Father Ian writes:
I am very pleased to be able to say that Shona, the girls, and I have not only now moved in, but that I have also been licensed by the Bishop, so I am officially the Priest-in-Charge of St. Andrew’s, Tangmere.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who worked so hard to make my licensing such a wonderful occasion. And to all of you who came to fly the flag for Tangmere, thank you.
I am sure that by the time you read this you will have seen me out and about in the village, or in the school. If you do see me wandering around please come up and say hello, I would love to meet you.
As I write this I am thinking about Jesus the Good Shepherd. Jesus says in St. John’s Gospel that he is the Good Shepherd, called to lead and care for his sheep. Later in the same Gospel he calls the Apostle St. Peter and commands him to ‘feed my sheep’, and instruction which St. Peter and the Church has understood as one of the primary roles of the priest.
The Church’s history is littered with Saints who have followed this example. A prime example is Saint Vincent de Paul, who gave his life in the service of the poor of Paris. Such a good example was he, that he is Patron Saint of parish priests.
Whilst I may not be able to live up to the standards of Saint Vincent de Paul, it is good to have an example to look to, and as the church comes to the end of its celebration of Eastertide, it is good to know that God loves us all; whether we are saints already or maybe still saints in the making, and loves us enough to offer the life of his only Son, Jesus Christ, so that we might be saved.
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