The September edition is now available. This edition includes: ● Diocesan Summer Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi ● Catholic schools celebrate outstanding A-Level results across Wales ● Canonisation of St Carlo Acutis Also featured: ● Parish social media training workshops in October ● Season of Creation reflections Read/sign up today: HERE

Liam Kelly and friends are doing this run to raise funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Maureen Lewis and Peter Sullivan have set up a ‘Just Giving’ page for anybody who wishes to sponsor Liam in his efforts to help people affected by this appalling disease. www.justgiving.com/page/maureenlewis

On Sunday 28th September the Church remembers the situation of migrants and refugees. It would be good to hear from a few parishioners at Masses on that weekend. A short piece could be read. If you wish to take part please speak to one of the clergy.

Tuesday 23rd September 7pm Front room of the Presbytery All are welcome to attend If you have any topics to discuss and are unable to attend please contact Parish office.

Eucharistic Miracle at Parish Church of Saint-André, Island of La Réunion 1902 Let's look at Abbot Lacome's report: "It was January 26, 1902. We were celebrating perpetual adoration (the Forty hours). The Most Holy Sacrament was exposed in the monstrance. I began to celebrate the Mass. After the elevation, at the moment of the Our Father, my eyes were lifted toward the Host and I saw a bright halo around the rays of the monstrance. I continued to recite the prayers of the Mass, with great agitation in my soul but which I tried to overcome. We came to the moment for Communion and again I looked toward the monstrance. This time I saw a human face, with lowered eyes and a crown of thorns on the forehead. What moved me the most was the dolorous expression painted on the face. The eyelashes were long and thick. I tried not to let on to the presence of the turmoil agitating inside of me. After Mass, I went to the Sacristy and summoned the older children from the choir to go to the Altar and closely observe the monstrance. The children raced back and told me: "Father, we see the head of a man in the Host. It is the good Lord revealing Himself!" I understood then that the vision was authentic. A young man of 16, Adam de Villiers, who had studied in a college in France, also arrived. I said to him as well: "Go in the Church and see if you notice something strange in the monstrance". The young student went to the Sacristy and returned immediately, saying: "Father, it is the good Lord who appears in the Host, I see His Divine Face". Since then, all my doubts disappeared. Slowly the entire town went to the Church to see the miracle. Journalists and people from the capital of St Denis also arrived. The face on the Host suddenly became animated and the crown of thorns disappeared. I used every possible precaution, and fearing the effects from the rays of light, I had all the candles extinguished and the shutters closed. The phenomenon became even more clear. There was a young artist among the visitors who faithfully reproduced the face in the Host. Later, the vision changed again and a crucifix appeared which covered the entire Host from top to bottom. After the Eucharistic blessing and recital of the Tantum Ergo, the vision disappeared. (Reference: http://www.miracolieucaristici.org)

In 2013, the first year of his pontificate, the late Pope Francis released an Apostolic Exhortation on the joy of the Gospel titled Evangelii Gaudium. In it, he encouraged the Christian faithful to “embark on a new chapter of evangelisation” marked by this joy, whilst striving to find new paths to proclaim the Gospel in today’s world. "We cannot forget that evangelisation is first and foremost about preaching the Gospel to those who do not know Jesus Christ or who have always rejected him. Many of these are quietly seeking God, led by a yearning to see his face… Christians have the duty to proclaim the Gospel without excluding anyone. Evangelii Gaudium, §14" This is the challenge and opportunity we take up on Evangelii Gaudium Sunday. Formerly known as Home Mission Sunday. The work of encounter and evangelisation is promoted through the Directorate for Mission. Through this directorate, the vision of the Holy Father is embraced in a fuller way and promotes the whole ideal of proclamation, evangelisation, dialogue and catechesis.  The second collection this weekend supports the work carried out by the Mission Directorate on behalf of the Bishops’ Conference.

“‘...No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.’” (Luke 16:13) O God, who founded all the commands of your sacred Law upon love of you and of our neighbour, grant that, by keeping your precepts, we may merit to attain eternal life. 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.

This year's theme is drawn from of John 3:13-17: The Son of Man must be lifted up. It takes place this year on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Ten years ago the then-Holy Father, Pope Francis, said during his Mass for this feast that a Christian 'must lower himself, as Jesus lowered himself: this is the path of humility.' Catholic education in Church schools and universities endeavours to acknowledge Jesus’ loving presence in the lives of young people as they work, learn, pray, grow in character and virtue, and discover their vocation. Education Sunday is an opportunity to showcase the works and fruits of this, especially locally. From a priest speaking in his homily about a local school, to pupils wearing their uniforms at Mass, Education Sunday can be the reminder to all members of the Catholic community of the importance of education to the Catholic mission. Today, let us give thanks to Almighty God for the vocation of all who work with the children and young people in the Catholic education sector: governors, school leaders, chaplains, teaching and support staff. Let us also pray that our Catholic schools, colleges and universities will be beacons of hope in our local communities.

O God, who willed that your Only Begotten Son should undergo the Cross to save the human race, grant, we pray, that we, who have known his mystery on earth, may merit the grace of his redemption in 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.