Missing you

Fr Steve 

Message from Fr Steve featured in Newsletter 3rd Sunday Easter.

Parents everywhere have to face the time when their off spring leave home. It’s a necessary part of growing up and maturing. Even with all those positive qualities it can still feel daunting and sad. The two photos on the cover of this news letter are meant to remind you of our home. Unlike the growing up processes, currently we haven't chosen to live separately : present circumstances compel us to do this. 

View from the Bishop's Chair (Cathedra) looking down towards the Te Deum windowshhhh mum’s the word! don’t tell him I stood there!

That’s your spiritual home. Your not being there, even for the best of reasons, saddens your clergy. Its like a home where all the children have left. I needed to share that with you because its an important part of the life situation at this time for your clergy. We want you back as soon as circumstances will permit. 

We miss you.

In the mean time we want you to look at the photograph of our Cathedral sanctuary (it could just as well have been St Thomas More’s ). 

Sanctuary Lancaster Cathedral

It is set up and ready for a “lock down” Mass. Fr John Paul and I celebrate Mass every day, and although we clearly are literally in touch with the Lord in the Sacrament of the altar, for both of us there’s an aspect of the liturgy which has a “Spiritual Communion” significance for us both. We usually answer to each other the Mass parts usually spoken by you the congregation. I especially feel a “spiritual communion” with you in at least two parts of the Mass: when we hold up the sacrament at the end of the Eucharistic prayer and sing “Through Him, and with Him and in Him…” as we sing the “Amen” I offer that response for you...because properly it belongs to you. Then in the next prayer, the Our Father, how can you pray those words without being reminded of our eternal connection to each other in Jesus Christ? At this time Spiritual Communion through prayer is a powerful reality...for clergy and for people. 

Fr John Paul

 Finally you might also notice in that bottom photo that there’s an extra candle burning on a stand in the sanctuary area. When COVID 19 was labelled a Pandemic we made this candle our prayer focus both for those suffering and caring for people with the virus, and also for all of us during the lockdown.
Whenever Fr John Paul and I pray in the Cathedral we light this candle. We invite you to join in this prayer in which ever way you find fruitful: Pray for people with the virus and their heroic carers, and pray for people during the lock down. Fr Steve