Llandudno -
Our Lady Star of
the Sea
Parish
Priest: Fr Antony Jones STL - Telephone: 01492 860546 [Email]
Sunday March
5th
2006
Dear Parishioner,
Lent. How quickly
it seems to come around! I hope you will use the Bishop’s
booklet, Walk with Me as an
aid to your journey through this special season of Lent. The
booklets are excellent and they are free (though we would much prefer
you to pay for them!). Take one for yourself and one for someone
whom you feel would benefit from it. It’s an excellent way of
spreading the good news.
Have you worked out your Lenten penance yet? If you haven’t,
you’re a bit late and should get your skates on. Lent began last
Wednesday.
Our Lenten exercises are of little value if they are not inspired and
empowered by prayer. I would be very glad if you would read,
read, and read again the following passage from the pen of Pope John
Paul II. And not only read it, but use it as the subject matter
for your meditation.
Prayer of Pope Benedict:
Holy Mary, Mother of God, you have given the world its true
light, Jesus, your Son, the Son of God. You abandoned yourself
completely to God’s call and thus became a wellspring of the goodness
which flows forth from him. Show us Jesus. Lead us to
him. Teach us to know and love him, so that we too can become
capable of true love and be fountains of living water in the midst of a
thirsting world
The worship of the Eucharist outside
of the Mass is of inestimable value for the life of the Church.
This worship is strictly linked to the celebration of the Eucharistic
Sacrifice. The presence of Christ under the sacred species reserved
after Mass – a presence which lasts as long as the species of bread and
of wine remain – derives from the celebration of the sacrifice
and is directed towards communion, both sacramental and
spiritual. It is the responsibility of Pastors to
encourage, also by their personal witness, the practice of Eucharistic
adoration, and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in particular, as
well as prayer of adoration before Christ present under the Eucharistic
species.
It is pleasant to spend time with him, to lie close to his breast like
the Beloved Disciple (cf. Jn 13:25) and to feel the infinite love
present in his heart. If in our time Christians must be
distinguished above all by the “art of prayer”, how can we not feel a
renewed need to spend time in spiritual converse, in silent adoration,
in heartfelt love before Christ present in the Most Holy Sacrament? How
often, dear brothers and sisters, have I experienced this, and drawn
from it strength, consolation and support!
This practice, repeatedly praised and recommended by the Church’s
teaching, is supported by the example of many saints. Particularly
outstanding in this regard was Saint Alphonsus Liguori, who wrote: “Of
all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the
greatest after the sacraments, the one dearest to God and the one most
helpful to us”. The Eucharist is a priceless treasure: by not
only celebrating it but also by praying before it outside of Mass we
are enabled to make contact with the very wellspring of grace. A
Christian community desirous of contemplating the face of Christ…
cannot fail also to develop this aspect of Eucharistic worship, which
prolongs and increases the fruits of our communion in the body and
blood of the Lord.
As Pope Paul VI wrote in his Encyclical Letter Mysterium Fidei “In the
course of the day the faithful should not omit visiting the Blessed
Sacrament, which in accordance with liturgical law must be reserved in
churches with great reverence in a prominent place. Such visits are a
sign of gratitude, an expression of love and an acknowledgment of the
Lord's presence”.
So, could your Lenten Resolution this year be framed according to this
plea from the Pope? Remember, Christ is always present in the
church, and there is exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for the
children on Saturdays at 10am and for all of us on Friday afternoons.
The Poorest of the Poor -
Sr Jean - Ian Mawdsley - The SVP -
The Sudan
I would like to share this email with you which I received from Ian
Mawdsley who, as you know, has recently made a further visit to the
Sudan and the region we support with our monthly collection:
I’m pleased to report that I’m back home after a very successful visit
to Sunday. I met Sister Jean at Mass at Khartoum Cathedral on
Sunday morning and we had a very fruitful meeting at the SVP offices on
Monday. She sends her best wishes and continued thanks to you and
all in Llandudno parish. As far as the work of the SVP in Sudan
is concerned, I am pleased to report that the SVP is now at the centre
of all the communities of displaced people around Khartoum.
Together with our National President and Twinnage Organiser, I attended
graduation ceremonies for adults who had successfully completed
vocational training programmes. We also met the Minister for
Social Welfare who expressed his wish to work in partnership with
us. This meeting was shown on Sudanese television and reported on
the radio. So in a space of under ten years we have moved from
persecution to acceptance to partnership – a great compliment to Kamal
and all our members and staff who work tirelessly for the poorest of
the poor. Thank you and everyone for your prayers – they
worked! Ian
A Spring Garland -
Congratulations to Vera Heade for the very successful and enjoyable
evening she arranged on the 24th. Eventual success usually means
hard word – and we thank Vera for this.
God bless you,
Fr Antony Jones.