Author: Web Secretary

God did not spare his own Son.

Christ did not come to explain away suffering; he came to fulfil it.
Like Abraham we are called to be prepared to sacrifice everything to God, and thus we find fulfilment.
God will refuse us nothing now that Christ, risen from the dead, pleads our cause in heaven.

Be cured

Like the leper, we cry out to Christ, who alone can cure us of all our troubles and weakness. He reaches out and touches us with his grace, telling us to be cured. We belong to Christ in the company of the saints, and are called to do everything for the glory of God. We are a people of joy because we know that Christ delivers us from our sins.

CAFOD Family Fast Day

CAFOD’s Family Fast Day this Lent is an opportunity to support our brothers and sisters who don’t have enough to eat. On Friday 23 February can you give up a meal, or eat a simple meal, in solidarity?

With malnutrition still killing almost three million children a year, your fasting, prayers and donations will ensure more of God’s children have enough good food to eat.

And this Lent, your donation will make double the difference. For every pound you donate to CAFOD, the UK Government will also donate a pound, up to a total of £5 million, meaning twice the number of lives can be transformed. Twice the number of children can have the opportunity to grow up healthy and strong.

 

Why fast?

£6=£12: Provides seeds to grow peanuts and make nutritious peanut butter

£28=£56: Buy all the seeds needed for a family to plant a garden full of vegetables

£97=£194: Teach two health workers and a network of local mums how to spot signs of malnutrition in children

In 1960, a group of Catholic women did something extraordinary. They organised the rst Family Fast Day to support mothers and babies in Dominica who were suffering from malnutrition. They received overwhelming support. From this, CAFOD was born.

Elspeth Orchard, one of CAFOD’s founders, explained: “We weren’t doing anything special, we were just doing what we thought we ought to do, remembering that we are all God’s children.”

Our fast is a symbolic act of love for people who have to go without food.

Whether you fast on your own, with your parish, give up a meal, or organise a soup lunch, your fasting, prayers and donations will mean more of God’s children have enough good food to eat.

Looking for Christ

Jesus Christ gives meaning to our lives. Without him life can seem no better than hired drudgery, but with his Spirit in us, all our service of others is done for love. This is a service that brings perfect freedom. The world needs Christ, and it is our calling to bring him to everyone.