Well, here we are 'at the 11th hour'; all packed and ready to go. I'm very much looking forward to our parish pilgrimage to Rome beginning tomorrow.
I'm always delighted to pay a visit to my 'old stamping ground' and it will be good to be in the company of parishioners some of whom will be making their first visit to the Eternal City.
Please be assured of our prayers for all at St Ann's as we visit the various sites on our pilgrimage. I trust that you will also keep us in your prayers.
I hope to be able to send you a brief message now and again throughout the week to let you know how we're getting on so do please keep 'popping by' the blog to see.
Here are some photos taken after our First Holy Communion Mass this morning.
In trying to comply with Child Protection guidelines we end up with photos of the proud parents, members of the family and friends. If you look closely you might be able to spot a few of our First Holy Communion children - recognisable by the grins on their faces!
Today we celebrated a First Communion Mass for some of our First Communion children. The remainder will make their First Communion next Sunday.
We pray that it will be the first of many times throughout their lives that they will receive Our Blessed Lord in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
We thank the parents for helping them in their preparation and our catechists for walking alongside them and giving their time and dedication to the children and our First Holy Communion programme culminating in this special occasion today.
Today we enjoyed a wonderful celebration at St Joseph's Church, Epsom when Bishop Kieran conferred the sacrament of Confirmation on 114 young people from our Deanery including 22 from our own parish.
Like First Holy Communion which we will be celebrating at St Ann's in the next few weeks, Confirmation is a marvellous celebration, not just for the young people involved but also for their families and catechists who have guided and supported them in their journey of faith bringing them to this happy day; and for the whole parish community.
We look forward to the newly-Confirmed taking a full and active part in the life of the Church and of our parish.
The Memorial of St Joseph the Worker has been celebrated in the Church since 1955. Today the Church, inspired by St Joseph's example and under his fatherly care commemorates in a particular way the human and supernatural value of work.
In the Gospel of today's Mass we see again how Jesus is 'identified' in Nazareth by his occupation; 'Is he not the carpenter's son? Is not his mother Mary?' In another place we are told that Jesus practised the same trade as St Joseph, therefore it is reasonable to conclude that man's work by being taken up by God's only Son, has been sanctified, and can be something redemptive, through being united to Christ who Redeemed the World.
Today we meditate with St Joseph's help on the many aspects of love, esteem and gratitude for our job.
St Joseph the Worker, pray for us and bless our work.
The Christian tradition of dedicating the month of May to Our Blessed Lady arose at about the end of the 13th Century. The practice of honouring Mary during May has been especially recommended by Popes. In his great Encyclical on the Sacred Liturgy (Mediator Dei), Pope Pius XII characterised it as one of 'other exercises of piety which although not strictly belonging to the Sacred Liturgy, are nevertheless of special import and dignity, and may be considered in a certain way to be an addition to the liturgical cult; they have been approved and praised over and over again by the Apostolic See and the Bishops.'
Pope Paul VI wrote a short Encyclical in 1965 using the month of May devotion as a means of obtaining prayers for peace.
Pope John Paul II said in May 2002, 'Today we begin the month dedicated to Our Lady, a favourite of popular devotion. In accord with a long-standing tradition of devotion, parishes and families continue to make the month of May a 'Marian' month, celebrating it with devout liturgies, catechetical and pastoral initiatives.'
The following are some of the practices which are recommended by the Magesterium and offered as suggestions for honouring Our Lady during the month.
The Regina Coeli, The Rosary, Litanies of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Here at St Ann's we will pray the Rosary each Sunday in May at 4pm followed by Benediction.
Well, here we are 'at the 11th hour'; all packed and ready to go. I'm very much looking forward to our parish pilgrimage to Rome beginning tomorrow.
.bmp.jpg)
