REDBRIDGE & HAVERING ORDINARAITE GROUP

The Redbridge & Havering Ordinariate Group met last night at St. Augustine’s Church, Rush Green and following Mass continued with their study of the Evangelium Course. Dates for future meetings were announced and they are:-

Saturday 15/01 Ordinations at Westminster Cathedral 10.30 a.m.

Meetings at St. Augustine’s Church, Rush Green, Romford

Wednesday 26/01 Mass at 7.30 p.m.

Tuesday 08/02 Mass 7.30 p.m.

Wednesday 23/02 Mass 7.30 p.m.

Monday 070/3 Mass 7.30 p.m.

Wednesday 23/03  Mass 7.30 p.m.

Monday 04/04 Mass 7.30 p.m.

Tuesday 19/04 Mass (Holy Week) 7.30 p.m.

THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD

Today I was the Celebrant and Preacher at St. Barnabas, Woodford Green for the Solemnity of the Baptism of Our Lord.

BANKER’S BONUSES

Following my posting yesterday I heard this morning on the News that one Banker is in line to receive £2.5 million as his bonus. Has the world of banking gone completely mad?

THE REDBRIDGE & HAVERING ORDINARIATE GROUP MEET ON TUESDAY

Mass 7.30 p.m. followed by the Evangelium Course.

ALL WELCOME

BANKERS BONUSES

We are living through what is probably the worst financial crisis of all time. Much of the problem was caused by greedy banks and entailed an unprecedented bailout of billions of pounds to save them from inevitable bankruptcy. Now we learn that billions of pounds are to be paid as bonuses to bankers. The mind boggles! The threat that they will go elsewhere should the government come down on them too hard is just that – a threat. Whilst we, as a nation have to endure severe cut backs in “services”, a VAT Rate of 20%, petrol and energy prices soaring, severe unemployment etc. the bankers, who have quite a responsibility for the present financial crisis, are to be allowed to reap a bonus harvest. The Government own, on our behalf, substantial shares in several banks and they should use their holdings to prevent this. In my opinion, only when the banks have paid back every last penny of the amount of money used to bail them out, should they be permitted to pay any bonuses at all. The billions they have set aside for bonuses can be used to amortize their debt to this country. And if they don’t like it – tough.

BISHOP EDWIN BARNES

I read today on Bishop Edwin’s Blog that the dates for his reception and ordination have been announced. He and his wife Jane will be received into the Roman Catholic Church on 21^st January. He will be ordained Deacon on the 11the February and Priest on the 5^th March at St. John’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, Portsmouth at 2.30 p.m. Please keep him, and Jane, in your prayers as they enter this next stage in their pilgrimage.

Some News

Today, joy of joys, we went shopping for our weekly shop, to a local Supermarket. I must admit I was somewhat surprised, on this day before the Feast of the Epiphany, to find Easter Eggs already on sale. On the bright side though we managed to buy half a Stilton cheese for 50p!

Those who haven’t heard already my like to know that Keith Newton, Andrew Burnham and John Broadhurst are to be priested at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday 15^th January at 10.30 a.m. All are welcome at this historic service. It is very significant that this is to be held in the mother church of Roman Catholicism in the UK. As they prepare for this, please keep Keith, Andrew and John in your prayers and please pray for the Ordinariate which is being set up.

42nd Wedding Anniversary

Today Ann and I celebrate 42 years of marriage. The day started with us going to the North Middlesex Hospital for Ann’s final check-up on the now mended broken leg. I’m pleased to say she has now been finally, and fully, discharged. We then drove to Fyfield for lunch at The Queen’s Head, a gastro pub where we enjoyed a magnificent lunch. It had been recommended to us and we had intended to go there to celebrate Ann’s birthday at the beginning of December to be thwarted by the snow. Then we intended to go for my birthday, just after Christmas, but the family announced they were coming so instead we stayed home and enjoyed lunch with them. But today we finally made it and I have to say it lived up, in every way, to our expectations and we can’t wait to go again.
I remember our wedding day very well with a splendid Nuptial Mass celebrated by two priests now, sadly, both dead with whom I had worked as Organist & Choirmaster. I met Ann through my involvement with the choir – she joined and as they say, the rest is history. The choir turned out in full for this occasion and we have a picture of the choir, the clergy and Ann and I outside the main church door. In those days we had a choir of 22+ boys plus adults, from the village – the largest boys’ choir in the Diocese apart from the Cathedral itself. Choirs these days are lucky to have any boys at all let alone 22 of them.
So for 42 years of married life, for two lovely children (now very much adults) two lovely children-in-law and four grandchildren but above all for a totally loving and wonderful wife and for the joys and happiness we have enjoyed – Deo Gratias.

PEV’S?

Today I was the principal celebrant at St. Augustine’s Rush Green. As most readers will know, yesterday +Keith Newton, +Andrew Burnham and +John Broadhurst, together with the three Sisters from the Community at Walsingham having formally left the Church of England on the 31^st December, became Roman Catholics at a ceremony in Westminster Cathedral. This morning at Mass I remembered them in the Eucharistic Prayer as they now begin the next stage in their spiritual pilgrimage. Hopefully we should now hear more news about the beginning of the Ordinariate and the appointment of the Ordinary and please keep them all in your prayers.
Whilst all has been quiet on the Ordinariate for a while, there has been a deafening silence about SWISH ever since it’s inauguration at the Sacred Synod in October. We still don’t know what it intends to do or how it intends to do it. Also, whilst various names have been rumoured for appointment as the new PEV’s, there has been nothing from the AofC. Is it, perhaps, a case of no news is good news? Unsurprisingly WATCH have been campaigning that there should be no further appointments as PEV’s. Their take it or leave attitude is appalling and hardly what one should expect from a Christian organisation.
REDBRIDGE & HAVERING ORDINARIATE GROUP
We meet next on Tuesday 11^th January 2011 at St. Augustine’s, Rush Green for Mass at 7.30 p.m. followed by the Evangelium Course. These meetings are open to anyone who would like to come and do not, in any way, making joining the Ordinariate obligatory.