Education is for questions, not for solid and secure answers.

In collaboration with different Religion & Belief institutions and communities in the city we aim to offer a space to look at some of the difficult issues around community cohesion, dialogue and the interface between academic research and peoples’ religion & belief identity.

St Andrew’s will be staffed and open every Monday between 9am and 12pm for Hygge during term-time, please feel free to come in and see us.

Future Events:

Archbishop Rowan Williams

Last not least a particularly exciting date for your diary: by invitation of the Diocesan Catholic Fellowship Archbishop Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, is giving a talk at St Andrew’s on Friday 31st March at 6pm. In order to book a free ticket you need to go onto Eventbrite and reserve a space HERE.

Lord Williams speaks on ‘Priesthood, solidarity and transformation: thoughts on ministry and witness today.’

Lord Rowan Williams of Oystermouth is acclaimed internationally as an outstanding thinker, writer, scholar and teacher. Following academic and parish work in both Cambridge and Oxford, and a short time as a Canon Theologian at Leicester Cathedral, Rowan was elected Bishop of Monmouth in 1991 and, subsequently, elected as Archbishop of Wales in 1999. From 2002 to 2012 Dr Williams held the office of Archbishop of Canterbury, the first Welsh successor to St Augustine of Canterbury, and the first since the mid-thirteenth century to be appointed from beyond the English church. Rowan entered the House of Lords as a life peer in January 2013 where he has spoken on a wide range of issues. Rowan retired as Master of Magdalene in 2020 and now lives in Cardiff. His books and articles invariably both stimulate and challenge. Among his better-known books are ‘Arius: Heresy and Tradition’ (2nd Edition, SCM Press, 2001), ‘Dostoevsky: Language, Faith and Fiction’ (Continuum, 2008) and edited with Kenneth Leech ‘Essays Catholic and Radical’ (Bowerdean Press, 1983). 

Apart from being a theologian he is also a noted poet and translator of poetry and, apart from Welsh, speaks or reads nine other languages. 

The lecture will begin at 6.00pm prompt at St Andrew’s Church and will last for approximately one hour. A drinks reception will take place after the event.

Easter Project Choir

This is something I am really excited about! St Andrew’s has not had a particular musical tradition for the past 100 years or so and this is a way to join an exciting choir project without signing your life away. It’s an ideal and fail-proof way of trying out whether this sort of thing is for you.

  • People of all abilities and experiences are welcome to join.
  • You do not have to be able to read sheet music.
  • Each voice will be supported by a professional singer you can follow and ‘hang on to’ – making things both stable and easier. This also means that the project cannot fail, the professionals will carry everybody along.
  • I am delighted that Leicester based musician, teacher, singer, organist, pianist and conductor John Gull has accepted leading this project at St Andrew’s.

The three rehearsals are (you need to able to firmly commit to at least two of those):

  • Wednesday 22nd March, 7pm – 8.30pm
  • Wednesday 29th March, 7pm – 8.30pm
  • Wednesday in Holy Week, 5th April, 7pm – 8.30pm

On Easter Sunday 9th April the project choir will sing during the 10.30am Festival Mass at St Andrew’s.

Easter Egg Extravaganza

 We will be holding a fundraising raffle on 26th March and 2nd April. 

 How can you help? If you can gift an Easter egg, any size or make, that would be marvellous. There is a bag near the back of the church for your donations. 

If you are able to buy a raffle ticket they will be available in the centre at coffee time on both dates at £1 single or £5 per strip.

 All monies raised will go towards our building project with its unexpected deficit. Thank you!

Extra evening Masses in Holy Week 7pm

Following the popularity of the evening Mass on Ash Wednesday we are putting on extra evening masses in Holy Week (in addition to the morning and lunchtime Masses on these days):

  • Monday 3rd April 7pm (and 8am)
  • Tuesday 4th April 7pm (and 8am)
  • Wednesday 5th April 7pm (and 12.30pm)

For all times during Holy Week see here.

Bishop Saju – 02/04, 7pm

At his visit to the Sunday Mass on 5th February Bishop Saju enjoyed St Andrew’s so much that he wants to come back. Who wouldn’t…. 😁
Hence I invited him to join us again on Sunday, 2nd April at 7pm for our service of Compline & Benediction and he will join us in the pub after the service as well. This is an opportunity to talk and meet with him properly as his story as an immigrant from Kerala has many similarities with many of our congregation – come along!

May Festival – Monday 15/05, 7pm

After the success of last year we are going to have the traditional May Festival in honour of Our Lady, Queen of the May (see pictures from last year below). Due to the coronation of King Charles III we have moved it by one week to the 15th of May to avoid the clash. Our preacher this year is going to be Fr Christopher Johnson from the Wigston Team Ministry. This event involves quite a lot of hospitality – help is needed on the day itself, both in the afternoon and the evening. Watch this space!

National Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, Monday 29th May

Special offer for St Andrew’s Regular Congregation (tickets from Fr Johannes): 

  • Ticket for Transport, Reserved Seat and Fish & Chips £10 
  • Children (under 18) go FREE 
  • FREE unreserved seats first come first served on the day
  • Non-congregation tickets £25 


Programme for the Day 

  • 0745 Arrive at St Andrew’s (free parking) 
  • 0800 Coach leaves St Andrew’s 
  • 1100 Coach arrives 
  • 1200 Mass in the Abbey Grounds (outdoor) 
  • 1300 Picnic in the Abbey Grounds 
  • 1430 Sermon
  • 1500 Procession through Abbey Grounds and Village 
  • 1530 Benediction
  • 1600 Finish and return to coach 
  • 1630 Coach stops for Fish & Chips
  • 1900 Coach arrives at St Andrew’s 

Bring with you

  • Food and drink for yourself for the day 
  • Something to sit on (blanket or folding chair, ask Fr Johannes if you need to borrow something) 
  • Clothes for all weather (we are outdoors all day and the weather can be anything from hot and sunny to cold and wet) 
  • A small amount of pocket money if you want to buy something in the shop 

What’s so special about Walsingham? 

Little Walsingham is a small village in Norfolk in the east of England. It is located near the coast in an area which is both very beautiful and ancient. Walsingham has been England’s busiest place of Pilgrimage for hundreds of years, following an apparition of Our Lady in 1061. After the destruction of the Shrine during the Reformation it was re-established in 1931 and has again become a place of Pilgrimage for Christians of different denominations and backgrounds. 

A lamp for our parish has been continuously burning at the Shrine for many years. Besides the official parish link people from St Andrew’s have been travelling there for decades and many here feel attached to the place. We have a Cell of Our Lady of Walsingham in the parish formed by those who regularly travel there (speak to Fr Johannes if you want to find out more). It’s a place which is soaked in prayer and unfailingly touches many of us in ways which are difficult to explain.

Baptisms, Confirmations and Receptions with Bishop Peter, Sunday 09/07, 1030am

I am delighted that Bishop Peter is going to join us again in July for baptisms, confirmations and receptions into the Church of England. Children are baptised with the permission of their parents and they often cannot make a personal statement of faith – particularly if they are babies. In contrast, adults speak for themselves and the sacraments of baptism and confirmation are usually given together. See pictures below from last year’s baptism & confirmation service with Bishop Christopher.

Please talk to me if you are interested in baptism, confirmation or reception into the church.