Diocese
Summer 2022 Contents 1-2 Marriage and Family Life 3 Growing faith in young people 4-5 Caritas Westminster –Celebrating 10 years
Mosaics are fascinating creations. Made from stones like marble, glass, metal, porcelain and much more, together they provide a unique look, due to their varying sizes and colours. The classic mosaic material is ‘smalti’, small hand-cut pieces of coloured glass with an irregular finish that makes them a wonderful reflector of light.
Tens of thousands of people across the Diocese have been helped, thanks to you. Working closely with parishes and schools, Caritas Westminster finds practical solutions to various challenges people face. You can find out more on pages 4 and 5, and read about what drives us on page 7.
6 Fr Daniel Daley: ‘I am where God wants me to be’
the couple first marry, they bring with them a variety of materials and ideas for the design of their marriage mosaic. Over the years they find that new materials and panels are required, and that the overall layout requires ongoing adjustments and, at times, essential repairs might be needed.
In his welcome address, Cardinal Vincent Nichols said: “Marriage is a mosaic that you build with your spouse: it is as diverse as the smalti, and shimmers catching the eye of the world. Just as there are millions of mosaic pieces in this Cathedral, there are millions of stories, events and tiny moments that go into creating married love. Each mosaic, like your mutual love, is different in style and tells a unique story.”
If you look around the Cathedral you soon become aware of the variety of different mosaics. Each stone has its own loveliness and when brought together they produce a coherent image of outstanding beauty. Marriage involves the creation of a unique mosaic. When
In May, over 630 couples from across the Diocese, accompanied by family members, came together in the Cathedral to celebrate the Annual Mass of Thanksgiving for Matrimony. After the challenges and difficulties of the pandemic, the Cathedral was once again filled with their light, colour and sound. Deacon Roger Carr-Jones, Marriage & Family Coordinator, explains how the mosaics that decorate the Cathedral were accompanied and enhanced by a living mosaic.
A happy couple on the Cathedral Piazza after Mass
As we continue to celebrate the first ten years of Caritas Westminster, we take a look at some more examples of what your kind support has achieved.
Your acts of kindness are like pieces in God’s mosaic of hope in action around the
7 Safe in Faith – your support is helping survivors
8 Feedback: You spoke. We listened.
Continued on page 2
Your support helps protect marriage and family life
“ Seeing young people leading retreats fills me with hope for the future.”
What’s more, young adults from the Diocese are lining up to volunteer as retreat leaders. “We are spoiled for choice among the university graduates and local Catholics who want to lead,” said Andrzej. “And if you get enthusiastic young Catholics leading retreats, it inspires those who attend. Seeing this domino effect fills me with hope for the future.”
The tiles of the mosaic of married love acquire their beauty and fascination by being brought together. This also includes those pieces that may have been damaged and require careful restoration. At the Cathedral there was a myriad of couple mosaics: some quite new, others of a deeper and richer hue, and those which reflected the hallmarks of age and change. This living mosaic of a partnership of life and love is made up of individual tiles of joy, a shared endeavour, and, naturally at times, moments of sorrow.
Anyone aged 17-25 is invited to apply, including Year 12 students who will be under 18 on 1 August 2023. They’ll need to be recommended by someone from their school or parish. At the end of the year-long programme, young leaders will be encouraged to support youth ministry in their parish or in the Diocese, and ongoing training will be provided.
“It’s an opportunity, in the wake of the Covid pandemic, for people to reconnect with their faith and sense again what faith in Jesus Christ can add to their lives.”
Andrzej Wdowiak, Director of Youth Ministry at the Diocese, said, “More people want to come on retreats, and we have never had so many bookings during the summer. You can see how much the young people enjoy the space and the opportunity to discuss faith and life.”
Again, thanks to your help, these and other groups have set out on new paths in recent years to provide a complementary approach to marriage preparation, enrichment and accompaniment.
this, Andrzej is launching a year-long programme to train 40 future leaders from the Diocese of Westminster. It’s an exciting opportunity for young Catholics, culminating in a trip to Lisbon for WYD in August 2023.
“I learnt that God is always watching me. He will guide me through what I do.”
“ My Year 6 pupils were beaming after their retreat – something I hadn’t seen all year.”
The pandemic years have been tough on young people. Mental health problems are soaring and education has been missed. But across the Diocese, there’s a story of growing faith, and emerging leaders.
To apply to the leadership course, or to find out more about retreats for young people, visit dowym.com
There are plenty of reasons to be hopeful. Another aspect of the work of the Youth Ministry Service is outreach, and this, too, is growing.
Young people attending the Westminster Youth Ministry Retreat Centre
“I thought I believed in God, but now I know... I am closer to God.”
MOSAIC • Summer 2022
“ I discovered God has a plan for me.”
With your support to the Cardinal’s Appeal, groups such as Pulse (family prayer), Retrouvaille (healing) and, in their 75th year, Catholic Marriage Care (relationship counselling) have been able to help
In 2023, young Catholics from across the world will come together in Lisbon, Portugal, for the first World Youth Day (WYD) in four years. Andrzej is planning to take 120 young people from London, and is organising a series of events to build up to WYD.
Growing faith in young people
We are equally blessed to have a mosaic of movements and organisations, who accompany couples over a lifetime.
Volunteer Share Give Act Learn VolunteerPray Share Give Act Learn Pray
bonding mortar of Christ, whose presence holds the marriage mosaic together. As the marriage mosaic is organic, there are then others who assist the couple to reassemble and reassess, replenish and restore, as required, each providing different tools and materials, though the work is always in the
“This is about helping young people in their faith formation, developing their Catholic identity and reconnecting them to the parish so they can play their part in the life of the Church,” said Andrzej. “We know there are young people who want to be involved, and here’s an amazing opportunity to do so.”
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If you’re considering remembering our work in the Diocese in your Will, whether for your parish, support for priests, the Cathedral, another area close to your heart, or simply where the need is greatest, we are very grateful. You can find information about leaving a gift in your Will at rcdow.org.uk/donations/legacy or email legacies@rcdow.org.uk
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The Retreat Centre is a key part of the work of the Diocesan Youth Ministry Service. Based in north London, it offers day and residential retreats for school pupils, as well as young people preparing for First Holy Communion or their Confirmation. In 2022, more than 3,500 young people from 32 parishes and 40 schools are expected to visit.
Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia, called for the ongoing pastoral accompaniment as “couples become more aware of the challenges and meaning of married life”. Just as there are different stages in the creation and ongoing maintenance of a mosaic, so it is with the journey of marriage.
burnish many couple mosaics. The last, Catholic Marriage Care, was founded in the Diocese, and, through the work of its volunteer counsellors, has enabled couples to reassemble and rebuild their couple mosaic.
A single mosaic of love and happiness; couples renewing their vows in the Cathedral
“ It was lovely for my daughter, who has anorexia, to attend a retreat after the disruption of the last 18 months.”
Although each couple at the Mass of Thanksgiving brought with them their own unique mosaic, at the moment of renewing their vows a single mosaic of love and happiness was imprinted on the memory of the Cathedral. From many mosaics something new was created. Cardinal Vincent’s words rang true: “No marriage is unremarkable. Each is special. God is a skilled artist working with our humble materials to create a masterpiece.”
To find out more, marriage-and-family-life/https://rcdow.org.uk/visit:
These are the words of one young person on retreat at the Westminster Youth Ministry’s Retreat Centre in Pinner recently. And their experience of finding faith is by no means unique. Already, thousands of schoolchildren and young people have been part of a retreat this year, and demand is higher than ever.
“This is open to anyone who has the time and passion,” said Andrzej. “The programme includes 11 months of workshops, some online and some in-person, covering things like leading prayer, mentoring, public speaking, running small groups and safeguarding. There will be four residential retreats at our centre and, in Lisbon, the leaders will be responsible for small groups.
There are catechists and formators in marriage preparation, where the guides and tools are provided for the couple to craft together the individual sets of tiles that they bring. This recognises the power of the
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In October, more than 500 young people will attend Westminster Cathedral for a day of worship, prayer, music, talks and conversation. Next March, a similar event, called Flame, will be held on an even bigger scale at Wembley Arena for around 9,000 young
Parishes and charities across the Diocese depend on the kindness and dedication of people who give up their time to serve as volunteers. Thanks to your generosity, Caritas Volunteer Service is here to enable organisations in need of support and individuals seeking to give back, to find each other.
Renata was looking to gain some work experience. “After checking the website, I decided to apply.” She joined the team at Advice for Renters and spent six months working as a Client Liaison Coordinator.
Sister Silvana, Development Worker, Caritas Westminster
Caritas Volunteer Service
Answering the call to serve our neighbours…
Caritas Signs of Hope You’re helping to provide counselling for Deaf people
Just as the first set of children were about to begin their chosen social action project, the pandemic struck, and schools closed. In 2020, a further 70 Caritas Ambassadors started their training in schools around the Diocese, and the number of children taking part has continued to grow. We are hoping for another 20 schools, or more by the Autumn term.
At any one time, we may have up to 20 Deaf people using the counselling service, which is entirely funded by Caritas. Thank you for ensuring Deaf people have a place to turn. To find out how more, visit deaf-service.phphttps://www.caritaswestminster.org.uk/
Nigel is a fluffy penguin and he’s a big hit with children. Along with Sister Silvana, he is helping to inspire primary and secondary school students to become Caritas Ambassadors.
For decades, the Diocese of Westminster has endeavoured to be a welcoming home for the Deaf community, offering a safe place to meet, worship and communicate. With your support, we also run the Deaf counselling service, Signs of Hope.
“For many people, volunteering is a way of living their faith and putting love in action,” says Elke, Caritas Volunteer Coordinator. “No parish, no charity, no project could run without volunteers.”
Launched in 2016, today there are over 2,000 registered users. The Caritas Volunteer Service enables parishes and charities to promote volunteering opportunities free of charge. Anyone who has time to spare can go to the website to discover a whole range of ways to volunteer.
Those who turn to Caritas Signs of Hope can have confidence that they will find understanding and support, which may be urgently needed.
Isabel - Year 6
Nigel visiting children at St John XXIII, White City.
For children growing up today, it’s empowering to discover that their faith can guide them to become leaders of social action in their school. Thank you for supporting initiatives like this. In doing so, you’re helping to build more caring and compassionate communities.
Pupils at St Michael & St Martin School, Hounslow, meet Nigel
“I loved how we got to work together and have discussions, where we actually listened to each other’s views. I do believe my faith has been strengthened because of the projects we have completed. The programme has made me realise how lucky we are in our current situation. Every time we did a Caritas lesson, I felt that I walked out a better person, filled with more faith in God and knowledge.”
The Caritas Ambassadors programme was launched in 2019 and is rooted in Catholic Social Teaching (see P7).
“Deaf women are twice as likely to face domestic abuse in their lifetime,” says Nikki, who continues to work as a Signs of Hope counsellor and counselling coordinator. “There are also higher rates of childhood abuse and mental health diagnoses.”
“What’s amazing is how enthusiastic the children are,” says Sister Silvana. “As part of their discussions, they consider what’s happening in their community and further afield. Then they decide on what they want to do.
With your kind help, the next generation is taking active steps to help create a better and more caring society
“I couldn’t be happier with the whole experience of volunteering,” Renata says. “It has helped me to learn a lot, working in a joyful atmosphere while helping people from my community. The experience has helped me get a permanent job.”
“The Deaf counselling service has been running for 21 years,” explains Nikki Dhillon Keane. “When we set it up, there weren’t many options for Deaf people. Today, there’s a much better understanding of what support is needed. More Deaf people are qualifying as counsellors, but access continues to be a Manyproblem.”Deaf people seek help for familiar reasons, including anxiety, depression, bereavement and suicidal feelings. However, there are often other underlying issues. The vast majority of Deaf people are born into hearing families, outside the Deaf community, and communication deprivation can cause trauma.
“This year, some of the children have chosen to lead their schools on projects to tackle loneliness among older people. Another group is helping those who are homeless. One set of Caritas Ambassadors wants to support the people of Ukraine. There’s even a school that has decided to set up a food bank.”
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like these, or to find out how you can get involved, please go to caritasvs.org.uk Volunteer Share Give Act
As Caritas Ambassadors, primary and secondary school children are challenged to explore their faith and its values. “We provide practical and creative lesson plans for teachers, who’ve told us they love the discussions they generate. The goal is for our Ambassadors to put their faith in action and find a way to make the world a better place,” explains Sister Silvana.
To read volunteeringmorestories
Before going into any school, Sister Silvana from Caritas Westminster’s Development Team always doublechecks. Does she have Nigel, her unusual but indispensible sidekick?
“It’s wonderful. The children are so ambitious.”
“We want Catholic Social Teaching to be more than a display on the wall in school,” says Sister Silvana.
Caritas Ambassadors programme
How you help social action in the Diocese
Pat
Pat works for a charity called Advice for Renters that has used the Caritas Volunteer Service. “We desperately needed assistance to deal with the additional demands of people struggling financially,” she explains.
Renata
To find out more about Safe in Faith, go to uk/launch-of-new-safe-caritaswestminster.org.www.
In the last two Mosaic magazines, Revd Daniel Daley spoke about his life as a seminarian at Allen Hall and his ministerial life as a deacon at St Anthony of Padua, Edgware. Today, as he begins his priestly ministry, Fr Daniel talks about the journey which has ultimately led to his ordination this year and new beginnings.
MOSAIC • Summer 2022
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Nikki Dhillon Keane, adviser on domestic abuse to the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales and leader of the project, said: “It is important that we are taking time to listen to people with lived experience of domestic abuse and are being guided by them. All they want is to be safe and to be understood.”
One group of schoolchildren who became Caritas Westminster Ambassadors were inspired to write their own pledge, setting out how they planned to live by the values of the key Catholic Social Teaching themes: a model for others to follow. You can read more about the Ambassadors programme on p4.
• Solidarity and Peace
“For the first time in a long time, I can honestly say I am where God wants me to be.”
At the heart of everything we do…
Safe In Faith is an initiative to support people who face domestic abuse
Where does a person of faith find support and understanding when they face domestic violence? Who will understand the role their beliefs may play in the decisions they make?
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, or know someone who is, you can find more information on how to access support brotherorwishingIfwww.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/Contact-usat:youareacounsellororpsychotherapisttojointheSafeinFaithnetwork,youareaparishpriest,deacon,religiousorsisterorholdanykindof
domesticsurvivorsSupportingofabuse
Fr Daniel Daley and Cardinal Vincent Nichols – Westminster Cathedral
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All the groups involved share the aim of promoting the safety and dignity of victims of abuse and supporting them within their faith communities, where they can best be helped to recover from trauma and rebuild their lives. With your support, we can continue to work with survivors of domestic abuse, ensuring they find safety, understanding and support through the Church.
• Community and Participation
God calls us all to put our faith into action and Catholic Social Teaching can act as our guide, showing us how to respond to the social issues of our time
in-faith-counsellingnetwork-1279.php
According to the Office for National Statistics, 2.3 million adults aged 16-74 were victims of domestic abuse in the year ending March 2020. This is approximately one in 20 adults. Church leaders have often listened well, offered prayers and directed survivors to secular professional help. Thanks to your support, they will be able to go beyond that and refer them to counsellors who have a faith background.
The aim of Safe in Faith is for faith communities to be able to walk alongside survivors in their journey.
They’re at the heart of all Caritas Westminster’s work including its Caritas Ambassadors programme.
Six key themes of Catholic Social Teaching are:
• Care for Creation
Over the course of the last year, Fr Daniel has worked alongside Fr Robert Pachuta, parish priest at St Anthony’s, assisting at Masses, weddings and leading the baptism classes for parents. He notes it was a challenge to balance this alongside his studies, but it was valuable preparation for his ordination this year.
• Dignity in Work
On Saturday 25 June 2022, Cardinal Vincent Nichols ordained four men to the priesthood in Westminster Cathedral. One of these men was Reverend Daniel Daley. For those of you who may recognise his name, Fr Daniel first featured in Mosaic in 2021, when he spoke about his vocation and call to Whenpriesthood.FrDaniel was 18 years old, he considered becoming a priest. He’d been brought up a Catholic, having attended Catholic schools and college and was heavily involved in his parish, St George’s, Sudbury, where he had been an altar server. His discernment wavered and he opted for university instead, securing a degree and becoming a banker. He enjoyed his work and playing football, but despite it all he still felt something was missing. Turning to a manager at work for advice, and confiding in him the possibility of a call to priesthood, Fr Daniel remembers being shocked by his response. “He told me that, unless gave it a go, I would never know”. The conversation inspired Fr Daniel to act and explore his calling. He went first to the seminary in Valladolid, Spain and, by 2016, was a first-year seminarian at Allen Hall.
are understood, and Safe in Faith provides that mechanism. The long-term goal of Safe in Faith is to create a directory of counsellors and therapists with specialist skills to support women and men of any faith who have suffered from domestic abuse. In addition, a directory of priests, deacons and religious is currently being prepared, so those who have been trained can offer support in the context of the Catholic Church.
Safe in Faith, launched at the end of 2021, is a Caritas Westminster project that aims to ensure help is available to people facing domestic abuse through a network of counsellors and psychotherapists who have a faith Survivorsbackground.ofdomestic abuse want to receive support from those in their faith community, where they feel their beliefs
Fr Daniel reflects…
“I am extremely grateful for all the wonderful opportunities that have been given to me over the last seven years of formation both in Valladolid and Allen Hall. It is not lost on me that without the generosity of the people of God this would not have been possible. I pray that in my future ministry I will prove worthy of the tremendous support and trust that the people of God have always given to me.”
“For the first time in a long time, I can honestly say I am where God wants me to be.”
Safe in Faith has been developed in partnership with the Faith and VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls) coalition and with support from the National Board of Catholic Women, Jewish Women’s Aid, the Association of Christian Counsellors, Marriage Care, and the Black Church Domestic Abuse Forum, among others.
On 12 June 2021, Daniel Daley was ordained a deacon by Bishop Paul McAleenan, with three other seminarians in Westminster Cathedral. It was a significant milestone for him as he continued his journey towards becoming a priest. Following his ordination, he served at St Anthony of Padua, Edgware, to continue his ministerial work.
• Human Dignity
pastoral role in any faith, and wish to find out about training to support victims of domestic abuse, please contact safeinfaith@ rcdow.org.uk
• Option for the Poor
“I enjoyed reading Mosaic to see how our donations are being spent and what good work you are doing with it. I especially enjoyed reading about Caritas Bakhita House and about Revd Daniel Daley and Father William Johnstone. Caritas Westminster Celebrating 10 years and the safeguarding feature were also interesting to read. Thank you for sending Mosaic.”
Vaughan House, 46 Francis Street, London SW1P 1QN Telephone: 020 7798 9025 Email: supportercare@rcdow.org.uk
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“Pleased that you are supporting trafficked women and foodbanks.”
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Inspired by the account of the baptism of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel, Christian art often features a dove to represent the Holy Spirit. Dating from 2003, this mosaic by Christopher Hobbs is situated above the mosaic of the Holy Family in the Chapel of St Joseph, thepleaseinmosaicparishCathedral.WestminsterDoesyourhaveabeautifulwecouldfeatureafutureissue?Ifso,letusknowusingenclosedreplyform.
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“I love contributing to foodbanks, but now find tins,bottles, etc. too heavy. Therefore, I am thankful tobe able to do it the easy way by gift of money foranywhere you most need it.”
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This Lent, many people were kind enough to share their thoughts. Here is a small selection of them.
“I still enjoy receiving the copy of Mosaic sent by post. I am particularly impressed with and delighted to read about the fantastic initiatives, such as the foodbanks, and Bakhita House and the summer school for trafficked women who’ve endured modern slavery to provide a foundation in education as they prepare to move forward into new lives. I also liked to follow the profiles of the two Deacons as they became priests – this is our hope for the future too. Thanks to all for the hard work on our behalf. PS I am going to pass Mosaic on if I get a chance.”
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