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Issue 149 FEBRUARY 2017

ARCHDIOCESE OF LIVERPOOL

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A Golden anniversary Our Cathedral at 50

Inside this issue: Music for a jubilee Chris McElroy

Finding Christ Natasha Pritchard

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contents Welcome On Pentecost Sunday, 4 June, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of our Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King.

When he announced the competition to design a Cathedral Archbishop John Carmel Heenan spoke of ‘a Cathedral in our time’. 50 years can be considered a short span of life for a Cathedral Church but the beauty of such a golden anniversary is that the Metropolitan Cathedral remains ‘in our time’. There are many people who remember the opening Mass, they may have been there or perhaps watching the flickering black and white Eurovision television coverage.

Our main feature looks forward to the celebrations and also at the history of the Metropolitan Cathedral. There are ways in which anyone can share their memories and be part of the celebrations, please do take part and share what our Cathedral means to you.

At the opening Mass the then Cardinal Heenan said of the Cathedral, ‘It is built as a monument to Christ the King but it will serve as a memorial to the Catholic priests and people of Lancashire and of this City of Liverpool who struggled so hard to build up the Church in the North.’

Those words remain true today 50 years later.

From the Archbishop’s Desk The Dominican order has just finished celebrating its 800th Anniversary. To celebrate the closing of the jubilee year Pope Francis celebrated Mass with hundreds of Dominican men and women in his cathedral, the basilica of St John Lateran in Rome. Dominicans describe themselves as belonging to a family that is made up of the many different branches of the order, all suited to their particular way of preaching the Gospel. There are friars, enclosed nuns, active sisters who teach and nurse and are engaged in all sorts of apostolates. There are also many lay people associated with the order, fraternities of diocesan priests, the international Dominican youth movement and so on. That is why the word family is a good description of who we are. I really felt I belonged to a family when I met brothers and sisters whom I had not seen for many years. One sister from France was a translator at a meeting I attended in Bologna in 1998, another a brother from Malta who is now an archbishop in Albania, and a lay Dominican I hadn’t seen for over thirty years. The years disappeared and we chatted and shared meals as if the last time we met was just yesterday. Although we are all very different people whose vocations have led us in very different directions we shared so much in common that we really did feel members of a family.

While I was in Rome I stayed with Canon Philip Gillespie at the Beda College, and he, of course, is a member of my latest family, the Archdiocese of Liverpool. We all belong to many different families as well as our natural one, but the most important family for everyone of us is the one that is called Christian. After all because Jesus is our brother, we are brothers and sisters of one another. But it sometimes takes occasions like my meeting in Rome to make us realise this truth.

Most Rev Malcolm McMahon OP Archbishop of Liverpool Editor Peter Heneghan Editorial Catholic Pictorial Magazine Liverpool Archdiocesan Centre for Evangelisation, Croxteth Drive, Liverpool L17 1AA Tel: 0151 522 1007 Email: catholicpictorial@rcaol.co.uk Pictures Main Feature ©Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk Advertising Sales team 0151 709 7567

Contents 4

Main Feature A Golden Anniversary The Metropolitan Cathedral at 50

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News From around the Archdiocese

14 Sunday Reflections Liturgy and Life 15 Nugent News The importance of awards 16 What’s On Whats happening in the Archdiocese 19 Profile Natasha Pritchard Finding Christ in her chaplaincy work 25 Cathedral Record Music for a jubilee 26 Pic Extras Mums the word News from the KSC 27 Animate Youth Ministry My great gap year 28 Pic Life Let’s fill our words with love 29 Join In Family Fun and More Mullarkey

Copy deadlines March issue 10 February 2017 CPMM Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced copied or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in any information storage or retrieval system without the publishers written permission. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published, Catholic Pictorial Ltd. can accept no responsibility for the veracity of the claims made by advertisers.

30 Justice and Peace Live simply, sustainably and in solidarity Lent 2017

Publisher CPMM 36 Henry Street, Liverpool L1 5BS

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A golden year for our Cathedral The 50th anniversary of Liverpool’s Metropolitan Cathedral will be marked by a series of celebratory events – and the opportunity to share your memories.

‘A golden milestone’ is how Canon Anthony O’Brien, Dean of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, describes the special anniversary that lies ahead for Liverpool Archdiocese later this year.

The intervening decades have witnessed many significant events, not least the visit of Pope John Paul II on 30-31 May 1982, and the installations of three Archbishops – Archbishop Derek Worlock in 1976, Archbishop Patrick Kelly in 1996 and Archbishop Malcolm McMahon in 2014.

It was on Pentecost Sunday 50 years ago –14 May 1967, to be precise – that the Cathedral’s consecration took place and the golden jubilee will be marked by a sequence of events at the ‘mother church’ of our Archdiocese.

There was a visit from Queen Elizabeth II in 1977. In 2003 the new Visitor Centre and Cathedral steps were opened. In 2009 over 17,000 people came to visit the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux at the Cathedral.

A Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving, a floral tribute and a Golden Jubilee Dinner are all planned for the weekend of 2-4 June – when the Feast of Pentecost falls – and the celebrations will continue until the Feast of Christ the King on Sunday 26 November.

Celebration plans The celebration weekend scheduled for Pentecost will include a Golden Jubilee Dinner, which will take place in the Lutyens Crypt on Saturday 3 June, with a limited number of tickets available to the general public, followed on Sunday 4 June by a Mass of Thanksgiving at 11.00 am. Open to all, Crosby-born Cardinal Vincent Nichols will preach and Archbishop Malcolm McMahon, will be the celebrant.

By Simon Hart

Canon O’Brien, the Cathedral Dean, said: ‘This will be a very special year in the life of our Cathedral as we mark this golden milestone of our history in a building that means so much to so many people.

‘Although relatively young in Cathedral terms, we have so many wonderful memories to give thanks for and so many opportunities to look forward to. I hope as many people as possible will join us for many of the wonderful events that we have planned this year and help us make this a truly celebratory fiftieth anniversary.’

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A free event titled ‘Cathedral Life: A Floral Tribute’ will run right across the weekend (from 2-5 June) and will see the Cathedral transformed by florists into an oasis of colour and calm.

The schedule of celebrations also contains two concerts at the Cathedral.

On Saturday 13 May there will be a performance of ‘The Liverpool Mass’ by

French composer and electronicmusic pioneer Pierre Henry.

Henry was commissioned to compose the music for the Cathedral’s inaugural Mass in 1967, but it was not completed and another work took its place. In a collaboration with the Bluecoat – the Liverpool arts hub – the piece, structured as a traditional Catholic Mass, will be staged in full at the Cathedral.

A second concert ‘Gloria’ on Saturday 10 June will feature the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir James MacMillan, the Scottish Catholic composer. The orchestra will be joined by leading tenor soloist Ian Bostridge, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and the Metropolitan Cathedral Choir.

The 50-year anniversary will also offer a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reflect and pay tribute to the achievements of the Cathedral and its community. Groups, organisations and individiduals are encouraged to contact the Cathedral should they wish to collaborate, with the organisers particularly interested to hear from people who have memories or photographs of the Cathedral from its first 50 years (see page 6 for more information).

Long wait for a Cathedral Liverpool’s Catholics have had a cathedral to call their own for five decades now, though one fascinating aspect of its history was the long gestation process from when the idea of a Roman Catholic cathedral for the city was first mooted.

It was after the 1850 restoration of the hierarchy, and influx of Catholics from Ireland following the 1847 potato famine, that Bishop Goss commissioned Edward Welby Pugin – son of Augustus Welby Pugin, the foremost architect of the Gothic revival – to build a cathedral in the grounds of San Domingo House, a seminary in Everton. In the end only the Lady Chapel was built, which would provide a church for the parish of Our Lady Immaculate until the 1980s.

After the dream of a cathedral was revived by Archishop Keating in the

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feature 1920s, his successor, Archishop Downey, commissioned Sir Edward Luytens to design a cathedral to contrast with the Gothic gem of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott which was rising at the other end of Hope Street.

Luytens’ vision was for a romanesque super-structure, featuring a great dome. At

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its highest point it would reach 520 feet (150 metres).

At the suggestion of Pope Pius XI it would be dedicated to Christ the King.

In 1933 the foundation stone was laid but though the crypt was completed after the end of the Second World War, the rising costs meant that Archbishop

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Godfrey commissioned Adrian Gilbert Scott, brother of Giles Gilbert Scott, to scale down the original plans, albeit keeping the massive dome. It was Archbishop Heenan who subsequently decided to scrap the plans altogether.

‘This will be a very special year in the life of our Cathedral’

Instead architects were invited in 1960 to design a

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feature

The Cathedral under construction

cathedral which would relate to the existing Crypt, be capable of construction within five years and cost at the current prices no more than £1m for its shell. Additionally, it had to express the new spirit of the liturgy being reformulated by the Second Vatican Council.

Of 300 entries, Sir Frederick Gibberd’s design was chosen, and building began in October 1962. It was on the Feast of Pentecost in 1967 that the completed Cathedral was consecrated.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

‘Luytens’ vision was for a romanesque super-structure, featuring a great dome’ 6

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We want to hear your memories!

Do you remember the Cathedral being built? Did you attend the opening ceremony or were you one of thousands who have attended special events throughout the Cathedral’s history? Or do you have other memories or photographs that you would like to share? To register your interest, please contact jubilee@metcathedral.org.uk and include in the subject line ‘Cathedral memories’.

Oral Archive Project: As part of the Jubilee celebrations, arts and heritage specialists Metro-BoulotDodo will soon be announcing an oral archiving project which will chart the history of the Cathedral. They are looking to recruit volunteers of all ages to become part of a research group, which will follow a series of lectures and workshops on the Cathedral’s heritage and then go on to conduct interviews with the general public to create their own oral archives. If you have a passion for local history and heritage, or would like to learn new skills and meet new friends, this will be a fantastic opportunity. Contact esther@metro-boulot-dodo.com What does the Cathedral mean to you today?

Do you have personal story about how the Cathedral has made a difference in your life? Or would you like to a share a few words about what the Cathedral means to you? If so, please email jubilee@metcathedral.org.uk and include in the subject line ‘My Cathedral’.

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News diary If you’ve got any news from your parish that you’d like featured e-mail us with the details at: catholicpictorial@rcaol.co.uk

Bishop Tom names Jennifer Avenue Bishop Tom Williams with Liverpool’s Assistant Mayor, Nick Small, officially named a new link road Jennifer Avenue at the £150 million ‘Project Jennifer’ scheme at Great Homer

Street in north Liverpool, which is led by regeneration specialists St Modwen.

The regeneration of the area was named ‘Project Jennifer’ after Bishop

Tom’s niece, Jennifer Sutton. Bishop Tom was a founding member of a group from the Great Homer Street area who were calling for change in the 1990’s.

Project Jennifer, which is being delivered by St. Modwen in partnership with Liverpool City Council, will create more than 1,000 jobs in the North Liverpool Mayoral Development Zone and Jennifer Avenue, will serve as the main access to the new Sainsbury’s foodstore, McDonald’s restaurant and district centre.

Bishop Williams said: ‘The regeneration of Great Homer Street has been a long time coming and I’m delighted with St Modwen’s plans to revitalise the area. When finished later this year, it will bring a new lease of life to this part of Liverpool and create a place that local people can be proud of.’

Jennifer Sutton, née Johnstone, was born in Liverpool before moving to Essex at the age of two. She now lives in Rayleigh with her husband and two young children Edie, 7 and Will, 10. Having studied art at the University of Liverpool, Jennifer returns to the area to visit her uncle and the rest of the family as often as she can.

Jennifer said: ‘It’s a huge honour to be here today to mark such an important milestone in the regeneration of this area. Growing up it was lovely to have my name associated with such a meaningful project and it’s wonderful after so many years to see the development making significant progress.’

Dementia Friendly Carol Service : A Dream Come True

by Maureen Knight The first ever Dementia Friendly Carol Service in Liverpool’s Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King was like a dream come true. Our Archdiocesan Dementia Working Group was formed over a year ago to raise awareness of the needs of the growing numbers of people living with dementia and those who care for them.

One of the group came up with the idea of a Dementia Friendly Carol Service so we formed the ‘Songs We Remember’ Dementia Friendly Choir, with Sister Moira Meeghan leading 45 people in rehearsals.

All parishes within the Archdiocese received an invitation to send people to join the choir and were encouraged to invite all the care homes in their area to bring their residents to the carol service.

Archbishop Malcolm led the Service with Bishop Tom Williams, and students from St Teresa of Lisieux Primary School, Norris Green, and Great Crosby Primary School sang carols alongside the ‘Songs We Remember’ Choir while pupils from English Martyrs Primary School, Litherland, acted out the parts to accompany the simple narration of the Christmas story prepared by Father Chris Thomas.

Over 700 people heard Archbishop Malcolm explain that the service was being held because we care about those living with dementia and that it was wonderful to gather with people of all ages to celebrate God’s love made visible in the child born for us all at Christmas.

The service was not just a ‘one-off’ event and the ‘Songs We Remember’ Choir will continue meeting in Waterloo at 11.00 am every second Wednesday (the next one is 8th February) and will

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always welcome new members. We hope those parishes which have not yet held a Dementia Friends Information session will do so during 2017.

On Friday 19 May, Professor June Andrews, author of ‘Dementia The One Stop Guide’, will be returning to the Archdiocese for another one-day conference at LACE. The five-point action plan for the Archdiocese is listed as Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool on the Dementia Action Alliance website: www.dementiaaction.org.uk/local_alliances/3012_liverpool_dementi a_action_alliance.

To arrange a Dementia Friends Information session in your parish, and find out about how you can become involved in this initiative, contact Maureen Knight at the Pastoral Formation Department, Tel: 0151 522 1046, email m.knight@rcaol.co.uk

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news diary Archbishop Malcolm’s Message for World Day of Prayer for the Sick February 11 is World Day of prayer for the Sick. It was started by Pope John Paul II as a way for the church to offer prayers for those suffering from illnesses and coincides with the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.

This weekend people around the world take time to pray for the sick and for those who work tirelessly to alleviate suffering.

Charitable organizations mark this day by providing the sick with medicines, food, and spiritual guidance.

Throughout the archdiocese in our hospitals, care homes, hospices, family homes and chaplaincies we have wonderful people dedicated to caring for our sick, and I’d like to begin this message by acknowledging with deep gratitude the incredible care they provide.

Due to the fact that the world day of prayer coincides with the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, I wanted to draw your attention to our diocesan pilgrimage each July. Ever since the 1920’s when our first pilgrims left Liverpool for Lourdes it has been an important way in which we have tried to help those who are ill to realise a goal of visiting the shrine. Over the years countless numbers of sick pilgrims have been able to offer their own prayers at the grotto, not least because of the dedicated support of medical professionals and

volunteers - hospitalité and youth alike.

Nationally we are one of the largest diocesan pilgrimages to Lourdes - last year we were over 1200 pilgrims - and as you can imagine the planning is detailed and time consuming. In fact preparations have been well underway since the autumn by our dedicated team of volunteers.

Lourdes holds a special place in my own heart and is a highlight of my year. Being able to spend time together as diocesan family both in prayer and socially in the streets and cafés, not least with our assisted pilgrims, deepens the bonds that we have with each other and renews our faith and following of Christ.

This weekend every parish, care home, hospice and hospital are being given posters and leaflets about our pilgrimage to remind us it is possible for people of all physical needs, ages and dependencies to be able make a pilgrimage to Lourdes.

Through our wonderful healthcare team, our generous hospitalité volunteers who provide the expertise and backbone support to our journey and time in Lourdes, along with our wonderful young people who facilitate the safe passage of our assisted pilgrims to services, our pilgrimage is a wonderful and lifechanging event. I would like to

encourage each one of you to consider becoming a new member of our pilgrimage team. Please pick up a leaflet as you leave church today and find out how to become part of our pilgrimage to Lourdes. By doing so you will not only have a terrific experience yourself but you will also make it possible for those who are poorly to enjoy the same encounter with God’s love, at the grotto, supported with the powerful prayer of Our Lady and St Bernadette.

Therefore, as we continue to pray for those who suffer from various physical illnesses, and those suffering from mental illness and dementia, let us equally give thanks to all those who are dedicated to caring for them throughout the year. In addition, let us renew our commitment to serving them in whatever way we can and making it possible for them to experience the gift and prayer of Lourdes. Our aim is simple… to make it possible.

With every candle lighted by you for loved ones this weekend I promise my prayers too, along with prayers of gratitude to all those who give their lives in caring for them.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

Most Rev Malcolm McMahon OP Archbishop of Liverpool

Cafod Run a huge success On 27 December the 33rd annual Liverpool Cafod Run took place at Wavertree Athletics Centre.

Over 400 people took part to support the Ethiopia Food Crisis Appeal where over ten million people have been affected by a drought caused by two failed rainy seasons. The extreme weather has meant that crops have failed, families are struggling to keep their animals alive and an estimated 400,000 children are suffering from malnutrition.

Liverpool writer Frank Cottrell-Boyce started the runners and walkers on their way and everyone got around the course safely, with the help of St Julie’s High School Team who came to support the event with their Chaplain Mike Anderson. Many families, walkers and dogs took part in the run, so there was a great atmosphere and everyone finished with a sense of achievement. The Rioters Jazz Band and a Fancy Dress competition added to the fun.

Father Mike Fitzsimons, a member of

Cafod's Campaign Advisory Group has taken part in the run many times, his parish in Widnes is currently supporting Cafod's partner in Ethiopia, he said: ‘it is an impressive turnout and a great expression of support for those who need our help.’

Local Cafod representative, Ged Edwards, said: ‘It was a fantastic team effort well organised by a new Volunteer Committee shaping things for the future, bringing in

new participants and ideas. Sponsorship from the event is still coming in and we look forward to sharing the grand total in the coming months.’

The Cafod Liverpool Runs have so far raised over £458,000 for the international development charity supporting its work with overseas partners around the world.

Cafod Ethiopia Appeal: www.cafod.org.uk/give

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news diary Obituary of Deacon Anthony Grayston Anthony Grayston, who served as Deacon at Holy Rosary, Old Roan, for many years died on Saturday 14 January following a long illness.

Anthony Peter Grayston was born in 1930, was baptised in St Teresa’s, Norris Green, and attended St Elizabeth’s Central School.

He and his wife Vera married in 1959 in Holy Name, Fazakerley, but they spent all their married life and brought up their three children, Paul, Michael and Clare, in Holy Rosary parish in Old Roan, where Vera was for many years the parish secretary and Tony was heavily involved in the Scout movement, in co-ordinating the work of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and in many other parish activities.

After his retirement from a management position at Birds Eye Foods, Tony began formation for the diaconate with the blessing of Canon Bill O’Sullivan, then parish priest of Holy Rosary, and was ordained deacon by Archbishop Derek Worlock in 1993. He continued to serve the parish community after reaching the age of 75 until ill health forced his retirement in 2012. He was cared for at home by his devoted wife and family until November 2016, when, after a few weeks in hospital following a fall, he moved to a care home in Knowsley, but he was re-admitted to Fazakerley Hospital on New Year’s Eve and died peacefully on Saturday 14 January His Funeral Mass was celebrated by Monsignor John Butchard at Holy Rosary Church.

Archbishop McMahon and St. Mary's Principal Mike Kennedy with Head Boy Riccardo Ressa and Head Girl Elisabeth Moore.

St Mary’s College looks back of a year of success Archbishop Malcom McMahon was the principal guest at the annual prize giving ceremony for St Mary’s College, Crosby which was held in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King.

The Archbishop congratulated pupils on their many achievements, and said how much he had enjoyed visiting St Mary’s. He also said that as well as pursuing academic success, it was important that students should incorporate Christian values into their lives by standing for truth, being givers rather than takers, and acting as symbols of hope for the future.

During the event guests heard that in 2016 St Mary’s had maintained its proud tradition of both academic excellence and encouraging achievement in sport, music and many other extra-curricular activities.

Principal Mike Kennedy said: ‘Our prize giving ceremony is a great opportunity to recognise the successes of our pupils who are maintaining the highachieving traditions of the school academically and in many other fields. This year, what is particularly striking is not only the number of such achievements, but their range and variety.’

He also highlighted pupils’ efforts in support of a wide range of charity fundraising projects and praised staff, governors, parents and former pupils for their contributions to life at St Mary’s, and the many successes highlighted during the ceremony.

The ‘Lourdes of Belgium’ The Shrine of Our Lady of Banneux is a Marian Shrine and a place of healing in Banneux, a poor farm village southeast of Liege.

On 15 January 1933 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to a young girl called Mariette Beco. She appeared eight times in all to Mariette and said ‘I am the Virgin of the Poor’, she said she had come to console the sick and the suffering; the last apparition was on 2 March 1933.

In one of the apparitions, Mariette said the Lady asked her to plunge her hands into a small spring telling her the spring was for healing and ‘reserved for all nations’ A small chapel stands where the Virgin of the Poor is said to have requested it to be built and a hospital was built in 1938.

In May 1942 Bishop Kerkhofs of the Diocese of Liege approved the veneration of Mary under the title of ‘Our Lady of the Poor’.

In 1947, approval for the apparitions came from the Holy See and they were declared definite in 1949. After the apparitions, 10

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Mariette married and led a quiet family life, she died on 2 December 2011 at the age of 90.

Every year a Pilgrimage to Banneux leaves from Crosby and Ormskirk. The 2017 Pilgrimage takes place from 11 to 18 August and the cost is £560 including coach travel and five days full board in Chaityfontaine, Banneux. For details contact Sister Catherine Tel: 0151 924 0706 or 07703 769903 or Deacon Ernest Diggery Tel: 0151 924 1854 or Tommy England Tel: 01704 540162.

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news diary St Michael and All Angels at 60 St Michael and All Angels (formally Holy Angels school), Kirkby, have celebrated their 60th Anniversary.

The school opened in 1956 before the church.

They celebrated with a Mass at St Michael and All Angels church and had a day of celebrations reliving the 1950’s era with children and staff wearing clothes from the 1950’s. Each class also

had the opportunity to go to the ‘Hop,’ whilst using the Juke Box that was hired for the day. Children also took part in lessons about the 1950’s in addition to a singing competition and a hula hoop competition.

It was a special time for the school community to celebrate the successes of teaching and nurturing children for the past 60 years.

Archdiocese to help Medaille Trust in fight against slavery

Harriet is the best geographer in the country A Year 11 pupil at St Edmund Arrowsmith High School, Wigan, has been given a top national award after she achieved the highest mark in the country in her GCSE Geography examination.

Harriet Olurankinse has been recognised by the Royal Geographic Society for achieving the highest raw mark in the 2016 AQA Entry Level Certificate in Geography.

Known as the ‘Excellence Award’, the certificate aims to reward superlative attainment in geographical examinations by the national learned society. Harriet also received a cash reward of £30 from the society and a top-up cheque of £50 from the school.

Headteacher, Mark Dumican, said, ‘We are delighted to see that Harriet’s hard work and talent have been nationally recognised by the Royal Geographic Society.

And a special mention should also go to the dedication of her teacher, Matthew Kennedy, who taught Harriet for four out of her five years at our school.’

‘A crime against humanity’ is how Pope Francis has described modern-day slavery – and Liverpool Archdiocese has joined forces with a Catholic charity to help provide a local response to the problem of human trafficking here in the northwest.

The Medaille Trust, founded in 2006 by Catholic religious congregations, provides eight safe houses across England for men and women who have been trafficked – and dependent children – and the charity has now agreed to work together with the Archdiocese of Liverpool to create another safe house by converting disused facilities at a former parish church.

The 2015 figures for cases of slavery in this country underline the scale of the problem: 3,266 people were identified as potential victims, which was a 40% increase on 2014. Of this number, 982 were children. There were potential victims reported from 103 different countries of origin, though the top six nations were Albania, Vietnam, Nigeria, Romania, the UK and Poland.

The Medaille Trust works with colleagues in the Police Service and National Crime Agency to tackle slavery, and it believes in creating a supportive environment which is more likely to lead to prosecutions of perpetrators. Its supporters include TRAC (the Trafficking – Raising Awareness and Campaigning group), the Brothers of St John of God, Caritas Salford and many female Religious Orders in the UK. In 2014 Pope Francis headed a conference at the Vatican to tackle 21st century slavery, which he spoke of as ‘an open wound on the body of contemporary society, a scourge upon the body of Christ’. This led to the establishing of the Santa Marta Group, an alliance of international police chiefs and bishops from around the world led by Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and Cardinal Vincent Nichols.

The Catholic Church’s response nationally was the Bakhita Initiative, named after St Bakhita. A Sudanese slave girl who eventually became a Canossian Sister in Italy, she was canonised in 2000 and her feast is on 8 February. Her name lives on too in Caritas Bakhita House, owned by the Archdiocese of Westminster, which handles the emergency placement of women escaping human trafficking.

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Pastoral Letter The following Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP was read at all Masses in the Archdiocese of Liverpool on the weekend of 28/29 January 2017.

Dear friends, There are many ways in which you can be of service to the wider mission of the Church. Prominent amongst these is offering to be of service to a school as a foundation governor.

School governors are the largest voluntary body in the country. They provide a vital service to the community and help shape the work of schools and the future of our young people.

The Church has a special duty to provide schools as the principal means of assisting all to achieve the fullness of Christian life. Catholic schools share with all schools the duty to educate our young people and help them achieve their full potential, but additionally, our Catholic schools are charged with the tasks of providing religious education and religious worship in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

The duty of ensuring this happens to the highest possible standard and is upheld and developed falls to the governing body of the school.

even four vacancies out of the normal quota of seven, which they are very keen to fill.

Some governors are elected by parents and staff at the school. Others may be nominated by the local authority. All governors have a duty to uphold the Catholic ethos of the school but foundation governors have a further particular responsibility to represent me in my role as leader and first teacher of the diocese.

The Church is constantly on the lookout for people who may be willing and able to serve in our Church schools in this important ministry and who bring with them skills and experience from many different walks of life. In particular, I would like to encourage people to step forward who are prepared to serve in a school outside their own locality

For this reason, it is essential that all foundation governors are practising Catholics committed to upholding the teaching of the Church.

The role may be challenging. It does not involve the passive reception and uncritical endorsement of the ideas put forward by the staff of the school but equally it does not require involvement in the day to day operation of the school.

Governors must be able to take a longterm, strategic view.

Foundation governors must have the ability to understand the work of the school in sufficient detail to be able to challenge and support the school’s senior leaders and make constructive suggestions. The abilities to engage in debate, to listen, to work as part of a team and to be discrete are the essential personal characteristics. Training is available and Governors can have a

Traditionally, foundation governors have served the school in their own parish or locality. However, as the role of governor has become more exacting, it has become increasingly difficult to recruit sufficient foundation governors with the right skills and aptitudes to fill all the vacancies in some localities. There are currently more than 100 foundation governor vacancies in schools in the diocese. Given there are over 1600 positions in total, a vacancy rate of around 7% cannot fairly be described as a crisis.

Nevertheless, some schools have three or

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diverse range of skills and backgrounds.

A leaflet providing more information and contact details for further advice is available and I do urge you to take one and consider whether you are able to serve the Catholic community in this way With my prayers and every good wish for you and your families for the year ahead.

Most Rev Malcolm McMahon OP Archbishop of Liverpool

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sunday reflections On a liturgical note ‘A light to enlighten the Gentiles …’

The greeting of Simeon, which is recounted by Saint Luke on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (2 February), gathers together all the hopes and promises of the Old Testament as ‘the watcher in the Temple’, Simeon, recognises in the person of the child Jesus a fulfilment and a revealing – an Epiphany – of what God had promised to his people: that He would be ‘Emmanuel’, God-with-us.

Simeon’s life is now ‘full-filled’. It has reached its climax and its goal ‘for my eyes have seen the salvation you have prepared for all peoples, the light to enlighten the Gentiles and be the glory of Israel, your people.’

Simeon, in fullest freedom of spirit, can now welcome even death itself because he has experienced the fidelity and love of God: ‘At last all powerful Master, you give leave to your servant to go in peace, according to your promise.’

These words are used by the Church each day of the year as part of Night Prayer (known as ‘compline’, from the Latin suggesting something which

Sunday thoughts Julio looked about ninety. He was probably in his late seventies but people age more quickly in Peru.

There is a Julio figure in every parish, one who is always around the church. Opening up and closing; putting out the vestments; changing the altar candles; refilling the votive light stands; turning off the lights.

But Julio took things to another dimension. He lived in the church and slept in the choir loft.

Julio had fallen out with his family.

He had plenty of money but didn’t trust his family to give him a decent funeral. So he had already bought his coffin. And where did he keep it?

In the choir loft. And he slept in it each night.

One day he told me where he wanted to be buried. I asked him to take me to the spot. It was right in the middle of the sanctuary. It was

Canon Philip Gillespie

completes, perfects or brings to a close), for in the life of the Church, in Word and in Sacrament, we too share Simeon’s delight in recognising the fulfilment of God’s promises.

In times past, it was only on the Feast of the Presentation (known sometimes as the ‘Purification’ or the ‘Encounter’) that Christmastide ended. The revision of the Liturgy after the Second Vatican Council fixed the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord as the conclusion of the Christmas Season, leaving 2 February as a Feast of Light in the midst of the Ordinary Time of the Year.

The theme of light, so much present during Advent and Christmastide, is one which recurs frequently in the Scriptures and in our Liturgy. It speaks powerfully of the presence and action of God in our lives – scattering darkness and guiding the way – but also it speaks of our own role and mission for the world and the society in whose life we share.

We are called to bring to others the light of the Good News, preaching perhaps at times with words, but at all times through our actions.

Mgr John Devine OBE

never good to say ‘no’ in Peru. It always caused offence. And so I agreed to think about it and do my best to carry out his wishes when the time came. Julio died a couple of years after I left the mountains of Peru. I’m sure his final wish wasn’t granted.

At the beginning of February we celebrate the feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. Simeon’s last wish is fulfilled. He lived to see the salvation that had been prepared for all the nations. Then he was ready to die. I think of Julio when I read about Simeon. Most churches have an Anna as well. They are the soul of our churches. They can be eccentric, but if I ever get to heaven it will be on the back of their endless rosaries.

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Hunger for the Word of God I met Marie on a train. I had some documents about spirituality on the table that she glanced at as she sat down.

They obviously intrigued her because she kept glancing at them and then smiling at me. Eventually she asked me what they were about and we got talking, or rather she did the talking and I listened.

She told me that she was a lapsed Catholic chiefly, she said, because she’d decided a long time ago that a lot of the stories in the Bible couldn’t possibly be true. She said that her parents who were obviously very committed Catholics hadn’t been able to answer her questions when she was searching so she had rejected out of hand anything to do with faith.

I began to talk to her about the Scriptures and how they were put together. We talked of the Gospels not as biographies of Jesus but as invitations to enter into the mystery that is God made flesh. We talked a bit about truth in the Bible and how it had a little to do with historical fact but more to do with meaning. We talked of the recurring themes and of the dangers of fundamentalism.

We spent a lot of time talking about the invitation that the Scriptures give us to fall in love with a God who can only love us, and to trust that God who is with us every step of our journey through life, and of how they can bring you life deep within as they challenge you to change and call you to deep conversion and commitment. I have no idea what other people on the train thought of our conversation but Marie left the train saying that she wanted to read the Bible again.

I wonder how many of us are thirsty for the word of God. I wonder how many of us encounter God in the word that we hear. I wonder sometimes how many of us are really aware of the profound gift the Scriptures are. They are the presence of Christ and as you read them, you are drawn more deeply into Him and become more aware of His presence in you. So hunger for the Word of God and know that in the Scripture you will find life.

Father Chris Thomas

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nugent news The importance of awards

Left to right, Award Winners Thomas Hollet, George Cureton and Joanne Smith, Community Development and Volunteer Co-Ordinator Emily Nolan, Volunteer Coordinator Anna Biggs and Nugent CEO Normandie Wragg

In the past six months Nugent has been nominated for, and won some fantastic awards. Awards for different aspects of the work we do have a positive impact on us as an organisation, our staff, volunteers and our service users.

We have been recognised for our work with Volunteers, being awarded Charity of the Year at the 800 Group Community Volunteer Awards, where George and Mary Cureton, leaders of the Netherton Community Group and Joanne Smith a volunteer with Nugent Opening Doors Service all won Volunteer of the Year awards for their work.

Nugent Volunteer, Thomas Hollet, was awarded Volunteer of the Year at Knowsley Sports and Culture Awards 2016 at Knowsley Leisure centre which celebrated some of the talented and committed local people in the borough.

Nugent Volunteer, John McCormick won the Jaguar Land Rover Community Group Award for his service to the Bootle Community Group and Nugent in the Liverpool Echo Awards 2016. He was honoured for his 40 years of service to the Bootle Community Group and for playing a vital role in enriching people’s lives.

Winning the Digital Community Award last year, in the Northern Enterprise Awards recognised the impact of our new brand and digital presence and gave us a confidence boost in the ambition we have for Nugent across the next 20 years.

Most recently our CEO, Normandie Wragg, has been nominated for the Excellence in Charity Award in Downtown in Business, Women in

Business Awards 2017. The nomination reflects Nugent’s place in the City’s business sector and the effect of our work over the past year to raise our profile amongst other leaders in the care sector in the Liverpool City Region. Normandie said, ‘I’m really pleased to have been nominated on behalf of Nugent, it’s a reflection of the hard work of all our staff and volunteers that we are now being recognised alongside the likes of Claire House, Alder Hey and the Royal Liverpool Hospital in these awards’ Finally, we have been nominated for a Skills for Care Award in their Accolades 2016/17 These awards celebrate excellence in workforce development for the 1.43 million people who work in adult social care in England. We were up against 33 finalists in 9 categories who were scrutinised by an expert panel of judges and have been shortlisted in the Best employer support for Registered Managers category alongside Sense and The Regard Partnership.

Skills for Care CEO Sharon Allen said: ‘Once again we had a range of high quality entries from organisations who are working hard every day to develop the skills and knowledge of workers who deliver high quality services.’ The winners will be announced at the Accolades awards ceremony in March in Liverpool.

Awards like these are recognition of all the dedicated staff at Nugent and the work that we do for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, but also they help to raise the profile of the struggles people face and the fact that there are amazing people out there willing to help.

Nugent cares for many older people across our services. Some are in need of residential care, some are in need of nursing care.

Some, like all of us, need a friend to turn to in times of need.

Nugent has been providing support to vulnerable people for 135 years. The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the health and social care regulator recently stressed that the ‘adult social care market is approaching a tipping point’. The charitable sector, who rely on local authority funding to provide these services are experiencing an unprecedented shortfall.

Charitable organisations, including Nugent, have long offered the difference between the true cost of care and funding available as a charitable contribution in line with charitable aims.

In collaboration with CSAN, we put out a statement about the state of care indicating that we agreed with David Behan, Chief Executive of the CQC, that the current problems faced by care providers, such as ourselves, are putting a strain on our ability to sustain high standards of quality across our services. Council funding for adult social care has fallen by as much as 30% since 2010 in some areas. Cuts to local government funding, together with the increasing demand as the population ages, rising costs as a result of higher regulatory standards and the introduction of the national living wage are having an impact on provision which is being reduced through closures and shortfalls in funding.

For anyone that closely manages their own budget, you know that this position is not sustainable in the medium to long term. We have courage, and we have optimism that we will continue to be the friend of the vulnerable and a voice of the voiceless.

Our Strictly Nugent event was such as success.

Did you see it streamed live on Facebook? I must say how impressed I was by the participants and the audience who really brought enthusiasm and support to their favourite dancers on the night and for the staff and volunteers of Nugent who put on a polished show. It is looking like we are going to do this event in 2017, a little larger perhaps as the interest was so great we sold out of tickets before the tickets even went on sale.

This is a great way to raise funds for a charitable cause whilst having a fantastic evening. Many thanks to our sponsors, partners, judges and supporters of the event. We could not have done this without you.

With the big event now complete, we are turning our attention to our Start of the Year Conference in March. We are currently confirming all of the details but we will share this in due course.

So enjoy the start of this New Year with all the opportunity and hope that it affords.

Normandie Wragg Chief Executive Nugent Care

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what’s on Thursday 2 February 2017 Feast of the Presentation of the Lord ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people.’

A look at the Acts of the Apostles.

Scripture Morning led by Father Chris Thomas. 10.30 am at lrenaeus, 32 Great Georges Road, Waterloo, L22 1RD. Details Tel: 0151 949 1199. Website: www.irenaeus.co.uk Oasis: a listening ear and a cuppa 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm at St Thomas of Canterbury church, Great Georges Road, Waterloo, L22 1RD. Details: Tel 0151 949 1199 or email: jenny@irenaeus.co.uk Friday 3 February First Friday Vigil Mass Followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until 11.00pm. 8.00 pm at St Joseph’s Prayer Centre, Blundell Avenue, Freshfield, Formby, L37 1PH. Tel: 01704 875850.

Saturday 4 February Beethoven and Maxwell Davies Concert with the Metropolitan Cathedral Orchestra.

7.30 pm in the Metropolitan Cathedral Crypt Concert Room. Tickets and details Tel: 0151 707 3525 or Email: bookings@cathedralconcerts.org.uk www.cathedralconcerts.org.uk Sunday 5 February ‘You are the light of the world.’

An afternoon preparing to celebrate Lent and Easter for Children’s Liturgy Leaders, led by Jo Boyce of CJM Music. 2.00 pm at LACE Conference Centre, Croxteth Drive, Liverpool, L17 1AA. Details and Bookings: Maureen Knight Tel: 0151 522 1046. Email: m.knight@rcaol.co.uk Cost £10 per person.

Tuesday 7 February Support Group for people living with dementia and their carers 1.00 pm at Our Lady Help of Christians, Portico Parish Hall, Prescot, L34 2QT. Details: Joan O’Hanlon Tel: 07984 735590. Everyone welcome.

The Marriage and Family Life Department offers support meetings for Divorced and Separated Catholics The next series starts in the middle of February 2017. We welcome Catholics and other Christians who are divorced or separated (recently or in the past) or who are experiencing the breakdown of a marriage or a long term relationship.

The small groups are informative, affirming, free and confidential For information about the meetings and the venues and dates or to book a place please contact Frances Trotman Tel: 0151 727 2195. General enquiries may be directed to Maureen O’Brien at LACE Tel: 0151 522 1044. Email: m.obrien@rcaol.co.uk ‘Why we need more deacons’ Archbishop Malcolm McMahon will host an evening for men who may be wondering if they are called to serve as deacons and what the formation involves. Wives and priests are also welcome.

7.30 pm to 9.00 pm on Tuesday 7 February. (Refreshments from 7.00 pm) at Holy Name Parish Meeting Room, Moss Pits Lane, Fazakerley, L10 9LG. ‘Songs we Remember.’

A morning of singing and enjoyment for anyone who likes to sing but particularly geared towards those living with dementia and their carers. 11.00 am to 12.30 pm, followed by lunch, at St Thomas of Canterbury Parish Hall, Great Georges Road, Waterloo, L22 1RD. Details: The Irenaeus Project Tel: 0151 949 1199.

Website: www.irenaeus.co.uk Animate Youth Ministries ‘Life and Soul’ An evening of adoration and prayer. 7.00 pm at Liverpool Hope University Chapel, Hope Park, Liverpool, L16 9JD. Thursday 9 February ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people.’

A look at the Acts of the Apostles.

Scripture Morning led by Father Chris Thomas. 10.30 am at lrenaeus, 32 Great Georges Road, Waterloo, L22 1RD. Details Tel: 0151 949 1199. Website: www.irenaeus.co.uk Friday 10 February to Sunday 12 February ‘Free to follow Jesus.’

A weekend for Men led by Father Chris Thomas at lrenaeus, 32 Great Georges Road, Waterloo, L22 1RD. Details, costs and bookings Tel: 0151 949 1199 Email: jenny@irenaeus.co.uk Website: www.irenaeus.co.uk Saturday 11 February Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes World Day of Prayer for Sick People Sunday 12 February Racial Justice Day Annual Mass for Marriage and Family Life 11.00 am at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. Celebrant: Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP.

Wednesday 8 February Day of Prayer for victims of trafficking (Feast of St Josephine Bakhita)

Liverpool Bach Collective Johann Sebastian Bach Cantata 9: ‘Es ist das Heil uns kommen her’ (‘Salvation has truly come to us’) 6.30 pm at St

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Bartholomew’s Church, Warrington Road, Rainhill L35 6NY. Singers and Players directed by Philip Duffy.

Tuesday 14 February Time Out on Tuesdays 10.00 am to 4.00 pm at the Cenacle, Tithebarn Grove, Lance Lane, Liverpool L15 6TW. Open to all who are involved in any form of ministry or service to others, giving time for silence and personal reflection. Offering £10 per person (bring your own lunch). For further details contact: Sister Winifred. Tel: 0151 722 2271, Email: winniecenacle@mail.com Making the Most of Lent 2017 An invitation to all Catholics to learn more about the spirituality of Lent and, together with those who will become Catholics this Easter, more fully appreciate this wonderful season of preparation. 8.00 pm to 9.30 pm at Sacred Heart Parish, Liverpool Road, Southport, PR8 3BP Thursday 16 February ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people.’

A look at the Acts of the Apostles.

Scripture Morning led by Father Chris Thomas. 10.30 am at lrenaeus, 32 Great Georges Road, Waterloo, L22 1RD. Details Tel: 0151 949 1199. Website: www.irenaeus.co.uk Newman Association Talk: ‘From Grief to Grace: Pastoral Care of the Abused’ Speaker: Father Dominic Allain. 7.30 pm (after 7.00 pm Mass) at St Helen's Parish Centre, Alexandra Road, Crosby, L23 7TQ. Details: John Potts Tel: 07889 841096 Saturday 18 February UCM Business Meeting 1.00 pm in the Gibberd Room of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King.

Wednesday 22 February ‘Songs we Remember.’

A morning of singing and enjoyment for anyone who likes to sing but particularly geared towards those living with dementia and their carers. 11.00 am to 12.30 pm, followed by lunch, at St Thomas of Canterbury Parish Hall, Great Georges

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february Road, Waterloo, L22 1RD. Details: The Irenaeus Project Tel: 0151 949 1199.

Website: www.irenaeus.co.uk Preparing for the Rite of Election for Priests, Catechumens and Candidates, Sponsors and Catechists 7.15 pm to 9.00 pm at Holy Rosary Parish Centre, Altway, Aintree L10 2LG. Bookings: J.Mercer@rcaol.co.uk Taize Prayer and Lectio Divina 7.00 pm at St Joseph’s Prayer Centre, Blundell Avenue, Freshfield, Formby, L37 1PH. Tel: 01704 875850.

Thursday 23 February ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people.’

A look at the Acts of the Apostles.

Scripture Morning led by Father Chris Thomas. 10.30 am at lrenaeus, 32 Great Georges Road, Waterloo, L22 1RD. Details Tel: 0151 949 1199. Website: www.irenaeus.co.uk

(Mass at 10.00 am) at St Joseph’s Prayer Centre, Blundell Avenue, Freshfield, Formby, L37 1PH. Tel: 01704 875850.

Suggested donation: £20 (including lunch).

Sunday 26 February Day of Prayer for the unemployed.

Annual Civic Mass 11.00 am at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. Celebrant: Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP.

World of Atherton ‘‘Who sent Sister the Valentine card?’

Saturday 25 February Quiet Day 10.00 am to 4.00 pm at the Cenacle, Tithebarn Grove, Lance Lane, Liverpool L15 6TW. Time to be quiet, reflect and pray.

Offering £10 per person (bring your own lunch). No booking required. For further details contact: Sister Winifred. Tel: 0151 722 2271, Email: winniecenacle@mail.com John’s Gospel: ‘The Woman at the Well’ An invitation to journey to the well, to Christ, the Living Water. Retreat Day led

by Donna Worthington10.30 am - 3.30 pm

Looking ahead March 2017 Wednesday 1 March Ash Wednesday Pax Christi Liverpool public act of witness and repentance for nuclear war preparations Gather in Liverpool City Centre. Details: Jan Harper Tel: 07746 919915. Email: janharper1@yahoo.co.uk Thursday 2 March Oasis: a listening ear and a cuppa 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm at St Thomas of Canterbury church, Great Georges Road, Waterloo, L22 1RD. Details: Tel 0151 949 1199 or email: jenny@irenaeus.co.uk

refreshments. Tickets £5 from Sister Catherine Tel: 0151 924 0706 or 07703 769903 or from St Helens Parish Office, Crosby Tel: 0151 924 3417. A Coach will be leaving from St. Helens Church, Alexandra Rd., Crosby, L23 7TQ. Tuesday 7 March Support Group for people living with dementia and their carers 1.00 pm at Our Lady Help of Christians, Portico Parish Hall, Prescot, L34 2QT. Details: Joan O’Hanlon Tel: 07984 735590. Everyone welcome.

Sunday 5 March First Sunday of Lent

Wednesday 8 March ‘Songs we Remember.’

A morning of singing and enjoyment for anyone who likes to sing but particularly geared towards those living with dementia and their carers. 11.00 am to 12.30 pm, followed by lunch, at St Thomas of Canterbury Parish Hall, Great Georges Road, Waterloo, L22 1RD. Details: The Irenaeus Project Tel: 0151 949 1199. Website: www.irenaeus.co.uk

Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion 3.00 pm at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King.

UCM Bi-monthly Mass 7.30 pm at St Gregory the Great, Liverpool Road, Lydiate.

Fund raising Barn Dance/Ceili for the Pilgrimage to Banneux 2.00 pm at St. Michaels Irish Centre, 6 Boundary Lane, L6 5JG. Music by Michael Coyne, licensed Bar and

Sunday 12 March Second Sunday of Lent

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profile

Natasha Pritchard Finding Christ in her chaplaincy work by Patrick Hart he may have been scared of them as a child but in her working life as a chaplain, hospitals are a place where Natasha Pritchard finds God every day.

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In fact Natasha, who is assistant Catholic chaplain at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and Broadgreen Hospital, believes she gets to see God everywhere in her working environment – ‘and that’s not an exaggeration’.

‘The patients are in these really vulnerable positions, facing death or serious operations, and they trust in God,’ says Natasha, originally from St Peter and St Paul Parish, Crosby but now a parishioner of Christ the King, Childwall. ‘The way they respond to their illness, there’s something really beautiful about that – I see God there. I’ve never seen such humility and strength in human beings as I’ve seen in hospital.’

The Lord is also at work, she adds, through her colleagues and the volunteers that assist them. ‘I love seeing Christianity in action through our volunteers. They love putting God first and giving of themselves to the patients.

The volunteers really welcomed me when I first started and we have a great working relationship.’

Indeed, this month marks her fourth

anniversary in the post, working alongside Father Jonathan Brown. It is a job she had never really considered until ‘I saw a hospital chaplaincy advert at a parish I don’t usually go to’. A theology graduate from Manchester University, with the extra insurance of a PGCE qualification, she had been considering school chaplaincy yet immediately ‘felt that advert was the answer to my prayers’.

Ever since, she feels the role ‘has helped my faith beyond measure’, explaining: ‘I can’t believe how much my faith has grown. God has worked through me in such amazing ways I can’t even describe. I am so lucky to be doing what Christ commanded – to care for the sick, to visit the sick – so how could my faith not grow?’

With hindsight, her university-era membership of the St Vincent de Paul Society helped prepare her for this apostolate. ‘At Manchester I was involved in the SVP, visiting old people and people with dementia as well as helping out in a soup kitchen. That ignited my love of serving others. I started asking questions about my faith. Although I did the PGCE, I kept looking for something else, praying about it, and it’s led to this.’

However, Natasha is quick to stress she is a ‘normal 28-year-old woman’, adding:

‘I love being with my husband, friends and family. I love learning and experiencing new things. And I’ve got a really good group of young Catholic friends who go to Mass together, go on retreats but also socialise together.’

It is this nod to normality that is perhaps most telling. As Natasha herself says: ‘If you open your eyes, God is there in the midst of everything.’ Hence she finds her working days leavened by ‘beautiful’ little encounters. ‘The timing of things’ is what strikes her most. ‘Sometimes I will pray before going out to the wards, asking to be sent to whoever needs me most. Then I’ll be wandering around, will take a wrong turn and bump into somebody who is crying. We’ll then spend about an hour together. God tends to lead me where I’m meant to be.’

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youth ministry

My great gap year Benedict from Animate explains why opting for a year of youth ministry was the best choice he ever made.

It can be often quite difficult when you are not so sure of what you would like to do in life, especially when you have left school or college.

I did find it a bit of a struggle, particularly knowing that my friends were certain of which paths they would like to take with their lives, which primarily was heading to university. However, faith has always been central within my life and experiences like Lourdes allowed me to share my faith with others which is something I really enjoy doing.

Therefore, I made the decision to step back from the whirl of thoughts in my head about my future and opted to take a gap year within youth ministry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and with it the opportunity to share with others how amazing our faith is.

I had first come to know the work of the Animate Youth Ministries team through a mission week at my former high school, St John Fisher in Wigan.

I found it amazing at the time that young adults would come and show their faith in such vibrant and engaging ways such as game shows and drama activities.

I am now fortunate enough to be a

member of the gap-year team and to be involved in delivering these same mission weeks and recently we worked at All Hallows, Penwortham, focusing on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Being the face of mercyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

It was a fantastic week filled with wonderful experiences, not least working with members of the pupil mission team in the dramas that we used in our presentations.

Another great experience for me has come from the many day retreats we have carried out with high schools from around the Archdiocese. It has been lovely getting to know the students and taking part in the various activities organised; moreover, it has allowed me to become a more confident person, particularly when speaking in front of a group.

Youth ministry has not only allowed me to share my faith with other people, it has allowed me to understand also what it is to be a part of a community. Often it can be quite hard to think of leaving home and moving away but a community such as Animate offers a very supportive and welcoming environment. Besides our work we

find time to socialise by either heading out to Liverpool or Manchester, or sometimes simply popping to a nearby restaurant.

To be able to live and work alongside each other is not something that everyone gets to experience. And at the heart of our community is prayer and sharing Christian values, and this is what enables us to function so well as a youth ministry team.

People often ask me what has been the highlight of being at Animate. I find it difficult not to see all of it as one great highlight. To me there is nothing better than to explore my faith as part of a community and to inspire young people around me to explore theirs. So if you are unsure about your future and think that a gap year could be a good option, it is definitely worthwhile giving youth ministry some serious thought.

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Are you called to Carmel?

- Prayer - Community - Spirituality - Service Please contact Fr. John at johnmcgowan50@gmail.com Preston 01772 779143

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cathedral

Cathedral Record

Music for a jubilee

by Dr Christopher McElroy Director of Music, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral You may have seen in the press in the last few weeks growing coverage about the Cathedral’s Golden Jubilee year. Articles in the Liverpool Echo, broadcasts on local radio and television have done an excellent job in raising awareness of the year and the special events that will be taking place to celebrate it.

The highlight of the year will be Pentecost weekend, 3-4 June. On Saturday evening the Cathedral Choir will lead the singing of First Vespers of Pentecost prior to the Grand Jubilee Dinner which takes place in the cathedral’s majestic crypt, hosted by Archbishop McMahon.

The following morning at the Solemn Mass at 11.00 am, we will welcome Cardinal Vincent Nichols to preach, along with other bishops and priests who have served the Cathedral over the last 50 years. The music for the Jubilee Mass will be led by the Cathedral Choir and Organ augmented by brass.

Two special pieces will be sung at the Mass, both commissioned to celebrate the Jubilee Year. The congregation, choir and cantor will join together in singing movements from Philip Duffy’s special composed ‘Jubilee Mass.’ Philip Duffy was of course the first Master of the Music here at the Cathedral (1966-1996), and the person responsible for the fine musical tradition that exists today. In addition to establishing a fine choral tradition, Philip worked very hard to improve congregational singing, writing many Masses, psalms and other items.

Since the implementation of the new translation of the Mass a few years back many of his Mass settings have become unusable, so it is a particular joy to have received this new freshly composed Jubilee Mass which will not only enhance our large scale celebrations during this Jubilee year, but will, I hope, be used for many years to come.

In addition to Philip’s Jubilee Mass, the choir will also be singing a setting of the great hymn of praise ‘Te deum laudamus’ (We praise you O God) commissioned by Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Choir Association to celebrate the Cathedral’s Jubilee and composed by Colin Mawby.

Mawby’s connection with Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral began in 1967 when Archbishop Beck commissioned him to write a new Mass, in English, entitled ‘Mass in Honour of Christ the King.’ This was first performed in May 1967 as part of the opening celebrations of the Cathedral being one of the first fully sung Masses to exist in English (as prior to the Second Vatican Council all Masses were in Latin.)

The afternoon of Pentecost will see the two Cathedral choirs from both ends of Hope Street come together for a special ecumenical service of thanksgiving for the role that our Cathedrals play. The following weekend, on Saturday 10 June is the Cathedral’s Jubilee Celebration Concert featuring the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Metropolitan Cathedral Choir and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir. The concert will be conducted by Sir James MacMillan, one of the foremost composers alive today, and a Catholic. The concert will include a celebratory ‘Gloria’ written by MacMillan himself alongside Francis Poulenc’s setting of the same text. Tickets for the concert are available directly from the Philharmonic.

Canon Anthony O’Brien – Cathedral Dean

We begin February with a celebration of light for the Feast of the Presentation, 2 February.

At the 5.15 pm evening Mass we begin with a blessing of candles in the Baptistery followed by a candlelight procession to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel for the rest of the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

For the last few years the Marriage and Family Life team within the archdiocese have invited families, particularly couples preparing for marriage or celebrating an anniversary to join us at the Cathedral for 11.00 am Mass for an annual celebration of the vocation of marriage and the joys and challenges of family life. Archbishop Malcolm will preside at this Mass on 12 February.

If you are looking for a Valentines Night celebration with a difference we have our own Cathedral pre Beer Festival Night with a selection of real ales, music and entertainment. The main Camra event is always a sell out later that week but this is an alternative way to enjoy a selection of the beers and ciders on offer in a bit more style and comfort. Tickets available from Cathedral House Tel: 0151 709 9222.

Hats, gowns and formal wear will be much in evidence on the final Sunday in February for the Annual Civic Mass at 11.00 am as we welcome mayors and civic and public leaders to a service in which we pray for the whole of our diocesan region and for all who serve the communities within our archdiocese.

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Pic extras Mums the Word

News from the Liverpool Province of the Knights of St Columba

Knights help raise £10,000 for cancer charity

We cannot be reminded too often about the UCM Daily Mass Scheme.

This is co-ordinated by one of our national vice-presidents who sends out a fixed rota of dates to each diocesan secretary, who then allocates them to parish foundations.

Under this scheme, members of one or more foundations attend Mass on their given date to pray for all our members, which means that every day across the country there is someone praying for us.

Isn't that a wonderful thought?

There are other intentions prayed for too: for all who suffer for their faith; for a growth in faith; for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and Religious life; for marriage and family life. So the next time that something suddenly goes right or we get some unexpectedly good news or our spirits are lifted, it might just be that a UCM member somewhere has prayed for us.

I have some other good news to report.

The Marriage Foundation, quoting figures from the Office for National Statistics, has found that the rate of divorce is falling.

The 2014 divorce figures for those in the early years of marriage have halved from their peak in the 1990s. Sir Paul Coleridge, chairman of the foundation, said: ‘It is really heartening that the number of intact families is not declining despite the generally-held myth that divorce is simply set to get worse and worse.’

Finally, the first business meeting of 2017 will be held on Saturday 18 February at 1pm in the Gibberd Room at the Metropolitan Cathedral. I hope to see lots of you there.

Madelaine McDonald, media officer PS I received a document recently which contained the following misprint: ‘We pray for an increase in vacations to the Priesthood and Religious life.’ What about the rest of us?

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The Knights of St Columba in south Liverpool signed off the old year by making a magnificent donation to a children’s cancer charity.

The efforts of Council 9 to raise funds for the Children’s Cancer Support Group (CHICS) through their annual Steve Dooley memorial sponsored walk yielded the final total of £10,000 thanks to the generosity of the parishioners of south Liverpool churches and match funding by Barclays Bank.

The presentation was made to Eddie Hincks, CHICS co-ordinator, at Liverpool Cricket Club on 16 December. Grand knight David Linford presented the cheque together with Barclays representative Susan Carter and Barbara Dooley whose late husband Steve was the instigator of this annual event.

There was another recent presentation when Council 12/13 donated £800 to Byron Court nursing home to assist with the purchase of a minibus. Our photo above shows members John Larway and Peter Cherry presenting the cheque to Gaynor Mulreay from Cumbric Care, the manager of Byron Court.

Our other photo shows KSC members Wilson Wajero and Brian Mangan together with Salvation Army members Alan Roper and Annette Booth at a Christmas lunch to which they were invited as a thank you for all the support given by Council 584 during 2016.

Websites: www.ksc.org.uk www.kscprov02.weebly.com www.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk Email: dpokeane@aol.com

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Advertorial

All Saints Sixth Form College

New Sixth Form College opening in South Liverpool An exciting new Sixth Form College will open its doors in South Liverpool this September, offering a rich, innovative curriculum and state of the art facilities to students from across Liverpool, Merseyside and beyond.

The all new All Saints Sixth Form College – a collaboration between Enterprise South Liverpool Academy (ESLA) and The Academy of St Francis of Assisi which are both part of The Liverpool Joint Catholic and Church of England Academies Trust – will be a bespoke separate facility based on the current ESLA campus.

Enterprise South Liverpool Academy is to be renamed The Academy of St Nicholas, representing the Trust’s unique joint faith, Christian ethos. A holistic approach to the development of young people will be at the heart of All Saints Sixth Form College and students will benefit from the Academy’s state of the art £26 million building with facilities including modern ICT rooms, ‘breakout’ spaces for independent learning and eight acres of outdoor space.

The Executive Headteacher of the Trust Mrs Anne Pontifex, who comes with a proven track record of excellence in education, said: “The introduction of All Saints Sixth Form College is great news for the region.

The all new, innovative Sixth Form will focus on quality post-16 education in a caring and nurturing environment. Different routes to further education and employment will be available for students as well a varied enrichment programme dedicated to developing personal and social skills needed for the world of work.”

“All Saints Sixth Form College will have strong community, education and business links which will allow students to prosper and achieve their aspirations. As part of The Liverpool Joint Catholic and Church of

England Academies Trust, the new Sixth Form College will significantly enhance the educational opportunities for young people.”

The establishment of All Saints Sixth Form College will bring substantial benefits to students across Merseyside. The dedicated Sixth Form Centre will be an innovative hub for post-16 education, offering young people high quality careers advice, UCAS guidance and pastoral support.

“

The introduction of All Saints Sixth Form College is great news for the region

”

Students will have the opportunity to take part in the prestigious University Scholars Programme (USP) with Trust bursaries available to high attaining students to support them through university. The dedicated Scholars initiative will also support applications to Oxford and Cambridge, Russell Group Universities and higher level apprenticeship programmes.

The launch evening for All Saints Sixth Form College takes place on Thursday 2nd February 2017 and will provide students with an opportunity to experience the facilities, meet staff and find out more about the wide range of academic and vocational courses on offer plus the vast array of enrichment opportunities.

Subjects on offer will include computer science; a range of creative media and ICT courses; A Level English; humanities; business and law; mathematics and further maths, as well as all sciences, sports, health and fitness.

A full range of social sciences will be offered including psychology, sociology and health and social Care, childcare and theology. Technologies on offer will include hospitality, product design and engineering. Excellence in the arts will include A Level and vocational courses in art, fashion, photography, music, theatre studies and dance.

Leisure facilities include a fully equipped gymnasium and Astroturf. A full size auditorium, 3D theatre and Apple Mac computer suites will aid students’ post-16 learning experience.

All Saints Sixth Form College will build on the strong foundations of post-16 education at The Academy of St Francis of Assisi and ESLA. Enterprise South Liverpool Academy was awarded the Career Aspiration Award at the Educate Awards, highlighting the Trust’s dedication to inspiring and challenging students to be the best they can be.

Last year, ESLA Sixth Form celebrated record results at A Level. As well as beating the national average for A* A grades, 50% of students achieved A*, A, and B grades.

With a 100% pass rate at BTEC, the average grade was distinction.

The new standalone Sixth Form College will continue with this success by broadening its curriculum and enrichment offering and increasing its intake of students to include year 11 students from across the region.

The All Saints Sixth Form College launch event is on Thursday 2 February 6.30 pm arrival for 7.00 pm start, Enterprise South Liverpool Academy, 51 Horrocks Avenue, Liverpool.

Please contact Mrs J Lawson j.lawson@ esla.org.uk for further information about the launch event or the application process.

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PIC Life Let’s fill our words with love

By Moira Billinge Many of us will have grown up with the saying, ‘If you can’t say something nice about a person, then don’t say anything at all.’ Why does it no longer appear to apply in today’s culture? Have people ceased to care about the impact their lack of charity has on others? It seems that we can accuse, spread rumours and criticise with impunity, regardless of the reputations that are ruined as a result.

I used to read newspapers from cover to cover but now, on the rare occasions when I buy one, I tend to just skim through the pages as very little of the content appears to be accurate, and is mostly embellished by journalistic licence because ‘ordinary’ does not sell.

The same can be applied to some TV or radio programmes for much the same reason – truth does not boost the viewing and listening ratings.

I read the following recently: ‘Before you speak – THINK: Is it true? Is it helpful?

Is it inspiring? Is it necessary? Is it kind?’

Social media is, unfortunately, also proving to lack those qualities and its anonymity provides unbalanced and unscrupulous individuals with an online platform to abuse their unfortunate prey.

It often seems that internet companies and the police are waging an uphill battle against trolls and bullies, and the issue is nowhere near to being adequately addressed. If only there were the available resources and, more especially, the corporate will to control the cruelty that marks some people’s offerings to the world.

In our get-rich-quick society, which loses sight of the beauty of God and the human person as God’s creation, there

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is a tendency to offer a diet of gossip, lies and scandal. Celebrities, politicians and other public figures are under constant scrutiny, especially if there is a skeleton – or two – to be pulled from the cupboard, and the result is that we are now suffering from a negativity overload.

Speech is one of the hardest areas of our lives to control, and the Scriptures emphasise the importance of being careful of how we speak about others.

The people of Biblical times obviously had their own problems in ‘holding their tongues’. We are told that if we can control our speech, we can control every part of ourselves (James 3:2); that Christians must ‘speak evil of no-one’ (Titus 3:2); and to lay aside ‘all evil speaking’ (1 Peter 2:1).

Jesus was probably on the receiving end of gossip and criticism on many more occasions than the Gospels record – and it would have hurt Him. Words are extremely powerful and they have the ability to build or destroy. We have all said things that we have regretted and, hopefully, learned from our failure to respect fully the person against whom we’ve spoken. Words cannot be un-said or un-read or un-heard. Even when they are forgiven, they are usually not forgotten, because memories are memories and our brains don’t come supplied with a built-in eraser.

During the Christmas period, we heard that Almighty God’s Word ‘became flesh and lived among us’. Today our challenge is to use our human words to make the Divine Word living, human, alive and active in our own little world.

Consider it a wonderful opportunity for 2017: to allow God to fill our words and for each word to be an ‘I love you’ to everybody that we meet.

Quote from Pope Francis “Love is a responsibility, a noble responsibility which is life-long. It is a daily task for those who can achieve great dreams.

Love is nurtured by trust, respect and forgiveness.

Love does not happen because we talk about it but because we live it.

God wants us up on our feet, ever on our feet.”

Worth a visit

This month, follow your heart with a visit to Verona, famous as the setting for William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, writes Lucy Oliver.

A medieval gem in northern Italy’s Veneto region, Verona boasts history and romance.

Tourists flock to visit ‘Juliet’s balcony’ where the 14th century characters famously declared their love and arranged their clandestine marriage, bringing their families to the brink of destruction. Today, the 13th century home in Via Capello, named after the family who owned the building – and perhaps inspiring the surname Capulet – provides the backdrop for numerous marriage proposals. The walls and doors in the entrance to the courtyard are crammed with love letters from those still hoping to win the heart of their Romeo or Juliet.

Reflect on the source of all love with a visit to the Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore.

Believed by some to be the church where Shakespeare’s protagonists made their vows, the basilica is the model for all other Romanesque buildings in the city and boasts some powerful work such as the lunette depicting the life of local martyr Saint Zeno, stamping on the devil and serving the people of Verona. There are flights to Verona from Manchester all year round.

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join in Children’s word search

Eating Out

We celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on 2 February. The clues are in our wordsearch, see what you can find out about this feast.

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PRESENTATION ANNA JOYFUL

LIGHT GLORY

More Mullarkey

February gives us many signs that spring is well on the way. Days are longer birds are nest building - Snowdrops are well through. It would be nice to enjoy a meal our with the family to celebrate all that is good.

Farmers Arms Halsall Square, Great Eccleston 01995 672018 Cheshire Cat Whitchurch Road, Christleton, Chester 01244 332200 Dolce Vita Station Road, Ainsdale 01704 575535 Marino Lounge Kings Parade, Wallasey 0151 639 7050 Saracens Head Summerwood Lane, Halsall 01704 840204 Pollards Inn Village Square, Willaston 0151 327 4615

From Johnny Kennedy Danny Melling is a bit of a character and he’s never been the young curate’s favourite parishioner. The YC doesn’t quite get Danny’s sense of humour.

‘I met Danny Melling today in the supermarket,’ he said to Father Mullarkey, ‘and we had a cup of tea.’

‘That's a first.’

‘And he bought me an Eccles cake.’

‘He’s had a win on the gee-gees,’ said the auld fella.

‘He was telling me about when he worked on the docks. He said he got locked up once for something he didn’t do.’

‘What didn’t he do?’ said Father Mullarkey.

‘He didn’t run fast enough!’

Audio copy of the Pic out now An audio version of the ‘Catholic Pictorial’ is available free of charge, compiled by students, technicians and Chaplain, Dan Antonio, at All Hallows RC High School, Penwortham Anyone interested in receiving the audio copy should contact Dan Antonio on 01772 746121

Vacancies for carers for the elderly – South Liverpool area One permanent full time post, one full time post to cover maternity leave, one permanent weekend post.

NVQ2/ HSC DIP 2 or higher required.

Salary according to qualifications/experience, starting at £7.75 per hour.

Tel: 0151 724 7102 or send CV to Catholic Pic, Dept BT, 36 Henry Street, Liverpool L1 5BS Closing date for applications: February 19th 2017

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justice & peace Postcard from Westminster Joseph Champion-Williams’s latest account of seminary life takes us to rural Hertfordshire, where he has been on a placement.

I am writing this month from the Archdiocese of Westminster where I am on my pastoral placement – so it is not, in fact, a postcard from Valladolid, but from Hertfordshire!

Seminarians every year take time out from their studies, usually in order to work in parishes. However, instead of sending me to a parish, the college sent me to St Elizabeth's Centre, a specialist school for children with epilepsy in the village of Much Hadham.

Before arriving at St Elizabeth’s, I was somewhat apprehensive about this placement which the Holy Mother Church, and therefore Christ, has asked me to complete. It certainly isn’t the average placement for a seminarian. However, on arrival I was challenged straight away.

The Gospel during Mass on my first day at the centre was Jn 1:43-51, the account in which Nathaniel encounters Christ. Before meeting Jesus, Nathaniel was very cautious as to whether Jesus was actually the prophet spoken of by Moses. His exact words were: ‘From Nazareth, can any good come from that place?’

This short line in St John's account challenged me greatly and it has been an overriding theme while I have been serving in St Elizabeth's, the Lord constantly reminding me of my preconceived notions of what I was going to receive while here in the Hertfordshire countryside. I certainly see myself in Nathaniel's shoes when I look back to before coming here.

However, much like when Nathaniel has the encounter with Jesus and recognises Him straight away, the same happened to me. Countless times over the last three weeks I have encountered Our Lord in both the students and staff at St Elizabeth’s, and have been challenged by them – not in a confrontational way, but by their example of how they lead their lives, full of joy, full of hope, and as a real example to me.

Undoubtedly, these children have begun life on ‘the back foot’, so to speak, with a life-affecting disability such as epilepsy. Some of them have severe epilepsy and suffer many seizures daily; for others it is more sporadic and the seizures few.

Further to this, some children are much more able than others. Indeed, at first glance, you would assume they were just like any other child and could function well in mainstream education but I soon learned that there was a clear link between paediatric epilepsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

These past few weeks at St Elizabeth's have been a great joy for me and taught me so much, and I will be sad to leave behind all the relationships I have established. They will always have a place in my prayers.

In Domino, Joseph 30

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Live simply, sustainably and in solidarity: Lent 2017

By Steve Atherton, Justice & Peace fieldworker.

The environment subgroup of the Justice and Peace commission has produced a new resource booklet for Lent. It follows the successful format of our previous resources, Mercy and our Common Home (Lent 2016) and Reflections for Creation Time (October 2016).

Participating groups appreciated the combination of Sunday Gospel readings, excerpts from Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical Laudato Si, case studies from home and overseas, questions to guide discussion, and opportunities to ‘See – Judge – Act’.

The introduction of a new ‘work of mercy’ in September was a fresh expression of the theology that inspired Laudato Si. Pope Francis reminded us that we are called to a new way of looking at the world and our place in it.

‘May the works of mercy also include care for our common home,’ he said, explaining that as a spiritual work of mercy, care for creation ‘calls for a grateful contemplation of God’s world which allows us to discover in each thing a teaching which God wishes to hand on to us.’

A corporal work of mercy, he said, ‘requires simple daily gestures which break with the logic of violence, exploitation and selfishness and makes itself felt in every action that seeks to build a better world.’ In these reflections, the inspiration of the new work of mercy is included by continually asking how we might live more simply, sustainably and in solidarity in our homes and parishes.

Our booklet contains five sessions designed for group use. While created for use as a complete course, each of these sessions can stand on its own.

Each one draws upon the Gospel readings of the Sundays of Lent and

looks at the Gospel in the context of today’s world. The course invites people to come together and apply a critical perspective of our own situation. The questions for reflection are suggested to stimulate action.

Pope Francis reminds us: ‘The Christian life involves the practice of the traditional seven corporal and seven spiritual works of mercy. We usually think of the works of mercy individually and in relation to a specific initiative: hospitals for the sick, soup kitchens for the hungry, shelters for the homeless, schools for those to be educated, the confessional and spiritual direction for those needing counsel and forgiveness … But if we look at the works of mercy as a whole, we see that the object of mercy is human life itself and everything it embraces.’

If you are interested in running this course and would like to know more, please contact: Steve Atherton on 0151 522 1080 or s.atherton@rcaol.co.uk or Ged Edwards on 0151 228 4028 or gedwards@cafod.org.uk.

The materials are free to download from the Liverpool Archdiocesan website: http://www.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/For mation. Hard copies are available from the J&P office at a charge that covers costs.

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