Congratulations to Deacon Andrew Bishop who was ordained to the diaconate in Rome on Wednesday 15th June 2022. Click on the photo below to view more pictures
Andrew left for the Seminary September 2019
Andrew left us to join the Beda College in Rome, and began his time in the Seminary. We thank him for all his help and support in the parish this past year. Andy will return to spend Christmas with us. He was very pleased to receive a statue of Our Lady given to him as a gift from the parish, and he goes with our love and prayers.
Pictures of Andy’s first days at Seminary can be found on the Beda College website:
Homepage: https://bedacollege.org
Album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/137459279@N08/sets/72157711095725051/
Fr Jeff’s Jubilee Celebration
A squall hit Dover Castle at 10am on Sunday 14th of July 2019. It did not worry those preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Fr Jeff Cridland’s ordination. Confidence proved right. By 11.30 as members of the Syro-Malabar Community led the procession in for the Mass the sun was shining on their beautiful gold cross and colourful umbrellas. Mass was celebrated on the lovely spacious mound below the Keep in front of a congregation of over 1,000 seated on Palace Green. It was a memorable sight. What a good thing we had not chosen one of our lovely churches. We had got led to a place where others would see us and as it turned out pass by either respectfully or often with photos quietly taken by people from all over the world. The Music was provided by children from St Joseph’s in Aylesham, St Richard’s in Dover, a combined choir from our two churches, singers and instrumentalists from Fr Jeff’s former parishes, an African Choir and a soloist (Dana Jarvie) whose rendering of Panis Angelicus wafted round the castle walls. Pupils from St Edmund’s provided a thoughtful mime. Afterwards we all had a well organised picnic. Everyone got a bag of goodies, could sample an Indian curry, have a cup of tea or a glass of beer and listen to the band if they weren’t talking. Nobody went home for ages. A lot of people put their hearts into the planning and worked immensely hard. It was a day to remember.
