Welcome from the Bishop

Dear Friends,
The situation in Ukraine continues to dominate our thoughts. The recent explosion on the Crimean bridge and President Putin’s threat of using nuclear weapons makes us turn once again earnestly to the Lord to pray for an end to this war and for peace and reconciliation. This is an urgent intention for us to pray for when we recite the Rosary. October is traditionally the month when we say the Rosary. I often say it in the car and you can download a file for your phone or for your car media system: see the article below. In this week’s e-News, please note our ten-year mission-plan You will be My Witnesses about which I will be writing to you this weekend in a special Pastoral Letter. The Diocesan Pastoral Council will also be discussing it on Saturday. You can download a copy and engage in discussion of it in your parish with other parishioners and with your clergy. This last week, we had the joy of a visit from Archbishop Andrew of Bamenda and over the weekend I was in Jersey for the Supreme Council of the Knights of St. Columba. Finally, please pray for those who have died, including Bishop Howard Tripp, retired auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Southwark, and also our own Fr. Roy Bennett, whose funeral was last Thursday. I pray that you will have a blessed week ahead.