Preston 144's latest 'Train-spotting' Day out - Hebden Bridge

Preston 144's 'train spotters' ventured out again on the 26th October. This time to Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire.
(note: 'train' spotting is a complete misnomer as the excursions have more to do with 'spotting' real-ale pubs rather than trains!)

Part of the Hudderfield-Rochdale canal, which runs through this attractive little market town.

"Which pub should we visit next?"

Time for the train home. Where have they all gone?

A DAY OUT FOR LONGRIDGE CIRCLE

On Thursday 4th October a 52 seater luxury coach set out from Longridge to visit Liverpool. The original coach had to be replaced with a larger one as the demand for places was so great!

First stop was the Exhibition of China's First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, and The Terracotta Warriors at The World Museum:

Guess Who?

These two look "in the pink!!!"

Posing in front of a charioteer.

The Golden Horse of Maoling standing 2 feet tall and weighing 55lbs, this is the largest gilded figure ever found in China.

Another two posers with Pat and Steve in the foreground.

The next stop was not very far away, in fact really "just across the road" and was St George's Hall where the party were asked to maintain a little hush for the 

 The Boy Giant at Sleep

Part of the Longridge contingent who may have found it difficult to comply!!!

A short ride to The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King

Opened on Pentecost Sunday 1967 it has a diameter of 195' (59m) and 13 chapels around the perimeter.

What many did not know is that two years earlier a smaller version of the Cathedral was opened as a chapel at the former De La Salle College of Education, Middleton, a Catholic Teacher Training College.

THE CRYPT

Each year the crypt plays host to the Liverpool Beer Festival which attracts visitors  not only from all over the UK and Europe, but also the USA and Australia. It also hosts examinations for students at The University of Liverpool during exam periods.

A wonderful day was concluded with a visit to Albert dock and a selection of the hostelries. All agreed this had been a splendid visit and many thanks go to Mike and Bridget for their wonderful organisation of the day.

THEN & NOW

 The year was 1995, the venue Burnley, the event was the Provincial Cricket Trophy match and the victors LONGRIDGE CIRCLE.

 From left, Bob Barron (Captain) Sub for Jim Duckworth Andy Farmer, Charles Maher, Steve Hardacre, Richard Maher and Joe Wilkins.

  The same year Blackburn Rovers won the Premiership, Everton won the FA Cup, boxer Frank Bruno won the WBC heavyweight championship and 1% of UK population (600, 000 people) had internet access.

Move forward 23 years and Manchester City won the Premiership, Chelsea the FA Cup, Europe thrashed USA to win the Ryder Cup, 90% of Uk population (59,400,000 people) have internet access
and Longridge were reunited with the Provincial Cricket Trophy!


Spot the difference. From left, Bob Barron (captain) Jim Duckworth, Charles Maher, Steve Hardacre, Richard Maher and Joe Wilkins.

I'll leave you to decide if father time has been kind or otherwise to our reunited team but thanks go to Bernard Swarbrick for returning the Trophy and making six old fellas very happy to still be holders of the Province 10 Cricket Trophy.

LSA 50th Anniversary and 50-yr scrolls

On 3 October 2018 Lytham StAnnes Circle celebrated their 50th anniversary for the second time of trying.  Originally formed in 1925 the Circle handed its Charter back in 1946 but 22 years later the Circle was re-formed.  Sixty-nine Brothers attended the meeting with many coming from out of Province, the one travelling the furthest being from Epsom, Surrey.  The photo below was taken immediately before the start of the meeting by the Vice President sitting at his table.

 

Afterwards 125 people sat down to the meal which was followed by the presentation of two 50-yr scrolls.  Brother Geoff Stappard was there to receive his but due to his poor health Brother Stan Bickerstaffe was unable to be present.  His scroll was received by his daughter Catherine and her husband Paul Martland.

Bro. Geoff and Audrey Stappard, Bro. Paul and Catherine Martland, President Robert Thompson, Bro. GB National President John Hogan

The First Catenian Saint?

J R R TOLKIEN…. fervent Catholic and possibly the FIRST CATENIAN SAINT!    His cause was begun on 2nd September at the OXFORD ORATORY. Crowdfunding has begun online to raise £4000 to aid his cause. This year has seen a special grace in the movement to Canonise J. R. R. Tolkien, with the first Mass being celebrated at the Oxford Oratory on the 2nd September 2018, calling for prayer for the cause for canonisation to be formally opened.

The first Mass marked the 45th anniversary of Tolkien’s death. The cause is under the guidance of Fr Daniele Pietro Ercoli, a Salesian priest from the Diocese of Treviso (but as a Salesian belonging to the religious province of Triveneto).

The 'Tolkien Canonisation Conference 2018', was held on the weekend of Saturday 1st to Sunday 2nd of September. The Conference aimed to provide a cultural dialogue to advocate for the sanctity of Tolkien’s personal life, as well as how this was mediated through his artistic works. As a fruit of the Conference the organisers hoped to discern the Spirit of this formal attempt to begin the official Canonisation process in the Roman Catholic Tradition by getting a postulator. They are already in contact with the Archbishop of Birmingham Bernard Longley, who has given backing to this opportunity to inform people about Tolkien's faith and how it affected his life and writings. Permission has also been granted allowing for a prayer for private devotion.

Tolkien's devout Roman Catholic faith was a significant factor in the conversion of C. S. Lewis from atheism to Christianity, although Tolkien was dismayed that Lewis chose to join the Church of England.

He once said, "It may be said that the chief purpose of life, for any one of us, is to increase according to our capacity our knowledge of God by all the means we have, and to be moved by it to praise and thank God."

According to his grandson Simon Tolkien, Tolkien in the last years of his life was disappointed by some of the liturgical reforms and changes implemented after the Second Vatican Council: "I vividly remember going to church with him in Bournemouth. He was a devout Roman Catholic and it was soon after the Church had changed the liturgy from Latin to English. My grandfather obviously didn't agree with this and made all the responses very loudly in Latin while the rest of the congregation answered in English. I found the whole experience quite excruciating, but my grandfather was oblivious. He simply had to do what he believed to be right."

JRR Tolkien was a member of both Oxford and Bournemouth Circles. With grateful thanks to Brother Ed Murphy, Marketing and Membership Officer for Sussex Catenians (still known in some parts of the Association as Province 18), for permission to reproduce this article.