On the 1st March I had the pleasure of attending the Annual Civic Mass at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Newcastle-under-Lyme. The celebrant for the Mass was the Archbishop of Birmingham, The Most Reverend Bernard Longley, and it was conducted in the presence of The Worshipful Mayor of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Councillor Simon White and Consort Councillor Gary White.
The service began with the Civic Procession before the Penitential Rite was read. A reader from St. John Fisher Catholic College provided the first reading, taken from Genesis 2:7; 3:1-7. The Responsorial Psalm was followed by the second reading taken from St Paul’s letter to the Romans. 5:12-19.
The Gospel according to Matthew 4:1-11 was then read before we were led in the Bidding Prayers and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. We all joined in for the Communion Hymn and the Blessing and Dismal, which was followed by the Angelus and lastly the Recessional Hymn.
I would like to thank Simon for his kind invitation and to Holy Trinity Church for a lovely service.