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Archive for June, 2009

Well done to Saint Barnabas’ School!

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

Something magical has been happening at S. Barnabas school over the last few years. Under the outstanding leadership of Teresa Anderson, our Head, it has transformed itself from being an unhappy, conflict ridden school under special measures to becoming a happy, loving school with a flourishing Christian ethos. Step by step the corner has been turned, friendships have been made, trust has been earned and tiny shoots of growth and renewal have been observed…and now this progress has taken a giant leap forward and is beginning to show in our results as well! HURRAH!

Which is why my heart burst with pride- for Teresa, the staff and the children- when I heard that our Key Stage 2 SATS results are now in, demonstrating that we are above Kent floor targets accross the board! (That means everything OVER 65%). What a fantastic achievment for our school and clear evidence that institutions can be turned around. The secret? Love, honesty, integrity and virtue in spade loads. This is a fact worth celebrating, especially when you are mindful of some of the enormous challenges that our children have to overcome in their personal lives. I really am so very, very proud of each one of them!

Finally let me share with you another unprecedented fact…we now have a waiting list for next year! Yes, parents accross the town are now opting for S. Barnabas, understading it offers something very special to every child. A place of genuine faith, of love and joy in which everyone, regardless of thier ability and limitations, is taken seriously and pushed to do their best.

So well done the school. This is a ‘biggie’ and you should be enormously proud of everything that has been achieved. Tunbridge Wells take note….this oft neglected corner of town is waking up….we shall not put up with second best any longer!!

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Hockley: the photographs!

Monday, June 29th, 2009

Pictured above is Fr. Jeffrey standing before the High Altar in his beautiful church. I must say I was really very impressed with all that has been done to re-order the church at Hockley. Before it was nigh on impossible for 50% of people to see due to the slightly strange design of the building. Now, placed in the round, everyone is fully engaged and up with the ceremonial. What I witnessed last night was without doubt the very best ‘Vat II’ style worship; conducted with dignity, awe and mystery, yet also fresh and simple. Well done for all your hard work Father Jeffrey and the people of Hockley. Below are some other shots taken during the celebration. I especially enjoyed the unfurling of the papal flag- what could be more suitable on the feast of S. Peter?! I am standing at the back in my new spectacles, next to Fr. Bob my old training incumbent.

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A busy feast of Ss. Peter & Paul!

Sunday, June 28th, 2009

Today is the glorious feast of Ss. Peter and Paul, the two great apostles of God through whom Christ founded his Church on earth. We shall honour them both this morning at Solemn Mass, so let us hope it is a packed house to do these legends justice!

This evening I shall celebrate the feast once again but in different company, for I am to be the guest preacher at Ss. Peter and Paul in Hockley. This beautiful little church, nestled in the Essex countryside, has long maintained a proud tradition of teaching the Catholic faith as comes to us from the Apostles. The parish website is here.

It will be a pleasure to attend Mass at Hockley for a variety of reasons. Firstly because the Parish Priest there, Fr. Jeffrey Woolnaugh SSC, was made deacon at the same time as me, and we built up a strong camaraderie suffering curate’s potty training together. What the course lacked in academic rigour, orthodox teaching and a sense of holiness, it made up for by providing moments of true hilarity…where else could one pluck a grape for Jesus whilst sharing a story of woundedness? Or pray to both Our Father and Mother, without any reference to Mary?!!?? Here he is looking suitably fierce as he ignites the paschal candle:

Secondly this evening will be a great pleasure because I am bound to meet many of the priests who form the Chelmsford Diocesan branch of the SSC. Having been a curate in that diocese I know most of them and it will be great to catch up with them again. In particular I look forward to meeting the new assistant priest at Hockley who is especially well known to me. For it is none other than Father Bob White, recently retired, who was my training incumbent in Brentwood. Here he is pictured with his wife Rosemary, Fr. Jeff and Julie- Fr. Jeff’s wife.

Finally the church itself is well known to me as I offered Mass there a few times during the interregnum. Therefore I remember a few of the people who worship there regularly and it will be good to be reunited with them. So all in all a nostalgic evening awaits and one which I hope will bring reverence to God and joy to his people. Let us pray for all churches dedicated to Ss. Peter and Paul on this their glorious feast.

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Saint Cyril of Alexandria

Saturday, June 27th, 2009

During our 9am Mass, which was in Latin this being the fourth Saturday of the month, we celebrated the life of S. Cyril of Alexandria whose feast day falls this day. S. Cyril was a great defender of the faith and stood up to wrongful (heretical) teaching in his day. Here is a short exposition of his life:

Cyril was born into a wealthy family in 376 at Alexandria, Egypt. As nephew of Theophilus, patriarch of that city, he received a fine classical and theological education before being ordained at his uncle’s hand. He then accompanied Theophilus to Constantinople in 403 and was present at the ‘Synod of the Oak’ that deposed John Chrysostom, whom he believed guilty of the charges against him. Click here for more information about that!

Cryil eventually succeeded his uncle as patriarch in 412, but only after a riot between Cyril’s supporters and the followers of his rival Timotheus! Cyril at once began a series of attacks against the Novatians, whose churches he closed; the Jews, whom he drove from the city; and the governor Orestes, with whom he disagreed. As you can see – he was a feisty soul and did not shrink from conflict! But sometimes God needs principled ‘toughies’ to resist heresy and uphold his teaching, as we shall come to see.

In 430 Cyril became embroiled with Nestorius, patriarch of Constantinople, who was preaching many heretical things including the notion that Mary was not the Mother of God. Cryil was enraged and soon persuaded Pope Celestine I to hold a synod at Rome, which condemned Nestorius, and then did the same at his own synod in Alexandria.

Following the Synods Pope Celestine directed Cyril to depose Nestorius, and in 431, Cyril presided over the third General Council at Ephesus, attended by some two hundred bishops, which condemned all the teaching of Nestorius and his followers. But the matter did not end here. Nestorius’ supporters hit back and held a council of their own and deposed Cyril! A political ‘ding dong’ ensued with much heartfelt and bitter arguing between the two factions (how like the church of our own day!)

Eventually Emperor Theodosius II decided to sort things out and arrested both Cyril and Nestorius. Fortunately for Cyril two Papal Legates arrived who confirmed the council’s actions against Nestorius and declared Cyril innocent of all charges, this led to his release. With the Pope’s backing Cyril triumphed and Nestorius was forced into exile.

All of this fighting led Cyril to see how dangerous false and watered down teaching can be to living faith. He thus devoted the rest of his life to theological writing which clarified the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation and helped prevent Nestorianism and Pelagianism from taking root in the Christian community. Indeed most agree that he was the most brilliant theologian of the Alexandrian tradition. His writings are characterized by accurate thinking, precise exposition, and great reasoning skills. Among his writings are commentaries on John, Luke, and the Pentateuch, treatises on dogmatic theology, and Apologia against Julian the Apostate, and letters and sermons. He was declared a doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1882.

Lord, raise up more men and women like Saint Cyril, to defend and teach the faith which comes to us from the apostles. Help us to resist, in our own day, the wrongful teaching of those who would change the message of faith, to appease the opinions of our sorry society. May we stand up for Jesus in our love of orthodoxy and remain steadfast in our love of all things holy. Help us to be faithful to your holy Word and Sacraments. Amen.

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Goodbye Wacko-Jacko

Friday, June 26th, 2009

I am struggling to cope with the adoration which Michael Jackson is getting simply because he has died. Is it not rather sad that our society idolises fame and fortune to such an extent that it is willing to overlook the most deplorable things? People on message boards and in the media are treating MJ as some sort of hero, when in fact his life was a very sorry tale.

Fact is he was a tragic, mentally unwell man who -most likely indeed-abused children. Of course none can prove this but just look at his close freindship with McCaulery Culkin who then went off the rails and lost it big time. Consider how he always had a boy -OF A CERTAIN AGE- hang round with him, lavishing gifts on them and then dropping them when they aged beond his liking. Worse he admitted to sharing a bed and showering with them. Finally he used his fortune to settle out of court- not the behaviour of an innocent man. As one who has seen first hand what child abuse does to people – we should not downplay its significance here. On the evidence provided he would not have been left alone with my children I can tell you!

That said it is not our job to judge MJ and we should hope he does find forgiveness. I will certainly pray that he might RIP. Pity him I can, but I stand a long way off from finding it appropriate to celebrate this life, despite his undoubted talent. He was a sick man in many senses and his early demise is, in many ways, indicative of that. Was he penitent? What did he do to merit the praise of society- music aside? What message does the adoration he is recieving send out to people?

I am reminded of the death of Princess Diana, when people gushed about her in an hysterical manner but totally ignored the death of Mother Teresa…..that said rather a lot to me about our society and the people we adore.

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Did Mary Whitehouse have a point?

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

As a child the figure of Mary Whitehouse intrigued and impressed me. Though too young to comprehend the points she was making, I nevertheless admired the manner in which this ‘oh-so-normal lady’ had found a voice in the public sphere. Furthermore she seemed to be speaking up for the faith which my parents had taught me to love.

Whilst studying for my first degree this admiration turned to ridicule. Being a typical rugby playing lad, in a college with ten women to every man, I was on a something of a crusade to push life’s margins and ignore any message of self-discipline and restraint. Who was this kill-joy who wished to return us to a repressed and miserable state? Life was for living, let each person choose. Censorship was clearly an evil that threatened the liberty of men and women everywhere!

A few weeks ago, whilst running at the gym, (not that my physique would give that one away!) I found myself staring at MTV, which was playing on the giant screens that adorn the walls. At first, and to my shame, I was thrilled and entranced. A very pretty lady, clad in next to nothing, was gyrating in a most suggestive manner before the camera. This was followed by another musical video in which a series of almost bare bottoms were slapped by another unrealistically beautiful woman dressed as some sort of dominatrix.

As the sweat poured down my neck (from the running not the viewing!) I had a thought which stopped my lustful appreciation in its tracks. MTV is aimed at a very young audience. What I was watching was the manner in which this broken society will present sexuality to my daughter. Gorgeous semi-clad girlies might set my pulse racing…but this is most definitely not what I want for my children. Videos in which themes such as perversion, free love and multiple partners are presented as normal and healthy. And how much is this material shaping our minds and attitudes? What correlation between the saturation of sex in the media and our tragically high divorce rates, abortion figures, teenage pregnancies and STDs?

When I got home that night I flicked through the television channels with a more critical eye. ‘How to look good naked’, ‘A girls guide to 21st Century sex’, ‘Eurotrash’ and ‘Sexcetera’ were all serving up varying degrees of pornography to the general public. And on other channels were the most graphic depictions of violence, cruelty and torture. A glorification of criminal activity and an unhealthy fascination with the mind of the killer. What does our television say about us?

When I consider the media I want for my daughter I begin to see Mary Whitehouse in a new light. Was she really a modern day prophet? A steely, determined, feminine version of John the Baptist, who dared to say the things that none of us want to hear? A voice crying in the wilderness of our permissive and hedonistic society? Might we be better placed if we had used the media to support family values and the virtues which faith holds dear?

I am slightly embarrassed to admit it, not least because it points out my hypocrisy. But this sinful man who delighted in watching the MTV gyrations, might need to concede that Mrs. Whitehouse had a point.

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Supporting the Bishop of Fulham

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Yesterday I travelled to London for a meeting of the +Fulham’s Council. As ever the Bishop was generous in his hospitality, warm in his welcome and insightful in his guidance. It is a great honour to assist him in his work and I hope he understands how much his ministry is valued and supported by his parishes, priests and people.

Our business at these meetings can vary, yesterday we planned the next Fulham clergy meeting, considered the next clergy retreat, discussed various forthcoming vacancies and reflected on life within the Church in general. All of this was accomplished either side of a very pleasant lunch prepared by +John’s wife, Judy.

Apologies for the hazy quality of pictures, this was due to the fact that the sun was shining directly into my camera. I am not grumbling though as it is lovely to see summer finally arriving on these shores. Time for the BBQ this weekend I feel….

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Dib, dib, dib!

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

For the last two weeks a scout troop from S. Augustine’s have been working hard in our sacristary garden, doing their bit for the community and helping improve the locality. Apparently they are digging in the hope of unearthing a 200kg Luftwaffe bomb- well keep digging lads!

I am very grateful to them and especially to Paul McGaughy, their leader, for organising volunteering and offering this work. Not only did the scouts arrive with thier own equipment but they left with thier own rubbish too! So often people moan about youngsters, well these young people are a credit to the town, their parents and their schools!

In talking with Paul I discovered that his wife, Linda, is the Group Scout Leader and is keen to re-install the S. Barnabas’ scout troop, which was disbanded years ago. I for one think that this an excellent idea and will do all I can to encourage it. There are so many young people in this parish who would benefit enormously from structured evenings, outdoor activities and all that scouting has to offer. I myself was a Sea Scout and loved being part of this wonderful organisation….thats said I never did learn to tie ropes or do useful things!

I leave you with the last line of an email sent by Linda and Paul this afternoon…I think it merits an award for most unusal invitation…the sad thing is- it also represents the best offer I have had in weeks! They write:

‘You are very welcome to pop over here and enjoy an awful red, provided you do not mind a boxer that can create smells worse than Satan’s sewers, and a male Jack Russell that will want to undergo a civil ceremony with you!’

How can I refuse??!

Posted in parish ramble | 11 Comments »

Fatherhood

Sunday, June 21st, 2009

The secular world, driven by commercial desire no doubt, has proclaimed this day ‘Father’s Day’ and dedicated it to fathers everywhere. I suggest this is one secular day which the Church should not hesitate to gatecrash, grabbing the opportunity to heartily applaude any commitment to family life, whilst encouraging people to consider God as loving father of us all.

This year Father’s day has double meaning for me personally. Not only am I blessed with my gorgeous daughter, Jemima, but on Friday I accompanied Hayley to Pembury Hospital for a scan of our second child, who is busy developing in the womb. What incredible technology is available today; we were able to see baby in all his/her glory and even noted with amusement that the profile of the child’s face has something of ‘daddy about it’ even at this early stage (poor thing!). Indeed Hayley and I were so connected with our child that we now know its sex and can speak to them by name, which is very exciting. You, dear reader, in unity with all our family and freinds, will have to wait for the big day itself for that particular piece of information!

As ever I left hospital with a profound mix of emotions. On the one hand unadulterated joy at the gift of life and the miracle of creation. On the other an overwhelming sense of responsibility and fear that I am not really fit for the purpose, fallen son of Adam that I am. Nonetheless I AM the child’s father and mst dedicate myself to doing the best job I possibly can.

Which is why I am delighted for the gift of the Church. Which means that through baptism I can ensure that the responsibility and joy of raising my child will be shared with the wider community. I can place my child in the haven of the Christian faith, safe in the knowledge that such faith will help them grow into the people God calls them to be. That is such a reassurance for I know, that if I teach them what I know of God’s love, they will be fine. Yes- the greatest gift I can give my children, is to teach, by example, how to live the Christian faith.

Statistics back this up, demonstrating that a child’s faith is predominantly influenced by their parents. For research has shown that, where both mum and dad attend church regularly, 74% of offspring will be worshipping in church during adult life (33% regularly, 41% irregularly). If the mother is regular in attendance but the father infrequent this drops to 62% (3% regularly, 59% irregularly). If the father is non-practising but mother attends it shoots down to a feeble 39% (2% regularly, 37% irregularly). Studying these statistics – especially as regards regular and committed worship- leaves us in no doubt that children look to their parents, and especially their fathers, as examplars for the spiritual life.

On this Father’s day then let us encourage good parenting. Let us ensure that fathers are valued and supported in the role GOd has given them and let us oppose the over-feminisation of the church which is occuring in our time. A healthy church needs men and women, young and old, if it is to reflect the kingdom of God.

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The beauty of creation?

Saturday, June 20th, 2009

Today I offer pictures of the vicarage garden, taken this morning as I mowed the lawn. I am not, in all honesty, motivated to do this in praise of God for the beauty of creation. Nor simply to rejoice in the gorgeous little corner of Kent I live in! It is much more deplorable than that….I offer these photographs to scorn Fr. Stather, who is bemoaning the lashing rain on the day of his summer fete. Look carefully Stather….a glorious day here in the wells, now remind me….who is it the sun shines on?

Having enjoyed mocking poor Fr. John, I now take a moment to praise a parishioner. For our garden is only looking this good because it has been placed in the capable hands of Mike Blande, member of the congregation and owner of his own landscape gardening company. If anybody needs somebody with a lot of knowledge and skill, then let me know and I can put you in touch. Mike has only been here twice but already the garden is looking far better than it has for a very long time. So thank you Mike! Here he is pictured at the footwashing with his toes being tended (third in)

As ever it is folly to reveal your gifts to a clergyman, Mike is now overseeing the transformation of the small garden area in school and later this year, will oversee a project to revitalise our sacristan’s garden by the side of the Church! It is hoped a group of people will assist him in this task and help us make the Church site more attractive and welcoming to the whole community.

So enjoy the final shots of the garden, and especially my favourite spot pictured below: the table under the Vicarage vine where Father has been known to enjoy the odd drink……in fact that might well be where I am typing from right now! And finally a shot of the very bold mouse who came and made themselves known to me this morning!

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