Author: Jacky

There is a little phrase in Latin “Festina Lente” which expresses “hurry up, but slowly”.  This I think and hope echoes our present situation.  Now with a number of people having received the vaccine it is becoming more real, but at the same time because of the amount of people catching and dying from the virus the situation remains very difficult.  Even though the number of new incidents remains high, the need to return to normal life, especially for schools and indeed elderly people is becoming critical on account of the mental stress that is involved.

Safety remains a great concern.  To safely return to a normal healthier life is also now important.  So caution, adhering to wearing masks and social distancing is essential, and to avail of this as an important opportunity to live and learn, and please God, to gain a better quality of life in the future.  This is much to be desired for our catholic Christian community.  I have heard quite regularly of silver linings in the great dark cloud that is Covid 19.  Silver linings may give us opportunities as we return to family and parish life and a good constructive challenge to our future. 

I am taking a break this weekend, with Fr Kieran covering Masses for me.   We will have plenty of time to recover and especially with the season of Lent approaching we can share and strive to live our faith together with confidence and trust.  Then continuing on from last week, the message from Pope Francis, for the next couple of weeks can give us food for thought:-

“Being happy is not a fatality of destiny, but an achievement for those who can travel within themselves.  To be happy is to stop feeling like a victim and become your destiny’s author.  It is to cross deserts, yet to be able to find an oasis in the depths of our soul.  It is to thank God for every morning, for the miracle of life.

Being happy is not being afraid of our own feelings.  It’s to be able to talk about you.  It is having the courage to hear a “no”.  It is confidence in the face of criticism, even when unjustified.

It is to kiss your children, pamper your parents, to live poetic moments with friends, even when they hurt us”.

Many of you, like Tessa and myself, are unable to attend Mass during the present circumstances and receive Holy Communion. For some time now we have been using Live Streaming as a way of attending mass. This usually includes an Act of Spiritual Communion which is a source of grace. It is a real personal desire to receive Him in sacramental Communion when we cannot attend Mass. This prayer is of the form: 

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my heart so that I may unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you.  Amen.

Our Parish Internet site includes addresses where you can follow mass online, including our own site on Sunday. Some sites, such as Hove Sacred Heart Church, have this available daily(8am Monday to Friday with Mgr. Michael Jackson who supplied here for over a year before Fr.Rory came.)

The following Prayer, found on the Internet, was offered by Pope Francis to our Holy Mother for protection during this pandemic:

O Mary, you shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope. We entrust ourselves to you. At the foot of the Cross you participated in Jesus’ pain, with steadfast faith. You, Salvation of the Roman People, know what we need, as you did at Cana of Galilee, We are certain that you will provide, so that, joy and feasting might return after this time of trial. Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the Father’s will and to do what Jesus tells us: He who took our sufferings upon Himself, and bore our sorrows to bring us, through the Cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Amen.

We seek refuge under your protection, O Holy Mother of God. Do not despise our pleas – we who are put to the test – and deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.

With my love and prayers.

The response to the psalm this weekend is “Lord show me your way”.  At this time to give His word time and attention is about the only thing we can do, and obviously the best also.

Last week in our very difficult circumstances, inspiration and encouragement came to me from our local paper at home.  Following all the scandals with the clergy, another shocking revelation has its focus upon mothers and their babies.  This has to be acknowledged as a great darkness for our nation of Ireland.  I was very much in need of the very welcome surprise when the local newspaper highlighted this message “Pope Francis, a new year message of Hope”, and what a message.

So please God, it will carry me along for the next couple of weeks:-

“You can have flaws, be anxious, and even be angry, but do not forget that your life is the greatest enterprise in the world.  Only you can stop it from going bust.

Many appreciate you, admire you and love you.  Remember that to be happy is not to have a sky without a storm, a road without accidents, work without fatigue, relationships without disappointments.  To be happy is to find strength in forgiveness, hope in battles, security in the stage of fear, love in discord.

It is not only to enjoy the smile, but also to reflect on the sadness.  It is not only to celebrate the successes, but to learn lessons from the failures.  It is not only to feel happy with the applause, but to be happy in anonymity”.

To be continued ………….