ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Prisoners’ Sunday falls on 12 October, and it takes place, too, in the Jubilee Year that was started by Pope Francis before Christmas last year. The theme of the Jubilee Year is “Pilgrims of Hope”, and so we might reflect this Prisoners’ Sunday, on the need to enable those who are serving sentences, all those affected by crime, and those who work in our prison system, to be able to re-find hope that they have perhaps lost. I ask you on this Prisoners’ Sunday to pray very particularly for victims of crime, for those who work in our prison system and in our justice system, and to remember very specially those who are serving sentences, and those who are the hidden victims of crime, particularly young ones. Keep them in your prayers, reflect on ways in which you might perhaps volunteer for Pact: perhaps become a prison visitor or volunteer with the chaplaincy in your local prison. I encourage everybody to pray on Prisoners’ Sunday, especially during the celebration of Mass, and also for parishes, where they can, please, to hold a Second Collection for the support of Pact, the Prison Advice and Care Trust. Pact has the most wonderful history, and holds a very special place in care for prisoners and their families. With every blessing

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is, I always find, especially strong in tone. Jesus gives the rich man no name, yet the poor man has that dignity. At the end of the parable, Jesus points out that "even if someone should rise from the dead" the rich man’s relatives would not be convinced. Jesus, of course, does rise from the dead and His warning is an indication of the all-absorbing lure of riches and power. Like the people against whom Amos speaks in the first reading, the rich man in the parable cares nothing for others. Jesus speaks elsewhere in the Gospel about the lure of riches – in the Parable of the Sower, this is one of the things that chokes the growing shoots, strangling them and preventing the crop. St Paul, writing to Timothy, provides us with the way forward: our lives must be marked by faith, love, patience and gentleness. We are called to be saints. This path is not an easy one – the gospels are filled with the Lord’s warning of the hard road, the narrow gate, the call not to look back, but to keep our gaze on Him, that our steps do not stray. Let us take the warning of the parable to heart, together with the guidance offered us by St Paul, that we do not fall into the traps that lie all around us, but keep mind and heart, every effort, on the building of the Kingdom of God in love and service – for this is true riches.  With every blessing,

This weekend, people from all over the Diocese gathered to celebrate 60 years of the formation of the Diocese which took place at Ardingly on Saturday. Reflecting on these 60 years, Bishop Richard, in his pastoral letter this weekend has also been looking ahead to the future. “The journey has seen a good deal of conversation and renewed collaboration taking place across the Diocese, rooted in prayer. These conversations, leading to the development of leadership teams for our new-formed parishes, are bearing fruit. The formation taking place in our communities, together with the increasing working together in our new parishes will pave the way for ever more effective mission across the Diocese. Of course, we have a distance yet to travel; there is much to be done and this will always be so. However, there is no need for us to fear, for all is gift. “Jesus is at your side at every step of the way” Pope Francis reminded us, “He will not cast you into the abyss or leave you to your own devices. He will always be there to encourage and accompany you. He has promised and he will do it: ‘For I am with you always, to the end of the age’.”  The full pastoral letter will be read out at this weekend’s masses.