St. Mary’s,
Blackheath
Newsletter: 27th September 2015
Mass times: Saturday: 6.30pm (first Mass of Sunday)
Sunday: 9.30 and 11am and 7.30pm
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 10am
Tuesday, Thursday: 7.30am
There is a Mass at the Convent on Friday evenings at 6.30pm.
Confessions: Saturday 12 to 1pm
Today the First Communion Class will bd helping at the 9.30 Mass in a special way. It must be quite daunting to read the lessons and to prepare the bidding prayers for the first time, but as the months go by, they will gain confidence and we look forward to the celebration in May. Thanks to the parents who helped with the class on Saturday morning.
This week I travel to Cumbria for a conference of Heads and Chairs of Governors of Catholic Sixth Form Colleges. This will mean that I will not be here for a 7.30 Mass on Thursday morning. I do not stay for the dinner on Thursday evening and travel back to London so that I can attend to my First Friday duties. The journey is always enjoyable – by train to Oxenholme and then through the lanes to the hotel on the edge of Lake Windermere.
The accounting year for the College in Spain ends on 30th September so there is a lot to do over the next few weeks. I have to complete the accounts and the report for the English Trust so that they can be examined by the auditors. Later in October I will be at the College in Spain collecting the data and putting together consolidated accounts for both England and Spain. The Trustees quiz me closely and I have to make sure that all my sums add up. There are problems in operating in both euros and pounds and an apparent surplus can be changed into a loss due to changes in exchange rates.
Did you ever learn Longfellow’s poems at school? Most of them were terrible but provided a good foundation for parodies. Here is one of his worst.
Under a spreading chestnut tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawn arms
Are strong as iron bands.
The great nephew is setting off for school each day: his main concern is the school lunch: I wonder where he gets this from? This leads to the recipe for today. Mince some pieces of chicken and blend well with some cream. Put a little into a cocotte pot and break in an egg. Season well and cook in a hot oven until the egg is set. Before serving add a little glaze around the edge of the egg.
The prayer today is a grace before meals:
Bless us, O God, bless our food and drink. You who so dearly bought us and saved us from sin. And since you give us our share now, may you give us our share in your glory hereafter. Amen.
Just space to mention that some pieces of track have been delivered for the new railway junctions beyond London Bridge station. You can see some of them on the new bridge over the roof of the market. It is all part of the giant train set. I will be watching with great interest as they are put in place.
Were you able to work out the text message in last week’s newsletter?
Are We Going To Have To Go Through This Again.
Best wishes to you all.
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon.