The month of April begins with Holy Week and concludes the season of Lent.

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday as we recall our Lord’s triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem riding the foal of an Ass.  It was a day of rejoicing, of expectation and of hope at a time of oppression by the Roman authorities.  We think of the disciples and their journey with our Lord as they surely moved from joy to despair and back again.

Maundy Thursday was the day when Christ instituted the Eucharist and shall recall that in our church at 7.30pm.  This will be followed by a Watch as we ‘stay awake’ with Christ a sit in silence as the sacrament is exposed.

Then comes Good Friday, ‘good’ because it led to the Resurrection and to the joy of Easter Day.  Jesus is betrayed, beaten, and made to carry the weight of the Cross, a symbol of his dying for each one of us. This service begins at 2pm.

Holy Saturday is a day of reflection, contemplation and waiting, as we think of Christ in his tomb.  The silence the fear and desolation of his followers, even though he had told them what was to happen.  At 8pm we will light the New Fire, bless the Paschal Candle as light is spread throughout the church to prepare us for the Easter Mass.

And finally, Easter Day.  The joy of the of Christ’s resurrection and the hope for all of us of eternal life.

In a way the week mirrors our lives with its joys and sorrow, feelings of loss and uncertainty, silence and waiting.  Many suffer, and not because they should but because it is part of life.  Pray for one another in our parish, pray for family, friends and neighbours, enjoy an Easter Egg, a reminder of his Tomb.

Do come and join us for all or any of the services.

Fr Paul joins with me in wishing you all a very happy Easter.

May God bless you all.

Reverend Fr. Ronald Croft

March is the month where we considering the majority of the Lenten Season this year before we move into April and thoughts of Holy Week and the joy of Easter.  However, we begin the month celebrating with our Welsh friends on St David’s Day when leeks and daffodils will be seen in many places.  We celebrate too with our Irish friends too as we celebrate St Patrick’s Day on the 17th.

Saint David was a native of Wales and was made bishop of Mynyw, now the city of St Davids, during the 6th century David.  He was a renowned preacher and teacher and founded a number of ‘Houses’ and monasteries and is the Patron Saint of Wales.  March also gives the Patron Saint of Ireland.  St Patrick was a fifth-century Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland and was known as the Apostle of Ireland, he shares his role as Patron Saint of Ireland with two others Brigit of Kildare and Columba.  Patrick was never formally canonised,nevertheless, he is venerated by the church and by the people around the world.

If you are free on the evening of the 17th March then join us at the Lenten Supper, a wonderful occasion when we have music and potato pie and a great deal of fun.

Of course, we should not forget Sunday 19th March for it is Mothering Sunday, not Mother’s Day which is an Americanism created in 1908 by a lady who wished to celebrate her own mother.  Mothering Sunday can be traced back to the 8th Century and in the church, we celebrate this day as we remember our own mothers, the Blessed Virgin and Mother church all of whom sustain us by prayers and constant love throughout our lives.

In the same week we remember St Joseph (20th) and also the Annunciation of the BVM (25th).  So, it is a month of saints and month to recall so many people of the past as we move to the Feast of the Resurrection.

Let us use this month to prepare, to put right relationships with God and other people who we have wronged or hurt in any way.  We hurt people sometimes without even knowing it perhaps by ill-chosen words, or by doing what we want without care for those we love, or even worse by ignoring people.  Put things right, seek forgiveness and then with St David, St Patrick, St Brigit, St Columba, St Joseph, and the Blessed Virgin we can love our Lord knowing that we are doing his will.

May God bless you all.

Reverend Fr. Ronald Croft

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Fr Croft

Sunday 5th February is the day that we celebrate the Feast of Candlemas, though the actual date is the 2nd of February.  It is a service that marks the end of the Christmas season and is 40 days after the event at the stable in Bethlehem.  It is also the Feast of the Presentation when Mary and Joseph took our Lord to the Temple to present the child to God as the Jewish custom dictated.  In the readings for that day, we are privileged to hear the words of the Nunc Dimittis as the prophet Simeon’s ‘life is fulfilled’ now that he has seen the Lord.

Very few people have been granted the wonderful gift of seeing the Lord on a one-to-one basis.  There must have been thousands that saw him as the Bible record the huge crowds that followed him where he stopped on his journey. Many were fed by him, either spiritually or practically, on the hillside during what is called the ‘Sermon on the mount’.  Of course, our Lord’s life was littered by encounters as he healed the sight of an individual, or cured people from leprosy, or indeed brought them back from the dead.  These were times of miracles, more general encounters that benefitted just one person.

The truth is that those same things still happen, times when inexplicable things happen and people are cured of terrible illnesses, times when science is confounded by healing that seemed beyond the skills medicine. Such events cannot be explained, nor should they, other than to say that God still works wonders in the lives of people; they do indeed have a personal encounter and sometimes they do not even know it!

God’s love for us is constant and as strong as ever.  His arms are open to welcome all who would come to him and long to change their lives, find a new path and experience God’s grace.

Why not join us at Candlemas on the 5th or Ash Wednesday one the 26th as we begin the Season of Lent or at any of our services – they are shown to the right of the website.  You will be warmly welcomed.

May God bless you all.

Reverend Fr. Ronald Croft

Fr Croft

A very Happy New Year to each and every one of you!!

Now that the joys of Christmas are a fond memory with thoughts of family gatherings with the odd over-indulgence of either food or drink, we happily welcome in the new year.  2023 will, I hope, be year of peace where people in the Ukraine will be able to live without fear of missiles pounding in their communities and that war will become a distant memory.  Our Lord is the Prince of Peace, and my heart goes out to all who live amongst violent people where fear is part of their daily lives.

On the 6th January we will be remembering the journey made by the Magi, the wise men, men of peace who travelled from the East in search of the Christ-Child.  Some say that these men were Astrologers, Seers, even fortune tellers and there is a mystery that surrounds them, but the one thing we are sure of is that they brought gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.  This visit to the Child is known as the Epiphany, the manifestation, the showing of Christ to the world. 

The church has a tradition, which we use at St Hilda’s of using chalk on the entrance to our homes to scribe the initials C+B+M which means ‘God bless this house’ (Christus bendicat mansionem).  No one knows the names of the Wise men, but tradition grew around the Latin phrase above that their names were Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior and they stuck!

We show Christ to the world by the way we live, the love we show, through our prayers and, not least through our smile.  Pray for peace, the peace Jesus came to bring a peace that is in the heart of men, women, and children where the gifts we have can be shared and where fear has no place.

Peace be with you, and God bless you all.

Reverend Fr. Ronald Croft

Father Croft’s Musings for the month of October

“In the days of thanksgiving one psalm let us offer, for the saints who before us have found their reward……

…… These stones that have echoed their praises are holy, and dear is the ground where their feet have once trod.” 

Here at St Hilda’s October is a very special month as on 23rd we celebrate the Anniversary of our Dedication.

On the 18th October 1904 the Bishop of Manchester consecrated St Hilda’s church and so in 2022 we shall be celebrating 118 years of God’s praise here in Prestwich. 

St Hilda’s has stood as a bastion of the Faith through all the years and we are continuing still to this day to provide a place where everyone is welcomed to our beautiful church through faith, worship and friendship.

A Dedication Festival reminds us of the debt that we owe to those who throughout the intervening years have helped to preserve this wonderful heritage and It is our duty and our privilege to continue this tradition.

St Hilda’s is a place where all the Sacraments are celebrated and is a Place of Welcome for anyone in the wider community. 

I hope on Sunday 23rd October to celebrate a High Mass with Father Paul Denby preaching and to give thanks and praise for the Blessings we have received in the past 118 years. 

May St Hilda’s continue to be a Beacon of Light and Praise for many more years to come and we pray that St Hilda of Whitby will continue to look after our community, our congregation, our Parish School and all who live and work in this Parish.

Every Blessing

Reverend Father Ronald Croft

“The happy birds Te Deum sing – ‘tis Mary’s month of May,

Her smile turns winter into spring and darkness into day.”

This year we celebrate this loveliest of months,  as the readings during Mass take us through the story of Jesus’ time on earth following his Resurrection; how he appeared to his disciples with the message to continue his work.

He met with them in the Upper Room when Thomas wanted tangible proof before he would accept that the Lord really had risen; he encountered the disciples on the road to Emmaus who failed to recognize him until he broke the bread at supper and he greeted Peter and the others at the side of the lake and shared breakfast with them.

Through all the teachings of Jesus we hear the theme of “Love thy neighbour”.

There are so many charitable organisations that exist to try and put this into action. Christian Aid Week starts on 15th May – this a body that is doing its best to restore some balance into this unjust world.

How lucky we are that most people in this country  have somewhere to live, food on the table, and access to the Health Service and to Education.

What a contrast to all those countries where such facilities are the stuff of dreams and men, women and children are dying through lack of resources.

We should be guided by the Five Marks of Mission of which the third tells us clearly to respond to human need by loving service.

Let us take long hard look at ourselves to see what the balance is between what we can do and what we are actually doing.

God Bless

“Triumphant in his glory now, his sceptre ruleth all.

Earth, heaven and hell before him bow, and at his footstool fall.”

Before we can sing this verse of the well-known hymn, we must accompany Jesus in to Jerusalem and witness the saga of Holy Week as it unfolds.

On Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week, the priest’s vestments are red – the colour of triumph and victory.

On that day Jesus rode into the city on a donkey and was met by a crowd who hailed him as a King, a Messiah, who they thought was going to lead them into battle and overthrow the cruel and oppressive Roman rule. They cheered, chanted “Hosanna to the Son of David” and waved palm branches.

However, Jesus does not work that way, he came to bring a kingdom of peace and assurance of a place with him in heaven.

The people soon realized their mistake and quickly turned against him.

So many of us, when Jesus does not answer our prayers in the way we want, turn our backs on him. Judas, when he turned away from the Lord betrayed him for thirty pieces of silver.

Holy Week, that starts with the excitement of Palm Sunday, then takes us through the more sombre events that lead up to Our Lord’s Death and Resurrection

All the statues and crucifixes in church are draped in purple.

On Maundy Thursday we relive the story of the Last Supper when Jesus gave us the Blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood.

On Good Friday we remember the momentous events of the day on which Jesus, the Son of God, was crucified.

I love these services; they are very solemn but are a lead into the glorious event on Easter Sunday when the sound of the bells and choir announce that the Lord is Risen!

If you can, please come and join us and take communion on each of these days.

May the loving Christ give us all a wonderful Holy Week and a blessed and happy Easter.     

“Triumphant in his glory now,

His sceptre ruleth all.

Earth, heaven and hell before him bow

And at his footstool fall.”

Before we can sing this verse of the well-known hymn, we must accompany Jesus in to Jerusalem and witness the saga of Holy Week as it unfolds.

On Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week, the priest’s vestments are red – the colour of triumph and victory.

On that day Jesus rode into the city on a donkey and was met by a crowd who hailed him as a King, a Messiah, who they thought was going to lead them into battle and overthrow the cruel and oppressive Roman rule. They cheered, chanted “Hosanna to the Son of David” and waved palm branches.

However, Jesus does not work that way, he came to bring a kingdom of peace and assurance of a place with him in heaven.

The people soon realized their mistake and quickly turned against him.

So many of us, when Jesus does not answer our prayers in the way we want, turn our backs on him. Judas, when he turned away from the Lord betrayed him for thirty pieces of silver.

Holy Week, that starts with the excitement of Palm Sunday, then takes us through the more sombre events that lead up to Our Lord’s Death and Resurrection

All the statues and crucifixes in church are draped in purple.

On Maundy Thursday we relive the story of the Last Supper when Jesus gave us the Blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood.

On Good Friday we remember the momentous events of the day on which Jesus, the Son of God, was crucified.

I love these services; they are very solemn but are a lead into the glorious event on Easter Sunday when the sound of the bells and choir announce that the Lord is Risen!

If you can, please come and join us and take communion on each of these days.

May the loving Christ give us all a wonderful Holy Week and a blessed and happy Easter.     

This week, on Ash Wednesday, we set off together into the period of Lent – the forty days of reflection and preparation that lead up to the greatest Feast of the church’s year – the celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday. 

What is Lent for? It is, as we have said, a period of preparation, we need to make ourselves ready, to be in a fit state to greet the glorious news that Jesus has risen!

How do we make ourselves ready? What do we need to do?  In the past we have talked about giving something up; however shouldn’t we also be thinking more about giving something, doing something extra? Perhaps making the effort to come to the Stations of the Cross or to attend an extra Mass.

The Stations of the Cross tell the story of a journey that started with Pilate washing his hands and finishes with the body of Jesus being laid in the tomb, but as we know this is not the end of the story.

I love the Stations; I remember as a lad gong to the church each week after school, hoping that I would be asked to carry the cross!

Let us use this time in Lent to take a look at ourselves, let us remember in the story those who were prepared to help Jesus as he struggled to carry his cross; Simon of Cyrene and Veronica; and ask ourselves whether if we saw someone in such a state whether we would be prepared to extend a hand of friendship. In our world today are we extending a hand or are we keeping our arms folded and just looking on?

God Bless

February, the second month of the year; the dark nights are getting shorter as more and more light begins to take over.

Light is so important to us. In the words of the hymn:- “Jesus bids us shine, with a clear blue light, like a little candle burning in the night. In this world of darkness, we must shine, you in your small corner, and I in mine.”

I know of many people who are afraid of the dark and who are so thankful for the security provided by the street lights  when they have to go out in the evening.  When I was Vicar of Watersheddings in Oldham, the ladies used to remind me that when you reach the second Sunday in February you can have your tea without having to put on the light!  As each day passes the daylight gets longer and longer. There is a great hope of Spring just around the corner and with it much more light

 Jesus said of himself “I am the Light of the World”. May this Light that he brings us help us to see a clear way forward. 

The virus has meant that we have all been in a dark place and so we pray that that soon we shall be seeing the light at the end of tunnel.  It is in times like these when we need to support each other in the struggle to keep each other [safe and offer a helping hand towards the Light

Candles mean so much as they provide light in so many ways. They show your age on the birthday cake, at a baptism the baby receives a lighted candle (usually held by the Godparents), candles are lit in church as we celebrate the Holy Mass, we light votive candles as we offer prayers.

May all our candles be a symbol of the hope that we feel as we move towards the glorious feast of the Resurrection at Easter.

God Bless