newsletter 19th November 2017

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Newsletter 19^th November 2017.

Today is the thirty third Sunday of the Church’s year – almost at the end of another year in the Church’s cycle – next Sunday is the feast of Christ the King, the last Sunday of the year.

Slightly quieter this week, after many travels and events in recent days.

By now the work on the Angelus Room is nearing completion and it is possible that you may be able to use it in part this week end. A lot of work in the coming days – to put back the pictures and the carpets and to sort out the cupboards.  I will let you know when the work is finished so that it can be used once again on a regular basis.

Thanks to those who organised the lunch in the big hall last Sunday and for those who were able to come. I will let you know the results at Mass today.

Newsletters have to be prepared well in advance, but I think some of you will know that we had a wonderful time during our visit to the College in Spain. Warm sunny days of the type that you might expect in June in England – so not too hot. We shared in the feast of the Martyrs, with a solemn Mass in the chapel as well as a splendid lunch – so a day to be remembered. There are some new rooms at the College and the accommodation is very comfortable.Â

Fairly soon we will be putting up the lists for the Christmas mystery plays. We need a full cast – but make sure that you are able to attend – it is disappointing if one of the kings is absent without leave. The days are 17^th December, Christmas Day and 7^th January.

I was trying to remember a recipe from Spain.  We went out one evening and a starter was a mix of vegetables: some peas, pieces of white asparagus and artichoke, some lentils, all stewed with pieces of chorizo. It does not sound very exciting, but is a typical local dish and is quite tasty.

Nowadays Oxford Street seems strangely deserted as so many of the bus routes have been diverted.  From Charing Cross, the only route left is the 23 and from Victoria the 390.  The works at the Underground station at Victoria are nearing completion and it is possible to take the Jubilee line to Bond Street – best to change at Waterloo east.

A prayer for November:

Receive, Lord, in tranquillity and peace, the souls of your servants who have departed out of this present life to be with you. Give them the life that knows no age, the good things that do not pass away; through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Wavell, in his wonderful anthology of poems “other men’s flowers”, includes a parody of Kipling’s “If”.

If you can keep your girl,

When all around you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you”

And he continues – “but I have never heard the continuation.”

I am looking forward to seeing the boy and his sister at Christmas. They have reached an age at which we can encourage them to join in a mad game of charades. It is completely impossible with the older ones representing characters from Salad Days and South Pacific whilst the younger ones have curious acts about pop music – about which we know nothing.Â

Garden tasks – quite a few of the herbs have withered and the garden beds are full of pine needles.  I don’t have a greenhouse, so new herb pots will have to wait to the spring. Chives and parsley grow well and I manged some basil, but the dill was very delicate and did not last long. I thought of planting some more daffodil bulbs to the spring, but am reluctant to provide winter food for the squirrels that have caused so much damage to the grass this autumn.

Best wishes to you all,

Monsignor Nicholas Rothon