Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster & President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, has issued a Pastoral Letter that was read in all parishes on the Sixth Sunday of Easter, May 1, 2016, on the Pope's Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, the Joy of Love. In the letter, the Cardinal thanks God that 'this great exhortation has come to us during the Year of Mercy when so many people are turning again to Confession, the Sacrament of Reconciliation. That is a good place and a good time to start this discernment, accompanied by a priest.' He explains that the 'study of this exhortation will take time and effort. For all of us it will be a great source of joy and encouragement' and he urges everyone to read it 'together with loved ones'. Cardinal Nichols echoes the Holy Father's words that 'love in the family is "a never-ending vocation" (325),"'a shepherding in mercy" (322), across the generations'. He goes on to say that 'it is the first way in which God’s love is made real in our world and by which the Gospel of Hope is proclaimed in situations that can be demanding and harsh'. The full text of the letter can be read here. Listen to the audio recording of the Cardinal delivering the letter below.