The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . The Presbytery is now back to a steady rhythm or normal timetable as we enter the fifth week of the first section of Ordinary Time this year. However, Lent is fast creeping up on us (Fr D has noticed that Easter Eggs are ‘front and centre’ in the shops - ready for the shop keepers to make their money! At our 11.00 Mass last Sunday we again welcomed our First Eucharist candidates and learnt that they had been looking at that section of the Mass that we call the ‘Liturgy of the Word.’ To make this, during the Mass they were presented with their own copy of the Gospel that we are reading at Sunday Masses this year, the Gospel of Matthew. When they had met with Fr D on the Saturday morning they had been talking about how important it was to listen in life and at Mass; Fr D told them that it was no mistake on God’s part that we had two ears and only one mouth - so we should be listening twice as much as speaking! After Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition Fr D was not having to rush off to the diocesan offices because his secretary was off with flu (too much fraternising with her grandson a nursery student!). This worked well as Fr D had received an email in the morning from the lighting engineers who visited the church last Friday containing the write up of what they had discussed. They will now come and complete a full survey of the lighting system (wiring, Lumières, switching and the ‘brain’ under the stairs). This will take about half a day and at the end of it (when it is darker outside) they will show some possible modern led replacements for our present halogen units. In the evening Fr D met with the Parish Finance Committee to review last years figures and look at what is happening now that we are losing our bishop and what this might mean for the work of the Finance Committee. On Wednesday evening Fr D met with our Confirmation candidates in the Parish Centre for the second of their sessions (the Holy Spirit and Confirmation). They also spoke about the possibility of taking on a confirmation name when they are confirmed in May and were encouraged to look in the school libraries for a Book of Saints Names or on the internet, to learn a little about what their chosen saint did to become a saint.  On Thursday afternoon Fr D was in Eastbourne for a meeting of the Bosco Catholic Education trustees, this was taking place at a school that was coming up to its first anniversary of joining the trust . . .

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . Quite a full week around The Presbytery this time as we finish the first month of the New Year (already!) . . . . Over last weekend Fr D met with someone in the process of being prepared to be received into the Church along with baptising her daughter; both have been working towards this for a few months now and we will hopefully accept them as members of our Parish community over Easter this year. Fr D also met with a young couple from the Parish who will be getting married in Sicily later in the year (fortunately both parties are Catholic so it requires the minimum of paperwork for Fr D to undertake!). At our 11.00 Mass on Sunday the Rite of Welcome was celebrated for a baby girl who will be baptised as a member of our community in a few weeks. Following Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition on Tuesday, Fr D went off to the diocesan offices in Crawley to continue his work at the Tribunal. In the evening he again met with the parents of this year’s First Eucharist candidates for their second session; this time they were looking at the first main section of the Mass the ‘Liturgy of the Word,’ ready to help their children on Saturday morning. On Wednesday, once he had celebrated Morning Prayer and Mass, Fr D began work on his parts of the newsletter for this week. In the afternoon he had a meeting with the other priests from the Deanery in response to a request from the Apostolic Nuncio. In the evening Fr D met with our candidates for Confirmation in the Parish Centre, looking at God’s love for us individually shown in Baptism and the other sacraments of the Church. Straight after celebrating Morning Prayer and Mass on Thursday Fr D, once more, went down to the Tribunal to continue his work on marriage cases. He, in fact, had several new applications to look at before deciding to accept them. He also had to inform someone that their annulment had failed to prove invalidity of their marriage. When he got home in the late afternoon Fr D managed to finalise and lodge his income tax (before the deadline!), as well as complete his parts for the newsletter.  Having celebrated Morning Prayer and Mass on Friday, Fr D had a church lighting engineer (just completed renewal of Worth Abbey) come to meet him in the church to look at possible solutions for replacing our obsolete halogen lighting and changing to more modern and cost effective LED lighting . . . . . . .

Applications for our Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage are open now! Is Our Lady calling you to Lourdes this summer? Travelling to Lourdes is a wonderful experience full of fun, companionship, faith, friendship and laughter. Each person on our pilgrimage brings distinctive gifts and graces with them, benefitting those they meet during the week. What do we do during our Pilgrimage Week? We have a daily programme of events which includes a number of Masses and liturgies in different settings, with different themes. The Pilgrimage opens with a Mass of welcome for everyone and opening ceremony, where everyone is invited to have their hands blessed in recognition of the service we offer each other as we make our pilgrimage together. We also celebrate Mass at the Grotto where we remember friends and family members who have died, and a Mass of farewell shortly before we leave Lourdes. There is a Holy Hour during the week, a time for Lectio Divina, and many other opportunities for private and group prayer at the Grotto and in the Sanctuary.

30th January, 18.30, Arundel Cathedral. People across our diocesan family are invited to join a special Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by Bishop Richard, followed by a reception in the Baron’s Hall, Arundel Castle, by kind permission of His Grace, the Duke of Norfolk. All are welcome

18th February Ash Wednesday Masses 09.30 & 19.30 Lent Sundays Evening Prayer & Benediction 15.30 Lent Fridays Way of the Cross 12.30 (followed by Bread & Soup lunch) 

St John’s theory of education could well be used in today’s schools. It was a preventive system, rejecting corporal punishment, placing students in surroundings removed from the likelihood of committing sin. He advocated frequent reception of the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion. He combined catechetical training and fatherly guidance, seeking to unite the spiritual life with one’s work, study and play. Encouraged during his youth in Turin to become a priest so he could work with young boys, St John was ordained in 1841. His service to young people started when he met a poor orphan in Turin, and instructed him in preparation for receiving First Eucharist. He then gathered young apprentices and taught them the catechism. After serving as chaplain in a hospice for working girls, Don Bosco opened the Oratory of St Francis de Sales for boys. Several wealthy and powerful patrons contributed money, enabling him to provide two workshops for the boys, shoemaking and tailoring.  By 1856, the institution had grown to 150 boys and had added a printing press for publication of religious and catechetical pamphlets. St John’s preaching fame spread and by 1850 he had trained his own helpers because of difficulties in retaining young priests. In 1854, he and his followers informally banded together, inspired by St Francis de Sales.

After Jesus’ baptism and temptation in the desert (a peak experience followed by a period of intense testing) he is primed to begin the work that he has prepared his whole life to be able to do. Jesus begins in the small, non descript town of Capernaum populated mostly by Gentiles (nonJews). Looking back in scripture, Matthew noticed that specific area had been promised a saviour who would bring light to their world of darkness. For all the Jews in his audience, Matthew makes the point that Jesus was the fulfilment of that promise from the prophet Isaiah hundreds of years earlier. Matthew is trying to show that Jesus came to live and minister to and among both Jews and Gentiles and to invite all of them to the fullness of life he was teaching.  Jesus begins his public ministry sounding like John the Baptist. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” We might interpret that now as “Get busy. Get serious. It’s time to start living in God’s way. There isn’t much time left.” Then Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John to be his helpers and companions as he gets busy healing the sick and proclaiming the Good News. If only everyone who preached repentance and the kingdom of God would get busy practicing what they preached! Questions of the week  What leaders or spiritual teachers have you experienced to be exclusive in terms of who they are speaking or preaching to? What leaders or spiritual teachers have you experienced to be open and inclusive in the way they welcome and invite all to be a part of a larger movement?  Whom do you know who lives with integrity and regularly practices what they preach?

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . At our 09.00 Mass last Sunday this year’s First Eucharist families were present for the enrolment of this year’s candidates. The candidates renewed their baptismal promises (which were made for them by their parents at their baptisms), before their parents reaffirmed the promise to be ‘the first and best of teachers to their child in the ways of faith.’ The candidates were then presented with the workbook that they will be using over the next few months to prepare for First Eucharist (on 14th June). In the evening Fr D was delighted to see so many parishioners at the annual Christian Unity Week Service at the United Church in Stoke Road - Sacred Heart Parishioners outnumbered any other group! On Monday evening Fr D came home early from his day off in order to attend a meeting of the ‘Shadow Parish Finance Team.’ Although with Bishop Richard having been appointed to Westminster and, therefore, no changes being possible within the diocese, it is possible to carry on with preparatory work and sharing of good practice by this team (none of this will be wasted if the new Bishop does not wish to continue with the new arrangements for our Deanery parishes). After Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition on Tuesday Fr D was off down to the diocesan offices in Crawley. He completed his judgement on one of his cases and started preparing the judgement for the next case. Once he has the two ready he will call a meeting of the judges to finalise the Sentence for both cases. When he returned from Crawley in the evening Fr D was meeting for the first time with the prospective candidates and parents for this year’s Confirmation (9th May). Having celebrated Morning Prayer and Mass on Wednesday morning Fr D spent some time gathering the details that he needs to complete his tax return for last year before starting work on his parts of the newsletter.  After Morning Prayer and Mass on Thursday Fr D was off down to Crawley again where he had a meeting with his opposite numbers in the Marriage Tribunal in Southwark, sharing with them how he deals with Penal Cases when they crop up. When he got back in the late afternoon Fr D was meeting with a young couple who are preparing for the baptism of their young daughter in a few weeks time . . . .

The Order of Franciscan Friars Minor has announced that 2026 will be a Franciscan Jubilee Year, with a Plenary Indulgence linked to the Jubilee. Francis of Assisi was born in Italy in 1181 or 1182. After a carefree youth, he amended his ways and the Order of Friars Minor - commonly known as the Franciscans - began. A young woman, Clare of Assisi, wanted to share St Francis’ choice of life, with the Order of the Poor Clares originating from her. Francis received the stigmata on the mountain of La Verna in 1224. The following year he composed the famous Canticle of Brother Sun, a poetic prayer of praise to God the creator of everything; this prayer and his attitude of respect for creation inspired his proclamation in 1979 as the patron saint of ecologists. Francis died on 4th October 1226 in Assisi and was declared a saint in 1228. In a letter to the Franciscans, Pope Leo writes: “In this age, marked by so many seemingly interminable wars, by internal and social divisions that create mistrust and fear, [St Francis] continues to speak. Not because he offers technical solutions, but because his life points to the authentic source of peace.”  “The Franciscan vision of peace is not limited to the relations between human beings, but also embraces the whole of creation. Francis, who calls the sun “brother” and the moon “sister,” who recognises in every creature a reflection of divine beauty, reminds us that peace must be extended to the entire family of Creation. This insight resonates with particular urgency in our time, when our common home is threatened and cries out under exploitation. Peace with God, peace among human beings and with creation are inseparable dimensions of a single call to universal reconciliation.”