My dear parishioners, I hope and pray that you are all keeping well, and coping with the present circumstances and the added pressures. How important that in these times we hold firmly to our faith in Jesus Christ and that we pray for each other.

The instability of present times, the constant changes, the worries our situation raises for us, all point us towards the importance of building our lives on The Rock who is the Lord – our firm foundation, our strength, our anchor in times of tempest.

I pray that however we move forward in the next while – with the possibility of further restrictions looming, and greater concerns over the spread of the virus and all that this means for our health and that of our loved ones, and even our material circumstances, that we will turn to the Lord more and more – as we should – and make the most of the opportunities we have for Holy Mass, personal prayer, and moments to develop our intimacy with the Lord by reading Sacred Scripture.

I, personally, find great consolation in that Christ-centred prayer of the Holy Rosary, so recommended by the Church through the ages, a prayer in which we meditate upon the life of Our Saviour and the mysteries of our Redemption in union with Our Blessed Mother, Mary. It is a simple yet profound prayer, which can be said almost anywhere and in any circumstance: by indivuduals, families, and gatherings of the faithful. It is, I believe, very much the prayer for our times, as numerous approved apparitions of Our Blessed Lady would suggest. So, if you are unable to attend Holy Mass at the moment, if you are remaining at home, or even if you find yourself with more time on your hands than you might usually have had, I encourage you to pray this great prayer and to seek the companionship of Our Blessed Mother in these daunting and confusing times.

May God bless you and yours with every grace that you need in these days, may He strengthen your faith, encourage and sustain you in your trials, and make you powerfully aware of His loving and merciful presence. Please pray for me as I will pray for you, and remember that every Sunday, even if you are unable to attend Holy Mass, the Sacrifice of Christ is offered for your intentions and those of all our parishioners.

In Christ,

Fr. Martin