The Portal February 2016 | Page 13

THE P RTAL February 2016 lodgers. If a light bulb blows, we do not have to replace it! We merely inform the landlord. It must be said that we have been made very welcome at St Marks.” John took up the story, “We are a bit out of the way here. In the long term we would like a place of our own. We get between twenty and forty every Sunday. Someone asked me, ‘How can we grow? Where is your mission?’ Another person said, ‘we must do what we Nick Molnar do and people will come.’ You have to have a separate mass of your own every week.” As well as Sunday mass, this group has a mid-week mass on Wednesdays at 1945 when they use Divine Worship. It seems the new family love the 8.45am Sunday mass, as it leaves the rest of the day for family things. Brian pointed out, “We do have people who Rachel Molnar come on an occasional basis because they need an early mass.” John concluded our chat with a heartfelt remark, “Communications are important. Priests get to know what is going on, but the laity has only The Portal for information.” Page 13 They have survived without a priest for two years without a drop in numbers. That is cause for rejoicing and hope. “I have only been here three months. The next three months we shall see, at the moment I am just looking and getting to know the local Catholic parish and the Ordinariate people. I help over the border in Northampton diocese. “The job here will take working out. I shall be wearing three ‘hats’: PP here, the Ordinariate’s Communications Officer, and Mgr Keith Newton’s priest secretary. This last one may well involve some travelling – but, unfortunately, I’m not off to the USA for the Episcopal Ordination of Steven Lopes! “I shall be saying a regular mass at Precious Blood for Fr Chris Pearson. Here we have reintroduced the Wednesday evening Mass which had lapsed, as well as the monthly Holy Hour. Another fortunate thing for us is that the people here at St Mark’s are happy to see the Church used regularly other than on Sundays.” We are able to chat with the “new family” Brian and John mentioned. Val Ison is a retired accountant and her daughter, Rachel Fr Simon & Jean Chinery Fr Simon’s wife, Jean, told us, “For me, the Molnar, a sports marketing manager. They big thing is that we were seconded to the have started to attend the Ordinariate diocese, now we are back in the Ordinariate, mass with their respective husbands and and it is wonderful. Back to our true calling. Rachel’s child. Val told us, “We belong to This Group has been without a priest, yet Abbyfield RC Parish and the church is busy they all rally round. Everyone is involved. and very noisy. Here we find peace and The house is lovely and we are thankful for calm. The time here is convenient. We like it and for its location, which is good.” the intimacy here. We knew John Worley and of an Ordinariate Group. We thought We enjoyed out brief stay in Hemel we would try it out. My friends did not after Mass... Hempstead. This is a good group and we understand the Ordinariate, but we did.” pray they will prosper. But: all too soon we had to make our way back to our homes. Fortunately the Rachel continued, “I have been Catholic all my life. snow had melted. Then I married Nick at his church – a CofE church – it was complicated to get married at our Catholic church. Phoebe came along and we got her into the local Catholic School, so we made the move back to the Catholic Church. Our local Catholic church was too big and too impersonal and we came here with Mum and Dad. Here we not only feel part of things, but we are part of things. Now Fr Simon is here – he is brilliant! He is sorting us out!” As people began to drift away we were able to speak with Fr Simon Chinery. “They are a lovely Group,” he told us, “Self-sufficient, and they have made it very easy for me. We have core people and generous givers. contents page