As part of the Octave celebrations, the rosary will be prayed in various languages, including English, this Wednesday(14 May) in the cathedral at 20:00, and on Wednesday 21 May during the torchlight procession from St Michel to the cathedral, beginning at 21:00. It has been suggested that these recitations of the rosary might be a good opportunity to show solidarity in prayer, praying for the 270 or so girls kidnapped in Nigeria. The second date is, of course, the date of our Octave Mass at 19:30.  Fr Ed

If you have been in the centre of Luxembourg over the last couple of days, you can’t have missed the fact that the Octave/Oktav is underway…markets, restaurants, and crowds thronging the cathedral mark this season each year. To find out more about the Octave, you can read the official flyer (EN/POR) here. The Octave Mass for our parish will be celebrated in the cathedral at 19:00 on the 21 May. Traditionally we have a procession from our church to the cathedral, with the children who have just made their First Holy Communion leading the way. We will leave St Alphonse for the cathedral at 18:30 on 21 May in procession — please do come along for this important event. The walk this year is relatively short — last year it was from Hollerich!

My parents have returned home after their stay in Luxembourg, which they thoroughly enjoyed. They wish me to pass on their thanks for the warm welcome they received. They were impressed with the sense of community at our Sunday Mass, the full church and the presence of so many children and young people. So ‘Thank-you’ from them, and ‘Thank-you’ from me! Fr Ed

Reminder, that is to say, that there is no English-speaking Mass this Sunday, 11 May, at St Alphonse. We are all invited to attend the ‘Messe du Peuple de Dieu’ at the cathedral at 10:30. At 11:15, there will be a full rehearsal for the First Communion candidates and their families in the church of St Alphonse. All must be present for this preparatory event. Thanks, Fr Ed.

Each year we have celebrated an outdoor Mass leading up to the Summer break. Our Mass this year will be in the garden of St Alphonse, with the picnic afterwards in open air or under cover, depending on the weather. The date is set for 8th June, the week before the Anglican Fête, and before the schools close for the summer. All are most welcome to this special parish community event, and are invited to contribute towards the feast. More details to follow soon. Fr Ed