It is fortunate that the coming week’s celebrations are paced day by day, otherwise they would be too much. A common theme of sacrifice, love and witness runs through them all.
To-day we have celebrated the wonderful and enduring gift of Jesus of his Body and Blood (Corpus Christi) and command ‘Do this as a memorial of me.’
Tomorrow we celebrate the protomartyrs of Great Britain – Ss Alban Julius and Aaron, the first known Christians to give their lives in martyrdom for their faith: Alban in that town outside London that takes his name and Julius and Aaron at Caerleon in S. East Wales sometime in the late 3rd century. On Wednesday the memorial of Ss. John Fisher and Thomas More, again martyrs for the faith and inspire us not least to have the courage to resist the pressure to conform to falsehood, to the broad way, to popular opinion. On Thursday we celebrate the Nativity of S. John the Baptist of whom Jesus said, ‘no greater has been born of women, than he.’ On Friday we celebrate the great feast of the love of God for us in the solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In addition to these great liturgical feasts, on Monday and Thursday especially, we remember in prayer Bishop Mark O’Toole as he is installed as eighth Archbishop of Cardiff in succession Archbishop George Stack and twelfth Bishop of Menevia in succession to Bishop Tom Burns, SM. Respectively.
For ourselves on Friday we celebrate the annual ‘Legal Mass’ following the feast of
S. Thomas More and pray for all those who cast, apply or enforce the legislation of these countries, praying that they do so with prejudice, with integrity and for justice for all.
On Saturday we celebrate the ordination to the Permanent Diaconate of John Goggin from Mold parish, a great moment for him and his family, the Parish of Mold and the Diocese. We give thanks for the gift and vocation of married ministry and service in the Church.
Finally, on Sunday we host the annual national pilgrimage to the Shrine and Well of Saint Winefride in Holywell; because of the coronavirus pandemic this is the first time for three years this pilgrimage and Mass has been able to be held.
To these three Masses particularly I invite you to participate in the joy and witness of the faith we have celebrated through the week.
Good Lord, give me the grace so to spend my life,
that when the day of my death shall come,
though I may feel pain in my body,
I may feel comfort in my soul; and with faithful hope of your mercy,
with due love towards you and charity toward the world,
I may, through your grace, part hence into your glory everlasting.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
(A Prayer of S.Thomas More)