Confessions and priestly fraternity in New Addington
New Addington is a housing estate on the outskirts of Croydon which has had a mixed reputation over the years. Fr Stephen Boyle has, for a number of years, been an untiring pastor at the Church of the Good Shepherd, bringing a straightforward, faithful, and cheerful message of faith to the people under his care. Every so often, he arranges for the children of the Catholic school next door to the Church, to come in for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions. He invites various priests to come and then takes us all out for lunch afterwards, combining pastoral care for the children with a ministry to priests.
Today Fr Charles Briggs and I drove down to help out and to enjoy a convivial priestly gathering. Fr Stephen's brother, Fr John Boyle, of Veritas in Caritate was also there along with other priests from the local area.