Newsletter 16th December 2012.
Today, the Third Sunday of Advent we use the rose coloured vestments, a relaxation of the purple colour. It is a sign that the penitential season is more than half over. Today is known as Gaudete Sunday from the first word of the Latin Introit antiphon. Rejoice in the Lord always.
At the end of the 9.30 Mass there will be a rehearsal for Children who have parts in the mystery plays – first in the Church and then moving to the big hall. Next Sunday the costumes will be left out on chairs in the big hall with the names of the parts. Remember to come early – by about 9 and put on your costume and the come to the Church and take your place. After the Mass is over, go back to the big hall and place the costumes on the chairs so that they will be ready for the next play.
The St. Matthew Academy will be coming to the Church on Monday afternoon for a Carol Service at 2pm. You will be welcome to attend.
Thanks to the choir and the readers for presenting a wonderful Carol Service last Sunday.
By now you will have seen the tree at the back of the Church with the tags for gifts for the Manna Centre and for Asylum Seekers.
There are end of term Masses on Friday at the Academy so if the Bishop is not available, the Eucharistic Ministers will distribute Holy Communion. There will be a Mass in the Church as usual at 7.30am.
No feasts of Saints this week as we are concentrating on our preparations for Christmas. From Monday we start the “O” Antiphons at Evening prayer. If I remember, I will put a list of these up on the notice board.
When you are using the new Mass books, please remember to put the book marker back. It is a bit difficult to go through 120 books to see which one the maker comes from.
Now here is a good recipe for the holiday season. First make a white sauce with some margarine, flour and milk and stir it until it is smooth but not to thick. Add some grated cheese. At the same time cook some small leeks and a small cauliflower but make sure they are reasonably firm. Drain, cut into pieces and pour the cheese sauce over the vegetables. Use an ovenproof dish, place in a hot oven and cook until slightly browned. A good satisfying dish for a cold evening. (I have found a revised and better recipe for French Onion soup but this will have to wait until after Christmas.)
A friend who is a priest in the Westminster Diocese, who shares similar interests, came to see
me recently and we had a long debate on familiar topics. We concluded that the new Routemaster is most interesting but the present version, with two staircases and an open rear platform will not survive. Later versions will probably be shorter with a conventional entrance and exit and possibly only one staircase.
Something to entertain you this week:
Together they would travel
On a boat with a billowed sail
Jackie kept a lookout perched
On Puff’s gigantic tail
Noble kings and princes
Would bow whene’er they came
Pirate ships would lower their flag
When Puff roared out his name. Oh!
Can you still sing this to your Children? (A dragon lives for ever, but not so little boys….)
Time for a prayer from St. Benedict:
Almighty God, give us wisdom to perceive thee, intellect to understand thee, diligence to seek thee, patience to wait for thee, eyes to behold thee, a heart to meditate on thee, and life to proclaim thee, through the power of the spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
POS – so pause for a moment.
The garden is bleak at the moment with all the leaves gone as well as the last of the roses. My attempt at indoor herbs was not very successful with some very thin offerings. Maybe the seeds were planted to deeply. Also my hopes for a second set of blooms from the orchids have not worked out. I am told that the best solution for this is to use rainwater.
CYWL.
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon