The Parishioner - Edition 18

GIRL GUIDE MEMORIES
Angela Hunter
The recent celebrations to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the Girl Guide movement have
reminded me of the happy years I spent as a Girl Guide in Chatham with the 12th Medway Company attached
to St. Michael’s Church just after the end of the Second World War.
1945 was a year of change for many people, but for me it meant moving from a small village in Suffolk to the urban
life of Rochester, going to a different school, having to make new friends; a rather frightening time. But then I made one
of the best decisions of my life - I joined the Girl Guide Movement.
Beginning as a Tenderfoot, learning the Guide Law and the Guide Promise in preparation for my enrolment, I still
remember the enrolment ceremony and the pride I felt when I received my shiny trefoil badge. As a member of the
Chaffinch Patrol there was so much to discover and so many friends to make. Highlight of the week - our meeting on
Friday nights. Highlight of the month - taking part in the church parade and maybe carrying the flag. Highlight of the
year - the annual camp, a glorious adventure ‘under canvas’. It meant early mornings with dew on the grass, cold water
for washing, breakfast with porridge and eggs, sharing bread and jam with the wasps and enjoying the very special
“Camp Cocoa” in the evening, working together to run a good camp, collecting wood and water, lighting the fire in the
cook tent, cooking and serving the meals and scrubbing the billy-cans.There was plenty of fun with games and treasure
hunts, all culminating in a sing-song around the camp fire. We had opportunities to dress up and entertain one
another with plays, sketches and action songs, and the singing of ‘Taps” at the end of the day.A number of special District
events stand out; taking part in Rallies, Sports Days and Song and Dance festivals, celebrating Coronation Day with a
cavalcade in Sevenoaks and a special service at Brompton Oratory.
For me the most exciting memory is of the two week tour of Holland for Medway Girl Guides in 1950. For many
of us our first trip abroad, an exciting adventure of discovery. We stayed in youth hostels in Amsterdam, Utrecht,
Arnhem ,The Hague and the islands of Volendam and Monnikendam, making new friends with Dutch Scouts and
Guides, including Matiette, with whom I am still in contact.
The founder of the Movement, Lord Baden Powell, with his wife Lady Olave, wanted young people to develop
character and intelligence through discipline, loyalty, service and friendship, to have fun and, of course, TO BE PRE-
PARED!
Finally, I remember with affection my Guide Captain, Miss Agnes Harben, who devoted so much of her time to us
at St. Michael’s, and her faithful Lieutenant, Miss Mary Lenton, who some may remember as a teacher here at St. Francis’
School in the 1950s. All past Guides owe a debt of gratitude to all the hardworking and dedicated brown Owls, Group
Captains and District and County Commissioners who then, and now, strive to fulfil the Founder’s dream.
The Extended Family
Mike and Pauline Sexton
Happy Memories
Anne Russell
When my best friend, Mary
Brittain (nee Dominey) sent
me the summer issue of the
Parishioner it brought back happy memories
of my days at St. Francis’ School.
I was editor of the Francisci magazine
when it was first issued. My name was
Anne Rowan (now Russell). The photo published
in the Parishioner was taken the
same day that I received an English prize. I’ve got my autograph book, still, from school and
have all my classmates in it - also the teachers including Mrs Coakley, one of my favourite teachers.
The photograph I have sent shows Mrs Robinson as well as Mrs Larter. I’ve still got the book
and it holds many happy memories. I now live in Lerwick, in the Shetland Isles. I’ve four grown
up children, eight grandchildren and a great-grandson aged one year. Once again, thank you for
the article. Such happy memories.
We are all of us joined irrevocably through
our faith and worship. For many years
since our marriage we have moved homes
nine times from Surrey to Essex and thence to Kent
with our final settlement in Maidstone and the
parish of St. Francis’.You can imagine that we have
accumulated a considerable number of friends. Over
what is now nearly 59 years, we have discovered
how much being a Catholic has meant when we
speak of ‘our brothers and sisters in Christ’.
For us we found this most evident when we
have met crises in our lives and more especially within
our family itself. Some of you will be aware this
was particularly pronounced during the early 70s
when, with a growing family, one child falls seriously
ill and the career of the breadwinner collapses. We
have no doubts whatsoever that it was through the
support of our brothers and sisters in Christ, namely
the extended family with their prayers in particular,
that we were able to survive. We were fortunate
during this time and beyond, up to his recent
demise, a spiritual guide who remained very close
and whose advice helped us to maintain this extended
family. Our sick child, Teresa, in her early years
wanted to learn how to pray for people who asked
for her prayers and to remember the growing number
of people doing. He suggested she place their
names into a metaphorical ‘white bag’ and he recommended
that at Mass she place this ‘bag’ on the
altar for their intentions and through the Sacred
Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
She was enabled to in a similar manner refer to the
‘bag’ whilst saying her morning and night prayers.
This reinforced our links to the extended family
and this has grown year in and year out. We have
found it particularly rewarding in St. Francis’ during
the serious setbacks endured by our eldest daughter
from the beginning of this year, the discovery of a
major personal problem, the tragic and sudden
death of her husband followed by the marriage of
her eldest daughter and later still in the year a significant
spell in hospital with surgery and severe weight
loss. Through all of this we received the support of
our brothers and sisters in Christ and we are convinced
that it is this support that brought about an
improvement in her condition. The extended family
truly is alive and active in the Church as a whole and
in St. Francis’ in particular and for this we are eternally
grateful to our ‘brothers and sisters in Christ’.
We invite this same extended family to pray for clergy,
especially in this Year for Priests.
✙
Prayer for Priests
Father, you have appointed your Son, Jesus
Christ, eternal High Priest. Guide those He
has chosen to be ministers of word and
sacrament. Help them to be faithful in fulfilling
the ministry they have received.
Lord our God, You guide your people by
the ministry of priests. Keep them faithful
in obedient service to You that by their
life and ministry they may bring You glory
in Christ. Amen.
PARISH WEB SITE
WWW.STFRANCISPARISH.ORG.UK
Baptisms
April
Nadia Mia Musialska
Sarah Louise Saul
Bonnie Vanessa Sapieano
May
Imogen Lily Byfleet
Cem Anthony Cambuhat
Aimee Margaret Pearson
Jelica Mae Cunanan
Evie Grace Munn
Brandoon Charles Hatega
Aimee Louise Shaw
June
Paul Jacob Medina
Florence Rose James
Henry Rowan William Morris
Savannah Josephine Emery
July
Natalie Pienio
Laura Zarzycka
Nadia Mia Musialka
Summer Sexton
James Mark Jeffery
Corazon Mylei Dexter
Jayden Keer Akpedeye
Ben Hardy
August
Dylan O’Donnell
Gabriella Lombardi
Ethan Darcy
Thomas Cox
Amelia Cox
Evie Rose Whitmarsh Ali
September
Laura Tonikaite
Cyprian Lucarz
Taylor Hamlet
Jessica Cacciacarro
October
Lily Lander
Julia Balkiewicz
Blanka Biacek
Jason Palmer
Conor Kiely
Jeremy Jackson
Maximillian Roman
Jayden Scott Kennedy
Leonardo Mendes
Madeleine Pinto Mendes
Lily Pinkos
Phoebe Baker
Alfie Baker
November
Joseph Bicker
Marcel Murawski
Liam O’Brien
Luca O’Brien
Simas Barzdaitis
December
Kaia Warr
Aniela Pawlowska
Debo Adeleke
Francis Dalisay
Malachy Keaney
Leila Kazienko
January
Lewis Gipson
Helen Chow
Marriages
May
Chiddi Domike & Jane Mgbonim
July
Mark McCarroll & Anna Pirozzolo
James Godfrey & Sonia Clark
Geoffrey Hollywood & Claire Brooks
Richard Dadswell & Claire McMcarthy
Andizej Walencikiewicz & Margoizata
Piskozub
August
Malcolm McNiel-Filmer & Samantha
Lott
Darren Edwards & Catherine Gorman
Fintan Creamer & Claudia Donnelly
Paul Asbury & Tara Neville
September
Simon Knight & Tracy Mamo
Wayne Hodgetts & Raqual Otico
Daniele Tricarico & Victoria Wainwright
October
Lukasz Kaupinski & Agnieszka
Wilczewska
Daniel Sapiano & Bonnie Sapiano
Zeki Tezer & Theresa Esposito
Rohit Rajvans & Karen Rhodes
Deaths
April
Yvonne Scott
Mary Halligan
June
Alan Wrighton
Adrian Cunliffe
May
Mary Gorman
Florence Klus
Noreen Dent
Rita Emerson
June
Joseph O’Hare
Ray Evenden
Arthur Fleming
James Arnold
July
Peter Gallagher
Wendy Creswell
Kathleen Jarvis
August
Mary Graham
Giovanni Carlotti
Pamela Whibley
September
Sheila Humphrey
Joseph Byrne
Barbara Vik
October
Betty Moran
Jessie Farnham
Paul McGiveron
Laura Browne
Andrzi Celer
November
Margaret Tuson
Kathleen Fosher
Dorothy Arnold
December
Mary Weston
Derek Jones
Norma Mallon
John Fabien
☺Children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic junior
school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile
of apples. Sister Ann made a note and placed it on the
apple tray: “Take only one. God is watching.” Moving further
along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was
a large tray of chocolate chip cookies. A child had written a note,
“Take all you want. God is watching the apples!”
ST FRANCIS’ CHURCH • MAIDSTONE
NUMBER 18 SPRING 2010
POPE BENEDICT ACCEPTS THE
RESIGNATION OF ARCHBISHOP
On Friday 4th December 2009, the Holy Father
accepted the resignation of Archbishop Kevin
McDonald of Southwark.
The Archbishop submitted his resignation to the Holy
Father having taken account of medical advice.
The Archbishop has had a triple heart bypass and also
suffers from severe osteoarthritis. This has already necessitated
surgery and the Archbishop envisages further surgery
in 2010.
Archbishop Kevin said: ”I feel great sadness at having
to relinquish my post as Archbishop of Southwark.
Although I have had to contend with illness over the last
three years, this appointment has been a great grace. It
has been a privilege to lead this great Diocese and I have
received a wonderful response to everything I have tried
to do. I have also been very appreciative of the prayers of
so many people while I have been ill. The Diocese will
continue to be very much in my thoughts and prayers in
the time ahead.”
Bishop John Hine has been appointed as Diocesan
Administrator and he will be in charge until a new
KEVIN McDONALD
Archbishop takes possession of the Diocese
Bishop John writes:
The diocesan College of
Consultors elected me as Diocesan
Administrator
following
Archbishop Kevin’s resignation.
Please keep me in your prayers
that I may serve you and our diocese
as well as possible until a new
appointment is made. I take this
opportunity to thank Archbishop
Kevin for the generous way he has led our diocese despite
the severe health problems that have afflicted him over
such a long period. His perseverance has been admirable.
I am confident that our prayers and best wishes are with
him as he faces further surgery in the coming year. There
will be an opportunity in due course for us to express our
gratitude to him. Meanwhile, we hope to further the
diocesan process initiated by Archbishop Kevin so that it
is available in due course for his successor.
PARISH MISSION, OCTOBER 2009 - WHERE TO NOW?
By a member of the Mission Team
Our Parish Mission took place in October 2009 with
our own wonderful St Francis Day Mass to begin
the fortnight.
The first week of the Mission was led by a team who
visited as many homes in the parish as possible: over 800
front door bells were rung or doors knocked upon. Some
parishioners accompanied the visiting team and found it a
very instructive and interesting experience. The majority
of those home during the day were, of course, older people
and young mothers with children. We cannot know
whether those visited felt touched by the contact with the
church but a number expressed their appreciation and
invited their visitors into the home to talk and listen. The
Visiting Team were impressed by the commitment of
parishioners who visited with them.
The second week consisted of services led by a different
Mission Team with prayer experiences in the mornings
and faith sharing at most services when individual
missioners told the story of their journey in faith. The
Mission team’s style was different from what might be
thought of as a “traditional” Mission and, naturally,
responses were mixed. However, feedback after the
Mission from those who attended showed that many had
enjoyed the faith sharing and prayer experiences and the
Mission services later in the week. The use of signing to
illustrate song and hymns was found to be expressive and
moving. The opportunity to receive an individual blessing
was also appreciated.
The week before the Parish Mission, the Sion Team
led a week’s Mission in St Francis Primary School. This
was highly successful and was enjoyed by all the children
and staff. Normal school business was set aside as much as
necessary to allow the Mission to present the story of
God’s love for us in ways that appealed to young children.
There was singing, miming, dancing and story- telling.
The Team also led the children in quiet prayer and adoration.
The week culminated in a very vivid Mass, which
parents and members of the Parish Mission team attended
and there was no doubting the popularity of the Sion leaders.
In the final evaluation by the Parish team who had prepared
for the Parish Mission, it was felt that we had
learned a great deal about our parish during the two year
preparation which had included two very successful St
Francis day masses, a series of area masses, talks about St
Paul and prayers and other features on the parish website.
We had found out what parishioners value about St
Francis, what they would like to see more of and what they
would like done better. Included among things to improve
is work with young people, the involvement of children
and the building up of community spirit in the areas of the
parish.
The overwhelmingly positive aspect of the whole
experience was the fantastic willingness of parishioners
to help and to be involved. I don’t think the Mission team
can have been better fed, accommodated or looked after,
anywhere in the country! Thanks are due to all those who
helped in any way, whether through publicity, donating
food, doing breakfast at the early masses, giving and making
coffee, providing a bed for the week, giving transport,
decorating the church, praying, managing the website
or any other task that was done.
The newly formed Parish team has now taken over the
task of overseeing the follow up to the Mission. Their job
will be to facilitate the setting up of new groups and activities
by parishioners who express a wish and are prepared
to help. A good example would be that our parish does not
have a variety of prayer groups meeting in church or in
one another’s homes. Should anyone like to start or join a
prayer group, just drop a note in to the Presbytery and the
Parish Team will see whether there are others wishing to
join in and look at how those people can be helped to start
the group they wish. Another example might be a group
for retired people who want to meet for social activities or
hobbies. The same holds true for any activity lacking in
the parish so if there is something you have always wanted
to see happening, do consider sending in your request
for the Parish team to consider. Be prepared to help make
it happen!
Designed and produced by: Denis & Rosemary Neale . Printed by: Broad OakColour

2
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: Canon John Clark MA.
Parishioner Editor: Denis Neale, Tel: 01622 200025
Email: denisneale@blueyonder.co.uk
E D I T O R I A L
It is time again for the Parishioner, and again I am
very grateful to Denis and Ross Neale for all their
efforts in collating and presenting this issue.
Sadly we mark the retirement of Archbishop
Kevin through ill health and we wish him well for
the future. He will continue to live in the diocese
and we hope he will be able to take an active
part in the life of the diocese after his treatments
are over. It is a significant time in the history of
our country as we approach a General Election.
Whatever our political position it is important that
we as Christian men and women take on our
civic responsibility to vote. In casting our vote we
should keep in mind the social teaching of the
Church which guides us towards the common
good. The Bishops of England and Wales have
issued a very important document identifying for
us the issues that affect us
today in society. I hope you
enjoy the current issue of the
Parishioner and I take this
opportunity to wish you all a
very happy and a holy Easter.
Canon John Clark
Parish Priest.
ST FRANCIS’ CHURCH • MAIDSTONE
Welcome
to Fr Anthony Packianathan
Fr Anthony arrived at St Francis’ Parish on February
16th. A priest from the Indian Diocese of Sivagangai
(South East), Fr Anthony will be with us until
September.
A priest for 26 years, last year he celebrated his
Silver Jubilee. Fr Anthony has served as a Parish
Priest for 8 years and for 13 years as Secretary to the
Tamilnadu Catholic Bishops’ Conference. During his
time as secretary Fr Anthony held two appointments,
youth ministry from 1992 to 1998 and ministry for
the marginalised (the Dalits) from 2002 to 2009.
While in England he will be studying for a
Doctorate in Communications at Oxford University.
Fr Anthony’s impressions of our parish is that of
a welcoming, caring and hospitable community. He
is looking forward to serving in our parish as part of
a team of international priests.
The opinions expressed in articles in the Parishioner
are those of the authors and are not necessarily the
opinions of the editorial board.
Popular headteacher to leave
St. Simon Stock School
John McParland, the headteacher of St.
Simon Stock School will be leaving at
Easter to take up a new post as Principal
Designate of the proposed new Academy for
Ashford. In his resignation letter to the school
governors he said;“I was invited to apply for this
job and the fact that it was a Christian
Academy, which is important to me, attracted
me to this challenging post. Following two days
of interviews, I was offered the job, and having
deliberated with my family and some
John McParland
Governors, including the Chair of Governors, I
have made the decision to accept it”.
The new Academy will evolve from Christ Church, Church
of England School in South Ashford and will be part of a regeneration
programme of South Ashford to give the young people
and the community life enhancing opportunities. The present
school is a ‘National Challenge’ school and Mr.McParland is looking
forward to raising the aspirations and achievement of the
students who come from an area of great deprivation.
“ It will be a huge wrench for me to leave St. Simon Stock,”
he continues,“ where I have had the opportunity to lead a great
and wonderful community of students, parents, staff and
Governors in developing our school. I am delighted with the
progress that we have made during my headship with our new
buildings, improved facilities, year on year oversubscription, year
on year improvement in examination results culminating in this
year in the best exam results at GCSE and A Level in the history
of the school. Our school is an excellent school with students
of quality and integrity and I know it will thrive under new leadership.”
Mr. McParland thanked the Governors for the support they
had given him over the past nine years and added that he had
been a very lucky teacher to have had such talented and committed
Governors with a variety of expertise and skills. He concluded,“You
have made the school the great school that it is and
please God it will continue to grow and flourish.
It has been an honour to serve this fantastic
faith community.”
In a letter to parents, Mr. Michael Powis,
Chair of the School Governors writes, “The
head was invited to apply for the post because
of the excellent work he has done over the last
nine years in St. Simon Stock Catholic School
as evidenced by the steady improvement in
examination results. That success is built on
strong foundations - good teachers, good systems
for sustained and ongoing improvement
in teaching and learning, good management and leadership and
especially important for the months ahead, two good deputy
Heads in Jon Malone and Ruth Simpson. Mr. McParland’s greatest
success is that the school will continue to provide a high
quality all-round education to our children after he moves on to
his new role. That strong foundation means we, as governors,
and you, as parents, can be confident St Simon Stock School students
will continue to thrive during the change over. Because of
the way teacher contracts work, it may well be next September
before our new Head takes up post but she or he will come into
what is and what will be then a very good school.”
Canon John adds:
Mr McParland has moved St Simon Stock School forward in
the last nine years. Building on the work of previous heads he
significantly improved the environment of the school by adding
the new sixth form centre and sports facilities together with the
science block and new canteen area. He has also raised the standards
of achievent within the school witnessed by the success
we have had this year in public examinations. He has also been
intent on supporting and developing the catholic ethos of the
school, acknowleding the value and significance of each of the
students. He will be sadly missed.We all wish him well in his next
appointment.
Parish says farewell to
Fr Perpetual
On Friday, 12th February Father Perpetual Anthony LLM MA returned home to India after three year’s ministry in our
parish of St. Francis. During those years he has had a particular ministry for the hospital and for the care of the sick
and elderly and in the hospital has been on call with the other clergy for emergencies. With Sister Kathleen he regularly
visited the sick and housebound, both in their homes and those in residential or nursing homes. He always fulfilled his
mission with kindness and with that great smile. While with us he not only worked hard in the parish but also followed a course
of studies at Kent University leading to a Masters Degree in Civil Law, gaining a distinction and an award for achievement.
We will all miss Father Perpetual, with much gratitude for all he has done for us.
Father Perpetual writes: “I would like to thank everyone in the Parish for all the wonderful help I have received, especially
from Canon John. I have really enjoyed my ministry here; the liturgy, sacraments, school, hospital and visits. I have acquired
many new skills, completed a specialised degree in criminal justice and managed some travelling. I am not sure where my ministry
will take me but by the middle of May I may have a parish and my Bishop may co-opt me for his prison ministry. Until
then I may be at home visiting family and friends. I am not able to promise anything about returning other than to say I might
come for a short break. I will miss you all very much and my prayers for you are assured. Please remember me in your prayers,
too. Goodbye and thank you all.”
Many parishioners attended a reception after 6pm Mass on
Saturday, February 6th to say goodbye to Fr Perpetual. Here, Fr
John presents him with a cheque for £1600, and a gold watch on
behalf of the parish.
Father Perpetual wrote in the weekly newsletter:
“I was very grateful and touched to see so many at Mass
and at the reception afterwards on Saturday evening. I
appreciate all your cards, gifts and good wishes and I
consider it an honour to have served at St. Francis. Thank
you very much. God bless.”
Anyone who would like to contact Fr Perpetual can do so at: Fr Perpetual, House number 13 - A1, West Lutheran Street, Nagercoll 629001, South India or by
email on: perp@rediffmail.com
Dew Association
Choir entertains Christmas crowds
Once again, the St Francis’ choir, led by
Geraldine Sowerby, pulled out all the stops
in their annual programme of Christmas
Carols in the Mall Shopping Centre, on 13
December.
Those who took part thoroughly enjoyed the
event, as did the onlookers who contributed
£177.51, which has been donated to the parish Dew
Association.
The Dew supports small charitable organisations
in India, Africa and the Philippines who are
grateful for all monies received from collections at
Maidstone Circle invites practising
Catholic men, married or
single, to come along and meet
the “Catenians” on the second Monday of
every month, except August, at the Russell
Hotel, Boxley Road, ME14 2AE. You are
assured of a warm welcome at 8.30 pm following
our meeting when we have a simple
2-course, low cost meal, good conversation
and a glass of wine.
This is an opportunity to meet like
minded Catholic men from all walks of
life. There is no obligation to join the association
nor is there any pressure to do so.
Just give Dennis Edwardes a ring (number
below) please to let us know to expect you
and enjoy a relaxing evening with us!
The Catholic faith and the family are
the bedrocks of the association. The
10,000 Catenians in the UK and overseas
enjoy a social network, helping them to
live out their vocations as husband, father,
friend, committed Christian and active
Catholic.
Welfare of members and their families
is a priority, including visiting the sick and
elderly and providing comfort and help.
Members and their families are given support
in times of difficulty or need. A bursary fund helps young
people to undertake charitable projects here and abroad.
As part of its Centenary celebrations in 2008 The
Catenians set up a charity in partnership with CAFOD, “GIVE
WATER, LIFE AND HOPE” to provide clean water in Africa,
Hugh McKearney
Iwould guess that for most Catholics the deanery doesn’t
mean very much - and the Deanery Pastoral Council even
less.Yet the Deanery is an important part of the Church and
likely to become more important in years to come.
So, what is a deanery? It’s a collection of parishes which form
part of the Diocese. Our deanery is the Deanery of Maidstone and
Canon John is the Dean. The parishes which make up the Deanery
are: Maidstone (including Aylesford), Maidstone South, Bearsted,
West Malling, Cranbrook, Tenterden and Goudhurst. As Dean,
Canon John has responsibility for these parishes, especially if problems
arise such as one of the priests being ill, and for ensuring that
Sunday Mass is celebrated.
In a large diocese such as Southwark, conditions vary so much
that it wouldn’t be possible for all policies to apply in the same way
to every parish. You can see the differences between a large inner
city parish like Brixton; or a parish in the suburbs like Woolwich; or
a large town like Maidstone or a village like Cranbrook or
Goudhurst. Dealing with the problems and the opportunities of a
diocese like Southwark depends on how we adapt to suit our own
needs.
The Maidstone Deanery is itself unusual because it is made up
our church each month, as well as from other
sources, such as donations instead of flowers for
funerals, monthly direct debit contributions and
donations from fund raising events such as Carols
in the Mall.
Next Christmas, Geraldine intends to arrange
another Carols in the Mall and also a similar event
at Fremlin’s Walk.
The Committee of the Dew Association wishes
to thank Geraldine, the singers and muscian for
their generous efforts.
Carols in the Mall by Mary Brittain
I am really no singer, but joined the group to sing carols
in the Mall on December 13th. The shoppers, even
if they did not stop to join in, smiled as they walked
past. It was, for me, what Christmas is all about and
what a good idea to include a couple of Christmas
songs with the carols - very enjoyable. I went home
with a really feel good factor within me. I do hope the
Mall invite St. Francis’ Church again for Christmas
2010. If so, I will be there as part of the backing group
for the choir!
MEET THE MAIDSTONE CATENIANS
John McElroy
Dinner to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of
Maidstone Catenian Circle at Leeds Castle`
especially in Zimbabwe. In December
2009 our Grand President handed over a
£250,000 “cheque” to Cafod. Money was
raised by Circles around the world and
Maidstone Circle raised £1,100.
Maidstone Circle is one of 19 in Kent
and the South London area. Every Circle
has a full social programme for the family,
young and old, and there are Masses for
special occasions. For Maidstone Circle’s
programme
see
www.stfrancisparish.org.uk Our Parish -
Catenian Association.
There are Catenian weekends and
functions in the UK and abroad. Catenians
can visit any monthly Circle meeting anywhere
and participate in other Circles’
social and religious events. Visiting other
Circles is an important part of being a
Catenian because it widens friendship.
Applications for Membership of
Maidstone Circle are welcome from practising
Catholic men, married or single,
over 21 years, from all walks of life. There
are no limitations on occupation or nationality.
Wives of members are not required to
be Catholics; many are not and enjoy
Catenian life to the full. To enquire about
joining the Catenians please contact Membership Officer,
Dennis Edwardes, Tel. 01622 720830.
For more information visit: www.thecatenians.com
The Deanery Pastoral Council
- and why it’s important to you.
Deacon Tom Coyle
of the ‘Maidstone parishes’ (Maidstone, Maidstone South, Bearsted
and West Malling), all of which were founded from the Maidstone
parish and all of which look to Maidstone as the principal town in
the area; and then there are the rural parishes (Goudhurst,
Cranbrook and Tenterden) which don’t have a lot to do with
Maidstone and are made up of fairly small communities.
When our former Archbishop Kevin was appointed, one of his
early initiatives was to try to get the parishes of the diocese to have
a vision for the future and we have been involved in the parish and
in the deanery in trying to put this vision into reality. It was obvious
from the beginning that in our own deanery parishes had different
qualities and different talents and it made sense to share them. In
the past we have brought the parishes together for meetings of the
catechists and for the annual Mass for the Sick at Aylesford, but we
felt that there was scope for even more co-operation. In addition
the Archbishop asked us to try to look five or ten years ahead and
see what problems we might be facing then. One of the major
problems will be the shortage of priests. Many of our priests are
getting on in years and, while we have a number of men training to
be priests at the Seminary, there will almost inevitably be a shortfall
in the number of priests in the next five to ten years - and we can’t
ASCENT GROUP-
STILL ASCENDING!
Angela Hunter
Members of the Maidstone Ascent Group have met regularly
each month during 2009, with talks on various
Saints and other spiritual reflections - not forgetting
the tea and biscuits!
In May we welcomed back Sister Eileen Keene who gave us
a most interesting talk on the Sisters of Providence. In addition
to our monthly meetings, we had a day at the Pilsdon
Community in West Malling and a coach outing to Sussex, visiting
Rye and ending in Tenterden for a cream tea. The year ended
with twenty-two members and friends meeting at the Friars,
Aylesford, for a delicious Christmas lunch. This year (2010) is an
important one for the Ascent Movement as it marks the Thirtieth
Anniversary of the forming of the Movement in England and for
our group as well.
The Southwark
Region is holding a
retreat at the Friars in
June and the Maidstone
Group will be holding its
Thirtieth Anniversary celebration
in the summer.
We also hope to arrange
a visit to the Seminary at
Wonersh and a pilgrimage
to Our Lady of
Ascent Group meeting with Sister Eileen on 6th May 2009
Consolation at West Grinstead. We shall, of course, be celebrating
in December with the Christmas Lunch at the Friars!
The Ascent Movement is for all those in their middle and later
years, so if you are interested, please contact the Group Leader,
Angela Hunter ( 01622 746792)
☺The New Hospital Wing
When a panel of doctors was asked to vote on
adding a new wing to their hospital:
•The allergists voted to scratch it and the dermatologists preferred
no rash moves
•The gastroenterologists had a gut feeling about it, but the
neurologists thought the administration had a lot of nerve
and the obstetricians stated they were labouring under a
misconception.
•The ophthalmologists considered the idea short sighted, the
pathologists yelled “Over my dead body!”, while the paediatricians
said, “Grow up!”
•The psychiatrists thought it was madness; the surgeons
decided to wash their hands of the whole thing and the radiologists
could see right through it.
•The pharmacists though it was a bitter pill to swallow - but
the plastic surgeon said, “This puts a whole new face on the
matter.”
•The chiropodists thought it was a step forward, but the urologists
felt the scheme would not hold water.
•The anaesthetists thought the whole thing was a gas and the
cardiologists did not have the heart to say no.
wait for this to happen before doing something about it.
It is against this background that the Deanery Pastoral Council
is being revamped. Each parish will have two representatives (and
two reserves in case one of the main representatives can’t manage
to come to a meeting). It will meet quarterly and will bring together
the laity with some of the clergy to look at how it can serve the
deanery. Some areas of work will be for the whole deanery, like the
Mass for the Sick, or work with young people - the possibility of a
Deanery Youth Council is being considered. Other areas like preparation
for Confirmation; training of catechists, readers and extraordinary
ministers of communion might be split, with separate courses
for the Maidstone parishes and the rural parishes. The Council
might also look at training lay people to take more responsibility in
their parishes especially in dealing with the more administrative
matters. There might be the possibility of parishes sharing facilities
such as finance expertise or in running the RCIA courses.
The main purpose of the Council will, we hope, be to help lay
members of the parishes of the deanery to realise that they have a
responsibility for the Church in this area of Kent and to give their
time and their talents to the work of spreading the Gospel of Jesus.
3

Join us on our Parish Day Trips!
On a beautiful sunny day in mid September 2009, we set off by coach on our Parish Day trip to Winchester, Hampshire, the ancient capital
of England. Aside from the delights of Winchester Cathedral, where Jane Austen is buried, we were treated to Winchester throwing open its
doors to venues and attractions not normally open to the public, as part of the ‘Heritage Open Day’ weekend.
Some parishioners visited Wolvesey, home of the Bishop of Winchester, others visited the Art Club Annual Exhibition and Ladybird Books Childhood
Exhibition, amongst many other venues and attractions. There were a lot
of watering holes to keep us going, and of course plenty of shops.
Amongst my own favourite venues was the Quaker Meeting House;
I can only marvel at the beautifully kept gardens and indeed some of our
parishioners enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea in the Quaker Meeting House
gardens (see photo).
So, what’s on the agenda for
2010?
Olga D’Silva
Our Parish Day Trip by coach on Saturday 22nd May will take us to
Pashley Manor Gardens and the historic cinque port of Rye.
Parishioners enjoying afternoon tea at the Quaker Meeting House, Winchester
Pashley Manor is a quintessential English garden located on the
Sussex and Kent border. It offers a blend of romantic landscaping, imaginative plantings and fine old trees, fountains, springs and large ponds.
When we visit in May, fruit trees will be in blossom and bluebells will be carpeting the woodland, part of which visitors are welcome to walk through.
A magnificent wisteria should also be cascading down the rear of the Manor house and we will see many tulips throughout the gardens. Our visit should
also coincide with Pashley’s Sculpture Fortnight, with a display and sale of sculptures in the gardens and indoors. Pashley’s Garden Room Café serves
refreshments, or you may just wish to bring a picnic .
In the afternoon, we will visit the maritime cinque port of Rye which overlooks the River Rother and Romney Marsh. With enchanting cobbled
streets, a medieval church and beautifully preserved historic houses, Rye is almost suspended
in time and has a uniquely unhurried atmosphere. Here you may sample a Sussex
cream tea with homemade cakes and scones in one of the tea rooms and there are good
restaurants, pubs and inns to choose from. There’s a host of unusual shops in Rye; antiques,
collectors’ book and
record shops and many
art galleries, selling
works by local artists
and potters.
Our Parish Day
Pashley Manor Gardens
Trip on Saturday 18th
September will take us to the seaside town of Deal and an afternoon excursion to
Walmer Castle, the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.
Deal offers something for all ages. It has an excellent range of independent
shops, two weekly markets, two castles (Deal Castle and Walmer Castle), wonderful
The beach at Deal
architecture, a pier and two small museums. The town centre is pedestrianised and mostly on the flat, making it easy to access. The town’s motto is
‘Adjuvate Advenas’ or ‘Befriend the Stranger’ and is a friendly seaside town for visitors. It came first in the Telegraph’s ‘10 top spots to lay your beach
towel’. If you don’t fancy packing a picnic, you will find many pubs, cafes and restaurants
to suit all tastes from traditional to modern.
In the afternoon, we head for nearby Walmer Castle, run by English Heritage.
Walmer Castle is a beautifully furnished stately home with glorious gardens, views of the
sea and history to immerse yourself in. Originally built during the reign of Henry VIII,
Walmer Castle became the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports in
1708. A recent Lord Warden was HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and our visit
will give you an intimate view of some of the rooms she used and of the garden created
for her 95th birthday. Facilities include the Lord Warden’s Tearoom , audio guides and gift
shop. If we have time, we may just make a final beach walk as the sun sets, before returning
home with our memories of the day. Make a note in your diary of both dates now, and
look out for further details in the Newsletter.
Support Patrick!
Parishioner Patrick Cusworth is taking part in the Dextro Energy Triathlon, which takes place
on Saturday 24 July. He is running/cycling/swimming in aid of The Passage, which is the
homeless drop-in centre based in Victoria, London and provides people living on the street
with both immediate basic care plus the chance to make a new start in their lives. Over
200 people use the day centre every day and its 48-bed hostel is filled every night. This
charity relies heavily on voluntary contributions to survive and will benefit enormously from
your support,
You can donate online to support this fantastic charity by going to Patrick’s Just Giving
page at: http://www.justgiving.com/Patrick-Cusworth It is completely safe to donate online
- your details are secure and won’t be sent on to anyone, and you won’t get any unwanted
emails. The moneyyou donate will be paid directly to The Passage, who will also receive
the Gift Aid (assuming you are a UK taxpayer) - so as well as being easy for you, the charity
also gets a bigger donation.
So please dig deep and thanks in advance for your support!
DIARY DATES
Saturday 22nd May 2010
Pashley Manor Gardens and afternoon
visit to historic town of Rye
Saturday 18th September 2010
Seaside town of Deal and afternoon
excursion to Walmer Castle
St. Francis
Social Club
The St. Francis Social club is
now up and running and
open to all parishioners. We
meet for coffee at 10.30 am
every second Monday in the
Society Rooms, opposite the
church. We have decided to
meet for lunch every month
at different venues in the
town, or on a bus route from
the town (lunches must be
booked). We will be meeting
to play ten-pin bowling once
a month as well. Further
activities are planned when
the weather has improved -
river trips etc. Programmes
for each month will be published
in the weekly newsletter
and posted on the notice
board in the porch. Further
information from Mary on
01622 677448
12 Questions
by Charlotte Sexton
(Year 10 student at St. Simon Stock School)
This is the second time I have written this column, and my aim is for
readers to learn something new about the people in our parish who we
all know. In this issue I have interviewed Mary Adam, who is well
known and loved in our parish for her dedication to parish events, trips
and much more.
1) What was your main profession in life?
I taught for most of my life at various schools, because we moved
around a lot. I taught at St Francis’ Primary, St Simon Stock
Secondary School, Sittingbourne Convent and in Gravesend also. I
was originally senior trained but after a flu epidemic in Margate, I
gained a certificate to teach all ages.
2) Have you lived in Maidstone all your life?
No, we lived in Folkestone until 1975, when we moved to
Maidstone. The whole family lived in the one house and I was one
of six children.
3) What is your favourite country?
Austria, because it is a beautiful country, we’ve spent many a
happy family holiday there, and I have a lot of fond memories.
4) What programmes do you most enjoy?
I enjoy costume dramas. I also enjoy murder mysteries, for example,
Inspector Morse.
5) What is your favourite film and why?
It’s an old film from 1965, Dr Zhivago. It’s an emotional love story,
with a beautiful soundtrack.
6) If you were allowed to have one last meal, what would it be?
Poached salmon in a white wine sauce, with new potatoes, fresh
vegetables, and large glass of white wine.
7) What type of music do you most enjoy?
My mood usually dictates the music I listen to. I enjoy classical
music, for example and Enya. Though I have a compilation of
music, for example, ‘The Best of that Loving Feeling’ and I’ll
choose something from that which suits my mood. I love theatre
music also, especially Les Miserables, which I have seen ten times.
8) Is there any famous person you’d really like to meet?
Dame Judy Dench. She is very talented and I have admired her for
a long time and would like to see what she is like in person.
9) If you were marooned on a desert island, apart from the bible, what
book and luxury item would you have?
If there were such a book entitled, ‘How to survive life on a desert
island, without Marks and Spencer’ A state of the art BBQ would
be helpful, or am I allowed to ask for a helicopter?
10) Have you made any new years resolutions, and if so, would mind
disclosing them?
I shall endeavour. I am trying to reduce the size of the beam in my
eye, and become less of a grumpy old lady.
11) Of all the trips you have organised in the parish, what has been
your favourite destination?
Bruges - It is a beautiful and fascinating city. There is always something
going on. I’d like to spend a weekend there sometime.
12) Finally, if you could have one wish granted, what would it be?
A new parish hall, now.
Please pray for the children are making
their First Holy Communion in June 2010
Bobbie-Jo Adams
Debo Adeleke
Liam Aldred
Amelia Armstrong
Phoebe Baker
Rhys Baker
Elliott Baker
Offiong Bassey
Thomas Bowden-Brown
Katie Bray
Katharine Brenton
Elinor Burt
Jessica Butler
Joseph Carter
Rudo Chakonda
Lucy Coupland
Maia Coveney
Cameron Daniel
Jake Darby
Alice Doherty
Kristel Dumaran
Caitlin Dunne
Agustin Fernandez
Katherine Fuller
Gian Gadia
Giselle Gadia
Lukasz Galanty
Eve Marie Gallen
Amelia Gibbs
Emmanuel Godinez
Jose Godinez
Carlo Godinez
Ailish Haran
Joshua Hewetson
Ruben Heyse
Bethany Hill
Megan Holliday
Jermaine Iffie
Zhazha Iniba
Stephanie Jackson
Adrian Khoo
James Kiely
Faith Kilminster
Joshua Ladlow
Harry Lewis
Molly Leyden-Mount
Jakub Litwinski
Megan Long
Katie Manser
Salomea McElroy
Mariola McElroy
Elise McGovern
Marie Menoza ana Patricia
Molina
Adrian Molina
Grace O’Halloran
Luke O’Halloran
Julia Pinkos
Samuel Proyer
Kamil Przybylski
Jacob Seager
Francis Sexton
Sylvain Sourdat
Ellie Tomlin
Eloise Walsh
Kieran Warner
Brendan Washford
Daniel West
Thomas Whitbread
Molly Woollett
The following children are
on the programme but will
receive Frst Communion in
Poland
Patryk Ladniak
Izabela Ladniak
Mateusz Barcikowski
Natalia Kobuszewska
Nikola Kolebska
Removed from the programme
to Ashford
Bartosz Woch
Anti-Catholicism may come back to haunt Labour for years
Patrick Cusworth.
Political Consultant
Music
by Janet Norfolk
Listen to the lapping of the lake,
The dripping and the dropping of the rain;
Music in the silence - music in the breeze,
And music in the singing of the trees.
There s laughter too, in music of the brook;
Rippling, poppling under mossy banks.
Guggling and gurgling as it rushes by;
Music for the dancing dragonfly.
Music in fountains, splashing in the pool,
In gushing torrents, streams and waterfalls;
So listen to the music to be found
In all of Nature s orchestra of sound.
With a General Election due to
be called any day now, the
main political parties have
begun to engage with individual voting
groups. Of these, the Labour Party’s traditional
support base amongst working
class Catholics, particularly those in
North West England, would previously
have been considered comparatively safe
- until now.
Despite Alastair Campbell’s line that
“We don’t do God”, the Blair
Government maintained an ability to pass
controversial legislation while respecting
the beliefs of the religious - or at least
without attracting excessive criticism
from faith groups. Since 2005 however,
Labour’s apparent paranoia regarding
certain religious beliefs, has caused many
grassroots Catholics to think twice about
supporting Labour in 2010. Most recently,
the apparent unwillingness of the
Labour hierarchy to distance the Party
from comments such as that by Labour
councillor Tim Cheetham, who described
Catholic pilgrims visiting the relics of St.
Therese of Lisieux as “slobbering
zealots”, caused dismay amongst commentators
(as well as presenting the
opportunity for Conservative
Parliamentary candidate Louise
Bagshawe, a practicing Catholic, to neatly
conclude: “Labour’s anti-Catholicism
is breathtaking sometimes”). A similar
comment piece published by the Labour
magazine Tribune accused the same pilgrims
of being “sad,
lonely and desperate”,
before going on to
describe religious belief
as a “mumbo-jumbo
dogma called faith”.
Petty insults certainly,
yet Catholics may find it
easier to laugh off such
comments if Tribune did
not continue to enjoy
Labour’s patronage in
the form of a regular column written by
Children’s Minister Ed Balls.
When Catholics come to reconsider
their voting options at the forthcoming
General Election, many will cast their
minds back to the debates on both the
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill
and implementation of the Sexual
Orientation Regulations concerning gay
adoption - yet the central point that may
stick in the minds of the faithful was not
that the Government ignored the beliefs
of five million of its citizens but rather
the manner in which the Church’s opposition
was subjected to accusations of discrimination,
bigotry and homophobia. In
addition to the reaction by the
Government and its press machine over
the above issues, the manner in which
various accusations regarding Ruth
Kelly’s religious faith have been allowed
to fester unchecked may lead many
Catholics to question whether Labour
remains their true political home. In one
☺The school inspector asked a class; “Who blew
down the walls of Jericho?” One of the pupils, a
lad called Billy Green, replied promptly; “Please,
Sir, it wasn’t me.” The inspector was amazed by
this show of ignorance and brought up the matter in the
headmaster’s study at the end of his visit. “Do you know? “
he said, “I asked the class who blew down the walls of
Jericho and young Billy Green said it wasn’t him.” The headmaster
said: “Billy Green, eh?” Well. I must say that I’ve
always found the lad to be honest and trustworthy and if he
says that it wasn’t him, then it wasn’t him!” The inspector left
the school without further comment, but lost no time reporting
the full sequence of events to the Ministry of Education.
In due course he received the following reply:
Dear Sir,
Reference the walls of Jericho. This is a matter for the
Ministry of Works and your letter has been sent to them for
their attention.
such example, Labour
MEP Mary Honeyball
suggested that Catholics
such as Ms Kelly should
be restricted from holding
certain public
offices, before going on
to accuse Catholics of
holding a “vice-like grip
across Europe” and of
“interfering in the democratic
process”. The
subsequent debates - during which no
senior Labour figure saw fit to admonish
Honeyball, much less raise the issue of
her own fitness to represent Catholics in
her London constituency - were followed
by the resignation of Conor McGinn,
Vice-Chair of Young Labour, who
claimed he was impelled to resign due
Labour’s “ingrained” anti-Catholicism.
As he argued in his resignation letter,
Honeyball et al. “are in effect, questioning
the loyalty of Catholics and using
Guy Fawkes-era language. This type of
sectarian diatribe makes me wonder
whether a prejudice that we all thought
was long consigned to the past is slowly
re-emerging”.
One Labour MP who does not take
lightly the support of Catholics is former
Deputy Leadership contender John
Cruddas, who commented that: “Those
behind the attacks fail to understand the
strength of the Catholic constituency - not
just voters backing Labour, but also
My mother Rita Emerson was born on 21st February
1921 in Southfields, Wandsworth. Her
family lived in Wandsworth throughout
the Blitz and Mum always said her early adult
life was difficult in World War II. The legacy
of the bombs and anti-aircraft guns contributed
largely to her increasing deafness
later in life. She worked as a legal secretary
and then a dispensing optician and there
was little she did not know about eyes.
My mother married my father Eric
Emerson in 1949 and both converted to
Catholicism before marrying, something that
surprised their families, but they never regretted
it and both found great comfort and support. Mum
would relay the story of the curate at St Raphael’s Church
Surbiton coming to the house to give her religious instruction,
when she was preparing for her confirmation, and the alsatian
dog almost bowling him over. Fr Timothy Nolan passed away
in late 2008 but had kept in touch with the family all those
years. After a few years in Leicestershire, in 1966 the family
moved to Maidstone and Boxley Road. The Convent of the
Sacred Heart was one reason for coming to Maidstone, as well
as it being within commutable distance of London where Dad
worked.
While I attended the convent school the family were
involved with the summer fetes and events and even one year
saved the day by lending a reel to reel tape recorder to play out
the music for some of the pupil dancing displays. Maria was a
classroom assistant for 3 to 4 years with Sister Mary Paul until
1970. In 1976 Mum’s only brother passed away suddenly and
Mum quickly decided to take her own mother into the family
home and looked after until she passed away in 1981, aged 94.
Sadness struck the family again when in July 1987 Maria
passed away aged 37 of cancer and just a few days later my
father was told he too had cancer and he passed away in May
the following year. All the family friends wondered how Mum
and I would cope, but she said, “We have to look after each
other now”, something we did for 21 years. Even in the last
few months of her life, Mum would be doing jobs around thehouse
and said, “ I can’t do much now but I do what I can.”
among activists, unions and MPs”.
Despite Cruddas’ warning however, the
manner in which Labour has been seen to
take this core base for granted has led to
many Catholics now viewing Labour as
the new ‘nasty Party’ where matters of
faith are concerned. It is for this reason
that Catholics may perhaps look very
seriously at transferring their support, or
at the very least, denying their votes to
Labour where it matters. For example the
result of last year’s Glasgow East byelection
demonstrated the extent to which
Catholics who were previously dye-inthe-wool-Labour
supporters clearly
became more flexible in their voting.
Such flexibility combined with immigration
steadily increasing from prominently
Catholic EU countries may yet result in a
situation where both main parties find
themselves increasingly dependent upon
Catholic support, whether tacit or otherwise.
(c) Patrick Cusworth
In Memory of my Mother Rita Betty Emerson
1921 to 2000
Margaret Emerson
Reflection
Happy are you when people hate you,
reject you, insult you and say that you
are evil, all because of the Son of Man!
Be glad when that happens, and
dance with joy, because a great reward
is kept for you in heaven.
Luke 6 22-23
We got on well and on my days off Mum always liked to do
something we could share, such as gardening or helping
me to sort my stamps into types, or she would be sitting
reading a magazine or knitting often with a
cat on her lap, which invariably meant not much
knitting or reading took place, while I was busy
doing something else, such as letter writing
or study assignments.
Mum had become more frail and had
been largely been housebound in the last couple
of years so had not been able to attend St
Francis’ Church but a private faith remained.
She may not have been involved in church groups,
although my father was a reader for a few years, but
she would always give good counsel to those she met
and I think it would be true to say that her vocation in life was
60 years as a housewife. One of her philosophies in life was
that a mother’s place was at home with her children and so it
was no surprise that she had given up paid work before Maria
was born. No matter who Mum spoke to, the postman, a
friend, neighbour or professional person, they normally left
her with a smile and had shared her laughter and sense of fun.
All those who met her and knew her well can remember her
smile, laughter and humour which stayed despite her lack of
mobility and obvious pain at times. “There is no point in being
miserable” she would say and lived very much for the day
,telling anybody who was fretting unduly about something
that might happen in the future, “We have to get there first”.
She had a long, happy life and God answered her prayer that
she did not totally lose her sight or any of mental faculties in
her later years, although there was a sense of frustration when
she found there was something she could not manage and
needed to ask for help. There may be an extra empty seat in
the pew at St Francis’ Church but her memory lives on in the
lives of those she touched. I hope she would have been pleased
this Christmas that I cooked a festive lunch for myself without
her watchful eye beside me, although she had been a good
teacher, and the Christmas trifle turned out well too and
would, I think, have passed muster.
Rest in peace Mum with Dad and Maria.
4 5

NEWS IN
PICTURES
Blessed Margaret of Castello
Picture and words by Charlotte Cassidy
A GENEROUS OFFER
Fr Michael Woodgate, Spiritual Director at St John’s, Wonersh
Members of both St. Francis choirs were treated to a
delicious spread at the home of Geraldine Sowerby
on a sunny afternoon last summer.
To mark the end of the Parish Mission, a Social was
held at St Simon Stock School on Saturday 17th
October. Parishioners danced to the band ‘Highly
Strung” and there was an excellent Finger Buffet,
a licenced bar and Raffle. It was a very happy
occasion. Many thanks to Martin Sexton for
arranging everything.
Bishop John Hine celebrates the 10.30 am Mass on
Sunday 18th October for the 150th Anniversary of
the founding of St. Francis’Parish.
After the Anniversary Mass parishioners pack the
Parish Hall for a delicious reception prepared by
ladies of the parish.
Members of the choir team look pleased with their
prizes after coming first (by one point!) at the
Quiz Evening in the Parish Hall on Saturday, 23rd
January. Proceeds of the evening went to the
Maidstone Day Care Centre
☺Father Joe walked
into his church and
spotted a man sitting
cross-legged on
the altar.
“My son”, said the priest,
“What are you doing? Who
are you?
“I’m God,” said the stranger.
“Pardon?”
“I’m God”, he repeated. “This
is my house!”
Father Joe ran into the presbytery
and, in total panic,
rang the Archbishop.
“Archbishop,” he said, “I hate
to trouble you but there’s a
man sitting on my altar who
claims he’s God. What shall I
do?”
“Take no chances,” said the
Archbishop, “Get back in the
church and look busy!”
In the spring of 1287, the townspeople of
Metola in Umbria, Italy, were excited by the
news that Lord Parisio and his wife Lady
Emilia, were expecting their long awaited first
child. To mark the forthcoming birth, lavish celebrations
were in preparation. Lord Parisio and his
wife were elated as they anticipated the birth of a
healthy son and heir to the family wealth or a beautiful
daughter who would eventually marry into a
noble Italian family.
The child born to the couple was a dwarf. Her
right leg was shorter than her left, she was totally
blind, her face slightly disfigured. She was not a
pretty baby. Her parents were devastated! In those
days, many aristocratic families considered a
handicapped child unacceptable.
Lord Parisio immediately cancelled all
planned festivities. Ashamed of their newborn
infant, the couple entrusted the baby to a servant
girl to care for the child secretly. Lord Parisio
announced to relatives and friends that the baby
was stillborn.
The servant girl named the baby Margherita (later known to the word as
Magaret) and as Margaret grew she remained small for her age. Because of
her shorter leg she walked with a pronounced limp and she also developed
a hunchback. She was allowed to walk around the castle as long as she
avoided the areas frequented by her parents. Margaret quickly learned her
way around and would often hobble to the castle’s private chapel to pray.
One day as Margaret was praying alone a family friend met her by chance
and almost discovered her true identity.
When her father learned of the incident he decided that Margaret could
no longer remain within the castle and so he had a small, secluded cell built
for her in the forest next to the parish church of Santa Maria. The cell had
two windows, a narrow window with bars through which food could be
passed to her and a second window into the chapel which would allow
Margaret to hear Mass and to receive Holy Communion from the parish
priest, Fr. Silvestro. When the cell was completed, six-year-old Margaret
was placed into it and the doorway walled up. Her only visitors were the castle
servants, who brought her food each day, and Fr. Silvestro who pitied her
immensely. Her parents never visited her.
For the next fourteen years the little girl lived alone and confined in this
small stone cell. Fr Silvestro befriended her and taught her prayers, psalms
and the Holy Scriptures. She was a pious, intelligent child with a happy disposition
and he was amazed by the depth of her spirituality. In her small cell,
Margaret’s love for Jesus deepened and later, speaking to Fr. Silvestro, she
said, “ Father, as you know, Jesus was rejected even by His own people, and
God is letting me be treated the same so that I can follow Our dear Lord
more closely.”
In 1307, when Margaret was twenty, news came to Metola of a shrine
in the nearby city of Castello where many sick and crippled pilgrims had
been miraculously cured at the tomb of Br. Giacomo, a saintly Third Order
Franciscan monk. Margaret’s parents, who were still unable to accept their
daughter’s physical imperfections, decided to take her to the shrine in the
hope that she would be cured of her disabilities.
On arrival at the church of the shrine Margaret’s parents told her to join
the sick and crippled pilgrims at Br. Giacomo’s tomb and to pray for a miracle.
After two days they observed her still in prayer at the tomb and realising
that she had not been cured they decided to return home without her
vowing never to see her again.
That evening when all the pilgrims, except
Margaret, were gone, she came outside and sat in
the church doorway to wait for her parents to take
her back to Metola, and she fell asleep. When she
awoke at dawn the following morning she managed
to make her way to the nearby inn where her
parents had stayed and was told they had left. It
was then she realised that they had abandoned her
completely. Although free at last from the cruel
confines of her small cell she was now homeless,
penniless and alone in Castello, a city totally unfamiliar
to her.
That afternoon some beggars befriended
Margaret. She joined them, lived their harsh way
of life and begged on the streets of Castello with
them. She would always offer to pray for the
passers-by who gave alms to her and her beggar
companions and she became known for her kindness.
Some of the women of Castello then decided
to take Margaret into their homes. She helped the
women with domestic chores and she especially
loved the company of their children. She would
teach the children psalms, prayers and passages of the Bible that Fr.
Silvestro had taught her as a child. A kind peasant woman named Grigia,
with a large family of her own, adopted Margaret and soon Grigia’s home
became a meeting place for townspeople seeking Margaret’s prayers and
spiritual guidance.
Throughout all the difficult times of her life Margaret’s love for Jesus
never wavered. She found strength through prayer and she would always
unite her interior and physical sufferings to the suffering of Christ on the
Cross. Although she had never had sight she often received heavenly visions
of scenes from the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. She would describe these
visions to Grigia saying, “Oh, if only you knew what I have in my heart”
Inspired by Margaret’s holiness, the Mother Superior of a Dominican
convent in Castello invited her to join the Sisters in the convent. Margaret
accepted and was clothed in the habit of a Third Order Dominican nun. She
lived an exemplary life of charity, prayer and penance and dedicated her life
to the care of the poor people of the city. She made prisoners her special
ministry and each day would bring them food, clothing and medicine and
prayed with them.
When the Mother Superior of the convent died Margaret returned to the
home of her friend Grigia where she continued her charitable work for poor
people and prisoners until her death on April 13th 1320. She was only thirty-three
years old.
When the townspeople learned of Margaret’s death they converged in
the parish church of San Domenico and demanded that Margaret be regarded
as a saint and buried in a tomb within the church. At first the parish priest
opposed this, but when a crippled girl was miraculously cured at her funeral,
he immediately gave his approval. In 1558 Margaret’s remains were
exhumed. Her body was found to be incorrupt and transferred to a new
ornate glass tomb. She was beatified on October 19th 1609 by His Holiness
Pope Paul V.
Today the body of Blessed Margaret of Castello lies beneath the high
altar in the church of San Domenico in Castello. Throughout almost eight
centuries since her death, many miracles have been attributed to her intercession.
She has become a worldwide inspiration to many Pro-Life campaigns,
to blind and handicapped people, to people impoverished, rejected,
alone and abandoned, to those faced with physical challenges and to parents
of children with special needs.
Putting it into perspective
Margaret Emerson
Last November the Holy Father issued a long-awaited document. Long-awaited, that is, by various
groups of Anglicans around the world who had been petitioning the Holy See for some kind of corporate
reunion. When the same kind of request was presented in the early 1990s it was made
very clear that this was not possible and Anglicans who wished to become Catholics must go by the usual
route and, whether ordained or lay, be received individually. However, that did not mean that some Anglican
incumbents and their congregation (or a large section) could not be received at the same time and, in two
or three cases in England, even be able to attend a Catholic Mass in their Anglican parish church celebrated
by the local Catholic priest, until such time as their previous incumbent was ordained a priest. In fact,
this arrangement did not last long and no former Anglican, so far as I know, went back to his former (now
Catholic) parishioners to minister to them. During the mid-1990s some two hundred or more Anglican clergy
were received and eventually ordained as priests and two of these have served at St Francis and one at
Iam writing this piece during the cold,
and perhaps it makes us more grateful for
snowy weather in early January when
the food and utility supplies we usually
getting out and about has been more difficult.
acquire so easily. It should make us think
The news reports have been full of sto-
more about our brothers and sisters in
by Deacon Tom Coyle
ries of people stuck in cars for many hours,
Africa and other poorer, less developed For some years now, work has been going ahead on a new translation of the Roman changes which will affect the people’s responses. There is not space to list them all but these
shortages of food, power cuts, possible
areas of the world where daily life is a
Missal. Over the last 36 years we have become used to the present translation and it are a few examples:
issues with gas and milk supplies and so on.
struggle to survive, or those places that
has become very much a part of our prayer life. However, in that time, there have The response to ‘The Lord be with you’ will be ‘And with your spirit’.
This started me thinking and I feel it changes
have suffered natural disasters which, once
been changes to the Missal. These include many of the saints canonised by Pope John Paul The wording of the Confiteor (I confess) will be changed to: I confess to almighty God
our attitude to life. People start to talk to one
out of the headlines, still give their communities
II.
and to you, my brothers and sisters that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my
another more as they shovel snow off their
much hardship day by day. Even in
There was a feeling that the translation should be closer to the original Latin texts and words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my
front path for the umpteenth time, share a
this country those who were flooded out
so the opportunity was taken to produce a completely new translation by the International fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the
few words to chat, as we inevitably do about
late last year are still in temporary homes
Committee for English in the Liturgy. This translation is sent out to all the English-speaking
Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
the weather in the UK, people look in on
and will be for some months yet, but how
Bishops’ Conferences throughout the world for their approval. This process has now The wording of the Gloria is almost completely changed and there is a number of
friends and do what they can to help, families
easy it is to forget.
been completed. Our bishops have approved the new translation and it is now being submitted
changes to the Creed, which will begin I believe.... The ‘Lord I am not worthy’ becomes:
get together and build snowmen or take children
Perhaps we should stop and think and
to the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship in Rome for its approval. It is antic-
Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and
sledging.
be more grateful for the many gifts we have; a roof over our heads, plentiful
ipated that this will soon be given and then the work of producing new Missals and people’s my soul shall be healed.
Looking in your larder, fridge and freezer, you see supplies dwindling. food, heating, lighting and water on tap and when these things are scarce and
books can begin. It is hoped that the new books can be brought into use within the next If you are interested in finding out more, the US Bishops have a special website:
When will I be able to get to the supermarket or local shop next? Will my milk under threat for us we should put things into perspective and offer an extra
18 months. It is also intended to bring in a new translation of the Sunday Lectionary (the www.usccb.org/roman missal.
last for another couple of days? There have, no doubt, been some cases of real prayer of thanks to God and remember those who are far less fortunate than
book of Readings for Mass) at the same time as the new Missal; so it may not be a very good Before the changes are introduced our Education and Liturgy Committees will be holding
hardship around the country, especially for those struggling to pay heating ourselves, both in our prayers and when we are able, from our wallets too.
idea to buy a Missal until the new books appear!
special study sessions on the new Missal.
bills or those in remote communities, as well as the results of panic buying,
Most of the changes in the Mass will affect the priest but there will be a number of
6 7
Holy Family, Park Wood.
In the Westminster Archdiocese, which received more than any other, one has since been ordained
a bishop and another is Dean of the Cathedral.
For whom is it intended?
However, Anglicanorum Coetibus, which is what this new document is called (meaning:“Groups of Anglicans”) will probably
appeal more to those Anglicans in Australia and the U.S.A., and a few other countries, who took themselves out of communion
with the see of Canterbury some time ago and set themselves up as “continuing Anglicans” forming new bodies, one
of the most prominent being The Traditional Anglican Communion. In the U.K. most Anglicans who cannot accept the ordination
of women to the priesthood because it is contrary to Catholic tradition, which they hold dear, have remained in what
they would call “impaired communion” with Canterbury. Special arrangements were made so that they could have a
bishop who shares their view, caring for them sacramentally. Such a man might be a suffragan (auxiliary) of their diocese
or a so-called “flying bishop”, not of their own diocese but assigned to them. With the likelihood of the ordination of women
to the episcopate in England, this arrangement would no longer be adequate. Not only would they regard all women’s
ordinations as invalid but also all men ordained by a woman, and how would one know without enquiring? The General
Synod of the Church of England has been asked to make new arrangements for those who cannot accept women bishops,
but there is much opposition to this, not least by ordained women themselves who see it as further discrimination. Just as
it seemed that there might be a solution to this, the Holy See published this new Apostolic Constitution, as it is called.
The document in outline
The document is quite brief and gives no details. The Holy Father introduces it with these words: “In recent times
the Holy Spirit has moved groups of Anglicans to petition repeatedly and insistently to be received into full Catholic communion
individually as well as corporately....The successor of Peter, mandated by the Lord Jesus to guarantee the unity of
the episcopate and to preside over and safeguard the universal communion of all the Churches, could not fail to make available
the means necessary to bring this holy desire to realisation.”
Without using all the Vatican-type language, the provisions are these:
• The scheme is for “Personal Ordinariates” to be set up for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic
Church within the territory of each Bishops’ Conference where a request has been made. Each ordinariate will be
juridically comparable to a diocese and will be composed of lay faithful, clergy and those in religious life who were
formerly Anglicans.
• The authoritative expression of the Catholic faith professed by members of the Ordinariate will be the Catechism of
the Catholic Church.
• Each Ordinariate will come under the Code of Canon Law and be subject to all the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia.
It will be governed by Complementary Norms as well as any other specific Norms given for each Ordinariate.
• Because this is one of the most striking innovations, we quote it in full: “Without excluding liturgical celebrations
according to the Roman Rite, the Ordinariate has the faculty to celebrate the Holy Eucharist and the other Sacraments,
the Liturgy of the Hours and other liturgical celebrations according to the the liturgical books proper to the Anglican
tradition, which have been approved by the Holy See (italics mine), so as to maintain the liturgical, spiritual and pastoral
traditions of the Anglican Communion within the Catholic Church, as a precious gift nourishing the faith of the
members of the Ordinariate and as a treasure to be shared.”
• Each Ordinariate will have the pastoral care of an Ordinary appointed by the Holy Father. Such a person would normally
be a bishop. His pastoral care and office will be exercised jointly with that of the local Diocesan Bishop. The
Ordinary will be assisted by a Governing Council with its own statutes.
• Those who formerly ministered as Anglican bishops, priests or deacons and who fulfill the requirements of Canon Law
and not impeded by irregularities or other impediments (e.g. an unacceptable lifestyle) may be accepted as candidates
for Holy Orders in the Catholic Church. Married men must seek dispensation and promise not to re-marry on the
death of their spouse and unmarried men must submit to the norm of clerical celibacy.
• Those hoping to be ordained as Catholic priests will be prepared alongside other seminarians, especially in areas of
doctrinal and pastoral formation. But there will also be the need to cater for formation in Anglican patrimony.
• Every five years the Ordinary must go to Rome for an ad limina Apostolorum visit.
There are a number of other provisions which can be found in the document. Then there are Complementary Norms,
consisting of 14 Articles which put a little more flesh on some of these provisions, but space precludes their being set out
here.
Some questions and comments.
The following comments concern only members of the Church of England. For other Anglicans, the issues are to some
extent different. Obviously, an offer such as that contained in Anglicanorum Coetibus raises many questions and interested
Anglicans in this country who support the Forward in Faith movement are, apparently, meeting shortly to
discuss the document. The movement has one thousand priest members and most of these would have
members of their congregations who also belonged or sympathized with its aims.
Perhaps the most important question is: where will members of the Ordinariate worship? Will
the Anglican authorities allow a priest and those of his congregation who join, to keep their building? If
so, what about those who choose not to join - will they not feel aggrieved at having to find an alternative
Anglican place of worship? Alternatively, will the local Catholic church be offered for an Ordinariate
Mass each Sunday, rather in the way that an Eastern rite Catholic congregation may use it? What about
weekdays? If so, will there be a real attempt to weld the two congregations so that they will do as much
as possible as one, e.g. social functions, extra-liturgical devotions in Lent such as making the Stations of
the Cross, joint confession times, producing a joint parish newsletter?
One can also foresee possible tensions in two rites worshipping in the same building. The Ordinariate congregation
might, e.g., have music and a choir for their Mass which will attract resident Catholics who will begin to attend that Mass
rather than one of their own. After all, they will be in full communion and the differences will not be that great so far as
the rite is concerned. In some places, will it be necessary to hire a building, especially if the local Catholic church is some
distance away and the local Anglican church is not offered?
Then there is the whole question of motivation. Some Catholics are already asking whether some Anglican lay
people will choose to belong to the Ordinariate simply because their fellow-congregants are doing so, and not out of conviction
that God really is calling them to be in full communion with the Catholic Church? Will they have reservations about
some aspects of Catholic teaching (the fact some so-called “cradle” Catholics do, is no reason for allowing this!)? One might
even ask the same question about some Anglican priests who decide to join. People in an irregular marriage whose previous
one cannot be annulled, might find themselves unable to receive the sacraments, whereas in the Church of England this
has not been a problem.
But there is another question which the document raises. Ironically, many Anglo-Catholic parishes use the Roman Rite
for their Mass and their priests recite the Roman Divine Office. Will they be expected now to use the Anglican liturgical
forms approved for use by the Holy See? If not, why do they not become Catholics according to the Roman rite, in the
way that so many other former Anglicans have done? Actually, the document does suggest that priests of the Ordinariate
might use the Roman Rite, but will they need to use any Anglican forms to belong to it, or not?
What next?
There are obviously a number other questions to be asked and answered, but these seem to be the main issues at the
moment. As Archbishop Nicholls has said: “The Apostolic Constitution (Anglicanorum Coetibus) has given us the end game but
not the process. It is up to us, working with the Church of England, to look at the process”. Apparently, the (Catholic)
Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has already agreed to appoint a commission to try to iron out obstacles such as
we have outlined above. That commission will include Bishop Alan Hopes, an auxiliary of Westminster and former Anglican
priest. Of course, the hierarchy of the Church of England might take the line that the Holy Father is actually relieving them
of the intractable problem of how to contain clergy who maintain they are in “impaired communion” and will be even more
so once women are ordained to the episcopate. But they must still face the fact that a not inconsiderable number of
Anglicans, clergy and laity, simply do not wish to be in full communion with the Catholic Church, yet remain implacably
opposed to the ordination of women.
Amazingly prophetic.
Despite all these questions, the Holy Father’s offer is a very generous one. Such expressions as “poaching” or “a dawn
raid” or “driving the papal tanks on to the lawns of Lambeth Palace” are ridiculous media hype and grossly unfair to a pontiff
who is making his mark by his various efforts for reconciliation with the Church. In the case of Anglicanorum
Coetibus , it is amazingly prophetic, for so many attempts have been made throughout the last 450 or more years to
restore the Church of England to full communion with the Holy See. Admittedly, this will only serve to bring back a small
number, but who knows what the future might hold?
Anglican patrimony
The document speaks of “formation in Anglican patrimony”. One of the outstanding points in Anglicanorum Coetibus,
whether any Anglicans take it up or not, is that the Holy Father is clearly affirming that there is much in Anglican tradition
to be valued. Pope Paul VI alluded to this from time to time, not least in his homily on the occasion of the canonization
of the English Martyrs. Anglican scholarship has made an enormous contribution to the Christian Church as a whole
and many of its biblical scholars, e.g., have been outstanding. The Shape of the Liturgy by an Anglican Benedictine, Dom
Gregory Dix is a fine work of scholarship, as is The Vision of God by a former Bishop of Oxford, Dr Kenneth Kirk. The late
Archbishop Michael Ramsey produced a number of books on Scripture, theology and spirituality with which no orthodox Catholic
could find fault and his homilies on priesthood are recommended to seminarians. Archbishop William Temple was another
distinguished scholar. One of the literary and musical treasures of the Church of England is the English Hymnal. Its eucharistic
section alone puts most modern Catholic hymn books in the shade! In the field of spirituality, writers lay, religious
and ordained have made significant contributions. The work of Evelyn Underhill, who founded a retreat house and gave
retreats in the first half of the 20th century, is still highly acclaimed. In fact, the Church of England has done much to
promote the retreat movement and this is still one of its strengths. Many Anglican clergy are much concerned with mission
and evangelization and a fine organization named The Church Army, one of whose women officers was (is?) working
as a night club chaplain in Maidstone, was founded for this very purpose. We could go on and on, but it would fill a book!
If you wish to read Anglicanorum Coetibus it is published by C.T.S. at £2-50.
THE ROMAN MISSAL - A NEW TRANSLATION