During the week a milestone was reached, news reports reminded us that on the 11th March the first COVID-19 related death had occurred. Also, that the World Health Organisation classified the Covid-19 Virus as a pandemic. What a year it has been? Like no other! Hard to believe that for a second time we will celebrate the Holy Week Ceremonies behind closed doors. Last year, strange as it was, we thought it would be just a once off. Now we know better. It has been a year of fear and worry, but also wonderful glimpses of goodness, kindness and human nature at its best. Also, a year of illness, grief, loss and sorrow.
To mark this milestone we are inviting parishioners who experienced the loss of a loved one since March 2020, in either of our three parishes or elsewhere, to write the name of a loved one on a piece of paper (at home) and place it in a specially designated basket/box in one of our four churches. Our Funeral Ministers will then write these names on ribbon and they will in turn be placed on the Tree of Life by the young people of our parish (John Paul II Students). The tree will be located close to Calvary at the Parish Church.
Again, what to do? Simply place the name only (no need for the address) of your loved one on a piece of paper and leave into one of the churches.
“Those who die in grace go no further from us than God and God is very near”