Must-Reads
English Heritage introduces contemplative silence at the monastic ruins in their care: https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/14545/english-heritage-embraces-contemplative-life-
Margareth Sembiring examines what to expect from the UN’s climate change conference and what impact the Pope’s message could have if it is taken seriously: https://adamah.media/pope-francis-and-cop26-does-it-matter/
George Weigel argues that Catholics should dispense the language of “belief” for that of indisputable scientific fact when it comes to engaging in the abortion debate: https://denvercatholic.org/catholic-beliefs-and-the-abortion-debate/
Looking for flatmate
Flat on Kew Road (with balcony!) and only a 10 minute walk to Richmond station. Rent is £800pcm including council tax, but excluding utilities. Available from 4th November. Let me know if you are interested or know anyone who might be.
Hot off the press
Fr Lawrence Lew’s new book on the Rosary is now available from the Catholic Truth Society: https://www.ctsbooks.org/product/mysteries-made-visible/
First Saturday Pro-Life Masses
Every first Saturday of the month, beginning this coming Saturday, the Rosary Shrine will host a 10am Mass to pray for expectant mothers, the pro-life movement, the unborn, the elderly, and the most vulnerable and victimised in our society. The Mass will be followed by Adoration, with a short talk or testimony, and the praying of the Rosary. From 10.30am onwards a priest will be hearing confessions.
Rosary Shrine Art Tour
On Saturday 9th October at 6pm the St Willibrord Fellowship are organising an art tour of the Rosary Shrine; the tour to be given by Fr Lawrence Lew O.P. Tickets can be booked here. The tour will be followed by a Rosary Procession at 7pm.
Our Lady of Willesden Candlelit Procession
On Sunday 10th October at 7pm there will be a candlelit Rosary procession beginning at the shrine of Our Lady of Willesden. Following the procession, the group will return to the shrine church for a homily given by Bishop Michael Campbell OSA and Benediction.
Plenary Indulgences
On Thursday 7th October, Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, a plenary indulgence is available (under the usual conditions) to all members of the Rosary Confraternity. Don’t delay, join today: https://rosaryshrine.co.uk/rosary-shrine/rosary-confraternity/
Quote of the Week
“Just live your normal life; work at your job, striving to fulfil the duties of your state in life, growing, improving each day. Be loyal, understanding with others and demanding with yourself. This will be your apostolate. Then people will start coming to you. Conversations will arise naturally in which you will chat about the longings that everyone feels deep down inside. They will come to understand those longings better when they start to look for God in earnest.”
St Josemaria Escriva, Friends of God, 273
Spiritual Reading
The Consolation of the Devout Soul
Chapter 1, Section 5: Explains what it is that is requisite for the attainment of Christian perfection.
This sanctity however is a simple holiness, and has its own intrinsic good without the perfection which it ought to have, as gold just taken out of the earth is true gold and precious, but is full of alloy, and has not the beautiful splendour which it afterwards acquires when purified. And therefore perfect sanctity is generally called Christian perfection, which consists not only in the possession of sanctifying grace, but also in the most perfect union of the soul’s will with the Will of God. This perfect sanctity those souls possess who, disengaging themselves from every inordinate attachment to creatures, live resolved never to commit anything displeasing to God, and in everything are ready to do whatsoever they clearly know to be pleasing to Him. For this reason they cautiously guard themselves against venial sins, and in things which are not expressly commanded or prohibited by the laws of God and the Church apply themselves always to do that which they see to be most conformable to God’s pleasure. We say, ‘when they know God’s Will clearly,’ because we well know in general what are the things that God loves most in themselves; but often we do not know in particular what pleases Him with regard to us. For example, we know that poverty is pleasing to God, and that to renounce all the goods of this life is pleasing to Him, as St. Francis of Assisi did, who deprived himself of everything; but we do not know whether it would be pleasing to God that this renouncement should be made by us or by any other particular person. In the same manner, we know it to be pleasing to God that all Christians should hear Mass daily, even on weekdays; but we do not know whether He wishes us or any other particular person to hear Mass every day, when, owing to family circumstances or necessary works, it is fitting that we should do so, in general, on festivals only.
What we ought to do, if we wish to be holy and perfect as far as it is possible to be so in this life, is this: we must guard ourselves not only from mortal sins, but also from venial ones, by resolving never consciously to commit any, from any motive or cause whatsoever; and also in everything we must endeavour to do what is most pleasing to God so far as we know. In this way we shall be pure from all inordinate affections to creatures; we shall have our wills fully conformed to the Will of God; and, in a word, we shall be saintly and perfect. I said indeed, ‘as far as we can be so in this life,’ because, as St. Augustine teaches, a perfection absolutely complete is reserved for us in Paradise, and no one has ever possessed it among the pure in this world except the Blessed Virgin Mary. For which reason St. Bernard said that the continual striving after perfection is accounted for perfection in this mortal life: ‘Jugis conatus ad perfectionem perfectio reputatur,’ - ‘A continual striving after perfection is considered perfection.’ And remember that as perfect sanctity consists in the perfect union of our wills with the Will of God, it consists in the perfect love of God; for there is no doubt that two persons love each other perfectly when there is between them a perfect union of will, forming between the two one single heart. Now when our heart is resolved to desire nothing but what the heart of God desires, it becomes united in such a manner with the same that it forms almost one heart; and thus between us and God there is true love, and the perfection of love.