Prayer is “the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” St. John Damascene. It is the heart of what the Church is about because it is conversation with God. In prayer we enter into the inner life of God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is a simple thing, like a conversation, but it is not shallow. The depths of prayer are unfathomable, if we allow ourselves to discover.
How much time do you devote to prayer each day? What importance does it have in your life? Prayer is vital for a Christian, as much as air is for us to breathe. Without prayer, it’s difficult to enter into a relationship with God, to grow in that relationship and bring others to Him. Why not make a commitment to pray 15 minutes more than you are right now? That’s a good place to begin.
“The heart is our hidden center, beyond the grasp of our reason and of others; only the Spirit of God can fathom the human heart and know it fully. The heart is the place of decision, deeper than our psychic drives. It is the place of truth, where we choose life or death. It is the place of encounter …” CCC 2563
Christianity is unique. Everything else is the human quest for something but Christianity is God’s quest for us. As the Catechism says, Jesus thirsts for us, he desires us. Prayer then, is the place of encounter with the God who thirst for us and the one we thirst for as well. “Prayer is the encounter of God’s thirst with ours.” St Augustine. What a wonderful truth we know of, that God desires to be in relationship with us.
In our Parish there are plenty of opportunities to deepen your prayer life and satisfy your inner thirst for God. Below you will find information on what we have available. Why not try something new?
“In the Blessed Sacrament … you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves upon earth.” J R R Tolkien
Adoration is a time of silent prayer in the Church where you gaze upon Jesus truly present in the Eucharist.
Thursday – 8:20 PM – 9:00 PM
Friday – 8:45 AM – 12:30 PM
Sundays with Vespers (Evening Prayer) and Benediction (a Blessing) – 6:00 PM
This is an ancient practice of reading, meditating and praying with a piece of the Bible. The purpose is to grow in communion with God.
The group meets to share faith and community on Thursdays at 10:00 AM in the Bulbeck Room.
If you are interested but would like more information please email Shelia – sheila.rees2@ntlworld.com
This is a simple & powerful way of praying. It is a contemplative practice much needed in today’s world. The aim is to allow God’s mysterious and silent presence within us to become more and more the reality of our lives.
There are two groups in the Parish:
If you are interested but would like more information please email:
We meet every second Monday in term time. 8:30 – 9:30 PM in the Newman Chapel.
Join us for an hour of peaceful meditation at the foot of the Cross, a Gospel Reading, silence, and meditative singing in several languages. Everyone is welcome.
Below are the times when the Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered in the Parish. If you have been away from the Sacrament for some time and you’re feeling anxious, just let the priest know and they will guide you. If you would prefer, because you’ve been away, you can arrange to meet with a priest outside of the Parish Confession times. Just fill in the form below and we will be in touch.
The Sacrament of Confession is currently not available at our normal times. However, we can announce that the Sacrament of Confession will now be available on Saturdays 10:00am – 11:00am.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is not available are present due to the lockdown.
Thursday
Saturday
8:00 – 8:30 PM
10:00 – 11:00 AM
4:00 – 5:00 PM
7:00 – 7:25 PM
Extra Confession times are available during Advent, Lent and Holy Week. Check the bulletin or news page for details in these periods.