The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . A ‘full-on’ time around The Presbytery this week as Confirmation, First Eucharist, and Baptism programmes are all coming to a ‘high point.’ On Monday Sarah & Fr D were chasing the engineers for our LiveStream service on the Parish Website to get things back to working order. Sarah was sent chasing all around the system machinery to see if it would ‘re-boot’ in some fashion but all to no avail. The conclusion is that the engineers will have to visit (Fr D thinks that one of the machines has died!). Tuesday morning after Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition Fr D was following the activities of the engineers who were running an optical cable between the Presbytery and the Parish Office ready for ‘the great telephone switchover’ which will get rid of one of the present telephone accounts (which will be a saving of £1,200 a year!). An extra benefit is that we will now have wifi access points in each of our upstairs meeting rooms and the main hall (one step closer to being able to renew the audio visual set-up in the hall). The engineers will be back next Wednesday to complete the new wiring. We also discovered a fire detector in the loft of the Parish Centre which we didn’t know existed! In the evening Fr D met with the Parish Finance Committee for one of their quarterly meetings. On Wednesday evening Fr D met with our Confirmation Candidates for their last ‘input session’ before the Confirmation ceremony with the Bishop at St Joseph’s Church, Epsom next Saturday morning. Fr D was also able to give the group the final instructions concerning the celebration which he had just received from the co-ordinator. After Morning Prayer and Mass on Thursday Fr D went off in the car to the diocesan offices as usual, but this time (for the first time in ages) went there using the motorway. This meant that he was able to see exactly what the new car could do! When he got to his Tribunal office there were several Decrees for cases that required his signature. There was also a little celebration given by the Tribunal Secretary to mark her six months in the position (lots of Polish food)! In the evening Fr D was to have had the second session of the present Infant Baptism Course but one of the parents had gone down with food poisoning so the session was moved to the following week.  Once Morning Prayer and Mass had been celebrated on Friday morning Fr D completed his bits of this week’s newsletter . . . . . . . .

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . Things slightly ‘hotting-up’ around The Presbytery this week as people and organisations come back online after the Easter festivities . . . . . . Monday Fr D set about reading up on the ‘charging instructions’ for the new car. The first time he attempted charging (in the dark one evening) he couldn’t work out why the socket in the wall box wouldn’t let him plug in? When all else fails of course we tend to read the instructions which stated that the wall socket need to be ‘plugged’ first and then the car! So he spent some time ‘reading up’ in detail on the charging instructions. He is still chasing the electricity supplier to switch to the tariff that gives electric car charging lower prices between 23.30 and 05.30, which will make the whole change over even more economic. After Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition on Tuesday Fr D had a telephone call consultation from the Dr’s Surgery which told him that diabetes, cholesterol, and blood pressure readings had all been reduced by the medication they have put him on! (He wanted to know when he could stop all the tablets, of course!) at 12.30 Fr D was celebrating a funeral in the Crematorium chapel before a burial in the attached cemetery. In the late afternoon he began the bones of the newsletter for this weekend. Wednesday, after Morning Prayer and Mass, Fr D (with Sarah) was chasing up our previous electricity company once more - trying to get the full and final bill (from last December). Fr D is convinced that the company don’t actually know how to do this and has now threatened (having already raised the matter to a complaint) to refer the situation to the energy Ombudsman! When he went down to the diocesan offices, after Morning Prayer & Mass on Thursday, Fr D continued working several of his cases and started looking at how cases ready for judgement could be sent to judges electronically in a secure and coded manner as the normal postal service is breaking down in some areas (and has become extremely expensive). When he got back home in the evening he put his new ‘charging skills’ to good use before meeting with a family who are preparing to have their child baptised in May.  Friday, after Morning Prayer and Mass Fr D completed the newsletter for the weekend as well as the Prayers of Intercession and Notices so that he had everything he needed for the weekend . . . . . . .

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . A fairly quiet week around The Presbytery as the children are still on holiday and Fr D recovers from his trip to Lourdes with special needs children . . . Fr D returned home from his trip about 17.00. He had worked on a shopping delivery which was timed for between 18.00 and 20.00 on Sunday evening. This had the advantage of giving a couple of days food and refilling bulkier items in the storeroom without having to make trips out of the house. Having popped in to see the sisters to tell them he was back Fr D just had time for a sandwich and some real tea before taking himself off to bed! Giving himself a little lie-in on Monday morning Fr D soon set about emptying his suitcase and putting all his clothes through the washing machine (three loads), by the time that he’d done all of this he was able to have a first look at the post and emails that had built up whilst he was away - as usual lots of it was junk (no matter how much he takes the address off of mailing lists it all seems to come in just the same! Having celebrated Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition on Tuesday morning Fr D had some time with Sarah in the office to ‘catch up’ (principally about the electricity company that the diocese placed us with when the British Gas contract ran out (it took six months for them to accept that we did not want their services and we are still awaiting a final bill!). Wednesday morning, after Morning Prayer and Mass, Fr D was off in the car to the Diocesan Office in Crawley to see what delights were sat in his ’in-tray’ after the Easter holidays. It seemed strange to travel down in the new car - not being able to hear any engine noise at all! After Morning Prayer and Mass on Thursday, Fr D was again off down to Crawley where he was working on a new (hopefully more efficient?) management scheme for the different types of Tribunal cases. He has discovered that the new Tribunal Secretary is quite proficient in Excel, so he can make some changes that he has been thinking about for a little while now.  On Friday, after Morning Prayer and Mass, Fr D needed to finalise this week’s newsletter. This had to take place up in the Parish Office as his own computer is giving him great grief at present. He has a new one ready to replace it but needs the diocesan IT man to set it up alongside the two in the Parish Office, which will hopefully be done towards the end of April when work on the telephone lines takes place . . .

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . A very quiet week around The Presbytery as Fr D has been away in Lourdes with special needs children since Monday. He has been doing this during Easter week for thirty-five years now and, although really tired from all the Holy Week and Easter liturgies he really enjoys another aspect of his priestly ministry. The year the group flew out to Lourdes on Easter Sunday (which is why Fr D did not fly out with them!) from Stansted airport. By the time they got to the hotel (Myosotis - forget-me-not) it was early afternoon and they went straight into the dining room for a late lunch, even before finding their rooms. Once they had found their rooms and left their luggage in them they went down for a first visit to the Grotto at which Our Lady appeared to Bernadette. On the way back there was a café stop where a few of the traditional HCPT children’s Lourdes songs were taught. Then the group were finally able to unpack before dinner and an early night! Monday morning the group went off on a ‘tour of the town,’ taking in some of the important buildings (Boly Mill, Cachôt, Parish Church, Maison Paternelle) and a diorama of the story of Bernadette. On the way back for lunch there was another café stop before a rest. In the afternoon they walked up to the Cité San Pierre where Fr D (who had arrived via Bordeaux) was able to join them and celebrate Mass in a replica of Bernadette’s sheepfold. On the way back to the hotel there was another café stop and postcards were bought to send home to parents. After dinner the group paid a late night trip to the Grotto (and a café stop!) before bedtime. Highlights of Tuesday were Mass, another trip to the Grotto, a ‘water service’, a slow afternoon on ‘the prairie,’ a trip to the ‘HCPT Funzone,’ and joining in with the evening torchlight procession. Wednesday the group followed the Way of the Cross at the very big outside stations, went on a visit to Hosanna House (where they celebrated Mass) and had a games night in the evening.  Thursday is always the main day of the week for HCPT when all the groups gather together to celebrate the Trust Mass (nearly 4,000 people this year). In the afternoon there was a visit to the Fort at the top of the town before joining in the Blessed Sacrament Procession. In the evening a very big candle decorated with outlines of all the group members hands was lit opposite the Grotto . . . . . .

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . A very busy week around The Presbytery, as might be expected as we are now in Holy Week . . . . Last Friday evening and on Saturday morning we celebrated our Adult and Children’s Lenten Reconciliation Services. The Adult one which we now celebrate with the Effingham and Fetcham Parish was reasonably attended (given that we had arranged five priests!) but Fr D was disappointed that the majority of persons seemed to be from the other parish and not many from our own? (Fr D was explaining to the other priests that he obviously lived in a parish made up of angels!) On Monday Fr D was checking that we had got all the slots filled on our Holy Week ministries rota, and was delighted when it worked out that we had. He was then working in finalising the Triduum booklet that we will be using Thursday - Saturday. After celebrating Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition on Tuesday Fr D was out (in the new car) visiting on the way to Brooklands to do some final shopping (he doesn’t need to get much in at this time as he will be going away to Lourdes with sick children on Sunday afternoon). In the afternoon he started thinking about Intercessions and Notices (for two weekends). Wednesday, after Morning Prayer and Mass, Fr D changed the sanctuary in the church from Lent mode to Holy Week mode in preparation for Holy Thursday onwards. It was quite time consuming because the sacristan is away until after Easter and he had to find lots of things that he normally just mentions and they are there! In the afternoon Fr D was getting rid of last year’s Holy Oils ready for this year’s new oils which were blessed at the Chrism Mass in Arundel Cathedral on Wednesday Evening. Thursday morning Fr D was putting the finishing touches to the Easter Sunday newsletter before going off to Epsom to collect this year’s oils; these were brought up in the evening just before the Holy Thursday Mass began. After the Mass several parishioners were present for the traditional ‘watching’ at the altar of repose until midnight.  Friday being Good Friday Mass is not celebrated in favour of the Commemoration of the Passion in the afternoon. In the morning Fr D led a Way of the Cross for children up to eleven years old . . . . . .

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . A really busy week around The Presbytery as Fr D finalised the necessary preparations for the celebration of Holy Week. On Saturday afternoon, last weekend, Fr D met up with the members of the HCPT group that he will be joining in Lourdes during Easter week. The helpers met to do some training and to find out about the children they will be looking after for the week in Lourdes. Later the children and their families arrived in time for tea and to be introduced to the key helper for each child. At some point before Easter the key helper will be visiting their child at home before they meet, very early in the morning on Easter Sunday for the flight to Lourdes. Having celebrated Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on Tuesday morning, Fr D was completing the final edits of the booklet that we’ll use during the Triduum this year. He also began to put together our Adult Lenten Reconciliation Service ready for the end of the week (Friday 19.30). In the evening Fr D was in Tadworth parish to assist with their Reconciliation Service. The last discussion group meeting for the diocesan ‘Invited’ programme took place upstairs in the Parish Centre. After Morning Prayer and Mass on Wednesday, Fr D was ‘reading up’ the various ceremonies of Holy Week to make sure that he’s covered all the bases! In the evening he was opening up for the Easter choir to have one of their practices for Holy Week. The last of the local Churches Together ‘Alpha’ meetings took place in the Parish Centre.  Once he had celebrated Morning Prayer and Mass on Thursday, Fr D went across to the garage in Leatherhead where he was picking up his new car for the handover. He had originally been told that the handover would probably take a couple of hours but, in the event, it only took just over an hour to complete before he was leaving the forecourt. In the afternoon Fr D was off, in the new car, to Burgess Hill where he had a meeting of the Trustees of the Bosco Catholic Education Trust. This is one of two trusts in the diocese which look after all the Academy Catholic Schools (Bosco looks after Sussex and Xavier looks after Surrey). When he got back in the evening Fr D set the car charging up for the first time - hoping that he was getting it right! After Morning Prayer and Mass on Friday Fr D had to go down to the diocesan offices in Crawley for a meeting . . . . . .

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . This week at The Presbytery has been significantly busy as things start ‘hottingup’ for our Holy Week and Triduum liturgies (Fr D is still concerned that there are a lot of gaps on the ‘Ministries lists’ at the back of the church – waiting for parishioners to volunteer . . . .) On Monday Fr D was playing host once more to his Ministry to Priests Support Group. They arrived in the church for an hour before the Blessed Sacrament at midday. After this they gathered in Fr D’s study to celebrate Midday Prayer of the Church before retiring to a local hostelry for a good lunch, over which they began their ‘review of life’ for the past month. When they got back to The Presbytery for a cup of tea before leaving to go back to their parishes they wanted to see and ask questions about the Air Source Heat Pump which now provides the heating and hot water for The Presbytery. Some are thinking about this for reasons of economy and being aware that the time is fast approaching when gas boilers will no longer be available. One eagle-eyed priest saw a new box on the wall outside of the kitchen back door and started asking questions. It was the newly fitted (January) electric car charger box ready for the imminent arrival of Fr D’s new car. When the solar panels were fitted two years ago Fr D had the workman do the necessary wiring in preparation for the box. He is now negotiating with the electricity provider for ‘intelligent’ electricity for the car between 23.30 and 05.00 which will be significantly cheaper than our already cheaper normal rate! On Tuesday after celebrating Morning Prayer and Mass (no Exposition) Fr D picked up Fr Tony Churchill and they went off to Ewell for this months Deanery meeting. There was plenty of discussion concerning Confirmation (4th May this year) and the Bishop’s plans for the future of the diocese (booklets concerning this are available from the narthex – important to read). When the meeting and lunch ended Fr D was just able to bring Fr Tony back home before he had to go off down to the coast to be at a Governors meeting for one of the Primary Schools in the Bosco Education Trust. (By the time that he got back in the late evening Fr D was so tired he just made a sandwich and took himself off to bed!). Wednesday after Morning Prayer and Mass Fr D was working on this week’s newsletter, struggling with a computer that has taken to ‘playing up’ on a regular basis; he kept having to save and shut it down to be able to continue (though usually good with technology he was very near to throwing it out of the window of his study!). In the evening Fr D was letting the choir into the church for an Easter rehearsal session.  Thursday Fr D was down in Crawly wearing his Tribunal hat; when he came back he had the final meeting with parents having their child baptised on Easter Sunday . . . .

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . A busier time around The Presbytery this week for Fr D . . . . . Saturday morning Fr D was with our First Eucharist Candidates and their Parents looking at that section of the Mass we call the ‘Presentation of the Gifts’ (offertory), discussing how as well as the bread and wine, and financial contributions, we offer our very selves to God as well. At our 11.00 Mass the following day the children celebrated the ‘Rite of Signation’ - recalling the first time that the Cross was marked on their forehead at their Baptism. After the Mass a parishioner from one of Fr D’s former parishes came across and took him out to lunch before joining in with Evening Prayer & Benediction. Late afternoon on Monday Fr D got back home in time to receive a body into the church to stay overnight until the requiem on Tuesday morning. He was very impressed by the number of people who came to this vigil, and stayed afterwards to pray! Morning Prayer and Exposition were cancelled on Tuesday for the Requiem Mass; again there were a big number of mourners present for this liturgy and at the burial afterwards. In the afternoon Fr D took part in a Zoom meeting on the computer discussing the new ‘Prayer and Liturgy’ document that the Bishops of England and Wales have produced to assist the prayer and worship in our Catholic schools. This document will be fully in force from September 2025 in all of our schools. After celebrating Morning Prayer and Mass, Fr D re-read the notes that he had made from the schools Zoom meeting the evening before to make sure that he had understood what was going to be required. In the early evening he was with this year’s Confirmation Candidates as they looked at the various liturgies of Holy Week (Passion Sunday, Chrism Mass, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday). They were able to ask questions about what various aspects meant and Fr D got them to volunteer for various jobs (readings, oil bearer, acting as disciples at Holy Thursday’s foot washing) that were on the list at the back of the church (there are still plenty of slots that need filling; do look at sign-up!). On Thursday after Morning Prayer and Mass Fr D was straight down to the Tribunal Office again where he had several pieces of work to do. In the evening he met with parents who are having their child baptised on Easter Sunday for the second of the three preparation sessions required . . . . . .

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . A reasonable week at The Presbytery as Fr D continued to get over his chest infection and get his voice back . . . . At our 11.00 Mass last weekend Fr D was delighted to celebrate the Rite of Welcome for an infant whose family are presently on the Baptism Programme ready for an Easter Sunday baptism celebration. Later, in the afternoon, on Sunday we celebrated Lenten Evening Prayer and Benediction - pausing from all the rush of life and spending some time in prayer before the Lord. After Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition on Tuesday Fr D spent some time chasing up on various emails and letters that have built up over the past few weeks. In the evening he was meeting with this year’s First Eucharist parents but someone locked a door after Fr D had gone upstairs in the Parish Centre and the parents couldn’t access the building! Being Lent Fr D was not expected at the Tribunal Office in Crawley on Wednesday after Morning Prayer and Mass, so he had some time available to work on some weekday homilies for the rest of Lent; he was also looking at the Holy Week liturgies in order to get a booklet organised. After Morning Prayer and Mass on Thursday Fr D was off down to Crawley to see what had built up in his ‘in-tray’ whilst he has been away from the office for three weeks. When he got back from the office he checked over the Order of Service for next week’s requiem before giving the undertakers the go ahead for printing. This week was the second anniversary of fitting the Air Source Heat Pump in The Presbytery (replacing the gas boiler for heating and hot water), and just before Morning Prayer and Mass an engineer arrived to undertake it’s annual service (about the same cost as a gas boiler). Fr D has been pleased with the performance of the heat pump in this first couple of years and has found it very easy to operate (provided you do not treat it like an old gas boiler - whacking up the thermostat when coming in from outside).  On Saturday Morning Fr D was meeting with this year’s First Eucharist candidates and their parents; discussing the offertory part of the Mass. Not just the offertory procession but how this represents our offering of ourselves to God . . . .