Dear Friends in Christ

We begin the month of October by reminding ourselves that this month is dedicated to Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary. It was on 7th October 1570 that the Christian forces at the Battle of Lepanto were victorious over the Turkish forces. Pope St Pius V attributed this victory to the intercession of Our Blessed Lady, invoked through the praying of the Holy Rosary. Our love for this devotion must be constantly renewed. Given the grave crises we find in our world, we need the intercession of Mary more than ever: for unity and harmony within the Church (as the Amazonian Synod begins), peace in the world and reconciliation in family life. There are always many reason for us to take-up our Rosary beads and pray this powerful prayer. At the end of the Rosary, if we pray the Litany of Our Lady (of Loretto) we call to mind the many titles faithful Christians have given her down the centuries: Mother of the Church, Help of Christians, Queen of Families, Queen of Peace…. Please make a special effort this month to pray for some of these intentions, especially within your families, that God may be praised in the Blessed Trinity, through the Heart of His Blessed Mother, Mary.

Next Sunday will see the Canonisation of John Henry Cardinal Newman. Many Catholics are travelling to Rome for this historical and much anticipated occasion. Next weekend I hope to say some words about this new Saint - for England and for the Church - the first non-martyr Saint since the Reformation. Pray that through the intercession of John Henry, our country may recover the Faith of our Fathers, that the Truth of the Catholic Faith may be seen ever more clearly, and that he will inspire us with a new vigour and enthusiasm, so that we may bring about a new springtime for the Church in our land!

God bless you!

Msgr Kevin Hale

Priest@LourdesLeigh.org ✚ 01702 478078
The Sunday Homily is available as a podcast at LourdesLeigh.org