All Lies

Ella and James Preece are a Catholic couple living in Kingston Upon Hull in Yorkshire in the UK. This is our blog.

Blogged by James Preece on 10th June 2008

This cannot be true.

On Tuesday 13th May (the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima) the year 8s of St Mary’s College, Hull had a day of reflection at The Endsleigh Centre. The day involved the Franciscan Friars of Renewal from Bradford and a mission team from Dublin called ‘Youth Challenge’.

The day consisted of four workshops which covered the topics of 'God's Love', 'The Eucharist', 'Our Lady' and personal testimony. The focal point of the day was to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the afternoon. It was apparent that Our Lady was to point us all to the direction of her son. After Pat from the mission team gave a talk on the importance of Confession in front of the Blessed Sacrament, something very beautiful happened. The vast majority of 250 children went to Confession or to speak to a priest. All students reported that they had experienced something which was amazing and inexplicable. The sacrament could not have been administered to all these children if there had not been support from the clergy of Hull and surrounding areas. Fifteen priests very generously gave up their time to come and to hear Confession from 2.00 pm - 3.00 pm. A big thank you to all of the priests who came to support and help out on the day and to the friars and the mission team. Many thanks to Sr Catherine and her staff at the Centre. They made the day run smoothly and did so with a smile. Finally, thanks to the young people involved. Their behaviour was exemplary and prayerful. We pray that there were seeds sown for the future and that they will be nurtured and watered.

Sarah Holmes
Diocesan Youth Officer

No. No. No. It's not possible. You can't do youth events like that. Catechesis? Confession? It can't be done! Sarah must have remembered it wrong... What must have happened is the kids played football and then had mass in a sports hall.

To the Blessed Virgin Prayer for England

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most gentle Queen and Mother, look down in mercy upon England thy "Dowry" and upon us all who greatly hope and trust in thee.

By thee it was that Jesus our Saviour and our hope was given unto the world; and He has given thee to us that we might hope still more.

Plead for us thy children, whom thou didst receive and accept at the foot of the cross.

O sorrowful Mother! intercede for our separated brethren, that with us in the one true fold they may be united to the supreme Shepherd, the Vicar of thy Son.

Pray for us all, dear Mother, that by faith fruitful in good works we may all deserve to see and praise God, together with thee, in our heavenly home.

Amen.

Couple's Prayer

O God, our heavenly Father, protect and bless us. Deepen and strengthen our love for each other day by day.

Grant that by thy mercy, neither of us may ever say one unkind word to the other. Forgive and correct our faults, and make us constantly to forgive one another should one of us unconsciously hurt the other.

Make us and keep us sound and well in body, alert in mind, tender in heart, and devout in spirit. O Lord, grant us each to rise to the other's best. Then, we pray thee, add to our common life such virtues as only thou canst give.

And so, O Father, consecrate our life and love completely to thy worship, and to the service of all about us, especially those whom thou hast appointed us to serve, that we may always stand before thee in happiness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.