Page 23 - The Portal Magazine - December 2024

THE P RTAL December 2024 Page 23

Fr Neil also looks after St Joachim’s and for the past for four or five years. “Before that I had been
three years he has celebrated mass on four occasions encouraged to attend St Agnes church, where Fr Neil
every Sunday. He said. “The question is, how do we used to be. Previous to that I attended a large church
look after our priests? There are so few of them. It is as I felt the need to be hidden. When we all moved
planned that at some point soon I cease to be Parish to Christ the King, I came along as well. She told us,
Priest as all the churches in our Deanery are to be joined “I joined the Catholic Church because it spoke to me.
as one parish. However, the one thing that I will not It felt a home. I felt secure. It was an emotional time
sacrifice the 11.30am Divine Worship Mass at Christ I must admit in those very early days. At the time I
the King.” Although this is still in the experimental had just lost my son and was questioning everything.
stage, it seems to be popular and well received. Harry was my only child. Where did that leave me?
I felt, when I came into the Catholic Church, that I
Fr Neil has a Diocesan Deacon and one man in was looked after. I had the Lord’s understanding. I saw
formation to be an Ordinariate Deacon. We thought that there’s a bigger picture. Now I feel safe. I’ve never
Christ the King a suitable place for Ordinariate looked back. This is my journey now.”
Seminarians and the newly Ordained to learn their
trade. We were able to chat with some members of the Sue has been a member of the congregation at Christ
congregation. The late Fr Philip Penfold’s brother, Colin, the King for 20 odd years. She attends the 1130. “It
is starting RCIA and hopes to become a full member of is with the Ordinariate and it’s a lovely mass, very
the Catholic Church. He was brought up an Anglican, spiritual, with excellent instruction. Fr Neil’s homilies
but drifted away. He met his former partner Shirley. are very informative and deeply thought through. Fr
She went to church and he agreed to go back to church. Neil is just such an excellent leader; the parish has
However, he had an upset and then his partner died. He thrived since he’s come. I think before he came there
fell in with the people at Christ the King, met Fr Neil, was a bit of an exodus, but he’s brought people back.
about whom he will hear no bad words. He had been It is a pleasure, and wonderful to come on a Sunday
to Walsingham, “An amazing place,” he said. He finds morning to be a part of this parish, and soon it will be
the people at Christ the King such a friendly bunch. He a wider parish. We feel we are part of family, a bigger
actually lives on the church’s premises. He was homeless family. I think the Ordinariate coming in has been
and Fr Neil ensured that he had somewhere to live. wonderful. An injection of fresh blood. Also Fr Neil
has brought back the Latin into this church, which has
Amanda Rock has been a member of the Ordinariate been absolutely fantastic.

The point of view of the Hospital Chaplain ... continued from page ?

the sacraments at the very same time that they are implications upon chaplains and pastoral care and
undergoing a process of assisted dying which rejects as a consequence the place of Catholic chaplains
God and his love. A sin cannot be forgiven before or within the NHS will become much more difficult and
during its occurrence. Could such a necessary stance possibly untenable. The good relationship that exists
put Catholic chaplaincy at odds with the NHS and between chaplaincy and healthcare professionals will
open them up to disciplinary action and dismissal? be strained but most importantly we would be denying
the possibility of people having a good death and the
Assisted dying affects us all. It will have huge graces and blessings that this can bring.