Newsletter Sunday 5th August.
Summer days and I hope that you are enjoying a holiday. The choirs are taking a rest during this month, but there will be a said Latin Mass at 11am today.
Thanks to everybody for so much kindness during the recent sickness: your prayers, good wishes and thoughts were an enormous support.
Monday is the feast of the Transfiguration, Wednesday is the feast of St. Dominic and Saturday is the feast of St. Clare, the sister of Francis.
I hope that this week work can start on the repairs to the floor of the Angelus Room. It has waited a long time but we seem to have reached a solution and I am asking for the work to be put in hand.
It is good to see so many forms returned for the Confirmation and the First Communion classes. I will set to work on a timetable for the classes over the next couple of weeks. Also a time to order the books and the crosses for the First Communion children.
The garden is looking splendid: thanks to all who have helped with the work. If you would like to come round to use the garden during the week, you are welcome, but if you can please let me know in advance.
The great nephew celebrated his first birthday last week. Visits to grand parents are always enjoyed – though at the end of the visit there is a feeling of exhaustion. His mother is wanting to work on her studies and so he is given strict instructions for quiet behaviour at certain parts of the day.
Not much parish business this week, so room for some good things. You may know some of these already.
This son of the desert, in battle aroused,
Could spit twenty men on his spear.
A terrible creature, both sober and soused
Was Abdul Abulbul Amir
He could imitate Irving, play Euchre and pool
And perform on the Spanish Guitar.
In fact quite the cream of the Muscovite team
Was Ivan Skavinsky Skivar.
(Who knows – there might be an opportunity for a full rendition some time.)
Not much opportunity for railway travel in recent weeks. Gradually bits and pieces of work are appearing as the initial stages of the major project for the rebuilding of London Bridge Station. Look out for the works at Rotherhithe where a start is being made to clear the route for a new flyover. No date yet for the extension of the Overground but it is due to start in the late autumn.
Here is a real Spanish country stew. You will need some potatoes, runner beans cut in strips, and onion cut in chunks, some tomatoes, a de-seeded green pepper and a clove of garlic. Put all the vegetables into a pot with a tight fitting lid, season with pepper and salt and pour some olive oil over them and add a cup of water. Add a sprig of parsley and a bay leaf. Cook in a moderate over for about an hour. Maria tells me that this is what is known as Cocina Casera, everyday food for country people rather than food from a smart restaurant.
Somerset Maugham on Jane Austen: Nothing very much happens in her books, and yet, when you come to the bottom of a page, you eagerly turn it to learn what will happen next. Nothing very much does and again you eagerly turn the page. The novelist who has the power to achieve this has the most precious gift a novelist can possess.
And here is a prayer:
O God, whose nature is to have mercy and to spare, receive our petitions that we and all your servants, may through your compassion and goodness be mercifully absolved from all our sins and attain to eternal salvation, through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
And this from Masefield is very good:
Then, hey for cover and woodland, and ash and elm and oak,
Tewkesbury inns, and Malvern roofs, and Worcester chimney smoke,
And apple trees in the orchard, the cattle in the byre,
And all the land from Ludlow town to Bredon church’s spire.
Best wishes to you all
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon