Dear Friends,

Having brought to a close our celebration of Christmas and Epiphany, we now turn our attention towards Lent, Holy Week and Easter. Please note the dates and times of the principal liturgies below, beginning with Ash Wednesday on 18 February, with two Masses at 11.00 am and 7.30 pm. Next week our Lent Booklet will be available with details of all the services and events that we have planned over the holy season.

In the meantime we have two Sundays of ‘ordinary time,’ both of which have a particular focus before Lent begins. This Sunday, the Second Sunday before Lent, has a ‘creation’ theme. The hymns and readings reflect the goodness of God in creation, and in the Gospel reading Our Lord encourages us to have confidence in God and all that he provides for us, using examples from the natural world. It’s an opportunity for us to reaffirm our faith in God in the midst of the various challenges our world faces, and to take strength from that faith to meet those challenges.

Next Sunday, the Sunday next before Lent, always focusses on the Transfiguration of Our Lord, when his glory is revealed to his disciples. It is a moment when we can consider the parts of our own lives that are in need of transfiguration, in need of the light of Christ’s glory to shine. These are perhaps the things that we might want to address prayerfully during Lent, so that we can enter into the mystery of our redemption at Easter with hearts open to receive our risen Saviour and the new life he brings us.

All our services this Sunday are at the usual times. Don’t forget that if the early or later Masses aren’t convenient for whatever reason, we now have two Family Masses each month, at 9.15 am. Please consider joining us for one of these beautiful liturgies, with music, vestments, incense, bells, and so on!

With my prayers and best wishes,

Fr Alex