Fr Tim

Weekly messages from Fr Tim.   When Fr Tim is away Fr Maurice's message will be added to this section.

THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION:

This week, we are once again offering you the opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) in both parishes. Judging by the numbers who come at the set times in both parishes on Saturday afternoon, it seems to me that the Church as a whole need to have a serious conversation about how we present this wonderful gift from God. It would be interesting to do a piece of social research on the subject, but in the meantime, I believe we have devised a Service which provides everyone with a variety of options and focuses primarily on the Love of God and his desire that we be at peace.

reconciliation

The Services will be as follows:

  • BISHOP ETON: MONDAY AT 11:00AM AND 7:00PM
  • ST MARY’S: THURSDAY AT 11:00AM AND 7:00PM

Please note that while in the past we have always held them on consecutive days, this week I am due in London for Provincial Council meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday. Certainly, my life is a constant round at present, I realise that after Easter I must take stock and find a little more downtime. Meanwhile, I take heart from today’s Feast of St Clement Mary Hofbauer, the second founder of the Redemptorists, the one who made it possible for us to spread across Europe and then across the world. He lived in turbulent political times and had to leave the thriving mission in Warsaw, only to end up in Vienna where he is a patron saint of the City. We too live in turbulent times and we need to keep praying for the wisdom to respond to all the challenges, strengthened by the gifts of God’s Spirit, so that with wisdom, knowledge and understanding, we will have the courage to make the right judgements, which in turn will help us to reverence one another and the whole of God’s creation and continue to stand in awe before the majesty of God.

CONFIRMATION CANDIDATES:

We have quite a number of candidates from both parishes registered, but we are leaving the invitation open until the closing date for signing in with the Archdiocese is also complete, namely Friday 15th March.

It will be helpful if you have registered with the Archdiocese to let our parish offices know as well. Thank you

THE FEAST OF ST CLEMENT HOFBAUER (FRIDAY 15 MARCH):

There will be a Mass at noon to celebrate the Feast of the Priest who is always regarded as our second founder. He was the one who was responsible for taking the Redemptorists over the Alps and ultimately across the rest of Europe and eventually the rest of the world. As we thank God for him, let us pray for his intercession that this special work in the service of the Church will be renewed and continue to flourish on every continent.

THE FUNERAL OF FR BEVERLEY AHEARN:

Fr Bev’s body will be received into the church at 7:00pm on Sunday evening and his funeral will take place at noon on Monday (11 March) and, of course, he will be buried in our cemetery afterwards. You are all welcome to join us as we leave a much-loved brother and friend safely in the hands of the Lord. Once again, we offer his brother, Raymond, and all his family our sincere condolences and thank them for their loving care in accompanying Fr Bev during the last weeks of his life.

LAETARE SUNDAY:

The Church invites us to take a breather this weekend as we reach the midway point of Lent. In St Mary’s the rose vestments leave us in no doubt about the significance of the special Sundays in Advent and Lent, but in Bishop Eton we have to allow the liturgy to lift our spirits.

The entrance antiphon is the key:

Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breasts.”

Hopefully, this special season of preparation for Easter is going well for you, but if not, why not take a deep breath and gently commit yourself to try and use the remaining three weeks as a time to deepen your friendship with the Lord?

WEBINAR ON MARRIAGE

As I noted in my recorded message this week, the prospect of the Tablet webinar next Wednesday has focused my mind over recent days. It has been interesting to revisit a subject to which I devoted so much attention over thirty years ago. Re-reading the chapter on the theological history of marriage in the Catholic Church I was reminded of just how complicated the whole subject can become.

In every age the Teaching Church (the Magisterium) seeks to guide our thinking and understanding so that we may live faithfully and lovingly. At the same time, we know that, like the apostles themselves, we can be slow to understand, and we are continually learning more about what it means to be human and how to discern the will of God; hence the constant call to renewal and the need for the many Councils of the Church down through the centuries. If you wish to know more about the Second Vatican Council – ancient history to the younger generation, but part and parcel of my formation as a Christian and as a priest – may I recommend a little book by the Archbishop of Southwark, John Wilson, entitled Pondering and Praying Vatican II, published by Pauline Books and Media and available from the shop in town. Happy studying and discerning.

 PASTORAL LETTER

This weekend we share Archbishop Malcolm’s Pastoral Letter with you.

He returns to the theme of accompaniment to help us understand the unfolding programme of the Synod and the vision of Pope Francis for the Church of the future. This prompts me to reflect with gratitude on the countless experiences I have had of people accompanying me on my pilgrimage through life and the grace-filled opportunities I have had of accompanying others. A perfect illustration of this is found in Fr Bev Ahearn, who was called home by the Lord last week. He was there for me on many occasions during my life and it was a privilege to have lived next door to him over these last few years. As we try to envisage how the concept of ‘families of parishes’ might enable us to develop an awareness of the value of being there for one another, I am not sure we need to be making great plans as to how to effect this: rather, let’s try to cultivate a deeper sensitivity to the needs of our neighbours and to use that scriptural image, ‘be on the alert’ to respond to them. A few weeks ago, as I thought back over the challenges of the Pandemic, I noted that often we do this almost instinctively: I guess the trick then is to nurture that instinct and realise that it is built around the conviction that we are all children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus and temples of the Holy Spirit.

COMINGS AND GOINGS:

Fr Andrew is away in Swindon this weekend at a Marriage Encounter Formation session, and he will also be at a Safeguarding Conference for a couple of days at the end of the week. I leave on Sunday afternoon for a Provincial Council meeting in London on Monday, I but should be back that evening.

THE LOURDES GROTTO AT ST MARY’S:

   Grotto2  Grotto3

You will note what a magnificent job has been done in cleaning the statues and the surrounding area. Immense thanks to those who volunteered to make this possible. For me, it is another perfect illustration of what wonderful support continues to be forthcoming, as parishioners take the initiative at all sorts of different levels.

COPING WITH DEATH, COPING WITH LIFE:

For those of you who have tuned into my weekly message, you will have noted  that I was grappling with the mood swings which beset us all. I used a treasured reflection of the late Cardinal Basil Hume, which shares both the questions and doubts that can arise in our minds and hearts, but also leads on to that hope, which springs eternal and leads us to Christ. For me it is a perfect illustration of the honest dialogue which I yearn to have on all the issues with which we grapple in the Church and in society at large.

 

FR BEVERLEY AHEARN, CSsR, RIP

(1 August 1929 to 22 February 2024):

Fr Bev finally died on Thursday afternoon at 3:25pm and it was fitting that his niece, Una, was at his bedside. She had stayed by him for hours, including many nights, during these past few weeks. Fr Andrew and I had both visited in the previous three hours and we gathered again with his brother Raymond to pray in thanksgiving that the Lord had finally called him. He will be sorely missed by our Redemptorist Community and by his loving family, all of whom have been attentive during his final illness. With the loss of his sight some years ago, Bev’s final years were challenging, but he radiated a serenity and peace, which were inspirational. I, personally, have many reasons to be grateful for his friendship and wise counsel. May he rest in peace. We anticipate that his funeral will be in early March.