A message from Fr John

Dear Friends

Pope Francis urges us not to lose hope during these stormy days. The exposure of our fragility is a moment for us to reassess what is important for us - ‘to get our lives back on track’.

I have been reading a little more and have gone back to an old favourite, Teilhard de Chardin, a Jesuit priest and mystic who died 65 years ago this week.

‘When the signs of age begin to mark my body (and still more when they touch my mind); when the ill that is to diminish me or carry me off strikes from without or is born within me; when the painful moment comes in which I suddenly awaken to the fact that I am ill or growing old; and above all at that last moment when I feel I am losing hold of myself and am absolutely passive within the hands of the great unknown forces that have formed me; in all these dark moments, O God, grant that I may understand that it is you (provided my faith is strong enough) who are painfully parting the fibres of my being in order to penetrate to the very marrow of my substance and bear me away within yourself.’

Let us continue to pray for all those who are sick - Patricia, Evelyn, Steve and Winnie C. - and for the doctors, nurses and carers who are so bravely putting their lives on the line. Let us remember too the staff and residents of our care homes and nursing homes.
This morning we have the funeral of Mary McKiernan and we also pray for Chris, Sharon, Roy, Mary, Marcia & Ella, remembering all those who mourn them.

It’s good to see so many join us for Mass and Exposition. We are slowly getting the hang of zoom - and how to use our mute option!

The timetable for our Zoomed liturgies is

Tuesday: Mass 12.00pm, Exposition 5.00pm
Wednesday: Mass 12.00pm, Exposition 5.00pm, Scripture discussion 8.00pm

Thursday: Mass of the Lord’s Supper 8.00pm
Friday: Celebration of the Passion of the Lord 3.00pm, Stations of the Cross 7.00pm

Saturday: Easter Vigil Mass 8.00pm
Easter Sunday: Mass 11.00am

Please use any of the many other resources available on line, including streamed Mass from the Cathedral.

St Joseph, our guardian, pray for us

Every blessing

Fr John