SiR UK NEWS

 

TWO ROYAL BENEFACTIONS

 

THROUGH the kind offices of the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, Mrs. Sarah Goad, two members of Saint Edward Brotherhood were invited to The Queen’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday 21st July.  Fr Alexis and Fr Thomas represented us.  The weather was not the best, but it was something of a relief to the fathers that the sun was not scorchingly hot.  We arrived just as the queue to enter was forming, and were advised by a policeman on duty to come back in an hour, so we visited the nearby Guards’ Museum, on Birdcage Walk.  Ordinarily, this was a place we would never have thought to visit, but it was well worth it and to be heartily recommended.  At the Garden Party itself, besides the honour of seeing Her Majesty, and meeting various people from all walks of life, we were able to walk around the gardens and listen to the two bands playing.

 

The previous week, we had received a second donation towards our Building Fund from His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh.  Prince Philip helped us at the very outset of our fund-raising campaign, and as we are now approaching the end of the three-phase project and in need of funds to minimize any loan that we may have to take out, we approached the Edinburgh Trust, and several others, again.  Almost by return of post we received a letter from the Palace, enclosing a cheque, &  informing us the Prince had generously authorised a second donation.

 

ANOTHER NEW ADDITION

 

AFTER CELEBRATING the Divine Liturgy at the Convent on Sunday 12th July n.s., the feast of Sts Peter and Paul, Fr Alexis went to the Northolt home of Marc and Catherine Lincoln, where he read the first and eighth day prayers for their new born son, Jon, who was named after St John the Baptist.  He did both sets of prayers together because on the actual eighth day the family were due to be abroad (Wales).  Happily the baby’s maternal grandparents, Andrew and Olga Mckellar were present on the occasion.

 

 

TWO BAPTISMS

 

THE INFANT SON of Daniel and Daniela Vraciu was baptized at St Edward’s on the feast of the icon of the Mother of God of Three Hands, Saturday 12th / 25th July.  The baby, Marcu, is named for the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark, and his sponsor was his paternal uncle, Pavel, who had come over from Romania for the occasion.  After the ceremony the family kindly provided refreshments and the next morning they brought Marcu for his first Communion at the Sunday Liturgy, and the following week for his eighth day prayer.

 

At the Convent of the Annunciation, on the feast of the Great Martyr Marina, 17th /30th July, Jon, the baby son of Marc and Katherine Lincoln was baptized, with Victor D’Amico and Tamara Lovell standing as sponsors.  Named after St John the Baptist, he, too, was brought to church on the Sunday for his first Communion.

May the newly illumined servants of God, Marcu and Jon, grow in the Faith and receive a crown of glory after their contest in this life. Many Years to them, their godparents and their families.