A great celebration

We had a wonderful celebration in the Romsey OCDS group on Saturday.  The first two of our number in this group (which is about three years old) made their first promises.  Fr Matt Blake came down from London to receive them.  This took place at a public mass in St Joseph’s church, and there must have been about forty parishioners present.  We invited them back to share coffee and cake with us and some came - it was particularly lovely to see two young couples among them.  Somebody remarked on the happiness of the OCDS group members - and indeed there were broad smiles all round.  After all, I reflected on the way home,  the word ‘Carmel’ means ‘garden’ – what happier place to be in than a garden?  Very appropriately for this day, we held a vote to decide the name of our group and the choice was between ‘Our Lady of Mount Carmel’ and ‘St Joseph’.  The husband of Mary won out on the day and he will henceforth be our patron and spiritual father.

 Intercessions:

Bernard - operation

Marie, Bernard (and wife Angela), Agnes – cancer

Siena, Elara – sick children

Rosemarie – very seriously ill

Wojtek – massive heart attack leaving him incapacitated

RIP Anthony Kirke, husband of Judith Kirke OCDS (distributors of the Carmelite Diary) – funeral on Wednesday

RIP Roswitha Watson OCDS (former President of St Therese Community, Oxford)