THE
P RTAL
November 2015
Page 18
News from the UK Groups
SE Wales Group
David
A
Woolf
reports that on Thursday 24th
September 2015 the South East
Wales Ordinariate Group not only
celebrated the Solemnity of Our Lady
of Walsingham, but also the Reception
into the Catholic Church of Dr David
Woolf.
The Reception took place during
the local Group’s Ordinariate Mass,
which was hosted at the aptly named
Newman Hall, the new Catholic
Chaplaincy Hall of Residence at
Cardiff University. During his homily
the Group Pastor and Principal
Concelebrant, Fr Bernard Sixtus, wove
together many of the Walsingham
links we celebrated that evening.
David, a member of the Order of Our Lady of
Walsingham, was being received into full communion
with the Catholic Church via the Ordinariate of Our
Lady of Walsingham, on the Solemnity of Our Lady
of Walsingham. His Sponsor was Stephen Morris, a
former Guardian of Walsingham.
Fr Bernard went on to highlight other Woolf family
links with Walsingham when he noted that David’s late
great uncle was the Police Constable of
the village when Fr Alfred Hope Patten
was Vicar and the first Administrator
of the Shrine.
The concelebrants, with Fr Bernard
Sixtus, were the Very Revd Dr Gareth
Jones (Catholic Chaplain to Cardiff
University) and Fr William Isaac.
Fr Gareth said, ‘I hope that the
University Church at Newman Hall
Catholic Chaplaincy will always be a
familiar home for the members of the
local Ordinariate.’ Those links were
further cemented when the students
and staff of Newman Hall invited the
Ordinariate Group to join them at
Solemn Mass on Friday 9th October
to celebrate the Feast of our mutual Patron, Blessed
John Henry Newman.
new Image of Our Lady of Walsingham
On Sunday 18th October 2015, a group from the
Wales (SE) Group of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of
Walsingham and guests were at Belmont Abbey. This
was for the presentation of their new Image of Our
Lady of Walsingham. You can read the full story in
the News section of the Ordianriate Web Site www.
ordinariate.org.uk
News from Precious Blood, London Bridge
“In
many years of listening to Church
announcements I have never heard one like
that!”, was Michael Thrusfield’s (visiting London from
Edinburgh for the Pastoral Council meeting) opening
gambit to one of the Church Wardens after Mass
recently at the Ordinariate and Parish Church of the
Most Precious Blood in London. He was referring to
Fr Christopher Pearson’s appeal to the congregation
to pray for a larger space in which the Sunday School
could meet. With 25 to 30 primary-age children to
cater for it is becoming quite a squeeze in the Parish
room. Fr Christopher commented; “it’s a nice kind of
problem to have, but that doesn’t make it any easier to
solve.”
More News from Precious Blood
T
he “MPB 125” appeal was launched in July Monsignor Keith Newton, Ordinary of the Personal
2015 and aims to raise money for essential works
to be completed in preparation for the building’s 125th
anniversary in 2017. The target is to raise £250,000 and
have the works complete by 1st July 2017, the Feast of
the Most Precious Blood.
Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham and the works
include the completion of the nave and sanctuary
flooring, stabilisation of the paint finish and decoration
of the walls, new electrical and lighting systems,
provision of toilets and completion of the organ.
The Patrons are The Most Reverend Peter Smith,
Please use this link to donate online https://www.
Archbishop of Southwark, and The Right Reverend justgiving.c