Holy Souls Church

A reflection from Pope Francis for the Year of Prayer

Fourth Sunday of Advent

There is no better way to pray than to place oneself like Mary in an attitude of openness, with a heart open to God: "Lord, what you want, when you want, and how you want". That is, a heart open to God's will.  And God always responds. 

To read the full reflection and find more resources at dioceseofnottingham.uk/yearofprayer

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A message from Canon Matthew

We are shortly going to celebrate the birthday of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on Wednesday.  Please note that there will be extra confessions this week on Monday at 7.00 to 8.00 pm at St Bernadette's and on Tuesday between 10.00 and 11.00 am.  See the liturgy table for this as well.  After this we will be celebrating Christmas itself, the Feast of the Incarnation.  Thereafter we will be in the Octave of Christmas celebrating the birth of Christ, in eight days of rest and feasting after Christmas Day.  The number eight represents eternity, and so these special eight days are intended by the Church as a reminder to us of the eternal rest and joy we will one day experience in the heavenly kingdom.  They are there in other words to strengthen our Christian hope in eternal life. 

May God bless you and your families in this holy time, and grant peace upon your homes.

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Quote of the Week

"There was no room for them in the inn".  Prayerful reflection over these words has highlighted an inner parallel between this saying and the profoundly moving words from St John's Prologue: "He came to his own home, and his own people received him not" (1:11).  For the Saviour of the world, for him in whom all things were created (Col 1.16) there was no room.  "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has no where to lay his head." (Mt 8.20).  He who was crucified outside the city (Heb 13:12) also came into the world outside the city.  This should cause us to reflect - it points towards the reversal of values found in the figure of Jesus Christ and his message.  From the moment of his birth, he belongs outside the realm of what is important and powerful in worldly terms.  Yet it is this unimportant and powerless child who proves to be the truly powerful one, the one on whom ultimately everything depends."

Pope Benedict XVI The Infancy Narratives.  Jesus of Nazareth.  pp 66-67