A message from Fr John

Good morning - a very happy Feast Day: Epiphany - Jesus shown as Saviour of the whole world.

It brings to an end our Christmas season (albeit that officially it goes on to the Feast of the Presentation/ Candlemas). The decorations come down, trees go back in the box or recycled and we can begin to live in the light of the Lord for another year, full of hope - in the midst of everything. 

My old friend Patrick Purnell sj wrote a poem about these times:

Christmas is Being Put Away

Christmas is being put away:

The Kings in a Cardboard box,

Mary stashed in tissue paper,

Joseph wrapped in a wooly hat,

And the Infant Christ in a nylon sock;

All tucked away under the stairs,

We’ll climb another year

Up to bed and down too breakfast.

And somewhere in the pantry of my thoughts,

A wistful coil of questions

Goes unanswered.

But aren’t we grateful for the ability to ask questions?

I am presuming that we can keep going with our routine of Masses and will do so until we hear otherwise. But I must reiterate that safety is a great concern - our own and those with whom we come into contact. We must however keep praying with and for each other whether we can go to Mass or not.

We must also keep praying for our teachers, parents and children as they adjust, yet again, to a different set of rules.

St Joseph, pray for us

Every blessing

Fr John

Please pray for Angela Williamson whose funeral we celebrated yesterday