London’s Soho Mass for the Gay Community
Has Moved From St. Anne’s Anglican
to Assumption R.C., Warwick Street.

Masses for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered Catholics, parents, families and friends, relocated from St. Anne's Anglican Church, in Soho, to the nearby Catholic Church of the Assumption, Warwick Street, London W1, with effect from Sunday 4 March 2007.

This followed a series of fruitful discussions between the SMPC and representatives of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, then Catholic Archbishop of Westminster. The SMPC is an elected group of people from the Soho Masses congregation, responsible for the organisation of the Masses and responding to the pastoral needs of this community. LGBT Catholics had been holding Masses at St. Anne's Anglican Parish Church since 2001. The Masses at the Warwick Street church now form part of the Archdiocese of Westminster's pastoral provision for LGBT Catholics.

Masses, at which LGBT Catholics are particularly welcomed, are held at 5.00 pm, on the 1st & 3rd Sundays of each month, at one of Soho's most historic Catholic parish churches: The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption & St. Gregory, Warwick Street, London W1B 5NB, close to Piccadilly Circus. The church dates from the 18th century and was used as a chapel by the Portughese and Bavarian embassies, built during a period when public Catholic worship was still outlawed.

The Soho Masses Schola, provide occasional items of sacred music at the Masses.

The SMPC has not severed completely its links with St. Anne's Church, Dean Street. Until June 2007, it was running jointly with St. Anne's "An adult introduction to Christianity", facilitated by the challenging Catholic theologian, James Alison. It also holds occasional Evening Prayer Services to include the wider Soho and LGBT communities.

For additional information, go to

http://sohomasses.googlepages.com/

Soho Masses Pastoral Council
PO Box 24632
London E9 6XF