Holy Week Appeal
Palm Sunday
It’s now three weeks since churches were closed and we were unable to meet for Mass. They have been traumatic weeks for many. Many have been sick and some have died. So far we have heard of just a handful of regulars at Farm Street who are sick and thankfully we have heard of no deaths. However, many I’ve spoken to have expressed what must be a very common experience of anxiety, uncertainty, fear.
The first major challenge for us at the church has been keeping in touch with our scattered community. So I sincerely hope that these messages are getting through and helping. The Jesuits who serve Farm Street all miss you and want to be of as great a service we can be at this time. I hope you’ve been receiving the e-mails which go out to all who have registered, have been accessing these videos and audio messages, and also have been able to participate in Mass through our livestreaming from the church which, after initial teething issues, is now working well.
We are now embarking on Holy Week, a Holy Week we will surely never forget. I hope that at this time especially we can come together as a parish community to pray for our world in crisis as we recall again the events which are the basis of our common faith. We do so with the gift of that faith which professes that even in the midst of tragedy a new hope can emerge. Because we know that the cross is not the end of the journey but leads to the new life of the resurrection.
Life after this crisis will go on. But I suggest it may well seem quite different. It won’t just be the same old because we are going through a time of great anxiety, of suffering, perhaps if I may dare make the comparison, many have been living the cross. And yet there are glimmers of hope. Here at Farm Street too. Far more offers of help than we need in response to our request for people to give a regular ‘phone call or, if you’re living local to them, doing some shopping, for those who would like this. If you would like this kind of help please let us know as we have plenty of willing volunteers. Those locally too who are helping the homeless: a group of homeless organisations together with Caritas and St Patrick’s, Soho Square, have set up a food service for the many homeless who, although accommodated in hotels, have no food. We are very grateful to Claridge’s who have volunteered to help keep the food service going. We are looking now for volunteers – I stress necessarily within short walking distance of Soho Square - to serve food and for men to register the guests. If you can help with this please let me know. So in the midst of this crisis there is indeed a new generosity, a new humanity, new life and hope.
So as we begin Holy Week may I invite you at home to reflect again on those great events which are the basis of our faith as through the cross we look towards Easter Sunday with hope. Please do follow us in the church online – we’ve kept the times of the Easter Triduum as the same as if we were celebrating together in person. Just go to our website and click on the livestream link and you’ll be joining us live. And please keep in touch with our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds, and our e-mails. Most important please do keep suggestions coming of how to continue to gather online – be it coffee mornings, prayer groups, discussion groups, etc – the Parish Pastoral Council and George McCombe in the virtual office at home can help you.
Finally, may we make one necessary request please. As we obviously have no collections in the church at this time we hope you will consider continuing to support Farm Street Church at this time of crisis. We accept donations through our website (https://www.farmstreet.org.uk/support). If you have any queries about how to donate please contact our finance officer at farmstreetfin@rcdow.org.uk). Your donations will enable Farm Street Church to meet the costs of the upkeep of the church while serving your needs remotely by virtual means. They will make it possible for us to be ready to welcome you back when this crisis comes to an end.
Above all, however, may I wish you a blessed and hopeful Holy Week for you and your loved ones. You can be assured that the Jesuit Community here are praying for our scattered congregation daily and miss everyone very much. May the pain of these weeks of suffering lead to a new life full of the hope and love of the Risen Christ.
Fr Dominic Robinson, SJ
Parish Priest