Schoenstatt Family England

Covenant Mass in May

Fr. Bryan Cunningham — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:48:43 +0000

The Anam Cara group would like to welcome everyone to our covenant Mass at the Shrine on Friday 18th May 2012 at 7.30pm .The theme of our Mass is: ‘The Covenant of Love – The Roots and Foundation of our Family Life’ In our families, our parents and grandparents are our role models, our teachers, our guides and our security as we grow from children and mature into adulthood. Most importantly, they pass on to us the gift of faith. In our Schoenstatt family, we are blessed with a spiritual parent in the person of Mary, our Blessed Mother who challenges us to live this faith every day in our own lives. Through our Covenant of Love with Mary, even during the difficult times, perhaps when our Faith is tested most, we do not lose hope. She gives us the strength to remain firmly rooted in our belief that we are cared for by a loving Father who will not desert us but who will give us the grace to face our difficulties. Trees may bend in the wind but if their roots are strong, they will not fall. They will continue to grow and flourish. We are grateful for our Covenant of Love with Mary which gives us our roots. Through our Covenant, we can always feel secure and joyful, trusting that we are safe in her care. We, as parents, believe it is important to give our children ‘roots’. We also know , however, that we need to give them ‘wings’ so that they can develop into firm, free, independent people . As the mother of our Schoenstatt Family, Mary wants to do the same for each of us . Through the Covenant of Love, she provides us with our roots and a firm foundation upon which we can build our lives and deepen our Faith.

more(+)

I Will Move The Rock

Fr Duncan McVicar — Mon, 14 May 2012 07:00:20 +0000

A man was sleeping at night in his house when suddenly his room filled with light and the Saviour appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do and showed him a large rock in front of his house. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s mind such as: “You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn’t budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it.” Thus giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure, these thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man even more. “Why kill myself over this?” he thought. “I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort, and that will be good enough.” And that he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. “Lord,” he said, “I have laboured long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?” To this the Lord responded compassionately… “My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewed and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done. “I, my friend, will now move the rock.”

When everything seems to go wrong …. just P.U.S.H.!

When your work gets you down… just P.U.S.H.!

When people don’t react the way you think they should… just P.U.S.H.

When your money is “gone” and the bills are due… just P.U.S.H.!

When people just don’t understand you… just P.U.S.H.!

When you have a worry or trouble and can’t find an answer… just P.U.S.H.!

P= Pray

U= Until

S= Something

H= Happens

more(+)

St Ethelbert’s Parish, Deane in Bolton visit the Shrine

Fr. Bryan Cunningham — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:32:54 +0000

Over 40 members of the St Ethelbert’s Parish, Deane in Bolton visited the Shrine this weekend with their Parish Priest, Fr. Duncan. They had time to pray in the Shrine and time for one another while they shared light refreshments prepared and served by the Team of ladies from St John Fisher’s. Even though it was a cold but sunny day the brave and courageous took time to look around the grounds, visit the Cottage and have quiet time in the Shrine. he few hours in the afternoon passed very quickly and everyone enjoyed their day and they are looking forward to coming again next year. If you would like to download a copy of the report click here

more(+)

Facing Trials Like A Blacksmith

Fr Duncan McVicar — Mon, 07 May 2012 07:00:28 +0000

You perhaps recall the story of the blacksmith who gave his heart to God. Though conscientious in his living, still he was not prospering materially. In fact, it seems that from the time of his conversion more trouble, affliction and loss were sustained than ever before. Everything seemed to be going wrong. One day a friend who was not a Catholic stopped at the little gorge to talk to him. Sympathizing with him in some of his trials, the friend said “It seems strange to me that so much affliction should pass over you just at the time when you have become an sincere Catholic. Of course, I don’t want to weaken your faith in God or anything like that. But here you are, with God’s help and guidance, and yet things seem to be getting steadily worse. I can’t help wondering why it is.” The blacksmith did not answer immediately, and it was evident that he had thought the same question before. But finally, he said…“You see here the raw iron which I have to make into horse’s shoes. You know what I do with it? I take a piece and heat it in the fire until it is red, almost white with the heat. Then I hammer it unmercifully to shape it as I know it should be shaped. Then I plunge it into a pail of cold water to temper it. Then I heat it again and hammer it some more. And this I do until it is finished.” “But sometimes I find a piece of iron that won’t stand up under this treatment. The heat and the hammering and the cold water are too much for it. I don’t know why it fails in the process, but I know it will never make a good horse’s shoe.” He pointed to a heap of scrap iron that was near the door of his shop. “When I get a piece that cannot take the shape and temper, I throw it out on the scrap heap. It will never be good for anything.” He went on, “I know that God has been holding me in the fires of sorrows and worries and I have felt His hammer upon me. But I don’t mind, if only He can bring me to what I should be. And so, in all these hard things my prayer is simply this: Try me in any way you wish, Lord, only don’t throw me on the scrap heap.”

more(+)

Welcome to our May Day 2012

Fr. Bryan Cunningham — Sun, 06 May 2012 14:16:44 +0000

May Day at the Shrine Our Team for Taste and See Mass invite you to join them for the May Day. All are welcome. This year we celebrate a Year of the Shrine. Our May Day is in the hands of the Taste and See Team. They invite you to celebrate with them Holy Mass at 3.30pm. In the tradition of this family Mass you are invited to a shared meal afterwards. Please bring something for lunch with you to share with the others. After sharing our meal Fr. Duncan Mc Vicar will lead us in a meditation on the theme for this Year of the Shrine: ““Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us His ways and we may walk in His paths.” We look forward to seeing you on the day. To download Poster click here

more(+)

Marathon Fundraiser for Sunrise Children’s Village

Fr. Andrew Pastore — Fri, 04 May 2012 07:18:51 +0000

Many thanks to all those who supported the Sunrise marathon. Brian finished sub 5 hours on a wet, cold and miserable Sunday morning. Many thanks to him

We are trying to get the monies in – if you are a sponsor – please let me have your forms and monies. The way things are looking we are heading for a grand total of around £1000 – so get your forms in…

God Bless

Fr. Andrew

more(+)

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Fr. Andrew Pastore — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:11:39 +0000

more(+)

The Most Holy Name of Mary

Fr. Andrew Pastore — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:11:08 +0000

more(+)

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Fr. Andrew Pastore — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:10:28 +0000

more(+)

Saint Gregory the Great, pope and doctor

Fr. Andrew Pastore — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:09:34 +0000

Born in Rome in 540; he became a civil servant, and eventually was Prefect of the City. He entered the Abbey of Saint Andrew, and was ordained deacon in 578. On the death of Pope Pelagius II in 590 Gregory was elected Pope, showing marvellous pastoral care in preaching, writing, caring for the poor and working for the civil welfare of the City of Rome, then deserted and threatened. He is called the “Apostle of England” because it was he who sent Augustine, the prior of Saint Andrew’s to minister there, after encountering English slaves in the Forum.

more(+)