Category: Fr Rory Writes

“The Lord is our Rock and our Salvation”.  A good place to begin a new year. 

Better still, Renaldo, our very helpful resident has come into the office and he adds his bit.

“He is always present at our side.  He may not be visible but He is to be experienced in others.  In Gaelic “tús maith is ea leath na hoibre”.  A good start is half the work.

So please God, for the coming year.  Reality is that the virus continues to play a big part in our lives at the present.  At the beginning of last Advent as we lit the first candle I was in a bad place, but the light of “Hope” became very important to me.  Now that we have celebrated to the best of our ability the light of Christ coming into our world, it is a time to refocus, to trust where Christ finds us at this time which is a real test; and to start reaching out with a sense of great hope as we begin our journey into the New Year.

For me the best point of reference is the synod that Pope Francis highlights and has his confidence and trust.  Having begun my journey with great confidence in the 2nd Vatican Council, and during my years in the Seminary, was a great challenge and real hope.  I have some great events to recall from this time, in fact my first mass and celebrating my brother John and his wife Helen’s Wedding, was part of a great occasion.  Early experiences left a sense of adventure.  More and more I came to realize the forces that are against it, that’s life.

Leading and organising remains one of my many weaknesses.  Conviction that a body made up of many parts working together has always been a strength.  The new church is an expression of this, but the church as a community of the faithful has always been my great hope.  Leaven Groups promised to play a great part in this.  So it is time to begin again and to heed the promptings of our very helpful resident, Renaldo.

The diocese has provided us with material to facilitate this (For a Synodal Church – Communion, Participation, Mission), this can be downloaded at  https://www.abdiocese.org.uk/synod.   As stated earlier there are two additional items that are crucial.  A) Why do we need it?  and B) like our new church – what would be the best outcome?

With a very grateful heart, a great thanks to all who contribute so much to the life of our parish.  Our two churches look great with all the  work, care and attention including the decorations, they are second to none.  This has been a very difficult time, with an unavoidable sense of stress, so special thanks are in order for those who help so much.  Nothing easy, and with health issues, please God, we can look forward to a fresh new year (and because) this newsletter covers the New Year, best wishes for that. 

Many, many thanks for your cards, gifts and donations, I am truly grateful.  It is very important that we focus our attention upon the Feast that is celebrated, “A Saviour is Born” and though first celebrated over 2000 years ago it remains for each year and for each generation a great joy, especially in times of trials and afflictions, we have our saviours promise “these are the trials through which we now triumph by the power of Him who love us”. 

Deacon John and Tessa have asked to join with me as we offer you our Christmas Greetings and wishing you a Holy Happy and enjoyable Christmas, in the safety of your families.

Merry Christmas

And A Happy New Year

Last Sunday was Gaudete Sunday – “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice”.  So to repeat from last Sunday “thanks be to God”.  Returning to the first Sunday of Advent with its focus upon hope.  There is an expression “hope springs eternally” and even when times are very difficult “hope” is something we can always try to hold on to, and we are all the better for it.  For these difficult times I have found this very helpful.

I have even found it remarkable for myself.  At the beginning of each Sunday morning masses I really feel the affects of these times.  By the time I have finished saying the masses I  am in a much better place, so thanks be to God; and thank you all for being so helpful to me.  Yes, you are two very helpful parishes.

This brings me back to what I have been sharing through Advent.   From the fruits of last year, we must find the best seeds available.  At the Deanery Meeting of the priests and deacons, which was by zoom, some would say doom!  The recognition of a seed of hope, a window of opportunity offered by the Synod.

We need to begin with small groups that can share together and inspire together.  Also for families, and for individual persons with particular interests.   Truth to say I have not found much in the church that is inspiring and hold up my hand to say I have not managed to do anything very inspiring myself.  This is so important that we must all turn to the Holy Spirit with heartfelt prayer and devotion.  I just cannot get over that there is no real thought being given to the shortage of clergy, and with the seminaries closing what comes next?

The word of God, the scriptures and the eucharist are the food of life.  These are gifts that will never be taken from us.  We must return to baptism which is the key to the life of grace.  A powerful moment in the celebration of the sacrament is when Parents and Godparents  are given the child’s baptismal candle with the words  “This light is entrusted to you to be kept burning bright, this child of yours will be enlightened by Christ.   The seed is sown, the seed is established. 

To be continued …………

Again, thanks be to God.

We had a lovely, lovely evening which took place at St George’s church last Saturday.  The Southdown Singers presented us with very enjoyable singing, music and stories most appropriate to the Advent Season.  Also, they left us with a beautifully decorated church to enhance our worship prayer and commitment.  After the long term effects of covid, windows of opportunity for enjoyment are much appreciated.  We have a baptism here at St George’s this Saturday and for all of us this weekend the sacrament of reconciliation; an opportunity to experience one of God’s most special gifts – His forgiveness, His pardon and His peace.

Repetition has a great value in leaning,  so I return to the idea of sowing new seeds.  Please, please God, we will really sow some new seeds.  So that is why I mention “co er” groups.  I suggest that you give some thought to this and say we could form a “co er” group.  As the pandemic has had a major influence on our actions, the opportunity that this “Synod” is of the greatest importance.  A real challenge confronts us in the life of our church.

In response to this, various groups should give it the care and attention that it deserves.  Again, these two questions:-

Why do we need it?              And what is the best outcome for the future, for the life and witness for the catholic church? 

This could be a tick box exercise in futility, on a memorable opportunity in the life of our church.

When I left the seminary almost fifty years ago as a young priest, I had hopes of a new Pentecost, and while some aspired to it, the church in general allowed itself to be laden and overburdened – so no great fruits.  The challenge always goes on; and people always try to accept a challenge.  We had in our time an excellent effort from the Liverpool Diocese and with Cardinal Hume providing his authority, more was expected of it.  To outer eyes it was shelved, and here we are like St Peter; who has fished all night and caught nothing.  With the inspiration of Jesus…….  St Peter was prepared to set out once again with the message of salvation, that he had received from His master.   In keeping with what he said we set  out once more in obedience with the words “I have come to save the lost”.

              For a Synodal Church                                                                 Our Process   

Two Questions

Why do we need it?   How can we best progress it?  

First it is important that we are aware that there is a process presented to us on the Diocesan Website and that we read it.  It also has an introduction by Bishop Richard.  This is the link  to find the information https://www.abdiocese.org.uk/synod.

I believe that the most important thing is the outcome.  I am aware that there is a late February deadline.  For the best outcome I have two constant points of reference; to farming and to building.  In farming what is the most important to begin ploughing, or preparing the ground.  In the building trade the foundations.  I would be very interested to hear the process for other achievements.  For my own calling, preparation leaves me with a great sense of failure.

From last year; with an awareness of thanksgiving for the harvest, what is most important are the seeds for future growth.  When I came to the parish I first introduced our Leaven Group for each community.  I now believe we need to return to our roots and begin again with core groups.  These can be made up from within extended family, children’s liturgy group, parish groups etc to make the most of this opportunity to do good.  Responding to their questions, hopes and expectations.

This Sunday we are highlighting the Synod.  Next Sunday we will turn our attention to the ministries.  The third Sunday, most important, be reconciled with God.  What we grew up with, confession, and when I was first ordained I spent hours in the confessional.  The true, true gift “God’s pardon and peace.  Then the fourth Sunday, preparation to make it the best Christmas celebration ever in our lives.

Please God, for this weekend.  It is the Feast of Christ the King, youth weekend; but normally known as the 34th week of the year, and the end of the churches year.  So next Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent.  I have long believed that this Sunday should evolve to become one of the Great Feasts like Christmas, Good Friday, Easter and Pentecost, and in the end, the greatest Feast of all when “Christ returns in glory”.  This Sunday we will celebrate it to the best of our abilities with a special celebration of First Holy Communion at St George’s, a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Now it is important to highlight events for Advent.  After harvest time, the most important gift we are left with is seeds, to be sown to provide for the year; and years to come.  Pope Francis has called for a special Synod, to respond to the life of the church at this time.  The time for this consultation has been extended and its importance is really great.  Through real prayer and effort I hope we will address this

For the Four Sundays:

First Sunday:  “Call to Synod”.  Ideas on how we might address this most welcome.

Second Sunday:  “The ministries of the church”.  How they enrich and develop the life of our church.

Third Sunday:  “Be reconciled to God”.  Confession as I knew it and spent hours at this time in the confessional box when I was first ordained.

Fourth Sunday:  “Hope, Aspiration, Visions”.  For the community, local church ecumenism and gracefully challenging those who have high office in the life of the church.

Time moves on quickly, and the request from Pope Francis it is time for; and of great importance to the church that we have a Synod.  It is now time to get this underway.  Two key questions for us as we begin A) Why:   Why do we need a Synod?  B) How:  How do we achieve the best outcome possible?, and the steps for us to take to do this.

The latest instalment that we have received is this:-

Synod of Bishops 2023 – not just for Bishops!
Pope Francis has said a synodal Church, in announcing the Gospel, “journeys together:” He asks us “How is this “journeying together” happening today in your particular Church?”

The Pope is asking us to dream what the Church could be, and to walk together into God’s future, where that Church becomes a reality.
Let us pray that we can listen to, and journey together with as many of our communities as possible, so that together we help to build up the Church and pass that message, loud and clear, to the bishops of England and Wales, and then to the Pope himself.

Synod Prayer
We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts: teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful.  Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.
All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.

It is now the month of November so the harvest season is well over.  The first frosts tell of the season that is set to come.  I cannot say that we had a good harvest, so we can be anxious and conscious of leaner times to come.  One of the most important fruits of any harvest time is that it contains the seeds for future planting and harvests to come.  We must cherish those seeds and set our minds and hearts to truly value them, and to see that they are well planted to bear fresh fruit – fruit that will last.

Among the seeds is the special lay synod that is desired by Pope Francis.  There are people I know who believe that this is most important; in fact vital to our future.  For us who really believed in and hoped for a great outcome for the 2nd Vatican Council, only to realise it was failed in so many ways.  Now a fresh impetus, a new enthusiasm, may be like a Vatican III, well fit for purpose.  Yes new fruit, new seeds – for fruit that will last.  We can have fresh hope, if we are ready to prepare the ground, to plough and to harrow, so that we can look forward to preparing good harvests.

For a moment let us now focus upon the greatest of feasts; the one that is on the horizon “The Feast of Christ the King”.  All our hopes are built upon this great event.  “Christ will return in all glory”.  That is why during the month of November we should pay attention to the Holy Souls.  The great multitude who have gone before us, with their own share of human failure, losses and crosses.  There has been a long tradition of having Mass offered for our loved ones and our benefactors.  A really helpful good thing to do.

After this a new Advent, a new time of sowing, and we are preparing an outline plan that the Bishop and our Diocese has asked us to do.

Through the waters of baptism we have received God’s great gift “the pledge of eternal life”. 

To experience that life as God has ordained it that calls us to make our response.  All our lives are watched over by God’s providence, but at the heart of His care is true the Eucharist.  When we hear His word, and to receive the devine nourishment  which brings us to the  assembly of the faithful, where the liturgy of the Eucharist gives life to our journey.  Deacon John made a reference for the need to Volunteer in his contribution to our newsletter last week, and gave examples; welcomers, readers etc.  Helping us to open our eyes, there is a line in the Gospel this Sunday which says “Master I want to see”.

I had a very encouraging experience during the week from Joe Roberts, and I am very grateful to him for it.  He was picking up upon “Good News” and announcing some good news to me.  His came from the Olympics in Japan.  I have asked him to share this with us by a piece for our newsletter.  It is a good idea, so I asked another person hoping that he too would have some good news.  It would be good to encourage each other to share more good news.  There is always a space in the newsletter for this.

This week we celebrate the “Feast of All Saints”.   The fact  we are included in this, is reason for gratitude “thanks be to god”, and the second “to let it really influence our lives”.  More and more mention is being made of Pope Francis to have a Synod, and at the heart of it the role of the laity.  In the weeks to come I really, really ask for your help and your patience.  We really need to develop a way to work that helps one another to share and to work together before the life in our churches come to an end.

During this week we heard a Gospel which talks to us of the qualities of being a good servant. Jesus was speaking to all of his followers, which includes us, when he said “blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.” We must never consider being a servant as being a demeaning term. We are privileged to be able to act as servants of Jesus. We must remember that, as Fr James McKarns wrote in a recent article I read, Jesus is our Lord, Rabbi, Teacher and Master. We must always be available to him even though we do not know what his plans are for us. I think we all have our own agendas but sometimes we must put them on hold so that we can follow whatever plans the Master has for us so that we can all say, as Mary said “Thy will be done”. We really should be saying “Speak Lord ; your servant is listening.”

There have been some notices in recent newsletters which are good examples of how we can be servants if we really listen and decide that we can be servants to the Lord. I have read that we need more people willing to write the Bidding Prayers – it only comes round about once every two months and does not need a computer. 

We are also in need of people to volunteer with the counting of the collection. This would be once a month if four volunteers come forward. It does involve two people every week for about an hour and a trip to the Bank in Eastbourne. Please come forward if you can to help in this important work.

There are many other areas in which we need volunteers to help, such as welcomers and readers in church. Why not give it a try! There is a line in the Gospel this Sunday which says “Master, I want to see.” We all need to see, to see His presence in what we do, for ourselves, others, the church and in the people we meet. I hope and pray that we will all “see” and do those things which we possibly can. So if you can help in any way to assist Fr Rory and those who already do, please phone or email Jackie on 01323 841504 or [email protected]. If you have already volunteered then I wish to thank you sincerely on behalf of Fr Rory, myself and the community. Thank you for reading this and, hopefully, for volunteering in either community.