Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Old Hill
​Message from Fr. Shanju, Fr. Stefan and Bishop Stephen
​23rd April 2022

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Old Hill
Dear Parishioners,
​May we wish you all a very joyful and blessed Easter Season. Together we have been reflecting on the best way to serve the parish community of Our Lady of Lourdes, Old Hill. We wish to put before you our firm proposals. At present Fr. Shanju serves the linked parishes of Old Hill, Kingswinford and Brierley Hill. In addition he serves two Syro- Malabar communities. His weekend routine is unsustainable. We are aware that the Mass time change to 5pm Saturday at Old Hill has not been popular and that travel time between Kingswinford and Old Hill can be problematic at times. Given these issues, we firmly propose that Old Hill will be better served by linking it to the much closer Our Lady and Kenelm Parish, Halesowen and so be served by Fr. Stefan. This will reinstate the historical connection between these two neighbouring parishes. It will also allow the return of the 11.30am Sunday Mass at Old Hill.
There will be no changes to school admissions for those living in the Old Hill Parish.
Please do talk about these proposals with Fr. Shanju and Fr. Stefan and share your responses with them.
It is hoped to make these changes soon with due notice given.
In summary we firmly propose that Old Hill Parish be linked with Halesowen Parish and so served by Fr. Stefan and that the Mass time at Old Hill returns to 11.30am on Sunday.
With assurances of prayers,
Fr. Shanju, Fr. Stefan and Bishop Stephen.