The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past fortnight . . . . A very busy time around The Presbytery over the past two weeks as a lot of high level maintenance was completed . . . . . . . Fr D was delighted that with the arrival of an articulated cherry picker long awaited works at high level on the church building could be commenced. Following the last quin-quennial buildings survey we knew that there was a reasonable amount of ‘at height’ work to be done in order to keep up with the necessary maintenance on the church. Earlier in the year spot-work on the roof tiles was completed (not to fix leaks but to help ensure that leaks do not develop due to tile movement and breakages). It was decided that the most cost effective way to undertake the maintenance of the tower, various wooden features, and high level guttering/downpipes, would not be to use scaffolding (very expensive to erect and take down and then, in between, has to be rented!) but to use a cherry picker. When the workmen got up to the tower it was not a moment too soon as several isolated sections of rot were discovered which would not have lasted much longer before spreading throughout the structure. Matters were caught just in time and the offending sections were removed and new wood sections made and fitted in before painting (the workmen commented that the wood was just drinking up the undercoat layer!). Working around the building the cast iron gutters were wire brushed to remove flaking paintwork before being sanded down and repainted with specialist paint; afterwards the same routine was used on the downpipes. When the workmen came to the metal cross above the entrance to the church it was originally assumed to be black but, on rubbing down, it was discovered that it was originally gold in colour, so this was restored. Whilst we had the equipment on site time was taken to make sure that the various gullies between expanses of tiles were functioning properly - several of them needed to be cleared of old sections of cement which had fallen out and new cement inserted where gaps had formed over the years. It is hoped that all these works will mean that no major works will be necessary again until between ten and fifteen years time - Fr D certainly hopes that he will never have to face roof works on the church whilst he is still here! At the time of writing we are waiting for the cherry picker to be collected and returned, giving us back the whole of the car park . . . . . . . .

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . Around The Presbytery it has still been busier than usual for the summer holiday time . . . . . As he had no families to be working with on Saturday morning Fr D had a young couple wishing to marry next year. Most of the paperwork that is required has now been completed and we are awaiting confirmation of the dates of the Deanery Marriage Preparation Day which normally takes place in the New Year. After Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition on Tuesday morning Fr D was looking at the progress of the landscapers who were removing the hedging from around the car park. Sarah had ‘coned-off’ part of the area on Monday so the men could begin without any cars ‘in situ’ when they arrived at 08.30. By the time Fr D looked in, great progress had been made on the project (which made him think that the estimate of three days would be achieved). When he looked again at the end of the afternoon three quarters of one side had been completed and a very different scene was exposed (a view of the Leg of Mutton field)! Having celebrated Morning Prayer and Mass on Wednesday Fr D set about work on the newsletter, very different this time as it was to be a ‘double issue’ whilst Sarah has a well-earned rest. In order to do this Fr D needed to amend the template and cope with a Holy Day (Assumption) during the first week as well - it was quite a challenge. The landscapers continued their work in the car park, turning the corner, removing the remaining greenery to leave half a length of trunks by the end of the day. Thursday morning, having celebrated Morning Prayer and Mass, Fr D checked in with the landscapers who said that they would be finish by mid-afternoon. After this he was off in the car down to the diocesan offices at Crawley where he pursued work on another of his marriage cases that he hopes to bring to judgement early in September. He also had a list of queries to respond to that had built up in his ‘in-tray’ since he was last in at the office. When he arrived home in the evening and looked at the car park it was very different. He has now told the fencing contractors that all is prepared for the new fence to be erected which will probably begin in late August/early September.  Following Morning Prayer and Mass on Friday Fr D heard that the workmen will be coming next Tuesday to start work on the spire – it’s all go . . . . .

OUR PARISH SUPPORTS THE COBHAM AREA FOODBANK Please can you help local people in crisis by purchasing items on the list below and placing them in the Foodbank’s collection point in the narthex when to come to Mass at the weekend? 

A brilliant philosopher who stopped believing in God when she was 14, Edith Stein was so captivated by reading the autobiography of Teresa of Avila that she began a spiritual journey that led to her baptism in 1922. Twelve years later she imitated Saint Teresa becoming a Carmelite, taking the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. Born into a prominent Jewish family in Breslau, Germany - now Wroclaw, Poland - Edith abandoned Judaism in her teens. As a student at the University of Göttingen, Edith became fascinated by a branch of philosophy, earning a doctorate in 1916. She continued as a university teacher until 1922, when she moved to a Dominican school in Speyer; her appointment as lecturer at the Educational Institute of Munich ended under pressure from the Nazi regime. After living for four years in the Cologne Carmel, Sister Teresa Benedicta moved to the Carmelite monastery in Echt, Netherlands, in 1938. The Nazis occupied that country in 1940. In retaliation for being denounced by the Dutch bishops, the Nazis arrested all Dutch Jews who had become Christians. Teresa Benedicta and her sister Rosa, also a Catholic, died in a gas chamber in Auschwitz on August 9th , 1942. Pope John Paul II beatified Teresa Benedicta of the Cross in 1987 canonising her 12 years later.

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . A slightly less busy time around The Presbytery this week as more parishioners go off on their summer holidays . . . . After the 11.00 Mass on Sunday our Tea & Coffee Team were working in the Parish Centre for the last time until September - now taking a well-earnt rest during August. Fr D (after a quick change) went off to St Joseph’s in Epsom where he had ben invited to the Epsom Catenians’ Presidents Sunday Lunch. It was good to see many of our own parishioners who are members of the Catenian Circle present. Following on from Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition on Tuesday Fr D was off down to the diocesan offices in Crawley to continue his work on a Penal case that he has been working on for the bishop. He was delighted that he completed his work and it now waits for the bishop to return from the diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes. Staying later at the office than he would normally do to get the bishop’s case completed by the time he got home in the evening Fr D found himself falling asleep as he ate supper! Having celebrated Morning Prayer and Mass on Wednesday morning Fr D was delighted to hear that the ‘tree man’ had spoken to Sarah in the Parish Office and said that he thought he might be starting on the hedge removal on Tuesday of next week. This will require keeping all the parking spaces along the hedge free from vehicles so that he can get the necessary works done. Once he has done this the spaces can be used again until the fencing people need the spaces to erect the new fence. Fr D has also instructed the rebuilding of the car park wall where a car caused damage to it a couple of weeks ago. All of these jobs were not even on the horizon in June - but things do seem to sometimes change very quickly! In the afternoon Fr D began work on his parts of the newsletter, ready for Sarah to do hers. Fr D was off to the diocesan offices again on Thursday after celebrating Morning Prayer and Mass. Having got the bishop’s special case out of the way he was able to start work on the next marriage case to ‘hit his in-tray!’ Friday morning there was no celebration of Morning Prayer due to the requiem Mass of a parishioner taking place in the church.  Saturday Fr D had a young couple coming to see him for their next marriage preparation session . . . . . .

The Diocese is gathering on Saturday 20th September (10.00-16.30) to celebrate the Jubilee Year of Hope, the 60th Anniversary of the Diocese, and our continuing mission in these present times. The celebration will be taking place at the South of England Showground in Ardingly, which has a capacity for 1,200 people to attend. We have a number of guest speakers scheduled to inspire and uplift us during the day; topics covered include: • Communities of Hope - Michelle Moran (Sion Community) • Scriptures of Hope - Dai Woolridge (Bible Society) • Missionaries of Hope – Rev. Greg Bakker (Church Mission Society) We will also be joined by the ‘One Hope Project,’ a Catholic Worship Collective who will assist us with our music and those involved in our diocesan Schools Singing Programme will also be with us for the day. Families are encouraged to attend, as there will be a special ‘youth stream,’ allowing the younger members of our communities to engage with the virtue of hope in a way that is meaningful for them. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will also be available throughout the day. The day will finish with Mass. Tickets have been allocated proportionally to each parish according to Mass attendance; Sacred Heart Parish has 11. The festival is free to attend, members of the Parish attending are asked to travel by coach, leaving from the Sacred Heart (the cost of this is covered). Those people with disabilities/access issues will be able to travel independently and parking for this will be available on site.  If you would like to receive one of our Parish tickets to attend please get in touch with the Parish Office within the next two weeks (by 13.00 Monday 11th August) - first come first served (no additional tickets available).

Moral theology, Vatican II said, should be more thoroughly nourished by Scripture, showing the nobility of the Christian vocation of the faithful and their obligation to bring forth fruit in charity for the life of the world. Alphonsus, declared patron of moral theologians by Pius XII in 1950, would rejoice in that statement. In his day, Alphonsus fought for the liberation of moral theology from the rigidity of Jansenism. His moral theology, concentrated on the practical and concrete problems of pastors and confessors. If a certain legalism and minimalism crept into moral theology, it should not be attributed to his model of moderation and gentleness. He founded the Redemptorist congregation in 1732. It was an association of priests and brothers living a common life, dedicated to the imitation of Christ, and working mainly in popular missions for peasants in rural areas. Almost as an omen of what was to come later, he found himself deserted after a while by all his original companions except one lay brother. But the congregation managed to survive and was formally approved seventeen years later, though its troubles were not over. He was made a bishop when aged 66 after trying to reject the honour, and at once instituted a thorough reform of his diocese. Alphonsus is best known for his moral theology, but he also wrote well in the field of spiritual and dogmatic theology. His Glories of Mary is one of the great works on that subject, and his book Visits to the Blessed Sacrament went through forty editions in his lifetime, greatly influencing the practice of this devotion in the Church.

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . Things around The Presbytery are beginning to slow down a bit, with schools now all on holiday and Bishop Richard and around eight hundred people from around the diocese on pilgrimage to Lourdes . . . . . . . After our morning Masses on Sunday Fr D was visited by a parishioner from one of his former parishes who took him out for lunch locally. As always the parishioner brought a number of Mass Offerings that Fr D agreed to celebrate over the next month or so. On Monday Fr D’s Ministry to Priests Support Group arrived for midday and were in the church for an hour before the Blessed Sacrament. When they went into the house they celebrated Midday Prayer of the Church together before moving off to a local hostelry for lunch. In the evening, after the other priests had left Fr D found himself writing a list of ‘To Do’s’ that he wanted to get completed during the rest of the week. After celebrating Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition Fr D re-read the contract that we have with Euro Car Parks to administer the Car Park for us. This was because the Parish Priest of Horsham was due at midday to have a meeting with Fr Daryl, Sarah, and our Treasurer to find out how things operate; Horsham as a large car park that has become difficult to administer. In the afternoon Fr D was preparing for a requiem for a parishioner next Friday (readings, prayers, music etc.). Wednesday, after Morning Prayer and Mass Fr D Fr D continued with the preparations for the requiem before going off in the car to meet with Fr Ruslan (Walton-on-Thames) for lunch. When he arrived back home Fr D began his sections of the newsletter for the weekend. Following Morning Prayer and Mass on Thursday Fr D was off to the diocesan office in Crawley where he continued work on a current penal case he is working on. Arriving back home in the late afternoon Fr D worked some more on the requiem and completed his parts of the newsletter ready for Sarah to complete and print/publish.  After Morning Prayer and Mass on Friday Fr D was out visiting a parishioner to anoint them before getting back and going through the weekend events with Sarah to make sure that all was ready. In the afternoon he spent time getting his homiles for the Masses during next week . . . . .

James was the brother of John. Both were called by Jesus as they worked with their father in a fishing boat on Galilee. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.” James was one of the favoured three who had the privilege of witnessing the Transfiguration, the raising to life of the daughter of Jairus, and the agony in the garden. Two incidents in the Gospels describe the temperament of this man and his brother. St Matthew tells that their mother came - Mark says it was the brothers themselves - to ask that they have the seats of honour in the kingdom. “Jesus said in reply, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?’ They said to him, ‘We can.’” Jesus then told them they would share his baptism of pain and death, but that sitting at his right hand or left was not his to give - it “is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” It remained to be seen how long it would take to realise their very confident “We can!” On another occasion, James and John gave evidence that the nickname Jesus gave them - “sons of thunder” - was an apt one. The Samaritans would not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to hated Jerusalem. “When James and John saw this they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?’ Jesus turned and rebuked them…”  James was apparently the first of the apostles to be martyred. “About that time King Herod laid hands upon some members of the church to harm them. He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword.