Dear friends in Christ

The most fundamental question ever for us is that which Jesus asks: who do you say I am? Following the answer of Peter, which expresses our belief in the divinity of Jesus, we are asked if we have truly put Christ at the centre of things: our life, our family and relationships, our work and society. God has proved His love for us by sending His Son into the world; we now have to show by a reciprocal love that Jesus is the foundation of our being. The goal of the Christian life to become one with Christ through grace, through living His life. It is the goal expressed when St Paul says that it is no longer I that live but Christ who lives in me. This union with Jesus always goes by way of the Cross, and so Jesus tells Peter that even though He Is the Christ, the Son of God, He is destined to suffer. This is the extent of His love, a love that is prepared to lay down His love for the sake of His beloved.

Each September the Society of St Vincent de Paul highlight their work in the Parish; a member will address a few words at the end of Mass this weekend, outlining some of their apostolic endeavours. The Society was founded in the slums of Parish in 1833 by Blessed Frederic Ozanam for the alleviation of the poor. The work was placed under the protection of St Vincent de Paul who himself was a great apostle of the forsaken. Each week the members of our local Conference of the SVP undertake visits to those in any kind of spiritual or material need. You may feel you are able to commit to this work by becoming a member yourself, or simply offer your prayers and practical help by contributing to the retiring collection this week. God bless you all!

Msgr Kevin Hale