THE
P RTAL
December 2017
“You know, I did the youth work here. We
still have them. Ryan is working on cruise
ships around the Caribbean doing the sound
systems. Louise and Alan, who met through
our youth group in the CofE, came over were
received and Fr David married them. They
do care work, so work on Sundays. Paddy
and Gemma were married by Fr David, but
we still see them. Alice, Josie and Rikki are Lora
all at University. Rikki and Alice have long-
term boyfriends who are both Catholics.
Alice’s boyfriend, Christopher, is a cradle
Catholic but never confirmed, so he is to be
received into the Ordinariate. Georgina is a
qualified catechist.
Page 13
said, “More than 50% of referrals to the
Food Bank are people falling foul of flaws
in the system. Everyone is monitored and
we keep stringent records. Everyone has to
be referred by an authorised body.
“I ran a tea room in Preswick with my
husband. Before that, I was in the printing
industry. I am a cradle Catholic and
moved to Torbay three years ago. We went
to Holy Angels, and moved to here when
it opened. It is a small congregation here,
and that is what makes it so special. We all
help each other. My husband died eighteen
months ago; he had just seven months of
retirement.”
“We are the first Group, now parish,
with a building completely dedicated to
Lunch over, we spent some time with
the life of The Ordinariate. We don’t want Katherine Latanski
Fr David Lashbrooke, the parish priest.
to be shouting and saying ‘we do this, we
“Having a parish is exciting and a great
do that’; but we are blessed. Having your own place is privilege. It is a message that we are here to stay in the
so important. You can invite people in. I work in an service of Christ. A new presbytery is being built here
Office, there are six of us. The others are not Catholics, in premises of Our Lady of Walsingham. I am aware
and I don’t talk about this all the time, but when I said that the work of both priest and people here at OLW is
to the lady next to me would she come and see us now to build foundations for our successors and to remain
we have a building, she said she would.
faithful. Stability is a vital ingredient of any Christian
community and that has been our work thus far. It is
Navin Patel Canalda is half Indo-Kenyan and half our privilege, as a community, to offer a daily Mass;
Spanish. His mother is from Barcelona, He has a the next step is the daily public recitation of the Daily
degree in Business studies and Management. Born in Office beginning with the introduction of Evensong.
Barcelona, he was educated in the UK. He left Spain
when he was seven. He has run hotels and pubs, but
When the presbytery is completed, this hall,
now is a building constructor.
where we had lunch, will become a space devoted to
hospitality. It will be a non-threatening place where
“My Mum went to Holy Angels and heard that the everyone will be welcome; a need we have identified
Ordinariate had bought this Church. She felt she could through our Charity Shop. The Methodists left us a
do some good, so she came to give them support legacy of affection, as local people remember coming
and encouragement .Recently, I have had a bad time to community events here.. We have those foundations
with health issues which has made
on which to build.
me think about my life. A colleague
has taken over running the business
There will be other spaces which we
and I started coming here with my
will use to teach the Faith, but it will
Mum. I met Fr David and those
not be in the welcome space and, God
who come to say their prayers. It has
willing, those who come through our
become an important part my life. I
doors will want to see the place where
have been baptised, but was confused
all those who make up the community
about what that meant . I am now
of this mission go; the Church itself,
preparing for my confirmation and
where the Blessed Sacrament resides
first communion here at Our Lady of
and where we say our prayers.
Walsingham.
Thank you to Fr David Lashbrooke
Lorraine McEvoy is also involved
and the lovely people of Our Lady
with the Food Bank on the
of Walsingham and St Cuthbert
administration side. She raises cash
Mayne, Chelston, Torquay. We had
for the charity. They provide 144,000 Fr David in the Church Hall
a wonderful visit and were royally
meals in one year on Torbay. Lorraine soon to be home . . . somehow!
welcomed.