THE ANNUNCIATION, LADY DAY

As Cardinal Mercier said : "When prudence is everywhere, courage is nowhere." From Cardinal Sarah : "In order to avoid hearing God's music, we have chosen to use all the devices of this world. But heaven's instruments will not stop playing just because some people are deaf." Saint John-Paul II wrote: "The fact that one can die for the faith shows that other demands of the faith can also be met." Cardinal Müller says, “For the real danger to today’s humanity is the greenhouse gases of sin and the global warming of unbelief and the decay of morality when no one knows and teaches the difference between good and evil.” St Catherine of Siena said, “We've had enough exhortations to be silent. Cry out with a thousand tongues - I see the world is rotten because of silence.” Chesterton said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.” Brethren, Wake up!

THE ANNUNCIATION, LADY DAY

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lady, a day so deeply engrained in the historical life of this county, that Lady Day still determines the calendars of many state institutions and modern secular organizations.

Today is a day of feasting, not fasting, where by immortal custom of the Church, and by canonical precept, the fast of Lent is suspended. Every few years it falls on a Friday, and Canon 1251 enjoins us to set aside the abstinence from meat on this day. It is our duty to honour the Church and Our Lady by availing ourselves of this great privilege.

Holy Mass will be celebrated at 6pm at St James's Church Spanish Place.

Dos tua, Virgo pia, haec est.

PRAYER OF THE ORDER OF MALTA

Lord Jesus, Thou hast seen fit to enlist me for Thy service among the Knights of St John of Jerusalem. I humbly entreat Thee through the intercession of the most holy Virgin of Philermo, of St John the Baptist, Blessed Gerard and all the Saints, to keep me faithful to the traditions of our Order. Be it mine to practise and defend the Catholic, the Apostolic, the Roman faith against the enemies of religion: be it mine to practise charity towards my neighbours, especially the poor and the sick; Give me the strength I need to carry out this my resolve, forgetful of myself, learning ever from Thy holy Gospel a spirit of deep and generous Christian devotion, striving ever to promote God’s glory, the world’s peace, and all that may benefit the Order of St John of Jerusalem. AMEN