PASTORAL LETTER
FROM THE ARCHBISHOP OF WESTMINSTER
FOR THE FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY,
to be read at all Masses on 6-7th January
My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Today is the feast of the Epiphany. In some countries it is referred to as ‘the little Christmas’, but in others, especially in the Eastern Church, it is ‘the big Christmas’. In the Eastern Church the Epiphany celebrates three things, all rolled into one. In the first place it celebrates the acknowledgement of Jesus by the Magi as their King. Secondly, the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan where John the Baptist anointed him as Saviour or Messiah. Finally, the Wedding Feast of Cana where Jesus showed himself to be the Saviour and Son of God by changing the water into wine. Epiphany is a very great feast because it celebrates Christ as Saviour and shows him forth as the Saviour of the world.
Formerly, the feast of the Epiphany was a Holy Day of Obligation. The Bishops of England and Wales decided last summer that the feasts of the Epiphany, Ascension and Corpus Christi (if celebrated on a week day) should be moved to the following Sunday. The main reason for this change is the fact that the observance of Holy Days of Obligation has become increasingly difficult for very many Catholics. The decision has caused a certain amount of upset for some Catholics and I have received a number of letters bewailing this seeming loss of an important part of our Catholic tradition. These feasts are not being abolished, however, as some people seem to suggest. The significance of these feasts of Our Lord Jesus Christ is such that the bishops decided that they should be capable of being kept by as many of the faithful as is practical. Most of the countries in Europe, with the support of the Holy See, have already adopted this practice. It should, of course, be noted that the feasts of Sts. Peter and Paul, The Assumption of Our Lady, All Saints, and, of course, Christmas remain Holy Days of Obligation and are celebrated on the particular week-day or Sunday as the calendar indicates.
One of the matters that has touched me deeply in the responses that I have received to this particular change is the perception of the loss of Catholic tradition. It seems to me that we should seek in our Diocese to recapture some of those practices of Catholic tradition and observe them because they are good means of deepening our faith. Indeed, I would say that now is a good time to add other customs which perhaps were not used in the past but are increasingly becoming part of many people’s spiritual lives. I am always edified by the number of people who are able to attend Mass on a week day, or just visit the church to pray before the Blessed Sacrament. A number of parishes have a regular Holy Hour with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. People gather together to pray before our Risen Lord. There are many people who have not benefited from the Sacrament of Reconciliation for a long time. How good it would be if they returned to the regular reception of this sacrament. These are truly part of Catholic tradition and devotion and are a nourishment to our faith, and I would encourage them.
Some people regret the “relaxation” by Pope Paul VI of the rule of abstaining from meat on Fridays. But the Pope also said that as well as eating less food, Catholics should practise other forms of penance on that day, not only for self discipline but as an act of identity with those who have little food to eat. What better way of expressing this “charity in action” than by embracing this year the CAFOD campaign LIVE SIMPLY. It is a reminder to each of us of our responsibility to respect the diminishing resources of our planet. It calls us to be responsible as consumers, maintaining a lifestyle which is consonant with the fact that we are stewards of creation. It challenges us to use the world’s resources carefully and gratefully. Solidarity with the poor is a profound Catholic sentiment and duty.
There are other practices which should be encouraged within all Catholic families. How many people pray before meals or, indeed, after them, recognising that all we have is a gift from God? How many parents pray, not only for your children, but with your children as they grow up? Those prayers and memories will last them all through their lives? How happy I am when so many children tell me they pray at home at night with their parents before going to bed.
There are other practices, such as the recitation of the Rosary or the Stations of the Cross during Lent. The reading of Scripture and especially a reading of the four Gospels are things which are deeply significant for the nourishment of our faith. In doing so we listen in a direct way the words of Jesus which speak to us and help us to meditate on his life and his invitation to us to follow him and be more like him. Many of you are part of small Faith-sharing groups in your parishes where you read the Word of God, pray and discuss how it affects your own personal lives.
There are many other ways in which you, my dear people, can develop those practices which are truly rooted in Catholic tradition and bring you closer to Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world.
So, in wishing you the happiness of this great feast of Epiphany, ask yourself what you can bring as your gift to Our Saviour. May I suggest that one such gift is a little time every day. If we don’t remind ourselves of Jesus Our Saviour in some way or another then we lose touch with Him. Although it is not always easy to do this, I find it essential in my own life to give at least some time each day to think about Him, to be with Him and to pray. That is really the point of the feast of the Epiphany. We are told in the Gospel that at the sight of the star, the Magi were filled with delight, and going into the house they saw the Child with his mother, Mary. They fell on their knees and did him homage. So may it be with us as we give homage, praise and adoration to Jesus Christ our Lord and God who continues to show himself to this world.
With an assurance of my prayers and kindest wishes,
Yours devotedly in Christ,
+Cormac
Archbishop of Westminster
