An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the foodbank team in Hailsham. The role is part-time (15 hours a week) looking after the operations side of the foodbank. If you would like to find out more please find the application pack on our website https://hailsham.foodbank.org.uk/news/
Author: Jacky
Poem
Saint George’s church is open now for masses to be said, (Weeks of planning had occurred before this went ahead !)
Let’s hope parishioners realise the work by parish teams. To get the church open again (not as easy as it seems)
Please listen to the ushers then and hope we’ll all keep clear. Advice and sense should help us all, the VIRUS maybe near!!
So let us thank the volunteers who’ve kept the church on track, and maybe soon with Gods dear help ,the FAMILY will be back
Rosalie Burke
Poet Laureate Polegate!
Deacon John Writes
Recently we have had several readings from the prophet Jeremiah. On Tuesday he talked about the destruction around him including dead bodies, starving people and sin. We see plenty of this nowadays in the world and like us he weeps but at the same time he does not despair. He turns to God. The psalm on Tuesday when the psalmist sings “O Lord, deliver us” must be our prayer too. We have all seen the news and heard our friends describing one tragedy or sad story from their world. These cause much pain and distress to us and to others and we should all heed Jeremiah’s advice and turn to God. In doing this we are accepting in ourselves our need for God. If we listen we might get a message from Him telling us not to cry tears but instead to carry out some acts of love and kindness to someone in need.
The next day we were reminded in Luke’s story of Martha and Mary to keep things in balance, to play our part in what we do and not look down on those who don’t appear to be doing anything. On Friday we heard of three stories of rejection, which was appropriate for the feast of St.Ignatius of Loyola as he repeatedly told those around him to “find God in all things“ – In beauty as well as in loss and rejection. Let us pray that we will listen to God speaking to us through everything we do and say, thereby speaking His word to all. Next Sunday we hear Paul answer the question “What will separate us from the love of Christ?” The answer is, of course – “Nothing”. The same statement that is, of course, true for everyone – saint and sinner alike – and we must love them all.
With my love for you all.
Fr Rory Writes
With the help of God: Yes, please God:
As we move forward after lockdown; yes, to keep safe is a very important priority, but not the only one. The words “By their fruits you shall know them” comes from the mouth of Jesus. One of the great fruits of lockdown for me was “Spring Watch” and its offshoots, a carbon freer world, less plastic in the rivers and seas, a litany could be underway, with please God, a better outlook for the future of the planet.
The life of our church, this too cries out for a response in our time. Here personally I feel a real affliction as I recall the early stages of my journey and the hope that was there at the beginning. The time of lockdown has given me plenty of time to reflect, and it has brought home to me deep rooted failures and weaknesses, which will not disappear from me by any magic thinking. So, back to the beginning with the help of God, I will change and grow up.
With our two churches we have many a great challenge before us. Our first response it that we are two communities, and please God, we will become two sides to the same coin. I have always tried to help this, with an awareness that a body is best when made up of many parts working together for the good of all. When the virus sprung we were struck with the same weakness of most. Our age profile meant that there was a great shortage of help, and so many of the old reliable’ s were rendered out of action. A great thank you to those who are stepping up to the mark as we return to church. This is just one small step in the right direction.
It is now very important to establish these small steps. Many of our elderly parishioners are refraining from returning to our church at the moment, as they receive nourishment for their faith in many ways, especially Mass on T.V. and Skype. If we had young ministers of Holy Communion to take them communion, this would be one of the steps in the right direction. I also want to encourage them to make arrangements with me, so that I could take Holy Communion to them.
A suggestion some time ago now, when garden centres were first opening, was a visit to our Garden of Remembrance. This had some very special moment of grace. Our First Holy Communion preparation has been among the casualties and needs special attention. A meeting of our Parish Finance Committee will take place, please God, next Thursday evening, and please lots of prayers for this very important event. With the help of God we may have a fresh lease of life.
CAFOD – DEC CORONAVIRUS APPEAL
CAFOD – DEC CORONAVIRUS APPEAL:
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launched a nationwide Coronavirus appeal on Tuesday 14 July. CAFOD is an active member of the Committee and are currently giving support to communities in 26 countries with the £1.6 million they have raised so far, to help prevent the spread of the virus and limit the impact of hunger that lockdowns have caused. The need is immense, particularly in countries where there is conflict and displacement of whole communities.
If you would like to know more about the response to coronavirus that they are making globally on behalf of the Catholic community please visit https://cafod.org.uk/News/Emergencies-news.
Joke of the Week
Joke of the Week:
The rich businessman Raymond goes to meet his new son-in-law to be, Ben. He says to Ben, “So, tell me Ben, my boy, what you do?” “I study Theology,” he replies. “But Ben, you are going to marry my daughter! How are going to feed and house her?” “No problem,” says Ben, “I study Theology, and it says God will provide.” “But you will have children! How will you educate them?” asks Raymond. “No problem,” says Ben, “I study Theology, and it says God will provide.” When Raymond returns home, his wife anxiously asks him what Ben is like. “Well,” says Raymond, “he’s a lovely boy. I only just met him, and he already thinks I’m God.”
Some thoughts about life after death by Cardinal Leo Suenens:
Some thoughts about life after death by Cardinal Leo Suenens:
“If nothing was to be expected after death, for me life would have lost sense and meaning. I cannot understand either suffering or love if I cannot see both in the light of eternity. Suffering cannot be without meaning. Suffering cannot be just nonsense. Let us imagine a child in the womb of his mother. Let us suppose for a moment that that unborn child should become conscious before birth. What a chaos of impressions that child would have. It would all seem so meaningless. But all that apparent nonsense receives a meaning on the day the little child is born, and sees the sunlight. Then it appears clearly that every moment of his growing was a novitiate for life, preparation for the future.
If life here on earth is a preparation, then I come out of darkness, and see a ray of sunshine in all that happens to me. In the same way, I cannot understand real love without the perspective of eternity. True love involves, in the heart of each of us, that love will last for ever and ever. Every song of love will have some way of expressing that ‘I will love you always’.
But, of course, we wish to have at least a glimpse of that future, and to get some idea about where we go from here.
The question was put to a philosopher when he was dying: ‘what do you feel now?’ His answer was: ‘An immense curiosity.’
I hope my answer will be: ‘An immense confidence in God’s love.’ I meditate very often upon the words of Saint Theresa: ‘in Heaven everybody will smile at each other.’ Think of that. Go into the streets of any city, go to any airport or any railway station, and look for a while at the faces of the people running through those places. Look at the faces. It is so rare to see a smile. Everybody is in a hurry. Everybody is busy with his own business. Nobody has time to really look at each other. We are millions who live in the same city or the same street, but without any human communication.
Life after death, for a Christian, means rest and peace with God, rest and peace with all our brothers and sisters, known and unknown”.
Fr Rory Writes
Fr Rory Writes:
Truly important is social distancing. Whether we express this as the new normal, it is an essential part of keeping safe. While the virus is a constant threat, we must be on our guard and carefully adhere to safety. Be alert, or as I would prefer, be responsible. For me to be responsible addresses the situation better. The great gift, the great good is our faith. A very important moment within this is – “the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom”. Note the beginning because fear can be a great gift. But it is also important to acknowledge and recognise evil. Evil can use fear and then truly abuse it. Lives can be destroyed by fear, and fear can create situations which cause great suffering, affliction and sometimes death.
We have reached an important moment in living with the coronavirus. Please God, there may be light appearing at the end of the tunnel, with the gift of a vaccine that would be a great help. There is no guarantee of this, so living with the present situation is now a great priority and may be a great opportunity. Lockdown was such an experience for me and for all of us. It will certainly influence, please God, in a good way for the remainder of life. The memory of spring watch; thank God for its blessing and please God, it will have a good influence in the future of our planet.
This is a time of great challenge for our church and please God, a great opportunity, or the church will grind to a halt. The last deanery meetings, the aged profile of the clergy, the funding of the Diocese, are real causes for concern. What will be the future for our church?
For it to be bright and good, first it is not the church but our church. For a long time now there has been a crying need for a new generation in the life of the church. In the coming months and years we will provide a new generation. As we celebrate the liturgy and as we continue to skype and locate other sources of nurture for our faith we are beginning to build. Our website is a very important instrument and please God, with care and attention it will become very fit for purpose. A very special thank you to Sophie for all that she is doing to lead the way. The life of the children’s liturgy is also an important new beginning that needs to develop to grow and blossom.
Fr Rory
Fr Rory Writes:
Happily, we can now plan for the opening our churches for Mass. We are working out how we can do this with safety concerns in mind. We hope to open for the first time the weekend of 18th/19th July.
Masses will be offered during the week. If you are not at work during the week, you are strongly encouraged to attend a weekday Mass to allow those who are working to attend on Sundays.
You will need to apply to attend on your chosen day. (Please see attached posters)
Times of Masses during the week are:
St. George’s Church – 10am on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Sundays, 9.00am
St. Wilfrid’s Church – 10am on Wednesdays and Fridays. Sundays, 10.30am
Our Mass time experiences will be very different.
Restrictions are imposed as follows:-
Numbers are restricted to ensure social distancing
If you are at all unwell, please DO NOT attend church
It is recommended that small children and babies are not brought into the church
You will be met at the door, you must give your name and contact details to the usher
Sanitise your hand and wear a mask (this is compulsory)
The usher will guide you to a marked bench at appropriate distance from anyone not in your household. There are arrows on the floor, guiding you through the one-way system.
Please do not genuflect to any of the statues, or touch them or any surface unnecessarily
No leaflets or Missals will be provided. If you bring your own you MUST take them home with you.
Please do not converse with anyone outside your own household, to limit the spread of the virus
There may be music, but no singing is allowed
Mass will be shorter to reduce the time spent indoors with other people
The sign of peace will be not be exchanged
The reader, Eucharistic Minister and Priest will always be on the altar
The Priest will remain socially distant at all times
There will be no offertory
Cash offerings must be placed in the boxes provided at the entrance and exit to the church.
Communion under one kind will be distributed at the end of Mass.
An usher will guide you to communion when it is safe for you to enter the aisle, always maintaining social distance
There will be a small physical barrier between the recipient and the Minister. The distribution of the Host will be in silence with arms at full stretch, palms upwards, one on top of the other, as flatly as possible. Communion may not be received on the tongue.
You will leave the church immediately after Communion, through the Sacristy door. Take ALL your belongings with you (including your mask) and leave your offering in the box provided. (you may not return to your seat under any circumstances)**
You will be asked to sanitise your hands before leaving the church
**If you cannot manage the steps leading to the sacristy, please wait to receive communion until all others have left. The usher will escort you and you may leave through the back porch.
There will be NO tea/coffee after any Mass. The hall remains closed
The lavatories are closed
Please continue to maintain social distancing whilst in the carpark
Please see the above posters for details of how to book for St George’s and St Wilfrid’s.
Fr Rory Writes
Fr Rory Writes:
With the help of God we will be able to re-open our churches for Mass. First and foremost this is to be appreciated for the right reasons, with great care given. It will be influenced by a) the fact that we do not, while this outbreak of coronavirus continues, have an obligation to go to Mass, b) social distancing and all the other measures required for health and safety purposes will need to be in place.
So there are reasons to have fears and to take these into consideration. As this is “Fr Rory Writes” it is not prescriptive and the date have to be changed in order to have all the safety measures in place. Happily, we are hoping to open our churches for Mass on the weekend of the 18th/19th July. There is still work to be done to achieve this with all safety concerns carefully managed. Numbers will be greatly reduced because of the need for social distancing.
We have good teams working together and our first meetings were very successful, but they did open my eyes to how difficult it is to ensure the safety of everyone in both churches, whilst matching the requirements of our diocese, who dictate how much preparation is necessary.
Only 36 people may attend at any one time at St George’s. If you are not at work during the week, you are strongly encouraged to attend a weekday Mass to allow those who are working to attend on Sundays.
You will need to apply for your chosen day, and we ask that you keep to this. (Details as to how to do this will follow)
Times of Masses during the week are:
St. George’s Church – 10am on Tuesdays and Thursdays
St. Wilfrid’s Church – 10am on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Our Mass time experiences will be very different.
Restrictions are imposed as follows:-
Numbers are restricted to a Maximum of 36 people at St George’s to ensure social distancing
If you are at all unwell, please DO NOT attend church
It is recommended that small children and babies are not brought into the church
You will be met at the door, you must give your name and contact details to the usher
Sanitise your hand and wear a mask (this is compulsory)
The usher will guide you to a marked bench/seat at appropriate distance from anyone not in your household. There are arrows on the floor, guiding you through the one-way system.
Please do not genuflect to any of the statues, or touch them or any surface unnecessarily
No leaflets or Missals will be provided. If you bring your own you MUST take them home with you.
Please do not converse with anyone outside your own household, to limit the spread of the virus
There may be music, but no singing is allowed
Mass will be shorter to reduce the time spent indoors with other people
The sign of peace will be not be exchanged
The reader, Eucharistic Minister and Priest will always be on the altar
The Priest will remain socially distant at all times
There will be no offertory
Cash offerings must be placed in the boxes provided at the entrance and exit to the church.
Communion under one kind will be distributed at the end of Mass.
An usher will guide you to communion when it is safe for you to enter the aisle, always maintaining social distance
There will be a small physical barrier between the recipient and the Minister. The distribution of the Host will be in silence with arms at full stretch, palms upwards, one on top of the other, as flatly as possible. Communion may not be received on the tongue.
You will leave the church immediately after Communion, through the Sacristy door at St George’s. Take ALL your belongings with you (including your mask) and leave your offering in the box provided. (you may not return to your seat under any circumstances)**
You will be asked to sanitise your hands before leaving the church
**If you cannot manage the steps leading to the sacristy, please wait to receive communion until all others have left. The usher will escort you and you may leave through the back porch.
There will be NO tea/coffee after any Mass. The hall remains closed
The lavatories are closed
Please continue to maintain social distancing whilst in the car park
PS. You will need to apply to the Parish Office for your preferred day as the number at each Mass is so strictly limited, either email [email protected] or phone 01323 841504.