NEW MEMBERS AT LAST

South Ribble Circle, the youngest circle in Province 10 (formed in 2008), now has the newest members in Province.  At their July meeting they enrolled Bros Basil Howard and Tony Green.

Basil had contacted HO to find out the nearest circle to where he now lived to be told that it was South Ribble and that they had just changed their meeting venue to the parish centre of Our Lady and St Gerard, Lostock Hall, Preston  This is Basil’s parish and where he is the sacristan.  He knew of the Catenians as his father was a member of Preston South Circle, the mother circle of South Ribble, many years ago.  Basil is already beginning to spread the word about the Association within the parish.

Now the second new member, Tony Green, also has had past dealings with the circle.  He had attended various social events as his son is the Circle Membership Officer.  So this is a case of ‘father becomes brother to son’.  The family are very much tied up with South Ribble Borough Council and Tony’s wife was Mayor in 2014-2015.

Basil Howard, Director Terence Donnelly, President Tony Jones, Michael Green CMO, Tony Green, GBNVP Mark Conroy

 

BURNLEY CATENIANS VISIT PALAZZOLA

A group of Burnley Brothers and their wives (with an attendant, familial priest) joined a pilgrimage organised by the Friends of the Venerable English College staying at Villa Palazzola, a former Franciscan Monastery and summer retreat for the College from the heat of Rome.

There was a full programme of events which included visits to the Vatican Museums, Castel Gandolfo, the Venerable English College (for Trinity Sunday Mass and lunch), the Pope’s general audience and a lecture from the British Ambassador to the Holy See.

It soon became apparent that there were other members of the Association in the group and mutual friendships were revealed.

The photo was taken during an impromptu Lancashire folk evening by the Marslands (aka the Burnley Cloggers) with borrowed instruments:
Back row l-r: Janet Hephrun, Peter Marsland, Terry Hephrun, Peter Nuttall, David Brinkley (Sheffield Hallamshire), Gerald Williams (Newcastle-upon-Tyne), Anthony Coles (pilgrimage organiser);
Middle row: Mary Marsland, Margaret Nuttall, Anthony Deighton (Barnsley);
Front row: Sandra Brinkley, Christine Deighton, Monsignor John Marsland (St Edwards, Lees, who celebrated his 75th birthday in Palazzola in the 50th year of his priesthood).

AFTERNOON TEA AT LYTHAM HALL

So on a blisteringly hot sunny August Sunday afternoon ten brothers from the Lytham St Annes Circle and their better halves enjoyed a most splendid afternoon tea in the cool Georgian room of Lytham Hall.

The menu included mini roast beef Yorkshires; turkey and stuffing/pork and apple finger sandwiches; broccoli and English Stilton tartlets; soup of the day; mini prawn cocktails; duck and orange pate crostini; clotted cream and jam scone and a selection of desserts and cakes/patisserie, different trifle with as much tea/coffee and water as one liked. In short, enough food to feed the most ravenously hungry of us and for those that found it a little too much some very posh takeaway boxes to continue the afternoon tea at a later time at home although Adrian offered to help a brother in difficulty or need.

Not only was the food and service excellent but the item that made it beyond anything else was the very fine company of the Brothers and their ladies.

This was one of the social events now being arranged by the Circle and was a fabulous success and laid the foundations for more social events outside the boundaries of the monthly meetings.

The only drawback was the schoolboy error of not taking a photograph of all present so for those who were, enjoy the great memory, and for those who couldn’t, just use your imagination!

CHORLEY CIRCLE ON THE WATER

A group of ten Brothers and Ladies of Chorley Circle recently enjoyed a cruise on the Lancaster Canal from Barton Grange Marina. A lunch of fish and chips was enjoyed during the (almost) two-hour voyage, accompanied by drinks of either the alcoholic or non-alcoholic variety. Before sailing we were warned that, if for any reason we should find ourselves overboard, in the water, we should just stand up and wade to the bank! Fortunately, none of the group found themselves in that situation, no-one suffered from sea-sickness, and the event was enjoyed by one and all.