MESSAGE ON THE 18TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YR A)
Friday 31st July 2026
My dear people,
It is with great joy that I bring you the awesome news that our parish will again host first class relics of St Carlo Acutis. This time, we will host the pericardium of his heart for the weekend of 10th and 11th of October. It will arrive at 8am on 10th October and leave the parish on 11th October. I will find out more and give you further details in the next few weeks. One thing I can announce is that we will have an overnight vigil of prayers in the presence of the first-class relic. I will soon put out a sign-up sheet in the gathering space for people to sign up to be with the relic overnight. We will need at least two people at all times for an hour. Several years ago, we did that when we had an all-night vigil of the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. It will be very similar. We know already that the intercession of St Carlo Acutis has brought about many miracles around the world. My personal intention is that it will bring about a renewal of the faith among our younger parishioners, particularly for teenagers, those in their 20s and in their 30s. We will also entrust to the intercession of St Carlo Acutis all people from our parish who will join World Youth Day next year in Seoul.
On Wednesday 5th August, we will hold the next session of VIA. VIA is a Catholic discipleship journey for anyone seeking to grow as a follower of Jesus Christ. Rooted in friendship, formation, discussion and prayer, VIA offers a clear and supportive path for deepening our faith. I strongly invite everyone to come on Wednesday starting at 7pm. There is no doubt in my mind that you will benefit from it as the feedback from former participants has only been very positive.
On 15th August, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady. This is a holy day of obligation, which means that all Catholics have an obligation to attend Mass on that day. As usual, to make it easy for everyone to fulfill the obligation, there will be a Mass at 7pm on Friday, 14th August, which will be the Vigil of the Solemnity. There will also be the usual Saturday morning Mass at 9:30am on 15th August. The vigil mass of Saturday evening will also count as fulfilling the obligation.
Over the past two years, we have, as a parish community, had the use of the Latin language at our weekend Masses when it comes to the responses at Mass. The official language of the church is Latin. The Latin language is also one of the treasures of the church which has been about around several centuries. The Second Vatican Council, which met from 1962 to 1965 taught that the use of the vernacular language, the language of the place where the liturgy is being celebrated can be used during the liturgy. The Council also taught that the use of the Latin language should be preserved in the Mass (Sacrosanctum Concilium SC No. 36). Sacrosanctum Concilium, the document of the Second Vatican Council on the liturgy, also taught that the faithful should be able to say or sing together in Latin those parts of the Mass which pertain to them (SC No. 54). This is the reason the use of the Latin language has been brought to the Mass in our parish; it is to be faithful to the Church and the Second Vatican Council, and also to bring out the beauty of one of the treasures of the faith. Please do not hesitate to ask me if you would like more information about this matter.
We continue turning to our patron saint and we ask for her intercession.
St Catherine of Siena, Pray for us.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Fr Richard Rosse PP