The Parishioner - Edition 21

Parishioner 

ST FRANCIS’ CHURCH 

ISSUE 21 SUMMER 2012 

Bumper year for RCIA 

by Sheila Connolly 

RCIA Co-ordinator 

Most parishioners will know that each year 

the parish runs RCIA (The Rite of Christian 

Initiation of Adults). This is the process by 

which adults are received into the Catholic Church and 

has been running in St. Francis for nearly 20 years. In 

that time around 140 people have become Catholics 

and many of these have gone on to become very 

actively involved the work of the parish. 

For the RCIA team it is always a great joy and 

privilege to journey with the catechumens (those not 

already baptised) and the candidates (those already 

baptised Christians). We are often touched and 

inspired by the stories of how people came to knock on 

the door that first evening and it is a constant 

reminder to us that the Holy Spirit continues to work 

with us and through us in building the kingdom of 

God. 

Angela Black and I have working with Canon John 

and Deacon Tom for some time on RCIA. Tom, as our 

resident liturgist, really comes into his own in the 

preparation of the various Rites which take place at 

the 10.30 Masses, especially during Lent and, of 

course, the great celebration of Easter. This year we 

were delighted to welcome Kathy Sexton and Fr. 

Bartholomew onto the team. 

Each September we begin the Period of Enquiry 

which is the formal start to the RCIA programme. In 

fact everyone has been ‘enquiring’ to a greater or 

lesser extent for some time and one of the things we 

do is to try and help the enquirers to discern how God 

has been working in their lives since they were born. 

Canon John invites anyone who is interested in finding out 

more about the Catholic Church to come to an introductory 

evening where we outline how the programme works, but at the 

same time are very careful to point out that this journey is God’s 

time, not ours, and there will be no pressure on people to ‘sign 

up’ to anything they are not comfortable with. We believe very 

strongly in the importance of the quality of the welcome that 

people receive. It can be very scary at the beginning and at each 

stage we assure people that it is all right to delay a decision. 

While most people continue, it is not usual for someone to leave, 

but many of these return a year or so later. 

This year we have had sixteen adults preparing to be 

received. This was a bit of a challenge for us, not least in fitting 

New Catholics and their sponsors after the Easter Vigil Mass.... 

...and after the Easter Sunday 10.30 am Mass. 

everyone into the dining room in the presbytery. It is not the 

largest group we have ever had; some years ago we had twentytwo, 

but not all of them were prepared through RCIA, so this 

was the largest single group. It took longer for us to get to know 

everyone and for them to get to know each other. In the past 

Angela and I had always managed to remember everyone’s name 

by the end of the first evening. But, of course, as soon as people 

found something in common they became to form the 

relationships that are so important to the RCIA process. 

Unusually for us, we had three married couples in the group. 

We also had a large proportion of people with young children, 

so Kathy Sexton, as a Headteacher of a Catholic Primary school, 

was invaluable in supporting parents with resources to use with 

their children, especially during Advent and Lent. 

The catechumens and candidates are supported by 

their sponsors. The sponsor’s role is vital in this process. 

They are the ‘special’ person for each individual, who is 

there to support, encourage, challenge and give 

Christian witness to the person they are sponsoring. 

During Lent the whole parish is praying for those who 

are about to become Catholics, but each of them also 

has a ‘prayer friend’. This is a parishioner who 

undertakes to pray especially for them during this time. 

For the first time the Sacraments of Baptism, 

Confirmation and First Holy Communion were 

administered both at the Easter Vigil and the 10.30 

Mass on Easter Sunday morning. We had in total 6 

Baptisms and 13 Confirmations and First Holy 

Communions. Malcolm and Chantelle Horton and their 

children Kiona and Kodi had been baptised in February 

as Chantelle was facing major surgery before Easter. 

With so many young families there has been a 

lovely bonus this year. Among the children of the RCIA 

group there have been 11 Baptisms, 4 Receptions into 

the Church and 5 First Holy Communions. 

Until next Easter our new Catholics are called 

‘Neophytes’, which means ‘newly planted’. We thank God 

for the gift of Amanda, Cary, Chantelle, Christine, David, 

Daniel, Emma, Gail, Hazel, Jenna, Malcolm, Mark, Luke , 

Stacy and Yvonne, newly planted in our Catholic 

community. 

If you know of anyone who might be interested in 

finding out more about the Catholic Church contact the 

Parish Office or bring them along in September. Details 

will be in the parish newsletter. 

Malcolm, Chantelle, Kiona and Kodi Horton: 

‘We enjoyed our Tuesday evenings with our RCIA 

group and found each week useful, always walking away 

having learnt something new. It was also nice to have 

been given the opportunity to meet people within our 

parish prior to attending our first Mass. Our family has 

now been baptised and we are looking forward to our 

children’s 1st Holy Communion’ 

Jenna Hunter: 

‘I found RCIA an enriching experience.’ 

A relocated Catholic 

By The Reverend Paul Gibbons 

May I express my thanks to Canon John, to Deacon Tom. and to you for your 

kind welcome to St. Francis’ church and to the world wide Catholic faith? 

I have been in Maidstone since 1972 when I was appointed Vicar of the 

Church of S. Michael & All Angels on the Tonbridge Road by Archbishop Michael 

Ramsey. He it was who together with Pope Paul V1 in 1967 inaugurated the Anglican 

Roman Catholic International Commission in the quest for unity.. 

I have long felt myself to be a ‘mislocated’ Catholic and when Pope Benedict 

offered a way forward without the need to deny my Anglican heritage and traditions, 

and as the Church of England decided to deny its Catholic heritage, I felt that I must 

follow my conscience and respond to the Holy Father’s initiative in establishing the 

Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham under the patronage of Blessed 

John Henry Newman on 15th January 2011. I was not included in the ‘ ‘first wave’ of 

those who sought to be accepted into full communion with the successor of S. Peter 

in 2011 as I had responsibilities to many who looked to me for pastoral care and I sought to bring them 

with me, in the event few have followed. It seems to be a general characteristic of Church of England 

Christians that they become very attached to the building in which they worship, many of which of 

course were built at a time when the English were Catholics, before the Continental Reformers had such 

an impact on our nation or the Tudor monarch was so desperate for a male heir at any price! 

Pope Benedict has been influenced by the writings of John Henry Newman, and as 

you know from the account by Alastair MacWilliam in No. 19 of Parishioner, Cardinal 

Newman was declared Blessed by the Holy Father at the Mass in Crofton Park, 

Birmingham in September 2010. 

The Apostolic Constitution, ‘Anglicanorum Coetibus’ is the means by which groups 

of Anglicans who petitioned the Pope to be received into full Catholic Communion are 

granted their request. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the authoritative 

expression of the Catholic faith professed by members of the Ordinariate. So you and I 

believe the same Faith and by God’s grace put it into practise in our daily lives. 

As a celibate priest I have been accepted as a candidate for Holy Orders and attend 

the Allen Hall Seminary in Chelsea on a course of Formation for Catholic Priesthood, in 

the meantime I am attached to the church in Pembury on Sundays and in due course 

hope to set up a Maidstone Ordinariate centred on a chapel in Wateringbury. 

The Ordinariate is like a diocese in as much as we have an Ordinary ,who is my former Anglican 

Bishop, now a Monsignor, Keith Newton, just as your Ordinary is Archbishop Peter Smith of 

Southwark. 

Rev. Paul was ordained Deacon on Saturday, 21st July, and in September he is due to be ordained 

priest. Please pray for him and ask God to bless his ministry in the Catholic Church.

ST FRANCIS’ CHURCH 

Parishioner 

THE PARISH OF ST. FRANCIS’ 

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

TEL: (01622) 756217 FAX: (01622) 690549 

E-mail: stfrancis_parish@yahoo.co.uk Web site: www.stfrancisparish.org.uk 

Parish Priest: Canon John S Clark MA. 

Assistant Priests: Fr. Bartlomiej Dudek, Fr. Soosai Manickam M.A 

Deacon: Rev’d Tom Coyle KSG Parish Sister: Sr. Kathleen Dalton 

E D I T O R I A L 

Welcome to the Summer 2012 edition of the 

Parishioner (number 21) and thank you to all those 

who contributed to its content. We think readers will 

find something of interest for everyone, be it 

informative, entertaining or even controversial. For 

instance, Bishop John Hine reminds us about the 

importance of maintaining the traditional definition of 

marriage and the headmaster of St. Simon Stock 

School, Mr. Brendan Wall, wonders why some 

Catholic parents choose a state Grammar School for 

their children rather than a high achieving Catholic 

Secondary School. Parishioners often speak to us 

about the articles in the Parishioner, mostly 

approving but sometimes not. We say to them , 

“Write to us about it, a letter maybe, or a short article 

giving your opinion – it may appear in the next 

edition.” 

In this edition too, you will find an obituary to 

Canon John’s mother, Maisie, who died on July 24th. 

Fr. Bartholomiej gave the homily at her Requiem 

Mass and, with his permission, we have included it. 

May she rest in peace. 

Please keep all your contributions coming in for 

the next edition, planned for the New Year. 

You can email it as an MS Word document to: 

denisneale@blueyonder.co.uk or put it in an 

envelope and hand it in at the parish office 

addressed to the Parishioner. 

The Editors 

Farewell to Fr. Father Soosai 

The importance of maintaining the 

traditional definition of marriage 

Do you sometimes get the 

impression that, when you talk to 

people outside of your parish 

community about the current proposal to 

legalise same sex marriage, they get quite 

uncomfortable? 

Perhaps, because they may not be 

gifted with a faith to live by, they tend to 

consult their feelings about such issues. 

And their feelings about this particular 

issue of ‘gay marriage’ are confusing. 

They approve of ‘equality’, although they 

might be ambivalent about ‘gay pride’ 

campaigns. Often there is a very worthy 

desire in their hearts not to be seen as 

prejudiced against people who are 

‘different’ from themselves in any way. 

Providing the proposed legal arrangements 

do not require clergy to celebrate same sex 

marriage services in their churches, they 

cannot see what harm there can possibly be 

in allowing same sex couples to get married. Consequently 

they tend to go along with the general view in the media that 

those who oppose same sex marriage and wish to maintain the 

traditional definition of marriage are doing so out of a 

prejudice against a minority concealed under a wish to impose 

their religious views on the rest of society. 

It is difficult to persuade such people that the issue is not 

about the rights of the church as opposed to the rights of a 

disadvantaged minority, but rather the issue is about the good 

of our whole society. Our fundamental argument is that 

marriage benefits society, and that once you change the 

Archbishop Peter receives 

Freedom of the City of 

London 

One of the oldest surviving traditional ceremonies still in 

existence today is the granting of the Freedom of the 

City of London. It is believed that the first Freedom was 

presented in 1237. The ceremony takes place in the 

Chamberlain’s Court at Guildhall and it was there on 

Thursday, 31st May 2012, that Archbishop Peter was 

granted the Freedom of the City of London. 

During the ceremony the Archbishop promised to ‘be 

good and true to our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the 

Second’ before signing the Freeman’s Declaration Book. 

By Bishop John Hine 

definition of marriage, it is no longer what 

it was, and the benefit to society leaks 

away. 

At the very heart of marriage is the 

sexual complementarity of male and 

female. Not only our bodies are clearly 

created for sexual complementarity, but 

there is equally a relational 

complementarity between man and woman 

which, when it is respected and nourished, 

not only brings a rich stability to their 

home but also provides the proper context 

for children to be born and reared. 

Because my father was killed in the 

second world war, I was raised from an 

early age in a one parent family and, 

although children have a happy knack of 

just getting on with life as it is, you realise 

later on just how much you missed 

compared to your friends who were 

blessed with a mother and a father. 

Nowadays for all sorts of causes, there is a high proportion 

of one parent families, and mostly lone parents are heroic in 

their dedication to their off-spring. However for our 

Government to be supporting an arrangement which amounts 

to promoting fatherless (or motherless) families, and 

consequently intentionally depriving future children of their 

God-given right to a father and a mother is just about the most 

callous and senseless bits of proposed legislation imaginable. 

Surely the rights of children weigh more heavily than any 

possible rights of same-sex partners. 

Another step towards the 

Diaconate for Ian 

At the end of September Father Soosai 

Manickam will be ending his year’s sabbatical 

here at St. Francis’ to return to India. During his 

stay he has won all our hearts with his good 

humour, kindness and inspirational preaching. 

Many thanks, Father. May our prayers and 

good wishes go with you. 

Archbishop Peter with the two members of the 

Common Council, Catherine McGuiness and 

Stephen Haines, who proposed him for the 

Freedom of the City 

On Sunday, 13th May 2012, Bishop John offered Mass at St Francis’ Church, 

Maidstone, during which he conferred the Ministry of Reader on two men who are 

studying for the Permanent Diaconate: Ian Black, Maidstone parish, and Wayne 

Tuckell, Margate Parish. The conferral of this Ministry is one of the steps on the 

path to ordination. Bishop John presented each of them with a copy of the Bible. 

Going Home 

Before, I actually thought I was fine 

I went to His Church 

For the joining of hands or 

Standing around a font, or a coffin 

Before, I actually thought I was alive, 

Steeped in vanity, sensuality, pride, 

Defensive, opinionated, deluded, but I was ok, 

I laid in the dust, Satan’s prey 

Then He found me, loved me from eternity, pitied me 

Stretched His hand, spoke, and I was wounded forever 

He caressed my damaged soul and healed me 

He is the perfect teacher, father, brother, friend and love 

My God, my God, if all your children only knew You 

Tears escape each day, joy overflows 

If I wake in the night, He is there 

From the first break of dawn, He is there 

At my last breath He will hold me 

And whisper in His sweet, sweet voice 

We are going home 

Christine Mace 2010 

£50k to replace 

church roof! 

Parishioners needed umbrellas as water poured into the church after a hole appeared in the 

roof one Sunday recently after a night of high winds and driving rain. Although the damage 

was soon repaired, the roofer found that the nails holding the tiles in place are badly 

corroded and must all be replaced. The parish has been given an estimate of around fifty 

thousand pounds to replace the whole roof. Parish funds are unable to cover such a sum of 

money so imaginative ideas are needed for ways to raise the cash. Canon John has 

suggested a scheme whereby tiles can be purchased for £5 each by parishioners to help 

towards the cost of the new roof – of course, there is no limit on how many tiles a 

parishioner can buy! 

Have you visited your parish web site? 

www.stfrancisparish.org.uk 

2

Parish Trip to Margate 

and the Turner Contemporary 12th May 2012 

The Turner Contemporary in Margate opened in 

the spring of 2011, and was designed by the 

architect David Chipperfield. Since its opening, 

it has received much critical acclaim and has exceeded 

visitor numbers beyond expectation. 

The gallery decided to wait until January 2012 until 

putting on its first major exhibition devoted to the 

works of JMW Turner (1775-1851) whose many works 

were inspired by the seascapes of Margate. When I 

realised that the exhibition closed in mid May, the 

decision was 

made that 

Parishioners enjoy coffee at 

the Turner restaurant 

this would 

be our venue 

for the Parish 

Trip! 

T h e 

Exhibition, 

‘Turner and 

The Turner Contemporary 

the Elements’ looks at Turner as a painter of the 

elements, exploring the role that the four Classical 

elements of air, earth, fire and water played in his art, as well as his fascination for depicting the 

elements in fusion. I personally think of Turner as a ‘revolutionary’ painter in his day, in the way 

that I think of Beethoven as a ‘revolutionary’ musician and composer. 

FLAME 2012 

By Philip Coatsworth 

On Saturday 24th of March, a group of young people from the parish went 

to the Flame Congress at Wembley Arena in London. Flame was a National 

Youth event attended by thousands of young Catholics from all over the 

country. 

During the day we listened to many inspirational speakers, including 

Jason Gardener, an Olympic sprinter, and Barry and Margaret Mizen, whose 

son Jimmy was tragically killed in 2008. We enjoyed many musical and 

dance acts during the day, and it was clear that a lot of work had been put 

into their performances. Archbishop Vincent Nichols also attended the 

event, giving a speech as well as ending the day with Benediction. 

Following on from the success of this day, the group decided to meet 

more regularly, which has led to the formation of the Phoenix Youth Group. 

This is open to all young people aged 15 to 18, meeting on Fridays (for 

more information, see the Parish website). 

Parish Film Night 

success 

by Len Watson 

The Film Night on April 21st was the most successful yet, 

with my audience coming from as far afield as 

Canterbury and Ashford. They enjoyed the most 

entertaining film clips from the best of a nostalgic cinema age. 

Best of all, we raised £200 for the Heart of Kent Hospice. From 

all the feedback I had, everyone enjoyed what was essentially an 

evening of Romance, Melodrama, Comedy and Music. I’m 

always open to Film Requests so if you have a favourite film or 

performer you would like to see again, let me know for next year. 

One interesting feedback was confirmed by two ladies in my 

audience: That apparently Tyrone Power attended Mass with his 

wife (Linda Christian) in St Francis Church in the early 1950s. I 

checked this out and he was indeed making a film hereabouts at 

that time. So we have a little Hollywood glitter in our Parish! 

Many thanks to my audience – here’s to the next time! 

By Olga D’Silva 

The organising for the Parish Trip went well; a 

private room was booked for morning tea and 

coffee on arrival, overlooking the sea where Turner 

himself painted, an optional guided tour was in 

place, research on local eateries was going well. But 

then, you may recall, the weather in May was 

absolutely atrocious, and I became increasingly 

worried that with the deluge of rain we had been 

experiencing for so many weeks, the Parish Trip 

would become a ‘wash out’. 

Well, the morning of Saturday 12th May came, 

and a minor miracle happened. We had light blue 

skies and sunshine! This meant that parishioners 

not only enjoyed the Turner Contemporary, but also 

the beach and Margate old town. However, there 

was an unexpected ‘bonus’ in that there was an 

emergency launch of the lifeboat, and as we were 

preparing to leave on our coach, we were treated to 

a bird’s eye view of the lifeboat as it was towed out 

the water. 

So, what will await our next Parish trip in September 2012? At the moment, planning is top 

secret, but we would love you to join us. Details will be published in the newsletter soon, although 

the ‘tales of the unexpected’ remain unknown, of course. 

NEWS IN PICTURES 

The Friendship Group enjoy regular 

Line dancing sessions in the parish 

hall. Judging by the ‘bunny ears’ this 

picture was taken around Easter time. 

The winners of the Quiz Evening on 

May 12th look delighted with their 

prize cup (they also received bottles 

of wine!) A good time was had by all. 

Jackie Effie and her band of helpers 

at the Summer Fair on Saturday 23rd 

June in the parish hall. Around £600 

was made for church funds. Well 

done everyone! 

In June 2012, John Turner was 

joined by parishioners and friends 

to celebrate his 65th birthday party 

in the parish hall. It was a lovely 

occasion but we don’t know how 

John was working his ‘miracles’. 

Firstly, the weather was fabulous, 

secondly John looked 10 years 

younger, and thirdly, John 

was surrounded by a group of lovely 

ladies for his official birthday 

photo call. Congratulations, John! 

The Angry Sea 

O sea, why does the wind 

make you so angry 

As it whips up your waves? 

It roars like a lion, it blasts 

like a missile, 

Twisting and turning your 

water. 

Your gale smashes the boats 

on the rocks, 

You moan and wail. 

The sea is powerless, you’re 

the invisible power. 

Jacob Seager, age 10 

If I were not a Catholic, and were 

looking for the true Church in the 

world today, I would look for the one 

Church which did not get along well 

with the world; in other words, I 

would look for the Church which the 

world hates. My reason for doing this 

would be, that if Christ is in any one 

of the churches of the world today, He 

must still be hated as He was when 

He was on earth in the flesh. If you 

would find Christ today, then find the 

Church that does not get along with 

the world. Look for the Church that is 

hated by the world, as Christ was 

hated by the world. Look for the 

Church which is accused of being 

behind the times, as Our Lord was 

accused of being ignorant and never 

having learned. Look for the Church 

which men sneer at as socially 

inferior, as they sneered at Our Lord 

because He came from Nazareth. 

Look for the Church which is accused 

of having a devil, as Our Lord was 

accused of being possessed by 

Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils. Look 

for the Church which the world rejects 

because it claims it is infallible, as 

Pilate rejected Christ because he 

called Himself the Truth. Look for the 

Church which amid the confusion of 

conflicting opinions, its members love 

as they love Christ, and respect its 

voice as the very voice of its Founder, 

and the suspicion will grow, that if the 

Church is unpopular with the spirit of 

the world, then it is unworldly, and if 

it is unworldly, it is other-worldly. 

Since it is other-worldly, it is infinitely 

loved and infinitely hated as was 

Christ Himself. The Catholic Church is 

the only Church existing today which 

goes back to the time of Christ. 

History is so very clear on this point, it 

is curious how many miss its 

obviousness... 

Bishop Fulton Sheen. 

12 

Questions 

Fr Bartlomiej 

1. Which part of Poland are you from? 

I come from the southeast of Poland, from 

a village called Domaradz (You may 

Google it). 

2. Do you come from a large family? 

My immediate family are my parents, Anna and 

Adam, and my three brothers. I am the second 

brother. I have a reasonably large extended 

family. 

3. When did you know you were called to the 

priesthood? 

It’s difficult to define the particular 

moment when I realised I was called to be 

a priest. It was more of a process and 

happened between November 2001 and 

April 2002. 

4. What were you first impressions of our parish 

when you arrived? 

I was surprised by the organisation of the 

parish and by the number of people 

responsible for parish work. I’ve never 

seen a parish office working like it does 

here. The second surprise was the general 

organisation of the liturgy: the sanctuary 

in the church and the number of people 

responsible for the preparation of the 

Mass. Also I have to include Canon John in 

my first impression of the parish. His work 

ethic and positive attitude to the people 

and myself impressed me and made me 

feel welcome and I consider myself lucky 

to be working with such a good parish 

priest. 

I was disappointed by a few things; why 

so few people receive the Sacrament of 

Reconciliation and why so many people in 

our parish miss Sunday Mass. These were 

always important to me and I treat this 

situation as a kind of mission and 

challenge of my ministry here. 

5. How do you see your future? 

I just want to be a good man and a good 

priest whatever the circumstances are. 

The rest I put in God’s and the Church’s 

hands. 

6. If you were marooned on a desert island, 

apart from the Bible, what book and luxury item 

would you like to have with you? 

It depends for how long? I would take a 

handbook of survival, a knife and 

matches. The rest, I think, God would 

provide. 

7. What kind of music do you enjoy? 

I’ve been always listening to the music 

that I could play on my own so I don’t like 

electronic music and heavy metal 

because they annoy me. For the last few 

years I’ve been listening to Gospel and 

smooth jazz. I like The Beatles, U2 and a 

couple of Polish bands. Generally, I like 

rock. 

8.Do you have any hobbies in your spare time? 

I have very little spare time! I have quite a 

lot of hobbies. The first one is sport. I 

usually play football but I like basketball, 

table tennis, cycling and hiking. I trained 

in traditional karate for five years but have 

had to give it up due to lack of time. My 

other interests are playing music, 

watching good films (very rarely) and a 

new hobby I discovered here is travelling 

and visiting famous places. 

9. What is your most favourite meal? 

Large thin pork chops in crispy breadcrumbs, 

well-fried chips and carrot salad made out of 

raw carrot. 

10. Is there any famous person you’d like to 

meet? 

When John Paul II lived I wanted to meet him. I 

like to meet famous people but this happens 

very rarely but I don’t think that there is anybody 

I particularly want to meet. 

11. Who is your favourite Saint – and why? 

The first one is Our Lady. She’s the patron of my 

home parish and I have prayed to her since I 

remember. At the very top of the modern saints 

is John Paul II. I am bewitched by his style of life, 

thinking, looking at God, the world and people. I 

admire his simple and natural faith and the way 

he shared it with us. He was a really charismatic 

man. The second one is Josemaría Escrivá. 

Thanks to him I understand a lot more what the 

way to the sanctity means in practice. And the 

third one is Stefan Wincenty Frelichowski, the 

patron of Polish scouts, priest and martyr. While 

he was in seminary he wrote a diary and he is 

famous especially for this dairy. He helped me a 

lot when I was a seminarian. 

12. Finally, if you could have one wish granted, 

what would it be? 

To get to heaven. However, I know that it 

doesn’t depend on wishing but desiring. 

3

4 

Rt. Rev. John Jukes OFM Conv 

Auxliary Bishop 

of Southwark 

1923-2011 

Bishop John Jukes was 

ordained priest in 1952 

and was appointed 

Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark 

and Titular Bishop of 

Strathearn by Pope John Paul 

II in 1979. He was ordained in 

St George’s Cathedral 

Southwark by Archbishop 

Michael Bowen on 30th 

January 1980 and given 

pastoral responsibility for Kent, 

his main interests being 

education and Catholic social 

teaching in the world of work. 

Bishop John retired in 

1998. However, in 2002, when 

Bishop Mario Conti of 

Aberdeen asked him to 

become parish priest of 

Huntley, Banff and Portsoy, he 

accepted. That same year, 

The 21st July 2012 marks the 25th 

anniversary of my sister, Maria, 

passing away. Maria was born in 

Wandsworth on 29th April 1950 to my 

parents Rita and Eric Emerson. The family 

moved to Surbiton, Surrey when Maria was 

quite young and Max the family Alsatian dog 

was never far from her side. I never knew 

Max but I’m told he would have done 

anything to defend Maria. When she was 10, 

and I was just a few weeks old, the family 

relocated to Oadby, Leicestershire, where my 

father was working with English Electric as a 

mechanical and electrical engineer. Maria’s 

secondary education was at Evington Hall 

Convent, which she left in 1966 with a clutch 

of eleven GCE’s. 

The family moved to Maidstone then 

and Maria did not return to school, partly for 

that reason and also because she suffered a 

breakdown. Shortly after we had settled in 

Maidstone, she started as a classroom 

assistant at the Convent of the Sacred Heart 

with Sister Mary Paul in the kindergarten, 

which got her back on track. She loved the 

children and they loved her too, as was 

borne out by the many presents she received 

at the end of term. 

In 1970 she started working in the Civil 

Service as a Clerical Officer at Maidstone 

County Court. She stayed in the court service 

being promoted to Executive Officer and she 

worked in Maidstone and Canterbury, as well 

as attending the once a week court in 

Cranbrook. Back at Maidstone County Court 

fellow bishops and over 70 

priests joined him at Aylesford 

Priory in Kent to celebrate his 

golden jubilee of the 

priesthood. Three years later, 

to celebrate his 25 years as a 

bishop, he went to Rome, with 

Bishop Howard Tripp, with 

whom he had been ordained 

Bishop. They were present at 

Pope John Paul II’s last 

audience. 

In recent years, as his 

physical health declined, he 

retired again, this time from 

parish ministry. He died on the 

morning 22nd November 2011, 

aged 88 years, in the 65th year 

of religious life, the 59th year of 

his priesthood, having been a 

Bishop for 31 years. 

May he rest in peace 

Maria Francesca Emerson 

1950 – 1987 

by Margaret Emerson 

she was promoted to Acting Chief Clerk, the 

post she held until ill health meant she had 

to take long term sick leave. Maria was 

diagnosed with ovarian cancer in mid 1986 

but despite two operations and 

chemotherapy, she was never able to return 

to work and the cancer continued 

unchecked. She passed away quietly at 

home on the 21st July 1987, aged just 37 

years. 

Maria was a great artist, loved 

needlework and ballet and even indulged in 

ice skating. In her last few years she had a 

pony and an old horse, as she loved all 

creatures and certainly acquired for a family 

a few unwanted cats, to add to the Emerson 

household. She did not mind what people 

thought and her boss remarked after she 

passed away, that she wore jeans to work, 

and was bit of a rebel in that respect, but her 

hard work and dedication more than made 

up for that. On court attendance days she 

wore something more conventional, so you 

could always tell when they were. 

To those who knew her she is forever a 

young fit woman but had she lived she would 

have retired by now, and as her only sister, I 

wonder what she would have done in the 

intervening years. I know that she was both 

a great sister and a great friend, who is 

constantly remembered. This is a tribute to 

her life for her 25th anniversary and as it 

says on her headstone, she is ‘In the Arms of 

the Good Shepherd’. 

Rest in peace Maria. 

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son. 

Endless is the victory Thou o’er death has won. 

OBITUARIES 

Mary Francis (Maisie) Clark 

1918 - 2012 

Fr Bartlomiej Dudek’s Homily at Maisie’s Requiem Mass, 24th July 2012 

In human nature there is an instinctive 

desire to live. Sometimes it’s deafened by 

pain, suffering or unhappiness but then it 

becomes a desire for eternal life. (Fr. Jerzy 

Cholewinski) 

Dear family and friends of Maisie, 

Bishop John and reverend clergy. 

We are gathered today to be 

together for the last time with a mum, 

grandmother, great-grandmother, a good 

friend but primarily, a woman of great faith 

who shared and passed on that faith to 

many of us. And even though our emotions 

tell us from a human point of view that it’s 

time to say good bye, we are here not only to cry – we are 

here to celebrate the life which we have in God. 

Looking at the Liturgy of the Word we can read there a 

great message of hope and confidence in God. The author of 

the Book of Wisdom tells us: The souls of the righteous are in 

the hands of God, no torment shall ever touch them (Ws 3:1). 

Through baptism, faith and righteous life we are in the hands 

of God. And although life is sometimes difficult, and full of 

pain we’ve got an answer in God’s Wisdom: If they 

experienced punishment as men see it, their hope was rich 

with immortality (Ws 3:4). 

In the psalm we hear of God’s love and mercifulness. 

Sometimes we may have a feeling that, as the psalmist said, 

our life is ethereal or fragile like grass or like the flower of the 

field (Ps 102:15). However, God knows of what we are made 

(Ps 102:14), and He does not treat us according to our sins nor 

repay us according to our faults (Ps 102:10). Everything is 

because of Jesus our Saviour and Redeemer. It is he who in 

coming on earth made us his brothers and sisters and children 

Kevin James Henderson Bell 

1930 - 2012 

By his daughter Sue Henderson Bell 

Dad was the youngest of 3 children, 

Paddy 4 years older and Shelagh 2 

years older. They were a military 

family. His father was a Sergeant in the Army 

and was stationed at Woolwich where Dad 

mainly grew up. 

Dad went to the Duke of York Military 

School at Dover aged 7 joining his brother 

Paddy. He made best of his time there and was 

in Worsley House making life long friends, 

which he kept in touch with. He often talked 

about life at the school which was quite austere. 

They were taught by Grenadier Guards. He learnt to play the 

flute and drum. He joined the Old Boy’s Association becoming 

Chairman which he was very proud of and loved attending the 

meetings in Chelsea and going to Founders Day at the School. 

The beginning of a wonderful life at the Royal BL 

Village. 

After leaving school he joined the National Service and 

travelled the world. Dad caught TB in his early 20’s, which left 

him with one lung, but he always said it was the making of 

him. He saw the positive side of his illness and when he was 

sent to Preston Hall for treatment, it was the start of a new life 

for him. If he had not had contracted TB he would not have met 

my mother who also had TB, married and raised a family. 

During his time in hospital a bond was developed between the 

patients which lasted all their lives. The majority settled in the 

village, working in the Hospital or the Legion. 

After Dad regained his health he became an orderly 

before deciding to study as a nurse working through the ranks 

to Nursing Officer at Preston Hall. He specialised in psychiatry 

and chest complaints. I have many memories as a child of dad 

studying, which was difficult with 3 children. While nursing a 

Br i d g e t 

Considine was 

born in 1918 

in Moyrhee, Co. 

Claire. Like so many 

other Irish girls of that 

time, she left home in 

her early teens and 

crossed the Irish Sea to England in 1939, 

where Bridget began a long and dedicated 

career as a nurse, training mostly in Surrey. 

She also spent a few years in the United States of America and 

was extremely interested in her profession, qualifying both as 

a psychiatric and general nurse. 

Bridget enjoyed the many responsibilities of Oakwood 

management, especially at Preston Hall, where she spent 

Bridget Considine 

1918 - 2012 

in the eyes of God. How wonderful is the 

miracle of the resurrection: we know that 

our fate is to die on earth but we are 

assured that we are created to live with 

God forever. That’s why Jesus told his 

disciples: I am going now to prepare a 

place for you, and after I have gone and 

prepared you a place, I shall return to take 

you with me; so that where I am you may 

be too (Jn 14:2-3). And it doesn’t really 

matter that, like St John said, what we are 

to be in the future has not yet been 

revealed because all we know is, that when 

it is revealed we shall be like him because 

we shall see him as he really is (1 Jn 3:2). 

In the words of a famous singer: Death is as a life lived 

(Edyta Geppert). Looking at the few last months and 

especially days of Maisie’s life, when she was slowly passing 

away, all of us may wish for ourselves such a peaceful and 

quiet death. And through the prism of her happy death we 

may look on her long life one not without sadness and 

difficulties but peaceful and happy and greatly loved. That’s 

why we are full of hope that now she’s sharing the promise of 

the resurrection. 

Finally, I would like to share this last reflection with you. 

The last couple of months when it was extremely difficult for 

Maisie to say anything, she had her own language of 

communication: she was smiling. Very often it was like 

sunshine piercing the clouds of heaven. 

Maisie, we know that you are passing on, but like the 

Roman poet said: non omnis moriar – you do not all die 

(Horace). Your faith and smile is something you are leaving us. 

Amen. 

Bishop they became friends and the Bishop 

arranged for him to study in the Library at 

Allington Castle. He loved his career and he 

excelled at it and he was very respected by his 

colleagues. 

Dad lived life to the full and was always 

involved in Village life. When Dad retired he 

became the Booking Clerk for the Community 

Hall which he loved and he also joined the Capel 

Morris Club committee enjoying the banter of 

Club life. Dad was also very proud to be a 

Legion member, he was on the Service 

Committee and he enjoyed attending the Parades where he 

would wear all his medals 

Dad started the over 55’s Short Mat Bowling Group, 

spelling was never a strong point of his and he sent out 300 

letters inviting people to join the Bowels Club. He was a life 

long member and he was still playing every Tuesday afternoon. 

He loved the laughter and friendship of the Bowlers. He loved 

Aylesara enjoying the meetings, day trips and holidays. 

Dad loved the simple things in life, his garden especially 

the roses and wildlife and his beloved green car, which 

customs had called “The Pea” because he and his friends were 

always going on daytrips to France they thought they were 

smugglers. Dad would often pop into Sainsburys and once he 

was asked if he was a Store Detective because he was always 

in there talking to the staff. 

Dad made a lot of life long friends, he loved chatting to 

people and he had a good sense of humour seeing the funny 

side of most situations. He was a great planner even asking 

some years back Phil to be the Standard Bearer at his funeral. 

Dad was a very proud, kind and sincere man. He will be 

deeply missed by his family and everyone who knew him. 

many years as Matron, retiring in 1980 after 

a long and dedicated service. 

Bridget also had a great passion for St. 

Francis’ Church where she was always found 

lending a hand after Sunday Mass, helping 

with pouring the coffees. Some of you may 

recall her on the Tombola stall at the Mini 

Market Fairs. 

Bridget spent her retirement living in 

Vinters Park, Maidstone. She was a regular 

Mass goer at St. Francis’ and lived a quiet 

and peaceful life. She was a generous and 

kind hearted woman and will be missed by all who knew her. 

Bridget Considine’s funeral took place on Friday 2nd 

March 2012. Her family would like to thank everyone for their 

kindness, messages of sympathy and attendance at the service.

TwoGoldenWeddings 

Two couples from our parish recently celebrated 50 years of marriage, Len & Viv Watson and Peter & Margaret Ruddy. 

Both couples renewed their wedding vows in St Francis’ Church where they were married fifty years ago. 

Len and Vivienne Watson 

January 20th 1962-2012 

By their friend Mary Brittain (nee Dominey) 

Many congratulations to 

you both, lovely to be 

included in the 

celebrations, the renewal of your 

wedding vows on Sunday 15th 

January in St. Francis’ Church, with 

drinks and refreshments in the Parish 

Hall after Mass and also the lovely 

meal the following Sunday, 22nd 

January, at the Hilton Hotel. 

I first met Len around 1957 at 

St. Francis’ Youth Club, which met 

in the Church Hall. The Club was for 

the older teens and the twenties of 

the parish. Len was brought to the 

Viv & Len with their children and grandchildren after renewal of their vows Just married! 

Youth Club by Aubrey Twynham, 

had marked out Len as the one for her at quite a reception in 

Vivienne’s eldest brother, (at this time Vivienne young age. Later Vivienne joined the Youth the Parish Hall. I was invited because, a the time, 

was too young to join!). Pat, Aubrey’s brother Club, so you could say a bit of courting went on I was the girlfriend of Viv’s brother, Aubrey, 

also came to the Club, so Len knew the in the Parish Hall. Len and Viv became boyfriend Len’s Best Man. I feel very privileged to have 

Twynham family very well. 

and girlfriend - the rest is history 

known Vivienne and Len at the beginning of 

At first Len thought of Vivienne as only his Their wedding took place in St. Francis’ their romance and to have been included in their 

best friend’s young sister, although I think Viv Church on January 20th 1962, followed by a Golden Wedding celebrations. 

Just married! 

Peter and Margaret Ruddy 

January 20th 1962-2012 

Peter and Margaret Ruddy 

were married on Saturday 

2nd of June 1962 at St. 

Francis’ Church, Maidstone, on, as 

they recall, “ a cloudy, dry but very 

windy day’. The wedding was 

conducted by the late Canon Joseph 

Simmons. After the nuptials, 

around 85 guests attended a 

reception at the Tovil Club, near 

Maidstone. Margaret and Peter’s 

honeymoon was spent in 

Bournemouth. 

On 16th June this year, 

Margaret and Peter celebrated their 

fiftieth Wedding Anniversary with 

other couples at a Mass in 

Celebration of the Sacrament of 

Marriage at St. George’s Cathedral, 

Southwark. 

How Bad are Bananas? 

Part of an article by Ruth Jarman for Christian Ecology (contributed by Joanna Frazer) 

We all want to live in a way that is kind to the world but 

are you sometimes confused about the best way to do 

that? I bought the book How Bad are Bananas? The 

Carbon Footprint of Everything by Mike Berners-Lee for my husband 

recently and we have been fascinated by the book’s entertaining 

prose and surprising conclusions. 

Firstly, how bad are bananas? I must say, although we consume 

a lot of them in our household, I have always done so with a slightly 

guilty conscience despite their Fairtrade label. They are hardly local 

produce! Mike Berners-Lee, however, thinks that, at only 80g CO2 e 

(carbon dioxide equivalent - a measure of how climate damaging 

something is) per banana, they are brilliant! The reasons are several. 

They are grown in natural sunlight, are transported by ship (which is 

about 1 per cent as bad as by plane) and they are grown prepackaged! 

And of course they are also highly nutritious, with any 

over-ripe fruit in our household ending its days in a cake and never 

in the compost. 

Whereas a banana’s footprint is pretty-much the same year 

round, this is not so for seasonal fruit. An apple varies from 10g CO2 

e for one grown locally in autumn/winter to 150g CO2 e shipped and 

stored. More, but still a low-carbon food. A punnet of strawberries, 

however, produces 150g CO2 e grown in season, but rises to more 

than 10 times that if bought out-of-season, whether flown in or 

Peter and Margaret, with Bishop Paul Hendricks, after the ceremony 

grown locally in a hothouse. The answer? Make the most of seasonal 

berries now, and when the season is over enjoy apples, pears and 

bananas until next summer. 

How Bad are Bananas? gives tomatoes a grilling. Ordinary 

cheap and cheerful tomatoes bought now are really low-carbon 

(400g CO2 e per kg), but out-of-season, organic tomatoes 

hothoused in the UK can be as bad as 50 kg CO2 e per kg. Again, 

the answer is to relish our local, seasonal tomatoes now! Our family 

have got into the habit of simply not buying fresh tomatoes out of 

summertime, preferring chutneys and coleslaw. 

God has given us a bounteous Earth to enjoy while serving Him. 

Each of us can enjoy all the food and drink and their amazing 

support systems that we need. But when we over-consume, as in 

indulging in climate damaging imported food, we harm and can even 

destroy the Earth upon which we depend. 

And for those spotty bananas: 

Low-Fat Chocolate Banana Cake 

Whisk 1 egg with 75ml oil and 2 bananas. Add 50g oats, 40g melted 

chocolate, 150g flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, ? tsp baking soda, ? tsp 

bicarbonate of soda, 1 tsp vanilla, 125g sugar and a bit of milk until 

it’s cake-mix consistency. Put into greased cake tin and decorate with 

a sliced third banana. 

Bake at 180 º C for 40 mins. 

R.I.P 

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old 

friend Common Sense, who has been with us for 

many years. No one knows for sure how old he was 

since his birth records were long ago lost in 

bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as 

having cultivated such valuable lessons as: 

• Knowing when to come in out of the rain 

• Why the early bird gets the worm 

• Life is not always fair 

• And maybe it was my fault. 

Common Sense lived by simple, sound 

financial policies (do not spend more than you can 

earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are 

in charge). 

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when 

well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set 

in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with 

sexual harassment for kissing a classmate, teens 

suspended from school for using mouthwash after 

lunch and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly 

student, only worsened his condition. 

Common Sense lost ground when parents 

attacked teachers for doing the job that they 

themselves had failed to do in disciplining their 

unruly children. It declined even further when schools 

were required to get parental consent to administer 

sun lotion or an aspirin to a student but could not 

inform parents when a student became pregnant and 

wanted to have an abortion. 

Common Sense lost the will to live as the 

churches became businesses and criminals received 

better treatment than their victims did. 

Common Sense took a beating when you 

could not defend yourself from a burglar in your own 

home and the burglar could sue you for assault. 

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live 

after a woman failed to realise that a steaming cup 

of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap in a 

cafe and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. 

Common Sense was preceded in death by his 

parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by 

his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason. 

His four stepbrothers survive him, I Know My 

Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame and 

I am a Victim. 

Not many attended his funeral because so few 

realised he was gone. 

A single man decided life would be more 

fun if he had a pet. So he went to the pet 

shop and told the owner that he wanted 

to buy an unusual pet. After some 

discussion, he finally bought a centipede 

which came in a little white box to use 

for his house. He took the box back 

home and found a good location for it. 

He decided he would start off by taking 

his new pet to church with him. So he 

asked the centipede in the box, “Would 

you like to go to church with me today, 

to pray and worship the Lord?” But there 

was no answer from his new pet. This 

bothered him a bit, but he waited a few 

minutes and then asked him again, “How 

about going to church with me to 

receive blessings.” But again, there was 

no answer from his new friend and pet. 

So he waited a few minutes more, 

thinking about the situation. He decided 

to ask him one more time; this time 

putting his face up against the 

centipede’s house and shouting, “Hey, in 

there! Would you like to go to church 

with me. We will have a good time!” A 

little voice came out of the box: “ OK, 

OK, I heard you the first time! I’m 

putting on my shoes.” 

The Dew Association Report 

The Dew Association thanks parishioners for their generosity in supporting those in Africa, 

India and the Philippines whose circumstances are less fortunate than our own. Also, 

thanks to St. Francis’ Choir for its contribution and those people who give through their 

monthly Bank Direct Debit system. Contributions have again increased in the last year, 

details of which are set out below. Also, thanks to Canon John for allocating the collection 

dates. 

Payments from February 1978 to February 2011 £98,295.00 

Project Payments for 2011/11 

Mar 11 India, Children’s Education Mission, (Lucy Guest) £610.00 

April 11 Philippines, Leper Colony, (Bro. Bantilan) £715.00 

May 11 Philippines, Orphan Children, (Sr. Nicanora) £750.00 

June 11 India, Mumbai, Help the Sick and Homeless, (Sr. Christobel) £610.00 

July 11 Zimbabwe, (Fr. Tim Peacock) £666.00 

Aug 11 Mozambique, Nampula, Irmas Carmelites, (Sr. Anton) £575.00 

Sept 11 Zambia, Orphan Children, Kiltegan Missions, (Fr. Martin Mulholland) £673.00 

Oct 11 Ghana, The New Neville Preparatory School Trust, (Neville Maggs) £673.00 

Nov 11 Nigeria, Sisters of the Holy Rosary, (Sr. Josephine) £703.00 

Dec 11 Eritrea, Comboni Fathers, (Fr. Paul Felix) £635.00 

Jan 12 Ghana, Children’s Education, (Fr. Peter Adu) £638.00 

Feb 12 Ghana, Mentally Handicapped Children, (Rev.Joe Bennett) £653.00 

Total £7,901.00 

Grand Total £106,196.00 

5

Blessed Pierre Toussaint 

Words and Ilustration by Charlotte Cassidy, Artist 

Blessed Pierre Toussaint was born a black slave on June 27th 

1766 on a sugar plantation owned by wealthy Jean Berard 

and his wife, in the French colony of St. Dominique (now 

known as Haiti). Years earlier, Pierre’s enslaved parents had been 

transported from Africa to Haiti and were devout Catholics. They 

taught their children to always love God throughout their lives. 

As a young boy Pierre was educated by the Berard children’s 

tutors. He was also spared the gruelling manual work in the 

plantation fields with the other slaves and instead given lighter tasks 

as a domestic slave in the Berard mansion. 

In 1787, when the Haitian people began a rebellion against 

slavery, Jean Berard, concerned for his family’s safety amid the 

increasing unrest, decided to send his children to relatives in France 

and his wife to America. Pierre, now aged twenty-one, accompanied 

Madame Berard on the voyage to New York along with his younger 

sister, Rosalie, and three other slaves loyal to the Berards. 

In a letter to Madame Bernard her husband directed that Pierre, 

although still a slave, should have a profession in New York City. 

Pierre was then apprenticed to a renowned hairdresser. While 

learning his profession Pierre also attended Mass each morning at 

the parish church of St. Peter’s on Barclay Street, New York, where 

he would spend some time praying before the Blessed Sacrament. 

Eventually, Pierre became one of New York’s leading hair 

stylists to rich socialite women and he was making a great deal of 

money. His piety, integrity and gentle disposition led his clientele to 

confide their problems to his and to seek his advice. Often, he would 

give them spiritual guidance and console them with the beatitudes 

and the wisdom of Jesus. He would also encourage them to pray and 

trust in the Divine Providence of God. 

Pierre would never disclose to anyone the confidences his 

clients told him. When people would try to prise from him some 

scandalous gossip about society women, Pierre would reply, 

“Toussaint dresses hair, he’s no news journal.” 

Pierre became engaged to a young local, slave girl named Juliette. He purchased her freedom 

and also the freedom of his sister, Rosalie. 

At the same time of Pierre’s engagement, Madame Berard received a letter from Haiti 

containing devastating news. Her husband, John, had died unexpectedly from pleurisy at the family 

mansion in Haiti. In the intensifying slave rebellion the sugar plantation had been completely 

destroyed. Madame Berard also learned that she had lost the entire fortune her husband had invested 

over the years for her provision. Now widowed and facing a future of extreme poverty in New York 

City, she became deeply depressed. 

Saddened by the news of his master’s death and concerned for Madame Berard, Pierre 

immediately postponed his wedding to Juliette. Although he now had enough personal wealth to 

have purchased his own freedom from slavery, he decided to voluntarily remain a slave to care for 

Madame Berard. He did not want her burdened by daily domestic decisions and took complete 

charge of running Madame Berard’s household. He bought weekly groceries and paid all the 

household expenses. 

To preserve Madame Berard’s high social status in New York’s wealthy circles, Pierre 

organised and paid for lavish parties for her. He also dressed as her butler and served her affluent 

guests. When his sister, Rosalie, disapproved, asking Pierre how he could financially support 

Madame Berard while still her slave Pierre replied, I’ve never felt enslaved by her. She’s a lonely 

woman who needs compassion.” 

Although he became extremely wealthy from hair dressing, Pierre unfortunately suffered 

immense discrimination in his life. He was not allowed to ride in a carriage or dine in most New 

York restaurants and he was once barred by an usher fron entering a church because of his race. 

Pierre endured all this appalling bigotry with great dignity. Some years later Madame Berard 

remarried and Pierre continued to financially support her throughout her marriage. In the Spring of 

1807 she was diagnosed with tuberculosis and confined to bed. Three months later, a few hours 

before she died, Madame Berard finally gave Pierre his freedom. Pierre thanked God for giving her 

the courage to free him and that he was able to prevent her from ever 

knowing the deprivation of poverty. 

Free at last from slavery at the age of forty-one, Pierre married his 

long time fiancée Juliette. He now wanted to share his wealth with the 

poor people of New York and embarked on many charitable works. 

Pierre and his wife opened their home to care for orphaned children 

and as a guesthouse for destitute people and priests visiting the city. 

Pierre provided food and shelter for New York’s poor people of every 

nationality. He opened a school to educate and teach African-American 

boys a trade. He gave financial assistance to the Oblate Sisters of 

Providence. He ran a credit bureau from his home and helped refugees 

find employment. Pierre also raised funds to restore a large Catholic 

church in New York, now known as St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral. When 

an epidemic of yellow fever spread throughout the city, Pierre, without 

regard to the risk to his own health, personally attended to many sick 

and dying impoverished people of New York. 

When friends complained to Pierre, saying that he always put 

other people before himself as though he was still a slave, he answered, 

“ I’ve never felt a slave to any man or woman. I am a servant of 

Almighty God who made us all. When one of his children is in need, 

I am glad to be His slave!” 

Pierre was loved by the poor people of New York and called a 

saint in his lifetime. Although Pierre and his wife had no children of 

their own, when his sister Rosalie died, the couple adopted Rosalie’s 

infant daughter, Euphemia. Sadly, she would also die at the age of 

fourteen from tuberculosis. 

Even in his advanced years, Pierre continued his profession of 

hairdresser so that he could continue to help the poor people of New 

York. When a friend urged him to retire and enjoy his wealth, Pierre 

replied, “I have enough money for myself, but if I stop working I won’t 

have enough for others.” 

For forty-six years Pierre had regularly attended morning Mass at 

St. Peter’s church on Barclay Street, the same church where Mother 

Elizabeth Seaton worshipped. Later canonised for her charitable work caring for the poor, Pierre 

gave substantial financial assistance to Mother Seaton and her Sisters, helping to establish one of 

the first orphanages in New York. Pierre’s wife, Juliette, died in 1851 and two years later, at the age 

of eighty-seven, Pierre died on June 30th 1853. His last words were, “God is with me.” When asked 

by a priest if he wanted anything he responded, “No, nothing on earth.” 

Hundreds of mourners, rich and poor of every race, attended his funeral in St. Peter’s Church. 

In his eulogy, the officiating pastor praised Pierre’s kindness, love of God and zeal for his faith, 

reminding the mourners, “Many present would feel they had lost one who always had wise counsel 

for the rich, words of encouragement for the poor and all would be grateful for having known him.” 

Pierre was buried in a cemetery in lower Manhattan. For almost a century after his death 

Pierre’s grave remained abandoned and forgotten, until 1941 when a young Catholic priest, 

regarding this a great injustice to the memory of a former slave and generous benefactor, discovered 

his abandoned grave by chance. Pierre’s body was then transferred in October 1995 from the 

cemetery in lower Manhattan and interred in St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue, New York. 

Shortly afterwards in 1995, during an apostolic visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Blessed Pope 

John Paul II gave, with esteem, this profoundly poignant tribute to Pierre Toussaint. “Beneath the 

high altar of this Cathedral, there is buried the Servant of God, Pierre Toussaint, a married man and 

at one time a slave from Haiti. What is so extraordinary about this man? He radiated a most serene 

and joyful faith, nourished daily by the Eucharist and visits to the Blessed Sacrament. In the face of 

constant, painful discrimination he understood, as few have understood, the meaning of the words, 

“Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.” 

Blessed Pope John Paul II beatified Pierre Toussaint on March 22nd 1998. Many faithful 

worldwide continue to urge the Vatican for the imminent canonisation of Blessed Pierre Toussaint, 

who many consider confounded the world by his kindness and generosity in voluntarily remaining 

a slave to care for and financially support the widow who had enslaved him. 

Well done, girls! 

By Peter Hipkiss, teacher and team manager 

OOn Saturday 19th May the St Francis’ Catholic 

Primary School girls’ football team finally took their 

place in the long-awaited National Schools Football 

Finals run by the English Schools Football Association. This 

moment was the final stop on a long journey that had seen 

them conquer all the teams in their path. 

Back in October, the girls won the Maidstone district 7-aside 

under 11s school football tournament for the third year 

running. This then lead them on to the Kent finals in Dover. 

Once again they emerged victorious, this time without 

conceding a single goal in the whole tournament, and in doing 

so booked their place in the London and Southern Counties 

tournament at Greenwich. Taking part in this round was a step 

further than their previous attempts and the girls were 

incredibly excited yet harboured apprehensions about the step 

up in the standard of opposition they would face. Yet it turned 

out that, despite a shaky start in the competition, the girls had 

no need to be fearful as they finally got into their stride in the 

group stage and eventually ran out 2-0 winners in extra time in 

the final against Lambourne Primary School from Essex. This 

amazing run of results, with the girls only losing one game in 

all competitions, led them to take their place representing 

London and the South East in the National Finals at Watford 

Academy. 

St Francis’ School supporters –parents, staff and friends – 

filled a whole coach to enthusiastically support and cheer the 

girls onduring the Watford tournament and it paid dividends as 

St Francis’ Girls’ Football Team 2011-2012 

the girls put in some rousing team performances with captain 

Freya Bailes rattling the wood work in one match and scoring 

with an audacious Beckhamesque goal from well inside her 

own half in another. However, it was not all plain sailing for 

the girls as the standard of opposition was incredibly high, as 

would be expected at a National Final. At the end of a very 

difficult round of group matches, in which the girls were once 

again undefeated, the St Francis girls managed to progress into 

the semi-finals. 

The semi-finals saw the girls play some of their best 

football with some resolute defending and fluid attacking 

play. Eventually, they emerged 2-0 victors against Orchard 

Junior School from Southampton who had previously been 

unbeaten all season. 

In the final the girls played against Broadstone Middle 

School from Poole in Dorset, who they had previously drawn 

with in a hard-fought 0-0 draw in the first round of the group 

games. However, it was not to provide the icing on the cake 

for the girls as Broadstone eventually halted the St Francis’ 

winning run to claim victory. This did not spoil the day for the 

girls, however, as the magnitude of their achievement and the 

unerring support of the school buoyed their spirits and they 

took great satisfaction in being able to claim that they were 

now one of the top two under 11 girls’ football teams in the 

country. 

The Earth is degenerating these days. 

Bribery and corruption abound, children no 

longer mind their parents, every man 

wants to write a book and it is evident that 

the end of the world is fast approaching. 

- Assyrian Tablet c.2,800 BC 

6

Why choose St. Simon Stock Catholic School 

rather than a State Grammar School? 

Ibelieve that the Catholic community in Maidstone and 

Malling needs and desires a true Catholic 

Comprehensive School which aims to develop the 

potential ability of all students from Oxbridge level to those 

with Additional Educational Needs.To become a Catholic 

High School is not an option. However, with a number of 

Catholic parents choosing to select Grammar School places 

rather than support their Catholic Comprehensive School 

in the past few years, I have concerns that the true 

Comprehensiveness is being diluted. 

Academic Success 

In 2009, the School had two students who gained 

Oxbridge places. Since I arrived in 2010, four students have 

gained Oxbridge places in Maths, Physics [2] and Biology. 

Several students have gained places at the Russell Group of 

Universities e.g. the Universities of Warwick, Manchester, 

Bristol, and good universities such as East Anglia, etc. 

These students could have gained places at State Grammar 

Schools; others weren’t to the standard of a Grammar 

School place and have been nurtured at the Catholic 

School towards the leading Universities. 

Some of those Catholic parents selecting Grammar 

Schools for their child are ignoring excellent examination 

results. In 2009, St. Simon Stock Catholic School achieved 

better results than three of the Grammar Schools at 

Advanced Level. In the mid-2000s, the School was 

achieving 59%-62% of students gaining 5+ ‘good’ 

G.C.S.E. grades. Since 2009, the results have read 71%, 

86%, 84% which is an increase of more than 20% in 3 

years. The recent Government Raiseonline document 

shows the School to be very good-outstanding on a 

number of academic areas including the English 

Baccalaureate. If your child is academically able, they 

should and do succeed in attaining the grades for the 

highest Universities open to them. As the former Head of 

the highest achieving non selective School in Wiltshire, our 

2011 G.C.S.E. results at St. Simon Stock would have placed 

us 2nd in the Wiltshire non-selective League tables. As the 

highest achieving non-selective School in Wiltshire only 

one student gained an Oxbridge place compared to the 6 

places offered to St. Simon Stock between 2009-12. One 

of our Staff recently was awarded Teacher of the Year by 

the Kent Messenger awards. 

Sporting Achievements 

This year we have two students who have represented 

England at under-20 level for athletics and women’s 

football respectively. Our equestrian team beat leading 

Independent Schools and Schools with equestrian centres 

at Hickstead during the year with Katie McParland of Year 

Brendan J. Wall Headteacher 

10 winning many competitions. The Year 8 team won the 

Regional Final of a national football competition before 

losing in the semi-finals [a victory would have meant 

playing at Wembley Stadium]. Representative honours for 

sports at local and County level are common amongst the 

best students. Our P.E. Staff were voted ‘Maidstone P.E. 

Department of the Year’ for 2010 and 2011. If you are 

able, you can reach the highest level in your sport by 

attending our School. 

Pastoral Care 

Government and Diocesan Inspectors have praised the 

pastoral care of the School as outstanding. We were 

selected as one of only 2 secondary schools in Kent to be 

Lead Behaviour schools supporting other schools with their 

behaviour and only one of 20 schools nationally. In 2007, 

the OFSTED team had concerns about the welfare of the 

vulnerable pupil in the School but in the 2010 inspection 

OFSTED felt the improvement was outstanding. We see 

ourselves as fulfilling the Christian message of the Good 

Shepherd in the care given to students. Recently I was a 

member of our School party trip to Austria and Germany 

and the behaviour of our students was excellent. Our 

children are known and loved by us. They are not simply an 

academic child to gain qualifications. Our aim is to develop 

the whole person and many students including 6th form 

students can testify to the support shown to them. 

Facilities 

Since 2010, we have received £450,000 from the Diocese 

to improve the roofs and windows of the site and another 

£200,000 from Kent L.A. for roofs. The health and safety 

of the School has been much improved. The Sports Hall 

and the 6th form facilities are impressive. In September 

2012, the Governors have agreed to an ambitious two year 

programme that will provide 

• A new entrance and reception area for parents and 

visitors; 

• A new student entrance; 

• An auditorium for the main Hall which includes a lecture 

theatre facility; 

• New Food Technology rooms; 

• New area for Music; 

• Improved study facilities for the 6th form. 

Spiritual Life 

What does it profit a man to gain 5+ ‘good’ G.C.S.E.s/3 A 

levels and lose his soul? 

We offer a Catholic Christian education which views 

the whole person as a unique child of God. We try to 

provide opportunities for Christian growth which non-faith 

State Grammar Schools do not provide-where are the 

explicitly Christian assemblies, the prayers during the 

school day, the retreats, the voluntary Friday mass, the 

catering which ensures fish is served on Friday to meet the 

Church’s recommendation, the celebration of the Eucharist 

with 1,000 other students? At St. Simon Stock Catholic 

School, they have opportunities to seek the face of Christ 

and meet him in prayer and learn religious education as 

agreed by the Catholic Church. The usual claim is that we 

can teach them the faith at home. In more than 30 years 

of Catholic education, very few are able to meet the 

content of a Catholic School where 10% of the curriculum 

is devoted to religious education [with spiritual 

development as part of other lessons and as part of the 

extra-curricular on offer]. This term our pupils have had 

retreats, represented the School at Southwark Diocesan 

Youth events and links with Catholic Schools belonging to 

the Carmelite and De La Salle religious orders. 

The key aspect of catholic education is the journey 

from pre-school playgroup to leaving School at 18 years as 

an educated Catholic student ready to share our Christian 

beliefs and values and be able to combat atheistic, 

humanistic and agnostic views in University life. Parents 

who decide not to send their child to the Catholic School 

weaken the all age vision of Catholic education offered by 

the Church. It can lead to a spiral of reducing the 

comprehensive nature of our schools. 

In short, St. Simon Stock Catholic School was a good 

school with outstanding features on my appointment in 

September 2010 following a successful OFSTED inspection 

and remains so as we move towards becoming an 

outstanding Catholic School. We have different things to 

offer compared to the Grammar Schools but we need all of 

our Catholic parents with children of all abilities to support 

our Catholic School. The success of St. Simon Stock as a 

beacon amongst the apartheid of Grammar and High 

Schools has occurred because the highest ability have 

helped those of lesser ability to succeed who in turn have 

taught the more able about aspects of academic life such 

as resilience, overcoming obstacles to learning, developing 

at a different rate. Those of middle ability when they 

started the School have matured and grown to become 

top set students as they progressed through the School. 

I am genuinely astonished that Catholic parents choose 

to go to the Grammar Schools at a time when St. Simon 

Stock Catholic School has the best academic results in its 

history; outstanding pastoral care for individuals; an 

outstanding opportunity for Catholic Christian spirituality 

and improving facilities. Above all, our students are happy 

and successful. 

Born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire to Irish parents [Father came from Waterford, Mother from Mayo] Brendan Wall is the eldest of three boys [one brother lives in 

Dublin and the other brother in Spain]. Married, Brendan has three grown-up children-the eldest girl is a lawyer in the City of London, the boy works with a Church 

of England parish in London and the youngest girl is studying Theology at King’s College, London. 

Educated at De La Salle in Sheffield and Kintbury in Berkshire, at aged 13 years he left home and trained to become a De La Salle Brother taking temporary 

promises until he left the Brothers in his mid-20s. Following a degree in Religious Studies in 1980, Brendan joined the teaching staff at a De La Salle school and two 

years later became Head of R.E. at an independent school for girls in Reading. T wo years later, he became the Head of R.E. at one of the largest Catholic 

C omprehensive schools in Kirkby, a poor area outside Liverpool, for five years. In 1989 Brendan became Deputy Head [for 10 years] and later Head [for 10 years] of 

the highest achieving non-selective school in Wiltshire. During his time as Head, he became interim Director of Clifton Catholic Schools and Colleges; Chair of Wiltshire 

Headteachers Secondary and Special Schools; gained six ‘outstanding’ grades for Leadership and Management by Catholic and State inspectors between 2001-2010; 

became a National Leader for Education. 

Archbishop comes to St Francis’ School 

On Wednesday, 2nd May 2012, Archbishop Peter visited St Francis Primary 

School, Maidstone, to bless the new 

extension to the school buildings. 

Archbishop Peter with Mr David Bray 

(Headteacher), Mrs Angela Black 

(Chair of Governors) and Canon John 

Clark (Vice Chair) 

The Archbishop chatting to some of the children 

The Catenian Association was founded 

in Manchester in 1908. It is a 

brotherhood of over 10,000 

practising Catholic men. The Catholic faith 

and the family are the bedrocks of the 

Association. There are Catenian Circles in 

Africa, Australia, Ireland, India and the UK. 

Maidstone Circle was founded in 1948. 

A core aim is to advance the interests of 

young Catholics and assist them in their 

choice or pursuit of their career. The Catenian 

Bursary Fund helps young Catholics between 

16 and 25 to take part in a community-based 

project at home or abroad, which has a clear 

benefit for others as well as widening the life 

experience of the participant. 

The Catenian Association gives an 

opportunity to: 

• Meet socially with other Catholic men 

with similar values 

• Become part of a close, yet 

international, community offering lifelong 

support and friendship to members and their 

families 

• Enjoy interesting and varied social 

events for families 

• Provide collective support for the 

church and clergy 

• Receive spiritual and practical 

support in times of difficulty 

Maidstone Circle has 35 members and 

meets monthly. It has a wide range of social 

events for Brothers and families. Parishioners 

of Catholic Churches in Maidstone, Bearsted 

and West Malling are most welcome to come 

along to our events. There is no obligation to 

join the association. 

The St. Francis Church web site 

www.stfrancisparish.org.uk has all the 

information about the Catenians and who to 

contact about the Bursary Fund, our social 

events and joining the Catenians. 

7

Forty one days after leaving Canterbury I am in 

Switzerland and walking with Jan, the Dutchman, 

towards Orbe. It is a lovely walk towards the 

Alps. 

The first hotel experiences in 

Switzerland were bad. In Sainte-Croix 

my bedroom was noisy and the window 

was broken, and now in Orbe the 

customer relations left much to be 

desired. Both places were of course 

quite expensive. 

Near Rances we saw a lady 

waving from the other side of a field. 

When we realized that she was waving 

to us we came to a halt. She crossed 

the field towards us and invited us to 

join her and her husband for coffee and 

chocolates. She had noticed our 

backpacks which reminded her of the 

marvellous experience she had walking 

to Santiago de Compostella a few years 

ago. Jan and I were able to relate our 

stories of that pilgrimage. 

The route skirts Lausanne, then 

onto Villeneuve and St. Maurice, where 

we stayed in the Abbey and met a Swiss 

journalist called Phillipe. He was 

stunned to here about our bad 

experiences and was apologetic. I think 

he thought we were two grumpy old 

men. Over the next few days we met up with Phillipe 

and he promised us a mention in the article for his 

newspaper ‘24 heures’. 

On through Martigny and Orsieres to Bourg-Saint- 

Pierre. The route was a challenging steady climb with 

narrow pathways and steep cliffs compensated by 

dramatic scenery. It was a very difficult climb in very 

hot weather to the summit of the Great St. Bernard Pass 

(8114 feet), where there was still some snow. 

We stayed in the Hospice founded by St. Bernard 

of Aosta in 1050. It has never closed and today still 

offers hospitality to travellers. It is now run by priests 

active in the surrounding community plus lay 

volunteers. We were able to attend Mass and the 

monastic offices on Saturday and Sunday and rest our 

stiff legs. Tomorrow the descent into Italy. 

It was hot in the morning walking down on stony 

paths through the Italian Alps, then nice and cool in a 

wood to Gignod. We were given a very warm and 

friendly pilgrim welcome by Pierre, the proprietor of the 

Hotel Belle Vue. 

The hot weather continued as we descended to 

Aosta the regional capital. Next day I decided to leave 

at 6am to avoid the heat. Jan would catch up later. Ten 

minutes after leaving it rained heavily and I got drowned 

walking to Nus. 

Next Pont Saint-Martin and onto Ivrea. The 

Cathedral here has the tomb of Blessed Thaddeus 

McCarthy who left Ireland for Rome in the 14th 

century. Did he make it? 

I was now very worried about the stitching tearing 

in the straps of my backpack. Through Alice Castello, 

Santhia and Vercelli to Robbio, I had been asking shoe 

repairers, to no avail, if they would mend it for me. 

In Mortara the cobbler was not interested in doing 

a repair. I passed an upholstery shop which was 

closed. There was a long notice on the door which I 

1st Holy Communion 

3rd, 10th, 17th and 

24th June 2012 

Rachel Anderson 

Oivia Best 

Imogen Armstrong 

Stephanie Bish 

Joseph Baker 

Charlotte Bitz 

Ellie Cratchley 

William Bitz 

Shannon Cratchley 

Katie Cardwell 

Ellie Fannon 

Connor Connerty 

Jesse Fuller 

Magdalena Cook 

James Godden 

Mia Cotton 

Katherine Gore 

Alexander Crotty 

Jakub Karnas 

Anyah Egan 

Gabriel Machado Silva 

Yousif Egan 

Jon Manuel 

Evelyn Fuller 

Erin MillKristyna Ghailani 

Darryl Nguesseu 

David Ghailani 

Kevina Oniscenko 

Lucy Gibson 

Thomas rogers 

Caoimhe Haran 

Stephanie Smyth 

Grace Harper 

Emily Stanley 

Khiara Hewetson 

George Welfare 

Eleanor Hill 

Joseph Zokra 

Kona Horton 

Henry Kelly 

Harry Kenny 

Kieran martins 

Thomas Muller 

Kai Peiris 

Thomas Raines 

Hannah Rae Salvaleon 

Thomas Stevens 

Samuel Tuckwell 

Nathalie Kym Valete 

Oliver Watts 

Nicole Whiting 

Kacper Dziedzic 

Designed and produced by Denis & Rosemary Neale 

My path to Rome 

(Part 2) 

by Patrick Horgan 

Pilgrims’ end, St Peter”s, Rome - Patrick is second from left. 

could not translate. I was becoming desperate. If my 

backpack gave way I was sunk. I had not seen an 

outdoor equipment shop anywhere on the route. 

I went into a church and lit a candle and said a 

prayer near a statue of a smiling Padre Pio. Later I went 

back to the upholstery shop which was open. Two men 

were talking amidst chairs, materials and tools in a very 

untidy shop. I explained the problem and the men 

discussed in Italian, then one left. Marco, the 

upholsterer, examined the backpack and tried to 

manoeuvre it into a suitable position for stitching. The 

size of the bag made this very difficult. He sat me down 

and gave me a bottle of iced water to drink. 

While Marco was working I noticed pictures of the 

smiling Padre Pio on most of the walls in the shop. 

Marco worked for an hour, experimenting how he could 

carry out a repair. He eventually succeeded in repairing 

the bag. What a relief! We spoke through a translation 

on his computer. He would take no money for his work, 

and spoke of altruism and my journey. A miracle? 

After Mortara came Garlasco, Pavia and Santa 

Christina, where we received a wonderful reception. 

The parish offers hospitality to pilgrims and has an 

active youth club. We attended Mass, had dinner then 

sat talking to the Priest and parishioners. 

Next day to Orio Litta and prepare to cross the 

River Po by boat. Danilo the ferryman is based on the 

other side of the river and must be telephoned to bring 

his little boat over. 

On the morning of the 25th July (my wife 

Dorothy’s birthday) Danilo was late and arrived in a very 

dilapidated boat that just about took Jan, a young Italian 

couple and myself. He told us that the motor had been 

stolen from his usual boat. 

When we reached the other side Danilo offered us 

drinks, and showed us the records he kept of who had 

crossed, their countries of origin, etc. He was an expert 

on the history of Via Francigena. That night we stayed 

Aleksandra Firlej 

Kacper Krzykowski 

Olaf Ryznar 

Igor Zo 

Mia Mudge Walker 

Samuel Rogers 

Ella Protizane 

1st Communion in 

India 

Jenet Benny 

Deliz Dony 

Derik Dony 

Sabe Santhosh 

1st Communion In 

Poland 

Pawel Kosowski 

Wiktoria Rudzki 

Mateusz Sidor 

In Poland at Easter 

Reece Eldergill 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the 

Lord make His face shine upon you 

and be gracious unto you; the Lord 

lift His countenance upon you and 

give you peace. 

Numbers 6:22-27 

Easter People 2012 

Emma and Cary Bitz and their 

children Charlotte and William 

Hazel and Luke Anderson and 

their children Rachel, Lucy and 

Alex 

Jenna Hunter 

Stacy Rright 

Gail Eldergill and her son Reece 

Yvonne Menschig 

Mark Reeves 

David Ellis 

Christine Butler 

Amanda Jayne Evans 

Daniel Jeaves 

in the Basilica Sanctuario Convento St. Maria di 

Campagna in Piacenza. 

In Medesano at the excellent Oratoria Don Bosco I 

was able to use a washing machine for the first time 

since leaving home. I hasten to say that I 

had been washing my clothes by hand each 

night.! 

We were now walking through the 

territory of Parma through the beautiful 

Apennine mountains. Near Berceto we were 

sitting outside a hostel after a days walk, 

when we saw a man approaching slowly. 

When he reached us I asked if he had 

blisters. He showed us his feet, and I was 

reminded of mine two months earlier. I went 

to my room to get some of the treatments 

that I had used. It could be days before we 

reached a pharmacy. Meanwhile, Jan 

proceeded to adjust his backpack so that the 

weight was more evenly distributed. We 

later found that the man was called Albano 

and from Northern Italy. We nicknamed him 

‘Mr. Blister’, which he liked. A couple of 

days later we would meet two young Italians 

Emiliano and Stefano, who we would also 

walk with to Rome. 

Resting outside the Cathedral in the 

lovely town of Lucca where Puccini was 

born, I was pleasantly surprised to hear a 

cellist playing ‘Danny Boy’. 

We were now staying in the same accommodation 

as the Italians we had met. Albano would produce wine 

each night after dinner as a thank you to Jan and I. Jan 

did not drink wine! 

It was now early August and the further south we 

walked the higher the temperature. Through beautiful 

Tuscany to San Gimignano with its towers, 

Monteriggioni and getting lost in woods before Siena. 

That lovely city was crowded with tourists and very hot. 

The next stages took us through San Quirico d’Orcia, 

Acquapendente and to Montefiascone on the 

celebration of the Assumption of Our Lady. The town 

was open until 2am., and fireworks could be heard from 

the surrounding villages. 

Viterbo is the capital of its province and a medieval 

town. Then Sutri, La Storta and ROME. 

All along the Via Francigena I had been having my 

‘Pilgrim Passport’ stamped in order to qualify for the 

‘Testimonium’, which is a certificate of authentication, 

on production in St. Peters. Near the museum I was 

directed to the Sacristy and taken to the office of Don 

Bruno Vercese who issues the Testimonium. 

About twenty walking pilgrims(excluding the 

thousands queuing outside) arrived on 18 August 2011 

and Don Bruno took us on a private tour down the steps 

to the Clementine Chapel, where behind the altar there 

is a slab of red stone concealing the bones of St. Peter. 

We then prayed. and read a short passage from the 

bible. It was a great privilege. 

It is said that a pilgrimage is a metaphor for life. 

All the events, good and bad, the trials and the joys, 

condensed on this occasion into three months. 

Physically it took a while to recover. Mentally a little 

longer to process everything that had happened. On the 

walk I prayed for family, friends and parishioners. 

I would like to thank Dorothy for her forbearance 

and encouragement. 

CHANGE OF NAME. 

Re: the article in the last Parishioner about 

Michael Voris and RealCatholicTV. 

The name of Michael’s TV station has been 

changed to ChurchMilitant.TV (Google it) 

As he says, “New name on the dogtag, same 

battleplan for the salvation of souls.” 

Marriages 2011 

December 

William Grace & Lucy F J Coward 

James P Leach Sheehan & Katie E Jones 

2012 

February 

Tom R Woodhams & Laura T O’Kane 

April 

Vincent J D Ludden & Barbara A 

McGrath 

Jerzy Wardecki & Matgorzata Wardecka 

Simon I Waigo & Helene D Adesida 

May 

Kalunder Singh Bahia & Helen C Difford 

June 

Adam L Hornett & Danielle C Jones 

July 

Tomasz Olik & Marta M Kmiec 

Baptisms 2011 

July 

Sebastian Elliot 

Carson Edmans 

Matilda Grace Bicker 

Mia Zaykowska 

Maria Frances Harris 

Omelemo Chibanda 

Abigail Lisa Collins 

Jude Peter Lee 

Lucie Margaret Aney 

Henry Steven Payne 

August 

Michael James 

Oluwatayo 

Ojemuyiwa 

Skye Bradley Bersoza 

Lucas 

Liam Mateer 

Eden Iris Gilbert 

Cordelia Evelyn de 

Mouilpied Thompson 

Daniel Matthew Paul 

Pearson 

Matilda Meskone 

Jude Henry March 

Matilda Oatherine 

O’Shea 

Aston Joseph 

Castellani 

Danicah Mae 

Justiniano 

Ben Maurice Bayjou 

September 

Aurelia Lili 

Majewska-Aliaj 

Grace Maisie Emmott 

Alana Sophia Chell 

Kacper 

Przewiezlikowski 

Oliver George Mark 

Meston 

Matthew Joseph 

Cripps 

Xavi Anthony Nuez 

Rhaine Yzabelle Pinili 

Julia Stasiak 

October 

Lea Charlie 

Szembrowicz 

Oliver Samuel John 

Osborn 

Rukshaan Salvendira 

Shreayaa Salvendira 

Francis Imameti 

Bassey 

Reuben Peter Howard 

Finley Antony Howard 

Gabriel Piotr Kuklinski 

Anaya Faith Peiris 

Maya Natalia 

Chrzanowska 

November 

Darryl Junior 

Nguessue 

Kava Maria Aba Sosin 

Samuel James Balzan 

Wiktor Eukasiewicz 

Michelle Matylda 

Biecaszewska 

Vanessa Maria 

Leszczynska 

Samuel Peter Jack 

Rogers 

Joseph Matthew 

Samuel Rogers 

Fraser Samuel Rogers 

Jack Anthony Graham 

Hoey 

Leon Marian 

Dzikowski 

Filip Orszulak 

Zachary Gilham 

Olivia Narza-Wegrzyn 

December 

Reece Eldergill 

Madison EldergillJmia 

Eldergill 

Cameron James 

Martin 

George Benjamin 

Phillips 

Jakub Bucko 

Ethan Szydlik 

Oliver Seaton 

Mcdowell 

Jakub Narza 

Kevina Oniscenko 

daniel onyshchenka 

Filip Michal Makala 

Eryk Wiejaczka 

2012 

January 

Isabel Grace 

Kennardmalvina 

Regina Ozog 

Alan Glowa 

Julian Karnas 

Laura Boluza 

Julia Ozdoba 

February 

Chantelle Horton 

Malcolm John Horton 

Kiona Grabriella 

Horton 

Kodi Horton 

Braiden Damian 

McGuinness 

Alex Ladniak 

Jessica Grazyna Jones 

March 

Adam Oskar 

Szatkowski 

Julia Natasza 

Tejkowska 

Alexander Adam 

Gmach 

James Raner Miranda 

Louis Kacper 

Ostrowski 

Louis Joseph Slavik- 

Smith 

Samuel Peter Scott 

Anthony Widden 

Oliver Dritan Pullumbi 

Kaleb Nicholas 

Pannett 

Freya Fosher 

Emilia Louise Hawker 

April 

Max Robinson 

Robert Wila 

Luke Daniel Anderson 

Gail Teresa Eldergill 

Stacy Joy Wright 

Emma Caroline Bitz 

Cary Dale Bitz 

Jenna Gail Hunter 

Alex James Anderson 

Michalina Natalia 

Kubiak 

William Peter Muller 

Benjamin George 

Bronislaw Ward 

Adife Deborah 

Kathleen 

Jacob Michael 

Landman 

Amora Leah Knowles 

Abigail Barcik 

Wojciech Oiwier 

Ferfecki 

Maya Ewa Ignaczak 

May 

Philip Albin Sitarz 

5th may 2012 

isabella syldatk 

Zosia Syldatk 

Lamal Aeksander 

Khawaja 

Luca Stefan Gabriel 

Winek 

Finley Reiss Stapley 

Alex Eukasz 

Tomaszewski 

Elena Maria Warchol 

Julita Emma Warchol 

Joseph James 

Nicholson 

Gabriela Gomes de 

Albuquerque 

Leandro Gomes Silva 

Ashlyn Rachel Joseph 

June 

Oliwia Jasinska 

Freddie Joseph 

Connelly 

Austin Timoth Price 

Jack Jonathan Carkin 

Zokra 

Poppy Angelia Tolson 

Olivia Mary Fuller 

Harry Piotr Podolski 

Oscar Piotr Podolski 

Eliza joy Podolska 

Connor Shaun 

Chapman 

Deaths 2011 

July 

Helen Kitney 

Derek Harry Clinton 

Carrie Down 

August 

Trevor Brian Adams 

Theadora Yousden 

October 

John Finn 

Henry James 

Tom Egan 

Josephine Newman 

December 

Archie Eoin Morris 

Eileen Beeney 

Barbara Power 

David Hughes 

2012 

January 

Ian Michael Wigston 

Joseph Kane 

Olive Mabel Nicol 

Carole Ann Mcauley 

Maria Murichie Miller 

Alfons Szwarc 

February 

Harriett Stanley 

Juliette Baynton 

Bridget Considine 

Patrick Malone 

Mario Smitti 

Gaetano Lembo 

March 

Iris Margarette 

Sullivan 

Christina Hyatt 

Krzysztof Wrona 

April 

Gordon Kitney 

Bernard Kelk 

Thomas de la Rue 

John Ascott 

Stephen Harris 

May 

Nellie Minchella 

Kevin Henderson Bell 

Sheila Johnston 

June 

John Mcardle 

John (Sean) Harkin 

Printed by Broad Oak Colour, Canterbury

The Parishioner - Edition 21

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?