During the course of next week the restoration / reordering works at St Mary & St Giles are projected to advance significantly.
The most significant and important change is that of returning the Blessed Sacrament into the main body of the Parish Church. Of course, many of us in our time at St Mary & St Giles have never known it be any where else but in the former Choir Vestry and, along with the continuing numbers of new people to Milton Keynes, may not understand the importance and significance of the Sacramental Presence of Christ in our midst. In such circumstances it is the role of the Parish Priest to teach why we reserve the Consecrated Host for veneration as well as for those who are too ill to come to Mass whether they are in Hospital or convalescent/housebound in their own homes. Just because people do not understand something is no reason to keep it out of their sight, for we can all be brought to understand if it is explained to us.
A short article like this can scarcely do justice to so important a matter. First of all there needs to be an explanation of why the Church reserves the Blessed Sacrament and along with this and explanation of why it venerates the Sacred Mysteries of Christ’s Body and Blood. Following on from this there needs to be some teaching on how we behave in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament. In order that this may be explained more fully the Homilies on the next two Sundays will focus on the Blessed Sacrament. The texts will be available at the beginning of February in one publication.
Teaching the Faith is very important in every generation and this year despite all the works to the Parish Church and the moves towards building an adjoining hall, I wish to concentrate on Teaching the Faith as well. To this end the Homilies in Lent will be about the Scriptures and will include an overview of them to aid our use of the new Bibles and Lectionaries in use in our parish.
At the beginning of Lent we have two, yes two, Bishops coming to St Mary & St Giles on the same day for a “Day of Teaching, Reconciliation & Healing.” Bishop Andrew and Bishop Keith will be with us for the whole day on Saturday 7th March and I hope that as many of you as possible will take the opportunity to participate in this major event in the life of our Parish.
As the year progresses there will be other teaching opportunities and I aim to produce two series of pamphlets. The first will explain the essentials of the Faith and the second will be about “Living the Christian Life.” The publication of these will coincide with Homilies helping to expand upon them.
AD 2009 will not simply be a year concerned with the church buildings, but about the joyful proclamation of “the faith once delivered to the saints” (Letter of St Jude verse 3). In this way I hope that we will be better able to “give a reason for the hope that is within us” (cf 1 Peter 3:15).
The most significant and important change is that of returning the Blessed Sacrament into the main body of the Parish Church. Of course, many of us in our time at St Mary & St Giles have never known it be any where else but in the former Choir Vestry and, along with the continuing numbers of new people to Milton Keynes, may not understand the importance and significance of the Sacramental Presence of Christ in our midst. In such circumstances it is the role of the Parish Priest to teach why we reserve the Consecrated Host for veneration as well as for those who are too ill to come to Mass whether they are in Hospital or convalescent/housebound in their own homes. Just because people do not understand something is no reason to keep it out of their sight, for we can all be brought to understand if it is explained to us.
A short article like this can scarcely do justice to so important a matter. First of all there needs to be an explanation of why the Church reserves the Blessed Sacrament and along with this and explanation of why it venerates the Sacred Mysteries of Christ’s Body and Blood. Following on from this there needs to be some teaching on how we behave in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament. In order that this may be explained more fully the Homilies on the next two Sundays will focus on the Blessed Sacrament. The texts will be available at the beginning of February in one publication.
Teaching the Faith is very important in every generation and this year despite all the works to the Parish Church and the moves towards building an adjoining hall, I wish to concentrate on Teaching the Faith as well. To this end the Homilies in Lent will be about the Scriptures and will include an overview of them to aid our use of the new Bibles and Lectionaries in use in our parish.
At the beginning of Lent we have two, yes two, Bishops coming to St Mary & St Giles on the same day for a “Day of Teaching, Reconciliation & Healing.” Bishop Andrew and Bishop Keith will be with us for the whole day on Saturday 7th March and I hope that as many of you as possible will take the opportunity to participate in this major event in the life of our Parish.
As the year progresses there will be other teaching opportunities and I aim to produce two series of pamphlets. The first will explain the essentials of the Faith and the second will be about “Living the Christian Life.” The publication of these will coincide with Homilies helping to expand upon them.
AD 2009 will not simply be a year concerned with the church buildings, but about the joyful proclamation of “the faith once delivered to the saints” (Letter of St Jude verse 3). In this way I hope that we will be better able to “give a reason for the hope that is within us” (cf 1 Peter 3:15).
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