TODAY IS THE FEAST OF THE VISITATION

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.         Luke 1:41

CWL ASSISTANCE REMEMBERED AT THE NMA

In 1914 Cardinal Vaughan asked the CWL to help the armed services and a Recreation Hut was started in Boulogne for troops passing through. Gradually other huts were opened and manned by the CWL all over Europe during the First World War.    In 1939 the War Office allowed the canteens to be used again and three were opened in France.   

 

These huts/canteens were much appreciated by the armed services and when the National  Memorial Arboretum was built, a seat was dedicated to the CWL in recognition of their help in both wars.

                                       Our thanks to Peter and Barbara for the photos and text.

GOD IS GOOD! GOD IS BEAUTY! PRAISE HIM!

                                                                                                                                   photo by Nicky

Marine thrift blooming on the clifftop at Milford underlines the splendid view.     

PIPER LEADS AT LYMINGTON WEDDING

At last Saturday’s wedding between Simon Maguire and Catherine Putt at Our Lady of Mercy the bride was piped into the church by Piper Iain Russell.

Fr Danny officiated at the marriage, which took place in a packed church.    We wish the happy couple every blessing in their life together.

                                                       photos by Jacqui and Barbara

A PEACEFUL LUNCH AT BROCKENHURST

                                                                                                  photo by Barbara

With noisy demolition under way at Our Lady of Mercy, it was a pleasant relief for members of that parish to be able to gather at Brockenhurst College with their friends from other parishes for a quiet Pastoral Area lunch beautifully served up by the students on the catering course.

THE ENGLISH POPE WAS BROUGHT UP HERE

Jan has been to visit the church of St Saviours in Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire.    (Although it is a modern church it has a a peaceful, uplifting and spiritual feel to it.)     It is situated close to the Anglican church, which was dedicated to St Laurence the Martyr in 1154.  

That same year, Nicholas Breakspear who grew up in the parish of Abbots Langley, became the only English Pope - Pope Adrian IV.
One wonders whether the people who use Adrian Road, Popes Road or Breakspear Road in the village know the reason behind their road names?

                                     report and photos by Jan                                                                                

WERE CATHOLIC PRIESTS HIDDEN HERE?

Has Nicky found a genuine priesthole?    It certainly looks like it.     It’s by the fireplace at the Red Lion in Park Road, Cheam, and there is a small cramped staircase leading into it.    The staff assure us that the pub is between 450 and 500 years old, so that fits.    Not so sure about the stool and the missal, though!     Does anyone know more about it?

HEALING MASS AT OUR LADY OF LOURDES

                                                                                                                                   photo by Frances

Last Sunday, people from across the combined parishes gathered at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in New Milton for a special Mass for the Sick.        It was Father Danny's last formal service as parish priest at Our Lady of Lourdes.     He welcomed in-coming parish priest Father Richard Sakson, shown here with his lovely bevy of loyal helpers in the kitchen.     Fr Danny was assisted at Mass by Father Richard, Father Edwin Barnes and Deacon Michael Welch.

                                                                                                                            photo by Frances

Father Danny, here talking to Peggy after the Mass, had brought along a beautiful little crucifix made from matches and cork, given to him during his time as a prison chaplain at Wandsworth. . He spoke movingly about the prisoner who had made the crucifix after becoming blind, and who told Father Danny he could only truly see with his heart after losing his eyesight.

                                                                                                                                 photo by Gigi                                                                                                                       

After the service, several people said that the Mass had engendered feelings of real peace and goodwill in their own hearts. The sun beamed through the hospitality rooms as we tucked into a wonderful tea prepared by the ladies of the parish, including Cathy's delicious strawberry scones.

                                                                                                           Our thanks to Gigi for this report.

24 SECONDS IN THE DEATH OF A CLASSROOM

2012-05-11

09.26.10

Look out - there's someone coming up behind you!

09.26.20

Hey, what's going on?

09.26.24

That's not fair!  Stop it!

09.26.34

Aaaaaaaaaaagh!

SO WHAT'S GOING TO REPLACE THE HUTS?

Much as we'd love to express our opinions on the subject, we have to accept that it's not the job of a Parish Blog to anticipate the future, but to illustrate things that have already happened.    So as today is the one hundred and fifty third anniversary of the consecration of our church we reproduce, without comment, a plan of this site copied from a document dated 1864, when the parish of Our Lady of Mercy and St Joseph was still in the Diocese of Southwark, whose Bishop at that time was still the same Thomas Grant who had consecrated our church five years earlier.    
Unfortunately it is not clear what the hatching on some areas represents.     Is that a wall around the garden?    If so, it seems to be rather a thick one!     Note that the building opposite the Church porch is not the old school (now the hospitality centre) because that was not built until 1885.

OH SON OF MAN

 Oh Son of Man, Oh Lord, the one true vine,

Whose victory over death we celebrate,

Who ordinary water turned to wine,

Gladness of heart and joy to demonstrate,

Protect us all, your branches, keep us firm,

Come, fill us with your spirit and your grace,

So that we may, with rock-like faith affirm

Your teaching and your love, and hate erase.

Give us courage that we may bear your fruit;

That we your fine example might employ,

Fearless, and faultlessly to follow suit,

And eat and drink and share that fruit with joy.

True Vine, protect your branches, lest they fall;

So strengthen us, that we may hear your call. 

                                    Ros Browne.  May 6^th 2012

WITH A HUGE COLLECTIVE SIGH OF RELIEF

At last the demolition team have arrived, and the task of removing the old modular classrooms has begun.     The Parishioners of Our Lady of Mercy are much relieved, and grateful to Fr Danny and to the fellows of the Finance and Property Committee who worked so hard and overcame so many obstacles to reach this point.

ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION FINDS NEW HOME

Our felicitations to Fr Brian Croughan, Diocesan Archivist and ex-Lymington Parish Priest, who has now recovered sufficiently from January's operation to be able to chair yesterday's meeting of Parish Archivists.   During an interval in the proceedings it was agreed that our own 2009 exhibition "History of Catholicism in the New Forest" will now find a home in the Archives Department at the Portsmouth Cathedral Discovery Centre.

A CARPET OF BLUEBELLS IN ROYDON WOODS

                                                                                                                            photo by Nicky

BEGIN WITH THE SIGN OF THE HOLY TRINITY

                                                        Rublev’s Angels at Mamre (the Holy Trinity)

Yesterday, in the first of Cathy’s Wednesday evening chats on the Mass, she threw light on its repeated references to God the Holy Trinity.  If you missed this first talk, do come along to her second one next Wednesday at 7.30pm, for her expertise and informal style made last evening profitable and enjoyable to her listeners, no matter how little or how much we already knew. 

PART OF THE DRIVING FORCE

A little party was held last week for the local WRVS Meals on Wheels Organiser who is retiring.  You may recognise a few familiar faces from Our Lady of Mercy Parish.   Pat, Marianne, Joan and Brian are all Meals on Wheels Drivers.    

                                                                                                                photo and report from Pat

…. AND THEY PLAY CRICKET, TOO!

We’re glad to report that Frances is safely back from her latest spell in Oz.   She has been telling us what nice people the Australians are.    When they found out that she was leaving, they all came to say goodbye to her.