Aldershot back in business

This last Sunday, I went up to St. Mary’s in Aldershot to say the 10.30 am Mass. It was as ever a joy to be with Fr. Rob and the parishioners, but this was a particularly joyful occasion, fitting for Gaudete Sunday. Over the last months, because of safety-issues, St. Joseph’s church has had to be closed and repairs took longer than everyone expected. The parish has two churches, and whilst St. Joseph’s was closed, everything was transferred to St. Mary’s on the other side of town. Happily, I was able to announce that at long last St. Joseph’s would be open once again and in time for Christmas! Already a big team of volunteers from the parish had turned up on Saturday to clean and polish St. Joseph’s to get things ready. St. Mary’s has not been without its problems either, and there has been a long running issue with the heating-system. First thing in January, this too will be fixed, so that both churches will now be back ‘in business.’ I thanked the parishioners for their patience and expressed gratitude to Fr. Rob and his helpers, the diocesan finance and estates teams, and the contractors for all their hard work. The task ahead, over the coming months, will be to rebuild the parish and to attract back those who have gone elsewhere. Please pray for Fr. Rob and the parish that the life and mission of the Church in Aldershot will once again flourish and indeed, power ahead.