Webmaster • August 17, 2025
Taking place at Ampleforth College from Friday 22nd - Monday 25th August, the Youth 2000 Summer Festival provides young adults (aged 16-35) from across the UK the opportunity to come together and explore faith, build relationships and find hope. This four-day festival includes great speakers, social time, break-out sessions, Daily Mass, 24/7 Adoration and much more! Register at: youth2000.org/events/summerfestival2025. Tickets are also available for priests, religious, families and groups. For more information, email: events@youth2000.org.
If you would like to know more or fancy meeting up at Y2K (Saturday only), please contact Gill in the Parish Office or speak to Lauren Rayner (our flautist at Sunday morning Mass).
Free Guided Tours will take place on the following dates, starting at 1.30pm: 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.
Join March for Life UK, Saturday 6th September , London. The right to life underpins every other right and without it every other right is rendered meaningless. Abortion denies the most vulnerable in our society of their most basic right which is why this year's theme is “Human Rights For All Humans.” Join thousands at this family-friendly event to recognise the value of life from conception and stand up for all those who have been impacted by abortion. https://www.marchforlife.co.uk/ or email: info@marchforlife.co.uk.
The Leadbeater assisted suicide Bill is expected to have its Second Reading in the House of Lords on Friday 12 September . Right To Life UK has launched an Easy action tool to help you write to a few Peers with a tailored message to highlight key concerns with the Bill. Please take action now and visit www.righttolife.org.uk/aspeers to ask Peers to oppose assisted suicide - it takes just 30 seconds!
ST MARK’S WAY ON THE NATIONAL JUBILEE PILGRIMAGE OF HOPE: Begins on Saturday 6 September with 8am Mass at Leeds Cathedral. Walk all or part of the way between the Cathedral and the Jubilee Pilgrimage Church of St Austin in Wakefield. See Diocesan website for details of how to sign up.
THE CENTURY CLUB: The Century Club raises “extra funds” to support the liturgy and activities of our parish. We are always keen to see new members join. For £5 every month your number will be entered in a prize draw for a chance to win one of three monthly prizes: £100, £50 and £30. Each year there is a Grand Draw for a first prize of £1000, with five consolation prizes of £50. Every number is entered in the draw for each prize. In comparison to some draws, these are attractive odds! All profits go to enhance the life of your parish! If you would like to join, contact Pete Mahon on 01924 250542, or email the parish office at mail@peterpaul.org.uk Thank you! CENTURY CLUB MONTHLY DRAW – MAY 2025 1st No. 58 B Fearon 2nd No. 85 B Fish 3rd No. 32 S & M Wilson CENTURY CLUB MONTHLY DRAW – JUNE 2025 1st No. 12 V Kitson 2nd No. 92 P Pascoe 3rd No. 7 G Ralston
Mass for the Feast of St Bernard, Wednesday 20th August, 12noon. All welcome. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/fountainsabbey-and-studley-royal-water-garden/events
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 9 September - St Michael’s Knottingley. All Jubilee Masses start at 7.00pm.
Thank you for allowing us to come to your church and sell the olive wood religious articles, the result of which was very beneficial and rewarding for our needy Christian families . Your help is a great support for us, and for our Christian families in the Holy Land and we don't have enough words to thank you and your parishioners, but we will make sure that you are always in our prayers. If anyone has missed the carvings display, You can place an order online directly from them at www.tbng.co.uk God bless you all. Love and blessings from The Bethlehem Nativity Group and may the Peace of our Lord be with you always.
A BIG THANK YOU FROM FATHER STEVEN for all the kind messages, cards and gifts he has received ahead of his move to Rome. Your generosity is warmly appreciated. For those who would like to keep in contact with Fr. Steven please use his Diocesan email address: steven.billington@dioceseofleeds.org.uk FATHER STEVEN LEAVING GATHERING: This Saturday 16th August we will be saying our goodbyes to Fr. Steven in the Parish Centre after the 5pm Mass. A Light Buffet and Refreshments will be provided. All are Welcome! PLEASE NOTE THAT FR. STEVEN WILL BE CELEBRATING MASS ON SUNDAY 17TH AND MONDAY 18TH AUGUST AS NORMAL.
Having reminded the apostles and the crowd that facing the coming judgment takes patience, Jesus now goes on to speak of how difficult it will be to wait. In chapter 3 of Luke's Gospel, John the Baptist tells the crowd that he is baptising with water, but someone mightier is coming who will baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire. The fire Jesus speaks of here is the distress caused by the coming judgment and also the fire of the Spirit that Luke will describe descending on the disciples on Pentecost. That fire will strengthen them to go out to the whole world to preach the good news of Jesus' Resurrection. Jesus will be the first to experience the distress of the coming judgment. His baptism will be the conflict into which he will be immersed as he approaches Jerusalem and his death on the cross. The angels at Jesus' birth proclaimed peace on earth, and Simeon, holding the baby Jesus in the Temple, said to God: “Master, now you may let your servant go in peace.” Here Jesus tells the crowd not to think he has come to bring peace; he has come to bring division. Simeon said as much when he turned to Mary and said that the child was destined for the rise and fall of many and to be a sign that will be contradicted. Peace is the ultimate end of the Kingdom of God, but peace has a price. Jesus is warning the crowd that wherever the Word of God is heard and acted upon, division occurs. Fathers will be divided against sons and mothers against daughters. The coming judgment forces us to look at the implications of our commitments. A commitment of faith requires us to change our attitude toward material possessions and to take even more seriously our moral responsibilities. Jesus reminds the crowd that those who commit to him will find it affects the way they relate to friends and family members. The angel who announced the birth of John the Baptist said John would go before Jesus to turn the hearts of fathers toward their children. But a commitment to Jesus forces us to change the way we live our lives, and this can put strains on relationships. We don't expect to hear such difficult words from Jesus in the Gospel. But it is good to be reminded occasionally that the decision to do the right thing is not always easy and without conflict. In today's reading, he reminds his followers to be prepared for difficult decisions and conflict as well.