June is the Month of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Quarant’ore—Forty Hours Devotion
This coming Thursday, 4th June, is the Solemnity of the Body & Blood of Christ, or ‘Corpus Christi’, as it is better known. Having said this, we will observe the Solemnity next Sunday in accordance with the decision of the Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales.
However, on Thursday evening we will begin the Quarant’ore or Forty Hours Devotion. This special time will, we pray, be a time of great peace and blessing for this parish. It will commence with an opening Mass at 6 pm on Thursday. At the conclusion of Mass (around 7 pm) the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed on the altar, and will remain there for forty hours. It will be removed only for the 10 am and 12 noon Masses on Friday.
Many parishioners have already generously signed up to watch with the Lord over this devotional time. Thank you for your willingness to watch and pray. I take this opportunity, however, to encourage more of us to commit whatever time we can to be in the church in prayer. If this is not possible then I encourage those who cannot come to the church to join with us spiritually from your homes. The livestream will be switched on for the whole of the devotion. Let us pray.
Also, there will be the opportunity to pray the Liturgy of the Hours with the clergy: Night Prayer at 10 pm on Thursday and Friday; Morning Prayer at 9am on Friday and Saturday; Prayer during the day at 12.45 pm on Friday and Evening Prayer at 5.45 pm on Friday. Each of these offices will be prayed before the Blessed Sacrament.
So may this be a blessed time for us all—Blessed, praised and hallowed be Jesus Christ on his throne of glory, and in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar! With all good wishes,
