newsletter 13th September 2015

Newsletter 13th September 2015
This coming week I will be away in Venice from Monday to Friday. This means that there will be no morning Mass at 7.30 on Tuesday and Thursday. Bishop Lynch may be available at 10 am on the other days – but otherwise there will be a Eucharistic Service.
Also, just for one weeks, there will not be a 6.30pm Mass at the Convent on Friday.
Important days to keep in mind – a meeting for the parents of the Children who will be joining the First Communion class at 8pm on Tuesday 22nd September in the big hall – not for the children this time – but if there are problems with child care – you can bring them along. Usually the meeting takes about an hour. Please try to arrive in good time.
The new Parish Council meets for the First time in Thursday at 8pm in the house. Agenda envelopes should be about next week.
The Liturgy Group meeting has been moved to Monday 21st at 8pm.
The summer is over and I am moving into the autumn mode. The pool will be put away for another year – lights on in the evening for the Masses and even thinking about the heating soon. I think the trampoline can remain in place and it will be well used.
Monday is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and Tuesday is the Commemoration of Our Lady of Sorrows.
May I draw your attention to the posters in the porch for the Retreats and the Days of Recollection that will be held at the Convent in the coming weeks? You are most welcome to share in these.
Time to report on the visit to the steam railway on the Bank holiday Monday. You may recall that it was a rainy day so it was not very busy. We now have a new coach for our train – with a guards van a four first class compartments. At least not new – but a swop with another railway. It is fully carpeted and very comfortable – but there are problems in keeping it clean with children with bags of crisps and muddy dogs. One suggestion was to charge high first class fares to prevent passengers from using it.
News from the great nephew and his sisters – he is now able to ride his bicycle without difficulty – his sister, who is now one, is beginning to walk and will be setting off on her own soon. Their mother is now back working at the hospital so that grandparents help to look after them.
I expect that by now you are looking for a recipe. Here are some instructions for a simple soup. Melt some butter and cook some tomatoes, a finely chopped onion and some well washed rice with a sprig of thyme. Stir well and season. Now add some water or some stock and cook slowly until the rice is soft. Pass through a sieve and add some more liquid if necessary. Serve with a little more butter and some cream.
A prayer to the Lord:
Be to us, we pray, a constant helper, our sweet refreshment and our consolation, so that the Enemy may never harm us, and we may, one day, enter your eternal rest. Amen.
Do you remember Dylan Thomas~?
Especially when the October wind
With frosty fingers punishes my hair,
Caught by the crabbing sun I walk on fire
And cast a shadow crab upon the land,
By the sea’s side hearing the noise of birds,
Hearing the raven cough in winter sticks,
My busy heart who shudders as she talks
Sheds the syllabic blood and drains her words.
I found a packet of ‘Nigella Damascena’ seeds and have put them in one of my pots. If sown in autumn, in theory at least, they should grow to about 2 feet in height – and according to the instructions, should produce a dazzling display of blue flowers. I will wait and see what happens.
It seems that the Pound shop has purchased the 99p store. The new owners have stated that for the future, there will be no change.
Best wishes to you all,
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon