NEWSLETTER INSERTS FOR EASTER SUNDAY

'Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd and companion on the journey, today we place in your hands all priests, especially those going through moments of crisis, when loneliness weighs heavily, when doubt clouds their hearts, and when exhaustion seems stronger than hope.

Holy Spirit, rekindle in our priests the joy of the Gospel. Grant them healthy friendships, networks of fraternal support, a sense of humour when things don’t go as expected, and the grace to always rediscover the beauty of their vocation. May they never lose trust in You, nor the joy of serving your Church with a humble and generous heart. Amen'.

From Pope Leo’s Prayer Intention for April 2026

‘The proper effect of the Eucharist is the transformation of man into God’.

St Thomas Aquinas

‘It seems to me that nothing expresses the love in God’s heart more than the Eucharist; it is union, consummation, he is in us, we in him and isn’t that heaven on earth?’

St Catherine of Siena, Letter 165.

‘If you don’t come here to edify your brother, why do you come here at all?

St John Chrysostom, Homilies on 1st Corinthians 36, 4-6.

'He will provide the way and the means, such as you could never have imagined. Leave it all to Him, let go of yourself, lose yourself on the Cross, and you will find yourself entirely'.

St Catherine of Siena, Letter T316

'St Therese of Lisieux once wrote that: ‘in order that love be fully satisfied, it is necessary that it lower itself’ (Story of a Soul). By his suffering and death on the cross, this is what the love of Jesus did – it lowered itself, even to the depths of hell. Out of love for all humanity, both living and dead, our crucified God plummeted the depths of anguish in order to save the lost and raise them back to Himself. On the cross he bridged the heights of heaven to the depths of hell. At Easter time we thank him from our hearts for including us in such an embrace of mercy. Because of Christ’s descent into hell, no one is beyond the reach of God’s unfathomable love'.

Fr Billy Swan

‘During Holy Week, in Scripture readings and prayer, we reflect on the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, and are reminded of the cruelty of humankind and the power of evil.  The cross of Calvary continues to cast a long shadow over the world.  Yet the sadness of Good Friday will give way to the joy of Easter morning.  The Easter story begins “while it was still dark”, but it is soon bathed in the light of the resurrection.  Love defeats hatred.  It overcomes the darkness of despair.  Nothing, then, should be permitted to rob us of hope that goodness will triumph over evil.  This is Easter Hope: the “hope that does not disappoint’ (Romans 5:5).

Archbishops John McDowell and Eamonn Martin