Mosaic: Summer 2023 Edition

Your acts of kindness are like pieces in God’s mosaic of hope in action around the Diocese

A Narrative of Hope!

By supporting the Cardinal’s Appeal, you’re helping young people find fresh strength in their faith, and transform lives across our Diocese.

When the Catholic Youth Ministry Federation introduced ‘Flame’ in 2012, over 8,500 young Catholics attended. Inspired by the visit of Pope Benedict XVI in 2010, it had a unified goal of igniting the flame of faith in young Catholics.

Your support for the Cardinal’s Appeal over the last year, has truly made a significant impact across various projects. With your continued support, we can strive to meet the needs of those who require it the most, within our Diocese. By joining forces once again, we can ensure our efforts are making a difference in the lives of those who depend on us. Thank you.

Contents

2 A narrative of Hope! continued

Over 8,000 young Catholics celebrating their faith in Wembley Arena

Over ten years on, the event is as successful. When Flame 2023 ‘Rise Up!’ was advertised, the fifth Flame event to be held since 2012, the tickets sold out almost immediately. More were generated for sale, and on 4th March 2023, Wembley Arena was once again awash with over 8,000 young Catholics, coming together to celebrate their faith journey. The atmosphere was electric, and a sign of much needed hope, in a time when

Catholic Youth Ministry needs rebuilding. This generation, most who had never been to a large-scale event (for many this was their first ever Catholic event beyond their own school or parish), travelled from all over the country, from West Wales, Newcastle, Cornwall and East Anglia, as well as many from our Diocese, to be part of it.

Continued on page 2

3 Finding leaders for our schools is a challenge

4-5 Retrouvaille – The repair shop of marriage

6 Your support made it easier for families to start a new life

7 Find out how you’ve helped one community combat isolation

8 A lasting legacy

Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

The zeal to worship and learn about Jesus was amazing.”

Continued

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We’ve had the privilege to hear from three young Catholics, who attended Flame 2023. Here, they share how the experience deepened their own faith and strengthened their connection with God.

The theme, ‘Rise Up!’, sought to inspire the young attendees to also Rise up – post pandemic – as young Catholics. A time to stand up again, together, to find fresh strength, to help others to rise up, and to use their energy, gifts, talents and zest in new ways. Thanks to your support of the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal and Youth Ministry, events like this can take place. The young people were able to gather for prayer, adoration, catechesis, reflection and praise, readying many for the World Youth Day in Lisbon, later this year (Mosaic Lent 2023: https://bit.ly/mosaic_spring )

Hadiza:

I attended Flame for the first time ever on Saturday, and it was an amazing time with Jesus and friends. There were so many moments of reflection, and genuine conversations, but the one thing that stuck out to me was seeing so many young Catholics in one venue; the zeal to worship and learn about Jesus was amazing. It made me realise what a blessing it is to know Jesus and be able to worship him.

Kwame:

As the theme suggested ‘Rise Up’, it was a moment for me to reflect and pray to God on how to uplift my faith in Him.

Most young people perceive that they have no role to play in the Church. Hence after attending Mass on Sundays, their presence in the Church through their association to societies is not felt. However, Archbishop Tim Costelloe relayed a message from Pope Francis that “young people have the obligation to teach the rest of the Church to build bridges in the Church rather than building walls”. Therefore, that message was a morale booster and I hope that a lot of young people realise the enviable role they play in the Church and take that task with both hands.

Charles:

I was not sure what to expect when attending Flame, but it was an unforgettable experience. The musicians, through their bombastic performances,

successfully modernised Christian music for Wembley, getting everyone on their feet. The speakers, from around the globe, were equally engaging, emphasising the need to “rise up” amidst the challenges facing young Catholics through their inspirational anecdotes. Cardinal Tagle was a highlight, powerfully advocating to find God’s angels in our lives, which I was able to ponder on during the beauty that was adorationthe only time the crowd was completely silent!

To read more about the ‘Flame 2023’ experience, type this link into your browser: https://bit.ly/flame_2023. For more information on any of the youth ministry initiatives, visit: Diocese of Westminster Youth Ministry (dowym.com)

Turning the tide

Catholic schools face a growing threat as staff recruitment becomes harder than ever. But the Diocese of Westminster’s Director of Education, Peter Sweeney, has a plan – and it could change everything.

When a small Catholic primary school advertised for a new headteacher, after the previous head retired, there was much anticipation among the community about who might take on this important role.

But after several weeks, excitement faded. There were no suitable candidates. In fact, there were no applicants at all.

It might seem shocking, but it’s a typical scenario. In secondary schools across the country, one in five senior positions – such as headteacher or deputy head – are vacant. In primary schools, nearly a quarter of top jobs are unfilled. And almost a third of teachers leave the profession within the first five years.

“We’ve had programmes in the past which identify potential headteachers among assistant or deputy heads – but we shouldn’t be leaving it that late,” says Peter. “We won’t have future leaders if we don’t have people going into teaching in Catholic schools. And future Catholic teachers are probably studying in our schools right now.”

He adds, “When I was a secondary head, we had a careers fair where we invited engineers, paramedics, solicitors and journalists in to talk to pupils. We never once put a teacher in front of them. We just assumed they knew. That’s the tide we need to turn.”

we know to be so important to ensure they remain within the profession. There will be exchange programmes between schools, and opportunities for personal formation. “We support children through education and we need to do it for staff too. Every teacher is a leader – and retaining them is vital,” said Peter. But it’s not just about growing the pool of potential leaders. Peter has plans to develop people’s faith and skills as well as increase diversity. “Two in five of our pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds – higher than the national average – but our workforce doesn’t reflect that,” said Peter. “We need to change that. And we need to prepare people to be spiritual leaders of a community.”

“We need to make Catholic schools fit for purpose.”

It’s a bleak picture. But for Diocese of Westminster schools, the challenge is even greater.

“A deputy or a head in our schools has to be a practising Catholic,” says Peter Sweeney, Director of Education at the Diocese. “With a dwindling number of people entering the teaching profession combined with a national picture of declining attendance at weekly mass, we’re recruiting from a very small pool. Add to that the cost of living in London, and finding leaders for our schools is a significant challenge.”

The situation threatens the very future of Catholic education, and its distinct focus on developing character and spirituality as well as academic outcomes. But Peter has a plan which could revolutionise the recruitment of school leaders – and it starts with children.

Peter’s seven-step programme aims to create thousands of future leaders for Catholic schools – and step one is to inspire young people about teaching as a career. “The Diocese has 93,000 pupils in 205 schools,” said Peter. “If 10% of them go into teaching, then we’ll have addressed the lack of Catholic teachers. It’s about advocating for the profession in schools and showing its value and status.”

Then, there are internships for university students which could lead to a teaching career. “Before our pupils go off to university, we’ll invite them to spend three weeks in one of our schools as a teaching assistant in the summer term,” said Peter. “It would cost about £45,000 for 20 interns, but if we got one teacher out of that, it’s worthwhile.”

Anyone joining a Diocesan school as an Early Career Teacher (ECT), will benefit from increased levels of support and mentoring in an effort to keep them in the job beyond the first five years, which

The ‘seven steps’ are already being rolled out – and Peter, himself a former headteacher who took up the role of Director of Education only last year, believes it can protect the future of the Diocese’s schools. “We’ve been blessed with Catholic schools for the last 175 years, and this project is about making them fit for purpose for the next 175,” he said. “Education is about young people learning who they are in Christ, and helping that journey of formation. It’s my privilege not only to make a difference to children now, but to embed a framework for the future.”

In the Diocese…

93,000 pupils

205 schools

11 trusts or school ‘families’

Your support to the Cardinal’s Appeal is going towards supporting Catholic education. To learn more about Catholic education in the Diocese, and how we’re celebrating leadership and milestones visit: https://bit.ly/ catholic_education

“Finding leaders for our schools is a significant challenge.”

© education lightbulb by user103228047

Retrouvaille – The repair

By Deacon Roger Carr-Jones

Kintsugi (golden joinery) is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. The resulting object becomes more beautiful than the original object, as the breakages and repairs become part of its history. Love and care, and a certain technical ability, are needed to repair the broken object, which clearly is valued by the owner to go to this trouble. If so much attention can be given to restoring an inanimate object, how much more important is it to restore the fractures and breakages in our most precious possession, our married love? Just as the repaired object

becomes more special and precious through restoration, so too does our married relationship. If we break something that we value, we might hide it away, yet all the time longing for its restoration. If we damage the precious object of married love, it takes courage and trust to commence restoration.

Retrouvaille is the name of a programme designed to help heal and renew marriages. The word “Retrouvaille” simply means “rediscovery”. The programme offers the chance to rediscover yourself, your partner, and renew a loving relationship in your

marriage. Reflecting on the work of this Catholic movement, brought to mind the gentle television series, ‘The Repair Shop’, which follows a very simple, yet revealing format. In each episode individuals bring an object to the barn with a story attached to them. Although we marvel at the abilities of the experts, it is the stories that are central to the programme, inspiring and influencing the work of the specialists. The story is the primary motivator for the work and without the story, there is no restoration. Once the story is shared, the condition of the object assessed, the stages of repair identified

Arcangela and Franceso Moretto, pictured here with His Eminence, celebrating 70 years of marriage.

repair shop of marriage

and the process begins. Throughout the restoration, the story remains the focal point of all that follows.

When a couple tentatively open the Retrouvaille barn door, just like the contributors to the Repair Shop, they feel unsure and embarrassed to reveal the object that is in need of care: their married love. However, there is no placing of an object on a table, no invitation to share the story, no experts on hand. Instead, there is simply a welcome, the discovering that you sit at your workbench of restoration and rediscover that you alone are the experts on your own unique relationship.

There are no ‘experts’ on a Retrouvaille weekend, just couples who have experienced a similar journey of disappointment, disillusionment and pain. Their presentations are vehicles by which, as a couple, we find the tools we need for repair and restoration. In embarking on this process, we must begin with hearing the story. Our ‘object’ is married love, understood through sharing our stories. This necessitates learning to listen at a deep level: to our own emotions, feelings and experiences; listening to those of our spouse, and listening as a couple.

for help when needed, or to do things differently. In restoring our married relationship, we need to become aware of our giftedness and that of our spouse, as well as being open to listening to the experience of those who have also visited the marriage repair shop. The charism of Retrouvaille is a workshop providing the scaffolding and tools for couples who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, can begin the process of healing and restoration. Couples are equipped to begin the hard work and

Prayer

openness needed to bring about healing and restoration. Essential to this process is learning and relearning skills, as well as self and couple reflection.

Kintsugi is a useful analogy that, even when we experience disappointment and loss, in being willing to put the pieces back together we are creating something different and even more resilient. The eyes of the viewer are drawn to the gold or precious metal, and in the glimmer lies the story, not only of the breakage but of a glorious and precious restoration.

God our Father, we pray in thanksgiving for the vocation to marriage and for each couple that you join together in order to make a family. We ask that every marriage brings each couple closer to you and closer to holiness. We pray for those who are struggling in their marriage at present, that they can make it through this tough time and support each other in their differences. We make this prayer through Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.

To find out more about Marriage and Family life, or how your support has impacted the Evangelisation team at DoW, please visit: www.rcdow.org.uk/evangelisation/ Volunteer Share Give Act Learn Pray Volunteer Share Give Act Learn Pray

In the Repair Shop, each expert recognises their own giftedness, the foundation upon which they can work, as well as the skills of the other specialists. As such, they can work as a team, open to finding different ways to resolve a problem or challenge: they are open to nurturing or acknowledging a skill that they do not have, which will aid the restoration. They are not afraid to ask

Our annual accounts are available here: https://bit.ly/annual_accounts

“We find the tools we need for repair and restoration”

‘I was a stranger and you invited me in”

Thanks to your generosity, families who were forced to flee Afghanistan were able to start English classes – ready for a new start in the UK.

Perhaps you’ll recall the chaotic scenes when US forces left Afghanistan in August 2021. News footage showed us the roads around the capital, Kabul, filled with cars. Crowds trying to get into the airport. People desperate to get on the last flights out with Taliban fighters at the city gates, waiting to take power.

For Afghan families fleeing to the UK, a new chapter was beginning in the most challenging circumstances. Charities rallied to provide support for people who had been uprooted from their regular daily lives, losing their homes, jobs and communities.

The team at the Notre Dame Refugee Centre was alerted to a group of around 700 Afghans who were being housed in a hotel in Paddington by the Home Office. Short-term accommodation was available there as a result of the pandemic.

“A group of us went to the hotel a number of times to talk to the refugees and find out what help they needed,” explains Inès, Project Development Manager at the Notre Dame Refugee Centre.

“We were taken aback to see how many children there were – all now living in a hotel.”

A large number of the men had been doctors, lawyers and journalists, back home in Afghanistan. Now they were in the UK with their wives and children –many of whom spoke no English.

“The refugees at the hotel identified an urgent need for English classes for the women,” says Inès.

ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes are already offered to refugees and asylum seekers at the

Notre Dame Refugee Centre. So now the team had to move fast to recruit new ESOL teacher volunteers and start running classes for the newly arrived Afghan families.

Thanks for your support to the Cardinal’s Appeal, we were able to provide emergency funding right away, which covered the coordination of recruiting ESOL teachers, and additional costs such as lunches for the refugees.

“We started beginner and intermediate classes every Wednesday at the hotel,” remembers Inès . “Many of the women weren’t able to read and write in their own language, so something as simple as registering the people in the weekly classes was an early challenge.”

The beginners’ class started with the very basics – from the alphabet onwards. The intermediate class helped prepare the women to rebuild their lives in the UK, which would eventually involve registering with a GP, applying for a school place for their children, as well as potentially working, running a home and settling into a new community.

By December 2021, it was becoming difficult to get a meeting room at the hotel, so for two weeks in January, the classes were hosted at the Notre Dame Refugee Centre. Volunteers travelled to the hotel to help the groups of refugee women make the journey from Paddington to Leicester Square. Funding from the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal helped cover the travel costs incurred.

“For some, it was the first time they’d been on a bus in London. They were amazed to see the sights along the way – the shop windows, big screens and cinemas.”

The classes then moved back to the hotel, making it easier for women with children or mobility issues to attend.

With your support, the team at the Notre Dame Refugee Centre was also able to make the most of a partnership with the Marylebone Cricket Club Foundation. ESOL classes were hosted at Lord’s Cricket Ground, and women had the chance to try yoga for the first time. For people spending long days in a hotel, it was a great opportunity to try something new, and gain confidence.

Six months after they arrived, the Afghan refugees were moved to accommodation outside of London. Our great hope is that they have been able to build on the English they learned here, and the new experiences they had, thanks to your kind support.

“Without the funding from the Cardinal’s Appeal, these classes wouldn’t have gone ahead,” says Inès. “Just imagine how much harder it would have been for these families to start a new life.”

• The Notre Dame Refugee Centre has been working with refugees and asylum seekers for more than 25 years.

• Originally set up by Notre Dame de France – the French church in the Diocese of Westminster – it is now an independent charity.

• The parishioners of Notre Dame de France continue to give generous support to the work of the refugee centre.

As requested by Pope Francis, we are doing all we can to Welcome, Protect, Promote and Integrate all refugees in the Diocese of Westminster. For more information and resources on welcoming and supporting migrants and refugees, or details on how you can act, please visit:

https://bit.ly/caritas_ refugees

Volunteer Share Give Act Learn Pray Volunteer Share Give Act

The Italian Church –Arts & Crafts project

The Italian Church in Clerkenwell, built between 1887 and 1888, is an exquisite example of Arts and Crafts architecture in London. Designed by the Italian architect, Joseph Giovanni, today it stands as a beautiful testament to the rich history of the area, and the important role played by Italian immigrants in shaping the neighbourhood.

Nowadays, the Italian Church serves not only as a place of worship but also as a vibrant cultural centre for the Italian community in London. And, thanks to your donations to the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal, an Art & Crafts project has been established, aiming to tackle isolation in the parish and broader Italian community. Caterina Cannas, who leads the Art & Crafts project, wanted to encourage social inclusion by providing a meeting point for people who were lonely. Her efforts have not been in vain. Every week at least 10 regular attendees come together, to create a wide range of items from recycled materials, including beach bags, soap holders, bathroom baskets, and cutlery holders.

One of the many Ethnic Chaplaincies across the Diocese, it was the aim of Minet Masho, Caritas Development Worker for the East London hub, to work with the Italian Church, to become more inclusive. And it was this engagement with them that first brought the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal to the attention of Caterina and Bruna Moreno. Minet quickly established that they needed some funding to improve vital initiatives. “I encouraged them to use the Caritas project set up resources for better and safer practice”. Thanks to your support to the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal, funding was also available, and Minet was able to advise the ladies what to apply for so that they could continue their important work.

The project’s ultimate aim is to allow participants to learn new skills, tackle isolation, engage in meaningful conversations, and most importantly, have fun. The group produces a range of handcrafted items, and rather impressively, they have also made over 100 christening gowns, and in addition to those, make beautiful white overshirts for every baby christened at the Church.

The group also celebrates each other’s birthdays, and on the last Tuesday of each month, they cook dinner together to celebrate the end of the month and the start of a new one. Strangers who once joined this group to combat isolation, have now become firm friends. Pina (74), a dedicated attendee for over five years, travels from Kingsbury each week. It’s an hour’s commute, which she takes to maintain a connection with her friends, who also travel in from other various locations, such as Islington, Walthamstow, and Cockfosters. Participating in the club offers them an alternative to staying home alone. Pina expresses her enthusiasm, stating, “I like to stay all together; you learn so many things” . Mena (63), another attendee, who joined post-pandemic, comes from Archway. She cherishes the opportunity

to chat and spend time with the ladies, mentioning that they teach her a great deal. Currently, she is knitting and plans to try her hand at crochet next. As we converse, the other ladies are engaged in various crochet projects, many of which are available for purchase after Sunday Mass.

The project has faced funding challenges, but your support has made it possible to continue. Caterina and Bruna are immensely happy to see the participants learn new skills, have fun, and share their achievements, which Bruna confirms that they take enormous pride in. But moreover, are just so happy to be able to continue coming to the group. Thank you for supporting this initiative, and helping to tackle isolation around the Diocese.

If this article has inspired you to set up a group or project in your parish, or if you’d like more information about volunteering in the Diocese, please talk to your parish administrator or visit:

www.caritasvs.org.uk

Pina travels to the group, to knit and crochet with friends

Thank you for your feedback

Many people have been kind enough to share their thoughts. Here is a small selection of them.

It is a heartwarming feeling to be able to be there for others, in whatever little way. Thank you for all the work you are doing.

Lovely to hear that young people want to know more about ‘Our Lord’ and share their faith. May God grant you all many blessings for your work in looking after the homeless.

Very easy to scan the QR code & pay.

Mosaic is inspirationaljust

I have read your Mosaic magazine with great interest. It is truly marvellous what you are doing with a lot of love and compassion.

Thank you for all your good work. I am pleased to be able to support the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal.

Thank you for all the information you provide in Mosaic about all the different projects you support with the Lenten Appeal. I am glad my money is going to be well spent and will help people in our Diocese who are in need.

A Lasting Legacy

“Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.”

1 Peter 4.10

Your faith has been a constant source of strength, comfort, and hope throughout your life. As you contemplate your life’s legacy, we invite you to consider how you can make a lasting impact in your community, by leaving a gift in your will, to the Diocese of Westminster.

Legacy gifts can be transformational for a parish, sometimes providing enough revenue to support the work and mission for a number of years, or allowing a parish to undertake a large project that may have been difficult to fund otherwise. A gift of even a small percentage of the Estate will make a huge difference and means those closest to the donor will still inherit the majority of the estate.

“ I thought that only really wealthy people left legacies, but I realise that’s not true. My gift is my way of showing how much I appreciate the Church being an important part of my life and helping it to be there for people in years to come”.

And the process is simple. Whether you are making a new will, or updating an existing one, together with your instructions please give your solicitor our registered charity number 233699, and that covers all the Diocese’s work and all parishes. The gift can then be used to support the mission of the Church across the Diocese. If you wanted to support specific work, indicate the full name and address of the parish or name the fund you want to support, e.g. Sick and Retired Priests Fund. It is as easy as that. Your gift would enable a continuation of vital work, be it supporting our parishes, schools, and ministries, and would ensure that your support for the Church endures beyond your lifetime, leaving a lasting legacy.

Once you’ve finished reading Mosaic, we’d love to hear from you. On the back of the form enclosed, you’ll see there’s a space for you to share your thoughts. Please take a moment to let us know what you’d like to see on the pages of future editions.

Each copy of Mosaic costs around 9p to print and helps us to raise even more precious donations. Donors often tell us they appreciate hearing how we have used the gifts entrusted to us, and we are conscious of our duty to be wise stewards of the funds you donate. When you have finished reading Mosaic, please pass it on to someone else.

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