CATHOLIC HISTORY WALKS

Come and enjoy an August walk, and discover our Catholic history on the way!  Two special Walks to celebrate the life and message of St John Henry Newman:

Wed Aug 19th meet 6pm  Church of the Most Precious Blood, O'Meara Street, London SE1 1TD (nearest tube/overground  LONDON BRIDGE). We'll walk across London Bridge - with its story of St Olaf and Viking battles -  to the birthplace of St John Henry Newman in the City.

Wed Aug 26th meet 6pm

at St Elizabeth's Church, The Vineyard, Richmond TW10 6AQ. (Nearest tube/overground: RICHMOND). We'll visit  Richmond Palace and its links with Henry VIII etc - and walk along the river to St John Henry Newman's childhood home at Ham.

We'll be socially-distanced as we walk. All are welcome - no need to book, just turn up! A donation of £5.00p is suggested. More information: www.catholichistorywalks.com

With lockdown easing....

...we visited friends in Sussex. A great reunion, long talkative meals, a happy family time...

The Sussex Downs glorious in summer sunshine, the English Channel crashing against the sand and pebbles on the beach....

Cycled to Mass on Sunday morning along lanes past meadows and streams, and fields of ripening crops. Mass at this church,  famous for its replica Sistine chapel ceiling...

Read about life in prison...

...here

On-line petitions often seem a waste of time...

...but I am signing this one, anyway, and urge you to join me:

HERE IS THE NEW SERIES OF HISTORY WALKS....

....read here....


And come and join us!!!


It is bleak having to "sign in" to get to Mass on Sundays.  It's bleak not knowing if and when the schools will open in September.


But getting together can be a boost to morale. Come on a cheering History Walk, cherish the wonderful heritage that is ours in Britain.... widen your knowledge  and enjoy the Thames and dozens of great stories....

...and there are signs of hope...

Read here...

...and we hope to offer some History Walks along the Thames soon...

Auntie Joanna resumes her blog...

...after  a longish gap. Things have been busy.

With lockdown easing, it has been possible to get to London to help out with serving breakfasts at St Patrick's Soho, to the homeless who gather there...and to Trafalgar Square to offer teas and coffees. Good to reconnect with old friends among the teamworkers at both venues. The group at Trafalgar Square is organised from Westminster Cathedral and includes people from Farm Street. The leader is the chairman of the St Vincent de Paul group at the Cathedral - and was also the voice you may have heard when Cardinal Vincent  Nichols celebrated Mass, broadcast on  BBC Radio 4 recently. The Mass, of course, was without a congregation, but  had a reader, the only person present apart from the Cardinal and altar server...it must have been a strange experience.

The Cathedral is now open for prayer: a joy and a great reassurance. In these weird and uncomfortable times, the unchanging stability of this London landmark somehow carries something of the solidity of the late Victorian era in which it was built.

During lockdown, I have written one book, and begun work on another.  I've completed a piece of embroidery and launched a new one (cross-stitch kneelers for the  chapel of the wonderful Community of Our Lady of Walsingham).

I've been reading Dietrich von Hildebrand and  was thrilled to listen to this excellent sermon

 And, looking ahead, I will be getting this book as a must-read

AND WE MUST BE ALLOWED TO OPEN OUR CHURCHES!

This is getting urgent.  There is absolutely no reason why people should not be allowed to go into churches and pray. The Bishops of England and Wales are calling for this and the Govt seems to be negotiating, and there must be no delay.

Read here:


Cardinal Vincent Nichols has spoken out strongly, as has Archbishop John Wilson of Southwark. I quote him:


Respectfully, I believe that it is now time for churches to be allowed to open for individual visits for private prayer. Supervision and hygiene regimes can be put in place akin to those in supermarkets and any churches that cannot implement these would remain closed.Since the Government’s decision, on 23 March 2020, to close places of worship our churches have remained shut. We accepted this as part of the important strategic effort to save lives and contain the spread of Covid-19. Important Christian festivals during Holy Week and Easter all took place behind closed doors, each priest celebrating alone without a congregation.

As restrictions have been lifted, there is growing frustration that churches remain closed for private, individual, visits of prayer. This comes when restrictions on access to other ‘non- essential’ facilities are being relaxed. For Catholics, access to church buildings is spiritually essential, something recognised by other Governments internationally.

At stake here are two paramount principles. The first is freedom of religion and the second is basic equality and justice. Total church closure was justifiable in the initial weeks of the pandemic. However, to enable non-essential shops and services to open, while keeping churches closed for individual prayer, is an infringement of both religious freedom and equity.

CATHOLIC WORLD REPORT...

...has published Auntie J's latest piece...do read it here...