SUNDAY MASSES:
Saturday, 4:45pm St. Begh Sunday, 8:30am Quay Street
Sunday, 10:00am St. Begh
Week Day Masses etc: please see newsletter page
Follow us on Facebook: @StBeghsparish
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THE BISHOP’S LETTER READ TO THE PARISHIONERS LAST WEEKEND
My Dear People,
I greet you in these days of the Risen Christ, when our confidence is refreshed, that sin is overcome and God’s love triumphs over all evil.
Over recent months you have had to live your Catholic Faith with a degree of uncertainty, given that Father Abbot Brendan Thomas OSB and the Benedictine community of Belmont Abbey are no longer able to supply priests for the parish. Generously, the Abbot has made Father Alex and Father Patrick available to serve the parish in the interim. This was never an arrangement that could continue indefinitely. The Abbot has been kind in allowing me time to find a way of providing clergy to move into St.Begh’s. Today I can announce, with the Abbot’s agreement and blessing, that Father Philip Conner has accepted my request to be appointed as Priest-in-residence of St. Begh’s parish, commencing from the second weekend in May.
I should make it clear that whilst the parish belongs to Belmont Abbey I do not have the authority to appoint a parish priest. The process of transferring the parish from the Belmont Benedictine community to the Diocese of Lancaster is likely to take some months to complete. Work towards this goal is gathering momentum, and I am grateful for the respectful collaboration on the part of all involved in this. It is a cause of great encouragement to have such close personal collaboration with Abbot Brendan.
Personally, I look on this whole matter as a massive privilege. St.Begh’s remains an outstanding parish with deep and strong Catholic roots. We must hold onto the distinctive Benedictine legacy built up and trusted over centuries. I look on St.Begh’s not as an extra inconvenient burden but as a beautiful gift to the Diocese.
At this time, my prayers are with the whole parish community, including your schools. I extend a particular word of gratitude to Fathers Alex and Patrick, to Fathers Cenydd and Richard, and without any wish to embarrass her, to Maud Smith for her thorough administrative work (which I sincerely hope will continue with Fr.Philip).
I have every confidence that you will give a warm welcome to Fr.Philip (and Bosco his dog!), even as you feel the loss of priests who have served you so lovingly.
With my blessing,
Paul Swarbrick
Bishop of Lancaster |
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