8th May 2011 Farewell from Fr. Fergal And so the time has come for me to write up the last newsletter after 6 years with you in St. Thomas the Apostle. Goodbyes are never easy, and it seems to be nothing but goodbyes for me over the last few weeks, goodbye to the staff and pupils of our Parish schools, goodbye to many friends who are not able to be here this weekend. And now through the Newsletter, goodbye to you all. Sad and all as I am, my sadness is tinged with a great sense of appreciation for the wonderful time I have had here, the great friends I have made, the wonderful affirmation I have received in your many cards, gifts and good wishes. I will miss you all, but you will always remain in my thoughts and prayers. My new address is 85 Old Oak, Common Lane, London W3 7DD. Tel No. 0208 743 5732. If you are ever passing you will be most welcome to come and see me anytime. - Fr. Fergal
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Dear Parishioners of St. Thomas the Apostle,
I remember very clearly the first time I celebrated the 10.30am Sunday mass in Nunhead. At the time I was Provincial of the Sacred Hearts Community and I was visiting the Parish for the first time. I was immediately struck by the vibrant Liturgy, the warm sense of community and the rich diversity of cultures and peoples present in the Parish - people from Ireland and England, Ghana and Nigeria, Ecuador and Columbia, India and Sri Lanka and many more countries besides. As an international and missionary congregation I knew the Sacred Hearts would receive a great welcome in Nunhead. Sadly because of the shortage of clergy the Sacred Hearts Congregation is now withdrawing from Nunhead. Speaking as a member of the Community I will be always grateful for the wonderful welcome and support the Parishioners of St. Thomas the Apostle gave to every one of the brothers who lived and served in Nunhead but speaking as an Auxiliary Bishop for the South East Area of Diocese of Southwark I am also very grateful for the tremendous dedication and service given by all the sisters and brothers - especially Fr. Fergal - who lived and served in the Parish over the last seventeen years. Wishing you all the blessings of the Easter Season. - Pat
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This weekend marks the end of an era, so to speak. In June 1995 the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SS.CC) took the decision to move into the Diocese of Southwark and into the Parish of St. Thomas the Apostle, Nunhead. Now, almost 16 years later with sadness we have had to make the decision to leave Nunhead. I was with Fergal the weekend the announcement was made to the Parish and I know a number of people were visibly moved at the news. One parishioner’s comment summed up what our decision meant. This is how she put it: “It is not just that we are losing Fr. Fergal, we are losing a family”. The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary often speaks of itself as having a family spirit. So many of our members have served in the Parish and have brought with them that family spirit and the Parish in return has been like a family to us. As one Christian family we have shared our times of joy and our times of sadness. We all know that for any family to grow there must be room for change – for people to come and to go. That time has come for us. As we leave this Parish we will all take with us something of your wonderfully international and joyful spirit. Please God we leave behind us something of ourselves that will live on in your Community. We pray for you all and we pray for the Congregation that will be taking our place: Missionaries of St. Paul (MSP). We know that you will take good care of them. With every good wish and blessing.
Fr. Derek Laverty (Provincial)
February 2011
Parish News Perhaps you were unable to be with us last week to hear Fr. Derek make the sad announcement that the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts have to pull out of the Parish in May. As Fr. Derek told us, after searching far and near, we were unable to increase the number of personnel here in London, and so the decision was reached that we have no choice but to leave St. Thomas the Apostle, albeit with heavy hearts. So it is with great personal sadness that I inform you that the weekend of 7 and 8 May will be my last weekend here as your Priest.
April 2009
Easter 2009 A message from Fr. Fergul I would like to wish all of you and your family at home and abroad a very happy Easter. May the light of the risen Lord enlighten and enrich you and bring you his peace. I would like to offer a huge thank you to all the people involved throughout Lent and especially during the Holy week and the Easter Services, for all their kind support, hard work, and dedicated service. There are too many people to mention from all the communities to worship here, too many who minister here and in so many ways, publically and privately, too many kind offers, from feeding me to doing the laundry, etc., etc., too many willing helpers in so many ways, to mention you all. Please be assured, although your names have not been recorded here that does not lessen my sense of gratitude to you all. Of course the Easter celebrations can only happen because of the help and dedication of so many, and they can only become so beautiful and meaningful because of your involvement. I will not pretend that it has not been tiring, it has, but it has also been so worthwhile. The motto of his Parish is ‘we are all in this together’ and I think we surely demonstrated that this week. Let us continue to walk as Easter people together in the Lord.
19th April Canonisation of Fr. Damien The Pilgrimage to Rome has now been filled, if you are still interested in going you will have to let me have your form back this week and we will do all we can to add you on by looking for extra spaces. Tours for Churches can’t guarantee the same price, but will do all they can to keep it the same so if you are thinking of coming, you must have your form and £100 deposit into me this week many thanks .
March 2009
29th March A farewell message from Fr. Eddie It seems strange to be writing this in the Newsletter after being in the Parish for such a long time, but the time to say Goodbye has come. As I have said to so many Parishioners over the last few weeks, it is difficult to believe that I have been in the Parish for 6 years as a Priest. However I have known the Parish since I came here as a student in 1996. The last few days packing boxes has given me time to look back at the time I have been here and I am very grateful for all that I have experienced and learned here among all of you. This is a wonderful Parish with such goodness and generosity and I will miss you all and the great schools in the Parish too. I am sure I will be back in the future to see how things are. In the meantime, send all the young people to Christ the King college where I am the Priest Chaplain. I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers and I wish you and Fr Fergal every blessing in the future.
Love, Fr. Eddie
February 2009
28th February
The RCIA group celebrated the rite of election at St. Georges Cathedral on Saturday 28th February. The group are now in their final preparations in this Lenten session and will be baptised and received into the church on Holy Saturday night. Please continue to keep them, their sponsors and families in your prayers.
More photos of the occasion (consisting of 309 candidates and 238 catechumens) can be found on the Archdiocese of Southwark's website: http://www.rcsouthwark.co.uk/election_09.html
Preparing for Lent Ash Wednesday is on the 25th February and marks the beginning of Lent. There are many things we can do to prepare for Lent. You may want to consider the following: • You may like to subscribe to “My Day by Day” with daily reflections for Lent 2009. (Note: there is a junior addition as well and samples of both can be found in the hall way with details of how to subscribe). • You may want to think about joining the mini Lenten Retreat which we are offering for the Thursdays of Lent. Entitled “Come to me all you who Labour and I will give you Rest” You can now sign up for this Lenten retreat with groups meeting after the morning mass on Thursday, 5, 12, 19 and 26 March. If there are enough people who signed up for an evening session beginning at 7.30pm, we can run that too. Each session will last 1 hour and the Retreat master will be Fr. Chris McAneny. • Another option to consider could be joining in the Churches Together Lenten Reflection Groups, which will take place between here and St. Catherine’s Church after the morning mass on the Tuesdays of Lent. There will be more information about the Lenten groups soon. Look for more details on the notice board in the hall way.
January 2009
NEW YEAR MEDITATIONS
Prayer for Christian Unity Heavenly Father, you have called us in the Body of your Son Jesus Christ to continue his work of reconciliation and reveal you to the world; forgive us the sins that tear us apart; give us the courage to overcome our fears and to seek that unity which is your gift and your will; through Jesus Christ your son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. - - - - - - - - - - - Heavenly Father, you have called us in the Body of your Son Jesus Christ to continue his work of reconciliation and reveal you to the world; forgive us the sins that tear us apart; give us the courage to overcome our fears and to seek that unity which is your gift and your will; through Jesus Christ your son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. - - - - - - - - - - - The Day is Always New- a thought for Reflection Every day we rise and do the same old things once more. Every day we lift the latch upon the same front door, and step out on the very pavement that we walked upon when we went out yesterday... but yesterday has gone, The road may be the same one, but the day is always new. Though your eyes are looking at the same familiar view. You’re a different person, for we change from day to day, shaped by what we do and what we think and what we say. Every day’s a new adventure, never lived before. Fresh experience awaits you. New things lie in store; you can start your life again, for you can be reborn. Every time unto the world God sends another dawn. - - - - - - - - - The New Calendar It is good to throw away the old calendar with its all too familiar picture and to hang something new and fresh on the wall.How clean and bright it all looks!It seems to symbolize the high hopes of this new day in the New Year.But as I flick through the crisp pages of the months, I am suddenly aware of the mystery of the future.These pages with their neat rows of dates represent unlived Time, the promise of the seasons not yet come to fulfilment, days not yet granted, days that are still God’s secret.
- - - - - - - - - Starting from Now... ‘Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start form now and make a brand new ending’
Take time to think.... it is the source of power
Take time to play... it is the secret of perpetual youth
Take time to read... it is the fountain or wisdom
Take time to pray... it is the greatest power on earth
Take time to love and be loved... it is a God given privilege.
Take time to be friendly... it is the road to happiness
Take time to laugh.. it is the music of the soul
Take time to give... it is too short a day to be selfish
Take time to work... it is the price of success
Take time to do charity.. it is the key to heaven.
December 2008
28th December
Fr Fergal and Fr. Eddie would like to thank each and every one of you for your kindness and generosity this Christmas. Thank you for your many gifts, cards and support this year, once again you have been outstanding in your generosity to us. We would like to wish you all a blessed, prosperous and happy New Year. May the Christ Child born at Christmas bring joy and grace to you and your families and home throughout 2009. Happy New Year everybody!!!
As the Season of Advent Approaches. As we enter into the Advert, it gives us a time to reflect the true meaning of Christmas and the joy it brings. So often it is lost in the buying of presents and what to have for Christmas dinner, but Christmas is so much more that that. Christmas is the birth of Christ and now during the season of advent we begin our waiting.
Part of Advent is our Advent Wreath. Made of a circle of evergreens, reminding of God’s everlasting love, His eternity, His endless mercy which has no beginning and no end. The green also speaks of the hope Christians have in God, the hope of new beginnings, or renewal and eternal life.
The candles, one lit on each Sunday of advent so that in the last week before Christmas all four candles are lit, the last central white candle representing Christ, being lit at the Midnight Mass of Christmas these candles symbolize the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His son, Jesus.
The four traditional themes for the four Sundays of Advent are:
1. Godspeople - the Candle of Hope. Hope is like a light shining in the dark. As we light this first candle let us be reminded of the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
2. The Old Testament prophets. The candle of Peace: Peace is like a light that shinning in the dark. As we light this candle we are reminded of the peace we find in Jesus Christ and pray of peace between all peoples.
3. John the Baptist. The candle of love: Love is like a light shining in the dark. As we look at the light of this candle we are reminded of the love we have in Jesus Christ his love of us and our love for one another.
4. Mary the mother of God. The Candle of Joy: Joy is like a light shining in the dark. As we look at the light of this candle we celebrate the joy in find in Jesus Christ.
The fifth candle represents Christ, the light from this candle reminds us that he is the light of the world and if we follow him we need never walk in darkness, but will have the true light of life.
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