First Communion Group 2014

My dear Sisters and Brothers, Emma & I wanted to share a little of the joy we are having this year with our first communion class. They are a fantastic class this year and we are all learning a huge amount from each other. We have just taught them about bread and the history of the bread in the bible from the quickly baked bread at the Passover, to the manna from heaven in the desert to the loaves and fish that feed five thousand on the hillside while they listen to the teaching of Christ and finally to the bread and wine of the last supper, our Eucharist, the food of our salvation, the fuel for our Christian lives.

We wanted to give them a challenge for their homework so we asked them to bake bread, bread without yeast. We gave them a soda bread recipe and this is what they produced. 

Please keep them all in your prayers as the work towards their first communion which will take place this June on Corpus Christi.

God Bless,

Deacon John

Prayer for Europe

In light of the forthcoming European Elections, Bishop William Kenney from the International Department of the Bishop's Conference in England and Wales says: 

" We need to pray for peace, for the poor, for the immigrant. We need to offer what we can in order to achieve social justice for all. That is not enough; we need to use our vote at the European elections on the 22nd May to influence those who will create justice for all and give greater witness to the Kingdom of God."

Prayer for Europe

Father of mankind, 

Lord of History.

Look upon this continent to which you sent

philosophers, lawgivers and people endowed with wisdom,

precursors of that faith in your Son, fallen and risen.

Look at these people evangelised by Peter and Paul,

by prophets, monks and saints.

Look at these regions drenched in the blood of martyrs,

moved by the voice of reformers.

Look at these people linked by so many bonds and ties,

yet divided by hatred and war.

Assist us in committing ourselves to a Europe of the Spirit,

founded not just on economic treaties,

but also on values which are human and eternal;

a Europe capable of ethnic and ecumenical reconciliation,

quick to welcome the stranger,

respectful of human dignity.

Give us confidence to see it as our duty

to encourage and promote understanding between peoples,

which provides for all continents justice and bread,

liberty and peace.

Amen

Prayers in May

By tradition, the Catholic Church dedicates the month of May to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Please find below some Marian prayers to use whenever you pray this month.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. 
Amen.

Salve Regina
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
Our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, To thee do we send up our sighs, Mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. 
Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, We fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins my Mother; to thee do we come, before thee we stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of the Word Incarnate,despise not our petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer them. Amen.