The Follower in the Year of Faith (edition 4)

in the Year of Faith 2012-2013

Season Four: September to Christ the King 2013 Including homilies on ‘Prayer’, events listings and much more

Acknowledgments Vaughan House, 46 Francis Street, London, SW1P 1QN Editor: Mark Nash © WRCDT, 2013. The Follower’s printing is arranged by Transform Management Ltd info@1025transform.co.uk Once you have read The Follower and made a note of the events and publications that interest you, please think about passing it to a friend or recycling it responsibly.

Contributors: Edmund Adamus (Director, Office for Marriage and Family Life), Bishop John Arnold (Moderator of the Curia), Margaret Carswell (Education Service), Anthony Curran (Director of Catechetics, Agency for Evangelisation), Michael Dorey (Spiritual Director), Siobhan Garibaldi (Caritas Advisory Board), Stephen Horsman (Assistant Director, Education Service), Fr Christopher Jamison OSB (National Vocation Office), Ausra Karaliute (Team Member, Agency for Evangelisation), Rosemary Keenan (Catholic Children’s Society, Westminster), Mark Nash (Team Member, Agency for Evangelisation), Martin O’Brien (Ten Ten), Fr Dominic Robinson SJ (Mount Street Jesuit Centre), Fr Stephen Wang (University Chaplaincy), Clare Ward (Home Mission Desk, Bishops’ Conference), Carolyn Wickware & St Joseph’s

Further copies of the Year of Faith prayer card can be requested from the Agency for Evangelisation. Postage payable, free to collect.

Catholic Primary School, Bishop Stortford.

Images: 6-7 (Floral Collage by ba1969), 8-9 (Face side by bombom), 10-11 (Isolated B&W Floral Set 7 by fangol), 15-16 (Floral background by asifthebes), 24-25 (Flower Squares 1 by fangol) 26 (Lake reflections by Ricciardi) 30-31 (toothpicks 1 by konarska), 28-29 (face edge by code1name), 39 (Always there by Patwise), //// front cover (Madonna and Child enthroned by Duccio di Buoninsegna), 4-5 (On My Knees from Wallpaper4God), 28 (Witchhead Nebula courtesy of NASA).

Other images acknowledged in place where necessary.

This magazine is also available online at: issuu.com/exploringfaith/docs/thefollower_yof4 The Diocese of Westminster’s Agency for Evangelisation is committed to a sustainable future for our planet. The booklet in your hands is made from paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Staying in contact Website: www.rcdow.org.uk Email: yearoffaith@rcdow.org.uk Follow the Diocese of Westminster on Twitter: @RCWestminster through the YOF

Previous editions of The Follower in the Year of Faith can be viewed online at:

http://issuu.com/exploringfaith/docs

Intro

Dates & Events

Pages 4 & 5

Pages 20-23

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26

8

36

10

38

12

40

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46

Homily VII: Prayer (1)

Homily VIII: Prayer (2)

Lord, Teach Us How to Pray: Group Booklet

Kolbe’s Gift: a new play from TenTen

Spiritual Direction

Faith Matters

Assembly VII: Prayer (1)

Assembly VIII: Prayer (2)

Lumen Fidei: A Summary

Year of Faith: What Next?

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Prayer and our love of God St John Chrysostom, a doctor of the Church whose feast we celebrate on 13 September, once wrote that ‘Prayer is a rich treasure, a wealth that is never exhausted’.

Prayer, something so integral to the life of a follower of Christ, is the theme for the fourth ‘season’ of the Year of Faith in the Diocese of Westminster.

The fourth section of the Catechism is

structured according to the Lord’s Prayer. It is in this prayer that Jesus tells us that God is a father and that God can be ‘Our Father’ (Matthew 6:9).

When God became man, he chose to share our life, and he empowered us to share in his. When he taught us to pray, Jesus showed us how to take part in his own eternal conversation with the Father.

Our lives as Christians are to

by Bishop John Arnold

be faith-filled, expressed in community and through the sacraments, lived out in charity and nourished and supported by prayer. The Year of Faith has been expressed in a number of ways across the diocese.

Parishes and schools alike have entered into the Year as a way of deepening understanding in faith, of living in hope and of acting in charity.

You will find in this magazine,

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the fifth edition of The Follower and the fourth during the Year of Faith, the materials for the named ‘homily’ Sundays and ideas for schools on these themes. Events listings and a range of articles enable you to engage with our diocesan response to Benedict XVI’s call for the Year, a call reiterated by his successor Pope Francis. It is a particular pleasure to be able to include a number of articles

from external organisations such as TenTen theatre and the Catholic Children’s Society as well as those from diocesan departments.

In this final season of the Year of Faith let us hold to these further words from St John Chrysostom: ‘Our soul should be directed in God, not merely when we suddenly think of prayer, but even when we are concerned

with something else. If we are looking after the poor, if we are busy in some other way, or if we are doing any type of good work, we should season our actions with the desire and the remembrance of God. Through this salt of the love of God we can all become a sweet dish for the Lord. If we are generous in giving time to prayer, we will experience its benefits throughout our life.’

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Preaching in the Year of Faith: Homily VII 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C)

Once delivered, this homily will appear on the diocesan website (rcdow.org.uk/year-of-faith/about)

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Prayer: A deep instinct

Readings Wisdom 9:13-18 Philemon 9-10, 12-17 Luke 14:25-33

Going further?

Handouts for the two homilies in this booklet and for the other homilies in the Year of Faith are available for download and printing from the diocesan website and will be emailed to each parish ahead of the given Sunday. These will include references to Scripture, the Second Vatican Council and the Catechism as well as talking points for individuals and groups.

These homilies are suggested as starting-points, feel free to adapt while maintaining the intended theme

Schools A version of this homily adapted for use in school assemblies can be found on page 36 along with additional materials for educational purposes.

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Preaching in the Year of Faith: Homily VIII 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C)

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Persevering in Prayer

Once delivered, this homily will appear on the diocesan website (rcdow.org.uk/year-of-faith/about)

Readings Exodus 17:8-13 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2 Luke 18:1-8

Schools A version of this homily adapted for use in school assemblies can be found on page 38 along with additional materials for educational purposes.

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Lord, Teach Us How To Pray

by Mark Nash

‘Faith is not a personal opinion: it comes from hearing, and it is meant to find expression in words and to be proclaimed’ (Lumen Fidei, 22).

Each year the Diocese of Westminster produces two resources on different themes relating to our faith. Though these can be used for individual meditation they are primarily intended to support those of us who meet in groups to share in the reading of Scripture (Verbum Dei), to explore and share our personal faith in the context of the Word of God

(Verbum in Ecclesia) and help each other in understanding our own role in the Church’s mission (Verbum Mundo). Such groups have met for several years in our diocese and helped people to reflect, to pray and to share what God means to them with others.

The exploringfaith booklet this autumn will be on the theme of prayer (previous booklets can be viewed on the diocesan website). The six group sessions of Teach us to Pray explore the nature of prayer through life, as follows:

The Little Ones - praying for the new born and unborn; Childhood - praying with and as children; Adolescence prayer and the challenges of growing up; Maturing in our Faith - finding our place in the world as we grow up; Full of Wisdom - reassessing priorities through prayer and experience; Close to the Father - prayer towards the end of life In his foreword to the new booklet, Archbishop Vincent Nichols writes: ‘Prayer is central to the life of any believer. Yet

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its pattern and form is not the same for all. What some find helpful in prayer may leave others unmoved… This booklet, which I commend to your attention, is an exploration of the underlying principles of prayer. Through its pages we will come to share our experiences of prayer, drawing on Scripture and the teaching of the Church. We will explore our prayer as an involvement, as a conversation with God whom we love, through good times and bad, in our youth and as we mature.’

If you wish to find out more about the booklet or small groups please contact Mark Nash on 020 7931 6043 or email marknash@rcdow.org.uk

All the World’s A Stage The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC features a remarkable, glowing Seven Ages of Man stained-glass window which depicts the stages of life as described by Jaques in As You Like It. In the play, Jaques, a courtier, is living in the Forest of Arden as part of the remaining court of the exiled Duke Senior. He passes the time with philosophical musings, of which the most famous is his speech on the seven stages of human life, with its comparisons to theatre and the stage. Jaques’ speech begins: ‘All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages.’

Teach us to Pray looks at the theme of prayer through the various stages of human life and is, in part, inspired by Jaques’ speech.

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Kolbe’s Gift IN 1941, IN AUSCHWITZ, the Nazi concentration camp, ten men were chosen at random to be put to death in a starvation bunker. When he was picked, one of the men, a Polish soldier, cried out for his ‘poor wife and children.’

On hearing this a complete stranger, a Catholic priest, offered to take the Polish soldier’s place and he was subsequently sent to the bunker in the soldier’s stead where he died 10 days later, not of starvation but of a lethal injection. The priest’s name was Maximilian Kolbe and he went on to become one of the greatest saints of the twentieth century.

This October, the Catholic theatre company Ten Ten Theatre will be staging a major production of ‘Kolbe’s Gift’, a powerful and moving play which tells the story of Kolbe, and also of the man whose life he saved.

It will take place at The Leicester Square Theatre, a prestigious 400-seat theatre in the heart of the West End for a week of performances. In this Year of Faith, parish groups from across the diocese and beyond are invited to take part in this unique and special event.

It will present an opportunity to explore faith in an exciting and dynamic way, enable

by Martin O’Brien

people to share faith with one another, and invite those outside of the Church to take part. By telling the story of the impact that Kolbe’s sacrifice had on Franek, the man who was saved, the play asks some fundamental questions: • How do I respond to the sacrifice that Christ made for me?

• Am I living out my life as God intended?

‘Kolbe’s Gift’ will be performed by a cast of 7 professional, experienced actors and it promises to be an impressive production in the heart of London’s

‘I am delighted to offer my support to Ten Ten in their production. As a boy, I was very inspired by the story of Maximilian Kolbe. I hope that this play inspires many people today to emulate his profound life of prayer which resulted in an act of total self-giving.’

Archbishop Vincent Nichols

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West End at The Leicester Square Theatre. The play will be suitable for everyone over the age of 13.

Ten Ten Theatre have also developed partnerships with a number of organisations to produce and enriching experience for all audiences of the play. This includes: - A Photographic Exhibition in Notre Dame de France Church (‘The French Church’ off Leicester Square) throughout October sponsored by Aid to the Church in Need - A new CTS booklet about St Maximilian Kolbe written Fr James McCurry, provincial of the Conventual Franciscans, who knew Franek Gajowniczec, the main protagonist of the play

- A post-show discussion with cast, writer and others on Friday 4 October - Education workshops for young people, and a short film on St Kolbe made by students from Finchley Catholic High school.

The play runs from 1-5 October and tickets cost between £12.50 and £20.

Tickets should be booked with the theatre box office. Seats are selling quickly so book early to avoid disappointment!

www.kolbesgift.com

is a small, Catholic, professional theatre company with an extraordinary reach.

People in the Diocese of Westminster may have encountered Ten Ten already, through their inspirational work in relationships and spiritual enrichment with over 80,000 children a year in schools.

They also work in many parishes with touring theatre productions, and also produce dynamic community projects and run very effective, transformational programmes in young offender institutions.

This professional production of ‘Kolbe’s Gift’, however, is proving a step-change for the organisation as they take residency in a major 400-seat West End venue for a week in October.

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Discerning God’s active presence Article by Michael Dorey

An updated diocesan directory of spiritual directors and prayer companions will be released in October 2013. Copies available from the Agency for Evangelisation.

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‘There is only one problem on which all my existence, my peace and my happiness depend: to discover myself in discovering God. If I find Him, I will find myself and if I find my true self, I will find Him’. Thomas Merton (1915-1968)

IN BAPTISM, we are called to become holy, to become whole, to become more Christ-like. We do this by becoming who we are. This is our vocation; this is the essence of our ‘spiritual life’, our life of prayer.

As we grow in prayer, we grow in self-awareness, authenticity, and knowledge of a God who calls us by name. This is the journey of a lifetime and beyond. Spiritual Direction is one of the things that can help us along the way.

In their 2009 book, The Practice of Spiritual Direction, William Connolly and William Barry define Spiritual Direction as the ‘help given by one Christian to another which enables the person to pay attention to God’s personal communication to him or her, to respond to this personally communicating God, to grow in intimacy with this God, and to live out the consequences of the relationship’’.

Henri Nouwen makes clear that a spiritual director is not ‘a therapist, or an analyst but a mature fellow Christian to whom we choose to be accountable for our spiritual life and from whom we can expect prayerful guidance in our constant struggle to discern God’s active presence in our lives.’

Two people have kindly shared their experience of spiritual direction. The following are their own words:

A. ’Discovering that a fellow Christian was willing to take time to listen and be with me on my spiritual journey on a regular basis was in itself surprising and novel. I have been astonished by the power of a process which allows me to contemplate where I am coming from, where I am at and to where I might be moving. You find that you are with a companion who never judges, is willing to listen and reflect with you on your fears, anxieties, joys and insights.

There will be silence and there may be no answers to your questions. However the spiritual director will at times, perhaps too subtly to notice, gently move the compass direction to due north so that months later some semblance of the way forward may be discerned. What is always given is encouragement and true sympathetic listening.

Few of us have friends or family willing to give us such attention. Indeed this is something different from ordinary friendship for it is a dynamic process from which we may be helped to discover our true selves and by which transformation may take place.’

B. ‘Spiritual direction has changed my life, not sorted it out. Helps me to live life with intention. To see what is important to me. Allows me the chance to talk about what is closest to my heart.

Helps me to listen to myself, not to be afraid of silence and stillness. Helps me to pray, not just say prayers. Has increased my self-awareness, my sense of God. Gives support, encouragement, understanding and hope.

Provides a safe space to deal with my brokenness. Gives a chance to count my blessings.

Shows that God is about all of my life... Increases my desire to draw closer to God.’ These two voices give a strong illustration of what spiritual direction is about, the process involved, the impact and benefit that it can have on people’s lives. Spiritual direction is a hidden and unspectacular ministry, but one full of wonder and power.

To listen without judgement and with complete attention, to be fully present to another person, is a gift of love... a gift of God! To accompany another person is both a privilege and a humbling experience. As you listen to the ups and downs, you do get a sense of walking on sacred ground. As people try to articulate what is in their hearts, you can almost hear God saying, ‘this is my beloved, in whom I am well pleased.’

Finally, it is important to remember that God is the real director. At times he works in spite of you rather than because of you. The real work and fruits of direction are in the person’s life. What a difference it can make!

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Faith, Hope & Charity

by Siobhan Garibaldi

THE MUCH QUOTED LINE, ‘Faith without good works is dead’ (James 2:26) is so relevant today with the need for us all to unite in charitable action for the common good and not rely on our faith alone to carry us forward to those pearly gates.

However, I think there are two camps when it comes to the way we, as Christians, approach charitable action.

Some people develop their actions through their spirituality and others develop their spirituality through their actions. It’s a little bit like the chicken and the egg debate as to which comes first and both arguments seem to fit. Prayer can either be an impetus and nourishment for Christian charity – out of prayer and the spiritual life comes the desire to be an agent of God’s love, or charitable action is itself a form of prayer if conscious of the love which inspires us and for those of us who aren’t great

theologians and meditators, there’s comfort in that fact.

In his first encyclical, Benedict XVI reminded us that what every suffering person needs loving personal concern and that those who carry out the Church’s charitable activity should be guided by the faith which works through love.

(Deus Caritas Est, 28 & 33) We have to recognise that there are those who take the kinaesthetic approach to developing their faith and those who take the auditory or visual route. Whatever way we are as individuals, we have to recognise the need to allow everyone to take their own route to involvement in charity.

That is where Caritas comes into its own.

There are already many fine charities that do wonderful work in our communities: some are faith based, some are not; some have a particular charism and others are specific to a particular need.

Caritas wraps its arms around us to support and nourish all that is good about charitable work. Most charities develop out of an identifiable need and Caritas’s need is to encompass everyone - the kinaesthetic, the auditory and the visual individuals and to provide a conduit through which everyone is encouraged to live a more charitable life.

One thing is for certain though; doing nothing is not an option. We have to provide opportunities for all, whether they come to understand their faith better through the charitable work they’re involved in or whether they become an agent of God’s love through prayer. Everyone needs to be doing something.

The expression, ‘there are no pockets in a shroud’ is a reminder that when our big moment arrives we can only present ourselves to God to be judged on who we are and what we’ve done without the

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trappings that surrounded our lives on earth.

Pope Francis reinforces this by saying, ‘Mary’s example is an incentive to those who live in this Home, and for all of us, to live in charity for our neighbour not out of some sort of social duty, but beginning from the love of God, from the charity of God... For us Christians, love of neighbour springs from love of God; and it is its most limpid expression.

Here one tries to love one’s neighbour, but also to allow

oneself to be loved by one’s neighbour. These two attitudes go together; one cannot be exercised without the other.’

(Visit to the homeless shelter “Dono di Maria” meeting with the Missionaries of Charity, pictured below).

Pope Francis also challenges us by asking, ‘Have you ever noticed how grim it is to see a tired, bored and indifferent Christian? A Christian like that is all wrong, the Christian must be alive, rejoicing in being Christian; he or she must

live this beauty of belonging to the People of God which is the Church. Do we open ourselves to the action of the Holy Spirit, to be an active part of our communities or do we withdraw into ourselves, saying; “I have so much to do, it isn’t my job!”?’ ( General Audience 27 June 2013) Let’s take up that challenge to take an active part in our communities and for some of us who might have waivered in our faith at times, deepen it through charitable action.

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THERE ARE TWO main categories of prayer but many Catholics are often unaware of the differences and the importance of knowing the difference between the`se categories for our personal spiritual lives and our mission in the world.

The two main areas of prayer are liturgical prayer or the public prayer of the church, and private or devotional prayer. In these two main forms are numerous ‘ways’ to pray. Unfortunately, we often confuse these two main categories of prayer.

For example, five hundred people might be sitting in meditation together in a church or praying the rosary together at a shrine and this is still private or devotional prayer. Conversely, someone might be praying the Divine Office of the Church alone at home in an armchair or a priest might be celebrating the Eucharist alone and this is public, liturgical prayer. The distinction, as we see from these examples, is not dependent upon the number of people participating, or whether the prayer is taking place in a church, or even whether the prayer is being prayed in a group or privately.

The distinction is based upon something else.

What is liturgical prayer? It is the prayer of Christ through the Church for the world. Our Christian belief is that Christ

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Ways of Praying is still gathering us together around his word and is still offering an eternal act of love for the world. As an extension of that we believe that whenever we meet together, in a church or elsewhere, to gather around the Scriptures or to celebrate the Eucharist we are entering into that prayer and sacrifice of Christ. This is liturgical prayer; it is Christ’s prayer, not ours.

We pray liturgically whenever we gather to celebrate the Scriptures, the sacraments, or when we pray, in community or privately, something that is called the Prayer of the Church or the Divine Office (Lauds and Vespers).

This kind of prayer is not restricted to the ordained clergy.

By virtue of our baptism and part of the implicit covenant we make with the community at our baptism is the commitment, when we reach adulthood, to pray habitually for the world through the liturgical prayer of the Church.

What needs also to be highlighted here, since we easily miss this aspect, is that the church’s liturgical prayer is for the world, not for itself. The Church, in this world, does not exist for its own sake, but as an instrument of salvation for the world. Its function is to save the world, not itself. In liturgical prayer we pray with Christ,

through the Church, but for the world.

Private or devotional prayer has a different intent. Though it has many forms (meditation, praying the rosary, devotional prayers of all kinds), it has a single aim, to draw us and our loved ones into deeper intimacy with Christ. In the end, no matter its particular form, all non-liturgical prayer ultimately aims at personal intimacy with God and is, ultimately, private, even when it is done publicly or in a large group. All private and devotional prayer can be defined in this way: It is prayer that tries, in myriad ways, to open us or our loved ones up in such a way that we can hear God say to us: ‘I love you!’

It is important to know this distinction when we go to pray: Which kind of prayer are we entering? To confuse the two is to risk doing both poorly.

For example, the person who feels frustrated because the liturgical ritual and interaction of a congregation inside a church service are felt as a hindrance and distraction to the private devotional prayers she would like to be saying is confusing the two forms of prayer and is consequently doing both poorly.

The function of liturgical prayer is not first of all devotional.

Or sometimes the confusion leads someone to abandon

by Anthony Curran

one form of liturgical prayer altogether.

Someone, after years of praying the Office of the Church may decide to stop and do his own private prayer in its place because he doesn’t find the ritual prayers personally meaningful. Such private meditations might well be wonderfully effective prayer, but he is no longer praying the liturgical prayer of Christ when he is praying in this way. We see this sometimes too in wellintentioned, but badly planned, church and school services where what is intended to be a liturgical service ends up being a guided private meditation, however well-done and powerful, which neither properly uses Scripture nor prays for the world.

So, when we are about to enter into a time of prayer it’s important to be very aware of which type of prayer we are entering into before we begin: Liturgical Prayer or Private Devotional Prayer – because it really can make a huge difference about how we approach our prayer times and how effective they will be.

The Agency for Evangelisation is aiming to produce a resource on liturgies of the Word for both school and parish use with a particular focus on children and young people. We intend to signpost additional uses and broader applications.

Events Calendar for the YOF and beyond When?

What?

Where?

Vatican Official Calendar of Events for the Year of Faith Sat 28 Sep 13

Great Event: Day for Catechists

St Peter’s Square, Vatican City

Sat 12 Oct 13

Great Event: Marian Day

St Peter’s Square, Vatican City

Sat 26 Oct 13

Great Event: Day for the Family

St Peter’s Square, Vatican City

Sun 24 Nov 13

Conclusion of the Year of Faith

Universal

Further events can be found on the Vatican website: www.annusfidei.va

Diocesan Events and pilgrimages Sat 12 Oct 13 (10am-4pm)

Conference for Adult Formation and SG leaders

St Aloysius, Somers Town, NW1 1TA

Sun 24 Nov 13 (5.30pm)

Mass to Conclude the Year of Faith

Westminster Cathedral, SW1P

18-26 Nov 13

Diocesan Holy Land Pilgrimage

The Holy Land

Sat 8 & Sun 9 Mar 14 (3pm)

Rite of Election (list of deaneries sent to parishes)

Westminster Cathedral, SW1P

Sat 31 May 14 (6pm)

Mass for New Catholics

Westminster Cathedral, SW1P

July 2014

Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage

Lourdes Further events can be found on the diocesan website: rcdow.org.uk

Small Groups (see page 10) Tue 17 Sep 13 (7.30-9pm)

Season Preparation for Small Groups (autumn)

St Edmund, Whitton, TW2 7BB (TBC)

Mon 23 Sep 13 (7.30-9pm)

Season Preparation for Small Groups (autumn)

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Tue 24 Sep 13 (7.30-9pm)

Season Preparation for Small Groups (autumn)

St Agnes, Cricklewood, NW2 1HR

Thu 26 Sep 13 (7.30-9pm)

Season Preparation for Small Groups (autumn)

St Luke, Pinner, HA5 3EX

Tue 1 Oct 13 (7.30-9pm)

Season Preparation for Small Groups (autumn)

Mary, Mother of God, Ponders End, EN3 7AR

Sat 5 Oct 13 (10.30am-noon)

Season Preparation for Small Groups (autumn)

Our Lady Immaculate, Hitchin, SG5 1QS

Sat 12 Oct 13 (10am-4pm)

Conference for Adult Formation and SG leaders

St Aloysius, Somers Town, NW1 1TA

Sun 13 Oct 13

Start of autumn faith-sharing season 2013

Across the diocese and beyond

‘Named Sundays’ for preaching in the Westminster diocese Date

Theme and Readings

8 Sep 13 (23rd of OT)

VII: Prayer – Wisdom 9:13-18; Philemon 9-10, 12-17; Luke 14:25-33

20 Oct 13 (29th of OT)

VIII: Prayer – Exodus 17:8-13; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2; Luke 18:1-8

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For the most up-to-date information and additional events see rcdow.org.uk When?

What?

Where?

Sat 28 Sep 13 (10am-3pm)

Day of Prayer & Catechesis with Bishop Arnold

Cathedral Hall, SW1P

Sat 26 Oct 13 (10am-1pm)

Putting Theory into Practice (PTIP): Theme TBA

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Sat 2 Nov 13 (10am-1pm)

PTIP: Explaining the Eucharist

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Sat 16 Nov 13 (10am-1pm)

PTIP: Using Scripture with Young People

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Sat 7 Dec 13 (10am-1pm)

PTIP: Effective Communication - Body Language

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Tue 10 Dec 13 (10am-1pm)

PTIP: Symbolic & Inclusive Catechesis

St Joseph’s Pastoral Centre, Hendon, NW4

Sat 8 Mar 14 (10am-1pm)

Putting Theory into Practice (PTIP): Theme TBA

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Sat 15 Mar 14 (10am-1pm)

PTIP: Explaining the Liturgy

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Sat 29 Mar 14 (10am-3pm)

Day of Prayer & Catechesis with Bishop Sherrington

TBA

TBA (10am-1pm)

PTIP: Catechist and the Catechism of the CC

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

TBA (10am-1pm)

PTIP: Symbolic & Inclusive Catechesis

St Joseph’s Pastoral Centre, Hendon, NW4

Sat 12 Apr 14 (10am-1pm)

PTIP: Human and Faith Development

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Sat 14 Jun 14 (10am-3pm)

Day of Prayer & Catechesis with Archbishop Nichols

Cathedral Hall, SW1P

Sat 21 Jun 14 (10am-1pm)

PTIP: Catechesis & Curriculum Directory

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Sat 28 Jun 14 (10am-1pm)

Putting Theory into Practice (PTIP): Theme TBA

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Sat 5 Jul 14 (10am-1pm)

PTIP: Role and Skills of the Catechist

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Sat 12 Jul 14 (10am-1pm)

PTIP: Boundaries and Conflict Management

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Sat 12 Jul 14 (10am-1pm)

PTIP: Symbolic & Inclusive Catechesis

St Joseph’s Pastoral Centre, Hendon, NW4

Catechetics

Exploring Catechesis for New and Potential Catechists 1st Tuesday of the Month

Reflecting on nature, purpose and methods

St Joseph’s Primary School, Hendon, NW4

1st Thursday of the Month

Discussing issues, opportunities and strategies

Eastcote parish, Victoria and Herts

Faith Matters: Prayer (Autumn 2013) Wed 16 Oct 13 (7pm)

First in a series of four lectures on prayer

Cathedral Hall, SW1P

Wed 23 Oct 13 (7pm)

Second lecture on prayer and spirituality

Cathedral Hall, SW1P

Wed 30 Oct 13 (7pm)

Third lecture on prayer and spirituality

Cathedral Hall, SW1P

Wed 6 Oct 13 (7pm)

Fourth lecture on prayer and spirituality

Cathedral Hall, SW1P

Events Calendar for the Year of Faith When?

What?

Where?

Marriage and Family Life (MFL) Mon 2 Sep 13

Book Launch: Abortion & Culture by Edward Short

Central London

Tue 24 Sep 13 (7-8.30pm)

Supporting Parents passing on the Faith

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Sat 12 Oct 13

Annual Natural Family Planning Conference

Manchester

Wed 16 Oct 13

Students EXPLORE marriage with volunteers

Thomas More College, Chelsea

Mon 21 Oct 13 (7-8.30pm)

Supporting Parents passing on the Faith

Our Lady & St Vincent’s, Potters Bar

Tue 12 Nov 13 (7-8.30pm)

Supporting Parents passing on the Faith

St Joseph’s Pastoral Centre, Hendon, NW4

Spring 2014

SmartLoving Marriage Enrichment (smartloving.org)

St Joseph’s Pastoral Centre, Hendon, NW4

Fuller information on these events and their intended audiences can be found on the MFL pages on the diocesan website

Education Mon 7 - Wed 9 Oct 13

Secondary Deputy Headteachers’ Conference

Kent

Wed 5- Fri 7 Feb 14

Secondary Headteachers’ Conference

TBA

Wed 5- Fri 7 Mar 14

Primary Deputy Headteachers’ Conference

TBA

Tue 18 - 21 Mar 14

Primary Headteachers’ Conference

TBA

Thu 12 Jun 14 (9.30am-3.30pm) NQT Conference

St Mary’s, Twickenham

Wed 18 Jun 14 (9.30-1.30pm)

Independent School’s Conference

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Tue 1 Jul 14 (10am-3.30pm)

Day Conference for Primary & Secondary Heads

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

For more see the 2013/14 CPD Booklet and the diocesan website

Featured Event March 2014

The New Evangelisation on the Digital Continent; challenge or crisis?

Jonathan Doyle will address pornography addiction – pastoral ramifications for parents, clergy educators and leaders in the light of a dialogue between neuroscience and Theology of The Body. He will also reflect on Catholic manhood – key approaches to a renewed culture of masculine service in the heart of the family and the Church.

Jonathan Doyle is an internationally recognised Catholic academic, speaker and publisher with a focus upon the new evangelisation particularly in matters of Marriage and Family Studies, masculinity, sexuality and more recently pornography and Internet addiction. Jonathan is the Managing Director and founder of Choicez Media, a provider of relationship programmes and student seminars to the Australian Independent and Catholic education sector. He is also the founder of BeingCatholic, a website offering formation and support to Catholic teachers and leaders.

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For the most up-to-date information and additional events see rcdow.org.uk When?

What?

Where?

Adult Formation and Training Sat 7 Sep 13 (10am-3pm)

Faith Development: Childhood to Adulthood

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Tue 24 Sep 13 (7-8.30pm)

Parents’ formation in faith information evening

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Tue 1 Oct 13 (7-8.30pm)

Body Language and Clear Communication (I)

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Thu 3 Oct 13 (7-8.30pm)

Foundation Degree pastoral reflection evening

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Sat 12 Oct 13 (10am-1pm)

Conference for Adult Formation and SG leaders

St Aloysius, Somers Town, NW1 1TA

Tue 15 Oct 13 (7-8.30pm)

Body Language and Clear Communication (II)

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Mon 21 Oct 13 (7-8.30pm)

Parents’ formation in faith information evening

Our Lady & St Vincent’s, Potters Bar

Sat 9 Nov 13 (10am-3.30pm)

Adult Faith Formation Retreat

Nazareth House, Hammersmith

Tue 12 Nov 13 (7-8.30pm)

Parents’ formation in faith information evening

St Joseph’s Pastoral Centre, Hendon, NW4

Sat 25 Jan 14 (10am-3pm)

In-service day for Adult Faith Formation leaders

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Tue 4 Feb 14 (7-8.30pm)

Leading sessions for Communion parents

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Tue 11 Feb 14 (7-8.30pm)

On-going formation for Parish Readers

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Tue 11 Mar 14 (7-8.30pm)

Leading sessions for Confirmation parents

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Tue 18 Mar 14 (7-8.30pm)

On-going formation for ‘Eucharistic Ministers’

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Tue 13 May 14 (7-8.30pm)

Leading sessions for Baptism parents

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Sat 17 May 14 (10am-3pm)

In-service day for Adult Faith Formation leaders

Vaughan House, Victoria, SW1P 1QN

Sat 31 May 14 (10am-3.30pm)

Adult Faith Formation Retreat

TBA

In February-June 2014, ongoing formation for parish readers, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion as well as formation for parish councils and parish teams will be offered. Further information will be placed on the diocesan website once further dates and venues have been finalised and speakers/facilitators have been secured.

Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS) Sat 28 Sep & 5 Oct 13 (10am)

Ecclesiology

St Aloysius, Somers Town, NW1 1TA

Sat 25 Jan & 1 Feb 14 (10am)

Sacramental Theology

St Aloysius, Somers Town, NW1 1TA

Sat 7 Jun & 14 Jun 14 (10am)

Moral Theology

St Aloysius, Somers Town, NW1 1TA

Further modules are planned and the dates and venues will be published on the diocesan website. They include: Catholic Schools - Fit for Mission; Challenging Faith - Atheism and Apathy; Introduction to Canon Law and Parish Catechesis.

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First and Best Teachers MANY PARISHES already invest a lot of energy and resources into sacramental programmes. There is a universal yet often unfulfilled desire to see more parents and children who go through our baptismal, First Reconciliation/ Eucharist and Confirmation programmes actively continue their faith journeys by visible and regular participation in the life of the worshipping community.

What a nice problem it would be if our churches became too small to accommodate all the families we know and yearn to see every Sunday! Clergy and those who work alongside them such as teachers, catechists, faith formation leaders, pastoral assistants and others often aspire but do not always have time to look for innovative and even more effective ways to reach families and really empower them to transmit the faith in the home. So how can we build on the opportunities of having a captive audience of parents [either willingly or compelled] which sacramental programmes present to us?

We recognise that many parishes do explore creative ways to help the families engage more with the Church. It’s important to affirm those ideas and efforts whilst at the same time exploring new ones. So the Agency for Evangelisation and Office for Marriage and Family Life would like to extend an invitation all parishes to a forum, where we could share good ideas and effective practices and showcase some new resources and ideas. If as the Church teaches and we believe, that parents are the primary agents of evangelisation, then we want to re-affirm and explore methods of providing effective and age-appropriate means of faith formation for parents Secondly, it’s about enriching and enhancing parenting skills and knowledge which in turn will enable parents to become more intentional about taking the lead in the human and moral formation of their children as well as passing on the faith to them. ‘Loving the family,’ said Blessed John Paul II, ‘means

Exploring ways to help parents pass on the faith

being able to appreciate its values and capabilities’ because the family can ‘release formidable energies.’ And in all of this we don’t want to forget the indispensable role of grandparents.

So this Autumn 2013, we are hosting three information gatherings to begin this process of celebrating and sharing. To find out the dates and locations, please see the box (right) or visit www.rcdow.org.uk/ events. Various resources will be showcased on a dedicated website at http://rcdow.org. uk/faith/adult-formation/ welcome/ and we will add content to this as we progress.

by Edmund Adamus and Ausra Karaliute

Tips and themes for the sessions with parents How to run a course for parents?

You may use DVD resources or give live talks Key ingredients of a typical session Right atmosphere: think friendly, fun and relaxed Small groups discussions Interactive and relevant discussion questions Faith Content Age appropriate Life experience appropriate Fullness of the message Parental Skills Building strong relationships Meeting children’s/ teenagers’ needs Setting boundaries Teaching healthy relationships and emotional health Formation of conscience Helping children to make good choices Information gatherings on formation of parents in sacramental programmes: 24 September 2013, 7pm8.30pm, Vaughan House , 46 Francis Street, SW1P 1QN 21 October 2013, 7pm8.30pm, Our Lady & St Vincent, 243 Mutton lane, Potters bar, Herts EN6 2AT 12 November 2013, 7pm8.30pm, St Joseph’s Pastoral Centre, St Joseph’s Grove, The Burroughs, Hendon, London NW4 4TY

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Faith Matters WE ARE NOW MOVING towards the end of the Year of Faith, a year in which we have been deepening our understanding of what we believe and strengthening our commitment to living this out in the world. As the Church in Westminster we have responded to this call in various ways within the diverse faith communities which make up our Diocese.

The Faith Matters programme, established in Spring 2009 as a biannual event has moved, for the Year of Faith, to 4 series, each corresponding to a part of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Lectures have been combined with table discussions and artistic input to enable us to approach the treasures of our faith from different angles.

The team have continued to make all of the lectures available for free via the Faith Matters webpage on the diocesan website – http://rcdow. org.uk/faith/faith-matters/. A list of previous talks can also be seen on the page opposite. We hope they will be a continued helpful resource for those wanting to grow more deeply in understanding the core dimensions of our Catholic Faith and how this faith is lived in the contemporary society.

In additional to the potential for showings in a parish context they serve as a handy resource for Catholic schools and university chaplaincies.

Faith Matters for the Year of Faith kicked off with a series on what is faith and how we believe, including faith’s relationship with science, psychology and the challenges posed by a multicultural society. This was followed in Lent by a series on the sacraments and worship featuring talks on reconciliation, the Eucharist and liturgical music. The spring series looked at the moral and social teaching of the Church considering the environment, peace and living a virtuous life.

In our final series of Faith Matters for this special

by Fr Dominic Robinson SJ and Ausra Karaliute

Year of Faith we turn to the life of prayer. Having considered our beliefs, our worship and the living out of our faith, the Catechism enfolds this teaching in a section on the personal relationship with the living and true God. This relationship we know as the life of prayer (CCC, 2558). So in this final series we will explore the complementary traditions of prayer in the Church, embracing the contemplative and apostolic. On each evening there will be a presentation from a speaker focussing on one particular dimension of the life of prayer, with some guided exercises, and opportunity for discussion and questions. Four talks include Fr Robin Gibbons OSB’s talk on the contemplative tradition of prayer in ancient tradition East and West (16 October) and Fr Dermot Preston SJ on Finding God in Everyday Life (6 November) and will culminate on 19 November with the talk delivered by Archbishop J. Augustine DiNoia OP who is vice-president of the Pontifical Commission, Ecclesia Dei. These talks will be broadcasted by Premier Christian Radio and will be available to watch on the diocesan website.

These talks are open to all and are an invitation to come together as a community so we can learn, share and grow together in faith. In his first encyclical Lumen Fidei (‘The Light of Faith’) Pope Francis reminds us that ‘faith is not a private matter, a completely individualistic notion or a personal opinion: it comes from hearing, and it is meant to find expression in words and to be proclaimed’ (LF, 22). The series also aims to respond to the needs of those who, for the first time or perhaps after a period away from the Church, might be enquiring about what we believe and how we live, worship and pray. So please do consider bringing a friend.

Registration required: rcdow.org.uk/faithmatters, faithmatters@rcdow.org.uk or at 020 7931 6078.

Faith Matters talks Available to view online at any time

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Catechesis and the New Evangelisation by Paula Jordao The Challenges of faith for Young People by Fr Michael Holman, SJ Catechesis – The Drama of Holy Wisdom by Fr John Farrell, OP Faith, Science and the Human Person by Rev Dr Andrew Pinsent Newman on Reason and Faith by Fr James Pereiro Is God? Who God? The Existence and Nature of God by Peter Vardy What is Faith and How do we Believe? by Archbishop Vincent Nichols Faith and the Psychologists by Professor Rachel Blass Finding God in other Cultures and Religions by Professor Ian Linden Who is Jesus? Does it Matter? by Gerald O’Collins, SJ Authority and Conscience in Church and Society by Richard Finn, OP Catholicism and Public Life by John Battle MP The Catholic Moral Vision: A Guide to Happiness by Fr Stephen Wang Catholics and the Bible by Fr John Hemer Catholics and Prayer by Fr John Edwards, SJ Newman on Christ and the Church by John McDade Eucharist by Rev Dr Andrew Cameron-Mowat, SJ Reconciliation by Bishop John Arnold The Priest and the Universal Baptismal Call by Clare Watkins The Saints by Fr Stephen Wang and Hannah Vaughan-Spruce Praying for the Dead by Fr John Edwards, SJ Judgement, Heaven and Hell by Fr Dominic Robinson The Second Coming of Christ by Sr Cathy Jones Art and Music at the Service of the Liturgy by Archbishop George Stack Music as Liturgy and Prayer by Andrew Carwood Catholicism and Capitalism by Philip Booth Diplomacy and Faith by Francis Campbell Human Rights: Does Faith Matter? by Professor Conor Gearty Journalism - Can the News be Good? by Charles Moore Faith Dilemmas: Policing our Community by Joe Hackett The Just War by General The Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank Legacies of English Catholic History by Rev John Morrill The Priest: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow by Fr Adian Nichols, OP The Priest as Witness by Archbishop Vincent Nichols The Call to Priesthood in a Global City by Fr Andrzej Forys Newman and Friendship by Fr Daniel Seward, CO Cardinal Newman: A Man for Our Time by Dr Judith Champ Vocation by Martin Rainsford and Fr Paul O’Reilly, SJ Catholic Social Teaching by Dr Anna Rowlands Interreligious Dialogue by Archbishop Kevin McDonald

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Be a star of hope, shining brightly

For over 150 years the Catholic Children’s Society in the Diocese of Westminster (formerly the Crusade of Rescue), has been working with children and families on a daily basis. We know how difficult life can be for many of them. Our counsellors, therapists, social workers and early years workers help those struggling with a range of issues, including relationship difficulties, mental health problems, inadequate housing, a low income and in need of help and advice. Life at times can seem very dark indeed and hope can sometimes seem but a glimmer.

In his inaugural homily Pope Francis challenged each of us to, ‘Be a star of hope shining brightly’. The light of hope that

our supporters have enabled us to bring to others now includes St Francis Family Centre in Poplar, Bishop Harvey Family Service in Muswell Hill, St Mark’s Stay and Play in North Kensington, counselling and therapy services in nearly 70 schools across the diocese as well as child and adolescent mental health training for teachers and other professionals in the caring services. Our previous work in the field of adoption and residential work means that we also provide information and support to those who were placed by us for adoption, their birth and adoptive families and those who were formerly in our care.

To ‘be a star of hope shining

brightly’ is to bring joy to others, just as the three wise men were overjoyed at seeing the star stop over Bethlehem, heralding the birth of Jesus and the Good News that his coming brings.

The signs that we ourselves give, through our words and actions, witness to the presence of God’s love in the world. Those children and families who today experience the darkness of poverty - be it material, relational or spiritual – need hope to carry them forward.

The giving of hope is not one-way: from benefactor to recipient. Each of us, no matter how rich or poor we may be, at one time or another in our life need a sign of hope. The sign of hope that we give and receive, the

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values that we hold, strengthen in turn our own faith and hope, not least by confirming that faith makes a difference through our prophetic witness to God’s love and presence in our world.

St Peter in his second letter describes how the prophetic word is a lamp to lighten our way through the darkness until the dawn arrives and the morning star rises in our minds (2 Pt 1:19).

At the Catholic Children’s Society we see the legacy of the Year of Faith as a clearer understanding of how the work that we do can be ‘a star of hope shining brightly’ to those in need. Every year we celebrate liturgically the difference that our faith makes to people in the world in which we live. In

doing this we seek to increase the appreciation of children about how their Christian faith challenges them to help others.

In all, over 6,000 children each year attend the Good Shepherd Masses celebrated by Archbishop Nichols and the Carol Services that are all held in Westminster Cathedral, thus providing us with an opportunity to work with the children’s teachers and the Diocesan Education Service to help prepare them for these celebrations and nurture their understanding of the faith. In their support of the work of the Catholic Children’s Society, the children of the Diocese are, in turn, giving an outstanding expression of how they are ‘a star of hope shining brightly’.

To find out more about the Catholic Children’s Society (Westminster) visit: www.cathchild.org.uk or contact Rosemary Keenan CEO on 020 8969 5305 Catholic Children’s Society, 73 St Charles Square, London W10 6EJ.

Images (left to right): Archbishop Vincent Nichols at the Good Shepherd Mass High-5 after the Mass Outside the St Francis Family Centre, Poplar Photos © Marcin Mazur Article by Rosemary Keenan

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RE in the Classroom

by Margaret Carswell and Stephen Horsman

CLASSROOM RELIGIOUS E D U C AT I O N has as its outcome: ‘religiously literate and engaged young people who have the knowledge, understanding and skills – appropriate to their age and capacity – to reflect spiritually, and think ethically and theologically, and who are aware of the demands of religious commitment in everyday life’.

The Diocesan Policy on Religious Education (2012) relating to schemes of work and programmes of study encourages individual schools to utilise whichever resources best suit the needs of the children within their schools. It also commits the Diocese to support schools in implementing the requirements of the Curriculum Directory and other norms of the Bishops’ Conference. In recent years this Diocesan support has focussed on agreeing and developing a fuller understanding of the Levels of Attainment and in improving the teaching of Scripture. Resources have

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been produced to assist schools in this which are available on the Diocesan website.

In 2007 the Bishops’ Conference for Catholic Education and Formation published Levels of Attainment (AT) for Religious Education.

AT 1 covered Learning About Religion in three strands: (i) Beliefs, Teachings and Sources, (ii) Celebration and Ritual and (iii) Social and Moral practices and Way of Life. AT 2 covered Learning from Religion in two strands: (i) Engagement with own and other’s belief and values and (ii) Engagement with questions of meaning and purpose. Schools were not only asked to teach in line with these levels but to assess pupils’ learning against them.

In 2009 two areas were identified as areas for improvement: clarifying the Diocese’s understanding of the Levels of Attainment and improving the teaching of Scripture. Confusion about the meaning of the Levels of Attainment resulted in the trialling and acceptance of a set of Agreed Understandings for AT1 L1-5. These clarified

terms as, for example, liturgy, worship, religion, faith and belief in a manner which allowed teachers more precision in both teaching and assessment.

Subsequent moderation of work samples supported these Agreed Understandings.

Historically, work samples indicated that pupils were being taught Scripture that was fragmented, poorly paraphrased or amalgamated into stories drawn from more than one author. Integrity to Scripture, a requirement within Church documents since Vatican I, was being limited. Therefore, Dr Margaret Carswell, who at the time was the Education Service - Primary Team Leader, began delivering inset on improving the teaching of Scripture. To support the inset being offered within the Diocese, Dr Carswell began producing exemplar units to model both the Agreed Understandings and ‘best practice’ in the teaching of Scripture. These units offered schools the chance to try new methods of teaching and to see the content required for

achieving higher levels. The Diocese has continued to provide exemplar material, with the latest offering being a curriculum framework that now models not only achievement of the Agreed Understandings AT1 to Level 5 but also higher order questioning and links to the new Religious Education Curriculum Directory, as required by the Section 48 Inspection Framework.

The units have been wellreceived by schools, some of whom have used them as stand alone units, some of whom have incorporated the material into existing programmes or used the material to develop their own school programme. The links to the Religious Education Curriculum Directory and the Attainment Levels have been useful guidance in this.

As the Year of Faith concludes the Diocese has committed to continuing the writing of units to complete the three-year liturgical cycle. This along with other resources and programmes is a means of supporting the raising of standards in Religious Education in the schools of the Diocese.

2012-2013 the units took as their content themes identified by Archbishop Vincent Nichols for the Year of Faith. Six units have been written:

(iii) Focussing on Prayer, In the Beginning and From Advent to Christmas explore the Psalms and the ‘O’ Antiphons as forms of traditional prayer.

(i)Focussing on the reality of faith, Beginning with God and Advent and Christmas explored the notion of God and the incarnation;

Resources can be found using the following link: http://rcdow.org.uk/education/teachers/and click on the Curriculum Resources link on the left of the webpage.

(ii)Focussing on healing and morality, Being a Sacramental People and Lent and Easter explored the sacramental life of the Church and the Sacraments of Healing in particular.

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A WONDERFUL NEW LEAFLET

Lost touch?

An Invitation and Welcome

has been produced by and is available from the Home Mission Desk at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. Created in support of a national strategy, the leaflet has been written by the Bishops’ Department for Evangelisation and Catechesis, which intends to resource ministry and outreach to non-churchgoing (lapsed) Catholics.

In addition to the leaflet, which includes profiles of people who have returned to the Faith, reasons why people may have difficulty doing so and prayer and Scripture quotes, video testimonies are also available on the Bishops’ Conference website: www.catholicnews.org. uk/hms13 To order copies of these leaflets you can email the Home Mission Desk at homemission@cbcew. org.uk or telephone 020 7901 4818.

‘My dear friends, a warm welcome awaits you. At your own pace and in your own time, we’d be interested to hear your story and learn from your experiences.

You are an important and muchloved member of the Body of Christ. Come’ (Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor).

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Faith Cards spread Good News PART OF THE ‘Year of Faith’, originally instigated by Pope Benedict, children from St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Bishop’s Stortford have taken the opportunity to ‘Spread the Faith’ through the production of prayer cards.

Each Year 3 child was given a card made by the staff and governors of the school. They were also given two blank cards, which they completed, one to take home to a parent, carer or someone in their parish, and one to give to a child in the next class.

In this way the message of faith has spread through the school, local parishes and out into the wider community.

Year 6 pupils also made the journey to their secondary school neighbours at St. Mary’s where they gave a presentation to Year 7 pupils explaining the origins and meaning of these special faith cards prepared as gifts for their fellow students.

Peter Coldwell, Head of St. Joseph’s said: ‘As a school community we have relished the opportunity to take an active part in the Year of Faith. This project has really inspired our children to spread the Good News of Jesus in a wonderfully practical way.’

For more info contact Lesley Casey: lcasey@stjosephs207.herts.sch.uk

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Everyday Evangelising To evangelise is to share the Good News of Jesus, so the starting point for evangelisation is our relationship with Him. It’s about proclaiming our faith in Him, by living it out in service and witness. We are called to share the story of Jesus in our lives, and then invite others to know Him too. These ideas are taken from a leaflet designed to give Catholic individuals and communities practical ideas about how they can share their faith in Jesus in everyday life. Copies are available from the Bishops’ Conference Home Mission Desk: homemission@cbcew.org.uk

What is Everyday Evangelising?

• It is everyone’s mission.

• By virtue of our Baptism, we are all called to share our faith.

• Everyday Evangelising is a way of life.

It takes place at any time, in any place, under any circumstance.

• Everyday Evangelising reaches out to everyone. No one is excluded.

• Everyday Evangelising also addresses the social structures and communities that we find ourselves in: ‘ ...evangelising means bringing the Good News into all strata of humanity... transforming humanity from within and making it new’ (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 18).

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Being Prepared • Spend time in prayer and read the Bible daily.

• Receive the Sacraments.

• Participate in a small Christian community or a parish prayer/ Bible study group.

Everyday Evangelising in the Home • Proudly display symbols of our faith.

• Establish family rituals based on the Church year.

Everyday Evangelising in the Parish • Periodically sit in a different place in church and exchange names with those around you.

• Send a card to the newly baptised or confirmed.

• Explain in advance to those who are not familiar with the Catholic Faith, what they will hear and see during the liturgies.

Everyday Evangelisation in the Workplace • Transact all business dealings honestly • Pray before making decisions.

• Offer to pray for a co-worker who has shared some personal concerns.

Everyday Evangelising by Social Justice • Take steps to live in a way that does justice to the poor and respects God’s creation.

Everyday Evangelising in all Situations • Be ready for opportunities to share a story of how God works in your life.

• Invite to church those who have no faith community.

For schools For use around 8th September 2013 related to the homily on pages 6 & 7.

Act of Worship/Assembly Set the scene: ‘Let us remember we are in the Holy presence of God’ with these words St. John Baptist de la Salle, Patron of Educators, began every time of prayer. The focus of this act of worship is discerning God’s will for each of us.

Reading: Wisdom 9:13-18 How do we know what God wants us to do? This is something very difficult to discern but through a constant life of prayer what God wants of each of us will be revealed. God asks only that we act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with Him every day of our lives (cf. Micah 6:8).

Reading: Luke 14:25-33 Role play: A football match is scheduled for Sunday morning. You decide therefore to attend Mass on the Saturday evening but you receive

a call from friends inviting you to go out with them instead. Present this in two ways: the first where the friends respect your decision to attend Church and agree to meet up later; the second where the ‘friends’ make fun of your decision to attend Church and refuse to meet up later.

Reflection: Sometimes following God’s will can be very difficult especially when our friends make fun of us. This is when prayer can be a great source of strength. We recall when the footballer, Fabrice Muamba, collapsed on the football field, the outpouring of prayer for his recovery showed that prayer is one of the deepest instincts of the human heart; it is where people go when all seems lost.

Suggestions for hymns: • Centre of my Life • Christ be beside me • Follow Christ and love the world as he did • Will you come and follow me • God’s Spirit is in my heart • Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee • Jesus, be the centre

Class Reflection 1 These could be used as a whole or as three short individual reflections as part of a lesson. You could perhaps, ask a pupil to read; they may write their reflections on the passage, place them at the foot of a cross; compose their own prayers to share with the class. Background music could also be used.

Reading: Luke 14:28-30 Jesus uses the analogy of the builder who does not plan ahead and ensure he has enough resources to complete the building. Without

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Prayer(1)

by Stephen Horsman

Ideas for using the Homily Notes in Schools

proper planning the building does not get finished, and others make fun of the situation. Our prayer life is like the planning. Sometimes there will be challenges in life, challenges to our Faith, without daily prayer those challenges will seem enormous so that the easiest option is to walk away. We pray: Lord, open our hearts to remind us to have a daily life of prayer.

Using our hands in prayer Perhaps use sign language to sign the traditional prayers of Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father. One could use makaton or British Sign Language or perhaps link with other curriculum areas to create a way of praying using symbols.

Using objects in prayer The Rosary Read Luke 1:26-45 – Find the elements of the ‘Hail Mary’ continued within this text. Explain the use of the Rosary as a form of prayer to meditate upon the lives of Jesus and Mary; we are asking Mary to pray with us and for us. One could pray a decade of the Rosary.

Statues, icons or images Explain how these can be an aid to help when praying but that one does not pray to the statue itself. We pray: Lord, guide us in our prayer to remember the prayers of saints who pray for us.

Each one of us, as a child of God, has our own unique vocation. Mary is a faithful guide whose own continuing vocation is to lead us to her Son. The Diocesan Vocations Office, in partnership with the Agency for Evangelisation, has produced a Rosary prayer card to help deepen your own path of discipleship in Jesus Christ and help others to respond to God’s call.

For cards or more information on vocations: vocations@rcdow.org.uk

For schools For use around 20th October 2013 related to the homily on pages 8 & 9.

Act of Worship/Assembly Set the scene: ‘Let us remember we are in the Holy presence of God’ with these words St. John Baptist de la Salle, Patron of Educators, began every time of prayer. The focus of this act of worship is Prayer.

nagging, and eventually the judge gives in just for a quiet life! God never tires of our prayers and indeed does not give in ‘for a quiet life’ but this does teach us that we need to daily pray to God to give him thanks and praise, to worship and adore, to bring to God the needs of others and our own needs.

Reading: Luke 11:1-4 How do we know how to pray? This question the disciples asked of Jesus and Jesus gave the a model of prayer which begins by calling upon the Father and acknowledging his rightful majesty, leading to a prayer of petition, asking for forgiveness in the same way that we forgive others, and finally for strength to face the difficulties and trials which may befall us.

Suggestions for hymns: • We shall draw water joyfully • Holy God we praise thy name • Sing of the Lord’s goodness • Give me joy in my heart • Be still, for the presence of the Lord • Father, we adore you • Soul of my Saviour • Abba, Abba, Father

There are many ways of praying. Perhaps ask pupils to demonstrate different ways, such as raising ones hands to God as Moses did Exodus 17:1112, by kneeling or sitting. The sign of the cross should be demonstrated slowly and reverentially.

Explain that it is a profession of Faith, a reminder of Baptism, when we were claimed for Christ and a sign of being a disciple of Christ. One could also demonstrate the sign used at the greeting of the Gospel during Mass where we sign ourselves with a small cross on the forehead, the lips and the heart. The meaning of this action being to think of the Gospel, to speak of the Gospel and to Love the Gospel.

Reading: Luke 18:1-8 This parable is about the need for continuous prayer, even when it appears our prayers are not being heard. The parable is about a woman who does not immediately get her request to the judge granted – so she keeps pestering him, in effect

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Prayer(2)

by Stephen Horsman

Ideas for using the Homily Notes in Schools

Class Reflection These could be used as a whole or as three short individual reflections as part of a lesson. You could perhaps, ask a pupil to read; they may write their reflections on the passage, place them at the foot of a cross; compose their own prayers to share with the class. Background music could also be used.

Jesus’ example. Reading: Mark 1:35 Jesus sets the example of the need at times for solitude when in prayer he has enough resources to complete the building. Whilst sharing in prayer is important we do need to take time for quiet time with God. In the stillness there we can meet God and talk with him.

Share with the pupils: What is Prayer?

Prayer is communication with God. It is the means by which we build our relationship with our greatest and nearest friend. In prayer we answer God’s call and raise our hearts and minds to God. Prayer can be formal such as the Our Father, it can be a collective act of worship, such as the Holy Mass; it can also be spending private, quiet time with God. Let us become aware of the presence of God in our lives and pray to God in the silence and stillness around us.

The four types of prayer Praise and Adoration: When we praise and adore God the Creator of all (e.g. Psalm 146:1-2); Thanksgiving: When we thank God for what he has done for us (e.g. Psalm 138:1); Sorrow: when we say sorry to God for something we have done & ask forgiveness (e.g. Psalm 51:1-2); Asking: When we ask God for help for ourselves - petition or for someone else - intercession (e.g.

Psalm 28:1).

‘Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’

(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

After reflection on the types of prayer ask pupils to write their own prayer(s) and create a class/ school prayer book.

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Lumen Fidei

Light of Faith: A Summary Described as a ‘work of four hands’ (that is a work completed by the current Holy Father and started by our Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI), Pope Francis’ inaugural encyclical, Lumen Fidei, describes our faith as a gift from God, to be nurtured and reinforced. This gift given to us from Jesus is described throughout the Church’s tradition as ‘the light of faith’.

The coming of Jesus opened a

new horizon for early Christians who, as believers, were able to see with a new light. Received from His love, faith is a light to guide us in darkness. Through the gift of faith, we have been given great love, which lights our way into the future with hope.

Chapter 1: We Have Believed in Love In Lumen Fidei’s first chapter,

Pope Francis calls us to come out from our isolated selves and follow those who have gone ahead such as Abraham, our father in faith. Abraham heard God’s voice and was engaged on a personal level by God. God called Abraham and promised him many descendants. It was this promise that gave Abraham hope for the future. He put his trust in the Lord unreservedly and the Lord stood firm on his promises. The fulfilment of the promise enabled Abraham to realise he had a personal relationship with God. Over time, God consistently fulfilled promises, strengthening the faith of his chosen people as they journeyed to the Promised Land. Even still, their trust faltered into idolatry and selfishness, thereby turning away from the Lord. Yet, through Moses, as mediator, they learned to journey together in unity and faith. They looked forward to Christ’s coming as the ultimate gift of God’s love for them.

In sharing our journey with Jesus, we accept the gift of faith, which affirms our lives and opens it to the possibility of salvation. Those who believe are transformed by opening their hearts to faith and can see

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with the vision of Christ - this is the difference faith makes for us. As we are transformed we become one with Christ and join with others in our parish communities. Thus, Christians come to see themselves as a part of Christ’s body – a union is present between Christ and the faithful and among the faithful.

Chapter 2: Unless You Believe, You Will Not Understand Chapter 2 emphasises the relevance of truth in faith through the quote from Isaiah: ‘Unless you believe, you will not understand’. God provides a stable foundation on which we place our trust. Truth underpins our faith so that faith isn’t simply a sentiment but is instead a light that enlightens the future.

There is a crisis of truth in our age due to our dependence on technology for verification of our beliefs and relativism prevailing over absolute truth.

Pope Francis explains faith is a sensorial experience. We use our sense of hearing to obey the word of God, while our sight is used to come to a fuller understanding of God’s plan for all of us. Our sense of touch is also important, as we are physically touched in the

sacraments. Our hearts need to be touched and transformed by Christ.

St Augustine integrated reason with faith using the concept of light. By seeing and hearing God’s goodness through his light and voice, St Augustine rejected his earlier philosophy and turned towards God. Today we have problems of relativism and a fear of common truths reminiscent of totalitarianism.

Truth gives us freedom as it is born of love and therefore does not stifle the individual.

We strive to see the signs of God in our daily experiences.

Even non-believers who strive to help others are searching for God because they realise his importance in finding direction in their lives.

However, theology is a necessary part of faith. continued on page 43

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The Archbishop’s Certificate in Catechesis THE GENERAL DIRECTORY for Catechesis reminds us that ‘No methodology, no matter how well tested, can dispense with the person of the catechist in every phase of the catechetical process,’ for it is through the proclamation and witness of the catechist that faith in Jesus Christ is passed on.

This Year of Faith has been an opportune time to refocus our efforts to ensure that all catechists in our parishes are properly formed as disciples of Christ and informed about the Church’s teachings as laid out in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

To that end Archbishop Vincent Nichols launched the Archbishop’s Certificate in Catechesis to assist parishes with the formation of catechists.

Given the success of the process during the past nine months we are confident that, through the process involved in studying for the certificate, catechists from across our diocese will be prepared to pass on the faith to the children, youth, and adults in our parishes with renewed confidence and knowledge.

The purpose of the Archbishop’s Certificate in Catechesis is to support and enable the catechists in the

Diocese of Westminster to pass on the Catholic faith with effectiveness and confidence by providing appropriate training and formation opportunities.

This to be achieved by providing a foundation course for catechists called the ‘Archbishops Certificate in Catechesis’ which aims to cover: the essential fundamentals of the faith; basics skills for catechists and also nurtures spiritual formation.

To register, with the support of yor parish priest, go to: http:// w w w . s u r v e y m o n k e y. c o m / s/2TV3D8B

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Lumen Fidei

Light of Faith: A Summary continued from page 41

Our faith should be more than our own interpretation of the Holy Scripture and include a deeper understanding of God’s word through which He speaks to us. The Church documents do not limit the freedom of theologians but rather help them find truth in their studies.

Chapter 3: I Delivered to you What I also Received In Chapter 3, Pope Francis speaks on evangelisation. Faith is meant to be shared and passed on. The light of Christ has been handed down to us by contact – like one candle lit from another.

Just as the knowledge of past events is passed down, so too is faith through the Church. Faith is not a matter of an individual decision. It takes place in communion, in the Church.

Faith is more than an idea, as it touches the core of our beings, so it needs a special way of being passed down – the sacraments. Baptism demonstrates the importance

of cooperation between Church and family. It is the transmission of faith as professed by the parents and godparents in the child’s name. The Eucharist is Christ’s on-going gift of himself. In the Eucharist, Christ’s death and resurrection is made present but it also looks forward to the fulfilment of eternal life with God. Faith is a journey for which we need direction given to us through the Ten Commandments and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. There is one faith just as there is one God and the whole Church shares it.

The elements of our faith are all interconnected so it is important that the entire deposit of faith is passed on.

Chapter 4: God Prepares a City for Them In chapter 4, Pope Francis links faith and the community. Faith is also a process of developing strong bonds between individuals. Without faith and love, human relationships would

revolve around personal gain rather than a common good.

Marriage and family mirror many features of faith, including that of trust. Children learn to trust in the love of their parents just as young people grow to trust in God’s faithfulness.

However, the light of faith goes beyond the family to illuminate all our relationships. God wants everyone to share among the community to understand the unique dignity of each human person.

Faith gives us comfort in the face of suffering and death.

While faith does not eliminate suffering, faith does help us deal with it. Despite suffering there is always hope.

Concluding his first encyclical letter, Pope Francis draws our attention to Mary whom he cites as the best example of faith. She is the mother of Christ and the mother of our faith.

The letter is on the Vatican website and copies are available from Catholic bookshops.

Contributed by Carolyn Wickware

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THE

Antiphons

by Mark Nash

THE SEVEN ‘O’ ANTIPHONS date back to the fourth century and each addresses Christ with one of his Messianic titles. The texts are based on a composite of Old Testament Scripture texts many of which are also referenced in the New Testament too. The Antiphons are found in the Liturgy of the Hours or older Roman Breviary, which clerics, religious, consecrated virgins, and others use for daily prayer.

The ‘O’ Antiphons are short prayers sung before and after the Magnificat, the great prayer of Mary in Luke 1:46-55 when coming visit to Elizabeth her cousin the Virgin praised God for His favour wondrous deeds.

The Magnificat is sung during Vespers, evening prayer.

The ‘O’ Antiphons begin on 17 December, seven days before the Vigil of Christmas (24 December). The seventh and last antiphon is sung at Vespers on 23 December. They are called the ‘O’ Antiphons because they all begin with the letter-word ‘O’: they address Jesus by one of His Old Testament titles. They are fervent prayers asking Our Lord to come to us.

Advent is about the many ways in which the Lord comes. He came historically at Bethlehem as a baby (see Luke 2:7). He will come again at the end of the world as Judge of the living and the dead. Throughout the liturgical year Jesus comes to us in the sacraments, particularly apparent in the celebration of

Did you know?

The Latin versions of each of the titles of the Messiah are: Sapientia (Wisdom), Adonai (Lord), Radix (Root), Clavis (Key), Oriens (Dawn), Rex (King), and Emmanuel (Emmanuel). Take the first letters of each of the titles, starting with the last and working back to the first. You spell: EROCRAS or ‘ero cras’ which is Latin for ‘I will be (there) tomorrow’ - i.e. Christmas.

Note: It doesn’t quite work in English... EKDKRLW!

the Eucharist - in the two-fold consecration of the Body and Blood of Christ; in the person of the priest, who is alter Christus, another Christ; in the words of Holy Scripture and in the community gathered. On a day to day basis we see Christ in the person of our neighbour, especially those who are in need of our help.

During Advent, John the Baptist reminds us to ‘make straight His paths’. When we come to the Lord in death, or He comes to us in His Second Coming, He will make straight the path whether we have during our earthly lives done our best to straighten it ahead of time or not. Let us now make straight the paths by which Christ Jesus comes.

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Have a go!

As a class or a family, you could prepare an ‘O’ Antiphon House.

This is a little cardboard house with nine hinged windows (one for each antiphon and two extra, one for Christmas Eve and the other for Christmas Day), each hiding the appropriate symbol for the ‘O’ Antiphon of the day then a picture of the Nativity.

Each window can be opened in collective worship or at the end of family evening prayers, as the corresponding verse to ‘O Come, Emmanuel’ is sung or the text to the right is read.

You could bake biscuits as a class/family and decorate them with the symbols shown to the right and distribute them as treats on the respective day.

Another option would be to place the symbols on cardboard or wooden discs, day by day, on a stand or branch, similar to the way a Jesse tree works.

Have a sing!

The song ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ is simply a reworking of the seven ‘O’ Antiphons.

When you sing it, you are joining Christians stretching back across centuries and spanning the whole of the earth who prayed, as all Christians do, ‘Come, Lord Jesus!’ (Rev 22:20) Find the hymn in: Celebration Hymnal for Everyone 522; Hymns Old and New 384 & Laudate 112

O Wisdom, who came from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all things mightily and sweetly: come, and teach us the way of prudence. see Sirach 24:3; Wisdom 8:1 O Lord and Ruler of the House of Israel, you appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and on Sinai gave him your law. Come, and with outstretched arm redeem us. see Exodus 3:2; Exodus 6:6 O Root of Jesse, you stand as a sign for the peoples; before you kings shall keep silence and to you all nations shall have recourse. Come, save us, and do not delay. see Isaiah 52:13, 15; Isaiah 53:2 O Key of David and Scepter of the House of Israel; you open and no man closes; you close and no man opens. Come, and deliver from the chains of prison those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. see Isaiah 22:22; Revelation 3:7

O Dawn of the East, brightness of light eternal, and sun of justice: come, and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. see Isaiah 9:1; Malachi 3:20 and also 2 Peter 1:19 O King of the gentiles and their desired One, the cornerstone that makes both one: come, and deliver man, whom you formed out of the dust of the earth.

Isaiah 28:16 and also Ephesians 2:14 O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Saviour: come to save us, O Lord our God. see Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 33:22

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The Year of Faith, what next?

The Year of Faith, as with the Second Vatican Council, started with a different Pope to the one who announced its beginning. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s desire for the Year was to mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Council and to provide an opportunity to study and reflect on what we believe as Catholics today. Over the coming years we have a raft of other anniversaries, particularly the 50th anniversaries of the various documents that were produced by the Church Fathers as a result of their prayerful discussions and faith-filled diligence. Perhaps, as a diocese, as parishes and as individuals, we could look at the documents afresh as we celebrate their publication 50 years on.

Dei Verbum

Sacrosanctum Concilium

Dignitatis Humanae

The view that all religious truth is found in the Bible is permitted by the Church. Scripture and tradition form a unity.

Development within doctrine is possible. The Church’s teaching authority is not above the Bible but must serve it. Genuine science is fully recognised in biblical research. Scripture study must be the soul of theology.

Preaching and proclamation must be biblical in approach.

The scriptures are inerrant only insofar as truths of salvation are concerned; this inerrancy does not extend to secular statements. All are to diligently study the Bible, and provision is made for translations and for cooperation in this with nonCatholics (prom. 18 Nov 1965).

The whole People of God joined in divine worship with everyone taking an active part; common prayer, singing, and common reception of the Body of Christ.

An awakening of the sense of the ‘living God’, who still acts on us today through word and sacrament. Expanded scripture readings with a richer, more varied arrangement of passages, with services of the Word of God even outside Mass. Adjustment to national differences through introduction of the vernacular.

Immediately understandable ritual; purifying and tightening of the liturgical structure with an emphasis on essentials.

Concession of the chalice to lay people on special occasions.

Concelebration of several priests possible. Rearrangement of the liturgical year (4 Dec 1963).

Because of the dignity of the human person, every man has the right to free exercise of religion, private and public, individually and collectively. Nobody must be prevented by force from practising his religion or be discriminated against because of his religion. Political authority must not interfere in pastoral appointments, nor in free interchange between believers and their co-religionists and Church leaders abroad. It is the state’s responsibility as well as that of society and Church, to protect religious liberty as a fundamental common good.

Wherever a restriction upon religious liberty becomes necessary because of the rights of others or public safety, this restriction must be limited to the minimum. Any special position enjoyed by a particular religious community must not cause a restriction of the right of all others to religious liberty (7 Dec 1965).

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Lumen Gentium

Apostolicam Actuositatem

Gaudium et spes

More emphasis placed on the Church as mystery and as People of God: the equality of all is stressed. Biblical images are used to highlight the various inner aspects of the Church, which is seen here as a Church ‘on the move’, and thus always in need of reform. The Church’s boundaries extend far beyond the visible Catholic Church; this is clear in the recognition given to Christian Churches and ecclesiastical Church communities outside of her and even to non-Christians; even atheists can be saved. The Church’s hierarchy is seen as service and not as domination; it must be seen as derived from the broader priesthood which belongs to all Christians, and not the reverse. Pope and bishops share collegial responsibility for the whole Church, though the overall government has been invested in a special way in the Pope. An individual bishop is given collegial responsibility by his very ordination as bishop.

The permanent diaconate is revived; even married people may become deacons. The doctrine on Mary is included in the teaching on the Church; it is no longer something separated from the Church (21 Nov 1964).

The lay person is recognised as a fully responsible member of the People of God. He has a much larger share of selfdetermination in the modern world and shares in the universal priesthood and in the gifts of the Holy Spirit - who works where He pleases. That is why the hierarchy is to regard the lay person with great trust, and his advice must be valued and sought. All are obliged to be witnesses in their own sphere; the lay person helps to shape the structures of the world in line with the Christian spirit. He has a direct apostolate of preaching the word of God, especially within the family. The various forms the organised apostolate may take are secondary. Nor must collaboration with other Christians and even nonChristians be neglected (18 Nov 1965).

The Church recognises on principle the progress of man and feels bound to gratitude for this. But it cannot overlook dangers and errors. Human achievements which made for a deepened receptivity to the Gospel message, and are valued by the Church as ‘signs of the time’. The Church sees itself as in solidarity with the world and as sent into the world for the service of humanity.

The Constitution speaks especially of the roots of presentday atheism, which leads the Church to self-criticism.

On marriage, there is strong emphasis on conjugal love and the personal responsibility of the married couple. In the analysis of the present-day process of human socialisation, there is a call for vigorous effort on behalf of the weak. In connection with the common progress of mankind toward an international community, modern war is unmasked as a criminal enterprise (7 Dec 1965).

Ad gentes Non-Christian religions now meet with great understanding.

The special cultural values of other peoples are sincerely respected and the Church intends to root itself in these cultures. They can enrich the Church and help it to discover new perspectives in scripture.

Fraternal relations should be established with other Churches; all should give a common witness to Christ in their everyday life (7 Dec 1965).

In total 16 documents were produced from the Council. All can be found on the Vatican website: www.vatican.va

‘Let me see your face, O Lord,’ says the psalmist, ‘hope in the Lord’ he continues. The Year of Faith (October 2012 to November 2013) is a time of great grace, hope and opportunity. This is the third edition of The Follower in the Year of Faith providing parishes and schools with information on events and resources. You are welcome to contribute ideas and suggestions to future editions which may prove useful to other parishes and schools - contact details are on the inside front cover.

Lord, Let me see your face, Know your heart and experience your love in my life.

Strengthen in me the precious Gift of faith.

I believe Lord; Help my unbelief.

Amen.

Prayer for the Year of Faith

For the latest information go to our website: http://rcdow.org.uk/yearoffaith