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16th August 2024

So important that we continue on our pilgrim way on life’s journey.

At times like this, easier said than done.  Thanks be to God for a very special moment of grace, last week had a blast from the past.  Myself, Joan and Granddaughter Sophie visited Elizabeth Robinson.  She is very blessed because her nursing home near the seafront in Bexhill is looking after her very well and she is very happy there.  Sophie and Elizabeth’s husband Peter, did a lot of work together for our parish and we cherished good times together.

So needless to say I continue to pray for our future.  Words are always selective and we choose what we like to hear from “Letter to all parishioners of the Deanery – July 2024”.  We won’t be about “closing down” but building up what we already have, sharing all our good resources.

Lourdes Pilgrimage 2024

Laura, Claudia and Maria can not thank you all enough for your generosity in raising funds to send them on the Lourdes Pilgrimage last week. Claudia went as a redshirt (school year10/11) and was guided along with 100 others by some amazing youth leaders and chaplains, they led prayers in   hotels, provided welcoming and other ministries at all masses, including the red carpet wave and high five or two, putting smiles on all faces and warmth in our hearts. Maria a purple shirt (Year11/12), helped her assisted pilgrims daily, pushing wheelchairs, attending masses, music concerts, tours and having lunch at the hotel with them etc. Laura was a  younger (20s) helper in the Accueil, a nursing facility for those assisted pilgrims with the highest needs. Laura supported them all daily with love, kindness and care. She said half way through the week “I am blessed to be here, and I am so thankful to Our Lady for bringing me here and our parishes for the  financial support”. Out of all of us, Laura’s helper experience was really the ‘in at the deep end one’, but after, something she shared she did while on shift, I know she made the biggest difference of all to those she cared for and it gave her so much hope and faith in our Lord and herself to be there and do just that. 

As a group we will prepare a presentation in October for you all where we can share photos, videos and details of our combined experiences and encourage many more of our parish (assisted and non assisted pilgrims, helpers and youth) to join the pilgrimage with us next year. 

Masses for our deceased parishioners and our parishioners intentions have been requested and candles lit. Thank you and God bless you all for your prayers and generosity.

Delve Deeper into the Sunday Scripture Readings:

DELVE DEEPER INTO THE SUNDAY SCRIPTURE READINGS: with world-renowned Scripture scholar Dom Henry Wansbrough OSB and his wonderful reflections on the Sunday Scriptures. These easy-to-follow reflections are suitable for individual or private reflection, families praying together or breaking open the Word in prayer groups. Go to The Wednesday Word at www.wednesdayword.org

9th August 2024

Wishing you all the joy and renewed energy that this holiday season may be reviving and beneficial to you. 

Many, especially those who were involved in education were in real need of this.

The two remarkable Great Feasts of August.  We have just celebrated the Feast of the Transfiguration and this week on Thursday we will celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of our Blessed Lady into Heaven.  When I was growing up this was very well celebrated and was a part of a great event.  The importance of the celebrations is their focus upon the splendour of Our Divine Majesty, The Infinite Goodness of God.  One day His glory will be revealed  and our work will be done. 

Grace and peace.

2025 – A Year of Jubilee

The Holy Father has named 2025 as a year of Jubilee, something which happens every 25 years. “Jubilee” is the name given to a particular year. A time to re-establish a proper relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation. The theme is “Pilgrims of Hope”, and it will be a year of hope for a world suffering the impacts of war, the ongoing effects of COVID-19   pandemic, and a climate crisis. To prepare spiritually for the 2025 Jubilee, Pope Francis has asked Catholics to focus on two key elements: a) To study the key documents from the Second Vatican Council, held between 1962-1965 which can be viewed on: https://uscatholic.org/articles/201209/major-documents-of-vatican-ii/ b) To focus on prayer. The Jubilee of Hope will begin in December 2024 with Pope Francis opening the “holy door” in St. Peter’s Basilica, offering the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics the possibility of obtaining a plenary indulgence and a year of special graces.  

Table Sale St George’s

We urgently need quality items for our table sale, new and nearly new.  This table sale raises significant amounts to our monthly charity and also to assist in Youth Activities throughout the year.  Please leave bags marked table sale at the back of St George’s church.  If you would like something collected please text Sandra on 07791627368 or email [email protected].  Thank you.

Pantomime Planning

CTK/St Joachim’s Parish is planning a Pantomime for the end of January 2025 and they have asked if any of our parishioners would like to join in as cast/backstage crew etc. If you are interested in finding out more please pass your name and contact details to Sandra ([email protected]) in the first instance. A meeting will be held in September if enough interest is generated.

Becoming a Moderated Parish

BECOMING A MODERATED PARISH: Please take and read a copy of the Letter from Fr Kevin Dring (Dean), at the back of Church. This gives an overview of the process we are on, as a Deanery of 8 parishes, to become a single Moderated Parish in November-December. It also outlines how YOU can be part of the process. We will all need to work closely together, clergy and laity. Understandably there will be concerns and questions about what will happen, but together we can approach the challenges positively and find solutions that support everybody in the best way.

2nd August 2024

“It’s me, it’s me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.

Not my brother, not my sister.  But it’s me, O Lord,

Standing in the need of prayer.

Many years ago in the earlier days of my ministry, we were invited by the diocese to embark on a journey, the focus for the journey being “renew”.  For the Jubilee Celebration Mass at St Wilfrid’s, just before the commencement of mass, an old photograph of my mum and dad was followed by a photograph of an oak tree with me standing under it.  When the renew programme was introduced I had not long been at the parish, but I had planted potatoes which     produced a very good crop that was quickly taken up by customers.  Not so fortunate for the renew process.  Some parishioners embraced it, and some put in a large amount of work to produce fruit for the harvest, and I have not seen any oak tress in the diocese like the one at St Pauls.

We are now on a new journey, very important to our lives and our communities.  Fr Kevin has given us a very       important introduction to attach to our newsletter this week, which has a most important bearing on our future.  We must give it our very best effort.  Here at St George’s and St Wilfrid’s a lot of preliminary work has taken place.  At St George’s, Martin Falkner, over the Sundays of August will present us with early offshoots and I will follow them at St Wilfrid’s, which we pray will develop and grow.  The welcome introduction prepared by Stephen is a very tangible, purposeful development that will, with the help of God, bear fruit; fruit that will last.