The Wednesday Word leaflets are subsidised (mainly through donations) and cost the school a nominal 4.5p each. The Gospel is then spread to parents through The Wednesday Word each week as a gift from the school.

Feedback from many headteachers suggests that 4.5p per leaflet should not be a barrier to most schools in spreading the Gospel to families in this new and creative way.

There is a simple calculator at the end of this section to help you determine the cost of an annual subscription for your own school.

Fr Timothy Swinglehurst Parish Priest, St Austin's

Dannie Firth Foundation Governor

We are aware that budgets are tight in most schools and that is why we have tried our best to keep the price as low as possible and, as the project grows, the Trustees will continue to attempt to reduce the price even further. The Wednesday Word mission really is a team effort, an example of the body of Christ in action. By participating in The Wednesday Word, each Headteacher not only supports their own school’s children and families, but through the power of collective purchase, also helps prices to stay inexpensive and so ensures that many other schools and families can benefit from receiving the Gospel in this way.

Fr Timothy Swinglehurst Parish Priest, St Austin's

Dannie Firth Foundation Governor

Annual Subscriptions

The Wednesday Word is designed as an ongoing mission to spread the Gospel to families throughout the year. In this way The Wednesday Word will be sent out to parents, and (as in the Parable of the Sower) some will respond to it, and some will not. Yet the Word will be present in every home of the families connected with our schools, and the opportunity will be there for parents and carers to have contact with the Gospel. The resource includes a weekly invitation to the celebration of the Eucharist whilst their child is connected to the life of the Catholic school.

Feedback suggests that The Wednesday Word also helps some families to develop a new weekly Family Time custom that strengthens the family, but to do this takes time. However, regardless of the uptake of Family Time, by sending The Wednesday Word out through school, the power of God’s word enters into many people’s homes. So, even if the parent chooses not to use the back page Family Time section with their children, the resource, containing Sunday’s Gospel, is attractively designed to be ‘dipped into’, thereby creating a new weekly opportunity for the Parent or Carer to read the Gospel and hear the Good News.

The Wednesday Word has created a new form of lively weekly contact between the Church and parents who may be adrift from going to Church. Moreover, The Wednesday Word promotes the school’s catholicity by constantly reinforcing and reminding parents of the Catholic spirituality which underpins our schools, and the vital link between home, school and parish. This is something that we believe is important to remind all parents of throughout the school years, particularly lapsed Catholic parents who are typically the majority in most schools.

As a charity we aim to ensure that price should not be a barrier for schools to spread the Gospel in this new and creative way. Annual subscriptions also contribute to the low price of the leaflet. They allow the Trust to plan and order the print in bulk and help us to cut down dramatically on administration costs. This further contributes to our ability to supply schools with a high-quality resource at a nominal price.

Fr Timothy Swinglehurst Parish Priest, St Austin's

Dannie Firth Foundation Governor

Because The Wednesday Word is based on the Sunday Liturgy and aims to be an ongoing invitation to the Eucharist, we provide material for every Sunday of the year. It is important for us to do this as we are trying to encourage families to develop a simple, family custom rooted in the Word of God. Although the resource comes through school, it is primarily a family resource. Whether or not they participate in the holidays is entirely their choice - all we are seeking is to provide families with the opportunity to do so.

To prevent the school from having to hand out multiple copies before major holidays we have designed Easter, Spring Bank, Summer & Christmas Specials. These are in attractive booklet/card form – just one item to hand out the Wednesday before the holidays. The 'Holiday Specials' are designed like Christmas cards - to stand on the window sill or mantelpiece. The 'Holiday Specials' are also designed to act as an aide-memoire for Family Time, and are also a great way for families to display modern Christian imagery in their homes.

Fr Timothy Swinglehurst Parish Priest, St Austin's

Dannie Firth Foundation Governor

If you would like to place an order please see the tab on the menu bar entitled ‘Ordering’.

Fr Timothy Swinglehurst Parish Priest, St Austin's

Dannie Firth Foundation Governor