You can be sorry for something; you can confess your guilt, and the person hurt or offended can forgive you.
But that does not mean to say that everything is as it was before. Take the obvious example of getting angry with someone and punching them in the eye. When apologies have been made and the incident put to one side, the effect of the grievance remains – a black eye! Worse still, when the hurt is very deep and involves a relationship, emotions and a network of other people, the temporal effects of the incident are felt over a long period of time, perhaps even lifelong.
All our sinful actions affect our relationship with God, with others, with ourselves and with the world in which we live. And although we are forgiven, the temporal effects of sin remain. Hence the need for penance, good deeds, fasting and ultimately, Purgatory. This is where the concept of “Indulgence” comes in. We are part of the family God by our Baptism. We are part of the Body of Christ, we are members of the Communion of Saints together with all those in Heaven, the Holy Souls in Purgatory and our brothers and sisters here on earth. During the summer, experiencing the Olympic Games and the Paralympics, somehow all of us shared in the glory, the achievements and the merits of those who were actually taking part. And it was real, not just an imaginary or a fanciful idea. If someone in our family or very close to us does well, is successful in something, earns a public honour of some description, then we all hold our heads high, sharing in a real sense their award. It is the same with the Communion of Saints; just as our sinful actions affect the whole body, so our good actions, when joined to the redemptive actions of Jesus, can be efficacious for us all. The merits, the prayers and the penances of Our Lady and all the saints and faithful people throughout the ages form what we call the “Treasury of the Church”.
In the person of St Peter, Jesus gave the Church the power of binding and loosing, the Power of the Keys, we call it. In this way, the Church can open the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints in favour of individual Christians to obtain from the Father of all mercies the remission of the temporal punishment due to their sins and also to spur them on to works of devotion, penance and charity.
And since the Holy Souls are also members of our family, part of the Communion of Saints, we can obtain an indulgence for them, so that the temporal punishment due to their sins can be remitted. For that reason, during the course of this Ordinary Jubilee Year there are many opportunities for us to gain indulgences –partial or plenary (complete, taking away all the temporal punishment) for ourselves and for our loved ones who have gone before us.
In blessed hope
Going the extra mile this Christmas
As we move into Advent, our thoughts will turn to celebrations, feasting, exchanging gifts and spending time with loved ones.
Decisions will be made about when to go to Mass to best suit our plans and when to take a break from work or other commitments so we can enjoy the spiritual and human pleasures the Christmas period offers.
While it’s nice to receive gifts and enjoy other’s hospitality, Christmas is a time of giving. Giving can bring truly positive returns, although this may not seem apparent.
Matthew (5:38-42) states: “You have learned how it was said ‘an eye for an eye’, but I say this to you; offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, then offer the left. If a man takes you to law and demands your tunic offer them your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks and if anyone wants to borrow do not turn away.”
If you lived in a Roman-occupied country, you were subject to Roman laws and customs. For example, a slap with the open hand was a compliment, but a back-handed slap was an insult.
Jesus is teaching us to accept the insult by giving the other cheek. Romans could ask for your tunic but not for more. In the same way Romans could ask you to walk with their bag for one mile but not two.
Jesus is breaking down the rules of the time to help us understand generosity. By turning the other cheek, going the extra mile or giving up your cloak, you are going beyond what they can ask of you.
If someone asked a Vincentian, or any of us for that matter, for something totally reasonable, such as the delivery of a food parcel, we must go the extra mile and reflect that in our service.
It should not just be at Christmas that we give – and we should not always focus on the commercial. Giving includes our time, talents and love. We should look for ongoing opportunities to serve.
Opportunities to help will present themselves. A conversation after Mass may turn into talking to someone about how they can be supported with their isolation. A request for a kitchen appliance could turn into the discovery of a need for a holiday and support for carers.
If you can give some help or service to others
over the festive period and beyond, do not be deterred by going the extra mile. The returns will be multiple, in terms of the beneficiary of that service and your satisfaction with the result.
May I take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a happy and holy Christmas, a peaceful and successful New Year, and many opportunities to go the extra mile in 2025.
Teresa O’Hagan, Middlesbrough SVP Membership Support Officer
A Vincentian focus on who we can help this winter
Since its founding in 1833, the SVP has remained true to its origins, charism and mission.
The inspirational purpose that drives the work of the SVP is its mission – to seek those in need to help them in a spirit of social justice and to tackle the causes of poverty where we can.
As a Catholic lay organisation, its spiritual foundations are paramount in motivating its members to fulfil the mission.
At every conference meeting, members will discuss who they have been helping and who they will be helping. They will also discuss where to source future referrals.
Matthew (25:35-40) explains the SVP’s approach to its mission when he sets out Christ’s teaching from the parable of the sheep and goats.
I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me; sick and you visited me; in prison and you came to see me.
Then the virtuous will say to him in reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you as a stranger and make you welcome; naked and clothe you; sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer, ‘I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the
BISHOP TERRY’S DECEMBER ENGAGEMENTS
30 Attends lunch for the clergy of the Diocese of Middlesbrough and Ampleforth Community
least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.’
The essence of the Vincentian approach is that Christ works through us and we see Christ in the poor. This parable from Matthew is easily translated to our own context today.
I was marginalised. Isolated and lonely in the community. Did you befriend me? I was suffering from poor mental health. Did you support me? I had never been on holiday my whole life. Did you provide for me? I was an overworked parish priest, struggling with a growing need for my services. Did you support me?
The Vincentian vocation, its ministry, is to
love; that means not just challenging the need we see but also what we see as need. Members may experience things they never thought were possible, such as harrowing poverty, but the commitment to the mission and a firm belief in providence and the guidance of the Holy Spirit enable the members to tackle the causes of the poverty they encounter with resolve, compassion and love.
If you are interested in learning more about the SVP, please contact me at TeresaO@svp.org.uk.
Teresa O'Hagan
Help wanted to keep Upper Room
As it gets colder, the number of visitors to the Upper Room project in Middlesbrough is increasing.
Would you be willing to volunteer once every four weeks from 9.30am to 12.30pm to help prepare, serve the food and drinks or just to chat to the guests?
If you feel you could help support our homeless in Middlesbrough in this way, please contact Teresa on 07885 599810 or
International gathering welcomes Father Clifford
Father Clifford Gavina MSHR has certainly made an impact since his appointment at the Sacred Heart, Hull.
We recently held a gathering of different cultures in the parish hall that was an E to Z (England to Zimbabwe) of where our parishioners come from.
Talents from each group were shared and there was singing, dancing and a never heard before version of On Ilkley Moor Baht ’at and a communal rendition of the Hokey Cokey. Afterwards we shared an Agape meal, which all the groups provided.
It was a wonderful occasion where we
serving
email francesg@svp.org.uk.
You could come along any Saturday and visit just to see for yourself.
We are most grateful for the £2,000 cheque presented by Tony and Kathryn Quinn from Emzotech to help make Christmas, and beyond, more special for our guests.
celebrated our different cultures and to share that which keeps us all together.
The celebration ended with Father Clifford, who is from the Philippines, singing My Way, and that’s just what he did.
Bernard France
Tony Quinn of Emzotech hands over a cheaue for the Upper Room project
Father Clifford with guests at the Sacred Heart’s international celebration
Bringing hope to the world's newest country
South Sudan may have been recognised as the United Nations’ most recently formed country after gaining independence from Sudan in 2011, but aspects of its long and difficult past still hinder its prospects.
Having supported South Sudanese refugees since 2017, I made my first visit to their country recently. I travelled in trepidation, acutely aware of the risks.
South Sudan is bottom of the world league for quality of life despite huge potential from oil revenue, again disrupted now by the civil war further north.
During the recent conflict, more than four million people were displaced, many of whom became child refugees, while only 26% of children regularly attend school.
I met 38 of these child refugees in early July 2017, ironically as South Sudan celebrated its sixth anniversary of independence. They had fled to Kenya where they hoped to become educated and return to rescue their country. We promised to support them in this worthy endeavour.
They lived in a small shack they called Hope House, under the guidance of Bishop Peter Kuol, and we supported them with food and education.
The Church worked to build reconciliation. When Pope Francis said: “It is not human to remain inert while so many of our brothers and sisters suffer untold violence. It is therefore necessary to have a global involvement, not easy but not impossible,” we took him at his word!
We established a school in Wau, South Sudan, during 2023 and it opened in early 2024. I visited in September for the official opening, a grand occasion with 500 pupils and people. We teach in both English and Arabic to reflect our pupils’ diverse ethnic origins. Some of our teachers are returning refugees. We now have 178 pupils with equal numbers of girls and boys. Daughters are sometimes sold into early marriage with older men whom they don’t know, in exchange for a dowry of cattle from the groom. Without education, girls have very little say in this.
Boys are often expected to tend the family’s cattle and goats rather than go to school. Schooling allows all young people an informed choice, rather than blindly following tradition.
Better education reduces poverty, improves
health and lowers the economic burden.
While In Wau, I met young people determined to improve their country’s prospects. Young men and women want to become professionals and are determined to prioritise this over the expectations imposed on them by their forebears, and they’re prepared to make significant sacrifices.
Change is desperately needed. South Sudan has the world’s highest neonatal and maternal death rate and among the fewest doctors.
I was asked to conduct medical clinics in a prison. It was a jaw-dropping experience.
Prisoners were always chained together. Cattle theft was their commonest crime. They had no privacy, and very little food.
At night they slept on a concrete floor on a shared blanket. No wonder they had multiple chronic infectious diseases, along with malnutrition and despair. My heart went out to these poor men. Education is the key to society changing its values and its behaviour.
I was asked to visit a church in the remote countryside to the north of Wau with Bishop Peter. Ours was the only motorised vehicle on the dirt track that served as a road for the three hours it took to reach Warrup.
The locals were ecstatic when we eventually
arrived. Although it was midnight, the full moon illuminated Bishop Peter as he conducted an impromptu service for the villagers. Their enthusiastic singing drowned the buzz of legions of hungry mosquitos but couldn’t altogether alleviate the incessant
A brief history of South Sudan
Less than 30 years after Jesus’ death, the Romans explored the Nile. Below Egypt they encountered an impenetrable swamp they called the Sudd, which forced their retreat, much to Nero’s displeasure.
Nilotic speakers, like the Dinka, remained dominant along with their cattle culture, which has hardly changed since 3000 BC. Their dome-shaped tukuls, made of mud, wood and straw, have not evolved to this day. Fishing and cereal farming, along with their treasured cattle, remain their major occupation.
The arrival in the 19th century of the Turks, and later the British, may have changed northern and central Sudan but the south maintained its old traditions. However, where western weapons couldn’t reach, Christian missionaries did establish churches.
While the north remained mainly Muslim, the Nilotic peoples adopted a form of Christianity, practiced in the context of their long-held beliefs and traditions.
Civil war then devastated Sudan and paved the way for the south to seek independence.
The later discovery of large oilfields in the south catalysed their bid for freedom.
But this was marred by further devastating tribal civil conflict both before and immediately after independence was eventually achieved.
itching!
The next morning featured visits to a tiny school and even more destitute prison. I had given out all my medicines by noon, and we were fed lunch by the ladies who ran the church. Food was scarce as flooding had devastated crops. Some ladies had never seen a white person, which led to much amusement and many photos.
Bishop Peter stayed on but I was needed back in Wau. Father Zechariah and I set off in Wau’s Cathedral truck, but a front tyre exploded after 20 minutes, and we had no spare. We negotiated with a boda driver who agreed to take us back on his bike. Bad move! I was sitting over the rear metal grill and the potholed track ensured a bumpy ride. The bruises have only just faded, but worse was to come. A few days later I woke drenched in sweat and shaking uncontrollably. I recognised the symptoms of malaria at once. My fifth tropical disease – the price of travelling to remote places. But memories of these physical discomforts fade faster than the emotional anguish etched on the faces of the many people I met in South Sudan with nothing to live on or for.
Our small efforts to equalise the balance of power in this most traditional of societies may eventually help to heal that anguish too.
Clive Kelly
Bishop Terry blesses graves of his predecessors
A slightly larger congregation than in recent years gathered at St Mary’s Cathedral for our annual Mass for Deceased Bishops and Clergy. It was a bright day with unseasonably mild temperatures as Bishop Terry blessed the graves of his predecessor bishops.
During the same week, Pope Francis offered Holy Mass in Rome for the seven cardinals and 120 bishops who died over the past 12 months, reminding us that our remembrance of them becomes a prayer of intercession on their behalf.
In his homily, the Pope reflected on the words of the good thief, who was crucified with Jesus: “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
Earlier, on All Souls Day, Pope Francis visited the Roman Laurentino Cemetery where he offered Mass and prayed for all the deceased.
Clive and Bishop Peter in the village of Warrup
Bishop Terry and clergy at the blessing of the graves – photo by Mark Gallagher
SCHOOLS
Communities come together in tribute to fallen
Churches and schools throughout the diocese paid their respects to the fallen as they gathered for the annual Remembrance commemorations.
Representatives of schools in Nicholas Postage Catholic Academy Trust (NPCAT), which runs schools in Teesside and North Yorkshire, including the city of York, also came together at the trust’s headquarters, Postgate House, Middlesbrough.
They were led in prayer by Father Pat Keogh before CEO Hugh Hegarty gave a moving speech about the need for peace in our own communities.
“By honouring the sacrifices made for freedom and peace, we affirm that these values are stronger than fear, stronger than hatred,” he said.
“We, as a family, are called upon to be vigilant custodians of peace in our communities and our schools, to speak out against those who sow discord, and to lead by example with respect and compassion.
“The courage we celebrate today is not just found in the past, but must also be carried forward by us in our words and our actions.
“And in the words of Martin Luther King Junior, ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. And hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.’
“So may we each carry that light forward, honouring those who have sacrificed for peace by working against forces that threaten it today.
“Let us renew our commitment to building a better future, rooted in peace, mutual respect and remembrance of those who have given their all. Together we remember and commit to fostering a world worthy of their legacy.”
Children led the singing, before the playing of the Last Post signalled the start of the two minutes’ silence.
NPCAT assistant CEO Jim Farquhar, a serving Royal Naval Reserve officer, was among those who laid wreaths in the trust’s remembrance garden.
Applications invited for Catenian Public Speaking Competition
The 2025 Catenian Public Speaking Competition takes place at Sacred Heart Catholic High School in Newcastle on the afternoon of Sunday March 23.
Indications of interest from schools and colleges for pupils at Key Stage 3, 4 and post-16 should be made as soon as possible to Joe James at jjames9241@aol.com.
Year 6 pupils can represent the trusts their schools belong to.
Last year there were seven contestants from our diocese, three representing the host school, Trinity Catholic College, Middlesbrough, two from St Francis Xavier, Richmond, and two from Sacred Heart Catholic Secondary School, Redcar.
Claudia Davies, (third from left in the front row, wearing the blue T-shirt) represented Sacred Heart and won first prize in Key Stage 3. Claudia was one of four winners, who spoke about pangolins, is pictured with three runners-up.
A crowd of around 1,000 people attended to watch the annual Remembrance Parade from Westgate up to St Nicholas Church in Guisborough.
Headed by piper Tony Nolan and the Guisborough Salvation Army Drums, the parade included Royal British Legion members, service veterans, councillors, army and sea cadets, scouts and guides, cubs and brownies.
They marched to the War Memorial in the Square under the commanding stewardship of Colour Sergeant Nathan Cole, 2nd Battalion of the Royal Yorkshire Regiment.
There the Last Post was sounded and an open-air service conducted by the rector of St Nicholas Church, Reverend Alison Phillipson, Father Peter Taylor and Guisborough Salvation Army Major Antony Mugford, accompanied by the St Nicholas Church Choir and the Guisborough Salvation Army Band. Wreaths and poppies were laid on the cenotaph by groups including St Paulinus Catholic Church.
They were led by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, Graham Henderson CBE, and Guisborough Town Council Mayor Andrew Hickson.
Father Pat Keogh with Hugh Hegarty at the NPCAT service
Major Antony Mugford, of Guisborough Salvation Army, Father Peter Taylor, from St Paulinus Catholic Church, Reverend Alison Phillipson, rector of St Nicholas Church, Guisborough, and Brian Gent, chair of Guisborough Royal British Region
Pupils from All Saints Catholic School in York celebrated their patrons’ feast day with Mass celebrated by Bishop Terry in the beautiful surroundings of York Minster. We’ll have more photographs in next month’s Voice – Photo by David Harrison
Young artists see work in top London gallery
Budding artists from St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Grangetown were treated to a day trip to London to see their work on display in the National Portrait Gallery.
The adventure came out of a partnership between St Mary’s and the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA) as part of its award-winning People Powered: Stories from the River Tees project.
The special London edition of the exhibition highlights powerful portraits and stories from communities around the Tees that were curated by MIMA and won the Heritage category at the 2023 North East Culture Awards.
The exhibition featured Game Over, an installation reimagining local wildlife through mosaic-style artwork and created by St Mary’s children in collaboration with local artist Diane Watson.
MIMA paid for six children, along with head of school Nick Bennett and staff Nina Rowling, Ancy Norman and Paula Hunton, to visit the capital and see the exhibition they contributed to. The party was led by the gallery’s learning curator, Claire Pounder.
After a warm welcome and a full tour of the gallery, they were treated to high tea in the venue’s restaurant, Larry’s, before taking in some of London's most famous sights.
St Mary’s executive headteacher Anna McClurey said: “It’s been amazing for the children to work so closely with MIMA and a special thrill to see their artwork displayed in the National Portrait Gallery alongside pieces by famous artists.
“They all had a fantastic day, and I’m sure it will be an experience they’ll cherish for the
rest of their lives.”
Four years in the making, the original exhibition explored the connections between people, storytelling and the River Tees. It ran at MIMA last year, supported by the National Portrait Gallery and key local partners.
The centrepiece, River Portraits, includes 33 photographic works by Gilmar Ribeiro and stories captured in soundscape by music duo A Man Called Adam.
Dr Laura Sillars, dean of culture and creativity at Teesside University and director of MIMA, said: “Teesside University is at the heart of cultural developments in the North-East and is growing its international reputation as a groundbreaking creative institution.
“This Special Edit display is a perfect new stage in our collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery.”
Claire said: “Installing artwork from the Middlesbrough Collection in a local school is a historic moment for MIMA. This special partnership with the National Portrait Gallery has brought this vision to the forefront of the project.”
St Mary’s, which is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, is part of the Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust (NPCAT).
CEO Hugh Hegarty said: “NPCAT recognises the importance of exposing children to art and galleries in primary education. Our mission resonates strongly with the words of the artist Pablo Picasso, who said, ‘Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.’
“We acknowledge the belief that early exposure to art can nurture creativity,
imagination and an appreciation of beauty that lasts a lifetime. By bringing art into primary education, we help children see the world from different perspectives, encouraging them to express themselves and appreciate the diversity of human experience.”
Mr Hegarty added: “The leadership of St Mary’s continue to demonstrate their ambitions for every child and our excellent staff make this a reality every day.”
The original exhibition at MIMA, which is part of Teesside University, welcomed more than 37,000 visitors.
Children from St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Grangetown cut the tape at their exhibition in London’s National Portrait Gallery
A life lived for justice and peace
We were saddened to hear the news that Father Peter Keeling died on Saturday November 9 at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough.
We'll have more about Father Peter and his dedication to the cause of justice and peace in next month’s Voice
Please keep Father Peter’s family in your prayers at this time.
Our picture shows Father Peter receiving the Sacrament of the Sick from Bishop Terry in Lourdes in 2023, where he also celebrated the 60th anniversary of his ordination May he rest in peace and rise in glory.
Help Ukraine families keep warm this Christmas
Freezing winter weather is still a danger for so many around the world, especially in countries torn apart by violent conflict, where homes are damaged and open to the elements and where displaced families struggle to find warmth and safety.
But you can do something powerful to help people stay warm and safe. By giving today, you can support mothers like Maria in Ukraine.
Last winter, Maria and her young family were forced to flee their home in Berdyansk Raion, in the south-east of Ukraine, to escape the violence of Russia’s invasion. They were displaced to a village on the other side of the country.
Maria said their new home “was uninhabitable – the ceiling was crumbling –there was only rubble”. When freezing winter winds began to howl, Maria knew her family was in serious trouble.
desperate.
“We realised we wouldn’t be able to afford firewood,” said Maria. “It’s too expensive. We gathered some litter to burn.”
Your donation today can fund the local Church partners who gave Maria and Stephan the practical help they needed – firewood. Maria remembers: “We told the children. When the firewood arrived, it was like a playground for the little ones. Our emotions were off the scale because we knew it was our lifeline in winter. When there’s firewood you know you can cook a meal and keep warm without problems.”
We asked Maria why warmth was so important: what does warmth mean to you? She told us: “Warmth is the light in the stove and the light inside us all.”
Imagine facing the prospect of temperatures set to drop as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius. Imagine preparing for this deadly cold with no fuel for fires to warm your four young children. These were the challenges Maria faced. The situation looked bleak.
Maria and her husband, Stephan, were
These beautiful words from Maria capture the spirit of Christmas. Today, you can help so many more families like Maria’s with firewood for fuel, as well as hot food, emergency shelter and home repair kits, so that every family can survive the harshest winter weather. You can give today at cafod.org.uk/give.
Rachel Blaylock, CAFOD
Bishop Terry gives the Sacrament of the Sick to Father Peter in Lourdes in 2023 – Photo by Lacaze, Lourdes
Maria at her stove cooking with the firewood she has received
Your gift could provide desperately needed firewood for families this Christmas
URGENT
For young people like Jamie, this is their bed tonight.
Will you help?
Young people, like Jamie, with no safe place to sleep this winter urgently need your help.
When young people reach us they are in crisis. Many will have experienced neglect and abuse. Our team immediately sets to work finding a Nightstop host who will welcome them into their home that very night.
Nightstop is our emergency accommodation service for young people facing the risks of sleeping on the streets. Volunteer hosts provide a warm welcome, a safe place to sleep, a homecooked meal and a listening ear.
Help a young person into a safe home tonight
A donation of £54 could pay for a safe night with a Nightstop host for a young person. To donate, scan the QR code or go to depaul.org.uk/donatetoday
You can also donate by cheque, made payable to ‘Depaul UK’. Please send to Freepost RTXK–XRRE–AHLC, Depaul UK, Sherborne House, 34-36 Decima Street, LONDON, SE1 4QQ Your donation will support Depaul UK’s services wherever it is needed most.
Patron: Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President: Sir Trevor McDonald OBE
Christmas Mass
Ampleforth Abbey
St Laurence’s Abbey Church
Christmas Eve
10.15pm Christmas Night Mass
Christmas Day
10am Mass of Christmas Day
Cottingham
Holy Cross
Christmas Eve
Christmas Vigil Mass 6.30pm
Christmas Day
Midnight Mass
10am Mass During the Day
Hessle
Our Lady of Lourdes
Christmas Eve
6.30pm (Family Mass), 11.30pm Carols followed by Midnight Christmas Mass
Christmas Day
8.30am & 10.30am Mass
Hull
Our Lady of Lourdes and St Peter Chanel
Christmas Eve
Confessions 6.30pm-7.00pm. Carols at 7.30p.m
First Mass of Christmas at 8.00pm
Christmas Day
10.00am Mass
Hull
St Vincent's
Christmas Eve
8pm (Carols from 7pm)
Christmas Day 10am
Lealholm, Egton Bridge, Ugthorpe
Our Lady, Lealholm
Christmas Eve
5.30pm Carols
6.00pm First Mass of Christmas St Hedda, Egton Bridge
Christmas Eve
8.00pm First Mass of Christmas
St Anne, Ugthorpe
Christmas Day 10.00am Mass
Linthorpe Road
Sacred Heart Church
Christmas Eve - 24th December
Family/Children Mass 5pm, Midnight Mass 11.30pm
Christmas Day - 25th December
Masses at 8.30am and 10.00am
Boxing Day - St. Stephen, 26th December Mass 12.00 noon
New Year’s Eve - 31st December
Crossover Night Mass at 11.30pm beginning with Eucharistic adoration at 11.00pm
New Year Day - 1st January 2025 Mass at 12.00 noon
Nunthorpe
St Bernadette’s
Christmas Eve
5.00pm Mass with Children’s Nativity
7.30pm “Midnight" Mass
Christmas Day
9.30am Dawn Mass of Christmas
Ingleby Barwick
St Therese of Lisieux
Saturday 21st Mass 5.30pm
Sunday 22nd Mass 11am
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve 5.30pm Mass with Children’s Nativity 8pm First Mass of Christmas
Christmas Day 9am
North Ormesby
St Alphonsus Church
Christmas Eve - 24th December
Christmas Vigil Mass 6.00pm
Christmas Day - 25th December Mass 10.00am
New Year Day - 1st January 2025 Mass at 11.00am
Ormesby
Corpus Christi & St Gabriel's
Sat 21st December
Saint Gabriel’s Church 5.30pm Vigil Mass of 4th Sunday in Advent
Sun 22nd December
Corpus Christi Church
9.30am Mass of 4th Sunday in Advent Saint Gabriel’s Church 11.00am Mass of 4th Sunday in Advent
Christmas Eve
Corpus Christi Church
4.00pm Vigil Mass of Christmas Saint Gabriel’s Church
5.00pm Nativity Play & Carols
5.30pm Vigil Mass of Christmas
Christmas Day
Wed 25th December@ Saint Gabriel’s Church
9.30am Christmas Day Mass
(With Adoration From 8.30am & Rosary 9.10am)
Wishing a Middlesbroug Christmas from and eve
Stokesley, Great Ayton & Crathorne
St Joseph’s Stokesley, St Margaret Clitherow, Great Ayton, St Mary’s Crathorne Parishes
Christmas Eve
Mass suitable for Children 5.30pm
St Margaret Clitherow, Great Ayton Mass 8pm St Joseph’s, Stokesley
Christmas Day Mass 9am St Mary’s Church, Crathorne Mass 10am St Joseph’s, Stokesley
Teesville
Parish of St. Andrew's
St Andrew’s Church, Fabian Rd
Christmas Eve Vigil Mass 6.30pm preceeded by Carols from 6.00pm
Christmas Day
Morning Mass 8.00am
St. Anne’s Church, Eston
Christmas Day Mass 10.00am
Whitby
St Hilda’s Whitby & English Martyrs Sleights
Christmas Eve
6.30pm Carol Service at St Hilda’s followed by 7.00pm First Mass of Christmas
Christmas Day Masses: 9.00am English Martyrs Sleights 10.30am St Hilda’s Whitby
s Times
Yarm
St Mary & St Romuald
Sunday 22nd December Mass 9.30am
Christmas Eve Mass 8pm
Christmas Day Mass: 9am
York
English Martyrs
Christmas Eve
6.00pm First Mass of Christmas 11.45pm Carols
12.00pm Midnight Mass of Christmas
Christmas Day
10.30am Mass
Dalton Terrace, York YO24 4DA
York St George
December 19th
7pm advent service
December 24th
7pm Christmas vigil
December 25th
9.30am Christmas Mass
December 26, 27th, 28th 10am
January 1st 10am Mass only
Confession before and after every Mass on request
York
St Joseph and St Wilfrid
CHRISTMAS AT THE YORK ORATORY www.yorkoratory.com
St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church
Duncombe Place YO1 7EF
Christmas Carol Service
Wednesday, 18th December at 7pm
Christmas Eve
5pm Mass with Carols (English)
11.15 pm Readings and Carols
Midnight High Mass (Latin)
Christmas Day
8.30 am Mass (English) 10.30am Sung Mass (English) 4 pm Solemn Benediction (No 12 Noon Mass on Christmas Day)
St Joseph’s Catholic Church
Kingsway North, Clifton YO30 6JX
Christmas Day
9.30 am Mass (English)
Work begins on fire-damaged Ushaw chapel
Funding of £400,000 from Historic England for emergency works will safeguard a firedamaged former Catholic college in County Durham from further deterioration.
In July 2023, Ushaw’s Junior House near Durham was the site of an arson attack, which resulted in significant damage to the Grade II listed Junior House and to the roof of the Grade II* St Aloysius Chapel.
Repairs started on St Aloysius Chapel in June before barn owls were discovered nesting in the roof space. Work was paused to protect the fledgling owls, who have now departed. This current phase of work is expected to be completed by January 2025.
Scaffolding can then be erected to protect the highly decorative chapel interior and allow the architects and engineers to inspect what is left. Designs for the reinstatement will then be drawn up and the total cost of the restoration can be priced.
Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens (also known as St Cuthbert’s College) occupies a special place in the history of the Roman Catholic Church in England.
Following Elizabeth I’s Protestant Religious
Restoration
is underway on the fire-damaged former Ushaw College
Settlement of 1559, many English Catholics went into exile, settling in the French town of Douai. In 1568, the English College was established in the town to train English
priests, which it continued to do until the French Revolution.
The college’s dissolution in 1793 and the
Ensuring women’s voices are heard in Church and world
The National Board of Catholic Women (NBCW) operates in England and Wales as a national umbrella organisation for Catholic women.
The organisation holds a diversity of women’s views in the Church and recognises the dignity of all.
We operate ecumenically, keeping Christ at our heart. We create the space for the concerns of women to be heard and journey with one other so that all can grow in holiness.
We equip women to increase their participation in the Church’s mission through high-quality formation and ensure Catholic women’s hopes and concerns are heard within the Church and society.
Our relationships position the NBCW as a transformative vehicle for developing faith and practice – listening, forming, representing and advocating for Catholic women.
We have education, ecumenical, interreligious, science, health and bioethics, social responsibility, women in the Church and violence against women and girls’ committees. For more information visit nbcw.co.uk.
A Letter From Madonna House – A Christmas Gift
Alone in the chapel of St Joseph’s House in Combermere, Ontario one Christmas Day, I was feeling miserable.
I stared at the little Infant Jesus in the crèche scene and prayed, “Lord, you know my struggle... you called your apostles friends and extend that same invitation to all who believe in you. But your divinity overwhelms me. Friendship seems impossible.”
As I held the Little Infant I seemed to hear in my heart, “I am truly human, not just divine.” I slowly closed my eyes, receiving a precious gift of accepting the possibility of friendship with Jesus.
Jesus is fully human, “like us in all things but sin.” He desires our friendship. He is also Son of God, One with the Father. His dual nature was a hotly debated question for early Christians. I’ll just give a little taste of the discussion.
Fully Human: “When the Son of God, God of God and Light of Light, took on our physical
reality, he became a foetus in the womb of his mother. He grew and developed like all human beings. The Creator became matter, and the Infinite was contained in the womb. “The Word was made flesh.” (John 1:14) God the Son joined us in our humanity while keeping his own distinct, divine nature and unity in the Trinity. This is the Incarnation.” (Melkite Archbishop Joseph Raya in his book, Christmas, p15)
Fully Divine: One with the Father and the Spirit. One of the strongest heresies, Arianism, denied the full divinity of Christ, holding that he was created. Bishops gathered from most of the Christian world in Nicea in 325 AD and affirmed that “the Word Incarnate is of the same substance with the Father (“God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father”). (How To Read the Church Fathers p60)
We may ask: How does friendship with Jesus begin? I can only share my experience. Friendship with Jesus develops just as any
repeal of anti-Catholic laws in England led to the opening of Ushaw College in 1808.
As the direct successor to the English College at Douai, Ushaw College provides a line of continuity to the pre-Elizabethan Church in England. Its role as the principal seminary for the north of England in the 19th and 20th centuries gave it a critical role in the revival of the Church’s fortunes in England during this period.
After closing as a college in 2011, Ushaw opened its doors to the public and now welcomes more than 100,000 visits per year to its Georgian country house, neo-Gothic chapels, park and gardens.
Since the arson attack in 2023, there has been further damage to the Junior House and St Aloysius Chapel, caused in part by the heavy storms.
The £400,000 grant from Historic England will fund emergency repair works to the roofs and masonry of both buildings and the erection of a temporary roof to prevent further damage to the decorative plasterwork inside the chapel.
friendship does. It begins with attraction, moves to shared experiences, develops in conversations and time spent together. Growing in trust is essential, as is learning to listen with the heart.
I find journalling to be very helpful. First, I take time to be quiet; then I write to Jesus about what is on my mind, whether it is a joy or a trouble. Next, I thank God for it. Then I wait with expectancy, because I have said, “Whatever I ‘hear’ next I will accept as coming from you, Jesus.”
When I began this method of praying, I was stunned at the words that came forth – they were so personal! The last step in this prayer method is an essential safeguard… they must be shared with a person who knows you and whom you trust.
Advent is a time of preparation and new beginnings. Let’s be bold! Unplug from the usual to find some quiet time. Friendship can begin with the Little Infant Jesus. Carol Ann Gieske
Carol Ann with the book Christmas, which is available from Madonna House
Margaret Clark
Jubilee cross is our symbol of hope Church on frontline of Valencia relief efforts
The Jubilee Year 2025, Pilgrims of Hope, will be opened on Christmas Eve by Pope Francis in Rome.
Elsewhere in the world, dioceses will inaugurate the Jubilee on Sunday December 29. On that day, we are to bring a cross of special significance to the cathedral, which will remain for the whole of the Jubilee Year.
Our crucifix will come from the Lady Chapel, Osmotherley. Many pilgrims and visitors to the Lady Chapel will be familiar with the crucifix that hangs there, but they may be less familiar with its story.
Lady Magdalen Eldon was the daughter of the 14th Lord Lovat. She desired to be a nun early in life but later married John Scott, the Earl of Eldon, with whom she raised a family. Always deeply religious, Magdalen ran retreats, authored children’s books and worked with great zeal for the British Red Cross. She gifted the crucifix at the Lady Chapel. In his history of the Lady Chapel, Father Tony Storey tells us more: “A moving story lies behind the carved wooden crucifix above the altar which Lady Eldon also gave. Visiting Germany in the early years of Hitler's regime, she had admired it in an antiques shop and approached the proprietor. He offered it to her as a free gift, if she could procure his emigration – for he was a Jew. This she duly did. It thus hangs as a reminder of the Holocaust, and as a precious symbol of liberation.”
Few will know the origins of the crucifix’s journey to Osmotherley. For decades, it has hung as a silent witness to our Christian hope thanks to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. However, there is more. Its attraction to Lady Eldon brought about a meeting that would secure the freedom of a family, allowing them the hope-filled chance of new life, speaks eloquently of both pilgrimage and hope.
For this reason, it will be our Jubilee Cross as we, too, become pilgrims of hope.
Canon Paul Farrer
The Church in Spain was on the frontline of relief efforts in the wake of the unprecedented floods that devastated the Valencia region.
The flooding began on October 29, sweeping away almost everything in its path. With no time to react, many people died trapped in their cars, homes and businesses.
Caritas Spain, the aid arm of the Catholic Church, immediately mobilised to respond to the emergency alongside the diocesan Caritas organisations of Valencia and Albacet, supporting the affected communities in coordination with local authorities.
The annual collection for the Diocesan Church Day on November 9 and 10 were donated to the parishes affected.
Thousands of volunteers stepped forward to clear away the thick layers of mud from streets, homes, commercial establishments
and flooded churches. Among them were priests, nuns and young volunteers from various parts of the archdiocese.
Valencian parishes and local diocesan groups collected clothes, food and essential goods, while direct financial donations are requested through Caritas Valencia.
Spain’s Mediterranean coast is used to autumn storms that can cause flooding, but this episode was the most powerful flash flood event in recent memory and follows two prolonged droughts in the area in 2022 and 2023. Scientists say that both phenomena are connected to human-caused climate change.
Pope Francis expressed his solidarity with the victims and those affected through a video message. “I am close to them,” the Pope said, “in this moment of catastrophe and I am praying for them.”
The Lady Chapel crucifix will be in St Mary's Cathedral throughout the Jubilee Year
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Out & About
1 Sunday
3pm Advent Carol Service at St Mary’s Cathedral. Bishop Terry and the cathedral choirs lead this prayerful service of praise and worship to begin the Advent season.
2 Monday
9.45am-10.25am Beverley Christian Meditation Group meets online. Further information from christianmeditation.beverley@gmail.com. This takes place every Monday.
3 Tuesday
10am Coffee at the Cathedral. Tea, coffee and treats every Tuesday after 9.30am Mass. A warm welcome and friendly atmosphere. Make new friends and enjoy some fellowship. Those who are alone especially welcome.
10am Christian Meditation Group meets online. Further information from Terry Doyle at terry-doyle@live.co.uk. This takes place every Tuesday.
7pm Mass for Knights of St Columba Council 29, St Mary’s Cathedral, followed by meeting.
4 Wednesday
5.30pm Sung Evening Prayer and Benediction at St Mary’s Cathedral. Join us every Wednesday for a time of prayer and quiet reflection before the Blessed Sacrament.
6 Friday Events, articles and photographs for the January edition of the Voice are due by this day.
7 Saturday
9.30am- 4.30pm Oasis of Silence contemplative retreat, St Hilda’s Priory, Whitby. Email angela.simek.hall@gmail.com for details.
10am-1pm Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of Hope at St Mary’s Cathedral. Pope Francis has designated 2025 as a Year of Jubilee. All are invited to explore what a Jubilee Year is all about and how we can be Pilgrims of Hope in 2025.
11am Catholic women are invited to share an hour of feminine communion including meditation, via Zoom. Text Barbara on 07796 117704 with your mobile number and email address so she can add you to the WhatsApp group, or email catholicwomenmdl@gmail.com for Zoom link.
6pm Candlelight: Best of the Beatles. Join us in the cathedral lit only by hundreds of candles as a string quartet plays the music of the greatest band in the world. Visit ticketsource.co.uk/middlesbroughcathedral for tickets.
6pm Mass in Italian in the Father Kelly Room, Our Lady, Acomb, York, followed by refreshments. All are welcome.
8.30pm Candlelight: A Tribute to Adele, St Mary’s Cathedral. Visit ticketsource.co.uk/middlesbroughcathedral for tickets.
8 Sunday 3pm Mass for LGBT+ community, family and friends at the Chapel of the Bar Convent. Doors open 2.30pm.
9 Monday
2pm Music for the Mind dementia-friendly communal singing for people living with dementia, their friends and carers. Trish McLean providing an hour of music and fun every second Monday of the month. All welcome.
10 Tuesday
12.45pm The Catholic Women's Luncheon Club meets every second Tuesday of the month at the Kingston Theatre Hotel, Kingston Square, Hull. Gather at 12.45pm, lunch at 1pm. All ladies in the Hull and East Riding area welcome. Call 01482 446565 or email jayne.wilson24@ymail.com.
11 Wednesday
7pm Hull Circle of the Catenian Association meets at Lazaat Hotel in Cottingham, followed by a buffet-style meal. Contact Charles Cseh at hullcirclesecretary@gmail.com.
12 Thursday
7.45pm Middlesbrough Catenians meet at Middlesbrough Cricket Club, Green Lane, Middlesbrough TS5 7SL. Call Peter Carey on 01642 317772 or Chris Rhodes 01642 319161.
14 Saturday
10am Nativity and Christmas Fair with visit from Father Christmas and last-minute gifts, St Joseph's, Stokesley. All welcome.
7.30pm The Eddie White Sacred Heart Irish Dance with Sally Glennon. All dances take place at the Erimus Club, Cumberland Road, Middlesbrough TS5 6JB. Contact John Brown on 07871 958412. 7.30pm Christmas at the Cathedral with Cantabile. A wonderful evening of festive fun is guaranteed. Visit ticketsource.co.uk/middlesbroughcathedral for tickets.
15 Sunday
3pm Catholic Fellowship Mass with Father James Benfield at St Gabriel’s, Ormesby, Middlesbrough.
17 Tuesday
7pm Santa and the Race to Save Christmas, at St Mary's Cathedral. Fun for all the family, especially the little ones, in partnership with Tom Rolfe Productions. The show is for younger children and lasts 45 minutes, with a chance to meet Santa at the end. Tickets £10, family of four £30, plus booking fee. Visit ticketsource.co.uk/middlesbroughcathedral for tickets.
28 Saturday
Noon LGBT+ social gathering in the café at the Bar Convent, York. All welcome.
If you have any events that you would like to include in the Out and About section, please email heidi.cummins@rcdmidd.org.uk.
Father John Hemer, from Allen Hall Seminary, Chelsea, gives a talk entitled “The Word became flesh and lived among us” at the Inspirational and Commissioning Day for Ministers of the Word and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion held in Scarborough – Photo by Johan Bergström-Allen
Why do we have a new Lectionary translation?
Advent 2024: A new liturgical year and a new translation of the Lectionary readings. Why a new translation? Publishers will profit, parishes (and individuals) may find it expensive and readers must get used to some different phrases and vocabulary.
How did the Church in England reach this point? Father Tony Currer, from St Augustine’s, Darlington, visited the Cleveland Newman Circle to explain….
Father Tony started with the reassurance that the selection of readings, formulated after Vatican II, is unchanged. Only the translation is changing – and there was no option but to move to a different translation.
Our previous familiar readings at Mass come from the Jerusalem Bible (JB), which became available in English in 1966. This translation has since been revised twice: to the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) in 1985 and to the Revised New Jerusalem Bible (RNJB) in 2018. Consequently, the original JB is no longer in print and you cannot buy a copy. Yet it is important to be able to read the liturgical extracts in their context in the Bible – so the Church must change to a translation which is available for purchase.
The new translation chosen is the English Standard Version (ESV), which is in the classic English tradition from 1526. It also follows the
encouragement given to Catholics by Pius XII in Divino Affluente Spiritu (1943) to translate the Old Testament scriptures from the Masoretic (Hebrew) texts and the New Testament from the Greek (both the RNJB and ESV do this).
The ESV aims to translate the original Hebrew or Greek text as literally as possible, thus honouring the Word of God precisely, but not to interpret it.
Father Tony said this means readers will appreciate as directly as possible the structure and exact force of the original.
He gave some examples. For Paul’s advice (1 Tim 5:22), the ESV has the literal translation “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands”, whereas another version interprets this: “Do not ordain anyone hastily.”
In 1 Sam 1:19, the ESV translates literally, as “And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife”, whereas JB interpreted this: “Elkanah had intercourse with Hannah his wife.”
Biblical languages, unlike the way English is sometimes taught, often begin sentences with and or but, so we shall probably notice more of these words in liturgical readings.
Appropriately, Father Tony finished with “Amen” (ESV says “truly”). He indicated that Jesus’ use of this word was likely Jesus’ own personal idiom. All translation is challenging!
The new translation of the Lectionary readings is now in use
For further information about the programme of the Cleveland Newman Circle, e-mail p.egerton123@gmail.com or phone 01642 645732. Their monthly talks are usually held
Lay Chaplain
Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust
Salary: £26,635 - £30,404, Grade H-I (based on 37 hours per week, Term Time only plus 2 weeks)
Hours: Flexible: Full time or part time will be considered, as will flexibility around start and finish times.
Contract Type: Permanent
Location: NPCAT Secondary school
on Wednesdays, at
in St Mary’s Cathedral Hall. All are welcome.
The Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust wishes to appoint a dedicated and highly motivated Lay Chaplain. This appointment will be flexible and will be open to candidates seeking to work either full or part time and hours can be negotiated. We offer the opportunity to work in a high quality, vibrant and caring environment where we share a rich vision for our pupils and for the communities in which we work.
Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust (NPCAT) is a family of 38 schools and 2 sixth forms within the Diocese of Middlesbrough. With more than 12,300 pupils and 1,500 staff, the Trust is now one of the North East’s and the UK’s largest Catholic Multi Academy Trusts. The successful candidate will:
● Be a practising Catholic, a competent and inspiring individual.
● Have a key role in supporting the Bishop’s Vision for Education to make Christ known and loved.
● Contribute to the spiritual and pastoral care of all members of the school community, building good relationships with students, staff, parents and governors and develop a vision for how we can further improve our outstanding school.
● Have a central role in implementing the school’s mission statement and work with all staff in developing the catholic life of the school.
● Nurture the faith formation and liturgical life of the school community.
● Work to enhance the Religious Education curriculum where appropriate.
● Work generally within one of our secondary schools however if required across other schools within the Trust.
● Empathetic and be able to deal with challenging emotional responses.
Closing date: Thursday 9th January 2025, 9am
Shortlisting date: Monday 13th January 2025
Interview date: Friday 17th January 2025
For further information and details of how to apply, please visit www.npcat.org.uk/current-vacancies
7.45pm
Patricia Egerton
Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust
Synod Document is ‘gift to the People of God’
In his final address at the Synod Assembly, Pope Francis presents the Synod’s Final Document as a “threefold gift”.
The Holy Father highlighted how the document, written over the course of the second session of the Synod on Synodality after a process of listening and dialogue, is the fruit of over three years of listening to the People of God.
He said it reveals a shared path forward toward a “synodal Church” that embodies the Gospel not merely through words but through every act and interaction.
Pope Francis described the document as a gift with multiple dimensions, serving as both guidance for the Church and as a symbol of unity and shared mission.
The Pope announced he has chosen not to write an Apostolic Exhortation after the Synod but he said the Synod Document will be available to all.
Christian leaders unite for ecumenical vigil
Christian leaders of different denominations joined Pope Francis to celebrate an ecumenical vigil with thousands of believers from around the world.
The vigil marked the anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and the start of a new ecumenical era.
Pope Francis reflected on Christian unity and martyrdom, centring his thoughts on the words of Jesus: “The glory that you have given me I have given them” (Jn 17:22).
These words, the Pope explained, apply especially to the martyrs, whose witness to Christ brought them the glory of God.
Reflecting on the lessons learned from the synodal process, the Pope reminded the faithful that Christian unity is not uniformity, but harmony.
‘Children and families are the first victims’
Speaking on the recent Israeli attacks in Gaza and Lebanon, Pope Francis said: “No one wins in war; everyone loses. War is always, always, always a defeat.”
With these words, Pope Francis prayed once again for an end to war around the world at the close of his General Audience.
Speaking to thousands of people in St Peter’s Square, the Pope remembered the countries racked with violence: “The martyred Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Myanmar, North Kivu and many countries in war.”
He reiterated that “peace is a gift from the Holy Spirit.”
“Yesterday I saw that 150 innocent people were shot,” Pope Francis said, “What do children and families have to do with war?” he asked. “They are the first victims.”
Pope welcomes Zelensky for third visit
As the war in Ukraine continues to claim countless lives, Pope Francis met President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Vatican for the third time.
The two men spoke about the suffering of children, highlighting that many have lost the ability to smile.
The 35-minute encounter was devoted to the state of the war and humanitarian situation and ways to end the fighting and lead to a just and stable peace.
In a post on X after the meeting, Pope Francis said: “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. #Peace”
Pope Francis has made countless appeals for an end to the war and the suffering since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and has offered the Holy See’s help to work toward peace.
The Holy Father has also sent delegates and envoys delivering ambulances, medical supplies and aid to the suffering nation.
Inaugural Franciscan Studies chair named
The Centre for Catholic Studies (CCS) at Durham University has appointed Dr Billy Crozier as the inaugural holder of the Duns Scotus Chair in Franciscan Studies.
This endowed chair, initially a five-year fixed term role starting on January 1, has been made possible through generous benefaction by Franciscan communities in Ireland, Great Britain, the USA, Canada and Australia.
Dr Billy will take part in academic leadership for and development of a Franciscan Studies programme within the CCS, undertake research and teaching in Franciscan Studies and organise occasional academic conferences, summer schools and other outreach activities in Franciscan Studies.
Dr Billy is a Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellow in the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham, focusing on the medieval Franciscan understanding of the relationship between theology and science.
He specialises in the study of classical Franciscan theology, philosophy and science, specifically the thought of St Bonaventure, Blessed John Duns Scotus, Alexander of Hales, and Robert Grosseteste. He is also interested in the reception of Franciscan figures in 20th and 21st-century theology.
He is trained in Latin, palaeography, codicology and the editing of medieval texts, and has experience of teaching Franciscan theology at undergraduate and postgraduate level, as well as of supervising MA and PhD students working in classical Franciscan thought and its relevance for modern theology.
Dr Billy did his undergraduate degree, MA and PhD at Durham and was a CCS Scholarship recipient throughout his postgraduate studies and received both Catherine McAuley and St Jude scholarships.
CCS director Professor Karen Kilby said: “Billy is a scholar of depth and breadth, a gifted teacher and a wonderfully gentle person.
“We really look forward to seeing the Franciscan studies programme grow in the coming years under his leadership and continuing to work together with all of our Franciscan partners who have been so supportive.”
CCS is part of the Department of Theology and Religion.
Churches 'good for health and NHS'
The UK’s churches provide essential healthrelated support services that would cost billions of pounds a year to deliver, according to new research from the National Churches Trust (NCT).
From youth groups to food banks, drug and alcohol addiction support and mental health counselling, churches directly provide or host a growing list of vital health-related services for people in urgent need.
The report, The House of Good: Health, says churches relieve huge cost pressures on the National Health Service, worth an estimated £8.4bn each year. That’s the equivalent to the cost of employing 230,000 nurses.
But it warns this health dividend is at risk as an increasing number of churches are at risk of closure.
NCT chief executive Claire Walker 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.
“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.”
“By investing in church buildings and integrating churches into local health service provision through initiatives including social prescribing, we can alleviate pressures on healthcare budgets while delivering immense value to individuals and communities across the UK.”
Church overflowing for Carmel’s funeral service
There was standing room only in the Sacred Heart Church in Middlesbrough for the funeral of regular Lourdes pilgrim Carmel Jayasuriya.
More than 20 priests concelebrated the Requiem Mass. Carmel, who died peacefully at home on October 19 while surrounded by her family, was a special person whose life was an inspiration to so many as she bore her illness with cheerfulness and patience for many years.
Her smile lit up every room she entered and she was an admired and much-loved part of our pilgrimage, which she took part in whenever she could.
Despite her illness, her concern was always for others rather than focusing on her own problems.
Our deepest sympathy goes to Greg, Liz and Georgina, son-in-law Liam, grandchildren Rosalyn and Jospeh and to Carmel’s siblings, Canon Michael, Canon John, Peter, Angela, Tim, Catherine and Helena and to all her relatives and friends.
Carmel was also a well-known parishioner at the Sacred Heart Church and a beloved figure among colleagues and children at St Edward’s Catholic Primary School, where she worked in the office.
She will be missed by many people in our Lourdes community, in the wider diocesan circle and by people throughout Teesside who were lucky enough to call Carmel a friend.
Please pray for the repose of her soul and keep all her family in your prayers.
We also pray for the repose of the soul of Alan Slater, a dedicated brancardier on our pilgrimage for many years, who died on November 2. Brancardiers formed a guard of honour before Alan's funeral at the Holy Name of Mary Church.
And we remember the husband of handmaid Sandra Beach, Arthur, who sadly passed away on October 31.
May they rest in eternal peace
Our Lady of Lourdes pray for them St Bernadette pray for them
Dates for your diaries
Formation Day Training: Saturday March 22, approx 9am to 4pm.
Formation Evening Training: Tuesday May 6, approx 5.30pm to 10pm. Both take place at Trinity Catholic College, Middlesbrough. More details will follow nearer to the time.
Pilgrimage: Saturday May 24 to Friday May 30.
Bookings open for next year’s pilgrimage
Bookings are now being taken for our 2025 pilgrimage (Saturday May 24 to Friday May 30). Visit joewalshtours.co.uk, email info@joewalshtours.co.uk or call 0808 189 0468 for more details.
Application forms for supported pilgrims are available from Lourdes secretary Pat Ling by calling 01642 760105 or emailing lourdessecretary@rcdmidd.org.uk.
Could you be interested in joining our pilgrimage as a helper? Volunteer doctors, nurses, handmaids (women) and brancardiers (men) are always welcome! Executive director Mark Taylor will answer any questions you may have. Email pilgrimagedirector@rcdmidd.org.uk.
Environment Corner - ‘We are a people of hope’
As we begin another season of Advent, it is good to revisit the Bishops’ Conference teaching document on the environment, The Call of Creation.
First published in 2002, the revised edition was released in 2022 at the conclusion of the Church’s month-long Season of Creation.
It called for a “profound interior conversion” and for Catholics to “repair our relationship with God’s creation” to address the current ecological crisis.
Writing in the foreword, Bishop John Arnold, lead bishop for the environment, and Bishop Richard Moth, chair of the Social Justice department, say: “We are a people of hope who believe in redemption.
“We must study the signs of the times and take the action that is needed to repair our relationship with God’s creation.”
The theme for the Year of Jubilee is Pilgrims of Hope and this year’s Advent is a wonderful time to consider how it is we reestablish a right relationship with all of creation.
Individual choices can seem insignificant when faced with major global challenges. But Pope Francis has rightly stated that multiplied individual actions can indeed make a real difference.
As individual children of God, it is important we consider carefully how we use consumer goods and value simplicity in our lives. This is, perhaps, especially appropriate in the season that is a preparation for Christmas.
Last month we looked at the fashion industry with suggestions of ways we could reduce, repair, recycle and research the origin of what we buy.
Perhaps this month it would be good to consider how much single-use plastic we regularly use or buy and how we could also reduce, recycle and replace it effectively.
Barbara Hungin
Carmel Jayasuriya pictured with family and friends in Lourdes
Lourdes
Brancardier Alan Slater on duty in Lourdes – Photo by Joe Harrison
St Peter’s musical evening raises charity funds
Scarborough Catholic Parishes did what they have come to do best – put on an evening of song and entertainment as both a fundraiser and outlet for their wide-ranging talent.
Voice readers may recall a previous article about a concert last March in Scarborough’s YMCA Theatre. This time the performances took place in St Peter’s Church itself (the altar and the Blessed Sacrament removed), in its colourful Victorian-Gothic space with its fine acoustic.
An old upright piano was purchased and moved into the north aisle, one of its feet replaced and the instrument professionally tuned, and it looks as if it might have been there to play-in Cardinal Manning when he opened the church in 1858.
The concert was titled Some Enchanted Evening and opened with singer, organiser and compere Michael O’Brien with that popular number from South Pacific.
The group of singers who came together to provide musical support for the Holy Week and Easter liturgies last year, and are now known as the Easter Choir (whatever time of year they are singing), gave full-throated renditions of three songs including some congregational participation.
A breakaway quartet calling itself The Four Tunes sang a Mozart round on words from the Agnus Dei and a gently meditative setting of a 10th-century Icelandic prayer, in Icelandic!
Our Kerala community provided a children’s choir and a moving solo in Malayalam, and particularly encouraging was the participation of students from St Peter’s and St Augustine’s, the Catholic primary and secondary schools, who played piano pieces and sang.
Canon Eddie Gubbins played his guitar and sang an Irish ballad, and the concert concluded with the popular return of the Abba Mamas, the tuneful, bobbing branch of the UCM!
A total of £788 was raised for our neighbour the Rainbow Centre, Scarborough’s drop-in for the homeless and families struggling with food and fuel poverty.
Stella Maris brings true Christmas joy to seafarers and fishers
Imagine seafarers and fishers, working at sea on Christmas Day, thousands of miles from home.
Bring true Christmas joy
Christmas can be a lonely and tough time of year for seafarers. But you can bring true Christmas joy. Your generosity and kindness will touch the heart of a seafarer or fisher who feels forgotten. Your gift is a gesture of love and gratitude.
Please visit www.stellamaris.org.uk for more information about how you can bring true Christmas joy to seafarers and fishers. Please also keep them in prayer. Thank you, in advance, for any support you can kindly give.
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.
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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.
