My initial reflection on Anglicanorum coetibus

The generosity of the Holy Father shines through every word of the Apostolic Constitution promulgated today. It will be only in years to come that we shall be able to appreciate the greatness of this day and of the imagination of the Holy Father in these new measures. For those who for years and very hard prayed for the Unity of the Church, this is the day when their prayer has been answered. What our Synod, our brothers and sisters in the Church of England, have refused to offer to us the Holy Father has granted and so much more.

Our patrimony, spirituality and heritage is not cast aside, we are valued and embraced. It will never get better than this. The barriers of division with the Church of Rome have fallen and now the ball is in our court. This is a journey of Faith. As all journeys of Faith we need to start on our knees and in reflection. Did we really mean the prayers we uttered? Do we really want to allow the Holy Spirit to unite us? Is this a calling to grace and freedom to sing our song as we return home, or is it calling our bluff? In other words, are we really Catholic as we have said since 1833 and before?

I believe that this is a period of joy not of triumphalism. It is a period in which we need to become aware of all the wonderful possibilities ahead. It is that time when we need to allow our eyes to be accustomed to the light of the sun after being in a very dark place. It is a period where we rejoice in the evangelistic and pastoral opportunities that are now available to us. It is a period where we need to be patient with those who cannot or will not see this for what it really is – a blessing.

We now need time to allow those who have the heavy but joyful calling of leadership in the Church to come together in prayer and discussion: a time to exercise true leadership, courageous and imaginative on the example of the Holy Father himself. It will be the start of a patient time of negotiation with some who will be hostile, but like our Lord, we need to enter heaven displaying our wounds of love. We need to be ready to be broken-hearted as opportunities are missed by some and opposed by others. Whatever we face we cannot look back, the only way is ahead, even if steep and rocky, it is the joyful way of grace.

After the July 2008 General Synod many of us prayed for a Moses. Moses was given to us: Benedict XVI. We need to be patient and united in prayer as we seek God’s will in the desert. We need to be gentle as our Lord is with those who will be against us, but we need to keep in front of us that old and wonderful dream of being Anglicans in communion with the See of Rome. Now that dream is shaping up in front of our eyes and it is tangible and real.

So this is a process and a journey that will take its time, we do not need procrastinate but we need to allow some years to make the journey as peaceful as possible, in maturity and with eyes wide open even to that trust that asks for blindness.

The Apostolic Constitution starts by explaining the nature of the Church. What we have been living is a Church problem and now we are given a Church solution. More than ever before is the need for Anglo-Catholics to study once more the nature of the Church (ecclesiology) and the way it orders itself (Canon Law). That is a very good place to start.

So on this historic day I find myself praying with joy for the gift of patience and understanding. The night is far spent and the gentle rays of the rising sun are embracing us as we stand in front of our God in whom all hearts are open, all desires known and from whom no secrets are hidden. He will cleanse our hearts by the inspiration of his most Holy Spirit so that with the whole Church across the world we may perfectly love him and worthily, like Mary, magnify his holy name.

APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION ANGLICANORUM COETIBUS

APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION ANGLICANORUM COETIBUS is out and you can read it if you click on the title.

Remembrance Sunday

Today we were truly blessed. Both Masses were offered for all those who have fallen in conflicts and for peace. Roger preached movingly at the early Mass while Fr Dimitry from the Archdiocese of Vienna was our preacher for the Sung Mass. His powerful words can be found here.

We were joined by Seminarian James Bradley who came to meet the congregation for the first time today after his curacy was announced last week.

A young man from our congregation who recently served in Afghanistan was with us and led our Act of Remembrance.

We give thanks for the ministry here at St John’s and our common witness. We give thanks for the links with Philokalia and for Fr Martirii and Fr Dimitry our dear friends.

We give thanks for the generosity of young men who give their lives over to Christ with joy. Please keep James in your prayers as he finishes his time in Seminary and prepares to serve among us.

We give thanks for those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom and well-being – we will remember them and we will pray for those who are serving in very dangerous places.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit!

Dear Fr. Ivan, dear friend, dear brothers and sisters!


After 10 years I am happy indeed to have the opportunity of being here again. And it is good to know that I am welcome and have friends here who care about me. After so many years, that’s not something that can automatically be taken for granted.


It is a special joy for me that Fr. Ivan as St. John’s new priest wished to continue this friendship which began in Moscow over 15 years ago.


I think we could make it 15 years more.


Well now, a few words about today’s Gospel. The reading for today offers us two big themes: repenting, in the sense of turning back, and following...


At the beginning of his public ministry in his Galilean homeland Jesus uttered this heartening cry: “The Kingdom of God is at hand ! “. These were words full of expectation: God will finally establish a state of righteousness and peace. In our day too this yearning has not lost its topicality. So many people earnestly long for the arrival of this time, and it is truly a scandal when we realise that in our Christian Europe there are people who are not only poor but have to go hungry, and that repeated wars and terror are ever with us.


Yet Jesus shows us a different way, how things could be, whilst also making it clear to us that without our collaboration it will not work. It is not major political upheavals that can bring it about but rather the personal repentance and faith of each individual.


“Repent ye, turn back and believe in the Gospel !” -- this is the condensed essence of Jesus’s message and a warning to each one of us. These are two sides of the same coin: the turning away from evil and towards God. If these two elements come together, then that is where peace and justice can grow. And where we put our trust in God anew, that is where the Kingdom of God grows and through us gains ground in this world.


Once I was asked:“What exactly does it mean to repent & turn back ?” My reply was: “Turning back begins if one honestly admits that one has strayed from the right path”. By this I mean that on our spiritual journey we need repeatedly to check our course and align ourselves with Christ. It’s rather like having a satnav which is constantly sending out signals to the satellite to determine the right course, even when we find ourselves in unknown territory. Our task is in this way to set the right objective.


So repentance could be an instrument through which God guides us and renews our hearts. And the right the time for all this is not tomorrow, not when we reach the end of our studies or start drawing our pension. The right time is today, here and now !


How this may happen in reality can be found in the two descriptions of Jesus’s calling of the first disciples in today’s Gospel. “Come ye after me !” These are His actual words. Jesus does not clarify much, nor does he negotiate (about details). He calls for a direct decision. And the disciples go along with Jesus, ready to follow him into a completely uncertain future. This is their challenge, a choice called “Jesus”.


How astonishing this reaction of the first disciples is - without further thought just to leave everything that had so far made up their lives as it stood. Trust on that scale is astounding. And the little word “straightaway” here is so significant too.


Every calling is an interplay of God’s call and man’s decision. Each day we have to decide for Christ afresh. So many things in our world deflect us and deceive us on life’s road. Despite our own mistakes, whenever we fall we need each time to pick ourselves up and continue our journey towards God. And precisely in that standing up when we fall is our holiness.


And this can only succeed if we let go and shed any ballast. It can often be painful to set aside our habits and little comforts and put ourselves at others’ disposal. But this is the only way to make a new start. And if we know who it is who is calling us and whom we can trust in taking this path, then we are truly taking a step into a new life.


God calls everyone right where he or she is. That is exactly where he wants to bring healing and salvation !


Jesus called the first disciples by the sea-shore. That is where they lived and worked. So the sea-shore for the fishermen meant their workplace, and their everyday occupation. And also today Jesus seeks and finds ordinary people, each in their own setting - He would be delighted to use every one of us in the place where we live, just where we are.


Naturally to the Gospel belong also messengers. For Jesus will not work without people, without those who are among his followers and cast their nets in His name.


And it is not crucial whether I follow Him as an ordained priest or as the father of a family, but that I do so with total self-dedication and that my entire heart belongs to Him [and through Him to other people].


Here we could ask ourselves the crucial question: Are there areas of my life where I turn my back on God ? Am I prepared to let Him into them so that he can transform them and pervade my whole life ? Do I trust Him so much that I can surrender my life to Him ?


God calls us into communion with Him. He wants to be our travelling companion on life’s journey. And this is possible in every life situation. This communion has as its goal the transformation of what is here and not the destruction of what already exists.


This offering of closeness to God remains open to everyone to this day. Nobody is debarred from this offering of salvation. Indeed it is offered especially to all those who are troubled and are heavy-laden. What we have to do is just respond and trustingly say “Yes”.


God’s call, the calling of each of us individually, cannot cease even with our death. For God has designed us for eternity. Every earthly happiness, however great it may be, is always ultimately too small for us because Man always wants more. And this craving only God can satisfy.


This ultimate bliss – of being in God’s presence – is what we wish also for our dear departed. And today, on this remembrance Sunday, especially for those who fell in two World Wars.


May they find their peace in God. Amen

French Magazine La Vie

And for those of you who read French an article from this catholic French weekly. You can read it here.

Anglican-Roman Catholic relationships in the last 400 years

A truly good article about the above title can be found on the Catholic Herald here.

More on Swine flu

Last week the Arcbishops have issued an update on the measures to be observed during Liturgy at this time of swine flu. Here is the statement taken from the CofE website.  After that you can read the little document that was published in this Parish last July.

SWINE FLU : STATEMENT FROM THE ARCHBISHOPS TO THE COLLEGE  OF BISHOPS

Following our statement in September this year, we have reviewed the situation in light of the latest advice from the Department of Health
Their latest update, issued last night, shows that the number of new cases has risen.  There were 78,000 new cases in England this week with 751 people currently hospitalised. The additional information now available confirms earlier guidance that children under 16 are significantly more susceptible to the virus, and up to 30% may fall ill during this second wave. Deaths worldwide have increased by 12% this week. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) believes that about 520,000 people have been infected by swine flu in England since the outbreak of the pandemic.

The vaccination programme in this country has started this week.  The plan is to offer it to all at risk groups by the end of November.

In the light of this, our recommendation, made on 22nd July 2009 to those presiding at Holy Communion in parishes and dioceses, remains unchanged. 

It remains important
a) to encourage everyone to recognise that the Church has a responsibility to take public health considerations seriously and

b) to ensure communication around the Church is good so that we don’t appear at sixes and sevens, and

c) to remember that responsible practice in these areas is not primarily about protecting ourselves but about avoiding transmitting infection unwittingly to others.

In the light of this rapidly changing situation, we do not believe this is the time to issue fresh advice.  We are keeping in regular contact with the Department of Health and will continue to consider all relevant information.

We will review our own advice in a month’s time. Until then, we would encourage you to continue to show patience and to pray for all those affected.

+  Rowan Cantuar               +  Sentamu Ebor

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have issued a letter on the 22nd July 2009 offering their guidelines as regards liturgy during this uncertain time of swine flu. Their recommendations are practical and helpful and will be implemented here at St John’s in this form:

1. Communion will only be administered in the hand.
It is a venerable practice around the world and widely used here at St John’s to receive communion directly in the mouth. When risk of infection existed, necessary precautions were taken to make sure that both the communicants and the priest are safe. This is one of those moments. The best practice in this scenario is to give/receive communion directly in the hand, ensuring that the hands of the priest and the communicant do not touch.
Communion in the hands is received by the communicant presenting at the height of the mouth the right palm supporting the left, (left palm on top). The priest will place the most Blessed Sacrament on the left palm. The communicant communicates by lifting the host with his right hand using the thumb and index finger. The communicant is to make sure to communicate immediately in front of the priest. Great care is to be taken to ensure that no fragment from the host is left on the hand or allowed to fall on the floor. Under every fragment, there is the whole Christ: body, blood, soul and divinity.

2. Communion will be only administered in one kind.
Our Lord used the elements of bread and wine on the night he instituted the Mass. Since Apostolic times communion is received under both kinds. However, our Faith teaches that Christ is fully present under each element. When communion is administered outside the Mass (like Good Friday/ home or hospital communions) only one element is used. Remember after consecration what looks and feels and tastes like bread is Christ: body, blood, soul and divinity and so is what looks like wine. Receiving under one kind is the same full communion.

3. The sharing of the peace between the faithful is omitted.
The sharing of the peace indicates the harmony and unity of those about to make their offering and receive the one body of Christ. It is not meant to be the intermission as happens in some churches.
The priest who celebrates does not only stand in the person of Christ but also represents to God the whole community. Because of the risk of spreading infections by shaking hands, the priest will offer the peace to all and all offer it back to him, in his person, offering it symbolically to each other. I know it will get some time to get used to this but I believe we need to be watchful and observe safe practice, especially for the safety of the vulnerable members of our community.

4. Anti-bacterial gel for hands will be available in the necessary places for the clergy and other ministers to use at the appropriate time and for all to use at their discretion. Plastic bags for used tissues are available at the back of church.
This procedure has already been in place and those who need to use it know were to find the gel and when to use it. More gel will be available in the Parish Hall and crèche for you to use as needs be. Plastic bags are available at the back of church so that you can immediately isolate any tissues in them until it is safe to bin the bag with the tissues in it.

5. A system of flu-buddies will be in place.
We need volunteers to help, as need arises, those who are suffering from swine flu. This involves getting the necessary medications and maybe some shopping. No direct contact will be involved between the buddy and the person who suffers. If you can help please leave your name at the back of church. If you need this help or know of someone who does please contact me (contact provided) or Mr David Bonner (contact provided) in my absence.
For some these measures will not be enough, for others they go too far. I hope that you will find that these measures are the mean between two extremes. The Archbishops have shown great pastoral care in issuing guidelines and it is sensible to take heed of it and put into practice for the benefit of the whole community. I hope and pray that all of us will be safe from this illness and encourage you in joining me in prayer for those who are suffering from it and those who are working hard to keep us safe.

Fr Ivan Dominic Aquilina SSC
The Feast of St Bridget of Sweden, Co-Patron of Europe
23 July 2009.

C-Fam petition

Please consider signing the UN Petition for the Unborn Child and the Family. With your help the UN this December is going to be asked to begin interpreting the Universal Declaration as protecting the unborn child from abortion.

As you know many UN agencies and many nations support the killing of the unborn child in the womb. Some even call such child killing a universal right.  In fact, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights calls for the right to life! This petition calls UN Member States to return to the proper understanding of the right to life. This petition asks nations and the UN itself to recognize that a proper reading of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights must begin by protecting all life, most especially the most defenseless, the unborn child! Click here to sign it.

Reflections on priesthood in the year dedicated to priests.

The aim of this special year dedicated to priests was given by Pope Benedict XVI when he spoke to the Congregation for the Clergy on 16 March 2009. He said: “...to encourage priests in (the) striving for spiritual perfection on which, above all, the effectiveness of their ministry depends...”

There seems to be a crisis of identity among priests. This special year will enable priests and people to recapture something of the beauty of the priesthood and its importance.

I was surprised by the joyful duty that befell me last June to preach at a first Mass. The ordination of Fr Dimitry by Cardinal Schönborn OP took place in the cathedral church of Vienna on the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the opening of the Year of Priests. His first Mass was celebrated the following day in Sankt Andreas, the chapel at the Palace of the Cardinal-Archbishop of Vienna. This gave me scope to reflect about the nature of Priesthood and the result of which, which I preached on that memorable occasion, can be found in the June 2009 archive of this blog.
Since then those words kept echoing inside me and the reflection of these past five months I am committing in this post. I share this in the hope that they would be helpful to brother priests and for the laity as they support us by their prayers and in their relationships with us.

It is meaningful that the opening and closing day of this year take place on the feast of the Sacred Heart, traditionally a day set apart for the sanctification of priests. It is in that heart that the priest can find his identity. Like the holy Cure` of Ars, whose sesquicentenary from his birth to heaven we celebrate, the priest needs to learn how to depend entirely on the treasures of grace that are only found in that heart. This is the spirituality of the priest: complete dependence on the love of Christ and total consecration towards this love made man.

Christ is faithful, in him there was no compromise; his response to the Father was always an open and obedient one. Like him the priest cannot compromise his life of prayer and intimacy with Christ, he cannot compromise in his faithfulness to the Church: the bride of Christ.

Faithfulness towards the Church is manifest above all in preaching. However the priest does well to remember that preaching is not merely the imparting of words; that is just like the tip of an iceberg. The speaking of words has to be supported by a much bigger time of silence, silence that is nourished by listening attentively. We as priests need to recapture the spiritual discipline of “being” which subsequently leads to “doing”. It is to our gravest peril if we reverse the order of these two verbs. We cannot give what we do not have, and we have what we receive in silent, attentive listening. Here comes to mind the Dominican motto: “Contemplari, et contemplate aliis trader.” (We contemplate, and what we contemplate we pass on to others.) Contemplation is that mystic moment when we are caught up in the eternal moment of the laying on of hands – the moment in which we are caught by Christ (Philippians 3:12) and become completely one with him.

A priest who does not fully grasp this reality of being caught up with and in Christ cannot understand himself and others cannot understand him.

Calling us, Jesus looked at us with great love (Mk10:21). Our response is a response and a total embrace of such love, this reciprocal love is what I understand by Christ’s faithfulness to us, and our faithfulness to him.

This mutual faithfulness is the being of the priesthood. Living this being joyfully leads us to the doing of the priesthood; faithfulness is the interior life which makes possible and energises the exterior life of the priest. This exterior life can be divided into four parts.

I. The priest is the one who offers the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and administers the sacraments. The priest stands at the altar instead of Christ; in fact it is Christ who celebrates as all priests have a share in his one priesthood. The inner communion with Christ enables the priest to stand with integrity at the altar: the threshold of heaven; and as Aquinas says: “Missa melioris sacerdotis magis est fructuosa.” (S.Th. IIIa, q.82, a.6) The Mass of the better priest is the more fruitful.

II. The priest is the ascetic who through his consecration (his intimacy and oneness in Christ) continues the mission of the Word here on earth, and this mission is essentially one of adoration and redemption. This insight which originates in the 17th century French School (especially Charles de Condern 1588-1641 ) puts forward the priest as man of God showing the essential intimacy with Christ as the essence of the spirituality of the priesthood.

III. The priest is sign. He is the sign of Christ the head of the Church for the service of the Church. This proposition that originates with Karl Rahner shows that the priest represents Christ the Head of the Church in the service of the People of God. Intimacy with Christ (the being of the priest) enables this ministry of being sign to evolve and mature within the priest. Christ is the bridegroom of the Church who is the bride. The imagery of bridegroom and bride is completely destroyed by admitting women to Holy Orders.

IV. The Priest is Mediator between God and man precisely because he is captured by Christ and through the ontological change of ordination becomes “alter Christus”. This mediation is twofold; it is both ascending and descending. Ascending in the sense of bringing to God the prayers and aspirations of the people; descending as it brings Divine Grace to the people of God. This is supported by Scripture, Reason and Tradition as it includes the three gifts of Christ as Shepherd, Prophet and Priest through the proclamation of the word, the celebration of the sacraments and the service in generous love. This is how the priest participates in full in the ministry of Christ. This does not exclude the truth of Christ as unique mediator but complements it as the priest and people share in the unique mediation of Christ.

Therefore, the question is what are the basic aspects of the inner life of the priest? The answer is fivefold:

a) The ascending spiritual discipline of the priest brings to the fore the contemplative dimension of the priests life. Yves Congar OP says that mental prayer must be the oxygen of the priest. Cardinal Basil Hume OSB teaches that the priest can never be at ease in the world of apostolate if he is not at ease in the desert, the place of his contemplative prayer. Archbishop Michael Ramsey explains that the priest is teacher, minister of reconciliation, man of prayer and Eucharistic being. Without the last two the first cannot happen. All Christians are called to pray but for the priest this is utmost, that is what people know too and that is why they come to us asking for our prayers.

b) The descending spiritual discipline of the priest underlines his ministerial role. Priests, like and in and with Christ, serve in love and joy the people bought by such high price on Good Friday. The Priest must defend the widow and orphan, defend life and fight injustice and ignorance, and he can only do this when he is on his knees washing feet.

c) The above two aspects remind us of two virtues that alas are not popular today: generosity and humility. The priest’s life is a constant battle against mediocrity and pride. I can do all things (generosity) in him who strengthens me (humility). (Philippians 4:13) Being humble is being dependant totally on Christ accepting the will of the Father so that “Christ lives in me”. Pride drives one to be self-sufficient in the sense of not needing God and living in his light, this is the sin of Adam and Eve. The priest always ponders that the road to Joy is the road of Humility, with all his trust on God – in the Domini speravi non confundar in aeternum.

d) The responsibility of priests is great. People have the right to expect to see in us a genuine model of faith, prayer, humility and love. This is indeed a heavy but joyful expectation; it is like the silent expectation that bridged the question of the archangel to the answer of the Blessed Virgin. It is the expectation which brought Jesus to the dark Gethsemane and bridged the question of the comforting angels with his response that was the point where resurrection became tangible. It is the expectation of accepting limitations with that humility that makes all things possible through the generosity of God.

e) The Lord has called us to capture us in his love as we embrace his love with our total self-emptying. The priest is consecrated and becomes Christ in both the ascending and descending qualities mentioned above. Consecration and mission are inter-dependent. Our mission is always in the name of Christ. Our life needs to totally reflect that of Christ who came to fulfil the will of the Father; to serve and not to be served and to give his own life for his flock.

So the priest is the mystery of Incarnation at work and present in the here and now. The first and essential phase of Incarnation happened in the silence of the womb of the Virgin Mary. Running to her and learning from her silence is the route that leads to Christ.

This is the priest no more and no less. With what joy and fear do we answer this call!

I was not intending to publish these, but I am doing so today to thank Fr Dimitry who through his kind and generous invitation to preach for his first Mass enabled me to put these thoughts on paper and has enriched my inner life as priest no end. Tomorrow he visits Sevenoaks for a week. To him I dedicate these thoughts in friendship and love.

Behold the wood of the cross

Soile Lautsi is not a name we know, but very quickly is making the rounds in the world media. Mrs Lautsi is an Italian national. She says she professes no faith. Her children go to the local school. All state schools in Italy, by law, should have a crucifix displayed in every classroom. Mrs Lautsi took exception as she would like to raise her children as secular atheists and has taken the state of Italy to the European Court of Human Rights.

Today this court has found in favour of Mrs Lautsi and ruled that Italian schools should remove the crucifix. Needless to say tonight Italy is in an uproar and it seems that they would have nothing of this silly ruling. Italy is a Catholic country and the symbol of the crucifix has not only faith connotations but even cultural ones. Now you might find hard to believe that I think that state non-confessional schools should not display religious symbols for veneration or edification, but, on the other hand, I expect faith schools to use for edification and devotion the symbols of faith to which the school adheres. However the real point is twofold: a sense of European “statehood” – now with almost its president and political correctness gone mad. Would this court ask all offending adverts to be removed from public places, an advert for British beef (yummy) might be offensive for a vegetarian Hindu as much as the crucifix is for Mrs Lautsi – what happened to living together and accepting and celebrating diversity, or was this a buzz word used by the political correctness brigade until they settled well and now are flexing their muscle of tyranny?

This reminds me of nearer home. The “statehood” of the C of E is now vested in General Synod. The claims of the catholicity of our church have been irreparably damaged when the doctrine of the church was opened up to a show of hands by elected members from any who claim membership of the Church, when what sounds trendy, appealing and complying to “common sense” must prevail. This synod is now heading towards political correctness gone mad. Anglo-Catholics never sat comfortably within these structures and that is to their credit. At this time when the landscape seems to be brightened with new light and new perspectives are coming to the fore, we realise the importance of the realignment of all Catholics to stand up against a very subtle but not less fierce persecution of the Faith Catholic. Faith does not need defending, it needs courageous and generous people to stand up and bear witness by reflecting its glorious light, that wonderful light that purifies us each year at the start of the Easter Vigil.

All Souls Day

Yesterday, in union with the Universal Church, we celebrated All Souls Day.

The first Mass of the Day was at 9.30am and was followed by a procession to and the blessing of the Garden of Remembrance.

This was followed by Pastoral meetings which led to 1.30pm when pupils from Sevenoaks County Primary came to church for their RE lesson. As ever these pupils are a delight and they were attentive for over an hour as symbols and signs in our holy building and used in our Liturgy were explained.

Thus was the time for Vespers and Rosary followed by the second Mass of the Day at 4pm.

Following Mass and a pleasant chat with those who attended it was a delight to see a new member of our congregation coming to church bringing her parents with her to show them were she worships and where she and her future husband will be baptised, confirmed and married. I thought this was most delightful.

At 8pm we had the Solemn Requiem with the commemoration of the Faithful Departed. It was a moving service for which we were joined by those whose relatives died in the last twelve months. Here are some pictures of the Solemn Requiem.

Bishop Elect Martin Warner SSC

This blog is delighted to hear the news of the appointement of Canon Martin Warner SSC as bishop of Whitby. We hold him in our prayers and wish him well.

All Saints II

Although the weather has been very wet, it did not manage to dampen the spirits of those who attended the Sung Mass today. It was a joyful celebration of All Saints Day. At the end of Mass it was announced that Seminarian James Bradley is going to be our next Curate. We very much look forward to meet him next weekend.

Remembrance Sunday will see Fr Dimitry Merenich from Austria as our preacher and Second Lieutenant William Bonner who will lay the wreath during our Act of Remembrance.

A special thanks to the sacristy team who turned the festive look for All Saints in the more sombre one for All Souls.

You can view the November edition of our magazine here.

Here are some photos of our celebration.