Memories of a Good Parish Priest
When Charles Fitzgerald-Lombard took up office at St Edmunds on the 6th June 2006; the ominous reputation of this number in modern culture did not go unnoticed but it was the true spiritual meaning that came through over the following fifteen years. I would like to recall a few memories I have while working for him over that time.
· His kind and thoughtful nature
· Well educated theologically and generally – shown in his popular quiz nights
· His love of things mechanical and the desire to make things work
· His passion for life in Bungay and the freedom it gave him
· His pastoral skills and willingness to help or give advice.
· His desire to make the parish outward looking
· His sense of humour especially when it came to religion
· His love of foreign films and being a longstanding member of Bungay Film Club
· His hard work in bringing Foodbank to Bungay and getting town support
· His work with Churches Together Bungay bringing the three main clergy together.
· His support for Bungay Festival
· His library of Homilies that he continually rotated.
· His ability to make a general service appear to be personal both at Weddings & Funerals
· His ability to communicate with anybody he met
· His selflessness during lockdown in giving Mass every day in an empty church
· His determination to overcome a stroke in difficult times
· My visits to see him at Downside and Buckfast Abbeys and the memories they hold
· His level of fitness playing badminton, riding a bicycle and swimming regularly until the pandemic
These are just a few of the memories I have of him and I’m sure many parishioners have similar fondness for the man who came to this Parish with absolutely no previous experience of life outside a monastery and made such a big difference to my life and that of many others.
Rest in Peace