Welcome from Bishop Philip
Dear Friends,
A very Happy Easter to you! I wish you many blessings from the Risen Lord. But as the war in Ukraine enters its tenth week, I ask you please to do all you can to help, by offering up prayers and works of self-denial pleading to the Lord for the peoples of Ukraine and for peace. Practically, we can help by donating to food and clothes banks. We can also help by works of advocacy, expressing our solidarity through social media, writing to our MPs, to leaders and to embassies, calling for an end to the war. We can also pray to St. Michael, the Patron of Kiev (pictured). Here is the well-known prayer: Holy Michael, the Archangel, defend us in the day of battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all the wicked spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls.
Welcome to this week’s e-News – we are now back from our Easter break. There is a bit of catch-up on the news from the last couple of weeks, including the homilies from the Chrism Mass, from Easter and from the Blessing of Mother Eustochium, last week. I am away in Cardiff at the moment for the Bishops Conference – with the Archbishop elect too – and one of the matters on our agenda is the Synod: you can read our diocesan report here. We have now entered Mary’s month of May and we ask her prayers for all the youngsters being confirmed during this Eastertide; Fr. Anthony Fyk begins this week a formative mini-series about Confirmation. Meanwhile there’s a number of invitations to upcoming events, including a Welcome event. Don’t forget this Sunday is Good Shepherd Sunday and please pray for Fr. Vincent Flanagan who died recently. God bless you over the days ahead.