God's Love for You - Sunday 5th January 2025
Webmaster • January 4, 2025
Epiphany
We probably know the Three Kings followed that special star which they observed, in order to find the newborn King and pay homage to Him. But their journey from home to Bethlehem was not widely known. First of all, it was a journey about 30 days. Also, the Three Kings did not depart by themselves, as each had their own group accompanied them including nobles and servants, with camels, caravans, animals and big baggage. Although it was such long journey, but their joyful hearts were filled with devotion, they sometimes sang together along the way and their sweet songs resonated in the air. Like a big Pilgrimage group, to visit the new King whom they and their ancestors have waited for so long. They even often travelled at night, how eager they wanted to meet Him sooner! But their journey to meet Jesus also needed to go through trials, because they realised the people in the Jewish cities that they passed know nothing about the Child. Worse still, the star seemed disappear before Jerusalem. The Kings became very worried and wondered if they have got it all wrong. Although some did heard about it but they from the mouths of the poor and ignorant, some even laughed at them… But they prayed and got their courage back. After they met Herod and left Jerusalem, the star appeared again, so they happily went on their journey. Eventually the star disappeared at Bethlehem, and the Kings' anxious once more, but finally they saw a light rising over the Crib area and found the cave entrance. They were overjoyed. Supernatural light filled the cave, and with the royal ceremony the Kings with their groups took turn to enter the cave to adore and prayed to the Child and presented their gifts: gold, incense and myrrh. No words or streaming tears could express the joy, emotion and love towards Our Saviour they all experienced at that moment...Even with the star's guidance, Three Kings' searching has been long and hard, although they were Gentiles but with faith they persevered and finally found their hearts' desire - the King of all Kings. This Epiphany, let us pray that in the midst of all these hardships and turmoil in our lives, we will also find the Source of Love and Joy within our hearts - Jesus Christ.
(Reference: The life of Jesus Christ and biblical revelations, Volume I, Ven Anne Catherine Emmerich, Tan Books & Publishers, 1986)
PLEASE NOTE: The procession has been cancelled due to the weather, there will however be a holy hour at St David's Cathedral, Cardiff with benediction at 3 o'clock. The Procession will start at 3:00pm from Nazareth House (please arrive by 2:30pm), moving along Colum Road and Park Place, past the Museum and City Hall, head down Park Place and along Queen Street before finishing at St David’s Cathedral. Refreshments will be available afterwards.
Bereavement Talk time/Cuppa Would you like a chance to talk about the loss of a family member or friend? Whether it was recent or historical, the bereavement group was set up for this. We meet on 10th May at 2.30pm in St David's Chapel. Please use the back gate in Bedford Street
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) Human dignity demands that we show respect to one another, reverencing the presence of God in each person as a living tabernacle of the Lord. However, we do not bow down before God’s presence in others, nor do we kneel before them in adoration and worship. In this world, the only One Whom we worship and adore, in hidden yet physical form, is our Lord Who is fully present in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is not only a fraternal meal we share with one another, it’s a communion with God Himself that unites us with Him. It is that union with God that also unites us with every other person who is united to God through the sharing of the Most Holy Eucharist. As we celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, spend time pondering the profound mystery of the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist. As we kneel before Him, we truly kneel before His throne in Heaven, despite the reality being veiled from our eyes. As we consume the Blessed Sacrament, we truly consume Christ Himself — Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity — and receive Him into our souls. Though we might not feel Him with our bodily senses, we must allow our spiritual sense of faith to grow so that our love for Him in this Most Precious Gift exponentially increases.
The Parish is facing two repairs. The flat roof over the long corridor has water penetration to the retaining wall capping stones. The tall chimney of the old boiler is blamed for some water penetration and must be removed. The second repair follows a report of water penetration of the tower. The rain entry threatens electric contacts of the bells. Again work on the capping stones and the lead covering which will call for scaffolding to the top. Project pictures and information will be displayed in the entrance of the Church shortly. The weekly collection is not covering our outgoing costs, as we all know in paying our utility bills. We hope to have various fundraising projects to assist this essential work. If you have any ideas for fundraising please share on the list at the back of Church. Any contributions will be gratefully welcome Fr Chris & Finance Committee
A warm invitation is offered to all parishioners to join us for a Parish Picnic on Sunday 7 June from 12.15pm – 3pm . It will take place in the parish hall next to the church and to celebrate the international diversity of our parish community we invite you to wear national costume and bring a dish that represents your cultural heritage. As it’s a picnic, we also ask that you bring your own chairs (there aren’t many in the hall at the moment!) and, if possible, maybe even a table. If cannot bring a chair, please let one of the priests or Deacon Mike know so we can source some extra. Children are very welcome and if you have any traditional games that you would like to share with others, please feel free to do so.
The Second Revelation to St Margaret Mary Alacoque: 1674 In a letter to Fr Croiset, the saint wrote: “The Divine Heart was presented to me in a throne of flames, more resplendent than a sun, transparent as crystal, with this adorable wound. And it was surrounded with a crown of thorns, signifying the punctures made in it by our sins, and a cross above signifying that from the first instant of His Incarnation…And He (Jesus) made me see that He intensely desired to be known, loved, and honoured by everyone, and to snatch them from the path of perdition onto which Satan is driving them in throngs. It was this that made Him decide to manifest His Heart to everyone with all the treasures of love, mercy, grace, sanctification, and salvation It contains… This Heart of God must be honoured under the form of His heart of flesh, whose image He wanted exposed, and also worn on me and on my heart. He promised to pour out into the hearts of all those who honour the image of His Heart all the gifts it contains in fullness, and for all those who would wear this image on their persons He promised to imprint His love on their hearts and to destroy all unruly inclinations. Everywhere this holy image was exposed to be honoured, He would pour forth His graces and blessings. This blessing was, as it were, a final effort of His love. He wanted to bestow upon everyone during these final centuries such loving redemption in order to snatch them from the control of Satan, whom He intended to destroy. He willed to place us under the sweet freedom of His rule of love…”
O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament have left us a memorial of your Passion, grant us, we pray, so to revere the sacred mysteries of your Body and Blood that we may always experience in ourselves the fruits of your redemption. Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
St Peter's RC Primary School CSI Report The latest Catholic School Inspectorate Report for St Peter's RC Primary was published on Thursday 21 May, and the school is rated as "Excellent" in every single area, across Catholic Life and Mission, Religious Education and Collective Worship. You can read the report here: www.rcadcschools.org/StPetersRCPrimarySchool401648%2021.05.26.pdf For Admissions visit: www.stpeters.wales/ admissions/ or email the school via admissions@stpeters.wales
The First Revelation to St Margaret Mary Alacoque: 27 Dec 1673 St Margaret Mary was a French Visitation nun. Jesus revealed His Love for mankind through His Sacred Heart and His Sacred Heart devotion to her in several mystical visions between 1673 and 1675. I was praying before the Blessed Sacrament…He made me repose for a long time upon His Sacred Breast, where He disclosed to me the marvels of His Love and the inexplicable secrets of His Sacred Heart…Then it was that, for the first time, He opened to me His Divine Heart… Jesus: “My Divine Heart is so inflamed with love for everyone…being unable any longer to contain within Itself the flames of Its burning Charity, It must spread them abroad by your means, and manifest Itself to them (mankind) in order to enrich them with the precious treasures… contain graces of sanctification and salvation necessary to withdraw them from the abyss of perdition. I have chosen you as an abyss of unworthiness and ignorance for the accomplishment of this great design, in order that everything may be done by Me.” After this, He asked me for my heart, which I begged Him to take. He did so and placed it in His own Adorable Heart, where He showed it to me as a little atom which was being consumed in this great furnace, and withdrawing it thence as a burning flame in the form of a heart, He restored it to the place whence He had taken it… Jesus: “See, My well-beloved, I give you a precious token of My love, having enclosed within your side a little spark of its glowing flames, that may serve you for a heart and consume you to the last moment of your life; its ardour will never be exhausted…As a proof that the great favour I have done to you is not imagination…although I have closed the wound in your side, the pain will always remain. If before, you have taken only the name of My slave, I now give you that of the beloved disciple of My Sacred Heart.” (Excerpts from St Margaret Mary Alacoque’s autobiography)
In the Nicene Creed we pray: “…I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father… I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified…” The formulation of the Trinitarian relationship in the Creed reveals the profound depth of God’s nature: God is of one essence, yet three distinct Persons. Each Person is involved in an eternal, loving relationship with the others. If these definitions of God seem beyond your grasp, you are correct. They are. Even if you were to spend years studying the best theology on the Trinity, you would still only be able to comprehend a slight image of Who God is. The best way to grow in a deeper understanding of God and all of reality is through the deepest forms of contemplative prayer. Contemplative prayer is not something you can simply turn on. It is an infused prayer that only God can bestow as He invites you to enter into His divine presence. Contemplative prayer begins with a profound purification process by which all sin is purged from one’s life, as well as all attachment to sin, and then all conceptual knowledge of God is eliminated so that the mind can gaze upon God through infused knowledge. As you strive to deepen your own prayer life, offer your praise to God the best you can. Profess your unwavering belief in the Creed, despite not fully understanding it. Most importantly, open your heart to God, Who is Love, and love Him in return with every power of your soul. By doing so, you will be on the slow and steady road to a mystical union of love with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.