Author: Jacky

As mentioned last week, we will need to read the minutes of the deanery meeting, and here goes:

PREPARING TO BE A NEW PARISH TOGETHER: On 19 November the Deanery Clergy will meet with the Diocesan Team, who will begin guiding us into the formal process towards our becoming a new Parish, from Eastbourne to Rye. There’s no denying it sounds a daunting task, but together all of us will be able to start taking steps to get in place what will be needed for this to work. Already behind the scenes good conversations and meetings are beginning and we have had well attended open meetings across the deanery. The most important task is for us all to PRAY with OPEN and POSITIVE HEARTS. I am confident that if we do this, we will not just be pleasantly surprised but even AMAZED at the good that can be done together to build the Church and share the Gospel in new and exciting ways. There are inevitably many “unknowns”, but we will move at a pace that allows us to do things well and properly, and always for the upbuilding of people and community, and for the welcoming and inclusion of people who are distanced from their faith or who have never yet heard the call of the Gospel.

Regular updates will come through in the weeks ahead and opportunities for  everyone to play their part in the     journey we will be on together. As well as in our communal gatherings, please keep this intention very much in your personal prayer. God bless, Fr Kevin

“So far so good, maybe, so good, so far”.

We will need to read the minutes of the deanery meeting, which will move us on to the usual November meeting, when we gather to say mass for the deceased priests from our deanery.  We will be visited by the diocesan team, who have been mandated by Bishop Richard to see his plan for the diocese implemented by all the deaneries.

The time schedule to get all this done may be extended.  My overriding concern at the moment is when we would be rostered to say mass at the different churches in the deanery.  Needless to say it was echoed at the meeting and I am more at ease, that it will not begin immediately.  So for the moment all our attention is drawn to Deacon John’s piece in the newsletter on Sunday 29th.  This was excellent and deserves a lot of further attention.  He focused our attention on Martin’s appeal for volunteers to help with the ministry of the church.  It takes all kinds of roles that are helpful, possibly critical for any parish to function in the future.  It serves as a reminder that a parish is not just a priest.  St Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians makes this quite clear to all of us.  Everyone has a role but not the same role.  We are not all called to be ordained priests.  Neither are we all called to be prophets.  But we all do have one thing in common.  We have all been baptised into one Body, and because of this we each have a necessary and relevant role that contributes to the well being of the whole.