Corpus Christi

This weekend we held our 2nd Deanery Corpus Christi procession at St Martin's - combining it with our 4th May procession (we figured that Jesus wouldn't mind sharing it with His mother), which is why the picture below is of an image of Our Lady. Despite having a number of travellers coming to the Church on Thursday looking for Mass on what they thought was a Holy Day, the transferral of this particular feast to a Sunday is, I feel, a good and desirable thing enabling such events as this to take place.

In the event it wasn't a procession as such, due to the weather. Nevertheless getting on for 200 people took part in the devotions held in the Church including people from some half dozen of the neighbouring parishes - so we felt it was a success. But it's a great thing to do on a Sunday - a coming back after Mass to say 'Thank You' in this way, like the leper who returned to give thanks for his healing. Our children's choir, however, still had a Mass to do after the Devotions, so ended up being at the Church from 3.00 through until about 7.30! That was a real thanks offering to the Lord.

Our Lady's image (pictured here) was given to the parish by members of our Filipino Community, who also made the dress she wears on special occasions. When bringing her back from the Philippines they refused pointblank the demands of airline staff that our Lady should travel in the baggage compartment. She had to be in the cabin.

We value our images of the saints not always because they are works of reat art, but because of what they represent to us. A boy of round 12 years old, of a travelling family, said to me a couple of days ago that he was worried about his older sister joining with some born again Christian group and not having any time for statues. 'Father', he said to me, 'when I look at that statue I see something beautiful. I see our holy Mother, our Lady. And, father, if it weren't true, I couldn't see it.'

Our Lady's statue will remain in the church until the Visitation, which i salso the occasion of the Bishop coming on his visitation to St Martin's. The Bishop's coat of arms may be seen on the church wall behind Our Lady.