BRENDAN LEYDEN RIP

On the morning of the 9th November (Remembrance Sunday) I was called to the Leyden family home to administer the Last Rites to Brendan. Shortly after reciting the prayers and coming away from the house Brendan passed away.

 

 Celebrating these Sacraments and ministering to the dying is always an immense privilege for a priest, but particularly when it is someone you have known.  The words used in granting the Apostolic Pardon are very powerful:

May the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who gave to his apostle Peter the power of binding and loosing, in his loving mercy accept your confession and put about your shoulders again the robe of sonship which was given you at your baptism.  And now in virtue of the faculty given to me by the Apostolic See, I grant you a plenary indulgence and the full remission of all your sins. In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen

 

Through the sacred mysteries of man's redemption may God almighty free you, both in this life and the next, from all the penalties he would have exacted from you for your sins.  May he open the gates of paradise to you and lead you in, to enjoy ending happiness.  Amen

 

____________________________

 



Brendan was a great friend to many and I know that he will be sadly missed by all who knew him.  He worked tirelessly in the hospitality industry and will be remembered for founding the Leyden Brewery at the Lord Raglan Pub in Nangreaves (where incidentally he was born).

 

Brendan had a very homely down to earth faith that sustained him throughout life and in particular in the last weeks of his life.  Some of his friends, when they found out he went to church were a little surprised.  When they asked him why he went, in that typical down to earth way he replied 'Well it's something that you do.  It makes you feel better.' 

 

Brendan was also a great family man.  When he married his wife Helena at St Joseph's Church together they soon transformed what was previously Brendan's bachelor pad in Nangreaves into a fitting place for their children Joanna and Conor.  The family home was always a place of welcome, warmth and love for anyone who happened to call in.  Even in his last few weeks of illness Brendan always made sure that anyone who came to his home was made welcome.

 

We will miss you here below Brendan.  Rest in Peace and pray for us that as St Thomas More said 'we may all meet again, merrily in heaven.'

AROUND SAINT MARIE'S

Last Sunday having celebrated all the Masses and a baptism I had a rare free afternoon.  I decided to have a little play with the camera I bought last Christmas and am only know getting used to some of its many features.  Here are some of the pictures I took.

 

 

 

Detail of the Sacred Heart Statue

The Flight into Egypt from the East Window

The Annunciation from the East Window

The Apparition at Lourdes in the stained glass

Christ the King

Statue of Our Lady

The Sacred Heart

St Joseph with light from candles

Image of St John Paul from the Shrine at the back of Church

 

CARROT AND PEPPER SOUP

Here is a recipe for a tasty soup I have made recently

 

The Ingredients

1kg of carrots
3 peppers (one of each colour
3 cloves of garlic
2 Knorr vegetable stock pots
1000mls of water

Put the water and the stock pots in a pan
and place on low heat

Peel and roughly chop the carrots
de-seed and roughly chop the peppers
Peel and slice the garlic cloves
 

Add the chopped vegetables to the stock and stir
Bring to the boil and then simmer until the carrots are tender



When ready, using a hand blender blend
all the ingredients together

Here is the blended soup.  On High Days and Days of Special Solemnity
a swirl of double cream may be added to the soup