Dear friends in Christ

Many expressions that we use in common parlance are direct references to events in the Bible or from the Christian life, even if the average person who uses them is unaware! A good example is based on the Gospel Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard. To do something at the eleventh hour refers to those men who came to work for the landowner at the end of the day, and who received the same pay as those who had been working all day in the sweltering heat. This story Jesus tells seems to express a truth about what God’s justice is like: He chooses to give the last comer as much as He gave the first. I often think of those people who came to faith in Jesus Christ late in life: those who have lived a life of separation from God, or those who have made a death-bed conversion. Like the other workers who had laboured tirelessly since the start of the shift, we might feel there is something unfair in those who come at the eleventh hour and receive the same eternal reward. It is not for us to judge the generosity that God offers in this or any other sphere of life. We must remain ever grateful that we have a God and Saviour who wishes everyone to be saved and come to knowledge of the Truth, at whatever time of the day or age of life this happens.

A number of parishioners have asked or queried whether the latest government guidelines on social gatherings affect church attendance. It has been made clear that we are not a social gathering but an act of worship and as such we continue to follow the protocols we have had in place from the start. So, please continue to reserve a place at Mass and observe the guidelines for Mass attendance as they are laid-out on the website.

God bless you all!

Msgr Kevin Hale