Newsletter - 27 July 2025
Sacred Journeys
Walking with God Through Life’s Pilgrimage
Time away from work offers an opportunity to regain physical energy, explore the beauty of nature through travel, enjoy reading, form new friendships, or engage in meditation and prayer.
Pope Francis emphasised that holidays can also be a good time to deepen one’s spiritual journey. “Summer season is a providential time to cultivate our task of seeking and encountering the Lord,” he underlined.
In this “period of rest and disengagement from daily activities, we can reinforce our strengths of body and soul.”
Every step we take—whether through bustling cities, quiet countryside, or the corridors of our own hearts—can be a sacred journey when walked with faith. From the earliest pages of Scripture, God is revealed as a companion on the move: calling Abraham to leave his homeland, guiding Moses through the wilderness, and walking beside the disciples on the road to Emmaus. These journeys were not just physical—they were deeply spiritual, marked by trust, transformation, and divine encounter.
A sacred journey doesn’t require a passport or a plane ticket. It might be a pilgrimage to a holy site, a retreat into silence, or quiet walk into nature. It could be the path through grief, the climb toward healing, or the winding road of rediscovering one’s faith. What makes a journey sacred is not the distance travelled, but the presence of God along the way. “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.” — Psalm 84:5
One of our parish members recently shared his experience visiting Assisi, a place steeped in prayer and tradition. He described how he felt an overwhelming sense of peace—“as if the ground itself was soaked in grace.” He returned with a renewed sense of God’s closeness. Another parishioner spoke of how daily walks in the park became her sacred time with God. “I started noticing the birds, the breeze, the quiet voice in my heart. It became my sanctuary.”
Sacred journeys often teach us that whether we’re climbing mountains or navigating the valleys of life, God is never far. The road may twist and turn, but His presence remains steady.
As we move through the seasons of our lives, let’s pause to ask: What journey am I on right now? Where is God inviting me to walk with Him? Every journey with God—no matter how small—is sacred.
“You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” — St. Augustine of Hippo
May this truth guide us on every sacred journey we take—reminding us that no matter where we go, our deepest destination is always the heart of God.
Caterina Schifano
Focus of the week
AUGUST MASS TIMES
Sunday Masses
As in previous years the Mass times will vary slightly during August. On Saturdays there will be a Mass at 5.30pm as usual.
On Sundays there will be a 10am Mass in place of the 9am/11am Masses – (2/3, 9/10, 16/17, 23/24, 30/31 August (no 9am/11am).
Weekday Masses
Fr Pascal will be taking some time out for a summer break. There will be no 11am Mass from Wednesday 6 – Saturday 16 August (except Assumption, see below).
Assumption
There will be two Masse on Friday 15 August at 11am and 7pm.
Local churches will have a daily Mass as follows:
Our Lady of Mount Carmel & St George, Enfield @ 9.30am Saturday and 12 noon on Sunday
St Monica’s, Palmers Green @ 9:30am on Sunday
Our Lady of Lourdes, New Southgate @ 10am on Sunday
Our Lady & St Vincent, Potters Bar @ 10am, but no mass on 7, 8, 12, 13 August, then Vigil Mass of Assumption, 7.30pm 14 August