“Don’t think that this mission is soft & easy. Some young people have given their lives for the sake of missionary outreach as the Korean bishops put it: “we hope that we can be grains of wheat & instruments for the salvation of humanity, following upon the example of the martyrs. Though our faith is as small as a mustard seed, God will give it growth & use it as an instrument for his work of salvation.” Young friends, don’t wait until tomorrow to contribute your energy, your audacity & your creativity to changing our world. Your youth is not an “in-between time”. You are the now of God, & he wants you to bear fruit. For “it is in giving that we receive.” The best way to prepare a bright future is to experience the present as best we can, with commitment & generosity. Are you looking for passion? Nothing is more practical than finding God, than falling in love in a quite absolute final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, whom you know, what breaks your heart, & what amazes you with joy & gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love & it will decide everything. This love for God, that can approach everything in life with passion, is possible thanks to the Spirit for “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5) (“Christus Vivit” to young people & to the entire people of God: Pope Francis May 2019)
A fledgling choir/music group met for the first time last Sunday after Mass, enjoyed the moment, & are keen to meet again & take a number of possible initiatives forward for trial & experimentation for our Sunday liturgy. Their next meeting will be Sun 7th July immediately after Mass, & they would warmly encourage others to join them. You don’t have to be skilled either in music or song, & the group will welcome you in offering every joy & encouragement.
(We are to arrange a Sunday morning moment in early September, convenient to both Anne & Andrew Carter, & Bernard Walker, to mark the sterling service they have given to the Parish over many years, Bernard 60 years as our bell ringer.)
Kirsten Lawford Davies’ heartening explanation of the purpose & outreach of the Parish Lottery last Sunday has gained us 16 new members so far. If you would like to join please contact the Parish Office.
I explained last weekend that meetings have been held in Our Lady & the Holy Angels in Gilling (16th April 2019) & in St Aidan’s Oswaldkirk (13th June 2019), to explain our difficulty in providing monk-priests to celebrate weekend Masses in so many neighbouring locations, & to seek the views of those present on how our Community could respond to the resultant opportunity. The feedback from both meetings has gone to Fr Gabriel & his Council. We would like to hold a third meeting here in Our Lady & St Benedict’s, the Mother Church for the locality, in order to inform you of the discussions thus far & to seek your wise counsel on how we might go forward in Mass provision, & in the ongoing faith formation of the wider locality. Provisionally the meeting will be held in Church on Thurs 11th July, the Feast of St Benedict, at 7pm, finishing by 8pm. I hope as many of you as possible will come & contribute in advance of a decision by Fr Gabriel & his Council. Let us keep all those who will be affected by the changes in our prayers.
St Benedict’s Primary School was inspected by Ofsted on Wednesday & Thursday last week. The Inspector very much enjoyed her visit, & the Headteacher, staff & children deserve great credit for all their hard work in the time since the last inspection, & especially during the inspection itself. The Inspector fed back to the Headteacher & Governors, & we feel that we were well heard & that fair judgements were reached. We expect the Report to be published in about 3 wks time. We are blessed to have such dedicated & passionate staff & governors, who have risen to the challenges we have faced in recent years with wisdom & generosity. Please keep everyone in School in your thoughts & prayers. With my love & prayers, Fr Bede.