OUR FATHER...

A parishioner in my last parish composed the following hymn paradoy. I share it with you:

All things bright and beautiful, all priests both great and small
Vestments rare and colourful - our Father wears them all

He starts the year in Advent
In royal purple hue
On sundays wears the Roman
he's got a choice of two.

All things bright and beautiful, all priests both great and small
vestments bright and wonderful - our Father has them all.

Then on Gaudete Sunday
the violet purple goes
Our Father lights lifts our spirits
in rose from head to toes.

All things bright and beautiful our Father really rocks
matching vestments beautifully with rosy, brown striped socks.

At Christmas time and feasts days
he's robed in white and gold
his brightness all enfolding
his little parish fold.

All things bright and beautiful the bells of Christmas ring
Folks turn up from verywhere to hear our Father sing.

The vestments green for weekdays
best known as Fer- ri -a
when nothing much is happening
the plainest ones so far.

All things bright and beautiful all priests both small and tall
Vestments not so colourful - green suits him best of all.

The vestment for the martyrs
is crimson red - not plain
to honour saints in heaven
who did not die in vain

All things bright and beautiful, all priests both small and tall
Scarlet, crimson - red as blood, our Father has them all.

When garbed in robes for funerals
our non RC friends stare
to see his black biretta
perched on his golden hair.

All things bright and beautiful our Fathers in the black
praying for departed souls who cannot answer back.

Our church is so delightful
with marble altar new
and ambo from which Father
can preach to me and you.

All things bright and beautiful Our Father we would keep
Stylish, trendy, fashionable....
good taste does not come cheap.

PLEASE PRAY FOR

Of your charity please pray for the souls of the following who have recently died:

Jim McGuirke

Margaret McDougal
Jeno Joos

May they rest in peace

Christmas Photos

'So that all the visitors may say 'The Church looks nice on Christmas Day' (Sir John Betjeman - Christmas).

I have pleasure in posting photos of our altar at St Marie's decorated for Christmas. My thanks again go to Anna Nowak and her team for all their dedication and hardwork.

MANY THANKS

May I take this opportunity to thank all those who have worked so hard in the days leading up to Christmas in preparing our two churches to be fitting places for the celebration of our Saviour's birth.

I will post some pictures of the church when I have managed to get my camera working again.

BE IT THIS CHRISTMASTIDE

On 21st December we held our annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candelight. With this post are a few pictures taken at the service. Due to the awful weather numbers attending the serivce were lower than usual but all in all about fifty people came along.