July 2024 Message from Fr Stan

From the July 2024 Magazine

Fr Stan writes:

After writing about Rogation Days and Quarter Days, I now turn to holidays (or should it be Holy Days?).

The first holiday I can remember was going as a very young boy with my parents to the Isle of Man where my father’s aunt and some of his cousins lived. Dad asked me if I wanted to go the boat or fly.  I already knew that boats sometimes sank but was not aware that planes sometimes had accidents. So we flew from Speke Airport, Liverpool, to Ronaldsway IoM on a Dakota. So my first holiday was to an island and island holidays were to be a feature of my childhood, mostly to Anglesey and the Isle of Wight.
Holidays offer the chance for rest and refreshment, opportunities to discover new things.  But there are people who do not go away on holiday, maybe not capable of going away because of age or infirmity, or because of cost.  But it is possible to have a holiday at home by a change of routine or visiting local attractions or beauty spots.  It is surprising how many people have never visited their local museum or gallery or even other local churches.

Holidays should bring us back refreshed and ready for new challenges. At the end of this year’s holiday season we shall welcome our new Vicar, Morna Simpson, to St Mary’s.

God grant that we may be ready for new challenges that lie ahead.
If you are going away, travel safely; if you are holidaying at home discover new things.