heart speaks unto heart

Have a happy & joyful Lent! Back at Easter!

2012-02-21T15:45:00.002Z

Lent 2012 promises to be a grace-filled time for the Parkes family. We have been blessed so much in every way & the whole family are thriving. Thankyou for all your prayers - prayers assured for you in return!

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger - Turn it up real LOUD!

2012-02-21T13:20:00.001Z

Lyrics don't relate apart from the title! Just love the song!

LARGE FAMILIES ARE WITNESSES OF FAITH, AND A SOURCE OF WEALTH FOR NATIONS

2012-02-21T12:10:00.001Z

Vatican City, 15 February 2012 (VIS) - "In today's social environment, families with many children are witnesses of faith, courage and optimism, because without children there is no future". The Pope addressed these words to representatives from the Italian National Association of Large Families who were attending his general audience this morning. "I hope", Benedict XVI went on, "that adequate social and legislative measures will continue to be promoted to support and protect larger families, who are a source of wealth and hope for the entire country".

LARGE FAMILIES ARE WITNESSES OF FAITH, AND A SOURCE OF WEALTH FOR NATIONS

Driving lessons - Birmingham

2012-02-21T08:02:00.002Z

Driving Lessons Birmingham

We are pleased to now be offering driving lessons in Birmingham, as we have welcomed a new driving instructor to our team to cover the Birmingham area. His name is Andy and he is a retired police officer. He is a fully qualified driving instructor who is trained to a very high standard.

Areas Covered

We are currently offering driving lessons in Handsworth, Aston, Winston Green, Smethwick, Oldbury, Quinton, Harbourne, Edgebaston Bartley Green, Selly Oak, Northfield, Stirchley, Kings Heath, Moseley and Rubery.

Under 17′s Driving Lessons Birmingham

We operate one of the largest private driving courses in the area, where under 17′s and nervous drivers can take their first driving lessons safely away from the public roads. You can start learning to drive as young as 14 years old, and you don’t even need a provisional driving license. The course is on private land, and it is ideal for nervous drivers as well as young people who want to get a head start by gaining experience of handling a vehicle before their 17th birthday. If you are interested in finding out more, please get in touch.

About Safe4Life Driver Training

We are a well-established driving school based in Dudley and covering a large part of the West Midlands area. We have a very high pass rate and a lot of our pupils were introduced to us by our ever-growing army of happy customers, many of who passed their driving test first time. All of our driving instructors are very experienced, fully qualified and insured, and we offer driving lessons in clean, modern and comfortable vehicles. Why not take a look at our testimonials page, where you’ll find reviews from our past & existing learner drivers.

Nervous about learning to drive?

There is no need to worry – most learners are nervous during their first few lessons. Our instructors are experts at making you feel at ease so that you can concentrate on the task in hand, which of course is to learn to drive safely.

Birmingham Driving Lessons Prices

Our rates are very competitive and we also have various special offers to help make learning to drive even more affordable. Check out our current prices.

Pioneer - short term pledge for Lent

2012-02-19T08:25:00.000Z

More information here

Maldives! Warning - not for the faint-hearted!

2012-02-17T10:33:00.002Z

Gee. I was trying to do a Bo Derek/ Raquel Welch/ Ursula Andress/ Bridget Bardot or maybe Baywatch!

" Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine. "

2012-01-23T10:51:00.005Z

Photo credit of Fr Gregory Winterton here

Funeral arrangements of Fr Gregory Winterton Cong. Orat

2012-01-21T10:11:00.001Z

(August 10, 2010 - Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Europe)

At the Birmingham Oratory

Monday 23rd January

Reception of Fr Gregory's body at 6.30 p.m. followed immediately by

Solemn Vespers of the Dead

Tuesday 24th January

Matins & Lauds of the Dead at 8 a.m.

Funeral Mass of Fr Gregory at 11.30 a.m.

A sad day for Birmingham..

2012-01-18T13:53:00.001Z

Please pray for the repose of the soul of the saintly Fr Gregory Winterton Cong. Orat. who died this morning.

New hair colour!

2012-01-18T13:11:00.002Z

Presence of Catholics online is essential, says Vatican official :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

2012-01-16T20:14:00.000Z

Presence of Catholics online is essential, says Vatican official :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Life is still valuable even when it is no longer useful | CatholicHerald.co.uk

2012-01-16T11:51:00.000Z

Life is still valuable even when it is no longer useful | CatholicHerald.co.uk

Association of Catholic Women Bloggers: We reached 100 followers!!

2012-01-15T08:29:00.000Z

Association of Catholic Women Bloggers: We reached 100 followers!!: We are doing our job casting out our net in the cyberspace! Congratulations ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to be part of this amazing group..

The ACWB is an excellent resource & venture which has been recognised by the media office at the Bishop's Conference of England & Wales. If you would like to contribute as blog author please email jacquelineparkes@hotmail.co.uk . We currently have 50 authors from around the world!

Posing!

2012-01-12T09:49:00.001Z

“The longer we journey on the road to inner healing and wholeness, the more the sense of belonging grows and deepens. The sense is not just one of belonging to others and to a community. It is a sense of belonging to the universe, to the earth, to the air, to the water, to everything that lives, to all humanity.”
Jean Vanier

Maroon 5 Performs 'Moves Like Jagger' Turn it up real LOUD!

2012-01-10T11:38:00.001Z

January is going well! All the family thriving! 2012 looks like a spectacular year! Deo gratias.

Total Consecration to Mary

2011-12-28T19:09:00.001Z

Act of Consecration

O ETERNAL and incarnate Wisdom! O sweetest and most adorable Jesus! True God and true man, only Son of the Eternal Father, and of Mary, always virgin! I adore Thee profoundly in the bosom and splendors of Thy Father during eternity; and I adore Thee also in the virginal bosom of Mary, Thy most worthy Mother, in the time of Thine incarnation.

I give Thee thanks for that Thou hast annihilated Thyself, taking the form of a slave in order to rescue me from the cruel slavery of the devil. I praise and glorify Thee for that Thou hast been pleased to submit Thyself to Mary, Thy holy Mother, in all things, in order to make me Thy faithful slave through her. But, alas! Ungrateful and faithless as I have been, I have not kept the promises which I made so solemnly to Thee in my Baptism; I have not fulfilled my obligations; I do not deserve to be called Thy child, nor yet Thy slave; and as there is nothing in me which does not merit Thine anger and Thy repulse, I dare not come by myself before Thy most holy and august Majesty. It is on this account that I have recourse to the intercession of Thy most holy Mother, whom Thou hast given me for a mediatrix with Thee. It is through her that I hope to obtain of Thee contrition, the pardon of my sins, and the acquisition and preservation of wisdom.

Hail, then, O immaculate Mary, living tabernacle of the Divinity, where the Eternal Wisdom willed to be hidden and to be adored by angels and by men! Hail, O Queen of Heaven and earth, to whose empire everything is subject which is under God. Hail, O sure refuge of sinners, whose mercy fails no one. Hear the desires which I have of the Divine Wisdom; and for that end receive the vows and offerings which in my lowliness I present to thee.

I, ________________, a faithless sinner, renew and ratify today in thy hands the vows of my Baptism; I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before. In the presence of all the heavenly court I choose thee this day for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God in time and in eternity.

Receive, O benignant Virgin, this little offering of my slavery, in honor of, and in union with, that subjection which the Eternal Wisdom deigned to have to thy maternity; in homage to the power which both of you have over this poor sinner, and in thanksgiving for the privileges with which the Holy Trinity has favored thee. I declare that I wish henceforth, as thy true slave, to seek thy honor and to obey thee in all things.

O admirable Mother, present me to thy dear Son as His eternal slave, so that as He has redeemed me by thee, by thee He may receive me! O Mother of mercy, grant me the grace to obtain the true Wisdom of God; and for that end receive me among those whom thou lovest and teachest, whom thou leadest, nourishest and protectest as thy children and thy slaves.

O faithful Virgin, make me in all things so perfect a disciple, imitator and slave of the Incarnate Wisdom, Jesus Christ thy Son, that I may attain, by thine intercession and by thine example, to the fullness of His age on earth and of His glory in Heaven. Amen.

I will make my first anniversary on January 1st 2012
For information on how to make the Total Consecration click here

Pretty Amazing Grace - 2011 has been the most amazing grace-filled year!

2011-12-26T13:00:00.001Z

On 1st January 2011 after 33 days of preparation I made my total Consecration to Our Lady. The whole year has been one of many graces for our family. In April, our beautiful daughter Dr Jennifer was married in Salford Cathedral to Daniel Pell the son of Rev Andy & Linda Pell. They are an utter inspiration as a Christian couple devoted to God. The Cathedral & Canon McBride provided everything necessary for a joyful & uplifting wedding. We thank Almighty God for guiding them to the place where their marriage could begin in such a holy & grace-filled way.

Katherine started her Masters Degree in English & Claire continues working as a teaching assistant. Rose has recently returned from her vacation with Andrew in Mauritius & continues to bless us with her personality & good humour. She has reapplied to UCAS & has several offers already. Mary blew us all away after her speech at St Paul's School for Girls prizegiving! She enjoyed working as a handmaid in Lourdes & as Deputy Head girl is a continual "revelation!" She also rides a motorcycle!

Elizabeth wishes to be a Clinical Psychologist & is busy working on her AS levels. Patricia continues thriving at St Paul's & as a diving instructor with Alpha Divers. Alexander overwhelms us daily by growing! He is nearly as tall as his dad....6 ".! Even if I do say so myself! He is a very well-adjusted & happy boy. His filmstar looks are a bit of a problem in that there seems to be a long queue of young ladies hanging round his form room waiting to glimpse him! He is only 14!

Andrew is a boisterous, typical boy! He gets away with things by using his charming smile! He is doing very well & I have to admit is my pride & joy! (Remembering his emergency birth - prolapsed umbilical cord).

Jacinta continues to amaze us with her mix of maturity & childishness. She is our baby! She is a very good girl & very clever like her siblings!

Andrew Sr of course has retired from the Police Force with a healthy pension. He has also qualified as a driving instructor & will work part-time in his new business., Safe 4 Life

We also moved to a much larger house which has benefited us enormously.

After 11 years in the darkness with the post-partuum depressive illness my hormones must have righted themselves eventually! After 25 years of sleep difficulties due firstly to having so many babies & then illness, I sleep all through the night & wake refreshed. Almighty God has rewarded us as a family & restored everything & more! Deo gratias.

Never, ever give up!!

Thanks to ******** you know who you all are & I know you prefer anonymity! You helped keep our family together & we are eternally grateful...God bless you for your kindness & unwavering faith.

" Cor ad cor loquitur "

Christmas message from Archbishop Bernard Longley on Independent Catholic News

2011-12-24T11:36:00.000Z

Christmas message from Archbishop Bernard Longley on Independent Catholic News

Safe 4 Life

2011-12-19T15:20:00.002Z

If you or someone you know wants to learn to drive call my husband Andrew on number above.