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To mark the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, Bishop Alan Hopes celebrated a Mass at St John’s Cathedral with an opportunity to receive the Sacrament of the Sick.
Around 100 people from around the diocese joined the Mass on February 12, which was attended by a number of priests who helped Bishop Alan to administer the Sacrament of the Sick.
“We seek the prayers of Our Lady Immaculate,” said the Bishop in his homily, “and as we encounter her Son Jesus Christ we experience afresh God’s mercy, which always brings healing and wholeness into our lives.
“We must become like little children again as we learn to trust in the love of God our Father. We have to expect to receive everything from God.
“And then we need to grow in confidence. However many sins we may have committed, God’s love still stretches out towards us. This confidence leads us away from any fears about the future we may have. Today is the only day we have to love God, as St Therèse used to say.
“Every circumstance is to be used as an offering of love for our heavenly Father. In suffering we have a unique vocation to love God and each other. We try always to unite our sufferings with those of Jesus on the cross. Just as His sufferings redeemed the whole world, our suffering can become a source of life for others.
“May Mary, help of the sick, pray that God will touch the frailty of our lives with His healing love.”
After the Mass Deacon John Morrill from Our Lady Immaculate and St Etheldreda in Newmarket encouraged those present to join this year’s pilgrimage to Lourdes, from August 19-26. Details will be going out in parish newsletters soon. “Come and be healed in body, mind and spirit,” said Deacon John.
Pictured above is Bishop Alan Hopes administering the Sacrament of the Sick at St John’s Cathedral. You can see a Flickr gallery of the Mass by clicking on the link or the picture below.
