The tragic shooting of an eleven-year old in Liverpool dominates our news headlines today. The senselessness of killing an innocent has jarred the nation, yet again. Many are asking where our nation has gone wrong. Many are seeking someone to blame for what they perceive to be a crisis. There is talk of gang culture and disaffected youth.

In the midst of this we have GCSE and A-Level results which, yet again, show an improvement on previous results. As we congratulate all who have done so well it is also necessary for the public to ask that everyone everywhere use their intelligence to stop the growing fear that suggests our streets are unsafe.

Engaging the intellect AND our emotions is very much the theme of September. On the 8^th the Church celebrates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its general observance by both the Eastern and Western branches of Christianity is a triumph for reason as we celebrate the true humanity of the mother of Jesus, the Christ. St. Mary's Cathedral in Johannesburg, following the custom of the past, will observe it as their Feast of Patronage. A sung high mass should be celebrated at 6.30a.m. Yes, you have read correctly. It was instituted to allow the maximum number of worshippers to attend. As a curate there in the mid-70s I well remember 900+ communions. Deans Palmer, Randolph, Barron, ffrench-Beytagh and Bavin had done their work well and the teaching had been sound. Intellect was employed to the full and emotions ran high. When thinking of the end of the month, our emotions are once again tackled but this time require some intellectual support as we celebrate the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels. We remember angels in the Bible from Genesis through to Revelation. Children know them well from the Nativity and Easter plays performed in our schools as well as from the wonder experienced by Daniel in the lions den. Scholars tell us of their Babylonian antecedents. Modern people find them rooted in everything from Christian belief through Judaism and Islam to the occult. We celebrate them because we feel we know and experience them.

Our responsibility on the plains of reason and feeling never diminishes. Our actions will always be judged using this dualism. So it is that Messrs Rulf and Wynne challenge us to consider the harvest from our dedicated lives. Mother Julian of Norwich and St Teresa of Avila remind us of God's plan for each of us and our true desires.

Finally, this month finds the Fan the Flame Co-ordinating Team hard at work as they make final preparations for the visit by Frs. Gallagher and Swyer in mid-October. The clergy will be engaged in leading all of us into a deeper relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bishop of Horsham, whilst missioner in the Diocese of Chichester, initiated the idea of the programme which is now nationally known as Fan the Flame. The original programme has been developed over the years and includes a major input from clergy and people. At least two conferences have been held for participating missioners where they have sought to incorporate both theoretical and practical changes as to what is delivered during the course of the week. The programme is outlined for you and you are asked to undertake various tasks as we prepare for the Week 14^th-18^th October.

Be good.

Your father in God and servant in Christ,

Oriel Alby