A stop at Aylesford. Reclaimed for God after its theft. Here are the relics of St. Simon Stock.
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I loved Aylesford! I visited there in 1997, when I was still in the Secular Discalced Carmelites. The railway station in the village was the smallest I had ever seen, and I had to hike uphill in order to reach the shrine. I met Fr. Denis, one of the friars on the staff-had my picture taken with him, and I was wearing my Third Order scapular. I sat in on their Third Order O.Carm meeting, and the members were very welcoming. I attended Mass with them in one of the chapels…and I’ll always remember the tune of the hymn ‘Faith of Our Fathers’…it was the same as the theme of the British sitcom, ‘Bless Me, Father’! I nearly died laughing when I heard that! The lay head of the TO community, a native of Eltham-the birthplace of Bob Hope, BTW-drove me in his car to the station in that town so I could catch
the train back to London [I had a BritRail pass-best thing an American can get if they’re traveling on their own, as I always did!]. I had a wonderful time that day!
St. Simon Stock – one of those saints one never hears as much about as some others. Your post coaxed me to do a little reading-up on him – an impressive story, indeed. Any particular insights on him, Father?
I have a bit of a personal soft spot for him (for his name, at least), as my parents were married in a parish of which he was the patron.
Thank you for this picture, Father. St. Simon Stock is doubly special to me. I am a Secular Carmelite (who’s not likely to make it to Aylesford). And my Carmelite community was founded on his feast day (May 16) in 1993.
Black Swans!
Must be a gift from Perth
I think I took pictures of the birds in the pond when I was there in 1997!
Cool looking, those swans! Hope you didn’t get too close-they like to snap!
St. John of the Cross mentions swans in his ‘Spiritual Canticle’ [I think]…
Half hour further down the M20 and you would have been in my parish. You’re welcome anytime! The parish is in the Canterbury deanery too. Great to see you at the Jubilee and thanks for publicising my new blog.