Westminster Record - December 2015/January 2016

Westminster Record

December 2015/January 2016 | 20p Year of Mercy

Prayers offered for Paris attacks

Pages 12 - 13

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To be a Pilgrim

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Two New Auxiliaries for the Diocese

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Left to right: Canon Paul McAleenan, Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Mgr John Wilson.

Pope Francis has appointed Canon Paul McAleenan, from this diocese, and Mgr John Wilson, of the Diocese of Leeds as Auxiliary Bishops of Westminster, with their ordinations to take place in the Cathedral on 25 January, the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul.

‘Today I thank God for this gift of two new bishops for service in our diocese. As Pope Francis has made clear, the name of a new bishop is written

by Jesus himself,’ said Cardinal Vincent.

‘I am also most thankful for this important strengthening of our diocesan family in our striving to be faithful to the Lord and to the mission he has given. The role of the bishop is one of demanding service, in the name of the Good Shepherd, to our priests and people.

‘Bishop-elect Paul McAleenan has served for the past 40 years in the ranks of much-loved parish priests. His experience and voice will be a great addition to the episcopal ministry we can offer together.

‘I welcome most warmly to this diocese Bishop-elect John Wilson. In doing so, I extend my thanks to the Diocese of Leeds and to Bishop Marcus Stock; God always rewards this generous giving to the wider Church.’

Canon Paul responded: ‘It is with a sense of inadequacy and unworthiness that I accept this office. I know it is only with the help of God I can carry out this ministry in a way that is pleasing to him.

‘I pray that as a bishop I will be given the grace and wisdom to see what is expected of me

and the strength to carry out my new responsibilities.’

Mgr John said: ‘I am rarely lost for words, but when the Apostolic Nuncio informed me that I had been nominated I was reduced to silence. It is such an enormous privilege to be asked to serve the Lord and his Church in this way.

‘I know something of the wonderful vibrancy of Catholic faith and life in the diocese and I look forward to witnessing to Christ and to sharing the joy of the Gospel together as a community of missionary disciples.

‘There is inevitably some sadness for me in leaving the Diocese of Leeds and the parish of St Martin de Porres in Wakefield. I thank them from the bottom of my heart and will always remember them with gratitude before the Lord.

Bishop-elect Paul will have care of the parishes of Hertfordshire and be given the Titular See of Mercia. Bishopelect John will have care of the parishes of the western area of the diocese and be given the Titular See of Lindisfarne.

Bishop John Sherrington will assume care of the parishes in the northern area.

Editorial Westminster Record – Contact us

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

Divine Message of Mercy

Editor Mgr Mark Langham Archbishop’s House, Ambrosden Avenue SW1P 1QJ Managing Editor Marie Saba 020 7798 9031 Inhouse writers John Scott, Hannah Woolley 020 7798 9178 and Martha Behan 020 7798 9030 Design Julian Game Proofing John Scott To order copies contact Andrea Black 0161 908 5327 or email andrea.black@thecatholicuniverse.com Print management and distribution by The Universe Media Group Ltd.

February publication dates Editorial deadline: 11 January 2016 Listings email: communications@rcdow.org.uk News and stories call 020 7798 9030 Email: communications@rcdow.org.uk Advertising deadline: 18 January 2016 To advertise contact Carol Malpass 0161 908 5329 or email carol.malpass@thecatholicuniverse.com Produced by the Communications Office of the Diocese of Westminster. News and articles published in the Westminster Record do not necessarily represent the views of the Diocese of Westminster, unless specifically stated otherwise.

Appearance of advertisements does not imply editorial endorsement.

As we ring the old year out, our double edition of the Westminster Record draws many threads together, and prepares us for the months ahead. The Year of Mercy will touch us all, and Fr Mark Vickers, who has special responsibility for promoting Pope Francis’ initiative in our diocese, introduces the theme for us.

How badly the world needs to hear that divine message of Mercy. Following the horrific attacks in Paris, we are called more than ever to assert peace and reconciliation, and as well as the Cardinal’s statement we have moving accounts of services held at Notre Dame de France and at Twickenham.

The Mass celebrated by Bishop Nicholas with the Chaldean community underlines our bonds with this ancient Church with its roots in Syria, and which is experiencing grave persecution at the hands of extremists.

Violence and persecution are grounded in ignorance and fear.

The Sisters of Sion strive to foster a greater understanding and trust between the Church and the Jewish people. Such knowledge is fundamental if we are to establish peace in our world, and there are many initiatives in this direction: we report on training for RE teachers about Judaism, and on a new book exploring dialogue between Shia Muslims and Benedictine Monks.

Our other recent concern has been the climate, and we have several items connected with the Paris Climate Change Conference and the influence of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’. Responses to the call of our Holy Father come from as far afield as Hertfordshire, Pimlico and Malaysia, encouraging us to pray for our world and to establish a future that is both more fair and secure.

As you celebrate the Christmas festival, and the great mystery of God made man, be assured of the prayers and best wishes of the editorial team at your diocesan newspaper.

For more news from around the diocese throughout the month, please see

www.rcdow.org.uk where new stories are posted daily.

St Nicholas in Westminster Cathedral

by Anne Marie Micallef and Louise Sage For some children and adults Father Christmas and St Nicholas are synonymous.

Yet in our mosaic of him in the Cathedral, St Nicholas is not wearing a red outfit trimmed with white, but is depicted as the Patron Saint of Seafarers.

St Nicholas is thought to have been born in the 4th century and is famous both worked many miracles and is giving Page 2

gifts in secret. One story is that he left coins in the shoes of those left out for him which is why, in some countries, children leave out their shoes on his feast day in order to receive small gifts.

A number of accounts associate St Nicholas with the sea. In one, it is said that while on a ship bound for the Holy Land he dreamt that the boat would be in a severe storm. He ordered the sailors to prepare for this storm, which was so fierce that it was impossible to control the boat. The sailors asked St Nicholas to pray and the boat was saved. There is also a legend that he saved the life of a sailor who had fallen from the ship’s rigging.

Another says that St Nicholas appeared to pilgrims who,

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when sailing to see his tomb, were caught in another storm.

He made this storm subside, whence another reason why he is the Patron Saint of sailors.

Even today mariners and others in danger of drowning often call upon him for help, and many Greek ships have an icon of St Nicholas on board.

Our mosaic of St Nicholas which is in the north aisle near the Chapel of St Joseph was installed in 1961 by Aelred Bartlett and his assistant. It is a memorial to Dame Vera Laughton Matthews, Head of the WRNS during the 1939-45 War so it includes a small wren.

Come and see him and look for the wren. The Members of the Guild of St John Southworth (the red gowns) will be glad to tell you more.

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Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

Solidarity in the Face of the Paris Attacks

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In the wake of the previous evening's attacks in Paris, Cardinal Vincent condemned © Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk the killings and offered his prayers. In a statement released 14 November he said: 'I wish to express my horror at the events that took place in Paris last night. This random killing of innocent people is utterly despicable and a course of action which must be rejected unequivocally by all.

Today I offer my prayers, with those of the entire Catholic Community in England and Wales, for those who have been shot dead as they enjoyed moments of relaxation and entertainment. I pray for the bereaved, for those who have been traumatised. I pray for the City of Paris that it will courageously recover its poise as one of the great cities of the world. I pray for the police and security forces who will continue their frontline fight against this evil madness. I pray, too, for the Muslim communities in France, and here in England, that they may not be victimised because of the actions of these violent and ruthless extremists but strive always for the way of peace and cooperation with the wider society. May God bless France.

May God give us the courage and wisdom to resist this violent and inhuman extremism. May God guide us all into the ways of peace.'

Heartfelt Condolences Cardinal Vincent also sent a message to Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois, Archbishop of Paris, in which he said: 'On this sad morning I send to you my heartfelt condolences for all who died last night at the hands of terrorists in your city of Paris. I assure you of my prayers at the moment of profound disturbance, fear and disbelief.

'These killings are condemned by all right minded

people as a crime against all that true religions hold to be true. I know that you will lead the Catholic community with wisdom and love and give that example to all who attend to your voice.

A prayer vigil was held at Notre Dame de France in Leicester Square. Taize prayers were offered for the victims and all who have been affected by the events. All were invited to light a candle and sign the book of condolence which has been opened at the church. In his message the French community based there, the Cardinal said: 'I am sending my greetings to the large French community here in London assuring them of my prayers and those of all our Catholic community in England and Wales. I want to assure you of my thoughts and prayers this morning. I pray for all who have died, for those who have been bereaved and traumatised, for the city of Paris as it wakes to a changed world with new challenges for all who believe in peaceful cooperation and constructive engagement in all spheres of life. I pray too for the Muslim community and everyone in it who repudiates violence and who longs for peace. I assure you, too, of the prayers of the Catholic community in England and Wales today and in the weeks to come.

Prayers for the Victims Throughout the Diocese the © Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk victims were remembered. On 14 November, following the Proclaim Westminster Conference, Cardinal Vincent led a Holy Hour of prayer and Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament in Westminster Cathedral. Following a reflection after the readings, the Cardinal lit a candle as a visible sign of prayer and of the presence of the Christ among us even in the darkest moments. He offered prayers for the victims, the bereaved and for all the people of France.

St Joseph's Chapel in the Cathedral was set up as a quiet place for all who wish to spend some quiet time of prayer for the victims. During the evening, others joined a prayer vigil in Trafalgar Square to remember the victims and to

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Lighting candles at Notre Dame de France for the victims.

show solidarity with the people of France.

Solidarity with Faith Leaders As well as offering prayers and support for the people of Paris, the Cardinal met with other members of the Committee for Catholic and Jewish Relations at Lambeth Palace where they were joined with representatives of the Muslim community to stand together in solidarity after the attacks.

Living in the Presence of God On Sunday 22 November the Cardinal took part in the BBC’s Songs of Praise episode

which was dedicated to the victims of the Paris attacks and filmed in Notre Dame de France Church. He spoke alongside Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and Assistant Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, Ibrahim Mogra. The programme also featured testimony from a French woman who had lost friends in the attacks. The Cardinal condemned the attacks and reflected that ‘in times like these we have to recover our sense of living in the presence of God’.

The Church of St James, Twickenham, celebrated a special Mass on 28 November in memory of those killed in the Paris attacks. Twickenham has a sizeable French population and readings and bidding prayers at the Mass were said in French by children from the local primary school. In his sermon, the Parish Priest, Fr Ulick Loring, said we must follow the gospel and hold our heads up high, and not be carried away carried away by emotional responses.

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The Cardinal, The Archbishop and Chief Rabbi alongside other Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders.

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Cardinal Vincent Praises Catholic Charities at CSAN Reception © Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk

In a keynote address given at the Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN) Parliamentary reception on 4 November, Cardinal Vincent praised the work of Catholic charities in helping to alleviate suffering both in the UK and overseas.

The Cardinal said that Catholic charities contribute towards building 'a community and a society which offers opportunity to all, and the wherewithal to build a life and a livelihood'.

He recognised the work of CSAN along with Caritas France to alleviate some of the suffering of refugees living in the 'Jungle' in Calais in conditions that 'dehumanise those living there and rob them of their dignity'.

He also recognised the work of the Cardinal Hume Centre in London and St Antony's Centre in Manchester who 'combine a person-centred approach built on trust and compassion with a varied and well-crafted toolkit to help their clients into work – into work with sufficient and consistent hours and a just wage'.

He also mentioned the food banks in the diocese which 'offer food, shelter and support to those whose circumstances Page 4

are worsening or who have long term problems', as well as the other charities that 'work to move families along the developmental line from urgent assistance to re-building their capacity to selfsufficiency'.

At the same time, Cardinal Vincent said that, in his view, 'people's generosity far outstrips the response of our Government'. He called on the Government to do more to welcome refugees and to help alleviate the potentially negative impact of reforms to working tax credits.

Returning to the work of Catholic charities, the Cardinal spoke about his time in Rome attending the Synod on the Family last month: 'The Synod of Bishops’ meeting over the last few weeks, in Rome, gave a great deal of attention to the effects on the family of poverty, violence, war, migration and desperate need. Our work there focused on how we respond pastorally to families in their unique situation and embrace them in God’s mercy and understanding. This could be no better guidance and affirmation for the compassionate work that you all do day by day.'

Diocese Becomes Accredited Living Wage Employer The Diocese of Westminster has become the first Catholic diocese in England and Wales to be accredited as a Living Wage employer.

Cardinal Vincent signed the accreditation licence, saying: ‘I am pleased that the diocese is able today to become a Living Wage employer, and thereby to signal the importance of human dignity inherent in work.

I warmly encourage all who are able to do so to join this voluntary accreditation scheme, which allows leading employers to show in a transparent way that they value their employees.’

Referring to Pope Leo XIII’s Encyclical Rerum Novarum of 1894, the first document to articulate what has become known as Catholic social teaching, the Cardinal noted: ‘A key inspiration for this document was the plight of many working people in the newly industrialising world.

The central concern of the Pope was the dignity of the human

person in work, and the need to defend the rights of workers against the exploitation of both communism and laissez-faire capitalism. A consistent theme of this teaching in the century since has been a heartfelt defence of the dignity of work, and to secure the just claims advanced by the world of labour.

‘This insight counters a materialistic view which seeks to reduce the worker to a mere instrument of production, or treating the labour force as having an exclusively material value. The human person is the measure of the dignity of work.

‘The campaign led by the Living Wage Foundation is a powerful practical example of these moral insights applied to today’s situation. I am impressed by the Foundation’s commitment to engage with responsible employers who want to embrace the direction of travel that leads to paying the Living Wage but have a longer journey to travel to get there.’

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Sarah Vero, Director of the Living Wage Foundation, commented: ‘The diocese’s commitment to rewarding all its staff with the Living Wage is a huge step and shows real leadership in the movement towards ending the abomination that is in-work poverty in the UK. We hope this will encourage others to accredit as Living Wage employers.’

The diocese is committed to paying its employees working in central services and parishes in Greater London the London Living Wage, and employees outside London the Living Wage. It will also require its suppliers who meet certain criteria to pay the Living Wage and is in the process of notifying all employees and suppliers of this change.

The Living Wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK, whilst the London Living Wage is set annually by the Greater London Authority and covers all boroughs in Greater London.

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Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

The Twilight of a Church Maronite Archbishop of Damascus, Samir Nassar, writes

Impressions from Calais

by Fr Chris Vipers Episcopal Vicar in West London

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Since 2003 (the Iraq war) and especially since 2011 (Arab spring) the exodus of Christians from the east increases. Some reports give only ten years for the page to turn concerning Christianity in the Middle East.

This seems to be a pessimistic view, but observed experience shows an alarming and growing emigration. The subject of daily discussions is how to leave. Go anywhere and in any way, even if it means taking dangerous risks. A family just sent their twelveyear-old son away with a caravan of fugitives. A twelveyear-old child has not returned.

Will he later be able to invite

his family to join him? Will he find a safe place? Given the military stalemate, an increasingly distant peace, and to avoid military service, in order to escape an absurd war that has lasted too long, young people are among the greatest number of those who leave.

What is the future a Church without young people?

It is the fatal end of apostolic Christianity in a Biblical land which becomes a hostage of violence and intolerance in the name of a radical faith that neither supports pluralism nor accepts differences.

Envisioning the Future How can the Church of the

Douay Martyrs School Responds to Refugee Crisis The Douay Martyrs School community came together with a coalition of social workers and social action groups to meet the human needs of the Calais refugees. Staff, students and parents donated winter clothing for those in desperate circumstances in Calais. Also donated were sleeping bags, blankets, candles, toiletries, even old pots and pans.

School Chaplain Luisa Foley said: 'This is a demonstration of love and a reflection of the truth that we are all God's children and we care for one another. Thus the charitable endeavours and their results are not only enjoyed by the students and staff at Douay Martyrs School but also by the local and wider community.' She added: ‘We are very proud of our students and their sense of community responsibility and enthusiasm for citizenship in action.'

The collection was organised by Unison Hillingdon, who transported over 50 large black sacks to the suffering people in Calais.

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Middle East envision the future? Several paths are: a) Follow the faithful in the countries of the Diaspora to help them to keep their faith of origin. b) Establish alliances between minorities to defend their citizens’ rights against the domination of an ‘intolerant’ Islam. c) Seek guarantees of protection from the ruling authorities. d) Accept living under the shadow of Islam and continue a life full ofdifficulties and challenges.

The Christians of the East face an almost suicidal choice.

Living under the shadow of Islam remains a choice quite difficult to assume. Living in the shadow of Islam requires a return to the early centuries of the Church, which highlights the hidden life of Jesus in Nazareth. This dynamism is favoured by the Charter of the Year of Mercy announced by Pope Francis. Showing the merciful face of Christ gives vitality to the witness to the Gospel.

The social committee members who visit Muslim prisoners in Syria highlight the Good Samaritan at the heart of people in distress. This is a providential way, a challenge that enables the continuation of the mission and the joy of the Divine Child.

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The first thing that strikes you is the smell: of piles of rubbish, overflowing toilets, stagnant water, layers of unwashed clothing. Secondly, so very many people, young men, teenagers, boys, standing around or walking purposefully with nowhere to go. I saw and heard bewilderment, desperation, anger and a heart-breaking sense of hopelessness: ‘We are going to die here’.

One young man from Afghanistan who spoke to me had been an interpreter for the British Army and was fleeing death threats back home.

Another was a surgeon from Syria, and another, the Principal of a High School, their only ‘crime’ being that they were Christians. It was hard to see them so humiliated, hard to hear their stories. What if it were I having to live that way?

Another conversation made me feel like a do-gooder who could do no good, a day tourist in hell. But there was light there too: youngsters kicking a football around and dreaming of playing for Manchester United; paramedics from London giving up a week of their holidays to give flu jabs to the nearly-4000 refugees in the camp, alreadyexhausted travellers from Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria; the makeshift Ethiopian Orthodox church at the heart of the camp (one of the first things the refugees built) offering a place of sanctuary, stillness and peace; the many aid agencies and NGOs from France and the UK bringing fresh clothes, food, toys, footballs, books and dictionaries for the library; the young barber from Syria who managed to bring his shaving

brush, razor and scissors and offering his services for free; volunteers I met from all over Europe who were helping to build more sturdy shelters of wood and canvas to protect from the onset of winter.

Not least, there was hope in the group I travelled with from London Church Leaders and the Faiths Forum for London. We were none of us politicians or power brokers. Each of us, though, as a human being, was there to stand shoulder to shoulder with those who suffer as refugees and asylum seekers, each of us needing to raise our voices loudly for justice, mercy, the sanctity of life, human dignity and the rights of man.

Pope Francis has challenged us to ‘touch the suffering flesh of Christ in others’ (Evangelii Gaudium). I tried to do that one day in November, and it is a meeting with the suffering Christ I will not forget.

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Evangelisation

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

Cardinal Vincent Gives Thanks for Gift of Scripture On the 50th anniversary of Dei Verbum, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, one of the 'four pillars of the Second Vatican Council', Cardinal Vincent gave the opening address at the National Bible Conference on 10 November.

In the address, he explained that Dei Verbum 'proclaims that God's revelation is the starting point of faith' and that it 'reaches its climax in Jesus Christ, who is the 'mediator and fullness of all revelation'.

Speaking of the document he said: 'Revelation comes through Scripture and Tradition. This was the real storm centre in the preparation of this constitution.'

Asking which takes priority, the Cardinal said that Dei Verbum answered 'in a masterly way' explaining that 'Scripture gives rise to Tradition, but Scripture is also the fruit of Tradition'.

Speaking of the relationship between Old and New

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Testaments, the Cardinal said that 'Dei Verbum acknowledges the presence of “imperfect and temporary elements” (15) in the Old Testament, at the same time pointing to its valuable teaching about the mercy and justice of God, and above all celebrating its role in preparing for the coming of Christ' while 'the four gospels are the final stage in a process of development from the life of Jesus'.

He went on to say that 'in its final pages Dei Verbum encourages all Christians to treasure the pages of Scripture, to learn from them, to pray with them, and to live according to their teaching'.

Echoing the words of PopeEmeritus Benedict, Cardinal Vincent called for a 'new season of greater love for sacred Scripture'.

Referring to Pope Francis' declaration that 'in order to be capable of mercy, therefore, we must first of all dispose

ourselves to listen to the Word of God', he challenged delegates to think about how this listening to the Word of God 'can best be fostered in the Church'. After listing some of the 'countless' ways this can be done, Cardinal Vincent echoed the call in Evangelii Gaudium to consider again the place of popular devotions: 'I wonder how we think today about the devotion of the Stations of the Cross as a reading of scripture, or about the Rosary as a kind of lectio divina? Just being provocative!'

Looking back over the past 50 years, Cardinal Vincent said: 'We are bound to thank God for the gift of revelation and for the gift of Scripture, carried forward into new times with reverence and courage as the Church continues to offer the joy of the gospel to the world.'

Proclaim Westminster Conference

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On 14 November, representatives from parishes around the diocese attended Proclaim Westminster, a conference where they learned and shared ideas about how to evangelise effectively in their parishes.

Bishop Nicholas introduced the day and imparted his vision of evangelisation, which has at its heart a sharing with others a relationship with Christ so that they might ask ‘who is this Jesus?’. A number of speakers addressed a variety of topics, stimulating much discussion as delegates brainstormed ideas in small groups.

The keynote address was given by Cardinal Vincent, who shared his sense of urgency Page 6

about the need to evangelise: ‘I think we are at a crucial moment,’ he said. ‘I sense something of an opportunity.’

He spoke about the needs evident in society today, such as ‘the sharp and widening divisions between rich and poor; the troubled world around us that casts millions of people as refugees, some of whom are just outside, knocking on our door’.

He pondered too ‘how do we best teach our youngsters that deep respect for each other, for themselves’ which can equip them to live ‘with firm and reliable foundations’.

The Cardinal pointed to ‘the unbounded mercy of God’ as the ‘lens through which we can look at our task of proclaiming the Gospel and find there an even more surprising richness.

‘God's mercy is the shape taken by the love of God when it comes face to face with our broken human reality.’

He then challenged those present to remember that ‘Jesus is the face of God's mercy’ but that ‘we are to be the hands, voices and actions of that mercy in the flesh of our world today’.

‘And today is about doing, he said. ‘We will go from this

hall with ideas to take back to our parishes. No one should leave here empty handed.’

He invited the delegates to consider the corporal and spiritual works of mercy: ‘It is the practice of those works which gives a face to the presence of divine mercy in our day.’

He explained that the corporal works of mercy are ‘the ways in which in my community I can help to restore that sense of place and belonging, of respect and acceptance that our cosmic home, as created by God, should embody’ and the spiritual works of mercy as ‘all the nudges and encouragement we give each other on our pilgrimage to God’.

Mercy, said the Cardinal, is ‘a true proclamation of the Gospel and an invitation to know Christ Jesus more clearly and to follow him more nearly, for he alone is the vision of this truth and he alone is the one in whom it is attainable’.

The full text of the Cardinal’s address is found at rcdow.org.uk/cardinal/address es/proclaim-westminsterconference/

© Weenson Oo/picture-u.net

What’s Next?

The parish delegates were sent home energised with an action plan to help them map out next steps: Their first main task is to create a parish Evangelisation Team during Advent and call them to a meeting in January where they can view clips from Proclaim Westminster and do the exercises done at the conference. Then, in February, they are invited to begin considering three evangelising initiatives for the parish.

Their second main task will be to announce their three Evangelising Initiatives. By Laetare Sunday (6 March), they should let the Agency for Evangelisation know what these three initiatives are, so that the Agency can map the initiatives and, in collaboration with Caritas Westminster and the Office for Marriage and Family Life, offer guidance and formation to help parishes with their chosen initiatives During Lent the team are invited to plan the Evangelising Initiative they are best resourced to embark upon, so that by Divine Mercy Sunday (3 April) they can announce which initiative the parish is embarking on first.

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News Centenary Anniversaries at Kilburn and Tower Hill Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

On 22 November, the Solemnity of Christ the King, Cardinal Vincent celebrated Mass at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Kilburn, to close the celebrations of its 150th anniversary. The parish originally began as a mission centre run by the Missionary

Oblates of Mary Immaculate when Fr Robert Cooke OMI was invited by Cardinal Wiseman to found the centre.

During the 1950s and 60s, the parish had a strong Irish congregation, with 15 Masses celebrated on Sundays, whilst it now boasts being home to

over 60 different nationalities.

Bishop Nicholas meanwhile celebrated Mass to mark the 150th anniversary of English Martyrs, Tower Hill, on 1 November.

During the past year, the Communities of the English Martyrs, Tower Hill, Sacred

Heart in Quex Road and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, West Kilburn, with the Oblate Community have been celebrating their faith journeys. The Community started its celebration on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord with the renewal of

Twenty Years of Mothers’ Prayers

Baptism Vows. Further anniversary events have been visits from Fr Louis Lougen, the Oblate Superior General from Rome, and from the Mayors of Camden and Brent.

There have also been a wide variety of liturgical and social events in celebration.

Austin Forum Lectures at St Augustine’s Church, Hammersmith

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FAITH AND CONSCIENCE Dr Helen Costigane SHCJ 26 January 2016 7:30pm Dr Helen talks about the relationship between faith and conscience. She is the Academic Vice Principal of Heythrop College with a distinguished record of academic study in Christian Ethics, Pastoral Theology and latterly in Canon Law.

Bishop Peter is pictured at St Peter’s Basilica

Mothers’ Prayers celebrated their twentieth annivesary with a Mass offered by Bishop Peter Doyle, Bishop of Northampton and Chair of the Bishops’ Conference Marriage and Family Life Committee, at Westminster Cathedral on 31 October.

Bishop Peter congratulated the organisation on behalf of Cardinal Vincent. He said he ‘was deeply touched by the depth and simplicity’ of the mothers’ faith and the ‘way you journey with each other as you pray for your children and grandchildren’.

He went on to acknowledge Mothers’ Prayers as ‘coming out of the prayer of the flock of Christ, out of the prayer of faithful mothers sometimes at the end of their tether because of their love for their children’.

Reflecting on the role of Our Lady as model of the Church and the events of the Annunciation, Bishop Peter said ‘We too can enter that Gospel of prayer in the company of Mary because we are blessed and favoured through her Son as daughters and sons of the Father. There is no need for us to be afraid, however impossible the situation is with our children, for nothing is impossible to God because of the power of the Holy Spirit.’

Mothers’ Prayers was formed to help mothers who wished to pray together for their children and their grandchildren and to find mutual support. For more details and how to join, please visit mothersprayers.org

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WHO IS JESUS AND HOW IS HE RELEVANT?

Diocesan medals Fr Bernard Boylan, parish priest, presented diocesan medals for long and exceptional service to Jennifer Gibbs (left) and Rosslyn Gibbs at St Theodore of Canterbury, Hampton-on-Thames, on the solemnity of Christ the King.

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where new stories are posted daily.

Dr Anthony Baxter 2 February 2016 7:30pm Dr Anthony’s lecture will explore the person of Jesus and the relevance of his work in our lives. Anthony has studied in London (BD), Oxford (MA, MPhil) and Princeton (PhD) within the areas of Law, Politics, Philosophy and Theology. He is also a priest of the Diocese of Westminster. He has lived and helped in parishes situated within areas of inner London marked by social, ethnic and religious diversity.

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Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

Bishop Nicholas Visits the Chaldean Catholic Mission

by Robert Ewan Bishop Nicholas joined the Iraqi Catholic Chaldean community at the Holy Family Church in west London for the celebration of their Eucharistic Liturgy on Sunday 25 October.

Bishop Hudson said: ‘I was deeply moved to be able to celebrate Mass for the Chaldean community last Sunday in West Acton. Fr Neil Reynolds, Parish Priest of Holy Family, was most welcoming, as were Fr Nadheer Dako and all the members of the Chaldean community. I was impressed by the music, the serving and the real prayerfulness of the liturgy.’

Referring to his visit to Erbil, Iraq with Cardinal Vincent, Bishop Nicholas recalled: ‘It was Fr Douglas who welcomed the Cardinal and me to the refugee camp at Mar Qardakh

in Ankawa, northern Iraq. The first thing he told us was, “We call them not refugees but relatives.” When I came to celebrate Eucharist in West Acton, I felt I was among relatives too, relatives I hope I can see often!’

Fr Nadheer, the Chaldean chaplain, said: ‘It has been a huge privilege to host Bishop Nicholas. We have been encouraged and uplifted for his personal attention to the church of Mesopotamia in and outside of Iraq and in this country. It was a truly memorable and enjoyable occasion for our church.’

After Mass, everyone was invited to the church hall to enjoy heart-warming Chaldean hospitality and the array of delicious Iraqi cuisine.

Poplar Church Receives Roof Grant Award

Parish Priest of Poplar, Fr Keith Stoakes

by Chris Fanning The Church of St Mary and St Joseph in Poplar, which is Grade II listed, was designed

by Adrian Gilbert Scott at the time of the Festival of Britain in the 1950s.

As it is now 60 years old, it requires urgent maintenance work to prevent water penetration through the gutters.

The parish successfully secured a grant of £58,800 from Page 8

the Listed Place of Worship Roof Repair Fund to ensure that the church will be weathertight, safe and open for use. This is one of 502 grants from a total funding package of £30million announced for urgent roof repairs for places of worship by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Chris Fanning is Senior Parish Buildings Surveyor and Secretary of the Historic Churches Committee

Refugees from Another Era ‘I believe this story is relevant to us today because of the great number of refugees seeking refuge in Europe, like the Polish people, displaced from their homes and searching for a better future. Although the terms of their departure from their homes are different, these people and my grandfather were all forced from their homes because of war and conflict’.

So said Grace Lozinski, a pupil in Year 11 at St Augustine’s Priory, Ealing, following her ‘Stretch and Challenge’ presentation on her grandfather’s story from World War II. ‘Stretch and Challenge’ is a new initiative at St Augustine’s Priory. This is an opportunity for pupils to pursue areas of interest and to study and explore in depth a topic which is beyond the curriculum which is then presented to staff and families.

As this year marks the 70th anniversary of the ending of World War II, Grace chose as her subject her grandfather, Zyggy Lozinski, whose story is one of courage and survival during the war.

Born in 1929 in South East Poland, at the beginning of the war he was transported with his family to Russia at the

beginning of the war. Enduring many hardships over the next few years, he was 13 when he joined a military transport through Jordan, Iraq and Palestine where he enrolled in school at 14. At the end of the war his family was given a choice of places to settle and they chose to come to England.

Once settled in London, he

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studied engineering at the University of London, which became his career. He went on to marry in 1955 and raised a family in Ealing.

If you would like to read the whole article, please visit the Priory Post section on the St Augustine’s Priory website www.sapriory.com and read the article ‘Upper V presents…’

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Schools

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

Local Schools Form Teacher Training Alliance

Primary Pupils Rise to the Challenge at CJM At the Convent of Jesus and Mary Language College (CJM), the support of other schools is an ongoing process that occurs both within the Catholic community and beyond. The school uses its expertise across the curriculum to support and develop teachers in both the secondary and primary sectors.

Since the beginning of September CJM has offered an enrichment and support programme in Mathematics for 12 primary schools and this has given pupils the opportunity to receive help in preparation for

their Key Stage 2 assessments as well as the nationally organised Primary Mathematics Challenge (PMC), which is run by the Mathematical Association.

In preparing for the PMC at CJM the primary schools had a weekly lesson with Paul Kelly, Assistant Headteacher, which focused on strategies for developing their problem solving skills as well as their speed and accuracy with general arithmetic through use of Trachtenberg methods. The PMC was taken by 140 pupils in Years

5 and 6 this year from CJM. Headteacher Geraldine Freear said: ‘It is such a pleasure to welcome so many pupils from our local primaries to this prestigious event. With so many changes afoot in education, especially the changes to the Year 6 maths exams, it is essential that we work together.

We are lucky at CJM to have the capacity to provide this support across the academic year to our primary colleagues.’

The children who were part of the programme have enjoyed every step of a journey which has seen them take flight mathematically and start to realise that not only can they do mathematics, but that they can do it well.

‘Make a Noise About Bullying’ The theme of this year’s antibulling week was ‘Make a noise about bullying’ and every opportunity was taken to reinforce the message at St Benedict’s School, Ealing.

There have been several special assemblies where pupils have been able to put the antibullying message into their own words. Stories of bullying have made clear the hurt it can cause, especially online. Cyberbullying has been a particular focus this year and all parents were invited to take part in an e-safety survey as part of the week’s activities.

Year 8 pupils took part in national competitions to design anti-bullying posters, whilst Year 9 produced the ‘theme of the week’ noticeboard. Pupils wore the blue anti-bullying wrist bands which served not only to show solidarity with the victims of bullying but also act

as a reminder of where help and advice can be found.

Peter Allott, Deputy Head at St Benedict’s, said: ‘Our mission of “Teaching a way of living” makes it a particular imperative

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to deal with bullying when it occurs. By making a noise about bullying this week, everyone in our community has been reminded of the importance of tackling bullying immediately.’

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The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, Holland Park School and Thomas Jones Primary School, all recognised as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, have formed a multi-school alliance and been awarded Teaching School status by the Department for Education.

Colin Hall, Headteacher at Holland Park School said: ‘We have long enjoyed a fruitful relationship with our partner schools and now look forward to collaborating with them to share our expertise and skill both locally and nationally. Our first conference for schools from across the country was held in the penultimate week in October.’

Teaching Schools increasingly play a lead role in the recruitment and training of new teachers, identifying leadership potential and providing support for other schools, not least by developing

and disseminating best professional practice.

Paul Stubbings, Headteacher at Cardinal Vaughan, said: ‘This is a wonderful and forwardlooking initiative which will bring all sorts of benefits not only to the three schools in question, but also, and more importantly, to the wider educational community.’

In practice this will mean the three Royal Borough schools working closely together to share best practice and research, as well supporting other schools across the community.

David Sellens, Headteacher at Thomas Jones Primary School, said: ‘We are delighted at our designation. We see it as an opportunity to share exceptional pedagogy and to engage in meaningful partnership to further enhance what has already been achieved.’

Page 9

St Edmund

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

© James Appleton

St Edmund’s College Chapel Centenary

On Friday 13 November, Cardinal Vincent joined the community at St Edmund’s College Cambridge at Solemn Vespers to open the centenary celebrations of the college’s chapel, which is unique among contemporary Cambridge college chapels in being the only Catholic foundation.

Page 10

The foundation of the chapel took place during the Great War, prompting the Cardinal to ask in his homily: ‘In those days of death and darkness, how many received within this sacred space the light needed to keep hope alive?’

He said that, on this evening of the opening of the centenary, ‘we unite our prayers to, and are encouraged by, the prayers of everyone who over the decades has made holy these walls’.

Reflecting on the significance of the chapel in the lives of all who have passed through it, ‘there has been no shortage of students seeking inspirational light amid their intellectual darkness, and the endurance which the completion of a dissertation or doctoral thesis demands’. He noted too that many ‘discovered this chapel to be a refuge of strengthening

St Edmund’s Sunday in Ware tranquillity when they were troubled or distressed’.

Of the college’s patron saint, the Cardinal said that he was sure that ‘everyone who passes through the chapel doors, whether or not they realise it, benefits from the friendship and guidance of the one after whom this college is named’.

He continued to say that in St Edmund, ‘we find a genuinely Catholic approach to learning’ in which ‘we set out on an adventure to explore, as best we can, the full wonder of the universe. We delight in truth, wherever it is found’.

The Cardinal further explained that ‘his prayerful learning made fruitful his preaching. His eloquent words illuminate minds, enflame hearts. But of course his manner of living most beautifully, gives effective testimony to the Gospel’.

On Sunday 15 November, Old Edmundians gathered in Ware to commemorate the feast of their patron saint. Bishop John celebrated Mass at the College and joined past students and their families for a festive meal.

In his homily, Bishop John spoke of St Edmund’s gentleness which characterised his life and work and has come to influence the ethos of the school where the ‘development of the spiritual life is at the heart of an education’.

‘By growth in virtue, the person who is gentle develops the capacity to see the world with the gaze of Jesus and the eyes of mercy,’ he said. This is particularly apposite as we

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approach the Year of Mercy when ‘we are invited to be merciful because we have been shown mercy by God.’ Bishop John also spoke about St Edmund’s boldness and strength: ‘He spoke the truth with gentleness and was not afraid to promote peace, reform ecclesiastical discipline and defend the rights of the Church against King Henry III. In so doing he entered into the way of the Cross in a union of both devotion and suffering.’

St Edmund’s College is the former home of the diocesan seminary, at which time it was the successor to the seminary in Douai, which trained many priests who returned to England and were martyred for their faith. Looking at the long history and tradition of the college, Bishop John explained that the ‘invitation on this Feast is to be merciful disciples of Jesus who speak the truth in love and witness, both to the long tradition of the martyr priests of Douai by holding firm in faith and to the gentle St Edmund in the midst of the fragility of life.

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Interfaith

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

Dialogue between Abrahamic Communities The launch of a book on the dialogue between Catholic monks and Shi'ite Muslims took place on 10 November at Vaughan House during an evening full of joy, mutual respect and understanding.

Among the guests were a good number of men and women from Religious Orders, and at least 20 Muslims.

Jon Dal Din, Director of Westminster Interfaith, opened the meeting with prayer and spoke about Vaughan House, Cardinal Vaughan, and the Diocese of Westminster.

Jonathan Cotton OSB then spoke about his initial involvement in this dialogue about 18 years ago and how Timothy Wright, from Ampleforth Abbey, had responded enthusiastically to the proposal.

Archbishop Kevin McDonald, chair of the Bishops’ Conference Department of Dialogue and Unity, placed interreligious dialogue into context, especially dialogue with Islam since the Second Vatican Council with the publication 50 years ago of Nostra Aetate, the Church's document on interreligious relations.

Sheikh Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali, one of the editors of the book, shared his experience of dialogue with Catholics over the past 18 years. He cited, in particular, his positive experience with the Focolare Movement around the world and with Benedictine nuns and monks. He illustrated this with images of his last encounter with Benedictines at the Bose community house in Assisi.

A sense of hope and enthusiasm characterised the evening, which ended with an exchange of gifts and prayer.

The title of the book, Monks and Muslims III: Towards a Global Abrahamic Community, and the first words of Psalm 133: ‘Behold, how good and pleasant it is when God's people dwell together in unity’ together offered a prophetic sign for a troubled world in an event which left the participants eager to further their dialogue.

© Rumold van Geffen

Learning about Judaism ahead of New GCSE RE Curriculum On Thursday 12 November, heads of RE from across the diocese gathered for a day conference with experts from the Jewish community to gain a deeper understanding of Judaism.

The experts included Sandra Teacher, who wrote the Judaism Annexe for the Department for Education, Sara Perlmutter from the Board of Deputies, Rabbi Dr Raphael Zarum, the Dean of the London School of Jewish Studies, Rabbi Michael Pollak, Secondary Schools Coordinator for UJIA and PaJeS, and Nic Abery, the Director of LooktoLearn.

The new GCSE RE curriculum coming into foce in September 2016 requires a far deeper knowledge and understanding of Judaism, so the RE heads were fortunate to be able to learn from the experts.

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They arrived with a Torah scroll and numerous other artefacts which they used as a basis for an in-depth and informative explanation of Judaism, giving RE heads the confidence they need to

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approach the challenges ahead.

Amanda Crowley, Adviser for Catholic Education explained: ‘Many of our schools will continue to work with our visitors and are

already planning deanery twilight sessions for next term.’

‘We are most grateful to our Jewish colleagues and look forward to working in future partnership’ she said.

Page 11

Year of Mercy The Gaze of the Father: A Jubilee Year of Mercy

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

by Fr Mark Vickers The Jubilee Year of Mercy runs from Tuesday 8 December until Sunday 20 November 2016, but how is this being celebrated locally and how will it affect us?

Why a Year of Mercy?

‘Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy...the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever, despite our sinfulness.’

Pope Francis reminds us that we celebrate less a person who reveals God’s ‘love for us in a definitive way.’ Accepted in a spirit of generosity, the Jubilee is a wonderful occasion to receive the Father’s mercy ourselves and to share the message with those who might believe themselves beyond its scope, and those who see no need of it.

Resources There is a dedicated area for the Year of Mercy on the diocesan site: rcdow.org.uk, with the programme of events.

There you can find Misericordiae Vultus, in which the Pope announced the Jubilee, an excellent starting point. The Cardinal has produced A Pilgrimage Companion for the Year of Mercy (pictured right), explaining how we can participate fully in the Jubilee.

If you don’t have a copy yet, ask in your parish. The CTS and others have also published useful booklets on the Year.

The Jubilee Indulgence An indulgence can be obtained by fulfilling the usual requirements of Confession, Holy Communion, reciting the Creed, and praying for the Holy Father’s intentions. (See the back cover for more details about the Jubilee Indulgence .)

The diocese plans pilgrimages to Walsingham, Lourdes and the Holy Land next year. There are also many sites within the diocese itself reminding us of our Catholic history and identity. A Directory of Diocesan Shrines is being compiled and will be available in parishes.

Doors of Mercy It is not just the cathedral which has a Door of Mercy. The Cardinal has designated the following churches at which the indulgence may be gained by passing through a Door of Mercy: Brook Green, the Italian Church in Clerkenwell, Enfield, Haverstock Hill, Hounslow, Kingsland, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Soho Square, Stanmore, Tower Hill, Waltham Cross, Our Lady’s in Welwyn Garden City, and Our Lady of Willesden. Please contact them for details of their opening times, events they may be organising and the availability of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

These local Doors of Mercy will open simultaneously with or shortly after the Holy Door in the cathedral.

Schools Our schools have been busy planning their own Doors of Mercy and pilgrimages to the Cathedral, among many other activities. Please ask what is happening in your local schools.

‘The medicine of mercy’ The opening date of the Jubilee has been chosen as the 50th anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council, where St John XXIII wanted the Church to dispense ‘the medicine of mercy.’ It is also the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and we ask for the prayers of Mary, the Mother of Mercy, who sang: ‘His mercy is from age to age on those who fear him.’

Other Pilgrimages Pope Francis encourages other pilgrimages in the Jubilee Year: ‘visits to these holy sites are so often grace-filled moments, as people discover a path to conversion.’ Rome is an obvious destination with Holy Doors at the major basilicas and a pilgrim route between them, but please note the need to register in advance for access to these sites.

Doors Talk! What is a Holy Door?

By Fr Ivano Millico

St Faustina’s Heart for Divine Mercy © Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk

When we look at St Faustina we see nothing complicated. We see first a girl born in 1905, coming to maturity through the years of the First World War when Christians, both Catholic and Protestant, waged war on each other. Seven years after that war we find her, almost 20 years old, entering the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, with its mission of care and education for young women variously troubled.

Only within that framework of the religious life does her especial vocation become clear, to make the offering of her life a sacrificial one for others, so that they may receive the mercy of God. How does that display itself?

Most obviously in her willingness to accept the suffering which came to her through tuberculosis and which led to her death at a young age in 1938. Then much less obviously, in the spirit through which she lived out that suffering, a spirit reminiscent of that of St Thérèse of Lisieux,

such that few of St Faustina’s sisters in community were aware of any notable vocation in her.

Yet that vocation was, in fact, made clear, both in her obedience to the gospel command to ‘be merciful, even as your heavenly Father is merciful’ and in faithfully fulfilling her confessor’s directive that all who came into contact with her should go away joyful.

As Pope Francis opens for us a door, and a Year of Mercy, perhaps the challenge of St Faustina is to accept from the Lord that double challenge. As the Lord’s Prayer reminds us daily, our Christian call is to forgive, to show mercy repeatedly in thanksgiving for the mercy which we ourselves daily receive. And mercy is never to be separated from joy; it is not a right, but a gift, and an immeasurable one, too. ‘Jesus, I trust in you’, the image of the Divine Mercy bids us pray, and that trust takes us straight into the immensity of the love in the Sacred Heart of the Lord.

‘What is a door there for?’, the German theologian Romano Guardini asked himself.

Perhaps this question astonishes you. ‘So that we may go in and out’, you answer.

It is not a difficult question: you are right; but, to go in and out there is no need of a door!

Any opening in the wall would be enough, with a few planks and beams for opening and closing. People go in and out, and it would be cheap and just as useful. But it would not be a door.

A door does more than merely serve this purpose: it talks.

St Peter’s Basilica in Rome has many doors, but there is one particular door which ‘talks’ a special language. In fact, this door is most of the time ‘silent’, as it is always closed; but it will be opened in a solemn liturgy by Pope Francis on 8 December and remain open until 21 November 2016, for the length of the Holy Year of Mercy.

This door, also known as the Holy Door, speaks of mercy. You can also call it the Door of Mercy.

Every door speaks to us of a journey, a movement, leaving something behind us, and entering into a new space. In biblical language, this journey is called exodus or pass-over, meaning the experience of a real change. The Bible is full of doors opened by God for his people to cross: doors leading to salvation, doors of freedom.

Christ himself identified himself with this image when he said ‘I am the door’.

During the Holy Year Doors of Mercy are to be opened: First of all, the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica, then the Holy Doors of the other three major Papal Basilicas in Rome, and then the Holy Door of every diocesan cathedral, and the doors of our local churches.

But what does it mean to walk through a Door of Mercy?

Is it like an airport security door scanning all my sins and sending out alarm sounds? Is it a magical door that somehow has the power to cleanse me as I walk through? Are these religious sliding doors that spin me through, and in the end I find myself back at the same starting point, in fact even more disorientated? Or else, can something new happen to me during this Holy Year of Mercy?

The Doors of Mercy are holy, said Pope Francis, because they open to us a way forward, a path of conversion. The opening of the Door of Mercy is nothing else but a new exodus, the opening of the Red Sea (cf. Ex 14), a new path that God himself opens for us, to pass-over from old ways to a new life, to be set free from slavery to sin and enter into a Promised Land, to taste new fruits and experience God’s unconditional love for us sinners.

‘The image of the door’, commented Pope Francis ‘recurs in the Gospel on various

Year of Mercy Mass for the Sick

by Fr Peter-Michael Scott

© Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk

Page 12

By this stage you will have bought, hidden, given or opened your Christmas presents. You may even be planning your trip to the January sales. Please add another gift and a date to your diary: 2pm on Saturday 6 February 2016. On that date you are invited to attend the Cathedral’s Year of Mercy Mass for the Sick.

One message of Christmas to remember is that Jesus comes to gather us into God’s love.

The Mass for the Sick is when we gather those who are unwell to be reminded that they are at

Year of Mercy

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

the centre of God’s heart: a heart full of mercy and compassion.

At this special Mass for the Sick, the Cardinal, bishops and priests will anoint those who suffer in mind and body. The anointing is God reaching out to steady and strengthen those who are weary, to touch them with his mercy, and to assure them that they are loved.

This year’s Mass will also celebrate three saints of mercy: St John of God, St Camillus de Lellis and St Joseph Cottolengo.

All three saints will feature in a Lourdes procession led by

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nurses and Westminster pilgrimage ‘Red Caps’, culminating in the arrival of the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of mercy. She will be venerated at the end of Mass by the congregation raising their candles singing Salve Regina.

Please remember to tell your Parish Priest that you would like to attend this special Mass.

Fr Peter- Michael Scott, Chaplain to St Joseph’s Hospice & the Cardinal’s Advisor for Healthcare Chaplaincy.

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occasions and calls to mind the door of the house, of the home, where we find safety, love and warmth. Jesus tells us that there is a door which gives us access to God’s family, to the warmth of God’s house, of communion with him. This door is Jesus himself (cf. Jn 10:9).

‘He is the door. He is the entrance to salvation. He leads us to the Father and the door that is Jesus is never closed. This door is never closed it is always open and to all, without distinction, without exclusion, without privileges. Because, you know, Jesus does not exclude anyone.

‘Some of you, perhaps, might say to me: “But, Father, I am certainly excluded because I am a great sinner: I have done terrible things, I have done lots of them in my life”.

‘No, you are not excluded!

Precisely for this reason you are the favourite, because Jesus prefers sinners, always, in order to forgive them, to love them.

Jesus is waiting for you to

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embrace you, to pardon you.

Do not be afraid: he is waiting for you.

‘Take heart, have the courage to enter through his door. Everyone is invited to cross the threshold of this door, to cross the threshold of faith, to enter into his life and to make him enter our life, so that he may transform it, renew it and give it full and enduring joy.’

The experience of the Holy Year is nothing but our basic Christian experience, the paschal dynamism, our passing from a way of living centred on myself, where everything turns round my ego ‘with all its variations: me, with me, for me, only me, always egoism, I’, to a way of living where I am decentred and my life is for another.

Doors of Mercy talk! Yes, they do. Are we listening?

They speak of God, of his love for each one of us. The

love of God is for those who are lost, those who are poor, those who are suffering, those who are in sin.

They also speak to us. They invite us to move, to walk, to leave behind our old ways, to convert and turn to God, experiencing mercy and so becoming merciful ourselves.

Doors of Mercy are not too far from you. The Door of Mercy at our cathedral will be opened on Sunday 13 December. Other churches in our diocese have been granted permission to dedicate one door as a Door of Mercy.

Make your way to one of the Doors of Mercy, and listen…. because they talk!

Father Ivano Millico is Assistant Priest at Holy Trinity Brook Green.

This article is an extract from the CTS booklet ‘The Door of Mercy’ in the words and life of Pope Francis by Fr Ivano Millico.

Page 13

Year of Mercy The Gaze of the Father: A Jubilee Year of Mercy

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

by Fr Mark Vickers The Jubilee Year of Mercy runs from Tuesday 8 December until Sunday 20 November 2016, but how is this being celebrated locally and how will it affect us?

Why a Year of Mercy?

‘Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy...the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever, despite our sinfulness.’

Pope Francis reminds us that we celebrate less a person who reveals God’s ‘love for us in a definitive way.’ Accepted in a spirit of generosity, the Jubilee is a wonderful occasion to receive the Father’s mercy ourselves and to share the message with those who might believe themselves beyond its scope, and those who see no need of it.

Resources There is a dedicated area for the Year of Mercy on the diocesan site: rcdow.org.uk, with the programme of events.

There you can find Misericordiae Vultus, in which the Pope announced the Jubilee, an excellent starting point. The Cardinal has produced A Pilgrimage Companion for the Year of Mercy (pictured right), explaining how we can participate fully in the Jubilee.

If you don’t have a copy yet, ask in your parish. The CTS and others have also published useful booklets on the Year.

The Jubilee Indulgence An indulgence can be obtained by fulfilling the usual requirements of Confession, Holy Communion, reciting the Creed, and praying for the Holy Father’s intentions. (See the back cover for more details about the Jubilee Indulgence .)

The diocese plans pilgrimages to Walsingham, Lourdes and the Holy Land next year. There are also many sites within the diocese itself reminding us of our Catholic history and identity. A Directory of Diocesan Shrines is being compiled and will be available in parishes.

Doors of Mercy It is not just the cathedral which has a Door of Mercy. The Cardinal has designated the following churches at which the indulgence may be gained by passing through a Door of Mercy: Brook Green, the Italian Church in Clerkenwell, Enfield, Haverstock Hill, Hounslow, Kingsland, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Soho Square, Stanmore, Tower Hill, Waltham Cross, Our Lady’s in Welwyn Garden City, and Our Lady of Willesden. Please contact them for details of their opening times, events they may be organising and the availability of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

These local Doors of Mercy will open simultaneously with or shortly after the Holy Door in the cathedral.

Schools Our schools have been busy planning their own Doors of Mercy and pilgrimages to the Cathedral, among many other activities. Please ask what is happening in your local schools.

‘The medicine of mercy’ The opening date of the Jubilee has been chosen as the 50th anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council, where St John XXIII wanted the Church to dispense ‘the medicine of mercy.’ It is also the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and we ask for the prayers of Mary, the Mother of Mercy, who sang: ‘His mercy is from age to age on those who fear him.’

Other Pilgrimages Pope Francis encourages other pilgrimages in the Jubilee Year: ‘visits to these holy sites are so often grace-filled moments, as people discover a path to conversion.’ Rome is an obvious destination with Holy Doors at the major basilicas and a pilgrim route between them, but please note the need to register in advance for access to these sites.

Doors Talk! What is a Holy Door?

By Fr Ivano Millico

St Faustina’s Heart for Divine Mercy © Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk

When we look at St Faustina we see nothing complicated. We see first a girl born in 1905, coming to maturity through the years of the First World War when Christians, both Catholic and Protestant, waged war on each other. Seven years after that war we find her, almost 20 years old, entering the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, with its mission of care and education for young women variously troubled.

Only within that framework of the religious life does her especial vocation become clear, to make the offering of her life a sacrificial one for others, so that they may receive the mercy of God. How does that display itself?

Most obviously in her willingness to accept the suffering which came to her through tuberculosis and which led to her death at a young age in 1938. Then much less obviously, in the spirit through which she lived out that suffering, a spirit reminiscent of that of St Thérèse of Lisieux,

such that few of St Faustina’s sisters in community were aware of any notable vocation in her.

Yet that vocation was, in fact, made clear, both in her obedience to the gospel command to ‘be merciful, even as your heavenly Father is merciful’ and in faithfully fulfilling her confessor’s directive that all who came into contact with her should go away joyful.

As Pope Francis opens for us a door, and a Year of Mercy, perhaps the challenge of St Faustina is to accept from the Lord that double challenge. As the Lord’s Prayer reminds us daily, our Christian call is to forgive, to show mercy repeatedly in thanksgiving for the mercy which we ourselves daily receive. And mercy is never to be separated from joy; it is not a right, but a gift, and an immeasurable one, too. ‘Jesus, I trust in you’, the image of the Divine Mercy bids us pray, and that trust takes us straight into the immensity of the love in the Sacred Heart of the Lord.

‘What is a door there for?’, the German theologian Romano Guardini asked himself.

Perhaps this question astonishes you. ‘So that we may go in and out’, you answer.

It is not a difficult question: you are right; but, to go in and out there is no need of a door!

Any opening in the wall would be enough, with a few planks and beams for opening and closing. People go in and out, and it would be cheap and just as useful. But it would not be a door.

A door does more than merely serve this purpose: it talks.

St Peter’s Basilica in Rome has many doors, but there is one particular door which ‘talks’ a special language. In fact, this door is most of the time ‘silent’, as it is always closed; but it will be opened in a solemn liturgy by Pope Francis on 8 December and remain open until 21 November 2016, for the length of the Holy Year of Mercy.

This door, also known as the Holy Door, speaks of mercy. You can also call it the Door of Mercy.

Every door speaks to us of a journey, a movement, leaving something behind us, and entering into a new space. In biblical language, this journey is called exodus or pass-over, meaning the experience of a real change. The Bible is full of doors opened by God for his people to cross: doors leading to salvation, doors of freedom.

Christ himself identified himself with this image when he said ‘I am the door’.

During the Holy Year Doors of Mercy are to be opened: First of all, the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica, then the Holy Doors of the other three major Papal Basilicas in Rome, and then the Holy Door of every diocesan cathedral, and the doors of our local churches.

But what does it mean to walk through a Door of Mercy?

Is it like an airport security door scanning all my sins and sending out alarm sounds? Is it a magical door that somehow has the power to cleanse me as I walk through? Are these religious sliding doors that spin me through, and in the end I find myself back at the same starting point, in fact even more disorientated? Or else, can something new happen to me during this Holy Year of Mercy?

The Doors of Mercy are holy, said Pope Francis, because they open to us a way forward, a path of conversion. The opening of the Door of Mercy is nothing else but a new exodus, the opening of the Red Sea (cf. Ex 14), a new path that God himself opens for us, to pass-over from old ways to a new life, to be set free from slavery to sin and enter into a Promised Land, to taste new fruits and experience God’s unconditional love for us sinners.

‘The image of the door’, commented Pope Francis ‘recurs in the Gospel on various

Year of Mercy Mass for the Sick

by Fr Peter-Michael Scott

© Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk

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By this stage you will have bought, hidden, given or opened your Christmas presents. You may even be planning your trip to the January sales. Please add another gift and a date to your diary: 2pm on Saturday 6 February 2016. On that date you are invited to attend the Cathedral’s Year of Mercy Mass for the Sick.

One message of Christmas to remember is that Jesus comes to gather us into God’s love.

The Mass for the Sick is when we gather those who are unwell to be reminded that they are at

Year of Mercy

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

the centre of God’s heart: a heart full of mercy and compassion.

At this special Mass for the Sick, the Cardinal, bishops and priests will anoint those who suffer in mind and body. The anointing is God reaching out to steady and strengthen those who are weary, to touch them with his mercy, and to assure them that they are loved.

This year’s Mass will also celebrate three saints of mercy: St John of God, St Camillus de Lellis and St Joseph Cottolengo.

All three saints will feature in a Lourdes procession led by

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nurses and Westminster pilgrimage ‘Red Caps’, culminating in the arrival of the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of mercy. She will be venerated at the end of Mass by the congregation raising their candles singing Salve Regina.

Please remember to tell your Parish Priest that you would like to attend this special Mass.

Fr Peter- Michael Scott, Chaplain to St Joseph’s Hospice & the Cardinal’s Advisor for Healthcare Chaplaincy.

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occasions and calls to mind the door of the house, of the home, where we find safety, love and warmth. Jesus tells us that there is a door which gives us access to God’s family, to the warmth of God’s house, of communion with him. This door is Jesus himself (cf. Jn 10:9).

‘He is the door. He is the entrance to salvation. He leads us to the Father and the door that is Jesus is never closed. This door is never closed it is always open and to all, without distinction, without exclusion, without privileges. Because, you know, Jesus does not exclude anyone.

‘Some of you, perhaps, might say to me: “But, Father, I am certainly excluded because I am a great sinner: I have done terrible things, I have done lots of them in my life”.

‘No, you are not excluded!

Precisely for this reason you are the favourite, because Jesus prefers sinners, always, in order to forgive them, to love them.

Jesus is waiting for you to

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embrace you, to pardon you.

Do not be afraid: he is waiting for you.

‘Take heart, have the courage to enter through his door. Everyone is invited to cross the threshold of this door, to cross the threshold of faith, to enter into his life and to make him enter our life, so that he may transform it, renew it and give it full and enduring joy.’

The experience of the Holy Year is nothing but our basic Christian experience, the paschal dynamism, our passing from a way of living centred on myself, where everything turns round my ego ‘with all its variations: me, with me, for me, only me, always egoism, I’, to a way of living where I am decentred and my life is for another.

Doors of Mercy talk! Yes, they do. Are we listening?

They speak of God, of his love for each one of us. The

love of God is for those who are lost, those who are poor, those who are suffering, those who are in sin.

They also speak to us. They invite us to move, to walk, to leave behind our old ways, to convert and turn to God, experiencing mercy and so becoming merciful ourselves.

Doors of Mercy are not too far from you. The Door of Mercy at our cathedral will be opened on Sunday 13 December. Other churches in our diocese have been granted permission to dedicate one door as a Door of Mercy.

Make your way to one of the Doors of Mercy, and listen…. because they talk!

Father Ivano Millico is Assistant Priest at Holy Trinity Brook Green.

This article is an extract from the CTS booklet ‘The Door of Mercy’ in the words and life of Pope Francis by Fr Ivano Millico.

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Holy Land Pilgrimage

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

In the Footsteps of Jesus On 3 November pilgrims from the diocese began their visit to the Holy Land, led by Bishop Nicholas, with Fr John Farrell OP, the spiritual guide, and Fr Paul McDermott, pilgrimage director.

The pilgrimage began in Galilee where Jesus’ early teaching and ministry took place. On the Sea of Galilee Fr John led the group in a reflection on the story from Matthew where a storm rose up in the night and Peter walked on water towards Jesus. Strong winds and choppy seas that morning suggested to the pilgrims what it would have been like for the disciples.

Another highlight was the visit to Mensa Christi, where, after the Resurrection, Jesus revealed himself to the disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Also known as the Primacy of Peter, this was where Jesus asked Peter: ‘Do you love me?’ and instructed him to ‘feed my sheep’.

On the second day, couples had the opportunity to renew their marriage vows at the Church of the Wedding Feast in Cana. When the wine runs out

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at the wedding, Mary points this out to Jesus, expecting him to do something. He responds to her saying ‘Woman, how does your concern affect me?

My hour has not yet come.’ (Jn 2.4). The term ‘woman’ was the most respectful way someone could refer to their mother, unlike the negative connotations that modern language usage might imply.

However, Jesus proceeded to turn six stone water jars into the best wine; it is the first time Jesus’ divinity is revealed to us.

Moving on to Nazareth, the group celebrated Mass in the Basilica of the Annunciation, the traditional site where the angel Gabriel visited Mary and announced that she would bear a son. Fr John reflected on the Incarnation of Christ, quoting St Athanasius: ‘God became human, so that we might become divine’.

The day closed on Mount Tabor, the site of the Transfiguration. The voice of God which says: ‘This is my beloved Son, with him I am well pleased; listen to him.’ (Mt 17.5) is addressed to all of us.

We are called to be

transfigured, to let Jesus shine through us in our lives, and to be the self that God wants us to be, transfigured by our Christian faith.

Day three saw the group travelling to Jerusalem, with a stop at a baptismal site similar to where Jesus would have been baptised. As the landscape

changed from the greenery of Galilee to the barren desert of Jericho, Mass was celebrated at Wadi El Kelt, the valley of the shadow of death, which appears in Psalm 23. Fr John reflected on the role of the good shepherd which requires complete dedication, with the flock dependent on their shepherd to find them food, water, and safety.

A highlight of the pilgrimage was the day spent on foot in Jerusalem walking the Via Dolorosa, the Way of the Cross, praying the Stations on the route that Jesus would have taken as he left Gabbatha and carried his cross to Golgotha.

At Mass in the Church of the Last Supper Fr John explained that St Thomas Aquinas and Pope Francis both emphasise the importance of the Eucharist as medicinal. It is given to nourish and strengthen what has been damaged in us. We are all brought to God for healing, since Jesus entered into the depths of sin to redeem us, and in doing so, he becomes present in our own sorrow and sinfulness.

On the Mount of Olives, at Dominus Flevit, which is Latin for ‘the Lord wept’, was the reminder of the gospel on Palm Sunday: ‘As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you,

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even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.”’ (Lk 19.41-42) The final days of the pilgrimage were spent in Bethlehem, joining the local parish of Beit Jala for Sunday Mass. Pilgrims were fascinated to hear about the lives of parishioners and the daily challenges they face. Bethlehem enabled visits to sites associated with Jesus’ birth, including the grotto where he was born. The spot is marked with a silver star of 14 points which represents the 14 generations from Abraham to David, from David to the deportation to Babylon, and again from Babylon to Christ (Mt 1.1-17).

Speaking to pilgrim, it is clear that what they have seen and experienced will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

For some, this was a once-in-alifetime trip that they have dreamt of for many years.

Others had been to the Holy Land in the past, but hoped to connect with it now on a deeper, more spiritual level. For all, it has brought them closer to God and to his Son in a more profound way through walking in his footsteps.

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News

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

Remembering Those Who Served Remembrance Sunday around the Diocese

Remembrance Sunday 8 November 2015 was commemorated all around the diocese, with Masses for the Fallen and commemoration services at cenotaphs in different parishes taking place.

Cardinal Vincent joined the commemoration services at the Chapel of the Chelsea Pensioners, preaching the homily. He spoke of the fields of poppies in Flanders which stood as a reminder of the Fallen. Noting that the poppies had replaced wheat fields, he said: 'Here the seed represents not just the finest love that inspires heroism and sacrifice, but the very person of Jesus.

He is that eternal love of God made visible in our flesh and

experiencing, like us, the reality of death with its fear and abandonment.'

At Westminster Cathedral, the Mass for the Fallen, which was attended by representatives of all branches of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, was celebrated by Canon Christopher Tuckwell. The concelebrants included Armed Forces Chaplains, Fr Ian Evans, Assistant Chaplain General and Corps Colonel of the Royal Army Chaplains, Mgr Andrew McFadden, Principal Catholic Chaplain to the Royal Navy, and Fr James Caulfield, Principal Catholic Chaplain to the Royal Air Force.

Fr Ian Evans preached the homily, in which he recalled the sacrifice of those who gave their lives or sustained lifechanging injuries in the service of their nation. Comparing their sacrifice to that of the widow of Sidon in the first reading who takes a ‘leap of faith’, and the widow in the temple in the Gospel reading who is ‘prepared to sacrifice her own well-being as a woman of faith and a sign of her dependence on God’s will in her life, sublimating her own needs in response to the needs of others’, he said that service personnel too have demonstrated these same

‘human characteristics of faith, sacrifice and generosity of spirit’.

In Hertford, Bishop John attended the ecumenical Remembrance Sunday Service in All Saints' Church, where he preached the homily, in which he said, 'with gratitude for freedom, justice and peace we remember the Fallen and pray for members of the Armed Forces involved in present day conflicts'.

Bishop Nicholas, who was leading the diocesan pilgrimage to the Holy Land, offered prayers with the pilgrims in Manger Square, the site of Jesus’ birth. Reminding us that Jesus was born the Prince of Peace, he prayed to the Prince of Peace to grant eternal rest to all those who had lost their lives in two World Wars and in countless conflicts since. They prayed for all who have suffered the ravages of war and have been displaced, particularly in the Middle East.

Deceased Clergy Mass

This year the Mass for deceased clergy was celebrated on 24 November by Cardinal Vincent, along with Cardinal Cormac, Bishop John, Bishop Nicholas, and clergy from around the diocese. It was an opportunity to give thanks for the lives and service given by deceased clergy to the diocese. The Mass took place on the same day as the announcement of the episcopal appointments was made (see front page).

Bishop-elect Paul McAleenan and Bishop-elect John Wilson were also among the concelebrants.

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Annual Catholic Police Guild Requiem Mass The annual Requiem Mass for all deceased Police Officers took place at the Cathedral on 18 November. The principal celebrant was Fr Barry Lomax, a priest of the Diocese of Salford and National Chaplain to the Catholic Police Guild (CPG). Members of the guild and their families attended the Mass.

At the start, two police hats were presented to Fr Barry and were placed on the sanctuary for the duration of the Mass as a reminder of the sacrifice made by officers in the line of duty.

To close the Mass there was two minutes’ silence to remember those who had died, followed by the National Anthem.

The music was led by the Metropolitan Police Male Voice Choir, conducted by Richard Fox. Founded in 1914 as the Metropolitan and City Catholic Police Guild, the CPG was formed to provide for the spiritual needs of Catholic police men and women. Its membership now includes Police Officers, Police Staff and Police Community Support Officers from across England and Wales.

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Westminster Record | December 2015/ January 2016

Learning Pimlico Parish Lives About AoS Simply A group of Year 5 students from Westminster Cathedral School braved the cold to take part in a film for Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) on board HQS Wellington on the River Thames.

The six students went on board the former warship on 26 November. They spoke to AoS Tilbury port chaplain Wojciech Holub, who told them about his work with seafarers. Many are Catholic and from countries such as Philippines and Poland. The children were curious to find out about seafarers’ lives, and how AoS supports their pastoral and welfare needs.

Earlier that morning AoS Director of Development John Green and AoS London Officer Roland Hayes visited the school where they spoke to the students about the thousands of seafarers arriving at UK ports. The children were also shown samples of the everyday items that seafarers bring by ship.

‘We rely on the sea for many things and up to 95% of the goods we use or consume in the UK arrive by sea’, said John.

The children were involved in a film AoS has commissioned for Sea Sunday in July 2016. The film is produced by Ten Ten Theatre for their new strand of work, Ten Ten Resources, with the help of the Catholic Bishops Conference of England & Wales.

For more information about the work of AoS please visit www.apostleshipofthesea. org.uk For more information about Ten Ten Resources go to www.tentenresources.co.uk Page 16

Holy Apostles in Pimlico has become the fourth livesimply parish in the diocese.

Baroness Shirley Williams recently presented the livesimply plaque to Parish Priest Canon Pat Browne, and parishioners. It recognises the parish’s efforts to put into practice the principles of living simply, sustainably, and in solidarity with the poor.

To put their faith into action, the parish has moved forward on recycling, installing recycling bins throughout the premises.

Parishioners lend support to London Citizens, and the parish has achieved Fairtrade status. The livesimply assessors stated that the parish has gone above and beyond expectations.

To find out more about becoming a livesimply parish visit cafod.org.uk/livesimply

Volunteering Opportunities to Support Refugees

Christmas at Sea Most of us want to be at home at Christmas, surrounded by family and friends. But if you are a seafarer, you’re likely to find yourself in a port somewhere in a foreign land.

This only emphasises the loneliness and isolation many seafarers already experience when they are thousands of miles away from their families.

Typically, they are away at sea for 10 months at a time, often working 12 hours a day for low pay and living in cramped conditions with little in the way of creature comforts.

‘Many seafarers will spend Christmas at sea,’ says Wojciech Holub, Apostleship of the Sea chaplain to the port of Tilbury in Essex. ‘If the port does not operate on Christmas Day, seafarers will remain on their vessels, which stay anchored in waters outside it to cut running costs.’

Like other AoS chaplains around the coast of Britain, Wojciech tries to bring the Christmas message to the ships he visits. During Advent, chaplains often take calendars and cribs with them to help seafarers prepare spiritually.

Assisted by a team of volunteers, Wojciech also makes up Christmas parcels, which might contain socks, woolly hats, chocolates, and toiletries.

‘Christmas celebrations on board a vessel can take place during Advent or in January, as ships might be in the middle of the sea on Christmas Day,’ he explains.

It is not uncommon to hear from a seafarer that he has not spent a Christmas at home for many years. Through small gestures Wojciech and other AoS chaplains in ports around the country attempt to make Christmas special for seafarers.

And they know just how important these small gestures are.

In the past couple of months Caritas has been busy organising the diocesan response to the migrant crisis in Europe. Although the government is only allowing a small number of Syrian refugees to settle in the UK, the diocese is already home to many migrants and refugees who desperately need our support. Whatever your gifts or time commitments, please contact your parish priest to register your interest in volunteering with migrants.

Migrants are some of the most overlooked people in our society. Caritas assists parishes in setting up and running their own social action projects and is teaming up with Upbeat Communities to offer Welcome Boxes, a befriending project that has already helped refugees to find support and friendship in Derby.

Refugees and asylum seekers arrive in the UK after a long and difficult journey, having fled trauma and persecution in their home country, and find themselves in a place where they have no connections and do not speak the language. When trained

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volunteers arrive at their accommodation to deliver a Welcome Box, this is often the first time they have met a local person. Volunteers help families and individuals to find local groups and services, such as an English class, a doctor, or a school.

Welcome Boxes is a simple project to set up and Caritas will provide all the training needed. You only need a group of three or four volunteers to organise it, with donations from parishioners, local businesses and schools to fill the boxes.

To find out more about how you can set up your local Welcome Boxes project or how to get involved in existing projects, come along to our Refugee Volunteer Evening.

There will be talks from people with experience of running local projects and a chance to find out about volunteering opportunities in both London and Hertfordshire. The event will be held at Westminster Youth Ministry on 26 January from 6 to 9pm.

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Westminster Record | December 2015/ January 2016

Cycling for the Environment

In November 17 environmental activists of different Christian denominations including Anglicans, Baptists and Quakers embarked on a cycling pilgrimage to Paris to highlight the importance of the UN Conference on Climate Change, which took place from 30 November to 11 December.

Organised by the Westminster Justice and Peace Commission, it joined the Europe-wide Pilgrimage2Paris, and attracted campaigners from all over the country.

Taking place over three days and covering 150 miles, it followed the Avenue Verte cycling route from Dieppe to Paris. The first phase of the journey, from London to Newhaven, was completed in August.

Barbara Kentish, Fieldworker for Westminster Justice and Peace, observed that: ‘Laudato Si’ has had a huge impact on the climate change debate. Many people who have been campaigning on climate issues are absolutely delighted to see such a strong and positive statement from such a prominent religious figure.’

The Conference of the Parties in Paris is the 21st of its kind and a possible turning point in the fight against climate change. Delegations from many nations will stand on an equal footing to debate how to tackle climate change.

For the first time there may be an international, legallybinding agreement to lower carbon emissions and move

forward on renewable technologies, thereby preventing irreparable damage to creation.

Ann Wilson, a cycling pilgrim from CAFOD in Salford, said: ‘It is important that many people made the pilgrimage to Paris, because a critical mass of people can cause change. The collective voice can achieve what the individual cannot.’

Laudato Si’ Week at St Vincent de Paul School St Vincent de Paul Primary School, recently focused their learning for a week on Laudato Si’ . Staff received training on Catholic Social Teaching and there was also discussion about how the Pope’s message could best be shared with pupils Key Stage One concentrated on recycling and saving water, with assemblies led by a science teacher from the local Catholic high school and a school-linked CAFOD volunteers. A story teller led a session for every EYFS and KS1 class on the environment and its impact on wildlife.

The children enjoyed exploratory activities outdoors, to appreciate the beauty of God’s world and the need to take care of our common home.

Key Stage Two groups adopted a CAFOD theme: Water, Climate Change, Food, or Picture my World.

Tania from CAFOD’s Latin America team led sessions helping the children view the world’s resources as God’s

treasures that he shares with us.

The children then took part in a scavenger hunt, which helped them appreciate the beauty and value of the objects they brought back to the classroom.

Each of the eight KS2 classes spent a half-day working outside with a conservationist who, although not of any religious persuasion, commented: ‘I feel nearer to this Pope than any other before in my life and I was very impressed by the children’s responses in the assembly’.

Working with the conservation team, lower KS2 learnt about the beauty of God’s world through trust games, bug collecting, camp fire lighting, etc.

Upper KS2 went off-site and explored conservation projects in the nearby park and lake area.

The week concluded with an assembly led by a Year 6 class, based on resources from the CAFOD website and left staff inspired to plan further projects for our whole school community.

For more information, contact Westminster Justice and Peace on 020 8888 4222 or at justice@rcdow.org.uk Follow us on Twitter @westminsterjp and like us on facebook.com/westminjp for updates.

Balancing Development with Care for the Environment The Joint International Commission for dialogue between the World Methodist Council and the Roman Catholic Church met recently in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In this second part of his reflection, Bishop John, who attended the meeting, writes about the environmental challenges he witnessed.

As we arrived in Kuala Lumpur, we descended through heavy clouds into a very misty airport. Seeing many Malaysian planes on the tarmac, I thought and prayed for the hundreds of families whose lives had been torn apart by the recent air tragedies.

As Rev Dr Leão Neto, a Methodist minister from Willesden, and I were driven to the Council of Churches of Malaysia Centre in Petaling Jaya (a city next to KL) which was to Follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/diocese.westminster

be our home for the next week, we saw the great extent of the construction projects around KL. Economic expansion has led to massive development, the replacement of single level housing by skyscrapers, many eight-lane roads and intensely heavy traffic. There were lots of road works which showed how the road system needed to be expanded in a city in which the car reigns supreme. Many of the workers on these building projects are migrants from Bangladesh, India, the Philippines and Africa. We heard of increasing problems with the smuggling of drugs so our apparent ease of entry into the country might not be so benign for others.

The Petronas Twin Towers (88 levels, 452m), symbolising the dominance of the oil industry in Malaysia, were

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shrouded in mist and a smoggy haze hung over the city. We were told that cloud seeding had recently taken place to try and clear the smog which had been affecting SE Asia for a number of weeks. Schools had been closed and warnings for people with respiratory problems had been issued. The reason for the pollution was the burning of forests and plantations in Indonesia in order to expand the palm oil industry. I hadn’t realised the size of the industry or the effects of the acrid choking smoke in Malaysia.

A number of people later commented on the relevance and importance of Pope Francis’ letter, Laudato Si’ for helping to better understand the relationship between mother earth and a human ecology which respects networks of interdependent relationships

between people, and protects the most vulnerable in society.

Discussing the climate as a common good, the Pope writes concerning global warming, ‘Another determining factor has been an increase in changed uses of the soil, principally deforestation for agricultural purposes.’ (LS 23, 44).

After rapid expansion, the Malaysian economy is now more fragile with a recent fall in the value of currency, the ringgit, and allegations of government corruption involving 1MDB (1 Malysian Development Berhad).

I wondered what the city would look like in 2025.

I returned home with a greater appreciation of the challenges of balancing the need for continued development with care for the environment.

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Youth

Westminster Record | December 2015/ January 2016

Director’s Spotlight: Phil Ross

Chaplain’s Corner Fr David Reilly, Diocesan Youth Chaplain

The Year of Mercy is a call to the whole Church to enter the time and experience of the Jubilee. It is a trumpet call, a clear voice inviting the whole of humanity to rejoice in God’s endless mercy and to reflect it in our own lives. Throughout the Jubilee, and beyond, we are called to be ‘merciful like the Father’.

In each Holy Year, there is a special celebration for every part of the Church. In the middle of the Year of Mercy there will be a Jubilee of Youth so that the young people of the world may also participate in the celebration of God’s mercy.

The Jubilee of Youth will be celebrated around the world in

the particular churches, but its main celebration will be focused on Pope Francis’s visit to Poland in July 2016 for World Youth Day. Pope Francis had already announced that the next international youth celebration would be held in Krakow, Poland, at the end of July 2016, and in fact he had already decided the theme would be, ‘Blessed are the merciful’ from the Beatitudes in Matthew’s gospel. Now that the Holy Year has been announced and inaugurated, the events due to be held in Poland take on a new, deeper significance.

The diocese will be represented at World Youth Day by Cardinal Vincent and Bishop John, and many young adults. As we prepare to begin the Holy Year, perhaps each parish and young adult can consider if they too would like to be part of this remarkable celebration in the heart of the Holy Year. Please contact Westminster Youth Ministry to explore this special invitation and enter into the Jubilee of Mercy and the Jubilee of Youth.

Pilgrimage Updates World Youth Day: Łódź and Krakow 2016 The Westminster Youth Ministry team continues to work on the programme for the World Youth Day pilgrimage in July and in recent weeks some additions have been made to make the most of our time in Poland.

The first week of our pilgrimage begins in the city of Łódź where we will take part in the Chemin Neuf youth festival.

Whilst in Łódź, we are pleased to confirm that our group will celebrate Mass with Bishop John in the Cathedral. It will be a wonderful opportunity for our group to celebrate together during this mission week.

Travelling from Łódź to Krakow, we will visit Jasna Góra Shrine (Częstochowa) where we will celebrate Mass. This is the most famous Polish shrine to Mary and the country’s greatest place of pilgrimage. This shrine is home to the image of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa.

In Łódź and Krakow we will be housed in students’ halls of residence with dedicated floors for our group. The accommodation in both locations is convenient for all our activities and we have a doctor and an excellent pastoral support team travelling with us.

Our driving force is to give pilgrims the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the joy of the occasion. Full details of our WYD Pilgrimage can be found on our website here: http://dowym.com/events/wyd/ Don't miss out!

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To find out more about the Youth Ministry and experiences of our young people at: dowym.org.uk.

The Year of Mercy is upon us, and as a part of this Extraordinary Jubilee we are all encouraged to undertake a pilgrimage during the next twelve months.

This is a real opportunity for young people to reflect on their faith, and spending time outside the normal busyness of life can truly help recalibrate our priorities.

Is Jesus at the centre of your life?

Often, a pilgrimage can seem like an extended visit to some farflung destination but actually it can be quite different.

Pope Francis tells us that to obtain the benefits of the Jubilee and of God’s mercy in this year, the faithful are called to make a brief pilgrimage to the Holy Door, open in every Cathedral, and preferably to bring another person with them to share the experience.

Most parishes will be organising a pilgrimage to our Cathedral and this is a very simple and fulfilling way to follow the encouragement of the Holy Father. Keep an eye out on your local notice boards and newsletters and maybe even speak with your Parish Priest about parish plans.

On 9 July there will be a diocesan pilgrimage to Walsingham and, whilst details are yet to be announced, young people will be encouraged to be a part of this event and it is hoped that several thousand people will attend the day, a real testimony to the strength of faith in our local parish communities.

Of course, young people will be able to celebrate their Jubilee with the Pope at World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland and, as publicised, our Youth Ministry Pilgrimage is taking shape, with those over the age of 16 invited to join us.

More information about the Year of Mercy diocesan pilgrimages can be found at rcdow.org.uk and details of the Westminster Youth Ministry pilgrimage to World Youth Day details can be found here: http://dowym.com/events/ wyd/.

Within the events section of the Youth Ministry website you can find details of other pilgrimages organised by our friends at Youth 2000.

There are so many ways to embrace the Holy Father’s determination for us to become pilgrims during this year, so plan ahead and then do it!

St Augustine’s Student Elected Ealing Youth Mayor Pervin Kaur, a student in Year 13 at St Augustine’s Priory, Ealing has recently been elected the new Youth Mayor for Ealing.

Pervin said that, ‘Being Youth Mayor for Ealing is giving me a platform to be the voice of youth, to advocate our views on an efficient level by having access to local decision makers.’

Having served for several years as an Ealing Youth councillor and also a member of the Ealing Youth Parliament, Pervin has a great deal of experience which she seeks to utilise in her work this year.

The new Ealing Youth Mayor will be working on several issues including a resource pack for PSHEE in schools on the issues of mental health, female genital mutilation, sex education, politics and finances. This pack will include lesson plans for teachers. On the issue of youth unemployment Pervin will be working on the forthcoming Ealing 100 in 100 programme, which seeks to give 100 apprenticeships to young people in 100 days.

She will also be fundraising for The Little Princess, a charity which provides real hair wigs to children across the UK and Ireland who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment.

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See photos of youth events at: http://flickr.com/ photos/catholicwestminster

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

Sisters of Sion: Living out Nostra Aetate The Church has recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Second Vatican Council’s Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions. At the heart of living out of this groundbreaking document have been the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion. Founded in 1843 by Theodore Ratisbonne, a convert from Judaism to Catholicism, the Sisters dedicate themselves to ‘witnessing in the Church to the fidelity of God to his love for the Jewish people’. Here three of the sisters, based in Bayswater, speak of their charism and calling.

What impact did Nostra Aetate have on the Sisters of Sion?

Sr Brenda: I entered at the time of the Second Vatican Council and there was this movement within the congregation that we should no longer be praying for the conversion of the Jews. At that stage the Mother General, Mother Felix, understood that after Nostra Aetate the landscape of the Church’s relations with other faiths had radically changed. She realised that there also had to be a conversion among the sisters as well. It was like osmosis; we were helped to change step by step. We were encouraged to visit a synagogue, which was unheard of in the 1970s. This meant that we started to make

real friendships with Jewish people and developed respect and mutual understanding for each other. This also meant that we needed to deepen our understanding of our own faith in order to enter into dialogue.

Sr Kasia: The experience of the Holocaust was very important in this journey. After the horror of it, we needed to reflect on what had happened, and for this we realised that we needed our friendships with Jewish people so as to understand better their experience of all this.

If someone was to ask you today what is the core charism of the Sisters of Sion, how would you answer them?

Sr Anne: When we make our religious vows, we commit ourselves to ‘witness to God’s faithful love for the Jewish people’. This can be expressed in many ways, such as through a deeper theological understanding of Judaism. Also in parishes we have groups for Scripture study, which aim to help people understand how the Gospels build on our Jewish roots. Another key aspect is that our deeper understanding of the history of the Jewish people should make us more sensitive and responsive to the suffering of all victims of prejudice and persecution, because this has very much been the history of the Jewish people.

Sr Brenda: We have a threefold commitment: to the Church, to the Jewish people

and to a world of justice and peace. The work of a Sister of Sion can be very varied, but it has the same starting point: to witness to God’s faithful love for the Jewish people. All of this is very much rooted in the Church’s teaching.

Sr Kasia: We say that we have a Biblical spirituality, this is our golden thread. A part of every day should be spent in contact with the Scriptures, which are at the heart of our daily prayer.

Sr Anne: We also have two houses in Jerusalem: one in the Muslim quarter, the Ecce Homo convent and Biblical study

centre, and the other called Ein Kerem, which is on the outskirts of Jerusalem. We have had these two houses since the days of our founder in the 1850s, which means that we all have the opportunity to live and work in Jerusalem, where we also now have our international novitiate. This allows us to really deepen our experience of the Sion charism at the very heart of Jewish and Palestinian culture today.

Sr Kasia: I have come to London to study with the Jewish community, with whom I am doing my PhD. How many Christians have the opportunity

to be with future rabbis in their rabbinical seminary? I have to be really open and listen to them. There is such truth and beauty in their tradition. I was deeply touched when some of them came to my celebration of final vows earlier this year.

After this they gave me a blessing for my journey ahead, which was a very special moment for me. We have come such a long way. Thanks be to God! For details of the sisters’ work in London contact sioncentrefordialogue@ gmail.com

Diaconate Ordinations On Saturday 21 November Bishop Philip Egan of Portsmouth visited Allen Hall seminary to ordain two candidates to the Diaconate.

John Scott was ordained for service here in Westminster, and alongside him was Ross Bullock, who will serve in Bishop Philip’s diocese. Visitors and supporters included friends from John’s previous ministry in the Church of England and from Ross’s teaching career. Referring to the day’s feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Bishop Egan spoke of Our Lady’s complete self-giving in obedience to the will of the Father as a sign of the Follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/diocese.westminster

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commitment which the new deacons were to make, both in their promise of celibacy and in their willingness to embrace Christ as their model of service to God’s people. ‘Quote quote’.

Deacon John has already been working in the Catholic parishes of Borehamwood at weekends and will continue to serve there in his new role.

For more information on vocations please contact Fr Richard Nesbitt richardnesbitt@rcdow.org.uk or 020 7349 5624 If you have a story or an event you would like to have featured on this page, please contact communications@rcdow.org.uk or 020 7798 9030 Page 19

Parish Profile

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

Stanmore: A Well-connected Parish

by Martha Behan When approaching St William of York in Stanmore, it is easy to see why the parish is hosting a Holy Door. The grade II listed building, designed by Hector Corfiato, has three identical front doors which dominate the façade of the church. The interior is also visually striking, with its ciborium and artwork by Rachel Sim on either side of the altar.

Canon Michael Munnelly, current Parish Priest, explained that the parish began when a group of Dominican sisters built a school and a convent in the area. They requested a priest to come and celebrate Sunday Mass.

The first Mass was celebrated in the school hall on the first Sunday of Advent 1938, which was the first step into becoming a flourishing parish.

During the fifties plans were begun for a church and presbytery. The house was built in the late 1950s and the church finished shortly after. Canon Goggins stepped into the role of the first Parish Priest.

The church opened in 1961 and was dedicated to the English saint William of York at the request of Cardinal Godfrey.

Canon Michael attributes the

Page 20

success of the parish to its foundation in a religious community and school which brought families into the area.

The family is the life of the Church, he explained, and without children the parish would have no future. Canon Michael praised the commitment of the nuns in their efforts to serve the spiritual needs of the community and their drive to set up a parish in Stanmore.

The parish today has a multicultural congregation as well as many young families, who are attracted by the easy commute into central London.

This offers unique opportunities as well as some challenges. Canon Michael acknowledges that the role of the Parish Priest has changed to respond to this; he is now called to be more flexible. He sees this as a good thing, however, saying, ‘I have a deep drive to build faith’. This is what he must do first and foremost, and if that means having wedding preparation when people come back from work at 9pm then that is what he must do. Family life is evidently still at the heart of the church in Stanmore.

This parish offers many opportunities for people to

©Michael Nolan

share their faith together, in the form of an annual pilgrimage.

In past years groups have been to Rome and Assisi, the Holy Land and Lourdes. On a rainy Thursday evening when visiting the parish, parishioners were making preparations for their Christmas fair, setting up tables laden with gifts and activities.

As well as the church, Canon Michael is the chaplain for Stanmore Orthopaedic Hospital, which he considers a blessing. The hospital is mainly for long-term residents, meaning it is possible to build relationships with patients. The Canon sees it as a privilege to witness the ‘heroic love’ of parents and spouses there.

It is clear that Canon Michael has a deep commitment to his parish, one that reminds us of the important role of accompaniment that priests are called to play. In difficult times, we should all be looking for guidance from God. The parish is prepared for the Year of Mercy. Artist Rachel Sim has been commissioned to provide artwork for the church, that you will see as soon as you enter the Holy Door, which has been decorated with greenery.

‘I am grateful we have so many physical signs of faith’, Canon Michael reflects, giving us his perspective on Holy Doors. Not only are the doors for letting

pilgrims enter into God’s mercy, but they also should let things out of the church. ‘Take your faith out into the world’, he stresses, ‘do not trap Jesus inside’. Not only will the parish be hosting a Door of Mercy, but they will be holding a series of talks throughout Advent, culminating in the solemn opening of the Holy Door on 1 January.

This Year of Mercy we should be showing mercy in our everyday lives, lives that happen outside the doors of the church. Just as we are shown mercy by going through a Holy Door into a church, we should

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show mercy when we go through the door and out into the world.

From the founding of this parish to its current day there are many common themes.

The drive to build faith and the importance of the family are just some of the things that stand out at Stanmore and make it a welcoming place to worship.

Founded:1961 Mass Times: (Sat 5.30pm) 8, 10 (sung) Telephone: 020 8864 5455 Website: parish.rcdow.org.uk/stanmore

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Pilgrimage

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

Journeying towards God’s Mercy: Cardinal Vincent’s Advent Reflection

© Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk

Pope Francis calls the Church to observe a Year of Mercy from 8 December. It is a wonderful gift, a marvellous inspiration to help us to get to

the very heart of the Gospel and then to be able to offer it to others. From the very first time he appeared at the window of his study, Pope

Francis has talked about the mercy of God being the real driving spirit of the whole of our discipleship of Christ. He says, until we have received, been caressed by the mercy of God, we will not fully understand our discipleship of Christ. So he offers this year that we may be refreshed in our living the faith at its deepest point.

I encounter in myself the need for God’s mercy most days. By the time I get to the end of the day, I’ve normally managed to put my foot in it, say the wrong thing at the wrong time, and leave a little trail of damage behind me. I hope it’s not too dramatic most

days; some days it can be.

Every day therefore I begin by asking for God’s mercy for the day ahead and end it by saying, ‘well, Lord, there you are. I didn’t do that too well.

Maybe we can do better tomorrow.’

Mercy is like the heartbeat of the relationship that I have with the Lord and I just try and let him pick me up again, dust me down, fill me with his grace and say, ‘come on, you can do better than that. Just keep trying and I’m with you always.’

The Year of Mercy can also be thought of as a pilgrimage.

When we go on pilgrimage we leave our customary ways.

Some of them might be very comfortable. Some of those things might be quite upsetting that we do over and over again. But we set out to find something new. Here on this pilgrimage, we set out again to find the mercy of God. There’s only one way in which we’ll find it; and that is if we set out on this pilgrimage as beggars, as people who know what we need. We need to be accepted as we are and enabled to grow to be much better than we are. And that’s the story of God’s mercy at work in our lives for us to discover during this precious Year of Mercy.

DVD Review: To Be a Pilgrim: The Canterbury Way To Be A Pilgrim: The Canterbury Way, featuring Fr Marcus Holden and Fr Nicholas Schofield, 2 DVDs, 126 minutes, directed

by Christian Holden, St Anthony Communications, 2015, t: 01834 812643, www.saintant.com The name of Fr Nicholas Schofield is familiar to many in Westminster as our Archivist and author of a number of books, whilst Fr Marcus Holden is Rector of the Shrine of St Augustine in Ramsgate and known to Pugin enthusiasts through his restoration work at that church. However, he has a wider interest in pilgrimage, and together the two are wellequipped to guide us along pilgrim ways, in this case from London Bridge down to Canterbury.

Abounding in history though the route may be, the purpose of this film is not just historical. The roads, tracks, churches, and inns are largely still to be found and nothing prevents us from becoming pilgrims ourselves. We speak of the Church as a ‘pilgrim people’, of life as a journey; these metaphors are meaningful, but much more so when we actually start walking. There is no one way to be a pilgrim, no one place to

visit, for God lets himself be found in a multitude of ways: in the Holy Land, the place of Jesus’s earthly life, in places of vision, such as Lourdes, and at sites associated with the saints, like Canterbury, the site of St Thomas Becket’s martyrdom.

But some things characterise most pilgrimage: journeying with and meeting others, sharing hospitality, a desire for God and his grace, whether focused especially on the destination or on the prayer offered during the journey.

So the two priests make their way from Southwark, following in part the route taken by Chaucer’s 14th century pilgrims, and then joining one of the other traditional routes from Winchester. Just off the main roads of South London there are remains of former religious houses; the suburbs give way to countryside and then reappear with the approach to Rochester, where the cathedral has its own miracle narrative relating to the pilgrim St William of Perth. Perhaps the clearest evidence of the contemporary revival of pilgrimage in the South-East is at Aylesford Priory, where the Carmelite community continues to flourish, regularly attracting crowds to the events and liturgies which surround the Shrine and relics of St

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Simon Stock, the 13th century Prior General who established the Carmelite life in Europe.

But Aylesford is not the final destination; Canterbury is, and the medieval churches en route bear witness to that in myriad ways. One has a porch with a fireplace where pilgrims could shelter until enough of them had formed a group large enough to deter the thieves who populated the forest on the next stage of the route.

Canterbury itself offers more than the Cathedral; Harbledown, just outside, still has its ancient leper hospital, whilst St Dunstan’s church has the Roper family vault in which the head of St Thomas More (another martyr for the freedom of the Church) is buried. Frs Marcus and Nicholas take us into the cathedral and show us the sights (and sites). Where the shrine of St Thomas stood, only a solitary candle now marks the spot. They mention briefly the Catholic parish church of St Thomas near the cathedral and its possession of authentic relics, but it would have been good if they had gone into the church and shown us the relic chapel and the relics themselves. Surely no Catholic will make the pilgrimage to Canterbury and fail to make their devotions to St Thomas there also.

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If you are thinking of making a pilgrimage, or are interested to see how much remains that testifies to the attraction of pilgrimage, then this DVD is good value; start off with Canterbury, and you may end up much further afield, for God is everywhere to be discovered.

Page 21

Saints & Obituaries St Anthony, Abbot – 17 January towards the desert. Initially he became the disciple of another ascetic, but after a time was able to move into greater solitude.

The account of his life by St Athanasius is the source for the stories of Anthony’s trials and temptations, which have been vividly depicted by centuries of artists. Whilst they are expressed in terms of attack by evil spirits and demons, their result is displayed in health, integrity and wisdom. Thus he retires to an abandoned Roman fort and lives on a little bread for 20 years, yet is found at the end of this time to be in good physical shape. Met by a hunter who is surprised to find him relaxing a little, the saint replies that just as the hunter does not keep his bow permanently taut lest it break, so too the ascetic tempers his regime. Although apparently illiterate, Anthony knows the scriptures by heart and is consulted by visitors from near and far, including philosophers who have heard of his fame and teaching.

Although not the first Christian to embrace an ascetical

Canon Formby RIP Canon George Formby died on 25 November aged 84. He died peacefully at The Grange care home in Goring-on-Thames.

Born in December 1931, he was ordained in February 1956

aged 24. His last Parish was St Margaret of Scotland, St Margarets-on-Thames.

He retired in 2007 and lived in St Charles Square in recent years.

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Ramblers’ Club meets on every Sunday for walks around London and the Home Counties.

Contact by email: antoinette_adkins2000@yahoo .co.uk, call 020 8769 3643 or check out the website: www.stfrancisramblers. ukwalkers.com

Free Catholic Tours

Page 22

‘Saints and Scholars’ walk first Sunday of the month, including Mass.

Contact Peter on 07913 904997 or circlingthesquaretours@ hotmail.co.uk.

lifestyle, nor the first to respond to the lure of the desert as the place to live it out, St Anthony has become known as the ‘Father of Monks’. All his years of silence, temptation and prayer would be of no value had they been merely exercises in selffulfillment. As it is, he used his experiences both for the Church and beyond its bounds and so doing gathered disciples who came to learn from his wisdom and copy his example. From this there developed the rich and continuing monastic tradition of those whose lives are based on the pattern of prayer and manual work. The saint died in 356, at the age of 105, a tribute to his way of life; but still in Egypt, and now throughout the world, his legacy lives on and inspires.

A thought: A millennium separates St Anthony from St Francis of Assisi, but both were formed by the same Gospel passage, albeit their lives were led in very different ways. The riches of the Gospel are not exhausted in only one form of response.

In Memoriam: December

© Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P.

We celebrate in Anthony a Christian who heard the Gospel. Is that so difficult to do? Yes, because hearing the Gospel, taking it to heart, can be very different to the listening which often characterizes our responses.

We know of Anthony that he was an Egyptian born in the middle of the third century to land-owning parents and that he also had a sister. His parents died when he was 18, which is when he went into a church where St Matthew’s gospel was being read: ‘If you wish to be perfect, go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me [19:21]’. Hearing this, Anthony obeyed it, retaining only what was needed for himself and his sister. Embracing a life of simplicity, however, he realized that more was asked of him, when he heard Christ’s further words: ‘Do not be anxious about tomorrow [6:34]’. He then disposed of all his property, entrusted his sister to an existing group of virgins and moved out

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

Ken Minton RIP Kenneth Minton, a past trustee of the diocese, died on 19 November 2015.

Ken, his wife Mary and son Paul moved to St Albans from Wigan in the late 1970s and joined the Parish of St Bartholomew’s, where the family soon became involved in the life of the city and parish. As chief executive of La Port Chemicals he marked his company’s centenary with the installation in St Albans Cathedral of the stained glass in the second largest rose window in the country, a result of the family’s interest and commitment to ecumenism and their support for the ecumenical chaplaincy founded at the cathedral in 1983. In later years the family also donated one of the new bells for the restored peel in the great Norman tower of the cathedral.

Ken gave generously of his time and expertise to the parish and diocese. He was asked by Cardinal Murphy

O’Connor to become a trustee of the diocese in 2003 and his services were recognised by the Holy Father when he was made a Knight of St Gregory.

After many years of valued service, as his health deteriorated, he retired as a trustee in 2012.

Bishop John Arnold praised his contribution, saying: ‘Ken always brought a quiet and encouraging tone to the trustees’ meetings. His criticism or counter proposals were always couched in courteous language so that noone felt belittled or offended.

His contributions were always well informed and clearly expressed.’

Ken Minton was proud of his faith that had its roots in the strong Catholic tradition of Lancashire where he grew up.

As a leading businessman he would always stand up for his religion and endeavour to put in to practice the tenets of his faith. May he rest in peace.

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3 Fr Harold Purney (1983) 4 Fr John Simcox (1972) Fr Peter Allen (1978) Fr Benedict Westbrook (1989) Mgr Wilfrid Purney (1987) 6 Fr John Harper-Hill (1998) Mgr Alexander Groves (1998) 11 Fr Dalton Haughey (1991) 12 Fr Laurence Kingseller (1975) 13 Fr Jeremiah Daly (1974) 14 Deacon Michael Bykar (2008) 15 Fr Francis Donovan (1983) 16 Mgr George Tancred (2002) Fr John Donlan (2006) 18 Canon Bernard George (1980) 19 Canon John Shaw (1981) Fr Edward Gwilliams (1981) Fr William Campling (1996) Fr Edward Scanlan (1992) 21 Fr Clive Godwin (1974) 23 Fr Ian Dickie (2012) 24 Fr Manoel Gomes (1989) 25 Deacon Ron Saunders (2007) 26 Fr Alan O’Connor (1992) Fr Bernard Lavin (1999) 27 Fr Andrew Morley (1993) 28 Mgr Canon Joseph Collings (1978) Fr Gerard Mulvahey (1996) 29 Fr Robert Bradley (1976) 30 Canon Alexander Stewart (1976) 31 Fr Wilfrid Trotman (1976) Fr Stephen Rigby (1978) Fr George Swanton (1979) Fr Dennis Skelly (1996) Fr Michael Ware (1998) In Memoriam: January 1 Cardinal Francis Bourne (1935) Fr Brendan Soane (2000) 2 Fr Sidney Dommersen (1970) Fr Alexander Wells (1970) Fr Cyril Wilson (1988) 3 Fr Donald Campbell (1985) Fr Denis Cantwell (1995) 4 Fr Bernard Canham (1990) Fr William Brown (2001) 6 Fr Thomas Mc Namara (1976) Fr Thomas Anderson (1974) Mgr Graham Leonard (2010) Mgr Ralph Brown (2014) 7 Fr John T Carberry (1988) 8 Fr John Kearsey (2004) 10 Mgr Ernest T Bassett (1990) Fr William Kahle (1993) Fr Patrick Nolan (2014) 11 Mgr Eustace Bernard (1972) Fr Mark Coningsby (2014) 12 Fr Arthur P Mintern (1993) 13 Fr Francis Dent (1963) 14 Cardinal Henry Manning (1892) Fr Peter Lyons (1998) 15 Canon James Hathway (1976) Fr Anthony Busuttil (2013) 16 Fr Edward Hinsley (1976) Canon Frederick Smyth (2007) 17 Fr George O’Connor (1989) Fr Edward Dering Leicester (1977) 18 Fr Gerry Ennis (2000) Fr Robin Whitney (2012) 19 Fr Oldrich Trnka (2003) 20 Mgr George Leonard (1993) Fr Thomas Gardner (1995) Fr Stephen Bartlett (2012) 21 Preb Ronald Pilkington (1975) 22 Cardinal William Godfrey (1963) 23 Fr Derek Jennings (1995) 25 Canon William Heffernan (1965) Fr Bernard Fisher (1990) 26 Bishop Patrick Casey (1999) 29 Fr Frederick Vincent (1973) 30 Fr Joseph Fehrenbach (1985) Fr Patrick Howard (2000) Fr Philip Dayer (2005) Follow us on Twitter at: twitter.com/RCWestminster

Events & Calendar

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

Liturgical Calendar December & January

REGULAR EVENTS If you have an event, please email: communications@rcdow.org.uk

Prayer Groups SUNDAYS Taizé at St James, Piccadilly W1J 9LL every third Sunday 5pm.

Call 020 7503 5128 for details.

Tyburn Benedictines Monastic afternoon Every first Sunday 2-5pm Martyrs’ Crypt, Tyburn Convent, 8 Hyde Park Place W2 2LJ. Westminster Cathedral Young Adults meet socially after the 7pm Mass on Sundays and then at the nearby Windsor Castle pub.

For further details please contact: westminsteryoungadults@gmail. com.

MONDAYS Mothers’ Prayers at St Dominic’s Priory, Haverstock Hill NW5 4LB Mondays 2.30-3.30pm in the Lourdes Chapel.

All are welcome.

TUESDAYS Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Tuesdays 6-9pm concluding with Benediction at Newman House, 111 Gower Street WC1E 6AR. Details 020 7387 6370.

Prayers for London at the Shrine of Our Lady of Willesden Tuesdays 7.30pm. Organised by the Guild of Our Lady of Willesden, Nicoll Road NW10 9AX. Vocations Prayer Group Second Tuesday of the month 8pm at 47C Gaisford Street NW5 2EB. Taizé at St James’, Spanish Place, W1U 3UY every first Tuesday of the month at 7pm. Email: penny28hb@aol.com or just come along.

WEDNESDAYS Wednesdays on the Wall (WOTW) Every first Wednesday 6pm at All Hallows on the Wall, 83 London Wall EC2M 5ND. A short service of prayer and reflection at 6pm, coffee at 6.45pm followed by discussion.

Corpus Christi Contemplative Prayer Group for Young Adults Wednesdays from 7pm at Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane WC2E 7NB. For further details please contact corpuschristipg@yahoogroups. co.uk.

Evangelisation Prayer Group for young adults meets from 7pm on Wednesdays at Notre Dame de France, 5 Leicester Place WC2H 7BX. For further details please contact Armel at apostles.jesus@yahoo.co.uk.

Our Lady, Untier of Knots, Prayer Group of Intercession meets every third Wednesday at St Anselm & St Cecilia, Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

Parish Mass at 6pm followed by Prayer Group until 8.45pm. Rosary, Adoration, Silent prayer and Divine Mercy Chaplet. Email: Antonia antonia4161@gmail.com.

THURSDAYS Jesus Christ the Fullness of Life Every first Thursday of the month.

Young adults from all Christian denominations pray and share a meal. Details www.jcfl.org.uk.

Soul Food A Catholic charismatic prayer group for young adults meets Thursdays 7-9pm at St Charles Borromeo, Ogle Street W1W 6HS. Details at www.soulfoodgroup.org.

St John Paul II Prayer Group Every second Thursday of the month 7-8pm, Mass, Adoration and Prayer at Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane WC2E 7NB.

FRIDAYS Divine Mercy Prayers and Mass Every first Friday 2.30-4.30pm at Our Lady, Mother of the Church, 2 Windsor Road W5 5PD. Westminster Cathedral Charismatic Prayer Group meet every Friday 7.30pm Prayer, Praise and Teaching.

First Friday is a healing Mass. For details, please call 020 8748 2632.

SATURDAYS Taizé at Notre Dame de France 5 Leicester Place WC2H 7BX at 7.15pm. Call 020 7437 9363.

1 Tue 2 Wed 3 Thu 4 Fri 5 Sat 6 Sun 7 Mon 8 Tue 9 Wed 10 Thu 11 Fri 12 Sat 13 Sun 14 Mon 15 Tue 16 Wed 17 Thu 18 Fri 19 Sat 20 Sun 21 Mon 23 Wed 24 Thu 25 Fri 26 Sat 27 Sun 28 Mon 29 Tue 30 Wed 31 Thu 1 Fri 2 Sat 3 Sun 4 Mon 5 Tue 6 Wed 7 Thu 8 Fri 9 Sat 10 Sun 11 Mon 12 Tue 13 Wed 14 Thu 15 Fri 16 Sat 17 Sun 18 Mon 19 Tue 20 Wed 21 Thu 22 Fri 23 Sat 24 Sun 25 Mon 26 Tue 27 Wed 28 Thu 29 Fri 30 Sat 31 Sun

Advent feria Advent feria St Francis Xavier, Priest Advent feria or St John Damascene, Priest & Doctor; Friday abstinence Advent feria + 2nd SUNDAY OF ADVENT St Ambrose, Bishop & Doctor THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, Patron of the Diocese Advent feria or St Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin Advent feria Advent feria or St Damascus I, Pope; Friday abstinence Advent feria or Our lady of Guadalupe + 3rd SUNDAY OF ADVENT (Gaudete Sunday) St John of the Cross, Priest & Doctor Advent feria Advent feria Advent feria Advent feria; Friday abstinence Advent feria + 4th SUNDAY OF ADVENT Advent feria or St Peter Canisius, Priest & Doctor Advent feria or St John of Kanty, Priest Advent feria (am); CHRISTMAS EVE (pm) + THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD (CHRISTMAS) ST STEPHEN, The First Martyr + THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH THE HOLY INNOCENTS, Martyrs ST THOMAS BECKET, Bishop & Martyr 6th DAY IN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS 7th DAY IN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS SOLEMNITY OF MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD Sts Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops & Doctors + THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD Christmas feria Christmas feria Christmas feria Christmas feria or St Raymond of Penyafort, Priest Christmas feria; Friday abstinence Christmas feria + THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD feria, First Week of Year 2 feria or St Aelred of Rievaulx feria or St Hilary, Bishop & Doctor feria feria; Friday abstinence feria or Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday + 2nd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME feria, Second Week of Year 2 feria or St Wulstan, Bishop feria or St Fabian, Pope & Martyr or St Sebastian, Martyr St Agnes, Virgin & Martyr feria or St Vincent, Deacon & Martyr feria or Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday + 3rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME THE CONVERSION OF ST PAUL THE APOSTLE Sts Timothy and Titus, Bishops feria, Third Week of Year 2 or St Angela Merici, Virgin St Thomas Aquinas, Priest & Doctor feria; Friday abstinence feria or Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday + 4th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Other regular Masses Deaf Community Mass First Sunday of the month 4.30pm at Westminster Cathedral Hall, Ambrosden Avenue SW1P 1QW. Young Adults Mass Held every Sunday at Church of the Immaculate Conception, 114 Mount Street W1K 3AH. Quiet prayer 7.15pm, Mass 7.30pm.

Social gathering afterwards.

Contact: team@fsplus.info or visit www.fsplus.info.

Mass at Canary Wharf Held on Tuesdays at 12.30pm at 2 Churchill Place E14 5RB. Organised by Mgr Vladimir Felzmann, Chaplain to Canary Wharf Communities. Details www.cwcc.org.uk.

St Albans Abbey Fridays at 12 noon. Mass in the Lady Chapel of St Albans Abbey AL1 1BY. LGBT Catholics Westminster Mass 2nd & 4th Sundays 6.15pm, Church of the Immaculate Conception, 114 Mount Street, W1K 3AH. Contact: lgbtcatholicswestminster@gmail. com EXTRAORDINARY FORM MASSES Sundays: Low Mass 9.30am, St James Spanish Place W1U 3QY. Low Mass 9am, The Oratory, Brompton Road SW7 2RP. Low Mass 5pm, St Bartholomew, St Albans AL1 2PE. Low Mass 5.30pm, Shrine of Our Lady of Willesden, NW10 9AX. Mondays: Low Mass 8am The Oratory, Brompton Road SW7 2RP Mass 6.30pm Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane WC2E 7NB. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays: Low Mass, 8am The Oratory, Brompton Road SW7 2RP. Fridays: Low Mass 7.45am St Mary Moorfields, 4/5 Eldon Street EC2N 7LS. Low Mass 8am The Oratory, Brompton Road SW7 2RP. Low Mass 6pm St Etheldreda, Ely Place EC1N 6RY. First Friday only.

Low Mass 6pm St John the Baptist Church, King Edward's Road E9 7SF. First Friday only.

Low Mass 6.30pm Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane WC2E 7NB. Second Friday only.

Saturdays: Low Mass 12.15pm, St Wilfrid’s Chapel, The Oratory, Brompton Road SW7 2RP. Low Mass 4.30pm, Side Chapel, Westminster Cathedral SW1P 1QW. Second Saturday only.

Praying with Pope Francis December 2015 Universal Intention: Experiencing God’s mercy - That all may experience the mercy of God, who never tires of forgiving.

For Evangelisation: Families - That families, especially those who suffer, may find in the birth of Jesus a sign of certain hope.

January 2016 Universal Intention: Interreligious Dialogue - That sincere dialogue among men and women of different faiths may produce the fruits of peace and justice.

For Evangelisation: Christian Unity - That by means of dialogue and fraternal charity and with the grace of the Holy Spirit, Christians may overcome divisions.

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Page 23

Year of Mercy

Westminster Record | December 2015/January 2016

Merciful Like the Father: Jubilee Indulgence

by Fr Mark Vickers Do indulgences still exist?

On 31 October 1522 Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to a church door in Wittenburg, protesting at the abusive sale of indulgences to fund the building of the new basilica of St Peter’s at the Vatican. Many Catholics assume that the practice of indulgences ceased, if not then, at least by the time of the Second Vatican Council. Yet in 1967 Bl Pope Paul VI issued an Apostolic Constitution ‘to give greater dignity and esteem to the use of indulgences’.

Pope Francis issued an indulgence to young people attending World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro in 2013. He sees the granting of indulgences as integral to the Year of Mercy.

So what is an indulgence?

Indulgences remain a part of the life of the Church because they relate to the human condition, to

the mercy of God and to the role of the Church in dispensing that mercy.

Separation from God, which is the consequence of sin, is dealt with by the absolution granted in sacramental Confession. Yet other consequences can still remain.

Traditionally, the Church has spoken of ‘the temporal punishment due to sin’, which we may encounter either in this world or in Purgatory. It is not a question of God inflicting punishment, but rather the natural consequences flowing from sin.

Indulgences are an action of the Church drawing on the infinite merits of Christ, and the merits of the saints, won in the eyes of the Father. ‘An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven.’

Pope Francis puts it like this: ‘Despite being forgiven, the conflicting consequences of sin remain … sin leaves a negative

effect on the way we think and act.

But the mercy of God is stronger even than this. It becomes indulgence on the part of the Father who, through the Bride of Christ, his Church, reaches the pardoned sinner and frees him from every residue of sin, enabling him to act with charity, to grow in love rather than to fall back into sin.’

If this is ‘indulgence on the part of the Father,’ why does the Church attach conditions?

Indulgences remind us that mercy is pure gift from God, unmerited on our part.

Nevertheless, the Church is concerned to demonstrate that indulgences are not something mechanical or superstitious.

For Pope Paul VI, they were the means of cultivating a spirit of prayer and penance, and the practice of the theological virtues.

Indulgences are connected to some act of piety or devotion which are a sign of our willingness to receive forgiveness. They are always connected to faith, which is why the Church asks those gaining indulgences to be properly disposed, to pray and to receive the sacraments.

The Jubilee Indulgence Any Catholic in a state of grace can gain and benefit from the indulgence, which can be for themselves or be applied by them for the benefit of the Holy Souls.

What are the conditions?

The act specified by the Holy Father for the Year of Mercy is a brief pilgrimage to the Holy Door.

In addition to Westminster Cathedral, the Cardinal has designated the following parishes at which the indulgence may been gained by passing through their Holy Door: Brook Green, the Italian Church in Clerkenwell, Enfield, Haverstock Hill, Hounslow, Kingsland, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Marylebone, Soho Square, Stanmore, Tower Hill, Waltham Cross, Our Lady’s in Welwyn Garden City, Our Lady of Willesden.

The normal conditions attaching to an indulgence are receiving Holy Communion, celebrating the sacrament of Confession, and praying one Our Father and one Hail Mary for the Pope’s intentions.

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Pope Francis has added two further conditions, which are reciting the Creed and reflecting on mercy. While in no way precluding other reflections on mercy, this condition may be satisfied by praying the Collect for Divine Mercy Sunday: God of everlasting mercy, who, in the very recurrence of the paschal feast kindle the faith of the people you have made your own, increase, we pray, the grace you have bestowed, that all may grasp and rightly understand in what font they have been washed, by whose Spirit they have been reborn, by whose blood they have been redeemed.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

How long do I have to fulfil the conditions?

The conditions can be satisfied several days (generally around a week) before or after visiting the Holy Door. If possible, it is appropriate to receive Holy Communion and to pray the prayers on the same day as the visit. Confession might be at another time, and need not be

at the Cathedral or church at which we visit the Holy Door.

It is only possible to gain one indulgence per day; but otherwise we can obtain the indulgence throughout the Year of Mercy.

I am unable to visit a Holy Door.

Am I precluded from obtaining the indulgence?

No. Pope Francis wishes the indulgence to be obtainable as widely as possible. The sick and the housebound may still receive the indulgence by receiving Holy Communion, or attending Mass or community prayer, even by the various means of communication.

Prisoners may receive the indulgence in their prison chapel.

In their case, the door of their cell may serve as the Holy Door.

‘To gain an indulgence is to experience the holiness of the Church, who bestows upon all the fruits of Christ’s redemption,’ Pope Francis

Catholic Children’s Society Advent Carol Service

On 2 December pupils from primary schools across the diocese gathered at the Cathedral for the annual Catholic Children Society’s Advent Carol Service. Cardinal Vincent led the service in the morning and Bishop Nicholas led the afternoon service, both featuring a live donkey and sheep.

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