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Issue 51 - The Pilgrim - July 2016 - The newspaper of the Archdiocese of Southwark

The July 2016 issue of "The Pilgrim", the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Southwark

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<strong>Issue</strong> <strong>51</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />

What do you<br />

know about<br />

Sea Sunday?<br />

Page 6 & 7<br />

<strong>The</strong> making<br />

<strong>of</strong> a bishop<br />

Page 10<br />

Fancy going<br />

to prison -<br />

for a meal?<br />

Page 12<br />

We should support Catholic charities<br />

Margaret Mizen spoke about<br />

setting up a charity in<br />

memory <strong>of</strong> her son Jimmy,<br />

who was murdered in Lee<br />

Archbishop Peter has urged<br />

Catholics to support Catholic charities<br />

by leaving a legacy to <strong>the</strong>m in<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir will.<br />

He was speaking at a Mass in St<br />

George’s Ca<strong>the</strong>dral organised by<br />

"Your Catholic Legacy (YCL)," a<br />

group <strong>of</strong> 26 Catholic charities working<br />

toge<strong>the</strong>r to inspire and encourage<br />

<strong>the</strong> Catholic community to<br />

consider leaving gifts to Catholic<br />

causes in <strong>the</strong>ir wills.<br />

“During my time as a priest and<br />

bishop I have been privileged to see<br />

at first hand <strong>the</strong> effort and expertise<br />

Catholic charities and Church<br />

networks put into caring for <strong>the</strong><br />

most vulnerable members <strong>of</strong> society,”<br />

he said.<br />

"Catholic causes rely upon <strong>the</strong><br />

kindness and generosity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Catholic community to fund <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

life-saving and life-changing work.<br />

Legacies – no matter how small –<br />

play a crucial role in this funding.<br />

Legacies help to give hope to thousands<br />

and share God’s love in time<br />

<strong>of</strong> crisis.”<br />

This sentiment was echoed by YCL<br />

Chair, Alastair Emblem, when he addressed<br />

<strong>the</strong> reception that followed<br />

<strong>the</strong> Mass. “Catholics are very generous<br />

givers in <strong>the</strong>ir lifetimes, and you<br />

can be justifiably proud <strong>of</strong> that.<br />

But, at present, we are not so good<br />

at including Catholic causes in our<br />

wills. So what we are asking you to<br />

do today is to seriously consider<br />

doing so.”<br />

Over 150 prayers were shared<br />

through YCL’s website and Facebook<br />

page, and were displayed on prayer<br />

trees in <strong>the</strong> ca<strong>the</strong>dral.<br />

Also speaking at <strong>the</strong> reception<br />

were Barry and Margaret Mizen who<br />

set up <strong>the</strong> ‘For Jimmy’ charity in<br />

dedication to <strong>the</strong>ir son who was<br />

murdered in Lee in 2008. <strong>The</strong>y<br />

shared <strong>the</strong>ir story <strong>of</strong> setting up <strong>the</strong><br />

charity to build a legacy <strong>of</strong> hope and<br />

peace in Jimmy’s memory.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y asked people present to consider<br />

what <strong>the</strong>y could do to transform<br />

<strong>the</strong> future.<br />

Charities involved with Your Catholic Legacy<br />

Ace <strong>of</strong> Clubs<br />

Aid to <strong>the</strong> Church in Need<br />

Apostleship <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sea<br />

<strong>Archdiocese</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Southwark</strong><br />

Brentwood Catholic Children’s<br />

Society<br />

Cafod<br />

Caritas Anchor House<br />

Catholic Childrens Society<br />

Columban Fa<strong>the</strong>rs<br />

CSAN<br />

Depaul UK<br />

Diocese <strong>of</strong> Portsmouth<br />

HCPT <strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong>age Trust<br />

Jesuits in Britain<br />

Marriage Care<br />

Missio<br />

Nugent Care Pact<br />

Progressio<br />

Society <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Little Flower<br />

St Barnabas Society<br />

St Vincent de Paul Society<br />

<strong>The</strong> Cardinal Hume Centre<br />

<strong>The</strong> Medaille Trust<br />

<strong>The</strong> Passage<br />

Walsingham Trust


Editorial<br />

Questions <strong>of</strong> science<br />

By Bishop Paul Hendricks<br />

<strong>The</strong>re are some books that almost<br />

everyone buys and almost<br />

nobody reads. That may well<br />

have been true when Stephen<br />

Hawking’s book, A Brief History<br />

<strong>of</strong> Time, was first published.<br />

For <strong>the</strong> record, I did read<br />

and enjoy it — but with a<br />

background in physics I was<br />

bound to be interested in that<br />

sort <strong>of</strong> thing. For those who<br />

didn’t get around to reading<br />

it, <strong>The</strong> <strong>The</strong>ory <strong>of</strong> Everything<br />

(which I recently watched on<br />

DVD) isn’t a substitute as regards<br />

scientific detail, but it<br />

does give a moving and even<br />

inspiring portrait <strong>of</strong> Hawking<br />

as a person.<br />

Based on a book by his former<br />

wife Jane, it naturally focuses<br />

<strong>the</strong> history <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

relationship, and on <strong>the</strong> challenges<br />

and achievements in relation<br />

to <strong>the</strong> Motor Neuron<br />

Disease with which Stephen<br />

was diagnosed at <strong>the</strong> age <strong>of</strong> 21.<br />

He must be one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most<br />

spectacular exceptions to <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Archdiocese</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Southwark</strong><br />

Archbishop Peter Smith<br />

020 7928-2495<br />

archbishop@rcsouthwark.co.uk<br />

www.rcsouthwark.co.uk<br />

Area bishops<br />

Episcopal vicar for Kent<br />

Bishop Paul Mason<br />

01732 845486<br />

bishoppaulmason@gmail.com<br />

South-West London<br />

Bishop Paul Hendricks<br />

020 8643 8007<br />

typical survival rate <strong>of</strong> only<br />

two years after diagnosis.<br />

Any film has to take a few<br />

liberties with <strong>the</strong> historical details,<br />

but what struck me particularly<br />

was <strong>the</strong> efforts taken<br />

by <strong>the</strong> lead actors to be as<br />

faithful as possible to <strong>the</strong> characters.<br />

Eddie Redmayne spent six<br />

months researching Hawking’s<br />

life, watching every recorded<br />

interview he could find. He<br />

said, “It’s not just doing a disability.<br />

It’s actually charting<br />

<strong>the</strong> course <strong>of</strong> an illness that<br />

erodes <strong>the</strong> body, and <strong>the</strong> mind<br />

has to project out from that<br />

erosion.”<br />

Stephen himself was so impressed<br />

by <strong>the</strong> result that he<br />

let his actual syn<strong>the</strong>sised voice<br />

be used for <strong>the</strong> appropriate<br />

scenes towards <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

film. Felicity Jones met Jane<br />

Hawking several times while<br />

preparing to play her in <strong>the</strong><br />

film. Jane was amazed at how<br />

she had managed to pick up<br />

her mannerisms and speech<br />

patterns and incorporate <strong>the</strong>m<br />

bishop.hendricks@gmail.com<br />

South-East London<br />

Bishop Patrick Lynch<br />

020 8297 9219<br />

bishoplynch7@btinternet.com<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong>,<br />

Archbishop’s House<br />

150 St George’s Road<br />

London SE1 6HX<br />

Editor: Greg Watts<br />

pilgrim@rcsouthwark.co.uk<br />

0208 776 9250<br />

into her performance.<br />

Some have been disappointed<br />

that <strong>the</strong> film doesn’t<br />

say more about <strong>the</strong> revolutionary<br />

<strong>the</strong>ories that have made<br />

Stephen Hawking so famous —<br />

but it does succeed in giving an<br />

idea <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir importance and<br />

<strong>the</strong> huge scientific impact <strong>the</strong>y<br />

made.<br />

I can understand that a<br />

straight presentation, as in a<br />

university lecture, wouldn’t<br />

work in a film. This is avoided<br />

by various devices. At one<br />

point, Jane explains <strong>the</strong> problem<br />

<strong>of</strong> reconciling quantum<br />

mechanics and relativity, in a<br />

dinner table conversation,<br />

holding up a pea and a potato<br />

on two forks.<br />

In one sequence I particularly<br />

enjoyed, we see sections<br />

<strong>of</strong> Stephen’s lecture on black<br />

holes, alternating with a scene<br />

where some <strong>of</strong> his friends discuss<br />

<strong>the</strong> same topic, less precisely<br />

but more entertainingly,<br />

over several pints <strong>of</strong> beer!<br />

<strong>The</strong> idea <strong>of</strong> a “<strong>the</strong>ory <strong>of</strong><br />

everything” does raise <strong>the</strong><br />

question whe<strong>the</strong>r it makes God<br />

redundant, so to speak. I suspect<br />

that <strong>the</strong> film makes this a<br />

bigger issue than it actually<br />

was for Stephen, though it may<br />

have been more important for<br />

Jane (a Christian).<br />

Asked whe<strong>the</strong>r a <strong>the</strong>ory <strong>of</strong><br />

everything would mean that<br />

“God must die”, Jane quips<br />

that at least it must put him<br />

“on <strong>the</strong> endangered species<br />

list”. I suspect that many believers<br />

have this uncomfortable<br />

suspicion at <strong>the</strong> back <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

minds — and yet I believe it is<br />

misguided.<br />

It presumes that science and<br />

religion are rival explanations<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> universe, but <strong>the</strong>y are<br />

really answering very different<br />

questions, how? and why? Science<br />

isn’t at all concerned<br />

with Why? and religion is concerned<br />

relatively little with<br />

How? <strong>The</strong> Bible begins with a<br />

story about how <strong>the</strong> world<br />

came to be, but all <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong><br />

it is concerned with why we<br />

are here and what we do about<br />

it.<br />

‘<strong>The</strong> <strong>The</strong>ory <strong>of</strong> Everything’ is<br />

<strong>the</strong> story <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most brilliant<br />

and celebrated physicist <strong>of</strong><br />

our time, Stephen Hawking,<br />

portrayed by Eddie Redmayne<br />

<strong>the</strong><br />

2012<strong>Pilgrim</strong><br />

50p<br />

December 2011/ January <strong>The</strong> <strong>newspaper</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Catholic <strong>Archdiocese</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Southwark</strong>, covering s<br />

Advertising: Carol Malpass<br />

0161 214 1244<br />

carol.malpass@<strong>the</strong>catholicuniverse.com<br />

Distribution: Andrea Black<br />

0161 214 1216<br />

andrea.black@@<strong>the</strong>catholicuniverse.com<br />

Print management, design and<br />

distribution by <strong>The</strong> Universe<br />

Media Group Ltd<br />

By Greg Watts<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />

It’s not just about<br />

<strong>the</strong> microphone<br />

How good is your parish at communication? I’ve<br />

been thinking about this after receiving a copy <strong>of</strong> a<br />

new book called How to Survive Working in a<br />

Catholic Parish: A guide for priests, volunteers and<br />

paid parish workers.<br />

In a parish, communication isn’t just about knowing<br />

how to use a microphone at Mass correctly and<br />

avoiding it sounding like a Rice Krispies advert.<br />

As <strong>the</strong> authors <strong>of</strong> this useful book, Diana Klein and<br />

Fr Bernard Cotter, rightly emphasise, a website is<br />

one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most important tools for a modern<br />

parish. <strong>The</strong> world <strong>of</strong> social media is like a cyber city,<br />

and parishes need to be visible.<br />

Increasingly when people are searching for information<br />

about <strong>the</strong> Catholic Church, <strong>the</strong>y will Google<br />

for <strong>the</strong> local Catholic parish. So too will Catholics<br />

moving into an area.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re are some parishes that have attractive and<br />

easy to use websites. However, <strong>the</strong>re are o<strong>the</strong>rs<br />

whose websites seem to have been simply cobbled<br />

toge<strong>the</strong>r by someone after a few beers. Some even<br />

have moving text or images!<br />

But even with those websites that have been well<br />

designed, you sometimes discover <strong>the</strong>y haven’t been<br />

updated in weeks or months. It’s probably not a<br />

good idea in Holy Week to have information on your<br />

home page about Midnight Mass.<br />

Some parishes like to describe <strong>the</strong>mselves as “vibrant”.<br />

This must puzzle visitors to it who click on<br />

<strong>the</strong> “news” or “events” buttons and find nothing<br />

<strong>the</strong>re.<br />

Schools can be just as poor, which is surprising<br />

given that <strong>the</strong>y actually teach information technology.<br />

Many school websites I visit seeking news stories<br />

for <strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong> are hopelessly out <strong>of</strong> date – and<br />

some stories don’t even have a date.<br />

My guess is <strong>the</strong> reason for this slapdash approach<br />

with websites is because <strong>the</strong> person given <strong>the</strong> job <strong>of</strong><br />

maintaining <strong>the</strong>m lacks <strong>the</strong> necessary knowledge<br />

and skills. I couldn’t imagine a parish or school taking<br />

<strong>the</strong> same approach to fixing <strong>the</strong> boiler or repairing<br />

a leaking ro<strong>of</strong>.<br />

One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> answers to this problem, suggest Diana<br />

Klein and Fr Bernard Cotter, is to involve eager<br />

teenagers - <strong>the</strong> Facebook generation - for whom social<br />

media is just a normal way <strong>of</strong> connecting with<br />

people. Working on a website would be a great way<br />

to give young people an opportunity to use <strong>the</strong>ir talents<br />

and to feel involved.<br />

However, <strong>the</strong> importance <strong>of</strong> websites doesn’t<br />

mean that <strong>the</strong>re is no place for that old stalwart,<br />

<strong>the</strong> parish newsletter. <strong>The</strong>y have helped many<br />

Catholics through a dull homily.<br />

What I love about parish newsletters is that <strong>the</strong>y<br />

occasionally produce some absolute howlers, such as<br />

“<strong>The</strong> healing Mass has been cancelled due to icy<br />

conditions in <strong>the</strong> car park” and “Would members <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> Weight Watchers club please use <strong>the</strong> narrow<br />

door.” But my all time favourite is “Please pray for<br />

<strong>the</strong> sick and <strong>the</strong>ir caterers.”<br />

How to Survive<br />

Working in a Catholic<br />

Parish: A guide for<br />

priests, volunteers and<br />

paid parish workers is<br />

published by<br />

Redemptorist<br />

Publications.<br />

Page 2


<strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />

Bishop Paul helps mosque<br />

Bishop Paul has helped out at a<br />

homeless project at Finsbury<br />

Park mosque.<br />

Bishop Paul visited <strong>the</strong><br />

mosque with Canon John O’-<br />

Toole, and Ms Katharina Smith-<br />

Müller, Interreligious adviser to<br />

<strong>the</strong> bishops <strong>of</strong> England and<br />

Wales.<br />

Finsbury Park Mosque’s “Meal<br />

for All” project for <strong>the</strong> homeless<br />

is run in partnership with<br />

community and faith organisations,<br />

such as <strong>The</strong> Passage,<br />

Westminster Caritas and <strong>the</strong><br />

SVP.<br />

Christian and Muslim volunteers<br />

work toge<strong>the</strong>r every<br />

Thursday evening at <strong>the</strong> Mosque<br />

to feed <strong>the</strong> hungry.<br />

Bishop Paul said, “I’m delighted<br />

to have <strong>the</strong> opportunity<br />

to highlight <strong>the</strong> excellent work<br />

being done here, by members <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> Muslim and Christian communities,<br />

working toge<strong>the</strong>r for<br />

<strong>the</strong> good <strong>of</strong> those in need.<br />

“Whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>y realise it or<br />

not, people are influenced in<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir idea <strong>of</strong> God, by what <strong>the</strong>y<br />

see in <strong>the</strong> lives <strong>of</strong> believers.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y can come to understand<br />

<strong>the</strong> mercy <strong>of</strong> God, which is<br />

<strong>of</strong>ten said to be His greatest attribute,<br />

if <strong>the</strong>y see that we are<br />

showing mercy and kindness to<br />

<strong>the</strong> poor and <strong>the</strong> needy. I wish<br />

every blessing on all who give<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir time and talents to this inspiring<br />

project.”<br />

Mohammed Kozbar, Chairman<br />

<strong>of</strong> Finsbury Park Mosque, added:<br />

“It is a pleasure to have Bishop<br />

Paul at Finsbury Park Mosque.<br />

While we welcome our guests<br />

today, we believe that such a<br />

visit between faith leaders will<br />

strength <strong>the</strong> relation between<br />

<strong>the</strong> two largest religions in <strong>the</strong><br />

world and will promote community<br />

cohesion and peace, and it<br />

will also send a strong but positive<br />

message to <strong>the</strong> public that<br />

we can and should work toge<strong>the</strong>r<br />

for <strong>the</strong> sake <strong>of</strong> humanity.”<br />

In <strong>the</strong>ir teaching document<br />

on interreligious dialogue,<br />

“Meeting God in Friend and<br />

Stranger”, <strong>the</strong> bishops <strong>of</strong> England<br />

and Wales commend<br />

shared action, or “working toge<strong>the</strong>r<br />

for <strong>the</strong> greater recognition<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dignity and unity <strong>of</strong><br />

all human beings”. <strong>The</strong> work<br />

done at “Meal for All”, with<br />

volunteers working side by side<br />

to support <strong>the</strong> most vulnerable,<br />

also goes some way towards fulfilling<br />

Pope Francis’ hope “that<br />

all Christians and Muslims will<br />

work to promote mutual<br />

respect.”<br />

News<br />

Crayford anniversary<br />

Archbishop Peter joined pupils, teachers and<br />

parents <strong>of</strong> St Joseph’s Primary School in Crayford<br />

to mark its 150th anniversary. He concelebrated<br />

Mass with Fr Ignatius Edet, Canon<br />

Jeremiah Cronin and Fr Peter Madden.<br />

Sixty years a priest<br />

Fr Gerald Flood and Canon Frank O’Sullivan have<br />

both celebrated 60 years as priests.<br />

Fr Gerald, parish priest <strong>of</strong> St <strong>The</strong>resa’s Church<br />

in Biggin Hill, served in many different parishes<br />

throughout <strong>the</strong> <strong>Southwark</strong> diocese, including St<br />

George’s Ca<strong>the</strong>dral. He has worked in Biggin Hill<br />

since <strong>the</strong> 1980s.<br />

He is <strong>the</strong> president <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Biggin Hill Romania<br />

Group and co-founder <strong>of</strong> Deptford Reach, a charity<br />

for <strong>the</strong> homeless, which he helped form when<br />

he was serving at Our Lady <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Assumption in<br />

Deptford.<br />

Canon Frank has retired, but he still helps out<br />

at St John <strong>the</strong> Baptist in Purley. Amongst o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

things, he has been a hospital chaplain and involved<br />

in education and with <strong>the</strong> diocesan marriage<br />

and family life team.<br />

Mass for Queen’s birthday<br />

Archbishop Peter joined <strong>the</strong> community <strong>of</strong> St<br />

George’s Ca<strong>the</strong>dral to celebrate <strong>the</strong> 90th birthday<br />

<strong>of</strong> Queen Elizabeth II.<br />

All <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ca<strong>the</strong>dral clergy, Fr Richard Hearn,<br />

Fr Oladele Craig, Fr Thomas Bakulumpagi and Fr<br />

Stephen Haines, concelebrated with him.<br />

New book about Clapham parish<br />

<strong>The</strong> history <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Redemptorist church and community<br />

in Clapham has been brought to life in a<br />

new book.<br />

Written by Fr Brendan McConvery and illustrated<br />

with photographs, St Mary’s Clapham tells<br />

<strong>the</strong> story <strong>of</strong> one <strong>of</strong> south London’s oldest<br />

churches.<br />

St Mary’s has been <strong>the</strong> centre <strong>of</strong> Catholic life<br />

in <strong>the</strong> Clapham Common area for over 160 years.<br />

A Grade II* listed building, it is one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> major<br />

Victorian churches <strong>of</strong> South London.<br />

Sea blessed<br />

at Ramsgate<br />

<strong>The</strong> first ever blessing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sea<br />

at Ramsgate has been held.<br />

<strong>The</strong> ceremony was led by Fr<br />

Marcus Holden, rector <strong>of</strong> St Augustine’s<br />

Shrine in Ramsgate. It<br />

was held during <strong>the</strong> annual St<br />

Augustine Week festival, which<br />

celebrates <strong>the</strong> legacy <strong>of</strong> Augustine<br />

<strong>of</strong> Canterbury who landed<br />

on Ramsgate’s shores in 597 AD.<br />

Over a hundred people attended<br />

<strong>the</strong> service, which began<br />

at <strong>the</strong> obelisk in Ramsgate’s<br />

Royal Harbour with <strong>the</strong> National<br />

An<strong>the</strong>m and prayers. A procession<br />

along <strong>the</strong> promenade to <strong>the</strong><br />

beach <strong>the</strong>n followed.<br />

Amongst those present were<br />

<strong>the</strong> mayors <strong>of</strong> Ramsgate, Broadstairs,<br />

and Margate; scouts; <strong>the</strong><br />

Salvation Army; and <strong>the</strong> choir <strong>of</strong><br />

St E<strong>the</strong>lbert’s Church in Ramsgate.<br />

Death <strong>of</strong> inspiring nun<br />

Sister Cecily Dunn, who worked at <strong>the</strong> Bosco<br />

Centre in Ro<strong>the</strong>rhi<strong>the</strong> for 30 years, has died.<br />

During her time at <strong>the</strong> centre, Sr Cecily<br />

worked tirelessly to help and inspire young people,<br />

especially those who had fallen out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

education system.<br />

Born in Glasgow, Sr Cecily joined <strong>the</strong> Salesian<br />

sisters after leaving school. In <strong>the</strong> early 1980s<br />

she moved to Liverpool, where her work to combat<br />

drugs led to her being threatened by local<br />

criminals.<br />

When she moved to London and joined <strong>the</strong><br />

Bosco convent in Ro<strong>the</strong>rhi<strong>the</strong> and began working<br />

at <strong>the</strong> centre, she realised many local youngsters<br />

needed education and skills. She founded a<br />

college using money collected from donation<br />

jars she left in local pubs.<br />

One time she was in <strong>the</strong> post <strong>of</strong>fice on Jamaica<br />

Road when some men walked in wearing<br />

balaclavas, carrying sawn-<strong>of</strong>f shotguns. When<br />

one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m pointed a gun at her chest, she<br />

calmly pushed it away, saying “Excuse me”, and<br />

looked straight into <strong>the</strong> man’s eyes.<br />

Her funeral was held at Sacred Heart church in<br />

Battersea.<br />

We want your news! Email your stories to<br />

pilgrim@rcsouthwark.co.uk<br />

or telephone 0208 776 9250.<br />

Page 3


News<br />

Barry Albin Dyer<br />

remembered<br />

A memorial service has been held in Bermondsey for<br />

undertaker Barry Albin Dyer, who died <strong>of</strong> cancer last<br />

year.<br />

<strong>The</strong> service, held at St James’ Anglican church, was<br />

attended by family and friends, including Fr Alan<br />

McLean, parish priest <strong>of</strong> <strong>The</strong> Church <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Most Holy<br />

Trinity, Dockhead.<br />

Barry was a much loved figure in Bermondsey and<br />

ran a charity to help local people. In 2010 he received<br />

<strong>the</strong> OBE for his work repatriating British troops who<br />

died overseas.<br />

Page 4<br />

Pupils help soup kitchen<br />

<strong>The</strong> school chaplaincy team at St Edmund’s<br />

School in Dover have been making sandwiches<br />

every Friday lunchtime to take to a soup kitchen<br />

in <strong>the</strong> town.<br />

<strong>The</strong> supermarket chain Morroson’s have<br />

provided <strong>the</strong> school with vouchers to buy <strong>the</strong><br />

ingredients.<br />

Headteacher Mike Wilson said, “I am very<br />

proud <strong>of</strong> our students for giving <strong>the</strong>ir time so<br />

generously to help those less fortunate than<br />

<strong>the</strong>mselves.”<br />

Students visit European Parliament<br />

Pupils from Christ <strong>the</strong> King Sixth Form College in<br />

Lewisham have visited <strong>the</strong> European Parliament<br />

in Strasbourg.<br />

<strong>The</strong> pupils were <strong>the</strong> winners in a competition<br />

organised by Lewisham Council and <strong>the</strong><br />

European Parliament.<br />

During <strong>the</strong> visit, <strong>the</strong> students took part in a<br />

mock parliament with students from o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

countries.<br />

“Visiting <strong>the</strong> European Parliament gave me an<br />

insight into how important issues such as human<br />

rights and <strong>the</strong> environment are dealt with, and<br />

streng<strong>the</strong>ned my wish to be an international<br />

human rights lawyer,” commented one student.<br />

Faversham pilgrimage<br />

Hundreds <strong>of</strong> pilgrims converged on Faversham for <strong>the</strong><br />

annual summer celebration at <strong>the</strong> National Shrine <strong>of</strong><br />

Saint Jude.<br />

A Mass <strong>of</strong> thanksgiving was celebrated in <strong>the</strong><br />

grounds by Fr Piet Wijngaard and <strong>the</strong> homily was<br />

given by Fr Damian Cassidy, prior at Aylesford.<br />

<strong>The</strong> National Shrine <strong>of</strong> Saint Jude is looked after by<br />

<strong>the</strong> Carmelite friars. And is a major centre <strong>of</strong> pilgrimage<br />

and prayer.<br />

Study day for catechists<br />

Parish catechists and those interested in sacramental<br />

preparation attended a study day at <strong>the</strong> Centre for<br />

Catholic Formation (CCF) in Tooting Bec.<br />

<strong>The</strong> participants enjoyed lectures on <strong>the</strong> vocation<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> catechist and <strong>the</strong> relationship <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sacraments<br />

to Christian living.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y explored <strong>the</strong> Rite <strong>of</strong> Christian Initiation <strong>of</strong><br />

Adults and preparation for Baptism, first Holy Communion,<br />

Reconciliation and Confirmation. <strong>The</strong>y also<br />

looked at <strong>the</strong> liturgy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Word for children.<br />

If a parish or a deanery wishes for local training or<br />

days <strong>of</strong> recollection for <strong>the</strong>ir catechists, readers or<br />

extraordinary ministers <strong>of</strong> holy communion, <strong>the</strong>y<br />

should contact CCF at <strong>of</strong>fice@ccftootingbec.org.uk<br />

We want your news! Email your stories to<br />

pilgrim@rcsouthwark.co.uk<br />

or telephone 0208 776 9250.<br />

Footballer returns to school<br />

Liverpool footballer Jordon Ibe returned to Sacred Heart School in Camberwell for<br />

a lunchtime kick around with pupils.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Bermondsey-born striker became <strong>the</strong> youngest ever Football League scorer<br />

when he scored for Wycombe Wanderers while still in year 11 at Sacred Heart<br />

School. He signed for Liverpool in 2012.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Big Mile<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />

Three walks were held in <strong>Southwark</strong> diocese to<br />

raise awareness <strong>of</strong> poverty in England and<br />

Wales.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Big Mile walks were held in Dulwich,<br />

Whitstable, and Sheppey. <strong>The</strong> initiative was organised<br />

by St Vincent de Paul Society and<br />

Catholic Social Action Network. Money raised<br />

will go to helping <strong>the</strong> homeless and lonely and<br />

disadvantaged.<br />

UCM anniversary<br />

Members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Union <strong>of</strong> Catholic Mo<strong>the</strong>rs (UCM)<br />

from around <strong>the</strong> diocese ga<strong>the</strong>red at <strong>the</strong> Church<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Holy Family in Birchington to mark <strong>the</strong><br />

25th anniversary <strong>of</strong> its founding at St Peter’s<br />

Church in Westgate.<br />

<strong>The</strong> UCM presented a cheque for £700 to <strong>the</strong><br />

charity <strong>The</strong> Garden Gate Project.<br />

Death <strong>of</strong> racial<br />

justice campaigner<br />

<strong>The</strong> funeral <strong>of</strong> Haynes Baptiste, who spent 50<br />

years campaigning for racial justice, has been<br />

held at St Gregory’s Catholic Church in<br />

Earlsfield.<br />

Eighty-three-year-old Haynes, arrived in London<br />

in 1956 from from Dominica, where he had<br />

been a teacher, as part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Windrush generation.<br />

He was a founder member <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Catholic<br />

Association for Racial Justice in <strong>the</strong> early 1980s<br />

and later serving as chair and vice chair.<br />

Following a career with <strong>the</strong> Post Office and<br />

British Telecom, he ran racism awareness<br />

workshops for <strong>the</strong> Methodist Church<br />

Knights <strong>of</strong> St Columba Mass<br />

<strong>The</strong> Knights <strong>of</strong> St Columba in <strong>Southwark</strong> celebrated<br />

its 90th anniversary with a Mass at Our<br />

Lady <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Angels in Erith.<br />

During <strong>the</strong> Mass Archbishop Peter thanked <strong>the</strong><br />

knights for <strong>the</strong>ir support given to <strong>the</strong> ca<strong>the</strong>dral<br />

and to <strong>the</strong> clergy over <strong>the</strong> last 90 years, and for<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir tremendous work done in <strong>the</strong> diocese.<br />

Following a dinner at <strong>the</strong> Marriot Hotel in Bexleyheath,<br />

Archbishop Peter was presented with a<br />

cheque for £3,000 for <strong>the</strong> seminary fund.<br />

Knights <strong>of</strong> St Columba was formed in <strong>Southwark</strong>,<br />

in 1926 and was formally named <strong>Southwark</strong><br />

Province. <strong>The</strong> Province covers <strong>the</strong> whole <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>Southwark</strong> diocese, and has many bishops,<br />

priests and deacons as members <strong>of</strong> honour.<br />

Maidstone school to<br />

become academy<br />

Holy Family Catholic Primary School in Maidstone<br />

is <strong>the</strong> latest school to become an academy as<br />

part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership<br />

(KCSP).<br />

St Simon Stock Secondary in Maidstone is already<br />

an academy. Two o<strong>the</strong>r Catholic schools in<br />

<strong>the</strong> Maidstone deanery, More Park and St Francis,<br />

have also applied to become academies.<br />

Across <strong>the</strong> Kent County Council region, over<br />

half <strong>the</strong> 32 Catholic schools (17) are now committed<br />

to KCSP, ei<strong>the</strong>r as academies or in <strong>the</strong><br />

process <strong>of</strong> becoming so.<br />

To advertise in <strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong> contact Carol Malpass.<br />

Email: carol.malpass@<strong>the</strong>catholicuniverse.com


<strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />

Feature<br />

<strong>The</strong> eleventh in a series by Fr David Gibbons, director <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> diocesan Centre for Catholic Formation, in which<br />

he looks at liturgies o<strong>the</strong>r than Mass which we sometimes attend, such as baptisms, weddings and funerals.<br />

What happens at a wedding?<br />

A new Marriage Rite has just been<br />

issued for use in England and Wales.<br />

This is a new rite and not simply a<br />

new translation. So what happens at<br />

a church wedding?<br />

Marriage is normally celebrated<br />

within Mass (i.e. a nuptial Mass), unless<br />

one party is not baptised.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re is no Penitential Act but <strong>the</strong><br />

Gloria is always recited (preferably<br />

sung). For <strong>the</strong> liturgy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> word it<br />

is usual for <strong>the</strong> couple to select <strong>the</strong><br />

readings (at least one <strong>of</strong> which must<br />

speak <strong>of</strong> marriage). <strong>The</strong>y will also<br />

normally choose <strong>the</strong> music. It is<br />

after all <strong>the</strong>ir special day.<br />

<strong>The</strong> celebration <strong>of</strong> marriage follows<br />

<strong>the</strong> homily. After a short introduction<br />

<strong>the</strong> priest asks <strong>the</strong> couple<br />

three questions about <strong>the</strong>ir freedom<br />

<strong>of</strong> choice, fidelity to each o<strong>the</strong>r, and<br />

<strong>the</strong> acceptance and upbringing <strong>of</strong><br />

children (this last question is omitted<br />

if <strong>the</strong>y are “advanced in<br />

years”).<br />

This is to ascertain that <strong>the</strong>y are<br />

entering into <strong>the</strong> marriage freely<br />

and with <strong>the</strong> correct understanding<br />

<strong>of</strong> what <strong>the</strong>y are doing.<br />

<strong>The</strong> civil declaration <strong>of</strong> freedom<br />

follows, and <strong>the</strong> couple choose one<br />

<strong>of</strong> three forms. <strong>The</strong> exact wording<br />

must be used under <strong>the</strong> law in England<br />

and Wales, and <strong>the</strong>y must use<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir full names.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y <strong>the</strong>n join <strong>the</strong>ir right hands,<br />

and make <strong>the</strong> vows to each o<strong>the</strong>r,<br />

<strong>the</strong> groom first and <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> bride.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re are two slightly different versions,<br />

but both contain <strong>the</strong> famous<br />

words “to have and to hold from<br />

this day forward, for better, for<br />

worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness<br />

and in health, to love and to<br />

cherish till death do us part”.<br />

Notice that <strong>the</strong>y make <strong>the</strong> promises<br />

to each o<strong>the</strong>r, not to God or to<br />

<strong>the</strong> priest. In fact, matrimony is unusual<br />

in that <strong>the</strong> ministers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

sacrament are <strong>the</strong> bride and groom;<br />

in all <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r sacraments <strong>the</strong> usual<br />

minister is an ordained person. <strong>The</strong><br />

priest <strong>the</strong>n confirms that <strong>the</strong>y are<br />

married, quoting Christ’s words<br />

“what God joins toge<strong>the</strong>r, let no one<br />

put asunder”.<br />

Unlike on Australian TV soaps or<br />

American films, <strong>the</strong> couple may not<br />

compose <strong>the</strong>ir own vows; nor can<br />

<strong>the</strong>y perform <strong>the</strong> ceremony on <strong>the</strong><br />

beach or in a stately home. <strong>The</strong> ceremony<br />

must take place in church<br />

before a priest or deacon, and one<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> approved versions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> vows<br />

must be said.<br />

This is partly to ensure that all<br />

<strong>the</strong> elements <strong>of</strong> Christian marriage<br />

are included and partly because <strong>the</strong><br />

wording is agreed with <strong>the</strong> state.<br />

Notice also that in <strong>the</strong> questions<br />

before <strong>the</strong> consent, <strong>the</strong> civil declaration<br />

<strong>of</strong> freedom, <strong>the</strong> groom and<br />

bride speak separately, not toge<strong>the</strong>r.<br />

<strong>The</strong> priest and <strong>the</strong> two witnesses<br />

must hear each <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m<br />

answer. It is to be hoped that <strong>the</strong><br />

couple speak clearly and confidently,<br />

although nerves <strong>of</strong>ten intervene<br />

at this point!<br />

<strong>The</strong> blessing and giving <strong>of</strong> rings<br />

comes next. <strong>The</strong> wedding ring is, <strong>of</strong><br />

course, a sign <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> spouses’ love<br />

and fidelity to each o<strong>the</strong>r.<br />

<strong>The</strong> nuptial Mass continues, with<br />

special inserts in <strong>the</strong> eucharistic<br />

prayers and a special nuptial blessing<br />

after <strong>the</strong> Our Fa<strong>the</strong>r (<strong>the</strong> words<br />

“Deliver us …” being omitted). <strong>The</strong><br />

spouses, along with <strong>the</strong>ir parents,<br />

witnesses, and relatives may receive<br />

Holy Communion under both kinds<br />

(assuming <strong>of</strong> course that <strong>the</strong>y may<br />

receive Holy Communion).<br />

After <strong>the</strong> blessing (<strong>the</strong> ritual book<br />

has a selection <strong>of</strong> solemn blessings)<br />

<strong>the</strong> couple sign <strong>the</strong> marriage register.<br />

In England and Wales this will<br />

be <strong>the</strong> civil register, and two books<br />

SUBSCRIBE<br />

TODAY TO THE<br />

PRINT OR<br />

DIGITAL<br />

EDITION<br />

have to signed. <strong>The</strong> couple <strong>the</strong>n<br />

process out as husband and wife to<br />

lead, we pray, a holy and loving<br />

family life toge<strong>the</strong>r.<br />

THE WEEKLY NEWSPAPER FOR THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ACROSS THE UK<br />

Universe<br />

<strong>The</strong> digital edition<br />

is available to<br />

view on:­<br />

• Smartphone<br />

• Tablet<br />

• Computer/laptop<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong> is now online, making it possible to<br />

read all <strong>the</strong> editions since it was launched in<br />

2011.<br />

To view it, visit <strong>the</strong> diocesan website and click<br />

on a lick on <strong>the</strong> left hand side <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> page.<br />

www.rcsouthwark.co.uk<br />

www.<strong>the</strong>catholicuniverse.com<br />

Page 5


Feature<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />

We all rely on seafarers<br />

On 10th <strong>July</strong> parishes around <strong>the</strong> world celebrate Sea Sunday.<br />

Roland Hayes, Apostleship <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sea’s London <strong>of</strong>ficer,<br />

explains <strong>the</strong> important role seafarers play in our lives<br />

Schoolchildren visiting<br />

HQS Wellington at<br />

Victoria Embankment to<br />

learn about AoS and its<br />

work with seafarers<br />

My job is to raise awareness (and<br />

money!) for <strong>the</strong> Apostleship <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Sea (AoS) in and around London, so I<br />

cover <strong>the</strong> dioceses <strong>of</strong> Westminster,<br />

Brentwood and, <strong>of</strong> course,<br />

<strong>Southwark</strong>.<br />

I started working at <strong>the</strong> AoS just<br />

over a year ago, although before<br />

that I had been a volunteer for a<br />

few months, so really I have been<br />

involved now for nearly two years.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re are a number <strong>of</strong> ports in<br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>Southwark</strong> diocese, so my work<br />

is very relevant here. In fact, last<br />

year Archbishop Peter Smith opened<br />

<strong>the</strong> newly refurbished Seafarers<br />

Centre at <strong>the</strong> port <strong>of</strong> Sheerness –<br />

Archbishop Peter is very supportive<br />

<strong>of</strong> AoS.<br />

<strong>The</strong> port <strong>of</strong> Sheerness deals with<br />

cars, containers, wood and metal,<br />

amongst o<strong>the</strong>r things – so, a very<br />

important and busy place. But <strong>of</strong><br />

course it is quite remote, and also<br />

behind tight security fences, which<br />

means it is easy to forget how much<br />

we rely on ports, and <strong>of</strong> course <strong>the</strong><br />

ships that come in and <strong>the</strong> seafarers<br />

who run those ships.<br />

One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> key ways to raise<br />

awareness is by going to schools and<br />

talking to <strong>the</strong> students. Very few<br />

students realise how dependent we<br />

are on seafarers and ships for<br />

almost everything we have – 95 per<br />

cent <strong>of</strong> everything we buy in this<br />

country comes to us by ship, and<br />

those ships rely on <strong>the</strong> seafarers to<br />

come and go.<br />

And usually <strong>the</strong> only times we<br />

hear about ships and seafarers is<br />

when something has gone wrong or<br />

some tragedy has struck. Many <strong>of</strong><br />

us will remember <strong>the</strong> Costa<br />

Concordia disaster, and big oil spills<br />

from tanker ships over <strong>the</strong> years.<br />

But <strong>the</strong>re are over 100,000 ships at<br />

sea, and <strong>the</strong>y travel mostly<br />

unnoticed.<br />

AoS <strong>of</strong>fers a number <strong>of</strong> different<br />

<strong>the</strong>mes to interest students in <strong>the</strong><br />

sea. <strong>The</strong>re is a general presentation<br />

about shipping, one on fishing, and<br />

one on St Peter Claver, who is <strong>the</strong><br />

patron saint <strong>of</strong> seafarers and slaves.<br />

But this year we have been<br />

focussing on <strong>the</strong> Year <strong>of</strong> Mercy,<br />

which Pope Francis declared would<br />

run from until November.<br />

<strong>The</strong> seven corporal works <strong>of</strong><br />

mercy cover <strong>the</strong> work that <strong>the</strong> AoS<br />

chaplains do for seafarers in <strong>the</strong><br />

ports around <strong>the</strong> country, and in<br />

fact, around <strong>the</strong> world.<br />

<strong>The</strong> presentation that I have been<br />

giving to students goes in to a little<br />

detail about those works <strong>of</strong> mercy in<br />

<strong>the</strong> context <strong>of</strong> seafarers, and<br />

students’ imaginations are quickly<br />

caught by what <strong>the</strong> port chaplains<br />

do.<br />

Three schools where I have been<br />

recently are all in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Southwark</strong><br />

diocese. Firstly I visited Christ <strong>the</strong><br />

King Sixth Form College in<br />

Lewisham. Here <strong>of</strong> course <strong>the</strong><br />

students are sixth formers, and <strong>the</strong><br />

work <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> AoS was relevant to<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir wider learning development<br />

around society and <strong>the</strong> issues in <strong>the</strong><br />

world today.<br />

Secondly, <strong>the</strong>re was St Joseph’s in<br />

Gravesend, a bit <strong>of</strong> train ride from<br />

<strong>the</strong> centre <strong>of</strong> London. And thirdly, St<br />

Peter’s in Sittingbourne, quite near<br />

to <strong>the</strong> port <strong>of</strong> Sheerness.<br />

In all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> schools <strong>the</strong> students<br />

learnt about <strong>the</strong> Year <strong>of</strong> Mercy, <strong>the</strong><br />

corporal works <strong>of</strong> mercy, and how<br />

<strong>the</strong> work <strong>of</strong> Apostleship <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sea<br />

fits in to <strong>the</strong>se wider <strong>the</strong>mes.<br />

Even those students who lived<br />

quite close to a port had not<br />

actually visited; and <strong>the</strong> most<br />

common experience <strong>of</strong> being on<br />

board a ship was taking a ferry. So it<br />

was quite an eye opener for <strong>the</strong><br />

students to learn about how reliant<br />

we are on ships and seafarers for all<br />

our basic needs.<br />

<strong>The</strong> corporal works <strong>of</strong> mercy are,<br />

<strong>of</strong> course, about helping people who<br />

are in difficulties. An example I give<br />

is that <strong>of</strong> visiting <strong>the</strong> sick.<br />

Archbishop Peter visiting<br />

<strong>the</strong> Seafarers’ Centre in<br />

Sheerness last year<br />

One <strong>of</strong> our port chaplains,<br />

Doug Duncan (pictured<br />

right), was asked to visit<br />

a fisherman from<br />

Senegal, who had been<br />

airlifted to hospital after<br />

being badly injured on his<br />

ship in <strong>the</strong> North Sea. <strong>The</strong><br />

fisherman only spoke French,<br />

so Doug took along Georgina, a<br />

parishioner from his local church,<br />

who speaks fluent French.<br />

He said, “I was able to provide<br />

him with a phone card, which he<br />

was delighted with, some reading<br />

material in French and most<br />

importantly a French to English<br />

dictionary which helped him<br />

understand what to order from his<br />

daily food card. It was pleasing that<br />

he called Georgina on <strong>the</strong> Sunday<br />

and thanked us for Apostleship <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> Sea assistance and care.”<br />

Altoge<strong>the</strong>r, in 2015, <strong>the</strong><br />

Apostleship <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sea helped 74<br />

seafarers who were in hospital in<br />

this country.<br />

It is very rewarding for me to help<br />

students learn a little more about<br />

<strong>the</strong> sea, shipping and<br />

seafarers, and <strong>the</strong> lives<br />

that seafarers lead. We<br />

are an island nation and<br />

just as reliant on seaborne<br />

trade now as we<br />

always have been.<br />

But today, <strong>the</strong> ships and<br />

<strong>the</strong> seafarers who run <strong>the</strong>m<br />

are mostly hidden. So it is good to<br />

know that <strong>the</strong> Apostleship <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sea<br />

holds out a helping hand to those<br />

seafarers when <strong>the</strong>y come to our<br />

shores, visiting <strong>the</strong>ir ships and<br />

assisting <strong>the</strong>m with whatever <strong>the</strong>y<br />

need.<br />

Seafarers stranded in Chatham<br />

Recently AoS stepped in to support<br />

crew <strong>of</strong> a container ship detained at<br />

Chatham in Kent.<br />

<strong>The</strong> crew <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sou<strong>the</strong>rn Star<br />

hadn’t been paid <strong>the</strong>ir wages over<br />

<strong>the</strong> last few months. <strong>The</strong> ship was<br />

unseaworthy and in a poor state <strong>of</strong><br />

repair and had been taken into<br />

Chatham after developing engine<br />

trouble.<br />

Page 6


<strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />

Feature<br />

Seated comfortably on <strong>the</strong> s<strong>of</strong>a in<br />

our living room, we find it<br />

difficult to understand how much<br />

our daily life is depending on <strong>the</strong><br />

maritime industry and <strong>the</strong> sea.<br />

If we look around in <strong>the</strong> places<br />

where we live and work, we<br />

realise that most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> furniture<br />

and IT equipment we are using<br />

have been transported by ships,<br />

our clo<strong>the</strong>s were shipped in<br />

containers from <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r side <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> world and <strong>the</strong> fruits we eat<br />

were delivered by refrigerated<br />

ships from ano<strong>the</strong>r country while<br />

tankers are transporting oil and<br />

petrol for our cars. Without<br />

seaborne trade <strong>the</strong> import and<br />

export <strong>of</strong> goods and finished<br />

products would not be possible.<br />

Sea Sunday <strong>2016</strong> message from<br />

<strong>the</strong> Pontifical Council for <strong>the</strong><br />

Pastoral Care <strong>of</strong> Migrants and<br />

Itinerant People.<br />

Seminarians learn<br />

about life at sea<br />

It was a pastoral care lesson <strong>of</strong> a<br />

very different kind for a group <strong>of</strong><br />

seminarians from St John's<br />

Seminary, Wonersh, as <strong>the</strong>y heard<br />

first-hand how <strong>the</strong> Church<br />

ministers to seafarers and fishers.<br />

<strong>The</strong> men learnt about <strong>the</strong> work<br />

AoS does in ports around <strong>the</strong> world<br />

and also on cruise ships.<br />

AoS development director John<br />

Green and AoS London <strong>of</strong>ficer<br />

Roland Hayes had been invited to<br />

speak to <strong>the</strong> group by pastoral<br />

director Fr Teyrnon Williams, who<br />

was an AoS port chaplain in<br />

Swansea for many years.<br />

<strong>The</strong> presentations were part <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> seminary's pastoral studies<br />

course looking at pastoral care in<br />

prisons, hospitals and ports.<br />

John said, "<strong>The</strong> seminarians<br />

were surprised at <strong>the</strong> scale <strong>of</strong><br />

shipping and <strong>the</strong> work <strong>the</strong> Church<br />

does to support seafarers, fishers<br />

and crew members <strong>of</strong> cruise ships.<br />

“Seafarers play a vital role in<br />

our everyday lives bringing us <strong>the</strong><br />

goods and services we need. AoS is<br />

<strong>the</strong> Catholic Church's maritime<br />

agency entrusted to look after<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir pastoral, spiritual and<br />

welfare needs."<br />

“Despite <strong>the</strong>ir difficulties and anxieties <strong>the</strong> crew are<br />

very modest. <strong>The</strong>y’ve said that <strong>the</strong>re are many o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

seafarers who are more deserving <strong>of</strong> help; which I find<br />

truly humbling given <strong>the</strong>ir circumstances.”<br />

- AoS Kent port chaplain Deacon Paul Glock<br />

Roland Hayes has been visiting<br />

schools to make pupils more aware<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> seafarers play in <strong>the</strong>ir lives<br />

It was subsequently detained by<br />

<strong>the</strong> UK Maritime and Coastguard<br />

Agency and arrested by <strong>the</strong> UK<br />

Admiralty Court.<br />

While some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> crew had been<br />

repatriated, eight <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m remained<br />

on board, stranded in a foreign port.<br />

AoS ship visitor Bob Bushnell<br />

provided <strong>the</strong> Russian crew with<br />

practical and pastoral support,<br />

including buying essential provisions<br />

for <strong>the</strong>m, as <strong>the</strong> ship’s supplies had<br />

reached low levels.<br />

While <strong>the</strong> crew waited for <strong>the</strong><br />

issues <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir wages not being paid<br />

to be resolved, <strong>the</strong>ir families back<br />

in Russia were left without regular<br />

income.<br />

Page 7


Education<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />

Why Kent Catholic schools are changing<br />

What is <strong>the</strong> Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership<br />

and why are schools becoming academies?<br />

Clive Webster, its chief executive, explains<br />

<strong>The</strong> Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership<br />

(KCSP) is a multi-academy trust<br />

(MAT) for all Catholic schools in<br />

Kent, and has been <strong>the</strong> fastest<br />

growing trust in <strong>the</strong> country for <strong>the</strong><br />

last two years.<br />

Currently comprising 16 primary<br />

schools and 4 secondary schools, it<br />

rises to 22 schools on 1st <strong>July</strong> when<br />

<strong>the</strong> 17th primary and fifth secondary<br />

join. <strong>The</strong> ambition set by Archbishop<br />

Peter Smith is for all 32 Catholic<br />

schools in Kent to join over <strong>the</strong> next<br />

two years.<br />

Maintaining and raising <strong>the</strong> high<br />

educational standards being delivered<br />

by Catholic schools in Kent is a<br />

prime motivation for creating a<br />

truly Catholic collaboration across<br />

Kent.<br />

Unlike most o<strong>the</strong>r MATs <strong>of</strong> this<br />

size, virtually all schools choosing to<br />

become an academy as part <strong>of</strong> KCSP<br />

are rated by Ofsted as “good” or<br />

better, and in view <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rapidly diminishing<br />

school improvement support<br />

services in local authorities, an<br />

essential priority for KCSP is <strong>the</strong><br />

provision <strong>of</strong> high calibre, targeted<br />

school improvement support so that<br />

essential high standards are maintained<br />

and built upon.<br />

However, raising standards is <strong>the</strong><br />

only positive outcome <strong>of</strong> a very<br />

Catholic MAT. Bringing Catholic<br />

schools across Kent toge<strong>the</strong>r in<br />

groupings not done before has<br />

served to reignite and revitalise a<br />

shared dedication to <strong>the</strong> fundamental<br />

Catholic ethos that binds <strong>the</strong>m.<br />

This is illustrated no more than by<br />

<strong>the</strong> ga<strong>the</strong>ring last month <strong>of</strong> over 975<br />

pupils, teachers and clergy at Aylesford<br />

Priory to celebrate <strong>the</strong> success<br />

St Gregory’s in Tunbridge Wells<br />

has already become an academy<br />

<strong>of</strong> Catholic education in Kent. Few<br />

young people will have had <strong>the</strong><br />

chance to be part <strong>of</strong> such a large<br />

Catholic ga<strong>the</strong>ring, made all <strong>the</strong><br />

more special by mass led by recently<br />

appointed Bishop Paul Mason,<br />

who is also leads KCSP as chair <strong>of</strong> its<br />

board <strong>of</strong> directors.<br />

On 4th <strong>July</strong>, KCSP academies converge<br />

for a first Catholic festival <strong>of</strong><br />

sport when teams <strong>of</strong> pupils from<br />

primary and secondary schools go<br />

head to head at <strong>The</strong> Julie Rose Stadium<br />

in Ashford. “We’ve just never<br />

done this sort <strong>of</strong> thing before” typifies<br />

<strong>the</strong> responses <strong>of</strong> teaching staff<br />

and school leaders making <strong>the</strong> most<br />

<strong>of</strong> opportunities to promote<br />

Catholic school life like never<br />

before.<br />

Over 300 athletes will compete<br />

for individual medals and team<br />

cups, but with <strong>the</strong> critically important<br />

added value <strong>of</strong> mixing with fellow<br />

pupils and colleagues from<br />

Catholic schools previously unknown<br />

to each o<strong>the</strong>r.<br />

On a pr<strong>of</strong>essional level, <strong>the</strong> creation<br />

<strong>of</strong> a MAT dedicated, in increasingly<br />

challenging times, to<br />

protecting and promoting Catholic<br />

education has also produced an immediate<br />

school leadership network<br />

that is rising to its “common good”<br />

challenge for all Catholic schools<br />

across Kent, however small or remote,<br />

to survive and thrive, and<br />

<strong>the</strong>reby ensure continued Catholic<br />

witness in parishes and communities<br />

where many have been established<br />

for, quite literally, hundreds <strong>of</strong><br />

years.<br />

On 11th <strong>July</strong> over 100 headteachers,<br />

senior teachers and governors<br />

from Catholic schools in Kent will<br />

come toge<strong>the</strong>r for a fourth school<br />

leaders’ conference, focused on<br />

shared solutions to common<br />

problems.<br />

Standards continue to rise but<br />

crucially so does morale, a sense <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> common good in action, a sense<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> wider Catholic family, extending<br />

far beyond traditionally<br />

parochial preoccupations with education<br />

in one parish or one school,<br />

and taking real shared ownership for<br />

<strong>the</strong> whole <strong>of</strong> Catholic education in<br />

Kent, helping secure its preservation<br />

for decades, indeed fur<strong>the</strong>r<br />

centuries, to come.<br />

This is a partnership for <strong>the</strong> longterm,<br />

an enterprise dedicated to<br />

Catholic education. Few collaborations<br />

prove as energising as schools<br />

choosing to work, spend and witness<br />

toge<strong>the</strong>r for <strong>the</strong> good <strong>of</strong> shared<br />

faith and educational aspiration.<br />

Yes, we are raising standards but we<br />

are also seeing <strong>the</strong> release <strong>of</strong> untapped<br />

potential, <strong>of</strong>ten in ways<br />

unanticipated. That’s what’s truly<br />

exciting.<br />

Faith can give meaning<br />

By Lucy Russell<br />

My friend’s mo<strong>the</strong>r has a brain tumour.<br />

It’s terminal, and <strong>the</strong>re is<br />

very little that can be done except<br />

for making good memories as a<br />

family and spending as much time<br />

toge<strong>the</strong>r as possible.<br />

My friend leads a busy life. She<br />

teaches English at a secondary<br />

school three days a week, and she<br />

and her husband have two children,<br />

aged nine and five.<br />

Somehow, she is managing to<br />

travel 120 miles to her parent’s<br />

house every o<strong>the</strong>r Wednesday to<br />

spend two and a half days supporting<br />

her fa<strong>the</strong>r and helping with her<br />

mo<strong>the</strong>r’s care.<br />

On an odd lunchtime when we<br />

manage to meet and catch up for<br />

<strong>the</strong> first time in four months, <strong>the</strong><br />

busyness and <strong>the</strong> needs <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs<br />

are temporarily put to one side,<br />

and it dawns on her what she is losing.<br />

“This,” she confides in me, “is<br />

where some faith would be<br />

helpful”.<br />

French philosopher, ma<strong>the</strong>matician<br />

and physicist Blaise Pascal<br />

(1623-1662) argued that given <strong>the</strong><br />

possibility that God actually does<br />

exist, and assuming <strong>the</strong> infinite<br />

gain or loss associated with belief<br />

or unbelief in God, a rational person<br />

should live as though God<br />

exists.<br />

Pascal’s wager is that you have<br />

more to gain than to lose by believing<br />

in God. But if you haven’t been<br />

brought up with a belief in God, it<br />

can be hard to make that leap <strong>of</strong><br />

faith.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re is comfort to be derived<br />

from faith, and I am in an enviable<br />

position from my friend’s perspective.<br />

She would like to believe in<br />

God, but she doesn’t feel she can<br />

make that leap.<br />

She is an educated person, and<br />

it’s not rational. But Pascal wrote<br />

that, “Something incomprehensible<br />

is not for that reason less real.”<br />

To know an invisible God is a<br />

challenge for <strong>the</strong> human mind, a<br />

challenge that many people are<br />

scared <strong>of</strong>f by. For me, rationality<br />

isn’t a difficulty.<br />

After all, love isn’t rational, is it?<br />

In fact, our very existence isn’t rational.<br />

Why are we here? What is it<br />

all for? My response to this is God.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Austrian philosopher Ludwig<br />

Wittgenstein said that, “To believe<br />

in a God means to realise that <strong>the</strong><br />

facts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world are not <strong>the</strong><br />

whole story. To believe in a God<br />

means to realise that life has a<br />

meaning.”<br />

God is where I find meaning, not<br />

because <strong>the</strong>re is no o<strong>the</strong>r answer<br />

known to humankind, but because<br />

Christianity makes sense to me. As<br />

C.S. Lewis put it, “I believe in<br />

Christianity as I believe that <strong>the</strong><br />

sun has risen: not only because I<br />

see it, but because by it I see<br />

everything else.” For Blaise Pascal<br />

<strong>the</strong> rational mind is one that does<br />

believe in God.<br />

I think that faith and love are irrational<br />

and intimately connected.<br />

Catholic teaching says that we<br />

were made by love for love (Soren<br />

Kierkegaard described <strong>the</strong> Bible as<br />

God’s love letter to us). None<strong>the</strong>less,<br />

faith, like falling in love, is a<br />

leap in <strong>the</strong> dark.<br />

On <strong>the</strong> 22nd <strong>July</strong> we celebrate<br />

Mary Magdalene’s feast day. Imagine<br />

being Mary Magdalen discovering<br />

Jesus’s empty tomb on Easter<br />

morning. Jesus hasn’t been taken<br />

anywhere, but it will take a leap <strong>of</strong><br />

faith for his closest friends to begin<br />

to accept <strong>the</strong> Resurrection as <strong>the</strong><br />

new reality.<br />

Mary asks, “Where have <strong>the</strong>y<br />

taken my Lord?”, but perhaps she<br />

might have more accurately asked,<br />

“Where are you taking me, Lord?”<br />

Faith is a journey. It is also a relationship,<br />

which we are invited to<br />

invest in.<br />

One way <strong>of</strong> doing this is through<br />

our witness to Jesus. As Nadia<br />

Bolz-Weber writes in Pastrix: <strong>The</strong><br />

Cranky, Beautiful Faith <strong>of</strong> a Sinner<br />

and Saint, “Like Mary Magdalene,<br />

<strong>the</strong> reason we stand and weep and<br />

listen for Jesus is because we, like<br />

Mary, are bearers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> resurrection,<br />

we are made new.”<br />

Page 8


<strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />

<strong>The</strong> Cuban missile<br />

crisis and <strong>the</strong> pope<br />

Fr Ashley Beck, assistant priest at St Edmund <strong>of</strong> Canterbury,<br />

Beckenham, and lecturer in pastoral ministry at St Mary’s University,<br />

Twickenham, continues his series exploring modern papal encyclicals<br />

Papal encyclicals, by and large,<br />

are not written in very exciting<br />

language. While <strong>the</strong> style has become<br />

ra<strong>the</strong>r more accessible over<br />

<strong>the</strong> years many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m are written<br />

in academic prose - and reflecting<br />

<strong>the</strong> Latin originals, <strong>of</strong>ten<br />

with long sentences.<br />

It is <strong>the</strong>refore surprising that<br />

one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m - and only one, to<br />

date - has been partly set to<br />

music. <strong>The</strong> last encyclical letter <strong>of</strong><br />

St John XXIII, Pacem in Terris<br />

(“Peace on Earth”) issued at<br />

Easter 1963, was partly set to<br />

music by <strong>the</strong> French Jewish composer<br />

Darius Milhaud.<br />

Like most <strong>of</strong> Milhaud’s music it<br />

demands a bit <strong>of</strong> effort and is not<br />

easy listening, and it is seldom<br />

performed in this country (it needs<br />

a large choir and orchestra). <strong>The</strong><br />

fact that a non-Catholic composer<br />

was so inspired by <strong>the</strong> letter in <strong>the</strong><br />

years following its publication is a<br />

testimony to <strong>the</strong> enduring importance<br />

<strong>of</strong> what <strong>the</strong> pope did.<br />

<strong>The</strong> letter was in many ways St<br />

John’s last will and testament,<br />

since he was seriously ill with cancer<br />

when <strong>the</strong> letter was issued and<br />

he was dead within two months.<br />

You can’t understand <strong>the</strong> letter<br />

without knowing something about<br />

<strong>the</strong> background.<br />

Some <strong>of</strong> you may remember how<br />

unsafe <strong>the</strong> world felt at <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong><br />

1962 - many people thought that<br />

nuclear war would come as a result<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Cuban missile crisis.<br />

Working for peace and reconciliation<br />

in <strong>the</strong> world had been a big<br />

<strong>the</strong>me <strong>of</strong> St John’s pontificate, reflected<br />

in numerous speeches and<br />

addresses, and he worked hard try<br />

and diffuse <strong>the</strong> suspicion and confrontation<br />

between <strong>the</strong> western<br />

powers and <strong>the</strong> Soviet Union.<br />

It is generally accepted by historians<br />

that he did play an important<br />

part behind <strong>the</strong> scenes in diffusing<br />

<strong>the</strong> missile crisis, and at <strong>the</strong> beginning<br />

<strong>of</strong> 1963 boldly invited <strong>the</strong><br />

daughter <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Soviet leader<br />

Nikita Kruschev and her husband<br />

(who ran <strong>the</strong> <strong>newspaper</strong> Pravda)<br />

to Rome.<br />

Not everyone in <strong>the</strong> Vatican approved<br />

<strong>of</strong> what he was doing - his<br />

private secretary, Cardinal Loris<br />

Capovilla (who died a few weeks<br />

ago at <strong>the</strong> age <strong>of</strong> 100) recalled<br />

later that <strong>the</strong> pope knew he was<br />

being undermined and was saddened<br />

by this.<br />

<strong>The</strong> letter breaks new ground in<br />

that it is <strong>the</strong> first encyclical letter<br />

to address <strong>the</strong> issue <strong>of</strong> peace in<br />

<strong>the</strong> world in general; what was<br />

also striking was that it was directed<br />

not simply at <strong>the</strong> usual list<br />

<strong>of</strong> cardinals and bishops, but “all<br />

people <strong>of</strong> good will”. At <strong>the</strong> heart<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pope’s vision in <strong>the</strong> letter is<br />

his concept <strong>of</strong> “order” in creation<br />

- sin is a form <strong>of</strong> disorder.<br />

In <strong>the</strong> first section <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> letter<br />

St John reflects on <strong>the</strong> dignity <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> human person - as we have already<br />

seen this is a key concept in<br />

Catholic moral teaching. He establishes<br />

- really for <strong>the</strong> first time<br />

in papal teaching - <strong>the</strong> concept <strong>of</strong><br />

universal human rights, including<br />

<strong>the</strong> right to freedom <strong>of</strong> conscience.<br />

<strong>The</strong> rights have to be balanced<br />

by duties.<br />

Relationships between persons<br />

are a religious matter; at one<br />

point he writes “We must think <strong>of</strong><br />

human society as being primarily a<br />

spiritual reality.” This is a counterblast<br />

against secularism,<br />

against <strong>the</strong> pushing <strong>of</strong> God and religion<br />

out <strong>of</strong> public life.<br />

<strong>The</strong> pope in <strong>the</strong> second section<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> letter looks at <strong>the</strong> relationship<br />

between persons and public<br />

authorities. Here Pacem in Terris<br />

endorses, for <strong>the</strong> first time in such<br />

an explicit form in a papal letter,<br />

democratic forms <strong>of</strong> government:<br />

but even democracies do not have<br />

<strong>the</strong> right to pass laws which contravene<br />

<strong>the</strong> moral order, which<br />

cannot bind citizens.<br />

He goes on in <strong>the</strong> third section<br />

to consider relationships between<br />

states: <strong>the</strong>se must be governed by<br />

truth and <strong>the</strong> affirmation <strong>of</strong> equality<br />

between <strong>the</strong>m; racial discrimination<br />

is unacceptable, and<br />

migration is a basic human right.<br />

Shortly after this comes one <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> letter’s clearest condemnations:<br />

“Justice, right reason and<br />

<strong>the</strong> recognition <strong>of</strong> man’s dignity<br />

cry out insistently for a cessation<br />

to <strong>the</strong> arms race. <strong>The</strong> stock-piles<br />

<strong>of</strong> armaments which have been<br />

built up in various countries must<br />

be reduced all round and simultaneously<br />

by <strong>the</strong> parties concerned.<br />

Nuclear weapons must be<br />

banned...”<br />

St John significantly shifts<br />

Catholic teaching on war and<br />

peace - war is unacceptable now<br />

because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> nature <strong>of</strong> modern<br />

weapons. This builds on <strong>the</strong> teachings<br />

<strong>of</strong> Benedict XV during <strong>the</strong><br />

First World War (in which <strong>the</strong> pope<br />

had served as a medical orderly in<br />

<strong>the</strong> Italian army) - it is a fur<strong>the</strong>r<br />

stage in <strong>the</strong> development.<br />

To maintain <strong>the</strong> war “is a fit instrument<br />

with which to repair <strong>the</strong><br />

violation <strong>of</strong> justice is ‘mad” (<strong>the</strong><br />

Latin phrase is alienum a ratione –<br />

“at odds with reason”). <strong>The</strong> pope<br />

ends <strong>the</strong> letter with a section encouraging<br />

Catholics to co-operate<br />

with o<strong>the</strong>rs in <strong>the</strong> interests <strong>of</strong><br />

peace and to be educated in <strong>the</strong><br />

principles <strong>of</strong> peace.<br />

Fifty-three years on <strong>the</strong> letter<br />

has lost none <strong>of</strong> its force. While<br />

<strong>the</strong> Cold War and some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> excesses<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> arms race are a thing<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> past, we still see ample evidence<br />

that nation states still think<br />

<strong>the</strong> waging <strong>of</strong> war is morally acceptable.<br />

Christian opposition to war and<br />

militarism, which had been marginalised<br />

and looked down before<br />

Pacem in Terris, was given great<br />

encouragement and from now on<br />

<strong>the</strong> Catholic Church became more<br />

and more anti war. This was<br />

shown, for example, a few years<br />

later by Blessed Paul VI’s opposition<br />

to <strong>the</strong> Vietnam War. For<br />

Catholics and o<strong>the</strong>r Christians<br />

today <strong>the</strong> letter remains a crucial<br />

doctrinal text and source for<br />

reflection.<br />

Feature/Column<br />

A leap in <strong>the</strong> dark<br />

By Fr Daniel O’Leary<br />

Each morning we need to surrender<br />

our lives completely into <strong>the</strong> heart<br />

<strong>of</strong> God. This surrender is <strong>the</strong><br />

essence <strong>of</strong> all great faiths. It is <strong>the</strong><br />

dark leap.<br />

It has a raw and scary quality<br />

about it. Even Jesus hesitated. Most<br />

<strong>of</strong> us, too, shy away from such a<br />

challenge.<br />

Yet without that initial, blind and<br />

extreme act <strong>of</strong> trust, repeated as<br />

<strong>of</strong>ten as possible every day for as<br />

long as we live, all o<strong>the</strong>r routine rituals<br />

and pastoral performances will<br />

only, at best, boost our ego, at<br />

worst, poison our soul.<br />

Jesus’ words to <strong>the</strong> Pharisees still<br />

chill <strong>the</strong> hearts <strong>of</strong> those who are<br />

open enough to see and feel <strong>the</strong><br />

shocking edge <strong>of</strong> his sharp insight.<br />

He hated clerical hypocrisy. In truth<br />

Jesus had little interest in religion<br />

at all, or in <strong>the</strong> trappings <strong>of</strong> it. His<br />

passion was for <strong>the</strong> utter au<strong>the</strong>nticity<br />

<strong>of</strong> people’s lives.<br />

It is important to reflect on <strong>the</strong>se<br />

things. In our anxieties we forget<br />

<strong>the</strong> “one thing necessary,” to enjoy<br />

that vibrant sense <strong>of</strong> freedom<br />

through a blessed trusting and a single-minded<br />

focus on <strong>the</strong> divine love<br />

We shouldn’t shy away<br />

from challenges<br />

in <strong>the</strong> very centre <strong>of</strong> our loves. ‘<strong>The</strong><br />

surrender to love will never lead us<br />

astray. And <strong>the</strong> power <strong>of</strong> that surrender<br />

releases <strong>the</strong> energy <strong>of</strong> God.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re can be no o<strong>the</strong>r way for us<br />

Christians to experience <strong>the</strong> abundant<br />

life before we die; no o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

way to do God’s will; no o<strong>the</strong>r way<br />

to be broken and refashioned like<br />

Jesus on <strong>the</strong> terrible Cross. <strong>The</strong>re is<br />

no o<strong>the</strong>r way to flesh again <strong>the</strong> wonderful<br />

Word <strong>of</strong> truth into our church<br />

in all its human fallibility.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re is something bold and<br />

breathtaking in <strong>the</strong> vision <strong>of</strong> Jesus.<br />

It is to understand this that we are<br />

created. And whatever elitist reasons<br />

we may have for our claims to<br />

special treatment by <strong>the</strong> God <strong>of</strong><br />

truth, without <strong>the</strong> hard winter <strong>of</strong><br />

personal and communal surrender,<br />

we will never carry <strong>the</strong> honest light<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> summer sun.<br />

We must enter <strong>the</strong> future fields <strong>of</strong><br />

freedom not proudly through<br />

guarded gates with our special<br />

passes, but humbly, on our knees.<br />

We do this in a company <strong>of</strong> fellow<br />

failures, quite unable to believe how,<br />

in our sins, we are so undeservedly<br />

loved and utterly cherished by a<br />

tearful and smiling God. A God who<br />

cannot resist a surrendered heart.<br />

For all <strong>the</strong> latest Catholic news visit www.<strong>the</strong>catholicuniverse.com<br />

Page 9


Event<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />

Scenes from <strong>the</strong> ordination <strong>of</strong> Bishop Paul Mason<br />

ADVERTISING TERMS AND CONDITIONS<br />

OF ACCEPTANCE<br />

Advertisements submitted must contain accurate, complete<br />

and true information, comply with requirements <strong>of</strong> all<br />

relevant legislation and <strong>the</strong> British Code <strong>of</strong> Advertising<br />

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<strong>The</strong> publisher has <strong>the</strong> right, at its discretion, to refuse, omit,<br />

suspend, or change <strong>the</strong> position <strong>of</strong> advertisements, or<br />

require artwork or copy to be amended to comply with any<br />

moral or legal obligations.<br />

<strong>The</strong> publisher will not be liable for any loss incurred as a<br />

consequence <strong>of</strong> non publication or incorrect reproduction <strong>of</strong><br />

an advertisement.<br />

Advertisements may be cancelled within two weeks <strong>of</strong><br />

an order being received and a minimum <strong>of</strong> 24 hours before<br />

deadline for entry.<br />

Any cancellations outside this period will not affect <strong>the</strong><br />

buyer’s liability for payment for <strong>the</strong> advertisement.<br />

Payment for advertisements must be received within 30<br />

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<strong>of</strong> an advertisement amounts to an acceptance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se conditions.<br />

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To advertise in this <strong>newspaper</strong> contact Carol Malpass. Tel: 0161 908 5228 or email: carol.malpass@<strong>the</strong>catholicuniverse.com<br />

Page 10


<strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />

A journey with Pope Francis along<br />

<strong>the</strong> well known Stations <strong>of</strong> mercy<br />

Amette Ley, author <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> CTS booklet Stations <strong>of</strong> Mercy with Pope Francis,<br />

explores <strong>the</strong> meaning <strong>of</strong> mercy.<br />

Features/Diary<br />

School days<br />

Jo Driver<br />

Home? South<br />

London.<br />

Job? Campaign<br />

Co-ordinator,<br />

<strong>Southwark</strong> Clergy<br />

Support Fund<br />

Campaign.<br />

What secondary<br />

school did you<br />

attend? Coloma<br />

Convent School for<br />

Girls in Croydon.<br />

Favourite subject?<br />

Music, although I<br />

also loved chemistry.<br />

Worst subject? Maths. I seem to remember getting<br />

in a few knots with trigonometry.<br />

Favourite teacher? Norma Carroll (Music) but I<br />

also had two wonderful Maths tutors in my GCSE<br />

year: Mrs Sands and <strong>the</strong> late Mary Garvey.<br />

Favourite school dinner? I can't remember, but<br />

it probably had chocolate in it!<br />

Guilty secret? I once played Sister Sheila<br />

Moloney in a sixth form revue - I’m hoping she<br />

has forgiven me by now!<br />

What lessons about life did you learn? Honour<br />

your feelings and respect those <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs.<br />

What do you wish you had been told? A loud<br />

voice does not necessarily make a good leader.<br />

What did you do immediately after leaving<br />

school? I worked for a year or so in finance and<br />

<strong>the</strong>n went on to vocal studies at music college<br />

for four years.<br />

What career advice would you give to a young<br />

person? Do what you love, give it 100 per cent<br />

effort and watch out for <strong>the</strong> guiding signposts /<br />

opportunities along <strong>the</strong> way.<br />

Diary - <strong>July</strong><br />

Pope Francis has taught a great<br />

deal on <strong>the</strong> mercy <strong>of</strong> God, so it<br />

was no surprise when he called for<br />

a Holy Year <strong>of</strong> Mercy in order for<br />

us to ponder more deeply on this.<br />

My hope for <strong>the</strong>se Stations<br />

which highlight some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Holy Fa<strong>the</strong>r’s teachings on<br />

mercy is that anyone using <strong>the</strong>m<br />

will be helped to “live more intensely<br />

in <strong>the</strong> light <strong>of</strong> God’s<br />

love and to celebrate and experience<br />

his everlasting mercy”<br />

through meditating on Scripture<br />

and <strong>the</strong> Holy Fa<strong>the</strong>r’s words in<br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong> familiar context <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Lenten Stations.<br />

When we consider <strong>the</strong> mercy<br />

<strong>of</strong> God, we are not rejecting<br />

justice in any way. <strong>The</strong> true<br />

meaning <strong>of</strong> justice is our relinquishing<br />

<strong>of</strong> our own selfish desires<br />

in response to <strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>r<br />

who calls us to share his own<br />

life.<br />

It is God’s reaching out to us<br />

which initiates this movement<br />

towards him – his grace precedes<br />

us and enables us to acknowledge<br />

our need for his<br />

mercy and to respond to it.<br />

<strong>The</strong> receiving <strong>of</strong> mercy from<br />

<strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>r and <strong>the</strong> handing on<br />

<strong>of</strong> this mercy to o<strong>the</strong>rs is <strong>the</strong><br />

hallmark <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Christian, and<br />

only through this will justice<br />

flourish.<br />

We should note also how <strong>the</strong><br />

Holy Fa<strong>the</strong>r takes every opportunity<br />

to remind us that our<br />

Blessed Mo<strong>the</strong>r Mary will intercede<br />

for us in our attempts to<br />

give and receive mercy, as she<br />

does in everything we strive for<br />

in <strong>the</strong> Christian life.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Stations <strong>of</strong> mercy begin,<br />

after prayer, with <strong>the</strong> Holy Fa<strong>the</strong>r’s<br />

statement that mercy is<br />

<strong>the</strong> Lord’s most powerful message.<br />

He acknowledges our inconsistencies<br />

in sometimes<br />

wanting to listen to Jesus, but<br />

at o<strong>the</strong>rs being like those who<br />

beat Our Lord with sticks. Never<strong>the</strong>less,<br />

God’s mercy is more<br />

powerful than our weakness.<br />

This mercy involved “pr<strong>of</strong>ound<br />

humiliation” for <strong>the</strong> Son<br />

<strong>of</strong> God and <strong>the</strong> Holy Fa<strong>the</strong>r reminds<br />

us that <strong>the</strong> Cross is far<br />

more than an ornament for our<br />

churches or a symbol to distinguish<br />

us from o<strong>the</strong>rs. It represents<br />

<strong>the</strong> mystery which is <strong>the</strong><br />

mercy <strong>of</strong> God towards us.<br />

We are secure in this mercy;<br />

God is patient and calls us again<br />

and again to return to him, and<br />

his mercy is for every generation.<br />

Our Blessed Lady’s words<br />

in <strong>the</strong> Magnificat remind us that<br />

we too are included in God’s<br />

merciful salvation as we call her<br />

blessed.<br />

However, <strong>the</strong> path that we<br />

follow must not just feel good;<br />

it must also be true as we accompany<br />

Jesus and bear his<br />

cross with him. Like Veronica<br />

and <strong>the</strong> women <strong>of</strong> Jerusalem,<br />

we see <strong>the</strong> loving face <strong>of</strong> God as<br />

we travel and as we fall and<br />

suffer humiliations as he did.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Church must announce<br />

above all <strong>the</strong> mercy <strong>of</strong> God; she<br />

must live in mercy and witness<br />

to mercy so all people can find<br />

Christ, <strong>the</strong> way to <strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>r.<br />

All must be <strong>of</strong>fered tenderness<br />

and dignity so <strong>the</strong>y can ‘lift<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir heads and start anew’<br />

with <strong>the</strong>ir joy restored. Jesus<br />

himself is <strong>the</strong> face <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>r’s<br />

mercy, <strong>the</strong> face we see<br />

when we turn to him.<br />

As he died, he was still pouring<br />

out <strong>the</strong> mercy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>r<br />

upon us when he gave us his<br />

Mo<strong>the</strong>r before all was finished.<br />

As he rested in <strong>the</strong> tomb, <strong>the</strong><br />

mystery <strong>of</strong> that mercy which<br />

connects God and man waited to<br />

pour out on us again at <strong>the</strong> Resurrection,<br />

making <strong>the</strong> dry land<br />

<strong>of</strong> sorrow into a garden <strong>of</strong> joy.<br />

If you have an event, please e-mail<br />

details to us at<br />

pilgrim@rcsouthwark.co.uk<br />

1 & 13: Catholic history walk, discovering <strong>the</strong><br />

story <strong>of</strong> St Thomas More, 6.30pm, meet on <strong>the</strong><br />

steps <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church <strong>of</strong> Our Most Holy Redeemer<br />

and St Thomas More, Cheyne Row Chelsea SW3.<br />

3: Day <strong>of</strong> celebration for people with<br />

disabilities, <strong>The</strong> Friars, Aylesford, 12 midday –<br />

4pm. <strong>The</strong> event includes art workshops,<br />

a mobile zoo, and music.<br />

23 – 1 August: World Youth Day, Kracow, Poland.<br />

<strong>Southwark</strong> Catholic Youth Service have a few<br />

places left. If you’re aged 18-30 and you’re<br />

interested in joining <strong>the</strong> diocesan pilgrimage<br />

please call 01227-272900 or email<br />

jean@scys.org.uk<br />

Page 11


<strong>The</strong> <strong>Pilgrim</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />

Focus on faith<br />

Fancy going for a meal in a prison?<br />

Spanish chef Alberto Crisci believes learning to cook can prevent prisoners<br />

re<strong>of</strong>fending. That’s why he set up <strong>The</strong> Clink Restaurant at HMP Brixton<br />

and in three o<strong>the</strong>r prisons. He talks to Greg Watts<br />

What has been your proudest moment<br />

at <strong>The</strong> Clink and why?<br />

My proudest moment was <strong>the</strong> day we<br />

opened in 2009. It was <strong>the</strong> culmination<br />

<strong>of</strong> four years planning and overcoming<br />

many hurdles. <strong>The</strong> look on<br />

<strong>the</strong> prisoners’ faces when <strong>the</strong>y arrived<br />

for work was inspiring. <strong>The</strong>y<br />

were so proud to be training in <strong>The</strong><br />

Clink.<br />

Catholic Certificate<br />

in Religious Studies<br />

An introduction to <strong>the</strong> central teachings<br />

and beliefs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Catholic Church<br />

including core modules on Jesus Christ,<br />

<strong>the</strong> Church, Scripture, Christian Morality<br />

and Sacraments.<br />

<strong>The</strong> course also provides a selection <strong>of</strong><br />

specialist modules on Education,<br />

Ministry, Catechesis, Spirituality and a<br />

planned Canon Law module.<br />

Suitable for teachers, trainee teachers,<br />

governors, parish catechists or for<br />

personal interest.<br />

Awarded by <strong>the</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Religious<br />

Studies on behalf <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Bishops’<br />

Conference <strong>of</strong> England and<br />

Wales.<br />

Contact CCF or visit our<br />

website for more detail or<br />

download <strong>the</strong> brochure.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Clink is such a brilliant idea.<br />

Why do you think it has not been<br />

taken up by more prisons?<br />

<strong>The</strong> Clink currently operates in four<br />

prisons with two more in <strong>the</strong> pipeline<br />

as well as a gardening project and<br />

Clink Events which caters for clients<br />

in and around <strong>the</strong> M25. Clink Events<br />

also <strong>of</strong>fers ex-<strong>of</strong>fenders and homeless<br />

young people from <strong>the</strong> Centrepoint<br />

charity <strong>the</strong> opportunity to work and<br />

train with <strong>The</strong> Clink.<br />

Typically, how many prisoners<br />

would be working in a kitchen at<br />

any one time?<br />

We train 30 prisoners at any one time<br />

in <strong>the</strong> restaurants. This is split between<br />

<strong>the</strong> kitchen (pr<strong>of</strong>essional cookery<br />

diploma) and <strong>the</strong> restaurant (food<br />

service diploma).<br />

Who provides <strong>the</strong> training and how?<br />

<strong>The</strong> Clink is a registered training centre<br />

with City & Guilds and we employ<br />

pr<strong>of</strong>essional staff who are<br />

accredited assessors to deliver <strong>the</strong><br />

training.<br />

What are some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> challenges <strong>of</strong><br />

running a kitchen in prison?<br />

All tools, including knives, must be<br />

accountable at all times and must be<br />

locked away when not in use. If a<br />

tool goes missing <strong>the</strong>n a full search is<br />

carried out by security until it is<br />

found. Prisoners that you have<br />

trained to a high standard being<br />

transferred without warning can be<br />

very frustrating. At <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

day you are working in a prison first<br />

and a kitchen second.<br />

What led you to <strong>The</strong> Clink?<br />

I wanted to combine high quality<br />

training in a real work environment,<br />

break down barriers that existed with<br />

<strong>the</strong> employment <strong>of</strong> ex-<strong>of</strong>fenders and<br />

also change <strong>the</strong> public perception <strong>of</strong><br />

rehabilitating prisoners. To open a<br />

training restaurant that employers<br />

and <strong>the</strong> public could dine in made<br />

perfect sense to me.<br />

How does a kitchen at <strong>The</strong> Clink<br />

compare to those at some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

restaurants you’ve cooked in?<br />

A kitchen in <strong>The</strong> Clink is no different<br />

to any o<strong>the</strong>r I have worked in. Hard<br />

graft, teamwork and dedication are<br />

all essential.<br />

How Spanish cuisine features on <strong>the</strong><br />

menu at <strong>The</strong> Clink?<br />

Our menus are typically modern<br />

British but with influences from<br />

around <strong>the</strong> world. All our menus feature<br />

seasonal and local produce. We<br />

don’t have any Spanish dishes on <strong>the</strong><br />

current menu but ajo blanco (a<br />

chilled soup made with almonds) has<br />

featured previously and we make our<br />

own membrillo (quince jelly) that we<br />

sell by <strong>the</strong> jar and serve with <strong>the</strong><br />

cheese board. We always have a<br />

homemade pasta dish on <strong>the</strong> menu as<br />

a result <strong>of</strong> my Italian heritage. <strong>The</strong><br />

prisoners are all classically trained so<br />

making fresh pasta, bread and stocks<br />

is second nature.<br />

What food do you recall from your<br />

childhood?<br />

My fondest memories <strong>of</strong> my mo<strong>the</strong>r’s<br />

home cooking has to be homemade<br />

ravioli filled with ricotta cheese and<br />

served with tomato, basil and lots <strong>of</strong><br />

Parmesan. Beef olives are also<br />

braised slowly in <strong>the</strong> pasta sauce as<br />

this gives <strong>the</strong> sauce a very rich<br />

flavour. Serve <strong>the</strong> hot beef olives<br />

with green salad and crusty fresh<br />

bread.<br />

When did you first think <strong>of</strong><br />

becoming a chef?<br />

When I was still at school I used to<br />

work weekends for my uncle as he<br />

was head chef for Trusthouse Forte at<br />

Heathrow Airport. I went to catering<br />

college when I left school and have<br />

never looked back.<br />

Have you any idea how many <strong>of</strong><br />

your students at <strong>The</strong> Clink have<br />

gone on to work in catering and<br />

hospitality after prison?<br />

We have placed approximately 200<br />

into jobs that we have arranged and<br />

aim to release 1,000 graduates into<br />

employment each year by <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong><br />

2020, providing we hit our target <strong>of</strong><br />

having 10 prisoner training schemes<br />

in operation – we’re currently at six.<br />

To book a table at <strong>The</strong> Clink<br />

Restaurant please visit<br />

<strong>the</strong>clinkcharity.org<br />

www.ccftootingbec.org.uk<br />

Published by Universe Media Group Limited, Guardian Print Centre, Longbridge Road, Trafford Park, Manchester, M17 1SN. Tel 0161 214 1200. Printed by Trinity Mirror, Hollinwood Avenue, Chadderton, Oldham OL9 8EP. All rights reserved.

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