Deacon Peter is walking 50km around Lourdes

After going to Lourdes with HCPT Groups 551 & 552 in October for the last four years, Deacon Peter has decided to try the Easter pilgrimage as well. HCPT Group 14 is based in our parish of St John the Baptist, Purley and we need to raise £5,250 to take seven disabled children to Lourdes at Easter 2012.

Deacon Peter will be walking 50km around Lourdes over the weekend of 11/12 February 2012 which takes in the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. The average temperature in that area of the Pyrenees at that time of year is 5C but it will likely be much colder.

Please donate whatever you can to this worthwhile cause and make his sore feet feel worth it!

You can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/PeterRennieHCPTGroup14 or there will be sponsorship forms in the sacristy.

CWG & Thai Children’s Trust

It was a proud moment for CWG Chairwoman Marion O’Shea and Treasurer Pat Mawer who were invited guests when Archbishop Vincent Nichols generously hosted an evening to meet those who had raised funds for the Thai Children’s Trust.

Over 30 years ago a baby was left on the doorstep of a Catholic priest in Pattaya. Father Ray Brennan took the child in, and with this single compassionate act the Thai Children’s Trust was born. The CWG have raised money for some years for The Father Ray Special Needs Centre in Pattaya – a day care centre for young people with disabilities, offering them support, educational activities and physiotherapy. and now sponsor a child’s education.

Funds raised help refugee children and families along the Thai-Burma border, children with disabilities, children at risk, street children, orphans who live in extremely chaotic circumstances, children with HIV and Aids.

More information at www.thaichildrenstrust.org.uk

Some pictures can be seen here.

PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES

So far 16 people have put their name on the list for the Pilgrimage. If you wish to join them please give your name to Liz as soon as possible. We leave on Monday 24 October, returning on Friday 28 October Coach from St John the Baptist to Stanstead. Total cost £498 per head.

Walsingham 2010

In mid-May, 16 parishioners set out on our fifth bi-annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in Norfolk. Our four day pilgrimage started with Mass in St John the Baptist Church after which we set out in four cars. We arrived at the Shrine, just outside Walsingham in time for a cup of tea and a visit to the Slipper Chapel where the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham stands, before Evening Prayer and Benediction in the Church of the Reconciliation.

The second day started with blue skies and sunshine and Morning Prayer in the Church of the Annunciation in the village. The fine, sunny weather was to stay with us for the three days. In the morning we walked the processional way with other pilgrims for Mass at midday in the Church of the Reconciliation and in the afternoon we followed the Way of the Cross in the grounds fo the Anglican Shrine. Prayers for Christian Unity in the Anglican Shrine, prayers for priests in this Year of the Priest at the Shrine of St John Vianney and prayers for the dead in the Holy Souls Chapel ended with a welcome cup of tea! Before supper we celebrated Evening Prayer as a group in the Church of the Annunciation.

The third day started with Morning Prayer as usual. Today was our day out, and after a group Mass in the Slipper Chapel celebrated by our parish priest, CAnin Jim, we set out towards Cromer. Having linked up in advance with the people of West Runton Parish Church, we visited three little churches to see a Saxon round tower, one of the oldest in Norfolk; a splendid 16th century seven sacrament font, beautifully carved; and a fine 15th century Rood Screen with its original colour and not one of the paintings of the twelve apostles defaced. We broke our day with lunch in West Runton church and returned there to celebrate Evening Prayer before returning to Walsingham.

After Morning Prayer and breakfast on our last day it was free time – to visit the Priory grounds, site of the original shrine; the little Russian Orthodox church, the former railway station; to shop or just to wander round. After midday Mass in the Church of the Reconciliation and lunch we drove home, arriving back in Purley in the early evening. We hope to go on pilgrimage again on May 2012!

[Article by Alan Watson, photographs by Lewis Horner]

Going Forth Mass 2010

The First Holy Communion season finished on the 11th of July with the Going Forth Mass. Children from the parish made their First Holy Communion during Masses in June.

Catechism for 2011 begins late this year so keep an eye on the newsletter and Sunday notices if your child is going into Year 3 at school.

A big thank you goes to the parish team of catechists who spend half the year preparing the children.

Worth Abbey Retreat 2010

On the 16th to 18th of July, a group of fourteen parishioners ventured down to Worth Abbey near Crawley for the first Parish Retreat. The retreat was hosted by Worth Abbey’s Open Cloister programme in St Bruno’s retreat house.

Those attending the retreat participated in the prayer life of the abbey which revolves around the singing of the Divine Office and daily Mass. The theme of the retreat was “Deepening your Life of Prayer” and five talks were given in St Bruno’s

• Deacon Peter – “The Rhythm of Monastic Life” which covered the role that the Divine Office plays inthe life of the community and it’s history
• Deacon Peter – “Praying with Scripture” about the ancient meditative prayer Lectio Divina
• Br Anthony OSB – “Prayer in the Benedictine Way of Life” which covered the Rule of St Benendict and how it directs Benedictine prayer
• Canon Frank – “Reflections on a Liofe of Prayer” that described practical aspects of prayer
• Alan Watson – “Journeying into Prayer” which described the ACTS methodology of prayer

We were very well looked after by Fr Patrick OSB and Lesley from the Open Cloister team.

Worth Abbey is a place of great peace and spirituality only 30 minutes from Purley.

Another retreat is being planned for May 2011 and further details will be posted on this website.

The John Fisher School Chapel

Please note – During the School holidays, which started on Wednesday 21 July and end on Wednesday 1 September there will be no services in the Chapel during the week. There will, of course, be Mass in the Chapel each Sunday at 08.30. As soon as possible after the holidays begin, work will begin on major repairs to the lantern and flat roof above the sanctuary. This will entail the erection of scaffolding inside the Chapel on the sanctuary, as well as outside the Chapel. It is hoped that the scaffolding inside the Chapel will be dismantled by the end of the School holidays. During this time, a temporary altar will be placed in front of the steps for the 08.30 Masses on Sundays throughout the holiday period.

CAFOD Haiti Appeal

As a member of the Caritas Federation, we are supporting our partners to assist with the relief effort following the earthquake on the Caribbean Island of Haiti on January 12, 2010

As rescuers search for survivors among the rubble following the earthquake, our partners will be carrying out needs assessments.
Follow the latest on our Haiti blog

At present there are no accurate figures of the number of dead and those made homeless by the quake, but it is clear that with a population of around nine million people – with three million living in the devastated capital Port Au Prince – substantial humanitarian assisance will be required.

Any money pledged will help our partners supply water, food, medicines and shelter to the worst affected areas.

Please donate to the CAFOD appeal for the victims of the easrthquake in Haiti. You can do this online here.

Hall Bookings

You are reminded that hall bookings are not dealt with by telephone. All communication must be via email to jezstevens.hom@btinternet.com If you do not have email, write to Liz at the Parish Office who will email on your behalf.

Altar Servers

Re-registering is now complete and new rotas which include the 17 servers who have just completed their training are ready in the box in the Sacristy.

All servers are asked to collect their copy – last time round some remained uncollected for several weeks.