Our Dear Sisters & Brothers in Christ, Dear Friends, Our Dear Parishioners and warmly welcomed visitors,
There is a story from the early Church about a great bishop who was asked: “Which is the most important ministry in the diocese?” Some said preaching, some said the altar, others said caring for the poor. But the bishop smiled and said: “The most important ministry is the one at the door. Because before anyone can be fed, taught, or healed they must first feel welcome. The person who welcomes them stands in God’s own place.” That is exactly what so many of you do for our parish family. You are that first face of Christ that people meet. You make strangers into friends and visitors into family. You open not just a door, but a home. Thank You, all our welcomers, for your warm smiles, your gentle care and the quiet, beautiful dignity with which you welcome everyone who walks through our doors. You are the first sermon many people will ever hear and it is always a beautiful one. To all who care for our churches, those who clean, arrange flowers and keep our sacred spaces beautiful and prayerful week after week, your talents, your care and your quiet devotion transform our houses of stone into homes of welcome, worship and peace. A special thank you to Cynthia and Christopher, who marked their 60th wedding anniversary by generously gifting those beautiful flowers to St Joseph and St Mary’s Church, what a wonderful way to share your joy with us all. A special word of gratitude to Tom, our Youth Worker and all who have helped with the new sound system in St Joseph and St Mary’s Church. How wonderful it is that the Word of God may now be heard clearly by more people! Every word matters, especially God’s Word and your care in making this possible is truly a gift to our whole community. May we also remember to pray and sing wholeheartedly always, your voices rising together are the most beautiful sound of all! It was such a joy to meet with the UCM (Union of Catholic Mothers) last week. Your warmth, your faith and your dedication to our families are such a blessing. Thank You, Deacon Mark, for that beautiful meditation and reflection on the Fifth Joyful Mystery, finding Jesus in the Temple. What a powerful moment for all of us!
Please keep in your prayers our five new RCIA candidates who began their journey of faith last week! What courage, what enthusiasm, what a gift to us all. If anyone else is considering exploring the Catholic faith or discerning this journey, please know you are still very welcome to join us at any time. It is never too late, come and see and walk this path with us. Thank you also to those who so faithfully organize and lead these meetings, your service bears beautiful fruit. I am also deeply grateful to have been welcomed into the history and fellowship of the Guernsey Deportees Association, through our dear Jill. What a vital and precious part of our island story. We must never forget and we must always cherish and remind the memory of those times and those people. Thank you for entrusting that history to our care. Finally, to our Pastoral Council, thank you for your wisdom, your creativity and your heart for this Parish. Our meeting last Thursday was filled with hope, thoughtful conversation, good decisions and genuine care for the future of our community. It is a blessing to walk this journey with you.
Now a time for a car with a Story, a Fiat Panda, parish car driven by our Dear Father Inna. There is a beautiful tradition in the Church: the things that have been used in holy service carry a quiet blessing with them. We are offering for sale the Fiat Panda 4×4 that belonged to our much-loved and deeply missed Father Inna. For many years, this little car carried him faithfully up hills and down lanes, to sickbeds and celebrations, to visit the lonely and comfort the sorrowing. It became almost an extension of his gentle, pastoral heart. It is exceptionally well-kept with a low mileage, a sturdy, faithful little car, just like the man who drove it. For anyone who loved Father Inna and would cherish having a small, precious reminder of him, this offers a truly special opportunity. It would be wonderful if it could continue to be loved and used by any of the parishioners. If you are interested, please contact the Parish Office, the fair market valuation is available there and every enquiry is most welcome.
Thinking of a Pilgrimage to Poland in late September 2027? Many of you have mentioned how you would love to visit Poland, my beloved homeland, but the thought of organising it feels daunting. For many years, I led pilgrimages across Europe and I always believed: a pilgrimage is not just about seeing places, it is about seeing them together, through the eyes of faith. So I would love to know: would you be interested in a parish pilgrimage to Poland next, late September 2027? We would travel by coach, not rushing but journeying together. We would take the scenic route: through France and Belgium, across Germany and into Poland, visiting sacred places, quiet shrines and beautiful towns that no ordinary tour bus ever finds. Then we would return home by a different route, so every day would be something new and wonderful. It would be a time of prayer, friendship, discovery and deep joy, seeing the treasures of faith with someone who knows them by heart. But to make this possible, we need at least 40–45 people interested. So please, if this speaks to your heart, simply let me know. There is no commitment yet, just a wonderful dream we can build together.
A Very Special Invitation … My Installation as your Parish Priest. It is with great joy and a humble heart that I invite each and every one of you to the Mass of Installation and Induction, when Bishop Philip Egan will formally receive me as your Parish Priest and Catholic Dean of Guernsey on Wednesday 28th October 2026 (Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles) at 6:00pm, at St Joseph and St Mary’s Church, La Couperderie, St Peter Port. Please come, not as guests, but as Family. Your presence would be the greatest gift I could receive. Let us begin this new chapter together, in faith and in love.
Preparing for November … Remembering Our Beloved Dead. As we will approach November soon, the month when the Church prays in a special way for all our faithful departed, we would like to share our plans:
Mass and Blessing of the Graves at Le Foulon Cemetery:
We will celebrate Holy Mass at Le Foulon Cemetery on Monday 02nd Nov, followed by the individual blessing of each grave.
Blessing of Graves throughout November:
If you would like us to visit and bless a grave in any of our other island cemeteries during November, please simply get in touch with the Parish Office. We will be very happy to come and pray with you and offer this blessing whenever we are invited.
Throughout November, we will also have our November List, so simply, please write the names (PRINT) of your Beloved deceased and have the opportunity to have the names of your loved ones remembered and read at Holy Mass, in the Holy Rosary and in the Divine Mercy Chaplet during November. Pass it to the Office in the envelope.
With our love, our prayers, and our gratitude – Fr Marcin & Fr Benedict
