Thought from Fr. Colm - 1st March 2026

Lent

Robert Herrick

Is this a fast, to keep the larder clean?

And clean from fat of veals and sheep?

Is it to quit the dish of flesh,

Yet still to fill the platter high with fish?

Is it to fast an hour, or ragg'd to go,

Or show a downcast look and sour?

No, tis a fast to dole thy sheaf of wheat,

And meat unto the hungry soul.

It is to fast from stife, from old debate

And hate

To circumcise thy life.

To show a heart grief-rent,

To starve thy sin

Not bin,

And that's to keep thy Lent.

"Lent is the most important time of the year to nurture our inner life. It's the time during which we not only prepare ourselves to celebrate the mystery of the death of Jesus, but also the death and resurrection that constantly takes place within us. Life is a continuing process of the dealth of the old and familiar and being reborn again into a new hope, a new trust and a new love. The death and resurrection of Jesus therefore is not just an historical event that took place a longtime ago but rather an inner event that takes place in our own heart when we are willing to be attentive to it. True repentance is an interior attitude in which we are willing to let go of everything that prevents us from growing into spiritual maturity and there is hardly a moment in our lives in which we are not invited to detach ourselves from certain ways of thinking, ways of speaking, ways of acting that for a long time gave us energy, but that always again needs to be renewed and recreated."

Henry Nouwen

Thought from Fr. Colm - 22nd February 2026

Fast from judging others; feast on the Christ within them.

Fast from emphasis on difference; feast on the unity of life.

Fast from apparent darkness; feast on the reality of light.

Fast from thoughts of illness; feast on the healing power of God.

Fast from words that pollute; feast on phrases that purify.

Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude.

Fast from anger; feast on patience.

Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism.

Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation.

Fast from worry; feast on trust in God's care.

Fast from unrelenting pressure; feast on unceasing prayer.

Fast from negatives; feast on affirmatives.

Fast from lethargy; feast on enthusiasm.

Fast from thoughts that weaken; feast on promises that inspire.

Fast from shadows of sorrow; feast on the sunlight of serenity.

Fast from problems that overwhelm; feast on prayer that undergirds.

Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness.          

Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others.

Fast from personal anxiety; feast on eternal truth.  

Fast from discouragements; feast on hope.

William Arthur Ward (American author, teacher and pastor, 1921-1994)

Copy of Thought from Fr. Colm - 15th February 2026

The Season of Lent is upon us again.

Lent: Lent is a much-needed mentor in an age obsessed with visible, measurable, manageable, and tweetable increase, for it invites us to walk with Jesus and His disciples through darker seasons that we would rather avoid: grief, conflict, misunderstanding, betrayal, restriction, rejection, and pain. Then Easter leads us in celebration of salvation as the stunningly satisfying fruit of Jesus’ sacred decrease.

Alicia Britt Chole.  

Do keep an eye to the bulletin for Lenten activities.

We have our international meal this Sunday. 

A Parish Council Meeting took place last Tuesday, 10^th. Minutes will be published asap.

BOP group met the following evening Wednesday, 11^th. Two representatives from Diocesan Pastoral Team joined them to discuss possible useful links between Diocesan plans and parish regarding greater involvement of Young People especially . Lively.