May 2026 (taken from The Link Magazine)

Dear All,

Sing cuccu! Sing cuccu!
Summer is icumen in,
loudly sing cuccu!
 Groweth seed
and bloweth mead
and springeth woods anew!
Sing cuccu!

When I was training for the priesthood at St. Stephen’s House in Oxford, one of the highlights of the year was May Morning, 1st May. The choir of Magdalen College would climb up the chapel tower at 6.00 a.m. and sing “Summer is icumen in” with thousands of people thronging the surrounding streets. Many local pubs and shops would be open, and among other entertainments and events, Morris Men would dance around the Radcliffe Camera in the centre of the University: generally it turned into a big party!

We are again having our own celebration of May, our Spring Celebration, on May Bank Holiday, 4th: do come and join us on Luxford Field!

In the Middle ages, this season was known as “Our Lady’s Month of May” and there was – and is – the feeling that summer is indeed on the way, and that warmth and new life is coming (despite the old cynical if practical saying “cast not a clout ‘til May be out”) Certainly as I write it bodes well: the sky is a beautiful blue and on my walk with Vito this morning , Boothland Woods were swathed in great clouds of bluebells.

In Christian terms, all of this hope and warmth and new potential reminds us that we are still very much in Eastertide. The cold, dead Lenten season of February and March grew into Springtime in April, and now we are fully an Easter People as the world changes around us. Ascension Day on 14th May (with us transferred to Sunday 17th) marks Jesus’ return to his Father and Sunday 24th, Pentecost (the 50th Day of Easter) is the end of the season when the Spirit is poured out on us anew. This completes the great Cycle of Incarnation (Christmas) and Redemption (Easter) which are the two hinges of our Faith.

All this reminds us that God is with us, working in our history and in our individual lives. Let us welcome Him anew and look for the signs of his presence in this wonderful world he has given us!

Happy Eastertide and have a wonderful Summer!

Love Fr. John