Category: News

Notes on the Apostolic Letter “The Sunday of the Word of God” (Aperuit Illis) by Pope Francis

Tom Gorman from Community writes about the Sunday of the Word of God which Catholics celebrate on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, which in 2023 is Sunday 22^nd January (today).  Tom’s notes draw out how much the Catholic Church has recently been renewing its ancient call for Catholics to live by God’s word in the scriptures.  Our community is ecumenical and our members contribute from the riches of their own denominational setting; we hope Tom’s notes are an encouragement to friends from all traditions.

The Pope opens the Letter by saying that the relationship between the Risen Lord, the community of believers and sacred Scripture is essential to our identity as Christians. Without the Lord who opens our minds to them, it is impossible to understand the Scriptures in depth. Yet the contrary is equally true: without the Scriptures, the events of the mission of Jesus and his Church in this world would remain incomprehensible. Hence St Jerome could rightly claim: “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ”.

The Pope first proposed the Sunday of the Word of God at the end of the Jubilee of Mercy. He wanted to set aside a Sunday given over entirely to the Word of God, so as to appreciate the inexhaustible riches contained in that constant dialogue between the Lord and his people.

The Second Vatican council gave great impetus to the rediscovery of the Word of God ……. It is fitting then that the life of our people should be constantly marked by this decisive relationship with the living word that the Lord never tires of speaking to his bride that she may grow in love and faithful witness. more…

We have sent out our  Charity Newsletter for 2022, and posted it to this website here: Charity Newsletter December 2022

The newsletter begins with some personal reflections, then updates from some areas of our work and ministry, followed by dates in the diary for 2023, and a reminder of ways you can help if you are in a position to.

Please enjoy the newsletter – we pray that you are blessed by how God has been leading us over the last year.  Please also share it with anyone who you think may be interested in coming to our  Retreat Centre or to any of the events we have planned for 2023, including our Discipleship Course 2023 or Gateway Summer Youth Conference 2023

Thanks and God bless

By Andy Swinford, Sept 2022 

The HOD bees have been most prolific since they took up residence in the shiny new palace built for them by Brother Loarne and the team on a corner of the plot across the stream. So far this year we have taken 70kg of honey!

To our dismay one hive turned rather aggressive over the summer and several people received stings. The only way to sort this is to replace the queen. This is because it’s the queen that sets the temperament of the whole hive. I’m glad to report the colony has accepted its new monarch – here she is looking very healthy and charging about the hive like nobody’s business. If you think she’s wearing a gold crown, that’s the splodge of yellow paint recognised for designating queens reared in 2022. I’d like to point out I took 14 stings to my right hand in pursuit of this photograph. How I suffer for my art.

This reminds me of our own Queen Elizabeth II who throughout her marvellous reign provided much of the flavour of her kingdom. more…

Friends, we have created or first playlist on our YouTube channel –DC 2022 playlist.  

It’s for talks given so far on our Discipleship Course 2022.  More talks will be added during our Gateway Summer Youth Conference 2022 over the next two weeks, including future evenings with Daniella Stephens, Pippa Baker, Ester Price and Brother Loarne Ferguson OFM Cap…. for more details of these evenings (live in the Tithe Barn at HOD) see the Calendar of Events.

Talks so far include a talk on the Holy Spirit by Chiara Pelazza, and four teachings on the Creed and some reflections on the Our Father by John Trimming.

Please pray for us as we gather for Gateway 18th – 31st July.

Lynda shares a reflection for Candlemas…

On Wednesday, 2^nd February, the Church celebrates the feast of Candlemas, for some, the real end of the Christmas season.  It is a time to remember the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, as required by Jewish Law. 

Simeon and Anna greeted Mary and Joseph, and prophetically announced the arrival of the Messiah, in the unlikely form of this small baby.  As we wait for His coming again, this is particularly an encouragement to the older readers of this blog as you continue in prayer and joyful expectation!

Who was Anna?  We find her in Luke 2 v. 36, and we are told that she had lived with her husband for seven years.  As most girls at that time married at around 14 years old, she was probably a widow at 21.  Luke tells us that she was 84 years old so that would mean she had served in the temple for about 63 years, with fasting and prayer, night and day, demonstrating remarkable spiritual and physical strength.

We are also told that she was from the tribe of Asher.  Before he died, Moses bestowed this blessing on Asher:

“Asher is most blessed of sons … let him dip his foot in oil … As your days, so your strength will be” (Deuteronomy 33 v.24-25) more…