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.

For the over 55s in the Community Hall, Bedford Street. Wednesdays 1.30pm - 4pm Community Cuppa afternoon involves entertainment (organised by parishioners and guests), quizzes, bingo, raffle and plenty of cake and beverages.

Meeting is next Sunday 14th September 2:30pm - 4pm @ St David's Chapel (Use side entrance off St Peter's Street) If you would like some support or feel able to support others, please join us for a cuppa and a chat.. just come. Or for more information please phone/text 07566 735 162 Email stpeterslisteners@gmail.com

This Sunday 7th September , Pope Leo XIV will canonize Bl Carlo Acutis in St. Peter's Square in Rome, together with Bl Pier Giorgio Frassati. Bl Carlo Acutis was born in London in 1991. But he moved to Italy with his parents a few months after his birth. Even though his parents were not particularly religious, but from a very early age, Carlo had a great love for the Eucharist. Although like other teenagers who wore jeans and trainers, played video games, loved computing and websites and enjoyed football, it was obvious that Carlo lived his life for Christ. He used the internet to spread his faith as he created a remarkable website which presents Eucharistic miracles from across the globe. However, after being diagnosed with untreatable leukaemia, Carlo died when he was only fifteen. He was beatified in 2020 following a miraculous healing of a Brazilian child – a healing attributed to his powerful intercession. Here are some of Bl Carlo Acutis’ inspiring quotes: “All people are born as originals but many die as photocopies.” “Sadness is looking at ourselves, happiness is looking towards God.” “The Eucharist is the highway to heaven.” “I offer all the suffering I will have to suffer for the Lord, for the Pope, and the Church.” ‘God’s Influencer’ - a short biography of Carlo Acutis is available for £7.50 from the Church Shop

Eucharistic Miracle of Augsburg, Germany 1194 A woman from Augsburg who was particularly devoted to the Most Holy Sacrament, received Holy Communion. After Communion, without being noticed, she put the Host in a handkerchief, took the Blessed Sacrament home and placed the Eucharistic Species in a container of wax inside a cupboard. In those days it was very difficult to find Tabernacles in the Church so as to be able to practice Eucharistic worship. Only in 1264, with the introduction of the Feast of Corpus Christi did such devotion become commonplace. Five years passed and on 11th May 1199, the woman, tormented by remorse, confessed to the superior of the convent of the Heilig Kreuz (Holy Cross), Fr Berthold, who had her bring the Host back. The Priest opened up the wax covering that enclosed the Host and saw that the Holy Eucharist had been transformed into bleeding Flesh. The Host appeared "divided into two Parts connected together by the thin threads of the bleeding Flesh." Fr Berthold went immediately to the Bishop of the city of Udalskalk who ordered that the Miraculous Host be "transferred, accompanied by the clergy and by the people into the Cathedral and exhibited in an ostensorium of crystal for public worship." The miracle continued: the Host began to grow and to swell up and this phenomenon lasted before the eyes of all from Easter Sunday until the Feast of St John the Baptist. Following this, Bishop Udalskalk had the Host brought back near the convent of the Heilig Kreuz and proclaimed that "in memory of such a memorable and extraordinary event," there should be a special commemoration each year in honour of the holy relic. In 1200, Count Rechber donated to the Augustinian Fathers a rectangular chest of silver with an opening in the front for the placement of the Host of the miracle. Besides the Eucharistic miracle, other extraordinary incidences took place, such as the apparition of the Host with Baby Jesus dressed in white with radiant face and His forehead encircled with a crown of gold, or in another case the bleeding of the crucifix of the church, or the apparition of Jesus blessing the assembly of worshippers. In the course of the centuries, several analyses were completed of the Holy Particle that have always confirmed that human Flesh and Blood are present. Today the Convent of the Heileg Kreuz is taken care of by the Dominican Fathers. (Reference: http://www.miracolieucaristici.org)