Today is Remembrance Sunday. The 11 am Mass today will be a Requiem Mass for those who died during the world wars. At the beginning of Mass there will be two minutes silence after the singing of the Introit antiphon.
There is a Second Collection today for the Archbishop’s Administration Fund.
On Wednesday I travel to Paris for a meeting of the Catholic Foundation at the University. This time, instead of meeting at the Catholic University, we will be meeting at a building owned by the Scots’ Foundation at rue Cardinal Lemoins. (I have found it on the Metro map)
The Charts should be up today for the parts for the cycle of Christmas Mystery plays. There are three plays – on the Sunday before Christmas, on Christmas Day and on the feast of the Epiphany. Lots of parts and jobs – particularly we are looking for some older children to act as the narrators. There will be a rehearsal on Sunday 16th, but this should not take too long. Chris and Joan have helped to run the plays for many years – since we first started – and would welcome some help for the future – so if you can help, please add your names to the lists, which are on the notice boards in the Angelus Room.
Also this week a meeting for Governors at the St. Matthew Academy and to Greenwich for a Local Authority meeting on Thursday.
We are remembering the deceased members of the parish at Mass during the month of November. You can still add a list of names to the basket under the altar.
The work in the garden seems to have progressed well. Now the trees have lost nearly all their leaves – the last one to go is always the big sweet chestnut at the end of the garden. I have cleaned out the herb garden and put in some new plants. The basis is a favourite with the birds and so I have put some netting over it this time. No sign of any bees in the hives. I hope that some might appear but there are few about this year. I have heard that this explains the thin crop from the apple trees.
And now some important information. The train in the new Bond film looks like one of the Networker trains used on our local line. In fact this is not the case. A set of similar trains was constructed for the transport of mail but these quickly became redundant when the post changed to road transport. The trains have remained in store, looking for further use, and one was disguised as a passenger train for the role in the film – where it suffered some damage.
Here is something good:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
A prayer for this week:
God our Father, direct our ways and make us increase and abound in love to one another and to all: that we may be established in holiness before you at the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints.
Another recipe from the College in Spain: you will need to cook and drain some pasta such as some fusillini. Add some small flowers of broccoli, some pieces of toasted bacon, some pieces of mushroom and maybe some pieces of onion, fried gently in some oil. Serve warm, dressed with some olive oil.
Recently we were visited by a group of Architectural Historians. They were very interested in our Church and were particularly interested to see the way in which the original high altar has remained in place with the tabernacle in the centre. It is complemented by the stone altar in the middle of the sanctuary. .
Many of you will remember Mansell Usher who stayed with us a few years back – and has returned regularly. He will be ordained to the priesthood in his home Diocese – at Swansea on 6th July next year. He very much wants to come back here to celebrate Mass for us and we will be delighted to welcome him.
Christmas cards from the Repository and from Traidcraft – sourced by the Justice and Peace Group – will be on sale in the Angelus Room after all Masses during the weekend Nov 17th/18th.
Best wishes to you all
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon