“I am the Good Shepherd... I lay down My life for My sheep...but the hireling flees because he is a hireling, and has no concern for the sheep” (Gospel).

Jesus organized the visible Church along the lines of a sheepfold. St. Peter, first shepherd of the visible Church, depicts Jesus as the invisible “ Shepherd . . . of your souls” (Epistle). He tenderly remembers all that Jesus suffered for us “sheep going astray.”

On catacomb walls, early Christians delighted to draw pictures and to write explanations of the perfect understanding and love between the Good Shepherd and His sheep, such as that which exists between the “Father” and “Me.” We are not only fed through the visible guidance of His Church, but also through the invisible grace of the Sacraments, especially “in the breaking of bread” (Alleluia verse).
 
This Week:

Monday 19th April
In the General Calendar, No Feasts falls today, and preferred Mass is of the prior Sunday with Gloria, or a Votive Mass. On a ferial Monday, it is preferable to celebrate a Votive Mass the Most Holy Trinity.

However, in the Archdioceses of Westminster and Southwark plus the Dioceses of Arundel and Brighton, Clifton and Portsmouth, the Class III feast of St Alphege, B. M. occurs.

St. Alphege became a monk at Deerhurst, Gloucestershire, about 970, and eventually Abbot of Bath. In 984 he became Bishop of Winchester where he was known for his personal austerity and almsgiving. The king sent him to parley with the Danish raider Anlaf, and this he did with such success that Anlaf never raided England again.

In 1005 Alphege became Archbishop of Canterbury. The Danes were raiding once more and in 1011 they besieged Canterbury and captured it. Alphege was imprisoned and an enormous ransom was asked for his release, which he forbade to be paid. On 19 April 1012, at Greenwich, his captors, drunk with wine, and enraged at ransom being refused, pelted him with bones of oxen and stones, till one of them, called Thurm, dispatched him with an axe. He was buried in St. Paul’s and by his death he became a national hero.

As an act of reconciliation Canute in 1023 translated the body to Canterbury where it was buried near the high altar. Later Lanfranc confirmed the cult, and had a Life and Office written in his honour, and Thomas Becket just before his death commended his cause to God and Alphege.

Tuesday 20th April  
No Feasts falls today, and preferred Mass is of the prior Sunday with Gloria, or a Votive Mass. On a ferial Tuesday it is preferable to celebrate a Votive Mass of the Holy Angels.
 
Wednesday 21st April
St Anselm was born in Aosta, in northern Italy, and became a monk of Bec in Normandy, where he taught theology and devoted himself to the spiritual life. After some years as abbot, he succeeded his master Lanfranc as archbishop of Canterbury. His bitter disputes with the kings of England over the independence of the Church resulted in his twice being exiled. He died at Canterbury on 21 April 1109. He is remembered for his theological learning and writings, and for organising and reforming church life in England.
 
But in here in Wrexham falls the feast of St Beuno, Abbot. He was a holy man and Abbot of Clynnog Fawr in Gwynedd, on the Llyn peninsula. He is venerated as the Spiritual Father of St Winefride.

Thursday 22nd  April
Feast of Popes and Martyrs, SS Soter and Caius. St. Soter was Pope for about 10 years beginning in 166 and was martyred under Marcus Arelius. St. Caius died in 296, served during a period of relative peace as Holy Father.

Friday 23rd April
Feast Day of St. George M., Patron of England where the feast is of the 1st Class. Here in Wales is it of the 3rd Class.
 
He was martyred at Lydda (now in Israel) in about 303, during the persecution of Diocletian. Like so many saints of that period, the only fact that we can be certain of is his martyrdom. His cult spread quickly through both the East and the West, and the legend of St George and the Dragon only appeared some time afterwards.
 
During the crusades, George was seen to personify the ideals of Christian chivalry, and he was adopted as the patron saint of several city states and countries, including England and Catalonia. King Richard I of England placed his crusading army under the protection of St George, and in 1222 his feast was proclaimed a holiday.

Saturday 24th April
St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen M. is honoured in the Mass today. A Swabian of the XVI Century, he was a Capuchin Friar, known to love the poor, was stabbed to death in Switzerland by Protestant soldiers who feared his conversions. Today, is Anniversary of Coronation of Pope Benedict XVI, a commemoration might be made Pro Papa for his welfare and intentions as Pope Emeritus.

Joyous is the news that the Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus have taken possession of The former Convent of Mercy at Ardee, Co. Louth, Éire.

The Sisters are the Traditional Order of Nuns who support the Canons of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest in prayer with daily adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the singing of the Divine Office in Gregorian chant.

You can read much more here.

Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them: "Pax Vobis." And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.

“Bring here thy finger, and see My hands; and bring here thy hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving but believing” (Gospel).

Be a witness to the Divinity of Jesus Christ! Thus did the ancient Church speak to the newly baptised on this Sunday. Since their Baptism on Holy Saturday these converts wore white robes. Now in their everyday dress they must go out as witnesses that “Christ is the Truth” (Epistle).

God the “Father” bore “witness” to this at Christ’s Baptism by “water.” God the “Word” became our “Blood” witness on the Cross. God the “Spirit” gave witness when by Him Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary. Yes, this is the triple “testimony of God” which we, too, must witness unto others—that “Jesus is God” (Epistle).

To the “doubting Thomases” of all future ages, Jesus gave a new proof of His Divinity in today’s Gospel, “written that you may believe...and that believing you may have life.”

Today is Feast Day of Pope Leo I Pp. C. D., who faced the great barbarian invasions of the V Century as Rome deteriorated. Outside the Gates of Rome, the Pope met Atilla the Hun and saved the city from sack. Later, the Pope fought the heresy of Eutyches and defined the two natures of Our Lord, human and divine. Lessons in the Breviary by the Saintly Pope are taken from his sermons. Although not commemorated in the Masses using the 1960 rubrics, pray for the intercession of the Holy Pope for assistance in turning back the errors of our own day.

Following on from the establishment of St Benedict’s Academy at Preston by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICKSP) and the Regina Caeli Academy in Bedfordshire supported pastorally by the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter (FSSP), it is interesting and encouraging to learn of another centre of Catholic education seeking to launch in Warrington.

The FSSP have had a presence in Warrington for just short of 6 years following the establishment of a house at St Mary’s Church. St Mary’s was a former Benedictine church which was bought by the FSSP in 2015.

In common with other similar locations where the Traditional Priestly Orders have laid foundations, there has been a continuing growth in the numbers and diversity of age groups attending Masses and seeking the great spiritual strength from the classical form of the liturgy and sacraments.

In particular has been the growth in number of families choosing to live out their faith using Traditional Catechetics underpinned by the older form of the liturgy.

In turn, these families have sought pastoral support to educate their children and thus was born St Benedict’s Academy in Lancashire and the Regina Caeli Academy in Bedfordshire.

So, the FSSP would very much like to start a centre at St Mary’s Warrington, always with due providence from God, from September 2021.

The plan is for this Academy to offer a full classical curriculum, completely grounded on the magisterium of the Catholic Church, and a community of Catholic families. Trained, paid teachers provide two days per week of on-site tuition. For the other days of the week, comprehensive study plans are provided for parents to follow with their children. Parents benefit from structure, accountability and community, and their children gain Catholic friends for life.

If you wish to learn more and then visit the FSSP website here. You will find necessary information and contact details.

The rigthful austerity of the Lenten season and Septuagesima beforehand and the sorrowfulness of Holy Week with the sobering reflection upon the Passion on Good Friday are now past. I often feel that the we seem to move at the speed of light between Good Friday and Easter Day, almost without time to dwell on the Crucifixion of our Saviour.

Ironic that I should mention light. It is the light of the Risen Christ that gives us the hope and joy. The light is symbolised by the Baptismal Candle first illuminated at the Easter Vigil. Our faith is not in vain. Christ has risen from the dead. And we too will one day rise from the dead. Death is not the end. The Baptismal candle may be extinguished at Ascension but our faith ensures that the light never goes out in our heart.

Surréxit Dóminus vere, Allelúia!

We must not fear those who corrupt us. Our Lord Jesus Christ has given us the example to follow. Those who cried out for His blood and received it only harmed themselves not Christ. He met His terrible death on the cross with patience and resignation to the will of God, and He tells us to do likewise.

On this side of eternity, we often fall into the trap set by the devil, the world and our own fallen nature, of seeking an everlasting happiness here on earth. We look for this happiness in the things of this earth. But with each and every thing that we pursue in this search for happiness we return disappointed because these things were not made to bring us happiness. The things of this earth are the tools that we are to use in our pursuit of eternal happiness. They are not the source of happiness but the instruments given for the earning of it. As St. Augustine says “Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee O Lord.”

We are constantly in pursuit of this happiness whether we know it or not. But we often fall into the trap of looking for this eternal happiness in places where it cannot be found, and this is the source of such bitter disappointments, frustration, and regrets.

The joy of the Resurrection comes from having renounced the false pleasures of this world and having kept a steady eye on the true happiness of Heaven. Having bartered the temporary false pleasures of earth for the eternal true pleasures of Heaven is truly cause for rejoicing.

Christ has shown us how to conquer the fear of death and even death itself. It is not enough for us to rejoice in His victory. His victory is meaningless and useless to us if we ourselves do not take Him for our pattern and live so that we may die and resurrect gloriously like Him.

Our Holy Mother the Church rejoices today because of Her children who have spent the season of Lent profitably and now are given a glimpse of the joys that await them in Heaven. However, She is simultaneously saddened by the many souls that have rejected the hard and painful path of the cross and have chosen instead the comfortable and pleasant highway of their passions and the world and its ability to misroute souls.

I received the sad news last evening of the passing of Canon Brendan Hoban to his eternal rest on the 29th March.

Canon, a former Vicar General in the Diocese of Shrewsbury, was a great friend to the Society in times when Priests celebrating the Extraordinary Form were few and far between. On a number occasions, Canon Hoban came to Wrexham Diocese to celebrate the Usus Antiquior at my request.

Requiem æternam dona ei, Domine. Et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace