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NEWSLETTER -
PENTECOST - 31 MAY 2009
Dear Parishioner,
Today, we celebrate the great Feast of Pentecost. Our International Mass reminds us vividly of the famous day when the Holy Spirit descended on Our Lady and the Apostles and, as a sign that the Church would preach the Gospel to every nation, empowered them to speak to the amazed crowds in every language under the sun.
The Bishop has requested that the following message be printed today in all Newsletters throughout the Diocese, or announced from the pulpit:
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
On Pentecost Day we celebrate the gift of the Spirit, who impels us to ‘work in all sorts of different ways’ in building up the Kingdom of God. One of those ways requires us to use our vote well. Whatever we may think about politicians’ expenses, or other issues, we cannot afford not to vote on June 4th in the European Elections. In the system of proportional representation which is used in the European election, every vote counts. There are no lost votes. We need to make sure that extremist parties, such as the BNP, do not win places in the European Parliament. By voting, we show we take seriously the words of St. Paul, that ‘ in the one Spirit we were all baptised, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as citizens, and one Spirit was given to us all to drink’.
May I wish you all the peace that is the gift of the Spirit.
+Edwin, Bishop of Wrexham
I hope no one will accuse the Bishop of meddling in politics or claim that the Church and the State must be kept untouchably apart. When a political party pushes through laws which are contrary to the Law of God or behaves in some other way that contravenes the teaching of Christ, then the Church has a duty to stand up and say so. The trouble with our Church today is that there are not enough people (ourselves included) prepared to raise their heads above the parapet.
The BNP wants to restrict immigration and, where possible, to send home those who have settled here from overseas. This vision of humanity as divided between us and them is far removed from the Church’s vision. The Catholic Church, as its very name Catholic implies, sees itself inclusive of every race and nation, embracing into the one family of God men and women of every nationality under the sun, recognising all as equal. Far from diminishing or threatening us, this intake of people from other cultures is seen by the Church as a positive enrichment, as these new members to our Parish Families bring with them all the treasures and refinements of their own cultures.
This Tuesday sees the beginning of our Catechumenate 2009/2010. I don’t think you have done what I asked you to do, for we have only one candidate from Llandudno. If you had brought it to the attention of your friends and family, as I asked you to, and given it the kind of encouragement that only a friend can give, then the numbers would be as one would have expected. There are lots of people just waiting for you to invite them into the Catholic Church.
At a recent meeting of the priests of the Deanery, we decided that our Catechumenate would be opened up to people from the other parishes of the Deanery. Already some have applied, and I look forward to more.
Any member of the Parish is welcome to attend the Catechumenate in order to deepen their understanding of the Faith. Many have done this in the past and found it very enjoyable and helpful. The sessions are every Tuesday from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm, with a twenty-minute tea break in the middle. There is chance for discussion and feedback, but generally I do all the talking myself and never put anyone on the spot by asking questions. It’s all very laid back and friendly. As well as teaching the Faith it achieves another purpose, it creates lasting friendships.
God bless you, Fr Antony Jones
Today, we celebrate the great Feast of Pentecost. Our International Mass reminds us vividly of the famous day when the Holy Spirit descended on Our Lady and the Apostles and, as a sign that the Church would preach the Gospel to every nation, empowered them to speak to the amazed crowds in every language under the sun.
The Bishop has requested that the following message be printed today in all Newsletters throughout the Diocese, or announced from the pulpit:
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
On Pentecost Day we celebrate the gift of the Spirit, who impels us to ‘work in all sorts of different ways’ in building up the Kingdom of God. One of those ways requires us to use our vote well. Whatever we may think about politicians’ expenses, or other issues, we cannot afford not to vote on June 4th in the European Elections. In the system of proportional representation which is used in the European election, every vote counts. There are no lost votes. We need to make sure that extremist parties, such as the BNP, do not win places in the European Parliament. By voting, we show we take seriously the words of St. Paul, that ‘ in the one Spirit we were all baptised, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as citizens, and one Spirit was given to us all to drink’.
May I wish you all the peace that is the gift of the Spirit.
+Edwin, Bishop of Wrexham
I hope no one will accuse the Bishop of meddling in politics or claim that the Church and the State must be kept untouchably apart. When a political party pushes through laws which are contrary to the Law of God or behaves in some other way that contravenes the teaching of Christ, then the Church has a duty to stand up and say so. The trouble with our Church today is that there are not enough people (ourselves included) prepared to raise their heads above the parapet.
The BNP wants to restrict immigration and, where possible, to send home those who have settled here from overseas. This vision of humanity as divided between us and them is far removed from the Church’s vision. The Catholic Church, as its very name Catholic implies, sees itself inclusive of every race and nation, embracing into the one family of God men and women of every nationality under the sun, recognising all as equal. Far from diminishing or threatening us, this intake of people from other cultures is seen by the Church as a positive enrichment, as these new members to our Parish Families bring with them all the treasures and refinements of their own cultures.
This Tuesday sees the beginning of our Catechumenate 2009/2010. I don’t think you have done what I asked you to do, for we have only one candidate from Llandudno. If you had brought it to the attention of your friends and family, as I asked you to, and given it the kind of encouragement that only a friend can give, then the numbers would be as one would have expected. There are lots of people just waiting for you to invite them into the Catholic Church.
At a recent meeting of the priests of the Deanery, we decided that our Catechumenate would be opened up to people from the other parishes of the Deanery. Already some have applied, and I look forward to more.
Any member of the Parish is welcome to attend the Catechumenate in order to deepen their understanding of the Faith. Many have done this in the past and found it very enjoyable and helpful. The sessions are every Tuesday from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm, with a twenty-minute tea break in the middle. There is chance for discussion and feedback, but generally I do all the talking myself and never put anyone on the spot by asking questions. It’s all very laid back and friendly. As well as teaching the Faith it achieves another purpose, it creates lasting friendships.
God bless you, Fr Antony Jones
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