Category: Saint George’s latest news

Thank you for the Music at St George’s – an overdue thank you is needed to Shirley for all she does to keep our music liturgy so beautifully prepared every Sunday.  A particular highlight had to be last week when Shirley sang Ave Maria during communion, most moving and perfectly placed within our service.  

Can you help? – As we begin again after August we have even more need than ever for help with our Youth Activities including Children’s Liturgy, First Communion and Confirmation formation classes and Parish Social Activities.  For more information on what is involved and/or to volunteer please email the parish office [email protected].

Remaining with grace and peace

Father, Son and Holy Spirit

As we continue with the holiday season, our hopes and prayers are that we may all benefit from this time.  There are real signs that the worst of the pandemic has passed, but there will continue to be different variants and outbreaks.

So to remain cautious and careful is important, but to be positive and to be looking forward to a more normal and beneficial lifestyle is important.

Returning from a long stay in Ireland, lots of rain and some opportunities to catch up with, and benefit from meeting with family and friends with the future more hopeful and at ease.  I attended a second funeral of priests who were truly inspirational when they were teaching us in the seminary.  I always look back to a time of great hope, so their funeral brought great sadness.  So many seminaries closed and hopes not realised.   This time the priest Fr  Denis    Talbot got a good send off, acknowledging his life of service.

Altar Server Mass – Saturday 23rd September at    Arundel Cathedral:  Fr Aaron Spinelli, Diocesan    Director for the Guild of St Stephen, invites diocesan altar servers to a special Mass at Arundel Cathedral on Saturday 23 September at 12 noon, led by Bishop Richard. The Mass is for all those who have served, all those who are serving, and anybody who would like to serve – all are very welcome. Fr Aaron         requests attendees bring a cassock/cotta or an alb (if possible), and a packed lunch. There is no need to register, though attendees are asked to E: [email protected] to confirm numbers.

Our next afternoon tea will be Thursday 31st August, 2-4pm, St Wilfrid’s Hall.  £5.  Our theme this month is London and we will be    doing all the usual quizzes and bingo.  Please do come and join us.

Would you like to understand more about the challenges and reality of mental health on those around you?  We continue to run courses focused on   raising awareness of symptoms and the impact on people’s lives along with ways to signpost those who are struggling.  For more details see the Diocesan website or email Simon South, Formation Advisor E: [email protected]

No breakfast in August but we return on the last Sunday of September when we will be raising money for the Love in a Boxes transportation at Christmas.  It will also be our one year anniversary breakfast so we may even do something a little more special (watch this space!).

Earlier this week we had the Gospel about loaves and fishes. It includes the sentence “They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over – twelve wicker baskets full”. An article by Kristin Armstrong wrote about this saying that when she gets discouraged by having too much to do she asks God to “loaves-and-fishes her”. She agrees that this is not a grammatically correct prayer but she says that God always answers it. She realises that she is asking God to take what she can offer and work within her and increase her understanding and her capacity to serve and to show her love. God combines his abundance and limitless capacity and ensures that there is more than enough to go around. The best thing about this, she says, is that she is not spent or drained. She says she can take the pieces of her left overs and still have the energy for self-care, for gratitude, for creativity and for fun. She says “I am able to do without sacrificing my ability to be”.

I have found this useful during this week – perhaps you could try asking God to “loaves-and-fishes you” this coming week. I hope that prayer helps you if you do!

All my love to each and every one.

Altar Server Mass – Saturday 23rd September at    Arundel Cathedral:  Fr Aaron Spinelli, Diocesan    Director for the Guild of St Stephen, invites diocesan altar servers to a special Mass at Arundel Cathedral on Saturday 23 September at 12 noon, led by Bishop Richard. The Mass is for all those who have served, all those who are serving, and anybody who would like to serve – all are very welcome. Fr Aaron requests attendees bring a cassock/cotta or an alb (if possible), and a packed lunch. There is no need to register, though attendees are asked to E: [email protected] to confirm numbers.

Sunday 17th September at St George’s Church.  Starting at 4pm followed by refreshments.  Donations to Eastbourne Foodbank.