The Parishioner - Edition 16

ST FRANCIS’ CHURCH • MAIDSTONE 

NUMBER 16 

DECEMBER 

Something missing? 

Come home for 

Christmas 

Come home for Christmas is a new initiative which aims to offer a seasonal welcome to 

Catholics who for different reasons no longer or rarely attend Mass. Whatever your 

story or journey, the door is open for you. Tom Coyle writes: 

Christmas is a special time. Even for families which are not Christian or 

were once Christian but no longer go to church, there is something special 

about being together at Christmas. And if 

a member of the family can’t be there for whatever 

reason, he or she is greatly missed much more than 

at any other time of year. Sometimes it’s just 

remembering other Christmas days when they 

were there; sometimes it’s just thinking about 

what they are doing now and perhaps worrying 

about them. 

It’s the same with the Church. We do know that 

many more people have come back to the Church 

for the Christmas celebrations. It’s standing room 

only at most of the Masses celebrated in the parish 

from the Mass for families on the eve of Christmas, 

through the Polish Mass and the Masses 

celebrated at Nettlestead and Preston Hall, to the 

Mass at Midnight in St. Francis’. Then the 

Christmas day Masses - the 9 a.m. when the 

children are encouraged to dress up as characters 

in the Gospel story and the final solemn Mass at 

10.30 a.m. 

It’s lovely to see people there whom we may 

not have seen for some time. We know that it can 

be difficult to come back to church. It can all seem 

a bit strange. There may be all sorts of reasons 

why you don’t come to church any more. It may be 

as simple as a quarrel with a fellow parishioner 

many years ago. Or it may be because you have 

had marriage difficulties and are perhaps married 

‘outside the Church’. Don’t worry - you are still 

A child of God 

You are a child of God, and always were, 

Right from your birth until the end of time’ 

Whatever difficulties my occur, 

However hard the road, or steep the climb. 

Hold out your hand and God will always be 

There by your side to help you on your way, 

So live your life in love and truth and He 

Will never let you down, or let you stray. 

You are His special child, He loved you, 

Even before the time that you were born, 

And having promised this, He will be true, 

He will not leave you hopeless or forlorn. 

So put your trust in Him, and to the end 

He will be close to you, your greatest friend. 

Rosamund Browne 

very welcome. 

You may not be able to receive Communion at the Mass but you can still be 

part of our worshipping community. You can hear 

the Christmas story; join in with the carols which are 

so much a part of celebrating Christmas: you can go 

up at Communion time to receive a blessing. 

Perhaps by doing this, you will realise that 

something is missing from your life at other times of 

the year and you may realise that the welcome you 

receive at Christmas is there waiting for you on 

every Sunday of the year - that Jesus who goes on 

loving and caring for you always is there Sunday 

after Sunday to be with you in in a very way. 

So, do come home for Christmas; but don’t just 

stay for the Christmas celebrations and go away 

again. Come home; be part of the family; open your 

heart to the love of Jesus. Then if you are worried 

about anything; if you want to become more 

involved, have a chat with one of the clergy. They’ll 

do all they can to help you feel that you are a very 

special member of a very special family - the family 

of God. 

Want to know more? 

www.comehomeforchristmas.co.uk is a dedicated 

website where non-Church-going Catholics can find 

out more about returning to the Church. The site 

incudes: video testimonies, welcome messages from 

the Bishops of England and Wales, articles about 

possible obstacles and how to come back, free 

downloads and contact information. 

A HAPPY AND HOLY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL

THE PARISH OF ST. FRANCIS 

GROVE HOUSE, 126 WEEK STREET, MAIDSTONE , KENT ME14 1RH 

TEL: 01622 756217 FAX: 01622 690549 

Email:stfrancis_parish@yahoo.co.uk 

Website www. stfrancisparish.org.uk 

Parish Priest: Fr John Clark MA. 

Parisioner Editor: Denis Neale, Tel: 01622 200025 

Email: denisneale@blueyonder.co.uk 

E D I T O R I A L 

This coming year we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the 

setting up of St Francis as a parish. It is an event that we will 

be marking in a number of ways. We will be holding a two 

week Parish Mission in October 2009 to renew our parish 

life and hopefully encourage us to set strong foundations 

for the next 150 years.I welcome this new addition of the 

Parishioner which reflects in a wide variety of articles the 

vibrancy of our parish life. Times are difficult for most 

people today as we deal with the Recession and economic 

slump, however we are reminded by the coming feast of 

Christmas that hope came into the world through the birth 

of the Christ-child in the poverty of the stable at Bethlehem. 

That sign of hope still shines out in our world. The love and 

care offered by one to another even in times of economic 

hardship, the generosity of the stranger to the poor and the 

downtrodden, all witness to the power of the Christ - child 

to melt people’s hearts and let goodness shine forth. It is 

that hope that confidence in God to continue to bring 

redemption into our ever changing world that marks the 

coming year. I would like to thank Denis and Ros Neale for 

all their work in compiling this 

edition of the Parishioner, and 

thanks to all who have contributed 

to this edition. May I wish you all a 

happy and a holy Christmas and 

every blessing for 2009 

Fr John 

ST FRANCIS’ CHURCH • MAIDSTONE 

Thirty one parishioners were confirmed by Bishop John 

Hine on Sunday 16th November, in a packed St. Francis’ 

Church, along with others from St. Peter’s, Bearsted; 

Holy Family, Park Wood and St.Thomas More, West 

Malling. 

Eleanor Bailes, Alexandra Bell, Peter Black, 

Joseph Boyd, Hannah Bray, Anna Connolly, 

Samantha Cowell, Aaron Crotty, Nina Di Cara, 

Caroline Flack, Erin Teresa Gallen, Megan Holland, 

Anna Hughes, Anna Jasper, Nicole Hupen-Johnson, 

Philip Kamps, Connor Kiefer, Nicholas Louth, 

Grace Mia McBride,Melissa Montford, 

Zach Murphy, Adam O’Connell, Catherine Ruth, 

Madeleine Ryan, Charlotte Sexton, Nicola Shaw, 

Natalie Zita Stacey, Folasade Agatha Bassey, 

Candice Fanning, Katie Kirke. 

I saw a stable 

I saw a stable, low and very bare, 

A little child in the manger. 

The oxen knew Him, had Him in their care, 

To men He was a stranger. 

The safety of the world was there, 

And the world’s danger. 

Mary Coleridge (1861-1907) 

ANGEL FACTS 

I only know the names of two 

angels, Hark and Harold. Gregory, Age 5 

Angels work for God and watch over children 

when God has to go and do something else. 

Mitchell, Age 7 

The Pope has recently approved new endings for the 

Mass. Although we won’t be able to use them for some 

time, they are useful reminders to us of what our 

Mission is. Two of the new dismissals are: 

Ite ad Evangelium Domini annuntiandum - Go and 

announce the Gospel of the Lord 

Ite in pace, glorificando vita vestra Dominum - Go in 

peace, glorifying the Lord by your life. 

These new endings to our Mass remind us vividly 

what our lives as Christians should be about. When we 

come to Mass the Lord feeds us by his Word in the 

Gospel and by his Body and Blood in the Eucharist. The Mas 

does not end when we leave the church building - it continues 

in our daily lives as we seek to proclaim the Gospel with our 

lives. It was St Francis who said - Preach always and 

sometimes use words! 

Next October we shall be celebrating the 150th 

anniversary of the founding of St Francis’ parish in Maidstone. 

For the past year we have been organising events to help us all 

to get ready for that great celebration. During the next few 

months we shall be having a series of talks on Home is a holy 

place. You can read about that elsewhere in this issue. During 

Lent we hope to be having talks on Saint Paul and his message 

for us. We shall also be having prayer services each week of 

Lent to help us to prepare for Easter and the time when we 

renew the vows of our Baptism when we were given the 

mission to go and glorify the Lord by our lives. 

The climax of the year will be a special Mass on St 

Francis’ day on October 4th and this will also be the beginning 

of a special Mission organised for us by the Sion Community. 

So, what is a Mission about? It’s a time for us all as 

individuals to take stock of our lives and for us as a parish to 

see where we are going and what we need to do to bear witness 

to the Gospel here in Maidstone. If it is successful it won’t end 

when the Sion Community leaves us but will go on in a 

renewed parish in which we will all be aware of our continuing 

mission to preach the Gospel in our lives. 

It’s also a time for reaching out. Many of you who are 

reading this may not come to St Francis’ church any more. 

There may be all sorts of reasons for this, but what we want to 

say to you and will be emphasising during the course of the 

Mission is that you are all very welcome in our community and 

we would love to see you there again. 

Families are so varied. They may be large, with 

many relatives or small with no extended 

family. They may, in some cases, be 

reduced to the one surviving member, the only 

representative of the family still living. 

All families have times of happiness and times 

of distress. Sometimes, we are too busy to stop and 

celebrate the good times or reflect on how our family 

deals with situations. 

Home is a Holy Place is a resource provided by the 

Bishops of England and Wales through their Marriage and 

Family Life Team. In a very down to earth way, it looks at the 

difficulties facing families in the modern world. It asks three 

questions: 

* How do you and your family show love for one another? 

* What are the challenges in your family relationships? 

* When are you most aware of God in your family 

experiences? 

It does not ask how many times you pray or what parish 

groups you belong to. It does not assume that your family is 

perfect. 

TOWARDS 150 

RENEWING OUR MISSION 

by Tom Coyle 

Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord . 

Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life . 

It’s also a time for reaching out to people who no longer 

believe in the Christian message, or people who have not been 

baptised. Again, they are very welcome. We believe that Jesus 

Christ is there for everyone - he is the Way, the Truth and the 

Life - and in his Church there should be no divisions - no one 

should feel unwelcome. In the love of Christ we are all united 

and in that love we find meaning for our lives. 

The Mission is being given by the Sion Community 

Mission Team. This consists of laypeople, priests and 

religious who are committed to proclaiming the Gospel 

in an encouraging and challenging way. They are not 

‘parachuted’ into the parish for two weeks and then go 

away. They will be working with us before the Mission and 

they see it as a partnership. They will work with parishioners 

to help us discover and use our God-given gifts and abilities in 

the service of others. They will encourage us to reach out to 

others and share our faith. 

They do this, for example, by their own witness to the 

Gospel; by the celebration of the Sacraments; by prayer; by 

special services; by house to house visitation; and by social 

events. 

They will visit us around February to tell us about the 

Mission and to help us to begin the planning. There will be at 

least two further visits before the Mission. 

The actual Mission will be in two parts. The first week 

will consist of house to house visiting. The second week will 

consist of an early morning Mass for our commuters; a 

morning Mass; a lunchtime prayer experience; and an evening 

Mission service. We’ll hear and read more about this in the 

coming months. 

For the mission to be successful we are going to need a lot 

of help. We’ll need to form a planning team; we’ll have to 

arrange for accommodation for the members of the Sion 

mission team and to feed them while they are here; we’ll need 

people to go with them on the home visiting. We’ll tell you all 

about this in due course and we are sure that you will, as 

always, be ready to help. 

When the Mission is over, we need to make sure that what 

we learn about ourselves over the mission period is continued 

in the life of the parish. If we can do that, then the Mission will 

have been a success and, to repeat the thought of St Francis we 

will be preaching the Gospel always and sometimes using 

words - we will be preaching the Gospel with our lives. 

Home is a Holy Place 

by Lyn Coyle 

Okay. We admit it. Family life is difficult. What family does not know the tension of a personality clash, the heartache of 

tragedy, the dull pain of daily irritations? Not to mention the juggling of millions of demands, the balancing act of home and 

work life and the never quite getting to the end of the to-do list .Family life is a challenge because the stakes are so high. Which 

other relationship can hold out so much promise: a life-long sense of belonging, a rare depth of intimacy, the shelter of each 

other’s arms? Family life is indeed a risky adventure in love: a relational experience at the core of human existence with the 

power to make or break not only individuals, but society itself. 

(Taken from Family: an adventure in love, oneof the resources of Home is a Holy Place) 

In our parish, we are using this resource as a 

three week programme during Advent. We hope 

to run the same programme after Christmas for 

those who missed it the first time. The team 

preparing for the Mission in October 2009 

hope that this will support those wishing to rekindle 

their faith and the living out of their faith 

in their lives. 

Each Thursday evening for three weeks, there will 

be a meeting for one hour consisting of refreshments and a 

warm welcome to help everyone relax, a DVD to watch as a 

starting point, a follow -up discussion and a short closing 

action and prayer, each session based on one of the three 

questions above. Whilst everyone is encouraged to share in an 

atmosphere of trust in one another, no-one is compelled to 

share their family situation unless they wish to. Listening to 

and learning from one another can be very re-assuring and 

helpful to us as we try to live out our Christian vocation 

through our family life. 

This is just one of the events organised for the year 

leading to our parish mission. 

2

Mary Mary: the role of Our Lady in 

the Christmas story and why she is so 

special today 

Patrick Cusworth 

OK, I admit it. I blipped, bottled and 

bailed. With all the wrong things going 

up and the right stuff seemingly going 

down at a rates of economic knots, I decided at 

the beginning of this year that this would be my 

travel year, the career break which so many 

graduates speak of whistfully but so often seem 

to be swallowed up by burgeoning careers and 

growing domestic responsibilities. So having 

made the decision to abandon my credit-crunch existence in 

recession-hit London, Israel - a country which has fascinated 

me for over fifteen years now - was always going to be top of 

my “to visit” list, both for reasons of pilgrimage and out of the 

same fascination which makes it so 

unique and yet so heartbreaking. 

Having been through Jerusalem, 

Jericho, Tel Aviv and Masada (the scene 

of the final Jewish uprising against the 

Roman occupation), I was surprised to 

find that the sites which had the 

deepest effect on me were those 

located in Bethlehem and Nazareth, 

namely those at the beginning of the 

New Testament story. 

The first of these shrines was the 

Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, 

where Luke’s gospel describes a stable 

as being the site where Christ came 

fully into the world. Today in 

Palestinian-controlled Bethlehem, the 

Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem 

Church’s appearance remains both 

humble and understated, especially when compared to its 

more opulent counterpoint in Jerusalem, the Church of the 

Holy Sepulchre. What is does have in common with Sepulchre 

is that the church building itself is an amalgam of several 

churches of different Christian 

denominations, with the 

blackened entrance (the Church 

suffered considerable damage in 

2002 when Palestinian fighters 

barricaded themselves inside 

while attempting to escape from 

the Israel Defence Force) opening 

out into a wider, brighter and 

more decorated interior. Also like 

Sepulchre, the ground level of the 

Church of the Nativity often 

appears to be in a state of only The Place of the Birth, Bethlehem 

semi-organised confusion (a result many suspect of the 

quintet custodianship of this amazing site). However the 

actual Chapel of the Birth located beneath the main Church, 

while small and cramped, has a real sense of exquisite calm 

especially if one has entered directly from the hustle and grind 

of modern day Bethlehem. 

Travelling throughout Israel and visiting many of the sites 

of pilgrimage, I could not help but wonder at the sacrifice of 

Christ, as well as those of the Apostles and early Christians. 

However, kneeling before the tiny altar in the little Nativity 

grotto, the thought hit me that the sacrifice of Mary herself in 

saying “Yes” to God’s plan is so rarely considered in its full 

context. One can imagine the scornful disbelief when she 

broke the news that she was pregnant through divine grace - 

not only was she risking her reputation in this way but her life, 

since at the time the Law allowed for women found guilty of 

fornication to be stoned to death. St. Joseph however appears 

to have been unwilling to have allowed this to take place, 

Matthew’s gospel stating that he decided to divorce Mary 

informally (1: 19-25), before he too was visited by the angel 

and told not to be afraid to take Mary into his home as his 

wife. So Mary’s sacrifice is not to be forgotten (especially in 

the upcoming season of Advent) and is one of the major 

reasons why Mary - Our Lady - is so loved and venerated by 

Catholics across the world. 

And yet there is more, both to this sacrifice and the 

extent to which Mary is cherished today. This was further 

explained when I visited the Basilica of the Annunciation in 

Nazareth. The Basilica itself is built on three levels, the lowest 

of which is where Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel and 

told she would give birth to the Messiah. The altar is just 

outside the small grotto where Mary and her family lived 

before she was given to Joseph in marriage. Directly above is 

an enormous dome which not only dominates the Nazareth 

skyline, but also provides superb acoustics for the church 

choir. Mass is said roughly every other hour, with the language 

alternating between Hebrew, Arabic, Latin, French, Italian and 

English. Both in the upper cloister and outside 

the Basilica itself are around a hundred gifts of 

artwork, murals of the Madonna and Child, sent 

from parishes from all over the world (Scotland, 

Wales and Ireland are represented; England, to 

our shame, is not). I suppose the following is an 

observation you could file under the category 

marked “pretty obvious”, but I was nonetheless 

interested in these various artworks, not so much 

in the varying styles of tribute but more in the portrayals of 

Our Lady and the baby Christ as resembling women and 

children from the artists’ own respective nations. Take, for 

example, the gift from Germany, featuring a blonde, strong 

and rather Teutonic-looking Mary, in 

comparison with the gifts from either 

Thailand or China, both of which depict 

a softer, even daintier version of our 

Holy Mother. Tributes from South 

American nations such as Bolivia 

differed even further, with the latter 

displaying a Hispanic woman dressed 

grandly in full national costume, gazing 

out from the canvas proudly and 

lovingly at the world. Only the gift from 

the USA appeared to break this trend, 

with an apocalyptic vision of the 

woman crowned with twelve stars 

amidst a blazing sky (Revelations 12: 1- 

3) bearing down from a giant 3-D 

mural. 

Reflecting again on the love and 

devotion which Mary inspires, I considered this desire to 

portray her as local to our own society, beyond reasons of 

emotional accessibility. I think there are multiple explanations, 

all or none of which may be true for the various Marian artists. 

Firstly, Luke’s gospel particularly 

attests to Our Lady’s status as 

“most blessed among women” 

(1:28 and 1:42-43) - and since 

Mary went through many (if not 

all) of the tribulations of both 

womanhood and motherhood, she 

provides the perfect example for 

both, for which reason it is 

understandable for us to picture 

her contemporary example, as well 

as what she would look like if born 

in our own time and culture. 

Secondly, to “adopt” Mary in this way (though really, it is the 

exact opposite) is to follow the crucified Christ’s own giving of 

his mother to the world (as represented by St.John) in his 

words on the cross: “behold your mother” (John 19: 25-28). 

For this reason, it is both natural and fitting that we should 

honour Mary in this way, in the highest, most respectful and 

most loving way our own 

culture can portray - exactly 

how we would our own 

mother. This is also fulfillment 

of Our Lady’s own words in 

Luke’s gospel that “all 

nations will call me blessed, 

for the Almighty has done 

great things for me” (1: 48- 

49) - Mary is made blessed 

through God’s divine grace. 

Finally, since we believe that 

Our Lady was given a new 

role after her death, that of 

Queen of Heaven and Earth, it 

is again right and proper that 

we honour the Queen 

alongside the King. As a Gift of Thailand 

further guide and advocate towards Christ, we ask Our Lady 

to pray for us and our intentions, even at times when we 

ourselves cannot. In other words, through Our Lady Christ 

came into the world; through Our Lady, she draws us nearer 

still to Christ. 

This Christmas I will be celebrating Christ’s birth in South 

Africa, joined unexpectedly though delightedly by my own 

mother - Christmas is, after all, time to spend with our 

families. So in preparation for this Christmastime, let us say a 

prayer of thanks for our universal mother Mary, for her own 

personal sacrifice in bringing about God’s plan of salvation for 

the world, and for her constant comfort and guidance in our 

lives today. 

More from Mike 

by Michael Sexton 

Iended my last 

episode with a 

reference to 

boyish excitement 

when things were 

serious. However, the 

times were not 

without humour or 

laughter. A little while 

before that Luftwaffe 

raid on Plymouth 

Sound and its 

shipping, my father and I visited the 

swimming pool situated against the 

cliff face of the Hoe. It was a pleasant 

day and the war seemed a long way off 

even though there was turmoil in 

France and Belgium. Just as I left the 

pool I saw my father talking to another 

man who suddenly dived into the pool 

and after a few seconds rose out of the 

water holding aloft, like the sword 

Excaliber, my father’s dentures!! If 

television had been around and the 

situation comedy, ‘One Foot in the 

Grave’ existed, the catch phrase “I 

don’t believe it” would have echoed 

over Plymouth Sound. 

I know my father was most 

relieved and indeed grateful - the 

Good Samaritan turned out to be 

sergeant in the Royal Marines and, at 

first, refused a ten shilling note he was 

offered. You could say that I was able, 

on this occasion, to enjoy the incident 

without feeling nervous about my 

father’s reaction, since he also found it 

equally amusing. I believe that shortly 

after that the Lido was shut because 

more difficult times were approaching. 

Entertainment in those times, 

aside from the cinema, was provided 

by the radio. The BBC held a virtual 

monopoly, but was very capable and 

seemed to cater for most tastes, at least 

my parents thought so. One of my 

favourite comedy programmes was 

ITMA (It’s that man again) whose 

principal character was Tommy 

Handley (a product of Liverpool). He 

was assisted by a small cast, who 

between them created numerous 

characters, each with different catch 

phrases. For instance, Mrs. Mop 

(Doris Hare) who always introduced 

herself with “Can I do you now, sir?” 

She would complete her script with 

“TTFN” (Ta ta for now). Another 

character was the Colonel who on 

hearing any word or phrase that 

sounded like a drink, would 

immediately intervene with a slurred 

response “I don’t mind if I do!” These 

continued expressions became 

household sayings and served as a 

light hearted part of our living in 

trying times. I also listened to 

Children’s Hour which was extremely 

popular and catered for all ages. Even 

teenagers found items of interest, both 

education and entertaining. 

One day at the end of May, 1940, 

I had come home from school and 

changed out of my school uniform, 

which, by the way, consisted of an 

Eton collar as well as school tie and 

black blazer, when the door bell rang. 

You may recall that our home was part 

of a pair of villas at the end of a row 

and that the road in front sloped down 

from our left so that one had to 

negotiate several steps. 

I opened the door and 

standing on the steps a 

little way down was an 

individual wearing a 

Naval officer’s duffle 

coat. He looked 

haggard and weary, his 

hair dusty and 

containing bits of 

plaster. He spoke 

quietly, “Is Christy 

there?” 

(Christy was my father’s name). 

My mother, who had joined me, 

invited him in and at once made him a 

cup of tea. When he spoke I sat riveted 

to every word. He explained that he 

had escaped from Boulogne which 

had been laid siege to by the German 

army. He revealed that he had 

witnessed war at close quarters, with 

the Luftwaffe dive bombing their 

principal target, the Citadel. He spoke 

of the bravery of the soldiers of the 

Irish and Scots Guards and during the 

heat of battle, with Stukas (Ju.87s) 

dive bombing, he had seen an Irish 

Guardsman firing a Bren gun (a light 

machine gun) from his shoulder. A 

bomb burst some feet away and he saw 

heroism and comedy in the same 

instance - for instead of a wounded, or 

even dead soldier, he saw the soldier 

was still firing but with very little 

uniform on. The blast had ripped it off 

but left him standing! 

I have never forgotten the story 

our visitor told. I was told he was a 

journalist who had been in Prague 

when the German army marched in 

and that he had stood by the Czechs, 

silently weeping at their fate. I was 

never told about the outcome of his 

visit, except that my father whisked 

him away and I never asked, either. 

Only now do I wonder what became of 

him. Just like the gallant Marine who 

rescued my father’s dentures - what 

became of him? 

A few days later, I reached my 

13th birthday (early June) but there 

was no fuss. I had become a teenager 

but the phrase then, to my knowledge, 

didn’t exist and the occasion was not 

deemed very special, only a time for 

my mother to produce a few scones. 

Food rationing had become a priority. 

I suppose it mattered but the 

world around us was much more 

concerned with the rapidly 

deteriorating situation as the 

evacuation from the sandy beaches of 

Dunquerque of some 330,000 soldiers 

began to emerge as a miracle. No one 

living at that time will forget the voice 

of Winston Churchill and the words he 

spoke giving us bare facts but 

inspiring the country to stand and face, 

what seemed at the time, an 

overwhelming enemy. I remember my 

father’s words, “If anyone can get us 

through, he will - there’s no one else!” 

I was able to determine, in my 

boyish way, that I was witnessing 

momentous times. I wasn’t yet 

experiencing fear but a tingling 

excitement. I was not fully conscious 

of what could happen if our country 

failed to hold the line. 

All angels are girls because they gotta wear 

dresses and boys didn’t go for it. 

Antonio, Age 9 

What I don’t understand about angels is why, when 

someone is in love, they shoot arrows at them. 

Sarah, Age 7 

3

The legacy Chris leaves behind is love! 

Love for his Lord, love for his family, 

friends and neighbours. 

I was proud to be part of his wonderful 

celebration Mass at St. Francis’ on October 

14th. The church was packed - as people 

remarked, you could feel the love in the 

church. 

Chris cared so much for people all his 

Deacon Chris Cassidy 1929 - 2008 

His wife, Pat, remembers Chris 

Chris’ funeral took place in September in St. Francis’ Church. This is 

an extract from the eulogy delivered by his son, Tony. 

Chris’ funeral took place on September xxx. This is 

an extract from the eulogy delivered by his son, 

Tony. 

“Mum and Dad knew each other as children growing 

up in the Midlands and Mum tells us that at the age of 9, 

she knew that Dad was the man that she wanted to marry 

and on the 1st of August 1953, she did just that. They 

have been together ever since. It takes special people to 

remain together that long and their love for each other has 

never faltered. 

Dad was always a family man who would do 

anything for his family. In the late 60’s, he could see that 

the future where he was working didn’t look very secure 

so he started to look around and in 1969, he accepted a 

job with ICM in West Malling and made the move that 

would change their lives forever, leaving family and 

friends behind, we came to the house in Aylesford where 

Mum still lives. 

Throughout his life, Dad always worked hard, often 

taking a part time job to ensure that we could have some 

of the extras in life, things that are, these days often 

regarded as the norm. I can remember, one day going into 

school on a Monday morning and the teacher asked the 

class, “What did you do over the weekend?” I replied, 

“Well Miss, on Saturday we went to the mini market then 

Mum went for a drink and Dad went to the betting shop”. 

I should have explained (but didn’t) that actually, Mum 

went to have a cup of tea with her friends whilst Dad went 

to his part time job in Snodland at Bill Kenney’s betting 

shop to earn some holiday money. Over the years, in 

addition to his full time job, dad worked behind a bar, in 

the betting shop and, ironically in a care home, helping to 

bath the male residents. 

Dad had a great sense of humour and liked a good 

laugh and in the 70s and 80s, it was a good time for his 

type of humour - Morecambe and Wise and the Two 

Ronnies. His favourite sketch had to be the one set in the 

SOLESMES: A MONASTIC RETREAT 

by Richard Ashton 

life. He loved being a Deacon, which 

enabled him to visit the hospitals, houses 

and the residential Homes to take the Lord’s 

message to all. 

I am happy to have been married to 

Chris for 55 years. As he wrote on the last 

card I have from him “You are the love of 

my life”. He is mine, thank you, Chris! 

Hardware shop when Ronnie Corbett comes in asking for 

Four Candles. No matter how many times he saw it, that 

would always raise a laugh. 

Dad’s greatest joy was his family, Mum, Teresa, me, 

Liz and Damian. And then we grew up and had families 

of our own. Teresa married John and had James and 

Jenny, Angela and I had Rebecca and Robert, Liz married 

Dale and Damian, of course, joined the Carmelites and 

became a priest in his new family. Now as his 

grandchildren grow up, they are making relationships of 

their own. 

Apart from the family, the other love of Dad’s life 

was the Church, serving in any way that he could, starting 

as an altar server, Master of Ceremonies, Eucharistic 

Minister until finally, after several years of study, being 

ordained Deacon. 

The most visible sign of his deaconate was on 

Sunday at Mass, reading the gospel and preaching. He 

also took on the role of Hospital Chaplain which he 

continued until ill health forced him to retire. Whether he 

was visiting the sick, administering the Sacraments, 

parish visiting or just making time to comfort others, he 

always went about it quietly, unobtrusively, without fuss, 

discreetly working away in the background. 

When he became too ill to remain at home with her, 

Mum looked around and asked Frances and her team at 

Lullworth in Queens Avenue if they would take care of 

Dad. They accepted him into their house and over the 

months, they all started to appreciate that special quality 

in Dad and so when it became apparent that Dad would 

require nursing as well as care, rather than have Dad 

moved elsewhere, they made it clear that they would 

nurse him to the end. 

I could talk for much longer about our Dad, but all I 

really need to say is this.“Dad, we love you. We love you 

for the love and care that you gave us, and all those other 

qualities that make you special. We’ll miss you”. 

Noël en France 

by Brigitte Wilson 

Celebrated only on the 25th of 

December (there is no Boxing Day 

holiday in France), Christmas is an 

occasion for the family to come 

together for a short time to holiday or 

worship. 

The Christmas tree is the main 

decoration in houses, streets and 

shops, but these also often display a 

Nativity scene or ‘crèche’, which 

serves as the focus for the religious 

Christmas celebration in the home. 

On Christmas Eve, children leave 

their shoes by the fireplace 

(nowadays it tends to be beside the 

tree or the Nativity scene) to be filled 

overnight with gifts from the Père 

Noël (Father Christmas). The 

traditional ‘crèche’ is peopled with 

clay figures called ‘santons’, literally 

‘little saints’. In addition to the usual 

Holy Family, shepherds and Magi, 

the craftsmen also produce figures in 

the form of local dignitaries and 

personalities. Throughout December, 

the figures are sold at annual 

Christmas fairs in the Provence area 

(Aix, Marseille and Aubagne). 

Although fewer and fewer 

French people attend the Messe de 

Minuit (Midnight Mass) on Christmas 

Eve, it remains an important part of 

Christmas for many families. 

Nowadays, Midnight Mass rarely 

takes place at midnight - it can start 

as early as 9pm... After Midnight 

Mass, a very late dinner (‘réveillon’) is 

held. The menu for the meal varies 

according to the region: oysters and 

foie gras are popular as starters; 

turkey with chestnuts, goose or 

capon for the main course. The 

traditional Christmas dessert is a Yule 

log-shaped cake called a ‘bûche de 

Noël’, usually of a chocolate sponge 

consistency. However, the 

celebrations of Christmas in France 

greatly vary from region to region. In 

eastern and northern France, for 

example, the Christmas season 

begins on 6th December, the feast of 

Saint Nicholas. 

Last but not least, there are no 

Christmas cards in France: instead 

you have to wait until the beginning 

of January to send family and friends 

your best wishes (Bonne Année) for 

the New Year. 

Joyeux Noël à tous! 

Obama: a 

dark side to 

a bright star 

by Alan Ashfield 

The fact that Americans have elected 

a black man to be their next 

president has understandably been 

hailed as a wonderful milestone in the 

history of that country. It is indeed a 

remarkable achievement for Barack 

Obama personally and for Americans of 

every colour who believe that people 

should be judged by the content of their 

character rather than the colour of their 

skin as Martin Luther King so succinctly 

put it. 

It is indeed a wonderful thing that 

America has elected its first black 

president but it’s a disaster for one group 

of Americans that the man in question is 

Barack Obama. And this has nothing 

whatsoever to do with the colour of his 

skin but everything to do with the content 

of his character. That group of Americans 

is, of course, unborn babies. Mr Obama’s 

pledge to end the war in Iraq has been 

well publicised, but his promise to begin 

another, against the unborn, has gained 

far less attention. 

He will go about this war with 

considerable determination for Mr Obama 

is not simply Pro-Choice, he is Pro- 

Abortion. He wants to introduce abortion 

on demand up until birth - yes up until the 

day that the baby is due to be born. But 

wait, it gets worse. He plans to re-legalise 

partial-birth abortion. If that process 

sounds too horrible to describe that’s 

because it is. And if you think it really 

couldn’t get any worse you’d be wrong. 

This man has said that one of the first 

things he will do when he becomes 

president is to make it legal to kill a child 

that survives a botched abortion. He 

believes that if the mother has decided 

that her baby should not live then it must 

not do so under any circumstances. 

If you believe, as the Catholic church 

knows and teaches, that the right to life 

begins at conception, and that life is 

precious and should be protected, all this 

will sound shocking. It should certainly be 

enough to make you put your flag down if 

you’ve been waving one at Obama’s 

election. 

There have been many bidding 

prayers in churches in recent weeks for 

Barack Obama and we must indeed pray 

for him. What we pray is that he comes to 

realise that it is no good wanting people 

to be judged on the content of their 

character, if they are not first given the 

right to life. 

By black waterside 

If you would like to try a different way of living, I know just the place to go. The 

Benedictine abbey of Solesmes, a couple of hours south-west of Paris by fast 

French trains, is principally known for the outstanding quality of its Gregorian 

chant, but it is also possible to arrange a private retreat of up to a week. (It’s for men 

only, but women can visit the sister community of Sainte Cécile in the same village.) 

I must have read something about it in the Catholic press - I can’t recall where 

or what. But thanks to the internet I found I had without difficulty booked both my 

journey and my retreat. The journey to Solesmes was simple: two hours to Paris, then 

one hour by TGV on to Le Mans, a short journey by local train to Sablé, and finally a 

delightful hour’s walk alongside the River Sarthe to the gates of the abbey. 

Once you step inside, everything changes. You stop talking. Communication 

among the guests, about twenty when I was there, and with the monks, is limited to 

nods and smiles, sometimes not even that. Conversation is allowed for one short period 

each day, but most of the guests did not avail themselves of this opportunity. At meals 

the guests are led into the refectory by the guest master, the père hôtelier, where simple 

but plentiful meals are taken with the monks, in silence except for ‘lectio divina’. 

The day is centred on the round of offices, seven in all. The monks rise at 5am 

for Vigil at 5.30, which lasts about an hour. Laudes is at 7.30, and Mass at 10.00. 

Sexte and None are either side of lunch, then there is Vespers at 5.30. Finally there is 

Compline at 8.30 for about half an hour. Vigil is optional, but guests are expected to 

participate in the other offices, 

Apart from Mass the offices are based on the Psalms, which are read through on 

a weekly cycle. All the offices are in Latin, and sung, or chanted. Four hours a day may 

seem like a long time to spend in church, but when you are there it does not feel like 

that. It feels more like a privilege to spend that time in beautiful surroundings, listening 

to the word of God rising to heaven. Time takes on a different meaning. You find 

yourself asking what time is for, if not to praise God. 

It is of course deeply refreshing to spend time in a place where the Christian faith 

is seen as normal and natural. To live our faith in daily life is to come constantly into 

conflict with hostile values, and even among Christians there is divergence on countless 

topics. At Solesmes the faith of the monastic community is a rock on which visitors can 

stand. There are no petty differences of opinion, and no enforced conformity, but a unity 

based on faith, tradition, self-denial and beauty. 

Within the monastery walls the values of the world are turned not upside down 

but inside out. In our daily life the matters of eternity are hard pressed to find a few 

moments of our attention, while we rush about doing our jobs and filling in the gaps 

between with chatter and entertainment. In the monastery most of the monks’ waking 

hours are turned to the Lord, through work, study or prayer, with only the bare 

minimum devoted to material practicalities. 

The monks have to give up many things that we value so highly, but what they 

are really giving up, or so it seemed to me, is a certain view of the self. For us, being 

who we are means having the freedom to make all sorts of choices - what to wear, 

what to buy, what to say to all the people we meet, what to have for lunch - every day 

we make a hundred choices, almost all of which have not the slightest importance. 

The monks make no such choices. Every aspect of their daily routine is decided 

by others, by the Rule of the community. What time they rise, what they wear, what 

they do with virtually every moment of the day, upon none of these things do they have 

what we call freedom. There is no television or radio, there are no newspapers. There 

is no small talk about the weather, or what’s for lunch, or events in the outside world. 

Most of us have real commitments to the everyday world with all its foolish 

distractions, but we could benefit enormously from a break from this so-called reality. 

This was my first visit, and it took me a while to work out what was expected. Given 

the near total absence of chit-chat, you tend to have to work things out for yourself. But 

I have booked my next visit. Our lives in the world make it difficult to avoid self 

obsession, but at Solesmes it is easy and natural to forget yourself, and thereby find 

yourself. 

Clouds lower, doubled in still water. Above, 

Beneath, an iron-clad heron leaves its feasting ground, 

Flaps skyward, neck retracted, clanking. Fierce 

Yellow eyes, yellow beak pierce the predatory wind. 

Pattering madly in the mud, its shy white egret 

Cousin searches for a fishy morsel then, hearing us, 

Takes to immaculate wings. How 

Such perfection’s born of river slime, who knows. 

Where water brims, grasses stir, rushes skirr 

To the ripple of wind’s fingers, to the whisper of wave rings 

Flung wildly: marsh and air and water linked; 

As wedded as the bride and bridgroom swans. 

Swans! Now silkweed parts, and under a lazy sun 

Bending to horizontal in stark November light 

Great birds sail, murmur and whistle; stretch pale necks 

Like candlefire into the dark, inverted arcs 

Of gothic lancets formed of sedge and reed. 

Just so.. swans’ down blows down, snows down. 

Curls, swirls of feathers rest, nest and turn on brown silt banks. 

By black waterside, swans flex white wings like seraphim. 

(c) Elizabeth Gibson 2007 

4

ST. FRANCIS’ PARISH CELEBRATES! 

by Sheila Connolly 

Towards 150 Group 

On Sunday 5th October nearly 600 parishioners 

gathered together at St. Simon Stock School to 

celebrate the Feast of St. Francis. 

It had been a few years since the last Parish Day and 

most previous celebrations had usually been held in the 

summer, so the challenge for the planning group was to 

try and organise a day which would start with Mass and, 

after an inside ‘picnic’ lunch, to come up with an activity 

which would appeal to all ages. 

The most important part of the day was, of course, 

Mass in the morning and those responsible for 

organising this were anxious to have a liturgy which 

would reflect our Patron Saint, St Francis and the Year 

of St Paul and also celebrate and give thanks for our 

parish community; the different age groups, the many 

ministries, the huge amount of work which goes on to 

keep the parish ticking over and the ethnic diversity of 

the parish. We wanted all this to be marked without 

losing sight of the central theme of the Celebration of 

the Eucharist. 

Before Mass began the congregation watched a 

short life of St. Francis of Assisi followed by a series of 

slides showing symbols of our parish community. Our 

primary school children welcomed us with song and 

sign just before the entrance procession when the 

Book of the Gospels was enthroned and a large 

candle, carried by Father John and decorated with 

different coloured ribbons to represent the diverse nature 

of our parish, was placed on the bare altar. Before the 

Liturgy of the Word a banner of St. Paul was processed by 

our two young readers, was blessed and will remain in the 

parish church until the end of June 2009. 

After the Gospel we built up the collage on the altar 

front. The parish Art Group had prepared the central 

part, which was the outline of a church filled with 

hundreds of faces. A procession of representatives of the 

different parish groups, ministries and workers including 

those who are ‘hidden’ (e.g. those who pray faithfully for 

our sick and bereaved) came forward with large cards 

which were placed around the central picture while 

prayers were read. Father John’s homily reflected the 

themes of parish community and witness and the 

congregation then renewed their Baptismal promises in 

place of the Creed. 

Parishioners enjoying the Barn Dance 

Following this our Extraordinary Ministers of the 

Eucharist were re-commissioned and four of our servers 

were enrolled in the Guild of St. Stephen for Altar 

Servers. 

During the Offertory Procession the altar was dressed 

with the cloth carried by two members of the Ascent 

Group and two candles carried by two of the Confirmandi. 

The bread was brought up by two of last summer’s 1st 

Holy Communion children and the wine by two 

Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist. After the 

Eucharistic Prayer the congregation was invited to say the 

Our Father in their native languages. 

The general feeling was that this had been a 

magnificent celebration. The large group of musicians 

and the choir had worked very hard to enhance the 

liturgy and their efforts were well supported by a 

congregation, which outnumbered any of previous 

Parish Days. 

Those who had brought their lunch gathered in 

the school restaurant with the 2008 1st Communion 

children and their catechists as they enjoyed their 

‘Communion Breakfast’. With echoes of the Feeding 

of the Five Thousand, there seemed to be more food 

gathered up at the end of lunch after everyone had 

had their fill, than had arrived in the first place. But 

it did mean that we were well supplied with food and 

drink throughout the afternoon. 

Courtesy of Chris Taylor’s Allstars, many of us 

enjoyed a couple of hours of energetic Barn Dancing 

in the School Hall. 

Clearly the success of an event such as this 

requires the energy, hard work and generosity of a very 

large number of parishioners - too many to mention - 

but a special thanks must go to John McParland, Head 

of St. Simon Stock, for his hospitality and also his hard 

working caretaking team who spent many hours the 

previous day preparing the Sports Hall for us, and then 

getting everything back in time for Monday morning. 

The Parish Day marked the halfway point in the twoyear 

programme of parish renewal and reflection. In less 

than twelve month’s time we shall be celebrating the 

Parish Mission with the Sion Community. 

ON THE TRAIL OF SANTA CLAUS. 

by Rosemary Neale 

tub. 

St Nicholas of Myra 

Most people accept that the primary inspiration and of our 

present day figure of Santa Claus (aka Father Christmas) is St. 

Nicholas, the fourth century Greek Christian bishop of Myra in 

Lycia, a province of the Byzantine Anatolia, now in Turkey. Nicholas 

was famous for his generous gifts to the poor. He is said to have saved 

three girls from prostitution by providing their impoverished father 

with three bags of gold for their dowries, to have saved from death three 

unjustly condemned men and to have rescued three sailors from 

drowning. Perhaps the most well known is about him bringing to life 

three boys who had been murdered by a butcher and hidden in a bran 

After his death and canonisation he was claimed as patron saint by 

diverse groups, from sailors and archers to pawnbrokers and children. 

His feast day is on December 6th and his relics now lie in the basilica 

in the Italian coastal town of Bari. 

So, how did this kindly, generous bishop evolve into the jolly, fat, red-faced man who 

now brings presents to children on his reindeer sleigh each Christmas night? Parallels 

have been drawn between Santa Claus and the figure of Odin, a major god of the 

Germanic people prior to their conversion to Christianity. At the native Germanic winter 

festival of Yule, Odin was said to lead a great hunting party through the sky. Ancient 

writings describe him as riding a white, eight-legged horse named Sleipnir that could leap 

great distances - the forerunner of Santa’s reindeers? Odin was referred to by many names 

in Skaldic poetry, some of which describe his appearance and functions, these include 

“Langbarõr’ (meaning ‘longbeard’) and ‘Jólnir’ (Yule figure). Children 

placed their boots, filled with carrots or straw near the hearth for 

Odin’s horse to eat. Odin would then reward those children for their 

kindness by replacing Sleipnir’s food with gifts or sweets. This 

practice survived in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands after the 

adoption of Christianity and became associated with St. Nicholas as a 

result of the process of Christianisation and can still be seen in the 

modern practice of hanging stockings by the chimney in some homes. 

Other influences from the pre-Christian Germanic winter celebrations 

have continued into the modern Christmas such as Christmas ham, 

Yule logs and the Christmas tree. 

In many parts of Europe children are still given sweets and gifts on 

St. Nicholas’ feast day, December 6th. In the Netherlands, St. Sinterklaas 

Nicholas, or Sinterklaas, as he is called, rides a white horse and is 

dressed as a bishop, with a red mitre and robes and long white hair and beard. 

Pre-modern representations of the gift-giver from church history and folklore merged 

in Britain with the character, Father Christmas. After the Reformation, reference to the 

saints was forbidden and following the English Civil War, under Oliver Cromwell’s 

government, the feast of Christmas itself was banned as being Roman Catholic and pagan. 

After the Restoration, Christmas was reinstated along with Father Christmas, portrayed 

as a well fed, bearded man in a long, green, fur-lined robe with a holly wreath on his 

head. He typified the spirit of good cheer at Christmas and appears as the Ghost of 

ANGEL FACTS 

It’s not easy to become an angel! First, you die. 

Then you go to Heaven, and then there’s still the flight training to 

go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel 

clothes. Matthew Age 9 

Christmas Present in Charles Dickens’ novel, “A Christmas 

Carol”. In Britain this image of Father Christmas lasted 

until the end of the 19th century. 

In the British colonies of North America and 

later the United States, British and Dutch versions 

of the gift-giver became merged. Father 

Christmas/Sinterklaas was Americanised into 

“Santa Claus”, lost his bishop’s apparel or 

holly wreath and green robe and began to 

appear in his now familiar red and white 

costume. Modern ideas of Santa Claus came 

after the publication, in 1823, of the poem “A 

Visit from St. Nicholas”(better known as “The 

Night Before Christmas”) by Clement Clarke 

Moore. In this poem, Santa is established as 

chubby gnome, who comes down the 

chimney and has eight reindeer, who are 

named for the first time. In 1881, an 

illustration by Thomas Nast for the magazine, 

‘Harper’s Weekly, helped to establish the 

modern image of Santa Claus wearing black 

boots and a fur trimmed red hat and tunic with a 

broad black belt and toting his sack of toys. It is an 

urban myth that Santa wears red and white because those are the colours of the Coca Cola 

company. The company’s huge advertising campaign in the 1930’s did dress him in red 

and white but it was Nast who had popularised his garb many years before. 

In the 20th century Santa, in his modern guise, migrated back to Europe and out into 

the rest of the world. Most of us love him but he does have his detractors. Some people 

say the Santa tradition belittles the origins and purpose of Christmas; other critics feel 

that Santa Claus is an elaborate lie and that it is unethical for parents to teach their 

children to believe in his existence. Others see him as a symbol of the commercialism of 

the Christmas holiday. 

Whatever your opinion, he does have his origin in a saint who gave generously and 

with Christian love. So, when your children (or grandchildren) eventually discover the 

truth about the jolly fellow (usually earlier than you think they have), you can tell them 

all about St. Nicholas, that they should be kind and generous to everyone and that they 

must always laugh a lot. Ho! Ho! Ho! 

Christmas 

by Janet Norfolk 

Take time! 

Watch with the stars that gaze with crystal sight - 

On wonders known to us on Christmas night. 

Take time! 

Listen to whispering trees, 

Of wonders told to us in gentle breeze. 

Take time! 

Sing with the Angels bright, 

The songs of glory sung on Christmas night. 

Take time! 

Stand silent in the snow, 

Wait with the silent moon - And know! 

5

NEWS IN 

PICTURES 

The day trip to Oxford on April 26th was a most 

interesting experience for those who took part. 

Parishioner Fleur Wilson and her friend Natasha, 

both graduates of the university, were very able 

guides around some of the historic colleges. Here 

Natasha shows parishioners one of the corridors of 

Academia. Many thanks for a lovely day to the 

Wilson family and Mary Adam who organised 

everything. 

Visitors to the Sale in the Old School Hall on 

Saturday November 8th found many good 

bargains and in spite of a very cold and rainy 

morning the sale made around £300 for parish 

funds. Many thanks to Mary Adam and all her 

willing helpers. 

Congratulations to Godwin and Fumi Bassey whose 

Marriage Validation Ceremony was held on May 

24th in St. Francis’ Church. A reception was held 

afterwards in the Old School Hall and a happy time 

was had by their families and friends, including 

their friends in the choir who wish them many 

years of continuing happiness! 

Blessed Alberto Marvelli 

Blessed Alberto Marvelli was born on March 21st 

1918 to Alfredo and Maria Marvelli in Ferrara, 

Italy and, as a child, attained a deep love of God 

and was already sensitive to the needs of others. Later, as 

a young man, Alberto would aspire to live his life 

according to the teachings of the Gospel to benefit poor 

people. 

In 1930, the Marvelli family moved to Rimini where 

Alberto continued his education at the Salesian Oratory. 

He also became a member of Catholic Action which 

increased his aspiration to live a life of righteousness. 

When his father, Alfredo, unexpectedly died in 1933, 

Alberto, aged fifteen, began to keep a spiritual diary in 

which he would detail his daily routine. He wrote, “I rise 

as early as possible each morning; a half-hour meditation 

each day, half an hour at least dedicated to Scripture 

reading, Mass every morning and Holy Communion, 

confession once a week, and frequent spiritual direction, 

daily recitation of the Rosary and Angelus at noon.” 

When he was eighteen, Alberto was elected president 

of Catholic Action in Rimini. Each Saturday morning he would direct his 

group, give lectures on spiritual matters and, in the evenings, he would visit the 

poor people in the parish. Alberto wrote in his diary, “What a great deal of work 

is needed in this world which is so far from Christ.” 

Alberto also studied engineering at Bologna University. In 1939, he was 

saddened by the outbreak of World War II and was appalled when he learned 

of the Nazi concentration camps and of the many atrocities of the Nazi regime. 

During the German occupation of Italy, Alberto saved many Jewish people 

from deportation to Nazi concentration camps.H e would free the people from 

the sealed carriages of trains destined for Dachau and Auschwitz-Birkenau, 

moments before their departure. 

In 1941, Alberto graduated with a degree in engineering from Bologna 

University and, shortly after, he joined the army but felt uneasy about the 

prospect of having to engage in armed combat in the war. However, after only 

a few months he was exempted from military service because his two brothers 

were already serving in the army. Within weeks, Alberto began work as an 

engineer with the Fiat Motor Company in Turin. 

In his spare time he would teach social issues in a local high school and 

initiate projects to help sick and poor people. He also encouraged people to 

pray as much as possible. In his diary he wrote of his deep spiritual union with 

Christ when receiving the Eucharist. 

During the war the Marvelli family were forced to move from Rimini to 

Vergiano, seven kilometres away. After each sustained air bombardment of 

Rimini, Alberto would return to the city each day to search the wreckage of 

buildings for civilian casualties. He would haul out the dead, the wounded and 

the dying buried beneath piles of debris. When he had helped bury the dead, he 

would then comfort and console the survivors. Alberto would offer money and 

charity to those who had lost everything in the air strikes. 

Concerned also by the bleak predicament of many impoverished people 

who had fled the city of Rimini to take refuge in rural areas, Alberto, with his 

own money, would purchase food. Securing large quantities of groceries to his 

bicycle, he would cycle to remote communities to distribute the food to those 

isolated in caverns, shelters and secluded houses scattered throughout the 

countryside. Late at night, on his return home to Vergiano, there were always 

poor people waiting outside his house for his assistance. Although often tired 

from his day’s charitable work, Alberto never turned poor people away. He 

Picture and words by Charlotte Cassidy, artist 

would always welcome them into his home and offer them 

a meal. With his own money he would purchase other 

necessities to give to them. 

When the war ended in 1945 and Rimini was liberated 

in September of that year, the Marvelli family returned to 

the city, now in ruins. The interim authorities immediately 

entrusted Alberto with the allocation of housing. A few 

months later he became a town councillor and a member 

of the Italian Society of Civil Engineers. Alberto opened a 

soup kitchen for poor townspeople and would invite them 

to accompany him to evening Mass in the local chapel. He 

would pray with them, listen patiently to their problems 

and entrust them to the love of God. 

Alberto joined the Christian Democratic Party and 

became an active member of the executive committee. He 

regarded politics as being the most effective way to rebuild 

and improve housing, education, agricultural, social and 

industrial working standards for poor people. Alberto 

became one of the most popular candidates of the 

Christian Democratic Party and was respected by 

everyone, even by his main political rivals, the Communist Party of Bellariva. 

On the evening of October 5th 1946, as Alberto was cycling to attend a 

venue for the local elections, for which he was a candidate, he was in collision 

with an army truck. Seriously injured, he was rushed to the local hospital in 

Rimini, where he died a few hours later without regaining consciousness. He 

was only twenty eight years old. 

The elections were held as news of his tragic death was announced to the 

voters. Many citizens decided to vote for him just the same by electing his 

mother, Maria Marvelli, in his place. 

The opposition party, shocked by the news of Alberto’s death, immediately 

issued this tribute to him, “We, the Communist Party of Bellariva, bow in 

reverence and hail the son, the brother who has done so much good in this 

land”. 

Hundreds of mourners attended Alberto’s funeral procession. He was 

buried in the church of St.Augustine, in Rimini. 

In 1991 the cause for his beatification and imminent canonisation was 

opened. His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, had for many years held Alberto 

Marvelli in high esteem and despite the Holy Father’s rapidly declining health, 

it was his expressed wish to personally journey to the Basilica of Loreto in 

Italy, on September 5th 2004, to beatify Alberto Marvelli. In his beatification 

homily before the faithful of 250,000 in Loreto, the Holy Father exclaimed, 

“Alberto, a generous son of the Church of Rimini and of Catholic Action, 

considered his brief life of only twenty eight years as a gift of love to Jesus for 

the good of his brethren. Alberto made the daily Eucharist the centre of his life 

and prayer the source of his political commitment. He fostered an intense 

spiritual life, from which flowed love for Jesus that led him constantly to forget 

himself and take on the cross of the poor.” 

When speaking personally of Blessed Alberto Marvelli a short time later 

at a Vatican Bishops’ Conference, Pope John Paul II declared, “Blessed Alberto 

has shown how, in changing times and situations, Christian laymen are able to 

devote themselves unreservedly to the construction of God’s Kingdom in 

family, work, culture and politics, taking the Gospel to the very heart of 

society.” Pope John Paul II then offered Blessed Alberto Marvelli to the Church 

as a model of inspiration, devotion and sanctity in daily life for the young 

people of our time and in future centuries. 

6 

A small group of St. Francis’ parishioners taking 

the opportunity to dine “comme les Français” on 

the day trip to Boulogne on September 6th . This 

outing is always very popular and the bus was 

packed. Although the wind was cold, the day 

stayed sunny and dry so many parishioners chose 

to explore the city, visit the Cathedral in the old 

Citadel and lunch in one of the many cafés and 

restaurants. On the way home the bus stopped at 

Cité Europe which satisfied those who needed a 

little more ‘retail therapy’! 

Dates for your 

Diary - 2009 

QUIZ NIGHT 

Sat. 31st January 

FILM NIGHT 

Sat 21st February 

TRIP to BRUGES 

9th May 

TRIP to 

WINCHESTER 

8th September 

Alan: recycling with a difference 

In a past edition of the Parishioner, Alan Rose, who lives in Friars Court, Queen 

Anne Road, Maidstone, appealed for hand knitted garments that could be 

unpicked as well as used or new knitting wool to be made into clothes and 

blankets for those in need. Here he tells how the donations of wool that you sent 

him were put to good use. 

“Following my appeals for knitting wool a while ago, I have received lots of 

knitted garments for me to un-pick 

as well as used and unused knitting 

wool for my team of knitters to 

make up into winter clothing for the 

children of 3-15 years old of 

Chernobyl, Russia. 

These are sent under the 

auspices of the Humanitarian Aid 

Society, of which I am a member. 

This society is sponsored by the 

United Reform Church of 

Maidstone, through their 

organisers, Joan and Stan Pearce of 

Hatherall Road, Maidstone. This 

Some of the items recently knitted and presented to the 

Society by the residents of Friars Court, Maidstone. 

organisation collects household items for the region of Chernobyl and regularly 

sends a 40 ton lorry, loaned by Marks and Spencer and driven by the regular driver 

in his holiday, to Kiev and its environs. 

These goods go to the people of the Ukraine where it is distributed directly to 

those people in need.” The last batch of knitted items taken to Russia included 67 

childrens’ jumpers, 49 scarves, 29 hats, 14 pairs of gloves, 10 pairs of mittens, 25 

blankets (some crocheted) and 34 knitted teddies, some made by Alan’s knitting 

team at Friars Court. 

More wool is needed, double knitting wool preferred, so rake out your cupboards 

for any items suitable for this very worthwhile cause and send them to Alan. Phone 

him on 01622 685099 first. 

Christmas in Nigeria 

by Godwin Bassey 

Christmas in Nigeria is the perfect and harmonious 

blend of deep tradition and old culture. Nigeria with 

its glamour, buoyancy and extravaganza adds to the 

festive and Yuletide spirit during the end of the last 

month of the year. 

ßCommon tradition in Nigeria during the 

celebration of Christmas includes the decoration of 

homes and churches with palm fronds which signifies 

peace. So, most people believe that to decorate 

homes, churches, schools, streets, roundabout and 

other social and private places ensures peace and 

prosperity will be ushered in these places on 

Christmas Eve. 

Other activities during the Christmas 

celebrations in Nigeria includes Midnight Mass and 

carols on the eve of Christmas and morning Mass on 

Christmas Day. Social and cultural activities includes 

parties, music and dance, also masquerade parades 

in a carnival manner in some parts of the country 

like Calabar in Cross River state, south-south of the 

country. 

Gifts sharing is an integral part of Christmas 

celebration in Nigeria. People exchange gifts in the 

spirit of Yuletide. Gifts come in different forms such 

as cards, wines, dresses, hampers or live animals, 

mostly livestock such as fowls, goats, sheep etc. 

Christmas is generally believed to be a period of 

sharing. Also a common practice during Christmas 

celebration in many parts of Nigeria is food sharing, 

Families cook food and share it with their neighbours 

and other households in their streets irrespective of 

their religion. Food is also sent to the members of 

extended families in towns and villages. 

Family members will sew and wear matching 

costumes during Christmas, also societies in church 

and other organisations. Also most families sew and 

wear the same attire, which varies from one culture 

to another or from one part of the country to 

another. The Christmas dress for the family is always 

sponsored by the parents. Since different families 

wear different attire, the combination of these is a 

beautiful sight to behold when these families come 

together to watch masquerade or take part in the 

social aspect of the activities. 

Another interesting part of the celebration is 

that families hold an annual family meeting to 

resolve any outstanding conflicts within the members 

and to review the co-operative achievement of the 

members of the family in the spirit of love and 

peace, which is the message of the season. Such 

meetings also strengthen the family bond and 

prayers for the intention of their gathering and for 

the forthcoming year are rendered. 

Members of families travel from far and near 

to their villages and towns for this all important 

meeting. Those who cannot attend the family 

meeting send their goodwill messages and get 

feedback from the meeting.

The Pilgrimage Experience 

by Fleur Wilson 

Every July, a group of around thirty Oxbridge students and alumni spends a week volunteering in 

Lourdes with the Hospitality of Our Lady of Lourdes, a religious confraternity founded in 1885 

under the spiritual authority of the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes. It is an organisation of pilgrims 

at the service of other pilgrims and of Our Lady. Having discovered the pilgrimage through the Oxford 

Chaplaincy in 2004, during my first year as an undergraduate at the university, I went on my first ‘stage’ 

(period of service) that summer, and returned in 2007 and 2008. I hope to make this an annual pilgrimage, 

and to make my ‘engagement’ as a member of the Hospitality in 2010. 

This is a sign that, amongst other things, a volunteer has committed to 

serving pilgrims in Lourdes on a regular basis (normally at least one 

week a year). Seeing as my hectic week in Lourdes is one of the periods 

in the year that I most look forward to, I certainly feel that I would like 

to make this commitment. 

The various members of the group engage in very different 

activities throughout the week. The men take part in a wide variety of 

tasks, from marshalling during religious ceremonies such as the daily 

torchlight procession to helping out with the pilgrims at the train station 

and airport. The women either work in the St Frai Hospital or in the 

Baths - after experiencing both during my first year, I opted for the latter 

in subsequent years, as I personally feel that it is the best way in which 

I can welcome pilgrims to Lourdes and transmit the ‘message of 

Lourdes’. It gives me the opportunity to meet hundreds of people from 

all over the world, and to share in their pilgrimage experience for a short, 

intense, moment. Their readiness to share their deepest emotions with 

you, and the demonstration of their faith, make for an extremely humbling and moving 

experience. 

Our schedule also allows for a fair amount of socialising. The members of our lively 

group, comprising people of all ages and walks of life, come together for mealtimes, daily 

Mass and evening prayer; as well as for well-deserved hot chocolates by the Gave River 

during our time off. Volunteers tend to come at the same time each year, and thus we bump 

into the same people year after year, and look forward to seeing our Lourdes friends and 

catching up. It is an incredibly social place. Visiting the tacky tourist shops is also an annual 

must - from glow-in-the-dark rosaries to snowglobes of the Apparition of Our Lady to 

Bernadette in the grotto, you’ll find every bit of religious tat you could ever dream of, and 

more! 

Following on from this, a small group of us continued our pilgrimage experience by 

walking part of the Camino to Santiago. After a few days holidaying in France and Spain 

- vital in order to catch up on all that lost sleep after our hectic week in Lourdes - we made 

our way to Ponferrada in northern Spain, where we were to start our 215 km, 7-day walk. 

International Mass in the underground 

Basilica of Pope St Pius X, Sunday 20th July 

2008 

Santiago Cathedral 

The local municipality provides hostels (‘albergues’) at regular intervals for all the pilgrims, and we arrived 

in Ponferrada with the directions to our first albergue in hand. However well you might have planned this 

pilgrimage, nothing can prepare you for how surreal staying in these actually is. Luckily we were thrown 

in at the deep end on the very first night, when we shared a dorm with an eclectic mix of sixty or so 

strangers. Everyone is in bed by 10pm, when the lights go out, and up by 6am. Unfortunately we hadn’t 

realised that the lights weren’t turned on in the mornings so as not to wake any potential sleepyheads, and 

getting ready and packing our belongings away in our rucksacks in a crowded dorm in 

the pitch black is not the easiest of tasks, as we found out the hard way... 

Onwards and upwards, though. Especially upwards. There is a good reason for 

getting up at 6am, and that is that it is impossible to walk up a mountain in 35 degree 

heat. Luckily we managed to reach our destination in late morning on most days, 

which left us the afternoon free to relax, go to Mass, and talk with other pilgrims from 

all over the world, some of whom had been walking for months from as far as southern 

Italy or even Hungary. This was one of the best 

parts of the pilgrimage for me, as it gave one an 

insight into the huge variety of different reasons 

for which these people had undertaken a 

pilgrimage to Santiago. The locals were also 

very friendly, especially when they found 

foreigners such as us who actually spoke 

Spanish! The restaurants even offer special 

menus for pilgrims, and volunteers man the 

churches and chapels along the way in order to 

stamp our pilgrim’s passport. 

Finally, after a tiring yet fun-filled week, we 

were delighted to catch out first glimpse of the 

cathedral of Santiago from the top of the hill 

The Grotto 

overlooking the city, where we spent our last night. The day rushed by, the highlight being the 

pilgrims’ Mass where all the people with whom we had walked throughout the week gathered 

in the cathedral for a Mass celebrated in many different languages. A giant thurible is swung 

from side to side, censing every corner of the church. It was a bit of an anticlimax as we picked 

up our pilgrim’s certificate and said goodbye to our new-found friends. However, we have all 

agreed that we would like to walk along a different part of the Camino next year. It is a 

completely different experience from that of Lourdes, but complementary in many ways, and 

just as rewarding. In Lourdes you are constantly surrounded by, and helping, people; whereas 

walking along the Camino allows you to take time out for yourself, something which we tend 

to neglect in our hectic daily lives. 

Bernard’s hobby keeps him on track 

During the summer months, 

between Easter and until the 

clocks go back in October, 

Bernard White may be found in his train 

driver’s hat, riding one of the scale model 

steam engines on the track in Mote Park, 

Maidstone, a popular venue for steam 

engine enthusiasts as well as children and 

their parents. 

Although they live in Chatham, 

Bernard and his wife, Sylvia, began coming 

to 10.30 Sunday Mass at St. Francis’ in the 

summer, as it meant that Bernard could to 

get to Mote Park in good time for his duties on the railway 

track. As they both enjoy singing they joined the choir and 

now regularly come all the year round. 

As a young boy, between the ages of seven and 

fourteen, Bernard lived on a farm between Harrietsham and 

Hollingbourne, near Maidstone. Being close to the Southern 

Railway tracks running between London Victoria, Maidstone 

East and the Ashford line, he took a great interest in all things 

to do with the railway. 

In 1949 his family moved to Maidstone and Bernard 

soon joined the Maidstone Model Engineering Society., of 

which he is still an enthusiastic member. He set up a 

workshop in an old coal shed and saved up his money to buy 

the tools to build his first model steam engine which he 

completed while working as a junior chemist at Style and 

Winch brewers between the ages of 16 to 18. 

However, Bernard preferred engineering to chemistry 

and transferred to AE Gardeners (Engineering), Maidstone 

and became time served. Then came National Service during 

Bernard takes his grandson, Thomas, for a ride 

which Bernard read about a 

Britannia locomotive in 3.5 in. 

gauge, became ‘hooked’, 

purchased some British Rail 

main outline drawings and 

began constructing his own. 

The project progressed very 

slowly and was not completed 

until Bernard retired. In 2000, at 

the Model Engineer Exhibition, it 

won a silver medal and the JN 

Maskelyne Trophy. In 2003 it 

won the Australia Award at the 

Autumn Southern Federation 

Rally and in 2004, the LBSC (London, Brighton and South 

Coast) Bowl. 

Bernard has since built another model locomotive, a 

Merchant Navy ‘Ariel’ which he named “Orient Line”. 

Returning, from 

Australia with his 

parents in 1936, 

when he was 4 

years old, they 

sailed on the ‘SS 

Orontes’, a ship of 

the Orient Line. He 

now shows his 

prize winning 

Britannia 35008 in Mote Park during the summer, driving it 

around the track, much to the delight of his young passengers 

following on behind. 

Christmas in 

Poland 

by Teresa & Robert Salawa-Adam 

Christmas in Poland is celebrated very differently to Christmas in 

England. 

To begin with, during Advent people are very prayerful and do 

not put up any Christmas decorations or sing carols. Instead all of 

this is done after Christmas through to February 2nd. 

Another significant difference is the celebration of Christmas 

Eve. People will wait for the first star to appear in the sky before 

they sit down and have a festive meal. Because it is still regarded as 

part of Advent no meat is served, but instead traditionally we will 

have carp which is bought a few days earlier and kept alive in the 

bath tub. When preparing the meal hay is put under the tablecloth 

to symbolise Jesus being born in a stable. Also a spare place is left 

at the table to show readiness to welcome another person to the table. At 

the start of the meal a prayer is said and some of the Bible read. Then 

oplatek (which is made like the host for communion) shared and wishes 

exchanged between the members of the family. During the meal a total of 

twelve dishes are served, for example: borsch, carp, pierogi, golabki, and 

cheese cake . 

Later on we start opening presents from under the Christmas tree 

which unlike in England are not signed who they came from but say ‘from 

St.Nicholas to someone’ and they are not expensive but often very personal, 

even hand made. That night children are told that animals can talk all night, 

some would even go outside and see for themselves. 

As for sending Christmas cards, we only send them to people which 

we would not see or we are not able to ring because people prefer to 

exchange wishes in a personal conversation. 

Altogether Christmas in Poland is much less commercialised-it is all 

about spending time together and understanding the true meaning of 

Christmas. 

If the above statement is to be believed, then the members of the Maidstone Ascent Group 

must be an attractive bunch! Having said that, although small in numbers, we still manage 

to hold our monthly meetings on the first Wednesday of the month in the old school hall 

at St. Francis’ Church, after the 10.00 a.m. Mass. This year we have gained one new member, 

so we remain optimistic! Members enjoy a chat over tea and biscuits, followed by a short talk. 

There is also a raffle to help with the funds. This year we have been studying the lives of the 

Saints, with members choosing their particular favourites. 

In May, one member attended the Quiet Day at the Little Sisters of the Poor in Vauxhall 

and several members joined the Ascent Annual Southwark Retreat at Aylesford in June. The 

theme of the Retreat was “Growing in the love of God” and also included a fascinating talk on 

The Ascent Group 

Small is Beautiful 

Mother Julian of Norwich, given by Sister Elizabeth Ruth Obbard. 

In December, members and friends will be celebrating together with a Christmas Lunch 

at The Friars. This will be our third year. 

Our first meeting in 2009 will be in February when we will study the life of St. 

Bernadette. 

Looking to the future, preparations are underway for the Ascent Movement in England 

to mark its 30th Anniversary in 2010 with a Celebration at the Conference Centre, 

Swanwick. If you are retired and would like to know more about the Ascent Movement, you 

can contact Angela Hunter on 01622 746792 or why not join us in February and become 

one of the ‘Beautiful People’ 

7

8 

Rainbows 

A sign of hope for the future 

John’s father asked him to cut the lawn but, being a 

teenager, he wanted to meet his friends and do the grass 

tomorrow. So, John’s father cut the grass and had a heart 

attack, dying before John came home. For years, John lived, not 

only with his grief, but also with a sense of guilt that he had 

caused his father’s death. 

Six year old Katy puzzled her teachers by refusing to sit at 

the same table as another little girl. Her teacher could not see 

any reason and quietly questioned her. After a long silence, Katy 

burst out “She’s got my Daddy!” Her father had left home and 

gone to live with another mother on the estate. 

Chris had looked forward to the day when would be old 

enough to go fishing with his father, like his older brother, but 

his father died unexpectedly and Chris felt cheated of the happy 

times that he and his father would share. 

All of these young people were suffering from 

bereavement, from a life altering loss. Because the grown-ups in 

their families were busy dealing with their own feelings, they did 

not have time to see the depth of suffering in their children.They 

were comforted by friends who assured them that children were 

resilient and would cope. Even if they had seen the extent of 

their suffering, they would not have had the emotional strength 

to deal with it. The young people themselves, seeing how upset 

their parent was, kept their feelings to themselves so as not to 

cause further upset. John, Katy, Chris and thousands of other 

young people suffering loss, bottled up their feelings. 

Sometimes the feelings of hurt, bewilderment and pain 

show themselves in unacceptable ways such as anger, becoming 

withdrawn, getting into trouble, trying drink or drugs, doing 

badly at school when they had previously been model students. 

It can take years before the cause of the problem is identified 

and the person helped to come to terms with what happened 

and the way it changed their lives forever. 

What they need is a chance to talk about their feelings, to 

begin to accept what has happened and eventually move on 

with their lives. In the ‘old days’, when families were larger and 

lived close together, a kindly aunt or uncle or grandparent might 

have seen what was happening and offered a listening ear and 

loving support. In our contemporary world, families are smaller, 

live further away from one another and people lead busy lives. 

This is where Rainbows comes in. Rainbows is an 

international, not-for-profit organization that fosters emotional 

healing among children grieving a loss from a life-altering crisis. 

Staff in school are trained to run support groups for young 

people who have suffered such a life altering loss.Two members 

of staff run a group for five or six children, following a structured 

programme that allows plenty of time for talking and coming to 

terms with the normal feelings of grief. 

*Denia - This can’t be happening. *Anger - Why me? 

*Bargaining -If only - (I had cut the grass/ kept my they 

can say how angry or sad they are in a supportive, nonjudgmental 

environment without someone saying, “You 

mustn’t feel like that”. The rationale of Rainbows is to come to 

terms with normal feelings of grief, to understand the normal 

stages of grief and to go through the four tasks of mourning: 

* To accept the reality of the loss * To experience the pain of 

grief * To adjust to an environment in which the deceased is 

missing *To withdraw emotional energy and reinvest it in 

another relationship 

As a teacher for over 36 years, 15 of them as head of two 

Designed and produced by: Denis & Rosemary Neale 

very different schools, I have seen many children struggling with 

loss of one kind or another. I remember a 5 year old who kept 

looking in the kitchen cupboards for Daddy, who had died on 

the operating table while she was at school. She was stuck in 

“Denial’ - it can’t have happened. 

I remember the model Year 6 pupil, who changed 

personality completely when his parents went through a very 

messy separation and father moved out. He was eventually 

excluded from school at 15 because of his violence and I have 

no doubt of the cause. 

I remember the seven year old whose mother died of 

leukaemia and who ‘just gave up’. He was stuck in depression. 

I wish I had known about Rainbows so that I could help these 

children more than I did, hard though I tried. 

It was only when I retired and had spare time that I was 

approached and asked to train as the Registered Director for the 

Catholic Diocese of Southwark in order to introduce Rainbows 

to Kent. I completed my five day training in Hull and learned 

more about Rainbows. It was begun in the States by Suzy Yehl 

Marta, a Catholic woman whose own three boys had told her 

many years after her separation from her husband that they had 

not coped with it, as she had thought. She realised that there 

must be thousands of young people needing help, and she 

trained in counselling and psychotherapy and eventually devised 

the Rainbows programme, which is now run world-wide in 

Catholic and non-Catholic schools, using a Catholic or secular 

programme. 

I have been going into schools, at their request, for three 

years now. It depends very much on whether the school sees the 

need for Rainbows and whether it has members of staff who are 

prepared to do this work on a voluntary basis. There are now 13 

schools in Kent where I have been to train the staff to run 

Rainbows. I have also trained family Liaison Officers to work in 

smaller schools where there might be only one child needing 

support. I have given staff meetings and staff awareness raising 

sessions. 

The Rainbows programme runs for thirteen weeks but it is 

possible to continue to support young people who need it after 

the thirteen weeks are over. Parents of children in the group also 

say how much it has helped them too because the children come 

home ready to talk about their feelings and share ideas for 

dealing with them that they have learned at Rainbows. 

The groups are for helping young people through the 

normal stages of grief, thus preventing problems in later life 

caused by unresolved grief. Helpers are not trained as 

counsellors but as sympathetic supportive listeners. Some young 

people may need professional counselling and Rainbows can 

never provide that. What it does provide is friendship, support 

and acceptance at a time in life when there is a struggle to 

accept a complete change of direction. We are all faced at 

sometime with something that changes the direction in which 

we thought our lives would go and how we deal with that will 

affect us for the rest of our lives. Do we become angry, bitter and 

closed in on ourselves or do we learn to accept and move 

forward, becoming more sympathetic with others in the 

process? 

If you would like to know more or would be interested in 

running Rainbows in your school or parish, please contact me 

for further information without any commitment, Lyn Coyle, Tel: 

01622 204160. email: coyle41@blueyonder.co.uk. 

Christmas in Chile 

by Fabian Fernandez 

Chile is one of the two southern countries in South 

America and at this time of the year, the hot days of the 

summer are starting to scorch across the country. Chile is a 

traditional Catholic country thanks to the evangelization 

done for the Spaniards when they came to conquer the 

lands of gold and silver promised by the first Spanish 

pioneer to arrive in Americas and bring the Christmas 

celebrations with them. 

Christmas is a much waited and a very special 

celebration. Everyone gets prepared for it by getting 

early in December decorating the Christmas pine tree 

along with the grib. Also, in every house is baked a 

special cake called “Pan de Navidad” (Christmas 

bread) and a special spirit is prepared made with a 

base of Pisco (Chilean liquor), milk and cinnamon. 

On Christmas Eve, the people go to the 

church at 8 pm to celebrate the Christmas mass 

afterwards returning home to have a Christmas 

dinner that traditionally is a big Turkey, but 

also people prepare meat or chicken. The 

children from 3 years old stay awake until 

midnight to celebrate that el “Niño Jesus” (God 

boy) has been born and put his figure into the stable. After 

that the children go out to have a little stroll with one of 

the parents to give time for “Viejito Pascuero” (Father 

Christmas) to put the presents under the tree. This is 

because Chile is in summer season and the majority of the 

houses don’t have a chimney were the Father Christmas 

can get into the house. Children must go out at 

midnight since they must not see him and also to give 

time to Father Christmas to set out the Christmas 

presents. After 15 minutes, the children go back home 

and open the presents and then play with them until 

2 am when it’s time to go to bed. On the 25th of 

December, families get together to have a lunch 

and the children show their presents to the 

other children. 

Even though Chile is in summer, Father 

Christmas is big old man, with a silver 

beard and hair and he wears the 

traditional red suit that we know here in 

UK. 

Merry Christmas and god bless you 

and your family. 

An essential read from Aid to the Church in Need for this Christmas. Get a 

copy NOW! 

Persecuted and 

Forgotten? 

A report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2007/2008 

Edited by John Pontifex and John Newton 

Largely unknown to the outside world, Christians today suffer 

physical and verbal abuse, imprisonment and even murder. In the 

last few years, acts of persecution have suddenly escalated. More 

Christians are persecuted than any other religious group. 

Focusing on nearly 30 countries, including China, Iraq, Sudan and 

Zimbabwe, Persecuted and Forgotten? shows the reality of life for people denied the 

freedoms many of us take for granted. 

In some countries, persecution now threatens the survival of the Church. Elsewhere, institutionalised 

hostility and oppressive controls are at last beginning to give way to new hope. 

Comprehensively researched and drawing on the latest reports available, the book gives a detailed account 

of Christians determined to remain true to their faith. 

Published by Aid to the Church in Need, 12-14 Benhill Avenue, Sutton, Surrey. 

Tel: 020 8642 8668 Email: can@acnuk.org Website: www.acnuk.org 

Baptisms 

March2008 

Michale Ping 

Patricia Menke 

George Horgan 

Cian Horgan 

April 

AdamLawani 

Marianna Chorazewicz 

Katie Hilder 

May 

Wiktor Wardziak 

Ruby Carter 

Bethan Davies 

Isbella Smyth 

Euan Coveney 

Joseph Salsbury 

Oskar Powezka 

Grace Jensen 

June 

Eva Espinoza 

Lowan Sullivan 

Apollo Booth 

Rafael Pcixoto 

Sabrina Pcixoto 

Carlos Pcixoto 

July 

Harry O Reilly 

Anna Puskulluoglu 

Milena Sokotowska 

Karolina Ulidowska 

Grace Doyle 

Chloe Barnden 

Harry Shorter 

William Baker 

Evangeline Baker 

Luke Massett 

Cameron Bridgeman 

August 

Lola Bailey 

Madeleine Best 

Sofia Viegas 

Caprize Guest 

Evelyn Perks 

Chidioi Domike 

Keenan Golding 

Phoebe Duggan 

Yasmin Golding 

Harry Kenny 

September 

Oliver Shilling 

Louie Green 

Harry Green 

Thea Reuyan 

Lola Gilbert 

Jude Howard 

October 

Grace Brown 

Robert Cop 

Evie Dauw 

Stanley Clark 

Sofia Simmons 

Kayla Norman 

Marley Norman 

November 2008 

Flynn Armstrong 

Adrian Hoppa 

Oliver Bose 

Marriages 

December 2007 

Michael Kenneth Brittan and Mary Elizabeth 

Dominey 

March 2008 

John Kenny and Philomena Frances Forde 

April 2008 

Wilfred Jose Anthony Pereira and Sarita Lisa 

Moniz 

June 2008 

Patrick Michael Shaw and Ellen-Louise Garrott 

July 2008 

Denis Michel Bozonnet and Elizabeth Clare 

Margaret Smith 

August 2008 

Jame Gerald Gipson and Loredana Azzopardi 

Simon Henry Armfield and Morena Serafina 

Cavero 

October 2008 

Alexander Garry Billing and Michelle Ann 

Mickleburgh 

Benjamin David Ebdon and Victoria Anne 

Lowdon 

Deaths 

February 2008 

Myra Campbell 

Joseph Cow 

Francesta Morgan 

Margaret Ledgard 

Muriel Cluff 

March 2008 

Patricia Skelton 

Derek Vince 

Patrick Maher 

April 2008 

Edward Styles 

Kathleen Rowe 

Margaret Przjemski 

May 2008 

Catherine Town 

June 2008 

Kevin Carr 

Josephine Jackson 

July 2008 

Ivor Chapman 

Anthony Crabtree 

Edward Broom 

Patricia Mary Christie 

Rosemarie Jayaraj 

August 2008 

Miriam Carney 

Kathleen Blogg 

Catherine Bough 

Christopher Dowle 

Jose Luis Garnica Estrinoza 

Franz Suske 

Alfred Francis Gilliard 

September 2008 

Harry Taylor 

Mary Bryer 

Brenda O’Hare 

Arthur James O’Dea 

Anne Cecilia Flynn 

Robert John Wells 

October 2008 

Rev Chris Cassidy 

Andrzej Marian Kaminski 

Diana Louise Fallon 

Sydney Alfred Clark 

November 2008 

John Patrick Scannell 

Bridget Egan 

.Printed by: Broad Oak Colour

The Parishioner - Edition 16

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