Today we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, marking the last Sunday of the Church’s year. We all congratulate Christ the King church community on the parish feast!

If this is the last Sunday, then next week must be the first of the new year – the First Sunday of Advent. A time for new beginnings, fresh starts… I would like to take this opportunity to invite those who have been considering becoming Catholic to take a step in faith at this time of new starts. Our RCIA groups that help people explore the faith are starting at this time, and always welcome new faces.

Now this might be you who are reading this, or it might be a spouse or relative; it might be a friend or work colleague; it could be anyone that you have heard express an interest! There are no strings attached at this stage – it is an opportunity to explore together with some friendly faces the faith that we all hold so dear. If you or someone you know has shown such interest, let them know. If they have never mentioned it, but you suspect, then make an invitation – you never know what the Lord has up his sleeve… Whoever you or they are, tell them to seize the moment and get in touch with me, Fr Matthew, in the first instance at the Presbytery. Contact details are at the top of this page.

RCIA stands for “The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults”, a bit of a mouthful, but it could be understood more as a “come and see” opportunity. This was what Jesus said one day to the two disciples who had been followers of John the Baptist, but who were thinking of following Him instead. Whether we have been following another community within Christianity, or another faith or no faith at all, the Lord calls each according to her or his circumstances. Each one is different, and so the journey onwards, while sharing common teachings, practices etc, will be different for each one.

Fr Matthew