Dear friends in Christ

The penultimate Sunday of the liturgical year presents us with a picture of the Second Coming of Christ and the Final Judgment. According to the Prophet Daniel in the First Reading, and the words of Our Lord Himself, this is something full of awe and even dread—for the enemies of God. For the Faithful, this is something to anticipate with hope and expectancy. The Church teaches us through Sacred Scriptures and the Catechism, that there will be a personal individual judgement for each of us after our death, to determine our eternal destiny. There is another Final Judgment at the end of the world, when Christ will come in glory, to judge the living and the dead. Each of us will have to stand alone before our Creator and give an account of lives. In these days that speak to us so much of the final realities: Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell, may we be found ready and waiting for the coming of The Lord.

We approach the end of another year in the life of the Church with the celebration of Christ the King next weekend and this leads us to the final days—before the start of Advent—to our Annual Day of Solemn Eucharistic Exposition and Adoration, the Forty Hours’ Prayer. I encourage now, to make some space in our diaries for spending some extra time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, so that we may experience the Kingship of Jesus enthroned in our hearts and lives, and make a worthy preparation for Advent and the celebration of the Incarnation. It can also be a time of prayer in preparation for our entering into the Jubilee Year 2025, beginning on Christmas Day, which is designated the Year of Hope.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Fr Jean-Claude Selvini’s father—Roland Selvini—who died peacefully on Tuesday morning in Paris, at the great age of 100! His Requiem Mass will be offered on Tuesday morning. I have assured fr Jean-Claude of our prayers for his father and for all the family at this time. May he rest in peace.

May God bless you!

Msgr Kevin Hale