Please see our "Safeguarding" page for information about St. George's Church approach to safeguarding.

If you are unable to travel to Mass on a Sunday for whatever reason, we can arrange for someone from our parish to visit your home and take you there. Please get in touch if you need someone to take you to mass: Telephone: 0151 526 1071 Email: stgeorge@rcaolorg.uk

St. George's Church provides wheelchair access at the front of the church, and designated spaces for wheelchair uses inside the church. Please speak to the welcome ministers in the church porch for assistance.

Yes. The Church recognises that, unfortunately, not everyone is able to attend Mass on Sunday due to being housebound. For this reason, the Church has instituted eucharistic ministers who are tasked with delivering the body and blood of Christ to those at home and be in communion with the people of the church despite not being physically present at Mass. If you or someone you know is housebound and would like to receive Holy Communion, please fill in the form on our Eucharistic Minister page. Alternatively, please contact us via phone or email:

Yes, of course. You are more than welcome to come to Mass if you are not a Catholic. There are many reasons why a non-Catholic would come to Mass; e.g., family reasons or simply because you are curious. Whatever your individual reasons, please feel free to come and celebrate the Mass with us. All that we ask is that you don't try to receive Holy Communion, because only those who have been baptized into the Church and are her members can receive communion. We still encourage you to pray that you may be united to Christ spiritually. If you are thinking of becoming a Catholic, please see, "I'm Thinking of Becoming Catholic. What Should I Do?".

Coming back to church after a long time can be quite intimidating. Worries such as not knowing what to do at Mass, appearing like an outsider, or feeling overwhelmed by everything are often present in the mind of someone who hasn't been to church in many years. But, don't worry: we'd love to welcome you back, and God certainly welcomes you back wherever you are in life! If you are unsure about what to do at Mass, please feel free to approach anyone of the Welcome Ministers at either entrance to the church and ask them for advice/ assistance. If you're feeling shy, grab a Mass book from the entrance, copy what everyone else is doing/saying, and follow along with what you can. Try to arrive early so that you avoid arriving when Mass has begun and so that you have time to address any concerns or questions you have with the Welcome Ministers. It's recommended that people who haven't been to church in a long time go to confession/reconciliation first before receiving Holy Communion so that they can repair their relationship with God and be better spiritual state to consume the body and blood of Christ. See the "Reconciliation" page for more information. For any other questions, doubts, or problems you'd like to discuss, please email Fr. Chris (c.fallon@rcaol.org.uk) or Deacon Keith (k.ballard@rcaol.org.uk), or the parish office (stgeorge@rcaol.org.uk).

The Holy Trinity refers to the inner life of God. Christians believe that God is one being, but at the same time, is comprised of three divine persons: The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (#234) calls the belief about the Holy Trinity the “central mystery of the Christian faith” because it is the mystery about God himself. Christians believe that God is love (1 John 4:8), and the concept of the Trinity corresponds with this belief. In God himself there exists a relationship of lover (the Father), the one who is loved (the Son), and the love shared between them (the Holy Spirit). So, what is meant by God is love is that God exists as a family of divine persons which exists in a community of perpetual love. Many theologians have tried to express the concept of the trinity through the use of analogies and comparison to things of our experience. The most famous of these is that used by St. Patrick who, according to the legend, compared the Holy Trinity to a three-leaf shamrock because the shamrock is one clover made up of three leaves. Despite many attempts to understand the divine nature of God, it is recognised by Christians that it is ultimately impossible for human beings to fully comprehend The Holy Trinity. For this reason, God had to reveal it to humanity himself through the incarnation of the Son in the person of Jesus Christ, and through the gift of the Holy Spirit to all mankind.

Jesus Christ was the Messiah. We believe he was both God and Man. He was the second person (The Son) of the Holy Trinity and became incarnate around 2,000 years ago, just before the first century A.D. He was a Jew, born in Roman-occupied Palestine, who spent the last three years of His life teaching others about God, and how to live in a way that was pleasing to God. He founded the Church, the papacy, and the priesthood, and taught us to pray, to care for others, to seek forgiveness, to forgive others and to love our neighbour. After three years of ministry, Jesus was crucified by the Romans. He suffered a painful death on the cross, but rose from the dead three days later, conquering death. Soon after His death, resurrection and ascension, people started spreading Jesus’ message around the world. These were the very first Christians. The story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection was told by word of mouth, and then a few decades later began to be written down, and these writings are the Gospels we still read in church and at home today. “Christ” means anointed one. Catholics believe that Jesus is the Messiah spoken of in the Old Testament, whom the Jews were waiting for to save all of Israel. We believe that through Jesus’ death, we are saved.

The Bible is the Christian holy book, made up of two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament contains all of the Hebrew Scriptures. It gives the story of the history of God’s people before Jesus, from the very beginning of the Creation of the world, to Abraham, Moses, and all of the prophets who came before Jesus. It contains well-known stories such as Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and Noah’s Ark, as well as beautiful Psalms. The New Testament contains the four Gospels which tell us about Jesus’ life, teachings, death and resurrection, as well as many letters and writings from the earliest Christians, such as St. Paul. The Church teaches that we must take the Bible seriously, but not always literally. Pope Benedict XVI said that we should read the Bible maturely, without a naïve literal interpretation which can lead to fundamentalism. The Catechism (110) says that to understand the original authors’ intentions, we must take into account their cultural context and the literary genres the authors employed. For example, the message behind the creation story is true – God created the world – but it may be that it wasn’t necessarily done in seven days. We must read the Bible with a maturity and see it as a whole story. Along with the Bible, Catholics believe in Tradition. Some Christians say that the Bible is the be all and end all, and if it’s not in the Bible, it’s not right. However, we know that Jesus founded a Church, not a book. The traditions of the Church, therefore, are very important. The contents of the New Testament were written in the first and second centuries, but the Bible itself was not compiled into a formal book until the fifth century. We must remember that most people at that time could not read, so the importance we place on having everything written down these days was not as relevant then. Therefore, we must take into account the traditions of the early Church, and the decisions made by Church leaders from the earliest times until today. As well as the Bible, the Catholic Church also has the Catechism, which gives the Church’s answers to many questions about faith, what we believe, the sacraments, how to live, ethics, and all of the difficult topics that Catholics throughout the ages and today have wrestled with. Recommended Resources: The Case for Jesus: Biblical and Historical Evidence for Christ- Brant Pitre. Is the Bible Reliable (video)- William Lane Craig. How to Read the Bible (video)- Bishop Robert Barron. Evidence for The Resurrection (video)- William Lane Craig. A Historian Explains the Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus(video)- Interview with Dr. Gary Habermas.

The Holy Spirit is the third part of the Holy Trinity, with God the Father and Jesus the Son. When Jesus ascended into Heaven after His death and resurrection, He told His followers that the Holy Spirit would always remain with them. The Holy Spirit is always with us, a constant guide in our lives.

There are variety of resources you can consult to learn more about the Catholic faith, such as books, websites, videos on Youtube, to documentaries. Perhaps the most useful resource you can use is the Catechism of the Catholic Church- the official teaching document of the Church. Here you'll find an in-depth exploration on most of what Catholics believe and what the Church teaches. You can buy it in book form, or you can access it for free on the Vatican's website. Apart from this, consider visiting a local Catholic book store, such Cenacle in Skelmersdadle or Pauline Books in Liverpool. Ask for books and resources about whatever you are curious about. Also, you can visit catholic websites, such as the official Vatican website and beginningcatholic.com; or you can type in what does the Catholic Church teach about x/Catholic belief about x in a such engine and see what comes up (note of caution: not all information may be correct, up-to-date, or relevant. Please ask Fr. Chris or Deacon Keith for clarification on any information you find). Finally, you can ask Fr. Chris or Deacon Keith in person or via email what you would like to know more about/like to be clarified regarding Catholic teaching and practice.

Heaven is what Christians mean by the afterlife. In popular art and culture, heaven is depicted as many things: most prominently, perhaps, as a kingdom in the sky with pearly gates and populated by angels and holy people playing harps on clouds. However, these are simply artistic representations and do not accurately capture what heaven is truly like. To be in heaven, properly understood, is to be in the presence of God and to be united with him in love. By being united to God in such a way, those in heaven are given the capacity by God to see him face to face and contemplate him in his divine nature (CCC #1023-1028). For this reason, the Church and its theologians refer to heaven as the 'beatific vision' because it is where we are able to see God as he is. Heaven is believed to be the "ultimate end and fulfilment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme definitive happiness" (CCC #1024) and is believed to be beyond human expectations as "no eye has ever seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9).

God is the creator and sustainer of all the physical universe. Christians, like other monotheistic religions (such as Judaism and Islam), believe that, in the beginning of space and time, God brought the universe into existence. Catholics, like many other people of faith (such as Muslims, Jews and other Christians) believe that God created the world and everything in it. He created human beings in His image, and gave us the world to look after. He is present in our everyday lives, and we can communicate with Him through prayer, and serve Him by doing good works. Our God is a God of love, who wants us to develop a relationship with Him. He sent His son, Jesus, into the world to teach us how we can build God’s Kingdom, through service to others, prayer and membership in the Church. Jesus taught us to call God our Father. We believe that we will one day meet God in Heaven. Recommended resources: 5 Proofs of the Existence of God- Edward Feser Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics- William Lane Craig Five Reasons Why You Can Believe God Exists (Video)- William Lane Craig. Who God Is & Who God Isn't (video)- Bishop Robert Barron

St Therese of Lisieux called prayer the "raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God". In simple terms, prayer is how we communicate with God and is a fundamental part of our relationship with him. Just as all other relationships we have with other people depend on good communication between ourselves and the other(s) for them to be healthy, our relationship with God is no different. We are encouraged to set aside time each day to pray and to focus our attention on God. How frequent and for how long for each day you pray will depend on your current circumstances (your family, vocational, and job commitments) as well as the movements of your heart. In the Catholic faith there are at least three kind of ways to pray/ expressions of prayer. The first and most common way to pray is vocal prayer, which involves using words either said out loud or said mentally to talk with God. The second is mediation; and, unlike Eastern religions (such as Hinduism and Buddhism) whose methods of meditation involve emptying the mind of all thoughts, Catholic meditation involves focusing the mind on an aspect of the faith and trying to come to a greater understanding and appreciation of it and of God himself (e.g., someone can reflect on what it means to say God is merciful). Lastly, there is contemplation, which, like mediation, involves using the mind to focus on something; but, instead, the mind and heart's focus is entirely fixed on God himself. The Catechism calls contemplation a "gaze of faith fixed on Jesus" (#2715). Within these three methods of praying, there are at least 5 further forms of prayer: Blessing and Adoration- this involves praising God and beholding his greatness Petition- asking God for something or asking him to do something on our behalf. Intercession- praying on behalf of someone else (e.g., a family member, a friend, or a complete stranger). Thanksgiving- giving thanks to God for all the good things he has given to us including having created us, or having sent his son to save us. Praise- praising God because he is God and worthy of our praise. The catechism teaches us that praise embraces all other forms of prayer and carries them towards the creator who is the source and the goal (#2639).

All of us are spiritual beings – whether we are religious or not, we crave purpose, meaning and fulfilment. We have all had experiences that make our hairs stand on end, whether that’s being in silence on top of a mountain surrounded by nature, or singing along at a football match with thousands of fellow fans. These are the things that make us feel alive. Sometimes the world teaches us we don’t need religion to be happy. Religion is presented as something irrelevant and outdated. What the world offers often seems attractive – doing whatever makes us happy, making as much money as possible, putting ourselves first – yet people are still dissatisfied with life. Sometimes, the world and its many distractions just isn’t enough, and we need to explore deeper. Many of us find true spiritual fulfilment within a religious context. Religion gives us a sense of community. It is not always easy – we’re taught to love people who have wronged us, to make sacrifices to serve God, to “give up” our time to go to Mass. Yet all of this is outweighed by the deep sense of peace we feel knowing we have our faith to strengthen us in times of joy and sorrow. Our faith gives us a tremendous amount of comfort and peace that we just can’t get from the world. When we focus on how we might serve others, rather than ourselves, we become part of something greater. The temporary thrills do not compare. The Kingdom of Heaven is our goal and our reward, and once we have found it, we know that we have found something very precious.

No! Many of the scientific advances the world have seen would not have been possible without Catholic scientists. Priests such as Mendel, Bacon and Grimaldi have worked in astronomy, mathematics, physics, biology, genetics and other scientific fields, advancing science and invention throughout history. The Church founded prestigious Universities to promote the study of science, and the mechanical clock, the motor engine, and vaccines were invented by devout Catholics. It is a common misconception that Catholics don’t believe in Evolution or the Big Bang. This simply isn’t true – in fact, it was a Catholic Priest, Georges Lemaitre, who came up with the Big Bang Theory. Pope Pius XII embraced this theory as scientific validation for the existence of a God who set the creation of the world into motion. Catholicism does not ask us to narrow our minds and refuse to engage in scientific development. Many Catholics today work in scientific fields. Like many others fighting against climate change, or questioning the morality of controversial healthcare advances, Catholics have a responsibility to challenge any scientific “progress” that does not meet our moral and ethical standards and does not protect the dignity of humanity and our environment. “From religion comes a man’s purpose, from science, his power to achieve it. Sometimes people ask if religion and science are not opposed to each other. They are: in the sense that the thumb and fingers of my hands are opposed to one another”. Sir William Henry Bragg. Recommended Resources: Did Science Kill God?(video)- Professor John Lennox Why the Supposed Conflict Between Science and Religion is Tragic Nonsense (video)- Bishop Robert Barron Can Science Explain Everything- Professor John Lennox God's Philosophers: How the Medieval World Laid the Foundations of Modern Science- James Hannam

Mary was a woman living in Palestine over 2000 years ago. God chose her because of her holiness, to become the mother of His son, Jesus. Mary was holy enough for God to trust her with the most important task of all – to bring Jesus into the world and raise Him in her home. Therefore, Mary is an incredible role model and inspiration to Catholics. We know she was very close to God and Jesus, and therefore we are confident in her to bring our prayers before God. Some people outside of the Church believe that Catholics worship Mary, but this is not true. Catholics worship God, and pray to God, but we can also ask for the prayers of our friends in Heaven, that is, Mary and the Saints. We know these people were very close to God, and are now in Heaven with Him, so we take inspiration from them and ask for their help and prayers. When Jesus was dying on the cross, one of the last things He said was “this is your mother” to his friend and disciple John. Catholics understand this to mean that Mary is a mother to all of us. Many other Christians, and Muslims, also love and respect Mary. In the Catholic Church we call her “Mother”, “Our Lady” and many other titles such as “Queen of Heaven”.

A sacrament is sign of God's grace and presence. Along with prayer, the sacraments are where a Catholic derives his spiritual strength and how they grow in union with God. Within the Catholic Faith there are seven sacraments, and these are divided into three categories: Sacraments of Initiation, Sacraments of Healing, and Sacraments of Service. The Sacraments of Initiation are Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion. These three sacraments bring people into the life of Christ and his Church. The Sacraments of Healing—Reconciliation/Confession and the Anointing of the Sick— are sacraments that are ministered to heal Catholics both spiritually and physically. The Sacrament of the Sick in ministered to those suffering from physical ailments and illness in the hope that God will heal them and restore them to bodily health, while the Sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession is ministered to heal the relationship between a Catholic and God that has been ruptures or broken through personal sins and moral failings. The Sacraments of Service—Marriage and Holy Orders—are ministered to Catholics who undertake a particular way of life with the intention of serving God and his people. Marriage is undertaken as a service from one spouse to another, and to God and his church by giving the gift of life to new members of the family of God.

'And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven' (Matthew: 18-20). The Pope is the leader of the Catholic Church. He is tasked with not just governing and organizing the church, but being the representative of Christ on earth. The term 'pope' comes from the Latin word 'papa', meaning father. The pope is the spiritual father to all the world's Catholics; hence, this is why Catholics refer to him as the 'Holy Father'. The official title of the pope is the Bishop of Rome. This is because the pope is understood to be the successor to St. Peter, the first Bishop of Rome, who ministered to the faithful in the capital of the Roman Empire before his martyrdom under Emperor Nero around the year 65 AD. Catholics believe that Christ made Simon Peter the leader of the apostles and the foundation of his church. In Matthew 16, after declaring the Jesus was the Christ, Jesus blessed Peter and declared he was the rock upon which Christ would build his church. Christ promised Peter that he would be given the keys of the kingdom, meaning that he would have authority over the people in the church. When Peter died, he was succeeded in his office by Linius, and he by Anacletus, and so on. In total, there have been 266 popes, with Pope Francis being our current pontiff. Under certain circumstances, the Pope (alone or in union with all the Church's bishops) is said to teach infallibly- that is, without error. This is when is makes official pronouncements/ definitions of doctrines related to faith and morals. These teachings are said to be revealed divinely by the Holy Spirit, who guarantees its truth and preserves it from error. An example of an infallibly revealed doctrine would be the Immaculate Conception of Mary (defined as dogma in 1854).

Catholics do not consider the Mass to be just a series of rituals, but the place where God comes to his people in the form of bread and wine. The Holy Eucharist (or Holy Communion) is the real body, blood soul and divinity of Jesus Christ that appears to our senses as food and drink. In other words, God becomes something that we can physically consume so that we can be united with him in a fuller way- and by being united with him, we can then also be united with all Catholics around the world. The Mass is also where we give thanks to God for having created us from nothing and made us in his image, and for having sent the Son into the world to redeem us through his death and to conquer death through his resurrection. In brief, we recommend you come to Mass because God is there and would like you to be in communion with himself and his people.

Holy Days of Obligation are feast days in the church's calendar which all Catholics are obliged to celebrate. Celebrations include attending Mass and keeping the day holy, much like every Sunday. The Days of Obligation vary for each country as they are decided by each country's Bishop's Conference. In England and Wales the Holy Days of Obligation are: The Feast of the Epiphany- 6th January The Feast of the Annunciation- 25th March The Feast of St Peter & St Paul- 29th June The Assumption of Mary- 29th June All Saint's Day- 1st November The Nativity of Our Lord- 25th December

Catholics believe that the Catholic Church is the church that Jesus established during his lifetime. and entrusted to the apostles and the other disciples after his resurrection. Christ made the apostles the governors and protectors of the faith and guiders of the faithful. After they died, they were succeeded by a new set of apostles. The bishops in the church today are understood to be the successors of the first apostles and carry on their mission of making Christ known to the world. The word 'catholic' comes from the Greek term 'katholikos' , which means universal; and Catholics believe that the church is the universal church- the church for everyone.

The Magisterium is the official teaching office of the Catholic Church made up of the Pope and his bishops, which is responsible with instructing the members of the church and protecting the truth of the faith from error. Catholics consider the Magisterium, along with the Holy Scriptures and Sacred Tradition, to be the sources of authority. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (85: 100):'The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him'.

Many people of faith find themselves angry with God from time to time. The world is full of goodness, joy and hope, but it can also be full of pain, hurt and suffering. We may have questions such as why is God making me suffer? Why doesn’t God take away my pain? Why does God let bad things happen to good people? You may also be angry with the Church for a teaching you don’t agree with, or something somebody in the Church has said or done. Sometimes anger is justified. Jesus himself got angry when he saw injustice in the world. He turned over the tables in the Temple, enraged when He saw people using God’s house for human greed. It doesn’t make you a bad Catholic if you get angry from time to time. Be gentle with yourself, allow yourself to feel hurt and angry, you are only human. So what should we do with our anger? It is important to bring these feelings to God in prayer. You won’t be the first person to let God know you’re angry. Sometimes we are good at remembering to pray for others, but not for ourselves. Pray that God will give you strength to cope at this difficult time, and peace in your heart. Ask God to take away your anger. Reflect on if there’s anything you, or others, can reasonably do in this situation to make things better. Reflect on what you can do to help others in the future who are suffering in the same way you are suffering. Ask God what He might be teaching you or asking you to do in this moment. Many of us have been through difficult times that have made us stronger, although this isn’t always obvious at the time. Just know that God is walking with you, and allow Him to carry you through it, even if it feels like He is far away. Don’t be afraid to speak to a priest, a fellow Catholic, a friend or a counsellor about your feelings.

Knowing where to start with prayer can be quite daunting, especially if we’ve never done it before, or we want to go deeper with our faith. God knows what you want to say even before you do – so don’t worry about it. There is no right or wrong way to pray. You may want to speak to God as you would a friend. Start by talking about your day – what are you thankful for? What has frustrated, saddened, elated, angered or gladdened you? What are you sorry for? What would you like to ask God for to make life better tomorrow? Jesus tells us to pray from our hearts, rather than using big words. However, that doesn’t mean we always have to reinvent the wheel! Countless good, holy people who loved God have gone before us, many of whom have left prayers for us to use. Why not look through the Psalms in your Bible or here (link), read prayers written by your favourite saints, pray the rosary (link) or listen to traditional hymns or modern worship music? Once you become more accustomed to praying you’ll know what works best for you. Some people prefer to pray in a silent church, perhaps during Exposition (link here to Holy Hour), some pray best in nature, and others may prefer a dedicated space in their own home, with a candle, a prayer book, rosary beads, pictures of saints, or whatever else helps you to pray. Once you get into a routine of prayer, you may find you feel more at peace, and more able to deal with the difficulties of life. There isn’t one prayer that makes you a better Catholic than others. Jesus teaches us that when we pray, we should call God our Father. Prayer is all about your relationship with God – He wants to draw you closer to Him. Start small, from the heart, and see where prayer takes you

If

"Though your sins are as scarlet, They shall become as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be like wool" (Isaiah 1:8) Firstly, you are not alone. Many people feel unworthy, because of whatever they’ve done in the past, or something about themselves that they think is a barrier to a relationship with God. Nobody is perfect – everyone in the Church has done, said or thought things that were wrong, but the important part is that we admit our failings, ask for forgiveness and try to do better. A good start would be prayer. Speak to God about whatever is troubling you, and ask for forgiveness. You might want to speak to a priest, who can either listen to you informally or offer the opportunity for Confession. Confession might sound like a scary prospect, but the priest can guide you through it. There is some information about how to go to Confession here [link to Confession page]. Nothing – absolutely nothing – is beyond God’s forgiveness. No matter who you are or what you’ve done, you are a child of God, and He wants to welcome you back. God made you in His image, and sees the good in you.

If you’re thinking about this, you’ve already begun your journey to a closer relationship with God. The parish is here to support you on your journey, and you are welcome to attend Mass, Holy Hour, Confession and social events to meet other Catholics. If you’re new to the parish, or haven’t been for a while, please do make yourself known to us! The Catholic Church is made up of 2 billion people worldwide, so the Church acknowledges that we all pray, worship and express our spirituality in different ways. It might take you a while to work out what helps you to grow in your faith, and that’s fine! Here are a few ways you might start: · Speak to a priest, or a Catholic in your family, friendship group or parish. Talking about your faith with other Catholics can help to strengthen our relationship with God, and can give us some ideas for how we might go further in our faith. · Try praying! You might want to set aside some quiet time at home or at church to pray. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know any formal prayers – just speak to God from your heart. You might want to start with the Lord’s Prayer, and then talk to God about what you’re grateful for, sorry for, what’s troubling you and where you need His help in your life. · Go to Mass – as well as receiving the Eucharist, Mass gives us time for quiet prayer, communal prayer and hymn singing. · Pray the rosary [link]. · Watch Catholic speakers on YouTube talk about topics you’re interested in, especially about prayer and building up a relationship with God. · Read about the lives of the saints and find inspiration from them. · Go out into nature to pray. · Pray with others – a good start would be saying a prayer before meals with your family, or with your spouse as you’re going to bed. · Find a Catholic group that suits you – maybe an alpha course, a young adult group (we have one in the parish [link]), a praise and worship group, a prayer group, or whatever else! · Visit Irenaeus [link], a Catholic Centre which provides retreats, scripture courses, and a place to go during the day to pray and talk to others. · Put your faith into action – Jesus taught us to love our neighbour and serve those in need. Is there somewhere you could volunteer your time to serve others? · Mother Theresa said if you want to change the world, go home and love your family. Could you serve your family a little better and encourage them in their faith?

Death is the one certainty in life – it comes to us all – yet it is something we put off thinking about. The idea that we will no longer be here conjures up strong feelings of dread and worry. Being a Christian gives us hope that death is not the end. Our earthly existence is a temporary one. Jesus conquered death and rose again, and we too believe we will enter a new life in Heaven with God. We have hope that we will be welcomed into God’s presence, where we will feel no more pain or suffering, but only the immense love of God. We have hope that we will be united with those who have gone before us. On a practical note, there are certain things you may need to prepare: · Make a will. · Ask the priest to visit to give you the Sacrament of the Sick, Holy Communion, and hear your Confession if necessary. · Tell your loved ones, or write down, what you want in the days leading up to your death – do you want to be surrounded by family, listen to a particular piece of music, have particular prayers said? · Tell your loved ones, or write down, what kind of funeral you would like, and if there’s any particular hymns and readings you want. Do you want to wear something in particular? Would you like to be buried or cremated? Where do you want your final resting place to be? If you are suffering due to bereavement and grief, there are people in the parish who will give you support and a listening ear. Please contact the Bereavement Team here (link).

The Bible is full of examples of people suffering. Jesus Himself suffered an excruciating death on the cross. Sometimes, our pain and suffering can appear to have no reason, but afterwards we realise God was revealing something to us – whether that is gratitude, compassion, or something else. God does not say a Christian life will be easy, and free from suffering. Some of the holiest people throughout history were persecuted, martyred or had very difficult lives, but they always sought comfort from God. They recognised His presence in the suffering, and accepted it. It is not always easy to come to terms with our pain and suffering. It’s important to get help where you can – God does not tell us to suffer in silence, suffer alone, or refuse help. If we can get help from friends, family, medication or professionals, then we should consider that. In addition to this, we can also ask God to console us and strengthen us, and use our church family as support. Take comfort in the words of the Bible: And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:10 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Corinthians 4:17 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; Psalms 34:19

We are delighted to hear that you are considering becoming a member of our Catholic family. However, there is one thing that all people should know if they are seriously considering entering into the Catholic Church. Becoming a Catholic is not as simple as saying that you believe what the faith teaches: it requires a process of education and initiation that can be quite lengthy. But don't be put off by how long it can take: this time is meant to be a time of thoughtful prayer and discernment to see if you truly want to become a Catholic and to understand what it means to be one. We recommend that the first thing to do is to pray and ask God for guidance. Prayer is essential in coming to understand what God wants of us and whether or not a course of action is his will or not. Secondly, if you haven't already done so, familarise yourself with what Catholics believe by reading resources such as the Catechism of the Catholic Church ( the teaching resource of the Church) or books by Catholic saints and theologians (particularly the Pope). Thirdly, visit your local Catholic Church and try to get to know ordinary Catholic people. This will help you to see how Catholics live out their faith and will help relationships with those who can support you on your journey into the Church. Finally, if you are seriously considering entering into the Church, please contact the parish office: stgeorge@rcaol.org.uk.

R.C.I. A. stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. It is the process which converts go through before entering the Catholic Church, and involves learning more fully about the faith and reflection upon what you are learning. There are five stages to R.C.I.A.: Inquiry- this is when someone decides whether or not they want to enter into the Catholic Church The Catechumenate- You begin to be formally educated on the faith- its dogmas, doctrines, disciplines and practices- and how to live out your faith Purification- you prepare to be initiated into the Catholic Church by further developing your faith. Sacraments of Initiation- normally taking place during the Easter season, the convert is officially received into the Catholic Church by being baptised, being confirmed, and receiving Holy Communion Following being initiated into the Catholic Church, the convert reflects on the importance of the sacraments- particularly the Eucharist- and tries to understand their mysteries. R.C.I.A. can vary in length depending on how familiar a person is with the Christian faith and whether or not a person has been validly baptised in another Christian denomination. On average, it takes 9 months for a person to complete R.C.I.A. and be received into the Church. But don't worry; if you are seriously thinking of becoming Catholic, it is truly worth the wait.