Catholic Post History

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Jul 2022 edition of the Catholic Post

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JULY 2022 Edition 7 page 11 page 5 page 14 Pope to elevate Archbishop Arthur Roche to rank of Cardinal Join CAFOD`s new food campaign Pope urges politicians: `Please do not lead humanity to ruin` J u l y - D e v o t i o n t o t h e P r e c i o u s B l o o d The latest report from the United Nations International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was released recently. The main message from the report is that even though the rate of increase is reduced, total emissions of greenhouse gases are still rising. Global emissions in 2019 were 12% higher than in 2010, an average of 1.3% per year over the decade. The report also states that governments across the world are not promoting the changes needed to avert catastrophic climate change. Our current trajectory, if unchanged, would lead to a global average temperature increase of 3.2oC, a figure that would make significant sea level rises inevitable, as well as disastrous and damaging ‘,extreme climatic’, events. Even if all the plans and promises currently in place are put into effect –, and currently they are not –, it would not limit the warming to 1.5oC, which was the original target, but more than likely keep it to 2.2oC. “,We are on a fast track to climate disaster”,, Antonio Guterres, (right) of the UN, said when he released the IPCC report. He then went on to say “,Some government and business leaders are saying one thing but doing another. Simply put, they are lying. High-emitting governments and corporations are not just turning a blind eye. They’,re adding fuel to the flames, they are choking our planet based on their vested interests and historic investments in fossil fuels.”, Some Governments are Lying ‘,Across the world governments are failing to promote the changes necessary to avert catastrophic Climate Change’, Antonio Guterres IPCC It was thought that the war in Ukraine would lead to a reduction in the use of coal, oil and natural gas but the war has actually created an increase in energy companies investigating and exploring new carbon sources, including new coal mines. Yet, as Guterres said, ‘,Investing in new fossil fuel infrastructure is moral and economic madness.’, A report on the BBC website noted that the big banks are putting huge amounts of money into fossil fuels. and that Oil companies around the world are making plans to use their enormous profits from last year to concentrate on boosting their oil output capacity. “,Big banks are pumping billions into new oil and gas production despite net zero pledges”,, the BBC says. Banks like HSBC, Barclays and Deutsche Bank are part of a so-called ‘,green’, ????????????? “,Economic powers continue to justify the current global system where priority tends to be given to speculation and the pursuit of fi, nancial gain. As a result, whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenseless before the intests of the dei fi, ed market, which become the only rule.”, Laudato Si banking group called the Net Zero Banking Alliance, but that has not prevented them investing hugely in fossil fuels. The Net Zero Banking Alliance is a perfect example of ‘,greenwashing’,. Pope Francis has already warned countries in a meeting with various finance ministers that they have “,the responsibility of working to achieve the goals that your governments have adopted”, to combat climate change. But they don’,t seem to have heeded his warning. Continued on page 7

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CONTACT US: The Catholic Post is published by its owners Bellcourt Ltd and is wholly independent of and separate from any previous newspaper. The Catholic Post is published on the last Sunday of the month previous to publication date. EDITOR: John Clawson email: johnclwson@icloud.com ADVERTISING: Natasha / Bellcourt Ltd. 01440 730399 / 07903 377019 ads@bellcourt.org DESIGN &, LAYOUT: David Lodge, david@bellcourtltd.co.uk PUBLISHED BY: Bellcourt Ltd. N2 Blois Meadow Business Centre, Blois Road, Steeple Bumpstead, Haverhill, Suffolk CB9 7BN 01440 730399 ARTICLES TO: The Catholic Post email: johnclwson@icloud.com or david@bellcourtltd.co.uk Please send articles for publication by email, supplying any photos separate to the text We welcome contributions Here are answers to some basic questions about writing for The Catholic Post How long should articles be? Usually it seems to work out best if contributors simply say what they have to say and let us worry about finding a spot for it in the paper. What is the submission procedure? Please send as a Word file attached to an e-mail. To submit articles for publication, contact John Clawson by email at johnclwson@icloud.com Charts, graphs, and photos should be submitted as separate PDFs. Electronic photos should not be embedded or pasted into a Word document as this reduces their quality. Photographs and Illustrations Photographs and Illustrations should be supplied electronically as high resolution JPEG (*.JPG) files). Photographs and illustrations should be sent in colour with a resolution of 300 dpi and a minimum size of 100 mm x 100 mm when printed (approx. 1200 pixels wide on- screen). Computer print-outs are not acceptable. Screen captures are not ideal as they are usually not very high Parental permission should be sought before submitting photographs of minors. Source information - DW = Diocesan Website. ICN = Independent Catholic News Views expressed in The Catholic Post are not necessarily those of the editor Last date for copy is the LAST DAY of the month prior to publication. Page 2. The Catholic Post. July 2022. From the presbytery.............. by Fr Neil McNicholas Sadly social media trolls can be extremely vicious in their attacks on others - usually done anonymously of course –, which probably says more about them than anything else. But it is also sadly symptomatic of the society in which we live. I have never watched an episode of Eastenders in my life, but have occasionally caught the last few minutes whilst waiting for another programme to begin. Soap operas claim to be a reflection of society and if that is true then society is in a sad state. The characters seem to do nothing else but viciously argue and verbally (even physically) attack one another, constantly miserable and aggressive. Coronation Street is exactly the same. Again I haven’,t watched an episode since the days of Ena Sharples, but the modern storylines would have made her hair curl despite her hairnet! (And note how, rather significantly, life in every soap opera seems to revolve around alcohol and the pub.) If “,Albert Square”,, or “,Weatherfield”,, or even rural “,Emmerdale”, for that matter, are indeed typical of society, then, as I say, it is in a sad state. Some time ago I had a brief flirtation (no letters to the bishop please, it wasn’,t that sort of flirtation) with Friends Reunited and Facebook when I was trying to trace some old friends. I have since closed those accounts. It didn’,t take long for me to discover that these websites are populated by vast numbers of people who clearly have far too much time on their hands. There is a certain narcissism (defined as “,the pursuit of gratification from vanity or egotistic admiration of one`s idealised self-image and attributes”,) in people not only being convinced that the whole world needs to know all about them and what they are doing every minute of the day, but also that the world is desperately waiting to hear their opinion on anything and everything. (Yes, I know, expressing my opinion is what I’,m doing at the moment, but at least this is a faith-based pastoral reflection and not about me!) Like it or not, the internet has become a standard means of instant communication, something that most people now take for granted, but it’,s not its use, per se, that can be a problem so much as how it’,s used. If I was going to criticize or insult someone to their face, I might want to first consider that things might not end well for me depending on the size and temperament of the other person. The anonymity of social media means trolls don’,t need to have any such concerns. They can say whatever they want, to whoever they want, with complete impunity (and, no doubt, a deep sense of self-satisfaction) and with no regard whatsoever for the consequences to the other person who has no chance to defend themselves or to say anything at all in reply. And, of course, whatever has been said is now “,out there”, for everyone else to read as well. As Christians we need to remember the basic law of charity that ought to govern and influence our relationship with others. And within that law of charity we are reminded of the sinfulness of detraction (disclosing another’,s faults, without an objectively valid reason, to others who do not know of them) and calumny (remarks contrary to the truth that harm another’,s good name) because they offend against the virtues of justice and charity. Even if we know something about another person to be true we have no business making it known to someone else, and doing so online is especially sinful given that we have no idea how wide our maliciousness will spread. Another insidious use of social media is causing damage to businesses and people’,s livelihoods by posting false negative ratings online. We constantly have the opportunity these days to rate the goods and services we receive –, which is fair enough if it’,s part of an effort to improve on quality. Whilst companies should be prepared to receive a poor rating if quality or service provision was genuinely poor, it also makes it possible for people to maliciously (and anonymously) post false bad ratings which could seriously damage the reputation of businesses or individual service providers, possibly putting them out of business. Should we therefore give as much credence as we do to on-line ratings or, instead, find out for ourselves? And all the more so, should we do the same with regard to people instead of giving credence to what others say about them online? In recent times the word “,bullying”, has taken on a meaning that it didn’,t used to have. Once upon a time if someone was bullying you in school you had the option to confront them and teach them a lesson, or get someone else to do it for you –, either way you knew who the bully was. Online bullying is much more difficult to deal with especially if it is being done anonymously, and also because it doesn’,t just involve physical but also emotional intimidation, victims are being attacked where it really hurts especially in the case of young people who are constantly dealing with peer group pressure and for whom friendships and social image are particularly important. I suppose it could be argued that the risk of social media being abused in the ways we have been discussing is the price we have to pay for freedom of speech. On the one hand I suppose it is, but on the other hand whatever happened to a sense of decency and consideration for other people? The freedom to say whatever we want is no excuse for being rude and abusive –, that’,s the whole point, surely, of social mores, of the behaviour and standards that society understands and defines as being socially acceptable, and as that certainly doesn’,t include being abusive to people in person, why should it include being abusive on social media? You would think that people would therefore be more careful about what they post online in case it might be actionable, but if what they post is done anonymously there is no immediate risk of being found out and that’,s why they do it. If someone makes an accusation against me in person and to my face I have the opportunity to respond, but if they post something anonymously on social media there’,s nothing I can do about it and that’,s why they do it. They don’,t care about the consequences and whether it upsets me or does me any harm, it makes them feel good about themselves and that’,s why they do it. Jesus in the gospel says that in charity we should turn the other cheek and, as difficult as that can be, because he asks that’,s why we should do it. Instead of sinking to their level let us, then, pursue what makes for peace and for mutual up building. (Romans 14 v 19) (Anti)Social Media In recent times the word “,bullying”, has taken on a meaning that it didn’,t used to have How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “,Your God reigns.”, Isaiah 52:7

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The Catholic Post. July 2022. Page 3. Promoting the Holy Rosary in the U.K. &, throughout the world to bring hope, comfort and peace to the marginalised, the oppressed and the imprisoned, enabling wounded hearts to find healing and shattered lives to find breath and space to renew. Supporting priests and chaplains in their ministry, outreach and welfare. Response from parish priests: “,The rosary cards that you sent me have had a tremendous effect on the devotion and prayer life of the parish.”, www.crownofthorns.org.uk email: office@crownofthorns.org.uk Phone: 01342 870472 Registered charity no: 1042751 Crown of Thorns Mission of Hope St Alban`s Parish celebrates the Platinum Jubilee Parishioners of St Alban`s Parish, Denaby Main, South Yorkshire, and members of the community attended a Platinum Jubilee Mass in Denaby &, Cadeby Miners Memorial Chapel at All Saints Parish Church. The celebrant was Fr Desmond Edozie, Parish Priest. In his homily Fr Desmond praised the selfless dedication and commitment of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who has pledged her life to the service of the nation and Commonwealth over the past 70 years. The National Anthem was sung at the end of Mass. Afterwards the celebrations continued at Sister de Sales Parish Centre. Our honoured guests at the party were Councillor Ian Pearson, Civic Mayor of Doncaster, and Sue Pearson, Civic Mayoress of Doncaster, who were welcomed by Fr Desmond. Councillor Ian Pearson cut the Platinum Jubilee cake. Fr Desmond said, “,I am delighted that our parish celebrated with our community this important national occasion. Having our Civic Mayor and Civic Mayoress attend our celebrations made it very special.”, “,I am delighted that our parish celebrated with our community this important national occasion”, Fr Desmond Gerard Mclister Fr Desmond and parishioners after Mass in Denaby &, Cadeby Miners Memorial Chapel Councillor Ian Pearson, Civic Mayor of Doncaster, cutting the Platinum Jubilee cake pictured with Fr Desmond, Sue Pearson, Civic Mayoress of Doncaster, and parishioners. “,Talk in everlasting words And dedicate them all to me And I will give you all my life”, (From the song Words by the Bee Gees) On the Feast of the Visitation, seven parishioners, ranging from a university student to the retired, came together from the three Catholic Churches in Lincoln to undertake a pilgrimage inside Lincoln Cathedral. Following Mass at St Hugh’,s Church with a homily by Fr Patrick Bassey, assistant priest, on the importance of carrying the Holy Spirit to others by our bodies and through our words, and after receiving a blessing, we were all set to walk up the hill to the Cathedral, when torrential rain temporarily ‘,stopped play’,. One parishioner had the presence of mind to check lost property and found an array of umbrellas, with all but one in working order, and so, once the rain started easing up, together with a chivalrous gesture by another parishioner, we were able to go on our way. We visited 14 sites within the Cathedral using each site to help us to reflect on the words of the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) combined with questions and sharing. The day was punctuated by lunch and fellowship in the on-site cafe and concluded with the hymn ‘,My soul is filled with joy as I sing to God my Saviour’, at the Statue of the Virgin Mary. Despite further downpours the rain thankfully passed over and the umbrellas were not needed for the journey home. Words, embodied, oral and written, characterise The Visitation and they characterised our day in a variety of ways, for example, our gathering as a group, worship at Mass, fellowship over lunch and in reflections on their role in Christian identity and evangelisation. Ultimately though, the power of gestures or words lies not in themselves but whether they originate from God and are for God and whether the recipient has the faith to have eyes that see and ears that hear (Matt 13:16). Hopefully through our gestures and spoken words we each offered the Holy Spirit to one another as well as those we encountered during the day, honouring Mary in the process, giving life (John 6:63) and receiving life in turn. Thank you to all who contributed to the day and especially the owners of the umbrellas left behind at church, your ‘,mishap’, served us in our moment of need, a reminder perhaps that whilst the imp does his best (or worst?) to depress, divide and divert us, it is God, thanks to Jesus through Mary, who has and is the final Word. Glory be to God. Jo Bailey Statue of Virgin Mary, Lincoln Cathedral Imp, Lincoln Cathedral Hope and Support We are shortly to take delivery of twenty seven 10ft pews, some large votive candle stands and other items from a church that has been decommissioned. Most of the smaller items, including tabernacle, will be sent on to churches in parishes awaiting them in poorer areas of the world, whilst the pews will initially be available should a parish require them in the U.K. Two large statues are also being re homed. Whilst one parish has the sadness of closure, another can at least benefit in a wonderful way through receiving those items that have been loved and cherished by so many in their original setting. Hopefully this will also give some consolation to the bereaved community. Whilst costs of transport have risen steeply, it is greatly important to ensure the reuse of ecclesiastical items and furnishings, and in this way also bringing joy and hope to people in areas of the world where there is a lack of the basic items that we often take for granted. We also keep note of any items requested by parishes and chaplains in the U.K. in hopes of being able to assist. We have continued to support chaplaincies in the U.K. with prayer cards and small devotional items as requested. In the isolation of prison cells and the solitude of the lives of seafarers, these items make a tremendous difference, bringing comfort and hope to the weary and broken. Hospital and school chaplains are also supported. We continue to support priests through difficult circumstances. We are always glad to assist whatever the problem, and are most grateful to legal and canonical experts who give their time so generously to assist priests in need. In these difficult times, it is essential that priests have access to advice and support at the earliest possible opportunity. www.crownofthorns.org.uk Parish News Words

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Page 4. The Catholic Post. July 2022. Cardinal o ff, ers prayers for Queen Elizabeth on her Platinum Jubilee Image: CBCEW God bless Her Majesty. May we pray for her always CBCEW.org.uk Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Bishops` Conference, offered his prayers for Her Majesty for her Platinum Jubilee year. The Cardinal said: ",Today we thank God for all the years of astonishing service that have been given by Her Majesty from that day of her solemn anointing, through times of peace and great sadness, suffering and joy. ",The calmness that she carries always with her arises from a soul at peace, rooted in a trust in God and inspired by her Christian faith, of which she speaks so eloquently and demonstrates so faithfully. ",God bless Her Majesty. May we pray for her always.", The Cardinal also recalled his memories of the Queen`s 1953 Coronation, saying: ",Jubilees are for memories and thanksgiving. This Platinum Jubilee overflows with both. How well I remember the Coronation mug and the bar of chocolate in its decorated tin box that I received, along with every child, on the day of Her Majesty`s Coronation. It was also the first time that I watched a television!", The Bishops` Conference established that, at all Sunday Masses on 4-5 June 2022, each parish prays for Her Majesty the Queen to mark her Platinum Jubilee by including an intention in the Prayer of the Faithful and by reciting at the end of Mass (after the Prayer after Communion and before the Final Blessing) the Prayer for the Queen. The Day for Life was celebrated on the Third Sunday of June, which this year is the 18th/19th June. The focus this year is the care of the elderly, chosen because of the tragic impact of COVID on elderly people, and the fact they are most threatened by the possible legislation of Assisted Suicide. Valuing older persons There are many challenges which we face, the way in which we provide care for older persons, its cost and the means of payment, the shortage of staff in care homes, the time and energy needed to help older people feel valued and wanted. Many feel they have become a burden or can feel treated as a burden, a ‘,bed- blocker’,, or a nuisance because they move more slowly, struggle with more physical challenges and live a different rhythm of life. They often feel vulnerable and worry when they hear talk about and even concrete proposals for the legislation of assisted suicide and euthanasia. We share their concerns and in better valuing older persons need to find new ways of building bridges by our actions. Pope’,s Catechesis Pope Francis has recently offered a very different and more positive perspective. In his Catechesis on Old Age, he writes: `The alliance between generations, which restores all ages of life to the human, is our lost gift and we have to get it back. It must be found, in this throwaway culture and in the culture of productivity.` He invites us to listen to the dreams of older women and men and to learn from their wisdom (Joel 2:28). Older persons have a different rhythm to life from which we can learn. He continues: `The arrogance of the time on the clock must be converted into the beauty of the rhythms of life.` Provide accessible palliative care We invite people to think again about the value and worth of older persons in families, in society, and to make practical choices to build bridges between the generations. We call for people and parishes to devote quality time, energy and creativity in caring for the older persons in our communities. Inspired Scientists at Saint Paul’,s! We are very keen to inspire and engage the students in the wonder and excitement of Science Day for Life 2022 We invite people to think again about the value and worth of older persons in families, in society, and to make practical choices to build bridges between the generation s Diocese of Westminster Bishop`s Message for Day for Life The focus of the Day for Life this year is older persons. The COVID pandemic highlighted the desperate plight of many older people, especially those in care homes and those struggling with long-term chronic conditions such as dementia. They carried the highest burden which included prolonged isolation, the distress for families being unable to visit, delayed medical interventions and tragic, isolated, deaths followed by shortened, minimal, funeral rites. Many family members and friends continue to bear the wound of deep grief which hurts and is still in need of healing. We invite people to think again about the value and worth of older persons in families, in society, and to make practical choices to build bridges between the generations. Bishop John Sherrington, Bishop for Life Issues www.st-paulshigh.net “,Growth”, was the theme which was explored by students from Saint Paul’,s Catholic High School in Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester who took part in Science Week, a celebration of science, engineering, maths and technology. A fitting theme for what has been a turbulent time for all of us, ‘,Growth’, links with multiple areas across science, technology, engineering and maths. We can find examples of growth within all subjects and all around us, making it an excellent starting point for a celebration of science! To celebrate Science Week 2022, the Year 7s participated in an Environmental Science project, led by their Science teacher and the Year 8s and 9s took part in a Food Science project. The objective of Environmental Science Week was for Year 7 to study the causes and impact of pollution on nature. The unit of work is interleaved with revision of the Matter, Organisms, Energy and Ecosystems topics studied this year. There was lots of practical work and exploration of the role of Environmental Scientists working in the field and the laboratory. The objective of Food Science Week was to make links between Science and our daily lives by planning the menu for a party. This project explored the role of biotechnology in food production, evaluation of healthy alternatives to meat, sugar and gluten, whilst at the same time allowing our young scientists to hone their investigative skills through practical applications to bread, ice- cream and sweetie making. There was also a focus on careers in this industry. Mrs Charlotte Dewhurst, Science teacher, said: “,Growth was a fantastic theme for our students to relate to and explore. It is a broad theme encompassing many aspects of science which can be interpreted in many different ways. The activities were designed to be great fun and were very popular with the students. The sessions helped the students see how Science can be applied in real life.”, Mrs Michele Sudworth, Science teacher, added: ",There were lots of exciting activities happening throughout our school. We are very keen to inspire and engage the students in the wonder and excitement of Science.”, “,Science is vital to the future of our country and involvement in projects such as this are a great way for us to encourage our students to enjoy the subjects and see them as both interesting and accessible,”, commented Mr Alex Hren, Head Teacher at Saint Paul’,s. “,We need to do everything we can to inspire the next generation.”, We invite engagement in political debate on providing adequately resourced care of the older person so that no-one feels like a burden in our society. We challenge our politicians and healthcare system to provide accessible palliative care for all the dying. We encourage people to learn from a closer accompaniment of the elderly that there is a real richness in the journey through old age, which offers a deeper meaning and a new rhythm to the whole of life, something which can be celebrated and lived with hope in eternal life. St. Joachim and St Anne, pray for us.

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The Catholic Post. July 2022. Page 5. National Synod Day Bishops, clergy, religious and lay people who have been part of the diocesan synodal consultation processes, have gathered in Southwark for the National Synod Day. Canon Christopher Thomas, General Secretary of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales, described the event as an ",important moment in the journey together as we review prayerfully the draft of the national Synthesis",. The day began with prayer before the Blessed Sacrament in St George`s Cathedral, with reflections on the two icons of the Synod for a Synodal Church proposed in the Preparatory Document. Archbishop John Wilson of Southwark, then led the celebration of Holy Mass. In his letter of introduction, Canon Thomas pointed out that the day was ",between the Solemnities of Ascension and Pentecost and this moment of people with their bishops is like the pre-Pentecost Church", when the Apostles and the disciples of Jesus were gathered in the Upper Room with Mary. In the afternoon, participants reviewed and discussed together the first draft of the National Synthesis. This Synthesis represents more than 700 pages of material the Bishops` Conference has received from dioceses, national organisations, universities, Catholic groups and individuals. A national synthesis team, composed of nine members, spent the month of May prayerfully reflecting on all the Diocesan Synod submissions and drawing up the first draft. Group round table discussions took place in the Amigo Hall next to the Cathedral. They were facilitated by Sr Bernadette Reis from the Vatican Dicastery for Communication. All present were able to give feedback on how the draft synthesis reflected their diocesan synthesis, what they felt was missing, things they found surprising or disappointing, and Opening Mass for the National Synod Day in St George`s Cathedral, Southwark Image: Vatican News/St George`s Cathedral Vatican News/St George`s Cathedral topics that they felt needed further discernment and analysis. One point that emerged strongly was the desire to continue growing in the synodal process both at the diocesan and national levels. One group said that now that the Church in England and Wales has been through the synodal process, the need remains to ",show and reveal how it is embedded and how it will go forward.", Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops` Conference of England and Wales, brought the day to a conclusion. In closing remarks, he said: ",In this upper room, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we have had a unique window on the life of the Church in England and Wales - not complete, but a glimpse, a panorama, that we rarely see drawn together in this way. We are learning the art of listening, the discipline of listening, which does not come naturally, but is something that requires self-control and humility. We are learning that. This is a hugely important quality in the life of the Church which has not always been present.", The National Synthesis Team will take this feedback and incorporate it into the first draft so as to produce a final draft. Their hope is to have a final draft by the end of June, at which point it will be available on the Episcopal Conference web site. In the meantime, the Bishops will undertake a discernment to formulate their response for the synodal process that will be forwarded on, together with the National Synthesis, to be incorporated into the Regional European synthesis. A Synod celebration is also being planned for 29 June, in Westminster Cathedral, at 10.30am to celebrate the Conclusion of this phase of the synodal process in England and Wales. Important moment in the journey together as we review prayerfully the draft of the national Synthesis Salford celebrates Volunteers Week Patrick O`Dowd, Director of Caritas Salford writes: Ahead of the start of Volunteers` Week recently, a Mass of Thanksgiving was held in Salford on Saturday to celebrate and thank volunteers for all their work. It was also an opportunity to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Cornerstone Day Centre in Manchester, (postponed from last year because of Covid) Bishop John Arnold, who presided at Mass, was joined by Father Ged Murphy, Episcopal Vicar for Caritas, and Father Michael Deas, parish priest of St Augustine`s. Bishop John thanked all those present for their support of Caritas in upholding the dignity of all those we accompany. After Mass, many in attendance processed together in the afternoon sunshine back to Cornerstone Day Centre, while a minibus ICN transported everyone else. There was a party atmosphere with bunting, balloons and delicious refreshments, and an opportunity for volunteers to chat and catch up with friends and make new acquaintances, as well as the opportunity to see first-hand, the many improvements which are taking place at Caritas Cornerstone. One of our new Community Volunteers said: ",Volunteering means I`m doing something and not just sitting on my own. You get a good feeling from helping people. The volunteering is my social life now. Cornerstone doesn`t exist without volunteers - we are needed - which is also a good feeling and I can give something back for the help I received in the past. We can all help each other.", For more information about how to become a volunteer for Caritas Salford, please email volunteering@caritassalford.org.uk quoting VMmc22. Bishop John thanked all those present for their support of Caritas in upholding the dignity of all those we accompany Pope to elevate Archbishop Arthur Roche to rank of Cardinal Archbishop Arthur Roche, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, will be elevated to the rank of Cardinal in a Consistory on Saturday, 27 August 2022. Pope Francis has announced the forthcoming creation of 21 Cardinals from around the world. Two days after the Consistory, on 29-30 August, the Pope will meet with all the cardinals to reflect on the new Apostolic Constitution Praedicate evangelium. CBCEW.org.uk The College of Cardinals currently consists of 208 Cardinals, of whom 117 are electors and 91 non-electors. As of 27 August, the number will grow to 229 Cardinals, of whom 131 will be electors. Eight of the newly named Cardinals are from Europe, six from Asia, two from Africa, one from North America, and four from Central and Latin America. Pope Francis has announced the forthcoming creation of 21 Cardinals from around the world

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Page 6. The Catholic Post. July 2022. Year 6 pupils at St Maria Goretti’,s Primary school in Ribbleton have been frantically fund - raising to support the CAFOD Ukraine Appeal. As part of our Lenten journey we embraced the importance of alms giving and felt a strong desire to support those in need. We decided to use our various talents to raise funds. This included a cake sale, a car wash, and an arts and craft fair. Lena (Head Girl) said, ‘,We felt we needed to help out and wanted to share our various talents in di ff, erent ways to raise money.’, Joel, who is Head Boy, (pictured washing staff cars) decided to wash the teachers’, cars, ‘,It was hard work, but we really enjoyed being able to help out.’, A total of £,130.90 has been raised by the children for the appeal so far. St Mary’,s University announces scholarships for victims of Ukraine War Allowing successful applicants to the scholarships to complete their studies Children use their Talents to support Ukraine “,We felt we needed to help out and wanted to share our various talents in di ff, erent ways to raise money.”, Kerry Holt, Ribbleton www.stmarys.ac.uk St Mary’,s University, Twickenham has recently announced five full postgraduate scholarships open to those who were citizens of, resident in, or students in Ukraine on 23rd February. The scholarships are for entry to St Mary’,s in September 2022, and if places remain, will also be open to students beginning courses in January or September 2023. The awards cover 100% of the course tuition fees. The University offers a number of distance learning masters’, degrees, allowing successful applicants to the scholarships to complete their studies if they wish to remain in Ukraine or another country in which they have sought refuge. The scholarships are available for the following programmes for either full-time of part-time study: Two places for MA Catholic Social Teaching or MA Catholic School Leadership* One place for MA Social Justice and Public Service Two places on any St Mary’,s Master’,s Degree** *distance learning is available on these St Mary’,s courses **distance learning is available on a number of St Mary’,s Masters’, courses. This includes St Mary’,s extensive suite of applied health programmes. St Mary’,s Vice- Chancellor Anthony McClaran said: “,As an institution, we believe in the transformative power of education. It allows people from all walks of life to change their outcomes through developing skills and accessing knowledge. We feel it is our moral duty to provide access to education for people f leeing the conflict in Ukraine, to help the successful applicants to rebuild their lives after such an appalling upheaval. St Mary’,s University has a proud history of widening access to education. The University was founded in 1850 by the Catholic Poor Schools Committee to meet the need for teachers to provide an education for the growing number of poor Catholic children. Full details for applying to the scholarships can be found the St Mary’,s website: www.stmarys. ac.uk/ukraine-scholarship Woman thanks `outstanding` Devon ambulance service for saving her dad’,s life I was with my Mum and Dad, as Dad had been sick and I had contacted his GP practice for advice but ended up calling 111 as I couldn’,t wait. 111 told me to keep Dad hydrated and said to phone 999 if Dad got any worse which he unfortunately did. Dad had previously had a heart attack last October but thought it was heartburn!. He became very breathless in the night and needed 999 support The Ambulance Service and Emergency Department were amazing that night. Dad was assessed and he needed a triple bypass, which was carried out with great success. Dad has always been a devoted husband and father to me and both my brothers, He loves walking on the Hoe with me and Charlie, my dog. He said after his bypass operation that it was his prayers to Our Lady and thinking about walking again with Charlie on the Hoe that gave him extra strength and determination. Anyway, around 22:00 I phoned 999 as my father started to feel much worse and the ambulance lady on the phone kept me talking asking me questions and she said the ambulance will be with you and I will stay on the phone until it comes. No sooner than I blinked my eyes and opened the front door the ambulance was here! Brilliant! The ambulance crew came in, Joe Cartwright, Molly Thomas and Clare (I don’,t know Clare’,s surname). They started monitoring him and said he needed to go to hospital, but he was very reluctant and scared and said he was afraid of dying in hospital and asked me to promise he wouldn’,t. I said I would try and whilst Dad was walking down the stairs, I was at the bottom of the stairs already and when Dad got to the bottom he just collapsed and hit the floor and he was gone. Molly started CPR on him, and Joe raised Dad`s legs. Then Joe said they needed more room, so Joe and Molly moved so quickly and carried Dad from the narrow passage to the dining room where there was more room on the floor. Joe started CPR again on him and all three carried on for 6 minutes maybe more and brought my father back, they never gave up for a second, Joe kept the compressions going determined to save Dads life, which they did. Dad and all the family are indebted to the remarkable response, quick actions and thinking of three angels, Molly, Clare and Joe who had the hand of God and the spirit and love from all the family deceased and alive from photos all around my Dad in that room. We are forever thankful that this super ambulance team was sent as their dedication, skill and love of their job shone through saving my father’,s life and we can’,t thank them enough. We would also like to thank the Emergency Department for all their care and determination to keeping Dad alive. The Emergency Department worked endlessly. The staff were kind and reassuring in this situation. Dad keeps a wonderful Our Lady of Grace Holy Card in his pocket with a beautiful cross and the family lit candles to Our Lady through the night. When the family was called in to the hospital we were advised bluntly and honestly by the ED staff that Dad was not expected to live through the night. The duty minister at Derriford Hospital, Reverend John, came and prayed with him, me and my brothers at 3 o’,clock in the morning, and he was wonderful –, he gathered us in prayer for strength through the night ahead and his wonderful prayers were answered. Dad is a miracle, all the doctors and nurses are amazed with how he has progressed and have been coming to see him. Next day Ambulance staff Joe and Molly were in the Emergency Department again and out of all the people they deal with they recognised me and asked how Dad was doing so I was able to take them to where he was, and my Dad was as overjoyed to see them as they were to see him. They could not believe what a remarkable recovery he had made already. Dad thanked them for not giving up on him and for saving his life. Joe and Molly said they were so thankful and that was why they do their job because of people like my Dad. My mum, prayed to the Sacred Heart through the night on which we have only now realised is exactly 6 months from the date of Dad`s bypass operation. All the family are praying that Dad’,s remarkable recovery continues. We really can’,t thank everyone enough that Dad was given the priority support he needed in the hospital. Most importantly we want to thank Our Blessed Lady for the love and strength she has given Dad especially through her month of May. Giovanna Maber-Gill The staff were kind and reassuring in this situation

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The Catholic Post. July 2022. Page 7. Please support our Advertisers Spirited Synodal response from Castleford’,s Catholic Mothers From Parish to Mission Lay faithful and clergy across our Diocesan Family are already putting into practice some of the fruits of the Parish to Mission Listening Sessions which have been taking place as part of the recent Synodal Process. One of the suggestions made at the St Joseph’,s Parish meeting in Castleford was to celebrate the gifts of women in the Church by re-establishing the Union of Catholic Mothers (UCM) in the parish. A Votive Mass in honour of Our Lady with prayers for the intentions of the UCM was celebrated by the Parish Priest, Fr John Aveyard and took place during the month of May which is dedicated to Our Blessed Mother. One of the event’,s organisers is the parish’,s new UCM Secretary, Carol Sidebottom, who said: “,During the pandemic when permission was first granted to re-open places of worship, St Joseph’,s re-introduced Thursday evening Mass, and it was here where parishioners first mooted how good it would be if we had a UCM within our parish. But nothing came of it until Bishop Marcus’,s Pastoral Letter, inviting all of us to help shape the future of our churches and parishes by taking part in the ‘,Parish to Mission’, Synod. The Inaugural Mass to re- establish a UCM Foundation in the parish of St Joseph’,s Castleford was a direct result of the listening process, but it would not have been possible without the support and guidance of our Parish Priest, UCM Chaplain Canon Laurie Hulme, and UCM Diocesan Officers Margaret Chambers, Susan Oldroyd and Catherine Simpson.”, Among the (fourteen in total) new UCM members at the Castleford parish is President- Elect Kathryn Waugh who is Carol’,s daughter as well as mother of one of the members of the Bishop’,s Young Catholics’, leadership group, ‘,The Twelve’, –, making three generations of Catholic women actively supporting their parish and diocese! The membership includes Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, Organist, Stewards, Missio Representative, 200 Club Organiser and School Governors –, all leading the way in faith and commitment to their parish and diocesan communities. The Inaugural Mass was served by Anne Riley with hymns accompanied by organist Claire Johnson and was attended by specially-invited guests including Dr Richard Sloan MBE whose late wife Cath was a great supporter of both St Edmund’,s Airedale and St Joseph’,s Castleford UCM and a volunteer representative with CAFOD in Leeds. Yvonne Crewe, a former President of UCM St Edmund’,s Airedale in the Diocese of Leeds 1980’,s and Patricia Bird, a long-serving member of a previous St Joseph’,s UCM have a treasury of stories to share with the new members about the wonderful women who served UCM in former years: at St Joseph’,s. In his Homily, Fr John Aveyard spoke of Mary the Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the importance of her position as a woman and a mother within the life of the Church and as a source of help and comfort to all of us. He fondly remembered the mothers at St Mary’,s UCM in his native Batley, who upon his ordination in 1981 presented him with purple vestments which he wore to celebrate his first Mass as a priest. St Joseph’,s Castleford’,s ‘,re-founded and refreshed’, Union of Catholic Mothers now meets monthly in the Church Hall after Thursday evening Mass. Two of the first aims for the new members are to organise a Parish Pilgrimage to Walsingham with the Diocese of Leeds and to fund-raise for CAFOD, the UCM’,s nominated charity for 2022. ‘,In today’,s fragmented world, where we risk losing our bearings, a Mother’,s embrace is essential.’, (Pope Francis, Reflection on Mothers, 1 January 2019) A new Candidate for Holy Orders On Saturday 28th May, on a very sunny day in London, Bishop John Sherrington, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, visited Allen Hall Seminary to admit five men as Candidates for Holy Orders. One of those men was Cardiff seminarian, Dale Cutlan. Dale and his fellow seminarians, having completed the major part of their formation for priesthood, were invited to express their commitment to complete their formation in service of the Church. Bishop Sherrington summed up the assessment of the Church and asked the Candidates-to-be to express their commitment to enter Holy Orders: “,My sons, the pastors and teachers in charge of your formation, and others who know you, have given a favourable account of you, and we have full confidence in their testimony. In response to the Lord’,s call, are you resolved to complete your preparation so that in due time you will be ready to be ordained for the ministry of the Church?”, Following an affirmative response, Dale and his fellow Candidates were asked to prepare in “,mind and spirit”, to give faithful service to Christ and his Church. Everyone present in the chapel accepted the declaration of the Candidates and they now prepare to enter the final period of formation before Ordination. For the past year Dale and his fellow Candidates have been living and working in parishes across the U.K. Dale has spent the year in the parish of Potters Bar, London. He was supported at the Candidacy Ceremony with the presence of his sisters, the parish priest and representative parishioners of Potters Bar, and by Fr. Nicholas Willams and Fr. Michael Doyle of the Archdiocese of Cardiff. Throughout the world ‘,Candidacy for Holy Orders’, arrives at different points in the formation of new priests. In some places it is used as an acceptance of new students into the seminary system, however, in the West, Candidacy is usually the last step taken prior to Ordination to the Diaconate, it is seen as an acknowledgement of the Lord’,s call within the life of the Candidate and the Church’,s acceptance of that call. Dale and his fellow Candidates will return to Allen Hall Seminary in the Autumn to enter into the formational year for Admission as a Deacon. We wish Dale and his fellow Candidates well and support them with our prayers. If you or anybody you know may feel that the Lord is calling them to service in the Church, Fr. Nicholas Williams serves as the Diocesan Director of Vocations and will be able to offer advice and guidance in discerning God’,s will for you. You can contact Fr Nicholas on our diocesan website rcadc.org. Alternatively, if you would like to find out more about Vocations in general, you are invited to visit the Vocations section of this website. Following an affirmative response, Dale and his fellow Candidates were asked to prepare in “,mind and spirit”, to give faithful service to Christ and his Church rcadc.org During the pandemic when permission was first granted to re-open places of worship, St Joseph’,s re-introduced Thursday evening Mass C ontinued from page 1 At a discussion on the Sustainable Development Goals, organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Pope Francis described climate change as “,an issue of great importance for humanity and the whole of creation”,. The discussion brought together finance ministers from various countries to reflect on the theme “,Climate Change and New Evidence from Science, Engineering, and Policy”,. Pope Francis lamented that, “,We live at a time when profits and losses seem to be more highly valued than lives and death, and when a company’,s net worth is given precedence over the infinite worth of our human family”,. On the contrary, “,Today’,s global interdependence obliges us to think in terms of one world with a common plan”,, and he called on finance ministers to “,work to achieve the goals”, agreed on by governments in the UN’,s Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement COP21. The Holy Father sounded a dire warning about the current state of affairs. “,The signs today are not good”,, he said, pointing to declining investment in clean energy and a rise in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Citing leading climatologists and experts, Pope Francis said, “,Their message was clear and insistent. We need to act decisively to put an end to all emissions of greenhouse gases by mid-century at the very latest, and to do even more than that”,. Specifically, Pope Francis called on ministers to commit to several specific goals: - to value what is important, not what is superfluous, - to correct our national accounts and our business accounts, so as to stop engaging in activities that are destroying our planet, - to put an end to global dependency on fossil fuels, - to open a new chapter of clean and safe energy, that utilizes, for example, renewable resources such as wind, sun and water, - above all, to act prudently and responsibly in our economies to actually meet human needs, promote human dignity, help the poor and be set free of the idolatry of money that creates so much suffering. “,Before all else”,, the Pope said, “,We must recognize the ledger of life itself, of human dignity and survival”,. He said it is his “,prayerful hope that, as stewards of the world’,s finances, you will agree upon a common plan that accords with climate science, the latest in clean energy engineering, and above all the ethics of human dignity”,

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For all your advertising requirements please contact Natasha on 01440 730399 Natasha@cathcom.org Page 8. The Catholic Post. July 2022. YOUR PEST, OUR PROBLEM. Letter to the Editor All correspondence to Letters to the Editor to be sent by post to CathCom Ltd, N2 Blois Meadow Business Centre, Steeple Bumpstead, Haverhill, Suffolk, CB9 7BN or via e-mail to johnclwson@icloud.com and must give a contact name and place of residence. Anonymous correspondence will not be considered for publication. Dear Editor Homosexual/Lesbian “,marriage”, is a logical impossibility. It’,s like asking why I am against square circles. Marriage has an essence, a meaning. It has always and everywhere involved a conjugal union rooted in biology itself, it is complementary and heterosexual by its very nature. The particulars of marriage contracts have varied over time and cultures, but the essence of male/female has not. Brides have always presupposed grooms. The fact that marriage is a “,universal”, throughout human history indicates something huge. Without this sexual complementarity, and without the ability to consummate a marriage, there can be no marriage. We can say with complete certainty that two men will never conceive a child from their sexual acts, nor will two women. The sexual “,union”, of two men or two women is always barren, as nature and right order would have it. It’,s the way it’,s supposed to be. Marriage is not “,all about sex”,, of course, but sex is an intrinsic part of marriage. The government says that gay people can marry, so that means its ok. There are many things the state has said , that are not true. For only a small example, governments have declared at various times that certain human beings are less human than others (slaves, Jews, the unborn), or that women are men and men are women (transgender laws). None of those laws can change reality. The law is not magic, and it cannot make black people less human, it cannot make women turn into men, and it cannot make marriage between two men (or two women) possible. The state can play with words, but it cannot change common sense. Marriage is pre-political —, no state invented it, nor can any state redefine it. Even the origin of the words “,marry”, and “,matrimony”, (derived from the word “,mother”,) excludes the very concept of a homosexual “,marriage”,. Clearly, marriage as conjugal union is a natural law issue. We are not to utter a peep against gay “,marriage”,, or we will pay a price, whether that price is simply ridicule, mocking, and harassment, or a more serious penalty such as loss of friends, family, job opportunities, or livelihood. Perhaps jail one day? Yet there is no option but to speak for what is True, because that’,s who we are as Humans. What we are called to do, in season and out. We won’,t hurt you or hate you or ask the government to fine you or ruin you if you disagree with us, but we will speak the Truth in love, because lies are no good for anyone. It is always better to understand what a thing is, and then to use that thing according to its nature. That is how human beings and human societies flourish, after all. Love is not a feeling. Marriage is not a construct. Society’,s very foundation may not be un-defined on a whim of “,But I want it!”, Happiness cannot be found by going against our human nature and dignity. Truth does not change. Name and address supplied Across is a charity created specifi,cally to provide transport to enable those with special care needs to go on pilgrimages to Lourdes. The charity also enables groups to organise holidays to other destinations in Europe for those with special care needs. If you are interested in travelling with Across please call the offi,ce on: 020 3542 1800 OR Email: Pilgrimages@across.org.uk Dates Needed 18th - 27th August 1st - 10th September 8th - 17th September 29th Sept - 8th October 20th - 29th September Do you want to make a difference as a Driver ? We are looking for PCV drivers to drive our Jumbulance Do you want a job that’,s more than driving? Come and create memories of a lifetime for our travellers? We are looking for full, part-time and seasonal drivers Come and join us and “,make the impossible possible ”, For more information please email us on contactus@across.org.uk or call us on 020 3542 1800 . . . . Pat McCamley travelled on a Jumbulance in April to help out on a trip to Lourdes, following a 2 year absence due to Covid. Pat, a group leader and nurse from the Isle of Wight, made the trip as a volunteer. The Jumbulances are custom built coach ambulances especially built to provide long distance transport for people whose medical or physical condition makes normal methods of travel either impossible or impractical. They are used to provide transport from the UK to Christian pilgrimage centre to Lourdes in South West France for the seriously ill and disabled. Priority is given to those with terminal illness, and those confined to bed or wheelchair. Pat said it was fantastic to be back in Lourdes with Across and that she always finds it humbling and so worthwhile to make a difference in the lives of others not as fortunate as she is. Pat said it was fantastic to be back in Lourdes with Across and that she always finds it humbling and so worthwhile These trips to Lourdes would not be possible without nurses and they would certainly welcome the help of any other nurse who wished to be a travel volunteer. The Jumbulance consists of 24 people, 10 of whom are sick or disabled. The other 14 are made up of volunteer carers, nurses and/or a doctor and a Chaplin, who all give their spare time freely and pay their own expenses. For details of how to volunteer, contact. Lisa O`Connor at Across on 020 3542 1800. Email: contactus@across.org.uk or visit www.across.org.uk A request for help

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The Catholic Post. July 2022. Page 9. This new publishing company is providing books on Franciscan theology and spirituality, continuing the tradition of the charism in the UK. Promotion Code: Francis10 Please visit : www.franciscanpublishing.com God Is Not A Man In The Sky Lizzy Peck has written the book we have all been waiting for. Those of us who have to do with the education of the young have heard all too often from them that religion... has been disproved by ‘,science’,. This is simply not the case, indeed Christianity, and especially Catholicism has played an immensely important role in the development of science, it was, of course, a Catholic priest who first drew our attention to the ‘,Big Bang’,, and the Church has always been in the forefront of scientific achievement, Galileo or not. This is a marvellous book, admirably directed at quite young children, with a really intelligent commentary for their long-suffering parents and teachers... it should be widely read by those who care about this extraordinary ‘,disconnect’, in our society between science and religion. Fr Nicholas King SJ, Campion Hall, Oxford. FRANK GOULDING 10th July is Sea Sunday. Please pray for seafarers and support the Catholic charity ministering to them: Stella Maris (formerly known as Apostleship of the Sea). To donate, go to www.stellamaris.org.uk/donate For all your advertising requirements please contact Natasha on 01440 730399 Natasha@cathcom.org There is no doubt the Platinum Jubilee celebrations brought great joy to many thousands of people. In London the 4 days brought great numbers of people to the capital which also highlighted the sheer diversity of the face of modern Britain. Those of us who can recall that wet and soggy Coronation day in 1953 can hardly grasp the changes in our country that Queen Elizabeth has reigned over. It was therefore equally important that the next 70 years were highlighted by the Duke of Cambridge and particularly his plea that “,there is always room for hope.”, No sooner had the Platinum Jubilee celebrations ended we witnessed a vote of confidence in the Prime Minister. The month of June seemed destined for major political disagreements not least in Northern Ireland. What the nation made of this remains to be seen but Price William was right we do need to have “,Hope”, but surely the country and our place in the world also needs both Faith and Charity as well. One MP Sir Norman Lamb who retired at the 2019 General Election campaigned strongly on the issues of mental health. This man’,s concern for mental health issues were often sympathetically received but I did often wonder if he was a lone voice. One poll recently reveled that of those 70 year olds whose life co-incided with the Queen’,s reign some 24 per cent suffered loneliness. Sad as this is we often do not consider that working- age people can also be affected by loneliness, but in fact they are. The loss of employment can lead to fewer social contacts, less money to spend and at least the possibility of mental health problems. So what do we mean by loneliness? What can society do to reduce this problem? Focus on Stella Maris and its Ukraine Crisis work on Sea Sunday Sea Sunday (which this year falls on 10th July) is a special time for seafarers and for Stella Maris (formerly called Apostleship of the Sea), the official maritime welfare agency of the Catholic Church. This is the day every year when the church celebrates and prays for all those who live and work at sea. As a global maritime charity, Stella Maris is providing practical and pastoral support to seafarers and fishers in the UK and around the world, including those affected by the war in Ukraine. Many seafarers are stuck in Ukraine unable to escape the fighting and running dangerously low on food and medical supplies. Families of seafarers are desperately trying to flee to the border. Ukrainian seafarers around the world are waiting anxiously for news of their loved ones, and fearful of what will happen when their contracts end. In response, Stella Maris is making mobile phone SIM cards available to Ukrainian seafarers free of charge. It is providing practical and emotional support to Ukrainian seafarers worried about their situation. In Odesa, Stella Maris’, Ukraine team have remained in the country. They are working with humanitarian agencies to ensure vital food supplies are delivered to seafarers trapped on ships in the Black Sea. They are running a soup kitchen to help families of seafarers in the city. They are also supporting families of seafarers, especially wives and children, to get to the borders. The refugees are then being helped by the wider Stella Maris network across Europe. In Poland, a Stella Maris centre is providing emergency accommodation to 50 people, mainly women and children. This facility is a vital source of refuge and respite. Stella Maris is appealing to Catholics throughout the UK to support Sea Sunday. “,We respectfully appeal to readers of the Catholic Post to support our ministry with fishers and seafarers at this critical time by praying for them on Sea Sunday and kindly making a donation to support our work through the link below,”, says Stella Maris CEO and European Regional Coordinator, Martin Foley. To donate online please go to www.stellamaris.org.uk/donate This is the day every year when the church celebrates and prays for all those who live and work at sea We can just do our best, and make everyone welcome in our churches So what do we mean by loneliness? What can society do to reduce this problem? There are many more areas of concern in our country as the Government assures us they are getting on with the job in these post Platinum Jubilee days. The need for our food banks to continually re-stock, one Yorkshire City spending £,5 million on hotel expenses for the homeless with the cost of housing and renting causing despair to many young people, and sadly much more. So Prince William was right to speak of “,Hope”, for the future, perhaps it was appropriate for Christians that these remarks came on the weekend of Pentecost Sunday. On that day we witnessed the example of Mary the Mother of God with the company of the Apostles and disciples who persevered with prayer. We can just do our best, and make everyone welcome in our churches.

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Page 10. The Catholic Post. July 2022. Book Reviews Book Reviews My Life is a Miracle: A Story of Hope and Healing by Bernadette Moriau Kindle Edition £,5.73 www.amazon.co.uk Diagnosed with chronic back pain in 1966, when she was just 27 years old, Sister Bernadette had long felt the impact of illness on her life. She suffered from acute sciatic nerve pain and other medical impairments, which forced her to stop practicing nursing in 1975. After 40 years of battling her illness, her doctor encouraged her to join the diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes. The visit was not Sister Bernadette’,s first trip to Lourdes, but it was her first trip as a sick pilgrim. The travel was agonizing. Fortunately, the morphine eased the pain. Lourdes, for Sister Bernadette, was a place of peace. There in the grotto is the still power of God. An unmoving, spiritual, mystical presence. So accessible to all. So close to the little ones. To the poor. To the afflicted.”, She had been to Lourdes before. This time, she had resigned herself to her suffering. She went to Lourdes looking not for healing, but to pray, asking God for a conversion of heart and for strength to carry on. Describing the famous processions of the sick at Lourdes, this strange, almost baroque convoy with crutches poking out every which way, with its wonderful volunteers pushing or pulling and always with a smile–,what is it? It’,s the train of Hope.”, Hope is perhaps the greatest gift pilgrims receive at Lourdes, knowing the healing and mercy of God, particularly through the sacrament of penance. While at Lourdes, Sister Bernadette had what might only be described as a mystical experience during the evening Eucharistic procession. At the moment the bishop blessed me, Christ asked me deep in my heart to offer him everything. Everything. To hold nothing back for myself. To expect nothing. No comfort. No healing. To give myself totally to him. To give, not to take. Never before had she had such an experience of God. She was content to return home, having received the special grace of his presence and peace. By July 11, 2008, Sister Bernadette had returned home to her convent. While at prayer that evening, something strange happened. She felt a great relaxing of her body, like a warmth from her heart suffusing everything. That warmth filled her. She didn’,t know what was happening to her. She went on praying. Then, she went back to her room. There she heard an inner voice telling her: ‘,Take off your braces.’, She immediately thought of the words of Christ in the Gospel: ‘,Rise, take up your mat and walk.’, Without the slightest hesitation, without a moment’,s thought about what was happening to her , she took off all her paraphernalia: her leg splint, her corset, all of it. She felt perfectly well. In an instant, she had been healed. By Brian McKenna Meeting Jewish Friends and Neighbours By Marcus Braybrooke The book is independently published by Amazon with Braybrooke Press. £,12.99. A Kindle version is also available The dangerous rise of anti Semitism makes it urgent that the general public has a better appreciation of Jews and Judaism and their valuable contribution to the modern world. This book provides an overview of the Jewish community in Britain. A visit to a Jewish home and to a synagogue service are described, as well as the festivals, which recall major events in Jewish history. The teachings of many famous rabbis and Jewish scholars are summarised. Many issues relating to the horror of the Holocaust, which still casts a shadow over Jewish life, are discussed. The complex history of Israel/Palestine is explained and the efforts of those who today work for peace and defend human rights, are highlighted. The final chapter recounts the troubled history of Jewish-Christian relations and emphasises the growing friendship and co-operation of members of both faiths as they work together for the healing of the world. Marcus Braybrooke, a retired vicar, is President of the World Congress of Faiths and is Co- Founder of the Faith and Belief Forum. He was for a time Director of the Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ). He and his wife Mary have devoted much of their life to encouraging interfaith understanding and peace. Marcus is author of fifty books on religions and spirituality. Contact address is Flat 7, Portland House, 10 Den Crescent, Teignmouth TQ14 8BQ email marcusbraybrooke4@gmail.com Formation of the Heart The WHY and HOW of being a Catholic today By Raymond Friel Redemptorist Publications - £,12.95 - www.rpbooks.co.uk (All proceeds from the sale of this book will go to Caritas Social Action Network formation programmes) At a time when the stresses and strains within the Church have never been so depressingly appar - ent, Raymond Friel’,s carefully considered take on the why and how of being a Cath - olic, in the fractured world in which we live, is eerily resonant of God’,s response to Job: “,Where were you when I laid the earth’,s foun - dations?”, (Job: 38:4) Within days of my receiving this book I read Cardinal Grech’,s homily in Oxford at a confer - ence of Synodality where he spoke with dev - astating frankness about the divisions within the Church about which it has chosen to be si - lent: “,The clearest example which comes to everyone’,s mind is the sexual abuse crisis that the Church went through and …,. what about the general silence concerning the deep divi - sions within the Catholic Church?”, Where would a Synod start to address such a dis - heartening admission by one of Pope Francis’, most trusted Cardinals? While it is good to face up to the disfigured reality of life in the Church of our times, and in - deed to have a good Job like rant about it, we can all too readily lose sight of the fact that this is the same Church to which we remain in - debted for being the surest conduit to the faith the apostles encountered first hand and which we now share. Putting my own cards on the table and recal - ling, that a pivotal moment in my faith devel - opment, my own Damascene conversion, coincided with my simultaneously studying Job and Gaudium et Spes in the mid to late sixties. The twin, but vitally connected lessons of the nature of God and the mission of the Church, were transformative. However, in the fifty plus years since, that inspiring vision has waxed and waned within the Church, frequently leaving one feeling disappointed with the institution but still finding daily sustenance sacramentally, prayerfully and spiritually. Against this potentially discouraging back - ground, Raymond Friel, by seeking answers to the questions he poses, has drawn back the veil and taken his readership, and may they be many, on a journey of re-discovery to, quoting his final sentence, finding that “,The Church, for all its flaws, is a place of nurture, a wise mother who can keep us on the path of grace and truth.”, The book is aimed at a wide audience who, for whatever reason, have not had an opportunity to develop an understanding of their faith or indeed, for those also who would benefit from that energising surge that accrues when in - sightful understanding, accompanied by in - ducement to a deeper spiritual awareness, warms the heart, stretches the mind and be - comes formational in the best sense. Although the author claims that this is not an academic book, it portrays a scholarship that is sure footed in its choice of sources and sup - ported by an easily accessible indexing at the end of each chapter which offers an option for the enquiring mind to delve deeper. What Ray - mond Friel does is to invite readers into the wider, synodal style, conversation, facilitated by notes and thoughtful questions at the end of each chapter. In a real sense each chapter opens a window into a wider conversation, deeper study, prayerful engagement and re - newed mission. This is the work of an intuitive theologian who has learned his craft by immersion as a reflec - tive practitioner in Catholic education and now in his new role as Director of Caritas Social Ac - tion Network (CSAN). His teacher’,s facility with language, allied to an acquired degree of theo - logical literacy makes this an engaging read. The compelling message and the spiritually immersed messenger are well matched. Al - ways highlighting, like the Book of Job, that the ultimate meaning of life and faith is only re - vealed in an encounter with the sacred pres - ence of God, the book constantly brings the reader back to the possibility of such a life de - fining encounter whether the subject of the chapter is scriptural, theological, spiritual or mission focussed. While I can claim to have read more special - ised books on scripture, theology, spirituality and mission, that all offered a deeper special - ised understanding, I have no recollection of reading such a holistic, articulate and access - ible appraisal of the richness of the Church’,s treasure of a living faith in Jesus Christ as the incarnate Word of God. Neither have I read a book that so powerfully compels me to engage in the Church’,s declaration for a preferential option for the poor. As Pope Francis insists: “,if the Church disowns the poor, she ceases to be the Church of Jesus: she falls back on the old temptation to become a moral or intellectual elite.”, If the Synodal Church is looking for a primer textbook it need look no further. There is an eight week course of formation cascading off these pages and that is just one of the many possibilities that will ensure that it stands a good chance of being highlighted and anno - tated to death. The possibility of this book gathering dust on a shelf is simply inconceiv - able. Heed the author’,s own invitation in his intro - duction: “,Come in and wander around. See where the gaps are, ask your own questions. Join the conversation.”, Willie Slavin

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The Catholic Post. July 2022. Page 11. ",Each of us has a role to play in transforming food systems for the benefit of people and the planet. If we do not want to jeopardise the The global food system is broken. It doesn’,t work for those who work the hardest –, small farmers –, and it’,s a major driver of the climate emergency. But it doesn’,t have to be this way. Communities who work with us are leading the way, growing food in ways that are good for people and the planet. We are urging the UK government to fix the food system. Here are 8 things you didn`t know about our food system 1. Our food system is bad for the planet, our common home The way we grow, produce and transport food is responsible for around one third of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Huge quantities of pesticides and fertilisers are made using fossil fuels. Forests and rainforests are cut down or burned to make huge areas available for rearing cattle for meat and dairy or to grow soya to feed the animals that we want to eat. Since 1990, around 420 million hectares of forest have been destroyed. This is 17 times the size of the UK. “,We had not realised just how big a mistake we had made by moving away from the traditional ways of farming of our forefathers. We had become disconnected from nature, but now we are going back to it again.", Alpona, an eco farmer in Bangladesh 2. Small-scale farmers have little choice over what they grow Five of every six farms in the world consist of less than two hectares, operate only around 12 percent of all agricultural land, and produce roughly 35 per cent of the world`s food. So small-scale farmers are efficient at producing food. But the domination of huge companies known as agribusiness means that they often face little choice about what they grow or how they grow it. 3. More than half of some crops are grown to feed animals reared for meat Four corporations control 60 per cent of global seed sales, and vast areas of the same crop are grown for export, because they are profitable. For example, as much as 80 per cent of all the soya grown across the world is fed to animals that are being reared to provide meat. The UK imported about 3.5 million tonnes of soya beans in 2019 and over half of that ended up in chicken feed. Community land is taken away by these giant businesses, leaving the small FIX THE FOOD SYSTEM farmers with small plots, which reduces their options. Pesticides are used widely, harming people and depleting the soil. 4. Millions of people who produce our food are living in poverty themselves Around 800 million people go hungry each day and the majority of them are those who grow the world’,s food. Three-quarters of people facing hunger in the world are living in rural areas and most of them depend on agriculture for their livelihood. 25 per cent of people in Africa are affected by hunger –, the continent with the highest proportion. Of course, hunger is an issue in the UK too, with 9 per cent of adults experiencing food insecurity in January 2022. 5. One third of the food we produce is wasted Around one-third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted. That’,s 1.3 billion tonnes of food every year being thrown away globally. The land it takes to provide just the food that we throw away is bigger than the size of India, and the water it takes is equivalent to 300 million Olympic swimming pools. One study found that, in the UK, 9 per cent of strawberries and 19 per cent of lettuces grown ended up as waste. 6. But we produce enough food to feed everyone! To feed the current global population, we need to produce 3.7 billion tonnes of food per year. We are currently producing 4 billion tonnes per year. 7. In the UK we are reliant on other countries for our food Around half of the food we eat in the UK comes from other countries, including 80 per cent of our fruit, 50 per cent of our vegetables, and all of our rice! 8. Returning to traditional ways of farming can help In rural Bangladesh, small farmer Alpona is growing food in a different way. After her community received training from CAFOD in organic farming, things changed quite dramatically: “,We had not realised just how big a mistake we had made by moving away from the traditional ways of farming of our forefathers. We had become disconnected from nature, but now we are going back to it again. ",I get a great deal of vegetables and fruits from my organic farming, which is enough for the family to eat, and which I can sell at the market too. Our village has become a lot greener and healthier after so many of us shifted to organic farming, and the soil has greatly improved.”, Pope Francis is calling for a change to our food system Join CAFOD`s new food campaign A man holding his cow-peas grown from seeds donated by Caritas Uganda. Photo credit: Tommy Trenchard health of our planet and our entire population, we must encourage active participation in change at all levels and reorganise food systems as a whole.”, Pope Francis on World Food Day 2021 How you can play your part to fix the food system We need alternative food systems that help tackle the climate crisis rather than fueling it and that put people first. But rather than supporting these alternatives, the UK government is backing big businesses that are putting profit first and accelerating the climate crisis. For example, from 2013-2019 the UK spent at least £,125.5m of aid money in Nigeria on fossil fuel-based fertiliser, which was five times as much as it spent supporting local farmers. Urge the UK Government to keep the promises it made at the COP26 climate talks last year and support agricultural systems that tackle the climate crisis as well putting local communities first. CAFOD celebrates 60 years with special Mass at St George’,s Cathedral CAFOD is 60 years old this year, a milestone that was marked with a special Mass at 12.30pm on Friday 10 June at St. George’,s Cathedral in Southwark, London. The acclaimed London Community Gospel Choir, which has backed stars such as Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Gorillaz and Kylie Minogue, will sing at the Mass, celebrated by Bishop Stephen Wright from Birmingham and a Trustee of CAFOD. The event will be live-streamed. CAFOD traces its origins to a team of women, led by Jacquie Stuyt and Elspeth Orchard, who came together with Catholic women’,s organisations to organise the first Family Fast Day in 1960. The initiative was so successful that two years later, CAFOD was registered as an official charity. Sixty years on, CAFOD has a woman director, Christine Allen, who is leading the organisation’,s work around the world helping those who are facing poverty, inequality, conflict or climate change. “,As we look ahead, I am especially inspired by the number of young people participating and engaging in CAFOD,”, said Allen. “,Many of them are of an age to be around to celebrate our 100th anniversary. “,At the Mass we will be giving thanks for their work, as well as that of our global partner organisations, and CAFOD volunteers, supporters and staff, past and present. At this time of war, climate change and the food crisis that is resulting, the need for the help we can give has never been greater.”, cafod.org “,As we look ahead, I am especially inspired by the number of young people participating and engaging in CAFOD”, CAFOD Director Christian Allen with two former directors Chris Bain and Julian Filochowski. “,We had not realised just how big a mistake we had made by moving away from the traditional ways of farming of our forefathers. We had become disconnected from nature, but now we are going back to it again.", Alpona, an eco farmer in Bangladesh

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Page 12. The Catholic Post. July 2022. Parish Matters As a reader of the Catholic Post, I have been intrigued by what it Is telling us about the life of the Church in this country. So far, I am seeing an acute sense of relief, and pleasure, that we do have a Catholic Newspaper at all. I am also sensing a broad range of views about what being a Catholic means in these incoherent times. I detect a sense that the barque of Peter is perhaps bearing a close resemblance to a rudderless ship, and I may just be pushing my luck a little too far by suggesting that the bulk of the responsive readership shares my eternal gratitude for the old age pension. The astute observer will have guessed that I have been drawn to ‘,Letters to the Editor’, which has compelled me to single out Anthony Hofler’,s thoughtful and thought provoking letter on the subject of evangelisation in the most recent issue. I was immediately translated back to Speaker’,s Corner at Marble Arch in early 1960’,s listening to Frank Sheed and Maisie Ward, stalwarts and heroes of the Catholic Evidence Guild, taking on all comers in debate about Catholic teaching every Sunday afternoon, hail rain or shine. That was a tough act to follow but it was based upon the assumption, still prevalent in Vatican II’,s Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity’,s focus on ‘,subjects of controversy’, which Anthony Hofler highlights,that evangelisation was about winning the argument. While no one, especially myself, could fail to be impressed by the Sheed and Ward, CEG, example, it set the bar too high and left mere mortals in awe. Around the same time, American Evangelist Billy Graham was filling Earl’,s Court Arena or Wembley Indoor Stadium, night after night for a month. That was the way it was done in those days. A narrow focus on the power of oratory. Fast forward to 2002, the Bishops’, Conference of England Wales commissioned and endorsed a report ‘,Evangelisation in England and Wales’,, written by Rev Dr Philip Knights CMS and Mrs Andrea Murray of Ushaw College. The report was based on an extensive piece of research and drew upon the then Church’,s own understanding of what evangelisation meant at the start of a new Millennium. It sees evangelisation as an understanding of ‘,the life of God’,s people expressed in personal conversion, ecclesial renewal and social transformation.’, A whole new perspective, indicative of a great deal of post Vatican II introspection. As a measure of just how far we have moved in our relations with other Churches, to take just one example, we need look no further than p11 of the same issue (June 2022 edition) where we read about the historic joint Declaration of Friendship between the Catholic Church and the Church of Scotland based on our shared faith in Christ. We read that the Declaration also recognises the divisions of the past, apologises for the hurt and harm caused and seeks to make amends, asserting ‘,we repent and ask forgiveness of one another - a far cry from the language of Vatican II’,s ‘,subjects of controversy’,. As Knights and Murray (p20)•, suggest, the change is more about method rather than doctrine. Patient dialogue as opposed to dialectical debate. We might even be witnessing to the first fruits of a synodal Church? Anthony Hofler highlights ‘,a lack of awareness of the basic contents of the faith among many Catholics.’, May I recommend Raymond Friel’,s book, ‘,Formation of the Heart –, The WHY and How of being a Catholic today’,, reviewed in this issue of The Catholic Post. •, Evangelisation in England and Wales –, a report to the Catholic bishops -Philip Knights &, Andrea Murray Published by the Catholic Communication Service –, ISBN 0 905241 24 X Ukrainian Catholic Eparch visits University Catholic Chaplaincy as support for students is discussed On 31st of May 2022, the Ukrainian Catholic bishop to the UK and Gibraltar, Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski, visited the University Catholic Chaplaincy to learn about the facilities there and to discuss provisioning of pastoral support for Ukrainian Catholic students at Cardiff University. While none of the students are themselves refugees of the Ukrainian conflict, many of them are closely related to those directly impacted by the current crisis, with friends and families having lost homes and loved ones. Although Ukrainian Greek Catholics have their own style of liturgy, they are in full communion with Rome and during these trying times look to the wider Catholic Body for support as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine continues. The work of the University Catholic Chaplaincy is to provide pastoral and sacramental care to all Catholics, regardless of what Rite. The primary purpose of our working together with Bishop Kenneth going forward will be to try to find a way of providing care for Ukrainian students which respects their own tradition and language. rcadc.org Many of them are closely related to those directly impacted by the current crisis Inspired by the Holy Spirit London university students con fi, rmed Two Poles, one Spaniard, one Colombian, one Indonesian, and one Ghanaian walk into a chapel. You might be tempted to think it was the cast list for the old joke ‘,an Englishman, an Irishman, and a Scotsman walk into a bar’,, revised and updated for the 21st century. Not so, rather, these were the confirmandi from across the London universities (and one from the Redemptoris Mater seminary), who were sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of confirmation by Bishop John Sherrington in the Strand Chapel of King’,s College London on May 25th, 2022. In a beautiful service aided by the wonderful choir of King’,s, the catholicity of the Church and the rich diversity of London university life were made manifest on this joyous occasion. Angelina, Nicholas, Kuba, Maria, Patryk and Michael had attended a series of classes, which I led at Newman House, and under the supervision of Fr Philip Miller. All baptised Catholics, for a number of different reasons, they had not yet received the sacrament of confirmation, however, in putting themselves forward for the sacrament at an age more usually associated with a drift away from the Church, they testify to a positive counterculture that exists within London university life and which finds its focus at Newman House. Across all the London universities there are students, aided by an international group of chaplains, who are seeking to grow in their faith and their understanding of it, and who gather for worship, socials, catechesis, and to minister to the poor. Some of the events occur within the particular universities, but there also a number of events at which students from the different universities come together, especially at Newman House where Catholic students from across the London universities, live, pray, and worship together. These students represent a real sign of hope for the Church, not only in this country, but in the countries many will return to after their studies. They show that where young minds are stimulated in the pursuit of truth, students Diocese of Westminster These students represent a real sign of hope for the Church, not only in this country, but in the countries many will return to after their studies from a host of different disciplines, will find themselves drawn to the source of all truth, and love him. Diversity, in order to be truly celebrated, has to find some common unity, these students have found that in Christ, and so they have grown in love of him and of one another over the course of the year. Please pray for them that they may live out the faithful witness they have pledged in preparation for this sacrament, and which they have now been empowered by the Spirit to live out. Fr Toby Lees OP Photo: Fr Lorenzo Andreini Willie Slavin MBE

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The Catholic Post. July 2022. Page 13. Children at a Coventry primary school have become the city’,s first to try out an award- winning initiative which transforms playtime into an outdoor adventure designed to promote children’,s health and wellbeing. Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School has unveiled its Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) play areas to its 420 students following eight months of staff training and volunteer support from the community, with children keen to pull on their wellies and explore. The new facilities have been made available to increase the variety of activities available during playtime and lunchtime and have a positive impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of children. Sacred Heart, which is part of the Romero Catholic Academy, was the first school in Coventry to sign up to the initiative, and is one of only a handful so far across the West Midlands to put the scheme into action. The new play areas –, which include a water area, mud kitchen complete with pots, pans and aprons, a construction zone, sandpit, quiet spaces, and a woodland trail –, were created thanks to support from staff and parents who volunteered their time, and local businesses which provided additional labour and materials. Martins Fixings donated 20 tonnes of play sand, P Murphy and Sons Construction provided labour and tools to dig the sand pit, and Jaguar Land Rover provided volunteer support from eight staff members for the creation of the construction zone, which includes a play car, pallets and piping for children to experiment with their imagination. Jason and Kofi in Year 2 said: “,We love the sandpit. It’,s our favourite part and there’,s so There’,s so much more to do and it makes lunch time so much fun Coventry children are city`s fi, rst to have break time transformed into outdoor adventure much to do with your friends. You can do whatever you want.”, Alexa in Year 4 said: “,It’,s amazing and really fun. I’,ve already been in the sandpit and making chocolate cakes in the mud kitchen, and some friends have been climbing trees in the woodland trail. There’,s so much more to do and it makes lunch time so much fun.”, Twelve of the school’,s play enablers and teachers were enrolled on OPAL’,s mentoring programme, where since September they have received in-depth training on risk/benefit evaluation and how to facilitate and develop play literacy, ahead of overseeing play across the new facilities. Sophie Newman, at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, said: “,It’,s incredible to see the instant impact that our OPAL facilities have had on playtime, with children exploring with their friends and making new ones in the process, and letting their imaginations run wild in what is a crucial part of the school day. “,As the project continues, we’,ll be continually developing our play offer, so if any individuals or businesses would like to support the project in any way, we’,d be delighted to hear from them. “,We’,re always looking for extra donations of wellies and equipment such as push chairs, fancy dress and toys, but at the moment we’,re specifically looking for donations of compost for our tyre planters. “,I’,d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has supported this project by volunteering their time and sending donations to get OPAL up and running, and to the OPAL team for helping us completely transform playtime here at Sacred Heart.”, sacredheart.coventry.sch.uk Paul Madia, Executive Principle of Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, with Claire Harrison OPAL Play Co-ordinator, Sophie Newman, PE and OPAL lead, and children exploring the new OPAL facilities The Commissioning of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion On Saturday 7th May the Archdiocese of Southwark was pleased to resume the Commissioning Days for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion after an absence because of the Covid 19 pandemic Eighteen people from 8 parishes join Monsignor Matthew Dickens and Canon Luke Smith at The Friars, Aylesford for a day of recollection and instruction for their new ministry concluding with their commissioning during Mass The next commissioning day for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion will be at The Metropolitan Cathedral Church of St George –, Southwark on Saturday 8th October 2022. Archdiocese of Southwark Parish celebrates a century of Catholic witness The Parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Stephendale Road, Fulham marked a century of Catholic worship and witness with a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, on Sunday, 22 May. The church was built near the Thames, on a parcel of land that was once a rubbish tip, to serve the local Catholic community. The area at the time housed workers who were employed at the nearby docks and their families, who were mainly struggling to make ends meet. The land was purchased by Mary Clare Bodkin, a local woman, in memory of her sixth son Geoffrey who died during the First World War. With financial help from her second cousin, Edward Eyre, she arranged for the building of a church in honour of Our Lady. The church was designed by Benedict Williamson, an architect who had become a Catholic priest. In 1922, the tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered, inspiring Fr Williamson to incorporate Egyptian motifs in his design of the interior of the church. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church was opened on 17th December 1922 by Cardinal Bourne. It is reported that Mary Clare Bodkin presented a silver cup to the first baby baptised and a suite of furniture to the first couple married in the church. Thus it was that a tragedy of the Great War yielded the blessing of a church for the local community. A century later, the church remains a haven of prayer and continues to serve the local parish community. Writing on the parish website, Fr Fortunato Pantisano, Parish Priest, assures all of a warm welcome for everyone of goodwill, adding, ",We have many occasions to thank our Blessed Virgin Mother for her intercessions to her Son, Jesus, in whom we live and move and have our being.", Archbishop’,s House The area at the time housed workers who were employed at the nearby docks and their families, who were mainly struggling to make ends meet Our Lady of Perpetual Help

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Page 14. The Catholic Post. July 2022. Our Global Community Nigeria Owo church attack: Gunmen kill Catholic worshippers in Ondo Gunmen have killed an unknown number of church worshippers in Ondo state, south-west Nigeria. President Muhammadu Buhari said ",only fiends from the nether region", could have done this ",dastardly act",. The armed men entered St Francis Catholic church in the town of Owo and fired at the congregation during a service to mark the holiday of Pentecost, witnesses said. Nigeria has experienced an upsurge in violence in recent months. Kidnappings and attacks have been reported across the vast country. The church has denied initial reports that the priest had been abducted. No figures for the numbers killed in the attack have been officially confirmed. But a doctor at a local hospital, quoted by the Reuters news agency, said that at least 50 bodies had been taken to two hospitals in the town. After visiting the church and hospital, state lawmaker Ogunmolasuyi Oluwole told the Associated Press that children were among the dead. One witness, who gave his name as Abayomi, told AFP news agency at least 20 worshipers had died in the attack. ",I was passing through the area when I heard a loud explosion and gunshots inside the church,", he said, adding that he saw at least five gunmen. In a series of tweets, Ondo state Governor Rotimi Akeredolu called it a ",vile and satanic attack", on innocent people . He appealed for calm urging people not to take the law into their own hands. ",The assailants will be hunted down and they will pay for their crimes,", he added in a message sent after being briefed at the scene. Pope Francis was praying for the victims who had been ",painfully stricken in a moment of celebration",, according to a statement from the Vatican. ",No matter what, this country shall never give in to evil and wicked people,", President Buhari said in a statement. He is in the final year of his two-term presidency and has been criticised for failing to get to grips with the country`s security problems. No-one has said that they were behind this attack, but Nigeria is facing worsening violence by armed groups, the BBC`s Chris Ewokor in the capital, Abuja, says. But Ondo state has, until now, been relatively untouched. Our reporter says that people across the country are worried over the inability of the government to tackle the rising levels of insecurity. Exactly a week ago the head of the Methodist Church in Nigeria was abducted along with two other clerics in the south-east of the country. The Methodist prelate said he paid $240,000 (£,190,000) to be freed with his companions. Two weeks ago, two Catholic priests were kidnapped in Katsina, President Muhammadu Buhari`s home state in the north of the country. They have not been released. In March, gunmen targeted the vital rail link between Abuja and the northern city of Kaduna killing at least nine people and kidnapping dozens of others, many of whom are still being held. ",No matter what, this country shall never give in to evil and wicked people,", President Buhari said in a statement Ondo State governor Rotimi Akeredolu (3rd L) called it a ",vile and satanic attack", BBC News Pope urges politicians: `Please do not lead humanity to ruin` Vatican News Pope Francis once again has appealed to national leaders to seek a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine, which has raged for more than 100 days since Russia`s invasion, and asked all men and women of goodwill to continue to pray tirelessly for peace. Speaking after the Regina Coeli with pilgrims in St Peter`s Square on Sunday, he said: ",I renew my appeal to those who govern nations: do not lead humanity to ruin. Please! Do not lead humanity to ruin!", Referring to the feast of Pentecost which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, he noted that 50 days after Easter, peoples who spoke different languages met and understood each other. ",But today, 100 days from the invasion in beloved Ukraine, the nightmare of a new war has again fallen on humanity! This is the denial of God`s dream: peoples who fight, peoples who kill each other, persons whom - instead of growing closer - are forced from their homes.", Decrying the ongoing conflict of which, he said, we are all well aware, thanks also to the coverage provided every day by the media, Pope Francis said he renews his appeal for the salvation of humanity, ",while the fury of death and destruction continues to rage, and contrapositions are reignited, fuelling an escalation that is more and more dangerous for all.", Urging those in power to change course, he called for ",real discussions, concrete negotiations for a ceasefire and for a sustainable solution.", ",May the desperate cry of those who are suffering be listened to,", he appealed. ",May respect for human life prevail, may the macabre destruction of cities and villages stop.", ",Let`s please continue to pray and to tirelessly commit to peace.", Pope Francis also welcomed the news of a two-month extension of a truce in the war in Yemen between the Yemeni government and the country`s Houthi rebels. ",Thanks be to God and to you! I hope that this sign of hope can be a further step to put an end to that bloody conflict that has generated one of the worst humanitarian crises of our days,", he said. Fighting erupted in 2014 when Iran-backed Houthi rebels descended from their northern enclave of Sadah and took over the capital of Sanaa, forcing the government to flee. A Saudi- led coalition entered the war in early 2015 to try to restore the government to power. More than 377,000 are estimated to have died during the conflict that has caused the world`s worst humanitarian crisis. Pope Francis said: ",Please, let us not forget to think of the children, the children of Yemen: hunger, destruction, lack of education, lack of everything.", I renew my appeal to those who govern nations: do not lead humanity to ruin. Please! Do not lead humanity to ruin! Remembering Irish migrants in London - with love ICN On Tuesday morning a moving service took place in Camden Square, north London, for the blessing of a commemorative bench remembering those who have been part of the Irish Chaplaincy over many years. The new Mayor of Camden, Cllr Nasim Ali and Westminster Auxiliary Bishop Paul MacAleenan were joined by families of former clients, staff, volunteers and friends of the Chaplaincy. Bishop Macaleen offered a reflective homily, remembering the many thousands of Irish people who have migrated to England over the years and their search for belonging and work. Mayor Ali spoke of his gratitude to the centre for reaching out to the Irish community in so many ways. Before the ceremony, a group walked from Euston Station to the centre, in a re- enactment of the journey taken by so many Irish migrants on their arrival in this country. The inscription on the bench reads: `Irish Chaplaincy: supporting and remembering Irish people in Britain since 1957. Their lives touch us all. With love. le grá,.`

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The Catholic Post. July 2022. Page 15. Sport Aston Villa Foundation Trip to Villa Park Fourteen very lucky students (and two even luckier staff!) were out at Villa Park on recently for a once in a lifetime experience. The Foundation has been coming in working and mentoring students and as a reward towards the end of their programme invited 6 schools to take part in a session on the hallowed turf. Walking through the player`s entrance, passing the many trophies on display that in year`s gone by the Villa have won. Then on through the tunnel onto the field of play to the sound of the trumpets that the professionals have was the start of a special few hours for our STACS Year 8s. As the students warmed up and were split up between the different schools, the Tommy`s students did themselves proud throughout the mini football matches, they took part in. Even Mr. Greatrex and Mr. Stephenson found time to have a little kick about at the Holte End having their dreams come true. The coaches were especially complimentary of our students and how they conducted themselves and they have many photos and videos of their special day. Who knows who out of the many talented students we have at STACS could be fulfilling their dreams and get to play for such a top team as the Villa in the future. To finish off such a wonderful day the boys took penalties at the North Stand slotting in some fantastic pens and celebrating in style. Thank you to Tquan, Remy, Darren, Bryan, Chris, Zac, Tyler, Cameron, Jayden, Tesiah, Logan, Alfie, Anderson and David not forgetting Mr. Greatrex and Mr. Stephenson, and a huge thank you to the Aston Villa Foundation Programme for making this dream possible. The Foundation has been coming in working and mentoring students www.stacs.org Year 9 Champions! Congratulations to our Year 9 Bishop Challoner Catholic College Birmingham boys. West Midlands Football Winners 2022.A truly inspiring display of resilience and teamwork. A fantastic spectacle for everyone who watched. Your school are extremely proud of you all boys! Bishop Challoner Catholic College St Benedict`s Tennis star quali fi, es for junior Wimbledon Championships Mika, with her 14U Grass Court National Championships award Mika`s Wimbledon `golden ticket` Photographs: St Benedict`s School A promising young tennis player at St Benedict`s has been given the chance to play at Wimbledon this year, having recently won the 14U Grass Court National Championships. Mika, who is in Year 8 at the school, won the 14U Grass court National Championships in East Gloucestershire, both in singles and doubles, on 30th May. As a result of this huge success she was also awarded a GBR wild card into the 14U international event at the Wimbledon Championships this year! She will therefore compete against some of the best young tennis players from all over the world and the event will run alongside the adult championships at Wimbledon - a hugely exciting prospect for her! In further good news, Mika has also been selected to represent Great Britain at the European Summer Cup, organised by Tennis Europe. Mika said: ",I received a wild card for invitational Championships that will take place at Wimbledon during the adult championships. To qualify for that event players had to win nationals in different countries or win the international at Roehampton that I am playing this week. Both winner and runner-up get a wild card. In the Wimbledon event that I already secured my place for there will be the best juniors 14U from around the world. Also, representing Great Britain at the Summer Cup, is a great honour.", Annika Broome, head of Tennis at St Benedict`s, said: ",This is wonderful news for Mika! She has contributed a lot to St Benedict’,s sport since she joined us in the Junior School and continues to do so in the Senior School. We look forward to seeing her progress and want to wish her the best of luck as she is currently competing at the Tennis Europe 14 &, U at Roehampton this week.", As a result of this huge success she was also awarded a GBR wild card into the 14U international event at the Wimbledon Championships this year! St Benedict`s School

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Page 16. The Catholic Post. July 2022. CRYPTIC Across 1 Samuel`s crafty man, cursed sailor almost catches fish (7) 5 When in Paris I discover Ecclesiasticus` Ben Sira (5) 8 Paul`s detailed letter describing the Empire (5) 9 `Papae Sixti nisi est` is translated in chapel (7) 10 Move against female martyr (7) 11 One of two helping David find themselves amongst rabbit tails (5) 13 American girl`s written first 18 for the 8 Church (6) 15 Abram`s Amorite ally, Chloe`s opposite (6) 18 Microphone, small American contribution to St Cecilia`s art (5) 20 Abram`s servant high priest announced `easy`, being first to Rebekah (7) 22 Girl, old golfing type, attends Baptist chapels (7) 23 Savings account he`s almost sacrificed (5) 24 Chaplain of Artillery`s name is forgotten (5) 25 Morning, is he wrong in thinking there are no Gods? (7) CRYPTIC Down 1 Parry`s hymn from John`s first letter includes line in dubious measure (9) 2 Some Old Testament volumes (7) 3 Had Ulster divided, all over Jacob`s daughter (5) 4 Vehicle to get to old Number One: was it Ave Maria for him? (6) 5 Society of 5 business types follow the first person in speaking French (7) 6 Being second in the East End isn`t one of the blessed dead (5) 7 View bishop`s domain (3) 12 Sick with icy rum, plying, 8s said, this part Aegean coast (9) 14 One relative, the first maybe to describe lepers in the Bible (7) 16 Old footballer swapping cap? It`s over for one writing 18 for the 8 Church (7) 17 Biblical country, to scupper Siamese, partly invaded (6) 19 Angel is originally sadistic, and threatening and nasty (5) 21 One quiet small US state imbibed whiskey (5) 22 Tooting, when passing over an abbey in France? (3) QUICK Across 1 Friend of Amnon, `a very shrewd man` (7) 5 Another name for Elymas: Bar - -- -- (5) 8 Empire which ruled Palestine and Asia Minor in NT times (5) 9 Chapel of the Vatican whose ceiling was famously painted by Michelangelo (7) 10 First Christian martyr (7) 11 Leader of the Gittites (5) 13 Orlande de - -- -- -, with Palestrina and Victoria, the three giants of late medieval Church 18 (6) 15 Vale where the Israelites cut a cluster of grapes as proof of the Promised Land`s bounty (6) 18 Integral aspect of many church services (5) 20 Son of Moses and Zipporah (7) 22 Name applied for a group of 19th century nonconformist chapels (7) 23 The second patriarch, son of Abraham and Sarah (5) 24 Priest who is a member of a cathedral chapter (5) 25 Lack of belief in the existence of God or gods (7) QUICK Down 1 Holy city for Jews and Christians and Muslims (9) 2 Fourth book of the Pentateuch (7) 3 Daughter of Leah and Jacob (5) 4 Ferruccio - -- -- -, one of many to have composed a version of Ave Maria (1877) (6) 5 Followers of Ignatius of Loyola (7) 6 Holy person deemed worthy of canonization (5) 7 Bishopric (3) 12 8 province from 27 AD, covering much of the eastern Adriatic and Balkan interior (9) 14 Having a physical or moral blemish so as to make impure (7) 16 Maurizio - -- -- --, important early 17th century composer and maestro di cappella at Bologna (7) 17 OT empire created by Cyrus the Great and destroyed by Alexander the Great (6) 19 Adversary of God, tempter of mankind, master of Hell (5) 21 Scots Gaelic (5) 22 Influential Benedictine abbey of Normandy at the time of the Conqueror (3) 2-in-1 Crossword by Axe You can use both sets of clues to solve the puzzle: the solutions are the same. SOLUTION A day in the life of a priest in Kyiv Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is currently providing Mass stipends to support priests in Ukraine who are caring for a flock under bombardment. These stipends support almost 1,900 Catholic priests across the country, including 137 from the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Archdiocese in Kyiv. But what is a day in the life of a priest like in the Archdiocese of Kyiv, during the war? “,In our archdiocese priests are on a rota and take turns to serve. I have been back in the capital for two months,”, Archpriest Vitaliy Herasymiv, Treasurer of the Archdiocese of Kyiv, tells ACN. “,To begin with I visited people from my parish who had stuck it out here the whole time. Only a few of them stayed in their houses. I brought them food parcels, but also offered them the sacraments, confession and the celebration of the Liturgy.”, After celebrating the Divine Liturgy, the priest takes time to chat over tea and coffee. There is a lot to talk about, and talking helps heal wounds, and drive away fear. With the help of Social Services, who have a list of internally displaced people, Fr Vitaliy also organises the distribution of humanitarian aid. He even set up a humanitarian support centre in his parish. The week before Easter he visited soldiers at checkpoints, that is also part of the work. “,We prayed together, we asked God to protect them and to protect Ukraine and prayed for peace in the world. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic auxiliary Bishop Josyf Milyan of the Kyiv Archeparchy also visited soldiers and civilians who had been affected.”, However, the situation in the capital is still tense. “,Kyiv remains restless. Some days ago, several missiles struck a residential building. There are serious problems with fuel. Most petrol stations are closed, and at those which are open you can only put in 10 or 20 litres. There are very long queues,”, Fr Vitaliy says. He confirms that all the priests in his diocese receive some sort of help, such as Mass stipends. Many priests also receive humanitarian aid for their parishes. Aid to the Church in Need There is a lot to talk about, and talking helps heal wounds, and drive away fear But there are still other needs that must be meeting, the Archdiocese of Kyiv is now looking for help to buy vehicles for a number of priests. “,There are priests who do not have a car, or whose car is in very poor condition. In times of war, it is very important that the priest is mobile and can reach people and provide humanitarian or spiritual help,”, he tells ACN. And at some time in the future the priests, who are now busy helping others, may need help themselves. “,Many of them have been under a lot of tension and stress the whole time, and have experienced terrible things. Priests give out to people, but they also must get strength from somewhere,”, he says, thoughtfully. In conclusion, he passed on a message of thanks to all ACN’,s benefactors: “,In the name of the auxiliary bishop, Josyf Milian, and all the priests of the Archdiocese of Kyiv, I would like to say a heartfelt ‘,thank you’, for your financial and prayerful support of our archdiocese during the war. May God reward you.”, Maria Lorenzo Across: 1 Jonadab, 5 Jesus, 8 Roman, 9 Sistine, 10 Stephen, 11 Ittai, 13 Lassus, 15 Eshcol, 18 Music, 20 Eliezer, 22 Bethels, 23 Isaac, 24 Canon, 25 Atheism. Down: 1 Jerusalem, 2 Numbers, 3 Dinah, 4 Busoni, 5 Jesuits, 6 Saint, 7 See, 12 Illyricum, 14 Unclean, 16 Cazzati, 17 Persia, 19 Satan, 21 Irish, 22 Bec.

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