Fr. Graham Writes: 8th December 2024
Webmaster • December 7, 2024
In an age where time was set by the height of the sun and it's shadows, months by harvests and festivals by the moon; the moment John the Baptist received the call of God to preach repentance is very precise. We are told when it happened with pinpoint accuracy, in whose reign, governing and High Priesthood and even the place where he started his ministry. The moment is also evidenced as a fulfilment of the prophesy of Isaiah. Nobody will argue with that. The time, the place, the message and the authority. This is a God-given moment. God is doing something new.
Not only do we have John being prepared but we also have Mary being prepared to be the mother of Jesus, the Mother of God (Theotokos). To have someone worthy to bear the Son of God, Mary was conceived without Original Sin (Immaculate Conception). One is moved by the Holy Spirit, the other filled with the same Spirit. The Holy Spirit leads us to know Jesus and be filled with grace. Everything is possible for God.
John's message of repentance from sin is ever more necessary today so that we might be able to respond to Jesus and follow Him. With repentance and confession we are filled with grace and all obstacles to salvation removed. The mountains made low, rough places become smooth.
In this time of Advent, I plead with you to make a good sacramental confession and receive, not only absolution and the forgiveness of sins from God, but also be filled with grace to receive salvation. The time and place is now and here.
With my prayer for you every day.
God bless you.
Fr Graham
O God, who chose your servant, Leo XIV in succession to the Apostle Peter as shepherd of the whole flock, look favourably on the supplications of your people and grant that, as Vicar of Christ on earth, he may confirm his brethren and that the whole Church may be in communion with him in the bond of unity, love and peace, so that in you, the shepherd of souls, all may know the truth and attain life eternal. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen
"Regina Caeli” or “O Queen of Heaven” is a musical antiphon addressed to the Blessed Virgin Mary, used in the liturgy during the Easter Season, from Easter Sunday until Pentecost. V . Queen of Heaven rejoice, alleluia. R. For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia. V . Has risen, as he said, alleluia. R. Pray for us to God, alleluia. V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. R . For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia. Let us pray . O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. R. Amen
On Sunday Pope Leo XIV will celebrate the Mass of Inauguration of his Petrine Ministry. As Head of State many other leaders from around the world will also be attending. As much as this role is important, I do not think Pope Leo will be thinking this is his main work. He may be Pope, but he is also a missionary priest. Pope Leo's Coat of Arms says a lot about him. As well as the Papal keys, his motto In Illo Uno Unum (“In the One, we are one”), he indicates his love for Mary and his Augustinian Order. The latter is depicted by the emblem of a heart resting on the scriptures and the flaming heart is pierced by an arrow. In the words of Saint Augustine, "You pierced my heart with your love". On the night before He died, Jesus gave His church a new commandment, "that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.". The previous covenant had commanded that we love God with all our heart. But now Jesus extends this love as it overflows from His heart, the heart of God. Jesus gave this to us as at the same time as He gave us the Mass and the day before he was sacrificed for us on the cross. Love unites them all. This is how people will know we are His disciples, if our hearts are on fire with God's love. But like the Augustinian emblem and the heart of Jesus it needs to be pierced with an arrow. It will be evident for all to see what the Lord has done in us, to change us. This is our main work: the power of God's love bringing life from death and the new heavens and the new earth into existence. With my prayer for you all every day. God bless you, Fr Graham.
Work has now started. Over the next few months St Peter’s Church Garden will be transformed with the planting of roses, shrubs and flowers, providing a beautiful place to sit for quiet prayer and reflection. It will be renamed The Rosary Garden. As well as being a prayerful space, the garden will also be a place to remember deceased loved ones. A picture of the plan is available to view in the Parish Room. Parishioners are being invited to become a Patron and make a donation towards the cost of the garden in memory of those loved ones. A Memorial Board will be placed in the Divine Mercy Chapel, which will include the names of Patrons and their loved ones. You can donate via the card machines or use the postbox on the side of the Parish Room. Thank you to everyone who has come forward to donate. If you have any questions please speak to Ann Olliver, or contact Antonia in the Parish Office
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.
We give thanks to God for a new Pope: our Holy Father, the Servant of the Servants of God, Pope Leo XIV. We must pray for him and ask Jesus to protect and lead him as our Shepherd and Vicar of Christ. May he hear the voice of the Lord, know Him and follow Him. Together with Mary may we all be gathered as the flock of Christ and brought safely home to heaven. May no one be "snatch(ed)" out of the Lord's hand. The apostles preached the risen Christ fearlessly in the face of great opposition. When they and the Good News were rejected, they went to where it was unheard. This is still the mandate of the Church. To build bridges, as Pope Leo stated, so that the Gospel can be heard. Bridges does not mean a watered down faith. What is true is true. But so that everyone can receive God's love. Christ is the bridge and humanity needs Christ. As Pope Leo said on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica "God loves us all, unconditionally". Pope Leo has taken his name from Leo XIII who wrote the important document on catholic social teaching - Rerum Novarum (1891). Like his predecessors we can anticipate a voice for the poor, criticism of political ideologies and a love of Jesus and Mary. May Pope Leo be leonine in his Petrine ministry. Pray for him. With my joyful prayer for you all. God bless you Fr Graham
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).