My dear friends, This month begins with me being the only full time stipendiary priest in the Wagner Group. Together with Fr. Andrew and Fr. Robert we are offering as regular a programme here and also supporting our neighbouring friends as possible. We are all publishing each others regular worship patterns in an attempt to ensure a Mass is available within the group seven days a week. It is probably best to consult websites for any last minute changes. Ascension Day falls on May 14th and is a Holy Day of Obligation. The Principal Celebration that day is with the Wagner Group at s Michael’s at 7pm and I hope we shall be well represented. There will be a said Mass here at 12 noon for those unable to make the evening: if it is fine and the School Mass is celebrated outside at 1.30pm that is also open to you. Arrangements are well underway for the Wagner Group Supper on the Feast of Pentecost. Please see the Sunday Bulletin and listen to the notices about the time as I have yet to speak with Fr. Bill about the evening liturgy. In lieu of publishing a year Diary please note that on August 16th, the transferred date for the Solemnity of the Assumption, we shall be holding a lunch after the Parish Mass. On a final note please make sure your Walsingham Booking Forms have been returned as the earlier we submit the requests the more likely they will all be met. On this subject we are all being registered for half-board (Breakfast and Dinner) as there are so many opportunities for lunch variants. With my love and prayers,Fr. Trevor
My dear friends, This edition will be published on Palm Sunday as once again we begin the observance of Holy Week. There can only be Evening Celebrations on Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday and I am aware that though the clocks will have sprung forward for some this raises complications. Please would everyone be proactive in offering to collect people and take them home for these liturgies. It was a great pleasure to be able to congratulate Fr. Thomas on his appointment to S John the Divine West Worthing and S Andrew’s Worthing. Father’s licensing will be on Tuesday 28th April at 7.30pm in the former church and there is an open invitation to support him., General consensus is to arrange shared transport but the train may prove to be convenient for some—Let’s discuss this when we know who wishes to go. The details of the Wagner Group Easter Celebration next month are at the back of Church. Please note that bookings for this close on April 12th (Easter 2). Finaly I draw your attention to April 12th (Easter 2) when due to the closure of Lewes Road for The Marathon the Parish Mass will be celebrated at 4pm and to April 26th (Easter 4) when we look forward to welcoming eight first communicants in our family. Frs. Andrew, Nick and Robert join me in wishing you a Holy Week and Happy Easter. With my love and prayers,
My dear friends, I write this month’s letter on the second day of Lent. I do so before selecting which version of ‘The Stations’ to use on Saturday. As I have said before one of my favourite places for this devotion is on the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem where due to the business of the city (traders and pilgrims) one feels the atmosphere in which Our Lord’s own journey took place. If you have not joined in this devotion before I would suggest that you try to and if the verbal devotions are at first a bit bemusing try again for over the six weeks not one is repeated. We have not yet decided which Scriptural accounts or events are going to be at the centre of each class’s thoughts during the last week of term, that we fondly call our ‘Inspiration Week’ but they will see another group of boards showing examples of the children’s learning, thoughts and prayers displayed in Church. The Boards will arrive in time for Mass (2pm) on March 26th which will conclude the current term and there is a warm invitation to all to celebrate with us on that occasion. For fear of preparing this issue and that it not be printed I must mention the APCM on March 22nd. The election of Churchwardens takes place annually, then there are four vacancies on the PCC and two for Deanery Synod: if you have served or if you would like to serve think and pray and please everyone ask the prayers of the Holy Spirit during this process and then vitally so in support for those elected at the meeting. With my love and prayers,Fr. Trevor
St. Martin’s Vicarage Upper Wellington Road Brighton BN2 3AN February 2026 My dear friends, As I began to write for this edition a hymn line came to my mind, ‘Rejoice the year upon its way’, it is the Office Hymn ascribed for Pentecost in the English Hymnal. Not that I am wishing the year to speed by , though the thought of warmer weather is appealing, it dawned on me how as Pentecost is the triumphal culmination of Eastertide each year, if we were to look at Ash Wednesday in a more triumphal way, our keeping of Lent may well lead us to even greater joy at Easter! By its very nature ,for some, the thought of Lent and its disciplines can to say the least be onerous and for this reason over the years we have opted for but one of the latter—the Stations of the Cross on Saturdays as the penitential act for that day’s Mass. In its turn this is a good reminder to us all that there is a penitential act before every Mass and that we might make more careful use of preparing for it. This links to my final thought on the gift of the Lenten Season—the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament before Sung Masses, when we have time to quietly reflect with Jesus before he strengthens us with his life to be his witnesses today. Witness is of course the theme of the Feast of The Presentation. It can not be helped that this year this Feast , naturally celebrated forty days after Christmass falls on a Monday: well this might also be a gift as having celebrated last year on a Sunday more may be encouraged this year to join the Wagner Group for the traditional ceremonies at S Pauls at 6pm. Many folk here were involved in the 150th celebration of the Foundation of the Society of the Holy Cross on February 28th 1855. This year we celebrate Founders Day the day before and you will see that the local Chapter meets here to celebrate at 12noon, a celebration you are most welcome to join in. With my love and prayers,Fr. Trevor