Ourselves Alone.

This is a very heavy, cast iron thurible stand which is surplus to requirements. I am perfectly happy to donate it to a Church which needs one, although a donation to Saint Hilda's would be welcome, although not essential. Obviously I cannot post it, so you would have to either collect it or live close enough to me for me to be able to bring it to you. It has a hook on the top, a shelf for a boat and a hook lower down to hook the ring onto so the thurible can be left open. Email me at andrewteather@fsmail.net for any details.

Also, a request for information. Our Lady Chapel has pews from the original Mission Church which was on this site. The pews are getting a little worn down and one collapsed on Monday morning, the time has come to replace them. We are therefore looking for either four shortish pews, seating four or five people, or for sixteen of these modern chairs with the kneelers built in to the back, which clip together. Can anybody help or suggest a source of good, cheap ones? I would be most grateful.

Plenty of candles lit on Sunday for the spectre at the feast which reared its ugly head after a short period of peace. It seems clear now that certain twisted, Godless elements are intent on resurrecting the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The uneasy peace which we had become used to seemed to have settled itself, but extremists will always keep flogging a dead cause, taking lives in vengeance and holding revenge in their hearts for the rest of their own hate filled lives. There are always those who will keep fighting until they stand in front of the Lord on the last day to give account of themselves. God help us all on that day, but those who live by terror may have more to regret than those who live in peace. A whole country had been released from continual fear, Belfast began to have that mark of economic buoyancy, a rising property market, small miracles were happening day by day in the windows of estate agents, when houses in sectarian streets were bought and advertised by those of different faiths, walls began coming down and the job market expanded. Those who cannot cope with this, though, who want the days of violence back when they had respect from people born of fear and knives in the dark have tried to reignite the fires of hate. Pray that they may find the wood of sectarianism damp and disinterested.

Our Lady of Belfast, Pray for us.