Next Sunday is “Sea Sunday”, when we pray particularly for seafarers and fishers.  There will be a collection after each Mass in support of Stella Maris, the Catholic charity that cares for them.  Envelopes are available to be collected this weekend and brought back next weekend with your donation.  Many thanks for your generosity.  It is easy to take for granted the service that we receive from the people who earn their living from the sea, but we sometimes need to be reminded that such service always comes at a certain cost, including a spiritual cost, when people are far from home for long periods.

 

In three weeks from now we come to our patronal feast, when we celebrate Saint James on the eve of his feast.  So our celebration will be at 7pm on Friday 24 July, the feast itself falling on a Saturday this year.  As it is a solemnity, we will be dispensed from the requirement to abstain from meat, at least here on the premises.  We are most grateful to Cardinal Nichols for agreeing to come and preside on this important occasion.  We are delighted that the Lord Mayor of Westminster has also agreed to be present, along with a delegation from the Spanish Embassy.  Many thanks too to the parishioners who work so hard to provide the refreshments for the reception afterwards.

 

Avid readers of the newsletter will already have spotted that there is to be a “mini-pilgrimage” from Farm Street church to this church on Saturday 17 October, accompanied by some of the recently rediscovered “pilgrim songs” that our medieval forebears would have sung on the camino.  Those interested can find further information here on the parish website. 

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The school year is drawing to a close, and an end of year School Mass will be celebrated in Saint James’s Church on Friday 10 July at 9.30am.  As usual, parents, teachers and governors are all welcome.  We wish every blessing to those about to begin their long summer holidays, especially the Year 6 students, who are finishing at Saint Vincent’s and moving to secondary schools in the autumn.

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As mentioned last weekend, I shall be away this weekend, attending ordinations of some of my former students, but only for a few days.  I shall be back among you before the week is out.  Ordinations often take place at this time of year, in the days and weeks following the feast of Saints Peter and Paul.  It is a season sometimes known as “Petertide”.

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I shall be spending some of that time at the English College summer residence outside Rome, where their diaconal ordination will take place.  Indeed, my own diaconal ordination took place there, 34 years ago next weekend.  It will also be an opportunity to greet and congratulate my successor, Father Stephen Wang, a priest of this diocese, who has been appointed Bishop of Arundel and Brighton in succession to our own Archbishop, Richard Moth, formerly of that diocese.  We wait with bated breath to see who will be appointed Rector of the English College in succession to Father Stephen.

 

In many churches there is only one Mass on a Saturday, namely the Vigil Mass of Sunday.  It seems a shame to miss the opportunity of a Saturday Mass, particularly if the Saturday in question is a feast-day, as it will be in the coming week, when the feast of Saint Benedict falls on Saturday.  The only Mass to be celebrated here in honour of this great saint is the 10am Mass.  The founder of western monasticism in the early sixth century, he has had a seminal influence on European spirituality and culture.  This is why Pope St Paul VI proclaimed him a patron of Europe back in 1964.  Benedictine monks and nuns all over the world follow his Rule - the closest to us being the nuns at Tyburn and the monks at Ealing.  Saint Benedict features on the altar-front design in our church, second from the left of those standing.  

 

Patrons of Europe - of whom there are six - have feast-days throughout the European continent, so next Saturday will be kept as a feast here.  This means that there will be a Gloria at Mass and the readings will be proper to the feast, not on this occasion taken from the cycle of weekday readings.

 

Many thanks to those who have become readers and servers recently.  It is always good to see parishioners, especially young ones, becoming involved in the life of the parish.  There is always scope to become involved, so please don’t be shy about letting us know of your availability.  

 

As many of our parishioners know, there are a number of projects taking place or about to take place.  One is the refurbishment of the organ, which we hope will soon be completed.  When it is completed, that will leave us greater freedom to turn our attention to the refurbishment of the Social Centre below the church, which could be more “fit for purpose” than it is currently.  Another is the garden, accessed from the steps that lead down to the Social Centre from George Street.  

 

As mentioned in the last newsletter, we also like to know of any parishioners in need of home visits, particularly the housebound who may need sacraments brought to them.  We are always happy to do this, as long as we are made aware of the need.

 

Father Domenico and I wish all our parishioners a very blessed summer, especially if you plan to travel during this time.  We look forward to your safe return.