Dear Friends in Christ
This week ninety of us - Priests, Deacons and Seminarians - will be travelling with our Bishop to Ars in France. (For reasons of security we will go on two separate flights; the Bishop on one and the Vicar General on another, just in case!) Ars is the village where St John Vianney was the reluctant Parish Priest between the years 1818-1859. Our Bishop will lead us in days of spiritual recollection in this, our Centenary Year. It is the first time such a pilgrimage has been undertaken by the Clergy of our Diocese. Our hope is that, close to the Curé of Ars, we will absorb the spirit of his priestly life especially in his devotion to the Mass and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; his dedication to the Sacrament of Penance (he spent many hours each day in the Confessional) and his tireless preaching and teaching of his people as he led them along the path to Heaven. Please pray for us, that we may be filled in these days with that same fervour!
We are fast approaching our Parish Mission: 7th - 15th October. Two priests from the Norbertine Priory in Chelmsford - Abbot Hugh Allan and Fr Stephen Morrison - will be leading these days. The theme will be: The Catholic Faith - Ever Ancient Ever New. As part of the preparation, and by way of outreach or evangelisation to all of the people in our Parish, I am asking that, as in our previous Mission (twelve years ago!) we will circulate a small flyer giving details of the Mission, to every household within the Parish. This will be a big operation and I am asking you to undertake to deliver leaflets in the street in which you live or one adjacent. I would also like us to seriously commit to these eight days of Parish Mission by, firstly praying the Mission Prayer each day. Secondly, to attend the liturgies of the Mission each day by coming to Holy Mass (6.30am or 9am) and the evening Service and Talk, 8pm. It is my hope that the follow-up to the Parish Mission will be the launch of a programme of Discipleship for Evangelisation as envisaged by our Diocesan-wide Stewards of the Gospel initiative; but more about that after the Mission!
In the meantime, and as our Schools begin a new year this week, we wish all our students and staff a happy and fruitful year ahead. I especially wish Mrs Sally Nutman a joyful start at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School as she takes-up the post of Executive Head there this week.
May God bless you all!
Msgr Kevin Hale
Priest@LourdesLeigh.org ✚ 01702 478078
Homily available at LourdesLeigh.org