A NEW LETTER FROM THE BISHOP
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Being a Christian today means listening to God’s Word and
doing his work as we practice and live our faith. Part and
parcel of that, especially during this season of Lent, means
living with the reality of day to day sacrifice. All that we
undertake for Lent helps us to be better “ambassadors for
Christ” and more effective signs of “the goodness of God”;
our Lenten observance helps us to focus our priorities on
the Lord and towards each other.
Living and giving for others is a predominant feature of
Christian stewardship and it has been particularly prominent
up and down the length and breadth of the diocese in
the Living Our Faith campaign. This initiative has touched
all our communities from Maidenhead to the Isle of Wight,
from Bournemouth to Liphook and from the outskirts of
Oxford and Wantage to Jersey.
There have been amazingly – and humbling – acts of generous
and sacrificial giving from over 3000 families, all of
whom have been eager and willing to play their part in
building and sustaining the life and future of our diocese.
They have readily given new money for the new work that
faces us.
Last month in Rome, I was able to share something of all
this when I spoke with the Holy Father about the Pastoral
Plan and the way in which you were all playing such a major
part in its implementation. He raised an eyebrow of
delighted surprise when I told him of how generously you
had all supported the Living Our Faith campaign to the tune
of nearly £8 million.
We were able to celebrate success so far in a Mass of
Thanksgiving in the Cathedral in January. Now that a further
37 parishes are taking up the challenge of the campaign,
I look forward to similar celebrations around the diocese
in the coming months.
I will invite you all to join me in those celebrations but for
now, please join me in prayer for the continuing success of
Living Our Faith as we seek to complete the campaign
throughout the diocese.
With blessings and prayers,
Bishop of Portsmouth 8th March 2010
Being a Christian today means listening to God’s Word and
doing his work as we practice and live our faith. Part and
parcel of that, especially during this season of Lent, means
living with the reality of day to day sacrifice. All that we
undertake for Lent helps us to be better “ambassadors for
Christ” and more effective signs of “the goodness of God”;
our Lenten observance helps us to focus our priorities on
the Lord and towards each other.
Living and giving for others is a predominant feature of
Christian stewardship and it has been particularly prominent
up and down the length and breadth of the diocese in
the Living Our Faith campaign. This initiative has touched
all our communities from Maidenhead to the Isle of Wight,
from Bournemouth to Liphook and from the outskirts of
Oxford and Wantage to Jersey.
There have been amazingly – and humbling – acts of generous
and sacrificial giving from over 3000 families, all of
whom have been eager and willing to play their part in
building and sustaining the life and future of our diocese.
They have readily given new money for the new work that
faces us.
Last month in Rome, I was able to share something of all
this when I spoke with the Holy Father about the Pastoral
Plan and the way in which you were all playing such a major
part in its implementation. He raised an eyebrow of
delighted surprise when I told him of how generously you
had all supported the Living Our Faith campaign to the tune
of nearly £8 million.
We were able to celebrate success so far in a Mass of
Thanksgiving in the Cathedral in January. Now that a further
37 parishes are taking up the challenge of the campaign,
I look forward to similar celebrations around the diocese
in the coming months.
I will invite you all to join me in those celebrations but for
now, please join me in prayer for the continuing success of
Living Our Faith as we seek to complete the campaign
throughout the diocese.
With blessings and prayers,
Bishop of Portsmouth 8th March 2010