My Dear Friends,
The pandemic has rattled us all during the past year and we are not “out of the woods” yet. More patience and resilience is being asked of us.
It is a wearisome for many but we have reasons to be thankful. Many have fallen victim of the deadly virus and their loss has been difficult to grieve properly. Great solidarity and support has been shared. We continue to remember them in our prayer.
We are thankful for the sacrifices so many have made on the “front line” and continue to nurse the sick back to health.
We are grateful to have the vaccines being made available so that, God willing, within the next few months more and more will be protected from the virus.
The children are back to school and soon they will be free to play and engage in recreation through the Summer.
Not being able to gather for Holy Mass has been difficult and especially not being able to gather for Holy Week ceremonies for a second Easter in a row. We must bear this Eucharistic fast in a spirit of Christian Faith where we forego our desire for public prayer in the service of the common good until such time it is safe to do so.
Through all this time the church is open for private prayer. I invite you and your family set aside some time to visit the church over Holy Week and speak to the Eucharistic Lord. It is an opportunity to pray the “Stations of the Cross” to join the redemptive suffering of Jesus to the suffering humanity at this time.
So I look forward in a spirit of Christian hope, trusting in Jesus’ invitation to have courage.
Do not let your hearts be troubled
Trust in God and trust in me. Jh. 14:1
We will prevail. May you be blessed with the abundance of Easter Joy.
Yours in Christ Jesus.
William Crean. Bishop of Cloyne
