Saint Thomas More

Introduction

The parish's Finance Committee was reconstituted in 2022 as part of the merger of the parish with another.

History

The parish employs a Facilities Manager in collaboration with the church of St Pancras, Lewes. The Council of Advisors takes a strategic and tactical lead on planning and running the church communities.

Music and liturgy

The parish runs DoCat, DoCoffee, DoCake, a formation programme exploring the Social Teaching of the Church. Echoes is a course providing formation for parish catechists. Back to Basics is a course learning about the Catholic Faith by following and discussing the Catholic Talk Show series.

Parish life

The parish focuses its resources on Mission Hope, reaching out to young adults and families, with the Finance Committee and Council of Advisors agreeing to employ a small team to work alongside the Pastor. The parish makes time to visit families in the parish to pray with them, encourage them as first teachers of their children in the faith, and help keep their homes rooted in God's love. The parish has a number of ill and housebound people, and visiting them and taking them Holy Communion is an important task. In the Autumn the parish has a pilgrimage to Walsingham to visit Our Lady's Shrine, and has also supported parishioners to go to Lourdes with the Diocesan Pilgrimage.

Following Baptism, children usually prepare for their First Holy Communion at the age of 7 (Year 3 at school), with a series of sessions to help children and parents understand the importance of Mass and Holy Communion. Mission Hope is the parish initiative to rebuild the Domestic Church, one home, one blessing, one family at a time, through prayer, presence, and the grace of house blessings.

Regular events

The parish held its first-ever Summer Festival, bringing together parishioners from Seaford, Newhaven, and Peacehaven. Advent and Lent courses run each year during the appropriate season.

Visiting

The parish offers online services via a subscribed channel for those unable to attend church. Devotional prayer at the church includes the Rosary, Stations of the Cross, Divine Mercy, and Stations of the Resurrection.