St Mary's and St Paul's, Hamilton
My dear parishioners at St. Mary’s and St. Paul’s,
It is early in the morning and you are in my thoughts and prayers. In fact it is 4.30am on March 21st. Already I miss very much your good and sincere presence. What is the church without you, the people of God?
As the celebrant of the eucharist, it is my privilege to look out from the altar into the faces of God’s people who are hungry for Jesus and his gospel. So often at Mass I have said to you that no one can ever take your place at the eucharist, that your place is always reserved for you around the table of the Lord. Already, as I celebrate the eucharist without your immediate presence, it is your good faces that I see before me and that is easy for me to do, for you usually sit in the same seat, Sunday by Sunday and day by day! From various point on the Altar I get the opportunity to see you all, those sitting before me and those who like to sit upstairs. In my mind’s eye I can see you still and that brings a smile to my face and warms my heart.
Often I have remarked to you how fortunate we are at St. Mary’s and St. Paul’s to have so many children in our parish, that without children our churches feel empty, like a face that never smiles. Now my two dear churches are really empty without you all. What I can say to you through this letter is that your gracious presence lives on in our buildings and when I raise the sacred host and precious blood of Jesus at the consecration it is your good faces that I see and I ask the Eucharistic Lord to bless each one of you and to keep you safe from all harm.
Jesus is still hungry for our love and he desires to clothe us with his gospel. At our baptism and through our devout reception of Holy Communion, Jesus has placed within us the new commandment, “Love one another as I have loved you.”In these very worrying days we are being asked to live the new way of Love in an intense way, especially at home with our family. Jesus will help us to treasure one another and to serve one another, and St. Mary and St. Paul will help us also.
The Coronavirus has come like a thief in the night to rob us of what we hold dear, but the virus cannot steal the faith, hope and charity that live in our hearts and in our homes. Recently a young girl in Primary 7 came to ask me if she could take the name Hope as her confirmation name. As I looked into her face I could see that this name meant a great deal to her. In reply to her question, I said that it sounds as if the Holy Spirit has inspired her to choose this beautiful name. I look forward very much to celebrating her confirmation and to hear her say “I choose Hope.”May that same Spirit inspire us all to make hopeful choices in these difficult days.
In finishing these thoughts to share with you my dear friends at St. Mary’s and St. Paul’s, the light of a new day is emerging on the horizon and I am conscious that it brings with it the Light of Christ. My deepest hope is that this precious Light will guide our steps in the days and weeks ahead.
Please know that I am here at home in the church house at St. Mary’s and if anyone at St. Mary’s and St. Paul’s needs me in any way then I am here,
With sincere affection,
Father O’Brien
Please share this message with parishioners who may not access the parish website
Useful Websites
Children’s Liturgy for the 5th Sunday of Lent
St Mary's Mass Times
St Paul's
St. Mary’s and St Paul’s Parish Hamilton – Church Groups and Contacts
Pastoral Parish Committee
Secretary
Winifred Terret
Children’s Liturgy
Rona Honnet
Choir
Peter Lavery
Credo faith-sharing group
Winifred Terret
Eucharistic Ministers
Jim Duffin
01698 457509
Home visits
Cathie Kilday
Hall Committee
Premise Manager
Mary Hoggan
01698 423552 (Church house)
Justice and Peace
Margaret McGowan
Readers
Vicky O’Hanlon
St. Mary’s Friends of South Africa Monsignor Devanny Memorial Trust
Arthur McWilliams
SSVP
Chairperson
Annette McLean
01698 423552 (Church House)
Tradecraft
Carol Clarke
Walking group
Harry Doyle
01698 427821
Contact St Mary's and St Paul's, Hamilton
120 Cadzow St, Hamilton ML3 6HP, UK
01698 423552