Month: April 2022

Dear Parishioners,

Once more it is good to be able to send out the Newsletter to you, together with the Readings for Holy Mass this weekend. It is good to hear from numerous parishioners how much this is appreciated, and I thank Nicola and Roger for making these resources available on our websites too enabling them to reach a far wider faith-family. 

Very aware of our interdependence upon one another, I ask that we are – like the early Christian community of whom we hear so much in Eastertide thanks to St. Luke’s wonderful Acts of the Apostles – united in prayer. So many parishioners are in need of an ‘extra’ remembrance at this time, so let us be strong and faithful in our spiritual communion with each other.

Wishing you a pleasant and relaxed Bank Holiday weekend.

Assuring you of prayer remembrance, kindness of thought, and affection.

As ever, Fr. Nicholas     

Dear Parishioners,

This weekend’s Gospel reminds us of the constant confusion about our image. St. John the Evangelist intended St. Thomas (the Twin) to be remembered as the individual in his Gospel who made the ultimate statement of faith revealing who Jesus really is … somewhere this high intention became clouded by cynicism giving rise to the crude nickname “Doubting” Thomas ! 

Wishing you a good weekend, as we continue to celebrate Easter. May its blessings brighten al of our lives.

With prayerful remembrance, kindest thought and affection.

As ever, Fr. Nicholas    

Dear Parishioners,

This weekend we begin the most solemn and sacred of weeks in the life of the Church: Holy Week. It will be the first Holy Week that we have been able to celebrate without restrictive constraint since 2019 so I look forward to seeing as many of you as are able to attend our Liturgies over the coming days. At the end of the week we celebrate Easter, which like Christmas is celebrated over eight days (an Octave). Hopefully this invitation will encourage those who are still hesitant about a full return to Mass to set aside one day during the week that will be their Easter Day and join us for Holy Mass. 

On Thursday of this week, Holy Thursday we celebrate the gifting of the Eucharist to the Church by Christ himself. Our reception of Christ’s very Body and Blood in Holy Communion is food for both body and soul. It is something that is uniquely ours as Catholics, and – personally speaking – I could not live without. Yet many do ! Once more, as I have before, I ask that if you are keeping a distance between yourself and the Lord in Eucharistic Form you consider attending a weekday Mass … Christ in the Eucharist is waiting to welcome you to His banquet, the Mass. May next week’s Easter Octave be the spur for us all to become the longed-for Easter People !

Throughout these days may we be united in prayerful remembrance and affection, recalling the suffering of the people in Ukraine within our Liturgical commemorations of the events of the first Holy Week.

As ever, Fr. Nicholas