Now that Easter is over, it brings a sense of hope in so many areas of our lives, not least being the possibility of seeing beyond Covid. For many of us, this past year has been one of sadness and loss. Both came home to roost for me with the death of my brother, Liam on Holy Saturday. Those of you who accessed the streamed Requiem from Dublin on Thursday will appreciate the man that he was. However, that’s my loss. But many of you are all too aware of your own loss. “Grief is love with nowhere to go.” This quote from Fred Gutenberg, whose 14-year-old and only daughter was killed in the Parkland School, Florida, mass shooting three years ago, describes the nature of grief. However, faith in the Risen Christ constantly addresses this void. The discovery of the empty tomb, the Emmaus story, the wounds of the risen Jesus etc., all say how comforting our faith can be. The community support was pivotal. Both dimensions of a Faith Community were marvellously shown to me this week. And so I take this opportunity to say how grateful I am to you all for your kind support to me, family in Dublin, and the US, on the sudden death of our big brother Liam. Can I now thank all who joined us for the Easter Triduum, both at home and online. Yes, Katie and Lucy did brilliantly within the limited resources available. Something for us to look for the future. Thanks also to our hard-working stewards, and to Marjorie, working under pressure to ensure we were all able to attend at least one service. Please God, we will return to some normality in the near future.
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- Mar 26, 2021
This has been a year like no other. This will be a Holy Week like no other. If ever we were invited into an experience of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are most certainly asked to dig deep this coming week. I am sure the hardships experienced these past twelve months have had some positives and made us much more appreciative of what was taken for granted. Yes, it has been a dreadful year. “If suffering brings wisdom, I would wish to be less wise.” W. B. Yeats. We can understand these words. However, Holy Week simply asks us to know that we don’t just seek wisdom and understanding to the losses and hardships endured this past year, but also to realise we are not alone. Faith and community go some distance in helping this understanding. We will attend services online or in person of a limited form. We will miss the pageantry of it all. But, there is something profound in the simplicity of experiencing Holy Week at home, or in Church. So much effort has been put into making something out of our tattered expectations. Think of all the phone calls. All those simple messages of concern. Those heroic efforts of hospital staff, school staff, delivery people, All the any decent, caring frontline workers. Perhaps this week is an opportunity to bring them all into Holy Week with us. To see the face of Christ where we never thought he was. “While we too always seek other signs, other wonders, we do not realise that he is the real sign. God made flesh. He is the real sign; he is the greatest miracle of the universe; all the love of Go hidden in the human heart, in a human face”. Pope Benedict. We pray that this coming week brings the comfort and consolation you richly deserve. And speaking of consolation, we recently lost a wonderful character in the person of Mary Malyan. Mary’s love of The Word of God was visible to all of us who listened to her reading in Church and at St. Leonard’s at Christmas and Easter. She made each word her own. She loved to hear it well read from others. A readiness to smile and laugh at the failings of others, but especially her own. Bless her. Have a lovely Holy Week.
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- Mar 12, 2021
Well done to our schools for welcoming back all students this week. This is a bigger challenge than many appreciate. Our prayers and best wishes are especially with teachers who may have come down with Covid. And whilst on schools, hearty congratulations to St. Leonard’s 6th form YouTube video for Cafod. Well done all. So, how will we be as a church, parish, faith community, after lockdown? Nobody knows except the Lord himself. However, we can try and share the uncertainty next Tuesday when we, as parish, engage with these questions through the challenge that Professor Tom O’Loughlin will pose – and we will also attempt some possible answers. My thanks again to Katie and team of parish volunteers for getting the parish packs out. Can I ask you to keep an eye to someone you know who may have slipped under the radar and is not receiving a pack. Thanks.
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