St George's Day

Normally on Thursday evening at Blackfen, we have Rosary and Benediction, followed by the Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Today being St George's Day, we are going to change the evening programme, having High Mass followed by short Benediction.

The Parish Social Club is open to non-Catholics provided that they do not form more than 50% of the membership. Hence we have a number of people from the surrounding streets who like to come out in the evening to a safe environment where they can relax with their families after a day on the building site, play pool and have a couple of pints.

We always have a big celebration for St Patrick's feast day but there are sometimes murmurings along the lines of "Why don't we do more to mark St George's Day?" We do in fact have a social evening with music on Saturday but when I mentioned to the Club Chairman that we were having a "Latin Mass" for St George and we might like to cook up some hamburgers and hot dogs afterwards, he told me that "some of the lads" were very pleased to hear this. I did say that they would be welcome at Mass (or part of it) - no need to "join in" - they were welcome to kneel at the back and watch (which is, of course "joining in" in a different way.) I'm not sure many will take up the invitation but it is at least "bread cast upon the waters."

(We should have some photos of the Mass and Benediction to post in due course.)

Incidentally, Roman Christendom has a good article today on St George.

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