Fr Dominic
Parish Priest

Holocaust Memorial Day and Burn’s Night.
It might seem crass to put those two events together but this week I have been involved with both of these and because of COVID 19 both are very different from our normal way of being engaged with these events. On Wednesday 27th January I was in the privileged position to read the Holocaust Memorial Day Prayer, and then to light the sixth candle to remember the Darfur Genocide. The fact that this event is being held virtually made it very poignant for me. During WW2 the world was turned upside down and under the guise of this mayhem six million innocent people were exterminated. A dictator put forward a diabolical plan to wipe out millions of people because of their faith and many blindly followed. They suspended their consciences and killed millions in cold and calculated blood. After the war when this Holocaust was exposed they cry was “Never Again”. But, sadly, since then we have had genocide in Cambodia, in Bosnia, in Rwanda, in Darfur and in many other places in the world. People of different races, religions, sexual orientation, and nationalities are being targeted and discriminated against all over the world. Why does it keep happening? On the Feast of the Epiphany, 6th January this year, we had the almost unbelievable spectacle of Far Right extremist mobs in the Capitol building in Washington searching for people to murder and lynch. When does ‘Never Again’ become reality. I believe that each person has to develop their conscience to deeply embed in their heads and hearts that we as human beings created by God, are brothers and sisters and we have no right to diminish, denigrate, harm or kill another person because they are different from us. Holocaust Memorial Day helps us to remember.
On a lighter note, Burn’s Night was a great excuse to get together and make friends, eat, sing and dance, Mr. COVID 19 has stepped in but we will not be defeated. So on Saturday 30th January at 7.30pm we are celebrating in a virtual way. George will be there with the bagpipes, Nick Male will be there hosting the evening, the toasts will be there, the blessing will be there and plenty of music. So, join us.