OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE

The Catholic Diocese of Arundel & Brighton welcomes the election of Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Successor of St Peter and Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church. Responding to the news, Bishop Richard Moth said : "We give thanks that under the guidance of the Holy Spirit the Cardinals have elected Pope Leo XIV. “Pope Leo brings to the office of the Holy Father considerable experience as a bishop and pastor including in Chulucanas, so closely associated with our diocese, together with his more recent service as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. His prayer for peace in his first words from the balcony at St Peter’s will resonate with Catholics and all people of good will. “This is a significant moment for the Catholic Church and for the world, and we offer our prayers for the Holy Father as he begins his Pontificate." Pope Leo, the first Pope from the United States of America, was born on 14 September 1955 in Chicago, Illinois. In 1977, he entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine in the province of Our Lady of Good Counsel, in Saint Louis. On 29 August 1981 he made his solemn vows. He studied at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago, receiving a diploma in theology. At the age of 27 he was sent by the Order to Rome to study canon law at the Pontifical Saint Thomas Aquinas University (Angelicum). He received priestly ordination on 19 June 1982. He received his licentiate in 1984, and was then sent to work in the mission of Chulucanas, in Piura, Peru (1985-1986); the Diocese of Chulucanas. In 1987, he was awarded a doctorate with the thesis: “The role of the local prior in the Order of Saint Augustine”. In the same year he was elected director of vocations and director of the missions of the Augustinian province of “Mother of Good Counsel” of Olympia Fields, Illinois. On 3 November 2014, Pope Francis appointed him apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, elevating him to the dignity of bishop and assigning him the titular diocese of Sufar. He was ordained a bishop on 12 December, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in the cathedral of his diocese. He was created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope Francis in the Consistory of 30 September 2023, of the Deaconry of Santa Monica.

This Sunday we begin a Month of Prayer for Vocations (see below), and there will be a second collection for The Education of Future Priests.

An assembly powerpoint from St Peter’s School, all about Pope Francis RIP. View here

Our First reading from the Acts of the Apostles omits verses 33 to 39 of Chapter 5, which is a pity as it records what the Pharisee Gamaliel said about Jesus and his followers. He notes that on two previous occasions popular movements failed once the leader died. He then observed that “if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” One of the greatest strengths of our church is that we have a robust succession plan. With the passing of Pope Francis our cardinals gather to elect the next successor of Peter. Note that the new Pope is not the successor of Francis. Each new Pope carries on the task assigned by Jesus to St. Peter, to feed our spirits. Pope Francis has left us much food for thought, such as; Laudato Si’ – on care for our common home; Fratelli Tutti - on fraternity and social friend-ship; Evangelii Gaudium, joy of the gospel.  So in our prayers let us give thanks to God for Francis and ask the Holy Spirit to guide our cardinals in their selection of our new Pope. With my prayers for you and your family. God bless us. Deacon Simon

This is the most important and beautiful weekend of the year for Catholic Christians. The "three days" of the Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday & Holy Saturday) give meaning and purpose to our lives. There is no emotion that we experience in life that is not experienced by Jesus in His passion, death and resurrection. We know that we have a God who understands, empathises and shares in our human condition and He brings us to share in His divinity. If you want to know how much God loves you, then look at Jesus on the cross. He is a man and He is still God. If you want to see the power of God then look at Jesus risen from the dead. He is still a man and still God. Our liturgical celebrations are not a performance or a way of enacting something in the past. They are sacraments and they share in that which they present. There is an "outward, physical sign which imparts an inward, spiritual grace." We really share in the events of this week with Jesus as we are present with Him in the liturgical services. We receive His life changing grace. We are changed from death to life, from mortal to immortal. "He is not here, He has risen!"  Likewise we share in the grace of the Divine Mercy Novena which appropriately begins on Good Friday - the "Fountain of Mercy" flows from the side of Jesus. Saint Faustina wrote in her diary what Jesus said to her about this novena: "I desire that during these nine days you bring souls to the fountain of My mercy, that they may draw from there strength and refreshment and whatever grace they have need of in the hardships of life, and especially at the hour of death" (Diary, 1209).

Worthing Deanery Justice and Peace Group are having a Mass for Peace to highlight the conflicts going round on around the world. It will be held at St Michael's, Hayling Rise BN13 3AL on Thurs 24th April at 6.30pm. There will be a display and refreshments in the parish centre afterwards.  All are welcome to join us. The service will be live streamed for those not able to attend. Lifts can be shared - please speak to Robin Olivier or Carolyn Fuhrmann.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, This Sunday, as we gather for the Palm Sunday celebration, our Holy Week begins. The joyous message that greets the Messiah as he enters Jerusalem must, surely, bring hope to a world in which so many of our brothers and sisters are suffering the effects of conflict, injustice and the impact of natural disasters. As we enter Jerusalem in the celebration of the Palm Sunday Liturgy, let us take with us in prayer our brothers and sisters across the world. In our prayer, in our lives, let us seek to walk with them in their suffering as, in the coming days, we spend time with the One who is the Suffering Servant. As the Passion is read this Sunday, let us make every effort to walk with Jesus in every step that he takes. In the days to come this week, I invite you to take parts of the Passion account and make use of them for Lectio Divina. This prayerful reflection on the sacred text will bring the words of the Gospel to a place in the heart, where we listen in faith to the One who calls us to be His. The more we dwell in the Gospel, the more we dwell in Christ, in the One who suffered, died and rose again for us. May God bless you all, + Richard

Shoreham churches are having a Walk of Witness on Good Friday; we will be meeting as usual on the footbridge at 10.50, and then going on to St. Mary’s for a short service at 11.15. I suggest St. Peter’s walkers meet outside the church, and leave at 10.20. If you have any questions please contact me robinolivier86@gmail.com / 07732 707311

The flowering of the cross is a Western Christian tradition. Dating from the Sixth Century, it is practised at the arrival of Easter, in which worshippers place flowers on the bare wooden cross. The barren cross, a reminder of Jesus’ death, is transformed into an Easter symbol representing the new life that emerges from Jesus’ death on Good Friday. We would like to invite you to bring a flower on Easter Sunday, to place onto the cross, while saying a silent prayer (prayer cards available).