PASTORAL LETTER OF BISHOP CORMAC MURPHY-O'CONNOR
To be read at all Masses on Sunday 28th December 1997
My dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
These last days of the year often provoke in our minds memories of particular events that have taken place during the past 12 months. In the liturgy today one phrase has rested in my mind, 'Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God's children; and that is what we are... We are already the children of God but what we are to be in the fUture has not yet been revealed, all we know is, that when it is revealed we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is' (1 John 3. 1-2). I hope you won't mind if for this pastoral letter I give you a reflection on three events which have come to my mind as I look back over the past year.
One memory is of sitting in a train on my way to Manchester when a young woman sat beside me and said, 'Aren't you Bishop Cormac?' Saying that I was, she told me that she worked for L'Arche, an international network of communities, four of which are located in Bognor Regis. This is an organisation which creates a family for people with learning disabilities and enables them to live a normal life. L'Arche creates a family for them where they are able, to work, to care for one another and to grow in understanding of what it means to be the family of God. 'Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us by letting us be called God's children and that is what we are' (1 John 3:1). In talking so enthusiastically about her work, I realised yet again how important it is that we live together as a family: the old, the young, those with special needs - indeed, in some ways, we are all in special need of each other. Thinking of those who serve in the L'Arche communities and in other communities such as Emmaus - and the countless other people over the diocese and elsewhere who work unselfishly in such a Christian way - filled me then and now with great hope.
Another memory was provoked by the early death of one of our priests, Peter de Ath. Some years ago I had asked Fr. Peter to take up a special ministry in a large house called 'Bethany' at Maryvale Pastoral Centre. When I asked him to focus f0r me what he was doing, he wrote me a lovely letter in which he said how the people who came to Bethany were many and varied and came to share their hopes, joys and anxieties. It did not matter where they came from or in what circumstances, each person or couple had something they wanted to reflect upon and share. As Fr. Peter put it, the fUndamental questions were, Where am I? Who am I? What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ saying to me? It is the challenge to live a much more radical Christian life which still speaks so clearly. His task was to accompany people on their journey by letting them share their experience of trying to live as Christians. The memory of Peter lives in my mind as of a quite exceptionally good and effective priest whose ministry took him in different ways and directions but always to help people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. Peter himself summed up his vocation in the words of the Prophet Micah: "This is what the Lord asks of you: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly, and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). The example of such a priest is a source of joy and of hope.
One other reflection that has come to me was prompted by the example of a couple who have served faithfully and lovingly at the Cathedral Church of our diocese for over 50 years of their married life. This year, Eddie Harrison has finally stepped down from his service at the altar of Arundel Cathedral. Having been an altar server there for 75 years, he has given quite outstanding service to the Church. Together with his wife, Olive, they have contributed in all kinds of ways to the parochial life of the Cathedral. They are an example of a couple who spent their lives in prayerful service of the Church and in thinking of them I think of the words of the psalmist in today's liturgy, 'They are happy who dwell in your house, Lord, forever singing your praise'.
Two months ago the Bishops of England and Wales went on their five-yearly visit to Rome which involves reporting on the state of their respective dioceses; praying at the tombs of the apostles, Peter and Paul, and having meetings with the Holy Father. In his farewell address to us on that occasion, Pope John Paul told us to share with our people the hope which derives from the knowledge that we are made in God's image; that we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and destined for eternal life with Him in heaven. This is what i have tried to do today in this message of hope.
These short reflections that I have given you may, perhaps, provoke in your own memories reasons for hope. I want you to know that as a diocesan family we will soon begin reflecting on our resolve to be Christ in our world, a source of hope for all. May the year 1998 be a happy and hopeful one for all of you and bring you many blessings. Our diocesan family is a source of great hope and encouragement to me personally, as it should be for you too. As St. John says in the lesson today, 'My dear people, we are already the children of God but what we are to be in the fUture has not yet been revealed; all we know is that when it is revealed we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is'. (1 John 3:2).
With an assurance of my prayers and kindest wishes for a peaceful and blessed New Year
Yours devotedly in Christ, ![[Unknown]](/NR/rdonlyres/A48AF666-CBFE-4BFD-96FF-AA87210CA0EB/0/bish_sig.gif)
Rt. Rev. Cormac Murphy-O'Connor
Bishop of Arundel and Brighton.
