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St Wilfrid’s

Have you noticed a large revolving book stand in our church?  This was purchased for the  children to take a religious book, read it and return for someone else to read.  In our world of technology it is good to read a book, especially a holy one.  The money raised from Christmas cards & religious items will go to pay for this new and useful item.

Nine Lessons & Carols

Sat 16th Dec, 3pm at St Wilfrid’s.  Please fill the church, raise the roof in song and pray with us in the season of Advent.  And don’t forget to invite friends and family, this service is a perfect way to bring those who don’t attend our weekly mass through our doors. Mulled wine & mince pies in the hall afterwards.  We shall have a “surprise bag” table, a prize every time for just £1.  There is a box in the porch to receive any gifts you may like to contribute please.  We are asking for donations of mince pies by Sun 10th Dec and on the 13th/15th morning as long as they are in date on the 16th if you are buying, or if making brought to the church on the 16th before the service at 3pm.

Fr Rory Writes

“The Second Candle – The Candle of Peace”

Reader 1:  Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord

All:  Thanks be to God

When I left our seminary the flame of hope was alive.  That hope has now became greatly tested.  In my heart I could then see the writing was on the wall for seminaries in Ireland.  My hope was established in team ministry.  In fact I was part of a team ministry at St Paul’s, Haywards Heath for a while.   We were well underway, focused upon Leaven Groups as part of each mass community and with the R.C.I.A. as an important guiding light to our liturgical year.  Then renew came and upset the apple cart.  As responsible priests we did our best.  We all gathered at the Brighton and Hove Godstone Football Grounds with Cormac our Bishop, for our diocesan celebration at the launch of Renew where we received an oak seed. We planted the oak sapling outside our church at St Paul’s, and it can now be seen as a thriving oak tree.  The secret is that the seed must be planted in order to grow.

Today our children’s liturgy remains on my radar as our greatest source of hope.  Sadly, especially in Ireland there are not many examples.  Once when in Dublin with my sister Mary and PJ, we went for the baptism of their grandchild. Their parish had a children’s liturgy, when I congratulated them as brave people, their response was in complete agreement.  Hope must go on.