Your charitable prayers are requested for the eternal repose of the soul of Beth Foley, a prominent supporter of the Latin Mass Society, who died on the Feast of the Annunciation 2010. In seems most appropriate that Beth should depart this life on a feast day of Our Blessed Lady, as she had a great devotion to Christ’s mother. She loved St. Mary’s and did all she could to increase devotion to Our Lady. This included sponsorship of “Our Lady’s Light” with the large candle burning at the statue of Mary at the church door. For over twenty years she and her husband Peter, welcomed people into their house every Tuesday afternoon for the Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet and other devotions. We have all benefited from Peter and Beth’s prayers. Beth was a founder member of the IoW Catholic History Society, a member of the Faith Study Group and a flower arranger at St. Mary’s. She had a close association with St. Cecilia’s Abbey. One of the nuns, Sister Bede, had been a friend since their days at Surrey Art School. In 1953 she was a bridesmaid at Beth and Peter’s wedding on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Beth lived her life for the Faith. She had a great concern for the future of the Church and in particular for Catholic education and the passing on of the One True Faith to future generations. She had a great devotion to Our Blessed Lord in the Holy Eucharist, and she would be frequently observed in prayer and meditation at Exposition especially at the First Friday Holy Hour. She believed that the most efficacious prayer is that in the Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament which releases the power, blessings and graces of Almighty God. She would have delighted in being present at the recent 40 Hours Exposition; both in quiet meditation and in joining others making a fervent act of love to Jesus exposed on the altar for all to see.

Beth had a long association with St. Mary’s Church and she attended the Convent school next to the church in the 1930s, when it was run by the Sisters of the Cross (now at East Cowes). How appropriate that Beth’s Funeral Mass should be on Maundy Thursday, the day of the commemoration of the institution of the Holy Eucharist; the day of the Last Supper; the day of the first Mass; the Eve of the Passion of the Crucified Saviour. These two singular events, the most significant in the Catholic Church, represented a strong yearning of Beth’s devout heart and an inspiration for her final journey. She is buried in St. Helens Cemetery.

Requiem aeternam dona ea Domine; et lux perpetua luceat ea
Ave Maria gratia plena; Dominus tecum, benedicta tu in mulieribus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei. Ora pro nobis peccatoribus. Nunc et in hora mortis nostri.

We include below two poems which Beth wrote for the IoW Catholic History Society.

Lenten Poem

Lent is a season in which we prepare
For Easter by fasting, penance and prayer.
Fasting we discipline body and soul
Curbing our greed by strict self control.
Regulating our drink, food and pleasure.
Putting God first before self and leisure.
Penance we humble ourselves and express,
Sorrow for sins that we have confessed.
Forgiveness is sought when we have done wrong.
With a clear conscience we we’ll become strong.
Our Lady’s words, they are for you
“Do whatever He tells you to”
Listen to what God has to say
In the gospel every day.
Prepare in prayer, take time and read.
The Word of God is all you need.
Just use Lent like a threshing floor.
Beat out the sins that you deplore.
A spiritual Spring cleaning start.
Clean out the worries from your heart.
Take time, a good Confession make.
A resolution you must take.
Not to commit those sins again
Or sanctifying grace will wane.

Eternity

This present moment don’t you see,
Right here and now’s ETERNITY
suspended on a thread of time,
My will is free, the choice is mine.
At any time the thread could break.
The way I’ve spent my time will shape,
My life for all ETERNITY
In bless or endless misery