THANK YOU

Naturally, I was sorry that my sister and some of the family were not able to join me to celebrate my Golden Jubilee.Likewise, it was disappointing that we were not able to have get-togethers in each of the parishes.

However, you made up for all that in spectacular style. I am truly grateful for the messages of goodwill and I feel very honoured that you took so much trouble to mark the occasion so generously and in so many different ways.

I hope I was able to express some of that at the end of Mass last weekend and in my Thursday message. It has been a roller-coaster week and I feel somewhat of an emotional wreck. But may I just say that my hope and prayer is that I will have the health and strength to continue to serve Bishop Eton and St Mary’s for a good while to come.

As many of you know, this falls on Tuesday 21 July, and originally we had hoped to celebrate in both parishes this weekend before the schools close at the end of the week. I had also hoped to be able to celebrate Mass on the day itself at St Mary’s, Clapham, where I was ordained. Since none of that is now possible and many of you have been offering me wise counsel, we think the simplest way in which we can all celebrate is by joining in another streamed Mass next weekend.

This is very fitting because it coincides with our titular Redemptorist Feast: the Solemnity of the Most Holy Redeemer. Therefore, we will wait until the following weekend before introducing Sunday Masses. I trust you will all see the wisdom behind these decisions. May the Lord continue to bless and protect each of us and reward us with patience and understanding.