Dear friends in Christ

On Thursday we shall mark and celebrate the end of the period of time Jesus spent with His Apostles following His Resurrection. This moment is the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. Although we no longer have the physical body of Jesus on this earth, nonetheless He remains with us in the presence of the Blessed Eucharist, which is His Presence, par excellence among all the other ways he is present on earth. Thursday is a Holyday of Obligation.

Next Sunday we shall welcome the Bishop—Alan Williams—to our Parish for his three-yearly Visitation. During the day he will meet priests and people and during the 11.30am Mass confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on sixteen young adults. The Bishops are the successors of the Apostles and our Bishop is the chief shepherd of our Diocese of Brentwood. He comes amongst us as the first teacher of the Faith, to encourage us and confirm us in the faith of Jesus Christ. He is also a wonderful link for us with the Universal Shepherd, Pope Leo XIV, the Pastor of Pastors! May the visit of Bishop Alan be for us a reminder that we are part of the greater family of the Church, founded on the profession of Saint Peter’s faith, and handed-down from generation to generation. Please pray for those being Confirmed: their Sponsors and families to whom we are grateful for their support and encouragement. I thank their Catechists who have prepared them too. Also, thanks to those who prepared our First Communicants this year and for all who had any part in the First Communion Masses these past two weekends: the children who read and provided the music and those who prepared the refreshments.

God bless our Pope, our Bishop and all of you!

Msgr Kevin Hale