Churches & Charities

A few of My Favourite Authors (ILMODB)

Looking back on nearly forty years of priestly ministry, perhaps the most influential person that has helped me in my preaching and ministry is Bishop Fulton Sheen. He is widely regarded as being a pioneer for the church in radio and television, dating back to the 1930s-50s when he had a regular radio programme, and then in the 1950s and 60s when he had a regular television programme that attracted many millions of viewers earning him an Emmy award.

An American Bishop, and then Archbishop, Fulton Sheen was born on May 8 1895 in El Paso, Illinois and was ordained priest for the Diocese of Peoria on 20^th September 1919. After his ordination he was assigned as curate at St Patrick’s Parish in Peoria before embarking upon a university chaplaincy and teaching role. His autobiography “Treasure in Clay” is well worth reading no matter what your beliefs.

I think I first came upon his works when EWTN  (Global Catholic Television Network) started to show his television programme “Life is Worth Living” from the 1960s. It was amazing how this “caped crusader” could captivate his audience with his monologue and blackboard for so many years. Some of his programmes are still available on You Tube and his “Miracle in Lourdes story” is an incredible tale, revealing a great faith and trust in God as well as a great devotion to Mary, the Mother of God.

Bishop Sheen spent one hour in prayer before the Blessed sacrament every day of his priestly ministry and went on to write some 73 books as well as leading retreats and preaching throughout the world. His work with the Missionary Church (Association for the Propagation of the Faith) raised millions of dollars and his continuing royalties are given to the APF, since his death in 1979.

He has remained an inspiration and help to me in my priestly life and I hope one day he will be canonised as a saint in the Church. I shall always be thankful to him for his recommendation of William Barclay (a Methodist) for his scripture commentaries. And even though there are some areas of theological differences, Barclay’s books remain a great source of reference and elucidation.

Two more contemporary scriptural authors who are well worth looking up are Scott Hahn and  Brant Pitre. Their scripture insight into the Last Supper is truly amazing and life changing if you are a follower of Christ. I have already mentioned Jeff Calvins in my last VFTP and his great biblical knowledge and teaching skills continue to help millions of Christians deepen their faith and understanding of God. 

Another contemporary theological author I would really recommend is Ronald Rolheiser who as well as writing a weekly column for many years with the Catholic Herald newspaper, has written some wonderful books including “Forgotten Among the Lilies”, “The Restless Heart” and “The Sacred Fire”. Rolheiser continues to be a source of help and inspiration for my homilies and again, is well worth reading to help you with any spiritual direction. It was Rolheiser who put me in touch with my final author of choice, Christopher de Vinck who was described in the Library Journal as “Having the knack of taking ordinary occurrences of life and showing how they reveal what is really important”. A committed Christian and family man, his books are a gentle and heart-warming read that give a wonderful insight into the human condition; drawing on his many experiences as a teacher, author, son, husband, brother and father.

I hope that you have the time to look up and read some of the above mentioned. I am deeply thankful to them for helping me on my journey of faith. I hope that you also have people in your life, whose words, faith and example help you and inspire you to be the person God created you to be. I pray that you receive many graces and blessings in the month ahead. 

God Bless, Fr David Tams

The Bible Alive (ILMODB)

I have great respect and admiration for those people who have read the bible from cover to cover. It is something I have attempted several times in my younger days but getting beyond Numbers and Chronicles was impossible for me. Now in fairness, given the amount of times I have listened to and proclaimed the Word of God at Mass, and then the prayers that have been recited from the breviary, there is a fair chance that I have achieved this feat without knowing. That said, there is something quite satisfying knowing that the Bible has been read from cover to cover.

Four years ago I discovered a wonderful app called “Hallow” It is a subscription app that provides wonderful prayers and talks about the catholic faith. It also has a comprehensive music selection which I listen to on a regular basis. Included in the app is “The Bible in a Year” by Father Mike Schmizt. He is an American Catholic priest who uses the “Great Adventure Bible Timeline” created by Jeff Calvins, an eminent catholic theologian. This breaks down the Bible into different timelines, so that 12 bible periods are assigned a unique colour to help you remember the narrative. In a Bible timeline chart the 14 Narrative books tell the story of salvation history and the other 59 books are placed in their historical context. It provides a wonderful and dynamic way of reading and understanding the bible, and Fr Mike reads passages from the Bible each day and gives an informative and brief commentary on the passages that have been read.

It means in the space of a year the entire bible is read and listened to. He uses the RSV catholic edition and it is an excellent way of reading and listening to the bible cover to cover. In my first year I used a different bible translation that often varies in its text but is manageable and interesting in seeing how different the translation can be.

This is my third year of doing this exercise, but this year I am using Fr Mike’s own app, which is free. It is called “Ascension” and as well as giving us the “Bible in a Year” gives other interesting talks and catechesis that are well worth listening to.

On the subject of Apps the Jesuits provide another free app called “Pray as you go” and it uses their specific spirituality in praying the scriptures. It is a useful tool and well worth starting your day with, if you are struggling to get into any form of prayer life.

By the time this article is in print the season of Lent will have begun. Given that Ash Wednesday  (18^th February) is not a holy day of obligation for Catholics (when you are expected to attend Mass), nevertheless, there will have been a large attendance at Mass, when ashes are placed on the forehead with the call to “Repent and return to the Gospel” It is a sure sign of a person’s willingness to begin Lent with the firm intention of growing in the faith and being more disciplined in living the faith and applying the faith in one’s daily life. At the end of the Lenten journey (5 weeks) we enter into what is known as the “Sacred Triduum” (three days) when on Maundy Thursday (April 2^nd) we celebrate Mass of the Lord’s Supper. On Good Friday (April 3^rd) we commemorate the Passion and death of Our Lord and then on Holy Saturday (April 4^th) celebrate the Lord risen from the dead and the first Mass of Easter.  The times of each service are below, together with the times of Masses celebrated on Easter Sunday. I hope that you will receive many graces and blessings in the month ahead.

Maundy Thursday- Our Lady & St Michael’s Church Shipston 7.30pm
Good Friday: St Francis of Assisi Church Kineton and Our Lady and St Michaels, Shipston 3.00pm
Holy Saturday: Our Lady & St Michael’s Church, Shipston 8.00pm
Easter Sunday (5^th April) Our Lady & St Michael’s 9.00am St Francis of Assisi 11.00am

God Bless, Fr David Tams

The Papal Flag

The Catholic Church celebrates a Jubilee Year every twenty five years. It is a special time of renewal of faith, marked by pilgrimage, acts of mercy and the opening of the Holy Door (In Rome) focusing on restoring our relationship with God. In announcing the jubilee year for 2025 the late Pope Francis said that the jubilee motto was to be  “Pilgrims of Hope” and “That we must fan the flame of hope that has been given to us, and help everyone to gain a new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far sighted vision”
On January 6^th Pope Leo formally ended the Jubilee year with the closing of the Holy Door in Rome. It is a sobering thought to realise that when the next Holy year comes around many of us will not be here to celebrate it!

Celebrating the Jubilee year was one of the reasons for putting out the Papal flag in the grounds of the chapel by Friars Lane. The flag symbolises the Pope’s spiritual and earthly authority hence the yellow for heavenly power and the white for earthly power. There are two crossed keys in gold and silver, bound by a red chord and topped with a Papal Tiara symbolising the Pope’s three fold office which reflects Christ’s mission, to teach (Prophet) govern (King) and sanctify (Priest).

The other reason for the Papal flag still to be flying is that this year the chapel of St Peter and St Paul is celebrating its three hundredth year since its opening in 1726. Prior to the Reformation, the village and parish were under the care of the Augustinian Friars who looked after St George and resided at what is now the Old Rectory. The present chapel is a converted Malt barn and below this building is the Croft which housed a large fire place and a corridor of farmhouse rooms which I imagine served as kitchen quarters and a food store for the community. Following the Dissolution of the Rectory in 1538, the property was taken over by the Bishop family and, remaining true to their Catholic faith, held secret Masses in the former Rectory, building two Priest holes. The family must have been well liked and respected by the villagers as they were never reported to the authorities for this action. 

As part of the celebrations, I am hoping to put on show, in the Croft, vestments dating back to the Penal period: What is so interesting about them is that whilst they are incredibly ornate, there are no religious symbols embroidered on them whatsoever: A sure sign of the dangerous times in which they were used.

The main part of the celebration will be a special Mass celebrated by Bernard Longley, the Archbishop of Birmingham, to coincide with the feast of St Peter and St Paul. We are also hoping to produce a booklet giving more information about the Chapel and its history.

The Chapel is open throughout the day and is well worth visiting for its historical importance. You might also notice the Papal flag in the front garden: It is flying in thanksgiving and recognition for the past three hundred years and beyond that time when the village has had the presence of the Catholic faith and the support and care of its neighbours. 

Best wishes for the coming month.  

Fr David Tams

I was saddened to read of the closure of the NatWest bank in my previous parish at Acocks Green in Birmingham. Being a working-class parish, I was often left with the job of taking the coin-filled bags to the branch some one hundred yards away in the village for banking. It left me wondering who now would have the thankless task of driving to the nearest bank some five or six miles away, having to find suitable car parking place, and then presenting the money to a, no doubt, disgruntled cashier. Closer to home, also the NatWest bank in Stratford has just closed; as has Lloyds bank in Shipston. And the bank in Kineton has long since left the High Street. And it not just the banks that are deserting the villages and towns. Since my arrival in Brailes in 2018, the curtain shop has closed down and the post office and convenience store also, and in Shipston specialised shops have succumbed to the power of the supermarket, Amazon and online shopping. 

But in Brailes, literally at the centre and heart of the village, we have the three shops that attract the custom of many of the villagers and beyond. La Tradition with its excellent bread, pastries and deli products. Baldwin’s newsagents that also doubles up as a convenience store with fresh seasonal vegetable available, and of course Paddock Farm butchers.

It is always wonderful to see queues forming outside this little area and I have often visited the bakers when workmen are patiently waiting for their sandwiches to be made up. Likewise I am always uplifted when I see a villager walking from the newsagents with paper in hand, no doubt ready for the daily cryptic or concise crossword challenge. But it is the butchers where I frequent most regularly, and enjoy discussing the merits (or otherwise) of Birmingham City, the Arsenal, or my own team, Aston Villa. The blackboard listing the restaurants that they supply speaks volumes for its quality of service and produce and I know I have family and friends in Birmingham who would be very disappointed if they did not receive a pork pie or game pie as a Christmas gift. 

We are so lucky to have these shops in our villages and towns and they are so deserving of our custom and our thanks. And it’s not just the three shops in Brailes that I am thinking of, but the shops in Long Compton, Shipston, Tysoe, Kineton and Sibford Ferris that I have visited also. And no doubt you will think of others that I have not mentioned.

And having mentioned our local shops I must say that I have recently enjoyed some lovely meals at the George in Brailes. Having had some wonderful pub lunches also at The Malt Shovel (Gaydon), The Lion (at Tredington), The Bell (at Alderminster) and the Red Lion (at Long Compton) and witnessed its many diners there, I just feel that the George is worthy of such custom and popularity. Likewise, do not forget that we have our own Michelin star restaurant and chef at Whatcote. The Royal Oak serves exceptional food and is worthy of a visit especially for a special occasion.

So I hope that these wonderful shops, restaurants and pubs continue to survive and are well supported by us all this year, for as Joni Mitchell once sang “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”. May you have a joyful and blessed 2026, and I hope and pray that you and your loved ones receive many graces and blessings in the year ahead. God bless.

Fr David Tams