Here's a taste of the events we have had so far

The Holy Land talk (April)

Talk by Deacon John McKay and Jonathan Goodfellow

The Holy Land

‘In the beginning was the Word’

The Prologue at the start of the Gospel of John opened a prayerful, reflective evening led by Deacon John McKay and Jonathan Goodfellow from Hazel Grove as part of our series of events for the Year of Prayer.

The two were part of a group who recently undertook a 20 day study course on the fourth gospel, run by the Centre for Biblical Formation at the Notre Dame de Sion Convent on the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem.
Inspired, enthused and moved by their experiences, they took us through several of the episodes of Jesus’ ministry, conjuring up the sights and sounds of the Holy Land, such as the healing of the man born blind at the Pool of Siloam and the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee.

There were gasps of surprise at a photo showing the sheer size of the stone jars mentioned in the account when Jesus turns water into wine.

They emphasised the important role of women in the gospel. And using the passage of Mary Magdalene meeting Jesus immediately after his Resurrection, we were invited to contemplate Mary’s emotions at seeing the angels and the folded grave clothes in the tomb.

The phrase ‘Mary turned round’ on recognising Jesus, was explored at different levels and ultimately became an invitation to us all to become witnesses, just as Mary was when she ran to tell the disciples the news that she had seen the Lord.

Joanna

Poetry Prayer Walk (May)

A beautiful 4km walk with stops to read from scripture or poetry was organised for a sunny Sunday in late May. Walking along the Middlewood Way and the canal we stopped at various points to be inspired by both the beauty of nature around us - the birds singing, the peace - and by a short reading. This was a truly magical way to connect with ourselves, each other, with nature and with God.

Half way round the walk we were joined by a couple out walking who asked what we were doing and joined us for 2 of the readings.

Annette

The pdf below is the poetry prayer booklet if you would like to print it out and use it for private prayer and meditation.

Poetry prayer walk.pdf

Ascension Thursday (June)

We welcomed back Mary Hardiman, author, counsellor and gifted speaker, on Ascension Thursday (May 9th) to help us reflect on the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary.

Each decade that we prayed as a congregation was accompanied by Mary’s thoughts on the gospel accounts, helping us to approach well-known passages with fresh eyes. Her personal insights and moving experiences of working with young offenders and being with prisoners on Death Row gave us space to contemplate the role of Mary our Mother.

Joanna

From 2 to 10 in 2 minutes: Lectio Divina (July)

Helen and I wondered if it would just be us two but NO! 2 minutes to 2 pm and we were 10 – a lovely surprise.

Helen Bassirat led us in to Lectio Divina by sharing a wonderfully illuminating explanation as to the meaning and purpose of Lectio Divina – Sacred Reading. “Often in reading Scripture we are looking to see what we can get out of it and in so doing we don’t allow the Word to get into us! “ To listen with the ears of the hear, is the intention of Lectio Divina - so that the Word is made flesh in our own lives.

The introduction was followed by the slow reading of an extract from the Gospel. We were invited to listen and not to analyse: After a second reading we were invited to notice what words or phrases stayed with us. And after the third reading we reflected on how God might be speaking to us.

Sharing at the end of this was optional but taken up by most present. For me, this was the first time I was fully engaged by this particular spiritual practice.

Catherine

Fr Eamonn Mulcahy talk – "Re-Discovering the Fire of your Love - The Holy Spirit and Prayer" (September)

How to sum up an evening with Fr Eamonn Mulcahey who inspired, enlightened and encouraged us in a rich talk about Prayer and the Holy Spirit?

Then I recalled one of his closing remarks about personal prayer. “Just start”, followed by “Keep it simple, keep it short, keep it real, keep it going.”

Fr Eamonn, a Spiritan priest (formerly the Holy Ghost Fathers) weaved history with humour and Scripture with modern day illustrations as he explained how the Holy Spirit was not given the same attention in the Liturgy as the Father and the Son, who were easier to visualise. The Holy Spirit was like Cinderella- often forgotten and neglected. One reason for this imbalance was, he suggested, a problem with image.

The dove, that many of us associate with the Spirit because of one mention at Jesus’ baptism, does not convey the true creative power and dynamism, which is like an unstoppable forest fire. In Genesis the power of God, the Spirit hovers over the waters. Fr Eamonn said: “Chaos is transformed into Cosmos.”

In Mark’s gospel, John the Baptist declared “I baptise you with water, but He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Fr Eamonn said the Holy Spirit is the closest member of the Trinity to us, the gift beyond all others- the same gift which Jesus breathed on the apostles after the Resurrection and that was experienced at Pentecost. We too can ask for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, surrender ourselves to God and ask him to remove our defence mechanisms.

Asking the question” What is your relationship like with the Spirit of God?” he suggested we speak intentionally and directly to the Holy Spirit, viewing the Paraclete (literally translated as “the one called to your side”) as an advocate, our defence attorney, a coach who, like a football manager, would lift us up and encourage us. We come just as we are without our masks. “There is no wrong way to pray. The only way to pray is to pray, turn up, try it.”

Joanna

The Luminous Mysteries by Mary Hardiman (October)

In the month dedicated to the Holy Rosary, Mary Hardiman led us behind the scenes in the gospel stories that make up the Luminous Mysteries of the rosary, bringing to life the well-known stories and offering us new ways of linking these extraordinary events with our own lives.

From the humility of Jesus in submitting to baptism by John in the Jordan through to the Institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, we were reminded that Jesus accompanies us at all times, in the highs and lows and the mundane times too.

We were invited to think about people who diligently get on with the job of caring for others, often without complaining or even knowing what results their actions might have. Mary highlighted the servants in the Wedding Feast at Cana and what a huge and tiring job it would have been for them to refill the enormous stone water jars, without the benefit of taps and running water. Their obedience played a part in the miracle.

“We have to just keep on filling the water jars so that God can work miracles in our daily lives” she said.

Mary spoke about ripples and footprints of goodness and of one family that was literally saved by the faithful, generous support of members of the St Vincent de Paul society who walked alongside them for years. “The SVP workers couldn’t have realised.”

As we joined together to prayer the rosary, Mary inspired, challenged and encouraged us, leaving us with plenty to ponder on and things to smile about too.

Joanna

Advent Reflection: St Oswald’s Church, 5 December 2024

Speaker: Mary Hardiman

As ever, Mary shared herself with her listeners, about 30, movingly, humorously and prayerfully.

Starting with the story of Zechariah being told by the Angel Gabriel: ‘Zechariah, do not be afraid, your prayer has been heard’, Mary wove this theme and others of the narrative into its significance for us today.

Mary ‘s insight into the loss of speech which befell Zechariah until the birth of his son John, would have encouraged him to move from observing duties and rituals into a deeper silence filled relationship with God. She noted also that Gabriel addresses Zechariah by name and that we too are known and called by name by God who loves us with an infinite love -if only we can hear that and believe it.

As an illustration of how she herself calls on God, Mary told a powerful story of how she said to God -“don’t know what to do here” . “Here” was the middle of a counselling session with a young troubled teenager. The answer Mary got – “take him back” – enabled Mary to lead the young person to a difficult place in a God filled moment.

Mary’s lasting encouragement was to take time to spend with God in silence, noting that silence and listen share all the same letters! She ended with a lovely prayer by Edwina Gately which begins:

Be silent,

Be still

Alone

Empty

Before your God

Say nothing

Ask nothing………

The words which particularly stayed with me – were “your prayer has been heard” - after years of praying by Zechariah and Elizabeth. A great encouragement.

Catherine