CAN YOU BELIEVE IT - THE END IS IN SIGHT!

In case anyone hadn't noticed, we've now finished the refurbishment of our Hospitality Centre, so there's only the trappings to be put in.     Here we provide you with a unique opportunity to see the team at work.      The crockery and cutlery for the new kitchen has arrived, and it's all got to be unpacked, washed and put away.      They've only been here for two hours, and they've already got the coffee out.       Peter's on the floor wrestling with a flatpack, and it looks as if the flatpack's ahead on points.      Margaret is maintaining communication with the world outside.      Meanwhile Lesley's arrived to see that everything's being done properly.     The others are making decisions.

An anxious moment - will he like it?       But the smile on Fr Danny's face tells it all.     "It's very comfortable," he says to Clare and Cathy.     The Hospitality Centre's new furniture, which had been selected by parishioners, was delivered only minutes before this photo was taken. 

SOME BITS OF NEWS FROM BASICS BANK

Our first piece of news concerns the staffing of Basics Bank.     On September 29th, as regular readers of our blog will remember (well, you weren't paying attention then, were you) we advertised for a new treasurer as the current holder, Peter Haslett, on the right of this photo, wanted to retire and put his feet up (a likely story).    Well, we can now confirm that the successful applicant is none other than Anthony Kirke, from St Francis of Assisi Church in Milford, who is well known to us because he and Judith often visit Our Lady of Mercy Church, and in fact were unlucky enough to get blogged there on Mar 3rd. You can see from Peter's broad smile how happy he is to be relieved of his burden, but we're not quite sure why Anthony's smiling as well!    Seriously, we welcome him to the team, we're delighted to have him with us, but we can only promise him plenty of hard work.

We've been visited by lots of generous people this week; the Lions of New Milton and all those who contributed to their trolley drops have helped the Basics Bank's team to keep the shelves well stocked up for quite a few weeks, while a big donation from Rotary and a number of other gifts and donations enabled Clare and her team to make up 112 Christmas parcels for local people who would not otherwise be able to afford the extras which make Christmas meals special.      Our photo shows the volunteers, including a very efficient group of young ladies from the Lymington Rangers, who formed an assembly line at the URC Parish Rooms to pack the parcels.

                                                          photo by Lemontree Photography 
We were very grateful to Elmers Court for allowing the annual Basics Bank fundraising event to take place there last Sunday afternoon.     Some of those to whom special thanks are due posed for the photographer:  Councillor Elizabeth Cox, Elmers Court General Manager Jean-Marc Poume, Santa Claus (we didn't find out who you really were, sorry Santa) local MP Desmond Swain and staunch supporter April Laraman.

                                                          photo by Lemontree Photography

As the fans arrived, there was a table crying out to be filled with items of food and toiletries and a nice big bucket for donations of money.     Unfortunately not as many arrived as had been hoped for.      Was this because other things were happening that afternoon?   There were two carol services, one at the Priory and one arranged by Lymington Churches Together which was held at the URC, St Anne's Parish held their Christmas lunch, and Our Lady of Mercy had Exposition, Rosary and Benediction.      Some parishioners tried to attend two of the five, but it depended on how long the event they chose to go to first overran its time as to whether they arrived at the second breathless or, in at least one case, more than half an hour after it had started.

Our thanks to Lemontree, for rescuing us.   They are at http://lemontree-photography.co.uk/                                   

CAN THIS REALLY BE DECEMBER?

               No spring, nor summer beauty hath such grace 
          As I have seen in one autumnal face.   (John Dunne)
                                  
                                                         photo by Barbara, on a Lymington footpath                                                    

CHRISTMAS LUNCH WITH THE CWL LADIES

 We have today received the following from our special reporter:

Well, it may seem unlikely in the extreme to describe a Catholic Women's League lunch as not for the faint hearted. Certainly the Christmas Lunch for the CWL Lymington Section at the Stanwell Hotel had all the essentially reassuring ingredients: tasty seasonal dishes, mini mince pies, Christmas crackers and party poppers. The assembled ladies were warmly but glamorously adorned.

Peggy Walsh's attendance, in a crimson berry ensemble, was particularly welcomed. But additional excitement of the unexpected kind was provided by Father Danny, who recited a selection of dark fairy tales from Roald Dahl's "Revolting Rhymes" between courses, complete with moral analysis. 

We had just recovered our composure over tea and coffee when a vivacious Anne Heppenstall took centre stage to give a rousing rendition of "The Shooting of Dan McGrew", the Yukon-cowboy poem by Robert W. Service, notably referred to in song as "Put The Blame on Mame". (The poem, that is, not Anne.) 

It should be noted that table manners were universally impeccable (apart from a couple of wall-lights bedecked with streamers from an expertly aimed party popper - surely not Patricia!).

What delightful company: Ladies Who Lunch indeed!  

Many thanks to the lovely Joan Hayward for organizing it all.

                                                                                                       

                      

 Our thanks to Giselle for the photos and for the commentary.

HIGH STREET CLOSES FOR CHRISTMAS EVENTS

On Friday Lymington High Street by St Thomas' Church was occupied by a large crowd who sang carols and joined in prayers around the crib which Peter Cooper puts up for us each year.     This event was arranged by Lymington Churches Together and the Lymington and Pennington Town Council.    The Revd Chris Vivian (URC, nearest the camera) Mrs Linda Lee (St Thomas', far right) and Quaker Mrs Jan Rimbault each read a passage from the Christmas stories in the Gospels, and Town Mayor Mrs Anna Rostand (furthest left, wearing hat) switched on the lights on the large Christmas tree.

The children crowded forward to look more closely at the figures in the crib, although once the ceremony was over their attention was diverted by the arrival of Father Christmas!






Two days later traffic in the High Street was interrupted again, this time after the two services of dedication at St Thomas' Church to remember loved ones and to raise funds to support Oakhaven Hospice to enable it to continue to provide its wonderful specialist services for our community.

     Afterwards the packed church emptied out onto the street.

The crowd then made its way to the part of the High Street outside Moore and Blatch where they sang carols, ate mince pies and drank mulled wine, while waiting for the Mayor to switch on more lights.  


We were pleased to see that the Police allowed these ceremonies to go ahead, even though they have refused permission for the Good Friday Walk of Witness, which also used to take place in the High Street.

WILL THIS BE OUR LAST COFFEE AT STANWELLS?

                                                                                photo by Giselle
During the past two weeks the level of activity by firms responsible for the refurbishment of what were our Parish Rooms has greatly increased and we expect shortly to be able to  show you our newly restored and completed Hospitality Centre.    Shall we be using it this weekend?    We very much hope so, but it will mean less custom for Stanwells, who have catered so often for Tom, Leigh and many other parishioners having a coffee break after morning Mass.

But of course the most important thing, as Ellen well knows, is to check your supply of Stanwells discount cards to see which one could help with the bill today. 

                                                                                                                  


photo by Giselle

NO POSSIBILITY OF TAKING A WALK THAT DAY

There were varying degrees of concentration on the faces of members of the the Friendship Club and parishioners who were watching Jane Eyre at the Malthouse Theatre in the Lymington Community Centre last Wednesday Afternoon.    We were all very well behaved, and nobody booed when we found that the story had been changed to give us a happy ending so we couldn't have a good weep afterwards.

 

                                                                                             photo by Frances                                                  
                            
After it was over we had a cup of tea and a chat, and it was a truth universally acknowledged that watching the film of an early romantic novel was a very good way of spending an afternoon.

  Altogether twenty-six of us went, thanks to Clare's making all the arrangements, purchasing a block of seats,  and undertaking the task of selling them all.

Den and Frances had prepared refreshments for us, and they made sure that everyone had a second cuppa. 

photo by Den

THINGS AIN'T WHERE THEY USED TO BE

At last the kitchen is being installed in Our Lady of Mercy Hospitality Centre, in the opposite corner of the room to where it was.    To help us get our bearings  the door through to the loos has been included in the photo so we can see where we are  ...............   if you see what we mean.

Your intrepid reporter boldly went down into the cellar to look at the heating system, but was unable to find the boiler.     For it appears that this ancient piece of equipment, having been kept going for 47 years, has finally given up, can no longer be repaired and has had to be scrapped.    

So where do we find its replacement?   Back up the stairs again, for a damp cellar is not the best home for a modern high-tech appliance.    This smart new compact boiler, which will provide the heating for the church and the Hospitality Centre, has been installed in what used to be referred to in polite company as the Germolene room, right by the side of what was the original fireplace when the school was built 126 years ago.

WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS

                                                                                                            photo by Barbara
'Ah came tae cliffs by the sea and jist sat there.   The sea looked affie big and ah felt very wee, but ah wis happy.   Daft, isn't it?   Ah cannie tell ma mates, 'cos they'd think ah wis kinky.'  (Jock in God of Surprises by Fr Gerard Hughes.)

SO THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE PLANNING TO DO!

                                                      photo by Barbara

Help!  The stable at Lymington's been invaded by a motley flock of piebald sheep.    So who was responsible for leaving the door open?     It must have been that conniving quintet of Christmastide Church windowsill plotters our blog uncovered for us the week before last.     We'll have to look around and see what else they've been up to!

WE SAY GOODBYE TO BISHOP CRISPIAN HOLLIS

Several parishioners were able to attend the beautiful Mass last Saturday in Portsmouth Cathedral in Thanksgiving for Bishop Crispian.  Despite his recent illness Bishop Crispian was able to concelebrate the Mass with most of his Diocesan Priests including Frs. Danny, Peter and Edwin.  The Liturgy reflected Bishop Crispian's 23 year long Ministry in our Diocese.

'You did not choose me: I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures.    (John 15 v.16)

At the Litany of Intercessions there was a Procession of Symbols from Bishop Crispian's time in Portsmouth.  His involvement in the City of Portsmouth was symbolised by the presentation of a Pompey Football shirt!!
At the end of the Mass Mary Dunn thanked the Bishop on behalf of the People of the Diocese and presented him with a gift with our hearfelt thanks.
                                                                                                                        photo and report by Cathy

INDUCTION OF LYMINGTON U.R.C. MINISTER

                   
On Sunday Fr Danny and some parishioners from our and other local churches attended the induction of the Revd. Chris Vivian, the new Minister of Lymington's United Reformed Church.     The deeply moving service included the prayer: We affirm our intention to go on praying and working, with all our fellow Christians, for the visible unity of the Church in the way Christ chooses, so that people and nations may be led to love and serve God and praise Him more and more for ever.     

Despite the great number of people waiting to congratulate her afterwards the new minister made a point of stopping to give a warm welcome to Fr Danny.  


We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Lymington URC community, especially through our joint links with Churches Together, the Carers Cafe and the Basics Bank.



     Our thanks to Lymington URC and to Mike Saqui for the photos.                                                                                                    

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

                                                                                                                        

 Oh, Lord, when I’m not sure which way to go,

Good Shepherd, from temptation rescue me;

Your will may not be mine, but make it so,

However challenging your will may be.

Impatient as I am, teach me to wait

In peace and silence; teach me to be still,

To trust in you to so direct my fate,

That I may ever joy to do your will.

Keep me within your flock, let me not stray,

Yes, *“Keep me as the apple of your eye,”

Oh, God of David, steer me in your way,

Even if in loud protest I should cry.

Good Shepherd, pour your mercy upon me,

I am a sinner, Jesus.  Set me free.

                                                                         

                                                                                  R B    
                (*Psalm 17)                                               Written on the feast of Christ the King  2011 


Our thanks to Ros for allowing our blog to have the privilege of being the first to publish this fine sonnet.

NEW STORAGE SPACE CREATED IN THE CENTRE

Where novels used to be sold in the corridor so that we all got in each other's way, there are now wardrobe-shaped storage areas being constructed.     What a good use of the space.  



But is that to be the end of book sales, some parishioners will wonder.    
Others say no, they're going to take place elsewhere.    


We shall see.

TIME TO CHECK THE REMEMBRANCE BOOK

Our Parish Book of Remembrance will be open at the back of the Church of Our Lady of Mercy for the remainder of the month of November.   This is a good time for us each to check that the entries relating to our own families are complete and correct.

THE WINDOW OF ST EDMUND OF ABINGDON

St Edmund Rich was a child of great piety, brought up in a devout Catholic family.    He was severe to himself, yet gentle and kind to others, especially the poor and the sick.      When he was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in 1234 he strongly defended the English church against the corrupt King Henry III, but after a few years the King's greater power and the opposition of other English bishops drove him into exile at Pontigny.    He is the patron of the Diocese of Portsmouth (his feast was on Wednesday) On the left you can see how he appears on the stained glass window in the sanctuary of the Church of Our Lady of Mercy.  The delightful image on the right is from the Nuremberg Chronicle.

OUR CHRISTMASTIDE PLOTTERS UNMASKED

There's no hiding from the fearless investigations of our intrepid reporter.     They thought he'd left, so they unwrapped their treasures to show one another, but he returned unexpectedly with his camera and they were caught red-handed!       There's Eileen and Barbara with sheepish-looking sheep, John and Adele with angelic angels, and Clare with a starstruck star.     What can they be up to at this time of the year?    It's not even Advent yet.    And we complain about the shops beginning Christmas early!

..... BECAUSE LOVE IS AN UNSKILLED TRADE

Not many experienced non-fiction authors publish their first novel after they've retired, but that's what long-serving Lymington parishioner Angeline (Paddy) Hampton has done.       It is called "Unskilled Trade", and is now available in paperback.       The publisher's blurb reads: Unskilled Trade is set partly against the backdrop of the Philippines and the Celtic atmosphere of Ireland - exquisitely descriptive and sensitive, exploring relationships, changing attitudes and the expectations of male and female behaviour. Compelling reading!       It's compelling, too, to chat to Paddy about the possible conflict between a woman's family life and career, which underlies the plot in her story.

SUBTERRANEAN PASSAGEWAY UNCOVERED

We're used to seeing holes in the ground, but this is ridiculous!      It's almost in the middle of the car park!       Or rather, it was.     For as part of the work at present being done to our Lymington site, the opening has now been sealed with heavy concrete T-beams packed together and tarmacked over.      Whatever the purpose of the underground brick walls on either side of the opening, they are relatively modern.      It's the dark space beyond them which is so intriguing, for although it may have been used for other purposes in recent times, it was almost certainly part of the late medieval smugglers' tunnel which stretched up behind the High Street so that contraband could be moved to the Angel or to other parts of the town, and may well have been used in penal times to shelter missionary priests starting on their dangerous way to service the Catholic faithful in different parts of the country.

KIM ATTENDS HER MASTER'S FUNERAL

The newly decorated sanctuary of the Church of Our Lady of Mercy, resplendent in its golden framing, hosted a very special occasion on Wednesday.    Paul Duffy's relatives could not be traced, so a congregation packed with parishioners from our own and those of other Lymington churches took part in a truly splendid requiem Mass offered for him by Fr Danny.    Homeless Paul was welcomed home that day and received in our Church the care and the respect every human being deserves.    We pray that his soul may now rest in peace.

His beloved black labrador Kim was brought to the church, sat under the front pew, and behaved beautifully throughout the service.    But once she was outside she was so playful that it was difficult to get a good photo of her.
                                                                             (The redecoration of the sanctuary was by Lee Decor.)

ISABELLA BECOMES A CHILD OF GOD

Victoria and Christopher Bickle are very happy that their daughter is about to be baptised Isabella Ruby Quinton at the Church of Our Lady of Mercy, but it looks as though Isabella herself is not too sure about it!     Yet through this great Sacrament she will be justified, transformed and renewed, becoming a member of Christ's body and a temple of the Holy Spirit.     We warmly welcome her into our Parish family.

FR RICHARD SAKSON TALKS TO THE CWL

Fr Richard Sakson, chaplain to the Dominican sisters at Sway, had been invited to speak to the Lymington section of the Catholic Women's League about Faith.    He told us that the new Catholic Missal, although not perfect, was in his view, a great improvement on the old rite and would necessarily change the way we worship in church.  This in turn will lead us to reconsider how faith and the Eucharist are essentially related.     There has been a recognised crisis of faith across Europe since before the second Vatican Council, with parishes forced to amalgamate or even close; some Catholic schools and seminaries have also closed in the past decade.    The current shortage of clergy is sadly all too evident in the Portsmouth Diocese, with our own Father Danny in charge of four churches.          Father Richard noted that there are many reasons for loss of faith today, one being loss of faith in the Eucharist itself.      In his encyclical letter, "Mysterium Fidei", Pope Paul VI had urged people not be diverted from the truth of the Eucharist.

Man's inhumanity to man can only be fully addressed through love and obedience to God; unequivocally, as in the First Commandment.    Fr Richard told us that reverential love for the sacrament of Communion leads to sacred actions: genuflecting, blessing ourselves and bowing at the mention of the Incarnation.    Ultimately, this instils in us a sense of understanding and veneration of the defining words of the Catholic Church, "Do this in memory of me".      He concluded his beautiful and thought provoking talk with an emphasis on the imminent traditional illustration of our faith as we approach Advent, when the Word becomes flesh.      Father Richard's own words were warmly appreciated, as indeed were Eileen Rayner's delicious flapjacks and chocolate cake which followed!       Thank you to Eileen and Tom for the hospitality and to Father Richard for inspiration.
                                                                                         photos by Barbara;  report by Giselle

THE HOSPITALITY CENTRE TAKES SHAPE

The kitchen area, in the opposite corner to where the coffee has been served until now, has now been electrically wired and has had plasterboard mounted around it.


The contractor for the electrical work in our Centre is Roger Carman.   

The disabled toilet, which will be just inside the main door on the right, has been divided off, and the small piece of the old hatchway which has not been cut away to make room for the door has been bricked up.        

The plumbing left from the old school has survived and some of it is being brought back into use.

The untimely death of Paul, the homeless man who walked the streets of Lymington with his black labrador, Kim, has shocked and touched all those of us who knew him.     We pray that after suffering so much abandonment during his earthly life he will now rest in peace.    His funeral will be held at the Catholic Church of Our Lady of Mercy and St Joseph on Wednesday November 9th at 11am. 

ST ANNE'S RESPOND TO FR ADAMS' ARRIVAL

On All Saints Day parishioners at St Anne's welcomed Fr David Adams, who already has a fulltime job as parish priest of Lyndhurst and the Waterside churches.   Yet because of the acute shortage of regular clergy in this area he has agreed to serve St Anne's on Sunday evenings and holy days.    His congregation on All Saints Day clearly appreciated his generosity, and after a few minutes of instruction and practice willingly joined in singing all the responses throughout the Mass.

JAN WATCHES NEW SAINTS BEING CANONISED

                                                           

 Whilst on a family trip to Rome last Sunday, Jan Anderson was lucky enough to arrive in St Peter's Square just in time to hear Pope Benedict celebrate Mass. The service included the canonisation of Guido Maria Conforti, Luigi Guanella and Bonifacia Rodriguez De Castro. Many of the congregation were wearing a yellow cap, a white cap or a scarf, showing their devotion to one or other of the new saints and they unfurled banners at the end.





Our thanks to Jan for the report and photos

How to ADVERTISE without ANYBODY NOTICING

As our investigative reporter levelled his camera to take a shot of our rebuilt manhole by the Church before the area around it had been properly filled in, this board was thrust out in front of it.     What a cheeky thing to do, we said, but this firm has done a good job and has provided us with decent drainage (and we shall certainly not discuss the state of the old drain they had to clean out) so we've been very kind and left their board in the photo.    Now if anyone knows what the rates are for transglobal advertising, we can finish making out Mr Smith's invoice.

Now that the main arch in the Church has been repaired, the sanctuary is being redecorated for the first time in about forty years.     This photo was taken as the painting of the first large ceiling panel had just been finished, as you can see from the straight edges of the red border around it.  

Meanwhile work continues in the new Hospitality Centre.     A new door has been cut for one of the toilets which is being constructed just inside the main entrance.   The electrical work and the plumbing are now almost ready, and the dividing walls are about to be put in place.






Next week your Parish blog will have more news of the progress being made in the Church and in the Hospitality Centre.