PASTORAL LETTER

This weekend we share Archbishop Malcolm’s Pastoral Letter with you.

He returns to the theme of accompaniment to help us understand the unfolding programme of the Synod and the vision of Pope Francis for the Church of the future. This prompts me to reflect with gratitude on the countless experiences I have had of people accompanying me on my pilgrimage through life and the grace-filled opportunities I have had of accompanying others. A perfect illustration of this is found in Fr Bev Ahearn, who was called home by the Lord last week. He was there for me on many occasions during my life and it was a privilege to have lived next door to him over these last few years. As we try to envisage how the concept of ‘families of parishes’ might enable us to develop an awareness of the value of being there for one another, I am not sure we need to be making great plans as to how to effect this: rather, let’s try to cultivate a deeper sensitivity to the needs of our neighbours and to use that scriptural image, ‘be on the alert’ to respond to them. A few weeks ago, as I thought back over the challenges of the Pandemic, I noted that often we do this almost instinctively: I guess the trick then is to nurture that instinct and realise that it is built around the conviction that we are all children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus and temples of the Holy Spirit.