ST JOSEPH'S PARISH DORKING
You are very welcome!
Thank you for taking the time to visit our parish website. We are a very active Catholic community, seeking to share the gospel values as revealed to us by our saviour Jesus Christ. If you find yourself in the area, please do call in and celebrate Holy Mass with us. Our parish priest, Canon John Griffiths is very keen to meet with visitors to the parish.
You are very welcome!
St Joseph's is the Catholic Parish Church for Dorking and surrounding villages in the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton. We are an active welcoming community, offering spiritual and pastoral support for everyone, helping each other to grow in knowledge and love of our Catholic faith. We hope that you find the information on our Parish and its activities useful.
Our latest parish weekly news, notices and events below
Download the parish Newsletter Here
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
You may have noticed the commercial world is further hijacking Advent and Christmas by using terms such as ‘festive season’ ‘hosting season’ ‘winter festivities’, all the more reason then, for us to send Christmas cards which reflect the reality, namely, the birth of the Christ child. Amongst others, various charities, one of which is, ‘Aid to the Church in Need’ (a charity which particularly supports the persecuted Church) produce beautiful Christmas cards, with both Greek icons and Renaissance images of the Nativity, which are available for you to purchase in the narthex / lobby/ church porch. Purchasing their cards supports the persecuted Church and reminds all of us, that it is the Christmas Season into which we will be entering after Advent. P.S. when buying stamps for your Christmas cards, do ask for the ‘Christmas stamps’ in doing so, others, over-hearing your request, will be reminded of the reason for the season.  On the weekend of the 29th November and 6th December, the parish ‘Christmas’ repository will be selling items in the parish hall after the Masses. If you don’t have a Christmas crib for the family this would be an opportunity to buy one to use as a ‘centre piece’ at home, perhaps adding figures to it, year by year.
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
Terminally Ill (Adults End of Life) Bill From ‘Right to Life’:- Last week, the special select committee formed to hear evidence about the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill concluded its proceedings. The Committee did not draw any conclusions, but all of the evidence heard can be seen in their report . If you’d like an easier way to catch up, you can read our highlights of week 1 , week 2 , and week 3 . Now that the select committee has reported, the normal Committee stage begins. This is where the Bill is examined line by line, and any peer can suggest amendments. Unlike in the Commons, all suggested amendments have to be considered, and members can discuss an issue for as long as they want. The government cannot restrict the subjects under discussion or impose a time limit. The Committee stage will now be held on the following Fridays, with the possibility of additional dates being added later. Currently, the House of Lords will consider the Bill on the following dates: Friday 1th & 21st November and Friday 5th & 12th December. Incredibly, almost 1,000 amendments have been tabled to the Bill! This is already close to the most amendments ever tabled to any Bill in UK history and, with more likely to come, it is on track to break that record. This sheer number of amendments demonstrates that Peers, including those who are, in principle, supportive of assisted suicide, are increasingly identifying how flawed this dangerous Bill is. It must never become law. That’s not all – as I write, the Joint Committee on Human Rights is hearing evidence on the Bill and the potential impact on the Human Rights of disabled people. Please contact members of the House of Lords, asking them to oppose the Bill. You can find all our resources on our campaign page. You can use our guide to writing to Lords to write a paper letter (always the most impactful option!) or use our webtool. See:- Right To Life UK: Pro-life Advocacy on Abortion & Euthanasia | Positive Change on Life Issues
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
There is a new ‘Rosary Circle Chart’ on the noticeboard, to encourage us all to pray for vocations to the Priesthood.  The ‘Chart’ lists the 20 decades of the Rosary and a number of columns for people to put their initial or a tick in a box to indicate they will commit to praying the particular decade each day for the month of November, and hopefully, this will create a number of ‘circles’ praying for this intention. This is a very simple spiritual exercise many of us could join in with; at least 20 people praying one decade of the Rosary each day, so the whole of the Rosary is prayed for this particular intention, thus creating a ‘Rosary Circle’. Let it be said, however, that anyone can join the Rosary Circles at any time.
By Erica Evans
•
November 16, 2025
During the month there will be the blessing of graves at Dorking Cemetery at 12 pm next Sunday 23rd November . Everyone is welcome to attend. After Mass on Friday 28th November we will have the blessing of those whose remains are in the ‘Garden of Remembrance’ after the 9.30 Mass.
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
You may have noticed the commercial world is further hijacking Advent and Christmas by using terms such as ‘festive season’ ‘hosting season’ ‘winter festivities’, all the more reason then, for us to send Christmas cards which reflect the reality, namely, the birth of the Christ child. Amongst others, various charities, one of which is, ‘Aid to the Church in Need’ (a charity which particularly supports the persecuted Church) produce beautiful Christmas cards, with both Greek icons and Renaissance images of the Nativity, which are available for you to purchase in the narthex / lobby/ church porch. Purchasing their cards supports the persecuted Church and reminds all of us, that it is the Christmas Season into which we will be entering after Advent. P.S. when buying stamps for your Christmas cards, do ask for the ‘Christmas stamps’ in doing so, others, over-hearing your request, will be reminded of the reason for the season.  On the weekend of the 29th November and 6th December, the parish ‘Christmas’ repository will be selling items in the parish hall after the Masses. If you don’t have a Christmas crib for the family this would be an opportunity to buy one to use as a ‘centre piece’ at home, perhaps adding figures to it, year by year.
By Webmaster
•
November 11, 2025
Bishop Richard: “For many of us, when we think of Rome, we think of St Peter’s Basilica. In a Jubilee Year such as this, the entry through the Holy Door of St Peter’s is a high point of any pilgrimage. It is from the Apostolic Palace, next to St Peter’s , that the Holy Father makes his Angelus addresses and it is there that the public audiences take place, as well as significant celebrations in the life of the Church: canonisations, the inaugurations of new popes and the requiem Masses for deceased popes.  Yet it is the Lateran Basilica, built originally by the Emperor Constantine, that is described as “the mother and head of all the churches of the City and the World.” It is the Cathedral Church of Rome, and popes lived in the Lateran Palace for hundreds of years. It is the Pope’s Cathedral, for he is the Bishop of Rome. It is for this reason that the whole Church celebrates this feast. It is a celebration of our unity with the Holy Father, the successor of St Peter.”
By Webmaster
•
November 3, 2025
A significant amount of work has been undertaken in recent months with individuals from across the existing parishes of the Epsom Deanery working together- as we move towards merging the existing parishes into one. Amongst the concerns identified, finance would obviously be one of them, and just as an assurance, the Diocesan Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sarah Kilmartin, met with parish clergy and Chairs of Finance Committees to address some of these concerns. The existing parish finance committees will become ‘stewardship teams’ responsible for the local church and properties, while a ‘finance committee’ would be constituted to have oversight of all the church buildings and properties within what is currently the Epsom Deanery. Essentially, local communities, would still be responsible for the financing and upkeep of the local church and properties, while much larger expenditures would be addressed by the newly constituted finance committee. It is proposed that the finance committee consists of individuals from the local ‘stewardship teams’ ensuring prudent oversight of funds. In regard to other arenas, we need to be aware of the underlying principles of the pastoral plan which are ‘prayer, formation and mission’ and that we all need to be prayerful, we need to grow in a knowledge and understanding of our faith and thereby become effective witnesses to Christ in the World.
By Webmaster
•
October 7, 2025
Please donate to our Family Fast Day parish collection to share God’s abundant gifts with our global neighbours as they find lasting solutions to poverty and climate challenges. Your generosity offers “signs of hope” in this Jubilee Year, helping build more water tanks in communities like Waré’s in Ethiopia where people have to walk for hours to get water. Use the CAFOD envelope in church, donate online at cafod.org.uk/envelope or call 0303 303 3030. You can also text CAFOD to 70560 to donate £10.
Fr. Ian Prayer requests: Please remember those who are sick in your daily prayers: please pray for our recently bereaved
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
You may have noticed the commercial world is further hijacking Advent and Christmas by using terms such as ‘festive season’ ‘hosting season’ ‘winter festivities’, all the more reason then, for us to send Christmas cards which reflect the reality, namely, the birth of the Christ child. Amongst others, various charities, one of which is, ‘Aid to the Church in Need’ (a charity which particularly supports the persecuted Church) produce beautiful Christmas cards, with both Greek icons and Renaissance images of the Nativity, which are available for you to purchase in the narthex / lobby/ church porch. Purchasing their cards supports the persecuted Church and reminds all of us, that it is the Christmas Season into which we will be entering after Advent. P.S. when buying stamps for your Christmas cards, do ask for the ‘Christmas stamps’ in doing so, others, over-hearing your request, will be reminded of the reason for the season.  On the weekend of the 29th November and 6th December, the parish ‘Christmas’ repository will be selling items in the parish hall after the Masses. If you don’t have a Christmas crib for the family this would be an opportunity to buy one to use as a ‘centre piece’ at home, perhaps adding figures to it, year by year.
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
Terminally Ill (Adults End of Life) Bill From ‘Right to Life’:- Last week, the special select committee formed to hear evidence about the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill concluded its proceedings. The Committee did not draw any conclusions, but all of the evidence heard can be seen in their report . If you’d like an easier way to catch up, you can read our highlights of week 1 , week 2 , and week 3 . Now that the select committee has reported, the normal Committee stage begins. This is where the Bill is examined line by line, and any peer can suggest amendments. Unlike in the Commons, all suggested amendments have to be considered, and members can discuss an issue for as long as they want. The government cannot restrict the subjects under discussion or impose a time limit. The Committee stage will now be held on the following Fridays, with the possibility of additional dates being added later. Currently, the House of Lords will consider the Bill on the following dates: Friday 1th & 21st November and Friday 5th & 12th December. Incredibly, almost 1,000 amendments have been tabled to the Bill! This is already close to the most amendments ever tabled to any Bill in UK history and, with more likely to come, it is on track to break that record. This sheer number of amendments demonstrates that Peers, including those who are, in principle, supportive of assisted suicide, are increasingly identifying how flawed this dangerous Bill is. It must never become law. That’s not all – as I write, the Joint Committee on Human Rights is hearing evidence on the Bill and the potential impact on the Human Rights of disabled people. Please contact members of the House of Lords, asking them to oppose the Bill. You can find all our resources on our campaign page. You can use our guide to writing to Lords to write a paper letter (always the most impactful option!) or use our webtool. See:- Right To Life UK: Pro-life Advocacy on Abortion & Euthanasia | Positive Change on Life Issues
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
There is a new ‘Rosary Circle Chart’ on the noticeboard, to encourage us all to pray for vocations to the Priesthood.  The ‘Chart’ lists the 20 decades of the Rosary and a number of columns for people to put their initial or a tick in a box to indicate they will commit to praying the particular decade each day for the month of November, and hopefully, this will create a number of ‘circles’ praying for this intention. This is a very simple spiritual exercise many of us could join in with; at least 20 people praying one decade of the Rosary each day, so the whole of the Rosary is prayed for this particular intention, thus creating a ‘Rosary Circle’. Let it be said, however, that anyone can join the Rosary Circles at any time.
By Webmaster
•
November 11, 2025
Bishop Richard: “For many of us, when we think of Rome, we think of St Peter’s Basilica. In a Jubilee Year such as this, the entry through the Holy Door of St Peter’s is a high point of any pilgrimage. It is from the Apostolic Palace, next to St Peter’s , that the Holy Father makes his Angelus addresses and it is there that the public audiences take place, as well as significant celebrations in the life of the Church: canonisations, the inaugurations of new popes and the requiem Masses for deceased popes.  Yet it is the Lateran Basilica, built originally by the Emperor Constantine, that is described as “the mother and head of all the churches of the City and the World.” It is the Cathedral Church of Rome, and popes lived in the Lateran Palace for hundreds of years. It is the Pope’s Cathedral, for he is the Bishop of Rome. It is for this reason that the whole Church celebrates this feast. It is a celebration of our unity with the Holy Father, the successor of St Peter.”
You are very welcome!
St Joseph's is the Catholic Parish Church for Dorking and surrounding villages in the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton. We are an active welcoming community, offering spiritual and pastoral support for everyone, helping each other to grow in knowledge and love of our Catholic faith. We hope that you find the information on our Parish and its activities useful.
Our Parish Mission Statement
Together with our Priest, we are united in our Catholic faith.
​We pray to the Holy Spirit to guide us in our service of God and our
service of each other.
As a parish we strive to be a warm, welcoming and forward looking community.
If there is anything else you would like to know please do not hesitate to contact us via the Parish Office on 01306 882433 or email us
Please check the current newsletter for any changes to mass times
By Erica Evans
•
November 16, 2025
During the month there will be the blessing of graves at Dorking Cemetery at 12 pm next Sunday 23rd November . Everyone is welcome to attend. After Mass on Friday 28th November we will have the blessing of those whose remains are in the ‘Garden of Remembrance’ after the 9.30 Mass.
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
You may have noticed the commercial world is further hijacking Advent and Christmas by using terms such as ‘festive season’ ‘hosting season’ ‘winter festivities’, all the more reason then, for us to send Christmas cards which reflect the reality, namely, the birth of the Christ child. Amongst others, various charities, one of which is, ‘Aid to the Church in Need’ (a charity which particularly supports the persecuted Church) produce beautiful Christmas cards, with both Greek icons and Renaissance images of the Nativity, which are available for you to purchase in the narthex / lobby/ church porch. Purchasing their cards supports the persecuted Church and reminds all of us, that it is the Christmas Season into which we will be entering after Advent. P.S. when buying stamps for your Christmas cards, do ask for the ‘Christmas stamps’ in doing so, others, over-hearing your request, will be reminded of the reason for the season.  On the weekend of the 29th November and 6th December, the parish ‘Christmas’ repository will be selling items in the parish hall after the Masses. If you don’t have a Christmas crib for the family this would be an opportunity to buy one to use as a ‘centre piece’ at home, perhaps adding figures to it, year by year.
By Webmaster
•
November 11, 2025
Bishop Richard: “For many of us, when we think of Rome, we think of St Peter’s Basilica. In a Jubilee Year such as this, the entry through the Holy Door of St Peter’s is a high point of any pilgrimage. It is from the Apostolic Palace, next to St Peter’s , that the Holy Father makes his Angelus addresses and it is there that the public audiences take place, as well as significant celebrations in the life of the Church: canonisations, the inaugurations of new popes and the requiem Masses for deceased popes.  Yet it is the Lateran Basilica, built originally by the Emperor Constantine, that is described as “the mother and head of all the churches of the City and the World.” It is the Cathedral Church of Rome, and popes lived in the Lateran Palace for hundreds of years. It is the Pope’s Cathedral, for he is the Bishop of Rome. It is for this reason that the whole Church celebrates this feast. It is a celebration of our unity with the Holy Father, the successor of St Peter.”
An Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation / Confession
Available after the Saturday morning Mass and from 5.15 to 5.45 Saturday afternoon.
Each Saturday Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & the Rosary follow on from Mass until 11.00am.
Saint Ignatius Loyola
Pray as if everything depends on God, and work as if everything depends on you
Our latest parish weekly news, notices and events
Keep informed about parish activities on a week by week basis. Our important activities can be seen featured below, and found on our Parish Newsletter - available online here, or in print at the back of the church.
Fr. Ian's Prayer requests:
Please remember those who are sick in your daily prayers:
If you would like to add someone to the list, please email the parish office through this link or email the parish direct (on the newsletter)
New Paragraph
By Erica Evans
•
November 16, 2025
During the month there will be the blessing of graves at Dorking Cemetery at 12 pm next Sunday 23rd November . Everyone is welcome to attend. After Mass on Friday 28th November we will have the blessing of those whose remains are in the ‘Garden of Remembrance’ after the 9.30 Mass.
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
You may have noticed the commercial world is further hijacking Advent and Christmas by using terms such as ‘festive season’ ‘hosting season’ ‘winter festivities’, all the more reason then, for us to send Christmas cards which reflect the reality, namely, the birth of the Christ child. Amongst others, various charities, one of which is, ‘Aid to the Church in Need’ (a charity which particularly supports the persecuted Church) produce beautiful Christmas cards, with both Greek icons and Renaissance images of the Nativity, which are available for you to purchase in the narthex / lobby/ church porch. Purchasing their cards supports the persecuted Church and reminds all of us, that it is the Christmas Season into which we will be entering after Advent. P.S. when buying stamps for your Christmas cards, do ask for the ‘Christmas stamps’ in doing so, others, over-hearing your request, will be reminded of the reason for the season.  On the weekend of the 29th November and 6th December, the parish ‘Christmas’ repository will be selling items in the parish hall after the Masses. If you don’t have a Christmas crib for the family this would be an opportunity to buy one to use as a ‘centre piece’ at home, perhaps adding figures to it, year by year.
By Webmaster
•
November 11, 2025
Bishop Richard: “For many of us, when we think of Rome, we think of St Peter’s Basilica. In a Jubilee Year such as this, the entry through the Holy Door of St Peter’s is a high point of any pilgrimage. It is from the Apostolic Palace, next to St Peter’s , that the Holy Father makes his Angelus addresses and it is there that the public audiences take place, as well as significant celebrations in the life of the Church: canonisations, the inaugurations of new popes and the requiem Masses for deceased popes.  Yet it is the Lateran Basilica, built originally by the Emperor Constantine, that is described as “the mother and head of all the churches of the City and the World.” It is the Cathedral Church of Rome, and popes lived in the Lateran Palace for hundreds of years. It is the Pope’s Cathedral, for he is the Bishop of Rome. It is for this reason that the whole Church celebrates this feast. It is a celebration of our unity with the Holy Father, the successor of St Peter.”
By Webmaster
•
November 3, 2025
A significant amount of work has been undertaken in recent months with individuals from across the existing parishes of the Epsom Deanery working together- as we move towards merging the existing parishes into one. Amongst the concerns identified, finance would obviously be one of them, and just as an assurance, the Diocesan Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sarah Kilmartin, met with parish clergy and Chairs of Finance Committees to address some of these concerns. The existing parish finance committees will become ‘stewardship teams’ responsible for the local church and properties, while a ‘finance committee’ would be constituted to have oversight of all the church buildings and properties within what is currently the Epsom Deanery. Essentially, local communities, would still be responsible for the financing and upkeep of the local church and properties, while much larger expenditures would be addressed by the newly constituted finance committee. It is proposed that the finance committee consists of individuals from the local ‘stewardship teams’ ensuring prudent oversight of funds. In regard to other arenas, we need to be aware of the underlying principles of the pastoral plan which are ‘prayer, formation and mission’ and that we all need to be prayerful, we need to grow in a knowledge and understanding of our faith and thereby become effective witnesses to Christ in the World.
Latest News
Important Notices
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME The children’s books and Bibles have now arrived and are available for those who have not yet collected them along with the first ‘parent’s crib sheet’. Parents need to work through the first chapter of the book with their child/ren before the first meeting THIS THURSDAY 20th November at 5 pm. The catechist will review this first chapter with the children, while parents, with Fr. Ian, will look at the next chapter, chapter 2. Donations towards the cost of the books and Bibles would be welcome. CONFIRMATION PROGRAMME 2025 /2026 Thanks for coming along last Thursday evening; as will be seen from the programme distributed, we will begin on Thursday 8th January . Many thanks.
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
CHILDREN’S LITURGY at the 10.00 am Sunday Mass:- The remaining dates are each Sunday during the Advent Season: November 30th, December 7th, 14th, and 21st . Let’s keep growing together in faith and friendship!
NEWS ADDITIONS, UPDATES & FEEDBACK
We encourage parishioners to submit articles or information that you feel appropriate for our news section. Please send details to the parish office through the link below.
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
Again, an informal opportunity for those interested in cars and transport to meet, share experiences and perhaps teach and learn something in the university of life. At the moment this is a work in progress, but we hope to give further information soon. Many thanks.
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
There is a new ‘Rosary Circle Chart’ on the noticeboard, to encourage us all to pray for vocations to the Priesthood.  The ‘Chart’ lists the 20 decades of the Rosary and a number of columns for people to put their initial or a tick in a box to indicate they will commit to praying the particular decade each day for the month of November, and hopefully, this will create a number of ‘circles’ praying for this intention. This is a very simple spiritual exercise many of us could join in with; at least 20 people praying one decade of the Rosary each day, so the whole of the Rosary is prayed for this particular intention, thus creating a ‘Rosary Circle’. Let it be said, however, that anyone can join the Rosary Circles at any time.
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
CHILDREN’S LITURGY at the 10.00 am Sunday Mass:- The remaining dates are each Sunday during the Advent Season: November 30th, December 7th, 14th, and 21st . Let’s keep growing together in faith and friendship!
Parish Events
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
Again, an informal opportunity for those interested in cars and transport to meet, share experiences and perhaps teach and learn something in the university of life. At the moment this is a work in progress, but we hope to give further information soon. Many thanks.
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
There is a new ‘Rosary Circle Chart’ on the noticeboard, to encourage us all to pray for vocations to the Priesthood.  The ‘Chart’ lists the 20 decades of the Rosary and a number of columns for people to put their initial or a tick in a box to indicate they will commit to praying the particular decade each day for the month of November, and hopefully, this will create a number of ‘circles’ praying for this intention. This is a very simple spiritual exercise many of us could join in with; at least 20 people praying one decade of the Rosary each day, so the whole of the Rosary is prayed for this particular intention, thus creating a ‘Rosary Circle’. Let it be said, however, that anyone can join the Rosary Circles at any time.
By Webmaster
•
November 16, 2025
CHILDREN’S LITURGY at the 10.00 am Sunday Mass:- The remaining dates are each Sunday during the Advent Season: November 30th, December 7th, 14th, and 21st . Let’s keep growing together in faith and friendship!
By Webmaster
•
November 11, 2025
The monthly holy hour with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament takes place this Thursday 13th November from 7.00pm - 8.00pm. Everyone is welcome to attend. Please note there is no Mass on Thursday morning.
OUR EVENTS CALENDAR
Remember to check our events calendar for all of the activities happening within the parish
LATEST ADDITIONS TO THE GALLERY
VIEW OUR LATEST ADDITIONS TO THE PARISH PICTURE GALLERY
