over zealous clergy! 
I much prefer the Eastern image with the emphasise on the pain of being separated from God and the surrendering of all that is preventing us from having that full union with God: I liken it to having a welcome hot shower after a long and tiring walk!

And yet at Mass we emphasise our unworthiness and sinfulness by saying the I confess at the beginning, or before receiving communion, “Lord I am not worthy”. In praying the Creed, the Our Father and the Eucharistic Prayer we look and pray with “joyful hope” of Jesus’ second coming and the life of the world to come. And it is this sense of humility and t joyful hope, that we need to be aware of and embrace when asked to pray for the dead during this month.

So maybe November is not the dreariest month after all. In fact a much a much loved parishioner at Brailes thinks it is January! Whichever one of us is right I do hope that during the month of November you will remember with “joyful hope” your departed loved ones, our fallen heroes in war and all the faithful departed- and in the words of St Thomas More “Pray for me, and I shall for you and all your friends, that we may merrily meet in heaven”.

Fr David Tams