THE FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS:

You know how I love to look for and make connections and the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross has been a significant date in my faith journey. To begin with Andrew and I went to the Redemptorist novitiate on Monday 14 September 1964: accordingly, not only do we mark 61 years with the Redemptorists today, but on the Feast of St Gerard, next month, we celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of our Profession of Vows in the Congregation. Over the years I have become more and more conscious of the significance of this Feast.

On good Friday we are in no mood to rejoice in the mystery of the Cross, but today the Church invites us to reflect on the fact that the Cross is the ultimate triumph of Christ. He breaks through the barrier of death and in the Resurrection assures us that our deaths and all the suffering of the world are likewise conquered. And another precious memory for me is that I was with Fr Anthony Hodgetts as he died in Woolton Hospice at 10.00pm on Sunday 14 September 2008. Fr Tony had accompanied me on my Redemptorist journey from the time I met him at Hawkstone in 1960 when I attended my first Vocations Meeting here at Bishop Eton in Easter Week that year. And for good measure, Fr Andrew happened in attendance at that some meeting!