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Father Ray O’Shea’s funeral

newsletter,

The funeral of Father Ray will take place on Thursday 4th March at 11.30 am at St Brigid’s. It will live streamed via the St Brigid webcam. You can download the order of service to follow it during the live stream.

Following the funeral, Fr Ray’s cortège will be routed from St Brigid’s, past Christ the King church, where it will turn in in front of the church and pause for a few minutes, before going on to the Crematorium.  That will happen at around 1pm. If you would like to pay your respects in person, please gather outside the church in a socially distanced way.

Fr Ray O'Shea Order of Service

Amazing grace

newsletter

Dear friends and parishioners,

When we are overfamiliar with something, it risks losing its impact. It’s true of seasons – like Lent so this year let’s ask the Lord to help us all make Lent something real in our lives. Let’s connect its meaning and impact to the Lent we have all been living for the last year, and to the individual Lents many have to experience from time to time. Let’s pledge to get our lives in a bit better order, give the Lord space to get in and fill us with His new life – reconciliation within ourselves and with one another, and, most of all with God – amazing grace!

Lots of people kindly responded to my attempt at singing “Amazing Grace” last Sunday, and many commented on the extra words which are often used nowadays. So here they are, with a link to a video if you want to hear it sung by Chris Tomlin

“My chains are gone I’ve been set free
My God, My Saviour has ransomed me
And like a flood his mercy rains
Unending love, amazing grace”

 

Fr Ray O’Shea

newsletter,

Fr RAY O’SHEA passed away peacefully on Monday after a long illness. He served in our parishes twice – at St Brigid’s as assistant 1966 – 1967 and at Christ the King as parish priest 1994 – 2002. Fr Ray was born in Ely in 1937 where his father was a doctor. He left for Ireland in 1948, where he was ordained priest in 1962. He served as assistant in Port Talbot, Hereford, Penarth and St Brigid’s, then as parish priest in Abertillery, St Cuthbert’s the Docks, Dinas Powys, Bridgend, Aberdare and Christ the King. After heart problems he was next resident at the Cathedral, helping out in various ministries, until he fully retired in 2012. Fr Ray was involved with the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre and of St Lazarus, St John’s Ambulance, and especially the Territorial Army where he was chaplain for fourteen years. He is survived by one of his four sisters Clare and by nineteen nieces and nephews.

Fr Matthew