Peter Blog a few random thoughts

I thought I would share with you the process that the Brentwood diocese are going through to discern a new Bishop 1)   Appointing a New Bishop Bishop Thomas, having celebrated his seventy fifth birthday recently, has submitted his resignation to the Holy Father.    Once this has been accepted a formal process of consultation begins.    The final decision is taken by the Pope.    The Vatican Department responsible (The Congregation for Bishops) will give him the names and dossiers of three possible candidates – this called a  ‘terna’ .    This short list is prepared in consultation with the Papal Nuncio.    Over the coming months he will consult widely and send in the results together with his personal recommendation of three names. The Nuncio plays crucial role.    He will consult Archbishop Vincent Nichols and the other Bishops of Westminster Province, the Diocesan College of Consultors – the Bishop’s advisory body – and some other clergy, religious and lay people. What part can you

25 th Sunday of the year A When the Pope had finished his visit to the U k it was reported that someone asked him how he felt and he said that it was like having “Fresh Wind in Our sail.” The Catholic Church of England and Wales have taken this short phrase for the theme of this week being Home mission Sunday. Often we have an idea that the mission is elsewhere but it actually begins with us at this very moment in the diocese of A &B and here in our own town of Bognor Regis. This Fresh Wind could be the Holy Spirit a renewal of faith and for some a home coming back to the Church. IF you are one of these then you are very welcome indeed and it is great to see you here we have missed you very much.    For most of us though the events of last year many have re affirmed our love Jesus Christ and felt encouraged by the support of others around us. But whatever it is the mission starts with us, and our encounter with the person of Jesus.   This encounter takes many different ways bu

Bishops issue message a year after Pope’s Visit Catholics called to help build communities and the renewal of Church and society with courage and faithfulness Bishops from England and Wales have called on all Catholics to be confident, faithful and courageous in playing a full part in building a better future for all in this country, especially during these difficult  times of economic and social turbulence. The call comes on the first anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s historic State Visit to the UK during which he helped many to recognize that “faith is not a problem to be solved, but a gift to be discovered afresh”. Polling undertaken immediately after the Pope’s visit showed that the majority of the country agreed that there is a place for God and religion in public life. Reflecting on the Pope’s call for all to discover the definite service that God has called all of us to give, the Bishops have set out their priorities for the Church over the next five years. The Bishops

http://www.flickr.com/photos/catholicism/6148556848/in/set-72157627672217694/ This is a link that takes to the flicker page of the Ordination of Bishop John Yesterday at Westminster Cathedral

I have heard it said many times that we have lost our sense of sin in the Church. We don’t talk about it anymore but then I did a little bit of research and had a think about the Mass something that we are so familiar with. We have so many references to sin but also our need for God’s grace all the way through the Mass. At the beginning of the Mass we are asked to remember where we have gone wrong throughout the week. We look at it again in the Our Father, the Eucharistic prayer the Lamb of God. And the reason I think that the reason why we focus on it so much is because the Church realises that it is such a difficult thing to do and to acknowledge. We all go into justification mode when it comes to realising that we must forgive and acknowledge our own faults. Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive my brother. He asks at least 7 times and Jesus replies not 7 times but 77 times. Seven being the perfect number Jesus says to him that you need to carry on forgivin