St Peter’s Church Saturday 25 May 5.30pm Main Celebrant: Archbishop Mark O’Toole All are Welcome! Please keep all the Confirmation candidates in your prayers.

The Virtues of Mary - Chastity  St Augustine said that the battles of chastity are the most severe of all others, because it is daily and victory is rare. But God has given us Mary, He chosen this most pure Virgin for His mother, that she may be a great example of chastity to all. Mary is called the Virgin of virgins, since without others' advice or example she is the first who offered her virginity to God, and brought all virgins who imitate her to God. The beauty of Mary encouraged chastity in all who looked at her, even St Jerome said that St Joseph preserved his virginity by being together with Mary. So how to preserved chastity? There are 3 ways: fasting, avoiding occasions of sins, and prayer. Fasting means mortification, especially with the eyes and the appetite. Although Mary was full of grace, yet she always look down and never fixed her eyes on anybody. As regards to food, the infant Mary took milk only once a day, and she always fasted during her whole life. Since grace and gluttony cannot co-exist. Second way is avoiding dangerous occasions. Mary avoided the sight of men as much as possible, thus she went with haste into the hill country when she visited St Elizabeth. Another thing is Mary left Elizabeth before the birth of the Baptist, why did she not wait till his birth? So to avoid the conversation and visits which it would followed. Last way is prayer. Mary once revealed to a nun that she obtained her virtues with effort and continual prayer. Yes, Mary is pure and a lover of purity, hence she cannot endure the impure. However, many temptations against chastity have been overcome by devotion to the Immaculate Virgin alone. Therefore, call Mary's name with confidence, since whoever recourse to her will certainly be delivered from this weakness. (Source: St Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary, P J Kenedy & Sons, 1888)

The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit Wisdom Understanding Counsel Fortitude Knowledge Piety Fear of God

“When the Advocate comes… the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father, he will be my witness.” (John 15:26) O God, who by the mystery of today's great feast sanctify your whole Church in every people and nation, pour out, we pray, the gifts of the Holy Spirit across the face of the earth and, with the divine grace that was at work when the Gospel was first proclaimed, fill now once more the hearts of believers. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,  God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Bidding Prayers - Pentecost Sunday We are looking for parishioners to say one bidding prayer in their own language on Pentecost Sunday. Please volunteer in the entrance on your way out. Nationalities in the Parish We wish to celebrate the diversity of Parishioners in our Parish on Pentecost. Please add your own Nationality or Ethnicity to the list in the entrance. The list will be typed up and attached to the newsletter on Pentecost Sunday. National Dress To celebrate the diversity in our Parish and if you have an ethnic costume, perhaps you may wish to wear it at the Pentecost Sunday Mass. The Our Father At the Pentecost Mass, we will ask parishioners to say Our Father Prayer in their own language (all at the same time) if they wish.

The Virtues of Mary - Humility Humility is the foundation and guardian of the virtues, because a soul cannot possess other virtues without humility. The world does not know it at first, but Jesus Himself came to teach it by His example, He told us: "Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart." Mary was the first and most perfect disciple of Jesus Christ in all the virtues, and humility was the first virtue which she especially practised from childhood. Mary always thought so lowly of herself, remembering that all was God's gift; she also refused praises, and gave them all back to God, like in the Annunciation and the Visitation. Out of humility, Mary concealed the gifts of heaven thus did not tell St Joseph that she became the mother of God. Despite being pregnant, Mary still went and served Elizabeth for three months partly due to humility. Mary's humbleness also caused her to retire and choose the lowest place; like when she wished to speak with Jesus while He was preaching in a house, she waited outside until invited; and she took the lowest place when she was in the "upper room" with the apostles. Finally, the humble one loves contempt; as Mary did not appear on Palm Sunday when Jesus received so much honour, instead she appeared in public on Calvary and did not shrink from fear of the shame of being known as the mother of a criminal who was condemned to an infamous death. Indeed, humility is not easy to practise, but if we are not humble, we can never be the true children of Mary. Oh, how dear is a humble soul to Mary! St Bernard wrote: "The Virgin recognizes and loves those who love her, and she is near to all who invoke her, especially to those whom she sees like herself in chastity and humility. Emulate this virtue if you love Mary."  (Source: St Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary, P J Kenedy & Sons, 1888)

Holy Rosary will be held in Our Lady’s Garden at St Peter’s every Sunday in May at 11am Please join us today! Why not use this great opportunity to also take part in the Word on Fire’s ‘50,000 Rosaries Challenge’ this month? So far over 25,000 Rosaries have been prayed around the world for the "lost sheep" to return to the faith. To log your Rosary and join this international movement please visit: https://www.wordonfire.org/pray-rosary/#log

You can read Pope Francis’ message for the day via: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/wcd24-papal-message/ May advances in communications technology and artificial intelligence assist us so that we may all grow together and share our common humanity. (Bidding Prayer from CBCEW) This weekend there is a Second Collection for Catholic Communications Network

Graciously hear our supplications, O Lord, so that we, who believe that the Saviour of the human race is with you in your glory, may experience, as he promised, until the end of the world, his abiding presence among us. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,  God, for ever and ever. Amen.