Welcome to this Advent issue of the Light of the North with lots of news from around the Diocese and plenty of interesting features including Eileen Grant’s article about the meaning of Advent, ‘The Coming of the Lord’. Then, continuing with the Advent theme, Dr Shelagh Noden looks at one of the most beautiful and evocative traditions of the Church associated with Advent, the Rorate Mass. In Continue reading →

In today’s 2nd reading, St Paul encourages prayers “for everyone – petitions, intercessions and thanksgiving – and especially for kings and others in authority.” This is timely. Tomorrow the late Queen will be laid to rest and already the new King has taken on his duties. We pray for the repose of the soul of Queen Elizabeth and for wisdom and strength for King Charles III. Continue reading →

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a communion with the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a communion in the body of Christ? As there is one bread, so we, though many, are one body for we all share in the one bread.”

St Paul is speaking here of the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist, and of the unity it both symbolises and brings about. His words are timely in the wake of the pandemic – a pandemic which affected all of us and some cruelly so, which even separated us from the celebration of the Mass and so from one another. We need to come together again and recover our “communion in the body of Christ”. Continue reading →

Welcome to our Easter issue of the Light of the North

Easter is of course the most important occasion in the year of the Church. Hopefully, you’ll find plenty in this issue of the Light of the North to help you celebrate this “life-saving” event, not least Bishop Hugh Gilbert’s letter (p3). Then, Sister Imelda Ann OP gives us an update on the synodal process which is taking place in the Diocese right now (p4) Continue reading →

SCIAF is a member of Caritas Internationalis, the global network of Catholic Relief agencies, which is leading a global response to the conflict.  Continue reading →

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope you have been refreshed by the celebrations of Christmas and New Year.

As you know, Pope Francis has invited the whole Church to embark on a “synodal journey”, one that will climax at the next Synod of Bishops in October 2023. Continue reading →

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Every year we begin the new year by praying for justice and for peace. And each year it seems that justice and peace are beyond our grasp, yet ever more necessary than the year before. As we look around us, we see a world where justice and peace are an elusive dream for so many but not a reality. Continue reading →

God saw all that he had made and indeed it was very good.[1]

God’s creation is a great gift to all humanity, and humanity itself is an integral part of that creation. We are blessed by having the earth for our common home. It is a place of great beauty, teeming with life of all kinds, a world full of wonderful resources which enable us not only to live but to enhance our way of life. In nature, God’s glory is revealed for all to see.[2] St Francis of Assisi was prominent among the saints in giving praise to God for the wonder of creation.[3] Continue reading →

CTVC in partner with Million Minutes and Father Christopher Jamison OSB, have created a series of online resources to help people live through the pandemic based on real people such as monks and nuns. Continue reading →