God's love for you - 22nd December

Webmaster • December 20, 2024

A Christmas Meditation (2)


Once again, let our thoughts return back to the scene inside the Cave. Joseph already prepared it as comfortably as he can for Mary. As Jesus' Birth soon approached, Mary begged Joseph to do all he can to receive the Child with honour, and invited Joseph to unite his prayer with hers for all those who didn't give Him a place to stay. They bore no hate, no grudges towards others who did not accept them nor complained about the situation they were in. But to prepare with all their hearts and mind for the soon coming of Our Saviour into the world. On that Holy night, Mary was deep in her prayers, supernatural light streamed out from her and filled the cave, her body raised above the ground...then Mary gave birth to the Holy Child. There was no pain, no distress, no tainting of Mary's Virginity. What a lovely sight to see Angels prostrated around Mary who was holding Baby Jesus. And Joseph was so happy yet so humble and full of devotion that it was until Mary urged him again then he embraced the Sacred Infant. Beholding this Baby sweetly lying in the Crib, Mary and Joseph sang praises to God and shed tears of joy... Quite some distance away from the Crib, this silent night became an unforgettable night to some shepherds, as they saw magnificent light shining on the Crib, Angels appeared and spoke to them, and heard the Angels singing the Gloria. Note that the first group of people who received the news of this great Mystery is not the powerful, rich or intelligent ones, but the simple and poor ones, as God Loves the humble and lowly. How blessed are the shepherds who has the privilege to listen to the sweet and beautiful voices of the Angels singing! Yet they are even more blessed that they believed and went to the Crib Cave, and became one of the first people to adore Baby Jesus with their very own eyes! They offered Him gifts of little animals, food etc. What would you like to offer Him this Christmas? May be as Christina Rossetti wrote in her poem: "what I can I give Him, — Give my heart." Dear all, He was born because His Love for you, love Him back is the most pleasing gift you can give Him. May you be united in love with Him this Christmas, have a very Merry Christmas!


(Reference: • Luke 2:8-16 • The life of Jesus Christ and biblical revelations, Volume I, Ven Anne Catherine Emmerich, Tan Books & Publishers, 1986 • The Sermons of St Francis de Sales for Advent & Christmas, "The coming of the Divine Infant", 24 December 1613 • A Christmas Carol, Christina Georgina Rossetti (1872)) 

Solemnity of All Saints

By Webmaster • October 30, 2026
1st November Today the Church celebrates all the saints: canonized or beatified, and the multitude of those who are in heaven enjoying the beatific vision that are only known to God. The feast of All Saints should inspire us with tremendous hope. Among the saints in heaven are some whom we have known. All lived on earth lives like our own. They were baptized, marked with the sign of faith, they were faithful to Christ's teaching and they have gone before us to the heavenly home whence they call on us to follow them. The Gospel of the Beatitudes, read today, while it shows their happiness, shows, too, the road that they followed; there is no other that will lead us whither they have gone. So we all have this "universal call to holiness." What must we do in order to join the company of the saints in heaven? We "must follow in His footsteps and conform [our]selves to His image seeking the will of the Father in all things. [We] must devote [our]selves with all [our] being to the glory of God and the service of [our] neighbor. In this way, the holiness of the People of God will grow into an abundant harvest of good, as is admirably shown by the life of so many saints in Church history" (Lumen Gentium, 40). Wish you all a very happy Solemnity of All Saints!

God's Love for You - Sunday 1st November 2026

By Webmaster • October 30, 2026
Holy Family's Sufferings & Patience (1) Every now and then, we hear people asking these questions: “Why do good people suffer?” “Why isn’t good deeds being rewarded?” “Why is there so many unfairness in this world?” If you also wonder why, then turn your eyes to the Holy Family. From them, you may be ‘reassured’ to know that even the Holy Family is not exempted from all these. Think about when Mary journeyed for days to go back to Bethlehem with Joseph, although Joseph was on foot and Mary was on the donkey’s back, but that did not mean Mary is at a more comfortable position. Because there is no such thing as the Tarmac over 2000 years ago, so you can imagine the road should be dusty or muddy and quite uneven and rocky, also sitting on a possibly bony donkey (because of their poverty) would be quite discomfort and constantly wobbly, together with being heavily pregnant at that time, thus added more tiredness onto the weariness of the journey. But that is not all, when they finally arrived, hoping that they will received some hospitality from the home town, they received coldness, indifference, rejection... doors after doors shutting in front of Joseph’s face especially when homeowners knew Mary is giving birth soon. Will you wonder, where is God in all these? Why is even carrying God in Mary’s womb did not make her life any easier? But Jesus also said: “For the Son of Man also came not to be served but to serve...” (Mk 10:45) Mary left everything is God’s Providence, bear with them patiently, she even asked Joseph to pray with her for those hard-hearted people who refused them. “...love your enemies, ...and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you” (Matt 5:44)

Organ Music for the Bell Tower

By Webmaster • October 30, 2026
Organ Music for the Bell Tower As part of our fundraising for the Church Bell Tower, there will be three organ recitals taking place between now and Christmas. They are:  12th November – Tim Lyons All recitals start at 7.00pm and there will be a retiring collection in aid of the Bell Tower fund. Please come and support the music, the organists, and your Parish.

The Rite of Chrisitian Initiation for Adults (RCIA)

By Webmaster • October 30, 2026
Journey in Faith Becoming a Catholic — RCIA The Parish welcomes enquirers for this new group. Please take a leaflet and speak to one of the Priests.  Meetings will take place at 7pm on Wednesdays in the Presbytery

PARISH NIGHT SHELTER

By Webmaster • October 30, 2026
Volunteers are needed to help run the Parish night shelter for rough sleepers which is due to open on Friday 4th December. The shelter opens each Friday until the end of March 2027. If you wish to volunteer, or want more information, please contact Peter Sullivan on 07906 10 10 15 or petersullivan46@btinternet.com

God's Love for You - Sunday 25th October 2026

By Webmaster • October 23, 2026
Holy Family's Humility & Meekness (3b)  How touching it was to see, during the evening meal that night in the Upper Room, when Jesus as a Rabbi, took off his outer clothing, wrapped a towel around his waist and began to wash his disciples’ feet, in order to show us what humility and servanthood is. But Jesus’ humility and meekness reached its summit during His Passion. He foresaw His Sufferings in the Garden of Gethsemani, yet with His immense anguish of soul He humbly submit to His Father’s Will. When Judas kissed Jesus as a signal for the soldiers to seize his Master, He knew why he done so, but he did not punch him in the face, He did not say ‘How dare you!’, He simply said: “Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Lk 22:48) And to the high priest’s servant whom Peter cut off his ear, He healed him. To the men in the high priest’s house who mocked and beat Him, to the soldiers who derided His Kingship by putting thorns on His Head, reed on His Hands and purple cloak on His Shoulder, He remained silent, He bear with all these patiently and meekly. “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. As a lamb before his shearer is silent…” (Acts 8:32) He humbly accepted the false accusations by His own people, He accepted the unfair sentence that was given by Pilate, He did not defend Himself with any words, but embraced this shameful cross wholeheartedly. On the way of the Cross, He did not bitterly ask His Mother to take revenge for Him, instead He gently consoled the women of Jerusalem who wept for Him. At the end, our Saviour was not raise by his people to the throne of a king with praises and glory, but to a big wooden cross on Mount Calvary between two thieves with mocking and shame. Although He is the King of kings, but for our sake, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death (Phil 2:8), and died as a criminal. Jesus, my Lord, what more could You have done and have not done for us?

Cardinal Vincent Nichols shared a reflection on Adoration

By Webmaster • October 23, 2026
“The word Adoremus means ‘we adore,’ or maybe ‘let us adore.’ That’s what Adoremus is about – adoration of the presence of Jesus, the Incarnate Word of God, in the Blessed Sacrament before us…when we’re before the Blessed Sacrament, we’re there with that presence of the Lord in his greatest act of love for us and for his Father. And from that love of father and son comes the gift of the holy spirit. So it's not surprising that many people have found praying before the blessed sacrament a very powerful and important experience…There's a French priest called the Curé of Ars or St. John Vianney, and he said the presence of Jesus in the blessed sacrament is God's greatest gift to us because if God had anything greater to give us then he would have given it and this is what he has given… You don’t have to bring anything. Just yourself…place yourself before Jesus…but stay focused on the person of Jesus…You have all the time you want to be silent and just you, face to face, heart to heart with Jesus who loves you, who wants to draw you to himself so that he can tell you what’s in your heart and then together be before Our Heavenly Father.”

Sunday 25th October 2026

By Webmaster • October 23, 2026
Almighty ever-living God, increase our faith, hope and charity, and make us love what you command, so that we may merit what you promise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God,  for ever and ever. Amen.

Holy Rosary in October

By Webmaster • October 23, 2026
Holy Rosary will be held in Our Lady’s Garden at St Peter’s every Sunday in October at 10:45am Week 4 (25 October) The Glorious Mysteries For the universal Church, Priests & Religious All are welcome to join the full Holy Rosary in the October month of the Rosary!

Eucharistic Adoration

By Webmaster • October 23, 2026
Eucharistic Adoration from Monday to Friday after 10am Weekday Mass until 11.30am On Friday is the Rosary for Life 11am - 11.30am