Altar Serving at Weekday Mass

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It would be a great help if the current adult servers could form a regular rota to set up for and serve the Masses from Tues-Sat. Not all days are covered at present. The preparation of church before Mass would leave Fr. John free for his own personal preparation.

If you can help, please sign the list in the sacristy or speak to Fr. John or Mervyn Edwards. New servers are welcome.

Thank you.

Permanent Diaconate

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Bishop Paul has officially accepted parishioner David Greaves on to the formation programme for the Permanent Diaconate in our Diocese. This is a four year part-time programme of spiritual, pastoral and academic formation and discernment towards the vocation of being a deacon. Studies take place at intervals at a centre in Scotland with applicants from several diocese. David attends the introductory meeting on 25th August. As with many applicants and deacons, he continues in full time secular employment.

We assure David and his wife Rebecca and their three children of our prayerful support. Let’s keep them in our daily prayers.  Fr. John

Feast day of St John Boste — Tuesday 24 July 2018

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St John Boste is one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales to be canonised by Pope Paul VI in 1970. Born at Dufton near Appleby in 1544, he was educated at Appleby Grammar School and later became the School’s headmaster. Living during the difficult times of Elizabeth I’s reign, he reverted to Catholicism and travelled to France to be ordained. For the next twelve years he risked his life as a missionary priest in the North of England becoming known as the ‘Stag of The Forest’ to his hunters. Betrayed by a friend, he was captured and imprisoned for several months in the Tower of London and suffered severe torture on the rack. He behaved with undaunted courage and resolution. St John Boste was hung, drawn and quartered near Durham on 24 July 1594 in a most brutal and purposeful manner as a warning to others. His faith never wavered as he recited The Angelus whilst ascending the ladder to his death. An eyewitness to his martyrdom was fellow priest, Blessed Christopher Robinson, who wrote a graphic account of the execution. Christopher was to suffer a similar fate at Carlisle in 1598. St John Boste Pray for Us.

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We had a great walk up High Cup Nick, praying The Angelus at the top, in honour of St John Boste.

Thanks to Peter for organising it!

The burial place of George Leo Haydock, parish priest of St Catherine’s

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There are historical references to the burial of Fr George Leo Haydock being within our church building. Though not our first parish priest Fr Haydock was not only responsible for the financing and erection of its building but was a man of some standing in Penrith, among other things he quelled a major riot between hundred of workers about to take place outside the town. He also annotated and, with his brother, edited what is now known as The Haydock Bible, a copy of which was used by president John F Kennedy for the swearing in of his presidency; another copy of which is on display in our church. A Texan, Mr Sidney Ohlhausen, who has made a life long study of the Haydock brothers, recently financed a radar-penetrating survey of the floor of St Catherine's to see if we can locate the burial place of this famous parish priest of ours.

We now have the report of the geophysical survey undertaken on 5th September to investigate the possibility that Fr George Leo Haydock is buried somewhere in the church. The report is lengthy and highly technical and on the nature of the geophysical evidence adduced it does not give a definitive or conclusive verdict on the possibility of the burial. Michael Mullett