Welcome to our new Vicar – Scott

LUKE 4 v ‪21 - 30‬
Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’” And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.  There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.


Slightly different this week... keep on reading to the end please! We had a different postman on Tuesday and as often happens, I got the Convent post through my letterbox. No problem - I gathered it up and made my way across the road to the Sisters who were on the doorstep as I called. Great excitement - "Come in Father Philip! Come in! You must have coffee! Take off your coat! Come and sit down! Come in! Come in!" And I did... 

And to my great sadness I had it confirmed for me that they are moving away from Langley to return to their motherhouse in Birmingham. They were in fact packing up and getting ready to go. The cat had been given a new home and one of their lovely pictures was taken down from the wall and pressed into my hand. A beautiful chocolate and orange cake was produced and we sat for about an hour and chatted before we prayed and I went on my way. There was to be a Mass of thanksgiving for them that same night and I was invited to go - sadly the night of the PCC prevented this.

Sister Eileen and Sister Celestine have been part of the Langley scene for many years, visiting Fr Tadgh's congregation, taking Holy Communion, assisting at daily Mass and being part of the Christian heart from which the lifeblood of Langley flows. They are Sisters of Charity of St Paul the Apostle - that's their official title. Their Mother Foundress was a French woman called Genevieve Dupuis who came to England to help educate poor children about 150 years ago. Some readers will remember the great Sister Barbara - I met her once or twice 26 years ago - who carried on the great work of education for scores of Langley kids in our own time. Many people I know have a lot to thank Sister Barbara for and the estate ought to be truly grateful to her and her Order.

So, I'm so sorry they're going. A sad day for all of us as they leave us without fuss but with the prayers of the Holy Eucharist to accompany them. I believe they've done a really good job and the proof of it will be in the way the rest of us left behind here now carry on; if we continue to be warm and friendly to the stranger, mindful of the children, careful for education and growth for all of us and most of all, focused on the prayers of the Eucharist, then they will certainly be leaving a precious legacy which needs to be carefully passed on by all of us - Catholics and Protestants. Keep them in your prayers and celebrate all that they've been and done together; Sisters - thank you for everything and may God bless you richly!