We are commanded by Jesus to go out into the whole world with our Good News, – and that includes our own back yards! While we all can identify with missionaries going off to the furthest corners of the world with the Gospel, we are all I’m sure even more aware that we ourselves are living in a culture that can sometimes seem post-Christian or totally apathetic uncaring towards the Christian message. Others would simply not know that we are here..

Starting this week, we begin an initiative planned by our 3 Churches Evangelization Group and flagged up here a few weeks ago. Each week we are simply going to pop a prayer card through the letterboxes in a street or two in the 3 Churches area, reminding our neighbours that we are praying for them, and giving them basic information about their local Catholic church. The project begins in the areas immediately around Christ the King and St Brigid’s. There will be no return visit etc – unless of course, requested by the resident.

Each week, we will put in the newsletter the names of the streets who are receiving the cards that week. This is so that you can mention them in your prayers, as individuals and in our various prayer and sharing groups. There will be info on the churches’ notice-boards too, so that you can see what the cards look like

If you would like to join the 15 volunteers we currently have (9 for the area around Christ the King and 6 for St Brigid’s) please contact Elizabeth Taylor or Anne Burns, whose details you will find on the inside pages. The more volunteers we have the less frequently your turn will come around.

Spread the word!

Fr Matthew

Before the feast of the Ascension was moved to the Sunday following its traditional Thursday celebration, it was easy to recall that we are now in the nine days of prayerful waiting that the Apostles, disciples and Our Lady spent before Pentecost. This they did at the bidding of Jesus, who told them to stay together, stay at prayer… and wait. And then they experience the astonishing event we know as Pentecost, that we celebrate next Sunday. So this time between the Ascension and Pentecost became known as the Nine Days, or novena in Latin. This in turn gave its name to various practices of nine days of prayer.

It sometimes becomes clear to me that in our 3 Churches many of us are not aware of much that goes on in the life of the Church. This applies in the area of spirituality, sharing and discussion as much as in any other aspect of parish life.

So I would like to draw up a list of all such activities that are centred on prayer of any sort, sharing or discussion. This will enable people to look into and maybe become involved in something that will enable their faith to grow and develop. Our spirits need feeding just like our minds and bodies!

So let us know what you are doing. It could be in one of the churches, in school, at home or elsewhere. It could be daily, weekly, monthly or less often. It could be 2 or 3 of you, it could be dozens – anything from the Rosary in Church to a women’s group in people’s houses. Unless people know, they do not have the possibility of finding out more…

So, during these next two weeks let me have info about time, location, frequency etc, and a sentence to describe what happens/aims. Email matthew@3churches.org

Many thanks

Fr Matthew