Category: Fr Rory Writes

“and after this our exile, show unto us

the blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus”.

On the horizon is what I believe will be the greatest Feast of all “The Feast of Christ the King”.  We were especially blessed when at our seminary by one of our professors, Fr Seamus Ryan.  He presented us with a great vision of faith.  Some few years later as a priest, this vision took shape for me on my journey back to my parish while returning from holidays, mostly from home in Ireland, and by car.  For the first part of the journey all the thoughts were from home.  After a while this was overruled by the requirement to make the journey….  and then the focus upon the end of the journey, and what is in store for when we reach our destination. 

So the Feast of Christ the King is our destination.  Christ will come in all His glory.  When Cormac Murphy O’Connor  was our Bishop, it was designated “Youth Sunday” and celebrated as such.  Please God, this year will have a very special celebration through the baptism of a young person, Harvey, who has joined our parish community this year.  He is part of our new generation, the fruits of our children’s liturgy that has quietly developed over the past years.  Please God, first fruits.  We must hope, work and pray in the days, weeks and please God, years to come.  We live in a time of great threat.  Very difficult times to come.  For the love of God, pray and pray earnestly, pray constantly and never loose heart.

        For the Love of God

Hail Mary, full of grace.

The Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women

And blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

Jesus

Please pray it again.

“In a nutshell” a body of many parts working together, is at the heart of the Gospels.  In daily life this is far easier said than done, and was particularly clear by the end of the Deanery Meeting of the priests.  So this is for all of us, our challenge.  We have made a very good start through the work that is in place in response to the Synod, and work that is done for a new generation.  Last Sunday afternoon we had a very good experience at St George’s, with the Youth Group having their first meeting.  Thanks to Sandra and all who helped.

As I return from Ireland for this important time in our lives, our very best focus is the truth at the heart of our faith “Dying, you destroyed our death, Rising, you restore our lives”.  This inspires me, but with lots and lots of faults and failure to discourage me.  At the heart of our communities making up our parish, is a growing desire to work together, to survive together and especially to strive together.  Since I have returned we have had moments of great grace and encouragement.  From a supply priest “it was a pleasure to have this opportunity.  They are a lovely bunch of people in your churches, and the harvest festival was a delight and so well prepared and presented”.  This Sunday I met a visitor who lived here twenty to thirty years ago and she was really blessed and inspired by our mass and was most grateful.

So for all of this, much thanks, because life at this time is extremely difficult for many, health, the constant sense of threat, war, the economy, the lack of grace and peace fear for our future.  These are the real trials through which we will triumph by the power of Him who loves us.  This is at the heart of our mass,  which brings to be a great sense of strength and peace.

Let us focus on what this is all about.  Jesus, His words and action, especially His challenges “by their fruit you shall know them, good trees bear good fruit”.  Each week I am inspired by our prayers of the faithful which are prepared for us by different members.  As I pray them,  by their fruits you shall know them “good trees bear good fruit”.  Which will help grow and develop all our ministries.  I was especially inspired by Martin as he lead the liturgies at St George’s church on Tuesdays while I was away.

“Back on the road again”.  This year, please God, will be an important and fruitful one.  The work that is in progress for the Synod has paved the way, and the images that we have used begin to bear fruit..

The reference to renew is significantly important.   We planted the renew acorn at St Paul’s, Haywards Heath, we can now see a fine good tree has come into being.  Up and down the Diocese there are certainly not a lot of other trees to be seen.  Some parishes did put in a lot of work; and all parishes had available to them the resources to bear the expected fruit.  I am sure many would tell their story.  I am convinced the vision we are trying to develop and grow is promising.

The awareness of the two communities working together.  The call for a new generation for the new generation.  We are blessed by the work that is in place.  St George’s first initiative was extremely fit for purpose and provides an outline that we can build upon.  At St Wilfrid’s some great work has been done and lots of preparation for the future.  I am really looking forward to the outcome when the two teams get together.  Streaming and website are major looks for the future and the nourishment that they will provide will dictate the outcome.  Please God, it will be great.

Greetings and best wishes for the holiday season.  Thanks be to God there has been many reasons for celebrations.  So we must keep as positive and helpful as possible, as indeed times can be difficult.

“Grateful Hearts”

I am very grateful for all the work and goodwill that went into the preparation for our centenary celebration.  The order of service, research and preparation, the music, flowers and the altar, catering, decorating, cleaning, care and attention.  The fruits of goodwill and good work, please God, it will bear fruit in a new generation.  Sincerest thanks and asking for all the help you can give.

Wishing you all the best for the rest of

the summer holidays.

Please God

We will have a successful Centenary Celebration for 100 years of faith, perseverance and hope, and we will lay firm foundations for the next hundred years.  We are blessed with Christ’s message of eternal life, and in the here and now there are trials through which we triumph by the power of Him who loves us.

Prayers and best wishes to you all through the remainder of the holiday season.  May they be a time of happiness and relaxation, and God’s safety be with you in your travels.

God bless.

Countdown to our Centenary Celebration

Preparation has taken place, and a lot of work has to be done for what I am sure will be a very important event for our parish.  The time and the date was dictated by the time that the first Mass was said in a church here in Hailsham 100 years ago.  The implications has been that it is not an ideal time, an inconvenient date for priests and ministers.  But I am sure that the outcome for our parish will be well served in that it prepares the way for a new generation.

When I was in the seminary fifty years ago, we thought that a time of great hope was on its way.  It did provide a window of great opportunity, with the emphasis of Pope John 23rd to open up the windows and let in a lot more light.  Unfortunately we find that the great majority of young people have lost touch with the church and are distanced from it.  They do not see it as a challenge with a great lot to offer.  The shock of scandals and especially the paedophile crisis has afflicted many, it is a great stain upon the church.   Unless there is a great response from our church, attitudes are not likely to change anytime soon.

But for us the great truth is “to whom shall we turn, you have the message of eternal life”.  Preparation for the Synod.  Many years ago we were presented with Renew.  We were in our parish with a team ministry, trying to put into place what I hope we now can do.  As a parish team we took on board the renew process with the renew “Acorn – Oak Tree” which all parishes received after a ceremony in Brighton & Hove Football Ground.  Ours is flourishing outside the church where we were serving i.e. St Paul’s Church in Haywards Heath.  I have yet to see another, but I am sure there must be some in our diocese.  Please God, with all my heart and my soul, I pray that we can do better this time.

Treasured Memories

In our preparations to celebrate the Centenary of the celebration of the first mass to be offered in church here in Hailsham, a memorial stone for those who have gone before us is help to our remembrance.  Many stand out for their contribution to our story, including     Dorothy Blake.  For me, June Bell stands out, as her husband, John, (still alive) has just celebrated (his centenary) 100th Birthday.  No more years driving his car; but just before the pandemic he was comfortable driving, with his doctors permission.  They have been particularly generous to us in their support .

Now we need a new generation and this has given us a great focus.  The leaders of our young persons liturgy are one of my joys and great hope.  So far, so good, the work that they do is so vital, inspiring and our best reason for hope.  They are laying out the foundations for the necessary building that has to be done if we are to have our churches here for our community.  There is a growing great bond between our churches here and the one at St George’s in Polegate.  Preparation for the Synod and developing relations are an essential factor for the future and their help with the celebration is an important factor.

We will continue to respond to the preparation for the Synod.  Recently I was given an inspiration from Teresa Palmer.  She brought to my attention the renew process which was adopted by the Diocese.  Their focus which I have been referring to is a seed, an acorn which when it grows becomes a great oak tree.  I have just received a photo of the Oak Tree that is now outside St Paul’s Church in Haywards Heath when we were there responding to the diocesan decision to adopt the renew process.  I often wonder where all the other oak trees are up and down the diocese.    To be continued …….

Help……… Help ……… help is truly needed as we respond to the real challenge of this time.  At the same time please God, we have a great window of opportunity as we respond to our process of preparation for the Synod, and also our Centenary Celebration on Saturday 13th August at St Wilfrid’s.

The challenge of our time is truly great.  It is coming from many directions and there is no escape.  Our first priority must be the future for our parish communities, and our life of faith which is our greatest treasure.  With the help of “God’s grace” must be our constant prayer.  In all ages and at all times, life has its difficulties.  The term sometimes heard “life is no rose garden”.

Good news for me is that my sisters Mary and Freda are hoping to join us for our Centenary Celebrations.  The liturgy for the occasion and the social entertainment are beginning to take good shape.  Our gratitude is great to those who are planning and making preparations.  Obviously there will be expenditure, but we have made a decision that there will be no charge on the day.  Good suggestions have been made to raise some money and I ask you to support this.