A PASTORAL LETTER
FROM THE BISHOP OF LANCASTER
for Good Shepherd Sunday, 25 April 2021
APPOINTED TO BE READ AT ALL PUBLIC MASSES IN ALL CHURCHES
AND CHAPELS IN THE DIOCESE OF LANCASTER ON THE WEEKEND
OF 24/25 April 2021 (or shared in whatever way is possible).
My dear people,
Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. Each year on this Fourth Sunday of Eastertide the
Church prays for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. Our heavenly Father
knows well what is needed even before we pray, but Christ tells us we must pray
always. We are very familiar with prayer of asking, prayer of intercession, the prayer
that is a cry for help. We learn it easily whenever we have a problem or a fear or
sickness, or whenever there is conflict.
Other forms of prayer can take more effort. A very important one is listening. Asking
for vocations is important, but it must lead us to listen for vocations because a vocation
is a response to the voice of the Good Shepherd’s call. Creating an outer-silence helps
us to listen with the heart, and can help others to hear too. Our silence will help them
to recognise the Lord’s reassuring voice. A noisy church can prevent someone hearing
the call of the Good Shepherd.
The pandemic brought a profound change to our lives, much of that change has been
unwelcome. However, one observation made by many has been how much they
noticed the world growing quieter. As traffic and activity reduced, we have been able
to notice the quiet of the natural world around us, enabling us to hear more birdsong
for example.
We are people of Faith. Appreciation of creation is good but is not an end in itself. A
work of art, a beautiful building, or a moving piece of music draws us towards the
artist, the architect and inspired composer of whatever has captured our attention and
wonder. Such beauty and awe become places of meeting with the Lord of Creation, the
person of Jesus Christ.
Over the years, you have had many fine homilies and Pastoral Letters on vocations.
Please God, many more are still to come. Sadly, the only point we often take from them
is how long they are! Each of us needs to grow and try to become more attentive to the
voice of the Good Shepherd. This will not only help us individually; it will help others
to become attentive too, and allow them to know the voice of Jesus. Perhaps the
Samaritan woman our Lord once met by a well had come to draw water at a time when
no one else was about partly because that was when the water was at its purest, when
the silt had had time to settle after everyone else had finished stirring it up with their
buckets. She wanted the best water for her family and for herself. Prayerful silence in
our churches can be like that. We have the rest of the week for chatting.
Our Lord criticises the hired men. Their loyalty was not to the sheep but to their own
needs and their own agenda. When they had got what they wanted they went. Good
shepherds, good priests and religious, good parents, good teachers are prepared to stay
with the sheep, even during the hardest times and most disturbing circumstances.
They are prepared to stay even when there is suffering. We must be like that if we are
to be like the Good Shepherd.
Our prayer for vocations must focus on our love for the gift that is the Most Holy
Eucharist. The pandemic has threatened our appreciation of this gift. Online Masses
can help us, but can never replace being physically present at Mass in our parishes. I
know we have many who are unable to come to Mass because of sickness and frailty.
But I strongly encourage you who can travel to make every effort to get back to Mass
as restrictions ease. Make our churches places of strong silent prayer where people can
sense the presence of our Lord and hear His voice. Be certain that some of those who
will come are being called to the priesthood and the religious life. This matters because
it is their way to heaven. Helping them to hear the Lord’s call and to answer can be
your way to heaven.
Pray for Deacon Stuart Chapple, to be ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese on
June 26th, and for Philip Wrigley to be ordained Deacon at Oscott on the 6th June. Pray
for Simon Marley in his first year at the Beda College, Rome, and for James Knight in
his propaedeutic year at Valladolid, Spain
Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to those priests and religious who have come
from overseas to serve in our Diocese. It can be a great sacrifice to serve far from home,
from loved ones and one’s own culture, with years between visits home. It is a sacrifice
for your Bishops, your communities and your families too. This becomes even more of
a sacrifice during times of crisis. You are truly listening to the voice of the Good
Shepherd. We are grateful for your presence and for your generosity, and ask the Lord
to pour His blessings upon you.
With my blessing upon all who hear and read this Pastoral Letter,
Rt Rev Paul Swarbrick
Bishop of Lancaster