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St Francis Xavier3rd December
page 5
Bishop urges opposition to Bill
dioceseofleeds.org.uk
The justification for this is that a person’s life has been judged by themselves, or been judged by others, to be not worth living
Bishop Marcus Stock has written to parishioners to urge them to contact their MPs to object against the proposed bill on assisted suicide.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
On Friday 29th November, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2024-25 will be given its Second Reading in the House of Commons. The Bill, tabled by Kim Leadbeater MP, will as its long title states, “allow adults who are terminally ill, subject to safeguards and protections, to request and be provided with assistance to end their own life; and for connected purposes.”
Many of us have experienced the distress of seeing our loved ones endure some degree of pain or suffering when they have been mentally infirm, severely ill or dying. Our natural desire is to try and help alleviate that pain or suffering as quickly as possible. No one wishes those they care for to be in any kind of anguish, particularly when that person is nearing their death.
What the Bill before parliament will create is not the relief of that pain or suffering, but the legal right of someone who is terminally ill to intentionally commit suicide and to be assisted by others to do so. The justification for this is that a person’s life has been judged by themselves, or been judged by others, to be not worth living.
The better and more compassionate way to assist anyone facing the end of their life is to advocate excellent palliative care for all, so that our loved ones can be assured that their life will end with dignity and their pain be managed. Dame Cicely Saunders, considered one of the pioneers of palliative care, stated, “You don’t have to kill the patient in order to kill the pain”.
She noted that most requests for assisted suicide recede once patients are given access to appropriate, whole-person care. There have been strong and emotive arguments put for and against such legislative changes in the past. This Bill may appear to promote personal autonomy but cannot negate the fact that an act of assisted suicide is never autonomous in nature; it will always have an impact upon others, an individual’s family, their friends, and indeed the healthcare professionals who will be expected actively and deliberately to assist them in ending their life.
The Catholic Church affirms the intrinsic value and dignity of every human life from conception to natural death. Our faith teaches us that life is a sacred gift from God; that we are stewards, not owners, of our lives. This faith calls us to protect and care for the most vulnerable amongst us.
It is important to understand too, that our Catholic faith does not demand that life be prolonged at all costs. Death is part of our God-given life. The Catholic Church’s tradition affirms that a person does not have to accept treatment for a terminal illness when they judge that this will not be in their best interests. What is perhaps less widely known is that the Church also accepts that some medications which may have the likely effect of hastening death can be administered with the consent of a person or, if they are incapable of expressing a view, their next of kin, when this is done with the primary intention of alleviating their pain or suffering. This does not constitute ‘assisted
suicide’ or euthanasia and needs no change to existing legislation.
We now know too, given the developments of such legal provisions in other countries, just how arbitrary and unreliable the eligibility ‘safeguards’ are in similar legislation where assisted suicide has been introduced. Its provision seems inevitably to have been extended beyond the limits given as the basis for its justification, to those with disabilities, those with mental illnesses, and in some jurisdictions even to children.
In the Gospel, we hear how Our Lord Jesus Christ united into a single precept the commandments ‘To love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength’ and to ‘love your neighbour as yourself’. We demonstrate our love for God by cherishing the gift of life He has given to us. We demonstrate love for our neighbour by honouring and protecting the gift of life He has given to others.
I ask that the clergy, religious and lay faithful of our diocese unite in prayer and compassionate action to oppose the passage of this Bill and the legalisation of assisted suicide. This we should do out of a ‘concern for the good of every person in society, the
protection of this good in law, and the spiritual and pastoral care of the sick and dying’
I urge you to consider writing to your MP to express your opposition or concerns about the Bill now before parliament.
May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Mother of Unfailing Help intercede for us and be the comforter of all those who suffer and all those afflicted in any way.
+ Marcus Bishop of Leeds
The charity Right to Life UK has a simple online mechanism to help you contact your MP. It takes little more than a few minutes to input your postcode, make sure the suggested text suits your viewpoint and submit your message to ask your MP to stop assisted suicide being rushed into law. Go to the Right to Life UK website: www.righttolife.org.uk/ASthreat or alternatively scan the QR code below.
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The Art of Listening
We hear them in as much as we hear the sound of their voice, but we are not listening to the detail of what they are saying
Hearing and listening are not the same thing. By definition, hearing simply means perceiving sounds, whereas listening means giving our attention to them. We live in an incredibly noisy world and our ears are constantly bombarded by noise, but we don’t really hear it because we are not listening – we tune it out. Similarly, someone can be talking to us but our mind can be elsewhere. We hear them in as much as we hear the sound of their voice, but we are not listening to the detail of what they are saying. In some situations, therefore, listening may require a real effort on our part – actively listening rather than passively hearing.
When it comes to the Mass, historically we (those of us of a certain age!) didn’t really listen because it was in Latin which few people at the time understood. If we wanted to follow the prayers we needed a missal – which most people had for that reason. And so we cultivated the habit of reading along the whole time, following the text of the Mass in our missal, becoming a congregation of readers rather than listeners. It was a practice many of us were introduced to as children. I had a children’s Mass book which had the prayers of the Mass on one page and on the other a picture of what the priest was doing at the altar at that point. That’s how we followed the Mass – in a book.
After vernacular languages replaced Latin following the Second Vatican Council, people no longer had any need to follow along with the text because it was now in their own language, in our case English, but many did anyway because old habits die hard. Of
course, there were new English prayers and responses to learn, and so publishers produced the ubiquitous “missalettes” as a supposed temporary measure until a final text of the Mass was approved, but missalettes have continued to be published ever since. The problem is that it’s then the publisher who decides on, for example, the Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass to be used from Sunday to Sunday instead of the priest who is celebrating it – as long, that is, as he continues to encourage people to follow along with the Mass by buying missalettes in the first place. (I thought the Covid pandemic might have finally seen the last of missalettes when we weren’t allowed to handle things that others had handled, but no.)
With the Mass quite literally front and centre after churches were reordered post-Vatican II, it was a great opportunity to encourage people, through a new understanding of the Mass, to become observers and listeners –indeed participants – instead of passive readers. When everyone can now clearly see what is happening at the altar, it seems counter-productive for them to be concentrating, heads down, on a text in front of them instead. The Mass is a communal celebration that should involve us as gathered members of the body of Christ. Anything that encourages our awareness that we are part of a worshipping community, and that it’s not just “me and my missal”, has to be a good thing.
Post-Vatican II we also had the introduction of ministers of the word who are trained (or at least they should be) to proclaim the word of God clearly and intelligibly so that there should be no need for everyone to be reading along from a missalette, but rather “actively”
listening to the word being proclaimed – so too the text of the Mass. I can’t help wondering whether the fact that missalettes continue to be used might be an indication that readers (or even we priests for that matter) can’t be heard clearly, or that the sound system in the church needs a little work.
I would end this reflection by suggesting that the more comfortable we become with the art of listening in the context of the Mass, the more comfortable we will be with the art of listening when it comes to our prayer. All too often we forget the basic reality that prayer should be a two-way conversation in which we not only speak to God, but should also involve quiet time in which we can listen to what he may have to say to us. We are familiar with Samuel’s response when God spoke to him: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening”, but we are often far better at doing all the talking –“Listen, Lord, your servant is speaking” – and not giving God the opportunity to reply.
We are busy people, living in a busy world, and we’re not very good at doing nothing – which is how it might feel when we try to sit silently listening to what God might be saying to us in our hearts rather than our ears.
• How long do we need to sit listening? Well, how long is a piece of string?
• How long might it take for us to become aware of what God might be saying? That could depend on how well we are listening.
Sitting silently, having found a suitable place of peace and quiet, tuning out the world and tuning in to God, may well take some serious self-control and discipline until it becomes more natural and something with which we are comfortable and familiar. Until that happens, the temptation will be “to be doing”, giving in to distractions and letting our minds wander, indeed doing anything other than what prayerful listening requires. It’s an art, and like any art practice makes perfect - or, with God’s help, as close as we can get to perfect.
From the presbytery.............. by Fr Neil McNicholas
New Catholic, Anglican And Quaker Modern Slavery Ambassadors Commissioned
abdiocese.org.uk
There are many forms of “Modern Slavery” including the illegal trafficking and sale of people, and where they are owned, controlled or exploited for
work
Members of the Arundel & Brighton Diocesan Social Action Commission took part in a number of Anti-Slavery Day events held in Chichester in October, with a special service of Evensong at Chichester Cathedral attended by representatives from the Diocese and the Anglican Diocese of Chichester, culminating in the commissioning of four new Modern Slavery Ambassadors from the Catholic, Anglican and Quaker communities in Sussex and Surrey, as part of the Together in Sussex scheme to combat modern slavery.
There are many forms of “Modern Slavery” including the illegal trafficking and sale of people, and where they are owned, controlled or exploited for work. No one really knows how many people are trafficked and enslaved in this country, but, more than 200 years after the abolition of slavery in the United Kingdom, the World Health Organisation estimates the number at 136,000, with an estimated 40 million people trapped in modern slavery across the world - 1 in 4 of whom are believed to be children.
Pope Francis has been heavily involved in raising awareness of Modern Slavery through his charity The Santa Marta Group, and regularly highlights the plight of victims and survivors. Locally, Modern Slavery Ambassadors play a vital role in raising awareness of the crime across the Diocese, offering an important point of contact and further information to people across our church communities.
After the service, a series of presentations was given at Chichester Assembly Rooms. On behalf of Anti-Slavery International, Bishop Alastair Redfern highlighted the importance of considering one key question when assessing whether someone might be a victim of trafficking or slavery: “Can they walk away?” Addressing those assembled he said: “If you think a person can’t walk away from their work or living situation, they may be caught up in modern slavery or exploitation.”
Speakers from Sussex Police and West Sussex County Council also contributed to the evening, with representatives of both organisations referencing the scale of the
problem: in 2023 there were 600 referrals to the National Referral Mechanism in West Sussex alone, including children of primary school age.
Speaking shortly before the Commissioning Service, four new and existing diocesan ambassadors talked about their work, including Sr Helen Ryan, from the Church of Our Lady and St Francis, Midhurst, and the congregation of Our Lady of Mercy. Sr Helen has supported vulnerable adults and children for many years, including those who have been trafficked. She said:
“Since becoming involved with modern day slavery, I have become increasing aware of numbers of young people both female and male, who are trapped in poverty in our own locality. For people of all ages, especially the poor and vulnerable, life is very difficult with many seduced into forced labour.”
Mary Barrett from the Parish of the Nativity of the Lord, Redhill, Reigate and Merstham added:
“Modern Slavery affects so many parts of our society - not just car washes and nail bars, but the care industry, construction, farming, and children being used to traffic drugs. Most of the people exploited are from the UK, with victims requiring support for many years afterwards.”
Mark Potter, from St Dunstan’s, Woking was one of the first Ambassadors to be commissioned and became involved following a diocesan Justice & Peace meeting about Modern Slavery. Reflecting on the range of criminal activity connected to Modern Slavery,
The latest Crown of Thorns shipment, containing donated ecclesiastical and humanitarian items, has arrived safely at destination, bringing great joy to the receiving diocese. Thank you for making this possible.
Thank you to all who have supported the work of Crown of Thorns this year, through donation of items for rehoming, financial backing, or prayer. Through your kindness so much has been achieved.
As we near Advent and Christmas, please continue to assist us as we strive onwards to bring hope to those in prison, in hospital, alone and at sea. The charity’s rosary and prayer cards continue to support the work of chaplains in their work, bringing warmth and comfort to those who receive them. Small acts of kindness open doors and release many burdens.
Advent Prayer to St. Joseph
he said: “I feel especially saddened by young people caught up in the sale of illegal drugs as part of ‘County Lines’, who may always feel or be at risk - even if they are set free.”
Modern slavery is a terrible but highly lucrative crime with members of the Modern Slavery team keen to highlight the importance of people across our faith community "spotting the signs" and “keeping their eyes and ears open, trusting their instincts and reporting any suspicions, without putting themselves at risk.” Sr Helen added:
“Those of us who are committed to eradicating modern slavery are privileged to be able to make the prayer of St Teresa of Avila their own:
“Christ has no body but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world.
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.
Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are His body.
"Christ has no body now but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on the world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”
You can find out more about fighting slavery –including who to contact about an incident or concern – by visiting: www.abdiocese.org.uk/formation/combatting -modern-slavery.
O glorious St. Joseph, to you God committed the care of His only begotten Son amid the many dangers of this world. We come to you and ask you to take under your special protection the children God has given us. Through holy baptism they became children of God and members of His holy Church. We consecrate them to you today, that through this consecration they may become your foster children. Guard them, guide their steps in life, form their hearts after the hearts of Jesus and Mary.
St. Joseph, who felt the tribulation and worry of a parent when the child Jesus was lost, protect our dear children for time and eternity.
May you be their father and counsellor. Let them, like Jesus, grow in age as well as in wisdom and grace before God and men.
Preserve them from the corruption of this world and give us the grace one day to be united with them in heaven forever.
www.crownofthorns.org.uk office@crownofthorns.org.uk
Assisted Suicide - a short reflection from a physician
dioceseofnottingham.uk
If health and social care services were adequately provided to all those at the end of life, there would be no need for anyone to request assisted suicide
I am writing this as a retired NHS consultant to highlight the critical importance of the upcoming vote on the private member’s bill aimed at changing the law in relation to assisted suicide.
Only a couple of years after I qualified, while working as a junior doctor and editing a newspaper called “On Call”, I had the privilege of meeting and interviewing Dame Cicely Saunders at St Christopher’s Hospice in South London. Dame Cicely was an inspirational figure who not only understood that end of life care was very poorly delivered in the UK (and, to be fair, everywhere else) but had the drive and commitment to fight for change. The national debate she initiated lead to the introduction of what we now call “the Hospice movement”. All over the country charities raised huge sums of money to buy the land, build the facilities and employ the staff to provide gold standard palliative care to as many people as possible at the end of their life.
The Hospice sector is still doing amazing work, although the ability to do so is being seriously threatened by a failure of NHS funding systems to sustain support in line with inflationary pressures.
Meeting Dame Cicely lit a fire in me that has never gone out and I have seen the impact of the work she espoused up close - particularly as a volunteer at LOROS (the Hospice for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland), where I help facilitate a group for the recently bereaved, and have served as a trustee for over twenty years in two stints - with seven of those as Chair.
The basic principle championed by Cicely Saunders and her successors in Hospices was, and still is, that the pain and distress that may accompany the last days of life can ALWAYS be controlled if the right care is provided in a timely manner - and my experience has been that this is absolutely the case. Throughout the
Liverpool's Windrush Legacy
time I have been involved, I can honestly say that no one has ever suggested that they or their loved ones has found the services offered by our end of life care professionals wanting, regardless of the type of illness that has brought them to that point. Quite the reverse in fact - the many, many testimonials I have seen and heard speak of wonderful experiences of the “good death” that top quality Hospice care provides to patients and their families and friends.
In short, therefore, if health and social care services were adequately provided to all those at the end of life, there would be no need for anyone to request assisted suicide, and the
moral dilemma facing physicians - whether to move to a position of actively ending someone’s life - would not arise.
What we now need to do is to use every method at our disposal to explain why this legislation is not necessary and, indeed, poses significant dangers. We must insist that the Government provides the resources required to provide high quality end of life care to everyone who needs it instead of taking the morally bankrupt, but possibly easier, option of opening the door to a disastrous scenario that completely devalues the legal status of Godgiven life.”
Professor Robin Graham-Brown KGCHS
After the war, Britain sought help from the people of its colonies to rebuild the mother country – and many thousands responded.
The Windrush generation were pioneers with a wide range of skills – some gained while serving in the British Armed Forces during the war – which were needed for the rebuilding task. They contributed most notably, initially, to the transport system and the new National Health Service hospitals (and the cricket teams!) following their arrival on the HMT Empire Windrush, a passenger motor ship, from the West Indies in 1948.
Many of them joined the earlier influx of Irish Catholics to places like Willesden and Kilburn in London. Now, 60–70 years later, they and their children (second to fifth generation) are largely integrated into the everyday life of London and other conurbations including Merseyside.
What a shock it was for many of us, therefore, when the Guardian newspaper
broke the story of the Windrush scandal in 2018. The paper highlighted case after case of Home Office brutality towards the Windrush generation: retirement-age citizens who had lived and paid taxes in the UK for decades had been detained, made homeless, sacked or denied benefits and NHS treatment because they had struggled to prove they were British. Many, wishing to visit their birthplace and relatives in the West Indies, were denied this dream because they had never been issued with passports.
In October 2023 a new advocacy group, Liverpool Advocates for Windrush (LAW), was founded to guide families through the complex process of rectifying their immigration status. The charitable organisation was set up by a lawyer (Tonika Stephenson) and a campaigner for social justice (Garrick Prayogg), both descendants of Windrush immigrants.
With the help of students from the Liverpool John Moores University Law clinic, they produced a survey, aimed at members of the
Windrush Generation and their descendants residing in Liverpool, and were amazed by the response. ‘At first, we thought that if we got a hundred responses it would be a wholly worthwhile exercise. The questionnaire closed in January and to our surprise we received 1,022 responses from across the region including Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens, Wirral, Runcorn and Warrington.’ Evidence, they add, of ‘how important the issue remains across Merseyside.’
According to the former deputy leader of Knowsley council, Louise Harbour, ‘LAW has uncovered a minimum of 180 affected residents in the Knowsley area alone, indicating that this number may just be the tip of the iceberg. I’ll be doing everything I can to highlight the issue and find opportunities for us as a community to help and assist in whatever way we can.’
Interestingly, the British historian, writer and broadcaster David Olusoga has discovered that in March 1947, before the arrival of the Windrush, the SS Ormonde transported the first group of 108 Jamaican workers to Britain and they landed at Liverpool.
Locally, the Atkinson Library on Southport’s Lord Street has a free exhibition, ‘Windrush: Our Story, Our Community’, which runs until 18 January next year. This was guest-curated by the Southport African-Caribbean Heritage Association. Further afield, for those visiting London, the Royal Museums Greenwich (rmg.co.uk) have a marvellous exhibition of Windrush memorabilia. Finally, here’s a thought: for next year why not organise a Merseyside celebration of Windrush Day on 22 June?
To learn more about LAW or seek free advice, contact: liverpooladvocatesforwindrush.org/
Sister Clare Crockett on the road to Sainthood
Jo Siedlecka, ICN
In summer 2001 she went back to the convent of the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother (SHM) in Spain, where she took the name Sister Clare Maria of the Trinity and the Heart of Mary
The sainthood cause of Sr Clare Crockett is to open early next year. In a ceremony in Madrid on January 12, she will be declared a 'Servant of God'. Sr Clare, a Sister of the Home of the Mother order, (SHM) died in the 2016 earthquake in Playa Prieta, Ecuador.
Clare Crockett was born in Derry in Northern Ireland on 14 November 1982. As a young child she loved to act and be with her friends. A lively student, in secondary school she was most passionate about literature and theatre. She joined an acting agency at 14 and got her first job at 15. She worked as stage actor, writer and director, and as a TV presenter for Channel 4, and was offered a position at Nickelodeon which she turned down. She loved partying. Clare landed a small part in the 2002 film Sunday, about the events of Bloody Sunday in Derry in 1972.
After a religious experience in Spain on Good Friday 2000, she felt called to religious life. She felt confirmation of her call in the months afterwards, including from a priest at World Youth Day 2000 who told her surprising details of her childhood. During her final school year she felt torn between her worldly life and her call to vocation, and her worldly life seemed to be winning out. However, further
religious experiences and the continued feeling of having a call helped convince her. In summer 2001 she went back to the convent of the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother (SHM) in Spain, where she took the name Sister Clare Maria of the Trinity and the Heart of Mary.
Clare worked in Spain, the United States and Ecuador, doing pastoral care duties, hospital chaplaincy, teaching and missionary outreach. She was known for her interpersonal skills and was much loved by her pupils. As part of her work, she voiced the character of Lucy in the children's series "Hi Lucy" which aired on EWTN for many years. It was still showing as "Lucy and Friends" on their Europe and AsiaPacific TV channels as of May 2023.
On 16 April 2016, while she was playing the guitar and singing with her companions, the house where she was staying collapsed due to the 2016 Ecuador earthquake. Hours later she was found lifeless under the rubble. She died due to multiple injuries in Playa Prieta, a community of Riochico, Portoviejo, Ecuador.
Her body was flown back to her home town of Derry and laid to rest in the new area of the City Cemetery on Lone Moor Road.
December Saint
St Francis Xavier - 3rd December
St. Francis Xavier (1506–1552), one of the founding members of the Jesuit order, was a Spanish missionary renowned for his pivotal role in spreading Christianity across Asia during the 16th century. Born in the Kingdom of Navarre, he excelled academically and later met Ignatius of Loyola at the University of Paris. Inspired by Ignatius, Francis became one of the first members of the Society of Jesus, dedicated to missionary work and education.
In 1540, Francis was commissioned by King John III of Portugal to evangelize Portuguese territories in Asia. He arrived in Goa, India, in 1542, where he worked tirelessly to convert the local population, often engaging directly with the poor and marginalized. He learned local languages, adapted Christian teachings to local contexts, and established schools and churches, which remain influential to this day. From India, Francis expanded his mission to other parts of Asia, including the Maluku Islands (modern-day Indonesia), Sri Lanka,
and Japan. In Japan, he laid the groundwork for the growth of Christianity, although he faced significant cultural and linguistic barriers. His approach emphasized dialogue and respect for local traditions, earning him a lasting legacy.
In 1552, Francis attempted to enter China, a dream he did not live to fulfill. He fell ill and died on the island of Shangchuan near China’s coast, at the age of 46. His remains were eventually interred in Goa, where they are enshrined in the Basilica of Bom Jesus.
The SHM Sisters said in a press release: "Her overflowing joy led many souls, especially young people, to discover that true happiness is found only in God. Her coherence of life and her total dedication in the various apostolates she carried out in Spain, the United States and Ecuador managed to transmit the message that only God can satisfy our hearts when we gives ourselves totally to Him. After her death, the surprise was to discover that Sr Clare had not finished her mission of evangelization. The thousands of messages and mails we have received and continue to receive from more than 50 countries bear witness to this.
"Throughout these eight years, many people have continuously requested that the necessary steps be taken to study the sanctity of Sister Clare Crockett. The Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother, after praying and reflecting intensely on what we should do, saw in this desire of the faithful a clear indication that the Lord was asking us to request the opening of the process of Sister Clare Crockett on the diocesan level.
"His Excellency, Antonio Prieto Lucena, Bishop of the Diocese of Alcala de Henares, has accepted our request. He will preside the opening ceremony of the cause for the beatification of Sr Clare Crockett on January 12, 2025, in the Cathedral of Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain, at 5.30 pm.
The Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother have been constituted as the petitioner of the cause in which Sr Kristen Gardner, Servant Sister of the Home of the Mother, has been named postulator.
Let us thank God for this important step in the study of the life and virtues of our dear Sister."
To watch a film about Sr Clare, search for 'All or Nothing: Sr Clare Crockett on YouTube
Sr Clare Crockett
A Call to Mission
Rt
I offer these reflections to you from the perspective of being a secular Carmelite
I love the Advent Season. It’s always a busy time with many different pre-Christmas activities in the parish and the diocese. At the same time, Advent puts things into perspective. Not least, Advent is a season which has much to offer our reflections on mission and evangelisation. I offer these reflections to you from the perspective of being a secular Carmelite. In the Carmelite spirituality, there are two Advent liturgical images which sum up this time for me - desert and night.
In the scriptures, the experience of authentic faith is about pilgrimage, and the desert is very much a place to be reckoned with when it comes to our encounter with the divine. There are two kinds of desert in the Scriptures. We may be quite familiar with the Exodus desert. This dominates our Season of Lent. There is no escaping the penitential nature of the Lenten desert. If we are not careful, this all becomes something about what we are doing. But what of the other kind of Old Testament wilderness, the Advent desert? On Monday of the Second Week of Advent we hear these words of the Prophet Isaiah,
‘The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.’ (Is 35.1-2)
Now we are beginning to see something of what the Advent desert brings to our spiritual pilgrimage. It’s about the new life that is given to us when we witness the glory of the Lord and his majesty. In a world, and a Church at times, saturated with tendencies towards achievement and self-improvement, the revelation in this Advent desert is something different.
St John of the Cross wrote these poetic words, ‘One dark night, Fired with Love’s urgent longings, Ah, the sheer grace!I went out unseen, My house being now all stilled.’
(The Dark Night)
The nights begin very early now the clocks have been turned back. But is it ever really night in our cities? The lights and sounds of city life can easily drown the longing of busy disciples for the Lord.
And that’s why we all need to seek the Advent night. St John also speaks of a counterfeit experience of God, and has some strong words to share with those who are spiritual experience junkies. And so it seems to me that the measure is always love.
One of my favourite events is the gathering of those with various needs and disabilities for Mass and a tea party. I have nothing but
admiration for the long-suffering but totally generous parents of these special guests at the Feast.
As we enter into Advent, we are preparing for the coming of God. How fitting, if we should go out into a desert that blossoms anew with new life.
Bishop David is the Bishop of Northampton and is Chair of the Bishops Conference Department for Evangelisation and Discipleship
Rev Dr David Oakley
Empowering advocates of the future through Catholic Social Teaching (CST)
“Hopefully they will be even more inspired when they return to their respective schools and share what they’ve learnt.”
Rallying cries of Pope Francis’s words “Hearts on fire, feet on the move” kickstarted a special event in Coventry on Tuesday 22 October.
The ‘I am Church’ event was held at Sacred Heart, Harefield Road, and attracted over 150 pupils representing 12 Coventry schools.
From the off it was evident that Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is shining bright in Coventry with pupils seizing the opportunity to showcase how they’re putting their faith into action on a daily basis.
The event was organised by Grainne Griffiths, headteacher at Holy Family Catholic Primary School, together with Sister Judith Russi, Director of EducareM, which encompasses the National School of Formation programme for all senior leaders and governors in Catholic education.
Inspired by training she received from Sr Judith, Mrs Griffiths introduced the ‘Building the Kingdom’ curriculum into the school – weaving elements of CST through the national curriculum, not just in RE.
‘Building the Kingdom’ comes from the ‘Our Father’. It is a way of teaching which encourages teachers to ask questions, not just give answers. High-level questioning and challenging by pupils to enable them to become critical, analytic, creative thinkers.
At the event pupils spent the morning sharing ideas and best practice of what they’re already doing to live out the seven Catholic Social Teaching themes – Dignity of the Human Person, Family and Community, Solidarity and the Common Good, Rights and Responsibilities, Option for Poor and Vulnerable, The dignity of work, StewardshipCare for our common home.
They delivered presentations to their peers, each time getting more confident as their public speaking improved.
Issues of injustice today such as why do we need food banks in a first world country, environmental projects, solidarity, spending time with older people and raising money for those in the greatest need were just some of the topics being discussed.
“This is all about the children,” said Mrs Griffiths. “As St Catherine of Siena said, ‘Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire’.
“The children are our future, and we have to inspire them to be change makers. Here they are speaking out in public, putting their faith into action. We are making advocates for change, empowering them to grow in confidence so that they can speak out.
“Hopefully they will be even more inspired when they return to their respective schools and share what they’ve learnt.”
Sr Judith said headteachers attending the formation programme run by EducareM are actively passing on the ‘Building the Kingdom’
approach to the national curriculum to schools across the country.
“What we are witnessing today are young people finding their voice as Gospel activists, growing in confidence and discovering a new way of giving the Gospel message a clear connection with their experience of the world today,” said Sr Judith. “Coventry is very united in its schools – working together as a force for good. Where adults fail to speak children will, if we prepare them.
“In the afternoon several children spoke about ‘I am Church’ and what it means to them. Their love for being part of the Church came across very strongly. However, they were not shy of presenting us with the challenges and big questions facing the Church today.
“It was very helpful that four members of the clergy attended the day and formed a panel in the afternoon to respond to the speaker’s questions, ranging from a lack of attendance at Mass, women priests and how to cope with the pressures of daily life. It was clear from the responses of the students that they felt heard and valued.”
The final question from Sister Judith to the schools was “‘where and what now?’, as together it is time to go the next level of both leadership and advocacy.”
Watch this space! Coventry is responding to Pope Francis’s call to be people with “Hearts on Fire. Feet on the Move”.
Shining a light on sustainable schools strategy
dioceseofsalford.org.uk
“Every penny of government sustainability funding has been spent on sustainable measures to assist our schools in embarking upon their carbon neutral pathway”.
Schools across the Diocese of Salford are lighting the way to a sustainable future as updates from their solar strategy reveal an encouraging impact.
Earlier this year, the Diocese reported on the beginnings of a sustainability initiative regarding their allocation of an additional Devolved Formula Capital government funding, amounting to £3.3 million to address sustainability and carbon reduction in schools.
Six months on and the project is steaming ahead with more than 125 of 160 schools having solar PV array installed of between 10 and 30 KWp. The total amount of PV installed is now more than 2MW, which will save, on average, in excess of 1500 tonnes of CO2 each year*.
It is estimated that as much as £300,000 could be saved across their diocesan schools estate. The project is also supporting a number of other sustainability solutions for schools as an alternative to PV, with more than 20 schools opting for lighting replacements with LED, reducing electricity consumption, increasing cost savings for schools, and boosting the learning environment for children.
The remaining schools have opted for either combined projects of LED/Solar PV or improved insulation or replacement windows.
John Corrigan, Director of Property and Facilities Management, is delighted by the impact the project has made in a just a little over a year.
He said: “Every penny of government sustainability funding has been spent on sustainable measures to assist our schools in embarking upon their carbon neutral pathway.
“The project has been an eye opener in directing the way the diocese needs to move towards its carbon zero target and the property team is now exploring ways to further contribute to reducing our carbon emissions.
“In addition, we are challenging any replacement heating projects to look at more sustainable alternatives, as well as looking at how we might upgrade electricity supplies to schools so we are futureproofing the potential to reach our goals.”
With a successful roll-out of the scheme nearly complete, the team is now working one step ahead to explore potential opportunities to fully maximise the benefits of the project.
John explained: “This project has also influenced our capital programme to ensure
we implement sustainable options wherever possible – we are currently looking at improved roof insulation, double or triple glazing or vacuum glazing, taking hot water generation ‘off grid’ by using our PV generation and installing heat pumps and electric boilers.
“We are looking at possibilities of battery storage, EV chargers, and sell-back deals to support schools on their journey. We are also looking into small-scale wind generation, where practical, more as an educational tool, rather than a solution to generation.”
Not only does this project make a substantial cost saving and impact on our sustainability and carbon reduction, it sends a powerful, strong message about our diocesan commitment to be responsible stewards of creation and to pass that mandate on to future generations.
Dr Emma Gardner, Head of Environment for the Diocese of Salford, said: “What’s so important about this project is the message that we’re sending to our young people about our responsibility to care for God’s creation.
“By introducing these visible reminders into the heart of their learning environment, we’re demonstrating that we are taking our ecological crisis seriously but that there are many steps and actions we can take to respond in the hope that together we can make a real difference.
“To really drive this message home, our diocesan teams are now working with schools to look at ways we can use the information gathered through our monitoring systems to aid cross-curricular education, touching almost every subject from RE to maths, ICT, science, geography, and more.”
Diocese of East Anglia is now a fully ethical investor
rcdea.org.uk
The Diocese of East Anglia has completed its move to become a fully ethical investor, with all its invested reserves now held in stocks and shares that respect Catholic Social Teaching
During 2023, Trustees decided that it was no longer acceptable for the Church's reserves to be invested in shares linked to companies that engage in business that contradict Church teaching. This reflected the spirit of Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato sí, as well as the principles for faith consistent investment set out by the Papal Academy for Social Sciences in its document Mensuram bonam.
Following a competitive tendering exercise, the Diocese has appointed as its investment advisors the Churches, Charities and Local Authorities fund (CCLA). This body operates
a Catholic Investment Fund that is advised by a committee composed of Church representatives. It does not invest in shares linked to embryo research, the global arms trade, pornography, exploitative lending, or fossil fuel extraction. The fund nevertheless targets investment returns which meet the demanding objectives set by the Trustees.
Director of Operations and Finance, Deacon Paul Raynes, said: "East Anglia doesn't have much money to invest. But the little we have should not fund business practices that the Church condemns. This is a project I embraced on day one in this job, so I am very pleased
that we have now been able to make our investments consistent with our faith, without jeopardising our ability to preserve their value."
Keith Morris
Stella Maris brings true Christmas joy to seafarers and fishers
stellamaris.org.uk
Seafarers often improvise Christmas decorations on board their ship, and Charles has seen Christmas trees made from plastic water bottles.
Imagine seafarers and fishers, working at sea on Christmas day, thousands of miles from home.
They won’t get to church or sing any carols. They might not even have a single gift to open. Christmas can be a lonely and tough time of year for seafarers and fishers.
“Seafarers can find it tough, no matter how long they've been at sea. It's common to hear that a seafarer has not had Christmas at home for four or five years, or even longer,” says Charles Stuart, Stella Maris Regional Port Chaplain for Southampton and Southern Ports. Throughout December, Charles, as well as other Stella Maris chaplains and their teams of volunteers all over the United Kingdom, will be visiting dozens of ships in ports across the country.
They will take with them Christmas presents to give to seafarers and fishers they meet, who will be at sea on Christmas Day. These can be simple gifts like woolly hats, socks, phone cards, and chocolate.
Sometimes, Stella Maris chaplains bring seafarers to Mass when their ship is berthed in port. “Some manage to attend but not many. We will help with lifts where we can,” says Charles.
Seafarers often improvise Christmas decorations on board their ship, and Charles has seen Christmas trees made from plastic water bottles.
“The cook will prepare a special meal, and the shipping company may give an extra allowance for this. People of all faiths will come together to celebrate a feast day. Some that have time and can afford it will buy festive food and drink from the supermarket.
“Our gifts add sparkle to the table and offer a link to the world from which seafarers and fishers are so often isolated, and they will
remember us for this. One ship master told us we seem to be the only ones who care. I also heard from another master of a tanker who told me his company offered only a chocolate bar for each crew member. He said he had them in his cabin, but he was too embarrassed to give them out. It's hardly believable,” said Charles.
Charles explains that Stella Maris in Southampton and Southern Ports run a Christmas appeal with all the local parishes and some schools, and the response is marvellous. “People organise well in advance and are very generous. Without this support we would struggle to contribute,” he says.
Charles says that because ships are often out of sight, many people are unaware of how important seafarers are to their daily lives.
“People know there is a port, but they cannot see the detail the work seafarers do or appreciate the lives of seafarers. We work to make the public more aware.”
If readers would like to find out about the work of Stella Maris and opportunities to volunteer or donate to support it, go to www.stellamaris.org.uk Let us also pray for seafarers and their families at this special time of the year.
View from the Pew
‘Christmas
is
coming, the goose is getting fat …’
Dr Jay Kettle-Williams
Yuletide under the Tudors in Merry Olde England was responsible for introducing many of the season’s attributes which we recognise to this day.
An established custom in such times of yore was to decorate homes but not in those days until Christmas Eve, the day before the start of Christmastide, a term synonymous with Yuletide. Christmas trees, a central European custom, came much later, introduced into this country in the 19th century by Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert.
The Tudors decorated their homes with all manner of evergreens, evergreens being symbols of everlasting life. Mistletoe (pictured), holly, ivy and firs were used extensively in and around the home, notably to be woven into ‘kissing boughs’, for which mistletoe retains the role to this day, but with one berry being discarded at every kiss.
asked the convert Jerome to produce a translation of the Bible into Latin.
Translation has long been an interest of mine. ‘Traduttore – Traditore’ is an interesting cry oft repeated. It reflects the concept that translation is always a betrayal of the meaning of the original, that the only way therefore to produce a true and faithful copy of any original text is to photocopy it.
Henry VIII, renowned inter alia for his repudiation of Catholicism and for having six wives (Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr), was reputedly among the first in England to feast at Christmas time on turkey, as opposed to goose, and for having popularised that great favourite among our nation’s young: Brussels sprouts.
The major difference between Yuletide celebrations under the Tudors and the Christmas festivities of our day is that, having fasted strictly during Advent (1-24 December), everybody in Tudor times took the full twelve days (25 December to 5 January) off work, that being unless obligations, such as animal husbandry, dictated otherwise.
The term ‘Advent’ (abstract noun), deriving from the Latin preposition ‘ad’ for ‘to / towards’ and the Latin intransitive verb ‘venire’ meaning ‘to come’, is best taken as meaning ‘the coming / the approach(ing)’ or ‘the arriving / arrival’. Well, from the beginning of Advent this year, a new Bible translation for use at Mass will have arrived, the first official translation of the Bible having been in 382 when Pope Damasus, only one of the two Portuguese Popes to date,
The meanings of words can change over time and space. Take the word ‘virgin’ (from Latin) for instance, the meaning of which has been narrowed over time to address and to focus upon the fixation of our day. Admittedly we do still use the term adjectivally – that is in addition to the descriptor ‘virginal’ - but mainly in limited association nowadays, such as with olive oil, forest, land, snow … A similar example of lexical semantics would be the term ‘maid / maiden’ from Germanic as often employed to describe speech, dividend, name, bid, voyage …
So to keep as faithful as possible to the original in any translation you are on a merry-go-round of translating and re-translating in order to bring and maintain the translation up to date. Alternatively, as in some religions, you refer to nothing but the original. As Christians in the modern world we don’t have that luxury. So it’s staying on the merry-go-round for us.
Advent, then, is a time for anticipation and expectation when we await the one true gift of Christmas.
I make no excuse at this point for repeating the responses recorded in The Spanish Ambassador’s Suitcase (Matthew Parris and
Andrew Bryson, Viking, 2012) as given to a US radio station by several ambassadors in 1946 when asked what they would like for Christmas. The Russian ambassador said he would like ‘peace on earth and understanding between nations’. The French ambassador replied saying he wished for ‘a brighter future for humanity and for the spread of freedom throughout the world’. Then came the British ambassador’s response: ‘That’s very kind of you – a small box of crystalized fruit would be lovely’.
Well there can always be other perhaps less portentous gifts which we might in all good faith wish to receive or to bestow:
‘Please put a penny in the old man’s hat. If you haven’t got penny, a ha-penny will do, If you haven’t got a ha-penny, then God bless you.’
I wish you a blessed Advent.
Acknowledgements and Attribution: Texts/References adapted and/or adopted from http://en.wikipedia.org under the terms of the Creative Commons AttributionShareAlike License 4.0: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bysa/4.0/; Photograph (Unsplash): Mistletoe by Chris Fry.
Dr J L Kettle-Williams is an experienced business communications consultant and wordsmith (tutor, writer, translator).
Try Keeping A Slow Chistmas
Leigh Hatts
Christmas events start so early that for many the lovely days of Advent are forgotten. And when the Twelve Days of Christmas arrrive the festival is thought to be already over
It might be time for us to reclaim the Slow Christmas which is the authentic Christmas.
Waiting increases the joy of an occasion whilst anticipating a feast can leave one disorientated even disappointed when the great time really arrives.
The steps to Christmas begin with Advent Sunday when in church the Advent Wreath's first candle is lit. Note not all the candles yet. It won't be fully lit until Christmas Eve.
But we should not ignore secular Christmas. The Sixth of December is St Nicholas Day. Most in the UK know the saint as Father Christmas. Abroad he also appears in shops and processions but there it is as St Nicholas with the coat being a cope and the hat a mitre. Why not tell your children who Father Christmas really is and how he was kind to boys and girls during the difficult days of Roman rule in his country? Yes, he did start the stocking tradition.
The Tenth of the month is a new day: Our Lady of Loreto. Pope Francis has made this local feast universal as it offers an opportunity to talk about why we celebrate Christmas. Loreto in Italy has the little house, brought from Nazareth, where Mary learnt that she was to be the mother of Jesus. In the church calendar this moment, known as The Annunciation, is in March but most miss it. However, nine months of natural pregnancy time starting on 25 March makes Jesus’ birthday to be 25 December. If we missed the angel appearing to Mary in March with the excitement of the Easter season we can keep it now.
The Thirteenth of December is St Lucy's Day. If you live in Scandinavia it's a big day with young girls appearing in procession wearing a crown of candles. This recalls St Lucy placing candles on her head so that she could see the way whilst still having her hands free to carry food for prisoners. This was in Roman ruled Sicily where she was martyred for insisting on being a Christian. Her day of celebration hints at the coming light of Christ at Christmas.
If you still find it difficult waiting for Christmas Day then the Seventeenth of December allows you to really look ahead. This is Advent's turning point. The date is by tradition when
Mary and Joseph set out from Nazareth for Bethlehem. We can begin to live daily with them in real time. Every day until Christmas Eve there is a special alleluia each day at Mass and Evening Prayer.
Christmas can be said to creep up on us all in the gathering darkness of Christmas Eve as the Nine Lessons and Carols service is broadcast from King's College in Cambridge. Like most holy days, Jesus’ birthday begins the night before and many attend a First Mass of Christmas in the early evening.
After Christmas Day, with its worship in the lit church, the good food and presents from visiting relatives, the Twenty-sixth of December can seem a let down. What is more depressing than hearing the jolly radio presenter say at breakfast time (as one of then always does) 'Christmas is over'. But we know it's not. To Christians it has only just started!
It's the Second Day of Christmas. On Boxing day we remember St Stephen the first Christian martyr. It is a reminder that following the Christ Child in the manger can have a high price. The Baby grows up to offer us the perfect but challenging way of life.
St John's Day follows on the Twenty-seventh of December when we think of Jesus colleague, Holy Innocents the next day reminds us of Herod's fear of Jesus leading him to kill babies and the Twenty-ninth of December is St Thomas Becket's Day. Thomas was the Archbishop murdered in Canterbury Cathedral on the Fifth Day of Christmas. He suffered for refusing to bow to whims of the secular ruler Henry II.
The Sixth Day of Christmas is the Translation of St James, another colleague of Jesus, who draws thousands every year to his shrine in Santiago de Compostela. By the New Year we are counting up to the Twelfth Day or The Epiphany on the Sixth of January. On Twelfth Night we can swap the shepherds in the crib for the newly arrived Three Kings with their presents.
But it is still not over. In a few days we can keep the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity with other Christians who have also been trying to observe an authentic Christmas in their own traditions. Indeed it's still Christmas for Mary and Joseph remain in Bethlehem. We mark their departure, maybe for Egypt to avoid murderous Herod, on the Second of February. That day is known as Candlemas when in church we all hold a candle as we recall Baby Jesus being taken by his parents direct to the Temple as part of a thank you for his birth before leaving Jerusalem.
So if we remain faithful to the calendar we can enjoy the landmarks of Advent and the special days for Christmas for over two months. To do so year by year gives us the opportunity to know the Bible better and reflect on the very early life of Our Lord who is our daily guide through the rest of the year and our life. Christmas is too important to be confined to a mad spree of overspending and rounds of drinks parties. Try the Slow Christmas. It does not cost so much and it is surprisingly rewarding to be close to the Holy Family and Jesus' friends.
Leigh Hatts is author of Keeping Advent and Christmas (Darton Longman Todd, £9.99).
COP29: Campaigners ask Shell & BP for "Spare change for climate change"
CAFOD
“The climate crisis is hitting people around the world that have done least to cause it. “
A group of campaigners dressed as mock charity fundraisers have visited Shell and BP's London offices to urge them to donate any "Spare change for climate change".
The group of nearly 30 campaigners from groups including CAFOD and Christian Aid went to the fossil fuel companies’ offices wearing yellow tabards and carried buckets and donation jars. Campaigners from Christian Climate Action, Green Christian and Operation Noah also joined the stunt.
The stunt took place ahead of the start of COP29 on Monday 11 November. The UN climate conference will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Governments at COP29 will negotiate an agreement on how to provide greater financial support to communities around the world hardest hit by the climate crisis – funding known as 'international climate finance'.
Campaigners argue that governments must tax major polluters such as fossil fuel companies to raise further money to fund the climate finance pot. This will ensure lowincome countries have the resources needed to prepare for climate disasters and rebuild after emergencies.
Liam Finn, Campaigns Manager at Catholic aid agency CAFOD, said: “The climate crisis is hitting people around the world that have done least to cause it. Meanwhile, fossil fuel companies are reaping huge profits from driving the crisis.
“World leaders at COP29 must commit to providing those who are bearing the brunt of the climate emergency with the funding they need to cope – and fossil fuel companies must help to pick up the bill.”
work
situations where those who do social wrongs pay back fourfold what they have taken from the most poor and vulnerable.
“Asking oil companies for their spare change is the very least. They should, of course, be major donors funding the repair and making better of the climate damages already underway as well as resources to stop the worst scenarios of the future."
Thousands of medics tell PM to ditch assisted suicide bill
Care Not Killing Palliative care is woefully underfunded and many lack access to specialist provision."
Thousands of doctors and nurses have signed an open letter to the Prime Minister urging him to ditch the highly controversial Assisted Dying Bill and say they will refuse to take part if the law is changed.
The letter, organised by the campaign group Our Duty of Care (Odoc), goes on to tell Sir Keir that the NHS is broken and the Government's focus should be better funding for palliative care and stopping the post-code lottery that sees one in four people who would benefit from care unable to access it.
"We write with great concern regarding the introduction of a Bill to legalise doctorassisted suicide. The NHS is broken, with health and social care in disarray. Palliative care is woefully underfunded and many lack access to specialist provision," it says.
"The thought of assisted suicide being introduced and managed safely at such a time is remarkably out of touch with the gravity of the current mental health crisis and pressures on staff…
"Any change would threaten society's ability to safeguard vulnerable patients from abuse; it would undermine the trust the public places in physicians; and it would send a clear message to our frail, elderly and disabled patients about the value that society places on them as people."
The letter, is signed by more than 3,400 doctors and nurses, from every specialism, including 49 professors of medicine, nearly 100 palliative care doctors and nearly 700 GPs, goes on to robustly challenge key arguments often put forward by those who support assisted suicide and euthanasia that any would contain robust legal safeguards, that the terminally ill, vulnerable and disabled people are best placed to choose when to end their life with state assistance and any change to the medical profession would be minimal.
"It is impossible for any Government to draft assisted suicide laws which include protection from coercion and future expansion. Canada has demonstrated that safeguards can be eroded in a matter of just five years; it has been roundly criticised for introducing euthanasia for those who are disabled and plans for the mentally ill have been paused because of international concern.
"The shift from preserving life to taking life is enormous and should not be minimised. The prohibition of killing is present in all societies due to the immeasurable worth and inherent dignity of every human life. The prohibition of
killing is the safeguard. The current law is the protection for the vulnerable."
It continues: "Far from one person's decision affecting no one else, it affects us all. Some patients may never consider assisted suicide unless it was suggested to them. Nearly half those who choose assisted suicide in Oregon cite 'feeling a burden'.
The letter concludes by saying, "As healthcare professionals, we have a legal duty of care for the safety and wellbeing of our patients. We, the undersigned, will never take our patients' lives - even at their request. But for the sake of us all, and for future generations, we ask do not rush into hasty legislation but instead fund excellent palliative care."
Dr Gillian Wright, who co-authored the letter commented: "Our letter to the Prime Minister
highlights our grave concerns around changing the law as assisted suicide affects us all, our patients, their families and medical staff. Healthcare professionals from across all medical specialties, General Practice, Palliative, Hospital, Community and Hospice echo that we will not help patients to take their own lives, because of the pressure that disabled and dying people so often feel under, whether real or perceived. And as we see in places like Ontario Canada, the right to die can become a duty to die, with the poorest people in society more likely to be euthanised than their richer neighbours. There is nothing progressive about that.
"We underline the fundamental value and worth of individual lives and call for better palliative, social and psychological care for those who are dying, desperate or distressed."
Picture: Amit Rudro CAFOD
Andii Bowsher, Green Christian Trustee, said: "The Bible encourages us to
towards
'Coming Home' service at St Martin in the Fields
Jo Siedlecka
“a fundamental part of our identity and sense of self.. Its the first thing one remembers when they think of any person..."
'Coming Home' - the annual Service of Commemoration for people who have been homeless, who have died in London in the past year, took place at a packed St Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar Square on Thursday 10th November 2024. In this very touching service, the names of 129 people were carefully read out - another 64 people who died were not named. The congregation included friends and relatives of the deceased as well staff and volunteers of the various homeless charities.
Organised by St Martin in the Fields, The Connection at St Martin's, Housing Justice and the Museum of Homelessness, the service began with Simon and Garfunkel's song 'Homeward Bound, played by Alistair Murray, John Deacon and Chris Bluemel.
In his introduction, Rev Richard Carter pointed out that these people were originally not homeless. "They came to London looking for a home" he said.
Rev Carter pointed out that the average age of death for a homeless person in the UK now is 45 for men and 43 for women - compared to the national averages of 79 and 83, respectively.
Six London boroughs rank among the top 14 areas in the UK for homelessness-related deaths. One Londoner is forced into homelessness every eight and a half minutes.
After a rousing rendition of the hymn - Let us Build a House, Lenus Walker read the poem Search for Home (from Rev Richard Carter's book The City is My Monastery.) There followed a series of readings of names of the dead - in between verses of Homeward Bound.
Dr Dana Beale from Great Chapel Street Medical Centre read the first set of names. Dr Natalie Miller from the Centre, then gave a short tribute to John Campbell, a very forthright individual - "never one to make a fuss."
The second set was read by Gill Taylor from Museum of Homelessness. Rev Richard Carter then paid tribute to Don Pollard, whose artwork was on the cover of the service booklet: "a brilliant artist, loyal friend for the last 18 years ... he will be sorely missed."
Ros Brunwin, from the Connection at St Martins read the third set of names. Tilly AbuHableh paid tribute to Darren Haley - "a person who was always considerate and kind, always helped others."
The fourth set of names was read by Matt Turtle from the Museum of Homelessness. His colleague Gary Birdsall paid tribute to Andy Palfreymann, known as the 'Dapper Snapper.' "a photographer - full of amazing ideas...He had several exhibitions... When he eventually got a flat he decorated it beautifully."
The final set of names, read by Bonnie Williams, chief executive Housing Justice, was of people who had worked or volunteered with the homeless.
Rev Rob Wickham from the Church Urban Fund chair of House Justice, then gave a reflection on the importance of names.... “a fundamental part of our identity and sense of self.. Its the first thing one remembers when they think of any person..."
We then took part in the Act of Remembrance, each person coming up one by one silently to receive a card with the name of a person who died homeless in the last year. We've been asked to keep that card and remember that person in our thoughts and prayers all year. As we filed up, Gavin Bryers and the Choir With No Name and Streetwise Opera sang the anthem 'Jesus' blood never failed me yet.'
We settled back in our places to the Choir with no Name singing 'Shallow from a Star is Born' by Lady Gaga.
Rev Dr Sam Wells Vicar of St Martin in the Fields led the final prayers. Streetwise Opera sang the Flower Duet by Delibe, and the congregation joined in the final hymn And Did those Feet in Ancient Times.
All present were invited to lunch and refreshments in the St Martin's Crypt. To watch the serivce search for 'Coming Home' service at St Martin in the Fields.
St Martin in the Fields is one of the most famous churches in London. Besides regular services, it has a wonderful programme of concerts, a Crypt Cafe, gift shop and lecture series. At its day centre, The Connection at St Martins, it offers advice and support for people who are rough sleeping, connecting each person with skilled staff who understand the complexity of their situation and who listen, then help. See: www.connection-atstmartins.org.uk/
Christian Aid at COP29: Time to see who the real leaders are
As the COP29 climate talks begin in Baku, Azerbaijan, Christian Aid's Global Advocacy Lead, Mariana Paoli, outlined some of the key issues at stake at the summit.
She said: "Donald Trump may have won the US election but the rest of the world isn't going to let his folly on climate change and funding from the fossil fuel industry wreck the only planet we call home.
"The US may be about to squander the positive progress it has made on clean energy and climate action over the last four years but other countries can now step up and show they won't be making the same mistake. This is a moment to reveal who the real climate leaders are on the global stage.
"The main issue on the table here in Baku is climate finance. There's lots of talk from rich nations about the wonders of private sector investment, but the focus here needs to be on securing public finance commitments. Public finance is essential to deliver climate action in developing countries.
"Public finance in the form of grants are the only way to address the growing needs of developing countries to address the impacts of the climate crisis. The purpose of public finance is to answer the needs of communities to adapt to climate change and rebuild lives devastated by extreme weather. The purpose of private finance is to generate profit, it is not guided by the needs of those affected by the climate crisis. For the lender which means exacerbating the debt crisis already being faced by the global south.
"Private finance has failed to tackle adaptation or compensate vulnerable countries from climate loss and damage. Private investment has so far only accounted for less than 1% of all international climate finance for adaptation and very little has gone to the poorest countries. Most of it goes on building renewable energy in middle income countries which is why public finance is crucial for meeting the needs of the most impacted people.
"The long-term finance goal being negotiated at COP must provide finance at scale to developing countries building on previous agreements about the need for funds to flow from rich countries that have caused climate change to the vulnerable countries that have not. Private companies are not accountable to the Paris Agreement. Any climate change related investment they make is welcome but it's separate from what should be discussed at the talks in Baku."
Sophie Powell, Chief of UK Advocacy at Christian Aid, said: "The UK Labour Party has spent the last 14 years in opposition criticising the Conservatives for not acting fast enough when it came to the climate crisis. This is their first opportunity as a party of government to put those words into action on the global stage.
"The UK government came into power promising to build partnerships based on respect with the global south. At the 'finance COP', 'respect' requires real action on finance. The UK needs to firmly champion a strong finance goal including a robust UK pledge of grant-based climate finance, which it could do by taxing the biggest polluters."
A Vocation Story: Deacon Paul Gri
dioceseofsalford.org.uk
“The increased challenge of being a deacon is that you often have a wife and children who are on that journey with you, but my family have been great and it doesn’t seem strange to them.”
A new permanent deacon has arrived in Salford as this remarkable ministry continues to grow across the diocese.
We are delighted to introduce Deacon Paul Griffin, who has recently moved to Salford Diocese and taken up a temporary position at Ss Aidan and Oswald in Royton and St Joseph’s in Shaw, after three years of ministry in the Diocese of Middlesbrough.
Deacon Paul was ordained in July 2021 after a nurturing a deepening sense of faith that emerged from his life as a Cradle Catholic.
“It had always been in the background”, Deacon Paul explained, “I had always practiced right through my life. There were some sparser patches but I always stayed in touch – but in a fairly low-key kind of way.”
The idea of the permanent diaconate was something that was familiar to Deacon Paul, just not in terms of a vocation; but it was perhaps the reprisal of his childhood role of altar server that began his process of vocation.
He said: “I had served as a kid but not for 25 years or so and had been nudged back into it. It’s an interesting thing because being on the Sanctuary makes you think a lot more about the Liturgy. In some ways it’s distracting, I suppose, but in other ways there’s that sense of seeing something afresh from a different angle.”
This surprising return to service was a turning point in Deacon Paul’s faith journey, supported by his career as a teacher, and a shared sense of faith with his wife.
He explained: “I’m a history teacher but was starting to teach more RE. I also have a very wonderful wife, who is much more holy and more of a theologian is than I am. Like lots of couples, we’re more than the sum of our parts and being able to talk about your faith in a really deep way is really healthy.”
The Call to the Permanent Diaconate However, this ever-deepening faith came to a point in 2015, during a conversation with a friend, who introduced the idea of a vocation to the permanent diaconate in a very direct way.
Deacon Paul remembered: “I was out and having a curry with a priest friend of mine and before we got to the end of the poppadoms, he said, “the bishop has asked us to look out for anyone who might make good permanent deacons. You ought to consider it, you know?” “It was just the right thing to say, and it quickly
became obvious that it was something I should be exploring.”
Spurred on by a dual sense of being called to serve God and community, Deacon Paul approached his parish priest about this sure sense of vocation and, with the support of his wife and children, later enrolled on his fouryear formation training.
He said: “It’s slow in terms of the fact the process is slow but it’s important to give yourself that time to work out if this is real or not. During formation, I never had any doubt that I was doing the right thing. It’s just important to give yourself that time.”
In July 2021, Deacon Paul was ordained and he quickly began to settle into his new life balancing ministry with his family and work life.
He said: “The increased challenge of being a deacon is that you often have a wife and children who are on that journey with you, but my family have been great and it doesn’t seem strange to them.
“In terms of time, we tend to worship together anyway; there are Masses where I’ve been assisting as deacon, my wife has been doing the reading, and my son has been the altar server. If you stop and think about it too much, it’s a bit odd, but it’s actually just a normal part of family life.”
In addition to assisting at Mass, Deacon Paul was called to serve in a variety of ways, from leading Bible study groups, helping to deliver sacramental programmes, and leading services that put him at the heart of the highs and lows of human life.
He said: “One of the surprises is funerals, which is something I was very nervous about, but just being there for someone, talking to someone who has lost someone, and helping even just a tiny bit feels like an amazing privilege.
“In lots of ways, sharing in the joy of a baptism or a wedding is an easier task than introducing yourself to someone who is suffering extreme grief but there is a huge sense of privilege in being able to serve people like that, it’s incredible.”
However, it wasn’t just in these key life moments that Deacon Paul found his sense of fulfilment, but in the everyday activities of ordinary parish life.
He said: “I love being involved in the Liturgy and I love the beauty of the Catholic Liturgy, but one of the things I really enjoy is standing at the church door after Mass.
“You just get to talk to people. If you’re having coffee after Mass, you can go and chat to the person sitting on their own, and that’s a wonderful part of it all.”
From this sense of accompaniment, Deacon Paul recognised a powerful aspect of the permanent diaconate in getting to know parishioners and helping them to recognise and unlock their own unique call.
“Everyone has a part to play in everyone else’s vocation”
Describing the permanent diaconate as a ministry of service, Deacon Paul explained that the role of the deacon was “to do what needs to be done”, whether that is moving chairs in the parish hall, pouring tea after Mass, or standing in front of a packed-out church on Sunday.
“And sometimes”, he continued, “you’re the one who’s got someone else to stand at the front, and that’s pretty amazing.
“It’s about animating people and giving people the chance to do things. And that’s where it’s helping that we have families and jobs because it’s easier for people to make that leap: they see what I’m doing and think that
they’re not so different to me, so perhaps they can do it too.
“Everyone has a part to play in everyone else’s vocation.”
After three years of ministry, Deacon Paul is just at the start of his vocation journey, a ministry he describes as “fulfilling, inspiring, and surprising”. But as he begins a new chapter in the Diocese of Salford, Deacon Paul has a powerful piece of advice for anyone considering a possible vocation to the permanent diaconate.
He shared: “When I was first in formation, one of the deacons said ‘You have to be ready and you have to work hard, but when it comes to it, the Holy Spirit will be there with you and you will be amazed at the strength that you get.’
“This wonderful ministry is different for every deacon, in every parish, with every parish priest. There is no one, single pattern. Whatever somebody’s talents or gifts, there is something there. Our job is to trust and allow the Holy Spirit to work through us.”
Are you discerning a vocation?
If you are praying about a possible vocation or would like to find out more, speak to the Vocations team in your local diocese.
A Day of Reflection and Connection for Religious and Consecrated Life
One practical idea was to gradually create an inventory of all religious communities in the diocese, sharing basic details with each other and the diocese, making our presence and witness visible and known
The recent gathering of religious in the Diocese of Clifton on 22nd Oct 2024, held at Brownshill Monastery, was truly a day to remember. With the theme of Religious/Consecrated Life and the Jubilee Year, the event was led by Vron Smith, a seasoned lay collaborator with the Jesuits, known for her expertise in Ignatian spirituality. We were about 30 religious in total from across Clifton Diocese.
Vron guided us through the morning, blending Ignatian spirituality with a synodal approach— listening deeply to one another. Following a brief introduction, we spent 40 minutes in silence, reflecting on Luke Chapter 4, where Jesus presents his mission. Afterwards, we broke into four small groups, discussing what stood out most to us in the passage. Each
group then shared the essence and fruits of their discussions, filling the room with a palpable sense of inspiration and enthusiasm. After lunch, at 1.45 pm, we had a casual sharing session with Fr Thomas, a Fransalian priest (MSFS), whose missionary presence in the Clifton Diocese traces back to their very first mission in 1861. As the newly appointed Vicar for Religious, he offered insights from the recent Conference of Vicars for Religious held in Leeds. He shared statistics about the current state of religious life across England and Wales and invited suggestions on nurturing connection and witness. One practical idea was to gradually create an inventory of all religious communities in the diocese, sharing basic details with each other and the diocese, making our presence and witness visible and known. This would serve as a concrete
reminder of the vital contributions that religious make to the life and holiness of the Church.
Throughout the day, Bishop Bosco was with us, bringing his unique ‘spirituality of presence.’
He was a quiet strength that guided and comforted—reminding us that “The presence of a father is not measured by his words, but by the quiet assurance of his steady support.”
His supportive presence added a special touch, and it was a delight for many of us to have the chance to greet him personally. He concluded the day with a beautiful Mass in honour of St
Isaac's firstborn (4)
Roman emperor between 37 and 68 AD (4)
Female domestic servant (8)
Common seabird of Europe; ancestor of many domestic breeds (7,5) 12 Variety of football played at a particular public school (4,4,4)
Headgear associated with Mexico and SW USA (8) 15 Father of Menaham(4) 17 British political party members: Irish RC 17th century outlaws (6)
Poetic name for Ireland (4)
1 Pertaining to two dynasties in 17th century Britain, and one in the 21st century (8) 2 Site of King Saul's last stand (5,6)
Robert ----, Scottish architect and furniture designer (4)
Verge;threshold(3)
Releaseoncemore(7)
7 Assyrian king, the fifth of his name, who captured Samaria and took the Israelites into exile (11)
(8) 14 Italian Adriatic port (4)
Son of Jacob and tribal ancestor (3)
One of the twins seen tucking into Lincolnshire sausages (4) 5 British sect's on edge (6)
8 Number, including the Queen, he fiddled, so some say (4)
9 Subordinate created with care, it's said (8)
10 Complex soggy eagle, or a great seabird... (7,5)
12 ...low mental age resorting to a noble pastime (4,4,4)
13 Headgear of Oregon revolutionary angry medic donned earlier (8)
15 Menaham's dad soldier imprisoned today (4)
17 Party members after allegations, lose face (6)
18 Yeats's land in Ulster, knowledge of the Scriptures will bring it all back (4)
CRYPTIC Down
1 Nothing in vehicle list is of the age of the new king (8)
2 Philistines prevailed here, but Mongolia is free (5,6) 3 First family: one on bridge,... (4)
John Paul II, weaving in an inspiring homily that left us all uplifted.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Sr Maria Whisstock, whose administrative wizardry made sure the smooth flow of the day, despite the busy schedule at Brownshill Monastery. And of course, gratitude to all the sisters of the community, who showered us with warm hospitality, a deliciously healthy lunch, and endless cups of tea—essential fuel for departing religious! It was a day well spent, filled with reflection, shared wisdom, and a renewed sense of community.
4 ...for the other, it's the brink, mate (3)
6 Publish again in the matter of offspring (7)
7 Neal's Harems: massages for old Assyrian kings (11)
10 Push off and lose one's way (3,4)
11 Fruit in here has variety enclosed by old railway (8)
14
Across: 4 Esau, 5 Border,
Nero, 9 Handmaid, 10 Greylag Goose,
Eton Wall Game, 13 Sombrero, 15 Gadi, 17 Tories, 18 Erin. Down: 1 Carolean, 2 Mount Gilboa, 3 Adam, 4 Eve,
Reissue, 7 Shalmaneser, 10 Get lost, 11 Orangery, 14
