Newsletter 23rd June 2013
Today is the twelfth Sunday in Ordinary time.
The Parish Council meets on Tuesday evening at
8pm. Agenda papers are available today.
Saturday is the 29th June but the feast of the apostles Peter and Paul is transferred to Sunday 30th.
Monday is the feast of the birth of John the Baptist.
On Friday there is the dedication of a memorial at Greenwich Park for a Pilot who died during the Second World War. The Mayor has asked me to say the prayers of dedication.
The Children from class 4E at St. Matthew’s will be coming to share in the 10 Mass on Thursday. We are always pleased to see them and they enjoy playing in the garden afterwards.
Everyone is pleased with the works to the Church but already there are some ideas for further works – new kneelers, a new floor covering for the Lady Chapel and painting the entrance gates. I will certainly keep these in mind but maybe we need to wait a bit until we have saved some money.
A maths problem now: the Lady Chapel is a perfect octagon and each side measures 1.1 metres. Can you calculate the width of the piece of carpet that will be required to cover the whole floor area? I will give you my answer next week.
You might have noticed that the votive candles are slightly different – I have discovered that a large self assembly furniture store sells them for a third of the price of the previous supplier. If you are going to Croydon or Thurock please let me know so that I can replenish our stocks. I understand that the mangers are puzzled as to why a number of elderly gentlemen are appearing and purchasing candles in thousands.
A simple salad dish that will go well with some other summer items. Skin some firm tomatoes in some boiling water and cut into quarters. Drain a can of red kidney beans and add the tomatoes with a handful of chopped parsley. Season well with salt, pepper, some wine vinegar and some good olive oil.
A prayer of intercession from St. Augustine.
Watch, dear Lord, with those who wake and weep tonight, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, O Lord, give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, shield those who rejoice and all, for your love’s sake. Amen
And how about this from Thomas Gray:
Haply some hoary-headed swain may say
‘Oft have we seen him at the peep of dawn
Brushing with hasty steps the dews away
To meet the sun upon the upland lawn.
There at the foot of yonder nodding beech
That wreathes its old fantastic roots so high
His listless length at noontide would he stretch
And pore upon the brook that babbles by.
This reminds me of the copper beech in the garden. It is now 31 years old, planted in the year when Pope John Paul II came to England. In its early years, it needed some encouragement but now it is well established. At the bottom of the garden there is a monkey puzzle tree. It is still very small and I understand that it will need many decades to reach maturity: something to leave for posterity. The first crop of rhubarb was very good: lots of sugar, not too much water and a pinch of ginger makes a very good pie.
I was discussing the reading of Proust with my brother the other day: he said that in life, it is a task that should be postponed for as long as possible due to its near impossibility. He considers that there are far more important things to do. He thinks it can only to be matched with the burden of reading of Ulysses.
The trains have been operating on the new track at St. John’s for some time. Gradually the ballast has been packed in place and everything is being cleaned up. As yet I have not seen two trains passing on the incline, though in theory at least this should be possible. At the point where the new track joins the main line, the down line has a double set of points and trains use the up main line for a short distance. In the past there would have been a diamond crossover but these have gone out of favour in recent times.
Best wishes to you all,
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon