Lauds and Mass was followed by a visit from our Jolly Tots in church. A large number of pre-school children came up with their mums and participated in the story of Christmas. We had many processions around the church; we accompanied Mary and Joseph as they went to Bethlehem. We saw what happened in Bethlehem and then went to the Shepherd’s fields to see the angels asking them to go to find Jesus. After the shepherds were safely in the holy stable we went to encourage the wise men on their very long journey. The crib complete we had a short prayer. Jackie ensured that we sung appropriate songs during the journeys and led us in all time for favourite at the very end – one for the mums! Jackie gave a nice Christmas card to all the little ones and their families showing the crib that is set up at St John’s every year. Parents were encouraged to come along for our Christingle on Christmas Eve and there seems to be a lot of interest.
While all this was going on, Christine was busy working on the frontal that will be used for Christmas. Well done Christine, it is looking good! With Christine were the Edmeads busy cleaning the church brass – thanks!
A short meeting with the Parish Administrator and our Reader was followed by time devoted to correspondence and sermon preparation.
Office of Readings and Vespers share with Francis brought to an end this one more day in the Advent journey.
I see in other blogs the mention of the Rorate Mass, or votive Mass in honour of Our Lady in Advent. This reminded me of a tradition which I experienced and which still brings the Christmas spirit to me. It is the Christmas Novena. The nine days indicate the nine months of the pregnancy of Our Lady from March 25 to December 25. In my parish church we used to have one Mass in white or in Rose colour which was a votive Mass known as Sancta Maria in partu; Our Lady giving birth. Every day we had a sermon and hot drinks where served after Mass together with a different holy picture. As young children we were fascinated to see decorations in church progressing and building up for Christmas. The Parish Priest used to bring some crib figures out and tell us the story and teaching behind it. Some years back I came to know of a Lady chapel in England known as Our Lady in gestion (gestation). What a wonderful tradition to introduce the Christmas Novena. Although the sung Litany of Our Lady was always the Novena speciality here are some prayers you might find helpful.

Christmas Novena
to be said daily as part of the intercessions from the 15th to the 23rd December.

O Holy Child of Bethlehem, who said: "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you." Through the intercession of Mary, Your Most Holy Mother, we knock, we seek, we ask that our prayers may be pleasing to you.
(Silent prayer.)

O Holy Child of Bethlehem, who said: “Unless you become like little children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven." Grant us the simplicity and wonder, the tenderness and gentleness of a child. Fill us with innocence, hope and love. Grant us the grace that we need.
(Silent prayer.)

O Holy Child of Bethlehem, help us know how close You are to us and how powerful is Your embrace. Help us to trust that You hold the whole world in Your hands. We place our every need and care in Your hands. We ask that you fulfil our request according to Your holy will.
(Silent prayer.)

Last night was the first of our Carol Services for this season. It was Walthamstow Hall School that organised a magnificent Carol Service with excellent singing. Well done to all! It was a treat to welcome you at St John's. I apologise about the low quality of the vids but I trust it will give a flavour.

Today is the feast day of Our Lady of Loreto. Loreto is a pilgrimage destination in Italy where the Holy House of Nazareth can be found. It is the same Holy House which Our Lady asked Richelidis to replicate in our own Walsingham.
This holy aedicule of Loreto was part of Our Lady’s Home in Nazareth. Those of you who have been in Nazareth know that what is left of the original house is a cave. The aedicule was built against this cave, thus the reason for the Holy House of Loreto to have three sides only. It is believed that when the Holy Land was going to fall in the hands of the Infidels, the Christians dismantled this holy house brick by brick and took it to safety in Italy where it is highly venerated. You will see from this photograph the similarities between the Holy House of Loreto and the one in Walsingham with its West window and North and South doors.
Below is a picture of a missal used in Loreto which depicts how Christians tended to symbolise the feast celebrated today.

At the moment I am putting the final touches on a little talk that I look forward to share with several young men who are thinking about priesthood. This activity will span all Saturday and is organised by the Forward in Faith vocations’ group and supported by the Catholic Societies. It will take place in London.
I feel honoured to be called to work alongside these young men, and many others, as they seek to discern the will of God.
It is our joyful duty to pray for more vocations to the sacred priesthood especially for our young men who are offering themselves in a difficult time. Some of them find a hostile environment rather then encouragement.
I know of a young man who is thinking about priesthood. Recently he took part in an event organised by a local organisation. He happened to be sitting next to this man who introduced himself as a vicar of a nearby church. This young man shared with him his hope of becoming a priest. This vicar asked the name of his parish. As soon as the vicar realised that the parish of this young man is an Anglo-Catholic one he was not only rude but also turned aggressive suggesting that this young man should think it very seriously before committing himself to a part of the church that is dying!
I will not stoop low and comment on this, but you see why these young men need our prayers, support and encouragement.
We need to stand up for Jesus, and as it has been many times suggested: “No desertion – no surrender!”

What an exciting find! The Custody of the Holy Land has been doing some archaeological work in Magdala, the small village on the West of the Sea of Galilee where Mary Magdalene comes from. At the time of Jesus this was a large town of 40,000 inhabitants. The dig has produced a lot of evidence for a large presence of the Roman Army; this in itself would have made Magdala a place that devout Jews would avoid at all costs. And yet…
Among the many findings are some 1st century AD jars of ointment (picture of one of them above), most probably like that costly ointment that was poured on the feet of our Lord by the sinful woman (Lk 7: 37-50). Some of these jars are still filled with an ointment like substance. As we write these jars are at an undisclosed Italian university to be examined and hopefully reproduced. The odour that pleased Jesus so much and filled the room in which he was staying, might be available for us some 2000 years later!

(Photo below: A view of Magdala today)

I am just back from my annual retreat in Walsingham. This is a very special time when away from the context of where God is calling me to be day in and day out, I can have holy space available for prayers and reflection. I have prayed for all those who visit this blog and ask God’s blessing on it now that it is a week over a year old.
Walsingham had nice cold winter weather, as ever the food was good and in plenty and the liturgies uplifting. This year too my annual retreat coincided with the Advent retreat organised by the Shrine and this year led by Br Paschal OSF. I have not been to his meditations but all retreatants I met afterwards where singing his praises. I think we are very fortunate to have a Franciscan community in Walsingham complementing the community of sisters. Please keep these religious in your prayers.
It was good to have time to catch up with other people in Walsingham and on Sunday lunchtime the generous hospitality of the Smalleys.
I suspended my Advent reading for the retreat and replace it with St Francis de Sales especially his “Introduction to the Devout Life”, I forgot the pure and fresh springs available in that little great work and I do recommend it.
My last day of retreat was also the last day of the Pilgrim Season. Canon Warner celebrated the Mass of the solemnity with many concelebrants. Afterwards the staff and all those who work behind the scenes took part in a splendid meal. It is indeed a great blessing to see together under one roof all those who make the Walsingham experience possible. Bro Paschal also concelebrated the Mass and was congratulated on the 25th anniversary of his solemn profession in the Franciscan Order – Ad Multos Annos! Prayer places everything in its proper perspective. It enables us to trust God and His generosity and to look with joy for another year in His service and company.
Back into the swing of things today after Lauds and Mass I had the opportunity to greet some new comers to the Parish and whilst Fr Mark took Collective Worship at School I enjoyed welcoming the pupils of Walthamstow Hall School as they come and prepare for their Carol Service tonight at 7pm. This will be followed by a meeting of the Standing Committee.
Tomorrow our school will be inspected, please do keep us in your prayers as we look forward for the help we will receive from the inspectors to build our future.

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Tota pulchra es, Maria,et macula non est in te.

Tu gloria Jerusalem,

tu laetitia Israel,

tu honorificentia populi nostri.

Tu advocata peccatorum,

O Maria, Virgo prudentissima,

Mater clementissima,

ora pro nobis ad Dominum Jesum Christum.

Thou art all-lovely, O Mary,

and in thee there is no stain.T

hou art the glory of Jerusalem,

Thou art the joy of Israel,

Thou art the honour of our people.

Thou art the advocate of sinners,

O Mary,Virgin most prudent,

Mother most clement, pray for unto our Lord Jesus Christ.

Tonight Rob Smith gave the second Advent reflection. Here it is:
Some words from the third chapter of the prophet Malachi: ‘Look, I am going to send my messenger to prepare a way for me. And the Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple, and the angel of the covenant whom you are looking for, yes, he is coming, says the Lord’.
Throughout the Advent season the insights of the Old Testament prophets provide us with a picture of the long-awaited Messiah – he is described as being a light in our darkness, a shepherd of the flock, a child born to save us, and a maker of peace. They also provide a description of his arrival in the world: Isaiah tells us that ‘the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call Emmanuel. On curds and honey he will feed until he knows how to refuse evil and choose good’.
At mass this morning we heard Isaiah tell us that we need to make ready for the coming of the Messiah: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God’. St Mark’s Gospel tells of another herald of that same message. He is our own patron: St John the Baptist. John appeared in the Jordan desert proclaiming the need for repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins in preparation for the immanent arrival of the Saviour, the Messiah, of whom he was not worthy to untie the sandals of.
It can be just as hard for us to understand the Baptist today as it was for the people of Judea two thousand years ago. We, like them, would find it difficult to take seriously someone clothed in camel’s hair ranting at passers by to be washed of their sins by being immersed in a muddy river. Sometimes we find ourselves asking: Why was John’s message so necessary and why didn’t Jesus just begin his mission and ministry without waiting for him?
Some people find it helpful to view John as being something like a potter. They believe that we as humans need to be ‘softened up’, so to speak, just as clay has to be manipulated before being moulded. Jesus’ life and teaching was going to have such radical implications for the people of Israel, that John was needed to prepare the people to accept Jesus’ life-giving message.
We might say that John is the voice of Advent; he is the voice that heralds the coming of the Lord for us today, not by building a highway in the desert though, but by preparing the hearts of all who are willing to hear him and repent. The word ‘repent’ means to turn around, to change direction, to face a new way and begin to walk on that way. It means to leave the old way behind: to walk with Christ from the wilderness to the Promised Land.
The wilderness that we face two thousand years after the time of John the Baptist is not a physical desert; it’s not just something ‘outside’ and far away. It’s something near: it is inside us. Something contained in our hearts. It is created by our actions and inactions. What we do and what we fail to do.
However, we are influenced by things that are on the outside and they can, particularly in the run up to Christmas, point out just how barren or unfruitful our present way is. The continual rounds of shopping, meetings, and, for some of us more than others, partying, exhaust us physically and emotionally.
During this busy season we need to make some time to stop; to create a time and space for Christ each day, so that he can come to us afresh this Christmas with his light, his healing, and his peace. The Repentance John asks us to undertake is not about beating our breasts and bewailing our sins, it is about turning around and making more time for the things that draw us nearer to Christ. Perhaps we could attend more weekday masses, come into Church for sacred space or, as Fr Ivan suggested on Bible Sunday, read the Scriptures, perhaps with the guidance of the little booklet Walk with Me that’s at the back of the Church (if there are any left....).
This coming week let us also remember the people who have been the ‘John the Baptists’ in our own faith journeys, our predecessors and our benefactors, God’s messengers, who helped us to stay on the right path through the difficult times in our lives. As we look forward to the coming year, our year of mission, may Christ also give us the grace to serve as his messengers, so that we can continue to fulfil our baptismal promise and truly ‘shine as a light in the world to the glory of God the Father’. Amen.

Advent II

The glorious sunshine beaming through the windows accompanied the lighting of our second Advent candle.

The posts will not be frequent over this week end. This afternoon I will be on my way to Walsingham for my annual retreat. A priest friend of mine and I have been going to Walsingham annualy for the feast of the Immaculata since we were ordained deacons.

As we prepare for this great feast day of Our Lady conceived without original sin I will keep you in my prayers as I hope that you will say a little prayer for Fr Guy and me.

This 16th century Jesuit saint died at the age of 42. His love for Christ and the Church led him to do what even today would be very difficult to achieve in a fuller lifetime.
This Spaniard moved to Venice where he displayed zeal and charity in attending the sick in the hospitals. On 24 June, 1537, he received Holy orders with St. Ignatius Loyola. The following year he went to Rome, and after doing apostolic work there for some months he took part in the definitive foundation of the Society of Jesus.
Xavier was appointed to evangelize the people of the East Indies. On 7 April, 1541, he embarked in a sailing vessel for India. The first five months he spent in preaching and ministering to the sick in the hospitals. He would go through the streets ringing a little bell and inviting the children to hear the word of God. When he had gathered a number, he would take them to a church and would explain the catechism. Around October 1542, he started for the pearl fisheries of the extreme southern coast of the peninsula, desirous of restoring Christianity which, although introduced years before, had almost disappeared on account of the lack of priests. He devoted almost three years to the work of preaching to the people of Western India, converting many, and reaching in his journeys even the Island of Ceylon.
In 1549, with a small band of disciples, he landed at the city of Kagoshima in Japan. The entire first year was devoted to learning the Japanese language and translating into Japanese the principal articles of faith. When he was able to express himself, Xavier began preaching and made some converts, but he was banished from the city. Leaving Kagoshima about August, 1550, he penetrated to the centre of Japan, and preached the Gospel in some of the cities of southern Japan. Towards the end of that year he reached Meaco, then the principal city of Japan, but he was unable to make any headway. He retraced his steps to the centre of Japan, and during 1551 preached in some important cities, forming the nucleus of several Christian communities, which in time increased with extraordinary rapidity.
After working about two years and a half in Japan and returned to Goa, arriving there at the beginning of 1552. With the help of friends he obtained from the Viceroy of India the appointment of ambassador to China. He arrived in a Portuguese vessel at the small island of Sancian near the coast of China. While planning the best means for reaching the mainland, he was taken ill, and as the movement of the vessel seemed to aggravate his condition, he was removed to the land, where a hut had been built to shelter him. Here he breathed his last.
The body of the saint is venerated at Goa.
The love for Jesus enabled Francis Xavier to be an Apostle, may his prayers and dedication inspire us in our work of re-evangelising our culture.

Tonight we had our tenth session of Credo' 08. Our guest speaker was Prebendary David Houlding, Master General of SSC. Fr Houlding spoke about the article saying: "The forgiveness of sins". He masterfully explained how the cross closes the gap opened by sin, and how God constantly calls us and gives us the means to avoid sin and become holy. A good and engaing discussion followed. We also enjoyed having Fr Paul Francis, our Rural Dean, with us who came to listen to Fr David. Thank you Fr David for being with us and giving us so much to think about during this holy season of Advent.

Lauds and Mass were followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for Sacred Space. This done I was off to our school to teach RE to Years 5 and 6. Today we looked at the Parable of the Prodigal Son, or better still the Parable of the Loving Father. It is wonderful to see these young ones hearing, some of them for the first time, the parable. They really engaged and spoke about love and forgiveness in a way that truly edified this priest. This was followed by a pastoral visit, quick lunch and then off to the local county primary for RE lessons to the two Year 6 classes. The school is busy getting ready for their open afternoon and the children have worked really hard to set up great displays, one of them being a representation of a stained glass window showing the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
With these classes I looked at the seven sacraments. We saw what a sacrament means and why there are seven. We looked briefly at each one and discussed them. It all ended with a quiz were very many scored full marks. Well done! I gave each one of them an Advent calendar and then went back to church to hear confessions and pray the Office of Readings and Vespers. Frances joined in for this and today rather then the Salve we sung the antiphon “Alma Redemptoris Mater” which is the proper Antiphon of Our Lady from Advent to Candlemass. Some other work needs to be done before I can stop and look forward to enjoy my day off tomorrow.
I hope that you are enjoying the early days of Advent, this year I am sharing it with St John of the Cross and Thomas Merton’s reflection on it. I am also looking forward for Thursday as I am off to Walsingham for my annual retreat which I share with a priest who is a dear and long standing friend of mine.
Here below is a picture of my wife Claudia busy cooking for two guests that we shall have this week. Two dishes are in the making one is Lasagne and the other a traditional Maltese one of baked macaroni with beef and tomato sauce called Timpana, both are healthy food with almost next to nothing in calories – now if you believe that…