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In January of this year my parish was amalgamated with one of its neighbouring parishes, that of St Thomas More. This was a difficult experience particularly for the parishioners of St Thomas More who saw their church closed.
A consequence of the amalgamation is that we now have a new, larger, parish boundary. In January 2019 I will use the Rite of Blessing of a Parish, from the Roman Ritual, to bless our new, larger, parish on the first anniversary of the amalgamation This will be the third time that I have performed this Rite.
In preparation for this blessing groups of parishioners have prayed the Rosary while walking sections of the boundary. We hope to have completely ringed the parish with prayer before the Blessing in January. This prayer has been offered for everyone who lives within our parish territory.
The above photo was taken about a month ago on the northern part of the parish boundary, looking north to Leeds. The M1 motorway is just visible in the right of the photo. What gorgeous, sweeping fields we have in the parish, intersected by a wonderful network of footpaths.
Mark 10: 2-16.
Ideology or God's plan.
It isn't easy to speak openly today about the Church's teaching on marriage. But Jesus did!
Ideology is so strong today - attitudes, lifestyles, me, myself and I.
It was strong in those days - legalistic prescriptions, which covered over attitudes, lifestyles, me myself and I.
But God's plan in beautiful and includes my transformation in grace so that I am made fit for the Kingdom. And if being fit for the Kingdom means being called to model your nuptial relationship on the spousal relationship of Jesus with the Church - then enter into that nuptial relationship and allow yourself to be transformed.
Ideology or the Gospel?
We hear a lot from the ideologues, but not enough proclamation of the Gospel.
On Saturday our group joined in the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham. We were around 500 people in all from across the Leeds Diocese. It was a beautiful day, seeking Our Lady anew as our model for saying "yes" to God.
This year is the 70th anniversary of the 1948 Cross-carrying pilgrimage which fourteen groups made from different parts of the country in reparation for the evil of WW2. It was an inspiration to us about how we can carry our (baptismal) crosses in reparation today for the evil which we all know about.
The pilgrimage ended very poignantly, with the praying of the "Prayer for England" at the site of the original Holy House. We all came away much uplifted.
Have you ever been in a place that's being remodelled? It's usually quite messy, with signs apologising for the inconvenience, but promising a great new look. Well, that's what we can be like too when we are endeavouring to get rid of the evil that is in us. And that's good, and we should support one another in this great process.
Today, with the fall off in recognising our sin, and in the consequent fall off in receiving the sacrament of penance, we end up going about our lives with that evil, poorly concealed and hanging around. Grace doesn't flow and we are atrophied.
The Lord is right, let's attend to the evil in us, undergo the remodelling and be free.
(Sorry, I was a bit late with this Sunday's. I was on pilgrimage in Walsingham on Saturday.)
