Twenty Fifth Week of Ordinary Time (A)

Dear Parishioners, 

Were you planning to make your pilgrimage to Lourdes but had to call it off? Did you have a holiday booked in the Med but had to cancel? I don’t blame you for not wanting to go far in these times. It’s no time to travel, but no matter because Kent has it all. For beaches there’s sunny sands in Folkestone and the lovely beach at Margate celebrated by Turner who was in awe of the light there for his paintings. And Kent has some of the most gorgeous countryside in England from the wooded winding lanes of the cosy Weald, to the magnificent sweep of the north downs, to the space and skyscapes of Romney Marsh and the cabbage fields of Thanet, the fine white weatherboarded high streets of Cranbrook and Tenterden to the splendour of Canterbury Cathedral, the Crowning glory of Kent. And there’s St Thomas’s Catholic Church next door to it, where you can go to mid-day mass and venerate the relics of St Thomas Beckett. And so we move onto holy things.

No you can’t go to Lourdes this year, but you can go to Our Lady’s Shrine at Walsingham in Norfolk. We celebrate Our Lady of Walsingham this coming Thursday and the vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the Lady Richeldis, hundreds of years before she appeared to St Bernadette at Lourdes. But back to Kent, you don’t even have to leave Kent to go on pilgrimage. I’ve already mentioned Canterbury, but go nearly as far east as you can, and you can make a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of St Augustine in Ramsgate. It’s a beautiful and historic church designed by Pugin and marks the place where St Augustine landed on Kentish shores, commissioned by Pope St Gregory to bring Christianity to this land. And of course there’s the ancient Carmelite Friary of Ayelsford and the Carmelite shrine of St Jude at Faversham. He’s the patron of lost causes, and a visit to his shrine can do wonders. But if all these places seem too far, you could make your pilgrimage to Kemsing, near Sevenoaks.

For it was at Kemsing that one of old England’s most popular saints, St. Edith, virgin, was born in 984. She died at Wilton Abbey in Wiltshire at the age of 23 and on Friday we commemorated her at mass. Edith was the ‘Little Flower‘ of her day and the English people had great devotion to her. She was the daughter of King Edgar and Wulfrida, and while still a baby was taken to the convent of Wilton, which she never left. Professed at the age of fifteen, Edith refused the government of three abbeys which were offered her on account of her royal status; the young princess preferring to remain a simple nun at Wilton. After her death Edith appeared in visions to many nuns and her holy presence at Wilton was still felt by her biographer Goscelin.

Just a short drive to Kemsing near Sevenoaks and there is, evidently, a holy well dedicated to her. Its water has been known for its healing properties, especially for eye diseases and apparently farmers use its water to bless fields for rich harvests and there are local processions to the holy well. So you can still make a pilgrimage this year - to Kemsing, leaving after morning mass here and home again in time for tea.

‘O God, who declare that you abide in hearts that are pure, grant that through the intercession of the Virgin blessed Edith of Kemsing, we may be so fashioned by your grace, that we become a dwelling pleasing to you’.

St Edith of Kemsing, pray for us, the little parish of St Thomas More, Bexleyheath and that all our people will return to their ‘COVID secure’ parish church soon.

DEATHS

Margarita Favorito (19th December 1929 – Thursday 27th August 2020). Margarita was a parishioner here for about 20 years and is well remembered by many here. Her funeral and burial will be at Lewisham.

Patrick Farrell R.I.P. died 4th August 2020 aged 84. Funeral 1st September, Thames View. Mrs.

Joan Troy (aged 96) Funeral in Essex, Requiem Mass at St Thomas More and Party in hall: Tuesday 16th March, 2021. To be confirmed)

May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES

It will come as no surprise that this has been cancelled, or let’s say that just as Olympics 2020 will be in 2021, so our 2020 pilgrimage will take place in October 2021, if not before. It is not for fear of a virus this has been cancelled, but because of the uncertainty in travel arrangements, cancelled and delayed flights, complicated, confusing and fluctuating guidelines and regulations, and quarantines suddenly imposed. Never mind, as mentioned we have plenty of holy places to visit in Kent including the Holy Well at Kemsing, in addition to our Lady Chapel here at St. Thomas More. 

MASSES AND INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK: TWENTY-FIFTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME

Please note that if a mass has been cancelled, the intention will be moved to another day.

Saturday 19th September TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY (A)

   6.30 p.m. Procla Pacheco R.I.P.

Sunday 20th September

   9.00 a.m. Cecilia Rodrigues R.I.P.

 10.30 a.m. Ferdie Rodrigues R.I.P.

Monday 21st September St. Matthew, apostle and evangelist, feast.

 10.00 a.m. Emily Rodrigues T.G.

Tuesday 22nd September feria.

 10.00 a.m. Joseph Lafferty W.B.

Wednesday 23rd September St.Pius of Pietrelcina, priest, memorial.

NO MASS TODAY

Thursday 24th September Our Lady of Walsingham, memorial.

 10.00 a.m. Siju & Tincy T.G.

Friday 25th September feria.

 10.00 a.m. Anthony West R.I.P. (followed by internment of ashes at Brook Street)

Saturday 26th September Ss Cosmas & Damian, martyrs, memorial.

 10.00 noon. For the forgotten souls in purgatory R.I.P.

[TWENTY - SIXTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME:

  6.30 p.m. Emily & Harry Yeates R.I.P.]

Thank you for your mass intentions and offerings. Don’t forget to ask me if you want a copy of THE UNIVERSE saved for you each week: price £1.90. It will be a sad day if we have to stop this order, or you can subscribe to it on line. Please consider supporting this great catholic institution and channel of news and communication about the Church in the world today. The order will be cancelled soon if none of you ask for it.

Until next week, may God keep you in safety and peace,