Category: Fr Rory Writes

With the Help of God

Our initial meeting of our parish council got off to a good start on Tuesday evening in the church.  Its role and above all its responsibility will be of great importance and will please God, be a great gift, very beneficial for our parish in the years to come.  The awareness that a body is made up of many parts, but working together is most beneficial; hence please God, core groups will enable this to bear fruit.

This coming Thursday to the Feast of the Ascension, with its focus upon the words of Jesus “It is good for you that I should go, for I will send the Holy Spirit, hence Feast of Pentecost” the most important event in the life of our church.

Another very special event, but this time a very happy one.  I received a copy of my sister Mary’s second book that has just been published “love speaks”, a very beautiful book full of hope and promise.

From the editor:

Love Speaks is a timely book, appearing at a time when all God’s people are asked to embark on a spiritual journey marked by two important elements: listening and sharing.  This journey is the synodal path that Pope Francis has    proposed for our times so that the Church can listen profoundly to what the Holy Spirit is saying to us.  However, an aspect of this listening which can too often be neglected is attentiveness to the inner voice in our own hearts, that still small voice of the Spirit in us.  Our author has shared generously the fruits of such attentive listening and by so doing invites us to ponder the words of love that sustains our journey in the spiritual life.

At the Link on Sunday

Such a special occasion; indeed a great privilege to have been there.  The food was so good, indeed delicious, yet the    occasion was so, so sad.  Kay’s acknowledgement “she was heart broken as the Link had come to a close”.  After years of love and care, a sanctuary for those in need, a port of call as a Christian outreach to Hailsham and beyond.  It      expressed its belief in actions; always spoke louder than words, an open door.  Ron will continue his outreach from the Christian bookshop for the moment and we will always keep them in our thoughts and prayers.  It brought Anne Fielder to the foremost part of my mind, as she was always so involved in everything good that happened in our     parish.  It helps me to strengthen hope that our parish communities continue to refocus and grow.  I believe Pentecost this year will be truly important.  Let us walk and work together for a new Pentecost, for a revived journey of life, love and faith.

The Feast of St George brings with it an opportunity to highlight our shared journey.   So the Mass at St George’s will be followed by tea and cake, thanks to Shirley and friends.  It presents us with an opportunity to share new steps on our journey.  We look forward to the work of our parish council.

A sad note to end.  We have been informed Anita Stone has died; with her husband Geoff, they too made a great   contribution to the life of our parish.

A great thanks be to God for Holy Week and Easter,

 and the great sense of grace that it brought to us. 

One special  moment was the children’s Stations of the Cross.

Now we look forward to Pentecost. 

That it may be a fresh beginning for a new life of faith in our parish communities.  Some very important work has been done.

Rejoice in the Lord always

and again I say rejoice.

Once again a Happy Easter to all

Christ is Risen from the death.

He will turn our crosses

into Crowns

   The Instruction “Do This in Remembrance of Me”

Restoring reception of the precious blood from the Chalice.

This is a very personal decision for each person.  We are all very aware of the pandemic and the need to exercise   caution and care.  This remains an important part of our discernment. So it is right and must play its part in deciding our response.                                  

The fact that we can receive the precious blood is of great value and should be cherished, even if it is our decision not to receive from the chalice at this time.  It is an important part of The Last Supper when Jesus said “Do this in           remembrance of me”.  It was at the heart of the event that took place on the night he was betrayed when Jesus took bread and wine, blessed and broke it, so that hence forth it provides us with the divine nourishment that we receive. This helps us on our journey of life.

The introduction of the idea of it being a mortal sin if we do not receive is a grave mistake.  Key to everything is the nourishment we receive.  We are particularly aware that if we do not nourish our bodies we are at a loss.  In the same way it is so important that we continue to nourish our spirits while we journey on to the fullness of life in God’s kingdom.  Please God, we will restore ministry of the chalice on Wednesday, when we celebrate the mass of the Lord’s Supper.  Deacon John has offered his service to carry out this ministry for this event.

“Holy Week is almost upon us”

“Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into His Glory?”

We are about to be presented with this mystery which is at the heart of life, the greatest occasion in the churches year.  Please God, this year presents us with the opportunity to bear much fruit.  So far, a lot of work has taken place and we look forward to the coming events.  Hopefully after my misadventure with the Covid virus, thanks be to God my symptoms were not too serious, and I will be able to catch up with visiting the housebound and get on with our preparations for Holy Week.  God bless and keep you.

Again, help and more help needed.  Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with you blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the faith of thy womb, Jesus.

The good news, God’s salvation is our greatest gift.  How we share and how we celebrate this is our greatest hope for our future.  Yes, this needs a structure, but it needs to be fit for purpose.  I am aware that when I write liturgy of the word and of the eucharist, it is controversial.  For me the most important thing is that we nourish and strengthen our faith.

The structure for our parish council is now the most important contribution that we can make, and I am grateful for the work that is taking place.  This Sunday will be St George’s turn to discuss and to propose, and here at St Wilfrid’s after mass this Wednesday morning.  The implication will take time to fall into place, its priority will be most important.  If we get them right, actions speak louder than words and I look forward to our liturgies, obviously the rosary is important, but liturgies of the word and our actions, please God, will bear good fruit, fruit that will last.   Maintenance of our churches, including halls and gardens will be an important part of our contribution to give witness to our faith.  We are particularly blessed with our parish secretary, and I am very hopeful that we can look forward to our future.

 Help, I rely upon help.

In my first parish, St Anne’s, Banstead, we started up a parish youth group called Y.A.F (Youth Action Fellowship) it got off to a great start.  I hoped to add the word formation, but the time as curate was short lived, 3-4 years.  So I was moved on.  There appears to be so much less time in a week as weeks and years fly by.

We are now well launched on our response to Bishop Richards pastoral plan “The Word Who Is Life”, especially from the introduction 1.3: “I therefore take this opportunity to invite everyone in the Diocese – lay faithful and religious, deacons and priests – to join with me in forging our parishes into communities”.

Putting things into practice is the important thing, this is where I need all the help.  Already in our plan for St George’s I got the date for our meeting after our weekday mass wrong, as I am not free on Tuesday, so it needs to change.

Most important is our first Sunday Meeting after Mass which takes place at St George’s Church next Sunday. 

We need to spread the word and encourage people to come.

Le Cunamh De         with the help of God         Le Cunamh De

On the 4th Sunday of Lent “Laetare”, March 19th, Canon Paul will celebrate with us the 10.30am morning mass.  This will give an opportunity for all the people from St George’s to gather together after their 9am mass, to outline plans and actions for the future of the church at St George’s.  This is a response to the growing great shortage of priests.  Above all it is a providential opportunity for the people of God to grow.  As mentioned great and inspiring moments during our seminary preparation.   A statement in the Old Testament was “Let my people go”.  I have occasionally mentioned restoring the use of selective moments of incense at some masses.  Incense places special emphasis on God’s holiness, sacred moments like the consecration of the mass.  One other is the assemble of the faithful.  Fr Seamus always highlighted that emphasis, by saying without the faithful we cannot have the rest.  We are most grateful to Bob and Martin and all who have guided and facilitated our response.  An outline of this is now being prepared, and it is a time for all of us to join in and work together for our good future.