NEWS FROM STRATFORD
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THE BISHOP COMES TO ST FRANCIS SCHOOL
On Wednesday, 12th May 2010, Msgr Thomas McMahon, Bishop of Brentwood, came to Stratford on a visitation of the Parish. In the afternoon he visited St Francis School for the first time. He was accompanied by Fr Kieran Fitzsimons, O.F.M., the Parish Priest, and welcomed to the School by the Head Teacher, Peter Coleman, and the children. He spent some time in talking to the children in the Junior Assembly Hall.
In the evening the Bishop administered Confirmation to this year's group of teenage candidates in St Francis Church.
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THE BLESSING OF ANIMALS BRINGS TOGETHER A RECORD NUMBER OF PETS
The celebrations for the Feast of Saint Francis concluded on the following Sunday with the traditional service of blessing the animals so dear to their owners as they were to Saint Francis himself, who regarded the whole of creation as creatures of God and therefore our brothers and sisters. The service was conducted by Fr Kieran Fitzsimons and brought together the largest ever collection of animals who all behaved well.
St Francis presided over the service with a cat at his feet and a picture painted by Fr Kieran's sister of a boy with his pet cat.
- Who's here, then? Anyone I know?
- I'm here!
- I know I'll always have this patch over my eye, but I think it makes me look distinguished!
- One patch! Look at the number of spots I've got! How distinguished is that?
- A guinea pig
- A rabbit
- And for the first time - a lizard!
- Eyes front for the service!
- A reading from the Book of Genesis
After a word of welcome and an opening prayer, the first reading was from the Book of Genesis 1:20-25, describing the fifth day of creation, when God created the swarm of living creatures to inhabit the sea and the birds to wing their way through the sky. He ordered the land to produce every kind of living creature, cattle, creeping things and wild animals of all kinds. And God saw that it was good.
The responsorial canticle was adapted from Daniel 3: "O all you works of the Lord, O bless the Lord! To him be highest glory and praise for ever".The second reading was from Brother Murray Bodo's book, The Journey and the Dream: "Because he possessed nothing, Francis was possessed by all the free creatures of God. All creation loved him, every bird and animal, and Francis knew it and loved them in return."
Fr Kieran then led a brief reflection followed by silence. And all the animals in the church remained still.
He then invited anyone who wanted to say something about what their pet meant to them to come forward, and three children came forward to talk about their lizard, guinea pig and cat.
There followed the Prayers of Intercession, when prayers were asked for all our animal companions who share heir lives with us and are a source od mutual love, joy and learning. Then thoughts were turned to those animals who are suffering, overworked, underfed and cruelly treated, or kept captive, hunted, lost, or deserted. The final prayer was for all human beings who have care of animals that they may be true friends to them and so show to them the face of the compassionate and merciful Father.All joined in the Lord's Prayer, followed by a prayer of blessing of the animals and their sprinkling with holy water.The closing hymn was three verses of St Francis's Canticle of the Creatures versified as "All creatures of our Lord and King". All then departed in good order.
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- Oliver describes his pet lizard
- Julia tells how much her guinea pig means to her
- and Romeo the cat is introduced to us by Shiloh, his owner
- Goodbye, then! We enjoyed that!
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WELCOME VISITORS
On Sunday, 6th September 2009, the friary community welcomed to their table two illustrious visitors who made for interesting conversation, one of whom was Br Joe O'Toole, who is here on home leave from his arduous mission work in Zimbabwe, but who looked and sounded remarkably well. The other was the Irish Provincial, Fr Caoimhin, who had flown over specially to meet Br Joe and chat to him. A lovely time was had by all.
Only a month after this picture was taken Br Joe was killed in a car accident in Zimbabwe. Read the report under "News" (click here)
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Br CHRIS DYZCEK GRADUATES TO A PhD
On the feast of St. Bonaventure, 15th July 2009, St. Mary's University, Strawberry Hill, held their graduation ceremony in the afternoon in Westminster Cathedral. Br Chris Dyczek was one of those receiving their degrees. Brs Kieran and Francis accompanied Chris to the ceremony and came together in fraternal supportiveness for this photo. Chris's PhD topic was Christian Apologetics, Memory and Hope, in the writings of F. Ozanam, B. Jowett and F.J. Doelger. Chris is hoping he can adapt two sections of the thesis for publication as shorter books. The whole thesis can be sent to anyone interested as a pdf file in an email attachment: write to info@friar.org
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