Feast of Pentecost

 Feast of Pentecost 

Tomorrow we celebrate the great Feast of Pentecost.  Having spent 40 days during Lent to prepare for Easter, we've then spent 50 days celebrating Easter, that Christ is risen.  Last week we remembered on the Feast of the Ascension Jesus going up to heaven to be seated at the right hand of his Father. When he left he promised that he would send a helper, the paraclete, an advocate - the Holy Spirit who would be with us.  Tomorrow we remember when the Holy Spirit came to the Apostles and the birth of the Church.  So tomorrow is the Churches birthday.

For 54 young people in our Diocese they will gather in St Peter's Cathedral, Lancaster to be confirmed by Bishop Paul Swarbrick.  As Fr Steve Pearson said they may not feel different, but when the Bishop calls down the Holy Spirit, this will be confirming what happened at Baptism. Please keep those young people in your prayers. 

The feast of Pentecost is something we celebrate, below a 2 minute video on what it means.  

Novena to the Holy Spirit: Understanding

Novena to the Holy Spirit: Understanding 

This should have been the eighth day of our Novena.  Hopefully having started, readers will have found other resources to reflect on during this Novena.  We focus today on the Understanding which is one of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Apologies to readers that our prayers and reflections for the other days of our Novena have not been shared, your understanding that sometimes life doesn't quite go as planned would be appreciated.

The 8th day in our novena (nine days of prayer) we pray especially for the young people in our parish and this year our deanery who will be confirmed at the Cathedral on the Feast of Pentecost, Sunday 19th May.  

This evening we were in the Cathedral preparing for the big day and were joined by young people from the parishes of Blessed John Henry Newman, St Bernadette's, St Thomas and St Elizabeth Thurnham, St Mary and St Michael Garstang, St William and St Bernard Pilling. 

Book of Psalms

Psalms are not only songs of praise but touch our lives in so many ways.  Today we share a few psalms that refer to the gift of Understanding.  Which is your favourite? What others can you find?

My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding. Psalm 49:3

Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. 
Psalm 119:34

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130

Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. Psalm 147:5

A short reflection and explanation about the gift of understanding, its relationship with the gift of wisdom and how we can help to grow in understanding.

A hymn and reflection: There is a quiet understanding (2.30mins)

A worship song Give me understanding (4.30 mins)

Primary School: Praying the Rosary in May

Primary School: Praying the Rosary in May

Each week during May, a group of children in Year 5 are preparing and leading a Rosary prayer time at lunchtime for children in Key Stage 2. They do it with great enthusiasm and respect and it is lovely to see a good number of children give up part of their lunch break to attend.

Our Lady of Fatima

The 13th May is the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima and the song Ave de Maria tells the story of Our Lady of Fatima and is a reminder of saying the Rosary each day. 

Gospel Reflection: Jesus prays for us as we go out into the world

 Gospel Reflection: Jesus prays for us
as we go out into the world 

Albert Druer, Praying Hands

Today's Gospel is taken from John 17 and we hear Jesus praying to his Father to look after the disciples and consecrate them (make them sacred) as he sends them out into the world to share his Word.  Jesus knows that whilst he was with them he was able to look after them to help them, but soon he will be going to his Father in heaven.   

For those who have lost a parent or a loved one, we can remember how they helped us in our lives, we may remember their final words or those words of wisdom and the example they gave us whilst they were here on earth. For the disciples and for us, today's Gospel is a reminder that although Jesus isn't with us physically, he has shared his words of truth which guide us as we go out into the world to spread the good news.  

Next Sunday, the Feast of Pentecost will be a special day in the faith journey of our confirmandi, 12 young people whose families have been helping them, like Jesus helped the disciples and helps us all. In this third sacrament of their Christian Initiation they become full members of the church and with the help of the Holy Spirit will go out into the world.  We know that living in the world with all its tempations and distractions isn't easy, yet today's Gospel reminds and comforts us that Jesus prays for us, sends his Holy Spirit to help us as we go out to love and serve the Lord. Come Holy Spirit Fill the Hearts of your faithful.  AMH 

Novena to Holy Spirit: Kindness

  Novena to Holy Spirit: Kindness

The 3rd day in our novena (nine days of prayer) we pray especially for the young people in our parish and this year our deanery who will be confirmed at the Cathedral on the Feast of Pentecost, Sunday 19th May.  

Each day we will share a bible passage linked to one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, a hymn or short reflection.

St Paul's letter to the Colossians 3: 12-14  12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Statue of St Therese
in Cathedral Cloister

Today we remember one of the fruits of the spirit - kindness. There are many saints who are known for their acts of kindness.  In the letter to the Colossians this extract links kindness to three other fruits of the spirit, gentleness, patience which when combined with love helps bind in unity.  In today's Gospel Jesus prays for his disciples and us that we may be one. 

Little acts of kindness are often linked to St Therese of Lisieux whose feast day we celebrate in October, but her little way is something we can follow every day.  

To learn more about St Therese's Little Way and acts of kindess.

And a little act of kindness activity for our younger readers Acts of kindness activity. from Mission Together.

A hymn to kindness to help us as we reflect on God's kindness to us, and time for us to reflect on how we can share words of kindness as well as acts of kindness in our lives.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,

and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Novena to Holy Spirit: Peace

 Novena to Holy Spirit: Peace

The 2nd day in our novena (nine days of prayer) we pray especially for the young people in our parish and this year our deanery who will be confirmed at the Cathedral on the Feast of Pentecost, Sunday 19th May.  

Each day we will share a bible passage linked to one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, a hymn or short reflection.

John 20: 21-22 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit". 

Today we remember Jesus' greeting after the resurrection Peace be with you.  This extract is just before the account of St Thomas who then made his great declaration of faith 'My Lord and My God'.  

Being called

During our confirmation preparation our young people had the chance to speak with Fr Steve about his vocation. We all have a vocation, whether that is as a priest, religious, married or single person.  We are all called to follow and so a question for all not only our confirmandi is to take time to think about how we are living out our vocation and to consider if we are being called to use our gifts and talents in some other way.  

Fr Steve talking to confirmandi about his vocation
and answering their questions

We share a video of some religious Poor Clare sisters singing My Peace I give to you.  

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,

and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Praying for Peace

There are many places in our world in need of peace.  Thinking of Fr Matthew's home country and the troubles in Sudan, we pray for peace in Sudan.  For more information see CAFOD page for Sudan Crises 

Listen to us, Lord, hear our prayers as we cry out to you. Comfort and sustain your people. Open the paths of peace, Lord.

At this time of conflict in Sudan, we pray for those who have been forced to flee their homes
and search for safety. Open the paths of peace, Lord.

We pray for those who face hunger and disease, who have lost friends and family, who endure in this time of crisis. Open the paths of peace, Lord.

We pray for those who are working tirelessly to support our sisters and brothers as famine looms and violence persists. Open the paths of peace, Lord.

Guide us to stand alongside one another and through our prayers and actions, keep the people of Sudan always in our hearts. Amen.

Novena to Holy Spirit: Love

 Novena to Holy Spirit: Love

Today we start a novena (nine days of prayer) remembering especially the young people in our parish and this year our deanery who will be confirmed at the Cathedral on the Feast of Pentecost, Sunday 19th May.  

Each day we will share a bible passage linked to one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, a hymn or short reflection.

John 13: 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.

And today a short animation of 1 Corinthians 13: Love is patient.  Take a few moments to think about those people you love and who love you.  How might we be able to follow Jesus' commandment to love one another? 

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,

and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O God, who have taught the hearts of the faithful

by the light of the Holy Spirit,

grant that in the same Spirit we may be truly wise

and ever rejoice in his consolation.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.