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We are nearing the end of this liturgical year. Next weekend with the Feast of Christ The King we will be at the end of the Church’s year. The following weekend, November 29th, will be the first Sunday of Advent and we move into Year B cycle of readings. Having said all that the readings for this weekend, November 15th, of the work we must in order to reach Heaven. These readings tell us to use the talents God gave us in such a way that when we die the Lord will say to us “Well done, my good and faithful servant!… Come and share the joy of your master”, words given us by St. Matthew in the Gospel.

The first reading from the Book of Proverbs feeds us with the wonderful idea that we should imitate the work of a loyal and faithful wife who brings out the goodness in everyone as she tends to the poor and needy.              

The Psalmist sings about the worth of the Lord’s faithful servants and how we can obtain happiness and joy in this life and the next. St. Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians tells us all to build everyone up whom we encounter in the coming weeks so that we will all be “children of the light” and so when Jesus comes we will be ready to greet him.

The parable of the talents challenges us to do something positive, constructive and life-affirming with our talents here and now. Yes, we can all do this in our homes and families and also in our parish. If you don’t already do this then perhaps you would consider offering yourself to share in the various ministries such as Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, Reader, Usher, singer in the choir, volunteer to help with activities such as Church cleaner or flower arranging or anywhere where help is needed. Please give your name to the secretary, Jackie, who is in the Parish Office on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. (Telephone 01323 486280 with answerphone). We have all been given at least one talent – the gift of faith – and it is our responsibility to work with that gift.  So, please, put your faith to work and help it to bear fruit in the Polegate and Hailsham communities.

With my love and prayers. DJ

Please God, a real ray of light is appearing with the announcement that a vaccine for protection against the coronavirus, which is fit for purpose, is on the horizon.  This vaccine has received the necessary assessment of its potential and the pitfalls that surround it.  Having heard much of the commentary, my compass remains firmly…… Please God.

Live and learn; the capacity to never learn is real.  When a final post-mortem on this episode with the coronavirus is carried out, it will reveal that some major afflictions might have been avoided.  Some great sense of loss and emotional damage and injury will be a legacy.  From the beginning I have recognised the reality of evil that accompanies this and indeed all of the viruses.  The capacity to turn all things to good is part of the legacy that has been left to us by Jesus.  Conscious of my failures makes me very sad.  Our failures as a parish community gives us a real opportunity to live and learn together.  Let us begin to reach out to prepare for, and to embrace the opportunity that will now come our way.

When I came to this parish, I introduced “Leaven Groups”, which I hoped would serve our parishes and build up our communities.  I still believe that this is possible.   For different reasons, and the loss of some great parishioners, has left us with a lot to do.  We reached a place where “A Missing Link” to help with communication was being prepared.  Prior to this lockdown progress was being made, and we will return to this.  During lockdown the Great Feast of Christ the King will pass and Fr Kieran will  help me with the celebration this year. Then a new Advent, when I hope and pray we can begin again to live a new life of faith.

Speaking of prayers; and with my heart and soul focused upon them, a great, great sadness.  Noelle, a real treasure in our parish has died.  After a long, long battle with cancer, shared by Marianne Patel, who died two years ago.  They were outstanding witnesses to our faith and above all life.  They battled for the greater part silently with it, with strong mutual support.  Noelle had just accepted to be chair person of our Leaven Group, and then she received this devastating news.  She quietly battled; and what a battle this year has turned out to be.  Consolation, she has united with her own and our family of saints, who have reached their true home which awaits us in heaven.

Her husband, Brian, and children, Aiden and Rosin (only again for the pandemic) would have celebrated her First Holy Communion this year.  Please God, a legacy of inspiration is left to us from Marianne and Noelle that will inspire us to build better liturgies and to communicate the gifts that faith can bring.   At this time I know you would just want me to let them know that we want to offer all the love and support that our parish could bring to them at this most difficult time.  

Remembrance Sunday is always held on the Sunday nearest to 11th November, Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of hostilities in the first World War at 11am in 1918. 11th November is also the feast day of St Martin of Tours – the soldier who became a saint. He served in the Roman cavalry in Gaul, but left military service at some point prior to 361. The story is related that when he was on duty one bitterly cold night he took his sword and, after cutting his soldier’s cloak in two, gave half of his cloak to a beggar on the roadside. Later that night Martin dreamed that he had given half of his soldier’s cloak to Christ.

We all know that our world today is existing in very troubled times. It is very important that we nurture our Christian hope in times like these. No matter how hard or threatening things become, it is very important that we continue to live our lives in hope. The central Christian message is a story of hope. God in the person of Christ was crucified – but God raised Jesus from the dead. What was true for Jesus, can be true also for us.

God’s inclusive love, as revealed to us in Jesus Christ, is what we are all about.  May God continue to bless you all as you seek to further the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ through love of God and our neighbour, as you live out that love here in the Eastbourne area and beyond in our very needy and troubled world. 

The prayer of consecration of the gifts of bread and wine ends with the words:  “Do this in memory of me.” ,These words were spoken by one who will never forget us, never abandon us, never overlook us. As our Lord remembers us, we need to remember him. His teachings. His miracles. His mercy. His example.

This is part of our prayer during this month of November as we remember those we love, those we have lost — but also remembering and praying for those we don’t even know. This year due to the trouble caused by Covid-19, in a departure from our usual practice of entering names ourselves of those we wish to be remembered please phone the Parish secretary, Jackie, and leave the names you wish to be added and I will ensure that they are added regularly during November.  As we pray for those we love in this month of November we ask God to increase our trust that all will be well. Our faith tells us that when we die we will be safe in the hands of God.

Let us now pause in silence for 2 Minutes as we remember all those who have died in war and also those whose names are in the Book of Remembrance.

…………………. 2 MINUTE ………………………

When the Irish writer Frank McCourt died, Mitch Albom, a friend of his, wrote: “Smiling is the best cradle in which to rock your memories.” So, as you recall your memories of those you love, do try to ensure that they make you smile.

Let us pray: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Here we are again, another lockdown

Father, Son and Holy Spirit

At the beginning of this year when our first experience of lockdown began after Ash Wednesday, we were experiencing the season of Lent.  Then all of a sudden on the horizon was Holy Week, and I was settled into praying the Divine Office, and celebrating Holy Mass on my own.  I was also experiencing the benefits of live streaming Mass and other devotions.  The Sacred Heart church in Hove became a sanctuary.  Holy Week was a very focused fruitful time, with the passion, death and resurrection merging with our experience of lockdown.

The evenings were getting longer and the weather was very kind.  Spring watch was a God send, and a sense of light at the end of the tunnel.  The Feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost are a time of hope and renewal.  Now Remembrance Sunday is particularly appropriate.  Deacon John’s contribution is very helpful.  Like Good Friday, the focus of Remembrance is upon injury, great damage and loss.  At the heart of their experience of affliction, death may have appeared as a welcome escape.  But for us when we give it all the care and attention it deserves, it leaves us with a great sense of the virtue of Hope and the odds that people can overcome through perseverance.

To be continued …………………………..

Godly Play:  Godly Play is a creative and engaging way of praying with children, young people and even adults!  Telling stories helps us explore God’s story, Bible stories, our own story, and where we fit in to it all.  Are you involved with, or interested in Godly Play?

Join members of the Diocesan Formation Team on Zoom, on Saturday 21^st November at 10.30am.  Please contact [email protected] for booking information.

St George’s Book of Remembrance:  As usual the Memorial book will be placed near the altar.  However, due to the Coronavirus this year we will unfortunately not be able to invite our parishioners to add the names of their deceased friends or relatives.  If you would like your friends/relatives names added to this book please email or send to the office.

St Wilfrid`s Book of Remembrance: will be placed on the altar as in the past but you will not be able to enter the details of those you wish us to pray for.  Please contact Jean Barham-Wyatt by phone or email and she will enter the names for you.  Tel:  842824 and leave a message or email: [email protected]

Monday Nov 2nd is All Souls’ Day and Mass at St George’s will be 10am followed by Deacon John blessing graves in the Memorial Garden and then at Willingdon Cemetery.  Mass at St Wilfrid’s will be 11.30am.  Fr Rory will celebrate the Mass for St Wilfrid’s Community.   Please inform Margaret Piegrome on 870990 if you wish to attend the 10am Mass at St. George’s On All Souls’ Day.

Live Streaming of Masses:  St Wilfrid’s Church – Sunday 1st November 2020 and thereafter fortnightly.  St George’s Church –  Sunday 8th November 2020 and thereafter fortnightly.

This Sunday is All Saints Day and is the day on which we honour the memory of countless unknown and uncanonised saints who have no feast days in the Church’s Calendar. All baptised Christians who have died and are now with God in glory are considered saints. So, today, we thank God for giving ordinary men and women a share in His holiness and Heavenly glory as a reward for their Faith. We honour them in two ways: firstly by imitating their lives and secondly by asking them to intercede for us through Christ, who, as Timothy tells us in his first letter is the only mediator between God and man. The Church reminds us today that  we are all called to live in His love and to make His love real in the lives of those around us. We can all do this by living lives of integrity, truth, justice, charity, mercy, and compassion, sharing our blessings with others.

Three saints each gave us a guide to how we can follow the teaching of the Church. St. Teresa of Avila said: Recharge your spiritual batteries every day by prayer, listening to God and talking to Him. St.Therese of Lisieux said: Convert every action into prayer by offering it to God for His glory and for the salvation of souls and by doing God’s will to the best of your ability. Thirdly, St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) said: Do ordinary things with great love. Do something beautiful for God.

These are three sound methods which we can all follow in our endeavours to live the lives of the saints. The Church gives us over 300 days in the year when we can remember a particular saint. Every now and again the Church changes the calendar and a new saint is entered into the calendar. I want to suggest that we all create our own list of men and women who have been influential in our lives and so are worthy of being included in the calendar if there were enough days in the year. 

The following day is All Souls Day when we pray for all who have died— our loved ones, and also those people around the world whom we will never meet— that through the mercy of God, they will rest in peace.   There will be Mass at St George’s at 10am and at St Wilfrid’s at 11.30am. Following the Mass at St George’s I will bless the graves in the Memorial garden and then at Willingdon Cemetery. I go to all graves, including those of ashes, I know about and all those of which I have been told. Anyone is welcome to accompany me. At each grave we say together the following prayer: “Almighty God, we remember before you today your faithful servant ……… may he/she share in the eternal victory of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” We then sprinkle the grave with holy water. If the weather is inclement we do all graves collectively from the big tree.  With my love and prayers for you all. DJ

“Let the love of God find its home in you”

I have received some positive feedback from my piece last week which is always helpful.  There is a consistent theme in the reflections.  Many years ago I received an award as I was leaving a parish, from a person that I valued very much.  It has helped me to keep a positive focus.  Always “so far, so good”.  The alternative being “so far, so bad”, this is to be avoided full stop.

The coronavirus remains a huge influence and affects all our lives.  All that I have written since the beginning of lockdown is in response to provide a way ahead.  It remains a very difficult time with much distress.  Growing up on a farm with some involvement  in the construction industry, has taught me what is most important for the best outcome.  In the building world the foundation and the footings, in farming the preparation of the ground.  The outcome is summed up “by their fruits you shall know them”.

Good trees, bear good fruit.  At this difficult time the words reasonable and responsible are being very tested.  The directions that are given with the best intentions for our health and safety are important.  That is why I try to give them serious consideration.  The “Litmus Test –  “by their fruits you shall know them”.   When we were first in the seminary, with philosophy and theology as corner stones to our study.  One of the early ideas that caught my attention was the importance attached to the phrase “the exception proves the rule”.  Unfortunately some of our rules have been so poor that they do not survive that test.  The fear being that if you make an exception it becomes the new rule.  This has certainly been a great factor in our application of the rules (Dominic Cummings incident, certainly had a great effect on this).

“Responsibility” is a constant consideration.  Reason and reasonableness goes hand and glove with it.  The amount of health and social issues highlight the success or the failure of the rules in place.  This remains a work in progress.  It is helpful to have a point on the horizon to aim for.   Christmas will begin to appear during the coming weeks.  Let us pray very sincerely that this will be a fruitful time and that the love of God finds its home in us, and may the love of God find its home in me. 

To be continued……………