Saint Pancras, a fourteen-year-old orphan, lived in the late third century. He was not a native of Rome. He was brought there by his uncle who looked after him. Pancras became a follower of Jesus and was baptised. Although just a boy, he was arrested for being a Christian during the reign of the emperor Diocletian. Pancras refused to give up his faith. For that, he was sentenced to death and was beheaded. He became a very popular martyr in the early Church. People admired him for being so young and so brave. In 514, a large church was built in Rome to honor him. In 596, the famous missionary, St. Augustine of Canterbury, went to bring the Christian faith to England. He named his first church there after St. Pancras.

St. Pancras and the other martyrs we remember today remind us of the importance of our Catholic faith. It should mean as much to us as it did to each of them. If we need to grow stronger in our faith, let’s ask St. Pancras to help us.

St. Pancras pray for us.

It was nice to visit the care home on Thursday afternoon, the choir sang:

Glory to thee, my God, this night.

New praises be give to Christ newly crowned.

Soul of my Saviour.

Hail Queen of Heaven.

Gloria in mass settings RE.

Credo I.

All enjoyed the sing along, and we spent some quality time with the residences over tea and biscuits.

Sunday 6th May 2018, I received the ministry of Lector at St. Mary’s College Oscott.  The Right Reverend Thomas Burns, Bishop of Menevia, was the celebrant.

Below is the prayer taken from the institution of Readers.

“Brothers and sisters, let us ask God our Father to bless these servants who have been chosen for the ministry of reader.  Let us pray that they may be faithful to the work entrusted to them, proclaim Christ to the world, and so give glory to our Father in heaven.”

“Lord God, source of all goodness and light, you sent your only Son, the Word of life, to reveal to mankind the mystery of your love.  Bless our brothers, who have been chosen for the ministry of reader.  Grant that as they meditate constantly on your word they may grow in its wisdom and faithfully proclaim it to your people.”

“Take this book of holy Scripture and be faithful in handing on the word of God, so that it may grow strong in the hearts of his people.  Amen.”

I am a Catholic Seminarian, for the Diocese of Lancaster, studying for the Priesthood.

I will be regularly adding my personal reflections from scripture, to hopefully enrich your spiritual reading and understanding on the Good news.