Dear friends in Christ
This month of June is full of lovely feasts. We have already begun the month with The Ascension and Pentecost and now this weekend we celebrate the central truth revealed about God: the Blessed Trinity. Before us we have also Corpus Christi, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, SS Peter and Paul. Each of these celebrations allows us to rejoice in a particular mystery of the Faith or one of our friends in Heaven.
Next Sunday - Corpus Christi - is a particular favourite of mine. Each year there is this special festival which allows us to celebrate in a very Catholic way the central Mystery of Faith. Our love for Jesus really and truly present in the Blessed Sacrament - in the Mass - gives rise to the many expressions of devotion that surround this celebration: Holy Hours, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, the Eucharistic Procession. All of these are ways of living our Faith which not only have the pure intention of worshipping God, but they also witness the most precious Gift that Jesus has left His Church, namely His very self. I encourage you all as ever, to make a special effort to attend the Procession next Sunday which begins in the church at 4.00pm.
On a personal note, the Vigil of the Birthday of St John the Baptist marks my thirtieth anniversary of Priestly Ordination. I would like to mark this milestone by simply offering Mass on that occasion (Monday 23rd, 7.30pm) in Thanksgiving for the Gift of Priesthood. In this way, I can give thanks to God for all the graces received and given through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. After the Mass there will be a Reception in the Gilbert Room of the Parish Centre.
God bless you all in this coming week
Fr Kevin Hale