Category: Fr Rory Writes

Fr Rory has written above about two characteristics of living:- journeying and telling stories. Someone wrote this story about Mother Teresa in Time Magazine in answer to the question “Are we poor?” She was asked about the materialism of the West. “The more you have, the more you are occupied,” she contends. “But the less you have the freer you are. Poverty for us is a freedom. It is a joyful freedom. There is no television here, no this, no that. This is the only fan in the whole house…and it is for the guests. But we are happy. “I find the rich poorer,” she continues. “Sometimes they are lonelier inside…The hunger for love is much more difficult to fill than the hunger for bread…The real poor know what joy is.” When asked about her plans for the future, she replied, “I just take one day. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not come. We have only today to love Jesus.” Is there anyone in this area as rich as Mother Teresa? The Gospel for this Sunday contains a story with which we can identify ourselves. It is the story of Jesus’ rejection by fellow-townsmen and is a story that has happened to most of us. We might have experienced the pain of rejection caused by hurts, wounds, betrayal, divorce, abandonment, violated trust, trauma, neglect, or abuse in its various forms. What about rejection by those closest to us? Often our friends, families, or childhood companions fail to listen to, and refuse to accept, the love and encouragement that we offer to them, because they are so familiar with us as we were that they are unable to see us as God’s appointed instruments, the agents of God’s healing and saving grace. 

There is another side to this story which we should think about. How often do we discount God’s agents through prejudice? How often do we fail to see God’s image in them because of our own hardheartedness?  We must realise that God’s power is always available to transform even the most unlikely people.

Let us acknowledge the prophets of God’s goodness around us. God is always  present giving us his message through our nearest and dearest and all we meet. Since God uses them as His prophets to convey His message to us, it is our duty to acknowledge and honour them. Let us express our appreciation today for our families – spouses for each other, parents and children for each other. Remember to say “thank you” for any act of kindness offered to us. We can all act as God’s messengers of love and light to those around us. At the same time we should recognise God’s presence in our lives through His words in the Bible and through the advice, help and examples of others.

And now for something different.  Recently I had a “God sent” outing with a group of parishioners from the children’s liturgy at St George’s church.  The walk had been planned some time ago.  First and foremost it was a challenge, with the walk and views refreshing.  The weather was not ideal for picnics or sitting around.  It was in neighbouring Kent, noticeably different.  On our farm when I was growing up as a child we had some sheep, and that breed was called Sussex.  The sheep in neighbouring Kent, noticeably different.

The walk was quite long, allowing for a more prolonged quality time being spent together.  Continuing with my hobby horse: life having two characteristics a) journey and b) story telling.  So like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, there are always issues in the background.  In a way the issue in the background is the effects of the pandemic, and the drastic effects it has upon life.  The stresses and strains breaking through; and what will be the outcome, especially for our churches.

On Sunday we had our celebration of First Holy Communion at St George’s.  This celebration of the sacrament can be a powerful window into our life of faith.  Again, two things – belief and prayer.  At baptism the parents and godparents are given a baptism candle with the words “this light has been entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly”.  Through baptism your child has been enlightened by Christ.  Now as part of our first communion celebration the parents present their child with their baptismal candle which they have just lit.. The children take the candle, quench it in order to place their candle on the altar as part of the offertory of the Mass.  The parents place their children’s preparation book, the work that has taken place, at the foot of the altar. 

Because of the covid virus we recently had a very rare celebration of confirmation at St Wilfrid’s without it being the Bishop who was the celebrant.  At that service, we had the candidates lighting the candle themselves from the pascal candle, as a sign that they had taken upon themselves the light of Christ that had been entrusted to their parents and godparents.  Please God, they will continue to be active witnesses to their faith, as it now influences their lives.  A particularly memorable moment during a preparation class when asked what do we need to help us grow? – the response 1) food would you believe, and after some discussion 2) exercise.

I have just noticed the beautiful flowers while sitting in the church saying my prayers.  All of a sudden it  came to my attention how lovely the flowers are, and then I remembered that I was told that they were all from our garden.  Thank you Lulu.  I have often noticed the flowers with St George’s Church, where over the years they have done a wonderful job on the flowers.   Unfortunately the sadness is that the church has to be locked because it is so isolated and as such a vulnerable place.

I went to sit in the church to reflect upon our situation in light of the government statements this evening on the current situation concerning the virus.  Our hopes of returning to normal life are as important as ever and coming to terms with the effect that lockdown had on us and also on me as parish priest has been severe.  The implications of visiting someone with such age and health issues is always on my mind.   Christmas time was particularly difficult, especially in the end when it was not possible to celebrate our Masses.  Please God, we can eventually put all this to rest.

Now we need to restore and please God, develop the life of our parish for our future.  We will have a parish finance meeting this Wednesday, just for an initial reflection and establishing priorities and preparing ourselves ready to be fit for purpose for our future.  We will be able to address this in the weeks to come.

Our celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation last Saturday was a big step in the right direction.  I was especially pleased because of the parents that joined their children to receive the sacrament.  It became noticeable years ago to me that most parents sent their children to confession, but did not give the example of doing so themselves.  Then it was equally clear that parents were beginning to want to have their  children baptised in order to get into our Catholic schools, but seldom or ever would go themselves to church.  As the years have rolled on the gap between our catholic schools and their parish gets wider, and catholic teachers have become extremely scarce.

Last week I posed the question, “how did I end up the week before?”.  It was to begin again with the idea “how do we best work together?”.  Firstly, to have the sense that anytime we gather, we strengthen our bonds and our commitment to be a parish community.  We have a sense of what it is to be a good parish, but this must be very much updated and a return to the foundations as Jesus laid them out.  “You are my witness” and this is above all to the forgiveness of sin, and restoring a life of grace “by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, your love for one another”.

At this time one of the strongest affirmations of faith that I have received has been the celebration of funerals.  It brings home to my heart the central focus of our lives which is to be at home with God.  Thanks be to God that I have experienced some special moments, because over all we have been through a very difficult time.  I am most grateful for all the help and support that I have received.  It is as I listen to the concern and indeed echoes of distress that many are still experiencing; so it is most important that we are ready to resume our lives for the good of others to the best of our ability.

I acknowledge that this is helped most by having a good parish priest.  I always recognised that I have lacked some important characteristics to be a “good shepherd”, and sometimes I feel I am more cut out for a monastic type of life.  But key elements for all of us “is live and learn” and so with this foremost in our minds, let us look forward and be ready for the opportunities that will come our way.  We will have celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation and we will be getting prepared for the mass celebrated by the bereavement team.  

The parish community mass celebrations will be in July, with other various occasions when we will meet in different groups to catch up and to look forward together.  Please God, let us look forward to our future with hope and confidence.

“Your Attention” It is one of God’s most special gifts.  Sometimes things may demand our attention, one of them being this pandemic.  How we exercise this attention brings us to another gift “Our Responsibility”.  When confronted with many different things demanding our attention, priority becomes an important factor.  Our hope that we can move on from this pandemic must be treated with caution and care with making responsible choices.  Even though I thought with my periodical visits to care homes provided me with sufficient testing, a person got home to me that I should go to the chemist shop and get the means provided free, and to make two tests a week.

Because the need to move forward with caution, it  is right that we do this.  Priorities are most important.  So a special important need is for our parish finance committee to meet.  A meeting with six members is being established, and I am most grateful to Gerry Palmer for offering his services and progressing this.  I have been encouraged along the way to raise the need to appeal for more contributions to our Sunday collections.  So our gratitude to all those who attend and who contribute.  The parish finance committee is an essential requirement, constituted in Canon Law and now with Health and Safety, also Child and Vulnerable Adults Protection, it is essential to get back on our way.

We are blessed with those who have committed themselves to our Children’s Liturgy and preparation for the sacraments, and this please God, will develop and grow.  We will be truly blessed when it flourishes.  Obviously a large question mark remains over how we can continue to progress the returning to normal life and so remaining cautious, but at the same time becoming more prepared is essential.  Proposed events will be cautiously prepared for and with the help of God may be well celebrated.  So does anybody remember my final note last week?  Well please God, we will begin with it again next week.

Also next week we have a most important event on Saturday 12th June at 5pm, when our children preparing for their First Holy Communion will make their First confession.  Today it will take the form of a Pentecost Service on Saturday.  This is a supreme gift of Jesus, “your sins are forgiven”.  All through the ages this has a key role to play in our lives.  In the early church to deal with this people began to postpone their baptism until their death bed.  Through the centuries this sacrament has evolved, and an excellent experience of it is our Penitential Service, and we will do our very best to celebrate this in the best way we can.  If we are getting enough response we will have another priest with us to help us with our celebration of this great sacrament.

Please God, and indeed with the help of God, life will be returning to what is more normal.  It will continue to present us with a great challenge.  The optimist would say an opportunity, and the realist will say now we should know there is “no magic”.  What do we have to do?  To do things with care is very important.  To be careful is crucial.   How we interpret the need for social distance and normal greetings is best accomplished by being careful.

After our journey through Lent with the Stations of the Cross, and our celebration of Easter with the Stations of the Resurrection, Pentecost has presented us with a great experience.  Having celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation last Sunday we should have the inspiration to express; to live our faith.  Real signs of life are with our children’s liturgy, and it does my heart good.  Highlights the need for me to do better.  Help please.

Sunday the 11th July at St George’s and Sunday 18th July at St Wilfrid’s presents us with helpful opportunities  to begin to work together.  Again, caution and care with the language we use.  Outcome is what is most important, and to be careful is the best way to achieve this outcome. 

So how are we to do this?  I have made some suggestions and some persons (thank God) are beginning to make a response, and the best thing I can say is “early days”, but time passes by so quickly we need to get on with working for our future.  We can all remember so many persons that we have lost in the last few years.  One that stands out is Ann Fielder, because we were working with her in order to establish the “Missing Link”.  It is best for us to begin again.  Then I tried to introduce our “Leaven Groups”.  So we begin again with the idea “how do we best work together?”

The Twelfth Station:  Jesus ascends into heaven to return at the end of time.

When the day of Pentecost came … the disciples were waiting.  It was after the crucifixion when word of the resurrection started spreading.  Some of the disciples had witnessed the ascension, but the disturbance caused by the crucifixion was the predominant factor, and fear was part of the environment.  We started with the way of the cross for Lent, with the current fear of the virus very real. 

We love you Lord Jesus and we trust in you for you rose from the dead and have sent your Holy Spirit to live in us.

Jesus promises the coming of the Holy Spirit to help and inspire the disciples in their work. 

And then they actually see and witness Jesus ascending into heaven. 

Two angels are there to remind us that he has not gone for good but will be back.

Help us Jesus to await your return with faith and eagerness, and to look forward to our own resurrection on the last day.

Alleluia, Alleluia

Give thanks to the risen Lord

Alleluia, Alleluia

Give praise to his name.

The Thirteenth Station:  Mary and the apostles pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

So from the Mount of Olives they went back to Jerusalem and when they reached the city they went to the upper room.  In the newsletter last week was a point of focus for all of us; St George’s and St Wilfrid’s Churches – two communities, one parish.  As we move out of lockdown and look forward to the future, we can anticipate sharing events and news more often.

We love you Lord Jesus and we trust in you for you rose from the dead and have sent your Holy Spirit to live in us.

The apostles prayed together for nine whole days with Mary and several other women, whilst waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus please help us to remember the effects of common prayer,

and to use it, not only for our own good, but especially for the Peace and wellbeing of the whole world.

Alleluia, Alleluia

Give thanks to the risen Lord

Alleluia, Alleluia

Give praise to his name.

The Fourteenth Station:  Jesus sends the promised Holy Spirit upon Mary and the apostles.

When Pentecost  day came round they had all met together, when suddenly came from heaven a sound as of a violent wind, which filled the entire room.  When I was in the seminary a phenomena called “charismatic renewal” was in the air, the life in the spirit  seminars began to develop.  One of the phenomena most spoken about was “speaking in tongues”.  I was occasionally involved, certainly witness to “praying in tongues”.  Through the years I have from time to time found this to be very helpful,  especially when in the church praying on my own.  The early accounts add to this; they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak different languages as the Holy Spirit give them the power to express themselves.

We love you Lord Jesus and we trust in you for you rose from the dead and have sent your Holy Spirit to live in us.

This extraordinary Spirit empowered Peter – previously unreliable – clearly to confirm and proclaim Jesus’ Resurrection to the great crowd; and the Spirit empowered every listener to understand in his or her own language.

Come Holy Spirit, come to us, and strengthen our faith.  May we, with your help, spread our faith to our neighbours.  Jesus help us to remember that it is through your Resurrection that we have the Holy Spirit to guide and inspire us throughout our daily lives.  Lord Jesus we thank you for such a wonderful miracle.

Alleluia, Alleluia

Give thanks to the risen Lord

Alleluia, Alleluia

Give praise to his name

Continued….

The Tenth Station:  Jesus appoints Peter head of the church.

With the appointment of Peter, an uneducated fisherman, His work on earth is done.  With Peter at its head He commissions the church to carry out His work.  His mandate is clear “good trees bear good fruit, and by your fruits you shall know them”.  There is no magic Formula, and throughout the years there is a very mixed outcome.  So the commission given to the church will be the constant challenge until the fulness of time.  Again there is no magic.

“We love you Lord Jesus and we trust in you”

At the beginning of the first lockdown the divine office was a help and an inspiration to me, summed up in the hymns from Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal.

Come, Holy Spirit, live in us

With God the Father and the Son,

And grant us your abundant grace

To sanctify and make us one.

The Eleventh Station:  The risen Lord sends the disciples to evangelise all nations.

As His mission draws near to its end, Jesus makes it very clear that it is good for us that he should go.  John 16. 7.  “Yet you are sad at heart  because I have told you this, still I must tell you the truth:  It is for your own good that I am going because unless I go, the advocate will not come to you”.

We are very much like the early disciples, a work in progress and some would say without much success.  The question of vocations to the priesthood at this time and the great call of the Second Vatican Council leaves us if we are sincere “calling out for the Holy Spirit to come and refresh us, and the hierarchy.  From the second verse of the Hymn:

May mind and tongue made strong in love

Your praise throughout the world proclaim,

And make that love within our hearts

Set fire to others with its flame.

The Twelfth Station:  Jesus ascends into heaven to return at the end of time.

On His way Jesus said to them “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.  But you will receive power from the Holy Spirit when He comes on you; and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth”.  Truly it is a time to be open to, indeed to implore the Holy Spirit to transform our lives.

Most blessed Trinity of love,

For whom the hearts of man was made,

To you be praise in timeless song,

And everlasting homage paid.

Let us really look forward with hope and confidence.  Next Sunday we will have two of our young parishioners celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation and please God, on Sunday 11th July at St George’s Church and Sunday 18th July at St Wilfrid’s Church we will have celebrations for our return to life in our parish.

Alleluia, Alleluia

Give thanks to the risen Lord

Alleluia, Alleluia

Give praise to his name.

Continued…..               

The Seventh Station: Jesus gives the apostles the power to forgive sins.

It is after the resurrection and the apostles are together, the doors are locked for fear.  As the coronavirus has brought home to us, the implications and indeed the power of fear; that is why a good inquiry would be very rewarding and help to bear good fruit for our future.  The greeting of Jesus when He enters the room that is locked,  “Peace be with you” this is at the heart of God’s mission in Christ Jesus.  The ministry of reconciliation could be a great gift to the church in our future.

“We love you Lord Jesus and we trust in you for we know you are risen from the dead and live in us”. 

Peace be with you, is at the heart of confession, and when I was first ordained I spent hours in the confessional.  A great source of grace, but even there, the enemy evil can penetrate.  One of its fruits is scrupulosity, creating a disturbing barrier to God’s grace.  Another one which I experienced is the fear of having made a  bad confession which confused my early life.  I am not the only one.  The grace is to be reconciled to God, becoming more aware that His power lives in us.

Alleluia, Alleluia.  Give thanks to the risen Lord.  Give praise to his name

The Eighth Station: “My Lord and my God”.  Thomas professes his faith in Jesus.

Thomas was not with them when Jesus came.  What a loss, and yet what compensation for all of us.  It remains a comfort for us “doubting Thomas’s”.  In fact the words of Jesus “Happy are those who have not seen and believe” is a good emphasis.

“We love you Lord Jesus and we trust in you for we know you are risen from the dead and live in us”. 

We are all a work in progress and where we are on this journey of life is always part of God’s plan of salvation.  The people we live among are always a part of God’s providence.  Salvation begins when we place all our hope and trust in Him.  Then His power begins “to take root in our lives” so the reality is, these are the trials through which we triumph  by the power of Him who loves us.  This truth is our road through life, which often can have real difficulties and hardship – but again the words of Jesus “pray constantly and never lose heart”.  God’s salvation will be great far and wide and a spirit of judgement and condemnation will be lifted off our shoulders.

Alleluia, Alleluia.  Give thanks to the risen Lord.  Give praise to his name

The Ninth Station: The Risen Lord Jesus meets His disciples on the shore of Tiberias. 

And again they do not recognise Him.  “Have you caught anything friends?” he asks.  And what is our answer?  “We are on planet earth and work is in progress”.  A need for great patience, each life has a particular good purpose, all part of God’s plan – the great mystery that is life.  An aspect of this mystery from me is to be born as Siamese Twins, to blame someone, is a constant feature of life.  Who’s to blame?.  So best to turn to prayer.

“We love you Lord Jesus and we trust in you for we know you are risen from the dead and live in us”. 

Jesus continues to be there, waiting whenever our lives seem to be so unproductive; the place where I find myself so often.  So the last word will be Stations from St Thomas More, Seaford – Stations of the Resurrection.

Once more Jesus is not recognised by the apostles, for they are out fishing.  However he performs a last miracle for them by filling their nets with fish.  Let us remember that although we cannot see Him, Jesus is always there to help, whenever our efforts seem unproductive.

Dear Jesus help us to call on you, and to put our trust in you, whenever we have difficulties or disappointments.

Continued…..               

The Fourth Station: Jesus appears to his disciples on the road to Emmaus.

The one thing that we share with the early disciples after the resurrection is powerlessness, completely without power.  Even going to church when we can highlight all our difficulties.  The two disciples on this road to Emmaus were trying to get away from it all.  Then the fabulous moment of grace.  “Jesus himself came and walked by their side” but they did not recognise Him.  But He opened their eyes to the scriptures.  May He today open our eyes to the scriptures, but also to His presence in our lives.

“We love you Lord Jesus and we trust in you for we know you are risen from the dead and live in us”. 

One our Father, one Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father.

.

The Fifth Station: The Risen Lord is recognised in the breaking of bread.

The gift remains the same.  “Now while He was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them”.  What was so different? “Their eyes were opened”.  Please God, with all my heart I pray that my eyes may be truly opened.   I remain with the great body of disciples “I believe, help my unbelief”.

“We love you Lord Jesus and we trust in you for we know you are risen from the dead and live in us”. 

The disciples failed to recognise Jesus because they had actually seen Him die and knew He had been buried.  For our time we have been buried in the scandals and all too often we have built idols within our ways of worship in the church.  We pray that our hearts may be transformed and brought back to life.

Alleluia, Alleluia.  Give thanks to the risen Lord.  Give praise to his name

One our Father, one Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father.

The Sixth Station: Jesus appears to His disciples in Jerusalem in a locked room. 

He rebuked them for their lack of faith but always His gift “My peace be with you”.  “Look at my hands and feet”, and to confirm the reality of His presence “Have you anything here to eat?”  He knows we need to have our faith strengthened and restored.  Let us reveal to Him our wounds and our hurts at this time

“We love you Lord Jesus and we trust in you for we know you are risen from the dead and live in us”. 

When Jesus shows himself to the apostles, they assumed He was a ghost.  Our assumption is that it cannot happen – so let us sincerely pray.  Dear Jesus, we may find it hard to believe that it was your physical body that came into the room full of apostles.  Please help us to truly believe in this your greatest miracle – that you whom the disciples had seen tortured, crucified and speared to death, really did come back, not only for them, but for all of us.

Alleluia, Alleluia.  Give thanks to the risen Lord.  Give praise to his name