Dear friends in Christ

The reading of the Gospel this Sunday of Jesus’ invitation to follow Him co-incides with the celebration of the Apostles Peter & Paul on Wednesday. This is one of the rare Holydays of Obligation that we get to celebrate on a non-Sunday these days, and the reason they are given the honour of a special day is due to the impressive witness of their lives. By their preaching, their missionary efforts and their martyrdoms, they have become the two foundations stones of the Church. Their images look out from the tower of our church and they also stand above the Altar in the sanctuary appearing to support us by their faith and prayers. We pray especially at Mass on Wednesday for the needs of the Universal Church under the patronage of these two Heavenly Princes, and for our Holy Father, Pope Francis that, he will shepherd the Church in the ways of peace and unity. I am happy that Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School will join us for the morning Parish Mass which will be at 9.30am.

Next Sunday is the Annual Parish Meeting and Garden Party which begins at 6.30pm in the Parish Centre. This evening gives us the opportunity to reflect with gratitude on the year that has been, and to look forward to some of the challenges that we face; there will also be something said about the role of the Steward of the Gospel in our Parish and Diocese. The main purpose of having a Garden Party is to express my gratitude to everyone in the Parish who undertakes work, seen or unseen, and to this end I invite everyone involved in the Parish life - either at the centre on on the fringe - to come along next Sunday. God bless you all!

Msgr Kevin Hale