Latest News

The theme of this Sunday’s readings is the necessity of bearing fruit in the Christian life. In the light of this we should all ask ourselves this question: Are we good fruit-producers in the vineyard of the Church?  Jesus has given us many tools to use in order to make us fruit-bearing, so we really do not have any excuses for not doing so. Some of these tools are as enumerated below:  

1) The Bible to know the will of God.  

2) The priests to lead us in God’s ways.

3) The Sacrament of Reconciliation for the forgiveness of sins.  

4) The Holy Eucharist as our spiritual food. 

5) The Sacrament of Confirmation for a real fruitful life of Faith. 

6) The Sacrament of Matrimony for the sharing of love in families.

7) Role models in thousands of saints. 

We really must make use of these gifts and produce fruits for God so that we can say that we are grateful stewards for everything God has given to us. He will care for his Church, not by committees or documents, but by raising up saints who will properly tend the vineyard.

I will leave you with a couple of questions for you to ponder! Is our parish a real sign of Jesus’ presence and love? What kind of impact do we have? Do we measure the quality of our parish by what happens during Mass, or on what happens when we leave Church? 

So after our pause, a time to move on:

When I made the decision to pause and take stock, the way ahead seemed to be what is now called “new normal”.  Our children are back at school and many are very pleased to be back.  As my niece, a teacher, said “they were over the moon” when they heard that there was no homework for September.  As might be expected, going back to school has certain consequences with a rise in the number of people catching Covid 19.  Opening the pubs was another way for coronavirus figures to increase.  How all this is managed is truly important and emphasises the risks that are taken even with social distancing.  A clear hold on the words “being responsible” needs to be taken by everyone, which should then protect the very many over 70s.  Many do come to church with a conscious, reasoned assessment of the risks they are undertaking.  The need for their protection should be considered when rules are made and thought given to adhering to them.

Being aware of the above and that there is a natural, cautious factor, or even a fearful one, which highlights the correctness of the pause and thus taking stock.  I have received positive comments from people who have not yet returned to church but are in touch, and they very much commend our website and the regulations that are in place for attending Mass.  Now the question is, how to move on?  By being more relaxed, and that does not mean being any less responsible.  I have mentioned the experience of one of our lady’s 90th Birthday, being helped by modern technology and the value of streaming.  This please God, will be our next objective.  We will be able to stream our Masses on alternative Sundays.  This is my intention and with the help of our parish, will bear fruit that will last.

I acknowledge that I fail to give clear leadership as Parish Priest, and aspects of pastoral care, but please God, I am like everybody else “a work in progress”.  Through our website, and by working together, we will have a good outcome.  For me the outcome is what is truly important, and working together is the best way to achieve this.

Due to Covid 19, I have decided not to collect the Mission Boxes as usual in September.   Instead, hopefully myself and the promoters are planning a collection sometime in March 2021.  So please keep topping your Boxes up as usual until then if possible. Thank you all for your continuous support for the Missions.  Above all, keep safe and well. D. Jung. St. Wilfrid’s APF M-Secretary.

St George’s Church, Polegate/St Wilfrid’s Church, Hailsham

We are delighted to record good attendance at Masses during the week and on Sundays.  Great attention is paid to the spacing and general safety of our congregation. All precautions are in place and our stewards are always in church to offer assistance and guidance.

Now schools have restarted, our younger families are returning to Mass, obviously needing to come on Sundays to fit in with the school week.  Therefore it has become even more essential for us all to BOOK IN when we wish to attend and, importantly, to remember to CANCEL when we cannot be in church.

The Coronavirus is still with us, and sadly we may see an increase during the winter months. To reduce the risk of spreading the infection, windows must remain open, however inclement the weather.  AS THE TEMPERATURE DROPS, PLEASE REMEMBER TO WEAR WARM CLOTHING!

Our booking details remain the same:

St George’s Church

Tuesday Mass, please ring – 01323 870990

Thursday Mass  –  01323 704753

Sunday Mass – 07808175455

St Wilfrid’s Church

Online: www.saintsgeorgeandwilfrid.co.uk or

Telephone Jackie: 01323 841504 or

Email Jackie: [email protected]

We look forward to welcoming you all.

The readings last weekend were all about forgiveness. I think we all know how difficult it can be to forgive. I hope these two stories will help and encourage you to forgive others for what they have done and also to forgive ourselves for doing something we know to be wrong, for forgiveness brings with it peace of mind.

Sheila Cassidy, who was tortured by Pinochet’s men in South America,

wrote: I can only say: however much we have been wronged, however justified our hatred, if we cherish it, it will poison us. Hatred is a devil to be cast out, and we must pray for power to forgive, for it is in forgiving our enemies that we are healed.

In 1965 Richard Dimbleby visited Belsen where notices in different languages asked you to respect the dead who were buried there, about 70,000 of them. He came across a large wooden cross with wreaths beneath it. Below it was a prayer written on a scrap of paper by a woman prisoner. She had written it for those who were tormenting her. This is the prayer: Lord, remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not only remember all the suffering they have inflicted on us. Remember the fruits we bought, thanks to this suffering. Our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility, our courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart which has grown out of all this. And when they come to judgement let all the fruits that we have borne be their forgiveness.

It is good to pause: ………….   The new announcement from our Prime Minister leaves us with a lot to think about …….. and to hope and pray for. 

The nature of the virus does call for a lot of isolation, but life, is very much designed for the opposite, to be lived together and shared.  This is passing us by.   Yes, there is a need for a grieving process, particularly for the many elderly and vulnerable who have been so badly affected, because their care cut them off from family members which is particularly appreciated.   It is essential to keep in close contact with our friends, old and new.

Fruits of pausing:  After our pause, we look forward to bearing more fruit., fruit that will last.

Stewardship:  We are coming to realise the value that this brings to the church, and so we are most grateful to those who have stepped forward.  Because of their work, we appreciate the value of welcomers, which we have experienced in the past and hope for the future. This is very much a valuable service.

Cleaning:  Not the most appealing task, but certainly one of the most beneficial, caring for people is at the heart of the service that we bring, so we are very much in the need of help – yes – Help.  We look forward to developing all our ministries, strengthening our sense of community, working better together so we may enrich our shared experiences.

Fr Kieran is looking after our Masses this weekend and we are glad and grateful to have him.

I am looking forward to an outing co-ordinated by the Children’s Liturgy at St George’s, I have very much benefited by and enjoyed outings with them in the past.

A Huge Sincere Thank You To:  Our beloved Fr Rory, Sophie, Lawrence, Loretta, Maeve, Jackie, Bob and to the magnificent Bagpiper, Ivan Brooks, Anna & Karen at C.P.J.Field Undertakers, and to everyone who sent cards and helped in giving my beautiful Mum a magnificent Requiem Mass send off at St Wilfrid’s Church on Tuesday 25th August 2020.    To celebrate my beautiful Mum, Mrs Margaret McLean Westcar, wonderful 90 years of her beautiful, happy fulfilled family life.   Thank you xx and God bless you all xx love from Gary Westcar and his family xx

Our Way Ahead

Providence provided me with this prayer for it::-

Heavenly Father, give us the bravery of St George, to stand up for the truth and the glory of God

that we have seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

Give us the strength to overcome, in our lives and in the world,

all that is contrary to your rule of justice and love.

Help us to be good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind; Let the oppressed go free, and proclaim the good news of God’s favour and Jubilee

Amen

The RCIA:  Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.  Many years ago there was some initiative to place this at the heart of Catholic Life in our parishes.  Professor Fr Seamus Ryan was a great proponent of this when we were in our seminary, and in my early years as a priest this was a key focus for me; something very worthwhile to bring to the parish.

After my early years as a curate I was happy to be appointed to a parish team ministry in St Pauls Parish, Haywards Heath.  But within a couple of years of that appointment, the diocese introduced the Renew Programme, which also clashed with a newly introduced endeavour to have a structured process in place to develop ecumenical dialogue, and to improve working relationships between the churches.  Unfortunately the Renew Programme and process was very patchy at best.  After a number of years it became very clear that we did not have the support of our Bishop, and so the team ministry sadly came to an end.

Please God, the coronavirus will come to an end and the situation that we will be left with will be very challenging indeed.  In the wider context there is reason for real anxiety about how many will return to church, and at this time, there is an expectation that it will not be in the same numbers.  I also believe in other situations the numbers will be larger..

Our way ahead is now what we might call “the new normal”.  Our children are back at school and many are very pleased to be back.  The next horizon I would normally highlight  is the Feast of Christ our King;  the end of the church’s year.  In time I believe this will become a great Feast Day, but certainly not this year.  So our next highlight will be Christmas.  I do not expect that  things will have recovered enough by then so that we will be able to gather together to celebrate Christmas.  But I do think it presents us with an important opportunity to develop our liturgies so that they will become a greater blessing and help us to grow as communities of faith.  In fact, please God, a real bonus, a fresh life line that may bring us great blessings in the future.  The reality of the coronavirus guidelines has given great emphasis to being over seventy.  This calls for a true sense of discernment and this must get mature positive consideration.  The fruits of this discernment process, like all others is in the outcome.  So with gratitude for all that the over seventies have contributed, which calls for a new generation, let us all bear great fruits; fruits that will last.

Returning to the sadness of the end of our priests’ team ministry, which I had hoped would lead to great development in the life of our parish then, through a focus being placed upon eucharistic communities.  As priests we had particular responsibilities.  One of my responsibilities was for baptism.  I visited the families who requested to have their child baptised.  It soon became clear that for some their motive was to get their child into catholic schools.   I tried to make clear the true nature of baptism with its need to nurture the life of the spirit, the life of faith, explaining that this was parallel with the natural daily nourishment that is needed for our physical bodies to develop and grow.  This always raised the question of belief and the challenge that is brings.  This remains at the heart of our life of faith.

I recently visited a lady who has just celebrated her 90th Birthday.  Still with some lockdown limitations, it was the best birthday celebration of her life.  Her more immediate family were able to gather, and one niece had made special arrangements so that family members from all over the world were able to greet her. They could all join together in singing Happy Birthday and sharing great greetings with one another.  This is indicative of just a moment of inspiration that can be shared together for the future.  Forty year ago; when I was a curate, I was given the responsibility for an outside church.  We had developed preparation for the weekend Mass.  We were especially blessed with a young mum who had a great gift to be a cantor.  This helped greatly, and also the use of the new ministries of the eucharist and the word was very fruitful.  Unfortunately I had to move on as a curate and the priests brought this preparation to an end.  Four years after this, my next experience was the team ministry, so options and choices were getting scarce.  Providence provided that I spent the next 10 years on an ecumenical project.   Please God, we may all share a new project, that is very fit for purpose.   For our time each Parish needs to become a “Community of faith”.

Now we will pause with the question “How?”

Private tuition in Maths and English available for Primary children from an experienced catholic teacher. DBS provided. Please contact 07481180958 to discuss the support that you would like. 

The common theme of the readings for this weekend is God’s command concerning our spiritual responsibility and individual accountability for others in our families, parishes and community.

“Take the time to do what you need to do and do it now!” That is surely the best advice on what action to take if you have been hurt by someone. The hurt may have been intentional or may have been unintentional. Whatever the rights and wrongs the important thing is not who is right or wrong but to find a way to keep that relationship. Who will take the first step to heal the situation, me or the other person, is something we can all do – the best time to take that step is today! Do not delay.

There is a story called “The Carpenter” which illustrates how to promote mutual and forgiving love in any community. There were two brothers on neighbouring farms who fell into conflict where for many years they had worked together sharing resources. This conflict turned into a major discord which resulted in weeks of silence and absence of any sharing. One day one of the brothers heard a knock on his door and a man with a carpenter’s toolbox was there. He said “I need some work i hope you might have some work for me here which I could do.”

“Well as a matter of fact i do have a job you could do. You see that ditch over there. I want  an 8 foot fence built so that I won’t have to look at my brother’s farm across there any more. He constructed the ditch there just to spite me.” The carpenter thought and then said “I understand what you are saying and I am sure I can do a job that pleases you. Just give me the materials and I will do it today for you.”

The brother said “Alright”, showed him where the materials were and went off to the town for a meeting. When the brother returned that evening he found the carpenter just finishing the work, but there was no fence, he had built a bridge across the ditch. It was well made, sturdy and with handrails along the sides. At that moment he saw his brother coming on the bridge with his hand reaching out to him and saying “Well done for building this bridge between us after all I have said and done.” The brothers met in the middle and joined hands. They turned to see the carpenter putting his toolbox on his shoulder, about to go. “No, wait! Stay a few days. I’ve a lot of other projects for you”, said the brother who had asked him to do the work. 

“I’d love to stay on”, the carpenter said, “but I have many more bridges to build.”

Finally I read the following short story recently, told by a man called Roy A. Burkhart.  Once a boy went out of his home to do something that his parents felt was wrong. He was involved in an accident and lost both legs. It was a terrible blow, but the father told me one of the most beautiful stories I have ever heard. He said, “When his mother and I saw him in the hospital cot lying there aware that he had lost both legs, he said, ‘Will you forgive me?’ We both ran up and hugged him and said, ‘Of course; we have already forgiven you.’ And he answered, ‘Then I can live without my legs.’ ”