My God what a year in the Church

-

As a Church we have had quite a year. We started of the year under  the leadership of Pope Benedict who would have predicted what happened on the feast of Our lady of Lourdes with is brave announcement and retirement. And how the Church has seemed suddenly to be more open and transparent under the leadership of Francis it is therefore no surprise that the Bishops Conference on this National Youth Sunday are looking at the theme, “Do not be afraid” and to preach the Good News by what we say and do. These are two things that Francis has done with great vigour and enthusiasm we have seen an unprecedented number of things happening. So what a year it has been.

So where can we see this enthusiasm? I can especially see it in the young people that we have in this parish. The schools are alive with the faith only this week I witnessed an enthusiasm for the faith in year 9 with many serious and well thought-out questions, we have seen in the parish the enthusiasm that those young people showed by running events to get them to Rio and when there the inspiration they have been when they got home.

We as a parish community need to be challenged by both the Pope and our young people. This year they have challenged us to leave our Churches and to promote the Kingdom in our local community. This means that at times we need courage and not be afraid. In today’s Gospel we see the extent of Jesus service by giving up his own life for others. The most precious thing that we have in our time we need give up our time and our own needs in order to serve others. At the end of the liturgical year it may be a good time to see where we have done this and where maybe we can give a little of our own time to help others. Promotion of the Kingdom bringing the Kingdom of God here in Bognor is not about telling others about Jesus but sometimes by being Jesus to others.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Year of Service

-
Image
  This last weekend I was able to look back with friends at the wonderful year I had with the Vincentian Volunteers. Looking back I can see that there are many elements to this year that have remained always with me. These I can now see and after reflection have shaped my life since this most formative year. From this year I went on to train for the priesthood and became a priest. After 16 years I left ministry and now try my best to live my Christian values and life in the world. In a recent upgrade to my CV I realised that my whole adult life has been in some sort of service to others and usually to the most vulnerable and those on the fringes of society. From working in Top Shop to ministry to the Hospital to the work I now do in education. This all stems from this year I had with the community and putting Love in action. Yes I have made mistakes on the way and my human frailty has been evident but this life was never going to easy and straight forward.  When I look back on that yea
Read more

Easter

-
Image
  Over the last few years I have had major issues with the Catholic Church. I think that my issue is the authority of the Church and how many clergy, not all, use and abuse their power and class the laity as stupid idiots. I can say this as for 16 years I was a priest and caught up in the system. When you're in the middle of it you can't aways see what is going on around you. I could not see what the Church as a structure was doing to peoples lives. Until I was out I realised that the Church and Im talking about the Catholic Church here is full up of repressed men who are scared of change scared of themselves and scared of the laity. Those who speak out especially clergy who want significant change are laughed at by others and classed as trouble makers. This includes Pope Francis himself who wants change but sometimes can't get it because of what he has inherited. It is an issue that has gone on your centuries.  This does not allow for a healthy functioning Church. There ne
Read more

What have we learnt? Covid and the last year.

-
Image
Over the last year since the start of the Covid pandemic there has been much in the press about the affects on society. We have seen that there are many people who are anxious, feel alone and worried about the future. So I looked on the Internet for the Christian response to the Pandemic. I was not surprised to see that there were many articles to suggest that the Christian Church as a whole has failed in this time.  In the first Lockdown the Churches were asked to close and there was no public worship. As the infection rate went down the Churches could open for private prayer. In the recent lockdown many places of worship have remained open although the infection rate being a lot higher. I have maybe been a thorn in peoples sides by asking why. I even wrote to the Cardinal  to ask him why. I argued that they should be left shut because of the demographic that tend to go. I got a standard reply back. When I looked in newsletters I read many times about how to give your collection and t
Read more