Fr Frank writes:
My Dear Friends,
As Catholic Christians we are linked by a shared Communion in the Body and Blood of Christ. This sharing enables us, as individuals making up the Church, to become more truly The Body of Christ. Communion and community, of course, have the same root. For this reason I have always believed that social events are important for parish life – that is, if we are to become a community (a family) and not just a crowd of strangers. Getting to know one another is always worthwhile. The difficulties of bringing together two parishes some distance apart and without good public transport links proves challenging. However, with the aim of coming closer together, Anne and I (but mainly Anne!) have arranged a Boules afternoon at Frinton Presbytery. We are hoping that as many as possible from both parishes will be able to come along and get to know one another. There will be an opportunity to play Boules and/or sit and enjoy the spectacle whilst engaging in conversation accompanied by cheese and wine. Proceeds from this afternoon will be divided equally between the two parishes and the charity, ‘Wheels for the World’ which reconditions and supplies wheelchairs for disabled children in Kenya.
Another social event – rather more cultural than Boules – also takes place this month (again at Frinton) with a recital by the talented harpist Ilza Robertson on 26th (see enclosed flyer). Tickets can be ordered in advance or purchased at the door. The recital will be followed by Afternoon Tea in St Cedd’s Hall. This recital is open to all, please give it some verbal publicity if you get the opportunity.
On 15th August we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady. This is a Holy Day of Obligation, a day when all Catholics should be at Mass. In order to give parishioners maximum opportunity to attend I will be celebrating four Masses in the two parishes –please come along and celebrate with me. There will be a Vigil Mass (on 14th) at Frinton at 7.30pm followed by a Mass on the morning of the 15th at 9.15am. At Harwich/Dovercourt there will be a Mass on the morning of the 15th at 11.30am and one in the evening at 7.30pm.
May Christ, our Redeemer and Brother, bless you today and always.
Frank ofs
Sunday Smile: It was Shrove Tuesday – Pancake Day – and a mother was preparing pancakes for her two sons, Patrick aged five and Jeremy aged three. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake, and their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson.
“If Jesus were sitting here,” she reproached them, “he would say, ‘Let my brother have the first pancake.’”
Patrick immediately turned to his younger brother and said, “Jeremy, you can be Jesus.”