Newsletter- 3rd Week of Eastertide
Dear Parishioners
‘And their eyes were opened, and they recognised him’: The readings for this weekend are full of reminders of what Jesus’s resurrection has brought for us. Joy, wonder, glory, praise, and hope are all woven through each reading, inviting us to share again in the Eastertide celebration. In the First Reading, Peter reminds the crowd that, despite the terrible injustice done to Jesus, God has shown victory over death and raised Jesus to glory. With this comes the power of the Holy Spirit, now outpoured for us all. The Psalmist rejoices in the God who stands by and protects us from all dangers and will show us the path to everlasting happiness. In the Second Reading we hear Peter again, speaking of how Jesus gave his life as a ‘ransom’ for our sins. Because of this, all who believe can have faith and hope in God. We join two of Jesus’s disciples in the Gospel on their journey to Emmaus, blind to the identity of the risen Lord as he walks with them. When Jesus reveals himself to them in the breaking of bread, they finally recognise him, just as he disappears from their sight.
Unlike the disciples, we have never seen Jesus himself – but because of the faith we have been given, we can see and recognise him in the people and situations around us. This week let’s pray for the wisdom and courage to respond wherever we see Jesus in the needs of others.
Called by Name – Diocese of Nottingham Vocations Campaign
Next weekend on Good Shepherd Sunday the day we traditionally pray for vocations to the Ordained Ministry, the diocese is launching a new Vocations Campaign: Called By Name Whilst all vocations are essential to the life of the Diocese; we are now facing an urgent need for vocations to the Diocesan Priesthood and so the focus of the Called by Name Campaign is to encourage and identify possible vocations specifically to the Diocesan Priesthood.
The goal of the diocesan Vocations campaign is to identify faithful young men aged 18-35 who love Christ and the Church, show qualities of service and leadership and who may be open to considering the possibility of a vocation to the Diocesan Priesthood.
Next weekend parishioners are invited to submit the names of faithful young men aged 18-35 from our parish community and whom you would like to honour for their commitment and faithful service. You will be able to do this by filling in the cards provided at Mass next weekend and handing them back to me or by putting them in the collection basket at the Offertory or emailing them directly to the diocesan Vocations Director. These men will receive a letter from the Bishop, an invitation to meet with him and if they feel open to the possibility of looking more fully at the possibility of diocesan priesthood, ongoing support from Fr Neil Peoples, our Vocations Director.
We are very blessed in our parish to already have three potential Aspirants from our parish community considering a call to the ordained ministry:Callum Melville and Ben Miles whom I have been journeying with over the past year, and who wish now to explore more fully a possible vocation to the Diocesan Priesthood and James Cooper whom I have journeyed with over the past four years and who wishes now to discern more fully a possible call to serve in the Permanent Diaconate. Please keep our three Parish Aspirants in your prayers as they continue in their journeys of faith and as they seek to discover more fully Gods call to them.
Holy Hour – To Pray for the Promotion of a culture of Life in our lands: This weekend 3rd Sunday of Easter throughout the Diocese of England and Wales we are encouraged to pray for the dignity of all human life. On Tuesday this coming week, 21st April, at 6 pm we will offer a period of Prayer and Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament in church as we offer the petition to Our Lord for the dignity of all human life from conception to natural end and to pray that assisted suicide will not become law in our land. I encourage you if your time will allow to join us in church that evening.
Parish Mission Visitations: Over the course of next two years the Bishop and his Vicar Generals will be making formal Visitations to all the Parishes within the Diocese. Our Deanery is the first Deanery to welcome a Visitation. These will take place between 25th April and 21st June. These visits will take place over a weekend from Saturday through Sunday evening. Our visitation will take place here at St Mary’s over the weekend of 13th/14thJune when we will welcome Canon Edward Jarosz, V.G. He will stay with me at the Rectory and meet with me formally during the weekend and he will help to celebrate the weekend Masses and preach at all the Sunday Masses celebrated in the parish. During the weekend Canon Eddy will meet informally with a number of parishioners to gain a flavour of parish life and our local faith community, this will include a meeting with our new advisory Mission Group on the Saturday afternoon of his visit to us. Prior to the weekend I will submit a report to the Bishop on the mission and life of our parish, highlighting some of the initiatives and outreach already taking place here and some new mission initiatives which we hope to introduce over the course of the next two years.
With my warmest best wishes to you and to your families during this season of Easter
Your parish priest and friend,
Father Jonathan
2026 19th April – Newsletter – Download