Dear friends in Christ

We continue our reading of the Parables of the Kingdom of Heaven. This week Saint Matthew relates an important truth with the wheat and the weeds. Jesus explains how the Truth of His Word can easily become mixed-up and confused with falsehoods and erroneous teachings. The early Fathers of the Church say that it is often difficult to distinguish the truth from falsehood because as St John Chrysostom says: it is proper to the devil to mix falsehood with truth; and when error is allowed to flourish it always results in catastrophic effects on the people of God. So the parable has lost none of its relevance for today where almost every truth of the Catholic Faith is called into question. Let these words of the Gospel be a call to alertness on our part, that amidst the winds of discussion and debate, the good wheat of Christ’s doctrine and of His Church, may always be distinguishable.

This Wednesday we have the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of Our Blessed Lady and grandparents of Our Saviour. In celebrating their memory in the liturgy, the Church draws our attention to the importance of the family of Our Lord and at the same time emphasises the vital value of family life centred on Jesus. So too, the place of grandparents in the family hierarchy. Very often grandparents are the means whereby the Faith is kept alive, strengthened and communicated from one generation to the next. If you are a grandparent, ask for intercession of Joachim and Anne, that you may be courageous and strong in being channels of grace for the strengthening of family life in your children and their offspring.

As we begin the School holidays, we hope and pray that the weeks ahead will be a genuine time of rest and recreation, especially if you are fortunate enough to be going away. Let us never forget the supreme importance of the Sunday Mass wherever we are and that our first and vital duty is the worship of God in the Eucharistic Sacrifice. With more free time available, participating in weekday Mass would also be something I strongly encourage.

As we depart for our Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes—with a large number of Parishioners and young adults from Leigh—be assured of the prayers we shall offer at Mary’s Sanctuary. I shall be offering Holy Mass for the intentions of our Parish Family.

May God and His Blessed Mother bless you all!

Msgr Kevin Hale