Newsletter 22nd October 2017
Today is the twenty ninth Sunday of the Church’s year.
There is a second collection today for the Missions.
This week I am off to visit the College in Spain. The members of the group are coming on different flights and we are due to meet at the railway station in Madrid so that we can take the train to Valladolid.
This means that I will not be here during the week for the morning Masses. The Bishop may be here on some of the days and I will let you know what is possible.
A busy week ahead – apart from the travel – the College year end is 30th September so I will be gathering all the figures for the accounts. On Wednesday the feast of the English Martyrs with a solemn Mass – to honour our own martyrs – followed by a splendid lunch. Some work again on Thursday with visits to the Banks to review the investments – and back to London on Friday. I hope that I will have time to show our guests around the College.
The work to the Angelus Room continues and I hope that it will not be too long before it is back in use. The concrete floor was taken out and it was possible to see the extent of the water damage. I am asking the Architect to check carefully at every stage to ensure that there are no further problems.
Friday of this week is the feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude.
A reminder that summer time ends next week-end – remember how to set you clock – spring forward and fall back.
There will be a parish retreat at the Convent on Saturday 9th December – from 10.45 until 4pm. The retreat will have an Advent theme. Booking forms will be available shortly.
The First Communion classes are going very well. Thanks to the parents for all their help.
Bishop Lynch will be making a Visitation of the parish at the beginning of November. More details to follow – but he will be speaking at all the Masses and will wish to meet you all.
I think the crows have caused the damage to the grass in the garden, digging it up to look for worms. I have tried various remedies but none seem to have worked. I will invest in a garden roller – clean up the mess – roll the under soil flat and at some compost and some grass seed. The grass on the site of the pool has done well after a few weeks. Also my pots of herbs seem to have survived. The wooden spikes seem to deter the birds and the squirrels.
The works at London Bridge station continue. The four tracks from Charing Cross narrow to two tracks for the new bridge over Borough High Street then widen into four tracks at the entrance to the station. The remaining two tracks from the original four from Charing Cross, which use the old bridge over the High Street, are being prepared for the Thameslink services.
A prayer of blessing at the end of the day:
May Christ Our Lord, by the power of his resurrection have mercy on us and save us. And may the souls of the faithful departed through the merch of God rest in peace. Amen.
Here is the recipe: make a cheese sauce with some butter, some flour, some milk and some grated cheese. Heat gently and stir so that it does not catch. Maybe add a pinch of nutmeg. In the meantime, steam some small leeks and if you are really brave, some pieces of asparagus. Place the vegetables in a dish and add the cheese sauce and bake in the over until the top has browned slightly.
Recently I found a present for the boy – an excellent book describing cars of the 1960s. He is very pleased with this and has intense debates with his grandfather on the relative merits of an A35 and a Minor 1000.Â
Best wishes to you all,
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon  Â
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