Dear friends in Christ

Over the next Five Sundays we shall read from chapter six of St John’s Gospel: The Eucharistic Discourse. Every three years when these readings recur, we have the opportunity to reflect on the central truth of our Catholic Faith—The Mystery of Faith—which is the Blessed Eucharist. The miracle of the multiplication of the food was a prefiguring of what was to come: Jesus feeds the hungry multitude with bread and fish; at the Last Supper—in the Eucharistic Banquet—Jesus feeds us with His own Body and Blood. I hope that over these weeks I will be able to open, once again, some of the depths of this great gift and mystery, which is Jesus Himself with us.

Once again this year our Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes has been cancelled. By way of compensation, this week—which would have been the days of our Pilgrimage—the Bishop will be celebrating Mass in five churches of the Diocese. The first will be here in Leigh this Monday and you will find the details of the other celebrations throughout the week in this bulletin.

As many of you may be embarking upon holidays and travel over these coming weeks, I wish you every happiness and a safe journey, there and back!

God bless you all!

Msgr Kevin Hale