In the calendar of the Southwark archdiocese today is the feast day of St Simon Stock, the thirteenth century Carmelite friar from Kent, associated with the shrine at Aylesford, one of the great centres of spiritual life in this part of the world. Because of his personal holiness he was chosen to be Prior of the Carmelites in England in 1247 – four years later he had a vision of Our Lady which began the well-known devotion of the brown scapular, which has spread throughout the world.
Please pray today for the Carmelite order and for vocations to the Religious life, for the shrine at Aylesford at this challenging time, and for parishes and schools dedicated to St Simon. There was due to be a commissioning day at Aylesford today for Special Ministers of Holy Communion, so it’s a good day to pray for those who were due to be commissioned and all those who carry out this important ministry here in our parish and elsewhere.
God bless and take care
Fr Ashley
