Webmaster • June 28, 2025
Father Gregory Knowles will begin his ministry in our Parish on the weekend of 20th and 21st September.
Many thanks to parishioners who handed in their Red Boxes recently. All boxes have now been emptied and all empty boxes have been placed in the Narthex. You can also find the total collected printed on bulletins available from the Narthex. Many thanks John and Dorothy Atkinson.
Sunday 20th July – Parish Picnic - Sign-up sheets for our bring and share picnic can be found in the Narthex – We would especially like to encourage our parishioners from different continents to bring and share their traditional food for us all to sample. All are welcome.
We are looking for donations for our summer raffle prize hampers: Non-perishable Food Hamper to include wine, Unisex Pamper Hamper, and Chocolate Hamper – Donations boxes can be found in the Narthex – thank you to all those who have been able to support this so far. From next weekend we will be selling tickets for our Summer Raffle , and there will also be the opportunity for you to try your luck at Guess the Name of the Teddy , and How Many Sweets are in the Jar . All winners will be announced at the Parish Picnic. From this weekend, you can also find sign-up sheets in the Narthex for the bring and share picnic food. All proceeds for this event are for our Parish funds.
Free Guided Tours will take place on the following dates, starting at 1.30pm: Sat. 12 July; and Sat. 23 August. The tours last about 1 hour. No booking required. On arrival, please gather by the Baptismal Font at the back of the Cathedral.
This year our retreat at The Briery will take place over the weekend of 31 October to 2 November . The cost will be in the region of £190 -£200 which includes all meals from Friday teatime to Sunday Lunch. If you think you may be interested then please contact Christine Szczepanski via the Parish Office.
Annette Allsop has now joined our team of Children’s Liturgy leaders. We would like to say a big welcome and thank you to Annette for volunteering for this ministry. Together with Sophie Evans they will now be offering Children’s Liturgy on a more frequent basis. Please see the calendar in the Narthex on the family community board for up and coming dates.
To support the Pope’s charitable donation requests, and to assist the financing of the Pope’s office. The Pope, as the centre of unity in the Catholic Church, needs the support of Catholics throughout the world.
I wish to thank all of you who contacted your local MP either personally, or through the ‘Right to Life’ online facility, to ask them to oppose this recent proposed legislation. Please find a copy of a message that is posted on our Diocesan website regarding the recent passage through parliament of proposed legislative changes (available in our Narthex): the amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill decriminalising abortion up to birth, and the third reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. With every blessing Marcus Stock Bishop of Leeds.
There will be a series of special Jubilee Masses in some of the churches in the Deanery. Parishioners are encouraged to go to some or all of these Masses and so become ‘pilgrims’ in this Holy Year whose theme is Pilgrims of Hope. Jubilee Masses are: Tuesday 15 July - St John’s Normanton; Tuesday 9 September - St Michael’s Knottingley. All Jubilee Masses start at 7.00pm
In today's Gospel, Jesus asks the disciples for a “field report” by asking what people are saying about him. He refers to himself as the Son of Man. Many scholars suggest that “Son of Man” is best understood to mean “human being.” As Jesus turns the question directly to the disciples and asks what they believe, Peter speaks for all of them when he announces that they believe Jesus to be the Christ. “Christ” is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word for “messiah,” which means “the anointed one.” At the time of Jesus, the image of the “messiah” was laden with popular expectations, most of which looked for a political leader who would free the Jewish people from Roman occupation. Because Jesus has referred to himself several times in Matthew by Christological titles this moment is not the revelation of who Jesus is as in Mark. Instead, it marks an important moment in the development of the Church. Jesus uses this occasion to bless Peter, who represents all the disciples but also has a unique role to play in the founding of the new community. Peter is blessed not because of a personal insight but because God revealed to him who Jesus is. Peter is the rock on which Jesus will build the Church. Note: Mark places this incident at Caesarea Philippi. Luke, because of the importance he wishes to give to prayer in his Gospel, places it in the context of Jesus praying. But Matthew keeps it at Caesarea Philippi.