THE QUEEN’S PLATINUM JUBILEE: 

CONGRATULATIONS TO HER MAJESTY: ENJOY THE COMING BANK HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATE WITH HER SHE HAS GIVEN US A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF CHRISTIAN COMMITMENT WAITING FOR THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

We are now in those nine days of prayer between the Feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost, when we think about the apostles, accompanied by the women, including Mary, waiting in prayer for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Of course, this is the origin of the tradition of a Novena of Prayer, which has been such a feature of the devotional life of the Church down through the centuries. I suggest we use these days quietly to pray for discernment regarding our own Novena Devotions in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and the associated potential of developing some Shrine Ministry in our parishes. In due course, we will have some meetings to discuss these matters and reflect on how we should move on after all the disruption of these past years.