During the past week, the Cardinal of the Archdiocese of Westminster sent a very encouraging letter to his priests. In that letter, he captured a sentiment which resonates with the theme of today’s Sunday. He said he had been touched by the response given by a priest when he was simply asked what was the best and most enjoyable aspect of his priestly ministry? In the words of the Cardinal “the priest without any hesitation replied: ‘Celebrating Mass with the people of the parish.’

He went on: ‘What can be more joyful, more satisfying than knowing that I am able to bring the real, living presence of our Blessed Lord into their hearts and lives. Only a priest brings the fullness of that sacramental gift! That is my joy.’ ” The Cardinal refers to this attitude of loving and cherishing the priestly life in this way as far from being clerical, but priestly. In his exact words: “It is priestly to love and cherish this life and to rejoice in the bonds that it creates between us…it is priestliness and it is beautiful” , he says.

In this regard, something significantly beautiful and joyful happened at our dear Catholic parishes of Borehamwood and Borehamwood North last week. St. Teresa and SS John Fisher & Thomas Moore Catholic Parishes were graced from the 1st day of March with the arrival of two Spiritan Priests: Frs Jude and Fidelis to continue in the joyful witnessing to the presence of the risen Christ among his people as Fr Dominic McKenna of blessed memory had done among the faithful here, before he was called by the Lord to Himself. We have come among you as servants with the joy that the Gospel offers. We were overwhelmed by the joyful hospitality we received and we pray that we, as a watchful and praying community, will continue in the words of St Teresa of Calcutta to do something beautiful for God, and in the words of our patroness, St Teresa of the Child Jesus, “spending our heaven on earth doing good” , as God’s work of art created for the good works we have been fashioned for ( Ephesians 2:10).