Photographs can be seen here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/135828567@N03/albums/72157720167785977

I thank You, Lord,

for the comfort of Your presence:

even in times of loneliness,

You are my hope and my confidence,

You have been my rock and my fortress since my youth!

I thank You for having given me a family

and for having blessed me with a long life.

I thank You for moments of joy and difficulty,

for the dreams that have already come true in my life and for

those that are still ahead of me.

I thank You for this time of renewed fruitfulness to which You

call me.

Increase, O Lord, my faith,

make me a channel of your peace,

teach me to embrace those who suffer more than me,

to never stop dreaming

and to tell of your wonders to new generations.

Protect and guide Pope Francis and the Church,

that the light of the Gospel might reach the ends of the earth.

Send Your Spirit, O Lord, to renew the world,

that the storm of the pandemic might be calmed,

the poor consoled and wars ended.

Sustain me in weakness

and help me to live life to the full

in each moment that You give me,

in the certainty that you are with me every day,

even until the end of the age.

Amen.

At the National Shrine of Our Lady in Cardigan we have a daily time of adoration and Lenten reflection before each Mass, and as we usually have a Lent Retreat preached by the Dominicans of Oxford, this year they are going to lead a “Zoom retreat”, which is open to anyone and is free of charge, on Wednesday 10th and 17th of March at 7:00pm. Fr Robert Gay OP and Fr Richard Ounsworth OP are both experienced and gifted retreat leaders, and have an engaging style that will appeal to priests and parishioners alike.

All the related information of the forthcoming celebrations will be available on the Shrine Website   www.ourladyofthetaper.org.uk  together with other information about the Shrine, and even the opportunity to light “virtual ” candles and post prayers at the Shrine of Our Lady.