SPES

St Patrick's Evangelisation School spent some days with me in Huddersfield last week. Eight members of the eleven-strong team came to help with some Days of Mission. The School which is based at St Patrick's, Soho in the West End, draws its students from all over the world, including from the UK. They spend a year in community, praying, studying and evangelising. The trip north was a welcome break for the team, taking them out of London and letting them engage with other evangelising endeavours.

Last Friday we held a Day of Mission in my Parish. This began early in the morning with an hour of Adoration in my chapel. We then went onto the streets, I with Holy Water and spinkler, they with flyers, inviting people to come to an Hour of Prayer and Healing later that day in the church. In this photo we had stopped at a parishioner's house 'en route', she was delighted to see the streets of the parish being blessed with Holy Water and took this photo of (most of) us.

I was surprised to be approached by a number of people on the street who asked me to bless them specially with Holy Water - I don't think they were Catholics, but they knew what we were doing.

In the early evening we lead a special Hour of prayer and healing before the Blessed Sacrament. Many people came in response to the invitation and, at the end of the hour, received Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

On the Saturday we joined the Friars of the Renewal in Bradford for another special evangelising event: "Christ alive in Bradford". The Friars had erected a huge marquee on a field near their Friary. The event included prayer in praise and song, talks, refreshments and a Eucharistic Holy Hour. Our SPES team were involved for part of the day giving out flyers in Bradford town centre.

Both these events brought many people together to encounter Christ and to celebrate their faith in Him. Even more people saw us on the streets and heard about what was happening, the message of the Church reached many - it is a simple but extraordinary message: Christ is risen!

My thanks to Henry, Anna, Yvonna, Vadim, Mandy, Vincent, Angela and Susi for their eagerness and joy to take part in these events, for the support which they have given to my parish and for the very grace-filled way in which they prayed and worked with me.