This blog will be about my life and interests as a priest. All view expressed are my own, but will be in line with that of the Catholic Church. Also any opinions are my own and do not reflect what happens in the parish or the Diocese of Lancaster.
Today we keep the optional feast of St Richard of Chichester. If you want a decent summary of his life you will find it Here.
Today’s feast reminds us that we have a wealth of English, Scottish and Welsh saints, many of whom have been forgotten or overlooked. There are historical reasons for that, but I will not dwell on those here, but I feel that they need to be celebrated and remembered.
This stain glass window is in a side chapel on the north side of the Church. It was was commissioned by Abbot Cuthbert Clifton OSB who was here as parish priest from the 1850’s until his death in 1891. This is a traditional scene, with Our Lady on the left and St John on the right. In fact the inspiration for this is the 19th chapter of St John’s gospel, part of which was read at today’s Mass of the Sacred Heart. A centurion pierces the side of Jesus with a lance and we are told blood and water flowed. This has led to a rich theology. On this feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus we are reminded that life and grace flow as from a fountain or springs, but it is inexhaustable, neither stopping nor drying up.
Today, being June 5th we celebrate the feast of St Boniface, I am not going to gave a detailed biography of him as this can easily be found elsewhere like here
He was born is Crediton in Devon, his original name being Wynfrith. Much of his work and ministry was in what is now Germany. He was martyred and is buried and honoured in Fulda in Germany. Indeed he is one of the patron saints of that country.
His feast should remind us that in the 7th and 8th centuries England was a spiritual powerhouse, we provided many scholars and missionaries to continental Europe. Indeed one cannot fully understand the growth of the faith without appreciating the contribution and role of so many from England. How times have changed!
This Sunday coming marks the great feast of Pentecost. We celebrate that day when the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles in the Upper Room in Jerusalem. In some circles, this is seen as an opportunity to pray for a “fresh out pouring of the Holy Spirit”. Whilst this is very laudable, I some times feel they are missing the point. Through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation we have been given the Holy Spirit as a gift. What we should be praying for is that the Holy Spirit is awakened within us. The Holy Spirit has given all gifts. This Pentecost we pray that we use them for the Church and the spreading of God’s good news.
Fr Paul Harrison' Blog. 