THE P RTAL
April 2015
UK Pages - page 12
Tenacity!
Jackie Ottaway and Ronald Crane visit Hemel Hempstead
UK Pages
T
he first
Ordinariate Group we visited, in May 2011, was in Hemel Hempstead.
Although much has happened since then, we have not returned until now. The Group has been without
a resident priest for some time now. This has caused a strain, yet through it all they have maintained their
numerical strength and their enthusiasm for the Catholic Faith.
Welcomed by Brian Cox, an
old friend who has done so
much to keep the people of the
Group together, and Fr Timothy
Bugby - another old friend - who
was the visiting priest when we
were there; we settled down in
therestaurant at Martin’s Pond
in the village of Potten End, just
outside Hemel.
because we have four different
priests. It is true that they are
very different. Fr Scott Anderson
who comes only occasionally is
celebrating the Easter Triduum
with us.”
Richard and Kate King and Family
It was Saturday evening and we had
a lot of catching up to do. The meal was
excellent, and thanks go to the staff at
Martin’s Pond. However, eventually we
turned to the matter in hand: the Hemel
Hempstead Ordinariate Group.
two years frustration
They have a roster of priest; Fathers Fr Tim Bugby
Timothy Bugby, Anthony Homer, Mark
Elliott Smith, Tony Reader-Moore, Scott
Anderson and Mgr John Broadhurst. Mass
is at 0845 every Sunday and once a month
they have a Holy Hour at 1600.
Brian Cox, a semi-retired Company
Secretary and well known to the
Ordinariate said, “I think two years without
a regular priest is a frustration. We have a
parish council and finance committee, but
we do not meet formally because
we discuss everything together over
coffee after our mass.”
Fr Timothy Bugby
Brian Cox
Fr Timothy felt it was important
to put things into a wider
context. “The Parish has been
restructured and has taken in a fourth
parish, so that now it is working towards
just one parish in Hemel Hempstead with
two full-time clergy. An Ordinariate priest
was going to be part of that team, but
the Parish Priest has had to get on with
it without an Ordinariate priest. Quite
where this leaves the Ordinariate Group
is, as yet, unclear.”
Brian Cox
Brian said, “Numbers have been
maintained. People have moved away or
died, yet the Ordinariate has maintained
its numbers. More people come to mass
because Diocesan Catholics come. They
love our liturgy and Holy Hour is a
particular favourite.
The Parish Priest, Fr John Byrne, has been
wonderful to the Group throughout, as has
the Assistant priest, Fr Derek Hyatt
- a Mirfield trained ex-Anglican
from Allen Hall. He has been very
supportive, as has the Deacon,
Simon Wright.
Fr Timothy took up the story.
isolation
“The Group is very good, and it
might be difficult for a new priest
The Group is somewhat isolated
coming into the Group because it
from other Ordinariate Groups, but
is self-sufficient. Brian was anxious
supports the Ordinariate Pilgrimage
to point out that the people of Saint Kayleigh and Sophie Stafford
to Walsingham in June, the Chrism
Mark’s RC Church had made the Group very welcome. Mass and other events. The Sunday Mass was
beautifully celebrated by priest and people. At coffee
He continued, “Some wi