Welcome to Our Parish Website
The Gospel Reading for the First Sunday of Lent
presents us with an alternative approach to Lent.
Echoing Israel’s desert sojourn following the Exodus from Egypt, Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness in communion with his heavenly Father. He went into that experience believing God would guide him and prepare him for what lay ahead in public ministry. Jesus could live with the isolation, danger and barrenness of the wilderness because he firmly believed that God would stay at his side in each of those experiences. He wasn’t asked to give up anything for that forty days or to do something extra.
We replicate the wilderness experience each and every
time we enter into the season of Lent. The season has little to do with what
we’re going to do for God; rather it is about what God will do for us if we
allow him into our lives.
If like
Jesus we want to overcome temptations of selfishness, pride and power, who is
going to set our Lenten agenda – ourselves or God?
“the wilderness invitation is definitely about refusing the temptation to do more, be more or achieve more and very much about accepting limitations and emptiness and discovering joy ……and yet the wilderness is beautiful, revelatory and rewarding exactly because it clears the decks for God – which is why God invites us into it”. (Laurie Vere: Church Times 2017)
If that free-form approach to the season of Lent is not for you, then why not take a look at our Parish Lenten Programme: “Be the Best You Can Be this Lent” which offers, a more traditional approach with opportunities for quiet times, for reflection and interaction with other parishioners if that is part of your Lenten plan. You can find out more in the Lenten section of our website.
In addition, you might want to listen to the brief
daily reflection on our home page which changes day by day as well as exploring
the social justice section of the site menu which provides ideas for bringing
about change where it is needed in our global family?
Why not sign up also for the three minute daily reflections delivered to your mobile device via: https://dynamiccatholic.com/best-lent-ever?
Whatever you choose to do and whatever approach you adopt, may you have a fruitful and reflective Lenten season.
Priest - Fr John McElhone
Contact Number - 0191 2623820
Priest in Residence - Fr Pat O'Connell
Contact Number - 0191 2632159
Ask Us
St Bernadette's Parish Centre: 0191 2621156
Mass Times:
St Aidan's
· Sunday
· 10:00 AM
St Bernadette's
· Sunday
· 11:30 AM
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Daily Reflections:
We hope that you will enjoy listening to the daily reflections which change every day and last for about three minutes. These very practical reflections, based on the daily Gospel readings and produced on behalf of the American Bishops, provide us with our spiritual food for the day throughout the Lenten season. If real spiritual growth and understanding is what you are looking for, we believe these reflections will help.