Confirmation Mass at St. John's

As you all know last Thursday Bishop Kieran came down to Horsham to celebrate the Confirmations of no less than 39 of our young people!! (Three had already been confirmed at Worth but everyone else received the sacrament last week.) It was really very special to have this here in our own parish as it allowed the whole community to share in this wonderful moment in a bigger way and, for the young people, it must have been quite touching too.

The Mass itself was beautiful (as always) and the presence of the Holy Spirit was tangible (and spine tingling) as each group went up with their sponsor to be anointed with oil.

I only have a few snaps from my phone of the event, if anyone has any others they'd like to share please leave a comment in the box below and I'll arrange to have them added. We really would like to see them!!

The marvellous Robert Bousfield of Bousfield:PHOTO was taking lots of snaps that night which can be viewed and ordered here.

Defending marriage

There has been a lot of attention in the media lately on the issue of gay marriage with many pushing (and pushing hard) for it to be legalised. The Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales have been very active and very vocal on this subject, trying to show the world its true meaning, its true dignity and why gay 'marriage' isn't, in fact, marriage at all. Christians as well as many people from other religions have receive fierce criticism, even abuse, when expressing their views that marriage is between one man and one woman and therefore the legal definition should not be altered. In his letter a few months ago Archbishop Vincent Nichols said,

"The roots of the institution of marriage lie in our nature. Male and female we have been created, and written
into our nature is this pattern of complementarity and fertility. This pattern is, of course, affirmed by many other religious traditions. Christian teaching fills out this pattern and reveals its deepest meaning, but neither the Church nor the State has the power to change this fundamental understanding of marriage itself. Nor is this simply a matter of public opinion."

This is further affirmed by the Catechism which says;

""The intimate community of life and love which constitutes the married state has been established by the Creator and endowed by him with its own proper laws. . . . God himself is the author of marriage." The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of the Creator. Marriage is not a purely human institution despite the many variations it may have undergone through the centuries in different cultures, social structures, and spiritual attitudes. These differences should not cause us to forget its common and permanent characteristics. Although the dignity of this institution is not transparent everywhere with the same clarity, some sense of the greatness of the matrimonial union exists in all cultures. "The well-being of the individual person and of both human and Christian society is closely bound up with the healthy state of conjugal and family life." (CCC 1603)

Man has no authority to alter the definition of marriage since he himself is not the author of it. It is a gift lovingly given to us by God to bring man and woman into a more profoundly intimate union. They are no longer 'man' and 'woman' but one flesh, the two come together, giving all of themselves to their spouse with nothing held back; not emotionally, physically, psychologically, materially, the two literally do aspire - with God's help and by his grace - to become one. This is a reflection of the love shared within the Trinity (I'm not clever enough to explain that...but Blessed John Paul II did exceptionally in Theology of the Body. If marriage is redefined by the State then, even though they insist that religious institutions will not be required to perform these services, it will fundamentally undermine marriage as a whole. It will utterly distort the roots and source of what this amazing and holy sacrament is, it will uproot even further people's conception of what marriage is all about and why two people enter into it, it will totally devalue it too. (Anneli has written a superb article on the St. John's Pro Life blog as part of the Back to Basics series. You can read it here, you certainly won't regret it!)

All this having been said there has been a lot of misunderstanding and, sadly, venom from both sides which means we both

become deaf to one another. The vocation of the Christian is to proclaim the Good News of Our Lord Jesus Christ and to do so with love and understanding. We can't do this properly if we just shout our view at other people, preaching the Gospel at them and not to them. We cannot hope to help people see and understand the innate dignity and wonderful truth of marriage if we don't listen, if we don't engage with others adequately. The Bishops have called us to action, they have asked us to sign the petition started by the Coalition for Marriage. You can sign it here or add your name to it in paper form in the porch at St. John's. Action is most definitely necessary but there is no need to be rude or unkind in this situation. Christ's message was love, Christ's gift of marriage is to help man and woman truly express their love, to bring it to fulfillment, if we act without it then we will accomplish nothing.

Novena for Pentecost, day nine

On many novenas for Pentecost or to the Holy Spirit the last gift we pray for is, bizarrely, the one that is almost always listed first; the spirit of wisdom. It puzzled me a little as to why so many novenas seem to ask the Spirit to bestow his gifts on us in reverse order. But I think that the reason for this is that, although all of these gifts are equal in worth and all bring us into a more intimate knowledge of the divine, allowing the Holy Spirit to work within and through us, wisdom is...something else, something more. A gift that, in many ways, requires of us to have some experience of all of the others before we can receive this one and have it bear fruit within us. Wisdom is more than a deep reverence of God, more than a knowledge and understanding of him, more than the courage and good judgement to carry out his will. Wisdom is...summed up best, I think, by the book of Wisdom itself. For instance it says;

"She [Wisdom] is a breath of the power of God,
pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty;
hence nothing impure can find a way into her.
She is a reflection of the eternal light,
untarnished mirror of God's active power,
image of his goodness.
She is indeed more splendid than the sun,
she outshines all the constellations;
compared with light, she takes the first place,
for light must yield to night,
but to Wisdom evil can never triumph.
She deploys her strength from one end of the earth to the other,
ordering all things for good." (Wisdom 7:25-26, 29-30)

What better a gift to ask for on this, the last day of our novena? What more could we ask for, what else could we want to take root within us but the spirit of wisdom?

Veni Creator Spiritus (Hymn)
1. Veni, creator Spiritus
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia,
quae tu creasti pectora.

2. Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissimi donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas
et spiritalis unctio.

3. Tu septiformis munere,
digitus paternae dexterae
tu rite promissum Patris
sermone ditans guttura.

4. Accende lumen sensibus,
infunde amorem cordibus,
infirma nostri corporis,
virtute firmans perpeti.

5. Hostem repellas longius
pacemque dones protinus;
ductore sic te praevio
vitemus omne noxium.

6. Per te sciamus da Patrem
noscamus atque Filium,
te utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.

7. Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio qui a mortuis
Surrexit, ac Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula.
Amen.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created
All: And you shall renew the face of the earth

Let us pray
O God who has taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Sprit we may be always truly wise and always rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

All: O God I adore you, as the third person of the ever blessed Trinity. You are the living love with which the Father and the Son love each other. And you are the author of supernatural love in our hearts. Increase in me this grace of love, in spite of my unworthiness. It is more precious than anything else to in the world. I accept it in place of all the world can give me. It is my life. Amen.
(JH Newman)

Priest: LORD Jesus Christ who before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish your work in the souls of your apostles and disciples, grant the same Holy Spirit to me, to perfect in my soul the work of your grace and your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may not be attached to the passing things of this world, but always look to Heaven. The Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of your divine truth. The Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God. The Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my own cross with you. The Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow more perfect. The Spirit of Piety that I may find service of God sweet and amiable. The Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and avoid what displeases him. Mark me dear Lord with the sign of your true disciples, and animate me in all things with your Spirit. Amen

Regina Caeli (Hymn)

Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

Novena for Pentecost, day eight

As we continue to pray for a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (which is so very close now) we move on to meditate on the gift of counsel. Since I couldn't come up with anything coherent to say I have, once again, cheated and pinched some words from Blessed John Paul II.

"A need that is keenly felt in our days, disturbed by not a few crises and by a widespread uncertainty about true values, if that which is called "reconstructing consciences". That is to say, one is aware of the necessity of neutralizing certain destructive factors which easily find their way into the human spirit when it is agitated by passions, and of introducing healthy positive elements into it.


In this commitment to moral restoration the Church must be, and is, in the forefront; hence the prayer that arise: from the hearts of her members - of all of us - to obtain especially the help of light from on high. The Spirit of God responds to this plea through the gift of Counsel, by which he enriches and perfects the virtue of prudence and guides the soul from within, enlightening it about what to do, especially when it is a matter of important choices (for example, of responding to a vocation), or about a path to be followed among difficulties and obstacles. In fact experience confirms that "the deliberations of mortals are timid, and unsure are our plans", as the Book of Wisdom says (9:14).


The gift of Counsel acts like a new breath in the conscience, suggesting to it what is licit, what is becoming, what is more fitting for the soul (cf. St Bonaventure, "Collationes de septem donis Spiritus Sancti", VII, 5). Thus the conscience becomes like the "healthy eye" of which the Gospel speaks (Mt 6:21), an eye which acquires, as it were, a new pupil, by means of which it is able to see better what to do in a given situation, no matter how intricate and difficult. Aided by this gift, the Christian penetrates the true meaning of gospel values, in particular those expressed in the Sermon on the Mount (cf. Mt 5:7).Let us therefore ask for the gift of Counsel! Let us ask for it for ourselves and, in particular, for the pastors of the Church, so often called, by the demands of their work, to make arduous and agonizing decisions." (Blessed John Paul II, Regina Caeli  Sunday 7th May 1989.)

Veni Creator Spiritus (Hymn)
1. Veni, creator Spiritus
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia,
quae tu creasti pectora.

2. Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissimi donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas
et spiritalis unctio.

3. Tu septiformis munere,
digitus paternae dexterae
tu rite promissum Patris
sermone ditans guttura.

4. Accende lumen sensibus,
infunde amorem cordibus,
infirma nostri corporis,
virtute firmans perpeti.

5. Hostem repellas longius
pacemque dones protinus;
ductore sic te praevio
vitemus omne noxium.

6. Per te sciamus da Patrem
noscamus atque Filium,
te utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.

7. Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio qui a mortuis
Surrexit, ac Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula.
Amen.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created
All: And you shall renew the face of the earth

Let us pray
O God who has taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Sprit we may be always truly wise and always rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

All: O God I adore you, as the third person of the ever blessed Trinity. You are the living love with which the Father and the Son love each other. And you are the author of supernatural love in our hearts. Increase in me this grace of love, in spite of my unworthiness. It is more precious than anything else to in the world. I accept it in place of all the world can give me. It is my life. Amen.
(JH Newman)

Priest: LORD Jesus Christ who before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish your work in the souls of your apostles and disciples, grant the same Holy Spirit to me, to perfect in my soul the work of your grace and your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may not be attached to the passing things of this world, but always look to Heaven. The Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of your divine truth. The Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God. The Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my own cross with you. The Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow more perfect. The Spirit of Piety that I may find service of God sweet and amiable. The Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and avoid what displeases him. Mark me dear Lord with the sign of your true disciples, and animate me in all things with your Spirit. Amen

Regina Caeli (Hymn)

Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

Novena for Pentecost, day seven

All of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are, obviously, related and inter-connected. Understanding goes hand in hand with the gifts of wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge allows us to come to a greater awareness of the divine, wisdom gives us the ability to contemplate the things of heaven and the desire to detach ourselves from the things of the world (to be in the world but not of the world) and understanding helps us to penetrate deeper into the mysteries of God. Although we can never grasp them fully as we are only finite beings trying to fathom the infinite and have a limited capability to take, for example, the awesomeness of the Trinity in but it does lead us into a fuller acceptance of the truth behind it. It, along with wisdom and knowledge, perfects the virtue of faith and we can't do without it. (There is also a wonderful message from Blessed John Paul II on Understanding, given after the Regina Caeli on April 16th 1989 - ten days after I was born - which can be found here.)

Veni Creator Spiritus (Hymn)
1. Veni, creator Spiritus
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia,
quae tu creasti pectora.

2. Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissimi donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas
et spiritalis unctio.

3. Tu septiformis munere,
digitus paternae dexterae
tu rite promissum Patris
sermone ditans guttura.

4. Accende lumen sensibus,
infunde amorem cordibus,
infirma nostri corporis,
virtute firmans perpeti.

5. Hostem repellas longius
pacemque dones protinus;
ductore sic te praevio
vitemus omne noxium.

6. Per te sciamus da Patrem
noscamus atque Filium,
te utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.

7. Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio qui a mortuis
Surrexit, ac Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula.
Amen.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created
All: And you shall renew the face of the earth

Let us pray
O God who has taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Sprit we may be always truly wise and always rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

All: O God I adore you, as the third person of the ever blessed Trinity. You are the living love with which the Father and the Son love each other. And you are the author of supernatural love in our hearts. Increase in me this grace of love, in spite of my unworthiness. It is more precious than anything else to in the world. I accept it in place of all the world can give me. It is my life. Amen.
(JH Newman)

Priest: LORD Jesus Christ who before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish your work in the souls of your apostles and disciples, grant the same Holy Spirit to me, to perfect in my soul the work of your grace and your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may not be attached to the passing things of this world, but always look to Heaven. The Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of your divine truth. The Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God. The Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my own cross with you. The Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow more perfect. The Spirit of Piety that I may find service of God sweet and amiable. The Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and avoid what displeases him. Mark me dear Lord with the sign of your true disciples, and animate me in all things with your Spirit. Amen

Regina Caeli (Hymn)

Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

Novena for Pentecost, day six

The gift of knowledge perfects the theological virtue of faith, "...by which we believe in God an believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself..." (CCC 1814) Through the Holy Spirit God gives us the ability to recognise him in the world around us, through all created things, through other people. This gift awakens within us a deeper awareness, in part, of God's will and his plan for us. Without it we can't hope to respond to his invitation, to embark on our vocation. So today let us pray for the gift of knowledge and all that comes with it.

Veni Creator Spiritus (Hymn)
1. Veni, creator Spiritus
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia,
quae tu creasti pectora.

2. Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissimi donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas
et spiritalis unctio.

3. Tu septiformis munere,
digitus paternae dexterae
tu rite promissum Patris
sermone ditans guttura.

4. Accende lumen sensibus,
infunde amorem cordibus,
infirma nostri corporis,
virtute firmans perpeti.

5. Hostem repellas longius
pacemque dones protinus;
ductore sic te praevio
vitemus omne noxium.

6. Per te sciamus da Patrem
noscamus atque Filium,
te utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.

7. Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio qui a mortuis
Surrexit, ac Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula.
Amen.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created
All: And you shall renew the face of the earth

Let us pray
O God who has taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Sprit we may be always truly wise and always rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

All: O God I adore you, as the third person of the ever blessed Trinity. You are the living love with which the Father and the Son love each other. And you are the author of supernatural love in our hearts. Increase in me this grace of love, in spite of my unworthiness. It is more precious than anything else to in the world. I accept it in place of all the world can give me. It is my life. Amen.
(JH Newman)

Priest: LORD Jesus Christ who before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish your work in the souls of your apostles and disciples, grant the same Holy Spirit to me, to perfect in my soul the work of your grace and your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may not be attached to the passing things of this world, but always look to Heaven. The Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of your divine truth. The Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God. The Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my own cross with you. The Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow more perfect. The Spirit of Piety that I may find service of God sweet and amiable. The Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and avoid what displeases him. Mark me dear Lord with the sign of your true disciples, and animate me in all things with your Spirit. Amen

Regina Caeli (Hymn)

Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

Novena for Pentecost, day five

'Among these gifts of the Spirit there is one on which I wish to dwell this morning: the gift of Fortitude. In our time many extol physical force, to the extent of also approving the extreme forms of violence. In fact, man has daily experience of his own weakness, especially in the spiritual and moral sphere, yielding to the impulses of internal passions and external pressures.

Precisely to resist these multiple stimuli, it is necessary to have the virtue of fortitude, which is one of the four cardinal virtues on which the whole structure of the moral life rests. It is the virtue by which one does not compromise in fulfilling one's duty.

This virtue finds little room in a society in which surrender and accommodation on the one hand, and domination and toughness on the other, are widespread in economic, social and political relations. Timidity and aggressiveness are two forms of lack of fortitude which are often found in human behaviour; they result repeatedly in the distressing sight of one who is weak and cowardly towards the powerful, or of one who is arrogant and overbearing towards the defenceless.

Perhaps today as never before the moral virtue of fortitude needs the support of the corresponding gift of the Holy Spirit. The gift of Fortitude is a supernatural impulse which gives strength to the soul, not only on exceptional occasions such as that of martyrdom, but also in normal difficulties: in the struggle to remain consistent with one's principles: in putting up with insults and unjust attacks: in courageous perseverance on the path of truth and uprightness, in spite of lack of understanding and hostility.

When, like Jesus in Gethsemane, we experience "the weakness of the flesh" (cf. Mt 26:41; Mk14:38), or rather, of human nature subject to physical and psychological infirmities, we should ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of Fortitude to remain firm and decisive on the path of goodness. Then we will be able to repeat with St Paul: "For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong" (1 Cor12:10).

There are many of Christ's followers - pastors and faithful, priests, religious, and laity, engaged in every area of apostolic and social work who in all times, including our own, have experienced and experience martyrdom of body and spirit, in intimate union with the Mother of Sorrows beside the Cross. All have been victorious thanks to this gift of the Spirit.

Let us ask Mary, whom we now greet as Queen of Heaven, to obtain for us the gift of Fortitude in all the vicissitudes of life and at the hour of death.' (Blessed John Paul II, Homily on Solemnity of Pentecost, 1989)

Veni Creator Spiritus (Hymn)
1. Veni, creator Spiritus
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia,
quae tu creasti pectora.

2. Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissimi donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas
et spiritalis unctio.

3. Tu septiformis munere,
digitus paternae dexterae
tu rite promissum Patris
sermone ditans guttura.

4. Accende lumen sensibus,
infunde amorem cordibus,
infirma nostri corporis,
virtute firmans perpeti.

5. Hostem repellas longius
pacemque dones protinus;
ductore sic te praevio
vitemus omne noxium.

6. Per te sciamus da Patrem
noscamus atque Filium,
te utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.

7. Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio qui a mortuis
Surrexit, ac Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula.
Amen.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created
All: And you shall renew the face of the earth

Let us pray
O God who has taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Sprit we may be always truly wise and always rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

All: O God I adore you, as the third person of the ever blessed Trinity. You are the living love with which the Father and the Son love each other. And you are the author of supernatural love in our hearts. Increase in me this grace of love, in spite of my unworthiness. It is more precious than anything else to in the world. I accept it in place of all the world can give me. It is my life. Amen.
(JH Newman)

Priest: LORD Jesus Christ who before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish your work in the souls of your apostles and disciples, grant the same Holy Spirit to me, to perfect in my soul the work of your grace and your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may not be attached to the passing things of this world, but always look to Heaven. The Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of your divine truth. The Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God. The Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my own cross with you. The Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow more perfect. The Spirit of Piety that I may find service of God sweet and amiable. The Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and avoid what displeases him. Mark me dear Lord with the sign of your true disciples, and animate me in all things with your Spirit. Amen

Regina Caeli (Hymn)

Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

Preparing for Confirmation

This Thursday Bishop Kieran will be coming to Horsham to say Mass and to seal our Confirmation candidates with the Spirit. Usually this happens over the course of a few weekends at Worth Abbey but since we have so many this year our lovely bishop is coming to us instead! This is an exciting time for the parish but most especially for the candidates themselves and their families. Please, please pray for all of them as they prepare to receive this wonderful sacrament on Thursday evening. It will be a wonderful, beautiful and inspiring thing to watch them enter event deeper into their relationship with God.

Novena for Pentecost, day four

As we move through the novena we turn from one gift of the Holy Spirit to another. The gift of Piety 'perfects the virtue of religion, which is the practice of justice toward God' (Modern Catholic Dictionary, Fr. John Hardon). We often describe someone who is obviously devout as 'pious' and although the two go hand in hand there is much more to it than that. What makes piety so wonderful is that it produces within us a deeper and more special love for God which, in turn, inspires us with a greater devotion to him and a longing to be close to him and do his will. It transforms our perception of God from simply Master and Lord into Father and loving guide. This greater and more...passionate love makes us more devout but the outward devotions are nil compared to what goes on in the heart. So let us pray together for the gift of piety for each and every one of us.

Veni Creator Spiritus (Hymn)

1. Veni, creator Spiritus
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia,
quae tu creasti pectora.

2. Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissimi donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas
et spiritalis unctio.

3. Tu septiformis munere,
digitus paternae dexterae
tu rite promissum Patris
sermone ditans guttura.

4. Accende lumen sensibus,
infunde amorem cordibus,
infirma nostri corporis,
virtute firmans perpeti.

5. Hostem repellas longius
pacemque dones protinus;
ductore sic te praevio
vitemus omne noxium.

6. Per te sciamus da Patrem
noscamus atque Filium,
te utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.

7. Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio qui a mortuis
Surrexit, ac Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula.
Amen.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created
All: And you shall renew the face of the earth

Let us pray
O God who has taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Sprit we may be always truly wise and always rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

All: O God I adore you, as the third person of the ever blessed Trinity. You are the living love with which the Father and the Son love each other. And you are the author of supernatural love in our hearts. Increase in me this grace of love, in spite of my unworthiness. It is more precious than anything else to in the world. I accept it in place of all the world can give me. It is my life. Amen.
(JH Newman)

Priest: LORD Jesus Christ who before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish your work in the souls of your apostles and disciples, grant the same Holy Spirit to me, to perfect in my soul the work of your grace and your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may not be attached to the passing things of this world, but always look to Heaven. The Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of your divine truth. The Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God. The Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my own cross with you. The Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow more perfect. The Spirit of Piety that I may find service of God sweet and amiable. The Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and avoid what displeases him. Mark me dear Lord with the sign of your true disciples, and animate me in all things with your Spirit. Amen

Regina Caeli (Hymn)

Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

Novena for Pentecost, day three

During a novena in the lead up to Pentecost we often pray to receive one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit of which there are seven; wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. They, as the Catechism tells us, 'complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them' (CCC 1831) and bring with them the fruits of the Spirit (charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity), little perfections as it were that are formed within us 'as the first fruits of eternal glory' (CCC 1832).

The gift of 'Fear of the Lord' (or 'Holy Fear') is one that can confuse and worry people a little simply because it doesn't sound like much fun. In fact many would say it doesn't even sound like a gift at all. But Holy Fear is not about being terrified of God, living in dread that he might squish us like an ant or anything like that. What it is instead is a spirit of deep reverence and awe of God, something which helps us to recognise how great and powerful and loving and merciful he is and, in comparison, how small and in need of his help we are. Without this help from the Holy Spirit we are in danger of believing that we can make do without God, perhaps even that we can do better, and fail to see that we are 'but a breath' (Ps. 62:9) and all goodness comes from God alone and without him our efforts are in vain. Please do join with us today in praying for this gift.

Veni Creator Spiritus (Hymn)

1. Veni, creator Spiritus
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia,
quae tu creasti pectora.

2. Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissimi donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas
et spiritalis unctio.

3. Tu septiformis munere,
digitus paternae dexterae
tu rite promissum Patris
sermone ditans guttura.

4. Accende lumen sensibus,
infunde amorem cordibus,
infirma nostri corporis,
virtute firmans perpeti.

5. Hostem repellas longius
pacemque dones protinus;
ductore sic te praevio
vitemus omne noxium.

6. Per te sciamus da Patrem
noscamus atque Filium,
te utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.

7. Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio qui a mortuis
Surrexit, ac Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula.
Amen.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created
All: And you shall renew the face of the earth

Let us pray
O God who has taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Sprit we may be always truly wise and always rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

All: O God I adore you, as the third person of the ever blessed Trinity. You are the living love with which the Father and the Son love each other. And you are the author of supernatural love in our hearts. Increase in me this grace of love, in spite of my unworthiness. It is more precious than anything else to in the world. I accept it in place of all the world can give me. It is my life. Amen.
(JH Newman)

Priest: LORD Jesus Christ who before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish your work in the souls of your apostles and disciples, grant the same Holy Spirit to me, to perfect in my soul the work of your grace and your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may not be attached to the passing things of this world, but always look to Heaven. The Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of your divine truth. The Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God. The Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my own cross with you. The Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow more perfect. The Spirit of Piety that I may find service of God sweet and amiable. The Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and avoid what displeases him. Mark me dear Lord with the sign of your true disciples, and animate me in all things with your Spirit. Amen

Regina Caeli (Hymn)

Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

Novena for Pentecost, day two

The time between Ascension and Pentecost is always an interesting one as it encourages us, like the apostles did, to reflect upon what our role within the Church should be, what our priorities are and how we should live out our vocation as Christians. What it illustrates so beautifully I think is that we can do nothing, our efforts amount to nothing without the help of the Holy Spirit. It makes us look forward once again to that great outpouring and encourages us to pray for the renewal of each of us as individuals and as the Body of Christ. Please join us as we pray our novena for Pentecost.

Veni Creator Spiritus (Hymn)

1. Veni, creator Spiritus
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia,
quae tu creasti pectora.

2. Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissimi donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas
et spiritalis unctio.

3. Tu septiformis munere,
digitus paternae dexterae
tu rite promissum Patris
sermone ditans guttura.

4. Accende lumen sensibus,
infunde amorem cordibus,
infirma nostri corporis,
virtute firmans perpeti.

5. Hostem repellas longius
pacemque dones protinus;
ductore sic te praevio
vitemus omne noxium.

6. Per te sciamus da Patrem
noscamus atque Filium,
te utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.

7. Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio qui a mortuis
Surrexit, ac Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula.
Amen.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created
All: And you shall renew the face of the earth

Let us pray
O God who has taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Sprit we may be always truly wise and always rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

All: O God I adore you, as the third person of the ever blessed Trinity. You are the living love with which the Father and the Son love each other. And you are the author of supernatural love in our hearts. Increase in me this grace of love, in spite of my unworthiness. It is more precious than anything else to in the world. I accept it in place of all the world can give me. It is my life. Amen.
(JH Newman)

Priest: LORD Jesus Christ who before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish your work in the souls of your apostles and disciples, grant the same Holy Spirit to me, to perfect in my soul the work of your grace and your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may not be attached to the passing things of this world, but always look to Heaven. The Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of your divine truth. The Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God. The Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my own cross with you. The Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow more perfect. The Spirit of Piety that I may find service of God sweet and amiable. The Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and avoid what displeases him. Mark me dear Lord with the sign of your true disciples, and animate me in all things with your Spirit. Amen

Regina Caeli (Hymn)

Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

Novena for Pentecost, day one

Every year the Catholic community all over the world gathers together in a special time of prayer in preparation for the celebration of Pentecost, the birthday, as it were, of the Church. On this day the apostles received a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit, they were confirmed in their mission to preach the Good News and went out telling anyone and everyone about the love of God and Christ's triumph over death.

For the nine days leading up to this extra special day there will be a short (approximately ten to fifteen minutes) time of prayer in St. Johns and all are warmly invited to join in. If you can't make it, however, please do feel free to pray with us from home or work (or wherever else) with the prayers shown below.

Veni Creator Spiritus (Hymn)

1. Veni, creator Spiritus
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia,
quae tu creasti pectora.

2. Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissimi donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas
et spiritalis unctio.

3. Tu septiformis munere,
digitus paternae dexterae
tu rite promissum Patris
sermone ditans guttura.

4. Accende lumen sensibus,
infunde amorem cordibus,
infirma nostri corporis,
virtute firmans perpeti.

5. Hostem repellas longius
pacemque dones protinus;
ductore sic te praevio
vitemus omne noxium.

6. Per te sciamus da Patrem
noscamus atque Filium,
te utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.

7. Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio qui a mortuis
Surrexit, ac Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula.
Amen.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created
All: And you shall renew the face of the earth

Let us pray
O God who has taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Sprit we may be always truly wise and always rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

All: O God I adore you, as the third person of the ever blessed Trinity. You are the living love with which the Father and the Son love each other. And you are the author of supernatural love in our hearts. Increase in me this grace of love, in spite of my unworthiness. It is more precious than anything else to in the world. I accept it in place of all the world can give me. It is my life. Amen.
(JH Newman)

Priest: LORD Jesus Christ who before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish your work in the souls of your apostles and disciples, grant the same Holy Spirit to me, to perfect in my soul the work of your grace and your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may not be attached to the passing things of this world, but always look to Heaven. The Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of your divine truth. The Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God. The Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my own cross with you. The Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow more perfect. The Spirit of Piety that I may find service of God sweet and amiable. The Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and avoid what displeases him. Mark me dear Lord with the sign of your true disciples, and animate me in all things with your Spirit. Amen

Regina Caeli (Hymn)

Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

The English Martyrs

Last Friday we celebrated the feast of some absolutely extraordinary people. People who stood up in the face of persecution, with the threat of imprisonment, torture and violent death hanging over them, and fearlessly practiced their faith. They are a source of inspiration and, more importantly, a source of strength for each and every one of us. Their witness is not confined to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries but speaks to us, time and again, of the love of Christ. Their willingness to endure some of the most gruesome of fates is a profound proclamation of their love for Jesus and His Church, a direct response to His sacrifice for us upon the cross.

At Mass on Friday Fr. Aaron reminded us of this and asked us all to think if we too would be prepared to undergo a similar fate for the sake of our faith. This is a challenging and uncomfortable question and, for those of us living in the UK, one we will probably never have to answer. But the fact is (and, for me at least, this was underlined by today's second collection for Aid to the Church in Need) that the kind of persecution that these holy martyrs suffered during the reformation is still going on today in many parts of the world. In so many places people are harassed, forced to live in poverty, arrested and imprisoned, mentally and physically abused, tortured and killed for simply being Christian. In trying to live out the life that Jesus showed us, to love God and our neighbour as ourselves, they are disgracefully treated, degraded and discarded just as those martyrs a few hundred years ago. Often in the light of this suffering we feel rather helpless, we don't know how to respond, how to help those around the world who need our support so very much. As many will have done today there are charities like ACN whose mission it is to do what we as individuals cannot. But the most important tool we have at our disposal is prayer. Even though it may seem like it makes little or no difference as this suffering continues to happen over and over again it has a huge impact on the people who are in those situations. Just as when one part of the Body of Christ suffers we all suffer with it equally when one part offers encouragement the whole Body reaps the benefits. We can draw strength from the witness of the English Martyrs and our brothers and sisters all over the world can profit greatly from our prayers. So why not join me in praying the Litany of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales for all Christians suffering all over the world?

Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy

Christ have mercy, Christ have mercy

Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy

Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs, Pray for us!

Christ hear us. Christ graciously hear us
God the Father in Heaven, Have mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us
God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us
Our Lady, Queen of Apostles, Pray for us
Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs, Pray for us
St. John Houghton, Pray for us
St. Richard Reynolds, Pray for us
St. Augustine Webster, Pray for us
St. Robert Lawrence, Pray for us
St. John Stone, Pray for us
St. Cuthbert Mayne, Pray for us
St. Edmund Campion, Pray for us
St. Ralph Sherwin, Pray for us
St. Alexander Briant, Pray for us
St. John Payne, Pray for us
St. Luke Kirby, Pray for us
St. Richard Gwyn, Pray for us
St. Margaret Clitherow, Pray for us.
St. Margaret Ward, Pray for us
St. Edmund Gennings, Pray for us
St. Swithun Wells, Pray for us
St. Polydore Plasden, Pray for us
St. Eustace White, Pray for us
St. John Boste, Pray for us
St. Robert Southwell, Pray for us

Holy Martyrs of England and Wales, Pray for us!

St. Henry Walpole, Pray for us
St. Philip Howard, Pray for us
St. John Jones, Pray for us
St. John Rigby, Pray for us
St. Anne Line, Pray for us
St. Nicholas Owen, Pray for us
St. Thomas Garnet, Pray for us
St. John Roberts, Pray for us
St. John Almond, Pray for us
St. Edmund Arrowsmith, Pray for us
St. Ambrose Barlow, Pray for us
St. Alban Roe, Pray for us
St. Henry Morse, Pray for us
St. John Southworth, Pray for us
St. John Plessington, Pray for us
St. Philip Evans, Pray for us
St. John Lloyd, Pray for us
St. John Wall, Pray for us
St. John Kemble, Pray for us
St. David Lewis, Pray for us

Let us pray. Oh God, in whom there is no change or shadow of alteration, you gave courage to the Holy Martyrs. Grant unto us, we beseech you, through their intercession, the grace to always value the Holy Mass. May we be strengthened to serve you in imitation of the courage of these Holy Martyrs. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

Read all about it!

The new edition of the Eaglet is out this weekend for all to read and enjoy. For those who haven't been able to pop into St. John's to pick up a copy it is available to download here or click on the picture below.

If you have any comments please do post them below and if you would like to contribute to the next one please contact Marilyn George and she will be more than happy to help.