A message from Fr John

Dear Friends

I’ve ben listening to some music over these last few days just to try to find some calm and resolution. I know that the pain of loss can’t be solved by music or by anything except time and love - and ultimately by faith but it’s comforting to have something to accompany one during these sad days.

I have listened to Brahms' and Mozart’s Requiems - very different but both powerful and uplifting. However, I watched part of a programme on BBC 4 last night - Tunes for Tyrants (terrible title) - in which the presenter spoke about Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time written during his incarceration in a Nazi prisoner of war camp. He was a very devout Catholic - organist at the Holy Trinity church in Paris - and his music is an exploration of his faith. I don’t find his music very accessible but, given our present circumstance when life is turned upside down, I have pulled it off my shelf and will endeavour to listen - and pray.

I wonder if others have music they would like to suggest and share with us - but please not Dylan’s Desolation Row - even the music of the blackbird.

Finding time to pray and be quiet is essential during these days and an important way of building up ‘reserves’ for later times.

We remember our key workers:

Joseph, Lisa, Patrick, Chris, Catherine, Anne, Terry, Mark, Andrew, Theo, Clare, Richard, Anthony, Jane, James, Mary, Francis, Ruth and Ian

We continue to pray for those who are sick and for all those who have died and for all those who mourn.

Dear St Joseph, guardian of families, pray for us

Every blessing

Fr John