In these nine days leading up to the Solemnity of Pentecost, there are no set prayers as such. We are all just called to pray with expectation in the same way that the Apostles and Mary prayed in the upper room in Jerusalem.
We can offer Rosaries or read the Scriptures or any litanies of our own choice. We can also use the resources from the "Thy Kingdom Come" initiative which we can find on the Prayer Resources Page of this website. alternatively here are some traditional prayers to the Holy Spirit which we will be praying after Mass each day. Apologies, I was misinformed, it would have been Fr Duggan's 69th anniversary of ordination tomorrow. A wonderful witness to his long priestly ministry. Please remember him in your prayers. May he rest in peace.
God Bless, Fr Mark The arrangements for Fr David Duggan's Funeral have now come through. It will take place at Danescourt Cemetery on Friday 29th May at 12.00 noon. There will only be 10 mourners allowed to attend.
I will celebrate Mass, however, for his intentions online at SS Peter & Paul's on the same day at 12.00 noon. Please also remember him in our prayers this Tuesday as it would have been his 69th anniversary of priesthood. May he rest in peace. May I remind you that there is Adoration & Vespers this evening at 7.00pm. The texts can be found on our online services page. May God Bless you all this Sunday. Fr Mark
The Holy Father invites us all to participate in an historical event this Thursday 14th May'
Last year, during a Global Conference in Abu Dhabi, the Holy Father and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed el-Tayeb, signed a Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together. One of the consequences of this agreement was to set up The Higher Committee of Human Fraternity. This day of prayer has been proposed by this committee, inviting everyone, regardless of religion to participate. This is the first time in history that all religions are being brought together in prayer and fasting. There are no set time or set prayers for the day as this will be determined by each of the religions. Here are a few possible suggestions to choose from, however:
After the online Mass there will be a special prayer marking the day. God bless, Fr Mark
It is with sadness that I have to announce that Fr Duggan passed away this morning. He will be remembered dearly at St Bernadette's where he was parish priest from 1981 to 2002. When I arrived in Wolverhampton deanery in 2013 he gave me a very warm welcome and was always a pleasure to meet at the deanery meetings which he never missed.
May he rest in peace. As soon as I hear news of the funeral arrangements, I will let you know. Fr Mark The text for Adoration and Vespers and the text of the Archbishops letter can be found on the buttons below.
Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, launched its coronavirus emergency appeal on 30 April. Coronavirus (Covid-19) has now spread worldwide, with confirmed cases in many countries where CAFOD works. The effects of coronavirus on developing countries are likely to be devastating. Many countries have very weak healthcare systems and will not be able to cope. Families without enough to eat and without access to clean water, possibly living with other diseases, will be particularly vulnerable to coronavirus. It is not just a public health emergency. Many of the world’s most vulnerable people will lose their jobs and be unable to support their families. The poorest and most marginalised communities, working hard to transform their lives, will be pushed further into poverty. CAFOD is adapting its programmes to help manage the risk of coronavirus in communities and working with local Church aid agencies on the frontline of this crisis. They are already working to get food to where it is needed most; to improve hygiene, handwashing and sanitation in communities and households; producing radio messages, posters and leaflets in local languages on risks and prevention; and training community volunteers to carry out awareness campaigns. In order to continue protecting and improving the lives of those in poor communities, your prayers and gifts are needed now more than ever. While we are not able to hold collections in our church, you can donate at cafod.org.uk/coronavirusappeal. Cafod are also providing some great resources for children during the week and also for children's liturgy on Sundays. They can be accessed below.
The Holy Father is encouraging us to pray the Rosary during the month of May, “when the People of God express with particular intensity their love and devotion for the Blessed Virgin Mary”.
In his letter for the month of May, the Pope notes that it is a tradition to pray the Rosary at home with the family during this month. This year, he continues, “the restrictions of the pandemic have made us come to appreciate all the more this 'family' aspect, also from a spiritual point of view”. Pope Francis also proposes two new prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, which can be recited at the end of the Rosary. In his letter, he assures the faithful that he too will be reciting those prayers throughout the month of May, “in spiritual union with all of you”. You can read the letter by clicking the button below. We will be crowning the statue of Our Lady at the end of Mass on Friday 1st May 2020 which will remain on the sanctuary throughout the month. CaFE@HOME have put their course on the lives of the saints online. It is one of their older courses so the download definition is not to current TV-quality standard, but the wisdom and teaching of the Saints is as strong as ever and the location filming is very enjoyable. Follow the link here to find out more.
We will be live streaming Adoration and the Divine Mercy Devotions tomorrow at 3pm. Click the button below to download the order of service so that you can pray with us from home.
People have been asking for a copy of the homily from the Easter Vigil. It can be downloaded here.
The Birmingham Diocesan Youth Service asked me to record a 100 second message for Easter, so here it is. Happy Easter Everyone!
Follow the link here to access the latest Diocesan newsletter. There are some great resources available, including a leaflet for a Holy Week retreat that can be printed off and given to parishioners who do not have the internet.
The information I was given yesterday about the Cardinal's broadcast wasn't quite correct. On Easter Sunday Morning, the Cardinal will not be broadcasting on Radio 4 but on all the BBC local Radio Stations at 8.00am.
BBC WM is on 95.6 FM for all our parishioners who do not have the internet. Here is a poster that you can display in your windows during Holy Week. To print the poster, use the "Download File" button below.
BBC local radio stations will be broadcasting a short Easter Sunday service celebrated by the Cardinal at 08.00 am on Easter Sunday morning. It is not available on Radio 4. The broadcast on local radio will be invaluable for our parishioners who do not have access to the internet. Please could you contact anyone you know, that does not have the internet, to let them know that this will be happening.
We will be doing Stations of the Cross tomorrow Evening (Friday 3rd April) at 7.00pm.
A parishioner has found this article, produced by America Magazine, very useful for participation at Mass online. Click here to read it. Divine Renovation have produced a Parish Response Kit to the current situation that we are all in. It can be downloaded for free at: https://divinerenovation.org
Some people have been asking about the Sacrament of Reconciliation during this time of shut-down. Below is an excellent video by the Cardinal explaining what the Church teaches concerning extraordinary situations such as we are experiencing now. Many appreciated the "Light a Candle of Hope" initiative last Sunday evening so we will continue this every week. This involves lighting a candle in your window at 7.00pm every Sunday. We will be praying for all in leadership at this time, making decisions about the containment of the Covid-19 virus, for those working in health and social care, and especially for the most vulnerable, whether elderly or those with underlying health conditions. Some appreciated praying the Evening Prayer of the Church during this time using Universalis. Many apologies for the delay of Mass this morning due to technical problems. Fortunately it still finished just in time for us all to join the Archbishop in Birmingham for the prayers of dedication to Our Lady. If you were not able to join the Archbishop, there is a video of the Cardinal leading the prayers below. |
InformationThis page page displays the latest announcements. For regular weekly news, please ensure you also read the Parish Bulletin, which is available on the Home page. For previous versions of the Bulletin, click here. Archives
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