Newsletter for 1/2 August - Sunday 18(B)

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How well do you know your faith?

Blessed John Henry Newman called for a lay people "who know their religion, who enter into it, who know just where they stand, who know what they hold and what they do not, who know their creed so well that they can give an account of it."

Our diocese provides various opportunities for us to know our faith better. Does this appeal? Or maybe this? Talk to Fr Colin if you are interested. We have already ready had some takers for the first course since I have been here, and they found it very helpful.

Important Vacancy in Catholic Education in Nottingham Diocese

The Directors of the Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service (NRCDES) are seeking to appoint a new Director of Education. Further details are available from either Julie Sweeney, or from the Diocesan Education Service website. Closing date 10th September 2015.

Cherishing Life – Accepting Death

“How great a lie ...to make people think that lives affected by grave illness are not worth living!”
Pope Francis

This weekend we celebrate the annual Day for Life. This year's theme is Cherishing Life – Accepting Death. You can find more about the day here, and about the work which the second collection supports here.

You might like to use the Prayer to St Joseph suggested in the material for today:

O blessed Joseph,
who breathed your last in the arms of Jesus and Mary,
obtain for me this grace:
that I may breathe forth my soul in praise,
saying in spirit, if I am unable to do so in words:
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give Thee my heart and my soul."
Amen

In the steps of St Cuthbert

Cyndy and Father Colin really enjoyed our walk along St Cuthbert's Way. It was both a wonderful holiday and a spiritual pilgrimage.

Many of you followed the walk and enjoyed the pictures on Facebook and/or Twitter. For those of you who don't usually use these social media you can see the pictures and my brief account on the Twitter feed below. Please note that the most recent pictures/comments are at the top, so you need to scroll to the bottom to and work upwards to see things in the right order! You may have to click a "load more" link once or twice to get to the start of the journey. #pateywalk Tweets

Thank you to all those who have sponsored us for the Retired Priests Appeal whether online or through the forms in Church. If you have used the forms in Church, please could you hand in your gift, ideally in an envelope with what it is for, or pop it through the presbytery letterbox. Please tick your name in the 'paid' column when you have done so. The site to sponsor us online is still open here.

Newsletter for 25/26 July Sunday 17(B)

Click here to read the latest newsletter. Rather smaller than usual - it must be the summer!

Newsletter for 11/12 &18/19 July - Sundays 15 & 16(B)

Click here to read the double edition of the newsletter.

Please note the Proclaim '15 Holy Hour starting at the end of the 5.30pm Mass (approx 6.15pm) this Saturday, 11th July. Please stay/come for as short or long a time as you can. It will conclude with Benediction at 7.15pm

Father Colin and Cyndy start their walk in the steps of St Cuthbert this week. If you wish to sponsor them in aid of the Retired Priests Appeal you can do so here or via the forms in Church.

Bishop Patrick's first Pastoral Letter

This weekend we hear Bishop Patrick's first Pastoral Letter to us. You can read it here.

This paragraph, for me, is at the centre of what our new Bishop is saying to us this weekend:

I have chosen as my episcopal motto: ‘Seek the face of Christ.’ It will remind me that, if we are to be faithful to our calling from the Lord ‘to make disciples of all the nations’ (cf. Mt 28:19), we must first get to know Christ Jesus personally as our Saviour, through time spent before him in adoration and prayer. Only then, in the power of the Holy Spirit, will we know his support in sharing joyfully our faith with others. Christ invites us first to become his disciples, listening to him in prayer and allowing ourselves to be guided by his teaching in the Scriptures, so that he may then send us out as his Spirit-filled missionaries, who seek his face in those we meet – especially those searching for meaning in their lives, and those who may feel very distant from the Lord.

It strikes me that this is exactly what we are looking to do through our Proclaim '15 Holy Hour next Saturday evening. "...time spent before him in adoration and prayer...then, in the power of the Holy Spirit, will we know his support in sharing joyfully our faith with others."

Yesterday's Episcopal Ordination - Pictures and more.

Archbishop Malcolm hands crozier to Bishop Patrick

Lots of pictures of the Ordination and Vespers the previous evening here.

The Pope's mandate appointing Bishop Patrick here.

Bishop Patrick's address at the end of Mass here.

Cardinal's homily at Episcopal Ordination

You can read an account of yesterday's ordination of our new bishop, as well as a summary and the full text of a wonderful homily from Cardinal Nichols here.




This lovely paragraph from the homily particularly moved me:

For me, the moment when the new bishop takes hold of the crozier presented to him is the moment when he accepts this role. It is a role of shepherding the faith of the people in all its authentic forms and of shepherding the people of faith wherever they are to be found. May this prayer be in our hearts today for this new bishop, and not just today but whispered for him for every occasion in the years to come when he grasps his crozier. 'Give him the wisdom that sits by your throne ... Send her forth from the holy heavens ... that she may be with him and toil and that he may learn what is pleasing to you ... that she may guide him wisely in his actions and guard him with her glory.'

Video of Bishop Patrick's Ordination

You will find that there is a lot of preparatory processions etc at the start, so if you want to scroll forward....
The Entrance Hymn starts soon after 49 minutes.

The Ordination Rite starts shortly after 1 hour 20 minutes.

You can follow the order of service here.

Newsletter for 4/5 July - Sunday 14(B)

Click here to read this week's newsletter.

Please remember to pray for Mgr Patrick McKinney as he is Ordained and Installed as our Bishop on Friday. The Ordination Mass starts at 11.30am. Live transmission from the Cathedral starts at 10.30am on the Diocesan Website.