Current Bulletin - Cathedral Church of St Mary

1 THE EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 27th February 2022 (Year C) CITY CENTRE CLERGY V. Rev. Canon Simon Lerche ( Cathedral Dean and Parish Priest St. Dominic s & St. Michael s) Rev. Fr Andrew Shaw (Parish Priest St. Andrews, Priest Chaplain to Newcastle & Northumbria Universities) Rev. Fr William Nicol (Assistant Priest) Rev. Fr Gero McLoughlin SJ, Rev. Fr. Dermot Preston SJ & Rev. Fr Peter Randall SJ (Resident at St. Dominic s | ) Newcastle Hospitals Chaplain: Rev. Fr. Mariadass (0191) 273 3903 or Rev. Deacon Paddy Jackson (0191) 233 6161 NEWCASTLE CITY CENTRE PARTNERSHIP The Cathedral Church of st Mary | Clayton Street West, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 5HH 0191 232 6953 | | St Dominic s Catholic Church | New Bridge Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 2TE 0191 232 6953 | | St Michael s Catholic Church | Westmorland Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne.

2 NE4 7RE 0191 232 6953 | | St Andrew s Catholic Church & Chaplaincy for the Universities of Newcastle & Northumbria 9 Worswick Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 6UW 0191 232 1892 | | | Lay chaplain: | 077132 59173 THE DIOCESE OF HEXHAM AND NEWCASTLE In the pastoral care of Rt Rev.

3 Bishop Robert Byrne, AN APPEAL FROM OUR HOLY FATHER, POPE FRANCIS My heart aches greatly at the worsening situation in eastern Ukraine. Despite the diplomatic efforts of the last few weeks, increasingly alarming scenarios are opening up, Like me, many people all over the world are feeling anguish and concern. Once again the peace of all is threatened by partisan interests. I would like to appeal to those with political responsibility to examine their consciences seriously before God, who is the God of peace and not of war; who is the Father of all, not just of some, who wants us to be brothers and not enemies, I pray that all the parties involved refrain from any action that would cause even more suffering to the people, destabilizing coexistence between nations and bringing international law into disrepute.

4 And now I would like to appeal to everyone, believers and non-believers alike. Jesus taught us that the diabolical senselessness of violence is answered with God s weapons, with prayer and fasting. I invite everyone to make next 2 March, Ash Wednesday, a Day of Fasting for Peace. I encourage believers in a special way to dedicate themselves intensely to prayer and fasting on that day. May the Queen of Peace preserve the world from the madness of war. YOUNG ADULTS PRAYER GROUP The Prayer Group for young adults aged 18-35 meets every Monday evening at St Andrew s from 7-8pm.

5 With prayer and praise, why not drop in for a few minutes if you can t make the whole hour. You d be most welcome! THE RITE OF ELECTION The Rite of Election for those to be received into the Church at Easter in our Diocese will be celebrated by the Bishop at the Cathedral next Sunday, 6th March, at 3pm. Please keep Felix, Luke, James, Yan Lin, Terry, Cathy, Cheryl, Sarah, Peter, Lucia, Callum, James, Tony and Jayne who are being prepared through the course held at the Cathedral in your prayers as they take this important step towards full communion with the Church at Easter.

6 WEBINAR WITH SR NATHALIE BECQUART YMT are holding a webinar with Sr. Nathalie Becquart on Saturday 5th March at The Synod, Synodality, Accompaniment and a Listening Church . Sr Nathalie is Undersecretary to the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican and a member of the Dicastery for Communication, appointed by Pope Francis. A lecturer and trainer, she is the author of numerous publications on synodality and synods, young people and youth ministry, vocations and religious life, Church and mission. Join us for a time to listen, discuss and question her on the Church and the way forward.

7 For the registration link, please visit Youth Ministry Team Facebook or visit the events page on At dawn on Thursday 24th February, the independent country of Ukraine was invaded by its larger neighbour, Russia. This is an unwarranted, unprecedented, and widespread military attack on a European country of 44 million people. The citizens of Ukraine will have expected to start their day, much as the rest of us would do being free from fear, having a reassuring sense of what tomorrow might possibly bring.

8 Our immediate thoughts and prayers are with all those, of whatever faith, that are affected by this catastrophic course of action. I wholly echo the call from the Holy Father, Pope Francis, for immediate cessation of violence and for peace and greater stability to return to the country as soon as possible. Earlier this month the Pope decried the madness of war as tensions escalated in the region in recent weeks. In the New Year, The Holy Father asked that we continue to beseech the Lord of Peace, so that the tensions and the threat of war will be overcome in favour of a serious dialogue.

9 We pray here in Hexham and Newcastle that our government and other world leaders have the wisdom and strength of purpose to de-escalate this situation. We know from the Bible, and through the life and teachings of Christ, that might is rarely, ever right. Pope Francis has asked that Ash Wednesday ( ) is a day of solidarity with prayer and fasting in the hope of peace for the people of Ukraine. Please pray for the people of Ukraine during this Sunday s Mass ( ) and again on Ash Wednesday. Some of us may know the country well, or know Ukrainians who live in this country and in our Diocese. They will be very concerned for their own relatives and kinsmen at this time.

10 I would ask that you express your own solidarity directly with them by taking up the Holy Father s call, or in other ways you think appropriate in these grave times. I had the opportunity very recently to meet with Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski, Eparchial Bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the United Kingdom and have already passed on the best wishes for a better future, and the prayerful intentions from our community to his.