Fr Tim

Weekly messages from Fr Tim.   When Fr Tim is away Fr Maurice's message will be added to this section.

 JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD:

The Unity Service last Wednesday evening was a blessed occasion.

The symbol of light was the focus as we lit our candles from the Paschal (Easter) Candle and reminded ourselves of our common baptism. Rev Julia Pratt, the Anglican Chaplain at Hope University preached a powerful homily which reminded us that we are already united and that the call of St Paul in his Letter to the Ephesians is that we are to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” There is much for us to reflect on as we struggle with a world where the Christian tradition is being manipulated by some powerful politicians to further their own agendas.

We should be thankful for Pope Leo, who is not ignoring the challenge and for the three American Cardinals, including our own Redemptorist Joseph Tobin, who recently spoke out against the inherent dangers of a vision of the Faith which clearly discriminates and does not recognise the inherent dignity of every human person. One image you may find helpful in the baptismal ritual of taking a light from the Paschal Candle is that we need one another to be handing the light on: one to another. And remember the instruction: “KEEP THE FLAME OF FAITH ALIVE!”

Of course, this is the whole vision of the synodal concept of accompanying one another on the pilgrimage of life. Perhaps we could spend some time this year in the build-up to Easter, reflecting on ways in which we could more evidently share our faith with each other and so become more effective evangelisers?

PRAYER FOR UNITY

Heavenly Father, your Son, Jesus, prayed that “we may all be one”. During this Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity, help us consciously to unite our prayer with all our brothers and sisters who share our common baptism. Whenever the opportunity arises, give us the courage to break down the barriers which continue to separate us. Help us also to reach out to men and women of other faiths, recognising that your presence can be found when people are seeking what is right and good. Unite us all in your love and fill us with your peace.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

 OCTAVE OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY:

Conveniently, this year the week of prayer begins today and finishes next Sunday. You know well enough that this is a prayer intention close to my heart, not least because of my own mother’s faith history. We will offer our special prayer at all our Masses this week and I would like to encourage all of you to make it a special focus in any prayers you have in your own homes. A copy of the prayer is printed below. Happily, we are also hosting the UNITY SERVICE for the local churches this coming Wednesday and I do hope that as many of you as possible will join our friends from Strawberry Field, Hope University and the local churches for the occasion.

 COMINGS AND GOINGS:

The London Province of the Redemptorists is holding its annual meeting this week in our monastery in Perth, Scotland. Fr Andrew, Bro Michael and I are planning to attend. We wish to thank Fr Joseph Musendami for graciously coming to share this Christmas period with us and who is making our attendance at the meeting possible. He will return to Rome next Sunday to continue working on his doctoral thesis and we wish him continuing success and happiness.

 THE SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY:

On Tuesday we celebrate the visit of the Magi to the child Jesus in Bethlehem and think of the significance of their gifts: the gold, a reminder of the new Kingdom of love and peace to be established in our hearts; the myrrh, a reminder that Christ entered a world of suffering, which he transformed through his death and resurrection; the incense, a reminder that he was truly the Son of God, who then reminded us that we are his brothers and sisters, also children of his Father.

There will be the two Masses to celebrate this Holy Day: NOON AND 7.00PM.

 A NEW YEAR GREETING:

Once again it is my pleasure, on behalf of Fr Andrew and all the Redemptorists at Bishop Eton to greet you at the beginning of this New Year and thank you for all the love and support in the past. Now we look forward to another year in which we seek together to grow in the love of God and build our community of faith. We are called to be witnesses to the power of Holy Spirit, who fills us with the gifts which enable us not only to transform our own lives but to help others do the same. I pray that the Lord will deepen your faith and mine in his abiding presence so that we can be a force for good, not only here in this part of Liverpool but also in our efforts to reach out to the wider world and especially our mission in Zimbabwe.

THE HOLY FAMILY

Archbishop John has written a Pastoral Letter which we will share with you this weekend. He invites us to thank God for our families, while recognising that we may also face many challenges. He encourages us when we can to reach out from our families to others who may be less fortunate and to continue to dialogue in an ecumenical spirit in our search for peace and unity.

 

In turn, I want to thank you again for the way you continue to support our Redemptorist family. As the Archbishop says about every family, we have our joys and sorrows and we certainly face our challenges as we struggle with the lack of vocations and the multiple problems that accrue through the aging process. Let’s all continue to love and support one another as we move into another calendar year and renew our trust in the abiding promise of the Lord, that he will always be with us.

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ALL THE REDEMPTORIST FAMILY

PRAYERS PLEASE

PRAYERS PLEASE for Margie Zilnyk’s Father, Peter, who died suddenly at the beginning of the week. May he rest in peace and may the Lord console the family. This provides me with an opportunity to thank Margie for the wonderful way in which she looks after our website and for all that she does in the parish, especially her contribution to the music ministry. Please also continue to pray for Fr Tony Cassidy: sadly, he will remain hospitalised over Christmas.

 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

At the beginning of Advent I mused on the challenge of trying to find time to enter into the spirit of waiting patiently for the coming of the Lord while at the same time attending so many Christmas celebrations. Somehow, it seems to have worked for me this year. By this weekend I will be in double figures when it comes to Carol Services, Nativity Pageants and Christmas Concerts, but in the midst of it all I have found time to reflect and pray. Health problems have severely affected both the Redemptorist Community and our  wonderful support staff, but gradually people are recovering and there is light on the horizon. We are immensely grateful to those who have filled in and worked way beyond the call of duty to help us through this time.

And so it only remains for me, once again on behalf of all the Redemptorist Community to wish you all

A VERY HAPPY AND PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS.

 FR JOSEPH MUSENDAMI

FR JOSEPH MUSENDAMI who endeared himself to you during the summer, will be joining us for our Christmas celebrations and will stay with us until well into the New Year. He has graciously offered to help out during that time.

 A CHRISTMAS GREETING

With Fr Andrew and all the members of the Redemptorist Community I greet you and your families this Christmas, begging the Lord to bless your homes with the PEACE and JOY that surround this Feast. I want to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks for all the love and encouragement you give us throughout the year. The messages of goodwill, the  T and presents, alongside your generosity in the Christmas collection are particular expressions of this shared friendship in the Lord. Please be assured that we do not take all this for granted: we are immensely grateful and remain privileged to be able to continue to serve the parish.