Thought from Fr. Colm - 13th August

The Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes seems, by all accounts, to have been a great success. Both parishioners and clergy were full of praise. Bishop Stephen was singled out for special praise and seems to exude a friendliness and ease with people that bodes well for the future. A particular praise goes to parishioners who journeyed to Lourdes as helpers. Some exhausting preparation had to be done beforehand and demanded hours and efforts whilst there. You have returned tired but fulfilled. Well done. “So the small things that came into their own: small acts of helping others, if one could”; small ways of making one’s own life better: acts of love, acts of tea, acts of laughter. Clever people might laugh at such simplicity, but, she asked herself, what was their own solution?” Alexander McCall Smith, The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.

“Help from a stranger is better than sympathy from a relative.” Matshona Dhliwayo My sympathies to all who ventured away for much awaited holidays, only to be drenched almost daily. Please God, the slow emergence of sunshine will give some comfort, and well-earned rest. A final reflection now on the crisis of our time. “The new migrants from the dust bowl are here to stay. They are the best American stock, intelligent, resourceful; and, if given the chance, socially responsible. To attempt to force them into a peonage of starvation and intimidated despair will be unsuccessful. They can be citizens of the highest type, or they can be an army driven by suffering to take what they need. On their future treatment will depend the course they will be forced to take.” John Steinbeck, The Harvest Gypsies: On the Road to The Grapes of Wrath

Parish office closure

The Parish office will close at 12.30pm on Thursday, 27th July and re-open at 8.30am on Tuesday, 8th August.

Thought from Fr. Colm - 23rd July

The induction of Bishop Stephen was a powerful statement on his leadership into the future. He brought a strength of character to the occasion that also had its moments of pathos and humour. There was an honesty about the occasion that was challenging. His homily was one of humility, hope, and determination. Let’s pray that we now move forward in a Spirit of healing and new beginnings. “Unfortunately I am afraid, as always, of going on. For to go on means going from here, means finding me, losing me, vanishing and beginning again. A stranger first, then little by little the same as always, in another place, where I shall say I have always been, of which I shall know nothing, being incapable of seeing, moving, thinking, speaking, but of which little by little, in spite of these handicaps, I shall begin to know something. Just enough for it to turn out to be the same place as always. The same which seems made for me and does not want me, which I seem to want and do not want, take your choice, which spews me out or swallows me up. I’ll never know….” Samuel Beckett, The Unnameable. On to more immediate parish issues now. With the summer holiday for many of us about to begin, the parish takes a rest from many activities. This is very often a wellearned rest for volunteers too. However, can I ask that you keep an eye to those who may find summer a lonely time because they are housebound and not as socially involved as usual. Our prayers and best wishes go with the Diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes. It will also be great occasion for our new Bishop to meet up with so many of his flock, including the sizeable numbers journeying from this parish.

John Prine – “Me and Loretta”

We had an apartment in the city

Me and Loretta liked living there

Well, it'd been years since the kids had grown

A life of their own left us alone

John and Linda live in Omaha

And Joe is somewhere on the road

We lost Davy in the Korean War

And I still don't know what for, don't matter anymore.

You know that old trees just grow stronger

And old rivers grow wilder every day

Old people just grow lonesome

Waiting for someone to say, “Hello in there, hello”

Me and Loretta, we don't talk much more

She sits and stares through the backdoor screen

And all the news just repeats itself

Like some forgotten dream that we've both seen

Someday I'll go and call up Rudy

We worked together at the factory

But what could I say if he asks "What's new?"

"Nothing, what's with you? Nothing much to do"

You know that old trees just grow stronger

And old rivers grow wilder every day

Old people just grow lonesome

Waiting for someone to say, “Hello in there, hello

So if you’re walking down the street some time

And spot some hollow ancient eyes

Please don’t just pass ‘em by and stare

As if you didn’t care, say “Hello in there, hello”.

(A beautiful song worth listening to. There is also a lovely version by Joan Baez)