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28 December 2009

David Taylor MP


Many in our community will have been saddened to hear the news over the weekend of the death of our Member of Parliament, David Taylor. He was admired by many, whatever their political views, as an excellent constituency MP. He preferred to follow his conscience in the House of Commons, rather than seek ministerial office. He was a practising member of the Church of England, and his Christian faith informed his attitudes on  issues to do with the sanctity of life and on questions of justice and peace.
Our prayers and good wishes go out to his family. May he rest in peace. Amen.

20 December 2009

St Wilfrid in Rome



I have had a couple of days in Rome recently. Whilst there I visited  Non Angli sed Angeli, an exhibition which celebrates both the history of English pilgrimage to Rome, and also the mission of priests from the Venerable English College to our country during penal times. Our own St Wilfrid gets a mention as one of the earliest recorded English pilgrims to Rome.

09 December 2009

Christmas Mass times at St Wilfrids

Christmas Eve:
6.00pm
9.30pm
Carols before both Masses

Christmas Day:
10.00am

Saturday 26th December:
6.00pm

Sunday 27th December:
10.00am

You may be interested to know that the Pope's 'Midnight Mass' starts at 10pm, Rome time, this year. With the time difference, he will start Mass half an hour before we do at St Wilfrid's. We are in good company!
Click here for story.

08 December 2009

Happy feast!

Today is the feast of the Immaculate Conception of our Lady. The hymn in the Divine Office for today provides a lovely reflection:

Holy light on earth’s horizon
Star of hope to fallen man,
Light amid a world of shadows,
Dawn of God’s redemptive plan.
Chosen from eternal ages,
Thou alone of all our race,
By thy Son’s atoning merits
Wast conceived in perfect grace.


Mother of the world’s Redeemer,
Promised from the dawn of time:
How could one so highly favoured
Share the guilt of Adam’s crime?
Sun and moon and stars adorn thee,
Sinless Eve, triumphant sign;
Thou art she who crushed the serpent,
Mary, pledge of life divine.

Earth below and highest heaven
Praise the splendour of thy state,
Thou who now art crowned in glory
Wast conceived immaculate.
Hail, beloved of the Father,
Mother of his only Son,
Mystic bride of Love eternal,
Hail, thou fair and spotless one!

Exploring the Encyclical


Those of you who are using pray-as-you-go during Advent, will be aware that the reflections highlight themes of Pope Benedict's encyclical, Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth).
You will find more about the encyclical from the on line journal of the British Jesuits, 'Thinking Faith', here.
The full text of Caritas in Veritate can be found here.

01 December 2009

Bamenda Water Project


This Advent we are, once again, supporting a project to enhance the water supply to communities in the area around the Cistercian Abbey of our Lady of Bamenda in Cameroon. We thank our Justice and Peace Group for promoting this connection and motivating us in this project.