TODAY WE GIVE THANKS for the life,
example and prayers
of Saint Faith, our Patron.
Saint Faith was only 13 years
old when her father
denounced her to the Roman proconsul Dacien because she refused to
forswear her
then-forbidden Christian faith and make a sacrifice to the goddess
Diana. She was tortured, beheaded and buried at
Agen
in the year 304 AD; five centuries later, her remains were brought to
the
Benedictine Abbey at Conques. As we
celebrate our liturgy this evening we pray for the community in Conques
where some
went on pilgrimage this time last year. The
community of Conques is served by the Premonstratensian
order, founded in 1120 by St. Norbert at Prémontré, near Laon, France. The brothers
also have a house in Manchester. We
are delighted that Fr. Hugh, from
that order based in Manchester, is leading the
Prayers of the People tonight.
We pray too
today for the repose of the soul of our
founder and benefactor, Douglas Horsfall, who built our parish church
in honour
of Saint Faith. As we give thanks for
the life and witness of this parish church, we ask the prayers of Saint
Faith
for the future that God will continue to bless all that we seek to do
in His
name. We are grateful for the gift of new surplices for the choir, worn
for the
first time this evening, in memory of Aileen
Dawber, R.I.P. and we extend our thanks to her family for this most
generous gift.
We extend a
warm welcome this evening to visiting
priests and people. The two
newly-ordained Deacons at this mass originate from the Diocese of
Liverpool and
are the Rev. Derek Hyett (serving the
parishes of S.
Alphege
Edmonton and S.
Matthew Ponders End in the Diocese of London) and the Rev.
Paul Hutchins (serving the parish of S. Paul Royton in the
Diocese of Manchester). We also welcome
and thank our visiting musicians Dominic
Starkey (Trumpet), David Houlder
(Organ) and Sarah Helsby-Hughes
(Mezzo-Soprano).
