Catholic Post History
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Sept 2022 edition of the Catholic Post
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SEPTEMBER 2022 Edition 9 page 11 page 4 page 13 When the air raid sirens go o ff, the people are forced to seek shelter in the basement First Holy Communion children led in worship by a brand new choir Martyr saints return to Cardi ff, for 3 day visit Education Sunday is a significant occasion in the calendar of the Church in England and Wales. This year, it falls on 11 September. Taking place at the start of the academic year, this day offers an opportunity for us to pray to Almighty God for all people involved in Catholic education, to celebrate the achievements of the past and to ask Our Lord to bless the work of the year ahead. The theme of this year’,s Education Sunday is ‘,Enlightening the Mind’, and is based on the Gospel acclamation for that day: “,May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our mind, so that we can see what hope his call holds for us”, (Ephesians 1:17,18). In St John’,s Gospel, Our Lord teaches us: “,If you make my word your home you will indeed be my disciples, you will learn the truth, and the truth will make you free”, (John 8:31,32). Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the revelation of his word, is ‘,the foundation of the Education Sunday offers an opportunity for us to pray to Almighty God for all people involved in Catholic education, to celebrate the achievements of the past and to ask Our Lord to bless the work of the year ahead. Enlightening the Mind whole educational enterprise in a Catholic school. His revelation gives new meaning to life and helps man to direct his thought, action and will according to the Gospel, making the beatitudes his norm of life’, (Cf. The Catholic School, Dicastery for Catholic Education, §,34). The enterprise of Catholic education, whether in the home, school, college or university, is built on the belief that it is God our Father who enlightens the eyes of our minds. Through his gift of grace, he enables us to discover him and come into a relationship with him in Christ, the one source of all truth and freedom. For truth enlightens our intelligence and shapes our freedom, leading us to know and love God. A Catholic education facilitates truth and freedom above all when it places the Eternal Word of God, Jesus Christ, at its centre. When blessed with enlightened minds, not only are students able to learn to grow and walk in the light of truth but they can share, too, the freedom and hope it brings with their family, their communities and, as they pursue their vocation, with the world in which they live and work. The Church teaches that we begin to reach our full human potential when we respond with open hearts to the Lord’,s call and to the vocation which he desires for each one of us. As the Gospel acclamation affirms, with enlightened minds we can see the great hope that his call holds for us. I wish to thank all those past and present who have worked, and continue to work, faithfully to place the person of Jesus Christ at the heart of their work in educational institutions, and to make them centres of enlightenment, hope, and virtue. On this Education Sunday, let us give thanks in prayer for all the staff in our Catholic schools, colleges and universities, and pray that our lives will be enlightened always by the truth which comes from the Eternal Word of God. + Rt Rev Marcus Stock Bishop of Leeds Chair of the Catholic Education Service cbcew “,May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our mind, so that we can see what hope his call holds for us”, (Ephesians 1:17,18). Picture source catholiceducation.org.uk S a i n t R o b e r t B e l l a r m i n e F e a s t D a y 1 7 S e p t e m b e r
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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. September 2022. From the presbytery.............. by Fr Neil McNicholas How good and pleasant it is when God’,s people live together in unity! Psalm 133 The title of papal documents is usually taken from their opening words in Latin. This one begins “,Desiderio desideravi...”, (“,I have earnestly desired”,) quoting the words spoken by Our Lord at the Last Supper: I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer (Luke 22 v 15). It’,s a very interesting document but not, perhaps, only for the reasons the Holy Father intended. Writing in the Church Life Journal, Shaun Blanchard quotes Archbishop Augustine DiNoia O.P. as saying: (The liturgical movement) was recognized at Vatican II as the work of the Holy Spirit and became the basis for a massive overhaul of the liturgical life of the Church. Pope Francis is right to see in the support for the pre-conciliar liturgy at best a form of nostalgic dalliance with the old liturgy and at worst a perverse resistance to the renewal inspired by the Holy Spirit and solemnly confirmed in the teaching of an ecumenical council. I find it hard to understand how anyone could have a “,nostalgic dalliance”, with a form of celebration that ended nearly sixty years ago and which has never, therefore, been part of the experience of younger adherents. The rise of the likes of the Latin Mass Society, and of priests here and there continuing to celebrate Mass using the pre-conciliar 1962 missal, thereby seemingly rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit guiding the Council, eventually brought about an attempt, out of “,paternal solicitude”, (as Pope Francis refers to it) on the part of his predecessors, Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, to “,facilitate ecclesial communion”, by allowing the Latin Mass to be celebrated in specific and regulated circumstances. However, that concession appears instead to have “,widened the gap, reinforced divergencies, and encouraged disagreements that were injuring the Church”,, and so in July of last year (2021) Pope Francis issued a papal executive order restricting the celebration of the traditional Latin Mass even further. Clearly, however, those restrictions were being disregarded to the point that, less than a year later, he found it necessary to issue Desiderio Desideravi to reinforce his earlier directive. I suppose it’,s only to be expected that Pope Francis very diplomatically doesn’,t specifically mention the issues that had prompted the letter, or orders dissenters to basically do as they have been told. Instead it leaves us, especially we priests, to read between the lines. In reference to the Mass, he says: I want to invite the whole Church to rediscover, to safeguard, and to live the truth and power of the Christian celebration. I want the beauty of (it) not to be spoiled by a superficial and foreshortened understanding of its value or, worse yet, by its being exploited in service of some ideological vision, no matter what the hue. I think that sets the scene for what follows and the Holy Father’,s call not just for unity, but for fidelity to the eucharistic celebration approved by the Second Vatican Council and endorsed over the years by the teaching authority of the Church. Also, basically, it is a call to humble obedience. The action of the celebration does not belong to the individual but to the Christ-Church, to the totality of the faithful united in Christ. The liturgy does not say “,I”, but “,we”,. Let us always remember that it is the Church, the Body of Christ, that is the celebrating subject and not just the priest. This is clearly a comment on the fact that the eucharist should be celebrated according to the norms laid down by the Church and the rubrics in the missal, not the personal preferences or tastes of a minority acting against that authority. It’,s the people who suffer whenever things are not done as they should be because it causes confusion and division. The celebration (of Mass) concerns the reality of our being docile to the action of the Spirit Let us abandon our polemics to listen together to what the Spirit is saying to the Church. Let us safeguard our communion. It is a total contradiction of what the Mass is all about for a priest to stand at the altar and celebrate a traditional Latin Mass because he doesn’,t agree with the Church’,s requirement that he celebrate it in the way authorised by the Council. In order to reinforce what he has said, Pope Francis also addresses the need for students for the priesthood to experience liturgical celebrations that are “,exemplary from a ritual point of view”, - not only that students be taught how to celebrate Mass as it should be celebrated, but also that any leanings toward the traditional Mass should be challenged before they are ordained (though where that might have come from nearly sixty years after Vatican II remains a mystery). In including in the document his thoughts on the art of celebrating, Pope Francis was underscoring the need for best practice and making the point that celebrating Mass according to the 1962 missal is not only unacceptable from that point of view but is also no longer permitted, therefore on both counts it should not be happening. The art of celebrating must be in harmony with the action of the Spirit. Only in this way will it be free from the subjectivisms that are the fruit of individual tastes dominating. Both the Vatican II document Sacrosanctum Concilium and the General Instruction of the Roman Missal make the point that the priest “,is the servant of the Sacred Liturgy”, and doesn’,t have the authority to change anything in the Mass according to his personal preference. It was the Council of Trent that defined the principle of ex opera operato –, that “,every sacrament properly administered confers the grace intended from God”, regardless of the disposition of the priest. Still this would seem to raise a question (and this is just my personal thought) concerning a traditional Mass being celebrated in defiance of the Church’,s teaching and therefore what is the disposition of the priest not to mention that of the people knowingly and intentionally attending such a Mass? In conclusion, emphasizing the importance to the unity of the body of Christ of the communal celebration of the Eucharist according to the mind and teaching of the Church, Pope Francis says: With this letter I simply want to invite the whole Church to rediscover, to safeguard, and to live the truth and power of the Christian celebration. Let us abandon our polemics to listen together to what the Spirit is saying in the Church. Let us safeguard our communion. All this under the gaze of Mary. Mother of the Church. Reading between the lines the document is more than just an invitation, but will it be seen and taken as such this second time around? Regarding “,Desiderio Desideravi”, I want to invite the whole Church to rediscover, to safeguard, and to live the truth and power of the Christian celebration - Pope Francis
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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 The Catholic Post. September 2022. Page 3. Turn to Our Lady with con fi, dence In the heart warming words of Sr. Lucia, visionary of Fatima, she tells us: “,There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.”, In those difficult days Our Lady reassured the children: “,Don’,t lose heart. I will never forsake you. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God.”, She told them : “,I am the Lady of the Rosary. Continue always to pray the Rosary every day.”, Her request and her promises echo down through the years to us all, gently promising her tender care and intervention wherever she hears our cry. Sr. Bernadine of Siena lovingly told us “,You must know that when you “,hail”, Mary, she immediately greets you. She is utterly courteous and pleasant. If you greet her, she will answer you right away and converse with you.”, Such complete reassurance of the reception with which our prayers are greeted. Such warmth and tenderness, and such wonderful assurances of Our Lady’,s dedicated attention to every word that she hears from us. Pledge to the Holy Rosary: O Blessed Rosary of Mary, Sweet Chain which unites us with God, bond of Love which unites us with the angels, tower of Salvation against the assaults of hell, safe port in our universal shipwreck, we will never abandon you. You shall be our comfort in the hour of death: Yours our final kiss as life ebbs away. And the last word from our lips will be your name. O Queen of the Rosary, O dearest Mother, O Refuge of Sinners, O Sovereign Consoler of the Afflicted. May you be everywhere blessed, Today and always, On earth and in Heaven. (Blessed Bartolo Longo) www.crownofthorns.org.uk email: office@crownofthorns.org.uk Third trip to Ukraine to deliver aid Three vans filled with essential aid for the people of Ukraine left the Archdiocese of Liverpool Friday, 22 July. This will be the third trip that the archdiocese has made to the Ukraine/Polish border since launching the #Liverpool4Ukraine appeal earlier this year. The vans will deliver items such as dried food, medical supplies and building tools to Bishop Gregory Komar, from the Ukrainian diocese of Sambir-Drohobych, who will take the goods for distribution in the Lviv region of western Ukraine. Bishop Gregory is the auxiliary bishop of the diocese and has a close association with the Archdiocese of Liverpool. Since the appeal launched back in March, the archdiocese has delivered over 1,000 boxes of donated goods to Bishop Gregory. The third trip sees six volunteer drivers from the Liverpool Archdiocesan Offices –, they are Chief Operating Officer, Martin Miller, Safeguarding coordinator, Mark Robson, financial controller Andrew Davis and Accountant Darren Melling. Mike Sharkey and Leanne Westcott from archdiocese supplier Greenmount Projects will drive the other van on what will be Mike’,s third journey. Martin Miller said: “,Since we launched the #Liverpool4Ukraine appeal in March, we have been absolutely overwhelmed by the support of the people of the archdiocese who have donated goods, money and their time to make this appeal so successful. “,I am really looking forward to the journey as I am acutely aware of what we will be carrying and why we are going. We continue to pray for the people of Ukraine on a daily basis and being able to help in this way shows a physical expression of our prayer. “,We are in regular communication with Bishop Gregory and on every trip we have refined the aid that we have delivered to reflect the requests of the people of Ukraine so they are getting items they so desperately need.“, The archdiocese partnered with local organisations to help make this trip possible. PSD Vehicle Rental provided three vans for the journey, Greenmount Construction supplied building tools and Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust donated medical aid. The food supplies being taken on this third consignment have been financed by donations from the appeal which has so far raised over £,134,000. Donations are still welcome and more details of how to donate can be found here: www.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/ukraine- support liverpool catholic.org.uk We have been absolutely overwhelmed by the support of the people of the archdiocese who have donated goods, money and their time to make this appeal so successful Keith Morris Over 30 young people have celebrated either their First Communion or Confirmation at Sacred Heart Parish, St Ives, this summer. A First Communion Mass was celebrated in June at Ives by Fr Thomas Walton, pictured below. Nineteen children had been prepared over the year by Mrs Downham who has been a catechist in the parish for 21 years. Bishop Alan Hopes administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 12 candidates in May, pictured above. This was the first Confirmation in the parish since before the lockdown. Young people celebrate in St Ives parish Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald will celebrate Mass at the St Margaret Clitherow Centre on Friday 22 July at 8.00 am and will bless the vans and the drivers before the departure.
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Page 4. The Catholic Post. September 2022. Ukraine Sisters open doors to refugees Sisters in Lviv have converted part of the orphanage they run into accommodation for internal refugees –, who they are supporting with help from a Catholic charity. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is helping the Handmaids of the Immaculate Virgin Mary to feed and clothe 30 IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) from Mariupol, Kharkiv, Zaporizhya and other parts of eastern Ukraine. Running an orphanage, the Sisters are used to working with children and have been striving to help IDP children deal with the trauma of living through the war. Women and children make up 80 percent of all internal refugees. The Handmaids of the Immaculate Virgin Mary are one of the 23 women’,s religious By John Newton orders in Lviv Archdiocese –, all of which have opened their houses to take in refugees. ACN is supporting the work of the Sisters in the archdiocese with more than £,60,000, so they can continue to help those who have lost everything. The Handmaids of the Immaculate Virgin Mary are also providing spiritual support for their guests as well as seeing to their material needs. One of the Sisters tells us: “,In the evenings we pray the Rosary together with our guests in the convent chapel. “,And when the air raid sirens go off and the people are forced to seek shelter in the basement, we go down there with them and pray the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet together with them, asking God to protect us all in his providence.”, Women and children make up 80 percent of all internal refugees The Cathedral Church of St Barnabas, or Nottingham Cathedral, is not just a busy parish church in the heart of Nottingham City Centre but it is also the mother church for much of the Catholic Community here in the East Midlands. In 2019 the Cathedral celebrated its 175th anniversary and around this time Bishop Patrick asked the Cathedral Chapter to look at establishing a group of ‘,Friends.’, The idea being this group would support the Cathedral Church in its mission within the city and diocese, through prayer, financial support and encouraging social and cultural opportunities. The project took on more importance as plans began to develop more formally to restore original Pugin design work the Cathedral and to look at the redevelopment of the whole Cathedral site as a ‘,hub for mission’, in the heart of the City, and at the service of the Diocese. So, in December 2021 ‘,The Friends of Nottingham Cathedral’, launched with a celebration of the first vespers for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, one of our diocesan patronal feasts. ‘,The Friends’, now see its role as being one of sharing the spiritual, cultural, historical and architectural riches of the Cathedral to the Catholic Community and further afield. Amidst the regeneration Work it seeks to help raise the profile of the Cathedral but also support initiatives to protect, restore and promote its precious patrimony. Since December, activity has centred on providing considerable support for the incredible and prestigious ‘,Happy and Glorious’, concert to mark Her Majesty the Queen’,s Platinum Jubilee in June. Given the considerable costs involved in staging this event with an orchestra, multiple ‘,guest’, and home-based choirs, ‘,The Friends’, were pleased to be able to underwrite the event financially, through their own funds and securing local sponsorship. They were also delighted to support many practical elements of the evening from stewarding, to writing programme notes and serving refreshments. With overwhelmingly positive feedback and participation from both ‘,regulars’, and those who had never set foot in the cathedral before, it was clear that this event had ‘,put the Cathedral on the map’,, deepened relationships with local civic actors and provided a focal point of celebration and unity for the City and County. As an added bonus, we also raised over £,1000 in donations to Emmanuel House during the interval, as well as strong ticket sales for the event itself! At the end of June, ‘,The Friends’, hosted its inaugural Summer lecture with Sophie Andreae, CBE, DSG, FSA, IHBC Speaking on ‘,Hidden Treasure: The Beauty of Our Catholic Churches’,. It was a lively and detailed education on our Catholic Architecture post- reformation in England and Wales, with a specific focus on local Churches of note such as the Cathedral, Woodthorpe, Hassop and St Mary’,s Derby. The occasion also provided an opportunity to enjoy a leisurely glass of wine with friends. ‘,The Friends’, have committed to project managing the acquisition, development and launch of a new Cathedral website. We hope this will launch at the end of the year and provide a new and engaging ‘,touch point’, for all have an interest in the life, mission and history of our cathedral church. ‘,The Friends’, have also commissioned a set of high-quality photos and video content to support the new website, but also wider promotional and grant activity around the Cathedral. In the months ahead, ‘,The Friends’, have a series of tours, talks and an exhibition of Pugin vestments planned to coincide with the National Heritage Open Days in September The historical information being gathered for these Heritage Days will contribute to the development of a hub of knowledge and expertise on the Cathedral Church. In December we will celebrate the First Vespers of The Immaculate Conception, patroness of our diocese. An inaugural ‘,Winter Lecture’, is planned hoping to take a deep dive into the design, architecture and history of the Cathedral. And there are ambitious plans in the pipeline to engage with the City’,s ‘,Light Night’, seeking to highlight, or should we say, to illuminate the Cathedral’,s presence in the city. It is an exciting enterprise at the Cathedral and ‘,The Friends’, hope that their work will be of service and a source of pride for the Catholic community here in the East Midlands. It is hoped that these plans and activities will also showcase the beauty, richness, life and mission of our Mother Church and our Catholic faith with our City, county and region. This spiritual and architectural gem, nestled on the busy Derby Road for over 175 years, is a gift for all people in the region. ‘,The Friends’, mission is simply to find new, creative and compelling ways to preserve and share that gift. If you would like to find out how to become a ‘,Friend of Nottingham Cathedral’, or to be kept informed of ‘,Friends’, events, visist www.goodshepherd-arnold.org.uk/events- friends.php ‘,The Friends’, are also looking for people with specific expertise and interest in communications, fundraising, community engagement, heritage conservation or architecture to join their management committee. To express interest in volunteering in this way, please send a short letter of interest with a brief note of your experiences/qualifications to Mrs Anne Verdon, Secretary of ‘,The Friends: anne.verdon@dioceseofnottingham.uk dioceseofnottingham.uk Bishop Patrick asked the Cathedral Chapter to look at establishing a group of ‘,Friends.’, Friends of Nottingham Cathedral raising it`s pro fi, le
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The Catholic Post. September 2022. Page 5. Young Downham quartet receive fi, rst communion In June, the Parish of St Dominic’,s Church in Downham Market received its first set of children for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion since the Covid pandemic. Janelle Cleghorn reports. Fittingly on Sunday June 19, Corpus Christi –, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, sisters Amicie and Ayana, along with Jonas and Nicolas, witnessed by a dynamic and diverse congregation, received their First Holy Communion from Parish Priest, Fr Erico Falcã,o. It was a momentous celebration to mark a journey that started in October 2021 when the children had their first catechism session with Catechist, Lourdes Luyten-Coelho, whose dedication, care and support to the children was truly meritorious. The children attended sessions weekly during term time, either in person at the Church’,s Parish Rooms or virtually over Microsoft Teams. Their resilience, dedication and passion for learning were evident and commendable. They overcame Covid along the way, managed catechism lessons alongside their own school and personal schedules, and, most importantly, developed a beautiful friendship amongst themselves. In putting their learning into practice, the children led the procession into church, participated in the readings and recited the Prayers of the Faithful, which they had collectively agreed upon during their last catechism session. After receiving their First Communion, the children along with Fr Erico, led a procession to the Altar of Our Blessed Mother and engaged in prayers to our Holy Mother. Before the Concluding Rites, Ayana and Jonas delivered a heartfelt thank you address to the whole church for witnessing and joining the celebration of their First Holy Communion. After Mass, a celebration was held in the Parish Rooms where the children were treated to a breakfast and a specially personalised cake, baked by their Catechist and decorated by the Church treasurer, Janelle Cleghorn, in their honour. Some attendees had travelled from across Britain, whilst others were nationals of Albania, Belgium, Belize, Colombia, India, Iran, Lithuania, Mexico, the Philippines and Spain. It was a glorious celebration and coming together for the candidates and for the Church. Keith Morris They overcame Covid along the way, managed catechism lessons alongside their own school and personal schedules, and, most importantly, developed a beautiful friendship amongst themselves The four young Candidates, renewing their baptismal vows UKRAINE EMERGENCY ACN has now pledged more than £,4 million in aid to help priests and Sisters as they minister to refugees and others caught up in the chaos of the conflict. Please pray for them, and help us support our Church project partners ministering to those suffering following the devastating bombardment of towns and cities. Sheltering in the basement of a children’,s hospital in Kyiv Sh elt ering f r om bom bs in a c onv ent ba sement F le e i n g Ir p i n u n d e r h e a v y s h e l l i n g Praying for p eace Photo: Kristof Holvenyi P h ot o: K r is t of H ol v e nyi Ca t h o l ic Bi s h o p H o n cha r u k a nd O r t h o d o x Bi s h o p M ytro fan o n a h o spi t a l vis it 12-14 Benhill Avenue, Sutton, Surrey SM1 4DA Aid to the Church in Need A22P3CO A registered charity in England and Wales (1097984) and Scotland (SC040748) Please photocopy this form if you do not want to cut your copy of the Catholic Post. Rev/Sr/Mr/Mrs/Miss................................................. 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Signature strip code (last block of digits): _ _ _ ( _ ) Issue No: _ _ (Maestro) Signature: ......................................................... . 0345 646 0110 | www.acnuk.org | acn@acnuk.org Donations can also be given online at https://acnuk.org/uk22p World Youth Day 2023 After years of anticipation following the coronavirus pandemic, the WYD Organising Committee has announced that it will take place in Lisbon next summer. The event is expected to follow the standard schedule, beginning with an Opening Ceremony and Mass on Tuesday, August 1st and concluding with a Papal Mass on Sunday, August 6th. Throughout the week, pilgrims will have opportunities to attend Catechesis, Masses, and Youth Festival events from concerts and film festivals to Adoration and prayer nights. Details about WYD’,s largest events are expected to be revealed as we approach the occasion. The next World Youth Day has recently been announced and will be taking place in Portugal between 1st - 6th August 2023
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Page 6. The Catholic Post. September 2022. `When life is decided by court, humanity is defeated` CBCEW Twelve year old Archie Battersbee died on Saturday 6th August after doctors removed his life- sustaining treatment following a High Court decision. Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, took to Twitter on Saturday to express his sadness. He said: ",I pray for Archie Battersbee and his family. When the life of someone is decided by a court, humanity is defeated: atPagliaAbp atmonspaglia",. Ordinary treatment and care should be provided appropriate to the condition of the patient IMAGES ALONG THE WAY Parish of St Mary and St Catherine Bridport, Dorset Leading up to the March 4 Life in London on the 3rd of September, exhibited in the hall are 4 images from a pro life book which trace the spiritual journey of Fr X. He is not a priest but a man who lost his only child to the abortion choice of his then partner. Through viewing some of these drawings he has recorded in word and meditations his journey into forgiveness and healing. He has shared them with us as his small tribute to the life of his child and in the hope that others might be guided by them. Exhibition continues up until the 3rd Sept, 8-12 am daily except Mondays. The March 4 Life will take place in London on 3rd September. A family friendly and very informative event. Nagasaki Day Commemoration Ceremony at Peace Pagoda The 77th anniversary of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki was commemorated in London recently, with a procession from Westminster Cathedral - following the memorial service for Franz Jagersatter - to the Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park, led by Buddhist monk the Rev Gyoro Nagase with several monks and a nun from the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Order. Singer Brigette Benett sang Yusuf Islam (Cat Steven`s) anthem `Peace Train as the sun set. There were refreshments for those taking part before the evening ended. The Peace Pagoda was presented to London in 1984 by the Venerable Nichidatsu Fuji, founder of the Japanese Buddhist movement, Nipponzan Myohoji. Rev Fuji stated that: ",Civilisation is not to kill human beings, not to destroy things, nor make war, civilisation is to hold mutual affection and to respect one another.", The pagoda features a series of gilt-bronze statues which represent the most significant stages of the Buddha`s life, birth, contemplation leading to enlightenment, teaching and death. Rev Nagase who came to London from Japan in 1978 and was involved in the construction, is responsible for caring for the pagoda. He also regularly campaigns for a nuclear-free world. Jo Siedlecka ICN Civilisation is not to kill human beings, not to destroy things, nor make war. Civilisation is to hold mutual affection and to respect one another Prayers at Peace Pagoda. Image ICN/JS www.marchforlife.co.uk Parishioner celebrates 100th birthday Olga with her card from the Queen Diocese of East Anglia A parishioner from Thetford celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday by attending Mass and being presented with a Papal Blessing. Olga Devonish has been attending St Mary`s Catholic Church for almost 60 years - ever since she moved to Thetford in the 1960s. Throughout the years, she has played an active role in parish life, most notably helping with the St Vincent De Paul Society (SVP). Paul Gilbert, Chair of St Mary`s PPC, said: ",When St Mary`s used to have a minibus that was funded by the SVP, it was Olga who volunteered to be the drivers` assistant, helping those who were sick, elderly or suffering from mobility issues. In fact, it was Olga who was the oldest on the minibus! ",Olga would also volunteer to help those who had difficulties in walking. On the way back from Walsingham, she would organise that the minibus would stop at a fish and chip shop. No one was left out. ",In addition, Olga would often help with fundraising activities for the parish and the local community. When there was a function she would help run raffles. Quite often, if Olga did not see someone as they came into the function, she would get them when they left so that all people contributed to the fundraising efforts. There was no getting away. When Olga had you in her eyes, that was it, there was no getting away from not paying.", Even at her great age, Olga still attends Sunday Mass every week. In fact, she walks (or runs) to and from Mass like a 21-year-old. Paul said: ",Olga is very much a faithful stalwart of St Mary`s and parishioners are very much in awe of her incredible attitude to life. ",She is one of the kindest people there is, and there is nothing that is too much trouble for her. Olga wholeheartedly believes that her strong faith has been a determinant to her longevity and having a positive outlook on life.", Olga was presented with a Papal Blessing to make the occasion even more special and was accompanied by her family. Paul said: ",Olga was overcome with emotion as this was something she never thought would happen to her.", Olga was also pleased to receive the cus - tomary Royal birthday card, signed by Her Majesty the Queen. Olga volunteered to be the drivers` assistant, helping those who were sick, elderly or suffering from mobility issues. In fact, it was Olga who was the oldest on the minibus!
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The Catholic Post. September 2022. Page 7. Cardinal Tagle addresses Lambeth Conference Vatican News/CoE Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle gave an address at the Lambeth Conference which took place at the University of Kent. The Conference takes place every ten years and marks a key moment for discussions about the Anglican Church, world affairs, and the global mission of the Anglican Communion for the decade ahead. Speakers are invited from around the world. The global meeting has taken place every decade since 1867, and consists of one of the four Instruments of Unity in the Anglican Communion. This year`s meeting marks the 15th Lambeth Conference. Speaking at a meeting on the theme: `God`s Church for God`s World - walking, listening and witnessing together`, convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, Cardinal Tagle, who has been Pro-Prefect for the Section of Evangelization of Dicastery for Evangelization at the Vatican since June this year, offered his own reflections with a talk entitled: ‘,The Church of Peter for the Decade Ahead.` Cardinal Tagle began by imagining St Peter`s Letter was addressed to us, the Church, and world we know today. The Letter encourages Christians to remain faithful in beliefs and conduct, and being of one mind, loving, compassionate and humble, despite the risk of persecution and suffering. Cardinal Tagle said he dreams of this reality, this home for the Church today, united as a human family and together with creation, encouraging everyone to dream together to allow the Lord to create this home for the Church. He observed that the Letter is addressed to Christians in the diaspora who were made to feel like strangers or exiles. He asked if we can still feel that reality today as we move towards a future homeland, especially as we can be so set in our ways of being and doing, whereas we are called to be a Church that goes forth and reaches out to others, a Church that is a spiritual home with peoples of diverse backgrounds and cultures through its encounters.This calling brings to mind the displaced peoples of today, Cardinal Tagle continued, the forced migrants, refugees, victims of war, human trafficking and forced labour. They are the new strangers in our midst, often marginalized are scapegoated for today`s problems, he observed. The Letter asks all of us, especially as members of the Church, how we are treating these millions of ",homeless", people and if we are showing the compassion and hospitality that is part of the Christian vocation. Cardinal Tagle lamented that even within the Church we have allowed ethnic and cultural divisions to ruin our spiritual home, making the dream of a common human family ever more elusive for future generations due to our neglect and succumbing to violence and war. Populism has also played in role in this reality, he admitted, as it actually shows disregard for people by deepening polarisation in already divided societies, by categorising entire peoples, groups and societies, especially on social media. He stressed that we must not let culture or religion be used for partisan interests that undermine efforts at fostering positive relationships and creating a human family marked by respect and fraternity. The invitation to walk and live together requires humility, Cardinal Tagle pointed out, and our diversity comes from our culture of origin and not only individual freedom and choices. Therefore, Church pastoral leadership needs to better develop its own ",cultural intelligence,", by first reflecting upon our own backgrounds and then by putting ourselves in the shoes of others who express their humanity based on their own cultural backgrounds. Doing so, he explained, can help us do away with any traces of cultural superiority and prejudice, when uncovered and rightly admitted. We can learn from each other greatly by humbly observing one another and learning to appreciate other experiences and cultures that make us who we are. Reading the Gospels, we have many accounts of how much Jesus suffered for his openness and compassion for outsiders, strangers, and public sinners, Cardinal Tagle added, leading to Jesus` condemnation and crucifixion. In conclusion, Cardinal Tagle recounted some of his own experiences that remind him of the Letter of 1 Peter, saying they brought to life a dream for the future here in the present. In one anecdote, he recalled visiting a refugee camp in Greece where he met so many people who risked their lives by fleeing suffering back home. The camp brought together people of every culture, religion, economic, and social background imaginable, but united by their journey from desperation to safety and seeking a brighter future for their children. He spoke with a town governmental official while there and discovered she was not there in any official capacity, but instead donating her time in the camp. She told him: ",My ancestors were refugees too. I have refugee DNA. These refugees are my brothers and sisters.", That struck him profoundly and marked a teaching moment of how to think and walk humbly with others and allow God through us to build a common home, marked by compassion and fraternity. Church pastoral leadership needs to better develop its own ",cultural intelligence,", by first reflecting upon our own backgrounds Bishop Hendricks visits one of the UK’,s youngest Imams at an Ahmadiyya Mosque in London CBCEW On 19 July 2022, members of the Bishops’, Conference Secretariat accompanied Bishop Paul Hendricks, Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark, to The Baitul Futuh Mosque in Morden, south west London. The delegation was invited to the mosque, the central complex for the Ahmadiyya community, by Imam Sabah Ahmedi –, one of the UK’,s youngest Imams and a prominent young faith leader. Imam Ahmedi was born and raised in Manchester, before studying in London for seven years at Jamia Ahmadiyya UK –, an international Islamic seminary and educational institute of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Today he uses social media to advocate for an improved understanding of Islam and works collaboratively with the UN and other young faith leaders to engage in positive religious dialogue using digital channels. The Ahmadiyya movement is an Islamic revival movement originating in Punjab, then-British India, in the late 19th century. It was founded by Mizra Ghulam Ahmad who is said to have been divinely appointed by Allah to renew Islam. Mizra Ghulam Ahmad founded the community emphasising the essential Islamic teachings of peace, love, justice, and the sanctity of life. Today, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the world’,s largest Islamic community under one divinely appointed leader. The community spans over 200 nations with membership exceeding tens of millions, and according to Imam Sabah, is currently the fastest-growing religion in the world. The visit was organised to build foundations for a relationship between the Bishops’, Conference and the Ahmadiyya Islamic community in England and Wales. Mission Adviser, Elliot Vanstone, was a member of the Bishops’, Conference delegation: “,We started off with a tour around The Baitul Futuh Mosque, one of the largest Mosques in Western Europe. Construction of the Mosque was completed in 2003 at a cost of around £,15 million –, a sum raised entirely from donations from the Ahmadi community. “,The Mosque is the central complex for the Ahmadiyya community that prides itself on its fantastic outreach work and serves as a true base for the local community. The design of the mosque resembles a more traditional Islamic design fused with modern British architecture. This typifies the mentality of the Ahmadi community –, to embed themselves within the local culture and become a flourishing part of the local network. “,Sabah himself is involved with numerous outreach projects due to his presence on social media and appearances on national TV. He frequently contributes to programmes such as GB News and This Morning talking about the Islamic faith and misconceptions that sometimes circulate around the mainstream media. “,The community has an in-house radio station that broadcasts 24/7. One of their many positive initiatives engages younger Ahmadi Muslims and aims to stop the youth diverting into anti-social behaviour, making them feel part of the whole Ahmadi community. “,The mosque also hosts the weekly Friday Sermons delivered by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, Mizra Masroor Ahmad, who is the current and fifth leader of the faith, with the official title ‘,Fifth Caliph of the Messiah’,. The Friday sermons are broadcast across a global television network and subsequently relayed over the radio throughout the week. “,The tour was educational, and we discussed the separate prayer rooms for men and women that were designed to preserve modesty as prayer is conducted in a prostrated manner. Imam Sabah explained to us that the design of the mosque was focused on ‘,simplicity’, so that everyone present would focus on the preacher and their own prayers and meditations.”, Bishop Paul Hendricks, who had visited the temple previously, said Grace before a shared meal –, a remarkable moment as visitors and hosts prayed together. Whilst eating, the group looked to the future and the opportunity to build stronger engagement and dialogue between the Ahmadiyya Muslim community and the Bishops’, Conference Mission Team. Bishop Hendricks and the Bishops’, Conference Mission Team plan to return the favour and invite Imam Sabah Ahmedi to visit a Catholic Church. The community spans over 200 nations with membership exceeding tens of millions
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helps to focus and identify benefits and savings. Savings are not only £,£,, but they also include carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas that is making a huge contribution to the Climate Change crisis. AND remember sustainability means having the environmental, social, and economic aspects in place, it’,s not one of these versus the others! Also, several dioceses have adopted Environmental Policies. You can use these to help you compose your own parish environment policy. Your Green Team can share your suggestions with the parish –, always keep them up to date with what is happening, some may join in as well. Make some posters to display at your church giving details of what you are going to do. Include in your parish liturgy. You don’,t have to know all the answers at this stage, they can be different for each of us, but there are many that have common themes and lots of advice is available. You can do this for your parish buildings &, grounds and/or for your own homes as well. There are plenty of resources available, from Laudato Si Movement, Journey to 2030, Laudato Si Animators, the Laudato Si Centre, the Ecological Conversion Group and others. YOUR PEST, OUR PROBLEM. For all your advertising requirements please contact Natasha on 01440 730399 Natasha@cathcom.org Page 8. The Catholic Post. September 2022. Dear Editor The “,Catechism of the Catholic Church,”, paragraph 837, refers to people who are in the Church in body but not in heart. Most Catholics in parts of the world such as ours are not in it bodily, either, as Mass-attendance showed long before Covid-19. Catholic population statistics are misleading because they include the lapsed (“,non-practising,”, in the anodyne preferred official ‘,newspeak’,) and people who “,can even be called non-believers", (Synod of Bishops XIII Ordinary General Assembly, “,The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith,”, 2012, “,Instrumentum Laboris,”, Preface). My mother knew someone who, although at Mass weekly, said “,I’,m a Catholic but I don’,t believe in life after death.”, It is common to hear “,I’,m a Catholic but...,”, at which point the speaker rejects theological or moral doctrine, such as that a spouse who Letter to the Editor All correspondence to Letters to the Editor to be sent by post to Bellcourt 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. enters into a new sexual union while still bound by a sacramental marriage, is “,in a situation that objectively contravenes God’,s law”, (“,Catechism of the Catholic Church,”, paragraphs 1650 and 2384). “,Numerous Catholics in many countries”, have done that (ibid., paragraph 1650), infected by the “,plague of divorce”, (“,Gaudium et Spes,”, paragraph 47). Pope St. John Paul said that it is so firmly rooted that attempts to promote matrimonial indissolubility may seem almost not worth while, “,yet it is indeed worth the effort!”, (Address to the Roman Rota, 28th January 2002). Instead of such effort, Governments help to spread the plague by making divorce easy to obtain. Apparently recently, a campaigner against a different evil said that elimination of it is possible only if more people know that it exists (“,Catholic Post,”, August 2022, p.11). Knowledge is not enough, elimination depends on disapproval, and even that is not enough unless given practical effect. Every ‘,practising’, Catholic knows of endemic lapsation. Some are ‘,relaxed’, about it. Many of those who are troubled by it are probably at a loss to know how to combat it. A recent initiative invites still-practising Catholics to join in a simple collaborative effort of prayer to rescue the lapsed and bring in people who have never been in the Church. It evokes the story of Freddie Jones and Our Lady of Banada, and details are obtainable from www.truedevotions.ie, or by e-mailing john@truedevotions.ie Anthony Hofler, Wolverhampton * Are you concerned about injustice in our world? * Do you feel the need to take action and make your voice heard? * Would you like support and encouragement? If the answer is yes, then please look at what the National Justice and Peace Network (NJPN) has to offer. The National Justice and Peace Network is a grassroots body with Catholic roots, working with groups and individuals of all faiths and none, who share its aims and values. It is based in England and Wales. The network offers: * Opportunities for action, * Access to related agencies, * Information sharing, * Friendship, solidarity and mutual support. Setting Up A Green Team In Your Parish Leeds Diocesan J&,P Climate Action Group write: Pope Francis’, messages in Laudato Si’, have been clear in the need for us to protect our beautiful but fragile world. They ask us all, collectively, and individually, to: consider the way we look at creation pray about this identify and stop practices that cause damage start new initiatives to improve our environment, and then reset our lifestyles. It can all seem a bit daunting but there are many ways for us to engage with Pope Francis’, call. So how do we start? One of the best ways is to form a Green Team in your parish. The Green Team could look at aspects of our lives in the parish and at home and work. Such as: Energy - how much gas &, electricity do we use? Some dioceses already arrange ‘,green’, electricity and gas for the parish buildings. Agriculture - what food do we eat &, where does it come from? Transport - how do we get to work &, school? Rewilding - what flora &, fauna live here? Commodities - what can we do without, which things are we reusing and recycling? Eco-friendly products - what environmentally harmful products should we stop using? The next stage is to decide which one(s) to begin doing something about. Use the 5R principle –, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Renewable energy, and especially Refuse to buy. This An Invitation from the National Justice and Peace Network Leeds Diocesan J&,P Climate Action Group
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Please support our Advertisers The Catholic Post. September 2022. Page 9. Frank Goulding For all your advertising requirements please contact Natasha on 01440 730399 Natasha@cathcom.org SUNDAY TIMES TOP 50 PREP SCHOOLS OPEN DAY FRIDAY 14 OCT Independent Catholic primary school and nursery welcoming boys and girls aged 2 - 11. Small classes and affordable fees. Scholarship and 11+ success. 01892 783414 www.sacredheartwadhurst.org.uk Caritas Bakhita House is ‘,victim-centred, not time-centred’,, Karen Anstiss tells Peter Stanford in The Telegraph Magazine. Opened in 2015, Bakhita House, the refuge in the Diocese of Westminster for victims of modern slavery, has given shelter to 158 women from 46 countries. With space for up to 12 women at a time, the home offers them safety and support to begin the healing process. Unlike other refuges for victims of trafficking, there are no limits as to how long guests can stay at Bakhita House as they recover from their experience and try to rebuild their shattered lives. The holistic approach taken focuses on the needs of each guest to provide her with the support she needs for her physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual wellbeing. Each guest is offered counselling and a range of therapies to help her in her healing process and to rediscover ‘,an inner freedom’, to enable her to rebuild their lives. Some of the guests were exploited by people who took away their passports and forced them into lives of slavery. Without access to Bakhita House -Refuge for victims of modern slavery, documents, money or a recourse to English, it became difficult for them to seek help. One guest, who was featured in the article, attempted to seek help from a policeman, but as she could not speak English, she was arrested instead for ‘,her erratic behaviour’,. Guests are accompanied during their time of healing by the staff, volunteers, and the other guests offering friendship, compassion and companionship. When they are ready, they are also offered education and training opportunities. And, when they are ready to move on, whether that is to return to their home country or to move into independent accommodation, they are supported in taking the next steps. The care that the staff provide is best summed up by another guest, who taking Karen’,s hands, said in the interview: ‘,These are the hands that have taken my hands so I can swim. I was drowning. They have taken hold of me and held me safe, like a life-belt.’, The profile of Bakhita House by Peter Stanford appeared in The Telegraph Magazine on Saturday 30th July 2022. Cardinal Vincent Nichols was entrusted by Pope Francis with leading the Santa Marta Group, the Church’,s response to the scourge of human trafficking and modern slavery. It was the Cardinal’,s wish that there should be a practical expression of this work in the Diocese of Westminster, which led to the opening of Caritas Bakhita House as a refuge from women rescued from modern slavery. Find out more about the work of Caritas Bakhita House please visit caritaswestminster.org.uk Please support the work of Caritas Bakhita House visit rcdow.org.uk/donations/bakhita- house/ rcdow.org.uk `Please open your hearts to those caught in slavery today, understand and respond, and then you can make a difference` –, Cardinal Vincent Nichols www.st-josephscranleigh.surrey.sch.uk No limits ... Just Possibilities Education, Care and Integrated Therapies across 52 weeks for young people Aged 5 - 19 with Autism, Complex and Severe Learning Difficulties Both Care and Education positions available! Talk to us about joining our fantastic team and supporting our young people! St Joseph’,s Specialist Trust Tel: 01483 272449 Email: office@st-josephscranleigh.surrey.sch.uk Executive Principal - Annie Sutton Follow: atStJoscranleigh My rather basic 1950’,s education was concluded by just 1 year at a then new secondary modern school. I am pleased to report that St John Fisher is not only thriving but it is now a co-educational success in my home town of Wigan. One lesson certainly remained firm in my memory from those days. The lesson was soon after a speech from the Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. Speaking from memory in Bedford in 1957 he indicated that “,Most people have never had it so good.”, My teacher, seemed to use this as a basis to explore what is “,truth”, and what is “,comment”,. In 1957 we had just 2 television channels (ITV was in its infancy) and our newspapers really did report news as distinct from trying to make the news. Social Media was many many years away, the so called “,Swinging Sixties”, had not arrived and church attendance was higher with new places of Catholic worship being built. Four young pupils from one primary school were to attend Up Holland seminary just a few miles away, sadly only one became a priest. Writing this article in early August, I am aware of media speculation concerning the health of Pope Francis after his visit to Canada. I will leave it to others to decide on this but I am confident that he has never had a problem, with what is truth and what is comment. In his message for World Communications Day in 2015 the Pope said the following “,Truth”,. “,A perfect family does not exist. We should not be fearful of imperfections, weakness or even conflict, but rather learn how to deal with them constructively.”, He concluded by saying “,Forgiveness is itself a process of communication.”, My 1950’,s teacher who is now no longer with us would surely agree that in the vital world of communication we should at least attempt to practice this in our own lives. In last months article I wrote about the tough Autumn that our country will face. In early September we will have a new Prime Minister, new policies and lots of “,comment.”, In 2022 we really do need the “,Truth.”, In 2022 we really do need the “,Truth”, “,Forgiveness is itself a process of communication.”,
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Fr Lawrence Lew’,s photographs of sacred art inspire his contemplations of each Mystery of the Rosary. Beginning with a foreword by the Master of the Order, Fr Gerard Francisco Timoner III, O.P., the words and images in this book make the Mys - teries we contemplate vivid and real, helping all of us –, those who pray the Rosary faithfully and those who struggle with the devotion –, to pray with deeper reverence and greater under - standing. Fr Lawrence Lew, OP is a Dominican friar, the Promoter General of the Rosary for the Order of Preachers, and the rector of the Rosary Shrine at Haverstock Hill, London. He is also a well-known photographer. Endorsements “,This informative and beautifully illustrated book is a wonderful introduction to the Rosary prayer, and even more importantly, an irresist - ible invitation to pray it regularly.”, Bishop Robert Barron ",What a truly delightful book on the Holy Ro - sary of Our Lady! The use of illustrations to pray the Rosary is a tried and true aid in pray - ing the Rosary more attentively and `Mysteries Made Visible` will be a great blessing to all who use it.", Fr Donald Calloway MIC, Author of `Champions of the Rosary` ",The Rosary is a crossroads of prayer, confes - sion of the central mysteries of the Catholic faith, and contemplation of saving truths. It can be said in a train station or prayed quietly in a church. Fr. Lew leads us through a beautiful, thoughtful and clear consideration of this most central devotion of the Church. This is a work that will help us pray and a book to give others to invite them to pray.", Fr Thomas Joseph White OP, Rector Magnificus of the Angelicum (Rome) ",Mysteries Made Visible by Fr Lawrence Lew OP is a feast for the heart, the mind, and the eyes. In words inspiringly phrased and images beautifully captured he draws us anew into the ancient prayer of the Rosary. This is a book to ponder and linger over. As we pray with tan - gible beads Fr Lawrence helps us enter the eternal mysteries of salvation.’, The Most Reverend John Wilson, Archbishop of Southwark ",Mysteries Made Visible is destined to become the `go to` book for members of the Confrater - Page 10. The Catholic Post. September 2022. Book Reviews Book Reviews Message of Bernadette Donal Anthony Foley, Mgr Vernon Johnson ISBN: 9781860824869 CTS Product Code: SP23 £,3.50 - www.ctsbooks.org Goal: Give Your Prayer Life a Boost Mysteries Made Visible ISBN: 9781784697334 CTS Product Code: D840 £,12.95 - www.ctsbooks.org In the late 1950’,s Bill and Win emerged into adult life from a society ravaged by World War Two. They met at Durham University and fell in love. Together they longed for a faith that would guide them, in their love for one another, from the shadows of the past into a more secure future. They came from very different backgrounds and they had acquired spiritual hopes and queries without certainties. Moved and intrigued by Jesus of Nazareth, neither of them claimed to truly know who He was or to understand Him. Without finding an answer, they got married. Led by Bill’,s tireless intellect, they would pursue the question. This is a book about the family and its journey of faith. Ruth Evans is a contemplative sister who lives and writes in the diocese of Shrewsbury. She owes her adult spiritual formation to the Poor Clare Order where she lived until the closure of the Poor Clare Convent at Woodchester in 2011. Her life and writings have been strongly influenced by her father Bill`s spiritual legacy, Franciscan theology and the abolition movement in the USA. Sr. Ruth Evans nity of the Most Holy Rosary. By both word and imagery, the Promoter General has fashioned a work that educates and inspires souls to a deeper longing for the Author of all through the lens of the Queen of Heaven.", Dennis Girard, Director, Marian Devotional Movement Suffering is something that the modern world, including many Catholics, finds very difficult to endure or even to understand. What is the point of it? Why would a good God allow it? The Christian response to these questions is one of the underlying messages from Our Lady`s apparitions at Lourdes in 1858, not least through the life of Bernadette Soubirous, the seer of Lourdes, who endured so much suffering in her short life. This classic text by Mgr Vernon Johnson, and updated by Donal Foley for the 150th anniversary of the Lourdes apparitions in 2008, encourages readers to meditate deeply on the cross and the meaning and value of illness and suffering. Time to Delay No Longer A Search for Faith and Love Bill and Win Evans Edited by Ruth Evans ISBN 978 0 85244 927 1 £,20.00 - www.gracewing.co.uk Westminster Diocese launches Collective Imagining Project caritaswestminster.org.uk Schools in Westminster Diocese are exploring a new way to engage students in community outreach and Catholic Social Teaching being offered by Caritas Westminster. Imagining Futures has been launched as part of Caritas Westminster`s 10th anniversary celebrations. This project is designed to encourage audacious collective imagining in schools, to create ambitious visions for the future, and inspire students to take small steps for personal and society change. A two-part project to be completed over two terms, Imagining Futures stimulates students to express a positive, hopeful view of the future through creative arts, and to take social action. It will enhance the Catholic life of the schools that take part and connect students to their local communities, and will start in September 2022. Meriel Woodward Assistant Director of Caritas Westminster,said: ",We are faced with some of the biggest challenges the human race has ever faced, climate change, inequality, mass migration, war and polarising politics, and our response is often fear. But it is well known among cognitive scientists that fear triggers fight or flight receptors and causes our brain to shut down. The result is anxiety and apathy at a time when action is needed more than ever. ",Messages of hope on the other hand, open up the mind to creative solutions.", She continued, ",It is young people who often have the greatest capacity for creativity and for cutting through to share the message. Imagining Futures will bring people together to dream for a better future. ",As Pope Francis said in Let Us Dream: `We can start to discern, to see new possibilities, at least in the little things that surround us, or that we do each day. And then, as we commit to those small things we start to imagine another way of living together, of servicing our fellow beloved creatures. We can begin to dream of real change, change that is possible.` ", Imagining Futures has been designed by educational experts, with experience in bringing the values of Catholic Social Teaching to young audiences. In the first term, students will be given a space to exercise their collective imaginations and envision a hopeful view of their local community in ten years` time. The students will express that vision through the creative arts, whether that be traditional artwork, sculpture, poetry, prose, playwriting, or any other medium that they and their teacher sees fit. In the second term students will take small but meaningful steps towards this vision by planning and enacting a social action project in their local community. In seeing the impactthey can have, students will learn that the vision they imagined is not only possible but one they can (and should) have a hand in working towards. The whole experience will give students a good basis of Catholic Social Teaching, and it stands alongside Caritas Westminster`s other programme for primary schools, Caritas Ambassadors, which has been gaining in popularity in Westminster Diocese since its inception three years ago. Pilgrim France David Baldwin CTS Product Code: D840 £,9.95 - www.ctsbooks.org Whether you are a pilgrim with a specific destination, or a holidaymaker looking for the nearest beautiful shrine, this book contains everything you need. More than 30 different places are profiled. France is often called the eldest daughter of the Church, and her communion with Rome goes back to the 2nd century AD. Many places of pilgrimage have grown up in the subsequent nineteen centuries of faith. Some are world-famous, like Lourdes, Ars or Lisieux, while others are less well known. In this comprehensive yet readable guide, practical advice on travel and accommodation is perfectly combined with stunning colour photography and history, to make this the perfect volume to carry with you while travelling through France. Whether you are a pilgrim with a specific destination, or a holidaymaker looking for the nearest beautiful shrine, this book contains everything you need. More than 30 different places are profiled. Please support our Advertisers
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The Catholic Post. September 2022. Page 11. The Cambridge Cornerstone Bible uses the English Standard Version Catholic Edition. It includes all 73 books of the Bible accepted by the Catholic Church, in the same order as the Septuagint. The text is a generous size for ease of reading and presented in paragraph format, with section headings. At the front of the Bible is a family record section and at the back is a section of maps and plans depicting the world of the Bible. The Bibles are beautifully produced, printed on India-style paper and fi,nished with gilt edges for a traditional look. Choose between smooth and supple faux leather and luxury cowhide. www.cambridge.org/bibles/bible-versions/english- standard-version/esv-ce-cornerstone-text-bible The Cambridge Cornerstone Bible ESV-CE Catholic Edition Black faux leather 978-1-009-08740-7 | £,70.00 Burgundy faux leather 978-1-009-08739-1 | £,70.00 Black cowhide 978-1-009-08738-4 | £,115.00 •, Complete Catholic Bible •, ESV-CE translation, approved by the Catholic Bishops •, British spelling and punctuation they were seeking to arrest him the crowds, because they held prophet. the parable of the wedding 22 , And again Jesus , spok parables, saying, ², , , “,T of heaven may be co king who gave , a wedding feast ³, , and , sent his servants c to call tho invited to the wedding feast, bu not come. ⁴, , , Again he sent other s ing ‘,Tell those who are invited St Wilfrid’,s Singers: Our newest parish choir! dioceseo fl, eeds.org.uk Children making their First Holy Communion at the Parish of St Wilfrid in Ripon on Sunday 17 July were led in worship by a brand new choir of their peers from St Wilfrid’,s Primary School. Accompanied by Organist Chris Davis, Choral Director Will Bruce conducted the young singers in a church he described as ‘,Packed to the rafters!’, Mass was celebrated by Parish Priest Canon Ian Smith, who was impressed by the choir’,s high musical standards, as well as their reverent behaviour, as they led the congregation, including their Head Teacher Mrs Allen, in singing the Blessed Christopher Wharton Mass for Voice and Organ: a contemporary Mass setting originally written for the Bradford Catholic Youth Choir and the schools of the Blessed Christopher Wharton Catholic Academy Trust by Tom Leech, the Director of the Diocese’,s Schools Singing Programme. Combining the best of ancient and modern in liturgical music, the Offertory Motet was the joyous Cuncti Simus Concané,ntes, from the collection of 14th century Catalan pilgrim songs known as the Llibre Vermell de Montserrat and then it was back to reflective contemporary sacred music with Margaret Rizza’,s Song of Mary for the Communion Motet. This year is a special one for St Wilfrid’,s Church and School, as it is the 1350th anniversary of St Wilfrid himself consecrating his first church in Ripon, part of which still exists under the later Cathedral. The plan is for the new St Wilfrid’,s Singers to sing at Mass on a more regular basis and for other parish and school events and concerts, as well as to continue singing for fun and in fulfilment of their school’,s music curriculum. The school is one of several benefiting from the Diocese of Leeds Schools Singing Programme (SSP) which has recently expanded into most schools, thanks to the generosity of a grant from the Hamish Ogston Foundation. The educational and social benefits of singing are well known and the SSP offers musical, academic and broadcasting opportunities to children of all faiths and none in our Catholic schools, regardless of their background. The Singing Programme also enables an even closer relationship between school and parish, and brings many young people and their families back into church, back into the parish community, back into the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist –, and in many cases back to a renewal of faith and of Mass attendance. Congratulations to the St Wilfrid’,s Singers for such a successful debut as a parish choir –, as well as to all the young parishioners making their First Communion! Congratulations to the St Wilfrid’,s Singers for such a successful debut as a parish choir –, as well as to all the young parishioners making their First Communion!
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Ukrainian Welcome Centre o ff, ers safe haven to those fl, eeing war Six months after Russia`s invasion of Ukraine, according to UN figures, some 12 million people have fled their homes. Seven million are internally displaced and over five million have left for other countries. Recent government statistics show that more than 100,000 Ukrainians have arrived in the UK to escape the bloodshed. CBCEW/Jesuits in Britain Newly-arrived Ukrainians face considerable challenges to settle outside their homeland and need support to access services, find accommodation and integrate into the community. The UK already has a significant Ukrainian community who are helping those settling in Britain. A `Welcome Centre` has been set up in London by the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family in partnership with the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain. Based in Weighhouse Street in central London, the Centre is a single point of contact for essential information for arrival, settling and long-term living in the UK. Director, Andriy Marchenko, explains: ",Our centre aims to support Ukrainians as they arrive in the United Kingdom. They need to settle, they need to get all their documentation ready, they have to send their children to schools - the majority of those who are coming are mothers with children. They need to find proper accommodation, they need social support, they need to find jobs, they need practical help to start life anew - even if it is for a little while.", Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski, Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy, (Diocese) of the Holy Family of London, describes the centre as ",true community outreach.", He said: “,Here in the UK, through the work of so many people, we are providing a place that is safe allowing people to keep their dignity…, It`s a place of welcome for those fleeing and also for those who are sponsoring people who have opened up their homes and their hearts. Here in the UK, through the work of so many people, we are providing a place that is safe allowing people to keep their dignity Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski Photo by Bonnie Kittle on Unsplash Page 12. The Catholic Post. September 2022. I write this on the Feast of St. Clare the temperature being 30c in the garden and not much cooler indoors. The garden is dry and the water butt is currently empty and a hose pipe ban imminent. It would seem that our world is plagued - covid, rising prices and quite a different world from that we experienced a couple of years ago.The price of petrol has escalated and most of us are topping our tanks more often so that it costs less to keep our tanks full. But what about our spiritual tanks? Are they full or maybe running half empty or even on red? There are certain natural laws in our lives - if no money goes into our banks then there is none to take out, if we do not put petrol into our cars then they will not run. The same being true of our spiritual life, if we do not pray then we have no spiritual power. We know that for certain Satan has strong powers in our world, we are all tempted to sin and if we have no spiritual power and spiritual wealth we may over come by sin. The circumstances of our lives make many demands on us. Who knows if tomorrow something will come which will try our temper or challenge us and our courage. There may come a sudden demand to be patient, and we are impatient. Something tempts us to lie and we do. Why does this happen? It could be simply that our spiritual From: The Hermitage…,…,........ tanks are half full, or even running on red, we may be spiritually bankrupt and we may make a demand on capital that does not exist in our spiritual accounts. Maybe our spiritual bank and that of the Church is empty - maybe we are not working hard enough in our discipleship and missionary discipleship. To keep our spiritual tanks fully topped firstly there needs to be a discipline in our prayer, a great love of Our Lord in the Holy Mass and Blessed Sacrament and a striving to daily grow ever closer to our Lord. Maybe the heat is on us - but despite this we as individuals and as members of Christ’,s Body must not be fatigued. Fr. David H.D.N Hermitage of Our La dy &, Saint Benedict Summer camps help refugee children fi, nd a safe home Bishop John with the children. Image: CBCEW On 1 August, Bishop John Sherrington visited the Syria Summer Camp, an educational, fun and therapeutic event for children from refugee backgrounds hosted by Newman Catholic College and supported by Caritas Westminster. Now in its sixth year, it was initiated in 2016 by Amanda Wooster as a summer activity for refugees who came from places such as Syria and Afghanistan. Bishop John shares his experience of the visit. I was warmly welcomed by Inayat and Anisa. Inayat, a young man and student at Newman Catholic College, whose name means `bounty, kindness, favour`, enthusiastically introduced me to other groups of young people at the Syrian Summer Camp. Anisa, an older woman, known as Auntie, whose name means `pleasant companion` was a quiet and comforting presence with us throughout the day. Sister Silvana from Caritas Westminster, a passionate and dedicated promoter of the summer camp, had organised the visit and accompanied us. We first met the young lionesses, younger children, being coached by a QPR woman trainer. Many had watched the Women`s Euro football final on Sunday evening and wanted to follow in the women`s footsteps. They were enthusiastic about football, if a little shy in our presence. The next group were waiting patiently to travel by train to London Zoo. The boys were keen to see the lions which were their favourite animal but were worried that the lions might be asleep and hidden in their lair. Caritas Westminster Inayat introduced us to a group of boys who were discussing the meaning of culture. With origins in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and other countries, they talked about whether they had grown up in a city or a rural area, the meaning of flags, sport and the culture they had left behind. They said that London was a safe place for them and that was more important than many other things. Learning English to communicate was at the heart of this activity. Football crossed all boundaries. Sr Silvana spoke about women footballers being paid less than men and asked whether this was right? Most accepted the difference! A further group of teenage boys and girls were exploring the meaning of their names. Each told me their meaning which was beautiful and very moving. I learnt that Fatima, daughter of the Prophet, was translated as `flower`. They were painting a symbol of their names to express the meaning. Many included light and sun, though some were much darker. I was asked about the meaning of the white collar in my shirt. I explained that it is a sign of being a bishop or priest. `What does a ring mean,` I asked? They spoke of marriage and love. I said a bishop`s ring is a sign of the love of Christ and his Church. Sr Silvana explained the meaning of her ring of consecration as a woman religious. We then discussed some common elements of Christianity and Islam, pilgrimage, prayer times, almsgiving and charity, but didn`t get into detail about our views of the person of Jesus Christ. We also learnt that Ramadan is a much harder fast than Lent! The boys were keen to see the lions which were their favourite animal but were worried that the lions might be asleep and hidden in their lair It`s a place of welcome where we work closely together with other non-government agencies and governmental agencies to provide information, counselling and even community for those who are fleeing.", Several clergy from Ukraine have also joined the cathedral. Many do not speak fluent English, but the Jesuit Fund for Social Justice is providing funding for language lessons, and a stipend for one member of clergy. Deacon Ihor Dyahyk, who was visiting London when war broke out, is now learning English, which will enable him to take a more effective role in the life of the cathedral. He particularly works with younger members of the congregation, organising trips and other activities. He told us “,I want to be a full member of British society so I must be fluent in English.. The bishop has also given me responsibility to work with the Chancellery, where most of the documents are in English.",
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The Catholic Post. September 2022. Page 13. Pupils at a Coventry primary school took parents on a trip to Neverland in a musical retelling of a beloved tale at a city centre theatre. Year 5 and 6 pupils at St Gregory’,s Catholic Primary School, part of the Romero Catholic Academy, took to the stage at the Albany Theatre in Coventry for a performance of Pantastic, the award- winning Peter Pan musical adaptation. The young performers kicked off the play with a musical exploration of what it means to grow up and how wonderful it would be to stay young forever before retelling the plot of J.M Barrie’,s classic story complete with a host of musical numbers. The production included songs such as ‘,Nobody Wants to Grow Old’,, ‘,Here in Neverland’,, ‘,Tick Tock Crocodile’,, and ‘,Peter Pan is missing’,. Nicola McGuigan, parent, said: “,It was a thoroughly enjoyable performance from the first scene to the last. It was wonderful to see everyone given a chance to be able to shine. “,Not only was I very proud of my son on stage, but it was also great to see year 5 and 6 working as a team and bringing their A-game. “,The children were a credit to the school and you could tell everyone had worked very hard to put on an incredible performance - congratulations to all involved.”, Megan Scullion, Associate Principal at St Gregory’,s Catholic Primary School, said: “,Pantastic was a brilliant way to mark the end of the school year, with parents, families, friends and colleagues not just joining in to www.stgregorys- coventry.org.uk watch the performance, but supporting with rehearsals and helping us to put on a great show. “,To be able to perform at the Albany Theatre was a real privilege and added an extra layer of magic to the show, and I’,d like to thank everyone involved and congratulate the students on their efforts.”, Vicky Basterfield, Creative Engagement Lead at the Albany Theatre, said: “,It is always a pleasure for us to have local schools perform at the Albany Theatre, and we are thrilled that St Gregory’,s performance of Pantastic was a hit with parents. “,School performances are a fantastic way to get children involved in the arts, and we would love for this to inspire young people at St Gregory’,s to pursue theatre outside of school, whether at the Albany Youth Theatre or any of the great performance companies and groups in the city.”, For more information about St Gregory’,s Catholic Primary School visit https://www.stgregorys- coventry.org.uk It was a thoroughly enjoyable performance from the first scene to the last. It was wonderful to see everyone given a chance to be able to shine Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Catholic Bishops’, Conference of England and Wales, has commended new guidelines from its International Affairs department which help would-be pilgrims and pilgrimage leaders better understand the life-changing and challenging experiences a Holy Land pilgrimage can offer. “,I welcome these guidelines for all pilgrimages to the Holy Land. The complexities and vulnerabilities which people face in the land where Jesus lived need to be understood and our heartfelt support for Christian communities need to be well judged and generously delivered. These guidelines can definitely help us in this important process.”, The Church of Jerusalem is the Mother Church of the Christian faith. It was from Jerusalem that the apostles went forth to spread the Gospel and it was to the Church of Jerusalem that other early communities of faith looked for guidance. For a Christian, a pilgrimage to the Holy Land can make every Bible reading come alive and have new meaning. We understand CBCEW Issues New Guidelines For Holy Land Pilgrimages. www.stgregorys- coventry.org.uk Scripture better when we have seen Judea with our own eyes and discovered what still remains of ancient towns which Jesus himself knew. It is, as Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said, the ‘,fifth gospel’, which is not written in ink but written on stones. A Holy Land pilgrimage is not a political exercise so the guidelines examine the ‘,spirit’, of a good pilgrimage –, a healthy balance between visiting the holy places and encountering the local Christian community. The guidelines look at the realities for the Christians of the Holy Land –, those living in and around Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, Israel and Jordan. The complexities and vulnerabilities which people face in the land where Jesus lived need to be understood Martyr saints return to Cardi ff, for 3 day visit rcadc.org Following the discovery of the skulls and collection of bones in an attic in Holywell during the Covid-19 lockdown, the remains of the martyr saints Philip Evans and John Lloyd returned to Cardiff on Monday 11th July for a 3 day visitation. Both men were martyred for the faith in Cardiff in 1679. As the events of the English Reformation unfolded the area had become unsafe for Catholic priests. Both Evans and Lloyd were captured and jailed in Cardiff Castle before being hung, drawn and quartered for the crime of treason (for being Catholic priests) on what is now the junction of Crwys Road and Richmond Road, this site of which is marked by a blue plaque. The 3 day visit was marked by a series of events which were open to the public who took the opportunity to visit the relics of these saints. As the events of the English Reformation unfolded the area had become unsafe for Catholic priests Coventry pupils take parents on a trip to Neverland
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Page 14. The Catholic Post. September 2022. C OME TO W ALSINGHAM ON PILGRIMAGE B ASILICA OF O UR L ADY OF W ALSINGHAM W ALSINGHAM founded 1061 - destroyed 1538 - restored 1897 T HE D OWRY OF M ARY P ILGRIMAGE S UNDAY 4 TH S EPTEMBER 2022 F EAST OF O UR L ADY OF W ALSINGHAM S ATURDAY 24 TH S EPTEMBER 2022 catholic national shrine, walsingham, norfolk, nr 22 6 al The Catholic National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady Walsingham - “,England’,s Nazareth”, Place a Pe�,�,on Request a Mass Watch Live Stay With Us Come On Retreat Shop With Us For further information please visit www.walsingham.org.uk . To book accommodation call 01328 820 217 or email reservations@walsingham.org.uk. Stay with us Stay with us Sta y with us 2022 SPECIALS 4 NIGHTS FOR THE PRICE OF 2 6 th November to 20 th December 2022 BUDGET ROOMS Ideal for School groups FROM £,36 B&,B STANDARD ROOMS FROM £,45 B&,B ENSUITE ROOMS FROM £,60 B&,B The Catholic Na�,onal Shrine of Our Lady, Walsingham, England - Registered Charity No. 1180690 - Registered Company No. 1165545 1 Our Global Community Archbishop calls for reconciliation and uni fi, cation Archbishop Peter Chung, Archbishop of Seoul and Apostolic Administrator of Pyongyang, issued a message ahead of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the message, Archbishop Chung hopes the day will come soon for our people to praise God together by overcoming the pains of the division by the grace of God and achieving true reconciliation and unification. Taking the Blessed Mother as an example, he emphasised on the role of the Church that it should build more bridges of faith, of reconciliation. ",As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I believe that the Church should play an important role of bringing the faithful, who have drifted away from God during the pandemic, closer to Him again,", the prelate added. He also appealed that the Church should step forward to act as a bridge of love and unity which heals many broken hearts in these unusual times while acknowledging and accepting others. The Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady is also the day of Liberation when Korea was liberated from Japanese rule. Korea celebrates Independence Day on August 15, known as `Gwangbokjeol,` which literally translates into ",bringing back the light", in Korean. The combination of three letters, `Gwang,` `Bok` and `Jeol` means `light,` `return` and `festival day,` referring to the restoration of national independence that was lost for 35 years under Japanese rule. Meanwhile, young people from around the world, regardless of religion, are invited to take part in the annual `World Youth Peace Pilgrimage to DMZ - Wind of Peace` from August 16 to 22. The pilgrimage is an event of peace education for young people, organized by the Archdiocese`s Committee for Reconciliation of the Korean People and aimed at implementing the advice of Pope Francis to promote peace in the world as well as on the Korean peninsula. This year, the young participants will visit Ulleungdo and Dokdo as well as the demilitarized zone(DMZ) dividing South and North Korea, visiting some of the bloodiest battlefields of the Korean War. The event will include lectures, discussions, and experience programs for participants. Young people from around the world, regardless of religion, are invited to take part in the annual `World Youth Peace Pilgrimage to DMZ - Wind of Peace` Archdiocese of Seoul
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The Catholic Post. September 2022. Page 15. Our Global Community A summer festival focusing on Hope I was privileged to be present for the Trondheim International Olavsfest in Norway - a week of festivities and folklife from 28 July - 3 August, as the guest of `Together in Hope Project` from the USA. It was the first festival that could be attended in person since Covid- 19. The week was filled with quality concerts and religious services, pilgrim walks, outdoor hymn- singing, market-stalls, conversations and gatherings in small churches as well as in the magnificent Nidaros Cathedral where Gaia (the Greek goddess of Earth, mother of all life!) was hanging from the high vault. Saint Olav`s shrine in Nidaros Cathedral Trondheim has been the most important pilgrimage site in the Nordic countries since his canonisation in 1031. The Norwegian Saint King retained his status as the most esteemed Nordic Saint throughout the Middle Ages. According to the festival`s website, ",Each year during the week of St. Olaf`s Day (29 July), Trondheim International Olavsfest shall organise a festival relevant for today with well- defined associations with the past, of a quality that appeals to a wide audience, both national and international.", I don`t know how many know about this annual festival. It`s a very multi-faith, multi-ethnic gathering that aims to promote good relationships between the Churches, Faith groups and people from all countries. The 2022 theme of this festival was `Hope`. With the backdrop of war, it was poignant that on the feast of St Olaf, the Kyiv Chamber Choir sang at the 11am Lutheran High Mass to a full congregation in Nidaros Cathedral and again at the Catholic High Mass in the afternoon. The particular emphasis on `hope` centred on refugees and migrants - with a strong message of encouragement to open our hearts and doors of welcome to offer hospitality to those seeking a safe, secure and better life. `Together in Hope Project,` the brainchild of Celia Ellingson and Gary Aamodt, partners with UNHCR. Its 60-strong choir from Minneapolis- St Paul performed their world premiere `The Stranger` -new music composed by Kim André, Arnesen accompanied by Trondheim Solistene, under the leadership of conductor Mark Stover. `The Stranger` aims to raise awareness of refugees and displaced persons and raise funds for humanitarian aid for refugees. The Together in Hope Choir (music with a purpose) was invited to deliver the opening concert at this largest cultural festival in Norway. When CAFOD first raised awareness of refugees and campaigned for those seeking asylum for a better life across the world in the 1990s, I wrote the poem `Call No One Stranger` and which, set to music by Kim André, Arnesen, featured in `The Stranger,` sung by the 60- strong Together in Hope choir. Their goal is to use the universal language of music to raise awareness of shared issues. Today`s issue of refugees and displaced people is one of those critical for our time. More than 100 million people worldwide have been forced to flee their homes - a number greater than at any other time since the end of World War II. One cannot but be conscious of the fact that almost 700 desperate migrants crossed the English Channel in 14 small boats a few days` ago, 1 August - the highest number in a single day so far this year. Desperate people taking desperate measures seeking refuge in the UK. Gaia in Nidaros Cathedral Credit: Sr Patricia Mulhall A very multi-faith, multi-ethnic gathering that aims to promote good relationships between the Churches, Faith groups and people from all countries ICN This brings the total to more than 17,000 since the start of this year. Despite the harsh policy of the Home Office, it does not seem to deter them. Despite also that Ms Patel has agreed with the East African country, Rwanda, to send those deemed `illegal` under the new immigration rules, to that country. Religious Leaders have been outspoken in their criticism of this harsh policy, calling it shameful and immoral. Pope Francis calls us to act in solidarity with refugees and migrants. One way we can respond to this call is to raise awareness of their plight, offer hospitality, assist with humanitarian aid, pray earnestly for peace, assist with development so people do not have to leave their homes. The need is great. It calls for our generous response. Sr Patricia Mulhall is a Brigidine Sister, based in Windsor. Grappling with the legacy of colonialism Quakers are drawing church attention to work by an Oxford museum and a Naga research team to return human remains to the mountainous border area between Myanmar and India. The on-going decolonisation work at the Pitt Rivers Museum will see the return of more than 200 items of Naga ancestral remains, including human skulls and bones. Many churches are examining their own colonial legacies, and the Quakers agreed at their annual meeting this year to consider how to make meaningful reparation for Quaker involvement in the slave trade and colonisation. Friendship between Quakers and the people of the Naga Hills date from Horace Alexander`s visits of the 1950s and Marjorie Sykes` peace missions in the 1960s. Two Naga anthropologists, Dr. Arkotong Longkumer of the University of Edinburgh and Dr. Dolly Kikon of the University of Melbourne, have worked with Naga civil society, elders, researchers, church leaders and the Pitts River Museum in an exploratory dialogue. Longkumer and Kikon published an article about this process last month, and hope to Many churches are examining their own colonial legacies Quakers in Britain Pitt Rivers Museum build solidarity and understanding through sharing it. Other churches are actively exploring anti- racism and decolonisation and the Racial Justice Advocacy Forum of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland have been running a series of webinars exploring reparations.
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Page 16. The Catholic Post. September 2022. CRYPTIC Across 1 Enemy of Gideon`s defeated during the witching hour, said one (9) 6 Musical about a High Priest (7) 7 Riddle to penetrate? (5) 9 Change in a little while going back to protect the testament (5) 10 Fielder`s body parts used to take wickets in the end (3,4) 11 Foot part`s essential to dancing, they say (6) 13 Grand aura about directions for the Holy Roman Emperor (6) 16 Hymn book each sailor kept (7) 18 One has a habit of getting into minicab bother (5) 20 Harsh being back at sea (5) 21 Bigbrewersarenuts,ridiculous(3-4) 22 Tyre here company backs after one phone order (9) CRYPTIC Down 1 Recommendation when weather`s bad in French wine area? (5) 2 Poles follow east Maine river banks to estate (7) 3 Saint Poles back from 2, and the Spanish, see in the morning (6) 4 One`s no good in charge at first, but is very sweet (5) 5 Christian Roman`s spreading mostly rubbish between Europe and America (7) 6 Paul`s fellow soldier damaged pup`s chair (9) 8 It runs in Iraq on Brussels tariffs top two phones supported (9) 12 Disturbance with fish supper only half wolfed down (5-2) 14 Spooks wreck a comeback, totally, for ancient language (7) 15 Frenchman`s to the fore in Brexit –, real European traditionalist on nationality (6) 17 `Beat retreat` code-word (5) 19 Gunners in the ascendant during support for Hebridean island (5) QUICK Across 1 One of a tribe from whom Moses took a wife (9) 6 High Priest who opposed the Maccabees (7) 7 Soak,suffuse(5) 9 Eurofractions?(5) 10 Close fielding position in cricket (3,4) 11 Arch area of the foot (6) 13 The - -- -- -`s War: alternative, now dated, name for World War I (6) 16 Book of hymns or poems associated with the Old Testament (7) 18 Archimandrite,prelate(5) 20 Demanding,forbidding(5) 21 Large vats for steeping and serving beverages (3-4) 22 Ancient Levant maritime country with ports at Tyre and Sidon (9) QUICK Down 1 Town noted for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir/Gamay Burgundies (5) 2 Manorhouse,estate(7) 3 Abbot of Bec who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093 (6) 4 Cupcake topper (5) 5 Roman Christian who sent greetings to Timothy via Paul... (7) 6 ...and Christian at Colossae cited by Paul (9) 8 Western river boundary of Mesopotamia (9) 12 Organize a new restructure(5-2) 14 Language probably spoken by Christ (7) 15 French, previously Armorican (6) 17 Staccato, energetic, South American dance (5) 19 Outer Hebridean island home of Dad`s Army`s Private Frazer (5) 2-in-1 Crossword by Axe You can use both sets of clues to solve the puzzle: the solutions are the same. SOLUTION Across: 1 Midianite, 6 Alcimus, 7 Imbue, 9 Cents, 10 Leg slip, 11 Instep, 13 Kaiser, 16 Psalter, 18 Abbot, 20 Stern, 21 Tea-urns, 22 Phoenicia. Down: 1 Macon, 2 Demesne, 3 Anselm, 4 Icing, 5 Eubulus, 6 Archippus, 8 Euphrates, 12 Shake-up, 14 Aramaic, 15 Breton, 17 Tango, 19 Barra. Sport St. Julie`s Catholic High School Congratulations to team of Year 7 students at St. Julie`s Catholic High School in Woolton who are the newly crowned Foot Golf Champions of Merseyside! The team completed a 9-hole course and made some excellent shots along the way. It was a fantastic afternoon and all students that took part were excellent and represented the school with distinction. Katie won an individual prize for `speed golf` as she left her competition on the course. It was a wonderful afternoon with the sun shining and high spirits all around! Very well done to: Katie, Faye, Yas, Savannah, Lois and Isabella. It was a fantastic afternoon and all students that took part were excellent and represented the school with distinction Foot Golf Champions!
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