Dear friends,
Mercifully, the current heatwave look as if it will break this weekend, as we celebrate the solemnity of the apostles St Peter and St Paul. Our guest preacher (both on Saturday at 6pm, and on Sunday at 10.30am) will be Fr Ben Eadon CMP, the Priest-Administrator of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. Before beginning in this role in Walsingham in November 2024, Fr Ben served as parish priest of two Sussex parishes, following a curacy in the Diocese of Durham. However, coming to Kenton will be something of a return to his roots for Fr Ben – who was educated locally at Harrow School, and grew up in northwest London. Please come to Mass this weekend, to meet and welcome Fr Ben.
Please note also, however, that there will be significant alterations to the service schedule on Saturday: (on account of the Fulham diaconal ordination, and also a concert in church,) there will be no public Morning or Evening Prayer on Saturday; no morning Mass, and no Confessions. The 6pm Vigil Mass – at which Fr Ben Eadon will preach first – will be said simply, in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
This weekend will also be the final opportunity to contribute to this month’s charity appeal, in aid of Tariro UK.
Christ called St Peter a “rock” on which he would build his Church; similarly, we Christians are to think of ourselves as “living stones”, comprising a spiritual edifice: on the foundation of the faith of the holy apostles, responsibility passes in turn to us in our generation, to build up the life of the Church through our commitment to worship, service and witness.
Tickets remain on sale for our parish barbecue (on Saturday, 18 July (£15/adult, £5/under-18 – to include a glass of rum punch on arrival, and Prosecco with your meal)) – please pay for these in cash, from Nancee (and take some, too, to sell to others!), or else use this payment link – not forgetting to include your name when you make payment, so that paper tickets can be supplied to you: raffle prizes are also kindly requested, as well as your help (i) to set up the Hall on Friday, 17 July from 6pm; (ii) to set up the barbecues and gazebos on the day, from 11am, and (iii) to clear up afterwards – and to take away a bag of rubbish.
Members of the congregation are also asked to confirm to Pat your kind contribution of a side/salad/dessertfor the barbecue; and there will be a further planning meeting after Mass on Sunday, 5 July.
With now a great big 59-seat vehicle for the Walsingham Pilgrimage for Healing and Renewal (on Bank Holiday Monday, 31 August), nevertheless ALL SEATS are now taken (with further names on a waiting list): to secure your seat, please make payment (£30pp, £5 for under-18s) – either in cash, or via this link – before Sunday, 2 August. Any seats not paid for by 2 August will be reallocated to those on the waiting list: the ‘bus will depart St Mary’s at 7.30am prompt (returning c.7.30pm).
We also continue to invite sponsorship of those of our young people who will be participating in this year’s Walsingham Youth Pilgrimage (in August): please see me, to sponsor a young pilgrim (£40pp).
By the keys of St Peter and the words of St Paul, and by the support of their intercession, may God bring us happily to our heavenly homeland,
Fr Richard