Dear friends in Christ

The Kingship of Christ is a strange kingship, by the values of this world. Jesus was never so much King as when he stood before Pilate to be judged and as He hung upon the Cross wearing the crown of thorns. These are the authentic emblems of His regal reign. As we contemplate the universal sovereignty of Jesus on this final Sunday of the liturgical year, we consecrate ourselves once again to His Sacred Heart. We pray that Jesus will reign in our hearts, in our minds, in our Parishes, in the Church and in all of society, so that, there will be nowhere that does not experience the peace and harmony He brings.

This Sunday is World Youth Day and so we pray for those young adults who live and work in the Church today, that they may ever learn a love of Jesus that will give them the fortitude they need for the whole of life. We listen to one of our young adults at the end of the Masses this weekend as they describe the youth apostolates in our Diocese so that we can better support them in their ambitions for the life of the Church.

This weekend we shall begin using the new translation of the Readings at Mass: the English Standard Version (ESV)—which will hopefully bring us a greater clarity of language as we meditate on the Word of God in the Sacred Liturgy.

On Thursday we begin the Forty Hours’ Prayer, three days of solemn Eucharistic adoration.I would suggest we offer these hours of prayer for the preservation of the sacredness of human life, until natural death. The Assisted Suicide Bill is debated in Parliament on Friday. May our profound prayer help to influence the minds of our legislators, so that God’s Law may be everywhere respected and defended. The Forty Hours’ Prayer should also be a preparation for the start of the Jubilee Year 2025—the Year of Hope—beginning on Christmas Day. I invite you all to commit to spending some minutes—even making a Holy Hour—before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament sometime between Thursday evening and Saturday afternoon. I am convinced that the most important graces that the Parish Family receives, are given to us during this time of prayer.

God bless you and keep you in the love of His sovereign and Eucharistic Heart!

Msgr Kevin Hale