A Visit from Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care by Yvette MacLeod
So many of our lives have been touched by a family or friend who has suffered a terminal illness and it was a great pleasure therefore to take up one of our members’ suggestions to invite a representative of Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care to come and talk to the Mamma Margherita Club on Thursday 10 October 2024 about their work and their plans for the future.
Sadly, we had 16 apologies from members who were unable to attend due to illness and we held these members in our prayers before 28 of us settled down to listen to Sam West of the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care who came along with two colleagues.
The talk was really enlightening, not only did Sam dispel the myth that patients are only admitted in their final days, but she also explained the excellent work Phyllis Tuckwell do in terms of respite care or pain medication regulation for in-patients and surprisingly to many, explained that only 25% of Phyllis Tuckwell’s Hospice Care happens in Farnham, that 75% of patients are cared for via Hospice at Home.
I was really interested to hear that so much care is devoted not only to the patient but to their families and there is a huge emphasis on living well and living with hope.
This piece is really too short to give a worthwhile overview of the talk but it was illuminating, interesting and members felt it was a really valuable experience. We were left with some leaflets and I have left these in the hall for anyone interested.
Our beloved deacon is also suffering from ill health at the moment but this did not deter him from sending in a beautiful ‘Thought for the Day’ which you can read below.
Deacon Paul, be aware that we so loved the inspiration that Medjugorje had on your Thought for the Day, we would like to invite you to come and speak to us next year about your experiences at the Shrine.
A date for your diaries is 14th November 2024 when we shall be having a short AGM and celebration of the Mamma Margherita Club’s first year. Jo Wood will be coming along to answer questions about ChurchSuite and to sign up any members who have not yet registered, Graham Dorey will be leading a game of Countdown AND we will begin with Mass at 2.00pm.
If you are retired or semi-retired, do come along, make new friends or re-new old friendships in a warm and joyful space with plenty of tea and cake! You will be made very welcome.
Thought for the Day by Deacon Paul Evans
I have just returned from a pilgrimage in Medjugorje and one of the key themes there is the idea of praying with the heart. Prayer can sometimes be a challenge for us since we often get distracted, instead of praying we start wondering If we left the lights on, if we have locked the door, whether we have enough milk. We put these distractions behind us and then our nose starts to itch, and someone comes and sits next to us, and we can hear their false teeth clicking and get annoyed.
Of course, we realise that all these distractions are coming from us and the cure is really to learn to pray with the heart. So, for this reflection I decided to use the word HEART as an acronym to help us do this.
H is for honesty
This involves speaking to God like your best friend and telling him the absolute truth. Don’t try to impress God with fancy words, we don’t speak to our friends and say, “thou hast made me the best sandwich in the world, I beseech thee to give me more”. If you are tired and upset, even if you are upset with God then tell him. If you are distracted and confused, then tell him. Pray honestly about what concerns you and not the things that you think you should pray for.
E is for Emotion
This doesn’t mean that we need to cry every time we pray, but our emotions whether they be joy, sadness or gratitude should be part of the conversation. God is big enough to handle our emotions even when sometimes we are not! This also includes anger, if we are angry about something that God has done in our lives then we should not sweep it under the carpet. It needs to be out in the open so that God can respond and transform us.
A is for Attention
Distractions happen but try to focus and be present with God. Turn off the TV, radio, put your phone down and try to find a quiet place to be with God. On some days when a distraction enters my mind, I try to put it in a tiny imaginary boat and send it sailing away, of course sometimes it comes back, and I must send it off again. On other days I decide to go with the distractions and praying about the distractions can often make them go away. We can often feel that when we are praying, we are waiting for God to turn up, but actually it is the other way around and he is waiting for us to become present.
R is for Relationship
Prayer is about deepening a relationship with God, and this involves frequent communication. God is not distant and there for emergencies only. If you only talked to your friend whenever you needed something, then soon you would not be friends or you would be like my son who only calls when he needs money! Share your day and life with God, the best way to learn to pray well is to pray often and God will get so fed up with your rubbish prayers that he will give you the grace to do better.
T is for Trust
Praying with the heart means trusting God with the outcome, even when you don’t get the answer you want. Actually, it is especially true when you don’t get the answer you want and when nothing makes sense and then you need to pray one of the most profound prayers that is possible which is simply “Jesus, I trust in you”
So let us pray … Heavenly Father, give us the grace to pray with honesty, to bring before you, our joys, our struggles, our desires without holding anything back. Help us to be open and vulnerable in your presence, to pray not just with words but with our whole heart. Help us to learn to trust that you are in control and your plans for us are always perfect. Thank you for hearing us, for loving us and for drawing us closer to you with each prayer. May I always seek your heart in mine, praying with faith, hope and trust. Amen”
