RECOLLECTION DAY AT THE CONVENT

On Saturday lay ministers and readers from all four parishes in our Pastoral Area gathered for a second Day of Recollection at St Dominic's.   Our leader was Fr Andrew McMahon OFM, who gave us fascinating insights into the life of St Francis and the Franciscans, and is seen here talking to Anthony outside the Chapel.

Here is one of the groups which came together for their sandwiches at lunchtime.   From front left (clockwise) they are: Christine, Jane, Susan, Robin, Shelley, Grace and Tom.

OUR PARISH BLOG IS ONE YEAR OLD!

Our Parish Blog started steadily enough in November 2009 and had reached 50 hits per week over Christmas.  The graph shows how in the early Spring two posts each provoked more than 100 hits.  The first on January 6th was the result of Sr Michelle's election, and the second on February 4th was a picture of a lavatory door!  Towards the end of March our computer was out of action for three weeks, but it was four more weeks before our readership recovered itself.   The next peak (June 10th) was during the fortnight after Fr Danny's first visit.   Then came the nine weeks of August and September, during which we averaged 167 hits per week.   The high point (July 29th) was when one post had nine photos taken at Fr Jamie's farewell party and scored 248 hits.   201 readers logged in during the week of the Papal visit (September 15th).

We are now studying other statistics to find out more about our readers, how they log in, why they do so and which items in the blog interest them the most.  We suspect that we may be about to uncover some surprising facts, so watch this space!

THE THIRD PAPA RATZINGER BLOG

Another anniversary which will be coming up soon is that of the Papa Ratzinger Blog, which will be two years old in February.   It gives accurate information about what is currently happening in the Vatican, before any of the media have had the chance to put their own particular spin on it.    The latest version is Blog 3, which is at  http://paparatzinger3-blograffaella.blogspot.com    This photo is taken from it.    We'll keep a link to it in our right hand column.

CAUGHT WITHOUT THEIR BICYCLES

Last Sunday we stopped Adrian and Mary after Mass and found that they hadn't come on their bikes this week.  So here's a rare photo of them about to leave the Church on foot!

STITCHES TO BE DROPPED TWO WEEKS

Ramona, Eileen, Joy and Frances were among those who came last Friday when the Knit and Stitch Club held its first meeting in the Parish Rooms.    Conspicuous by their non-attendance were male parishioners, though we are assured that they would have been made very welcome had they been there.     The Club will not be meeting this week or next for unspecified reasons (don't ask!), so the next session will be on November 5th and will start half an hour later at 1.30pm, finishing at 3.30pm.  
Remember that the meeting times of all the Parish clubs and societies are shown at the end of this section of the Blog.    Just scroll down to the bottom to check that your club is listed correctly.

PREACHER MEETS PRESIDENT

Last weekend we were visited by Fr.David Saunders of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), who appealed on behalf of his order, then chatted to parishioners as they left the Church.   Here he is with Tom, who has taken to dressing very smartly these days, hasn't he.   We don't mind, because we're proud to have the President of the District Council of the SVP in our Parish, and if that means having to put up with him going around all spruced up and snazzy before he goes to a meeting, then we shall just have to suffer in silence!  

WELCOME TO THE CHURCH, SOPHIA!

On Sunday Sophia Putt became a member of Christ and of our Parish through Baptism.    Here she is with parents Inona and David a few minutes before her Sacramental Rebirth as a child of God, doing her best to smile into the unseasonably bright sunshine.

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM

See how pertinacious this trio are in their endeavour to overcome any problem which may threaten the success of their mission.   Sean is resolute in his determination to find the necessary coins to enable him to make his purchase, whilst Maureen and Ann are unflinching in their resolve to ensure that he receives the reinvigorating drink that he has paid for.  This is the indomitable spirit which continues to ensure that shoppers from Lymington market can enjoy coffee and biscuits each Saturday morning in a Catholic atmosphere while the CWL's charities benefit as a result of the money raised.   So keep it up, guys.   The module will return to earth's atmosphere at 12 noon!

ONE MORE STEP ALONG THE WORLD

Many of us, faced with the problems from which Gordon is now suffering, would have settled ages ago for a Minister of Communion bringing Christ to him in Holy Communion each week.    Yet with Christine's loyal support he regularly makes his pilgrimage to Lymington to encounter Our Lord in Holy Mass, and long may he continue to do so.

THE PRESENT REPLACES THE PAST

Photo by Cathy

Although the historical exhibition had actually been up for rather less than 150 years, it's a relief to see it go at last from the coffee room, to be replaced by a simple guide to the seven secraments.   John welcomes any comments or suggestions which may help to make this new display clearer or easier to understand.

THE FOREST ESCAPES BEING SAT UPON

Last Monday afternoon the Friendship Club enjoyed, one way or another, its annual jaunt through the New Forest.    Due not so much to environmental misgivings as to meterological uncertainty, the picnic itself took place inside the Parish Rooms.    So after their trip all our friends were able to sit, warm, dry and in comfort to enjoy the freshly made tea, delicious scones and lovely cakes prepared by the hard-working organizers and helpers, and the Forest was left in peace.

SPACE AND DIGNITY AROUND THE ALTAR

The new flat top over the font gives Brian and the other servers plenty of room to set out the chalice, the wine and the hosts for Holy Mass, and the removal of the credence table gives space to move around the sanctuary more freely.    Our thanks to Joe, who made this smart new top for us.

BIG JIM MAKES A HAPPY TRIPP

It was good to see Jim and Liz here for a short visit with Nicky on Sunday.   Jim kept the customers of the Thomas Tripp entertained the whole afternoon with his heartfelt vocal and guitar renditions of popular folk material, and even after all the sound gear had been cleared from the stage he sat down with us and continued to keep the patrons happy without electrical assistance.

GOD'S LOVE IN ACTION

This headline is the motto of the New Forest Basics Bank, which we shot while it was holding its AGM in the URC Church last Thursday.  During this last year the generosity of donors has enabled almost 800 food parcels to be sent out to needy families, many of them with young children.   We can all share in the privilege of helping with this wonderful work by leaving tins or packets of food in the box in the church porch.

ROAST BEEF OF OLD ENGLAND

Our blog had been trying to catch up with Kevin and Liz for weeks, but at last we cornered them just after they had finished their Sunday Lunch at the Royal Oak.    (Kevin had the beef, and, as you can see, he thoroughly enjoyed it!)

THEY ALSO SERVE WHO ONLY STAND .....

Here's another couple we've been waiting to catch together.   We're not certain that Tony was terribly keen about being photographed, but when he sees what a lovely shot this is of Cathy I'm sure he'll forgive us.

FIRST COMBINED CABINET CLOCK IN

This photo was taken as our representatives were assembling for the first joint meeting of our Parish's Pastoral Committee, Finance Committee and recently formed Impact Committee.   The job of these committees is to advise and assist Fr Danny in achieving his aims for the Parish, including pastoral mission, spiritual development and the regeneration of our site and buildings, especially our Church.   The function of the Impact Committee is to ensure that Parish funds and the money raised in the Living Our Faith campaign are used as effectively as possible, and to try to ensure that all parishioners are fully informed of what is being planned.

BENJAMIN ENTERS THE CHURCH

Young Benjamin Connolly was not in the least bit bothered about being snapped with his parents Lynn and Steven before he was baptised last Sunday.    But he gave the thumbs-up to his other fans, who were standing aside so the photo could be taken!

SISTERS GO TO SEE THE POPE

Sr Benedicta, Sr Julie and Sr Maria get into a good position to see the Pope pass by.

This is the snap they took as Benedict XVI passed in front of them.

Sr Hyacinthe carried the Dominican banner in the procession.

Our Lymington Church banner was carried by Anton Nichols, who is a regular server at the Convent.

WATCHING THE POPE ON THE WEB OR TV

Soon after the publication of our blog this week the Pope will be on his way to Britain.    Although we all welcome his visit, many of us will only be able to see him on a computer or television screen.    To keep abreast with the Papal programme, click on www.thepapalvisit.org.uk     Photos taken  during his visit can be seen at www.flickr.com/photos/thepapalvisit (just click on them to enlarge).

NEW SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR FOR OUR SVP

This week our Parish Conference of the St Vincent de Paul Society welcomed Fr Danny as its new chaplain.   But when he had to leave the meeting before it finished, Mollie leapt up to take his place.  Our photo shows Eileen, Eileen, Sue and Cathy being slightly distracted from SVP business by the unexpected substitution.

CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS

Coo-eee!    We can see you, Audrey!    Remember those misty grey rectangles around and over the Parish rooms - it turns out they were windows.    What a difference a good clean makes!  So get out those ukeleles, folks, and click to join the most famous window cleaner of them all.

IT DON'T SEEM A DAY TOO MUCH!

Congratulations from all of us to Peter and Clare on their fiftieth wedding anniversary.    This lovely couple do so much for the Parish, for the acivities of Churches Together, and for our Local Community.    We wish them many more happy years together.

ANOTHER NEW FRIEND AT THE CLUB

The Friendship Club were in top form again on Monday.   Who's that newcomer, going round meeting everybody?    It's Fr Danny, the latest recruit to our Club, chatting to Mary while Hazel and Tom watch. Meanwhile Veronica and Sue listen in awe to Peggy.  (Perhaps she's describing her latest fishing expedition, and showing them the size of the one that got away.)

HOSPICE EXILES FACE SUNSHINE PERIL

Well, with all this climate change going on you never know, the sun might come out.    So Freda and Barbara have taken precautions just in case it does.

BANK HOLIDAY TEA AT ST DOMINIC'S

All afternoon John S has been sitting at his table collecting subscriptions for the Sisters' 100 Club.   He's worn out now, poor chap, and he needs a nice hot cuppa, that delightful cream tea, and his afternoon nap.    But don't start your nap just yet, John, or you might spill the cup that Pat and Sharon poured out for you!

Photo by Mike R

It's not right that John C should be treated like this!    First he has his camera snatched from him, and now there's Sister Michelle creeping up on him from behind.    Shouldn't the Prioress be exercising control over her unruly visitors, not joining in the fun herself!

We would like to have been able to assure you that, even faced with competition of this quality, our Blog would have made mincemeat of the opposition.    However we have to admit that Sharon was so quick on the draw that our photo shows her several seconds after she'd taken her shot.

Like the rest of us, Joan and Brian have enjoyed an extremely pleasant afternoon, the Convent has raised over £700 and Sr Veronica hasn't lost the key.   Altogether another very successful function at St Dominic's.

LOOK! IT'S COLIN'S BIRTHDAY!

Lily has come to wish Colin a happy birthday.   He is telling her about the party he is going to have.

Now Frances is lighting the candles on Colin's birthday cake.    Can you see how old he is?   (The big candles each stand for ten years.)

He's getting ready to blow now.   Will he be able to blow hard enough to make all the candles go out?   Yes!  He's going to blow them all out!

Now it's the end of the party, and all his friends are going.   So Colin gets lots of hugs.    What a lovely hug he's got from Mary.   He had a super party!

HANNAH HOME ON A SHORT VISIT

Although Hannah was born and brought up in this area, for several years she has been abroad studying, and has come back this summer to visit her Mum and Dad before she goes off to Algiers on the next stage of her university education.  She'll be living at the Diocesan Centre there, while she researches the history of science for her PhD.    We wish her every success, and hope that at some time in the future she may be able to spend more time in our parish.  
Our photo shows her standing by one of the prayer stations which have been prepared and placed on a window sill.    If you have any ideas for a window sill prayer station, or any thoughts about them, please click on "comment" below, and tell us what you think.

ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF .......

My name is Mollie.   I am a parish cat.  Perhaps some of you who have previously lived in a catless parish do not realise what an important job we parish cats do.    There are so many issues to be considered, so many vital choices to be made.   It is essential that a good deal of circumspect thought takes place before changes are established, to ensure that there has been a judicious assessment of  the options open to us.    Fortunately I have an excellent man who deals with all of this.  He takes on all the problems, does the thinking, the worrying and the planning, so that I am able to relax as a Lady of the House should, and delegate the decision-making to him.

ANOTHER WELCOME VISITOR FOR DORIS

Each week Freda visits Doris to give her Holy Communion and to have a chat afterwards.   Today we asked Doris to tell us a bit about her life here in Lymington.   She first arrived here with her husband Ernie when he was posted to Beaulieu with his squadron in 1945.   After the war they went into partnership with Robinsons in a shop where Barclays Bank is now, selling confectionery and tobacco.   Later the partners decided to split up, so Doris and Ernie sold sweets and chocolate at no.97 High Street until the business was sold, (it is now Truffles).    Doris is now widowed, 94 years old, still cheerfully looking after herself, and welcoming her grandchildren and all the other visitors who call to see her or do shopping for her.

CARING ABOUT THE CARERS

The Carers' Cafe used to take place in our own Parish Rooms, but now that the URC Church has been renovated, it is held there.   It is an opportunity for those lovely people who spend many hours of the week caring for elderly, infirm or sick relatives to meet for a couple of hours, to give each other support and to enjoy other peoples' company for a while.    It is organised by Lymington Churches Together and staffed by members of the Christian Churches of the area.   This week it was the turn of our Church, so Eileen and Ann are here to serve their first two customers.

WHY OUR LADY'S STATUE IS OVER HERE

As a result of changes made inside the Church last week the statue of Our Lady no longer stands on the left side by the window but is now placed so that she is shown facing towards the lectern and towards us.   At the lectern Tom is reading from the Holy Scriptures, the written Word of God.   The statue of Mary shows her holding Jesus, who is the Incarnate Word of God.  

CWL LUNCH HELPS MS SOCIETY

This year Margaret and Bernard invited the CWL for a charity lunch in their garden, hoping that there would be fine weather in the second week of August.   But unfortunately it rained.   So sixteen of us sat down to an enjoyable lunch inside their lovely home instead.

Here's Margaret again, and then (clockwise) Ann, Eileen, Patricia, Bernard, Nora and Margaret H.

To everybody's delight, Father Danny arrived between showers just in time to join us for lunch.

On this table there's June and Ramona nearest the camera with Wendy looking in, Deirdre and Maura.    Our thanks to Margaret and Bernard for a very enjoyable day, which raised £150 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

report and photos by Freda

LOOK - NO WHEELCHAIR!

photo by Gary Aldwinckle

Even a lifetime with cerebal palsy can have its uplifting moments!   Ros isn't skydiving for fun (though she admits she'd do it again if she had the chance) but for Orpheus, Richard Stilgoe's performing arts centre for young disabled people (click to watch a short video).

 photo by  Helen Spratley

Here she is safely down to earth again with her family who supported her and their two instructors.     If you would like to help Ros through her skydive to raise funds for Orpheus, click on her "Just Giving" page.   

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death last week of Colin Craig.   Colin was a convert to Catholicism, who sang in the Church choir and helped to design the historical exhibition on the walls of the Parish rooms.    We pray for his family, that they may be given the grace to bear their grief, and for Colin, that his soul may rest in peace. 

HE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE YET!

Your Parish Blog sees it as our duty to report all the facts as we know them.   Last week we told you that Fr Jamie had finally left our Parish.      We  know also that Fr Danny will be taking up the position of Parish Priest here at the beginning of September.    This, however, leaves us with several unanswered questions.  First, Why has there been a crowd of boisterous parishioners, not all of them observing an appropriately respectful demeanour, clustered around the presbytery office and kitchen each morning this week?   Secondly, why have certain items whose positions in our church had previously seemed to have been established by divine decree suddenly moved mysteriously from one place to another?   Third, why has our beloved old church suddenly become so tidy, our sanctuary so uncluttered, our porch so deprived of its customary jumble of detritus and debris?   Do not fret, dear parishioners.   Your intrepid blog will fearlessly investigate this mystery and will report back to you.    Just watch this space!

TWO MORE RELUCTANT HEROES

Had it been entirely up to them Laurence and Irene would probably have preferred not to be blogged this morning.   Nevertheless, under very gentle persuasion they agreed like good sports to become the 132nd and 133rd of us to have our photos on the blog.   This way we can all get to know each other a little better!

NOW WHAT HAPPENS ON WEDNESDAYS?

One group in our Parish which is really thriving is the Wednesday Word Group, which meets every Wednesday (well, it would, wouldn't it!) at 10.15am in the pink Parish Room, to think about and discuss the next Sunday's Gospel reading.   It's amazing how many relevant ideas spring out of one short passage, and how much more Sunday's Gospel means to us after it has been discussed a few days earlier.   Some of the group are shown here after this week's discussion was over.  In the foreground are Cathy and Agnes; behind them are Freda, Frances, Nora, John (and a bit of Peter!)