On Going Formation of Priests - Aylesford
On Tuesday 19th July until Thursday 21st the On Going Formation of Priests'
team organised a over night stay at Aylesford for the newly arrived and
newly ordained priests and also for the newly appointed Parish Priests
This course, presented by the Chancery, was part of four throughout the
year that the On Going Formation of Priests' team provide
There is also a course presented by the Finance Office, the Education
Commission and the Safeguarding Office to help priest comprehend the
Diocese as an organisation
It provided a fortuitous opportunity to celebrate Fr Bartlomiej Dudek’s
birthday
Southwark
Catholic Youth Service
Pilgrimage to World Youth Day
The
pilgrims say goodbye to Krakow and give thanks for an amazing week with
a wonderful group of clergy, leaders and young people.
Campus
Misericordiae - Holy Mass on the occasion of the World Youth Day Krakow
2016 (arrow to the area where the Altar was set up):
Looking out from the Sanctuary some hours before Mass began... the
empty benches were later filled with concelebrating clergy.
Vigil with Pope Francis in Campus Misericordiae 30 July 2016
The Holy Father arrives for World Youth Day. He greeted the
President and his wife, children gave him flowers and a traditional
Cracovian hat before he drove off to Wawel Castle
The Reverend Jacques Hamel
''It
was with great sadness that I heard the terrible news of the death of
Fr. Jacques Hamel in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, France.
I am with hundreds of thousands young Catholics in Krakow, Poland, and
together we offer a positive witness of faith.
It
was the great witness of Fr Jacques to stand by the Gospel that Jesus
Christ gave to us against the terror of a grossly distorted
understanding of God's will.
We pray for the Diocese of Rouen
and its people, but let us also pray for peace among all peoples and
security for all in their daily life.''
A statement from Archbishop
Peter Smith
Muslim leaders join Cardinal Nichols in prayer
''Together
as faith leaders our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and all
those affected by the murderous assault that took place at the Church
of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in France. We are deeply saddened and
shocked by the brutal murder of Fr Jacques Hamel. To commit murder at a
place where people gather in peace to worship adds another layer of
depravity to the violence that we have witnessed over the past weeks.
We pray for the courage to respond to all evil with truth, justice, and
reconciliation''
Cardinal Vincent Nichols
President, Catholic Bishops' Conference of England & Wales
Sheikh Mohammed Al-Hilli
Director, Noor Trust
Imam Qari Muhammad Asim
Head Imam, Mecca Mosque
Sheikh Babikir
Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra
Co-Chair, Christian-Muslim Forum
Imam Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi
Director-General, Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society
Moulana Muhammad Shahid Raza
Chair, MINAB
Moulana Sayed Ali Raza Rizvi
Senior Imam & President Emeritus, Shia Ulama Council Europe
Courtesy of ICN Independent
Catholic News
Southwark
Catholic Youth Service
Pilgrimage to World Youth Day
On Saturday 23rd July 2016 The Southwark Catholic Youth Service
set off from St George's Cathedral, Southwark, via Aylesford Priory to
join up with more young people, to lead a group of pilgrims to
the
World Youth Day in Poland
After Mass at Aylesford Priory the pilgrims set off by coach to Dover
Beautiful night prayer on the coach this evening
Archbishop Peter along with Bishops Paul Hendricks and Paul Mason
celebrated mass for pilgrims from the diocese and were joined by Bishop
Ralph and pilgrims from Hallam diocese
A trip to Auschwitz to pay respects. A very moving experience
Błonia Park - the official World Youth Day Opening Mass
Speaker for Catechesis is Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York
"Show you are Catholic by joy, by peace and by faith" - Cardinal Dolan
Cardinal Dolan with Bishop Paul Paul Mason
Open Air Mass in Canterbury
Sunday
3rd July was a special day for St Thomas’s Parish, Canterbury. For the
first time since the 1950s the parish family came together to bear
witness to our faith in public in the central park, Dane John Gardens.
In 1953 the sanctuary was installed on the bandstand.
In 1953 the sanctuary was installed on the bandstand.
Photo taken in the 50s
Parish
priest Canon Anthony Charlton presided at the concelebrated Mass with
Fathers Valentine Erhahon, Binoy Thomas and Father George Marsden in
attendance. Deacons Alfred Ngalim Wirbir and Casimir Kwabla
Agbenuawor from Rome assisted.
Canon Anthony has announced that next year’s Open Air Mass will take
place on Sunday 2nd of July 2017
Diamond Jubilee Mass
St Catherine's School - Crayford
On
2nd July 2016 Archbishop Peter was joined by Father Philip Glandfield
and Father Ignatius Edet to concelebrate Mass on the 60th anniversary
of St Catherine's School, Crayford
There were many former teachers, students, governors and
sisters of La Sainte Union present
The
history of St Catherine’s, going back to even before 1956, has been
written by Alex Tomlinson and Lois Fitzgerald. If you would like a copy
please go onto the website
www.stccg.co.uk
11 New Extra Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
On
20th July 2016 the Dean of Greenwich, Father Richard Plunkett
commissioned 11 Extra Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion for
St
Ursula’s Convent School, Greenwich, at Our Ladye Star of the Sea,
Greenwich, assisted by Father Kevin Robinson
Retirement Mass for Canon Jim Pannett - Purley
On Sunday 17th July Canon James Pannett KCHS was joined at his
retirement Mass from St John the Baptist parish Purley by Archbishop
Peter, who was the main celebrant and Bishop Howard Tripp
Canon Jim has been in Purley for the past 20 years and has been a
priest of the Diocese for 55 years
Among the many clergy that were present at the Mass to wish Canon a
happy retirement was Deacon Jim Sheehan, who returned from Eire for the
occasion, Deacon Vincent Morrison and Matthew O'Gorman, assistant
priest at Purley
†
Please pray for the repose of the soul of
Reverend
Father Bernard Jones, O.Carm.
who
died on Saturday 16th July 2016
Aged
88
He
was Parish Priest in Faversham in the 1970’s
and he also served in Hartley, Aylesford and Walworth
He will be buried in
North Devon
There will be Months Mind Mass for Fr. Bernard at Aylesford Priory
on Tuesday 16th August
at 12 noon
Priesthood Ordinations for Archdiocese of Southwark
“
One of the greatest
joys a bishop has, is to ordain priests for his
diocese”, these were words that Archbishop Peter said
during the
ordination Mass of three new priests for the Archdiocese of Southwark
on Saturday 16th July 2016.
In a busy Cathedral, family, friends, and parishioners gathered
to pray for Philip Andrews, David Howell, and Daniel Weatherley as they
completed their journey to the priesthood.
Archbishop Peter was the principal celebrant and ordaining
bishop; he was joined by Bishop Paul Hendricks, Bishop Nicholas Hudson
(former Southwark Priest, former Rector at the Venerable English
College, and an Auxiliary in Westminster), over ninety other priests
from Southwark Diocese and beyond, together with Deacons and laity for
an uplifting and prayerful celebration of Mass.
At the end of the Mass Archbishop Peter announced the parishes he
had appointed the Ordinands as their first role as assistant priests:
Father
Philip Andrews to St. Anselm’s Tooting Bec, Father David Howell to
Corpus Christi, Brixton Hill, and Father Daniel Weatherley to St.
Thomas of Canterbury, Canterbury.
After Mass the three new priests gave first blessings to
Archbishop Peter, and to many others who had joined them for their
ordination. Please pray for them as they begin to exercise their new
ministry and as they prepare to take up their appointments at the end
of the summer.
Two deacons celebrate 25 years as
Permanent Deacons in the Diocese
Two
deacon's from Thanet Deanery celebrated their 25 years as Permanent
Deacons in the Diocese. James Burleigh and Neville Gascoigne were
ordained – together with eight other men – on Saturday 27th July, 1991
at St. George's Cathedral, Southwark by Archbishop Michael Bowen.
On
Saturday, 16th July 2016 there was a joint celebration Mass at St.
Anne's Church, Cliftonville presided by Bishop Paul Mason, area bishop
for Kent.
James Burleigh,
although retired, still exercises his ministry in the Parish of The
Holy Family – Thanet (Birchington & Westgate-on-Sea). Neville
Gascoigne is the senior Deacon at Sts. Austin & Gregory with
St.
Anne, Margate.
Both deacons were accompanied by
their wives, Pauline Burleigh and Anne Gascoigne, together with members
of their immediate families and the wider parish family across the
deanery.
Priestly Ordination for Augustinian Recollects
at Vauxhall
On Saturday 9th July 2016 Archbishop Peter join the community of St
Anne - Vauxhall to confer the sacred order of priesthood on Friar
Douglas Beard
Friar Douglas was born in Enfield and went to school in Epping
and Debden. He studied philosophy Allen Hall Seminary and at
the
Theological Centre San Agustin, near Madrid, which is affiliated to the
Pontifical University of Salamanca
He made his simple profession on 7th August 2010 in the Novitiate
Convent of Monteagudo and he received the lay minister of lector on 1st
October 2011 in the Casa de Formacion San Agustin Las Rozas and lay
ministry of acolyte in the Centro Teologico San Agustin, affiliated to
the Pontifical University of Salamanca in June 2014
He made his solemn profession in the parish of St Monica,
Zaragoza on the 17th October 2015 and he was ordained deacon by Bishop
Eusebio Ignacio Hernandez Sola, Bishop of Taragoza, in St Rita's parish
Madrid on the 19th December 2016
Friar Douglas was joined by his parents, Stephen and Denise along with
the many priests, friends, community and parishes members
The celebration continued in the school hall
Mass for retirement of Mr Louis Desa
Headteacher - Bishop Thomas Grant School
On Thursday July 7th the community of Bishop Thomas Grant School in
Streatham gathered in the Metropolitan Cathedral Church of St George -
Southwark to give thanks and celebrate the Headship of Mr Louis Desa
Mr
Desa is retiring after sixteen years of Headship & thirty six
years
of service to Catholic education in the Southwark Diocese. He has led
the school to be Outstanding in all categories.
Mass was con celebrated by Archbishop Peter Smith, along with
Bishop Ralph Hesketh C.Ss.R, a former Chair of the school's governing
body
Also joining Mr Desa was Fathers Brian Coyle, Thomas
Bakulumpagi, Gerry Mulvihill Anthony Cassidy cssr,
Liam Gallagher, Christopher Basden, Peter Morris, Canon Jim Pannett
KCHS and Deacon Tony Flavin
Mr Desa had been Headteacher at Bishop Thomas Grant School
since 2001 and Head of Maths from
1992 to 1997. He was also a former student of the school
from 1967 to 1972
On entering the Cathedral the congregation were met with a
symbolic tree , the leaves bearing messages from from every pupil and
member of staff in the school for Mr Desa
On the 3rd July 2016 Archbishop Peter joined the community of St Thomas
a Becket - Wandsworth to celebrate 175 years of their parish
Southwark’s
annual day of celebration for the disabled was held on Sunday 3 July at
The Friars, Aylesford in splendid sunshine. Over a hundred disabled
people and their carers from across the archdiocese and beyond came for
a joyous day of prayer, art, music and fun
Bishop
Paul Hendricks celebrated Mass and stayed for the drumming workshop
provided by the Psalm Drummers. A great attraction on the day was a
mini petting zoo provided by Zoo 4 You with everything from hawks and
snakes to giant cockroaches and skunks. The art workshop explored the
theme of the day ‘Peace is flowing like a river’ with colourful
displays and fun activities.
Various groups including L’Arche, Medway Faith and Light and others
were instrumental in making this a great day for all as well as
families and parishioners from around the Archdiocese.
The
day is organised by the Centre for Catholic Formation who have plans
for expanding the activities and participation in future. Next year’s
Day of Celebration is on Sunday 2 July 2017. If you have groups who
work with the disabled in your parish or local area we’d love to see
you there.