Volume 28 Issue No 1 September/October/November 2016

CATHOLIC PARISH OF RAINHAM PARISH MAGAZINE

St. Thomas of Canterbury Church 61 London Road, Rainham, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 7RH

Parish Website www.rcrainham.co.uk Fr Tom McElhone - 2 Century Road, Rainham, Gillingham,

Kent, ME8 0BG Telephone 01634 232972

Deacon Alan Boxall - 51 Hickory Dell, Hempstead, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 3SL Telephone 01634 360637

Deacon James Coleman - 248 Lower Twydall Lane, Gillingham, Kent ME8 6QP Telephone 01634 306558

St. Thomas of Canterbury School, Romany Road, Rainham, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 6JH

Telephone 01634 234677

TRUDY BOULTON RGN RM FCFHP MAFHP

FOOT HEALTH PRACTITIONER Tel: 01634 371910 or 07903 793 370

Painful corns removed, verrucae treated Callous and hard skin removed

Fungal infection advice & treatment Ingrown, involuted, thickened or

discoloured toenails treated Diabetic & routine foot/hand care & advice

HOME VISITS, EVENING OR SATURDAY APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE

Serving Seafarers from across the world

For nearly 100 years our Catholic community has served millions of seafarers from across the world. Seafarers spend many months away from home and family, often exploited and in lonely and harsh conditions. Your support will enable AoS to continue as a mission of hope, meeting their spiritual, practical and pastoral needs.

Please give generously, a donation from you will make all the difference

www.apostleshipofthesea.org.uk Registered charity in England and Wales number 1069833. Registered charity in Scotland number SC043085.

Cliff’s Mobile Foot Care

Foot Health Professional

MCFHP MAFHP

Foot care in the comfort of your own home. All treatments including Nail Cutting, Thickened, Fungal and Ingrown Nails

plus Hard Skin, Cracked Heels, Corns and Verrucae’s.

For all enquiries please call or text on (01634) 316023 or

07876801830

Care at home …..Our services include Care visits at home *Help getting up or going to bed * Visits from 15 minutes * Preparing meals * Dependable, programmed care visits * Shopping * Trained, police-checked * Washing and ironing reliable and caring staff *Personal Hygiene * Full live-in care service available *Cleaning the home *Mobility issues What makes Bluebird Care different ….? A highly specialised and experienced Occupational Therapist on board Individualised one to one attention High quality care staff - we reject more than we take on Attention to customer standards Strong commitment to training and staff development Highly professional, first class customer care We regularly monitor the quality of our service Our aim is to maintain your independence and dignity

01634 780909 A realistic alternative to residential care

www.bluebirdcare.co.uk/medway

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Prayer of Pope Francis for the Jubilee

Lord Jesus Christ, you have taught us to be merciful like the heavenly Father, and have told us that whoever sees you sees him. Show us your face and we will be saved.

Your loving gaze freed Zacchaeus and Matthew from being enslaved by money; the adulteress and Magdalene from seeking happiness only in created things; made Peter weep after his betrayal, and assured Paradise to the repentant thief.

Let us hear, as if addressed to each one of us, the words that you spoke to the Samaritan woman: “If you knew the gift of God!’

You are the visible face of the invisible Father, Of the God who manifests his power above all by forgiveness and mercy: Let the Church be your visible face in the world, its Lord risen and glorified.

You willed that your ministers would also be clothed in weakness in order that they may feel compassion for those in ignorance and error: Let everyone who approaches them feel sought after, loved and forgiven by God

Send your Spirit and consecrate every one of us with its anointing, so that the Jubilee of Mercy may be a year of grace from the Lord, and your Church, with renewed enthusiasm, may bring good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives and the oppressed, and restore sight to the blind.

We ask this through the intercession of Mary, Mother of Mercy; You who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen

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PUZZLE PAGE

CAN YOU SOLVE THE FOLLOWING? Example: N 10 D S Number 10 Downing Street 1 7 B F 7 B ………………………………………………

2 16 O I A P ……………………………………………… 3 T 10 C ……………………………………………… 3 3 B M .……………………………………………. 6 6 W O H T E ……………………………………………… 7 20,000 L U T S ……………………………………………...

8 30 P O S ……………………………………………… 9 S W A T 7 D ………………………………………………

10 4 A 20 B B I A P ……………………………………………. 11 24 H A D ……………………………………………… 12 T 3 W M ………………………………………………

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The First World War remains characterised by imagery of the trenches of the Western Front. Yet the Battle of Jutland, which brought together the two most powerful naval forces of the time in the largest naval battle of the First World War. Over 100,000 sailors were involved on

250 ships in this 36 hour battle in the North Sea which started on 31 May 1916. More than 6,000 Royal Navy and 2,500 German sailors lost their lives.

The Battle of the Somme was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British and French Empires against the German Empire. It took place between 1st July and 18th November 1916 on both sides of the upper reaches of the River Somme in France. The battle was intended to hasten a victory for the Allies and was the largest battle of the First World War on the Western Front. More than one million men were wounded or killed, making it one of the bloodiest battles in human history.

In war, those fighting on opposite sides are not as different as they might like to imagine. Mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters all mourn their loved ones. The grief felt by families, is, in many respects, the same the world over. The men in opposing trenches felt the same fear and pain. Taken from the Remembrance Day Order of Service compiled by Clifford Mickleburgh

Poppy Crosses, Wreaths and Poppy’s, laid on the altar by the children from St Thomas’ School

at the Remembrance Service in St Thomas’ Church

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Who would be Pope?

The first 8 Popes were all martyred.

6 Popes were murdered in office.

There was no Pope from 304 to 308.

And again from 1268 to 1271.

26 Popes have reigned for ONE year or less.

The shortest reign was 4 days, the longest was 48 years.

The worst century to be Pope was the 10th. (Average rule was 4 years).

The best century was the 19th (Average rule was 17 years)

Up to 1978 there were 45 consecutive Italian Popes.

There were FOUR Popes in ONE year in 1276.

There were THREE Popes in 1605.

And again in 1978 THREE Popes in ONE year.

Only ONE Pope was born AND died in the 20th Century.

In the twentieth century we had 9 Popes.

So far this century (21st) we have had three.

(There have been 34 Anti Popes).

At this time Pope Francis is our 266th Pope.

There is no mention in my archives of “POPE JOAN”. Tony Roberts

Never be afraid to try something new.

The Ark was built by amateurs.

The Titanic was built by professionals. Anon

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??????? PUZZLE ANSWERS ??????? 1 7 B F 7 B Seven brides for seven brothers.

2 16 O I A P 16 ounces in a pound. 3 T 10 C The Ten Commandments. 3 3 B M 3 blind mice. 6 6 W O H T E 6 wives of Henry VIII 7 20,000 L U T S 20,000 leagues under the sea.

8 30 P O S 30 pieces of silver 9 S W A T 7 D Snow White and the 7 dwarfs.

10 4 A 20 B B I A P Four and 20 blackbirds baked in a pie. 11 24 H A D 24 hours a day. 12 T 3 W M The 3 wise men.

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International opera star leads Marriage Care’s 70th anniversary celebrations

A special performance by talented classical mezzo-soprano Carly Paoli, at its annual conference on the 17 September, kick-started the celebrations for the 70th anniversary year of national Catholic charity, Marriage Care. The opera singer, who was born in Nottinghamshire, had chosen to interupt her busy international touring and recording schedule to perform at the conference after being invited by Chief Executive, Mark Molden. Mark said: “I’m so thrilled that Carly has agreed to fly in specially to perform for 200 of our amazing volunteers and support our celebrations in this way.” In May 2016, Carly’s rendition of ‘Ave Maria’ was chosen as the official song by the Vatican for the Pope’s 2016 Jubilee celebrations. Her music video subsequently became a number one hit in the I-Tunes charts in the UK, Italy, Singapore and Malaysia. Carly has since performed in Rome, singing alongside opera legends including Andrea Bocelli. Carly said: “Family is very important to me – my parents have been married for over 30 years – and that’s why Marriage Care’s invitation struck a chord. I’m delighted to be performing at the charity’s 70th anniversary celebrations and to support such an important and worthwhile cause.” Catholic Marriage Care Ltd, set up in 1946, is the largest faith-based provider of marriage and relationship support services in England and Wales. It aims to support couples at the best and worst of times by providing relationship education for couples preparing for marriage, and counselling for those experiencing difficulties in their relationship. It now has over 50 centres across England, Wales and Gibraltar, supported by a network of nearly 700 trained practitioner and support volunteers who are motivated by Marriage Care’s vision for marriage and relationships, underpinned by its Catholic Christian ethos.

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Last year, the charity supported over 9,000 people across 100 locations, who sought help with relationship issues or the transition to marriage and a committed relationship. It is the second largest relationship counselling service in England and Wales, after Relate, but reaches more clients facing the stresses of poverty and low incomes than any other.

Marriage Care was originally established to support families within the Catholic community whose relationships came under stress after the trauma and upheaval of World War II. Today the services of the charity are available to the wider community with its President continuing to be the Archbishop of Westminster, currently Cardinal Vincent Nichols.

We are delighted to be celebrating our 70th anniversary. The services Marriage Care provides are needed more than ever. Relationship breakdown is estimated to cost the state £47 billion and our services help to enable stronger more fulfilling, and healthy relationships, which form the basis of a strong and stable society. They improve mental and physical health, as well as improving children’s life chances. “We are looking forward to the next 70 years of supporting couples and improving the quality of their relationships,” added Mark. Our Bishop, the Rt Rev Paul Mason celebrated a special Mass in St Thomas’ Church, Rainham on the 16 October, that was attended by the Worshipful Mayor of Medway, Councillor Stuart Tranter and the Mayoress, Mrs Sarah Tranter. Also in attendance was Mark Molden, the CEO of Marriage Care who gave the opening address at the service. Our thanks to Fr Tom for allowing us to hold this celebration and to the ladies of the Union of Catholic Mothers for organizing such a wonderful wonderful buffet lunch afterwards in the Parish Centre.

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The Medway & Kent Team pcitured in the Parish Centre after our Mass in celebration of 70 years of Marriage Care and also celebrating Marriage and the family on Sunday 16 October.

Normal day, let me be aware of the

treasure you are, let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart.

Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.

Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so.

Mary Jean Iorn

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CHRISTMAS SERVICES

Saturday 10 December UCM Christmas Carol Concert at 7.45pm at St Augustine’s, Parkwood featuring The Medway Singers – see

poster. (Tea/Coffee & mince pies served in the interval)

Date to be decided Penitential Service at 3pm in St Thomas’ Church. Christmas Eve Children’s (Family) Mass of

(24 December) Christmas at 6pm, preceded at 5.30pm by 30 minutes of carols.

Midnight First Mass of Christmas

preceded at 11.30am by 30 minutes of carols.

Christmas Day 10.30am Mass of Christmas Morning (25 December) St Stephen’s Day 10am Mass on St Stephen’s Day (26 December) will be a special Mass for altar servers

and their families.

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From the Registers

Baptisms: 21.08.2016 Charlie Robin Eli Willson 28.08.2016 Lois Natalie Sullivan 28.08.2016 Lucia Sophie Sullivan 04.09.2016 Harry Matthew Brown 09.10.2016 Alfie Robert RIddle

Funerals: 22.08.2016 Anne O’Neill 25.08.2016 John Patrick Miller 26.08.2016 Brenda Jean Sheridan 01.09.2016 Charles Saré 02.09.2016 Norah Kathleen Moore 06.09.2016 John O’Brien 04.10.2016 Anna Holden 05.10.2016 Adele Ethel Temple 07.10.2016 Pamela June Frances Hollands

Anniversary List: 01.09.12 John Francis Carney 02.09.11 Joseph Brooks 03.09.15 Marion Feegrade 09.09.11 Michael Wood 09.09.14 Kathleen Nash 15.09.12 Marie Powell 16.09.15 Janina Marciniak 23.09.12 James Loach 23.09.13 Joan Keohane 26.10.14 Douglas Springate 27.09.12 Michael O’Neill 27.09.15 Edith Holloway 30.09.15 Martin Dante 06.10.10 Desmond Brown 06.10.11 Patrick Gibson 06.10.15 Mary O’Neill 18.10.11 James Hickey 19.10.13 Jean Champ 24.10.15 Michael Taylor 29.10.15 Thelma Brier 30.10.14 Eileen James 04.11.15 Iris Barratt 08.11.11 Valencia Daphne Feegrade 10.11.14 George Thermer 15.11.12 Roy Roach (funeral) 16.11.14 David Durham 21.11.11 Bishop John Jukes 22.11.12 Audrey Fernandez 23.11.12 Bob Keywood 25.11.15 Sheila Link 26.11.11 Marie Ryan

To THOSE who believe in thee O LORD LIFE is but changed – not taken AWAY

(Preface Mass for the Dead)

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My Square

I enjoyed building my square, the first session was a bit sad then I got inspired with everyone’s contribution and the conversation about books and children...

The saying ‘if you are given a lemon, make lemonade’ got me going.

Looking back I thought of love, hence the blue heart for me and Dave followed by: busy married life for 50 years in 2015. We went on the Orient Express to celebrate - a wonderful present from our children.

Church has been very supportive and important to me. Having fun with five children Peter, John, Paul, Jennifer and Jackie and foster children in Germany and England due to army days. Leading to... nine grandchildren, Niamh, Harry, Lilly, Daragh, Aphria, Holly, Jack, Rosie and Poppy X

My two sisters Janet and Dot always there, with me in the middle. Janet loves dogs and Dot is devoted to horses.

Swimming I enjoyed from a young age, with swimming club galas, to fun at Splashes with family and friends.

We enjoyed pet dogs - Jackie, Thomas, Jasper, T J Max and now beautiful Bluebell.

I found the best car ever in the Austin 1100 - two white automatics and one blue manual just been restored.

An allotment for 10 years was my retreat, right by a railway line and the River Medway, we grew fruit and veg to include shrubs and flowers. Some of these will end up in our garden in a wonderful raised bed.

- 12 - We enjoyed many camping holidays from tents, caravan and static caravan to campervan, Dora. We now have a WAV car which enables us to get out, which we enjoy very much. My working life was with playgroups and the Pre-School Learning Alliance, tutoring childcare courses, then after school care - best ever job at King’s School, Rochester.

Now I am retired, enjoying time with family and friends, getting out and about and coping with MND - making plenty of lemonade!

My prayers are with other sick people and the wonderful staff and volunteers at the Wisdom Hospice and my family who look after me and keep me smiling.

God bless you all xx

Brenda

Sampler designed and text written by Brenda Sheridan RIP to be used as her Eulogy. God Bless you Brenda x

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An explanation of God Written by an 8 year old who lives in Chula Vista, CA, for his third grade homework assignment, to explain God. “Could any of us have done as well?” “One of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn’t make grown-ups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn’t have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers. God’s second most important jobs is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things pray at times besides bedtime. God doesn’t have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off. God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps him pretty busy. So you shouldn’t go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad’s head asking for something they said you couldn’t have. Atheists are people who don’t believe in God. I don’t think there are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren’t any who come to our church. Jesus is God’s Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn’t want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him. But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn’t know what they were doing and to forgive them, and God said OK. His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn’t have to go out on

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the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important. You can pray any time you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time. You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there’s anybody you want to make happy, it’s God! Don’t skip church to do something you think will be more fun, like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn’t come out at the beach until noon anyway. If you don’t believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can’t go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He’s around you when you’re scared, in the dark or when you can’t swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids. But ….. you shouldn’t just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back any time he pleases. And ….. that’s why I believe in God.”

Contributed by Mary Bigwood Editor’s Note: For some reason this has been a difficult magazine to put together but at last I’ve finished it! My apologies for the delay and my thanks to those who have contributed. Copy date for the next magazine, which will be the December edition, is 27 November. Alma Payne Editor - Tel: 01634 362896 e-mail: almapayne1@gmail.com

- 15 - Notes taken at a Talk on JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) and its affect on 2 children from a family in our parish The first child was diagnosed at 2yrs and 10 months of age. Her symptoms were wetting the bed after being dry for sometime, being tired and thirsty and losing weight. Other than her father’s aunty, diagnosed with late onset diabetes, there were no other cases of diabetes in the family. She was taken to the doctors and had a blood test at 9am, an insulin injection by 7pm and went on to have a year of injections starting with 1 – 2 a day and by the end of the year 4 a day. She has now been on an insulin pump for 4 years. The second child has been diagnosed since January. She started showing symptoms just before Christmas, lost weight, was sick, very hungry and would eat large dinners but was still losing weight. She was waking in the night to go to the toilet and drinking from the tap. She had a doctor’s appointment and was taken straight from the doctors to hospital. Her ketones were really high but after 24 hours on insulin she was allowed home. This all happened 6 months ago yesterday. She has injections but is going onto a pump on Friday. At the moment she has to limit when she can eat but this should now give her a lot more freedom. The pumps have a little cannula that clips on to them and a band around the middle holds the pump in place. There is a constant feed of insulin going in every few minutes. Both girls have had to learn to do a finger-prick test and need to know how to clip this onto the finger. Below 4 is a hypo, and may need a fast acting carbohydrate boost, between a 4 and 10 reading the pump should see how it works out from a meter which tells how much insulin their body needs. If above 10 it will add on extra to bring them back into range. The first youngster will test her blood about 6 – 8 times a day and both of them can do this themselves. There is also a pen, on which the child can dial up how much she needs, and injects herself, under supervision. JDRF give each family that is diagnosed a bear that is covered in coloured patches to show them where they can inject. The bear is named Rufus! There are books available and there is a Disney book that explains everything, all the whys and wherefores. One of the mothers has bought a book for her child that tells the story of a little girl who has been diagnosed with diabetes and tells her all about other children with diabetes. Doctors won’t confirm that this is a hereditary condition, but in their case there is a genetic sibling. Discussion followed on this.

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There are roughly about 270 children in the Medway area and only 4 nurses and 2 consultants. One child a week diagnosed. They have to go to hospital for quarterly test - a 3-monthly blood test to see how their control is. With a child hard it is hard, there are factors such as the weather and various activities that affect things, such as where to inject. It is very difficult to diagnose with any teenagers. The second child is also Celiac which was discovered around same time. 1 in 5 diabetics end up Celiac. The school is brilliant, really good. This is a lifetime condition at the moment. Child 2 is still producing some insulin for now but the child who was diagnosed first is well past that stage. Work is taking place on a vaccine to stop this happening altogether. Pumps – the first child’s mother has bought one for her, and she has had one from trials from Paediatrics. The other child has been accepted for the trial of the free style Libra to wear on the back of her arm. Rather than having to physically prick your finger you can scan off the top of it. If you do 3 they collect the information. The pods can be worn 2 weeks at a time and these cost £50. When a diabetic first goes on the pump they have to do 2 hour testing, if child 2 had the Libra put on it would mean we could just scan her and give a longer reading instead of having to get up in the night. Both children commented that working all this out has improved both their maths; they were really bad at maths! A support group has recently been set up with Diabetes UK but there has only been one meeting so far; they also belong to a small one. Diabetes is very hard to deal with at first but it gets easier as you all get used to it. With type 1 diabetes the pancreas packs up altogether but type 2 can be controlled with life style or tablets. There is a nurse allotted to everyone with diabetes and they go out to the person at the beginning and then are on the end of the phone. There is fantastic help about and Medway Hospital has been brilliant. Some children choose to have a pump and others don’t want them. It can be taken off to go swimming for about an hour but then you must switch back and have a blood test to sort out what is needed.

- 17 - We do fund raising, fashion shows and are going to try and put on fun days for the children. We have also held coffee mornings, onesy days, and will maybe do a disco for the children in November. Pumps cost about £4,000, and you sign up for 4 years and are responsible for getting the pump insured. In Medway a child has never been turned down for a pump although there have been problems in other parts of the country. Some adults are also using them now. JDRF stands for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, this is purely for type 1 diabetes in juveniles and they are involved in a lot of research projects. They are there at first to provide you with information and they do a monthly newsletter. They give comics to the younger children and there are things for teens. There are camps were there are medical professionals on hand and teenagers/children can go away on holiday and learned how to cope with their condition. There are family camps as well, but they are aimed at the children. Starlight put on a lot of events - a panto at Christmas and a summer BBQ. Both girls are unable to go to sleepovers other than at their aunties or grandmothers.

Both husbands have been trained to do cope with their children’s condition and they can always help one another. Transplants were mentioned but a lot of this work is self-funding and an amount of £80,000 was mentioned. Every year the Union of Catholic Mothers picks a charity and JDRF is our charity for this year. We would like to thank the many people in St Thomas’ and St Augustine’s Parish who contribute to our fundraising efforts.

COFFEE

Please come along and meet your fellow parishioners for a cup of coffee (or tea!) after the 10.30am Mass at

St Thomas’ on a Sunday. Everyone very welcome and it’s a good way to get to know people.

UCM CHRISTMAS CAROL CONCERT

FEATURING THE MEDWAY SINGERS

DIRECTED BY NEIL JONES

TO BE HELD AT ST AUGUSTINE’S CHURCH

DEANWOOD DRIVE, PARKWOOD, RAINHAM

ON

SATURDAY 10 DECEMBER 2016

AT 7.45PM

TICKETS £6 EACH

Mince pies, tea & coffee available during interval

This event is being organised by the Union of Catholic Mothers, and proceeds will be donated to our charity which,

this year, JDRF

(The Junior Diabetes Research Foundation)

For further details contact: Mrs Janet Nastaly

Medway 371897/Mrs Alma Payne 362896

Mrs Barbara Mudd 233293