Fr Tony writes.....

THROUGH MARY TO JESUS

One of our parishioners has suggested an idea to help us increase our devotion to Our Lady and to bring us closer together as a community. The proposal is to celebrate the month of the Rosary, October, by taking a statue of Our Lady from home to home.
We will ask parishioners to invite Our Lady for one day to their home. You would then invite friends and neighbours and fellow parishioners to come to your home where you would spend perhaps half an hour praying the Rosary. After the prayers there would be an opportunity to share a cup of tea or something more, as you wish. I would not suggest anything like a full meal, but perhaps a drink and some nibbles.
It would be a good opportunity to invite people who have drifted away from the Faith.
It would also be a good occasion toget to know other people in the Parish, and it would help us to re-discover, if we need to, the importance of Our Lady in our life as Catholic Christians. It would be a good experience for families, and especially families with children, but it should be open to all parishioners, married or single. Whoever you are, you should feel free to invite Our Lady to your home.
There will be a list to sign on in the porch at each of our churches. I hope that many of you will want to take part in this time of prayer.

Blessed be the great Mother of God Mary most Holy

Last weekend we were able to share in the celebrations at Barnham to mark the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady. After Evensong and Benediction last Sunday we blessed a beautiful new notice board which describes the lovely medieval church as “the home of two worshipping comunities”. Carrying the Coats of Arms of the Bishop of Chichester and the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton it bears very public witness to the “real if imperfect communion” that exists between us. It has been wonderful to see how Catholics and Anglicans are really working together as fellow workers in the Lord's vineyard.
A lovely statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, which used to be in the former church of St Philip Howard, is now enshrined in St. Mary's. It must please Our Lady to see how those who love and honour her in Barnham are being drawn closer to her Divine Son, and thus closer to one another. I am delighted that so many people have become involved in the different activities there. We are very grateful to the Rector, our friend Father Simon Holland, and to his church-wardens, Bradley and Stephen, and their two predecessors, Gill and Gerry, for making us so welcome. Nothing has been too much trouble for them. I have always believed that Our Lady should be a focus of unity for those who believe in Christ, rather than an obstacle on the way. Barnham is a living proof that it is so.

August can be a quiet month because so many groups cancel their meetings for a few weeks; but for some people it can be a very lonely month. If you are not going to be away during August it would be a good time to catch up with friends you may not have seen for a while, and especially elderly or sick people who may be living alone and would love to see you. Remember Our Lord’s words: “I was sick and you came to visit me.”
Looking forward to the autumn I hope that there will be a number of things going on in the parish. The new Social Committee has acquired some enthusiastic members, and they have been looking at the many suggestions that you have sent in. I know that they will be reporting in due course. It was good to see so many people at our first social evening on July 15th.
This may also be a good time to thank the many individuals and groups who do so much in our different communities to build up the life of the parish. It is your parish, and your enthusiasm and commitment is a great encouragement to us as priests. Even if we had more priests, which would be great, we would still need the active involvement of as many of you as possible. What I have written here applies just as much to our sick and housebound parishioners whose prayers reinforce all that we do.