A message from Fr John

Dear Friends

Good morning - another overcast morning

I must confess I don’t understand large parts of the Book of Revelation and I’m very wary of those who claim to be able to interpret it as ‘signs of the times’. However, it was written for its time and describes the early church’s struggle to understand its role in a changing and even threatening society, but some of its imagery is very colourful to say the least.

We too are faced with so much which has upset our customary expectations of ourselves, others and the world around us.
Our devotion to the Mass, so central to our lives as Catholics, is now taking on a very different perspective as we simply watch it on screen - often viewing from celebrations across the world. But we still love the Mass, don’t we.
Our commitment to the community is very different too as we see each other, families included, also from a screen and we give thanks that that is possible - the wonders of technology. Our reaching out to the poor and hungry these days is a vital component of that commitment.
We have time to think and pray, time to imagine, time to make choices - if not the capacity to put those choices into immediate effect.
Our prayer is different as we contemplate the presence within of the God who never leaves us and is closer to us in our struggles and sadnesses than when we think life is going smoothly.

Through it all our faith grows ever stronger because it is not simply bolstered by routine - by what we do out of habit. Let’s continue to pray for each other, for the Church, for the scattered Body of Christ, the broken Body of Christ. We need to think about our Church’s role as we very tentatively begin to emerge from the pandemic - how will we be Christ for others in our changing world?

Let’s take to heart some words from the Book of Revelation:
Here God lives among people . He will make his home with them; they shall be his people, and he will be their God; his name is God-with-them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes … (Rev 21: 3-4)

Please pray for Antoinette Hilton whose funeral we celebrate today at Wardley

St Joseph, pray for us

Every blessing

Fr John