I was very sorry indeed to hear last Thursday that Fr Ray Blake, formerly parish priest of St Mary Magdalene in Brighton, had died earlier that day.
I first became aware of Fr Ray through his blog, and it was one which influenced me to start this one. Some time later I was due to attend the wedding of two friends in East Sussex on an August Daturday and, as the next day was my birthday, arranged to stay overnight in Brighton and join another friend, who worshipped at Fr Ray's church, for the Solemn Mass. This was followed, after I had joined in moving some pews around the church, by a very convivial lunch at a Tapas bar in The Lanes.
On a number of occasions thereafter I went on day or overnight visits to attend Mass at St Mary Magdalene’s, including the church’s 150rh anniversary, or for their patronal feast.
I also encountered Fr Ray when we found ourselves in the crowd watching pope Benedict XVI travel from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey on his visit. Like so many others at Fr Blake’s church one was immediately made welcome and drawn into a wide and diverse circle of interesting and friendly people. I would be greeted as “Ah, the Clever Boy” and made to feel at home at his parish events.
On his blog and in person he was forthright, but at the same time gentle and attentive - maybe not everyone understood that and he sometimes, unfairly, attracted misunderstanding and hostility. To those who knew him, even slightly, as I did, he was a faithful and fearless priest of the type we need.
I regret that in recent years I was less able to meet up with him, and his health began to decline. The last time I saw him, at the ordination of a mutual friend in 2019, he was still the gregarious man I had encountered in his blog, and still with a glass and cigarette in hand.
I wish I had lived close so that there might have been more opportunities to meet or to attend his celebration of the Mass in its traditional form. He will be sadly and sorely missed by many.
Eternal rest grant onto him, O Lord.
5 comments:
A wonderful summary and epitaph of Fr. Ray Blake (R.I.P.).
You have encapsulated everything, John, about this excellent Priest.
We now Pray for Fr. Blake and hope that he will now get his due reward for such a devout life as a First=Class Priest.
REQUIEM æternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei.
Requiescat in pace.
Amen.
Father Ray will be sadly missed as a talented Catholic priest he was a brilliant writer and will always be remembered as someone whose faith was first no matter what
Is it possible to watch the funeral online, if so please can I have code
I am afraid I don’t know - I no longer have contacts in Brighton.
The funeral was celebrated at Our Lady of Consolation West Grinstead. It was in the Traditional Rite as expressly requested by Fr Ray
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