Dearest friends,
As many of you know, this is my final Sunday with you before I set off on my pilgrimage across Europe with my dear friend Rev’d Dan Beesley.
On Thursday 23rd July, following a special Mass at St. John’s at 10.00am led by Fr. Robin and after a swift visit to St. Catherine’s school for a wave off in the playground, I’ll begin a journey of around 9,000km to many of Europe’s great Marian shrines.
Over the coming weeks I’ll be travelling by motorcycle through much of Europe, visiting places where Christians have prayed for centuries, meeting people along the way, and gathering the stories that will become my forthcoming book, Two Holy Bikers, to be published by Bloomsbury in October 2027.
Whilst I’m away, parish life will continue very much as normal. Fr. Robin Eastoe will be providing the clergy cover throughout my absence, with Fr. Richard Mutter joining us for one Sunday, and I know you’ll make them both as welcome as you always do. I am enormously grateful to them for enabling me to undertake this pilgrimage.
Although I’ll be many miles away, please know that you will not be far from my thoughts. At every single shrine I visit I shall be praying for our two churches, for every member of our congregations, and for all those who have asked for prayers. In a very real sense, you will be making this pilgrimage with me. If there is one thing I hope you remember whilst I’m away, it is that every candle I light, every Mass I attend, and every prayer I offer at these holy places will include you.
If you would like to follow the journey, I’ll be posting regular updates, photographs and videos at www.twoholybikers.com, where you’ll also be able to see my progress across Europe. I hope it will give you a sense of sharing in the adventure and the pilgrimage, even from home.
Thank you for your prayers, your encouragement, and your support over these past months. They mean more than you know. Please continue to pray for a safe journey, and I look forward to returning in September with many stories to tell and, I hope, a renewed sense of all that God is doing in our lives and in our parishes.
In love,
Fr. Matthew
Joint Summer Mass
This Sunday (19th) we’ll be together for our annual Summer Mass at St. John’s. We’ll start mass at 11am and it will be followed by a BBQ at Wickham Hall. All the usual fun and wonderful food will be on hand. It’s the perfect mass to invite someone new to…
Sunday 19th July
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
11am – Joint Summer Mass, followed by BBQ [SJ]
Year A(II), Psalm week 4, Trinity 7, Proper 11
Upcoming Dates
July
18th – Table Top Sale [WH]
Rosary Group (10:30am) [SL]
19th – Joint Mass with BBQ [SJ]
23rd – Sending Mass for Fr. Matthew’s Pilgrimage, 10am [SJ]
25th – Quiz with Fish & Chips [SL]
26th – NA Benefice Evensong, West Ogwell
Sept
2nd – St. Luke’s Ladies Group
5th – Glastonbury Pilgrimage
10th – Winter Term & Christmas Planning Meeting [SL]
11th – Bingo [SL]
13th – Explorers
20th – Lecture, Church Vestments (4pm) [WH]
Afternoon Tea (5pm) [WH]
Evensong (6pm) [SJ]
27th – NA Benefice Evensong, St. Mary’s
No Ladies Group in August
No midweek Mass in August
Fr. Matthew on pilgrimage from 23rd July to 4th September
[SJ] St. John’s | [SL] St. Luke’s | [WH] Wickham Hall
[SC] St. Catherine’s School