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Saints & Obituaries St Anthony, Abbot – 17 January towards the desert. Initially he became the disciple of another ascetic, but after a time was able to move into greater solitude. The account of his life by St Athanasius is the source for the stories of Anthony’s trials and temptations, which have been vividly depicted by centuries of artists. Whilst they are expressed in terms of attack by evil spirits and demons, their result is displayed in health, integrity and wisdom. Thus he retires to an abandoned Roman fort and lives on a little bread for 20 years, yet is found at the end of this time to be in good physical shape. Met by a hunter who is surprised to find him relaxing a little, the saint replies that just as the hunter does not keep his bow permanently taut lest it break, so too the ascetic tempers his regime. Although apparently illiterate, Anthony knows the scriptures by heart and is consulted by visitors from near and far, including philosophers who have heard of his fame and teaching. Although not the first Christian to embrace an ascetical

Canon Formby RIP Canon George Formby died on 25 November aged 84. He died peacefully at The Grange care home in Goring-on-Thames. Born in December 1931, he was ordained in February 1956

aged 24. His last Parish was St Margaret of Scotland, St Margarets-on-Thames. He retired in 2007 and lived in St Charles Square in recent years.

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Ramblers’ Club meets on every Sunday for walks around London and the Home Counties. Contact by email: antoinette_adkins2000@yahoo .co.uk, call 020 8769 3643 or check out the website: www.stfrancisramblers. ukwalkers.com

Free Catholic Tours

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‘Saints and Scholars’ walk first Sunday of the month, including Mass. Contact Peter on 07913 904997 or circlingthesquaretours@ hotmail.co.uk.

lifestyle, nor the first to respond to the lure of the desert as the place to live it out, St Anthony has become known as the ‘Father of Monks’. All his years of silence, temptation and prayer would be of no value had they been merely exercises in selffulfillment. As it is, he used his experiences both for the Church and beyond its bounds and so doing gathered disciples who came to learn from his wisdom and copy his example. From this there developed the rich and continuing monastic tradition of those whose lives are based on the pattern of prayer and manual work. The saint died in 356, at the age of 105, a tribute to his way of life; but still in Egypt, and now throughout the world, his legacy lives on and inspires. A thought: A millennium separates St Anthony from St Francis of Assisi, but both were formed by the same Gospel passage, albeit their lives were led in very different ways. The riches of the Gospel are not exhausted in only one form of response.

In Memoriam: December

We celebrate in Anthony a Christian who heard the Gospel. Is that so difficult to do? Yes, because hearing the Gospel, taking it to heart, can be very different to the listening which often characterizes our responses. We know of Anthony that he was an Egyptian born in the middle of the third century to land-owning parents and that he also had a sister. His parents died when he was 18, which is when he went into a church where St Matthew’s gospel was being read: ‘If you wish to be perfect, go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me [19:21]’. Hearing this, Anthony obeyed it, retaining only what was needed for himself and his sister. Embracing a life of simplicity, however, he realized that more was asked of him, when he heard Christ’s further words: ‘Do not be anxious about tomorrow [6:34]’. He then disposed of all his property, entrusted his sister to an existing group of virgins and moved out

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

Ken Minton RIP Kenneth Minton, a past trustee of the diocese, died on 19 November 2015. Ken, his wife Mary and son Paul moved to St Albans from Wigan in the late 1970s and joined the Parish of St Bartholomew’s, where the family soon became involved in the life of the city and parish. As chief executive of La Port Chemicals he marked his company’s centenary with the installation in St Albans Cathedral of the stained glass in the second largest rose window in the country, a result of the family’s interest and commitment to ecumenism and their support for the ecumenical chaplaincy founded at the cathedral in 1983. In later years the family also donated one of the new bells for the restored peel in the great Norman tower of the cathedral. Ken gave generously of his time and expertise to the parish and diocese. He was asked by Cardinal Murphy

O’Connor to become a trustee of the diocese in 2003 and his services were recognised by the Holy Father when he was made a Knight of St Gregory. After many years of valued service, as his health deteriorated, he retired as a trustee in 2012. Bishop John Arnold praised his contribution, saying: ‘Ken always brought a quiet and encouraging tone to the trustees’ meetings. His criticism or counter proposals were always couched in courteous language so that noone felt belittled or offended. His contributions were always well informed and clearly expressed.’ Ken Minton was proud of his faith that had its roots in the strong Catholic tradition of Lancashire where he grew up. As a leading businessman he would always stand up for his religion and endeavour to put in to practice the tenets of his faith. May he rest in peace.

3 Fr Harold Purney (1983) 4 Fr John Simcox (1972) Fr Peter Allen (1978) Fr Benedict Westbrook (1989) Mgr Wilfrid Purney (1987) 6 Fr John Harper-Hill (1998) Mgr Alexander Groves (1998) 11 Fr Dalton Haughey (1991) 12 Fr Laurence Kingseller (1975) 13 Fr Jeremiah Daly (1974) 14 Deacon Michael Bykar (2008) 15 Fr Francis Donovan (1983) 16 Mgr George Tancred (2002) Fr John Donlan (2006) 18 Canon Bernard George (1980) 19 Canon John Shaw (1981) Fr Edward Gwilliams (1981) Fr William Campling (1996) Fr Edward Scanlan (1992) 21 Fr Clive Godwin (1974) 23 Fr Ian Dickie (2012) 24 Fr Manoel Gomes (1989) 25 Deacon Ron Saunders (2007) 26 Fr Alan O’Connor (1992) Fr Bernard Lavin (1999) 27 Fr Andrew Morley (1993) 28 Mgr Canon Joseph Collings (1978) Fr Gerard Mulvahey (1996) 29 Fr Robert Bradley (1976) 30 Canon Alexander Stewart (1976) 31 Fr Wilfrid Trotman (1976) Fr Stephen Rigby (1978) Fr George Swanton (1979) Fr Dennis Skelly (1996) Fr Michael Ware (1998) In Memoriam: January 1 Cardinal Francis Bourne (1935) Fr Brendan Soane (2000) 2 Fr Sidney Dommersen (1970) Fr Alexander Wells (1970) Fr Cyril Wilson (1988) 3 Fr Donald Campbell (1985) Fr Denis Cantwell (1995) 4 Fr Bernard Canham (1990) Fr William Brown (2001) 6 Fr Thomas Mc Namara (1976) Fr Thomas Anderson (1974) Mgr Graham Leonard (2010) Mgr Ralph Brown (2014) 7 Fr John T Carberry (1988) 8 Fr John Kearsey (2004) 10 Mgr Ernest T Bassett (1990) Fr William Kahle (1993) Fr Patrick Nolan (2014) 11 Mgr Eustace Bernard (1972) Fr Mark Coningsby (2014) 12 Fr Arthur P Mintern (1993) 13 Fr Francis Dent (1963) 14 Cardinal Henry Manning (1892) Fr Peter Lyons (1998) 15 Canon James Hathway (1976) Fr Anthony Busuttil (2013) 16 Fr Edward Hinsley (1976) Canon Frederick Smyth (2007) 17 Fr George O’Connor (1989) Fr Edward Dering Leicester (1977) 18 Fr Gerry Ennis (2000) Fr Robin Whitney (2012) 19 Fr Oldrich Trnka (2003) 20 Mgr George Leonard (1993) Fr Thomas Gardner (1995) Fr Stephen Bartlett (2012) 21 Preb Ronald Pilkington (1975) 22 Cardinal William Godfrey (1963) 23 Fr Derek Jennings (1995) 25 Canon William Heffernan (1965) Fr Bernard Fisher (1990) 26 Bishop Patrick Casey (1999) 29 Fr Frederick Vincent (1973) 30 Fr Joseph Fehrenbach (1985) Fr Patrick Howard (2000) Fr Philip Dayer (2005) Follow us on Twitter at: twitter.com/RCWestminster