The Parishioner - Edition 22

Parishioner
S T F R A N C I S ’ C H U R C H
ISSUE 22 SUMMER 2013
Bishop John Hine to Retire
Denis and Rosemary Neale
Bishop John Hine retires in July, so we went to interview him at the Hermitage, West Malling to get
the lowdown on his life as Priest and Bishop.
John Hine spent his formation in Rome at the
Venerable English College and was ordained in 1962
by Cardinal Godfrey in the chapel of the College. He
was 23 years old. He was sent to Worcester Park,
London, as assistant priest to Fr. Beausang, a man from
Cork. Coming straight from the kindly bosom of college,
having studied theology and philosophy etc., Bishop
John told us that on arrival he wasn’t sure what to do.
“Why am I here?” He asked Fr. Beausang. He was
promptly asked to go and count the candle money!
In 1970, he came to Maidstone as one of the
assistant priests to Monsignor Denis Wall at St. Francis’.
This was a busy time for the Church with many changes
taking place. At that time, priests at St.Francis were
allotted different areas of the town and surroundings to
their pastoral care. Fr. John’s was the Barming area,
where there were many Catholics with young families,
including us. Mass was celebrated on Sundays in St.
Simon Stock School (later at the Oakwood Hospital
Church). True to his concern for marriage and
family life he encouraged us to meet together in
each others houses for friendship and mutual
support, to share House Masses and discussions
about the Faith. Fr. John left Maidstone after only
three years and we all missed him.
He wasn’t too far away, though - only in
Chatham, at the church of St. Michael the
Archangel, as assistant priest to Canon Thomas
Hill. At that time, he tells us, he had no car, only a
bicycle. “I was young and vigorous then”, he says,
Father John blesses the site where the
future St Peter’s Church will be built and
below the completed church.
“but someone reminded me one day that Chatham
has 43 hills - apart from the Parish Priest!”. He was
five years in Chatham and during that time saw out
three parish priests. “To stop me”, he joked, “they
made me a parish priest and moved me to
Bearsted!”
Bearsted had no church or priest’s house. He
obtained a small bungalow on an estate to live in
and celebrated Sunday Mass in his front room, also
in an upper room of a Memorial Hall in
Harrietsham. At first, Mass in the upper room
attracted a small crowd and a collection of around
£23 at each Mass but soon the congregation grew
so big there was little room to move. “One day”. he
said,”I backed into a candle, caught fire and had to be put out by one of the servers!”
Soon, it was his task to provide a church for the Bearsted catholics. Eventually, the Church
of St. Peter, an attractive, modern building with an integral flat to house the priest, rose up in
Button Lane. As soon as it was finished, Fr. John moved in. Altogether he spent eight busy
years in Bearsted. Apart from building the new church and ministering to his parishioners, he
worked closely with the Marriage Encounter movement. Also, having been involved with
Canon Bernard Hegerty in Catholic education during his time in Chatham, on the the Canon’s
death he moved on to the Southwark Diocesan Schools Commission for Kent, which took up
a lot of his time. Then,
one evening, he was at
his computer, working
late and very tired when
the phone rang. He
snatched it up and
growled “What?”. It was
Bishop John is ordained by
Archbishop Michael Bowen in 2001
Archbishop Michael
Bowen, asking if he
would become Vicar
General at Southwark
Cathedral.
That appointment lasted fifteen years and he says, “He
was never bored”. His worked included dealing with the
media and the burgeoning Child Protection Programme,
as well as with the many and varied cares and problems of
the clergy.
One day, Monsignor John (as he was by then) received
another phone call from Archbishop’s House telling him to
go to the Nunciature. What had he done now? Fearing the
worst, he obeyed, only to be told that the Holy Father, Pope
John Paul II, on the recommendation of the Nuncio and Archbishop Bowen, was to appoint
him auxiliary bishop of Southwark. He was
ordained by the Archbishop on 27th February
2001. He was now Bishop John Hine, Bishop of
the Titular See of Beverley and Auxiliary in
Southwark.
That appointment brought him back to the
Maidstone area, where he has lived at the
Hermitage, West Malling for the past 12 years,
serving the diocese and beyond with no less
enthusiasm and love than he did as a young man.
We have been friends with him since his days in
Maidstone and we know how deeply he cares for
married people and families and their struggles
in this difficult world. His work with the Marriage
and Family Life Team in the diocese is proof of
that. As Chair of the Bishop’s Conference
Committee for Marriage and Family Life, he told us with delight
that the Team has recently received an anonymous donation of
one million pounds, which means that their work can be
extended and improved.
We all thank you, Bishop John, for your fruitful and
wholehearted ministry. We hope that you enjoy your retirement,
although we suspect you won’t be sitting around. One thing you
told us, you’ll be staying in Kent. So, don’t be a stranger!
The newly ordained Bishop John
with the authors
Bishop John meeting parishioners at the
celebration of the 150th anniversary of the
founding of St
Francis’ Parish,
October 2009
Happy birthday! Canon John celebrates 65 years

S T F R A N C I S ’ C H U R C H
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.Peter Kucharski
Deacon: Rev’d Tom Coyle KSG
E D I T O R I A L
Once again we welcome a new edition of the Parishioner. I am
so grateful to Denis and Ross for all the hard work they put into
in preparing the current edition. We lead with the forthcoming
retirement of Bishop John. We hope he will be around with us
until the end of the year. He has served the people of Kent and
of the diocese for over 50 years as both priest and Bishop. He
will be sadly missed. He has always been a great support and
help to anyone who has turned to him when
in need of support. No doubt we will have
the opportunity of thanking him formerly in
the coming months.
Canon John
Fr Piotr Kucharski
I was born on May 1983 in Sanok, a city in southeastern
Poland and grew up in a small town called
Zagórz. After my school-leaving exams in June 2003 I
entered the Seminary in Przemysl. In May 2008 I was
ordained a deacon, and after a year I was ordained a
priest by Archbishop Józef Michalik in the cathedral in
Przemysl. Over the next three years I was assistant
priest in the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in Biaobrzegi,
then I was sent by my Archbishop to Maidstone.
I enjoy England very much, especially in this parish,
particularly my friendships with the clergy team and
parishioners. Everyone is very nice and kind. I think that
this is the real spirit of St Francis’ - from a simple smile,
kindness and prayer to real community of Christ. I hope
that my ministry in the parish will be useful and fruitful.
Fr J Victor Emmanuel
I am from India and belong to the diocese of
Tiruchirappally in Tamilnadu. I was ordained a priest
on April17th.1996 and have completed 17years as
a priest. For thirteen years I worked as a parish priest
in different parishes in my diocese and for the last
three years as financial administrator in our regional
major seminary.
I always enjoy coming to St.Francis’ Parish in
Maidstone. This is my third time here and it has
become like a second home for me. I was previously
here in 2004 and 2007.
Canon John has always been kind, cordial,
hospitable and generous and I have found all the
parishioners to be very friendly and welcoming.
I am really grateful to Canon John, Fr.Bartlomiej,
Fr.Peter and all the parishioners for their cordiality and
hospitality. Thank
you very much.
Phoenix Youth Club- Ablaze with
Love and Light
If, on Friday, you’re thinking...it’s been a long
week, it’s time for a laugh and a chill out,
then, you should be thinking… it’s
time...for youth club!!!
Let’s kick off with the important stuff.
Firstly a point of gratitude, the youth club is
run by some very cheerful people, Lydia
Burchell, Fr Bartholomew, Fr Peter and other
helpers. We are lucky to have these
wonderfully dedicated people who help to
make our experiences even more enjoyable.
When the youth club was first set up, with the
initiative of Jackie Iffie, we obtained a KCC
grant for £708.54 to help with redecoration
and equipment and this was the money Lydia
used to purchase the air hockey table (just
one example of the awesome work they do).
On Fridays we meet from 6.30 - 9.00 pm, and very much
enjoy going head first and challenging each other (overcome
with competitive spirit) to a game of pool, table tennis, table
football, AIR HOCKEY! and Wii games. Sometimes though the
most simple games please us most and one of the most popular
games that we all play together is “Spoons”, which is a card game
where there are not quite enough spoons to go round, so you
can imagine what happens! Every Friday we have sweets, crisps
and fizzy drinks to enjoy but our favourite evenings are those
when we have pizza or ice cream! :D
We also go on trips (everyone likes trips :D), we’ve been ice
skating, bowling and we have been on a midnight hike to
Aylesford Priory (with hot chocolate and marshmallows...yum!)
and also attended the Rosary at Aylesford during October.
We have led a couple of 6 pm Masses and really enjoy the
food evenings we have after the Masses, let’s be honest who
doesn’t like food?! We had a Mass followed by KFC in January
and on Mother’s Day we led the evening Mass and afterwards
we had pizza with our families in the Parish Hall. Unfortunately
there does seem to be a recurring theme of snow at every Mass
we have led so far. Let us hope next time we lead a Mass in the
Kathleen Dalton was born in
Tinahely. Co. Wicklow in Ireland
on the 24th January, 1938 into a
deeply religious Catholic family. She was
the fifth of six children, She saw her sister
Stephanie leave home at the age of 17 to
go to England to join the Sisters of
Providence in Lincoln and two years
later, aged 17, she joined her sister in
Lincoln on the 15th January 1955 to
begin her formation, taking the name of
Sister Mary Lawrence in honour of her
father.
She made her first Profession on the
5th October 1957 and remained in
Lincoln assisting with the youngest
children in the Infant School. In 1964 she
went to Belfast in Northern Ireland where
the Sisters worked with the Redemptorists in their retreat
house. In 1966 she moved to Maidstone where she was to
spend the rest of her life, firstly at the Sacred Heart Convent
School and from 1975-2005 in Fintonagh House. From
1970-1973 she did her teacher training in Nottingham. In
1973 she began work in St. Francis’ Primary School and
remained there, becoming Head of Infants until her
retirement in July 2000.
In 1981 she had a serious, life changing heart operation
and she lived with its consequences for the rest of her life,
always having to be closely monitored. This did not stop her
building up the Infant department of the school, creating a
truly unique place to work and study. She worked with a
committed and loyal group of teachers and helpers. The
children were at the heart of everything that Kathleen did and
only the best was good enough for them. She had a
particular place in her heart for her “naughty boys”. The
school was definitely at the heart of the parish community.
Sister Kathleen got to know generations of families, which
stood her in good stead for the next chapter of her life.
In 2001 with the prospective closure of Fintonagh House
by Jennie Kemps
summer that it’s not snowing!!
Many of you may remember that just
before Christmas the youth club performed a
Nativity for the Parish. This was written and
directed by Jade Nelson one of our
members. Jade’s script was so well done that
we were able to act out a teenage Nativity
with a little bit of humour but the Nativity did
not lose the true meaning of Christmas. We
had our ups and downs during the rehearsals
but we were so proud of our final
performance and the feedback we received
from the families, friends and parishioners
who came to see it was really positive. So, to
all those that came along...Thank You! It was
really amazing to experience so much
support!
On Friday 15 March 2013 we also performed the Stations
of the Cross. We understood that the Stations are an emotional
and moving prayer and we wanted to express this in our
performance. Most of the youth club were able to take part and
this was directed by members of the youth club; Rachel Williams
(readers) and Georgina Burchell (actors). The reflections were
written so that they were very thought provoking and
emotional and the actors led the congregation through Jesus’
last moments to his death. Many of the congregation attending
said that the Stations of the Cross performed by the youth club
brought them to tears because it was so moving and prayerful.
We also regularly take part in Parish activities like the Parish
Quiz Night and we have helped at the summer and Christmas
Fairs. We think it is important that we take an active role in
Parish life.
Over the next few months we hope to have many more
food evenings, trips and activities and just chill out in the youth
room (and play spoons!). Come and join us! We meet every
Friday during term time from 6.30 pm to 9.00 pm. Looking
forward to seeing you there! :)
Sister Kathleen Dalton
1938-2012
and the dispersal of the community of
Sisters, Kathleen asked to continue the
100 year mission of the Sisters in
Maidstone by remaining there alone in a
sheltered flat and becoming the Parish
Sister for St. Francis’ Parish. Her new
responsibilities were for the sick and
elderly of the parish. Every week she
would visit many people in the parish,
the hospital and the psychiatric hospital.
She initiated many of the Indian and
Polish priests into the parish by taking
them on her weekly visits. These were
very fruitful years of Kathleen’s life as
she lived alone, developing so many
skills and becoming independent. She
often said that these years were a gift as
she became more aware of who she was
and what she had to give.
She also found a new attachment to the Congregation
and the Region, too. She enjoyed visiting all the
communities in England and even made visits to
communities in Europe.
She loved her family and was immensely proud of them
and she was deeply loyal to her Irish roots. Kathleen felt
blessed to be able to look after her sister Mary in her last
months. She loved her trips “home” and the regular phone
calls, emails and photos.
We know she was always grateful to Canon John Clark
and all her friends in Maidstone, without whom she would
not have been able to live alone. She always felt part of the
community of the parish and she knew she had friends who
supported and appreciated her.
Sister Kathleen’s sudden death has left a big gap in the
lives of so many people, but she lived her life to the end
doing what she felt called to do as a Sister of Providence,
being “providence especially for the weak and the poor”
(Const 1) in “hope, complete trust, simplicity and joy”
(Const 8). May she rest in peace.
Have you visited your parish web site?
www.stfrancisparish.org.uk

Welcome to Pope Francis
Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 28th this year, the world waited with bated breath to see who would
be his successor. Would he be, like Benedict, conservative and intellectual or be a pope more open to change and less formal, from
Europe or from further afield? The answer came on March 13th when the Cardinals in conclave in Rome elected Pope Francis.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December
13th 1936 in Buenos Aires to Italian
parents, Pope Francis worked briefly as a
chemical technician before entering seminary
school. He was ordained priest for the Jesuits in
1969 during his theological studies at the
Theological Faculty of San Miguel. From 1973 to
1979 he was Argentina’s Provincial superior of the
Society of Jesus and became Archbishop of Buenos
Aires in 1989 and a cardinal in 2001. After his
election as Pope he chose the name Francis in
honour of St. Francis of Assisi. Francis is the first
Jesuit pope, and the first pope from the Americas
and the southern hemisphere. He is known, both
as an individual and religious leader, for his
humility, his concern for the poor and his
committment to dialogue as a way to build bridges
between people of all backgrounds, beliefs and
faiths. Since his election to the papacy he has
displayed a simpler and less formal approach to
the office.
What the Pope does. by David Willey
After Pope Francis’ solemn inauguration Mass,
attended by six reigning monarchs, 31 heads of state and representatives
of 132 governments, he became head of state of the world’s smallest
sovereign enclave, Vatican City, as well as spiritual leader of an estimated
1.2 billion Catholics scattered over every continent.
The duties of the 266th successor to the throne of Saint Peter are wideranging.His
regular Vatican appointments are a weekly blessing for tourists
and pilgrims every Sunday from the window of his private study overlooking
Saint Peter’s Square and a weekly general audience for some 5,000 pilgrims
in a modern audience hall in winter and in the open air in Saint Peter’s
Square in summer. The Pope normally presides over religious celebrations
of all the major church festivals of the year inside Saint Peter’s, including
Christmas and Easter, when he also appears on the same balcony where he
was proclaimed pope after his election to deliver his “Urbi Et Orbi”
message to the city of Rome and to the world.
Past popes have celebrated Mass every morning in their private chapel
before settling down at their desk to deal with correspondence. The Pope
has a small personal staff of nuns to run his household, to cook and clean,
and a personal valet or butler. Pope Benedict and Pope John Paul both had
two personal secretaries. He also has a team of speechwriters.
While Pope Emeritus Benedict lived a secluded life inside the Vatican
(and plans to live an even more secluded existence in the former convent
which is being prepared as his new home in a corner of the Vatican
Gardens), Pope John Paul II lived a more gregarious existence, often
inviting personal guests to attend his early morning mass and to share his
breakfast. He also gave frequent lunch and dinner parties for visiting clergy
Early in November 2012,
we visited the BBC TV
Centre at White City in
West London, just a few months
before it closed in March 2013
for redevelopment.
Some of the best-known
programmes on British
television were recorded within
its walls: Dad’s Army, I Claudius,
Fawlty Towers, Top of the Pops,
Monty Python’s Flying Circus,
The Two Ronnies, Blue Peter,
classic era Doctor Who and
Absolutely Fabulous.
The façade to this iconic
1960 building features a central
circular block affectionately
referred to by BBC staff as the
“doughnut”, around which were
built studios, offices, engineering areas and the News Centre. The
architect, Graham Dawbarn, literally drew a question mark on the back
of an envelope as the original concept for the shape of the building,
since he only had a triangular piece of land to work with. The BBC TV
Centre was the first in Britain specifically designed for television.
We were lucky enough to have a sunny day in London, and we were
treated to a wonderful view of the Palace of Westminster as we went over
Lambeth Bridge. It was quite a cold day, but on arrival to the BBC TV
Centre, we were fortunate not to be in the queue for ‘Strictly Come
Dancing’, which already trailed quite a long way. We divided up into
different groups to have a tour of the some of the studios and other
parts of TV Centre. Our group had fun and games with weather
forecasting, news reading and a mini TV quiz, and we saw inside
different studios including the old News 24 Studio, which had already
relocated to Media City in Salford at the time of our visit.
and friends. One of the duties of a pope is to meet
at least once every five years with his more than
5,000 bishops from around the world - roughly
1,000 a year, or 20 a week.
Under church law they are obliged to visit
Rome to report to the Pope on the state of their
dioceses in what is called an “ad limina” (on the
threshold of Saint Peter) visit. Benedict XVI had
just finished this exhaustive series of interviews
with every Catholic bishop in the world, and was
embarking on a second round just before his
retirement.
Foreign travel is also, these days, among the
Pope’s duties.In contrast to the 19th Century
Pope Pius IX and his immediate successors, Pope
Francis is unlikely ever voluntarily to confine
himself to his micro-state. Pius’ pontificate lasted
for 32 years, the longest of all time. Although he
was forced to leave Rome and seek temporary
refuge at nearby Gaeta when revolution broke out
in Rome in 1848, he angrily declared himself a
“prisoner in the Vatican” when forced militarily to
forfeit his temporal rule over the former papal
states of central Italy after Italy became a unified state in 1870. He
remained inside the walls of the Vatican until he died.
Pope Francis has already made several sorties into Rome in an
unmarked car and is likely to continue the regular worldwide and Italian
travels of his immediate predecessors. His first foreign visit is expected to
be to his home country Argentina, and also to Brazil for a Catholic youth
festival in Rio de Janeiro in July. His first visit inside Italy could be to Assisi,
the birthplace of the much loved patron saint of Italy, Saint Francis, by
whose name the new Pope chose to be called.
The Pope also receives many visitors. Traditional papal protocol is
complicated and serves to isolate the Pope except when he officiates at
these public ceremonies. The Apostolic Palace, a fine Renaissance building
next to Saint Peter’s Basilica, has suites of official reception rooms on its
second floor, below the papal apartments. Here the Pope receives heads of
state and official guests in his private library - groups of visitors range in
size from four or five, to several hundred at a time.
Popes traditionally live in the spacious apartment reserved for their
use on the top floor of the Apostolic Palace. This may not suit the new Pope
who, as absolute monarch, is free to live where he will. When appointed
archbishop of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis refused to live in the
archbishop’s palace, preferring more simple accommodation.
Up to now he has chosen to work from a hotel room inside Vatican City,
rather than move directly into his palatial official quarters, which he finds
excessively large.
A GREAT DAY AT BBC TV CENTRE
Olga D’Silva
No room for the Daleks! Parishioners queueing up for a trip in the Tardis?
As we walked along one of the
circular corridors, our group brushed
shoulders with Michael Vaughan, the
former England Cricket Captain who
described himself as ‘A Dad from
Sheffield’ in his incarnation as a Strictly
Come Dancing contestant. Well, at
least we’d seen a ‘Strictly’ contestant
without having to queue for hours in the
cold.
After our BBC tour, we were free to
go to the Westfield Shopping Centre in
Hammersmith, for lunch and a spot of
early Christmas shopping.
Our next Parish Trip will be to
another British icon, but quite a
contrast, in the form of the Royal
Botanic Gardens at Kew on Saturday
22nd June 2013. All parishioners are
welcome to join, and I am confident that
our BBC weather forecasters will give us a wonderful summer’s day!
The following exasperated notice was placed in a Northern parish newsletter by an angry
parish priest: “To make it possible for everyone to attend church next Sunday we are
going to have a special ‘No Excuse Sunday”. Beds will be placed in the foyer for those
who say, “Sunday is my only day to sleep.” We will have steel helmets for those who
say, “The roof will cave in if ever I come to church.” Blankets will be furnished for those
who think the church is too cold and fans for those who think the church is too hot. We
will have hearing aids for those who think the priest speaks too softly and cotton wool
for those who think he preaches too loudly. Scorecards will be available for those who
wish to list the hypocrites present. Some relatives will be in attendance for those who like
to go visiting on Sunday. There will be TV dinners for those who can’t go to church and
also cook dinner. One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who prefer to
see God in nature. Finally, the sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas
poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who have never seen the church without them.”
Knocking on the Tabernacle Door
Do you hear my gentle knocking
Lord?
Are you listening to my prayer?
This sinner asks in whispers
Knowing that you care.
Thoughtful though I try to be
But failing all the while,
I ask your pardon humbly
Aware my soul could be on trial.
Tell me you are listening Lord
And your holy words are true,
That gracious mercy flows
On sinners old and new.
And that Heaven is attainable
With hope and love for you.
Oh yes indeed I hear you Lord,
Your answer within my heart.
Binds penance with redemption
Confirming faith and love to start
The journey to your glory
And never more to be apart.
Len Watson
NEWS IN PICTURES
Len and Viv Watson’s son, Steve, seen
on the TV quiz show ‘The Chase’ this
year, narrowly missed winning a half
share of £30,001. Steve contributed
£30,000 to the prize fund, his fellow
competitor just £1. Unfortunately,
the Chaser matched their score with
just 6 seconds to spare!
Congratulations to the winning team
at the Quiz Evening last October,
seen here with the coveted ‘gold cup’
and prize bottles of wine. The Quiz
was a great success (as usual) and
made over £500
The winners of the Quiz evening,
organised by the Watson family and
held on Saturday, May 4th, raised
over £600 for Parish funds. The Hall
was full to bursting and a great time
was had by all.
Apologies to Len and Viv Watson. In
the last Parishioner the article “Two
Golden Weddings” showed the wrong
‘Just married’ picture. Here is the
correct one.

The Glory of the Cross
You lie down meekly, lovely lamb
Drain the chalice sacrifice, surrender
Stretch, stretch, accommodate the
wood
Only God could escape through the
agony
Silent, silent lamb, submissive,
gentle
Your mutilated body for sins, and
your distant Church
Pierced wrists, punctured brow and
feet
An interior cry, obediently bleating
Slaughtered, drained for His Fathers
glory
The majority do not care in future
centuries
That God was there in lovelorn
convulsions
For the remnant, He knew deserving
Covered by spittle, blood,
abandonment
Incomprehensible, creations limited
compassion
Such awesome love leaves agony
insignificant?
The fetid carcass, if allowed, would
give a repeat performance
For the salvation of one soul, yes,
one only,
yours ..
Christine Mace 2009
Well done, Anna!
At the age of forty-four, St Francis’ parishioner, Anna Kirby-
Hall is going to university to read Theology at Oxford. Anna
tells her story.
Fulfilling a dream is always a scary
prospect but I hope that it is going
to be a rewarding one. At the age
of forty-four I am going back to university
to read Theology at Regent’s Park
College, Oxford. Where? Well, Regent’s
Park College is a Permanent Private Hall
(or PPH as they are more commonly
called). Regent’s Park College started life,
as you might have guessed, in London
where it was a Baptist Foundation to train
men for the ministry and moved up to
Oxford in the 19th Century. It is a mix of
young and more mature students like
myself who study a variety of Arts
subjects and includes about ten students
who study theology; the theology school
takes about a hundred students per year,
so I am very lucky to get in.
The application process was the same as if I had been an
A Level student. In December I was called for interviews at
the College and spent two days being gently and not so
gently grilled about my knowledge of scripture and why I
wanted to study theology. Candidates are given a piece of
scripture to read, critically evaluate and discuss. All very
scary for anyone, but when you consider that I left school
with no qualifications and my careers advice was to ‘go and
work in a supermarket until you get married and have
babies,’ it makes it even more remarkable that I would even
consider going to university, never mind applying to one of
the top universities in the world.
Why am I going to study theology? A
good question, but really one that is
probably impossible to answer fully. I
want to apply the curiosity and drive that
I have used in my profession as a teacher
to learn all I can about human spirituality,
such as our innate need to explore our
relationship with God, in whatever form
we have taken God to be. From the
earliest period of the Church’s history we
have felt the need to discuss and define
what, as Christians, we believe God to be,
what the nature of our faith in Jesus is and
what it means for us as Christians.
I have spent nearly fifteen mainly
happy years in St Francis’ Parish and seen
it change and grow. I have made some
wonderful friends at the 10:30 Mass who have been
supportive and enthusiastic at my plans for the future. I have
been an active member of the Parish, being a reader and
even having the rare privilege of once helping with the
collection. It was remarked that I am the only woman, so far,
to whom this privilege has ever been given! I will stay in
touch with my many, many friends and we have plenty of time
to plan a proper goodbye to the wonderful people of
Maidstone. Keep me in your prayers as we prepare to move
in August and Maidstone will always be in mine.
10th January 2013
Lots to do, trying not to be late.
10th Jan., 1.30pm, that’s the date.
Arrive breathless at 1.35, looked
around,
Scanned the café, no one to be found.
Get a coffee to quench my thirst,
Surely I cannot be the first!
Has the winter flu bug struck
All of them? That’s just bad luck.
Five minutes later I begin to wonder
Has there been some king of blunder?
Check my diary for the date,
Maybe got there one week late!
17th Jan, that’s when we meet.
One week early, that’s a feat!
Will the girls believe my tale,
I’ll be here next week without fail.
I’ll be early, as I should,
As being so late is not so good.
Action plan, organise, it will be fine,
Going to try harder to be on time.
Mary Brittain
The little Chapel of Our Lady, Wateringbury
After a dramatic conversion to Christianity and becoming members of St. Michael’s Church in Maidstone, Christine and
Rod Mace felt called to build a chapel in their spacious garden. That chapel is now home to the Maidstone Ordinariate
of Our Lady of Walsingham, led by Fr. Paul Gibbons. Christine writes:
4
Six years ago Rob and I were ‘average’ people. We
went to church, Church of England that is, only
for weddings, (lovely) baptisms (nice) and
funerals (scary and sad).
We got on with life, a very, very busy life, Satan
really likes it that way, no time to think of anything
spiritual. We had a full time business from home
looking after peoples’ cats, 80 a day in the summer,
barely time to breath really. So when I reached 60 I said
to Rob, “I want retire now”, I had run the business for
10 years and after all I deserved a rest!
Rob had built an annex onto our house 12 years
before and his mother had lived there for 10 years until
she had to go into full time care with Alzheimer’s. The
annex had been empty for two years when we put the
main house on the market and decided to move into the
one bedroom annex when it was sold. So on the 31st
March 2007 we moved into our very small abode, it was
also
t h e
Christine & Rob Mace
Fr Paul Gibbons
very day Rob’s mum died in the home
at Cranbrook.
A few months went by and we
settled into retirement. Then began the
story of our conversion.In the New
Testament the word Pagan often comes
up to describe someone with no
religion except the worship of idols and
I always used to think then that this
meant for example a big fat golden
man, or a lady with a dogs face or a calf
with 50 nipples etc. It had never
occurred to me that “Thou shalt
worship no other gods before me” meant money, along with jewellery, clothes, cars, etc,
etc! Oh,I was baptized and could remember in another time 45 years before when I had
toyed with the idea of becoming a nun, even though I was Church of England then. I had
burned with love for the Lord that much, but that was before the world had taken hold of
me and dragged me along on its mad merry-go-round of pleasure and sin. God was there
always, this awesome being, somewhere very far off, and I knew I loved Him very deeply
but I did not know Him at all - He was a stranger, a very, very, distant relative.
After a profound spiritual event, experienced by both Rob and myself, we felt the
Lord wanted us in His church, so within weeks we were attending every Sunday at our
local Church of England and we were confirmed in Rochester Cathedral in July 2008.
The Lord wanted us to move on however, so within a year or so we were led to a High
Anglican church, St Michael and All Angels, Tonbridge Road, Maidstone, met Father Paul
Gibbons and felt a lot more fulfilled spiritually.
Then we were inspired to build a Chapel, we felt very inspired and was sure it was
what the Lord wanted but there was a problem we had no vehicular access to the annex
we now lived in or to the field out the back, we only
had a small area of parking out the front.
So we said to the Lord “If you really want us to
build this Chapel, we need access for cars. There was
a spare piece of land at the side of our property that
we had tried to buy on and off for 25 years. Within 8
weeks it was ours! Well, we just knew then it was the
Lords will so we set to work and built the Chapel
which took a year of very hard work. The building we
converted had been a stable and had then been used
for the business, one end for office and the other for
kitchen with storage in the middle.
The day that we opened in June 2011 the place
was packed with people. Glory be to God.
About six months went by and we heard from the
council saying that they had had a complaint that
someone said that we were living in the building,
which was not true. They came to look and said just
put in for change of use, so we instructed our
planning consultant to deal with it for us.
It went through without a hitch and his bill was £1,400 when we opened the letter. At
the same time we opened another letter from Inland Revenue with a tax refund for Rob
from 2006 for guess what? £1,400! We know that the Lord will always look after our little
Chapel of Our Lady. We feel it is blessed as we have been blessed by His mercy and love.
Now this very, very distant relative is my dearest friend, consoler, brother, father, and
beloved. I have been given the great grace of knowing Him personally and intimately, a
treasure worth more than all the riches of the whole world and I can truly say - Death
where is thy sting?
Last year we joined the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham and were confirmed
into the Catholic Church. After a whirlwind journey, Jesus now has us where He wanted
us all along! Blessed be His name.
The Chapel of Our Lady, Wateringbury.
This spacious building, originally a stable and later an
office, was converted to a chapel by Rob Mace and a
friend and is a beautiful place. The chapel takes up
most of the central space, has a fine altar against the
side wall (Mass is said ‘ad orientem’) and there is
seating for 30 worshippers. Stations of the Cross and
a statue of Our Lady adorn the walls. At one end of
the chapel is a modern kitchen and space for
meetings and coffee after Mass and at the other end
is a small two bedroomed flatlet with a bathroom in which people in trouble or those
who may need shelter can be ‘put up’ for the night. It is situated in a very quiet and
peaceful country setting at the end of Barming Road, Wateringbury. Sunday Mass is at
11am and there is a Low Mass on Thursday at 11am.

1 Have you always lived in Maidstone?
No, along with my 2 younger
brothers, I was born and grew up
around Thornton Heath in South
London. My secondary school was St
Joseph’s College, Beulah Hill. I
moved to Maidstone in early 1987.
2.Who else is in the family?
Angela and I have been married for
25 years and we have four children.
Two are away at university: Tom is
studying Medicine at Queens
University, Belfast and Peter is
studying Medical Engineering at
The University of Bradford.
Both Joseph (Year 12 or Lower Sixth
as I know it) and Victoria (Year 10)
attend St Simon Stock Catholic
School.
3.What do you do for a living?
After a few jobs, including working in
a supermarket and in a children’s
home, I joined the London Fire
Brigade in 1985. I was promoted
through the ranks and spent time at
various stations before becoming an
instructor at the Brigade Training
Centre. After a few years in training I
returned to stations and three years
later was promoted to Station
Commander at Brixton. One promotion
later and I’m currently the Borough
Commander for Lambeth, with
responsibility for 5 stations and 240
staff. I still attend larger incidents,
and most recently I was the Fire
Incident Commander for the
helicopter crash at Vauxhall.
4.Has your work with the Fire Service
helped to equip you for the Diaconate, if
so, how?
I have many opportunities at work to
engage with people from different
backgrounds, often in difficult
situations which requires me to be
adaptable, approachable, a leader and
team player, plus being able to face
various challenges. My time as an
instructor, talking to groups, and
presenting, is something to build on.
I’ve also been involved in some
schools based work, so who knows if
that might help. I also have jokingly
said that I’m used to wearing a
uniform!!
5.What is your next stage on your
journey to being ordained Deacon?
In June I shall be instituted to the
office of Acolyte. This will mean I will
be playing a bit more of a part on and
12 Questions
Ian Black
Since we last wrote about Ian Black in the Parishioner, he
has continued to make progress in his formation programme
towards ordination as a Permanent Deacon. The Editor caught
up with Ian to find out a bit more about him. Below are the
answers to the questions he was asked.
around the sanctuary during Mass and
other occasions. This will be in
addition to other catechetical roles in
the parish.
My formation programme continues as
academically we move towards
completing our Foundation Degree in
Pastoral Ministry, supplemented by
practical and spiritual development
(e.g. practice homilies, study
weekends and an annual retreat).
God willing, ordination as a Deacon
will be sometime during summer
2014.
6.What is your favourite country?
England – I think our country is great,
and there is so much I’ve still not
seen.
7.What TV programmes do you enjoy?
Shows like, Morse, Lewis, New Tricks
and Jonathon Creek, also Have I Got
News for You and Mock the Week.As a
child it was Trumpton/Camberwick
Green and the Wombles (I’ve got them
all on DVD!!)
8.What is your favourite film, and why?
Forrest Gump – It’s light hearted, but
covers so much about life.
9.If you were allowed to have one last
meal. What would it be?
Traditional Christmas Dinner, with all
the trimmings, including sprouts!!
10.What type of music do you most
enjoy?
Much to my children’s frustration I
would best be described as a Radio 2
listener. Anything from the 60’s to
present day, as long as I can hear the
words.
CD’s in my car range from The Who to
Noah and The Whale, from Pink Floyd
to The Military Wives, and Fifty
Favourite Carols to Bruce Springsteen!
11.What three pet hates would you
choose to put in ‘Room 101’
Footballers or other sports
professionals who spit on the pitch.
Text message language.
People who criticize others who are
doing a job, but won’t do it
themselves.
12.If you were marooned on a desert
island, apart from the Bible, what book
and luxury item would you have?
Book - Jonathon Livingston Seagull
by Richard Bach
Item - An extra large, super warm,
waterproof sleeping bag.
Christopher (Chris) Willson
9th March 1957 - 10th May 2013
A eulogy given by Alasdair MacWilliam at Chris’ funeral
Ifirst knew Christopher more than 20 years ago as
a travelling companion on our journeys to work by
train from Barming to London over very many
years. We were a convivial group and at Chris’s
suggestion three of us car-pooled to the Station. I also
knew him as a fellow parishioner here at St Francis
and a neighbour in Barming. Our families became
firm friends.
I was honoured to be his sponsor at his
confirmation on his being received into the Catholic
Church and then again when he asked me to be the
godfather to his son Pierre. Chris and I served
together on the parish Finance Committee and used
to meet up once a month to reconcile the parish
books and then go for a drink afterwards.
I was sorry when a few years ago his change of office location
meant that he travelled up on the Charing Cross route, so that it was only
occasionally that we journeyed together on the same train.
Christopher was born 56 years ago in Rayleigh in Essex, the second
child of Peter and Pamela Willson, his elder sister being Claire and his
younger brother Keith. It was obviously a very happy childhood. When
Chris was of primary school age the family moved to Sittingbourne to be
closer to Pam’s family who were in Canterbury. Chris attended Borden
Grammar School and he excelled in all subjects except perhaps the
sciences. From Borden he went up to Oxford University where he read
French and Spanish and gained a good 2:1 degree. I am told it would
have been a first if it had been just French without the Spanish. In his third
year at Oxford Chris went to Leon in Spain where he taught English at a
school as part of his degree course. It was there he met Brigitte who was
in the equivalent role, only teaching French. Three years later they married
and settled in Maidstone and then Barming where they have remained
ever since, bringing up their three children, Fleur, Jacinthe and Pierre.
From Oxford, Chris went on to join Bank National de Paris which is
now BNP Parisbas, initially at their Knightsbridge branch before moving
up to the Bank’s English Head Office in the City. He was no companyhopper
and remained loyal to the bank for all his career. He fulfilled
several important roles, at one time having 80 people working under him.
There were worrying times when, following mergers, there were many
redundancies but fortunately Chris retained his employment in the reshuffles.
As far as I know, Chris never thought of leaving BNP Parisbas but
recently he did toy with the idea of taking retirement in a few years’ time
and buying a camper van with a view to taking Brigitte on a grand tour of
Europe. It was not to be.
Chris was justly proud of his children’s achievements; I am told he
was a lenient father, though strict in the matter of education. He was
devoted to his family and they to him.
How do we remember Chris?
Robust. He had a strong rich voice – how well and clearly he read
at Mass
Forthright. Purposeful – he had a purposeful walk, didn’t he? He
was a man who was sure of himself.
Practical good sense. He was never excitable. He remained calm
in a crisis and always thought logically and laterally.
Lucid. He expressed himself clearly and was able to explain things
so that they were easy to understand. He chose his words carefully and
knowledgeably.
Yes, he was very knowledgeable – he read avidly, both books and
newspapers – but he was not one to display his knowledge – he was just
very well informed.
Chris had a wonderful sense of humour. It was not a matter of
repeating other people’s jokes, no, he expressed his own humour. He
could see the amusing side of almost every situation and then make an
original and witty comment which was always apt. Lawyers, I am afraid
to say, were often the butt of his humour, but always in the nicest possible
way.
Although he remained calm in a crisis, Chris could be impatient,
particularly when he suffered from incompetence especially of those who
manage the railway system. He was not greatly tolerant of bad drivers or
with red tape or petty officialdom and things like that, but even in those
situations, his sense of humour would prevail.
I didn’t know much about his work but there is no doubt that he was
very efficient and resourceful in everything he did in the various roles,
such as the private banking section, and head of local
operations – both of which he loved, and Compliance,
which is what he was doing at the time of his death,
but which he did not enjoy so much, I suspect
because it was all about regulation and red tape and
he preferred dealing with real people and real
situations.
Chris was a great supporter of this parish. Not
only did he give unstinting help on the Finance
Committee but he was an enthusiastic contributor to
parish and school events, particularly when it came to
quizzes, which he loved. Indeed he loved anything
which taxed his brain – not only quizzes, but
crosswords, mind puzzles and the like. He took a great
interest in sport – football, cricket, rugby – and indeed
he was a great hockey player while at Oxford. He loved going for walks.
He loved the theatre – especially Shakespeare.
Chris loved France especially Paris. He certainly understood France
and the French. If he needed to cross from one side of Paris to the other,
he preferred to walk even if it would take hours.
All of us here have our own happy memories of Chris – each from
his own perspective and experience, be it family, friends, fellow
parishioners or colleagues at work. To say he will be greatly missed would
be a huge understatement. His loss, particularly at such an early age, is
devastating and we all need to dig deep into our faith to understand why
he should be taken from us. For me, and I feel sure for all of us, we have
been strengthened by having known him and we can take with us an
inspiration of what a thoroughly good Englishman should be.
My Father, Chris
By Fleur Willson
Requiescat in pace
My father was born in Rayleigh, Essex, in 1957, the second of
three children. The family soon moved down to Kent in order
to be closer to his maternal relatives. He attended Borden
Grammar School, where he excelled in all academic subjects, particularly
languages and history, as well as sport. In 1976 he went up to Oxford to
read French and Spanish at St Peter’s College. He spent his year abroad
as an English language assistant in Leon, Spain, which is where he met
my mother, who was the French language assistant at the same school.
Upon graduation, he joined the Banque Nationale de Paris (now BNP
Paribas) as a graduate trainee, and moved quickly up the ranks to
managerial level. Over the course of his thirty-three year career at the
bank he worked in a variety of departments, his favourites being Private
Banking and Local Operations.
Despite the long hours he worked doing the job he loved, my father
was a real family man and would always liven up the dinner table with his
jokes, stories and office gossip. He was an intellectual, with a particular
love of reading, languages, music, crosswords and Sudoku puzzles. He
was never happier than when sitting in his armchair in front of the fire,
reading a French novel, finishing off the Times crossword or listening to
one of his favourite pieces of music. His knowledge of history was
impressive, and he enjoyed watching war films and historical dramas. He
also watched a lot of sport, especially rugby, football and cricket. He
enjoyed travelling, with a particular love of France and Spain, although in
recent years he ventured further afield to the Caribbean and Taiwan. He
loved long walks with family and friends, especially if they involved a visit
to a good country pub for a swift half or Sunday roast.
My parents first joined the parish upon moving to Maidstone in the
early eighties. Although my father did not become a Catholic until 1997,
he rapidly became involved in parish life and made some firm friends
there. It was also largely thanks to him that the family made it on time to
Mass; being a very punctual man, he was very efficient at making
breakfast and getting us all up on a Sunday morning! Many of you will
have come across him on the Parish Finance Committee, as a reader or
extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at the 10.30 Mass, or on one
of the parish trips or rambles. It is fitting that the last parish event he
attended was the recent quiz – I understand his team didn’t quite win, but
he recounted afterwards what an enjoyable evening it had been.
I would like to thank you on behalf of all my family for your kindness
over the past few weeks. We have been very touched by the many cards,
"The tiniest crucifixion"
Lord Jesus, could you rock him for a while?
He has no mother's breast, no father's smile.
No downy silky pillow for his head,
They placed him in the bloody basin - dead.
He was so small, this baby doomed to die,
His mother's rights, the only reason why,
From somewhere safe and warm, they tore the child,
Lord Jesus, could you rock him for a while?
Poor little one, who was it took your breath?
Who made the healers hand a thing of death?
Who was your Judas?- Mother? Doctor? State?
Or was it we who fought your cause too late?
Please Jesus, rock the other babies too,
Forgive us Lord, we don't know what we do.
He has no cradle, cross, no grave, no tomb,
This baby crucified in the womb.
Anonymous
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were
discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said:
“Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with
gold, silver and precious gems and everyone would see my
beauty”.Then the second tree said: “Someday, I will be a mighty
ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to
the corners of the world”.Finally the third tree said: “I want to
grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People
will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and
think of the heavens and God and how close I am to reaching
them. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will
always remember me”.
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true,
a group of woodsmen came upon the trees and they cut them
down. The first tree was sent to a carpenter but it was made into
a feeding trough for animals. The second tree was made into
a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and
carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into
large pieces and left alone in the dark.
The years went by and the trees forgot about their dreams.
Then one day a man and women came to the barn. The woman
The Story of Three Trees
(an excerpt from Fr Piotr Kucharski’s Easter homily)
gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the manger
that had been made from the first tree. The tree then could feel
the importance of this event and knew that it held the greatest
treasure of all time… Years later, a group of men got in the
fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired
and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great
storm arose and the tree didn’t think it was strong enough to
keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man and he
stood and said “peace” and the storm stopped. At this time, the
tree knew that it had carried the King of kings… Finally,
someone came and got the third tree. It was carried by a man
through the streets and when they stopped the man was nailed
to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. Then
the tree came to realise that it was strong enough to stand at the
top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible because
Jesus had been crucified on it.
When things don’t seem to be going our way we should always
know that God has a plan for us. If we place our trust in Him,
He will give us great gifts. Each of the trees got what they
wanted, just not in the way they had imagined.

Sister Elizabeth Ann Seaton
Words and Ilustration by Charlotte Cassidy, Artist
St. Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton was born on August 28th 1771
to staunchly Protestant parents, physician, Dr. Richard Bayley
and his wife Catherine, in Staten Island, New York, America.
The Bayleys were a wealthy society couple who raised Elizabeth
and her two sisters in a lifestyle of leisure, comfort and
extravagance.
When Elizabeth was three her mother died unexpectedly. The
following year, Dr. Bayley remarried to provide a mother for his
children. Elizabeth’s Anglican stepmother, for whom Elizabeth
would always have great affection, would often visit the sick and
poor of New York City in their homes to distribute food and other
necessities, taking Elizabeth with her. These kind missions of
charity by her stepmother would later have a profound influence on
Elizabeth’s life.
As a child, Elizabeth loved religion; she would often read the
bible, especially the psalms. She was educated at the best schools in
New York and as she grew up, like most wealthy young girls in
those days, she became a socialite attending many lavish society
parties where she met William Seton, a young affluent businessman
in the shipping import trade. In 1794 the couple married when
Elizabeth was nineteen. Together they would have five children.
Although occupied with raising a family, Elizabeth’s thoughts
would often turn with concern to the sick and poor of New York
City. Recalling their hapless plight she had witnessed as a child with
her stepmother, Elizabeth decided to organise a group of wealthy
women friends to visit the poor and sick in their homes and to also
visit financially struggling widows, offering help where they could.
This kind group of women became known as the “Protestant Ladies
of Charity.” They drew their inspiration from the work of St.
Vincent de Paul.
In 1802 however, Elizabeth’s idyllic life of wealth and comfort
was set to end with devastating effect. The embargo imposed by
England on Napoleonic France of that year led to several of her
husband William Seton’s ships being lost at sea which resulted in his bankruptcy. Shortly
afterwards, to add to his despondency over his financial ruin, William was diagnosed with
tuberculosis and advised by doctors that the warmer climate of Italy would improve his health.
Elizabeth, wanting to be with her husband, made arrangements to stay in Italy with Italian banker
Antonio Filicchi and his family, business acquaintances of her husband.
Entrusting four of her children to the care of her sister-in-law, Elizabeth took her eldest
daughter, eight-year-old Anna, with her and set sail with William on the two month voyage to Italy.
The tedious sea journey was not easy for Elizabeth. She kept a diary in which she wrote of her
constant efforts to sustain her husband’s waning spirits throughout the voyage.
When at last they arrived at the port of Leghorn in Italy, William was quarantined on board the
ship for severl weeks due to the contagious nature of his illness. Unfortunately , in his lengthy
isolation, his health quickly deteriorated. When he was finally released from quarantine by Italian
health authorities, sadly, William Seton died two weeks later in Pisa. He was only thirty-six. He was
buried in the Protestant Old English Cemetery in Pisa.
Suddenly widowed at the age of twenty-nine with five young children to support, Elizabeth, in
despair and mourning the untimely loss of her husband was comforted by the Filicchi family.
Elizabeth and her daughter remained a year with the Filicchis, and through then Elizabeth became
deeply drawn to Catholicism and she decided to convert to the Faith. On her eventual return with
her daughter, Anna, to America, she immediately announced to family and friends her plans to
convert to Catholicism and was met with anger and opposition. Her family told her firmly that even
though she was now a widow, they would not support her financially if she converted. Unable to
accept her decision to convert, Elizabeth’s Protestant friends deserted her completely.
Although now friendless and ostracised by her family, Elizabeth remained steadfast in her
resolve to become a Catholic. She was received into the Church at St. Peter’s Church, Barclay
Street, New York, where she was baptised a Catholic and made her first Communion. The next day
she received the Sacrament of Confirmation from Archbishop John Carroll of Baltimore. On
receiving Communion for the first time as a Confirmed Catholic,
Elizabeth felt even closer to Christ in the Eucharist and declared with
fervour to the Archbishop, “God is mine and I am His!” Elizabeth had
such love for the Eucharist that she would attend Mass at more than one
church to receive the Eucharist twice daily.
Left in financial hardship from her late husband’s bankruptcy,
Elizabeth decided to become a teacher to support her children. After
two failed attempts at opening a boarding-school for boys, she opened
an academy for girls where she taught wealthy young girls in their mid
teens essential qualities for their futures as debutantes.
At that time in America, a wave of anti-Catholic sentiment existed
and as soon as parents discovered Elizabeth’s religion they withdrew
their daughters from the Academy. Elizabeth was then forced to close
her academy, abruptly ending her position as a teacher. Despite the
numerous daily hostilities she faced as a Catholic she never allowed
anyone or any difficult situation to dissuade her from her love of God
and the richness and beauty of her Catholic faith.
Archbishop Carroll of Baltimore, having learned of Elizabeth’s
situation, invited her to his diocese. She immediately accepted his
invitation and moved with her children to Baltimore. Under the
Archbishop’s direction, Elizabeth established the first free Catholic
school for girls in America. This small school marked the beginning of
the Catholic parochial school system in America.
Some months later, when all her own children were at boarding
schools, Elisabeth desired to be part of a religious community so that
she could help the poor even more. After much prayer and spiritual
guidance from the Archbishop, she founded a community called the
Sisters of Charity, dedicated to caring for children of impoverished
children. The Order, consisting of a small group of like minded women,
followed the French rule of St. Vincent de Paul.
To establish her convent, Elizabeth had been given land in
Emmitsburg, Maryland, by wealthy Samuel Cooper. He was also a
Catholic convert, and a student priest, and he was so impressed by
Elizabeth’s initiative and zeal for the Faith that he decided to financially support her free Catholic
school for girls.
At her convent in 1809, Elizabeth made her vows. She was clothed in religious habit, with its
black bonnet and long black cape closely resembling the habit worn by a particular Order of nuns
she had seen in Italy. She was elected Reverend Mother of her own convent and became known as
Mother Seton.
Mother Seton had a great love for the Blessed Virgin Mary, she also continued her lifelong love
of reading the Psalms. She had a deep devotion to the Eucharist, also to the will of God and she
would often remind her Sisters of always having the teachings of Christ within them. During her
life as Reverend Mother and as a mother of children, Mother Seton once again suffered immense
personal sadness when two of her daughters died. At the same time she was also diagnosed with
tuberculosis, yet she still managed to continue her charitable work with unwavering dedication to
establish foundations to help the poor. She founded several free Catholic schools, also hospitals,
child care centres and she established one of the first orphanages in New York with a substantial
donation from the former black slave and generous benefactor, Pierre Toussaint, later beatified for
his work caring for the poor of New York City. Much later, at the request of President Abraham
Lincoln, two hundred of Mother Seton’s Sisters served in the American Civil War and Spanish Civil
War, where they cared for and comforted seriously wounded and dying soldiers on the battlefields
and in military hospitals.
On January 4th, surrounded by the love of her Sisters, Mother Seton died from tuberculosis at
her convent in Maryland. She was only forty-six. In several diaries, found after her death, her
writings revealed her deep love for God and for her Catholic faith.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was truly an extraordinary woman of her time. Her legacy of numerous
charitable works continues to help thousands of disadvantaged people worldwide today. St.
Elizabeth Ann Seton was beatified by Pope John XXIII in 1963 and canonised by Pope Paul VI on
September 14th 1975, making her the first American-born saint.
Sidney Garner - 1922-2013.
From an article in the Pilsdon at Malling Magazine (Easter 2013) by Peter Barnett)
Sidney Garner, who died recently, was a well loved
parishioner at St Francis’ Church for many years. His funeral
was held at the Pilsdon at Malling Community Barn Chapel
in March. He had become a Community member in his eighties
and those who gathered for the Requiem Mass in West Malling
mainly remembered Sidney for his work since retirement with
those suffering from addiction, particularly to alcohol, and its
consequences. He founded, together with the late Roger Hill, the
Mainstay Trust based at St. Francis’ Church, in Maidstone.
Thousands of people, often ex-servicemen, are grateful for the
support, advice and practical help they received from him, often
when in crisis. His link with the Pilsdon communities began twenty
years ago when he began to refer clients to the community in
Dorset and in the past ten years he became closely involved with
the new Pilsdon at Malling Community.
Sidney Garner was a very talented and creative person. His
education was at Denstone College in Staffordshire when his
parents lived much of the time in India. He joined the Merchant
Navy and served in the Far East during WW2. He then took up
acting and stage directing, touring the country and often working with stars such
as Laurence Olivier and Edith Evans. He later went into making films. One such
film involved him sailing a yacht to the south of France, not by sea but through the
canals and rivers of France.
Sidney was also an artist, author, art and furniture restorer, calligrapher and a
Sidney, after receiving his
Bene Merenti in 2002
great storyteller. He was a wise friend for many, old and young
alike.
Underpinning all that he said and did was a profound
spirituality. He said the divine Office daily, whether on his own or
leading prayers at the Pilsdon at Malling Community. He loved the
Eucharist and found great sustenance from Holy Communion. At
St. Francis he was a much appreciated Eucharistic Minister and, in
2002, was awarded the Bene Merenti for services to the Church.
Like all lives lived to the full, not everything had been plain
sailing for Sidney in earlier days. Some of his experiences during
the war were difficult and the theatre and film industry were often
hard and stressful. These took their toll and he often found solace
in alcohol. This, in turn, affected his family and relationships.
He became estranged from his wife and four children, but in
time Sidney, as a recovering alcoholic, used this and other
experiences for the benefit of others. He expressed his
philosophy as follows: “In the course of my own work these past
25 years I have seen thousands of people in various degrees of
distress, on a one-to-one basis and in groups. In every single
instance when someone has forgotten their own troubles
sufficiently to be able to offer a helping hand to another, I have known at once that
their recovery is already well established and, in these circumstances, relapse is a
rarity.” We thank God for this his life of creativity, faith and service. May he rest in
peace
The Dew Association.
The Dew Association wishes to thank the
parishioners of St. Francis’ Church for their
generous financial support via the monthly
collections and monthly Direct Debit systems to
the various charities in Africa, India and the
Philippines. We also wish to convey our
appreciation to Cannon John for allocating the
collection dates in the busy Parish Annual
Calendar of second collections on Sundays. The
monies we send to the various charities offer
relative enhancement to the education and living
conditions of the beneficiaries. Details of the
collections are given below.
Payments from 1978 to January 2013.
£106,196.00
Project Payments for 2012/13
Mar 12 Mozambique, Nampula, Irmas Carmelites,
(Sr. Anton) £717.00
April 12 India, Children’s Education Mission,
(Lucy Guest) £753.00
May 12 Philippines, Leper Colony, (Bro. Bantilan)
£725.00
June 12 Philippines, Orphan Children,
(Sr. Nicanora) £720.00
July 12 Ghana, Children’s Education,
(Fr. Peter Adu) £550.00
Aug 12 India, Mumbai, Help the Sick and
Homeless, (Sr. Christobel) £510.00
Sept 12 Zimbabwe, (Fr.Tim Peacock) £520.00
Oct 12 Zambia, Orphan Children, Kiltegan
Missions, (Fr. Mulholland) £650.00
Nov 12 Ghana, The New Neville Preparatory
School Trust,(N. Maggs) £630.00
Dec 12 Nigeria, Sisters of the Holy Rosary,
(Sr. Josephine) £570.00
Jan 13 Eritrea, Comboni Fathers, (Fr. Paul Felix)
£510.00
Total. £6,855.00
Grand Total. £113,051.00
6

A Real World War 1
Romance
By Pauline Sexton
Children’s Days at
St Francis’ set to become a
regular event
July 1914 saw the beginning of a
major European conflagration.
The assassination of the son of
and heir of the Emperor Franz Josef
of the Austro-Hungarian Empire led
to the invocation of treaties within
nation after nation creating a
domino effect. Russia sided with
Serbia, whose nation was the
assassin’s motherland, Germany
sided with Austria, France with
Russia. Germany demanded free
access through Belgium in order to
invade France (part of the
Schlieffen Plan).
King Albert of the Belgians and
his very small army (44,000 men)
defied his massive opponents which
led in turn to the army of the United
Kingdom coming to his assistance.
Consternation and fear spread
amongst the Belgian population,
particularly as the German cavalry,
the Uhlans, were rumoured to be
cruel and ruthless.
In Brussells Madame Luyck
was preparing two of her daughters,
Jeanne and Cecile, to escape to
England by catching the ferry from
Vlissingens (Flushing). I have no
record of their journey, how they
travelled or how long it took them.
They did eventually cross the River
Schelde and stayed a night with a
cousin who was a Dutch policeman.
They then made their way to the
port to book a passage to England.
Imagine their consternation when
they learned there would be no
more bookings and that it was the
last ferry!
A passing lady, seeing them
both weeping, asked as to their
situation. Their fortunes changed as
she turned out to be a French
comtesse escaping with her
entourage and she immediately told
them to join them!
Most refugees from Belgium
came through Folkestone as access
through Lowestoft was banned as it
was thought that spies were
filtering into England this way.
Jeanne and Cecile were eventually
interviewed at Alexander Palace.
Volunteers were trying to place
refugees in homes and
accommodation and the girls had
the good fortune to be seen by a
Pauline’s parents, Frederick and
Cecile, on their wedding day.
Lady Selborne whose husband’s
mansion and estates were near
Alton. She promised them
residence with the family since they
would be able to make clothing for
her grandchildren. Both Jeanne and
Cecile had worked in their father’s
small lingerie business in Brussells.
Their first act on arrival at
Selbourne was to find the local
Catholic church - they had been
surprised by the number of different
denominations in England. The
church turned out to be a tin hut but
the priest, knowing they had to
travel so far to it offered to pick
them up each Sunday in his pony
and trap.
From this moment their lives
became increasingly difficult with
jibes and comments from the
distinctly Protestant staff in the
Selborne household and this in turn
led them to seek a change where
thankfully their parish priest was
able to help. He found them
accommodation with a Mr.and Mrs.
Myers who ran a canteen for
soldiers at the nearby army transit,
Borden Camp. Mr. Myers was a
convert from Judaism and his wife
an Irish Catholic and they had a
grown up family. The sisters were
very happy here, serving the troops
with tea, sandwiches and buns.
Jeanne’s English was reasonable but
Cecile’s was poor. At first she could
only indicate an item of food as
‘Dis’ or ‘Dat’! Their accents,
however, endeared them to the
soldiers. Cecile recalled
nicknaming one as ‘le petit noir’
because of his very pale face, jet
black hair and his slight build.
This same young soldier asked
Cecile,on the day before his posting
to France and the conflict, for a
memento. She gave him her rosary
but asked him to treat it seriously,
that it was not a charm, and he
would come back safely. He joined
the Royal Horse Artillery as an
outrider, drawing guns and
ammunition limbers to gun sites. In
severe winter conditions he became
a victim of trench fever - a form of
pneumonia - was dosed with liquid
aspirin and returned to Blighty!
Some time later Jeanne and
Cecile had a letter form him
updating them about his discharge
from the army , that he was back at
his home in Catford, South London
and that he had found them jobs as
machinists and found them
accommodation in the area. From
then on ‘le petit noir’ began
courting Cecile and unbeknown to
her began to take instruction in her
Catholic faith. I remember my
father, Frederick George (‘le petit
noir’) telling how his mother was
visibly upset when he disclosed this
to her. She said ‘Remember what
you were brought up as’. He
reminded her that their loyalties
had been to the churches that
provided tea and cakes on the
occasional Sunday.
‘Le petit noir” proposed
marriage to Cecile and placed an
engagement on her finger at the
Offertory of his first Mass at Holy
Family Church in Catford. They
married on June 2nd 1917.
I will always remember this
story of my parents coming together
because of the events that led up to
it. I was the youngest of their three
children, both of my brothers have
died, but my parents union lasted
for 50 years until my father’s
untimely death. Incidentally, my
husband, Michael, and I chose their
wedding anniversary for our own!
A ‘Fisherman’s breakfast’ created by the children at the Children’s Day in April.
Since the last edition of The Parishioner a number of Children’s Days
have taken place. The aim of these days is to involve the children in
activities that encourage a sense of community, being part of the
Church family and allowing them to participate actively in the Liturgy as
well as having some fun.
The days are themed to reflect the Liturgical season or the Gospel of
the Sunday. The day that took place in Advent was exceptionally well
attended, included a visit from Santa and culminated in a Christingle
service, which had the lighted Christingles glowing brightly on the altar.
In January, Baptism was the theme; the children learned more about
the Sacrament and discovered the meanings of their names. In April, the
activities centred on Jesus making His disciples ‘fishers of men’ and on the
continuity of the Papacy from St. Peter to Pope Francis. One young
participant amazed us all by knowing exactly how many Popes there have
been thus far!
The children also enjoy playing games together, singing and art
sessions and, of course, the shared lunch.
The involvement of the clergy in these days adds to the experience as
in addition to teaching the children more about their faith, the priests also
join in the fun and games. Of most recent memory Fathers Bartholomew,
Peter and Victor were willing victims in a game which involved large
marshmallows and the recitation of the phrase “Chubby bunny,” which
became progressively more difficult as additional marshmallows were
popped into the valiant priests’ mouths. Father Peter claimed victory and
he and Fr. Victor discreetly disposed of the accumulated marshmallows,
but Fr. Bartholomew gradually ceased to look like an overfed hamster as
he ate the marshmallows he had stored in his mouth – however he did
look rather pale afterwards! One hopes the reaction of the audience to this
hilarious performance was considered worth the effort by the ‘victims’.
We look forward to more Children’s Days and the continued support
of parents in encouraging their children to attend.
A man is driving around town when he sees a sign in front of a house: Talking Dog For
Sale. He rings the bell and the owner tells him the dog is in the backyard so the man
goes into the backyard and sees an old Labrador sitting there.
“You talk?” he asks. “Yes” the dog replies. Surprised, the man asks, “So what’s your
story?”
The Labrador looks up and says, “Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was
very young. I always wanted to help the Government so I told MI5 about my gift and in
no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies
and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. I was one of
their most valuable spies for eight years running. But jetting around really tired me out
and, as I wasn’t getting any younger, I decided to settle down. I signed up for a job at
the airport to do some undercover security, wandering near suspicious characters and
listening in. I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals.
I got married and had dozens of puppies and now I am retired.”
The man is very impressed, so goes in and asks how much the owner wants for
the dog. “Ten pounds” says the owner. “Ten pounds?” says the man, “This dog is
amazing. Why on earth are you selling him so cheap”. “Because he tells lies.” says the
owner. “He never did any of that stuff.”
At the Easter Vigil we welcomed the six men and women of the RCIA group into full communion with Catholic Church.
They were joined by three members of the Polish community who, with the others, received the Sacrament of
Confirmation. We offer our congratulations to all of them.
O L I V E R S
Independent Coffee Shop
21 Pudding Lane Maidstone Tel: 07545450027
NOW OPEN!
A great place to meet friends for
a light lunch; or just coffee &
cake. Comfortable & peaceful.

In remembrance of my Dad,
Eric Emerson
1921 to 1988
by Margaret Emerson
My father Eric Emerson was born on the 1st September 1921 in March,
Cambridgeshire and was the only child to Harold Emerson and Rosanna
Peachey. An early setback for my father was the loss of his left eye, which
was caused by a tumour behind it and to save his sight, he had to sacrifice the eye
aged just seven. This never really set him back, although his school master advised
that he did not take up a career as a teacher, which was something he had thought
of doing, as he was likely to be subjected to taunts from the pupils. He would have
made a great physics or maths teacher as he had a great gift for explaining things.
Before he married my father was considering a call to the priesthood, which I
am told shocked his own parents. Dad had converted to Catholicism in the late
1940s and was always a devout man, keeping a strong faith to the end. Dad served
St. Francis’ Parish as a reader for a number of years. He often commented that he
sung loudily at Mass, joking that he appeared to be the only one singing! His
mother died in her 40s and his father remarried, and that, along with his faith
conversion, lead to a rift with his father. However, they were reconciled shortly
before his father passed on and at his father’s funeral, still in the family home town
of March, he helped to carry his father’s coffin as a final gesture of reconciliation.
Dad married my mother Rita Holliday in 1949 and she also converted to
Catholicism. Times were hard after World War II and he sold his childhood stamp
collection to pay the bills for a couple of weeks. That probably summed him up as a
father, giving up things for the family and working hard to provide for us. My sister
Maria was born in 1950 and I came along in 1960. He would always support us in
what we were doing, including being the local ‘Dad’ taxi service and he gave good
advice, although he would also let us know if he disapproved.
My father settled on a career as a chartered mechanical and electrical engineer.
He started at the bottom as a charge engineer at Battersea Power Station during the
Second World War. His disability meant he could not serve in the regular armed
forces, but power station work was considered essential and he was part of the Home
Guard in London, something he must have found difficult. He had studied part
time for an intermediate BSc and by the time he took retirement in 1986, he was
one of the top consulting engineers in his field in the country.
His expertise especially in gas turbines often led to trips abroad, although he
was also involved in part of the design of the turbine hall at Dungeness B Nuclear
Power Station. He worked for the last 16 years of his career with an American firm,
so he often found himself crossing the Atlantic but he had also been to India, Japan,
various places in the Middle East, the USSR, Libya and a number of European
destinations. He started his travels in the DC3 Dakota and ended them flying in
747’s. In his hand luggage on flight he always carried a copy of the CTS Simple
Prayer Book, which he said might be handy if a flight got into trouble.
My father had a number of operations in the early 1980’s for intestinal
complaints which he took in his stride, although before one operation his life was
in grave danger. This lead to his decision to retire a year early. Having worked hard
all his life, commuting to London for 20 years, his employer moved from London to
Milton Keynes and daily travel became too arduous, although for a while he did
consultancy work. Then he became unwell again, which meant he only had 18
months of retirement. My sister Maria passed away on 21st July 1987 after a 13
month a battle with cancer and my father was diagnosed the day after her funeral
with terminal prostate cancer.
He was admitted to hospital for the last time just before the May Day Holiday
weekend in 1988. We later found out that he did not want my mother and I to
know that he did not have long to live. He privately asked the nurse to arrange for
the Last Rites of the Church to be given. We both visited him on the Sunday
afternoon and he wished me a good week at work as we left. Later that evening the
hospital called to say he had lapsed into coma and he passed away peacefully just
after midnight with Mum and I, plus a next door neighbour who had kindly given
us a lift, at his bed side, at peace with God. Thank you Dad for what you did for us
all in your life. Rest in peace, Margaret.
Busy Year for the Ascent
Group
Angela Hunter
The year 2012 was a busy year for members of Maidstone Ascent Group. We
have met regularly each month for fellowship and discussions, the highlight
being our Jubilee Party in June for members and friends. We also gained
ONE NEW MEMBER!
During the year members have visited the Shrine to St. Jude in Faversham and
spent a “Quiet Day” with Father Michael Woodgate at Headcorn Church. The
Annual Four Day Retreat for the Southwark and Westminster Regions was held in
June and Maidstone members were able to attend for a day. Our Group Leader,
Angela Hunter and her husband Keith, were involved in helping to arrange the
Retreat and stayed at the Friars for the four days. It was a most worthwhile break,
glorious sunshine, great company, a spiritual booster, peaceful and restful - not
forgetting the excellent food!
In August we were back again for a refresher and cream teas. We rounded off
2012 with our third visit to the Friars, this time for our Christmas lunch in
December.
We began this year with a pre-Lent party in February and we look forward to
continuing our study of the “Year of Faith”. The Southwark region is arranging an
Ascent day at the Kairos Centre, Roehampton in May and Keith and Angela
Hunter will again be involved in the Annual Retreat at the Friars (10-13 June). Day
visitors are welcome. Keith also represents Maidstone at the Southwark Region
meetings so he is in for a busy year.
We would also like to arrange a trip to St. Augustine’s Church, Ramsgate
when we hope to link up with members of the newly formed Ascent Group in
Westgate-on-Sea.
The Ascent group was formed to serve retired members of the Church by
offering spirituality, friendship and mission. If you are interested and would like to
know more, or want to attend the Aylesford Retreat for a day, please contact the
Group Leader, Angela Hunter (01622 746792).
Designed and produced by Denis & Rosemary Neale
The Pencil Maker
Contributed by a Parishioner
The Pencil Maker took a pencil aside, just before putting it in the
box. “There are five things you need to know,” he told the pencil,
“before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and
never forget and you will become the best pencil you can be”
One: “You will do many great things but only if you allow yourself
to be held in someone’s hand.”
Two: “You will experience a painful sharpening from time to
time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil”.
Three: “You will be able to correct any mistakes you might
make.”
Four: “The most important part of you will always be what’s
inside.”
Five: “On every surface you are used on, you must leave your
mark. No matter what condition, you must continue to write.”
The pencil understood and promised to remember and went into
the box with purpose in its heart.
Now, replacing the pencil with you:
Always remember them and never forget and you will become the
best person you can be.
One: “You will be able to do many great things but only if you
allow yourself to be held in God’s hand.”
Two: “You will experience a a painful sharpening from time to
time by going through various problems in life but you’ll need it to
become a stronger person.”
Three: “ You will be able to correct any mistakes you might
make.”
Four: “The most important part of you will always be what’s
inside.”
Five: “On every surface you walk through life you must leave
your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do
your duty.”
Allow this parable of the pencil to encourage you to know that you
are a special person and only you can fulfil the purpose to which
you were born. Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think
your life is insignificant - your life does make a difference.
St Francis’ Church
Summer
Spectacular
Saturday, 6th July,
11am to 4pm
•Folk Rock Band
•Bouncy Castle
•Irish & Hip Hop Dancing
•Assorted Stalls
Crafts•Cakes•Books
Plants•Bric-a-Brac
Food of the Nations
•Barbecue•Crockery Smash
•Games
And Other Attractions!
Enter the Grand
Draw!
£300 & £150 to be won!
+ other exciting prizes
Calling all Parishioners!
The money raised by this event will go to
fund future parish development.
Please will you help?
We need goods for all the stalls, people to
help set up and assist the stall holders on
the day and those who will help clear up
afterwards. Any donations towards costs
are also very welcome!
Contact Martin Sexton (01622) 754861.
Baptisms 2012
July
Hermione De
Moulpied Thompson
Thomas Carpenter
Jonny Glover-Stone
Sidney Glover-Stone
Samuel Snepp
Natalia Longhurst
Joshua Sharp
August
Lola Laidlaw
Elijah Douglas
Miley Brown
Alfie Holding
Viktor Tichy
Oliver Ebdon
Ezra Maswire-Hatega
Lacy Franks
Fabian Bean
Summer Baker
September
Oliwia Domagala
Lily Steel
Dominik Swrkowski
Amadeusz
Wojciechowski
Holie Brooker
Luke Pettit
Reese O Connor
Isabella Ketley
Benjamin Ketley
October
Elsie Russell
Samual Perks
Patrick Czechrowski
Filip Mikulski
Chiara Trajano
Yvonne Hodgetts
Leon Hodgetts
Annabella Andrew
Orlagh Edwards
Joseph Crawley
Steven Keane
Lizzy McGinn
Poppy Carter
November
Jonathan Rendell
Anna Duran Espinoza
Daniel Milne
Elizabeth Milne
Emily Milne
Harry Hubbard
December
Skye Powell
Andrey Bragin
John Pefanio
Oliver Smith
Savannah Ellingham
Filip Zybajto
Adam Ozog
Hanna Surowska
Oliver Zarzycki
January 2013
Antonio Mendes
Marco Mendes
Wojciech
Dziegielewski
Julia Zasada
February
Isabella Walczak
Amelia Lander
Aleks Iwanczuk
Nichola Shorter
Remy Perkins
Amelia Dowling
March
Millie Collins
Alex Sims
Jacob Skelton
Jan Wiszniewski
Robert Njamen
Julian Meston
Maddison Goddard
Julie Wilkins
Stefania Burzynska
April
Victor Solinski
Agata Hutnikiewicz
Ben Izquierdo
Cameron Chapman
Aleksander Kaluski
Oscar Tomaszewski
Esme March
Jasmine Armfield
Jessica Michacz
May
George Johnson
Ellis Johnson
Hugo Kotodziejczyk
Darcen Chinnapan
Deaths 2012
June
Mary Deney
Reginald Green
July
Giovanni Roberto
Joseph Flynn
John McElligott
Kevin Jamas
August
George Meeham
Yolande Roberts
Stephaine Godsall
September
Francis Brennon
Bridget Nolan
October
Winifred Hynes
Andrew Akehurst
Josephine Bricknell
David Conaghan
November
Kathleen Gunner
December
Anastasia Agnes
Sr Kathleen Dalton
January 2013
Bernadette Alexander
Kathleen Martin
Monica Casey
Alan Edmonds
February
Pietro Pia
Clifford Boyce
March
Veronica Cook
Neil Linstead
Monica Cobb
Gerald Shephard
Marriages 2012
July
Brendan Beirne
&Lindsey Vegas
August
Steven Borkett &
Marie Walker
John Bowles
& Grainne Doyle
Mark Dady & Jena
Lipski
September
Benjamin Courtin
&Joanna Wilkes
Thomas Jones
&Krystyna Ucal
October
Andrejs Butans
& Marta Krzesniak
March 2013
Dariusz Ozog & Iwona
Kowalska
April
Darren Reid & Maria
Jurczyk
May
Andrew Johnson&
Lisa Champion
Andrejs Butans &
O Christ Jesus, when all is
darkness and we feel our
weakness and helplessness, give
us the sense of Your presence,
Your love, and Your strength.
Help us to have perfect trust in
Your protecting love and
strengthening power, so that
nothing may frighten or worry us,
for, living close to You, we shall
see Your hand, Your purpose,
Your will through all things.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Worshipping God means learning
to be with Him, stripping away
our hidden idols and placing Him
at the centre of our lives.
Pope Francis.
Printed by Broad Oak Colour, Canterbury