Fr. Aaron Writes 10th September 2023

Leaving Horsham... This weekend I celebrate my last Sunday with you as your Parish Priest. It is difficult to leave a place that has

been my home for nine and a half years as assistant priest and then, later, Parish Priest. I thank you for helping me celebrate fifteen

years as a priest last weekend. I was very touched by your presence and prayers.

Thank you for all the love and support you have given me over these years; I hope I have been able to be a good pastor to you in this

wonderful part of God’s kingdom. This being my ‘first gig’ as Parish Priest means I have had to ‘cut my teeth’ here. So, if there have

been many mistakes and failings and, perhaps, misunderstandings, I hope I depart with your forgiveness.

It has been a great privilege and pleasure to be Parish Priest of Horsham – I hope I have been able to share the love and mercy of

God, promote the centrality of Jesus Christ in our lives and simply follow what I was called to do at ordination – to serve and be

available to all, and to preach, teach and sanctify. We have a wonderfully diverse parish, full of many ages and enriched by so many

cultures, which is a joy to see each week in the celebration of the Mass and the other sacraments. Attention to facilitating the

pastoral life of the parish, celebrating the source and summit of the Christian life, the Holy Mass, well and in a dignified manner,

supporting our schools, making our parish a place of welcome and inclusion and a social place to gather, have all been the focus of

my prayers, work and energy.

Being part of your lives, allowing me to be part of your families, has been so precious to me. Your kindness and generosity have been

immense. A priest is not a priest for himself, but for you. In the ministry of the priest, he is invited into the highs and lows of people’s

lives. There have been many celebrations, joys, much laughter and happiness but, as always, there has been a bearing and sharing

of illness, of hurts, wounds, burdens, bereavements and loss, loneliness, worries, fears and anxieties. I hope I have been always

available to accompany, support and lead you on our joint earthly pilgrimage to Heaven.

The loss of my parents whilst with you has been very hard for me but your love and prayers carried me through those difficult days

and continue to carry me each day. We got through the pandemic together and made it through to the other side. I remember

offering daily Mass for you, alone in church, which I never would have anticipated when I began here; similarly, I never would have

thought I’d be live streaming the Mass and be able to be beamed into your homes! I remember eagerly awaiting the opening of

churches again; I remember thinking that I must make it a special focus, using all my energy and strength, to get people back to

Church, back to Mass, back to the sacraments, without delay, and safely.

I would like to thank all those who volunteer in the parish in so many different ways - you are the oil in the engine of any parish - but

I would like to particularly thank you for your tireless generosity in serving the community. I would like to thank my colleagues in the

Presbytery - Deacon Tom, who has been a fine deacon, friend and pastoral collaborator, Cathy White, who has looked after me in

the house, and my former secretaries, Trish Fitzsimmons and Trish Moynihan, as well as my current help, Sue Smith and Cozette

Rice, for supporting and putting up with me! Special thanks to David Innes and the Finance Committee in being a kind and sure

support in the stewardship of the parish’s finances.

When Mgr John Hull, our former Vicar General and who himself had been sent here for his first appointment after ordination, heard

I was going to be your Parish Priest, he said fondly “Look after my first love.”

I hope I have been able to do that!

Please keep me in your prayers at this time as I pray for you.

Fr Xavier Amirdasamy – has arrived and will be concelebrating this weekend’s Masses. He will introduce himself at Holy Mass and

write in next week’s newsletter.

Robin Charles – After many years of service to our parish, managing our car parking permits and being a member of the Parish

Finance Committee, Robin is retiring from these roles. I would like to thank him, on behalf of the parish, for all his hard work in

making sure that our car parking facilities are well managed. His membership of the Parish Finance Team has also been a great

support to me and many of my predecessors. We wish him well and ask the Lord to bless him.

Altar Servers’ Mass at Arundel Cathedral – Holy Mass will be at 12 Midday on Saturday 23rd September and will be celebrated by

our Bishop. It would be good to see large numbers attending, particularly as it will take place during the 150th Year celebrations of

the Cathedral Church. Servers are asked to contact Grahame Moonan if they wish to attend.