Bishop's Column
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Middlesbrough May 2018 Diocesan Issue 453 Catholic VOICE FREE What’s Silver Celebrations Jimmy Cricket's Bishop’s For Sister Rose Lourdes Date Inside Page 9 Page 13 Column Over the last few months, as many of you will know, I have been recovering from an accident that happened just Promises Renewed before Christmas. As the result of slipping on an icy humpback bridge I ruptured the quadriceps tendon in my right leg. This is the bit that makes your knee bend and the lower part of your leg move. I required an operation to repair it. This took place at end of December and then followed a lengthy At Mass Of Chrism period of recovery. This was to allow the tendon, now re-attached to the kneecap, to heal up and form strong Priests from throughout the Diocese of others. “Not only does Jesus remind us of this fact, scar tissue, thus holding everything in Middlesbrough reaffirmed their ministry by “The gospel is good news because it is, in but he asks us to become sharers with him place and enabling me to walk. renewing the promises made at their essence, a message of joy. Jesus comes to in the mission of proclaiming this truth to It has been a slow journey back to ordination at the annual Mass of Chrism in remind us all that we are the beloved sons humankind.” St Mary’s Cathedral. mobility, but I am glad to say that I and daughters of the Father, in whom he am well on the way. I was discharged There was standing room only as around delights, now and always. This is the 750 worshippers swelled the congregation, foundation of our identity as Christians. Continued on Page 2 by the consultant at the beginning of with coaches coming from all corners of the April but still need to have regular diocese. The principal concelebrant, as at all physiotherapy to regain better flection of this year’s Holy Week services at the of the knee. I would just like to cathedral, was Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool express my genuine thanks to all the Thomas Williams. medical staff at James Cook University Bishop Terry, who attended and preached at Hospital for their kind and some of the services, warmly welcomed professional care. I would also like to Bishop Thomas and thanked him for his help thank everyone for their prayers. I during this time of need as he continues his really felt the power of peoples’ recovery after knee surgery. prayers and they definitely carried me The singing of the combined cathedral and along, especially when I felt at my diocesan choirs enhanced the celebration, lowest and darkest. Thank you for the with sacred music including Monteverdi’s Beatus Vir and diocesan director of music get-well messages and for the Tim Harrison’s setting of Psalm 88. encouragement. Thanks to all the visitors who took the trouble to pop in In his homily, Bishop Terry said we sometimes become so familiar with the and see me. Thanks to those who phrase “Good News” when referring to the looked after me in various ways while Gospels that we almost don’t hear it I was marooned in the house unable anymore. to do much for myself and to get out. “In the inimitable words of our Holy Father I am grateful especially to the priests Pope Francis, in his letter on the Joy of the who took the time and trouble to visit Gospel, no evangeliser should look as if he’s me and take me out when I was able just come back from a funeral,” he said. to get into a car. “The priest shows the joy of the Good News in the great and the small things of life, by Bishop Thomas and Bishop Terry with the Chapter of Canons at the Mass of Chrism. Over the next few weeks I hope to Photo by Joe Harrison resume the round of pastoral his very demeanour and attitude towards visitations to parishes and schools, to administer the sacrament of confirmation as best as I can and fulfil my various obligations and duties both within and outside the diocese. I am grateful for your patient understanding over these months. When I came back from sabbatical at the beginning of December last year I did not expect to have another four- month sabbatical imposed on me! An independent family owned & run I am sure there are many lessons to business providing a personal be learned from the accident and and efficient service recovery, and as time goes on I hope to learn and reflect on them; but I can • Practising Catholic Funeral Director say that as a result of this negative within the company event I have been the recipient of • Pre-paid funeral plans available many positive and good things, many • Guidance & Quotations willingly given blessings and kindnesses. So although I would not like a repeat performance, I can say, thank you Lord, 78 MAIN STREET, and thank you everyone! WILLERBY, HULL Alleluia! Tel: (01482) 656537 Yours in blessed hope, www.robertadrew.com 2 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + May 2018 NEWS Promises Renewed At Mass Of Chrism Continued from Page 1 As well as the renewal of priestly promises, The Chrism Mass is central to the the Mass also included the blessing of the sacramental life of the whole diocese Oil of Chrism, Oil of the Sick and Oil of throughout the year and the oils are used in Catechumens. baptisms, confirmations, ordinations and the Later, the oils were collected by each priest sacrament of the sick. to be presented at the Mass of the Lord’s The ancient ceremony takes place in Supper in their own churches on Maundy cathedrals around the world at the beginning Thursday evening. of Holy Week. Bishop Thomas blessing the holy oils The Healing Power Of The Word 'Welcome' Since we launched our welcome statement at was the excellent reflection day given last We added a concluding phrase from a Litany Our Lady’s Parish in York in November it year by Bill Huebsch at All Saints School on of Welcome produced by the pastoral centre seems to have taken on a life of its own, Pope Francis’ vision for parishes, which gave where Bill Huebsch is in ministry. This simple spreading far and wide beyond our us confidence that we could do something. phrase gives the theological foundation of boundaries. The basic text is very simple. It states, with what goes before. Most of the text is not original to us. It has, some humour mixed in, the profound fact in various forms, been doing the rounds in that everyone is welcome in our parish, and YOU BELONG WITH US, BECAUSE YOU different churches for some years. I first that the often complex situations of people’s BELONG TO CHRIST, AND THAT IS ENOUGH. heard of it being on the noticeboard outside lives are not an obstacle or reason not to be a church in Wales and filed the text away a valued part of our community. The text was under “interesting” in my little folder of discussed and approved by our PPC as a People all too easily hear a message that resources. statement that is at the same time both they are not welcome in church. That The statement surfaced in this parish as a inspirational and aspirational – that is to say, message comes in all kinds of ways. combination of two things. The first was a it inspires us in our Christian mission and is Sometimes from clergy (though we ought to conversation in our Parish Pastoral Council something we aspire to as a parish know better), sometimes from well-meaning (PPC) about how we can reach out to our community. We may not be fully there yet, parishioners (“You’re divorced so you can’t sisters and brothers who, for various but we are on the road, and we believe this go to Mass anymore” – not true!), or from reasons, are no longer a part of our text says something very important about the media’s portrayal of the Church. worshipping community. The second element the gospel message. Sometimes good people also leave our communities because they have been Father Tony Lester scandalised by a Church that says one thing but does another. Whatever the reasons, people are left with deep wounds, and so Reconciliation has been an appropriate way the body of Christ is wounded as well. back into the community. There have been both laughter and tears along the way, as As a parish, we want to reach out, as Jesus people rediscover that God’s love for them is did. Our welcome statement is not only an unconditional free gift and not a reward clearly visible as you enter the church and for good behaviour. Without giving names on our website, but has been printed on and details, I have been able to let the 2,000 cards, 1,200 of which parishioners parish know something of the impact of their have handed on to family, friends, and outreach, increasing their confidence in their neighbours. The parishioners have been the Christian vocation. outreach, sometimes through a conversation and sometimes just putting the card through Having a card to hand is a simple tool. the door of a Catholic neighbour who no Behind it is a word we all want to hear – longer attended Mass. The card has also “Welcome”. What’s in a word? Well, if the gone to all the families who have children in word is welcome and it is sincerely meant our parish school.