Bishop John Sherrington Homilies and Addresses
Jakub, Marco, my brothers, two images shine through your ordination liturgy to the diaconate today, one is that of herald, the other servant. After your ordination, I will present you with the Book of Gospels and say the words, ‘Receive the…Read more
Today we celebrate the feast of Blessed Martyrs of Douai and stand in continuity with them through St Edmund’s, Ware and now Allen Hall. Tomorrow marks the 50th Anniversary of the Canonisation of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. We heard…Read more
This year we are pilgrims to Lourdes, but from home. This unique Westminster pilgrimage comes as we begin to ease out of the pandemic which we have been living through. But the COVID19 virus rages in many countries of the world causing life-changi...Read more
Given at the Mass for the March for Life, Equal from Day 1, 13
You are welcome to this Mass streamed from Our Lady and St Vincent, Potters Bar in Hertfordshire in the Diocese of Westminster. Thank you to Canon Shaun Lennard for welcoming me today...Read more
My dear brother, Ritche,
Today we rejoice in your ordination to the diaconate both in the Order and as a step on your journey towards priesthood. It is a moment to pause and consider the promises you make as a deacon and the service to which you ...Read more
A colleague was talking about his family. Of his four children, one practices the faith, another is interested but rarely attends church and the other two have no real interest at all. He often asks why this is the case. Did they do anything wrong...Read more
Given at the closing Mass of the Lourdes pilgrimage in the Grotto on 25
Magnificat! We rejoice.
We thank Our Blessed Lady for the blessings of the pilgrimage.
At the Wedding Feast of Cana, we see the attentiveness of Mary to the needs of ...Read more
Excerpts from a homily given at the celebration of the sacrament of the sick in Lourdes on the feast of Mary Magdalen, 22
‘Come to me all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest, shoulder my yoke and learn from me for I a...Read more
I am delighted to celebrate Chinedu’s ordination to the priesthood in the Congregation of the Mission here at Mill Hill. It is a great joy to see the relationship with my own formation and the work of the Vincentians at All Hallows College in Du...Read more
These opening words from Charles Wesley’s well-known hymn remind us that the daily life and labour of the Christian demands a close relationship with Jesus, and that it is in his name, that we live, and act and have our being. The vitality of th...Read more
It is a great joy this evening to celebrate this Mass and bless the new font and ambo, as well as the icon of St George, in the reordered Church of Our Lady and St Thomas of Canterbury It is in many ways a preparation for the consecration of the a...Read more
My brother Julian, beloved of the Lord,
The opening hymn invokes the power of the Holy Spirit whose sevenfold gifts will help you to carry out faithfully the work of the ministry of deacon. Our prayer today is that God’s gift, which is the ...Read more
This evening we gather to pray for our deceased brothers in the priesthood and commend them to the mercy of God. We thank God for the many gifts which they brought into the life of the diocese and their ministry to so many men and women. They help...Read more
A week ago the bishops of England and Wales were in Rome where we visited the tombs of the apostles St Peter and St Paul. We also celebrated Mass in a small church in the Vatican called St Stephen of the Abyssinians. It is dedicated to St Stephen ...Read more
I first heard of Blessed Oscar Romero in 1978/9. I was a student at university but one day bought a booklet of his sermons. As I read the words, the way in which Archbishop Oscar Romero, to be proclaimed a saint next week, spoke of justice, the ri...Read more