Newsletter – Sunday 3rd April 2016
Today Low Sunday, the Sunday in the Octave of Easter. It is also known as Quasi Modo Sunday from the first words of the Latin Introit. The well-known hunch back of Notre Dame was born on this day.
Today the gospel account of the appearance of the risen Lord to Thomas, eight days after the Resurrection.
A word of thanks to everybody for sharing in our Easter services and for helping in so many ways.
The Liturgy Group meets at 8pm on Monday.
There is a Funeral Mass in the Church at 10am on Wednesday. This means that it will not be possible to have the Novena prayers immediately after Mass but if you so wish, it will be possible to wait until the mourners have left and then continue with the prayers.
On Monday we keep the feast of the Annunciation. This was postponed from the usual date of 25th March on account of the Easter celebrations.
To Greenwich Town Hall on Tuesday and to Canary Wharf on Thursday so the weeks pass by quickly. There is an additional Mass for a family celebration on Saturday at 12 noon. It is a private event but you could attend the Mass if you so wish.
The Paschal Candle is now lit for the Sunday Masses, symbolising the presence of the Risen Christ.
You might have noticed that some new buses have appeared on route 47. These replace the last of the Dennis Tridents, which had 07 registration numbers. A memory of Christmas 1947, when we walked across the fields to Farnborough and I was excited to see the first of the new RT type buses at the George and Dragon operating on route 47.
Another recipe from Spain, this time a soup from Murcia. Cook a chopped onion and some garlic in some oil and add three large chopped tomatoes. Transfer these to a pot with a can of plain drained red beans, a cup of rice and some sliced green beans. Season to taste and cook very slowly in about a litre of water to form a thick soup. This is a real country dish for a chill day.
Here is an ancient prayer for Easter:
O God of unchangeable power and light eternal, look kindly upon the wonderful mystery of your Church, and by the tranquil operation of your perpetual providence, carry forward the work of our salvation, through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Ted Hughes’ poems were always strong. Here he describes a Hawk roosting.
The convenience of the high trees!
The air’s buoyancy and the sun’s ray
Are of advantage to me;
And the earth’s face upward for my inspection.
The diary of Mr Pooter always entertains. Here is his entry for 20th November: Bough a cheap address book. I spent the evening copying the names and addresses of my friends and acquaintances. Left out the Mutlars of course. (I commend “Diary of a Nobody” to you: his relationship with his wayward son Lupin fills many pages.
From time to time I am able to pass you some useless information: a regular question to me is “Have you seen the pictures of Flying Scotsman”. Its original number was 4472: did you know that subject to a few decimal points, this is the square root of twenty million?
Some more news of the great nephew and his sister. Their mother tells me that she awakes to find the small girl (19 months) already practising how to say “no” in 20 different ways. Obviously it is going to be a hard day ahead. Having finished “War and Peace” – as well as the latest Lego model – the boy is now starting on Anna Karenin.
Best wishes to you all
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon