Celebration of Sick and Healthcare Workers

To correspond with the Jubilee celebration of Sick and Healthcare Worker, April 5th to 6th.

The Jubilee of the Sick and Health Care Workers helps us to celebrate the important service of healthcare providers and to recognize that accompanying the sick is an important vocation. Whether due to our own health or the health of a loved one, each of us has interfaced with health care workers at some point in our lives, and experienced first-hand the value of their accompaniment. Not only this, but each of us has likely also cared for a sick loved one in some capacity, and so we know how taxing it can be. As the Catholic Health Association states, “Catholic health care, [is] a ministry of the church continuing Jesus' mission of love and healing today. [This] ministry is an enduring sign of health care rooted in our belief that every person is a treasure, every life a sacred gift, every human being a unity of body, mind, and spirit” (Statement of Shared Identity).

Read More

Celebration of Volunteers

To correspond with the Jubilee celebration of Volunteers in Rome March 8th to 9th.

Volunteering has allowed the lay faithful to step forward into the universal call to holiness in service to the Church and society. The heartbeat of my parish and civic communities across the Catholic World are the dedicated and selfless volunteers who respond to great needs and contribute their stewardship of time, talent, and treasure to the benefit of others. There are also countless Catholic volunteers who engage in domestic and international mission work in service to the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized communities.

Read More

Celebration of Deacons

The Jubilee of Deacons will be held from Friday, February 21, to Sunday, February 23, 2025. To correspond with the Jubilee celebration for Deacons in Rome.

In the Catholic Church, the diaconate is one of three degrees in ordained ministry - bishops, priests, and deacons. Since the Second Vatican Council, the Latin-rite Church has restored the diaconate “as a proper and permanent rank of the hierarchy”. Deacons preparing for the priesthood are transitional deacons, while those not planning to be ordained priests are permanent deacons. Permanent diaconate can be conferred on a single or married man. If he is married, he must be so before receiving the diaconate. Lumen Gentium, after describing the function of presbyters as a participation in the priestly function of Christ, illustrates the ministry of deacons, “upon whom”, it says, “hands are imposed not unto the priesthood, but unto a ministry of service.”

Read More

Celebration of Artists

SPIRITUAL REFLECTION

In preparation for the Jubilee for Artists, set within a year-long renewal of Christian hope, we recall the words of St. John Paul II in his Letter to Artists (LA): Artists of every age, captivated by the hidden power of sounds and words, colours and shapes, you have admired the work of your inspiration, sensing in it some echo of the mystery of creation with which God, the sole creator of all things, has wished in some way to associate you. (Letter to Artists, no. 1).

God is the divine artist. The beauty of the natural world, the beauty of artistic works made by human hands, and the beauty of each human life finds it source in God, the divine artist. And it is God who gives to artists—poets, writers, painters, sculptors, architects, musicians, actors, craftsmen and many others—a special vocation to beauty in the gift of artistic creativity.

Read More

Celebration of those in the Police, Military and Security Services

The Jubilee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Security Personnel will be held from Saturday, February 8, to Sunday, February 9, 2025. Recently, Pope Francis addressed participants in the 64th International Military Pilgrimage at the French Marian Shrine of Lourdes. Entrusting to God's mercy all of their comrades-in-arms who died serving their countries and defending peace, Pope Francis urged Catholic members of the military to let their faith inform their service: "The world needs you, especially at this dark moment in our history. We need men and women of faith who are capable of putting weapons at the service of peace and brotherhood."

Read More

Celebration of those in Communications

Over the weekend of the 24-26th January 2025 THE SUNDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD, we recognise the important role of communication in sharing the Good News.

We celebrate all in our diocese and parish all those involved in the communications, especially our Diocesan Press Officer, Mr Phil Gibbons, who works closely with the Bishop and Diocesan Departments, as well as dealing with the media on behalf of our parishes. Also, in our parish we pray for those who communicate Sacred Scripture in our Masses and Liturgies, ensuring that they deliver the readings clearely and precisely, so as to ensure understanding to those listening. We pray that more people will volunteer to be celebrants of the Sacred Readings and communicate the news of our parish.

Read More