Dear Friends in Christ
This week marks the beginning of November with the two days that set the tone for this time of year: All Saints and All Souls: the Day of those who live with God in Heaven and the Day of the Departed who are still on that journey homewards to God. Wednesday (1st) is a Holyday of Obligation for Catholics and Thursday the Day on which many of us like to participate in Holy Mass for the souls of our departed loved-ones. Thursday evening the Mass will be for all those from the Parish Family who have died in the last year. Every day is a preparation for our final hour on earth. This can never be a morbid thought but a consideration that helps us to focus better on our time here, which is, to know love and serve God, so as to be happy with Him for ever in Heaven. This is practically the first truth we learned as children about the purpose of life: to live godly lives here and now, so as to receive the reward of life eternal. Everything we do must help to further this end: our life of prayer, the Holy Mass, the Sacraments, our good works and sacrifices, all of it is so that we may one day join the company of Saints above.
Before the Parish Mission I said that we need to continue the momentum of those days of renewal with a new drive to evangelise. There are many different models that are used these days, one of them Apprenticeship for Discipleship has been successfully employed in several Dioceses across our country and elsewhere. It involves us moving to an increased sense of discipleship; growth in prayer and spiritual life; increased devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Eucharist; attaining and attitude of conviction in witnessing to our Faith and a human and spiritual growth enabling us to be uninhibited when it comes to proclaiming our Faith. Over the coming weeks I shall say more about the ways we might do this as a Parish Family but for now I would ask you to keep alive the enthusiasm of the days of our Mission, by praying the Mission Prayer still, and perhaps revisiting the Talks which are available on the Parish website. May God bless us abundantly!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Priest@LourdesLeigh.org ✚ 01702 478078
Homily available at LourdesLeigh.org