15th February 2015

What’s My Least Favourite Saying?
In recent weeks and months, whether it’s Question Time on TV; a radio phone in; or the Daily Mail, there has been a repeated chorus of one of my least favourite sayings.

What is it?

“Charity begins at home”. Its a saying that’s been increasingly used, because the government has during the recession, refused to cut foreign aid to some of the poorest people in the world. Despite the foreign aid budget being incredibly small compared to others, it is the one that continues to annoy people.  “Why,” people ask, “are we helping those in other countries, when so many people are in need in our own?”
Yet ironically as Catholics, we should agree with this popular saying. Of course “Charity begins at home.” That’s the place we first learn to love and continue to learn to love. Charity of course comes from the Latin ‘Caritas’ meaning ‘to love.’ We are however, called to love everyone. In fact we are called to love the poorest and most vulnerable. The truth is there are countless numbers of such people and they live beyond our shores.

With this in mind in Lent we will be supporting HCPT -  the pilgrimage to Lourdes for sick and disabled children and the Cafod Lenten FAMILY FAST DAY.
Please collect your envelope today. Cafod is very aware of the generosity of our parish. Your welcome contributions will be collected next weekend or you can always put them in the Presbytery letter box. Many thanks.