On Wednesday 8 July Bishop John celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving in the Cathedral for Salvatorian College, Harrow, in their first visit to the Cathedral as a school since their opening 89 years ago.
In his homily, Bishop John spoke about the Salvatorian order which seeks to bring people to knowledge and love of Jesus Christ, the Divine Saviour. He quoted the statement above the entrance to the Cathedral which reads ‘Domine Jesu Rex et Redemptor per sanguinem tuum salva nos’. This tells us of the love and mercy of God poured out through Jesus Christ who offered himself so that our sins might be forgiven. He said that ‘every time we celebrate Mass, we unite ourselves with Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross’.
Reflecting on the Gospel where Jesus summoned his twelve disciples, Bishop John told the students in attendance that we are sent out to tell others of Jesus Christ, his kingdom, and to offer hope and the promise of God’s love and mercy. This is the theme of Pope Francis’s papacy; that each person is sent out as a missionary disciples. We must use the gifts that we are given and develop at school to make a difference for the good of others.
Referring to the Pope’s encyclical, Laudato Si’, Bishop John told the students that we can learn from his message about consumerism, and that we need to appreciate the world around us, and this begins with ‘daily acts of love’ towards the world and others.
