FREE www.catholicvoiceoTancaster.co.uk The ONcial Newspaper to Inside this month: p8 Vocation! the Diocese of Lancaster p2 Some Hesitated Issue 218 + April 2010 p6 Being a Young Catholic Today “Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I give you strength, truly I help you. ” (Isaiah 41:10) Illustration byElizabeth Wang, ‘The descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and Mary at Pentecost’, R U READY copyright © Radiant Light 2010, www.radiantlight.org.uk to answer God’s Call? he image of the apostles in the upper room cowering, afraid vocation. The better you know Jesus, the more Tand unsure as to what they must now do, is one of great His mystery attracts you.” relevance for so many young men today. So also is the culmination of this event – when Tames of Sre came upon them, Seminaries are abundant with people from all walks of life, all with the Holy Spirit dwelt within them and they had the courage to go their own personal vocation stories. Some will come to realise in the out as witnesses to Christ. That step which the apostles took Srst couple of years that this isn’t their vocation in life, whilst others doesn’t seem to be quite as straightforward to those whom the enter formation unsure or without much conSdence and soon Lord calls forth in this day and age. There seems to be no become aware that they are being pointed in the direction of straightforward answer as to why. ordination. “Taste and see that the Lord is good, How blessed are those who take refuge in him” (Psalm 34:8). So many people pray unceasingly for an increase in vocations to the Priesthood; vocations promoters, directors and so many One of the greater barriers that many put up in front of themselves other individuals are fervent in their encouragement to young men. However, great comfort should be taken from Jesus’ Continued on Page 5 promise to always provide shepherds for his Tock. Many times throughout His ministry Jesus had to reassure His own disciples, “Do not be afraid” , they often lacked the faith and conviction to wholeheartedly enter into the mission Jesus had for them. Peter was often the worst oRender “Peter took fright and began to sink” , (Matthew 14:22-23), yet we know that he was successfully entrusted with being the rock which the Church was build upon. If the very Srst disciples of Christ, who were there and saw all he did and said, were afraid to follow their vocation in life, it is no wonder many men 2000 years on can struggle to embrace their vocation from God. However, just as the disciples were strengthened when they most needed the love and guidance of Christ, so are those called to Priesthood – the Spirit is already directing their “whole being, spirit, soul and body” , and it is only through discernment that they will come to see whether or not they are being called to a Priestly Vocation. Seminary formation is designed to bring you closer to God, to help you hear and understand the plan he has for your life. Many people are scared or worried about committing themselves, however the discernment process puts no pressure upon young men, more so it is tailored to help the individual work out whether Priesthood is what God is asking of them. The Holy Father speaks of these years as: “...a time of journeying, of exploration, but above all of discovering Christ. It is only when a young man has had a personal experience of Christ that he can truly understand the Lord’s will and consequently his own 2 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + April 2010 www.catholicvoiceoSancaster.co.uk BISHOP’S COLUMN EDITORIAL fter what seems to have been a long winter the spring ebruary 2010 marked another dark chapter in the erosion ATowers are beginning to appear. The gentle snowdrops Fof religious liberty in this country while also providing and colourful crocuses can be seen in gardens and parks, and more evidence of the increasing unpopularity, at the national we await those sure golden heralds of springtime to brighten level, of the Catholic Church’s moral authority and teaching. up the longer days - daRodils. The snow and the frost reigned supreme for so long, holding everything in its tight frigid grip. Having said this, at the local level nothing could be further from the But isn’t nature remarkable in its power of recuperation and truth, with over Sfty of our Diocesan Primary schools enthusiastically rebirth! As Gerard Manley Hopkins the Jesuit poet wrote, ‘Deep accepting the Diocese’s new engaging and faithful sex education down there is the dearest freshness in things.’ programme, This is my body. I like to think that the world of nature in some way mirrors our However, returning to the national arena, the Labour Government spiritual lives. There may not seem to be much happening on the won a majority for the third reading of its Children, Schools and surface, or at least we may not be aware of it, but deep within our Families Bill which will make it compulsory that Catholic secondary hearts, in the core of our being, the Spirit of God is constantly active, schools teach 15 years olds that: tilling the soil and giving growth. We could describe the Holy Spirit as God’s gardener who gently ploughs and creates the furrows that • Homosexuality is ‘normal and harmless’ (Rt. Hon. Ed Balls). in good time will yield a rich harvest. While the Church cannot accept such a positive aUrmation Contact us of homosexuality, she recognises that people suRering from The Catholic Voice of Lancaster Of course we must play our own part and the homosexual condition must be accepted with respect, is published on the last Sunday of the provide the soil for the divine ploughman to compassion and sensitivity, and all forms of ‘unjust’ month previous to publication date. till, and that is what we try to do in Lent with discrimination should be avoided. (Catechism of the Catholic our eRorts at prayer, penance and good works. Church, 2357). The Catholic Voice of Lancaster is As we strive to love God and our neighbour in • The importance of civil partnerships; published by it’s owners. The Trustees the day to day routine, let us enjoy the • How and where children under the age of consent can access of the Roman Catholic Diocese of lovely days of Easter with which God contraception and abortion services. Lancaster, a registered charity, graces us as our spiritual springtime (No. 234331), and is wholly independent and the season of eternal hope. The Bill does, grudgingly, allow Catholic schools to teach the moral of and separate from, any previous +Michael Campbell OSA, Bishop of Lancaster doctrine of the Church on these issues but only as one opinion newspaper published by or on behalf among other opinions, thereby denying us the right to teach the fundamental principal of objective moral absolutes. of the diocese. BY THE WAY… This Bill, if it becomes law, forces Catholic secondary schools and EDITOR: Catholic teachers to promote immoral behaviour to children, and to Edwina Gillett Some Hesitated co-operate in the facilitation of evil acts. There are no provisions in 01253 736630 / 07969 967268 this Bill for a Catholic teacher to conscientiously object to delivering [email protected] “She did not recognize him” (Jn 20:14). this content. It could be argued that a teacher who doesn’t have www.catholicvoiceoTancaster.co.uk “Something prevented them from recognizing him” (Lk 24:15). problems, in conscience, could instead deliver it to children, but then “Some hesitated” (Mt. 28:18). what are they doing teaching in a Catholic school in the Srst place! ADVERTISING: Nick Layton / CathCom Ltd. he Srst thing it tells you is that they weren’t expecting him It also contravenes a fundamental principal of Catholic education 020 7112 6710 T– not alive, anyway! It’s expressed more extremely in that parents have the primary responsibility for the education of [email protected] Thomas’ stance of downright disbelief. So don’t give space to their children – a role which is ‘irreplaceable and inalienable and, www.cathcom.org people who tell you that the disciples concocted a conspiracy therefore, incapable of being entirely delegated to others or usurped by to promote a story of a Risen Lord. Actually, far from others.’ (PontiRcal Council for the Family, The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality). Under current legislation, parents have the right to DESIGN & LAYOUT: combining to shape a deception, they seem to have been at withdraw their child from sex and relationship education (SRE) Rob Hotchkiss / Hot Creative sixes and sevens, reacting to events as they hit them. [email protected] classes up until the age of 19. But the bill will lower that to 15. www.hot-creative.co.uk The second thing is the mystery of Jesus’ risen appearance (is The Catholic Voice of Lancaster believes that this is yet another ‘presence’ a better word?) . He’s there, in front of their eyes, but at Srst disturbing example of the creeping totalitarianism that is raising its PUBLISHED BY: they don’t realize who it is. Intriguing, isn’t it? There’s something so ugly head in this country. Not long ago this Labour government CathCom Ltd. diRerent about Jesus in his Risen life; what is it? Maybe at last they prohibited Catholic adoption agencies from abiding by the moral 2/4 Church Street, Steeple Bumpstead, were looking – as far as people can on earth – at totally transformed teaching of the Church, and now they are in the process of stopping Haverhill, CB9 7DG humanity, the perfect Man (Eph.