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Deacon John Writes

I invite you this week to imagine you are on a boat, perhaps a canoe, a sailing boat, a ferry or a great liner. Whichever you choose, think of yourself as on a long journey across the sea in the present time to an unknown destination called eternity. Throughout our lives we will all have a huge variety of experiences. Some of these may well be storms, some emotional and some physical, as well as spiritual storms. We will come face to face with sorrow of some kind – the loss of a loved one, a friend, a teacher, a pet – and we will turn to Jesus for help and peace of mind. He will always be there to accompany us in such times. We will have doubts that we are doing the right thing, worry about what the future will bring, temptations, worries. Give some time this week to imagine that you have overcome all the obstacles put in your way by circumstances that have arisen in your life and arrived at eternity, your ultimate destiny. What do you imagine it will be like? Will you meet your family who have gone before you? Your friends, teachers, companions? Those you have quarrelled with or just disliked? Will your surroundings be different? Will you be able to see your favourite places or perhaps the places you have longed to visit but been unable to do so. Will there be books to read? 

I included a pet since there was a story this week about a little dog who followed the ambulance to the hospital where its master was being taken but was not allowed in. This dog went home each day, but returned every day for a week and remained outside during the day. It was wonderful to see both the dog’s joy when his master came out of hospital and that of its master.

This week may be a good time to give thanks to all who have helped you at various times, throughout your lives. It is definitely a good time to give thanks to the Lord who has always been there to bring peace to our minds, whatever the problem. He will calm tempers and bring peace to all who seek him, dispel worries and help us find peace in troubled times. 

Last Sunday’s Psalm could be taken into our hearts and minds and acted upon at any time: “Lord, make me know your ways. Lord teach me your paths. Make me walk in your truth, and teach me; for you are my God, my saviour.”

You can get a similar message from this coming Sunday’s Psalm which starts: “O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts.” And continues with “Come, ring out our joy to the Lord; hail the rock who saves us. Let us come before him, giving thanks, with songs let us hail the Lord.”   With my love and prayers.

Fr Rory Writes

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”.

A&B Lourdes Pilgrimage Appeal

Donating On-Line Information

For those who wish to donate on-line to the A&B Lourdes Pilgrimage Appeal Collection, the following information shows how this can be done using the A&B Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage website.

  1. Go to the Arundel & Brighton Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage website using this link: A&B Lourdes Pilgrimage Website or the website address https://www.abdiocese.org.uk/lourdes/home
  2. Click on the donate button on the right-hand side of the screen.
  3. Please then click on the donate button in the middle of the page and follow the instructions.

If you have any questions, please contact the A&B Lourdes Pilgrimage Office, either by email on [email protected] or call 01403 740110

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Lourdes Office

Respond to DIY Abortion Consultations to Save Lives

We received from Alithea Williams at SPUC the following information, and she asks for our response.

Respond to Department of Health consultation to stop home abortions!

The Department of Health is holding a public consultation on whether to continue the practice of allowing abortion providers to send abortion pills to women so that they can perform their own abortion at home. We need as many pro-life people as possible to complete the Department of Health’s questionnaire in order to help stop dangerous DIY abortions becoming permanent. SPUC has prepared a briefing which gives a step by step guide to completing the consultation questionnaire. Please go to https://www.spuc.org.uk/Get-Involved/Campaigns/England-DIY-Abortion-Consultation The consultation ends on 26 February 2021.

Are you a Confirmation Catechist?

Are you a Confirmation Catechist?

Would you like to talk to other Catechists and the Diocesan Youth Ministry Adviser about all things Confirmation?

If so, please sign up to join your Deanery Confirmation Network.  These networks were launched towards the end of last year and the conversations were really helpful, particularly in this time of change and adaptation. If you have not already joined your network please contact [email protected] who will make sure that you are involved with the next round of conversations that she is holding at the end of January.

Deacon John Writes

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.