Community Chronicles

Pilgrims Sanctuary

A Tribute to Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Dorchester"—an intimate collection capturing the serene beauty and spiritual essence of this historic Grade II listed church. Each image reflects the intricate artistry and profound tranquility that make Holy Trinity a cherished place of worship and reflection.

Church’s Exterior View

The exterior of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Dorchester features the timeless charm of Gothic Revival architecture. Its pointed arches, intricate stonework, and tall windows reflect elegance and historic significance, blending beautifully with the local surroundings. A true testament to its cultural and spiritual heritage.

Preparations before Jubilee Opening Mass

Every hand that sweeps, every cloth that polishes, and every smile shared among our Volunteers weaves a stronger community bond.

Jubilee Opening Mass 2025 - 23rd Feb 2025

A Brief Report by Kate Bone : On Sunday 23rd February we had the inaugural Mass of the Jubilee at Holy Trinity. It was celebrated by Canon John Webb and was a Mass full of joy. The choir led the music, and the newly refurbished organ was played. Our Children’s Liturgy and Catechism group sang and danced for us and many of our diverse congregation brought the gifts at the Offertory procession. At the end of Mass, a cake was blessed to be shared afterwards. A Jubilee rose was planted in the church garden and tea and cake were shared by all who stayed. So much preparation had gone into this beautiful occasion, the church was looking fantastic with decorations and ‘Welcome’ displayed in many of the languages of our congregation. There were ‘Seeds of Hope’ in the form of little plants for the children and parishioners to take home with them and maps at the back of the church to highlight where both visitors and our own congregation come from. It was a fitting start to Holy Trinity serving as a place of pilgrimage during this Jubilee year

Steps of Faith: Children's Journey of Hope

Youth Group Visit from St Mary’s Parish, Poole - 1 Mar 2025

A Brief Report by Sarita de Kretser : Date : Saturday 1st March, 2025 - Members of the Youth Group from St Mary’s Parish, Poole spent the day on retreat with us at Holy Trinity, Dorchester. They were led by Deacon Nick Johnson, and other catechists from Poole. They arrived at 10 am, were welcomed by Father Babu, and settled in to an episode of Youth Alpha in the meeting room, followed by insightful spiritual discussion. We all shared refreshments together and then proceeded into the church. One of the group, Romeo, a very talented pianist, played us in to Amazing Grace. Sue Bousfield then gave a very interesting summary of the history of the church building. A tour of the church building by Deacon Jonathan followed, made fun and interactive by the introduction of a competition. We learned much about the stained-glass windows, statues, pictures and other features of the building. Both teams scored equally, so each received a carton of Cadbury’s Heroes to share! Sue Bousfield gave us another short talk, this time on the Dorset Martyrs. A Pilgrim’s walk to the Dorset Martyrs Memorial followed where flowers were laid, and Deacon Nick led us in prayer. The group spent the rest of the afternoon completing the Youth Alpha session, and fun and games in the grounds. And, of course, they all had their Pilgrim Passports stamped! Thanks to St. Mary’s for bringing along a lovely, polite and engaged group. Thanks to Deacon Nick and other helpers from Poole. Thanks to volunteers from Holy Trinity who provided and served refreshments. Thanks to Sue Bousfield and Deacon Jonathan for their valuable inputs.

Jubilee of the World of Volunteering -A Special Jubilee Mass 15 March 2025

Special Jubilee Mass : 15th March 2025, Dorchester Volunteers are the unsung heroes who selflessly dedicate their time, energy, and skills to various causes. The Jubilee offers volunteers a chance to reflect on their journey, celebrate their achievements, and find renewed purpose and motivation for future endeavours. This event "Jubilee of the World of Volunteering" acknowledges their invaluable contributions and celebrates their spirit of giving. This post is dedicated to Edgar Riches who has been killed in Nairobi, Kenya. Edgar has been a good friend and tremendous CAFOD volunteer of over 35 years. See link below for more details. https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/edgarriches Participant Organisations are : CAFOD, Caritas, Catholic Women's League of England and Wales, Aid to the Church in Need UK, Stella Maris - Apostleship of the Sea, St Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales), The Catenian Association and Jubilee Volunteers of Holy Trinity Catholic Church Dorchester

Pilgrims of Bridport Parish

A Brief Report by Jackie Clayton - Holy Trinity Church welcomed 2 pilgrims from the Bridport parish on the 14th April. They had walked from Chideock to Dorchester, over two days, as Pilgrims of Hope. They were welcomed in Dorchester, by Fr Babu and two parishioners, where they had their pilgrim passports stamped and enjoyed some welcome refreshments. After their photographs were taken, they left to return to Bridport by car. However, before they left, they told of how they were planning to return to Dorchester with their husbands on May 11th for the Jubilee Mass for married couples. We look forward to welcoming them again. Photo Courtesy - Sue Bousfield

A Special Jubilee Mass for Married Couples

What a joyful Celebratory Mass! About 80 married couples from Dorchester and surrounding parishes attended this special celebration presided by Fr Babu Francis, assisted by Father Anthony John Punneth, Fr Scott Anderson, Deacon Jonathan de Kretser, and Deacon Geoffrey Carey. Our young readers supported the Liturgy of the Word with clarity and confidence and an engaging homily followed. A special blessing and renewal of marriage promises, where couples held their wedding rings together and hugged afterwards was a moving moment for many. There followed a beautiful song performed by our children for their parents. Each couple was presented with Jubilee Seeds of Hope (and chocolates!). One couple, who were married at Holy Trinity, celebrated their 1st wedding anniversary on this day, cut our delicious celebration cake. Thanks so much for all those who helped to make this a perfect and memorable occasion. A report by Sarita de Kretser Photo Courtesy : Sue Bousfield

A Special Jubilee Mass for Religious and Lay Associated Members

A special Mass was held to celebrate the dedication and faith of the Religious and Lay Associates within our community. The celebration included special prayers and blessings, along with the presentation of rosaries, mementos, and Seeds of Hope to each person representing the various orders. Following the Mass, a beautifully decorated cake was cut by our honoured guests and joyfully shared among all in attendance. Report by Sarita de Kretser Photo Courtesy : Sue Bousfield, Venecia Rebello & Uchechukwu Onyeka

Parish Summer Fete 2025

We held our Parish Fete on Saturday 7th June. Unfortunately, we had to move inside our Parish centre due to the weather forecast. It was a great event enjoyed by everyone involved. There was a lovely atmosphere during the Fete. Thank you to everyone involved whether you were a volunteer or came to support us. - Maureen Jones (Summer Fete Co-Ordinator)

Pilgrims Visit - Parishes of Kingsbridge & Totnes, Devon

We were delighted to welcome Father Jaromir Wilczak and 9 pilgrims from The Sacred Heart in Kingsbridge/ Totnes Devon on Tuesday 10th June to Holy Trinity Dorchester. Father Jaromir celebrated mass for the pilgrims and we joined by 2 other pilgrims from Chard, Father was overjoyed to be able to vest in the jubilee chausable. After the mass Holy Trinity volunteers provided refreshments to our guests and were able to talk about the history of our church, passports were endorsed with the official stamp and those who had forgotten their passports had the jubilee prayer card stamped as a memento. Photographs were taken as a record of their visit both for our website and theirs, including one of them entering the church through the jubilee door, they were also presented with packs of the Seeds of Hope. We wished them well and were able to wish them Bon voyage for their journey home. Report & Photo Courtesy : Sue Bousfield

Pilgrims Visit : St. Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester

On Wednesday 2nd July the children from Years 2, 3 of St. Mary's Catholic First St Mary's Catholic First School Dorchester visited Holy Trinity Church as Pilgrims of Hope. They came to learn about Jubilee and the Martyrs and to see and find out about different objects in our church. They were greeted by Father Babu and some members of our parish who helped them to understand more about being a pilgrim. They left with some gifts, especially a small, red wooden heart to give away to someone they felt needed a little extra bit of love and hope that day. On their way back to school they visited the Martyrs' statues in South Walks. A Report by Jackie Clayton (Holy Trinity Catholic church Dorchester)

Sign up for Newsletters