Category: Fr Rory Writes

The colour of the Advent candle we light this Sunday is rose – not pink. Rose signifies rejoicing, and signals a spirit of joyful hope during Lent and Advent.  It breaks the more sombre tone of these penitential times of the year.  This comes from Brother Hyacinth Cordell, a Dominican, who wrote about all this online several years ago.  Br. Cordell noted that nature’s cycle is comprised of two things: life and light.  The seasons revolve around that—the rejuvenation of spring and summer, the desolation of fall and winter.  Our liturgical seasons follow a similar pattern. “The dark colour of violet in Advent,” he wrote, “harmonises well with the diminishing sunlight late in the year.”  It also points to royalty, and Christ as our King. “Rose,” he wrote, “is a softening of violet. It is violet approaching white. In this sense, it anticipates the pure white of the Birth and Resurrection of Christ.”
 

We spent the month of November praying for those who have died and whose names are in the books of remembrance. During this Advent we prepare our hearts for Christ by turning away from sin and giving ourselves completely to God so that when Christ comes, or when we are called from this life, we are ready and prepared. What better way of doing this than making a good confession receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation which Fr Rory is always willing to give – just as we should all remember during this season of Advent that in Bethlehem, God was born. That the Child came to save us from sins. That His name is called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace. Although he was born in an obscure village and in humble circumstances, and although He would write no books, and live publicly for only a brief three years, no person has left such a mark on human history as He did. . Let us be like the German mystic Angelus Silesius who said:  “Christ could be born a thousand times in Bethlehem – but all in vain until He is born IN ME.” When we show real love, kindness, mercy and a spirit of forgiveness, we are announcing the truth that Christ is with us. 

I finish with a suggestion for Advent action: if the opportunity presents itself, play the part of a secret Santa by delivering a small unexpected gift anonymously to a friend or relative or someone in need, this week.

With my love and prayers for a happy and holy Advent.

Many of you already know that Fr Rory had a fall on Wednesday this week and has broken his left arm just below the shoulder. As a result he has been told to rest it completely for 4-6 weeks to allow the bones to mend. This week we have been able to ask Canon Paul Jennings to supply for us and he has said ‘yes’. Our thanks for this are sincere and we are very grateful for this. At this time of writing we do not know what will happen at the weekends between now and January. It is a bit like Advent – wait and see! While waiting please keep him in your prayers.

Bishop Richard wrote this in a letter today: In this first part of Advent, we reflect on our hope in the coming Kingdom. This carries a particular          resonance this year, perhaps, as we enter the final month of the Jubilee Year of Hope. Advent calls us to be open to the gift of hope. Hope is a virtue. Hope is a gift. It is a mark of the Christian, for our lives are a preparation for the coming of the Lord. We proclaim, every time we profess our faith in the Creed: “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” The Christian life looks forward all the time – in hope – to the wonder of the experience of total love in the Kingdom of the Father. This hope must inform our actions, our encounters with others, our words, our prayer. It is this hope that enables us to live our Christian life, sometimes in the face of opposition and not without suffering and difficulty, here and now – to be Christ’s people each and every day, as we await His coming.

May this season be a time of renewed hope for us all, bringing us to be ever more effective in the work of mission that the Lord has given to us as   beacons of hope, witnesses to the coming Kingdom of Our Lord Jesus Christ.   With every blessing + Richard.

We all know about Jesus getting angry one day in the temple and driving the traders in the church out with a whip.  Can you    imagine the scene and how angry the traders would have been? Well the story I have below illustrates the same theme happening in modern times.

A man was driving without his seatbelt when he spotted a patrol car right behind him. He grabbed for the belt and put it on. But it was too late, and the red lights began to flash and the two cars stopped. The police officer got out and said to the driver: ‘You weren’t wearing your seatbelt,” 

“Yes, I was,” said the man, “and if you don’t believe me, ask my wife.” 

“So how ABOUT it, ma’am?” asked the policeman, 

Officer,” she said, “I’ve been married to this man for forty years, and there’s one thing I’ve learned: Never argue with him when he’s drunk! Just give him a ticket for not wearing the seat belt.” 

In that Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus doesn’t bother to argue with the unjust merchants and moneychangers who have converted the Temple of Jerusalem into a noisy “marketplace” and a “hideout of thieves.” Instead, he frightens them with his angry order and chases them away, wielding the whip in his hands. 

Our parish Churches, St George’s and St Wilfrid’s, are places where we come together as a community to praise and worship God, to thank Him for his blessings, to ask pardon and forgiveness for our sins, and to offer our lives and petitions on the altar. It is our duty  to make our Churches even more holy by adding our prayers and songs to our worship and by giving our time and talents and  treasure in the various ministries. I am appealing this week for you to volunteer your services as welcomers, readers, ministers of holy communion, altar servers and writing the bidding prayers for use at Mass. None of these take up much time. Help and guidance are available if   needed. They are all really needed in the current time and the more volunteers who come forward the lighter the burden on those  already helping. Please speak to Fr Rory or any of those already helping if you are willing to help in any way. I have always said the   personal approach is the best method of finding volunteers so don’t be surprised if you are asked if you would be willing to help in some way. Unfortunately there is not enough time after Mass as you leave church for us to ask everyone personally. I have never    managed to ask more than two on any one Sunday. I became a deacon some 4/5 years after I was asked one day by my Parish priest if I had ever thought about becoming a deacon. My immediate response was “No Father, what is that?” His question led me to eventually say “I will” after training and preparation. The various ministries that I mentioned earlier require nothing like the preparation to become a deacon. You see them in action each week in our churches, so you already know what they do. These ministries are really   rewarding in that one gains a lot by doing one or more of them – so please help us all by volunteering, preferably before Fr Rory, myself or someone else asks you if you would volunteer!
 

Fr Rory writes:        

As our hub meetings continue to unfold, the future ministry should be beginning to emerge.  Our meeting at Our Lady of Ransom Church has taken place and an important focus was placed upon the parish mission prayer, with the emphasis upon the power of prayer for a successful outcome to the plan.                                                                                                                 

Parish Mission Prayer

Loving God,

empower us through our Baptism,

to live as vibrant and welcoming communities,

centred on the Holy Eucharist.

Inflame us

with your Holy Spirit,

to encourage others to a personal relationship

with Jesus Christ.

Recognising all things as your gift to us,                                             

to be treasured and shared with love,

give us a heart for the poor,

a passion for justice,

a concern for creation,

so that all may live with peace and dignity.

Our Lady and All the Saints Pray for us 

Amen

                                 

The nourishment that we receive

Antiphon, let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.  Letter to the Romans “If God is for us, who can be against?”.

Through the week as we celebrate the mass, nourishment is provided to keep our faith alive and help it develop and grow.  To this end our communities have tried to work with one another to do this.  The challenge is now.  So with the help of God we will be able to respond to our changing times and become all the better for it.  From the blessing of the graves, and the occasions that are available to us will help us to survive and grow.  Ten years after celebrating our first mass in the new church, we may give greater attention to St George’s church, which so enriches our story.  It is so important that we continue to give life to our story.

Month of the Holy Souls

Gone before us, marked with a sign of faith.

While growing up in Ireland, I sometimes heard it said “the family that prays together and plays together, stay together”.   Recently we have been blessed by good experiences with the holy memorial and beautiful requiem mass service for Sheila Jury, and followed by a quiz night with memorable moments.  The team that won the prize for best name, brought some special excitement by the way they participated in the evening – credit where credit is due.

There is a very special occasion to look forward to on Friday 12th December in Hailsham; Comedy and   Carols.  This event deserves a lot of attention and communication, but above all, personal invitations.  So often we are so dependant upon a few doing so much.  Hopefully another event could be ever so enjoyable and rewarding, an occasion of remembrance with music and fellowship, remembering the many treasured members of our community who have died.  Bill O’Rourke stands out, as I remember an occasion that he lead, and it was a very memorable evening, with music and dance.

This year is coming to a close, believe it or not, and best foot forward for the coming year.  Let us continue working together, with just a bit more hope and good reason to be confident that the work that is taking place is the best way to go, and with the help of God, more persons working together will bear fruit.

Fruit that will last.

Fr Rory writes:                                          

 Simple & Sincere.                                          For the love of God.

The harvest is great but the labourers are few, ask the Lord of the harvest.

With help of God; let us focus upon the Kingdom of God.  The focus remains the same, the labourers are few.  Moments of Grace are so important, and as you read, our moments of grace are so special.  My greatest failure is expressed in the appeal for Special Ministries.  The constant reality is that the labourers are few.  The Requiem Mass for Shiela Jury was very special, and great thanks to the funeral helpers who worked so hard to provide the event.  Another bonus, Annette has been given a date for her surgery.  The incredible amount of work that she does, sometimes without much support, leaves us very short while she is recuperating.  We wish her a speedy recovery, and like Lulu make a remarkable recovery.  All our thanks is not sufficient, but we remain ever so grateful.  The other items help us to realise how important our newsletter has been as a great platform to help us communicate within our communities.  We hear a lot about it, “to be vibrant communities”.  A constant work that will dictate the outcome for our future.  Other special moments, a call for prayer and thanks for Gary’s dad and the long list, who we remember each week in the newsletter, which is constantly updated.  Constant moments, “Month of the Holy Rosary”, nourishment.

Fr Rory writes:        

Father,                                                Son                                       and Holy Spirit. 

A work in process.  Progress was made at the meeting last Monday at OLR.                                                                                             Our Parish Priest, Fr Kevin has sent us the following information:-

NEW PARISH UPDATE

Our New Parish will operate from 2 Hub centres (the Eastbourne end and the St Leonard’s/Hastings end). We already have an excellent Leadership Group up and running in each Hub, made up of clergy and lay reps from each church. When we reach     Advent, end of November, we will have a Single  Newsletter for all churches in each Hub; all our Catechists will be working together across churches to deliver Sacramental programmes; we will have Stewardship Groups in each Hub, expertise drawn from across our churches, to oversee care of our many buildings in a strategically joined-up way; we will be consulting with you all about revised New Mass Schedules in each Hub, taking account of fewer priests and giving good variety of times for everyone. Please keep all this work in your prayer, and for more detailed info see: https://eastbourne-stleonards.org.uk  God bless,  Fr Kevin (on behalf of the clergy team)