God's love for you - 25th February

Webmaster • February 24, 2024

“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

This is a promise to Heaven. You may wonder how many great things this person has done in his entire life to have such reward? The answer is most likely none. In fact, the 'good thief' had lead a sinful life before his execution. But he has done three things (that every one of us can do) before he died: believed in God, had a humble and contrite heart for his own sins, and trusted in His Mercy. Despite Jesus was nailed on the Cross, a condemned person like himself - the lowliest of the lowliest, and while so many others standing below are mocking and despising Jesus from the Cross, his last words confessed and defended publicly that Jesus is King, He is the Son of God, He is innocent. Although so unworthy for those words to come out from his lips, but it was his heart that God counts. He truly believed and in his last moments courageously showed others by saying them out loud. You might say he doesn't have long to live anyway! True, but how many of us on our death bed think about God instead of ourselves? Who does not want a painless death? By opposing what so many others are thinking and saying at that time, did the 'good thief' ever worried he might have a more painful death... You might also ask is it fair by saying those few words he could rewarded Heaven? But this was already all he could do. He has already given what he can. Being bounded on the cross and couldn't move, his heart, mind and lips are all he can dominated. "Man's value before God is judged by the dispositions of his heart, its uprightness, its good-will, its charity, and not by keenness of intellect or extent of knowledge."-Bl Anne Catherine Emmerich Do not think that God is only generous to the 'good thief', because this is actually happening every day in our world - through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. With a good Confession and through God’s infinite goodness and mercy, the Gate of Heaven is open for us, no matter who you are.

By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
Sunday 18th October at 11am Meet Angelo & colleague at the Museum The tour will take about 2 hours. Tickets £10.00 (Please pay on booking) available this weekend from Church porch. Only 15 places available so sign up quickly.  If more people interested then another date could be available
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
The Council confirm that the new restrictions are not currently active – as the zone is still being delivered. Their contractors are anticipated to be on-site until approximately the end of November. The Council will be sending out a letter closer to the time to all properties advising of a “go-live” date for the zone when enforcement will begin, and will put something on social media. This will be done in advance to provide people with enough time to obtain the relevant permits, and will contain more information on how to obtain permits.  Until the new restrictions are in place the current restrictions apply – weekdays 'two hours free parking’ – Sunday no restrictions in parking areas.
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
Bell Tower Fundraising - Autumn Fayre Saturday 10th October 11am-3pm St Peter’s Hall (behind Church) Free Entry. All are welcome. We need donations of the following: Raffle prizes; Bottles (alcohol, soft drinks); new/nearly new Toys; Jewellery. Please leave them in the Church porch before Friday 9th October. On Friday 9th October, the Hall will be open from 10.30am to 12noon, and 4pm to 7pm when you can directly bring in your donations and set up your stalls.  Home-made Cakes to the Hall from 10am on the 10th October. Thank you for your support.
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
 CAFOD Family Harvest Fast Day Appeal Use the CAFOD envelopes in Church porch, donate via Dona station in Church porch, online at cafod.org.uk/envelope or call 0303 303 3030 Please give generously
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
Holy Rosary will be held in Our Lady’s Garden at St Peter’s every Sunday in October at 10:45am Week 1 (4 October) The Joyful Mysteries For World Peace & world leaders Week 2 (11 October) The Luminous Mysteries For the conversion of sinners & those who searching for God Week 3 (18 October) The Sorrowful Mysteries For the most forgotten Holy Souls & our deceased family members Week 4 (25 October) The Glorious Mysteries For the universal Church, Priests & Religious All are welcome to join the full Holy Rosary in the October month of the Rosary!
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
Organ Music for the Bell Tower As part of our fundraising for the Church Bell Tower, there will be three organ recitals taking place between now and Christmas. They are: 15th October – Huw Morgan 12th November – Tim Lyons All recitals start at 7.00pm and there will be a retiring collection in aid of the Bell Tower fund. Please come and support the music, the organists, and your Parish.
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
Holy Family's Humility & Meekness (1) ‘Love...does not boast, it is not proud.’(1Cor 13:4) So where did we see these within the Holy Family? If you look at their lives carefully, you will see meek and humble shone everywhere. Let’s start with Mary. During the Annunciation, we learned that Mary’s reply to Angel Gabriel when she accept the role of becoming the Mother of the Son of God was: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” She showed her humbleness by calling herself a handmaid, and that was said before giving her ‘yes’ to God, which showed her love for humility. Later, when Elizabeth greeted her as the ‘mother of my Lord’, Mary said in her Magnificat: “For he hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaid” (Lk 1:48). As if to reply to her cousin that is all because the Almighty God had blessed His lowly handmaid. Mary did not become arrogant simply because she got raised to the Mother of God status, instead she served her pregnant cousin humbly and supported her in her time of need. In fact, Mary did not announce that she bore the Son of God to anyone in order to enjoy honour and praises, she kept silent about this great Mystery that happened within her. It is only through Divine revelation that people like Elizabeth, Joseph, Simeon, the shepherds etc. knew about it afterwards. Mary did not used her privilege of being Jesus’ mother either. As we can see in the wedding of Cana, Mary did not use the status of a mother to order Jesus or made Jesus to obey her. She simply said: “They have no wine.” As if to gently ‘remind’ him, then trusting that He will do something with His Power to fulfil her wish. In another place, we also read: ‘While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.’ (Matt 12:46) Mary wanted to speak to her Son, but her humbleness did not want herself to be given the priority and disturb His Mission, neither her meekness allowed her to push through the crowd, so she waited patiently outside to be seen, like a lowly handmaid.
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask. 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.
By Webmaster • September 25, 2026
The Holy Family’s Obedience & Faith (5) Obedience is always within the Holy Family, and the Son of Man even with His Eternal Wisdom also most humbly obey to the fullest. Consider that He was only 12 years old when He sat amongst the teachers in the temple of Jerusalem, revealing His knowledge and understanding that were beyond the most learned, in order to bear witness to the truth. But soon after learning His disappearance for 3 days had caused His parents on earth so much sorrow: “Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for you.” (Luke 2:48), even Mary did not explicitly ask Jesus to go home, Jesus left the temple, went down with them and was subject to them. Although His parent did not tell Him to never do it again, but He understood their feelings and officially withheld His Mission until another 18 years later! Jesus’s obedience is not superficial, but fully and complete. Again, looking at the wedding of Cana, Mary did not order Jesus to perform a miracle, but her words to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.” is enough for Jesus to take action. Even if His hour has not yet come, but Jesus showed us obedience is more importance is His Eyes. And Jesus is not ‘partially’ fulfilling His mother’s request, as it was not just one jar of wine so can tide the bridegroom over until he can get more elsewhere. It was total obedience, since it was six full jars up to the brim so the couple won’t be lack of any good wine for the rest of the wedding. If one say, that was not too difficult since Jesus only needed to give His Words and it was accomplished. Then what about in the Garden of Gethsemane, when he foresaw his every sufferings in His Passion, that he shuddered with fear and sweated great drops of blood. Jesus is truly God and is truly human, the Passion is what His human nature needed to go through completely, there is no such thing He can hide within His Divinity and suffer lesser. Oh, how horrid and barbaric those torments will be! But He knew this is His Heavenly Father’s Will. So, Jesus prayed: “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42) How many can totally forget oneself, and be truly obedient even in the midst of pain and sufferings, unto death? Jesus did.
By Webmaster • September 25, 2026
O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us and make those hastening to attain your promises heirs to the treasures of heaven. 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.