Dear friends in Christ

On each occasion that the Apostles encounter Jesus after the Resurrection, they are confronted with His physicality. He is truly alive and in his human body—but because it is a glorified body, they have difficulty in recognising Him. In order to convince them that it is truly Himself, He allows them to touch his wounds, and He eats with them. Because of this, the Apostles are convinced that their faith in the Risen Christ is not the result of mere wishful thinking, or enthusiasm or imagination, but of facts which they themselves are able to confirm repeatedly. Jesus in His appearances, adapts with a marvellous consideration, to their state of mind and the varied situations of those to whom He reveals Himself. He does not treat them all the same but by different ways He leads them to certainty about His Resurrection and about the fact that He is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Our Lord wants to give us every possible guarantee, to that throughout the ages, our faith can rest on solid foundations.

This Sunday we begin the Month of May, Mary’s own month. As ever, let us resolve from the start, to offer each day to her as a special sign of our love and affection. We are children of Mary—especially so in our Parish—let us, like children, give the simplest of tokens of this devotion: honouring her images and statues; praying the Rosary and her Litany each day well; speaking to her in loving conversation and telling others about the important role she has in the life of the Church and in our personal lives. Whoever honours the Mother will be loved very much by the Son!

You will see that the shrine of St Joseph has been installed—but not completed—as it still has to be decorated; thanks to those benefactors who made the work possible in his honour.

May God bless you all!

Msgr Kevin Hale