Patronal Festival
Patronal Festival (St Gabriel's Day)
St Gabriel's Day is kept (with the other Archangels) on 29 September. We keep our celebration on the closest weekend.
Saturday 28 September 2024 - The St Gabrieltide Dinner
On the Eve of St Gabrieltide we gather in church for a champagne reception at 6.30pm. This is our most formal social event of the year, and those attending are invited to dress smartly, to mark the occasion. At 7.00pm we move through to the dining tables, and sit down to a delicious formal dinner. It is always a very special occasion. The "Guest of Honour" is tomorrow's preacher, but a number of other guests will also join us.
Sunday 29 September 2024 - The Patronal Festival Solemn High Mass
On the following morning (Sunday) we gather again in church, at 10.30am, for a Patronal Festival Solemn High Mass and procession. The procession comes at the end of mass, and leads us to the Gabriel Shrine in the Chapel of St Michael & All Angels (one of our side chapels) for a litany and collect before the statue of St Gabriel. The guest preacher for this service will be Fr Victor Bullock, the Parish Priest of Fenny Stratford in the Diocese of Oxford. The service will be followed by coffee and cake for everyone.
In recent years our Patronal Festival preachers have been:
2006 - The Reverend Father Andrew Davies (Diocese of London)
2007 - The Reverend Father Keith Robus (the Vicar)
2008 - The Reverend Father Keith Robus (the Vicar)
2009 - The Reverend Father Keith Robus (the Vicar)
2010 - The Reverend Father Callan Slipper, PhD (assistant priest)
2011 - The Reverend Father Timothy L'Estrange (the Vicar)
2012 - The Right Reverend ✚ Lindsay Urwin OGS (Administrator of Walsingham, Bishop)
2013 - The Reverend Dr James Matarazzo (Oxford University)
2014 - The Reverend Father Paul Smedley (assistant priest)
2015 - The Reverend Father Timothy L'Estrange (the Vicar)
2016 - The Reverend Father Justin Trevelyan Parker (Diocese of Hereford)
2017 - Reader John Burnapp (Licensed Lay Minister, Diocese of St Albans)
2018 - The Reverend Father Michael Scotchmer (Diocese of Chelmsford)
2019 - Reader Mark Corcoran (Licensed Lay Minister)
2020 - The Reverend Father Niall Johnston (Archbishops' Council, Mission & Public Affairs Department)
2021 - The Reverend Father Simon Thorn, PhD (formerly Chaplain of Winchester College)
2022 - The Right Reverend ✚ Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy (Bishop of Willesden)
2023 - The Reverend Father David Brammer (Chaplain of Twyford School)