Dear Friends, Welcome to S. Michael’s as we begin Holy Week together on Palm Sunday. Today’s liturgy starts in the school and then we process with palms to recall Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. We hold the excitement and expectation of that occasion before the Passion of our Lord. We come now to the most significant … [Read more…]

Dear Friends, Welcome to S. Michael’s today for Passion Sunday. The focus of Lent moves ever more directly now to centre on our Lord’s passion and death as we approach Holy Week. One of the important disciplines of Lent is personal examination. This leads to a deeper recognition of our own sin, indeed our separation … [Read more…]

Dear Friends, Welcome to S. Michael’s for Mothering Sunday. Today we are delighted to welcome the community of S. Michael’s Church School as it joins with the Parish to celebrate this important day when we give thanks for and honour mothers. Mothering Sunday comes at the midway point of the season of Lent, and it … [Read more…]

Dear Friends, Welcome to S. Michael’s on this third Sunday of Lent. The Epistle reading today speaks about the cross. When we begin the Mass the first thing the presiding priest does is to lead the community in making the sign of the cross. This is the pre-eminent Christian symbol. Whilst in our minds it … [Read more…]

Dear Friends, Welcome to S. Michael’s as we continue our pilgrimage in Lent. Today our reading from the Gospel recalls the Transfiguration of Jesus. One way of understanding the Transfiguration is that on this occasion Jesus’ divinity shone through his humanity. When we come to Mass we begin spiritually to climb a mountain, as Jesus … [Read more…]

Dear Friends, Welcome to S. Michael’s today on this last Sunday before Lent begins. Inevitably our thoughts today will be tending towards preparation for Lent. The purpose of Lenten disciplines is to increase our capacity for liturgy as we approach Holy Week and Easter. In those liturgies, which mark the climax of our calendar, we … [Read more…]

Dear Friends, Welcome to S. Michael’s today. Friday was Waitangi Day and in our Mass today we remember and give thanks for the Treaty, and we pray that our nation will continue to grow towards the aspirations of those who signed. There is often a level of tension around Waitangi Day as some Maori air … [Read more…]

Dear Friends, Welcome to S. Michael’s today for the celebration of Candlemas. We particularly remember the presentation of Jesus in the temple by his parents, and the offering made in fulfilment of the law of the Lord. As Jesus made his way over the threshold of the temple his presence also meant that Simeon could … [Read more…]