Sunday 1 July is special for us in our 3 Churches as the by-the-Father will celebrate his first Mass (see notice on page 2). However, it’s also special across our diocese as it is an “Adoremus Sunday”. Taking its name from the National Eucharistic Congress in September, this is a chance to invite a friend to “come and see” the Church at its most important – the Mass. This is a simple and perhaps unthreatening way of sharing our faith -something that we are often very reticent about in Britain, for various reasons, many historical.
There are two stages to this plan.
- This Sunday you are invited to take an invitation card. Over the next few days think and pray about who you should give it to. Fill in the details about which Mass you will invite them to (the card is for them, not for you!) and make the invitation in your best friendly style…
- Then on 1 July accompany your “guest” to Mass and help make it an inviting and inspiring experience. Now this actually applies to all of us. A special booklet for our guests will be given out, and we can all contribute to the three “H”s – excellent hymn singing (all of us), excellent hospitality (all of us), excellent homilies (well I suppose that’s restricted to just a few of us)
Thinking of hospitality – each congregation should think about how to interpret that – and in any case, do it better than usual. If your Mass already has tea ‘n’ biscuits, up the odds to something a bit better. If your Mass usually does nothing regarding hospitality – think about what you can do to make people welcome on 1 July – and maybe more frequently afterwards! Put your thinking caps on and let’s do something!
There are 100 cards per church – let’s bring in 300 people to the heart of our parish life. Take a card, choose a guest, give them the card, bring them along.
Let’s all make them feel welcome on 1 July – and leave the rest to the Lord!
Fr Matthew
