How time flies! It only seems the twinkling of an eye and the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes was on the horizon, and now it is come and gone, together with the Postgate Rally and our Assumption Pilgrimage to Osmotherley. Soon we will be celebrating the Mass for the Friends of the Lady Chapel at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Grace on Saturday September 10 at 3pm.

Following almost immediately on this we will be welcoming the Relics of St Bernadette to the diocese, at St Mary’s Cathedral, Ampleforth, and Our Lady of Lourdes and St Peter Chanel, Hull. Exact times and dates of services are included in this edition of the Voice and will be displayed on the notice boards of all our churches. 

It is so important that we foster devotion to Our Blessed Lady and to the saints. Our faith is not an individualistic sort of hobby, we are related to one another and to Our Lady and all our patron saints through the Mystical Body of Christ. We are united through the Communion of Saints with all those who have gone before and all our brothers and sisters here on earth. We need the support and encouragement of one anther but also of all those holy ones who strengthen us by the example of their holy lives, teach us by their words of preaching, and keep us safe in answer to their prayers. So that, encouraged by so great a cloud of witnesses, we may run as victors in the race before us and win with them the imperishable crown of glory. This is what we hear in the preface of the Mass of Saints.

Also, at the end of this month, several of our priests will be taking on new pastoral assignments, and we will be welcoming the Oblates of the Blessed Virgin Mary into our diocese and to Sacred Heart and St Alphonsus in Middlesbrough. Please keep them all in your prayers. Some parishioners will not be happy with the moves, and have let me know in no uncertain terms. I normally say to such good people that if they have been helped and well ministered to by their priest, then they have to be generous enough to share them with others.

I look forward to being with you at the various events of September and October, and pray that they will bring blessings on us all.