Bishop Thomas McMahon Pastoral Letter—Farewell Mass
On Friday last Bishop Thomas of Brentwood held his farewell Mass at Brentwood Cathedral. Subsequently, he issued this letter to be read out at all the Masses this Sunday, which I share with you all here: My Dear People, I wish that we could all have been together last Friday at our Diocesan Farewell Mass celebrated in the Cathedral. However, as I hope you will understand, sheer considerations of space simply did not make that possible. But I would like to take this opportunity of sharing with you now my words on that special occasion. The season of Advent is about beginnings and endings. It marks the end of one liturgical year and the beginning of a new one. It is also true of course, that beginnings and endings are the daily experience of our own lives. I am particularly fond of these words by the poet Keats: ‘There is a budding morrow in midnight’. As Christians, at the beginning of each new day we have the privilege of hearing the Lord say to ...