newsletter 11th September 2011

Offertory £911.87
Cafod £13.50

Newsletter 11th September 2011

Today at 6pm the Choir will be singing Solemn Vespers in the Church and this will be followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. I hope that it will be possible for you to attend.

The introduction of the new texts for the Mass went well last Sunday: remember to take one of the cards at the beginning of Mass – and put it back at the end.

The meeting of the Film Club last Sunday was most enjoyable. We look forward to the next session.

I will be away during the coming week from Monday to Friday for a visit to Venice – somewhere I have always wanted to visit and I am delighted to be able to make the trip. There should be a Mass at the Convent each day. The Bishop will celebrate Mass in the Church on Tuesday and Wednesday and I will ask the Eucharistic Ministers to help on the other days.

A couple of dates to remember: the meeting for the parents in preparation for the Holy Communion classes is at 8pm on Tuesday 20th at 8pm and the Parish Council meets on 28th at 8pm.

Wednesday is the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Gradually the garden is settling down for the autumn. The holly berries have appeared and the horse chestnuts as well as the sweet chestnuts are beginning to fall. There are still some last roses but I am beginning to prune them all. The herb garden continues to do well. The attempt at growing basil from seed failed. To begin with, it began to sprout, so I gave it some plant food and it promptly died. My best plants are the ones that I leave well alone. The olive tree has thrived without any attention.

I hope by now that the problem with the flooring in Angelus room has been finally resolved. Work should have started on the big hall: a message for children: please do not go up on to the stage as the builder is storing his equipment there.

The new Eucharistic Ministers have completed their course of instruction and I am asking the Bishop if he can formally commission them in the near future so that they can begin their tasks. Also these days it is good to see that many of the young people are helping with serving at Mass.

A recipe from Spain. At this time of year, in the Basque country, the Tuna fish are harvested. You can make this with a can of tuna. Also you will need some potatoes, a sliced red pepper, an onion, some cloves of garlic and some cayenne. Put the ingredients in a big pot, add a coffee cup of olive oil and cover with water. Cook gently until the potatoes are soft. This is known as Marmitako: it is eaten traditionally on the feast of Our Lady of Aranzazu. (One day I will have to tell you about feast days in the Basque Country).

Some Auden this week:
The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can every come to any good.

The day working on the railway on the Bank holiday was most enjoyable. Some technical details: the steam locomotive “Wadebridge” failed at the last minute with a broken spring on one of the driving axles. A class 33 diesel was used for the first train but the U class was steamed and took over the service later in the day.
Father Logan, a former Parish Priest from Lee, was one of my passengers and I was very pleased to see him.

And a prayer:
God our Father, whose law is a law of liberty, grant us wisdom to use aright the freedom which you have given us, by surrendering ourselves to your service, knowing that if we serve you faithfully and with joy, we are truly free. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

A reminder that from the middle of this month, we are asked to take up the custom of Friday abstinence once again. Not particularly convenient: I normally do my supermarket run early on Saturday so by Friday, fish might be distinctly nifty. Maybe I can survive on some pasta. It is meant to be penitential!

Best wishes to you all

Monsignor Nicholas Rothon

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