Let us rejoice and be glad that it is the Holy Father's 80th Birthday today! What a symbol of contradiction for the world that one who has amassed so many years, is leading the Church in the most important job in the world! He wanted to retire to his reading, playing piano, and talking to cats... but our Lord had other plans for him! O Faithful servant of God, I am your faithful servant, and pray for your continued strength and wisdom every day of your papacy. May history look back and declare you De Gloria Oliviae!I have just been to a 12.15 Mass at St. Chad's Cathedral, and learned from the Dean there that James Joseph McGuinness, retired Bishop of Nottingham, died 11 days ago, on Good Friday. His funeral was today at the Nottingham Cathedral of St. Barnabus, which is why Vincent Nichols was unable to say our Mass today.
Bishop McGuinness was Bishop of Nottingham from 1974 till 2000 (when he was succeeded by the wonderful Malcolm McMahon) and conferred on me the Sacrament of Confirmation at Ratcliffe College when I was 15. The Bishop's Conference website has this to say about him:
Please pray for his soul.
He will be remembered as a zealous pastor who was enthusiastic for his young people, and who was on first-name terms with many people of all ages throughout his far-flung diocese.
Bishop McGuinness lived frugally and selflessly. He gave witness with his life to the self-sacrifice that the Church demands of its priests and bishops. It was fitting, therefore, that he should go to his Lord in the afternoon of Good Friday
Send the Holy Father a message, Matt. On the Vatican Website.
ReplyDeleteHere's what I wrote.
hey Matt,
ReplyDeleteAre you at the Childrens? My cousin Martin's daughter Emily (age 9) is battling cancer there..don't know if you're near the cancer wards? But please pray..thanks
God bless