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 3, 2025
A significant amount of work has been undertaken in recent moths 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
•
November 3, 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 2, 2025
As we enter into the month of November 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 3, 2025
A significant amount of work has been undertaken in recent moths 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
•
November 3, 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 Erica Evans
•
November 2, 2025
During the month there will be the blessing of graves at Dorking Cemetery at 12 pm on Sunday 23rd November . Everyone is welcome to attend. Aware that we will all die one day, and hopefully get to Heaven, for most of us who are not saints, there will be a time of purgation or purification in Purgatory before we finally attain the vision of God in Heaven, the 'Beatific Vision'. As a part of the Body of Christ, the Church, we should be encouraged to pray for the souls in Purgatory as they are unable to do anything for themselves. A good time to pray for them would be at 'Grace after meals': ''We give thee thanks, Almighty God, for these and all thy benefits, who live and reign for ever and ever.’ followed by ‘May the Divine assistance remain always with us and may the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.’
By Webmaster
•
November 2, 2025
- Continues this Monday 3rd November at 7.30 pm gi ving consideration to who we are as human beings, made to the image and likeness of God, body and soul, matter and spirit; we’ll look at something of what neuroscience has discovered in recent years and consider activities which are uniquely human, not least, that we pray! Everyone is welcome to attend.
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 - List Here
By Webmaster
•
November 3, 2025
A significant amount of work has been undertaken in recent moths 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
•
November 3, 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 2, 2025
As we enter into the month of November 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
•
August 29, 2025
I am hoping to create a small group of volunteers to assist those with mobility issues in getting to church. Please do get in touch either if you think you can help provide the occasional lift by car, or if you yourself need occasional help to get to church due to mobility issues. Please get in touch on 07393814255. Benjamin Morrell.
Ministries
We welcome all new and existing parishioners - become involved with the ministries.
Prayer Groups
Our prayer groups support parish activities.. Check our events calendar for more information.
Social Groups
Keeping our parishioners engaged with social activities is very important to us. Come and join us!
Becoming a Catholic
Are you new to the Catholic faith? Want to know more about why we beleive the things we do?
Reaching Out
We've stepped out and are responding to the needs of our wider community. We find this work so rewarding!
Fun for Children
Excellent activities to engage the children .We hope you find them useful.
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 Webmaster
•
November 3, 2025
A significant amount of work has been undertaken in recent moths 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
•
November 3, 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 Erica Evans
•
November 2, 2025
During the month there will be the blessing of graves at Dorking Cemetery at 12 pm on Sunday 23rd November . Everyone is welcome to attend. Aware that we will all die one day, and hopefully get to Heaven, for most of us who are not saints, there will be a time of purgation or purification in Purgatory before we finally attain the vision of God in Heaven, the 'Beatific Vision'. As a part of the Body of Christ, the Church, we should be encouraged to pray for the souls in Purgatory as they are unable to do anything for themselves. A good time to pray for them would be at 'Grace after meals': ''We give thee thanks, Almighty God, for these and all thy benefits, who live and reign for ever and ever.’ followed by ‘May the Divine assistance remain always with us and may the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.’
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
PARISH MUSIC MINISTRY
Our Music Ministry team include talented singers and and musicians . If you have a passion for music, find out how you can get involved
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) - Also, please pray for our recently deceased - List Here
New Paragraph
By Webmaster
•
November 3, 2025
A significant amount of work has been undertaken in recent moths 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
•
November 3, 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 Erica Evans
•
November 2, 2025
During the month there will be the blessing of graves at Dorking Cemetery at 12 pm on Sunday 23rd November . Everyone is welcome to attend. Aware that we will all die one day, and hopefully get to Heaven, for most of us who are not saints, there will be a time of purgation or purification in Purgatory before we finally attain the vision of God in Heaven, the 'Beatific Vision'. As a part of the Body of Christ, the Church, we should be encouraged to pray for the souls in Purgatory as they are unable to do anything for themselves. A good time to pray for them would be at 'Grace after meals': ''We give thee thanks, Almighty God, for these and all thy benefits, who live and reign for ever and ever.’ followed by ‘May the Divine assistance remain always with us and may the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.’
By Webmaster
•
November 2, 2025
- Continues this Monday 3rd November at 7.30 pm gi ving consideration to who we are as human beings, made to the image and likeness of God, body and soul, matter and spirit; we’ll look at something of what neuroscience has discovered in recent years and consider activities which are uniquely human, not least, that we pray! Everyone is welcome to attend.
Latest News
Important Notices
By Webmaster
•
November 2, 2025
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME The children’s books and Bibles have now arrived and will be given out with the first ‘parent’s crib sheet’ at the end of the weekend Masses over the next couple of weekends. Parents need to work through the first chapter of the book with their child/ren before the first meeting on 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 There will be an initial meeting for those who applied for the programme and one parent on Thursday 13 th November at 7 pm to outline expectations of candidates and the programme itself. The programme will get underway in January. Many thanks.
By Webmaster
•
November 2, 2025
At the 10.00 am Sunday Mass The remaining dates are: November 2nd and 16th . and also, please note that it will be held every week 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. Also, do send us feedback about how we can improve our website. Please send details to the parish office through the link below.
By Webmaster
•
November 2, 2025
As we enter into the month of November 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 2, 2025
At the 10.00 am Sunday Mass The remaining dates are: November 2nd and 16th . and also, please note that it will be held every week during the Advent Season: November 30th, December 7th, 14th, and 21st . Let’s keep growing together in faith and friendship! "
October 22, 2025
Mass and Meet Lunch - on Friday 7 November after midday Mass. Homemade foods and salad, fresh baked bread and cheese followed by cake and coffee/tea. All are welcome!
Parish Events
By Webmaster
•
November 2, 2025
As we enter into the month of November 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 2, 2025
At the 10.00 am Sunday Mass The remaining dates are: November 2nd and 16th . and also, please note that it will be held every week during the Advent Season: November 30th, December 7th, 14th, and 21st . Let’s keep growing together in faith and friendship! "
October 22, 2025
Mass and Meet Lunch - on Friday 7 November after midday Mass. Homemade foods and salad, fresh baked bread and cheese followed by cake and coffee/tea. All are welcome!
By Webmaster
•
October 7, 2025
On Thursday 23rd October 2025 at 7.30 pm at ‘The Lounge’, Dorking Football Club Tickets are £10 each, including pizza. All are welcome, (no children) if Parishioners would like to buy tickets please contact the School office. Tickets are on sale now. There will be a raffle also, all funds raised will go towards resources for the Children.
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
YOU ARE INVITED!
The parish ministry support the community in so many different ways. We encourage all parishioners to be involved.