Sacramental Marriage: Are You Married Before God?
parish@sacredheartstfrancisgorton.co.uk
Convalidation
Sometimes couples have married civilly at a Registry Office or other venue, but have not married in church. Such a marriage is not sacramental. Catholics are called to be married sacramentally before God. It is possible for civilly married couples to undertake a “Convalidation” which is a Catholic rite that confers Sacramental Marriage. It has been a great blessing in the parish to conduct such convalidations. If this is your situation, please speak to me if you would like to discuss the possibility of arranging for a convalidation.
Thank you very much indeed to the good number of you who turned up for the Parish Meeting last Sunday. Some very good points and ideas were raised and the minutes of the meeting will be published in the week ahead. I am also going to produce a simple “Parish Plan” like the one we had a year or so ago, so that we can keep track of the things we are trying to achieve and bring to fulfilment in the parish.
Mass to see in the new year
Please remember that Friday mass in the Christmas Holidays will be at Sacred Heart Church at 9.15 a.m., starting on Friday 20 December and continuing likewise on Friday 27 December and Friday 3 January.
Pastoral Letter of the Right Reverend John Arnold Bishop of Salford
September 14th - Didsbury
The Legion of Mary: Thank You!
Legion of Mary Mission
“Sir, we should like to see Jesus”
This is my Son, the Beloved. In the Gospels, Jesus speaks about his Father in heaven, and at key moments, the voice of the Father speaking about the Son is heard. This happens first at Jesus’ baptism, and the affirmation of the Father helps to launch Jesus on his mission. In today’s reading, at Jesus’ Transfiguration, the voice from of the Father speaks from the cloud, “This is my Son, the Beloved.” The experience is surely an encouragement for Peter, James and John, who soon were to see Jesus crucified; and it is surely another affirmation that will help Jesus to remain in a rock-solid love-relationship with his Father, through the worst of human ordeals. In Lent, there can be a danger for us that we somehow think that through our efforts of prayer, fasting, penance and almsgiving, we are going to get rewarded or be loved more by God. But God’s love for us in unconditional and we cannot earn it. It is more the case that our Lenten devotions will help us to hear the loving voice of God through the cloud. It is very hard for us to be loving disciples of the Lord, offering our lives in service to those around us, if we have not first experienced the love that God has for us. Lent is a good time to pray for a new experience of the Father’s love. God Bless, Fr Kevin
