On Saturday February 22 in St Stephen’s church hall, family and friends celebrated Fred Baker’s 100th birthday. The celebration followed Mass in the church for Fred’s intention attended by, among others, his five children, sixteen of his grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Father Christopher Basden, priest of this parish in the 1980s, concelebrated with Canon Edward and delivered a homily that was a touching tribute to my dear parents, Fred and his late wife, Della.
Homily in Honour of Fred Baker’s 100th
Homily given by Fr Christopher Basden, Saturday 22nd February 2020
It is lovely to be back here. I spent seven of the happiest years of my life (1983-1990) at St. Stephen’s, Welling. I thought it was the centre of the universe and just down the road I found a real “Bethany” at the house of Fred and Della.
First Semester at Beda Seminary
Gwen has asked me to write something about my doings at the Beda seminary in Rome. As you may know I left Welling in September 2018 to spend a year as a Pastoral Assistant in Dover before going to the seminary. Dover remains my UK base as my flat in Welling is now rented out. I am really blessed to have Father Jeff Cridland as parish priest. Some of the older parishioners in Welling will remember him from his spell in Welling at the end of 1995.
After Santa’s Gone!
This may seem like a strange time of the year to still be talking about Father Christmas, but it’s about now that many families begin to realise just how much he cost them in the weeks and months leading up to Christmas. And how much they now owe! Continue reading “After Santa’s Gone!”
Guides’ Trip to Disneyland Paris
On Friday 24th January a party of 18 set off on a coach to Paris. We travelled to Folkestone and then on the shuttle to Calais. Then it was the long coach journey to the Disney Hotel.