Newsletter 6th June 2021 – Corpus Christi

Dear parishioners of Grantham,

It has been a great joy and privilege to be with you over the last six weekends, and I am deeply grateful for the warm welcome you have given your ageing former parish priest in spite of all his shortcomings of only some of which he is aware.

These extended weekends have provided me with the opportunity to meet many friends and acquaintances and to take walks in and around Grantham.  These walks have included some places I had never previously seen, in particular, Queen Elizabeth Park, which I found absolutely fascinating.  I also visited Barrowby churchyard where Fr John Busby was buried (the grave is not marked) in April 1794; he had served in the Grantham area for more than fifty years.  My visit to Grantham Cemetery enabled me to pray at the graves of many of the roughly three hundred parishioners who died during my time here as well as at the graves of my predecessors Canon Tempest (died 19 October 1861), Monsignor Sing (died 12 September 1882) and Father Sabela (died 27 October 1911). And then there were the pleasant walks along various stretches of the River Witham.  All in all, this has been like a holiday for me, and I have greatly benefited from it. 

It is possible that I will be back in Grantham for one more weekend before your new parish priest arrives; and I am as certain as I can be that I will eventually come back to Grantham to rest in the grave I have purchased for myself in Grantham Cemetery.

So, many, many thanks to all of you as, under the gentle guidance of Andrew and with the wisdom and experience of Fathers Stephen Dye and Michael Bell, you continue to bear witness to Christ in this area.  Please pray for me as I will pray for you.

Father Anthony

2021 6th June – Newsletter – Download

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