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Showing posts from March, 2008

Why is Easter so Early This Year

Why is Easter so early this year? ( From Catholic Southampton ) In this section The Paschal Full Moon In early Christianity, there were major controversies about the date for celebrating Easter. Some said it should coincide with the Jewish Passover, which begins on the 14th day of the month Nisan (the Jewish New Year is in September, and Nisan is properly the seventh month of the Jewish year, but according to the Torah is regarded as in first place). However others said that Easter should always be celebrated on a Sunday, the 'first and greatest day'. 14 Nisan, can fall on any day of the week: in 2008 it corresponds to Sat April 19. To clear up this mess, a decision was taken at the famous Council of Nicea in the year 325. That Council was also famous for producing the Creed which we recite every Sunday. This was not widely accepted until it was described and defended by St Bede in 725. The simple definition of Easter is that it is the first Sunday after the full Moon that occu

St Boniface

Here is a homily from Fr David Sillince's homilies, as preached at St Boniface church, Southampton HOMILY for GOOD FRIDAY, March 21st., 2008 “It is finished” Hitler is a perennially fascinating topic for school history projects, and understandably so, and more and more material is always becoming available. In Berlin there has recently opened an exhibition unveiling the plans and models of Hitler’s planned new world capital, Germania, with as its centre piece a great domed hall to gold 150,000 people, and bisected by a great thoroughfare broader than the Champs-ElysĂ©es in Paris passing under an arch more than twice the size of the Arc de Triomphe. The city was to be built with slave labour using stone quarried from near concentration camps, and on the site of cleared Jewish homes – indeed, there was gladness that the Allies were bombing Berlin because this was clearing some of the site. And it is not so long ago since there were published not Hitler’s diaries but his conferences wi

Lenten retreat

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Just back from my own personal Lent retreat at my sister's house; time to spend reading Mother Angelica with no computer, television or radio on to distract me. We did manage a bit of girly shopping time though and to attend a service at her local RC parish church, which is very pretty. I include some pictures of St Boniface at Shirley, Southampton

Confession

Jesus, Lord, I ask for mercy,knowing it is not in vain; all my sins I now detest them, help me not to sin again.

What spice am I?

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You Are Cilantro The bad news is that there are some people who can't stand you. The good news is that most people love you more than anything else in the world. You are distinct, unusual, fresh, and very controversial. And you wouldn't have it any other way.

Holy Communion

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John 6:32, 51-52: "Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say to you; Moses gave you not bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven... I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give, is My Flesh, for the life of the world."

This Sunday is Palm (Passion) Sunday

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Passion (Palm) Sunday They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks across its back, and he sat on it. (Mark 11:7) Reflection...His coming is a revelation, a radical, total revelation of God's holiness."Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory...". Precisely this Week which humanly speaking is filled to the brim with suffering, humiliation, despoliation, in a word, with the kenosis of God this Week contains the revelation of God's holiness, the culmination of world history. "Holy, Holy, Holy.... Hosanna in the highest"....To embrace the Cross on this day, to pass it from hand to hand, is a very eloquent gesture. It is like saying: Lord, we do not want to stay with you only at the time of the "Hosannas", but with your help we want to accompany you on the way of the Cross as did Mary, your mother and ours, and the Apostle John. Yes, O Lord, because "You have the words of eternal life" (J

And me!

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Christmas 2007

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Looking cool Emma! B48s wouldn't be the B48s without you!

Hi Kallis!

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How's college? Or is it Uni now? Looking good Kallis! It was great to see you this weekend - and hasn't your hair grown! It looks good long.
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My other sis - Varina and her daughter, Liz, one of my other nieces! Hi Guys!

Isabel

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Hi Sis - have a nice weekend! Happy Easter for Sunday. 'He is risen'

The Aussie connection

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Hi Julie - if you are viewing this from your side of the world! My lovely sister-in-law lives in sunny Queensland - I am so jealous!

Family photos

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My niece Christina - she is so pretty! And brainy too!! Hi Christina!

August 2007

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Jenny, Lucas and Victoria.

Summer 2007

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Mmm - Do you think I look like Grandad?

Barbecue time! 2007

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Keep those burgers coming Kev! You don't need to be in Aussie to have a barbecue!

More family photos from our barbecue last summer

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We had a great time Izzy!

More family photos

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My sister, Isabel and her friend - looking good Izzy! Emma and her favourite boy - Lucas.

Some more photos

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Victoria and her friend Stacey on a fun night out! You are doing great at college Vic - keep up the good work!

Some family photos

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Jenny, an art student and - looking great Jenny - the art is superb! Keep up the good work!

Our Lady, Help of Christians, Folkestone

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In July 2007, our Parish Priest, Father Nesbitt celebrated his 40 years on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. His thanksgving Mass was an emotional and wonderful service concelebrated with 35 priests and invited guests, friends and relatives and a packed church of parishioners making it a memorable occasion. The UCM provided a superb buffet and a gift of a cheque. The UCM are very active throughout the year supporting Father's events and many parish activities. (Photo taken from my grandson's Baptism). See also http://the-hermeneutic-of-continuity.blogspot.com/2007/07/fr-nesbitts-40th.html More on Father Nesbitt’s 40th Anniversary celebrations July 19, 2007 This scroll was presented to Fr Nesbitt on behalf of the many priests grateful for the role he played in their own vocations. In all there were thirty-seven signatories, evidence of the huge effect Father has had on the lives of those who know him, and of a truly fruitful vocation. The text reads as follows: We, the und

In Memoriam

I would like to post this for my dad, who died four years ago now: There was once a man, who is now with Jesus: Who toiled the soil, and fought the good fight. Who was and is loved so dear and completely. 'Sorely missed' cannot completely explain the void he leaves behind. Wisdom3:1-9

More on Mermaids

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St. Senara Church: This historic church features a famous 15th-century bench end that depicts the mythical Mermaid of Zennor. The Norman church of St Senara in Zennor probably stands on the site of a 6th century Celtic church. It is believed to be named after Princess Azenor of Breton, the mother of St Budock. It was restored in 1890, by which time all but one of the original carved oak seats had disappeared and been replaced by family boxes. Two medieval bench-ends remain and have been made into a seat. One end is the famous carving of the Mermaid of Zennor. She holds a comb and a mirror in her hands. Legend claims that this siren enticed Matthew Trewhella, the handsome son of a churchwarden, into the sea. He was never seen again. Trewhella is a very old Zennor family name. On the south side of the church tower is a bronze dial, bearing the figure of a mermaid, and an inscription dated 1737. I can't remember where I got this info from but I am told it is from this web site

Mermaids

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The Easter Sepulchre and sedilia at Heckington should be Lincolnshire's greatest medieval treasure, but both suffered appalling damage at the hands of iconoclasts. The carvings on the top frieze of the Easter Sepulchre is relatively intact, perhaps simply because it is high, and this little mermaid is virtually unscathed.

Leonard Stokes

More on our Parish Church, Our Lady Help of Christians - The architect for the church was Leonard Stokes, who also designed: St Clare's Church, Arundel Avenue, Sefton Park, Liverpool - which is my part of the world as I was born in the Wirral, and you can see some of the similar architectural features. Leonard Stokes was born in Southport, Lancashire, the brother of painter Adrian Stokes and the engineer Sir Wilfred Stokes, he trained in London with a number of important architects, including G E Street, T E Colcutt and G F Bodley. From 1878, he studied at the RA Schools, winning the Pugin Prize, 1880, which enabled him to complete his studies in Germany and Italy, 1881-2. He was a noted church architect and designed colleges and houses. After marrying the daughter of the National Telephone Company's General Manager, he also designed twenty telephone exchanges throughout the UK, including the Rose Street exchange, Edinburgh (1901-3) and one in Aberdeen (1908-9). Stokes - The m

Folkestone Parish Church

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This is a photo of Folkestone Parish Church. The Church is open every morning except Wednesdays for visitors to the Parish. It has a very interesting history starting in the 1860s: 1840's - 1900 As the Catholic population of Folkestone grew, mainly as a result of the influx of Catholic workers who arrive from Ireland to build the London to Dover railway line, it became clear that there was need for a Catholic place of worship. During the earlier years, the Mass was celebrated in the private houses.Around 1860 a building, which had earlier served as an office for Mr. Hart, a lawyer, was purchased and converted into a chapel. The building stood on the south side of Martello Street and the tiny chapel was dedicated to St. John the Evangelist.The St John chapel was indeed small, accommodating about sixty persons, half of them had to stand. The little building also served as the first Catholic school in Folkestone, the sanctuary being screened off from the body of the chapel for the p

Weekly Update

I thought I should put in an update as Lent seems to have been so busy with work and home which doesn't seem to go with the spirit of Lent really! Joanna Bogle, Catholic author and journalist, was in Dover, which is not far from me, talking at the Carmel Centre, attached to St Edmund's Catholic school which my art student daughter went to last year. Unfortunately I couldn't get over but anybody else who is interested to hear on what Joanna is up to can catch her on http://joannabogle.blogspot.com/ . Joanna can also be seen on EWTN currently with her series 'Feasts and Seasons' and she has a book out by the same name, which can be found on Amazon or http://www.gracewing.co.uk/ . Another book I could recommend by Joanna Bogle is "Caroline Chisholm the Emigrant's Friend". I am blessed to be able to read at the Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday services this year. I pray for good health as I am not always in good health! On Bank Holiday Monday 26th May 20

Father Corapi - click to watch

Just thought this was beautiful; was on another Blog but great to watch.