Saturday 28 November 2015

THE ADVENT PRESERVATION SOCIETY

A few years ago now when I was appointed to the Parish of the Sacred Heart in Accrington for a fortnight (I stay two years) some of us got together a little group that became known as the Advent Preservation Society.  It was founded so that we could try and reclaim this holy season that the Church gives us to prepare for the birth of our Saviour.
 
When we reflect how commercial the approach to Christmas has become Holy Mother Church gives us this time to stop and reflect on the Second Coming of our Saviour.  It is in that spirit that the Chaplain of the Society writes a reflection for members.  Here are this years thoughts as we enter this time of grace.
 




A Message from the Chaplain

Reverend Fathers, Brothers, Sisters, Ladies and Gentleman,
 
Last evening I had a call to visit someone who was probably in the last few days of her life.  As I walked to the house it was cold, dark and damp. The leaves had fallen from the trees and all around was showing signs of death and decay.  As I entered the house and approached the bed of the sick person I recalled the a line from one ouf our Christmas Carols…. ‘down to such a world as this.’ 
This holy season of Advent is given to us by Holy Mother Church so that we can prepare our hearts and minds to receive the One who is coming at the end of time to judge the quick and the dead by fire.  Will He find us watching in vigil and prayer with our hearts cleansed by bodily penance?  This great season of grace is given to us so that we might prepare the Advent of our dear Saviour. 
 
When that will be no one knows the day or the hour.  It could be the 25th December or it could be at some other time.  Will we be ready or will we be so caught up in the things around us that we forget the reason why we are celebrating?  Will we return from our late night shopping and get so entangled in the wrapping paper and the tinsel so that not a prayer is said? It is very tempting to allow ourselves to be sucked into the ways of the world with its ‘shop till you drop’ mentality and emphasis on materialism where there is no place for Christ.
As members of the Advent Preparation Society our task is greater than ever in getting people to concentrate on the real meaning of the Season and to take time to prepare in heart and mind so that we may be ready to go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass.
As this Advent Season begins my prayer for you all is that it will be a time of grace.  At time for us to spend in prayer awaiting the Advent of our dear Saviour.  May the Lord grant us His graces to be ever watchful and ready for Him. May the Lord richly bless all your endeavours in the service of His Holy Church and I commend each and every one of you to the Intercession of Our Blessed Lady who brought the Christ Child into this world.
May I take this opportunity to remind members that their annual subscriptions are now due and should be paid as promptly as possible.
Please also remember in your prayers the Co-Founder of the Society, Mr Leo Warren and our devoted Vice Chairman Mr Peter Schofield.  May they rest in peace and rise in glory.   

With all the blessings of Advent
Fr. Francis Wadsworth
Chaplain General
 
 

Thursday 26 November 2015

SCHOOL NEWS

 
We are blest in our parish to have two excellent primary schools. Every time I visit them I am always impressed by the quality of teaching and learning that takes place in our schools but with our Catholic schools I always feel there is a special 'value added' dimension.  That surely stems from our Faith perspective where every child is valued and  matters as we believe they are created in the image and likeness of God.
 
In both our schools I see great examples how the faith is taught in the classroom but also put into practice in the daily life of the school.  When I was first ordained I remember a teacher saying to me 'Father our schools are not simply state schools with RE Departments attached.  Our Faith permeates everything that we do'.  This is certainly the case in our two excellent primary schools
 
I know that it is not always possible for parishioners to visist our schools and see first hand the excellent work that goes on there but through the medium of technology we are able to have a glimpse into school life by looking at the schools websites and blogs.
 
I hope that you will take a moment to look at the following links and see for yourselves the excellent work that is being done in the name of our parish by our dedicated teaching staff for the benefit of our young people.
 

 
SAINT MARIE'S SCHOOL
www.stmariesrcp.co.uk


SAINT JOSEPH'S SCHOOL
www.sjsb.co.uk

 




Sunday 22 November 2015

PASTORAL LETTER


DIOCESE OF SALFORD

Pastoral Letter of the

Right Reverend John Arnold

Bishop of Salford
To be read in all Churches on the weekend of 21st/22nd November, 2015,
the Feast of Christ the King.

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
It is important that I write to you again about several matters. I hope that, apart from this letter being read at Mass, there will be an opportunity for you to have copies, or that you may read it again on the diocesan website.
This weekend we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. Coming as the last Sunday of the liturgical year it is a clear reminder of what we are about and the priorities that we must always have as Catholics. Christ is the summit of our Faith. There is a need to be constantly strengthening our Faith in Him, growing in our knowledge of Him and His ministry, and continuing that ministry through our role as His ambassadors by our prayer, work and example. This is a good moment to take an overview of our progress. I have been your bishop and pastor for almost a year and I have spent that time learning about a Diocese which is new to me. There is much energy and commitment in the priests and people of the Diocese of Salford and I am grateful to every one of you for all that is being achieved.
I must thank you sincerely for the completion of the diocesan-wide consultation which brought several thousand responses. There was good consensus in what was said, with many wise comments and accounts of valuable experience. I have written a report which is available in two forms. The full report is available in parishes and on the Diocesan website and the shorter form – a summary of decisions – should be available to you at the back of the church at the end of the Mass.
As you will see from the summary of the report, the consensus expressed allows me to immediately make a number of decisions about our sacramental life, pastoral life and the administration of the Diocese. Other matters require further consideration and more decisions will follow. I have also been able to ask priests and people to take up various positions of responsibility in the Diocese; some being confirmed in positions they already held and others starting afresh. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who held various posts during this last year and carried out responsibilities with which they had been entrusted by my predecessor, Bishop Terence. That continuity in this my first year has been invaluable to me. At this point, it is sufficient to name only the two Vicars General, Mgr Anthony Kay and Canon Michael Cooke and the five Episcopal Vicars: Fr. Paul Daly (Formation), Canon Paul Brindle (Care of Clergy), Canon Anthony McBride (Education), Fr. David Glover (Caritas) and Fr. Peter Hopkinson (Dialogue and Ecumenism). I am most grateful for their generosity in accepting these responsibilities. Each of them will lead teams of clergy and lay people who will be responsible for the developing mission of our Diocese for Evangelisation and social outreach.
In the coming year we must also turn our attention to the practical challenge of consolidating the parishes. We have too many small communities, far more than can realistically be served by the priests of the Diocese. Many of our current parishes were formed at a time when the Catholic population (and especially the Mass-going population) was a lot higher than it is today. Over the next eight months, through various levels of consultation and discussion, I will be asking priests and people about the best way of naming what, in the Consultation Report, I refer to as “Mission Parishes”. The “Mission Parishes” will each have a resident priest or priests and may well contain more than one church. To allow the parishes to be missionary, lay people will have to take up not only a great deal of the administration but also their rightful part as co-workers with the priests in the task of evangelisation and other ministries. There is no doubt that the Diocese will change quite dramatically and, as I have said in a previous letter to you, the changes will demand a generosity and understanding on the part of priests and people. Having said that, I have every confidence that there will be much to celebrate and enjoy with purpose as we prepare our Diocese for this next stage of the mission to which Pope Francis has called us.
I will be meeting with all the priests of the Diocese in early February and relying on them, with their knowledge and experience of the Diocese, to begin the discussion and planning for this re-alignment of the parishes within the Diocese. Their proposals will be open to your comments and knowledge before any decisions are made.
Although there will be change, much will remain the same and so much of what is familiar will continue as before.
Finally, all this planning and change will be in the context of the Year of Mercy. What better place than this to examine where the Lord, in His love for us, may be leading us and to discover the commission that He may have for us? I am asking that we positively engage with change. Change is inevitable but we can take advantage of it and use it to respond to Pope Francis' call for a missionary church. We can create now a renewed Church in Salford that future generations will be grateful we shaped for them.
Our prayer must play an important part in all we hope to do and, as we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, let us continue with that prayer that Christ Himself will “Stay with us on our journey” .
Yours devotedly
+ John Arnold
Bishop of Salford

BAPTISMS

Congratulations to little Freddie who was baptised recently at St Marie's
Please keep him and his family in your prayers
 
 
 

Monday 16 November 2015

SUNDAY THOUGHTS


A few reflections on this weekend's Gospel
A woman was hurrying home from work. This was her bingo night. Sud­denly she spotted this fellow standing on the edge of the pavement hold­ing aloft a placard which read: THE END OF THE WORLD IS NEAR. She went up to him and said,
'You say the end of the world is near.'
'That's right, missus,' he replied.
'But are you sure?
'Quite sure, missus.'
'And you say it's near.'
'Yes, missus.'
'How near?
'Oh, very near.'
'Could you be more precise?'
'This very night, missus.'

She paused for a moment to reflect on this. Then in a voice full of anxi­ety, she asked, 'Tell me, son. Will it be before or after bingo?'

The world in which we live is a very uncertain one. It seems to lurch from one crisis to another. This uncertainty can cause great fear and anxi­ety. In the midst of this uncertain and changing world we need some­thing solid to rely on. For a Christian that can mean only one thing: faith in God. The psalm of today's Mass puts it like this: 'I keep the Lord ever in my sight: since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.' And of course we have the words of Jesus: 'Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.'
This is all we have. But then this is all we need. The assurance that things are in God's hands. That his plan for us and the world will be fulfilled. Christ will reign. God will reign. We will reign with him in ever­lasting life.
Many people have claimed to know when the end of the world will come. Some claim a special revela­tion from God or Our Lady, and others claim to have calculated it from the Bible. All such claims should be ignored.

Today's Gospel gives us a timely message about the end of the world. Jesus tells us that no one knows when the end will come except the heav­enly Father. And with regard to the end – we should be hopeful rather than fearful. God made us for salvation, not for damnation.

Faith gives us the conviction that the world is not heading towards final, irreversible catastrophe.  Nor is it headed towards mere ending.  It is headed towards fulfilment.  By his Easter victory Our Lord has triumphed over evil and death.  We should worry more about the end of our own, individual world at death, which is certain, than about the end of the world which is out of our hands.  

Thursday 12 November 2015

FATHER ALOSZA (2)

The  previous post mentioned that much has happened since we last saw Father Alosza.  Here is an account of those things that he delivered at Mass this weekend

Drodzy Bracia i Siostry,
Bardzo się cieszę z tego, że mogę być dzisiaj tutaj z Wami. Minęło już około dwóch lat jak ostatnim razem tutaj byłem. Dużo się wydarzyło za ten czas. Jeszcze bardzo żywo pamiętam mój ostatni pobyt u Was, kiedy to byłem kilka tygodni, cieszyłem się Waszą gościnnością, kiedy próbowałem uczyć się angielskiego i kiedy czytając bajki przygotowywałem się do tego, by odprawić pierwszą w moim życiu Mszę Świętą w języku angielskim.

My dear brothers and sisters,
I am very happy that I can be here with you today. It's been about two years since the last time we were together. A lot has happened since then. I was here for a few weeks and can still vividly remember my time with you. I enjoyed your hospitality, tried to learn English, and by reading stories helped to prepare myself to celebrate Mass in English for the very first time.

DziÄ™kujÄ™ Wam, Drodzy Bracia i Siostry, za to, że jesteÅ›cie obecni w moim życiu i mojej posÅ‚udze kapÅ‚aÅ„skiej w dalekim Kazachstanie. DziÄ™kujÄ™ także za WaszÄ… modlitwÄ™ i pamięć o mnie, szczególnie w tym ostatnim czasie; czasie – który dla mnie jak i dla mojej rodziny oraz parafii nie byÅ‚ i nadal nie jest czasem Å‚atwym i przyjemnym. Kiedy żegnaÅ‚em siÄ™ z ks. Francisem na lotnisku dwa lata temu, a przez niego poniekÄ…d i z każdym z Was – nikt z nas wtedy nie myÅ›laÅ‚, że tamto pożegnanie mogÅ‚o być ostatnim w naszym życiu…
I thank you, brothers and sisters, for the fact that you are part of my life and my priestly ministry in far-off Kazakhstan. I also thank you for your thoughts and prayers, especially those most recent in time; a time which for me, along with my family, and my parish, wasn’t, and still isn’t an easy or pleasant one. When I was saying good-bye to Fr. Francis at the airport two years ago, and through him somehow to every one of you, none of us then thought that those farewells could be the last in our lives…
 
StojÄ™ tutaj przed Wami – by z jednej strony, bardzo serdecznie podziÄ™kować zarówno ks. Francisowi jak i każdemu i każdej z Was za modlitwÄ™ i potrzymanie mnie w tym trudnym dla mnie czasie, a z drugiej strony by dać Å›wiadectwo wiernoÅ›ci Boga czÅ‚owiekowi i także Bogu za to wszystko podziÄ™kować.

I stand here before you, on the one hand to thank both Fr. Francis and each and every one of you, for your heartfelt prayers and support, in what has been a difficult time for me, and on the other hand to bear witness to the faithfulness of God to man, and also to thank God for all of this.
W dzisiejszym pierwszym czytaniu słyszeliśmy, jak prorok Eliasz poniekąd wystawia ubogą wdowę na niebezpieczeństwo śmierci, ale przede wszystkim wystawia ją na próbę wiary. Próba ta jest o tyle mocniejsza ponieważ dotyczy nie tylko ją, ale też i tego którego ona bardzo kocha - jej syna.

W Ewangelii natomiast widzimy innÄ… osobÄ™, która ofiarowuje Bogu to, co ma cennego dla siebie, a której czyn jest wyrazem także jej wiary i ufnoÅ›ci pokÅ‚adanej w Bogu. UfnoÅ›ci, która siÄ™ga dalej niż ludzkie kalkulacji i rachunki; wiary, która przekracza lÄ™ki i obawy o przyszÅ‚ość i o życie…
In today’s first reading we heard how the prophet Elijah, in a way, places the life of the widow in danger, but in essence puts her faith to the test. A test made the more difficult because it not only affects her, but also that which she loves very much – her son.

Whereas in the Gospel reading we see a different person, one who offers God that which is the most value to her, and whose action is an expression of her faith and her trust in God. A trust that goes beyond human calculations and sums, a faith that transcends fear and concerns about the future and about life itself...
Drodzy Bracia o Siostry, ostatni czas jak już wspomniaÅ‚em byÅ‚ czasem dla mnie bardzo trudnym, a zarazem piÄ™knym. UdaÅ‚o siÄ™ zrobić bardzo dużo w parafii, a mianowicie: zostaÅ‚y wymienione wszystkie okna w KoÅ›ciele; wymieniony caÅ‚y system grzewczy i wszystkie kaloryfery; KoÅ›ciół zostaÅ‚ pomalowany od Å›rodka i wyglÄ…da w koÅ„cu jaÅ›niej i przytulniej; zostaÅ‚ przywieziony duży obraz Matki Bożej Niepokalanej i zawieszony po lewej stronie od oÅ‚tarza; zostaÅ‚o wymienione na nowo caÅ‚e nagÅ‚oÅ›nienie oraz zostaÅ‚ nareszcie wyremontowany dom dla sióstr, gdzie one teraz mogÄ… w ludzkich warunkach mieszkać i posÅ‚ugiwać. Wszystko to pochÅ‚onęło bardzo dużo siÅ‚ i Å›rodków, które udaÅ‚o siÄ™ zebrać, dziÄ™ki ofiarnoÅ›ci Dobrodziejów. Niestety już nie zdążyÅ‚em zrobić placu zabaw dla dzieci z ulicy, ponieważ przyszÅ‚o cierpienie…

Dear brothers and sisters, lately, as I have mentioned, it has been a very trying time for me, but yet a time of beauty. We managed to get a great deal done in the parish. To be specific, all the windows in the church were replaced, as were the radiators and the heating system; the interior of the church was painted and now looks much brighter and cosier; a large painting of Our Lady Immaculate was brought and hung to the left of the altar; the sound system was changed again; and at long last the house for the sisters was renovated, so they now live and serve in humane conditions. All this consumed a great deal of manpower and resources, which we managed to gather, through the generosity of our benefactors. Unfortunately, I ran out of time to set up a playground for the street children because I became ill and this brought a lot of suffering.
WspomniaÅ‚em, że pożegnanie dwa lata temu mogÅ‚o być ostatnim w naszym życiu ponieważ od sierpnia zeszÅ‚ego roku cierpienie staÅ‚o siÄ™ moim codziennym udziaÅ‚em i jak mówi psalmista „moim chlebem powszednim”. W 2014 roku 8 i 12 sierpnia mogÅ‚y być ostatnimi dniami mojego życia. Zaczęło siÄ™ wszystko od próby wyrwania zÄ™ba u dentysty. Niby coÅ› takiego, ktoÅ› może powiedzieć… ZostaÅ‚y przedawkowane Å›rodki przeciwbólowe w wyniku czego powinienem byÅ‚ odejść do Pana jeszcze na owym fotelu u dentysty. W miÄ™dzyczasie, jak lekarzy walczyli o moje życie – rodzice dostali informacjÄ™ o tym, ze ich syn zostaÅ‚ zabrany do szpitala w karetce na sygnale w stanie bardzo ciężkim. NastÄ™pnie cztery dni później byÅ‚a operacja podczas której zostaÅ‚a przedawkowana narkoza, która byÅ‚a podana na oko, bez szczegółowych badaÅ„ i wywiadów, w wyniku czego nie mogli mnie wybudzić – wszystko sÅ‚yszaÅ‚em, co siÄ™ dziaÅ‚o na okoÅ‚o mnie, ale nie mogÅ‚em zacząć oddychać. W tym samym czasie lekarze zostawili mnie samego na sali operacyjnej. PamiÄ™tam wszystko… i ten ostatni jÄ™k, i drgawki z braku powietrza, niemoc i bezradność… i to, że w ostatniej chwili uratowaÅ‚ mnie mÅ‚ody reanimator.

I mentioned that the farewells of two years ago could have been the last ones in our lives, because since August of last year, suffering has become a part of my every-day life, as the psalmist put it, "my daily bread". In 2014, the eighth and twelfth of August could each have been the last day of my life. It all started with an attempted extraction at the dentist. Such a common thing, some would say. I was given too much local anaesthetic, which should have resulted in me being called to our Lord on that very dentist's chair. While the doctors fought to save my life, my parents were informed that their son had been taken to hospital by ambulance, sirens wailing, and was in a critical condition. Then, four days later, I underwent an operation, during which I was administered an overdose of general anaesthetic, because the amount needed had been estimated, and not properly calculated, with the result that they couldn't revive me – I could hear everything that was going on around me, but I couldn't breathe. The doctor left me on my own like this in the operating theatre. I remember everything ... the final groan, the convulsions from lack of air, impotence and the feeling of helplessness ... and this: that at the last moment a young resuscitation specialist saved me.

W wyniku tego wszystkiego dwa tygodnie później podczas Mszy Å›wiÄ™tej w Parafii straciÅ‚em przytomność i zostaÅ‚em wyniesiony od oÅ‚tarza do zakrystii. Kiedy siÄ™ ocknÄ…Å‚em na drżących nogach wróciÅ‚em do oÅ‚tarza, widziaÅ‚em twarzy ludzie którzy pÅ‚akali i stojÄ…c na kolanach modlili siÄ™ za swojego ksiÄ™dza i ledwo stojÄ…c, koÅ‚yszÄ…c siÄ™ w każdÄ… stronÄ… dokoÅ„czyÅ‚em MszÄ™ Å›wiÄ™tÄ… i dopiero potem przyjechaÅ‚a karetka pogotowia. W wyniku tego wszystkiego zaczÄ…Å‚em co kilka dni tracić przytomność, a badania wykazali, że wszystkie organy wewnÄ™trzne zostaÅ‚y uszkodzone. Miejscowi lekarzy w Kazachstanie powiedzieli, że nie sÄ… w stanie w niczym już mi pomóc i dlatego musiaÅ‚em być transportowany na wózku inwalidzkim do Polski. Pierwszy lot, który trwaÅ‚ ponad 5 godzin i nastÄ™pny ponad półtorej godziny, zasÅ‚abniÄ™cie w samolocie, cierpienie i ból… W Polsce spÄ™dziÅ‚em już ponad rok i w wiÄ™kszoÅ›ci to byli szpitale, lekarze, sanatoria, znowu chirurgia i leki, które musiaÅ‚em przyjmować w ogromnej iloÅ›ci.
As a result of all this, two weeks later during Mass in the parish, I lost consciousness and was carried from the altar to the sacristy. When I came round, I returned on shaky legs to the altar, and  saw faces of people crying and praying on their knees for their priest, and barely able to stand, swaying every which way, I finished saying Mass, and only then did the ambulance arrive. Thereafter, I began to lose consciousness every few days. Tests showed that I had sustained damage to my internal organs. The local doctors in Kazakhstan told me that they weren't able to help me further and so I was taken, wheelchair bound, to Poland. The first flight was over five hours, and the next over an hour and a half. I collapsed during the flight, was suffering and in pain... I was in Poland for over a year, most of this was hospitals, doctors, clinics, more surgery, and medicines, which I had to take in vast quantities.

Drodzy Bracia i Siostry – Bóg mówi do nas poprzez wydarzenia naszego życia. Te trudne wydarzenia dla mnie o których wspomniaÅ‚em staÅ‚y siÄ™ okazjÄ… dla mojego wzrostu w wierze i ufnoÅ›ci pokÅ‚adanej tylko w Bogu. Bo wtedy, kiedy wszystko siÄ™ wymyka spod kontroli, kiedy już nad niczym nie panujesz, kiedy w dzieÅ„ jest ciÄ…gÅ‚e ryzyko wylewu krwi do mózgu, a w nocy serce spowalnia do granic ryzyku, kiedy co dwa-trzy dni nastÄ™pujÄ… omdlenia i kiedy potem kilka godzin trzeba dochodzić do siebie, kiedy życie umyka siÄ™ z rÄ…k i kiedy wydaje siÄ™, że znikÄ…d pomocy – zostaje Bóg. Zostaje ten, Który nigdy nie opuszcza, Który nigdy nie pozostawia i Który zawsze jest wierny, nawet wtedy kiedy my już wÄ…tpimy w siebie, w innych i nawet w samego Boga. On jest z nami. Jestem wdziÄ™czny Jemu za to wszystko co udaÅ‚o siÄ™ zrobić dla Parafii, dla sióstr, który posÅ‚ugujÄ… w Parafii, ale jestem także mu wdziÄ™czny za te trudne doÅ›wiadczenia bólu i Å‚ez, bezradnoÅ›ci i niemocy. Bo wÅ‚aÅ›nie wtedy doÅ›wiadczyÅ‚em ogromnej Jego miÅ‚oÅ›ci i troski od ludzi, także i od Was - i za to jestem ogromnie wdziÄ™czny.
My dear brothers and sisters – God speaks to us through the events in our lives. These events, which were for me difficult, became an opportunity to grow in faith and place, only in God, my trust. Because it is then, when everything is slipping from your control, once you have no power over anything, when by day there is always the risk of a brain haemorrhage, and at night the heart slows to a dangerous beat, when every two to three days you faint and then it takes you a few hours to feel yourself again, when life is slipping from your hands, and when it seems that there is no help from anywhere – God remains. He remains, the One Who never abandons, Who never leaves, and Who is always faithful, even when we come to doubt ourselves, others, and even God Himself. He is with us. I am grateful to Him, for everything we have been able to do for the parish, do for the sisters who work there, but I am also grateful to Him for the difficult experiences of pain and tears, helplessness and powerlessness. Because it was then that I experienced His tremendous love, and from people, you amongst them, a concern for my wellbeing – and for that I am extremely grateful.

Cierpienie, ból, strapienie duchowe i ból psychiczny, cierpienie najbliższych, którzy widzÄ… jak cierpi ten kogo oni kochajÄ… – to wszystko ma swój sens, to wszystko ma swoje znaczenie i kiedy po ludzku czujemy siÄ™ bezradni, czujemy swojÄ… niemoc, albo nie widzimy wyjÅ›cia to, co musi pozostać – to ufność pokÅ‚adana w Bogu, podobnie do owej wdowy, która byÅ‚a wystawiona na próbÄ™, a która wszystko zwyciężyÅ‚a swojÄ… wiarÄ…. Teraz rozumiem coraz bardziej sÅ‚owa apostoÅ‚a PawÅ‚a, który mówi, że „i w życiu i w Å›mierci należymy do Pana”. To jest prawda. Już mogÅ‚em nie żyć, już mogÅ‚em nic wiÄ™cej dobrego w życiu nie zrobić, już mogÅ‚em wiÄ™cej nikogo w życiu nie zobaczyć, a tym których kocham pozostaÅ‚o by tylko wspomnienie, ale Bóg rozporzÄ…dziÅ‚ inaczej. I chociaż nadal doÅ›wiadczam cierpienia w moim ciele, chociaż nadal nie mam zdrowia i siÅ‚ - to jednak jestem przekonany, że to wszystko jest potrzebne dla mojego uÅ›wiÄ™cenia, dla mojego wzrostu, a to cierpienie, którego doÅ›wiadczam i które jeszcze bÄ™dÄ™ doÅ›wiadczaÅ‚, przynosi i może przynieść owoce w życiu innych ludzi.

Suffering, pain, spiritual distress and mental anguish, loved ones suffering for seeing those they love suffer  – all this has its sense, all this has its meaning, and when as human beings we feel helpless, we feel our impotence, or we see no way out, what must remain is the trust placed in God, like that widow, who was put to the test, and by her faith triumphed. I now understand more and more the words of the Apostle Paul who said that, "in life and in death we belong to God". This is true. I could be dead now, do no more good in my life now, not see any one else in my life now, and for those whom I love only memories would remain, but God deemed otherwise. And even though I still suffer physically, even though I still have not recovered my health or strength – I am however convinced that all this is necessary for me to grow in holiness, and the suffering that I have experienced and will experience, bears and may bear fruit in the lives of others.
Nie mówiÄ™ tego wszystkiego po to, by wzbudzać litość i współczucie nad sobÄ…, nie mówiÄ™ tego po to, by wzbudzać podziw dla siebie. Jeżeli o tym mówiÄ™ to dla tego, by podziÄ™kować Bogu za Jego obecność, za Jego Å‚askÄ™ – bo w tym wszystkim ani razu nie zapytaÅ‚em Boga o to dlaczego to na mnie przyszÅ‚o, lecz jedynie siÄ™ modliÅ‚em, by daÅ‚ siÅ‚y przyjąć caÅ‚e to doÅ›wiadczenie. PragnÄ™ tym samym dać Å›wiadectwo Jego troski i OpatrznoÅ›ci nade mnÄ…, a z drugiej strony by podziÄ™kować także i Wam – tym wszystkim, którzy pamiÄ™tajÄ… o mnie w swoich modlitwach i w trosce na różne sposoby to wyrażajÄ…. ProszÄ™ Was jednoczeÅ›nie przy tym, byÅ›cie pamiÄ™tali o tym, że życie jest bardzo kruche, że ono bardzo szybko przemija i od nas do koÅ„ca jego dÅ‚ugość nie zależy, że ono jest nam dane po to, by je nie zmarnować - lecz jest dane po to, by nim cieszyć innych i innym pomagać. ProszÄ™ Was zatem o to byÅ›cie czynili dobro wokół siebie i tam gdzie tylko potraficie, bo pod koniec życia – jak mówi Å›w. Jan od Krzyża - Bóg zapyta każdego z nas tylko o jednÄ… rzecz – zapyta nas o miÅ‚ość, zapyta nas o dobro, które mogliÅ›my uczynić innym… CeÅ„cie swoje życie, dbajcie o siebie nawzajem…

I've not told you all this in order to gain your pity and compassion, I've not told you all this to gain your admiration. If I talk about this, it is to thank God for His presence, for His grace, because throughout all this, not once did I ask God why this happened to me, but simply prayed for the strength to endure it all. By this I desire to give witness to His care and providence for me, as well as to thank you – all of you who remembered me in their prayers and showed their concern for me in numerous ways.  At the same time I ask you to remember that life is very fragile, that it passes very quickly, and that to its very end, its span is not up to us, that it is given to us – not to waste, but is given so that we can use it to help others and to make them happy. I therefore ask you to do good around you and wherever you can, because at the end of life, as St. John of the Cross teaches, God will ask each of us about only one thing: about the love we had and the good we did for others. Cherish your lives, look after one another...
By to zobrazować – na koniec – jeden przykÅ‚ad także z mojego życia. Kilka lat temu miaÅ‚em kontakt z jednym mÅ‚odym czÅ‚owiekiem, który miaÅ‚ wtedy 16 lat. ByÅ‚a zima, na dworze -25 stopni mrozu, grudzieÅ„. Pytam tego mÅ‚odego czÅ‚owieka:

- Co teraz robisz?
- SiedzÄ™ i myÅ›lÄ™ – odpowiada on.
PomyÅ›laÅ‚em sobie to dobrze, że ktoÅ› jeszcze myÅ›li. Bo w dzisiejszym Å›wiecie, trudno znaleźć czÅ‚owieka, który nie boi siÄ™ samodzielnie myÅ›leć…

- A o czym myÅ›lisz? – pytam go.
- MyÅ›lÄ™ o tym od kogo pożyczyć kurtkÄ™, by jutro pójść do szkoÅ‚y – odpowiada on…

Rok później zabraÅ‚em go ze sobÄ… do sklepu. Kiedy zrobiliÅ›my zakupy, wróciliÅ›my do samochodu on poprosiÅ‚ u mnie równowartość na tamten czas 1 dolara. Kiedy mu daÅ‚em, on poszedÅ‚ do sklepu,  kupiÅ‚ tam dwie parówki i wychodzÄ…c oddaÅ‚ te dwie, dopiero co kupione parówki, maÅ‚emu piesku, który siedziaÅ‚ przy wejÅ›ciu do sklepu, a który byÅ‚o widać, że byÅ‚ porzucony i nie miaÅ‚ ani domu ani wÅ‚aÅ›ciciela. Kiedy wróciÅ‚ do samochodu powiedziaÅ‚ do mnie:
- Ja wiem, co znaczy być jak ten pies, który nie ma domu, który nie ma co jeść i który czeka i żebrze na jedzenie…

Kochani, żyjmy tak, by nie marnować ani jednej chwili z naszego życia, żyjmy tak, by potem nie żaÅ‚ować przeżytych dni, godzin i przeżytego czasu naszego życia i jak mówiÅ‚ poeta ks. Twardowski: „Åšpieszmy siÄ™ kochać ludzi, bo tak szybko od nas odchodzÄ……”
To finish, in order to illustrate all that I've said, I'll give an example that is also from my life. A few years ago I knew a young person, who was then 16. It was winter, outside it was 25 Celsius below, the month was December. I asked this young person:

"What are you doing?"
"I'm sitting and thinking", he replied.

I thought to myself, that's good, that there is still someone who thinks. Because in today's world it is difficult to find a person who is not afraid to think for himself.

"What are you thinking about?, I asked.
"I'm wondering from whom I can borrow a coat, so that I can go to school tomorrow", he replied.
A year later I took him shopping. When we finished and went back to the car, he asked me for what was at the time equivalent to a dollar. When I gave it him, he went to the shop, and there bought two sausages, and on leaving, gave those just bought sausages to a small dog that was sitting by the entrance. It was evident that the dog had been abandoned, and had neither a home nor an owner. When he returned to the car, he said:
 
"I know what it means to be like that dog, that has no home, that has nothing to eat and that waits and begs for food".

My dear people, let us live in a way that does not squander a single moment of our lives, let us live in a way that later does not bring regret for the days, hours and time that has already passed, and as the poet Fr. Twardowski wrote "let us hurry to love people, for they leave us so quickly."   Amen.

FATHER ALOSZA


On the 6th November with great joy we welcomed Father Alosza back to our parish.  It has been almost two years since we last saw him and during that time much has happened in his life.
 
This years visit was only very short but during that time we managed to visit London so that Father could see a little of the capital.  The picture shows the two of us outside Buckingham Palace.  We are grateful to Fr. Philip Baptiste and the Verona Fathers for their gracious hospitality during our stay.
 
I am also grateful to our parishioners for their kindness to Father Alosza and for their continued prayers for his well being.  I am also deeply grateful for their generosity towards him in the appeal that he made at the weekend.
 
Father will return to his mission in Kazakstan in late December this year.  Please continue to pray for him.
 

VISITORS


Towards the end of August this year we were able to welcome deacons and seminarians from the Archdiocese of Katowice in Poland to our parish.  Readers of this blog will recall that some of the students came last year to help in our parish and gain pastoral experience.
 
During their visit this year they were able to help around the parish and to enhance the liturgy by their ministry and by their singing.
 
They are now all back in Poland.  Please keep them all in your prayers as they continue in their studies.
 
From left to right in the photo the students are
 
Michal Rosinski who entered the propaedeutic year this September
Deacon Mateusz Klimek who will be ordained to the Sacred Priesthood in May
Deacon Mateusz Iwanecki who will be ordained to the Sacred Priesthood in May
Tomasz Szembor currently in his third year of studies.

Thursday 5 November 2015

THE HOLY SOULS

November is traditionally called the Month of the Holy Souls when we remember those who have gone before us and await the Beatific Vision of God in Heaven. There are many souls eternally grateful for the prayers and Masses that you offer during November. 
 
Having Mass offered four our loved ones who have died is the greatest act of charity that we can perform for them.  It is even more important in these increasing  secular times when so many of the funerals are 'A Celebration of the life of.....' in which people learnt he liked a drink and a bet on the horses. 
 
Each day of the week in November Holy Mass is offered for all those whose names are at our Holy Shrines.  May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
 
 
Holy Souls Shrine at St Joseph's

Holy Souls Shrine at St Marie's

A LITTLE PRESENT

May thanks to our Polish seminarians and Deacons who were with us in the summer.  They have sent a little gift to the parish.  The gift comprises of Palls that are used to cover the chalice at Mass, embroidered corporals and purificators and finger towels.
 
Please keep the students in your prayers as they continue their studies and prepare for ordination. Deacon Mateusz Klimek and Deacon Mateusz Iwanecki will be ordained to the Sacred Priesthood on 21st May 2016.
 
Palls to cover the chalice at Mass

Corporal, Purificator and Finger Towel

Corporal, Purificator and Finger Towel
 

Tuesday 3 November 2015

OF YOUR CHARITY

Pray for the repose of the souls of those who have recently died
 
 
John Anthony Rigby
Leo Mahon
Violet Boswell
Bridie Dunne
Leon Szulc
Ellen Graham
Hughie Corrigan
Bernard Kelly
Margaret Castle
Angela Nolan
Patricia Tucci
Margaret Heap
John Hughes
Derek Chadwick
Elizabeth Herbert
George Kemp
Ernest Liddell
Patrick Bradley
Thomas McCallion
Elli Cheesbrough
Joan Ford
John Barlow,
Kitty Stubley
Barbara Duckworth
Geoff Bentley

TOM MCCALLION RIP

 

 
It is with great sadness that the parish community heard of Tom's death on 31st August in Nazareth House.
 
Tom was one of the first parishioners that I met on my arrival at St Marie's in 2008.  He introduced himself  'Hello Father, I 'm Tom.  I'm the organist here.  I can't read music.  I play by ear.'  He wasn't too sure how to take me when I replied 'why don't you try using your fingers, it's  easier.'  I am happy to say from that moment on we became great friends.
 
Many parishioners described Tom as a character. He certainly was.  On a Sunday morning before Mass he could be found in the church porch helping hand out the hymn books and always with a smile, a joke or even a song. 
 
As mentioned above Tom was the organist here at St Marie's.  Not being able to read music didn't deter him from playing at Mass form a wide repertoire of hymns that he has learnt, providing of course they were in the key of C.  I commented on this and said 'the Parish church down the road has Stanford in G and we have Tom in C.' 
 
Tom served the parish faithfully as organist and as a member of the SVP Society putting his faith into action by helping those less fortunate than himself.  In the latter months he served as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. 
 
An appreciation of Tom's life would not be complete without reference to his time in the Royal Navy where he was proud to have served Queen and Country on board The Brtiannia.  Tom had many stories to tell about his life on the ocean wave, most of them not suitable for a parish blog!!!
 
Tom will be missed by all who knew him and not least by his wife Maureen to whom we offer our love, prayers and condolences.
 
Rest in Peace Tom

WELCOME BACK

I know its been a long, long time since I posted anything on the blog.  So I think it's high time that I updated the blog.  I know that my readers will have been disappointed that nothing has appeared for such a long time.
 
I don't think it will be possible to write something on all that has happened since the last post so you will have to make do with a little summary of the past few months to bring everything up to date.
 
At the end of April I may my annual retreat at Thorneycroft Hall in the Diocese of Shrewsbury.  Fr. Peter Haverty, a Priest of Opus Dei was the retreat master. Every year a priest has the obligation of undertaking a retreat in order to help him focus on his life and ministry and his relationship with God.  The five days of prayer and reflection in silence were very pleasant.
 
In the month of May we celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation for our Year Three children in both our primary schools.  This is the last year that Confirmation will be celebrated in Year Three.  We are currently undergoing a review of how will be celebrate this Sacrament in the future but the likelihood is the that the Sacrament will be celebrated when the children are much older.
 
On 13th June I celebrated my anniversary of ordination to the Sacred Priesthood.  This year marks seventeen years of service as a priest.  Please continue to pray for me and the people I try to serve.
 
Also in June we celebrated First Holy Communion for all our Year Three Children.  Many thanks to all who helped make those celebrations so prayerful.  At St Joseph's this year we decided to spread the celebrations over two weekends with the families having the choice of coming to Mass on the Saturday  Evening or Sunday morning.
 
In July I was present at the Ordinations for members of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICKSP) in Gricigliano. It was wonderful to see so many young men dedicating themselves to the service of God and His Church in the priesthood.  Please keep these baby priests in your prayers.
 
At the end of July I made my way to Lourdes for the annual diocesan pilgrimage led for the first time by our new bishop, John Arnold.  Once again it was a very uplifting experience.  Although this year was my 29th visit it is a place I can never tire of.
 
After the pilgrimage I was able to take my annual summer holiday. Holidays took me around various parts of France.  I am grateful to the hospitality extended to us by Canon Landais of the ICKSP.  We celebrated Mass for the Feast of the Assumption and the following Sunday at the Institute's Church.  I am grateful to Fr. Clement and Fr. Antony from Nigeria who supplied for me enabling we to get away from the parish for holidays and recharging the batteries.
 
I returned from holiday towards the end of August to be ready to welcome seminarians and deacons from the Archdiocese of Katowice in Poland who were coming to experience something of the life of the Church here in England.
 
I think that's about as much as I want to say in this post.  It is already quite long.  Hopefully the blog will be updated more regularly from now on but I cant promise!!!