Good Shepherd

Introduction

The Church of the Good Shepherd in Harrietsham, within the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, was originally built in 1881 as an Anglican Mission Church for railway construction workers.

History

After the railway was completed, the building became a Mission Church used by working people of the village. By the mid-1960s the sale of the church was being actively considered. The church was sold and came into Catholic use about 1970 as part of the Maidstone parish.

Parish life

The parish band leads music at some Sunday and other Masses. Children of any age, including babies and toddlers, are invited to the children's liturgy.

The Justice and Peace group is an ecumenical group with representatives from St Peter's, Holy Cross, and the Methodist Chapel, meeting three or four times a year. The Justice and Peace group organises an annual service rotated between the three churches.

The parish social committee organises three regular annual events: a Christmas draw, a pre-Christmas quiz with fish and chip supper, and a parish barbecue in early July. The parish social committee has supported local charities including Make A Difference Maidstone, Women’s Refuge and Slide Away.

To discuss having a child baptized, contact the parish clergy. The parish organised a pilgrimage to Lisbon, Fatima and Santiago de Compostela in 2018. The parish organised a pilgrimage to Lourdes in 2014.