Dear friends,
August is traditionally the month that holidays are taken and enjoyed by thousands of people throughout the land. Individual’s thoughts are very much occupied with images of sea and sand, ice creams, candy floss, the heat of the sun, sun cream and not least with enjoying food and drink. I can only wish those of you who have already been away or who are about to go off to foreign climes my very best wishes – you all deserve it!
For the church, August is a very important time too and there are two very special dates, though those dates are surrounded by over 20 Saint’s day. The first date falls on the 6th August, the day of Christ’s Transfiguration. The Transfiguration commemorates the occasions when our Lord took three of his disciples, Peter, James and John up a mountain, where Moses and Elijah appeared and Jesus was transfigured, his face and clothes becoming dazzlingly bright. The three disciples witnessed the wonderful event and though they were held in that moment of splendour and awe, they had to come down off the mountain and rejoin their everyday life. We do not see such splendour but we are constantly dwelling on the light and joy of Christ’s light.
However, that same day the world commemorates the deaths of millions as we reflect on the final days of World War II and the tragic events of Hiroshima when the first of two atom bombs were dropped on that city and three days later another on Nagasaki. The bombing of those two cities precipitated the end of the conflict with Japan.
The second important day is that of the Feast of the Assumption on the 15th August. This feast day marks the belief that when Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, died, her body was ‘assumed’ into heaven to be reunited with her soul, instead of going through the natural process of physical decay upon death. Mary was and remains very special in the life of the church because she was chosen, marked out as a young woman to bear the child who would transform the whole world and bring hope and love and joy to all who follow him.
As I write the rain pours down but the sun will return!
Enjoy this month and as the sun shines, may God’s blessing be upon you and give you peace.
The Reverend Fr Ronald Croft
On the 2nd July in Manchester Cathedral, three men were ordained priest from the Catholic tradition of the Church of England by the Bishop of Beverley. Fr Mitchell, Fr Thompson, and Fr Oliver-Hemmings-Faye began their priesthood with a life-long commitment to those they will serve. We pray that Almighty God will bless each one of them, and all those ordained this Petertide: we will pray for them, and for their parishes and those who have been chosen to encourage them on their journey.
Such occasions make all of whom were ordained many years ago to reflect on God’s call and to think about those with whom we shared our own ordination. Many have gone to glory and now rest in the arms of God in paradise, but others labour on continuing to offer what we can to God’s people.
I truly believe that all of us, whether those ordained or those we serve, are each called to God’s service and to offer the gifts that we have to help others on their journey in life as we all face the challenges that are before us. We still pray for those who face war and violence each and every day in the Ukraine, those who wake each day uncertain where they will find the money to pay for things many take for granted, those who struggle to find food or shelter and so the list goes on. Our Lord calls each of us into his service and we should listen and respond to that call and bring what little comfort we can to those in need.
Soon, with God’s will, I shall celebrate 60 years as a priest and it has been a privilege to serve many of those years here in Prestwich. It is a joy to see so many of you as I walk around the parish, and I simply thank God that he called me all those years ago to train and to be ordained and to serve in such a wonderful place.
Pray for those three new priests as they begin their ministries in this diocese and pray too that God calls others to join them and so build up the church for the future.
Finally, I ask your prayers for Alex Walker, a man who serves St Hilda’s as our MC, Thurifer and sub-Deacon as is needed. Alex has recently been accepted for training for the priesthood and will begin his two-year course of training in September as he moves to the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield.
God bless you all and do listen – God may well be calling you to help others!
The Reverend Fr. Ronald Croft