Events
Welcome Back!
... if you have been away from the Church for a long time!
There are lots of reasons why people stop going to church, why people stop practising their faith. It can be simply getting out of the habit! It can be because they have been deeply hurt by someone in the church. It can be because they have found some part of the church's teaching impossible.
Sometimes we fear it might be difficult to feel we belong. Sometimes people leave the church and never give it another thought - for others it is not like that. Indeed many people 'drop-out' of going to church for some part of their lives - it's not uncommon at all, and when people come back, they sometimes feel stronger.
The church is certainly not perfect, but we believe that belonging to the church helps us to search for what really matters in life. We invite you to continue that search with us.
Belonging is one of the most basic human needs. We all need to belong somewhere. Deep in our heart we know that we belong to god - because He speaks to us in the secret place in our heart. God calls us to belong to His people, and that call can keep nagging at us.
"Our hearts are restless, O Lord, until they rest in you"
St Augustine
The invitation is to find God who can give your heart rest, by being one with His people. If you would like to come back to the practice of your faith, you will be very welcome. You may wish to talk to the Parish Priest of Deacon - they can usually be met before or after any of the church services - or you can phone them.
If you would like to come to a quiet service - Mass on Wednesday morning at 10am would be a good time after which you could talk to other parishioners over coffee. Other services times are listed on this site and our newsletter. Please feel able to come and be part of the parish community. If you know someone who is part of the parish already, it might be easier to come along with them - you will always be welcome.
One final thought - do not worry about how you will be received - because you bring with you something precious and valuable to us all - your own experience and insights. We will all be the richer for your presence!
In the gospels Jesus always had time for those who felt there were 'outsiders'. The parables of the lost sheep and the prodigal son remind us of how much Jesus wanted to welcome back those who felt they were lost. Catholics believe that Jesus is still waiting to welcome back into his Church anyone who feels that are called to belong, even if they have been away a long time.