Offertory £1040.60
Cafod £5
Newsletter 21st August 2011
I know that the summer holidays are beginning to come to an end as we will be at the school on Thursday morning for the opening of the GCSE results. I hope that everybody has done well and I look forward to hearing details of the results from everybody.
A few saints this week: Wednesday is the feast of the apostle, St. Bartholomew. He is also known as Nathaniel. Saturday is the feast of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, the patron of all mothers who continue to pray for their children.
Friday is the feast of Blessed Dominic Barbieri, the Italian priest of the Passionist Order who came to England and received Newman into the Church. Strangely he died at Reading Railway station and I always think of him when I am there.
Several very speedy responses to the request for information about the quotation from Joyce, so I have to make the questions more difficult. Now here is a recent crossword question: who knows the answer without looking it up. Who was the President of the US before Lincoln?
Also a correction on a recent item about Lewisham Road station. It was built by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, not by the South Eastern. The two companies merged in June 1898 to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. Thanks to Peter for this.
The forms are coming back for the First Communion class and we are going to have a very good set this year. Please let me have any further forms as soon as possible.
The repository has been re-stocked recently with cards for birthdays, get well, sympathy, Mass cards etc. They are very reasonably priced. Also there is still some rice available.
Several of you have seen pictures of the new great nephew – he is doing very well and we are all very pleased with him. His outfits seem to come from baby Gap. There are lots of new babies in the parish, as well as quite a few on the way, so best wishes to you all.
I am still using the apples from the garden and here is a small variation on a recipe that I have already given to you. It is important to peel and core the apples thoroughly. Probably this is familiar to most of you already. Prepare a pan with a little water and sugar and boil until the sugar is dissolved. Slice the apples and add to the liquid. Cook for just a few minutes until they are soft. Removed from the heat, allow to cool, and then transfer to a glass dish and put in the fridge. Serve decorated some soft fruit such as blueberries or strawberries.
A morning prayer:
Light of the world, Lord Jesus Christ, shine on us so that we may walk steadfastly today in the path of life: give light to our minds and warmth to our hearts so that your light may shine out in all we do and say. Amen.
Do you know the poem about The Jumblies
And in twenty years they all came back,!
And everyone said, ‘How tall they’ve grown!
For they’ve been to the lakes, and the Terrible Zone,
And the hills of the Chankly Bore’:
And they drank their health, and gave them a feast
And dumplings made of yeast;
And every one said, ‘If we only live,
We too will go to sea in a Sieve-‘
Hardly any hop pities in the garden this year. I wonder why? It has mean that there are no trenches in the grass – a couple of years ago they caused a great deal of damage. I might try to plants some further bulbs this autumn. In the past daffodil and tulips were dug up an eaten. Last summer I was given an orchid: it remained in flower for many months and I am pleased to say that it is now flowering again this year. The dining room seems to be an ideal location. I am also trying to grow some basil from seed and will transfer this to the herb garden. I must remember to give it a chance to grow before I start to harvest it for a tomato salad.
One of my friends has two left feet – he is a dog.
Best wishes to you all,
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon