Dear friends in Christ
We make the pilgrimage through Lent each year confident that we shall arrive at the glory of the Resurrection. This is the reason for proclaiming the Gospel of the Transfiguration on this Second Sunday. The Apostles were weighed-down by events; Jesus wishes to reassure them, by this moment of glory, of the final end of the Passion—His glorification. We are living through dark days at the moment in Europe. But through all of the horrors of war and bloodshed we have hope. The hope of the Christian could be expressed as an acronym: Having Only Positive Expectations! When we strive to live by hope, we see everything in supernatural terms; we see the world and life itself, as God sees it. This does not mean that we are naive or oblivious to the world around us, rather, that we see the reality around us through faith-tinted glasses.
During this coming week we will celebrate the two Saints who have been foundational for our Parish: Saint Patrick and Saint Joseph. The original church (the previous Parish Hall) had this joint-dedication. When the present church building was constructed in 1925 it was dedicated to: Our of Lourdes & Saintt Joseph. Saints Patrick and Joseph remain very much our intercessors since they show us models of hope and courage: St Patrick a model of faith and a great evangeliser and St Joseph, the man of faith who had custody of the two greatest treasures our world has known: Jesus and Mary. We seek their intercession at this time, that they may instil hope and trust within us. Hopefully the promised shrine to St Joseph will be completed in the near future, a gesture to mark the Year of St Joseph that has just passed.
Please pray for all those for whom Lent is the intensive preparation for the Sacraments: those who will be Received into the Church at Easter; our young adults for Confirmation; the First Communicants and engaged couples.
May God bless you all and keep us safe under His protection!
Msgr Kevin Hale