Fr Edward Dockery . . .

I took this photo the other day. I apologise for the quality but I only had my phone with me at the time.

It shows the gravestone of Fr Edward Dockery, the first Parish Priest of St Ann's. Although Mass was being celebrated at St Ann's before Fr Dockery was appointed, there was no presbytery and the parish was served by local priests from Epsom overseen by Canon Christall.

With the building of the presbytery in 1936 came the possibility of a resident priest and in September of that year, Fr Dockery was appointed as the first rector of the parish, taking up residence at the beginning of October.

Fr Dockery died in 1940 as a result of an incendiary bomb whilst travelling in his car. He was just 37 years old. May he rest in peace.

Fr Dockery was buried in the churchyard of All Saints Church (Anglican) Banstead which is where I took this photo.

In your charity, you might like to pay a visit to Fr Dockery's grave and say a prayer for the repose of his soul.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace. Amen.

Incidentally, as you can see, the gravestone is looking rather the worse the wear. Therefore we have arranged for the stone to be professionally cleaned so that the site will provide a fitting memorial to our very first Parish Priest.

Lux æterna . . . Requiescant in pace . . .

This evening we have our annual Mass for the repose of the soul of all those parishioners who have died during the past year.

Naturally, it is also very much for the families and friends who are grieving for their loved ones.

We have been doing this for several years now and I have received many positive comments from the bereaved.

We invite people to come into the hall afterwards for a cup of tea and a chat. Many have found it a useful part of the healing process. It can be helpful to talk to others in the same situation. For some their grief will still be very raw whilst for others they may be further down the line in the grieving process.

All are welcome to come along to the Mass at 7.30pm this evening. It is good to see other parishioners who come along to pray for people they may not have known personally and to offer a friendly ear to the bereaved.

I am the Resurrection and the Life ....

"I am the resurrection and the life.

If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live,

and whoever lives and believes in me will never die" (John 11:25-26).

Amidst the pain and sorrow of death these words from St John's Gospel give us hope. We trust in God's love and mercy.

Why do Catholics pray for the dead?

In the Creed we profess our faith in the Communion of Saints. This means that all the baptised, alive or dead, belong to each other. As such we are part of that great wheel of prayer which is the Catholic Church. The living pray for the souls in Purgatory; the Saints in glory pray for all of us. One for all and all for one. Of course the highest form of prayer, be it for the living or for the dead, is the Holy Mass offered for them, with, in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Those of us on earth can help those in the process of Purgatory by our prayers. God invites us to help them by sharing in His work of saving the human race. What a great privilege to have such a chance to love and serve. We read in the 2nd Book of Maccabees,

“It is a good and holy thing to pray for the dead that they may be released from their sins.”

(II Maccabees 12: 44-45).

This evening we celebrated our annual Mass for those who have died during the year and it was good to see it so well attended. After Mass many stayed on to chat over a cup of tea or coffee in our parish hall. It is good to have this opportunity to get together and support one another in this way. I am grateful to our parish Bereavement Support Group who kindly helped in the hall after Mass and who also offer a similar opportunity for the bereaved get together for mutual support over a cup of coffee after Mass on a regular basis throughout the year.

Requiescant in Pace ...

November is traditionally dedicated to The Holy Souls when we remember especially members of our families and friends who have died as well as praying for all the Faithful Departed.

The 'Holy Souls' are called 'Holy' because they are on their way to heaven with no chance at all of failing to reach their goal.

The Holy Souls are those who have died in the state of grace but who are not yet free from all punishment due to their unforgiven venial sins and all other sins already forgiven for which satisfaction is still to be made. The Holy Souls cannot help themselves, 'because for them the night has come, where no man can work' John 9: 4


It is our special privilege as their brothers and sisters that we can shorten their time in Purgatory by our prayers, acts of charity and particularly by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

We will have an extra Mass here at St Ann's at 7.30 in the evening on Holy Souls' Day and a Mass at 7.30 pm on Friday 28th November when we remember especially all those in the parish who have died during the last year.

We will continue with Rosary and Benediction at 4pm every Sunday during November when we will pray for all the Faithful Departed.

I do hope many of you will make a special effort to come along to weekday Mass sometime during the month to pray in a special way for your own departed loved ones.

V. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,
R.et lux perpetua luceat eis.

V. Requiescant in pace.
R. Amen.