And so it’s back to school. I hope all our teachers have enjoyed a good summer break: the hottest on record and so while long distance travel may have been part of some of our plans, I’m sure those who stayed home were not disappointed.

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” – William Butler Yeats

Our Holy Island pilgrimage will be a great day and I look forward especially to celebrating Mass for the first time on the Island.

St. Joseph’s cleaning. Can we have volunteers for a church cleaning rota ? It’s your church.  

We gave the go ahead this week for the new windows at St. Josephs. As you can see, it is also in need of painting. 

Worth watching Pope Leo’s response to recent Trump administration’s migration handling. They are on YouTube, but also on parish website. A prophetic message for us all, especially in these days of misinformation.

Also worth watching is Historian William Dalrymple’s damning indictment on western leaders’ lack of response re Gaza. See his 5 minute speech at St. James’s Church, Piccadilly. ‘Historian William Dalrymple Speaks about Gaza’

The end is in sight of the most blatant act of vandalism I have witnessed in my time in this parish, when access will be restored to us to the Sherburn Road next month. Deo Gratias. May it never happen again.

Finally I quote  the Stoic Philosopher, and sadly relevant :

‘And don't consult anyone's opinions but your own.’

Persius