Monday 30 September 2013

Catholic Marriages and How to Find Mr or Mrs "Right"






It is a fact that in the modern world, it is becoming more and more difficult to get married. Statistically speaking, you’re even more unlikely to tie the knot if you go to Church, which can be a bit depressing, to say the least. However, there is hope out there - Cheltenham Young Catholic Adults, for example, has produced 4 marriages in the last few years! For the national Young Catholic Adults weekend click here.

But what happens, I hear you say, if you don’t belong to a small but convinced Catholic community for younger adults, what if the average age of your Parish is “getting on” a bit? There’s still no reason to panic; there is an answer out there – namely St. Raphael

He is the patron of travellers, the blind, happy meetings, nurses, physicians, medical workers, as well as the saint that will find you that faithful and holy spouse, why not ask for his intercession?

 Please see below for a Novena to St Raphael for younger people desirous of making a good marriage:-

NOVENA PRAYER TO ST RAPHAEL

O Glorious St. Raphael, Patron and Lover of the Young, I call upon thee and plead with thee for thy help.In all confidence I open my heart to thee, to beg thy guidance and assistance in the important task of planning my future. Obtain for me through thy intercession the light of God’s grace, so that I may decide wisely concerning the person who is to be my partner through life. O Angel of Happy Meetings, lead us by the hand to find each other. May all our movements be guided by thy light and transfigured by thy joy. As thou didst lead the young Tobias to Sara and opened up for him a new life of happiness with her in holy marriage, lead me to such a one whom in thine angelic wisdom thou dost judge best suited to be united with me in marriage.

St. Raphael, loving Patron of those seeking a marriage partner, help me in this supreme decision of my life. Find for me as a helpmate in life that person whose character will reflect the traits of Jesus and Mary. May he (she) be upright, loyal, pure, sincere and noble, so that with united efforts and with chaste and unselfish love, we both may strive to perfect ourselves in soul and body, as well as the children it may please God to entrust to our care.

St. Raphael, Angel of chaste courtship, bless our friendship and our love, that sin may have no part in it. May our mutual love bind us so closely that our future home may ever be most like the home of the Holy Family of Nazareth. Offer thy prayers to God for both of us and obtain the blessing of God upon our marriage, as thou wert the herald of blessing for the marriage of Tobias and Sara.

St. Raphael, Friend of the Young, be thou my friend, for I shall always be thine. I desire ever to invoke thee in my needs. To thy special care I entrust the decision I am to make as to my future wife (husband). Direct me to the person with whom I can best cooperate in doing God’s Holy Will, with whom I can live in peace, love, and harmony in this life and attain to eternal joy in the next. Amen.
In honour of St. Raphael recite one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be.

Monday 16 September 2013

Traditional Mass at Oxford Catholic Chaplaincy - Aid to the Church in Need: Persecuted But Never Forgotten Event - Catholic Underground.

There have been requests to post the following events on the YCA blog:-

Traditional Mass at Oxford Catholic Chaplaincy


News just in...... that there will be a Missa Cantata in the St. Thomas More Chaplaincy. Fr. Daniel Saward will be the celebrant on All Souls Day Saturday 2nd Nov.

Aid to the Church in Need: Persecuted But Never Forgotten Event

Saturday 19th October

The day begins with a sung Mass at Westminster Cathedral at 10.30am. This will be followed by talks in the cathedral hall.

To mark the launch of the latest edition of our Persecuted and Forgotten? report on Christians suffering for the Faith, Aid to the Church in Need is privileged to welcome two important guests from the persecuted and suffering Church – His Beatitude, Patriarch Gregorios III, head of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, and Sister Hanan of the Good Shepherd Sisters, Lebanon.

Patriarch Gregorios III will give a personal account of the day-to-day reality facing Christians in war-torn Syria, where he is based, and his assessment of what lies ahead for Christianity in this troubled region.

Sister Hanan and her community are offering crisis help to refugees flooding over the border from Syria and long-term help to Iraqi refugees. She will share stories of hope amid the sorrow and give us a vivid understanding of how the generosity of ACN’s benefactors is making a difference.

Also speaking will be Aid to the Church in Need’s Neville Kyrke-Smith and John Pontifex who will describe their respective project trips to the Middle East and Nigeria.

Tickets for talks are £5.00. For further details and to book tickets please go to ACN’s website.

Catholic Underground

“Catholic Underground London: Saturday 29th September, 7.30pm, St Patrick’s Church, Soho Square, London, W1D 4NR. Combining Eucharistic Adoration in the Church with live music afterwards from Edwin Fawcett & Hermione Thomas, two of the best young Catholic singers in the U.K

See: www.catholicunderground.co.uk for more info. Nearest Tube: Tottenham Court Road"

Wednesday 28 August 2013

Weekend Conference at Cold Ash Retreat Centre 18th-20th Oct 2013 Organised by Young Catholic Adults





Book now for the Young Catholic Adults weekend event at Cold Ash Retreat Centre (a couple of miles from Douai Abbey, which was booked up this year).

 *  It will be include the following speakers:- Fr Gregory Person OP, Fr Matthew Goddard FSSP  Fr Armand de Malleray FSSP, Fr. and Br. Gabriel Wilson O.S.B.

* There will be a Marian Procession, Rosaries, Sung/High Masses,  Confession and socials.

* Gregorian Chant Workshops will also be running, this year led by the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge.

How to Book for the retreat
Prices start at £35 per night. For more details/options,  please see:- http://www.youngcatholicadults.co.uk/events.htm for the online booking service: or see the booking form on the events page.
 If you have any queries, please ring Margaret on 07515 805015 or Damian on 07908105787.

Tuesday 20 August 2013

Some Details About Cold Ash Retreat Centre




The Cold Ash Centre Retreat and Conference Centre is set in the beautiful countryside of Berkshire near Thatcham. Cold Ash is 5 miles from Newbury and 3 miles from Thatcham. It is a place of peace and tranquility, welcome and simplicity; ideal for a time of relaxation.

The Cold Ash Centre is a purpose built facility that includes a large dining room, conference room, lounge, small meeting rooms and 26 bedrooms and is set in stunning woodlands and extensive fields and has a small-holding of pigs, chickens, ducks and turkeys.

The Cold Ash Centre Retreat and Conference Centre is grounded in Franciscan spirituality, ecology and organic market gardening. Our major focus is on youth: pre and post Confirmation, university students, etc. but not exclusively: we encourage young adults, families and travellers to come to unwind and recharge.
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