In meetings with students and other ministrybased organisations I feel there is a consensus that the Church’s primary role is larger and broader than as a political campaigner or pressure group. This perspective aligns with the Passion narratives, where Christ stands in contrast to the political saviour of Barabbas. Likewise, our first calling is to minister to hearts and bring people into relationship with Jesus, and on that basis take our place within the broader society. As a result of this holistic worldview, there are some issues where we must make our voices heard as a direct result of our faith. One of these is the current conversation around euthanasia and assisted suicide.
On BBC One earlier this year, a somewhat unexpected documentary aired that I believe helps the Church in outlining its position.
The documentary, entitled Better off dead? was presented by Liz Carr, a disability rights activist and BBC actress well known for her role in Silent Witness. Carr, who has a rare congenital disease, offered her perspective on the public debate around euthanasia and assisted suicide.
Over the course of the documentary, Carr makes three key points:
Firstly, legalising euthanasia acts as making suicide socially acceptable for depressed or vulnerable people, people who in her view we should be helping heal rather than eradicating.
Secondly, assisted suicide and euthanasia could quickly become a cover for state eugenics, making savings on national healthcare systems by killing ‘expensive people.’
Finally, she exposes the argument for autonomy as profoundly weak and liable to abuse, reframing it to show that there is more autonomy by allowing individuals to make dignified choices about the medical care they receive.
The most harrowing part of the documentary is when Carr interviews a MAiD (Medical Aid in Dying) practitioner from Canada, Dr Ellen Wiebe. When asked, Wiebe excitedly offers that she has participated in the deaths of over 400 people through her role within the MAiD program. The chilling interview outlines the subjectivity of the law with Wiebe seeming to relish describing the process to a visibly traumatised Carr. Wiebe enthusiastically describes MAiD as the very best work she had ever done and offers that nothing is better than grateful patients!
In a key conversation with Baroness Jane Campbell, Carr and Campbell discuss their frustrations about how their lives can be primarily perceived as ones of suffering. On the contrary, they love their lives and want to ensure that their voices can be heard in the narratives that surround people with disabilities more generally. Carr and Campbell articulate their conviction that assisted suicide and euthanasia are innately discriminatory to people with disabilities, which is advocated for in their name but without their support. As a palliative care doctor interviewee highlighted, while the medical profession is split on the issue, those who work closest with the vulnerable and the dying are most likely to stand against the legalisation of assisted suicide and euthanasia.
The documentary represents a considered statement of Carr’s fears regarding the consequence of assisted dying laws. However, I feel Carr misses the opportunity to make a moral argument for the dignity of life. It frustrated me that, in her conversations, truth, good and beauty of human life only features implicitly, if at all.
The key message I took from Carr’s documentary is that we need conviction in knowing and sharing the preciousness of authentic human dignity. The airing of this documentary and the positive media response shows that euthanasia and assisted suicide is still an open conversation in our current society. For example, this documentary inspired me to write to my MP, Rupa Huq, to clarify her position on euthanasia. In reading her comments in the House of Commons I realised that she as a Labour MP does not have a clear position on euthanasia and
assisted suicide. This is an opportunity to ask important questions and influence the society we live in.
Carr’s documentary explores the personal consequences of assisted suicide and euthanasia, and especially in the case study of Canada proves that these fears can become a reality. As members of the Church, we need to prayerfully consider what we can do to see the world become a better, more moral, more human place. Bolstered by this documentary, we must be convicted to start critical conversations, and in this political season seek opportunities to be voices for truth, good, and beauty in the world.
Better off Dead aired on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer.
Benedict Plimmer, Chair of Trustees for Catholic Student Network.
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: Nick Layton email: editor@catholicpost.co.uk
ADVERTISING:
Charlotte / Bellcourt Ltd. 01440 730399
charlotter@cathcom.org
DESIGN & LAYOUT:
David Lodge, davidl@cathcom.org
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: editor@catholicpost.co.uk or davidl@cathcom.org
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, send to editor@catholicpost.co.uk
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 onscreen).
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.
Aloneness v Loneliness
Someone may choose aloneness, but they would rarely if ever choose loneliness. It's an important distinction.
Often the terms “loneliness/lonely” and “alone” are used interchangeably as if they refer to the same experience or situation, but they don’t. Aloneness is a physical reality, the condition of living apart from others, living on one’s own. Loneliness, on the other hand, is a negative emotion resulting from the experience of being on one’s own. A person who lives alone isn’t necessarily lonely. Being alone could lead to feelings of loneliness, but aloneness itself isn’t necessarily a negative experience, whereas loneliness always is. Someone may choose aloneness, but they would rarely if ever choose loneliness. It’s an important distinction.
Loneliness can be experienced in two basic ways: social isolation and emotional isolation. It can result from an actual loss of social contact and support and activity, or from experiencing the difference between the social interactions a person has with others and those they would like to have but don’t. And so an essential factor in loneliness is how a person feels as a result of being alone and the realization that social contacts are either diminishing or lacking, or are at a level that is no longer emotionally satisfying or supportive.
Even though someone may be living on their own, they may well receive regular visits from family members, friends and neighbours, so the social contact and support is there just the same despite their aloneness. It is important, therefore, to remember that simply living alone doesn’t necessarily result in someone feeling lonely. In fact many people who live on their own are quite content with their own company and satisfactorily keep themselves occupied and entertained. So, again, being alone doesn’t necessarily imply being lonelythough it might - and that’s why a degree of awareness could be important.
Once upon a time families remained together and neighbours were closer than they tend to be today. People refer to times when no one locked their doors, neighbours were constantly in and out of one another’s houses, and people looked out for one another. Sadly such times
are long gone. Nowadays we tend to be more isolated, more private, our homes surrounded by walls and fences and our doors firmly locked for reasons of security. At one time we would have known everyone in our street, but now we might not even know the people next door. We live mutually exclusive lives in which our business is our own and we guard and we tend to protect ourselves from the intrusion of others.
Little wonder, then, that it can be so easy to feel lonely and little wonder also that we may not realise how much others may be in need of a friendly visit. Who are our neighbours? Are there any elderly people in our street or our block of flats living on their own? Do we know if they are visited regularly by family, or friends, or care services? In winter, does anyone check on them to see if they are warm or in need of anything from the shops? Even if we are not able to physically visit someone could we at least pick up the phone and give them a call – better yet call them on one of the social media platforms if they have access to the internet. Such social checks could be misinterpreted as us minding their business, but there are ways of explaining our intentions and concerns and hopefully it will be appreciated and accepted. It’s surely better to ask than not to.
It’s also important to be aware that as people get older they begin to experience various life changes that for many can be stressful as well as emotionally difficult to deal with. These could include the loss of role identity perhaps as a consequence of retirement; possible decline in health or mobility; the death of a spouse or of other family members, or friends whom they knew socially or who used to visit them. In particular the loss of a spouse can have consequences in terms of someone’s social life when they are suddenly single in what can often be a couples’ world. While older people may be able to adjust to such changes, nevertheless an unsatisfying view of oneself and one’s life as a consequence could result in depression, sadness, anxiety, or loneliness. It is important, therefore, for service
providers, family members, and friends to be aware of how and why loneliness can occur so as to be able to positively influence such situations and in particular the social isolation that can so often be either the cause or the consequence. While the factors I have mentioned here are more likely to apply to the elderly, as we have said loneliness can in fact be experienced by people of any age.
The thing to bear in mind always is the difference we noted earlier between being alone and being lonely. Many people are quite happy being on their own and therefore it is important to be sensitive to their actual needs as they are perceived by the person themselves, and not that others project onto them what they think they need or should be doing. Talk to them and listen to them. If someone is lonely, that is a negative situation that needs to be addressed, but it needs to be done sensitively - perhaps encouraging them to get involved in social activities, but in a way and to a degree that doesn’t overwhelm them or cause them to retreat even further into noninvolvement and social isolation.
Just as visitors and carers would do well to look for early signs of withdrawal or depression and therefore the possibility of loneliness developing - especially in persons who have recently experienced changes in lifestyle, or loss - so too if you who are reading this can admit to feelings of loneliness yourself (and, sadly, it’s worth noting that we don’t have to be living on our own to feel lonely) then surely it’s better to do something about it before it turns into depression or worse.
Trying to deal with loneliness by ourselves makes no sense. If we can’t turn to family members or friends it’s always worth remembering that priests come cheaper than therapists! The most obvious answer to loneliness that a parish offers is church-going itself. Just the very fact of being a regular part of a communal gathering creates the potential for establishing social contacts, for being a part, being involved, not to mention the benefits to one’s sense of well-being and contentment to be found in the regular practice of our faith.
We need to have a clearer understanding of the causes and effects of loneliness on people of any age - but especially, perhaps, the elderly - and also to remember that it is not, nor does it have to be, an inevitable consequence of growing old or of living alone.
From the presbytery.............. by Fr Neil McNicholas
Dedicated charity worker spends night on the streets to raise funds for homeless locals
A dedicated advocate for
those who need help most, Jan spends her days helping local people who visit the centre
Jan Cruickshanks, who works at St Vincent’s Newcastle, is spending one night sleeping on the streets of Newcastle to raise vital funds and awareness for those who spend every night on the streets.
A dedicated advocate for those who need help most, Jan spends her days helping local people who visit the centre. Whether it’s through serving the free hot 3-course meal she cooks from scratch, signposting to help and advice, or helping at the marketplace, Jan is a committed woman to help anyone who needs it.
On October 18, Jan spent the night without a roof over her head or the comfort of a bed, to raise money for St Vincent’s Newcastle. All money raised will be going back into the centre to help pay for emergency food parcels, the free meal service and essential items for the homeless.
Demand for the services offered at the centre continues to grow, with more than 3500 people being supported in August. The winter months are always the busiest, and this year is set to break records for the number of people turning in for help.
“Spending one night on the street is nothing compared to what other people have to go through every single day,” explains Catering Supervisor at the centre, Jan.
“I’m currently aiming to raise £1,000 for the centre, and any donation large or small is always so welcome. We’re not only hoping to raise funds for the centre, but to raise awareness of how difficult life is for the homeless people of Newcastle and beyond. This is no way for anyone to live and more needs to be done for the homeless community.”
Located on New Bridge Street, St Vincent’s Newcastle is a lifeline for a lot of local people who would otherwise have nowhere else to turn. Through their food and clothing bank, low-cost marketplace, free wellbeing groups,
or just a warm space to get out of the cold, the centre is a thriving community hub that never turns anyone away.
A JustGiving has been set up for any donations to be made towards this cause by scanning the QR Code.
St Vincent’s Newcastle is part of the wider St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) which currently has 11 centres located in some of the most deprived areas of England and Wales. Each centre offers a supportive and safe environment for anyone struggling to turn to regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender or any other circumstances.
The loving prayer of Parents and Grandparents
There is simply no better protection for children than the prayer of those who love them. There is no better reflection for parents than through asking humbly for God’s guidance and grace.
Parent’s prayer Heavenly Father, make me a better parent. Teach me to understand my children, to listen patiently to what they have to say, and to answer all their questions kindly. Keep me from interrupting or contradicting them. Make me courteous to them as I would have them be to me. Bless me with the discernment to grant them all their reasonable requests, and the courage to deny them harm. Make me fair and just and kind, and fit me, O Lord, to be loved and respected and imitated by my children.
Prayer St. Joseph for protection 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.
Bishop and Ambassador Spearhead Catholic efforts to go Carbon Neutral
dioceseofsalford.org.uk
The Catholic Church is in the unique position to be able to reach out to congregations across
the world
Today Bishop John and representatives from the ‘Guardians of Creation’ team, including Head of Environment, Emma Gardiner, accepted an invitation from the British Ambassador to the Holy See, Christopher Trott, to showcase their project to representatives of the Holy See, Catholic networks and Diplomats accredited to the Holy See. The project has created practical guidance to equip Catholic dioceses around the UK to respond to Pope Francis’ call to ‘care for our common home’.
Four years on from its launch, Guardians of Creation has developed user-friendly action guides that provide the first systematic framework for decarbonising the Catholic Church in the UK. This project is an interdisciplinary, multi-institutional research programme, and provides research-based solutions, to engage with issues relating to the social and theological aspects of sustainability in the Catholic Church. It gives step-by-step manuals for everything from technical advice on identifying and replacing old gas-guzzling boilers with greener versions, to how parish priests can motivate their parishioners to take their individual responsibility seriously through their homilies.
The aim of the visit is to display this worldleading example of UK best practice in the hope that the project can be scaled up worldwide. The Catholic Church is in the unique position to be able to reach out to congregations across the world.
Speaking ahead of the launch event, Bishop John said: “The Catholic Church recognises the ecological crisis we are living through and is keen to play its part in delivering the UK netzero strategy.
As the lead Diocese for the Guardians of Creation Project, we are looking to share our understanding of how to put a Catholic diocese on the path to decarbonisation, and this collaborative research tells us what needs to be done and what structures must be put in place to support this.
I hope that the findings will assist organisations and institutions beyond the Church both here and abroad and I would like to thank the Ambassador to the Holy See for the opportunity to share this project on an international platform.
We understand the need for the Church to use its voice, its people, and its resources to create a different legacy for the next generation. A legacy built on joy, hope and renewal as we strive for a better way to live in harmony with our common home.”
The British Ambassador to the Holy See, Christopher Trott, said: “The Catholic Church, alongside all faith communities worldwide, play a vital role in driving action on climate change. Guardians of Creation is an excellent example of turning ambition into action at
grassroots level. The British Government is firmly committed to supporting solutions such as these for making decarbonisation a reality. My hope is that this initiative, launched by Bishop John Arnold with the support of his team, can be a source of inspiration for those seeking to take concrete steps towards a liveable planet for all.”
The visit will also provide the opportunity for several valuable meetings, including with Caritas International, the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development, the Governorate of Vatican City State and the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences to further investigate ways in which faith communities can work together to live out our
common call to care for creation and our brothers and sisters around the world.
The Guardians of Creation project is a collaboration by the Diocese of Salford with researchers from St Mary’s University, Twickenham, the Laudato Si’ Research Institute, Oxford, and the Tyndall Centre at the University of Manchester, and is supported by the national Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.
Visit www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk and search for Decarbonisation Guide where you and read more about how the Guardians of Creation can help in your parish.
Martín de Porres Velázquez OP (9 December 1579 – 3 November 1639) was a Peruvian lay brother of the Dominican Order who was beatified in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI and canonized in 1962 by Pope John XXIII. He is the patron saint of mixed-race people, barbers, innkeepers, public health workers, all those seeking racial harmony, and animals.
He was noted for his work on behalf of the poor, establishing an orphanage and a children's hospital. He maintained an austere lifestyle, which included fasting and abstaining from meat. Among the many miracles attributed to him were those of levitation, bilocation, miraculous knowledge, instantaneous cures, and an ability to communicate with animals.
Small Steps, Big Impact: How St John’s ‘100 Club’ Is Changing Lives £1 At
Every little helps! A simple concept often overlooked as a cliché, yet small, regular donations are among Cafod's most valued and reliable donations. Joseph Jeyakumar, abdiocese.org.uk
“The simplicity and affordability of the 100 Club made it accessible to everyone”.
organiser of ‘The 100 Club’ and CAFOD Volunteer, who proves that it doesn’t take much to make a big, positive impact on the world, told Cafod about how he launched ‘The 100 Club’ in his parish:
“I recently launched the 100 Club at our church (St John the Evangelist, Tadworth) to support CAFOD, and it has been a tremendous success. Parishioners were invited to contribute just £1 per month (£12 per year) for a unique number, with the chance to win one of three cash prizes each month: £25 for first place, £15 for second, and £10 for third. Many parishioners opted to
Catholics must resist 'dark and sinister path' to assisted suicide
“A momentous change to society in both its care and attitude to the sick and the aged".
The Bishop of Shrewsbury has urged the Catholics of his diocese to resist moves in Parliament to legalise assisted suicide.
In a pastoral letter which was read out at all Masses over the weekend of Sunday October 13, the Rt Rev Mark Davies warned the faithful that a forthcoming Bill on "assisted dying" - a euphemism for assisted suicide or euthanasia - threatens "a momentous change to society in both its care and attitude to the sick and the aged".
In his letter, Bishop Davies predicts dire consequences if Parliament chose a "dark and sinister path" towards a society in which the medical profession will be asked to assist in the killing of their patients.
He urges everyone "not to delay" in taking "urgent action" by contacting their MPs "to express opposition to this dangerous proposal and to urge that greater support and resources be given to end of life, palliative care"
"As we see populations ageing across western countries with a diminished number of younger people to support them, this is an especially dangerous moment for politicians to open the door to euthanasia: the medical killing of the sick, the disabled and the elderly," Bishop Davies said.
"We already hear of a social duty to end our lives when we become a burden to others. This is not the kind of society in which we would wish to grow old or become vulnerable. If medical professionals, now sworn to protect the lives of patients, become those who assist in killing and
suicide, how will our relationship change to those we look to for help and care? This is, indeed, a dark and sinister path on which we could be embarking before Christmas 2024."
The pastoral letter comes in response to the announcement by Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP for Spen Valley, West Yorkshire, that she has introduced a Private Member's Bill to legalise "assisted dying" into the House of Commons.
Called "Choice at the End of Life", the Bill will receive a Second Reading, in which MPs can vote with their conscience on the Bill, on November 29.
Already, a group of more than 50 MPs are pushing for broader access to assisted suicide. They say people who are suffering "incurably" should be able to ask for lethal drugs to take their own lives along with those who have terminal illnesses.
In jurisdictions where this has been allowed, people with mental health illnesses, such as anorexia, post-traumatic stress disorder and autism, have been killed at the hands of their doctors.
Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, promised an assisted suicide Bill ahead of the general election in July and is expected to give the Bill time to proceed into law if the House of Commons votes in favour.
November 29 will be the first time MPs will be given a free vote on assisted suicide since 2015 when a Bill introduced by Labour MP Rob Marris was rejected by 330 votes to 118. Last month, the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales offered resources to Catholics to help them to combat the threat of assisted suicide and euthanasia.
At present the 1961 Suicide Act makes assisting a suicide punishable by up to 14 years in prison, though prosecutions and jail sentences are extremely rare.
A Time
purchase multiple numbers, increasing both participation and the funds raised. The remaining proceeds have been donated directly to CAFOD’s vital work.”
The idea behind this club is simple yet genius. It gives parish members an easy way to make a real difference in the world, without the pressure of big donations. Everyone can chip in, no matter the budget, and still be part of something amazing.
Joseph goes on to explain: “The simplicity and affordability of the 100 Club made it accessible to everyone, and it quickly became a fun and effective way to engage our community. No licence is required to run this initiative, making
it even easier to implement. Our success was driven by key factors: affordability, accessibility, strong community engagement, simplicity, transparency, and the excitement of regular incentives. I highly recommend other churches consider setting up a 100 Club to make a meaningful impact.”
The 100 Club really does show that every bit helps. A £1 donation might not seem like much, but it really adds up and makes a difference, bringing us closer to a world without poverty and injustice.
If you are interested in fundraising for Cafod, visit their ideas page, which has fundraising ideas from A to Z!
Simon Caldwell
A Call to Mission
Along the way, we will meet some remarkable saints
These words are being written as our little group of pilgrims from the Diocese of Northampton are arriving in France for our visit to Lisieux, Chartres, Paris and Rouen. Along the way, we will meet some remarkable saints. You may be able to guess who these holy men and women are, by thinking about the places we are to visit on our pilgrimage during this year of prayer in preparation for the great Jubilee Year of 2025.
The month of November, the time when we pray for the faithful departed, begins with the solemn festival of all the saints. When I think about the saints we will encounter over the coming days in northern France, they remind me that each one of us is called to a life of holiness. They are all very different. There is no one particular way of living sanctity. Each of us has been given a particular, even unique, way of living out discipleship of Jesus. And in all cases, we are invited to be missionary disciples.
The month of November invites us to reflect on the pathways of discipleship and the call to holiness, with a particular mindset. We used to talk about the four last things. This way of thinking about discipleship may be considered a little morbid these days. But I am not sure we should think of the end of our mortal lives and what happens afterwards in such a manner.
If we really believed in heaven, we would not only want to be there ourselves, we would want those we meet to become saints too. After all, this is what a saint is, someone who lives in the life and love of the Blessed Trinity for all eternity. And this idea of holiness, living our discipleship in such a manner, we are yearning for others also to come to know the
fullness of life in heaven, is what makes little St Therese of Lisieux the Patroness of the Missions.
I remember hearing a talk once about the Second Coming of Jesus in the fullness of time. The thrust of the message was this, belief that Jesus will come again in glory influences the way I live my life here and now. And even more, we are encouraged to think about the gifts we have received, both natural and spiritual gifts, and how we might use these in service of the Lord.
I sense these thoughts are very important for our understanding of what it means to be a synodal church. And again, at the time of writing this, the synod of bishops is gathering
in Rome for the conversations in the Spirit. The saints are living portals into an understanding of what communion, participation and mission may look like in our lives today. St Vincent de Paul is a great example of the imagination called for in this synodal way of being church. He wanted to serve the needs of the poor. He founded the Daughters of Charity to facilitate this service. The canonical legal norms of that time limited the ability for nuns to be free to undertake this practical ministry. St Vincent de Paul found an innovative way around this obstacle. The Daughters of Charity do not take perpetual religious vows, but renew their vows every year.
And so, there is much for us to learn about mission during this month of November. My
hope is that these reflections will help us to renew our prayer for the faithful departed. And also, that choosing to reflect on the witness of the saints, we may come to know them as our dear friends. In turn, they help us to grow in an understanding of the call to missionary discipleship. Their passion for mission often pushed them to imaginative ways to live this dynamic way of being a disciple and becoming a saint.
Bishop David is the Bishop of Northampton and is Chair of the Bishops Conference Department for Evangelisation and Discipleship
Rt Rev Dr David Oakley
World Youth Sunday 2024: ‘Your Kingdom Come’
Sunday 24 November 2024 – Feast of Christ the King Friday 22 November 2024 – World Youth FUNday Livestream
dioceseofbrentwood.net
We hope that through this year’s celebrations, young people are invited to deepen their relationship with God, to listen to His voice, and to discern how they can share their faith with others
Grace O’Hanlon, Project Officer CYMFed –Catholic Youth Ministry Federation writes: We are excited to announce the 2024 theme for World Youth Sunday in England and Wales is, ‘Let Your Kingdom Come’. This year’s celebration is particularly meaningful as it aligns with the ongoing Year of Prayer, a time of preparation for the upcoming Jubilee Year 2025: ‘Pilgrims of Hope’.
The theme ‘Let Your Kingdom Come’ resonates deeply with the mission of young people in the Catholic Church today. It is a call to action, inviting them to be active participants in building God’s Kingdom here on earth. It challenges them to reflect on how they can embody Christ’s love, justice, and peace in their daily lives, and how they can be instruments of God’s will in a world that is in dire need of hope and renewal.
We have been particularly inspired by ‘We Dare to Say’ – a resource produced by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales earlier this year for the Year of Prayer. Cardinal Vincent wrote: “Pope Francis has asked us, as part of our preparation for the Holy Year in 2025, to make this year into a time for refreshing our prayer, and especially our appreciation and use of the Our Father.” This encouragement has led us to our theme –where we focus on each line of the Our Father, discerning how we build the Kingdom together.
We hope that through this year’s celebrations, young people are invited to deepen their relationship with God, to listen to His voice, and to discern how they can share their faith with others. Prayer becomes the foundation upon which they can build a life dedicated to the service of others, rooted in the love of Christ.
To support schools and parishes in this mission, a variety of resources have been developed. These materials are designed to help young people deepen their understanding of their role in building God’s Kingdom, celebrate their unique gifts, and to affirm their vital role in the life of the Church, all centred on the Our Father as our inspiration.
Resources are available for schools, parishes, families and individuals – these are all available on our website.
On Friday, 22 November, we will celebrate World Youth FUNday—a lively and collaborative livestream event centred around this year’s theme. This exciting day will feature
Pope advises Cardinals-elect: Keep
prayer, reflection, inspiration, and uplifting praise and worship, all crafted to engage young people in a joyful expression of their faith. Last year, around 13,000 young people from across England and Wales participated!
To access these resources and register for the livestream, go to: wys.cymfed.org.uk
your eyes raised,
you hands joined, your feet bare
ICN/Vatican Media attitudes with which the Argentinian poet, Francisco Luis Bernárdez, once characterized Saint John of the Cross, and which are also applicable to us: 'eyes raised, hands joined, feet bare.'"
“Lengthen your gaze and broaden your heart"
Pope Francis has written a personal letter to the 21 men - bishops and priests from around the world - whom he will raise to the Cardinalate at a consistory set for 8 December, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Noting that their elevation to the College of Cardinals will associate them with the Roman Clergy, the Bishop of Rome reminds them that membership in the College "is an expression of the Church's unity and of the bond that unites all the Churches with this Church of Rome."
In his letter, the Pope Francis invites the Cardinals-elect "to embody the three
Explaining these three attitudes, the Holy Father tells the soon-to-be Cardinals that their new service within the Church will require them to “lengthen your gaze and broaden your heart" to see further and love more fervently. They must keep their hands joined in prayer to enable them "to shepherd well the flock of Christ," the Pope said, adding that prayer is "the realm of discernment" that helps discern God's will and follow it.
Finally, the Pope said, they must keep their feet bare "because they touch the harsh realities of all those parts of the world overwhelmed by pain and suffering," which will demand from the new Cardinals "great compassion and mercy."
Concluding his letter, Pope Francis thanked the Cardinals-elect for their generosity and assured them of his prayers "that the title of 'servant' (deacon) will increasingly eclipse that of 'eminence.”
Holy Land Reflection: This is not a religious war
Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Before our eyes, our beloved Holy Land and the entire region are being reduced to ruins
His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, Patriarch Emeritus of Jerusalem writes: After a year of constant war, as the cycle of death continues unabated, we feel the need as Christians and as citizens to seek out the hope that comes from our faith. First, we must admit that we are exhausted, paralyzed by grief and fear.
We are staring into the darkness. The entire region is in the grip of bloodshed that continues to escalate and spares no one. Before our eyes, our beloved Holy Land and the entire region are being reduced to ruins. Daily, we mourn the tens of thousands of men, women and children who have been killed or wounded especially in Gaza, but also in the West Bank, Israel, Lebanon and beyond in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Iran. We are outraged at the devastation wreaked on the area. In Gaza, homes, schools, hospitals, entire neighbourhoods are now heaps of rubble. Disease, starvation and hopelessness reign. Is this the model for what our region will become?
Around us, the economy is in ruins, access to work is blocked and families have dfficulty putting food on the table. In Israel too many are in mourning, living in anxiety and fear. There must be another way!
Our catastrophe did not begin on October 7, 2023. The cycles of violence have been unending, beginning in 1917, peaking in 1948 and in 1967, continuing ever since, until today. And today has the Zionist dream of a safe home for Jews in a Jewish state called Israel brought security for Jews? And the Palestinians? They are caught up in the reality of death, exile and abandon for too long, waiting while persistently demanding the right to remain in their land, in their towns and villages.
Shockingly, the international community looks on almost impassively. Calls for ceasefire and an end to the devastation are repeated with no meaningful attempt to reign in those wreaking havoc. Weapons of mass destruction and the means to commit crimes against humanity flow into the region.
As this all continues, the questions resound: When is this going to end? For how long can we survive like this? What is the future of our children? Should we emigrate?
As Christians, we are faced with other dilemmas too: Is this a war in which we are simply passive bystanders? Where do we stand in this conflict, presented too often as a struggle between Jews and Muslims, between Israel, on the one hand, and Hamas and Hezbollah supported by Iran, on the other? Is
this a religious war? Should we isolate ourselves in the precarious safety of our Christian communities, cutting ourselves off from what is going on around us? Are we simply to watch and pray on the sidelines, hoping that this war will eventually pass? The answer is a resounding no.
This is not a religious war. And we must actively take sides, the side of justice and peace, freedom and equality. We must stand alongside all those, Muslims, Jews, and Christians, who seek to put an end to death and destruction.
We do so because of our faith in a living God and in our conviction that we must build a future together. Though our Christian community is small, Jesus reminds us that our presence is powerful. Confident in his resurrection, we have the vocation to be like yeast in the dough of society. With our prayers, our solidarity, our service and our living hope, we must encourage all of those around us, of all faiths and those with no faith, to find the strength to lift ourselves up from our collective exhaustion and find a path forward.
But none of us can do this alone. We look to our Christian religious leaders, our bishops and our priests for words of guidance. We need our shepherds to help us discern the strength that we have when we are together. Alone, each one of us is isolated and reduced to silence. Only together, can we find the resources to face the challenges.
In our exhaustion and despair, let us remember the paralytic man (Mark 2: 1-12) who could not get up. It was only when his friends carried him, when they used their imagination to create a hole in the roof and lower him down on his mat, that he was able to reach Jesus, who said to him: "Get up and walk." So it is with us. We must carry one another if we are to go forward. We must use our imaginations, rooted in Christ, to find openings where there appear to be none. When we have reached the limits of our hope, together we carry one another, as we turn to God and ask for help.
We need this help not to despair, not to fall into the trap of hatred. Our faith in the Resurrection teaches us that all human beings are to be loved, equal, created in the image of God, children of God and brothers and sisters of one another. Our belief in the dignity of every human person is manifest in our service to the wider community. Our schools, hospitals, social services are places where we care for all in need, indiscriminately.
It is also our faith that motivates us to speak the truth and oppose injustice. We are believers in a peace that Jesus has given us and that cannot be taken away. "He is our peace" (Ephesians 2:14). We must not be afraid to speak out against any form of violence, killing and dehumanization. Our faith makes us advocates for a land without walls, without discrimination, for a land of equality and freedom for all, for a future in which we live together.
We will only know peace when the tragedy of the Palestinian people is brought to an end. Only then will Israelis enjoy security. We need a definitive peace agreement between these two partners and not temporary ceasefires or interim solutions. Israel's massive military force can destroy and bring death, it can wipe out political and military leaders and anyone who dares to stand up and oppose occupation and discrimination. However, it cannot bring the security that Israelis need. The international community must help us by recognizing that the root cause of this war is the negation of the right of the Palestinian people to live in its land, free and equal.
A peaceful future depends on a togetherness that extends beyond our own community. We are one people, Christians and Muslims. Together, we must seek the way beyond the
cycles of violence. Together with them we must engage with those Jewish Israelis who are also tired of the rhetoric, the lies, the ideologies of death and destruction.
Let us set forth, carrying one another. Let us keep hope alive, knowing that peace is possible. It will be difficult but we remember that we once lived together in this land as Muslims, Jews and Christians. There will be many moments when the way appears blocked. But together we will carve out a path forward, rooted in God's hope, and "hope does not disappoint us." (Romans 5:5). Our hope is in God, in ourselves and in every human being upon whom God bestows some of His goodness.
+ Michel Sabbah, Patriarch Emeritus of Jerusalem
Organisation of atomic bomb survivors wins Nobel Peace prize
Pax Christi USA has extended its warmest congratulations to Nihon Hidankyo, an organization founded in 1956 of hibakushasurvivors of the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki - for receiving this year's Nobel Peace prize. Hibakusha have spent decades sharing their stories, lobbying governments, and raising awareness about the devastating consequences of nuclear weapons.
The Nobel Peace prize website states: 'The extraordinary efforts of Nihon Hidankyo and other representatives of the Hibakusha have contributed greatly to the establishment of a nuclear taboo.'
"We are thrilled about the Nobel Peace prize being awarded to a group of Japanese hibakusha for their dedication to campaigning for nuclear disarmament," said Jim Thomas, a member of Pax Christi USA's nuclear disarmament working group. "As a group dedicated to disarmament, Pax Christi
draws new inspiration and energy from this recognition. We congratulate the Japanese atomic bomb survivors and stand in solidarity with all hibakusha and all downwinders who have been impacted by their exposure to harmful radiation from the production, testing, and use of nuclear weapons. For the sake of the world and future generations, we will not rest until all nuclear weapons are eliminated."
Nihon Hidankyo is a shortened version of the Japanese name of the group, translated into English as 'Japan Confederation of Aand H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations.'
Pax Christi members during their visit to Japan with peace activists and hibakusha
ICN
His Beatitude Michel Sabbah
New report highlights persecution of Christians
ACN/John Newton
Persecuted and Forgotten? shines a light on the suffering of
Christians which often goes unseen and unnoticed
On Christmas Eve 2023 security forces descended on the home of 38-year-old Esmaeil Narimanpour in Dezful, western Iran –they arrested him and confiscated all his Christian books. His crime was converting to Christianity. He was given a five-year prison sentence for “acting against national security by communicating with Christian ‘Zionist’ organisations”. According to reports, Esmaeil was one of around 50 Christian converts arrested in Iran over the Christmas period last year – and one of thousands of Christians around the world who are persecuted because of their Faith every year.
Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need’s new Persecuted and Forgotten? report covering the period 2022-24 looks at the plight of Christians like Esmaeil around the world who suffer because of their Faith. Focusing on 18 countries where believers are suffering because of state authoritarianism or attacks from extremists, the report found that in more than 60 percent of countries surveyed, human rights violations against Christians had increased.
Research for Persecuted and Forgotten? highlighted four key findings:
Firstly, the epicentre of militant Islamist violence – which was previously in Middle Eastern countries like Iraq and Syria, where Daesh (ISIS) and similar militant groups tried to drive out Christians and other minorities –has shifted to Africa. In parts of Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Mozambique and elsewhere, Christians suffered extremist violence. In Burkina Faso alone, more than two million people – about 10 percent of the country’s population – have been displaced because of the ongoing Islamist insurgency. In Nigeria’s Middle Belt militant Fulani insurgents with links to jihadists have regularly carried out violent atrocities, displacing hundreds of thousands. They seem to particularly target Christians, often timing attacks to coincide with religious holidays.
Secondly, Persecuted and Forgotten? found an intensified targeting of Christians, who were often labelled as enemies of the state and/or local community particularly by authoritarian regimes. Nicaragua was examined for the first time in the report’s 18-year history, as more than 50 priests and seminarians were arrested during the period under review. Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa was sentenced – without trial – to 26 years in jail and stripped of his citizenship in February 2023 for criticising the government. The following year he was released from prison, but expelled from the country.
Vietnam, while by no means a model country, saw slight improvements as it took steps to facilitate the legal registration of religious groups and relations improved with the Catholic Church to such an extent that Archbishop Marek Zalewski was able to become the first resident papal representative in the country since 1975.
Thirdly, governments and others increasingly weaponised legislation, as a means of oppressing Christians and other religious groups. State anti-conversion laws in India have been used as a pretext to pressure Christian institutions – schools and orphanages have been searched, and priests and Sisters accused of converting children. In Uttar Pradesh State between the anti-conversion law being enacted in 2020 and May 2023, over 855 people from Christian and other minority backgrounds were detained under them.
Finally, there were increased threats to Christian children especially girls, who suffered abduction, sexual violence, forced marriage and forced conversion. At the start of 2023 UN experts expressed alarm at the reported rise in abductions, forced marriages and conversions of underage girls and young women from Christian and other religious minorities in Pakistan. But despite UN concern cases continue, like that of 10-year-old Laiba Masih, from Faisalabad, who was abducted in February 2024. Police told the family that it would be hard to return her after they received a statement purporting to be from Laiba in March saying that she had converted to Islam and married a much older man of her own free will. Mercifully the story didn’t end there, and after intense international pressure she was finally returned to her parents in July.
But not all cases have a happy ending, nor is it just in Pakistan that such kidnappings occur. In Egypt 21-year-old Christian woman Erin Shehata disappeared in January 2024. She had just dropped off her younger brother at his school and was on her way to sit exams at university. Her family later received a distressing call from Erin saying she was being held against her will. She managed to tell them where she was, and they reported everything to the police. But after investigating authorities advised the family to drop the matter, telling them that Erin had eloped with a Muslim man voluntarily. Girls and young women like Erin face uncertain futures, cut off from their families and unsupported by state authorities. The future can look bleak for many Christians – but, where it is able, Aid to the Church in Need is helping local Church partners to respond. So in Nigeria’s Middle Belt the Church has provided emergency aid, including
blankets and sleeping mats for those displaced and in Pakistan a campaign was launched to support vulnerable girls including consultations with politicians and other decision makers, an awareness campaign and legal help for victims.
Persecuted and Forgotten? shines a light on the suffering of Christians which often goes unseen and unnoticed. It strives to ensure that
the world’s persecuted Christians are not forgotten.
• To order your free copy of Persecuted and Forgotten? please visit acnuk.org/pf-24 (donations for postage and packing are appreciated) and to find out more how you can help persecuted Christians around the globe please visit acnuk.org/redwednesday24
Young boy in an IDP camp in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique
A Sister of the Divine Saviour inside a destroyed church in Tanzania
View from the Pew
Windows and Mirrors
Dr Jay Kettle-Williams
It was some time ago, I freely admit, that I was living on the coast in Catalonia (NE Spain) in what was then nothing but an overgrown village. One day I was asked to find a fellow Brit, who’d gone to the beach which was popular with the locals, and to pass him a message about something or other, nothing of any great consequence.
‘How will I recognise him?’ I asked.
‘He’s on the beach,’ I was told. ‘He’s a Brit.’
I set off wondering how on earth I was going to find a fellow Brit among that scantily clad, nubile and seriously tanned multitude frolicking on the beach or hurdling the waves which constantly crash-landed onto the shore.
The idea of stereotyping leads me to wonder what others deem to be stereotypical when they come to think about us Christians, and about us Catholics in particular.
I needn’t have worried. The straw trilby, let alone the short-sleeved multi-coloured shirt and matching shorts from M&S, was a dead give-away. He was sitting alone on a colourful beach towel with a large bottle of Nivea sun cream by his side. What hair he had protruding from under his headgear was a pale match for the sand from which his feet were protected by socks and sandals. He sat gazing out to sea, listening to the shingle rolling back and forth along the shoreline.
He looked up at me, his face already turning a pale but fast-developing puce in the sun: ‘How did you find me?’ he asked. ‘That was very clever!’
‘Intuition!’ I replied.
I don’t suppose, in such a situation these days, that it would be quite as easy to recognise one‘s fellow Brit. Stereotypes, much maligned by many for being fixed and oversimplified portrayals (Image v. Reality), can have some merit. My own experience that day on the beach is a veritable case in point.
Hm! That’s a difficult one. For a start, we can’t be classified ethnically (our faith is not restricted to any one of the four major recognised races of humankind), we can’t be categorised linguistically (Catholics could be native speakers of any one of the many known languages - some 7,164 at the time of writingspoken around the globe), we can’t be identified geographically (baptized Catholics1.3 billion or so as currently estimated - are to be found anywhere and everywhere in the world), we can’t be recognised culturally other than by our faith. So, collectively, how do we see ourselves and how are we seen by others?
There is a useful exercise which we could perhaps call upon at this juncture. It’s used in corporate training and development to identify, compare and contrast viewpoints across factions: one team with a specific commonality (e.g. nationality) identifies in forum what members consider to be their own five salient characteristics and what they consider to be the five corresponding salient
characteristics held in common by members of another team or other teams. Each team in turn then presents the compendia of their respective viewpoints, this is all by way of challenging barriers and increasing crossfaction understanding, fellowship and cohesion.
That sets me thinking.
Thought for the day:
What do we think are the five main traits that we practising Catholics have in common?
What could onlookers think are the five main traits that we practising Catholics have in common?
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
Dr J L Kettle-Williams is an experienced business communications consultant and wordsmith (tutor, writer, translator).
A New Challenge for St Joseph’s at Peasedown St John
cliftondiocese.com
The biggest reward was to see Chantal competing recently in the Paralympics as a member of the Rwandan national wheelchair volleyball squad
For over twenty years, the parishioners of St Joseph’s Catholic Church at Peasedown St John have supported a variety of missionary initiatives in Rwanda. These have grown from a close and long-lasting association with Father Leonard, a member of the Missionaries of Africa, an international missionary organisation that works extensively in Africa, often with the poorest communities. St Joseph’s has raised many thousands of pounds to support Father Leonard’s work.
Projects undertaken have included various agricultural schemes, a fish farm, the drilling of bore holes to bring fresh water for rural areas and establishing educational and community facilities. However, the most rewarding work for St Joseph’s has been the help that they were able to give to a young Rwandan girl, Chantal. She came from a poor background and, sadly, had such severe elephantiasis that her leg had to be amputated. St Joseph’s worked hard to support Chantal financially both before and after surgery and, when her formal education ended, she received training and equipment to set up as a seamstress and become independent. But the biggest reward of all was for Chantal’s friends in Peasedown to see her competing recently in the Paralympics, as a member of the Rwandan national wheelchair volleyball squad. No mean feat indeed!
All these things have been achieved through the close link between Father Leonard and St Joseph’s. This relationship continues to grow and recently Father Leonard spent several weeks in the area, helping in the parish and renewing old friendships.
On his return to Rwanda, a new challenge awaits Father Leonard. He has been asked to develop a new parish in the village of Museyni, a word which means “dry sand.” The name says it all. There is no running water, the church looks like a derelict hangar and the only living accommodation is a tumbledown shack. The parish is larger than all the Somer Valley and has about 50000 parishioners, some of whom regularly walk more than 3 miles to attend church.
On Saturday evening, a curry and quiz evening took place at St Joseph’s Church to say goodbye to Father Leonard, who is returning to Rwanda to improve the lives of his new parishioners in Museyni. They desperately need access to clean water and the first task will be to construct a borehole to facilitate this. The evening was a great success, with excellent food provided by parishioners and lots of fun. Over 70 people attended the event and more than £800 was raised. As a result of other fund-raising activities, the parish will be able to donate £2500 as initial support for the Museyni project.
A new chapter for Father Leonard and another challenge for St Joseph’s, which they are happy to accept.
How to oppose the Assisted Dying Bill
This threat to the sanctity of life requires action on our part to show we will not stand by as such an extreme law is rushed through
Parliament may be rushing a Bill into law to legalise assisted dying – here's how you can oppose it
This Bill will be voted on before Christmas. It has had its first reading in the House of Commons and will return for a second reading on 29 November 2024.
This threat to the sanctity of life requires action on our part to show we will not stand by as such an extreme law is rushed through.
Archbishop John Wilson said in a Pastoral Letter on the subject in March 2024, that as “baptised followers of the Lord Jesus we must do all within our power to support the most vulnerable in our society, especially those who have no voice to speak for themselves.".
In the letter, the Archbishop reminds us that “the Catholic Church believes and teaches that every life is valuable, regardless of one’s physical or mental state or ability. We are called to care for those who are suffering, not to bring about their death. We cannot approve of any form of euthanasia and assisted suicide.”
To help you lodge your opposition to the Bill, the charity Right to Life has set up a simple action on their website which enables you to write to your MP and urge them to oppose this extreme Bill.
The more people who show their opposition to this Bill, the more chance we have in
stopping the ending of many lives through assisted dying. So please take action to support this campaign and urge your friends and family to join you.
Use this QR code to register your opposition to the Assisted Dying bill.
Pope welcomes President Zelensky to Vatican
ICN/Vatican Media
All nations have the right to exist in peace and security. War and hatred bring only death and destruction for everyone
Pope Francis welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the Vatican for the third time on Friday. During their 35 minute long meeting the Holy Father particularly expressed his concern at the suffering of Ukrainian children - so many of whom have lost the ability to smile.
This was their fourth encounter, after a bilateral meeting on June 14 on the sidelines of the G7 in the Puglia region of Italy and meetings in the Vatican on May 13, 2023, and, prior to the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, on February 8, 2020.
According to a statement issued by the Holy See Press Office, the talks in the Secretariat of State were devoted “to the state of the war and the humanitarian situation in Ukraine," as well as “the ways that could put an end to it, leading to a just and stable peace in the country."
The statement also said: "a number of issues concerning religious life in the country were also examined."
Afterwards, President Zelensky met with Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.
After the meeting, in a post on X, Pope Francis wrote: “All nations have the right to exist in peace and security. Their territories must not be attacked, and their sovereignty must be respected and guaranteed through peace and
dialogue. War and hatred bring only death and destruction for everyone."
During the meeting the two leaders exchanged gifts, and the Pope exchanged greetings with the delegation accompanying President Zelensky. The Ukrainian President gave Pope Francis an oil painting, entitled 'The Bucha Massacre. The Story of Marichka.'
Pope Francis gave President Zelensky a bronze casting of a flower engraved with the inscription: 'Peace is a fragile flower.'
The Pope also gave the President this year's Message for Peace, several papal documents,
the book on the 27 March 2020 Statio Orbis, edited by the Vatican Publishing House, as well as the volume 'Persecuted for Truth, Ukrainian Greek Catholics Behind the Iron Curtain.'
Pope Francis has made countless appeals for an end to the war and the suffering since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and has offered the Holy See's availability to help in any way to work toward peace. The Holy Father has also sent delegates and envoys delivering ambulances, medical supplies, and aid to the suffering nation.
Pope Francis meets Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Vatican
(VATICAN MEDIA Divisione Foto)
UK churches relieve costs, support NHS by over £8.4 billion a year
National Churches Trust
"Churches and other faith groups play an extremely important role in the health and wellbeing of their communities, and in our collective health. "
The UK's churches provide essential healthrelated support services that would cost billions of pounds a year to deliver, 'The House of Good: Health', new research from the National Churches Trust shows. From youth groups to food banks, from drug and alcohol addiction support to mental health counselling, churches directly provide or host a growing list of vital health related services for people in urgent need.
In the process, churches relieve huge cost pressures on the National Health Service, worth an estimated £8.4 billion each year. That's the equivalent to the cost of employing 230,000 nurses. (This - figure is based on the current average salary of £36,000 for a Registered Nurse in the UK.)
The £8.4 billion is how much it would cost the NHS to produce the same level of health improvements provided by churches, equivalent to around 4% of total UK public health spending.
The report was launched in the House of Commons by Ruth Jones MP on Tuesday 15 October.
Welcoming the report, The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE, Bishop of London, said: "Churches and other faith groups play an extremely important role in the health and wellbeing of their communities, and in our collective health. "
"There is a church in every community, including the most deprived, and many have been serving their communities for generations. It is encouraging to see the value of their provision being recognised in this report, with inspiring case studies."
"The report helps to highlight the importance of faith group partnership, which will be vital in reducing health inequalities. Church buildings are important and rich assets in the delivery of this work, which we must look after, and for which we give thanks."
Will Watt, Allan Little and Jasmine Kazantzis from value and social impact consultancy, State of Life, co-authors of the report produced for the National Churches Trust, explain the economics behind their findings.
"Our approach involved using Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs), a value for money metric used by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to determine the healthcare value of four support services provided in church buildings: youth groups, food banks,
drug and alcohol addiction support and mental health counselling."
"We also incorporated the positive health benefits experienced by volunteers, who not only contribute their time to support these services, but also improve their own wellbeing in the process."
"Whilst the £8.4 billion in cost relief is not directly visible to NHS commissioners, the range of healthcare support and services provided in church buildings will in practice reduce what is already and excess demand for health services."
"It is important to stress, that this is a conservative valuation. In reality, churches provide a much wider range of support, from warm spaces and lunch clubs to activities that alleviate loneliness, and a host of musical and cultural activities. All of these can be expected to contribute to health and wellbeing , and thus further relieve costs."
"Our research shows that church buildings provide significant cost relief, underscoring their vital role in care and wellbeing."
Claire Walker, Chief Executive of the National Churches Trust, said: "The UK's 38,500 churches promote the positive mental and physical health that helps people thrive. They provide locations for health treatments. They prevent conditions that would otherwise send more patients through GP or hospital doors. They're our National Help Service."
"Our new research, 'The House of Good: Health' shows for the first time that the value of the health-related support services provided in church buildings is at least £8.4 billion a year. These findings and figures are remarkable. But they're also alarming. Because the UK's church buildings are dangerously underfunded, with many in the most deprived areas falling into disrepair and facing closure. Around 3,500 have closed in recent years."
"Without urgent support, we risk losing this shock absorber for the NHS, and a vital safety net for the most vulnerable people in our society."
"Churches were providing health services long before the introduction of the NHS and continue to do so today. As healthcare costs rise, their role in preventative care becomes increasingly important. This is also true for buildings used by other faiths."
"By investing in church buildings and integrating churches into local health service
prescribing, we can alleviate pressures on healthcare budgets while delivering immense value to individuals and communities across the UK."
CASE STUDY
Alcohol is a major cause of death and poor health. In 2022, there were 10,048 deaths from alcohol-specific causes registered in the UK, the highest number on record. From 2021 to 2022, in the UK there were 342,795 hospital admissions that were wholly due to alcohol.
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other so that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.
There are over 4,000 AA groups in the United Kingdom. Many of them meet in church buildings. In Cardiff five churches provide a space for AA groups to meet. These include St Martin's church in Roath, where a regular AA group of around 15 - 20 people meets every Friday.
One of the people who attends the AA Group at St Martin's church, who wishes to remain
anxiety about attending an AA Meeting. I started attending a meeting at the local church. I came to realise the people there were non-judgmental and prayed for people like myself, in need. Having the AA Meetings in this church has helped me and others as well."
"The Vicar is familiar with the 12 Step Programme we follow and has been a great help, although he is not himself a member of AA. He greets and welcomes us, then leaves us. After the Meeting he is around and chats with those who remain behind."
"If I had not found this particular AA group at the church I believe that I would have been still suffering fear and soul sickness. A wonderful light is falling upon me now and a sense of relief that is indescribable."
"A person who regularly worships here bakes cakes for the group; it's a sign of our welcome and hospitality to all who come to St Martin in Roath. "
According to the latest data from the National Churches Trust, there are approximately 38,500 church buildings open for worship in the UK.
Rachel Adams
Columbans launch 2025 Schools Competition: ‘Jubilee: Pilgrims of Hope’
Columban Missionaries in Britain have launched their 2024/2025 Schools Media Competition, which has the title: ‘Jubilee: Pilgrims of Hope’.
Encouraging creativity and faith engagement with issues in the world today, this year’s competition welcomes both written and image entries until 7 February 2025, with winners being announced on 10 March 2025. Cash prizes will be awarded.
High-profile judges from the world of journalism have been secured and winning entries will be published in the Columbans’ Far East magazine, Vocation for Justice newsletter, and in other Catholic media. This is the eighth annual Columban Schools Media Competition. The competition is for students aged between 13-18 years old.
Pope Francis has decreed that 2025 will be a year of Jubilee. He urges us to look for signs of hope in the world around us and work for peace and justice. Young people are invited to highlight one community or group bringing hope in the world today. This might be one they are part of or one that inspires them. “May the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope,” says Pope Francis.
Students will find the Columban Competition website a useful resource. It includes information on the theme of Jubilee and Pilgrimage plus examples of Columbans projects and inspirational communities. There are also details on submission of entries and a helpful FAQ page. The website provides material suitable for students, teachers and parents.
www.columbancompetition.com/
Podcast interviewing All Kinds of Catholics continues with Yemisi Wisoba from KYT
Hearing about her faith journey and about her expertise in engaging young people was a privilege
The latest episode of the All Kinds of Catholic podcast is out now and features our very own Yemisi Wisoba, from the Kenelm Youth Trust (KYT).
Yemisi is the Encounter & Evangelisation Youth Ministry Worker at KYT.
She recently interviewed Bishops Timothy Menezes and Richard Walker just before their Episcopal Ordination in July, which is where she was ‘spotted’ by Theresa Alessandro, Podcast Owner and Host of All Kinds of Catholic.
The podcast was launched in June and features a new conversation with a different Catholic guest every Wednesday. The dialogue focusses on how each person is living their faith in the world today.
In this episode Yemisi talks about her faith journey - including her experience of World Youth Day 2019 which solidified her decision to become a Catholic the following year - studying through the Maryvale Institute, her role at KYT - including organising Theology on Tap, marriage and family life.
Theresa said: “I saw Yemisi interviewing the newly-appointed Bishops Timothy Menezes and Richard Walker in a short film made by the Archdiocese.
“I could see that she was a really good communicator and that's what inspired me
to invite her to be a podcast guest. Hearing about her faith journey and about her expertise in engaging young people was a privilege.
“I'm so glad the Lord directed me to her. I think listeners will feel uplifted and encouraged when they tune in to this episode.”
Listen now to Episode 19: Abundant Blessings: Such fantastic energy and joy from Yemisi in this episode - while she generously shares her experience and insight on engaging young people, marriage and family life, and making time for encounter.
To listen log on to www.kindsofcatholic.buzzsprout.com
Pope Francis leads Rosary for peace for 'world in danger'
ICN/Vatican Media
Pope Francis said humanity currently has great need of her loving gaze, which calls us to trust in her Son, Jesus Christ.
Pope Francis led the recitation of a Rosary for peace this evening, at the Basilica of St Mary Major, and prayed that violence and hatred may be extinguished from human hearts.
"Transform the hearts of those who fuel hatred, silence the din of weapons that generate death, extinguish the violence that brews in the heart of humanity, and inspire projects for peace in the actions of those who govern nations," the Holy Father said.
He was joined by participants in the Synod on Synodality taking place in the Vatican this month.
In his prayer for peace, the Pope brought the sorrows and hopes of peoples at war to the Blessed Virgin Mary, as he sat at the feet of the ancient icon of Maria Salus Populi Romani.
"We lift our gaze to you, immerse ourselves in your eyes, and entrust ourselves to your heart," he prayed, noting that in her earthly life, Mary drew near to those who suffered.
Pope Francis said humanity currently has great need of her loving gaze, which calls us to trust in her Son, Jesus Christ.
"Fly to our aid in these times oppressed by injustices and devastated by wars," he prayed. "Wipe the tears from the suffering faces of those who mourn the loss of their loved ones, awaken us from the stupor that has darkened our path, and disarm our hearts from the weapons of violence".
The Holy Father expressed his concern that our world is in danger, as we have lost the "joy of peace and the sense of fraternity." He prayed that humanity may learn to "cherish life and reject war, care for those who suffer, the poor, the defenseless, the sick, and the afflicted, and protect our Common Home."
In conclusion, Pope Francis asked Mary, Queen of the Rosary, to untie "the knots of selfishness and disperse the dark clouds of evil" and to fill us with her tenderness.
Pope Francis' Prayer for Peace O Mary, our Mother, we come again here before you. You know the sorrows and struggles that weigh heavily on our hearts in this hour. We lift our gaze to you, immerse ourselves in your eyes, and entrust ourselves to your heart.
You, too, O Mother, have faced difficult trials and human fears, but you were courageous and bold. You entrusted everything to God, responded to Him with love, and offered yourself without reservation. As the intrepid Woman of Charity, you hurried to help Elizabeth, promptly addressing the needs of the couple during the Wedding at Cana; with steadfastness of heart, on Calvary you illuminated the night of sorrow with the Easter hope. Finally, with maternal tenderness, you gave courage to the frightened disciples in the Upper Room and, with them, welcomed the gift of the Spirit.
And now we beseech you: heed our cry! We have need of your loving gaze that invites us to trust in your Son, Jesus. You who are ready to embrace our sorrows, fly to our aid in these times oppressed by injustices and devastated by wars, wipe the tears from the suffering faces of those who mourn the loss of their loved ones, awaken us from the stupor that has darkened our path, and disarm our hearts from the weapons of violence, so that the prophecy of Isaiah may quickly be fulfilled: "They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not take up sword against another, nor shall they train for war again" (Isaiah 2:4).
Turn your maternal gaze upon the human family, which has lost the joy of peace and the sense of fraternity. Intercede for our world in danger, so that it may cherish life and reject war, care for those who suffer, the poor, the defenseless, the sick, and the afflicted, and protect our Common Home.
We invoke you for the mercy of God, O Queen of Peace! Transform the hearts of those who fuel hatred, silence the din of weapons that generate death, extinguish the violence that brews in the heart of humanity, and inspire projects for peace in the actions of those who govern nations.
O Queen of the Holy Rosary, untie the knots of selfishness and disperse the dark clouds of evil. Fill us with your tenderness, uplift us with your caring hand, and grant us your maternal caress, which makes us hope in the advent of a new humanity where the wilderness becomes a garden land and the garden land seems as common as forest. Then judgment
will dwell in the wilderness and justice abide in the garden land. The work of justice will be peace…" (Isaiah 32:15-17).
O Mother, Salus Populi Romani, pray for us!
Watch the Rosary for Peace on the Vatican by scanning the QR code
Cardiff Priest Speaks for God –and Science
His
Revd Dr. Gareth Leyshon, parish priest of Treforest, Llantrisant, and the Rhondda Valleys, has recently been commissioned by the Bishops’ Conference to explore the intersection of science and faith in a new series of web essays. For those who don’t know Father Gareth read Physics at Oxford and completed a doctorate at Cardiff (a study of the structure of distant galaxies) before entering seminary. Fr. Gareth has long maintained a passion for science communication, covering topics as diverse as astrophysics and zoology. His work aims to illuminate how scientific inquiry and faith can coexist and enrich our understanding of the world.
Since 2019, our bishops have encouraged Catholics to engage with Scripture in new ways through the God Who Speaks initiative. As part of this effort, in 2020, an artist created the mosaic Little Bits of God, commemorating the
1600th anniversary of St. Jerome’s translation of the Bible into Latin. Over time, the initiative’s website – the God Who Speaks – has expanded to include resources for liturgical seasons, reflections on faith in the workplace, and now, an exploration of how Scripture and science complement each other in offering different perspectives on creation and existence.
Fr. Gareth’s series of articles delve into the search for scientific truth and the awe inspired by the intricate balance and order of the universe. He addresses pressing questions around genetics, such as, “What does it mean to be human?” and “What do genealogical tests truly reveal about our identity?”
Beyond his writing, Fr. Gareth has made significant contributions to the dialogue between science and faith. In 2015, he delivered the annual sermon at the Darwin Festival, and he has twice preached at the
Fr. Gareth’s unique combination of scientific expertise and theological insight makes his work a compelling resource for anyone interested in how faith and science inform one another. Through his essays, he invites readers
You can use both sets of clues to solve the puzzle: the solutions are the same.
CRYPTIC Across
5 Achan – he in trouble, being David's musicians' roadie (9)
8 Grill fish? (4)
9 Live with Gran when occupied by Chinese family's clan leader (3-5)
10 God, about Thursday, and late, finally gets to Rebecca's dad (7)
11 China setting is quasi-American in part (4)
13 Father of the first Israelite king and the first king in south Haran (4)
15 Tabernacle he designed out of misplaced zeal, being consumed by 10's god (7)
18 False claims queen is involved in Bible's supernatural bits (8)
19 Articles going back and forth citing Tobit's wife (4)
20 Is a Scottish policeman last month, first to put ten cities in the Book? (9)
CRYPTIC Down
1 Chaldean place found among the chapters is a place to worship (6)
2 Given the chance to become talented in goal (7)
3 Upright individual with a North Dakota base (2,3)
4 20 city of silver toppled by revolutionary modern-day artillery (6)
6 Epic Hanoi struggle made the old country (9)
7 No point in Ealing lass working for these Jesus People (9)
12 Moses' boy is found in stranger's home (7)
14 Lift needed to the north – that's the place to get to! (6)
16 Goth in the French style, endlessly wealthy (6)
17 Bathsheba's dad, one investing in land bordering on Persia (5)
QUICK Across
5 One of David's leading musicians, in charge of transport (9)
8 Partially burn; domestic cleaner (4)
9 Clan leader in Judah (3-5)
10 Father of Rebecca, nephew of Abraham (7)
11 Roman province of W Turkey, which included Ephesus (4)
13 Mordecai's great-grandfather (4)
15 Exodus craftsman and designer (7)
18 Spectacular unexplained events, particularly in the NT (8)
19 Temple prophet who saw the infant Jesus (4)
20 Series of Greek, non-Jewish, towns to the south of the Sea of Galilee (9)
QUICK Down
1 Holy site, from the Greek 'kuriakon (doma)' (6)
2 Authorized; facilitated (7)
3 Without pause or interruption over a considerable period of time (2,3)
4 One of the 20, locale of the miracle of Legion and the swine (6)
6 Maritime country of ancient times, chief ports Tyre and Sidon (9)
We hope you’ll enjoy them!
Scan the QR code to read more.
7 Compatriots of Jesus (9)
12 Son of Moses and Zipporah (7)
14 Dwelling place of the blessed; Nirvana equivalent (6)
16 Barbaric Visigoth whose army sacked Rome in 410 AD (6)
