MESSAGE ON THE 14TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YR A)
Friday 7th July 2023
My dear people,
We are very fortunate to have a Youth Group in our parish in Ablaze Youth Group. As I mentioned several weeks ago, our youth group sessions are now led by members of the Alliance of the Holy Family international. I am pleased to report that they have been going very well over the past couple of months since meeting weekly. In order to help with their ongoing activities, the Youth Group is organising a fund raiser on Saturday 5th August 2023. I know this is about four weeks away but I invite you to put this date in your diaries now. It will be a fun night of trivia and will provide an opportunity for the parish to come together for some fellowship.
We are likewise fortunate to have a Men’s Group in our parish. The format of our Men’s Group has changed a lot since it first started back in 2018. We are going to start with a new system as follows: A short period of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for half an hour which will include a brief homily and the celebration of the Sacrament of Confession. It will finish with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament followed by supper in the presbytery. At different times, we will invite members to share a particular topic with us whether that be a hobby, previous life experiences, or any topic they want to share with the group. The Men’s Group will meet on the third Friday of the month starting at 8pm and the next meeting will be on Friday 21st July 2023 here at the church.
I am pleased to inform all of you that we will have the Relic of Our Lady of Tears with us for a novena starting from 22nd July. It is the same relic which has been with us twice now but only for weekend Masses on both occasions. Some of the Masses during the novena will be followed by prayers for the intercession of Our Lady of Tears. The exact details are in the bulletin, and I invite you to check them there. It is indeed a blessing that we were able to secure the relic for nine days. Let us commend our petitions, intentions and prayers to our Lady under her title of Our Lady of Tears.
As announced previously, I will be the chaplain for the parish pilgrimage to the Holy Land next year. The pilgrimage will leave on Monday 20th May 2024 and be back around 2nd June 2024. There will be an Information Session on Friday 21st July at 7pm in the church meeting rooms. If you are interested, please come with all your questions. I will be there and look forward to meeting those of you who are interested.
We continue turning to our patron saint and we ask for her intercession.
St Catherine of Siena, Pray for us.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Fr Richard Rosse PP