All Saints Margaret Street.

Fr Alan Rimmer writes:

Midway along the journey of our life
I woke to find myself in a dark wood,
for I had wandered off from the straight path. 

So opens one of literature’s greatest poems, Dante’s Divine Comedy – as soaring an achievement of Christian culture as our great cathedrals. Written in the early 14th century it undeniably inhabits and expresses a world view that is in certain respects ‘other’ to our own – but still affords us as Christians much food for thought.

Dante’s pilgrim embarks on his own particular journey – but also invites all his readers on a shared pilgrimage through the wonder and turmoil of earthly experience toward a greater apprehension of, and relationship with, the God who made us out of love. The poem explores sin; ethics; love; Christian living and the beauty of God; and to read it intentionally can help us to see God’s work in the world afresh – as well as to recentre our lives on him.

This Lent we’re offering an opportunity to read together the thirty-four cantos of the Inferno – the first ‘movement’ of this tripartite poem – over three sessions. We’ll read the text closely, and discuss allusions to scripture and history, and the many theological and moral questions Dante raises.

I hope that, as well as having intrinsic interest, Dante will be a helpful and challenging companion to us on our journeys through this Lent – a season of discipline, yes, but also one of new beginnings, and of wholesome, quiet joy. It’s a chance to set our patterns of fasting, almsgiving and prayer against the exciting backdrop of salvation, and to probe matters of sin and psychology, and those human failings that lead us away from the straight path.

We’ll use Mark Musa’s translation (available in Penguin classics) but it can be interesting to compare translations so do bring any others you might have already along.

The first session will take place on Wednesday February 21st, at 7pm on Zoom, and we’ll be looking at the first ten cantos. The Zoom link is here (Meeting ID: 856 9978 3019 Passcode: Dante). The second session will be in person at All Saints’, on Tuesday March 5th at 7pm. And the final session will be on Zoom on Wednesday, March 20th, at 7pm (same Zoom link).

I look forward to embarking upon this journey with many of you, and for you all I offer prayers and blessings for the coming holy season of Lent.

with love,

Fr Alan

Ash Wednesday – 14th February 2024

12 noon – Low Mass with Imposition of Ashes

6.30 pm – High Mass with Imposition of Ashes
Music: Missa Emendemus in melius by G. P. da Palestrina; Emendemus in melius by William Byrd; Nolo mortem peccatoris by Thomas Morley.
Preacher: the Vicar

Lent 2024

In addition to the Lent course focussing on Dante’s Inferno outlined by Fr Alan above, there will be a range of extra activities, devotions, liturgies and opportunities for giving to help us return to the Lord in this holy season:

Stations of the Cross
There will be a celebration of the Stations of the Cross at 7 pm each Friday in Lent beginning on Friday 16th February. This lasts around half an hour and follows on directly after the 6.30 pm Mass.

Lent Appeal 2024
We will be following our usual custom of organising a Lent Appeal to provide a focus for parishioners’ charitable giving during Lent. All funds raised this year will contribute towards the costs of the Mental Health Worker who works at the American Church on the Tottenham Court Road. Their Soup Kitchen is a resource for the homeless, elderly, lonely and vulnerable in London. They provide free meals, clothing, toiletries and a sense of belonging to nearly 150 people each day and an on-site mental health drop-in centre to help address their guests’ mental health needs. A link for giving will be live by next week.

Lent Theatre Trip – Dead Poets Live: Gerard Manley Hopkins
Wednesday 6th March 2024
There will be a parish trip to the theatre for Lent to see a fascinating show presenting the poetry and life story of Gerard Manley Hopkins. Tickets are £26 each and the play begins at 7.30 pm.

The play will take place at Wilton’s Music Hall in Whitechapel. The Dead Poets Live project, which has produced the play, combines live recitation of poetry, drama, and story-telling to bring the work, experience, and reception of leading poets to life for audiences.

To book a place, please email the parish office (office@asms.uk).

Zoom Theology Seminar
Tuesday 19th March – 7.00 pm
Our next Zoom Theology seminar will be entitled, “Holy Murder”!  Fr Alan will be leading us in comparing detective novels with a religious context, teasing out the theological and ethical themes that emerge from them. We’ll focus particularly on P.D. James’ classic Death in Holy Orders, and The Rev’d Richard Coles’ Murder before Evensong. More information about our online Zoom Theology Seminars (including Zoom links) can be found here.

Sacrament of Confession
You can make your confession before or after any celebration of the Mass, or by appointment, with any of our parish clergy. In addition, Fr Graeme Rowlands will be available to hear confessions and/or offer spiritual counsel at the following times: Tues 13th Feb – 5.30 pm; Tues 21st Feb – 5.30 pm; Wed 28th Feb – 5.30 pm; Wed 6th March – 5.30 pm; Mon 11th March – 5.30 pm; Mon 18th March – 11.00 am.

There are just two tickets left for our Shrove Tuesday Crepes Suzette dinner! Be in touch with our parish office (office@asms.uk) as soon as possible if you would like to attend.

Our Crêpes Suzette dinner will take place at Le Beaujolais restaurant on Litchfield Street in Soho on Tuesday 13th February 2024 at 7.30 pm.

The cost is £50 for three courses. Instead of the usual cheese trolley, you are welcome to choose, as a special treat for Pancake Day, the restaurant’s famous Crêpes Suzette as a way of finishing Ordinary Time and preparing for Lent.

Confirmation classes

Anyone interested in being baptized, and/or confirmed should be in touch with Fr Peter or Fr Alan. Confirmation classes will begin in the New Year. Our confirmation next year will take place on Pentecost Sunday, 19th May 2024, when we will be joined by the Bishop of Fulham to administer the sacraments of initiation.

Holy Week 2024

We are very pleased that Fr David Houlding has agreed to be with us this year for our celebration of Easter as our Holy Week preacher. He will join us on Palm Sunday and preach at all the main liturgies of the Triduum.

Fr David has recently retired as Vicar of All Hallows’, Gospel Oak. In addition to his parochial duties, he undertook for many years an extensive and significant ministry as a member of the General Synod, and also as Master of SSC. We look forward to seeing him and hearing his wisdom as we make our way as pilgrims together through the rites of Holy Week and celebrate the Paschal Mystery.

Walsingham Pilgrimages 2024

Now is the time to sign up for our two main pilgrimages to Walsingham over the next year. Please be in touch with our parish office to book a place and to make payment electronically:

National Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham
Monday 27th May 2024 – leave All Saints’ Margaret Street at 7.30 am.
This is a day pilgrimage to Walsingham which takes place on the last Bank Holiday in May each year. We travel together in a coach from Margaret Street, setting off first thing, and return late in the evening of the same day. The pilgrimage includes a large outdoor Mass in the Abbey grounds of Walsingham, with sermon and procession in the afternoon. The cost is £20 and the coach leaves All Saints’ at 7.30 am.

Annual parish weekend pilgrimage to Walsingham
Friday 19th July to Sunday 21st July 2024
A weekend pilgrimage away in Walsingham involving: Pilgrimage Mass at the Shrine Church; evening processions; sacraments of healing; sprinkling at the holy well and finishing with procession of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction.  Cost:  £190 Friday pm to Sunday evening (including full board plus mini-coach from Kings Lynn – pilgrims need to book their own train ticket to Kings Lynn). There is an option for pilgrims who wish to stay on until the Monday and return on 22nd July – this costs £280.

Attendance last Sunday

Flowers

The flowers this week are given by Antonietta Russomando in loving memory of David Robin.

If you would like to mark an occasion with flowers, please contact Shawn Welby-Cooke.

Prayer List

The Friends of All Saints’ Margaret Street:

February 11th – William Bonnell, John Bristow, Eric Broglé, Paul Brough, David Blunden, Fr Michael Bowie, Dr Graham Burns
12th – Derek Bussey, Katherine Butler, Maureen Cambrey, Adrian Carlton-Oatley, Timothy Cassady, Kate Charles, Stuart Chillingworth, Robert Chote, Sandy Christian
13th – Roger Clark, Catharine Clarke, David and Mavis Cleggett, Graham Colville, Alan Cook, Dr Patrick Cook, Eliza Coomber
14th – Karolyn Cooper, William Cooper Bailey, Peter Coulson, Steven Cox, Dr Yvonne Craig, Juliet Cridland
15th – Kirill Dashkovskiy, Christopher Davies, Robert Davies, Peter Dennis, Laura Denton, Joshua Dolphin, Suzanna Eaton
16th – Linda Edwards, Pamela Edwards, John Eldridge, Terrence Ellsworth, Sue Enoch, Carolyn Farrar, Martin Faulkner
17th – Sue Feakin, Adrian Felaar, Daniel Fielden, Janice Fielden, Julia Fielden, Nigel Fisher, Mark Fleming

The sick:

Javier Barbetta, Martin Berka, David Craig, Roger Dilks, Jason Dunlop, Clara Exton, Gill Hargreaves, Fr. Harry Hodgetts, Lesley Lee, Elizabeth Lyon, Lionel and Lynn Persey, James Roger, Bruce Ross-Smith, Paul Sturgul

The faithful departed:

Brian Clifford, Frances Gayler, G. Venkatramani, Rodney Whiteman Pr

Those whose anniversaries of death fall at this time:

February 11th – Phyllis Woodcock, Frank Walker Pr, Winifred Bloomer, Victoria Nettey
12th – Charlotte Druitt, Helen Buck, Sister Barbara of All Saints
13th – Charles Lethbridge, Nellie Chapman
14th – Margaret McWilliam, Mary Dick, John Knight Pr, Charles Forker
15th – Marion Clark, Constance Rivington, Henry Hewetson, John Bartle, Alec Rodger, Margaret Menzies
17th – Frederick Howard, Letty Attlee, Jack Hope
18th – Lill MacKay, Angela Thompson, Joan Bowie

Tuesday 13th February – Feria
12.00 pm Mass
6.30 pm Mass

Wednesday 14th February – Ash Wednesday
12.00 pm Mass with imposition of ashes
6.30 pm High Mass with imposition of ashes

Thursday 15th February – Feria
12.00 pm Mass
6.30 pm Mass

Friday 16th February – Feria
12.00 pm Mass
6.30 pm Mass

Saturday 17th February – Feria
11.30 Rosary
12 noon Mass
6.30 pm Vigil Mass of Sunday