Parish Events

Local Elections – Preparing to Participate   The local elections will take place on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. Over the past weeks, we have reflected on registration, civic participation, the common good, and the importance of taking part in public life responsibly and thoughtfully. As election day approaches, parishioners are encouraged:• To ensure that they […]

Join us in St Bernadette’s parish church on Tuesday evening (26 May) for our solemn Mass at 17:30 as we celebrate the annual feast of our Oratorian founder, St Philip Neri. There will also be Masses at 06:30 and 08:30 and an Extraordinary Form (Latin) Mass at 13:10 on that day. “St Philip was a

This Sunday in South Africa we observe the Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord. The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “After forty days during which Jesus showed himself to the apostles with ordinary human features which veiled his glory as the Risen One, Christ ascended into heaven and was seated at the

In preparation for the Solemnity of our Holy Father St Philip, the solemn annual Novena begins in our church this Sunday 17 May. On weekday evenings (starting Monday 18th) from 17:30 to 18:00 we will meet for prayers and chant in honour of our Saint, including a stimulating meditation on an aspect of St Philip’s

Local Elections – Voting with a Formed Conscience   With the local elections now approaching on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, many parishioners will already be considering how they intend to vote. The Church does not endorse political parties or candidates. Rather, she encourages each of the faithful to approach public life with a well-formed conscience,

On Thursday 30 April, we were privileged to bless and inaugurate our new pipe organ in a concert of organ, instrumental and choral music. The organ was blessed with a resounding prayer by the Church asking God that He bless “this instrument of the organ, dedicated to Thy worship; and grant that Thy faithful, rejoicing

This Tuesday, 12th May, is the feast of Saints Nereus and Achilleus, early martyrs of the Roman Church, marking the 18th anniversary of the canonical erection of the Port Elizabeth Oratory in 2008. Nereus and Achilleus have long been connected to the Oratory as one of St Philip’s early disciples, Baronius, was given oversight of the

Local Elections – How Your Vote Counts   The date for the local elections has now been announced:Wednesday, 4 November 2026. Over the past few weeks, we have reflected on the importance of participating in civic life and ensuring that our registration details are in order. This week we look briefly at how votes are

According to a long and venerable tradition the entire month of May is dedicated to the Mother of God. The practice of honouring Mary in this month especially grew in the nineteenth century, partly encouraged by a renewed Marian devotion stimulated by the visions to St Bernadette in Lourdes in 1858. Among the most widely-known

Local Elections – Does My Vote Really Matter?   Over the past two weeks, we have asked:Am I registered to vote?Am I registered in the right place? This week we consider a common question:If the result in my area seems certain, does my vote really matter? In some wards, the outcome may appear predictable. Yet