Festive weekend in Madeira

Holy Trinity Church
It was a weekend of celebrations in Madeira. On Friday 17 June a reception and dinner was hosted by the Blandy family, one of the first English families of entrepreneurs who are celebrating 200 years on the island.

The Blandy Reception
On Saturday 18th, in the presence of parishioners, visitors and ecumenical guests from the Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches, the new parish centre, gardens and stations of the cross of Holy Trinity Church Madeira were blessed. The parish centre, including a renovated library, provides space for the many gatherings and meetings of this active congregation, which can trace its roots on the island back to 1774!

Holy Trinity Parsonage and Parish Centre
The historic gardens were recently restored. The stations of the cross, each given by a family or individual connected to Holy Trinity, now frame this beautiful space with a via sacra to encourage prayer and contemplation on the passion, death and resurrection of Our Lord. Over 65 people sat down to dinner in the new parish centre following the service.


Reader Matthew Duckett (left) and Fr Neil Dawson (right) with confirmands 
Sunday 19th was Trinity Sunday and the Patronal Feast of the parish. Confirmations were celebrated and I had the pleasure of authorising the ministry of Michael Duckett, a Reader in the diocese of Lichfield, who spends part of the year on the island.

If all that was not enough to celebrate, both the priest-in-charge, Fr Neil Dawson and I had birthdays that weekend!

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