Our Day with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal!

We recently spent a day in Canning Town with the Grey Friars.  When we arrived we immediately began by helping with the preparations for the soup kitchen which they run for the poor and homeless.  This involved opening plenty of cans, chopping potatoes, getting stuff ready for tea and coffee and then serving the soup and toast to the people that came along to the Friary.  We had the opportunity to have a chat with many of the people that came along; both the helpers and the homeless and we were really able to see how God is working with and through this mission.


After getting some soup for ourselves we were given a lecture from Fr. Emmanuel on Community Living.  He made no secret that the next few months are going to come with many challenges and hardships, but, he also let us know that from these 9 months will come great graces and so much joy; this, everyone found very beneficial and we look forward to putting much of what he said into practice.  After a bit of free time, along with some basketball, we settled down for Evening Prayer and an hour of Eucharistic Adoration.





The whole day was rounded up with a lovely chicken dinner prepared by Fr. Emmanuel and some good social time with Br John Bosco, Br Angelo and Fr. Emmanuel.  We are all looking forward to any other opportunity that may come to meet up with the Franciscans again!

A Week of Community...

Wow!  What a week we've had!  The theme for the past week has been Community Living and it has been an amazing experience.  At the beginning of the week we had lectures about what community life is and how we can all contribute to the life of the community with our different gifts, talents, strengths and weaknesses.  We had the great pleasure of meeting and learning about some different communities; we met Paula, from the Cenacolo community, a community for those who suffer from addictions.  They have a prayer group here in the Parish on a Monday evening.  On Thursday we spent the day with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFRs) in Canning Town, where we helped with their soup kitchen and experienced a little of what a typical day is like for them.  Friday was a long yet great day for the boys who headed out to Ealing Abbey early in the morning to spend the whole day with the Benedictines there.  But I think I can safely say the weekend was our highlight!  NightFever was happening here at St Patrick’s on Saturday and it was the first time we have been out evangelising as a community.  Let’s hope all our nights are as fun and exciting as our first.  Sunday meant wrapping up warm and finding our walking boots as we all headed off on the John Paul II Walking Pilgrimage along the Thames from Westminster Cathedral to Hampton Wick.  It was a long tiring day but it was so good, definitely going to make it an annual event!  You can read more about our adventures this week in the next few days as we update more posts.

Tomorrow (1st November) is a very important day, not only is it All Saints Day but for us here at SPES it is our Commitment Mass.  Please join us if you can; the Mass is at 6pm with a bit of social time afterwards.

Last Talk of our Evangelisation Series...

Father Emmanuel's talk on the practicalities on how to Evangelise was amazing! Hearing his story and experiences he has had were very empowering and impactful! It was awesome to hear him speak with much freedom and confidence giving much encouragement to have the courage to go there and proclaim the Good News of Christ love to those in our work places, friends, and family we are with everyday. It’s crucial to be attentive to others, lend a listening year, and don’t forget to meet people where they are as Christ did! When you are filled with the Holy Spirit and God’s grace, His love and joy, you want to share it! It is difficult to keep it all for yourself. Just like if you heard news of a new born nephew or have been given a long awaited gift, you would not be able to resist keeping it to yourself. That is what we are called to do as Catholics, to share with others the gift of our faith! Believe God is with you, leading you and guiding you through the power of the Holy Spirit!

TONIGHT...Evangelisation Talk!

Next talk is on The Practicalities of how to Evangelise which will be given by Fr. Emmanuel, CFR. We are very blessed and privileged to have him with us. This is the fourth and last talk for this Month completing the series of talks on Evangelisation. The talk will be again on Wednesday, this evening, and will definitely be beneficial to help build up your knowledge, but also your confidence. Starts as always with a light supper at 6:30 pm in the Presbytery. It really would be a lovely opportunity to get to meet you before the lecture begins at 7 pm.

Don't miss out!!! Please bring a friend, ALL are welcome!!! See you tonight!!!!

The next series of lectures will be starting in the coming month.

Stay tuned to our blog to find out what series will be next! Coming this month, November.

SPES@21st Youth Festival, Medjugorje

Blog from Teresa Vaughan-Spruce (SPES 2007/08) Last week, Edna and I travelled to the 21st Youth Festival held in Medjugorje. There were around 40 000 young people from all over the world there, and Edna and I were lucky enough to be apart of it, representing SPES. It was a truly blessed pilgrimage with lots of powerful testimonies, talks, for example on Theology of the Body, and prayer. The people living in Medjugorje were so welcoming and hospitable. One night, we had a candlelit procession with 40 000 of us, through the tiny streets of Medjugorje. The people living there stood outside their houses holding candles, and gave us drinks of water as we passed. Their driveways were lit up with candles and small shrines to Our Lady that had been made especially for the procession. It really was an unforgettable experience. Edna and I stayed with a lovely young family just outside of the centre; Maria and Dalibor, and their daughters Gabriela, Lana, and Matea who is only four days old! Maria gave birth while we were staying with them, and Dalibor took us both to see Maria and Matea in hospital; Matea was so tiny, beautiful and perfect! It was really special to visit both of them. On our first day in Medugorje, we met up with Aisiling (who graduated from the school this July) who was with a group from Craig Lodge in Scotland, led by Fr Augustine of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. Together we climbed up Apparition Hill, praying the different mysteries of the Rosary. When we reached the top of the rocky hill we had time to sit and pray in front of the statue of Our Lady. The place was completely silent, and filled with such a great atmosphere of prayerful peace and calm. I think we could have sat up there for hours! Edna and I had a truly blessed pilgrimage in Medjugorje. We prayed a lot for the past students, and especially for the future of SPES, and future students.