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. (more…)

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… (more…)

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

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… (more…)

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

A young, newly-ordained priest was walking with an older, more seasoned parish priest in the garden one day and feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do, he was inquiring of the older man. The parish priest walked up to a rosebush and handed the young priest a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals. He looked in disbelief at the older priest and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know God’s will for his life and for his ministry. Because of his high respect for the older priest, he proceeded to try to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal intact… It wasn’t long before he realized that it was impossible to do so. Noticing the young priest’s inability to unfold the rosebud while keeping it intact, the older priest began to tell him the following poem… (more…)

Today we had the first of the Parish Shrine Days.  34 Visitors came from St Kentigern’s Fallowfield and St Edward’s Rushholm Parish to spend the day at the Shrine. They were welcomed by the St. John Fisher’s team of ladies who looked after the pilgrims.  The day was very successful and both young and old enjoyed there stay and hope to come again. If you would like to read the report on the day then download this news report. The group were happy to get to know the Shrine.  Nine teenagers took part and they had their own programme in the newly renovated Cottage. Some of the young people had been there with their school for an Amigo Day or for one of the programmes for High Schools. They had time in the Shrine and time to enjoy one another’s company. Fr. Bryan gave a talk on the meaning of the Shrine – a holy place where we can live in God’s presence and search to do his will. The group found out a lot about Schoenstatt and enjoyed being looked after by our team from St John Fisher’s. They hoped to come again and we look forward to welcoming them.