+JMJ+

Dear Friends,

Greetings, felicitations, and happy Opening Day of baseball season! Although for some reason not considered to be a Solemnity in the Church's calendar, my own pastoral advice is that this is one of those days on which one might consider a small relaxation of one's personal Lenten disciplines, at least to include a hot dog or three, peanuts, Cracker Jack, maybe even a cold barley pop.

One of the things that makes Opening Day so special is the sense that anything can happen. It's a day that is brimming with possibility, when every team, every player, every fan can think, "this is it; this is the year we win it all!" It is a fresh start.

In Christ, every day is Opening Day. The mercies of the Lord are new every morning (Lam 3.22-23). All that is required is that we accept that mercy - which means, of course, accepting our own sinfulness, confessing it, and then leaving it behind for ever. Every time we confess, we are made new, our sins are removed "as far as the east is from the west" (Ps 103.12), and then, anything is possible: we may love; we may lives as God's own children; we may be free.

[Here] you will see the announcement that my friend Father - now Monsignor - Carl Reid has been appointed by Pope Francis to be the Ordinary of our sister Ordinariate in Australia, The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross. An "ordinary" is not a diocesan bishop, but has the juridical authority of a Diocesan bishop though not the sacramental powers (so, for instance, he can not ordain priests).

Monsignor Reid has been a great encouragement and support in many ways, not least by lending his musical expertise. He is responsible for producing the St. Peter Gradual, which compiles the proper chants from our Missal, and which our choir uses every Sunday. So join me in praying for Msgr Reid and the clergy and faithful of the Australian Ordinariate, that this new ministry will bring greater glory to God and build up the Church.

God bless you,
Fr. Allen