Newsletter 5th February 2012
The fifth Sunday of the year already – only a couple of weeks now until Lent.
Today there is a second collection to support the work of the Catholic Education Service.
On Thursday, I have a Mass for the children at the school. If the Bishop is not available, I will ask the Eucharistic Ministers to help at 10am.
Friday is the feast of Saint Scholastica, the sister of St. Benedict. Saturday is the feat of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Usually about this time of year I would be thinking of a short visit to the College in Spain. It is necessary to review the accounts and the budget in time for the meeting of the Trustees in May. It is very difficult this year with a lot of work at the school and also meetings with the Local Authorities. At present I am seeing if it might be possible to arrange it during Easter week. Probably the students will be away but as always the College staff will be able to look after me. I will be asking the Rector if once again, we can come to stay in October. When I have some days, I will let you know.
I hope that you will have noted the list for the Lent Retreat at the Convent on Saturday 3rd March.
We are arranging a film club for older people on March 20th in the Angelus Room at 2.30. The first film will be “Genevieve”. It is tone of my favourite films as it includes many shots of 1950s London buses. See if you can spot the works for the removal of the tram lines. My real favourite is “The Titfield Thunderbolt” and maybe we can have this later in the year.
I am sure that you leant this at school:
There’s a breathless hush in the Close tonight –
Ten to make and the match to win –
A bumping pitch and a blinding light,
An hour to play and the last man in.
And it’s not for the sake of a rib boned coat,
Or the selfish hope of a season’s fame,
Captain’s hand on his shoulder smote –
Play up! Play up! And play the game!
More news of the great nephew – his grandfather was busily explaining his collection of toy cars – his mother thought he sounded very quiet and found that he had fallen asleep with boredom. Just wait until I start explaining the fine details of the Routemaster to him.
And now a recipe: wash and trim some leeks and dry them. Cook them very gently in some oil for about 20 minutes over a low heat and season with pepper and salt. Remove the leeks and cook some skinned and chopped tomatoes and a chopped clove of garlic in the oil for a few minutes. Spoon over the leeks and add some parsley. I tried this recently and it worked very well.
A prayer from St. Teresa of Avila:
Christ has no body now on earth but yours: no hands but yours: no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which must look out Christ’s compassion on the world. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which he is to bless mankind now.
Quite a busy week again with school meetings on Monday and Tuesday and off to Canary Wharf for an investment meeting on Thursday. There is a splendid view of the Olympic site from the top floors of the towers, which is a distraction when one is meant to be concentrating on yield curves and exchange rates.
Plenty of spring flowers in the garden: it looks at its best at this time when the daffodils have come out. The beastly hop pities have eaten all the tulip bulbs a long time ago. Already the roses are starting to grow again. We cut them back severely last autumn but they seem to thrive. They will be at their best when we reach the First Holy Communion day.
And time for another quiz question: what is the connection between Bru and Pad and Tat.
I continue to keep a careful watch on the Mass books: three seem to be missing at present, so if you have one at home, I would be grateful if you could bring it back.
Best wishes to you all,
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon