Newsletter 10th April 2016
Today the Third Sunday of Eastertide. The Masses this week are all for the Paschal season.
First Holy Communion classes again this week: there is a meeting for parents to plan the class at 8pm on Monday and the class is at 10am on Saturday in the big hall. Thanks to all the parents who have worked so hard to make the classes possible.
The Eucharistic Ministers meet on Thursday evening at 8pm.
Oh dear: you probably heard about the disaster with the Paschal Candle during the Easter Vigil. Not noticeable at first, but rather shorter than it should be. It should be long enough to last for a full year – until the new candle at Easter 2017.
Next week there is the second Collection for the Ecclesiastical Education Fund, which helps meet the cost of training the future priests of the Diocese.
The schools are back this week – I have an Easter Mass at the school on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
At last the trees are beginning to come into bud in the garden: I think that it is later than usual. The winter has not been very cold, but not warm enough to encourage the new buds. I am watching the cherry tree with great interest.
Another progress report on railway works at London Bridge. There are two new up lines to Charing Cross serving both sides of the new platform. Initially the right hand line was in use but over Easter the left hand line was commissioned and is now being used by up trains. After the station the two lines converge into a single track for the bridge over Borough High Street.
Thanks to all who use the Gift Aid envelopes. Following April 6th, it is now possible to make a tax claim for your donations. Please let me know if you would like to receive a set of envelopes, or possibly make your donation to the parish through a standing order.
This is always a favourite poem:
The steam hissed. Someone cleared his throat.
No one left and no one came
On the bare platform. What I saw
Was Adlestrop – only the name.
(Actually it is on the line from Kingham to Moreton in the Marsh, closed a long time ago.)
During the Easter break, the great nephew and his sister have been to South Africa. They are already very well-travelled. I have to be careful in speaking with them as they are already well informed about everything.
The man came to see about the kneelers on the benches in the Church recently. It is only when you look at them closely that you realise how worn they are. I have chosen a blue colour – for Our Lady Help of Christians but also to match the blue carpet which comes out for special events. I will let you know when the work is to be put in hand. We may have to move back to the Angelus room for weekday Masses for a short time.
A tit-bit from the Guide to the Church of St. Buryan in Cornwall: the Church used to be a Royal Peculiar, Sinecure and Donative. The last incumbent appointed by the Crown was an aristocratic Stanhope who got the living form the Duke of Wellington as compensation for losing a leg at the Battle of Waterloo, As he had no other qualifications for the post, some difficulty was experienced in getting him ordained. He drew the emoluments for the post for 47 years without once visiting the parish and paid his curates £100 apiece.
And just room for the recipe: make a custard with 10oz cream, 4oz sugar and 3 egg yolks. When cool, add the juice of two large pomegranates. Freeze this and you will find that it comes out with a mysterious cedar-pink colour.
Best wishes to you all,
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon
Newsletter 10th April 2016
Today the Third Sunday of Eastertide. The Masses this week are all for the Paschal season.
First Holy Communion classes again this week: there is a meeting for parents to plan the class at 8pm on Monday and the class is at 10am on Saturday in the big hall. Thanks to all the parents who have worked so hard to make the classes possible.
The Eucharistic Ministers meet on Thursday evening at 8pm.
Oh dear: you probably heard about the disaster with the Paschal Candle during the Easter Vigil. Not noticeable at first, but rather shorter than it should be. It should be long enough to last for a full year – until the new candle at Easter 2017.
Next week there is the second Collection for the Ecclesiastical Education Fund, which helps meet the cost of training the future priests of the Diocese.
The schools are back this week – I have an Easter Mass at the school on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
At last the trees are beginning to come into bud in the garden: I think that it is later than usual. The winter has not been very cold, but not warm enough to encourage the new buds. I am watching the cherry tree with great interest.
Another progress report on railway works at London Bridge. There are two new up lines to Charing Cross serving both sides of the new platform. Initially the right hand line was in use but over Easter the left hand line was commissioned and is now being used by up trains. After the station the two lines converge into a single track for the bridge over Borough High Street.
Thanks to all who use the Gift Aid envelopes. Following April 6th, it is now possible to make a tax claim for your donations. Please let me know if you would like to receive a set of envelopes, or possibly make your donation to the parish through a standing order.
This is always a favourite poem:
The steam hissed. Someone cleared his throat.
No one left and no one came
On the bare platform. What I saw
Was Adlestrop – only the name.
(Actually it is on the line from Kingham to Moreton in the Marsh, closed a long time ago.)
During the Easter break, the great nephew and his sister have been to South Africa. They are already very well-travelled. I have to be careful in speaking with them as they are already well informed about everything.
The man came to see about the kneelers on the benches in the Church recently. It is only when you look at them closely that you realise how worn they are. I have chosen a blue colour – for Our Lady Help of Christians but also to match the blue carpet which comes out for special events. I will let you know when the work is to be put in hand. We may have to move back to the Angelus room for weekday Masses for a short time.
A tit-bit from the Guide to the Church of St. Buryan in Cornwall: the Church used to be a Royal Peculiar, Sinecure and Donative. The last incumbent appointed by the Crown was an aristocratic Stanhope who got the living form the Duke of Wellington as compensation for losing a leg at the Battle of Waterloo, As he had no other qualifications for the post, some difficulty was experienced in getting him ordained. He drew the emoluments for the post for 47 years without once visiting the parish and paid his curates £100 apiece.
And just room for the recipe: make a custard with 10oz cream, 4oz sugar and 3 egg yolks. When cool, add the juice of two large pomegranates. Freeze this and you will find that it comes out with a mysterious cedar-pink colour.
Best wishes to you all,
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon