Keeping Busy

When an Ordinariate Group is as small as ours - not many more than twenty of us, originally from half a dozen different Anglican churches - we need everyone to pull together. And goodness, they do - often supported by a few longstanding Catholics from neighbouring parishes. So it was last Saturday, when to our astonishment we managed to raise £260 from a two-hour coffee morning. Brian Harrison took the photos, which you will find on our Ordinariate website. http://www.ordinariate.org.uk/bournemouth No sooner was that over than we began planning for our next great moment. Together with members of the Portsmouth & Isle of Wight Group we have the task of arranging the Ordination for our two deacons; John Maunder from Portsmouth and Brian Copus from Bournemouth. That will be on September 22nd, not in either of the churches where our Groups normally worship but in the much larger central church in Bournemouth, Sacred Heart, Richmond Hill - by kind permission of the parish priest, Fr Bruce Barnes. We will update you on this nearer the time; at present we are deciding on musical setting (favourite at present are amended Merbecke for Kyrie and Gloria, and a setting by our own Organist, Peter Cook, for Sanctus and Benedictus and Agnus ... but we have a little way to go yet.
Meanwhile we have a few enquirers who, we hope, will soon become firmly committed to joining the Catholic Church and our Ordinariate Group. Your prayers would be welcome for them and us.

A Bit Deficient

Today our Ordinariate Mass was full to overflowing; St Peter's School had asked if their Confirmation Group (of almost fifty) might attend as part of their day of recollection.

It was just lovely to have so many youngsters with us - and made us realise that our bit of the Ordinariate is sadly deficient. We are mostly more than a bit post-mature! Today was different, and it cheered us all up enormously. Not only was the school there, we had some teachers and parents and our youngest worshipper was three-week old Nicola. It was a great encouragement to hear her giving voice just before the Gospel. After Mass they adjojurned to the Hall for refreshments and instruction. The day is due to end for them with a barbecue. I don't recall having that sort of day during my confirmation preparation.


The pictures here give a little impression of how it all looked. Oh, and below is the resited image of Our Lady of Walsingham, keeping guard over the West Door. We turn to face this ststue when we sing Regina Caeli (as we did today, in English) or the Angelus.



Best of all today was the news that Brian Copus, former Anglican Vicar, has received his dispensation from clerical celibacy, allowing him to proceed to Ordination. This means that he will be in the next group to be ordained Deacon, in Westminster Cathedral on Saturday May 26th. He is on the left in the picture below, telling the good news to Tom and Valerie, two friends from St Joseph's in Christchurch who worship with us on alternate Sundays.