KEEPING EVERYTHING IN PERSPECTIVE

We still have two more weeks before the schools return and the summer break comes to an end, so I am hoping to use this time to continue to recharge the batteries. During my time away I was able to reset and put things into perspective, something which is not always possible when we are trying to prioritise in the midst of multiple issues claiming our attention. In my conversations with you, it is clear that most of you are becoming acutely aware of the rapidly changing situation in the Church as a whole and, while I am keen to remain positive and focused, I am equally conscious that I must accept that I cannot continue to live at the pace that led to my health problems over Easter. The key is surely that together we continue to discern where the Lord is leading us: in other words we seek to see things from God’s perspective. As you know, my conviction is that, while the Lord does not have us like puppets on a string, he is constantly reminding us of his presence, often through what seem to be the chance encounters: those moments of grace when we see the connections and enjoy the peace that arises from them. So, enjoy the rest of the summer holidays and I look forward to exploring the way forward with you in the autumn.

FR TIM - LEARNING FROM HISTORY

As usual I am writing my few notes on Friday morning in preparation for the weekend. Today is the Feast of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, now one of the Patrons of Europe. A modern saint, Edith Stein was born into a practising Jewish family in 1891, and she had a distinguished career as a philosopher. When she read the autobiography of St Teresa of Avila her life was transformed. She was baptised in 1922 and continued her career but in 1933, as Nazism took hold in Germany, she was no longer able to pursue her academic career. She entered the Carmelite Monastery in Cologne, but the Order moved her to the Netherlands in the hope of keeping her safe. However in 1942, in retaliation to a statement of the Dutch Bishops condemning Nazi racism, the authorities ordered the arrest of all Jewish converts to Christianity. Sister Teresa Benedicta was taken to Auschwitz and was killed on this day in 1942.

Some Christian traditions question our emphasis on the veneration of the saints in the Catholic Church. I suggest today’s feast is a perfect illustration of why we treasure the memory of those who have gone before us, giving witness to the saving presence of Christ in our world. We often talk about the importance of learning from history: yet the history of the world is littered with examples of how we have failed to do so. In reminding us of those who have heroically striven to live the Gospel message, the Church is encouraging us to learn from them and remind ourselves that we form the Mystical Body of Christ. As we strive to care for one another here on earth, we value the love and prayers of those who have gone before us and who are still our brothers and sisters in the Lord. By singling out someone like Edith Stein as a Patron of Europe, I think the Church is encouraging us to learn not just from the distant past but also from a time experienced by many people still alive today. As we look at recent events in our own country and across the world, what better example is there of someone willing to stand up for the dignity of each human person.

Goodness and beauty will always prevail, and some of the counter reactions to the violence of the past two weeks must surely give us renewed hope. The fact that a large group of people assembled around St Anne’s Church in Overbury Street on Wednesday night to ensure the safety of Asylum Link is a classic example of what I mean. May we continue to support one another in the same spirit: the Spirit of the Lord himself.

JOY AND SADNESS

I have returned from my fortnight’s break, grateful for the opportunity to step back and reflect; grateful also to Fr Andrew O’Connor who made it possible. We wish him well as he returns to the USA. I allowed my time away to unfold without overplanning and it worked well. I was in London during the first few days, which gave me the opportunity to celebrate Mass on the Feast of the Most Holy Redeemer in the sanctuary of St Mary’s Clapham. The fact that this year the day coincided with the anniversary of my ordination made the occasion especially memorable. I was able to spend time with my sister and I caught up with one or two people whom I hadn’t seen for years. Friendship is a treasured gift of God: we need only to remind ourselves of how Jesus calls his apostles his friends to realise our own dignity and the value of all friendship.

As I returned to Bishop Eton in time for the Feast of our founder, Saint Alphonsus, I was led to reflect on how troubled much of his life had been, even to the point of dying outside the Congregation he had founded because of a dispute among the confrères about the correct interpretation of our Rule of Life. Yet, posthumously, his remarkable contribution to the life of the Church was recognised and we proudly rejoice in the fact that not only was he canonised, but he is also the Patron Saint of Confessors and Moral Theologians.

Archbishop Patrick Kelly is a great admirer of Saint Alphonsus and rejoices in the fact that, as a young man, he made his ordination retreat in our mother house in Rome. When the tragic news came through of the events in Southport this week, I immediately thought of our retired Archbishop, living now in a nursing home there and of the sadness that everyone there is having to endure. How do we process such events? I note how often our leaders now simply assure people of “their thoughts at this time”, but I was particularly struck that the King and Queen also assured them of “their prayers”. We can only do the same and thank God for the wonderful spirit that inspired the people of Southport to roll up their sleeves and clean up the mess after the rioting, proclaiming unequivocally that they stood for love, not hatred.

On a happier note, the Olympic Games are providing a joyful backdrop to life at present, reminding me of the wonderful atmosphere that prevailed twelve years ago when the Games took place in London and I was lying in a hospital bed in Birmingham!

SUMMER HOLIDAY 2024

The schools have broken up, and I was delighted that in the end I was able to celebrate the Masses for our Leavers. We pray that they will flourish in their new schools next autumn. Meanwhile, may we all have a good break during the coming weeks and return refreshed and ready for action in the autumn. I will be away for the next two weeks and will take another shorter break towards the end of August.

I remain indebted to Fr Andrew O’Connor (from New York) for graciously offering to cover for me at this time. He is a joy to have in the community.

THE SOLEMNITY OF THE HOLY REDEEMER:

This weekend we celebrate the titular feast of our Redemptorist Family. When Archbishop Kelly talked to me about the Redemptorists serving St Mary’s as well as Bishop Eton, he insisted that we should share our special charism with  St Mary’s too, and I hope we have been faithful in responding to that request over the past thirteen years. Certainly, it remains a joy and a privilege for our community to have the loving support and friendship of you all in both parishes. So, thank you again, and a very happy Feast Day.

It so happens that this Sunday is also the anniversary of my ordination at St Mary’s, Clapham, and I anticipate being able to celebrate Mass in the church on the day! Some of you will remember that last year it coincided with the day we arrived in Lourdes! Please pray for the Archdiocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes which begins this weekend, and especially for our young people, that they will have an enriching experience looking after those entrusted to their care.

TIME TO ASSESS: 

Once again, it has been a busy week on many fronts. I was reminded of how important it is to be prepared to respond to the unexpected, no matter how carefully we plan for the future. I think this applies in every walk of life, but it is particularly significant for those of us who need to be available when a crisis arises. Many of you work in the health service and are particularly conscious of this fact. There the need to prioritise is a daily challenge and we have all become familiar with the triage system. While an Ofsted inspection for Bishop Eton Primary School was not exactly unexpected, when you receive 24 hours’ notice, as happened this week, it certainly concentrates the mind. Accordingly, I want to thank the wonderfully committed staff and governors of all our schools for all they do to ensure that our children are educated to the highest standards in a loving and caring environment. We have faced some difficult challenges in recent times, so I am aware of the amount of time and energy that has been expended in seeking to resolve them. Please God, we can all enjoy the summer break which is on the horizon.

Our volunteer meetings this week led to some fruitful exchanges. Many of those who are already committed turned out in force or sent their apologies and there was an energetic buzz on both evenings. A few people turned out to seek more information but we were not inundated. Regarding the future I think we need more time to think things through.

However, to begin with we have decided to form Parish Teams rather than formal parish councils in both parishes. Each organisation or ministry will be invited to send a representative to an initial meeting in the autumn so that we can identify the needs and respond accordingly. It is generally agreed that recruitment is usually more successful, when a personal approach is made, rather than a general appeal.

Meanwhile, if there are immediate concerns, please get in touch with our admin teams and they will do their best to respond. I am thinking here particularly of the ministry of Holy Communion to those who are housebound. I fear there may be some who have slipped under the radar or ministers, whose workload is now proving too much.

WELCOME

This weekend we welcome back Fr Andrew O’Connor from the USA. Fr Andrew came for a family wedding a few weeks ago and graciously offered to come and help out if this would enable me to get a break. We will work together during the coming week and I plan to get away after next weekend

UKRAINIAN CONFRERES RELEASED FROM RUSSIAN CAPTURE:

In my notes last week I mentioned that we were keeping the memory of four Ukrainian confrères who were martyred in the last century, little knowing that on that same day, the two who were taken captive back in November 2022 were being released by the Russian authorities on that very day. We give thanks to God for the release of Frs Ivan and Bohdan. In the midst of so much disheartening news, it is wonderful to be able to rejoice in such a providential moment and a reminder to us to persevere in prayer. So thank you for your prayers for them and please pray now that the experience of their captivity has not scarred them too badly.

TIME TO DELIVER:

As I prepare my notes for this week’s bulletin, the country is being bombarded with an analysis of the General Election. A catch phrase of the incoming Government is that it is now “TIME TO DELIVER”.

Perhaps we could borrow that phrase for our two parishes and use the opportunities that our coming meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday afford us to plan as efficiently as we can for the months and years ahead.

From this Monday our administration teams will be back to their full complement and, believe me, that has not been achieved without some determined bargaining with the Archdiocese. However, Hayley, Ann and Karen will continue to depend on the good will of all of you who volunteer your time and talents to ensure that our two communities function so effectively.

If you are already involved, please check in at your meeting. If you would like to find out more, please come along and see where more help is needed. Obviously, in the case of specialised ministries, such as catechetics, ministering Holy Communion or ministering funerals, any training required will be arranged.

Plans are also afoot to support readers and servers with meetings and training sessions in the autumn. In conclusion, I want to thank you for all the encouragement you continue to give to me and my Redemptorist confrères.

Bishop Eton: Tuesday 9 July, in the Fisher-More Hall between 7.00pm and 8.00pm.

St Mary’s: Wednesday 10 July, in the Parish Centre between 7.00pm and 8.00pm.

ADMINISTRATION:

On Monday, 8^th July, we will welcome Karen Beardwood to our admin team. She will share the work with Ann O’Neill at St Mary’s. We congratulate Karen, who was the successful candidate among 22 applicants for the role. It is a joy to be able to announce that we are back up to full strength in both parishes, but I remind you that the smooth running of both parishes also demands very much on our wonderful teams of volunteers.

And this leads me to the next item…