WHO WILL BE THE NEW ARCHBISHOP?

Today, the committee charged with discerning who to nominate to be the new Archbishop of Canterbury starts its deliberations. Various names have been suggested and we will know the answer before very long but none of the Bishops who seem to be front runners unduly impress me. Who ever takes on this challenging role will need very broad shoulders. and the assistance of the Holy Spirit, if he is going to keep together not only the world-wide Anglican Church but the Church of England. This person will need our prayers as will, of course, the Committee who are making the choice.

LONDON OPEN HOUSE 2013

We had many visitors yesterday and today at the Ilford Hospital Chapel for the Open House. Guided tours were available to those who wanted them and an excellent range of refreshments were on sale for those who came. Many thanks to all those who helped in any way to ensure the success of this weekend.

25th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

As Father Gareth and many of his congregation were on Pilgrimage to Walsingham I was at St. Mary’s Ilford to celebrate their Parish Mass and to preach. Although many were away we still had a good number present, a full team of servers and an excellent choir. In my sermon, based on today’s Gospel, I pointed out how Jesus regarded children as very important. In the past, in some societies, girls had not been held in high regard and had often been killed at birth. Even today this awful situation exists in some parts of our world. In this country we didn’t regarded ourselves as guilty of this crime and yet every day abortions are taking place often for no better reason than contraception was not used. Abortions in most cases are no better than what happens in some parts of the Third World to children at birth – they are both murder. We have to become like little children, the gospel reminds us, and if we want to be great in the Kingdom of Heaven we have to become the servant of all.

BOOKINGS ARE COMING IN FOR……………………

VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND IN 2013

WITH

FR. MERVYN  AND FR. MARTIN

Brochures are still available for the Pilgrimage to the Holy Land in October 2013.  We are stopping at two excellent hotels and all entrance fees, three meals a day, and all gratuities are included. We plan to visit all the well-known holy places including Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem, Tiberius, the Sea of Galilee, the River Jordan etc. using air-conditioned coaches with an excellent Tour Guide. There will be a Daily Mass.  Travel Insurance is extra if needed (many people have an annual policy so don’t need the cover offered by the travel company) This is a trip of a life time organised for us by one of the best and most experienced travel companies McCabe.

The Pilgrimage is open to all who are interested so if you would like more details contact Father Mervyn or Father Martin

Thursday

At Thursday lunch time I celebrated Mass at the Ilford Hospital Chapel. We hold a Mass every Thursday at 12.35 p.m. with a brief homily and a couple of hymns. After Mass there are refreshments. This Saturday from 10.00 a.m. until 4.00 p.m. and Sunday from 1.00 p.m. until 5.00 p.m. the Chapel is open as part of the OPEN HOUSE LONDON scheme. The Chapel is the oldest building in Ilford and is still a centre for Christian Worship.

Yesterday evening Ann and I were guests at Redbridge College Rouge Restaurant for a “Tapas evening.” The food was wonderful, all prepared and served by the students. During the Olympics many of the students were part of the team catering for the athletes and some were offered permanent jobs as a result. They had a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed being part of this.

MURDERED POLICE OFFICERS

Two police officers were brutally murdered this morning in Greater Manchester: PC Nicola Hughes and PC Fiona Bone. These officers were called to investigate a purported burglary when they were attacked. Please pray for the repose of their souls and for their families and their colleagues in the Greater Manchester Police.

Rest Eternal grant unto them O Lord and let Light perpetual shine upon them. May they Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory

THE TRUE PRESENCE

"Those who behold the Sacrament of the Eucharist, consecrated by the priest, but see only the appearances of bread and wine and do not—with the grace of the Holy Spirit—believe that it is truly the Body and Blood of Christ, condemn themselves, because they do not believe the testimony of the Lord himself who says: ‘This is my Body and Blood of the new covenant’ and who promises ‘He who eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life’ (John 6:56). And just as he showed himself to his holy Apostles in the form of man, in like manner he allows himself to be seen in the consecrated bread. Despite the fact that with the eyes of the body they saw only the flesh—but by contemplating it with the eyes of faith believed nonetheless that he was God—so we, too, seeing the bread and wine with the eyes of the body, believe that the most holy Body and Blood are present, alive and true, in the Eucharist. In this way, the Lord is always present in the midst of his faithful, as he himself promised, saying: ‘Behold, I am with you until the end of the world’" (Matthew 28:20). -- St. Francis of Assisi

HOLY CROSS DAY

Today I preached at the annual Holy Cross Mass for the local chapter of Society of the Holy Cross in which I talked about how we, as priests need to take up our cross. I spoke about the capitulation of the Bishops in their decision about Clause 5(1) (c), the problems that traditional Anglo-Catholics had in maintaining the faith in the present situation but the difficulties are the cross we had to bear. In the end if we glory in the Cross of Christ we must take it up and follow Him.

After Mass we went to the local YMCA for a super three course lunch.