A QUESTION OF FAITH
With Father Frank Daly of St Peter’s in Hinckley HERE’S a bit of Catholic ‘quirkiness’ to cheer you up for Christmas. Each religion has its own traditions and customs some of which are a little difficult to understand or maybe even accept.
In our faith we have a great devotion to the saints – not at the expense of loving Our Lord but as an aid to see what loving him is actually like in a particular situation. The saints help us to love and serve our Saviour better where and when we are. Some of them are well know, like the apostles or martyrs, others less so and some not at all. They are part of the countless number of people in heaven waiting for us and bringing us into the Lord’s light with them. It is a very comforting thing to have saints around. Some of them in our tradition become associated with a particular need or activity – St. Cecilia is the patron saint of music, St. John Bosco of the young, St. Vincent DePaul of the poor and St. Jude (a particular favourite of mine) of hopeless cases! St. Anthony is often associated with people losing things and finding them again. You have lost your keys, or some valuable item and tell someone else – say a prayer top St. Anthony and he’ll find them for you. The fact is he often does and nobody knows what to think about that! and so it was a few weeks ago, I lost my wallet and could not find it anywhere. I retraced my steps, exactly as I had taken them the day before, growing more and more anxious as much confidential information was contained in it and of course the inevitable bank cards. I told our children at the school Mass, which was in fact for the feast of All Saints, about St. Anthony, how he was not my best friend that day and how I hoped he would do something, but all looked forlorn. Just after lunch two friends came to visit me by surprise from Scotland, with their young son, a quiet and thoughtful young man. They helped me look everywhere in the house and church and even came out to Market Bosworth where I had been the night before with our Sunshine Club but to no avail. We returned to the Priory, and the young man went into my living room and lifted up all the chairs. Under the sofa opposite where I had been sitting he found the said wallet. How it got there I haven’t the slightest idea, but I was so relieved to find it. I thanked the young man most warmly for his thoroughness and skill – his name? Anthony. Make of that what you will!
When it comes, a blessed and happy Christmas to all your readers and the people of our town, with a special thought and prayer for anyone who is feeling sad or downhearted for whatever reason, particularly a bereavement during the past year. Thanks to everyone who works quietly throughout the year to do so many things in different ways for others – it is really appreciated. Here’s hoping that we can all continue to work together generously and cheerfully in the coming year to make or town even more welcoming and helpful than before.