Andrew Egan Tells Catena How an Idea Was Turned Into Action at Harrow Circle

CATENA

No.1092 - OCTOBER 2020

The Magazine of the Catenian Association - £2

OCTOBER 2020 • CATENA

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CATENA • OCTOBER 2020

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Head Oﬃce Contact

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Notes for Contributors

Contributions for publication are to be sent directly to the Editor by email: [email protected]

National Secretary Clinic

Helping Local Families in Need

All distribution queries to Head Ofﬁce,

Coventry.

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A Charming Knight

Leicester and LAMP

Please contact the Editor if you have any questions about an article you have sent in.

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18-20

The deadline for the next edition is the

ﬁrst of the month prior to publication.

Youth Matters

The Final Word

When sending photographs via email please ensure that they are saved at 300dpi and as maximum quality JPEGs.

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100 Years of Stella Maris

Letters

Please notify changes of address and Brothers’ deaths through Circle

Secretary to Head Ofﬁce, Coventry.

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Magazine published by Catenian Publications Ltd.

10-11

Classﬁed

Would Jesus Have Joined the Catenians?

Help the

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Environment

Hands Up For Bilbo Baggins

Your magazine wrapper is easy to recycle so please consider the environment.

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Seeking Employment

24-25

Do you know, Catena’s printers are winners of the Environmental Company of the Year Award. They use sustainably sourced paper and vegetable-based inks.

Catena: Bringing People Together

12-13

News Roundup

26-43

14-15

Around the Circles

Membership Eligibility

44-51

In Memoriam

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Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea) is an agency of the Catholic Church.

Despite the immense challenges posed by Covid-19, Stella Maris remains as active as possible, here in the UK and overseas. Please visit our website, Facebook site and other social media feeds to stay up to date with our activities. Also, we would urge you to look at our Centenary website: https://centenary.stellamaris.org.uk/

When your Circle is able to meet again, if you would like a speaker from Stella Maris, please contact us.

If you are able to support us, through prayer

or ﬁnancially, we would be most grateful.

For donations or any offers of help please contact: In England and Wales [email protected] In Scotland [email protected]

Registered charity in England and Wales number 1069833. Registered charity in Scotland number SC043085. Registered company number 3320318.

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FEATURE

NATIONAL
SECRETARY CLINIC

David Lloyd invites Catenians to air their views to him directly

I am aware that other Brothers have felt in the past that their answers could save the Association. It stands to reason that they are not all necessarily right. It is equally the case that many of the ideas expressed are likely to be perfectly good ones.

Perhaps good ideas have been put forward in the past and have been voted down by the membership – just because they came from Grand (National) Council. That is the reality of democracy I suppose.

What does concern me is hearing of negative comments by Brothers on social media; what impression does this give to prospective visiting gentlemen?

Since I took ofﬁce in May, I have worked to try and

improve communication between National Council and the members. I sought approval to launch Insights and intend to steadily grow this into a more effective tool. I believe in positive action.

Starting from October, I propose to commence a monthly clinic and I invite Brothers to email me and book an appointment for a one-to-one meeting with me by Zoom. This will present every Brother with the opportunity to be heard. I cannot guarantee to solve every problem, but I do promise to listen. I want Brothers to know that they can ask questions, make suggestions and offer criticism

I joined the Catenian Association in 1991. At one

of my ﬁrst meetings as a new Brother, my Circle

mentor advised me that we had to hold a vote on a proposal from Grand Council.

directly to me, rather than on social media.

If there is sufﬁcient demand I may make this a

fortnightly event.
He went on to advise me that it was customary to vote against any such proposal. When I asked him: “What if it is a good idea?” he replied, “It won’t be – it’s from Grand Council.”
In the future I hope to be able to offer follow-up sessions where I could facilitate the debate of a common theme between Brothers and the relevant GBNC work group chairs.

Although this tale sounds ridiculous, there does still seem to be an environment where whatever National Council tries to do, it is never good enough for some. We all love the Association and the way in which sharing our faith in friendship strengthens it. We believe in taking care of our widows and of each other and we cherish the friendships that being Catenians has enabled us to make. I want this to continue and for more Catholic lay men to have the same opportunity to experience these simple pleasures.
I look forward to hearing from you, Brothers!

National Secretary Clinic

First Saturday of the month, starting 3 October, 9.30am-12.30pm

Email [email protected] for an individual appointment (20 mins).

Reading the articles in last month’s Catena, I was struck by a sense of frustration. It is never easy when a person is convinced they have all the answers but nobody wants to listen.

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Lake Como, St Moritz & The
Bernina Express

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Through the Afﬁnity scheme, York Circle has put money towards looking after invited guests at our Centenary Dinner and any further money will be used at Br other President’s wishes.”

The Blue Danube river cruise

Jim Fletcher, York Catenians.

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or call 01283 248304 – and don’t forget to mention your Circle!

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Riviera Travel, New Manor, 328 Wetmore Road, Burton-on-Trent, Staffs, DE14 1SP. ABTA V4744 and ATOL 3430 protected. Your Catenian circle must be mentioned at the time of booking or within 24hrs if an online booking. *Some elements are not commissionable, including room/travel upgrades & supplements, insurance premiums and bookings made through a third party (to include travel agents, online booking sites or any dedicated media partner departures) and any bookings where the Catenian Circle name was not mentioned at the time of booking. A commission invoice will be requested from the Circle via an email to the lead name on the booking, in the month following that of the departure. Payment made to your Circle, for all that travel, within 28 days of receipt of invoice.

ABTA No. V4744

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FEATURE

A CHARMING
KNIGHT

A tribute to the former editor of Catena, Le o T homas Simmonds KCSG

He served a term as president of the Radcliffe Old Boys Association, was a eucharistic minister at his local parish church, and for many years, an active member

Leo was born on 2 November 1930 and would have been 90 years of age this year.

After schooling at Radcliffe College, he attended London University before doing his national service in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment, where he was

commissioned as an ofﬁcer. After the army, Leo joined the

Sunday Express newspaper, where he became general manager before, in due course, joining the board of the Evening Standard as a director, where he remained until his retirement. of the Catholic Union. His Roman Catholic faith was always important to him. He became a knight commander of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, supporting impoverished Christians in the Holy Land. He was made a knight commander of the Order of St Gregory the Great by the late Saint John Paul II in recognition of his many years’ service to the Catholic Church and to Catholic associations.
When Leo relocated to London, he joined the Challoner Club, a Roman Catholic establishment in Knightsbridge, where some years later he was appointed to the board of management, which he served for many years.

Leo had ﬁve children: Veronica, Nicholas and Christopher by his ﬁrst wife, Barbara Simmonds, and Leonora and

Patrick by his second wife, Mary Clare Simmonds. Sadly, Nicholas predeceased his father.

Leo’s late father was a Catenian. Under the inﬂuence

of his father and his close friend, Jack Sowerby, also a member of the Challoner Club and a City of Westminster Circle Catenian, he was initiated as a member of that Circle when the late Sir Alan Davies, a former lord mayor of the City of London, was president. In a period of over 55 years of membership, Leo served as president of City of Westminster Circle on two separate occasions. In due course he followed the late Bernard Kirchner as editor of Catena magazine, a post he held for some 27 years. He was the main motivator of the Catenian Bursary Fund, of which he subsequently became chairman. He also served on his Circle’s Benevolent Board.
Leo was a staunch friend, an erudite after-dinner speaker, and a most agreeable companion. He was always good company and loved his family and friends. From time to time, he enjoyed entertaining at the Garrick Club in Covent Garden, of which he was a valued member for many years.

Sadly, Leo contracted coronavirus, which caused his demise. Because of the pandemic, a restricted congregation attended his funeral service, held at his parish church of Our Lady Queen of Peace, Sheen Road, Richmond. He is very much in our thoughts and prayers at this time. In due

course, it is hoped to hold a memorial Mass as a ﬁtting

tribute to this charming knight and delightful human being, who was greatly loved by his many friends. We pray for Leo and the members of his family that with God’s grace, we shall all meet merrily again in heaven one day and how exciting that will be.
Leo became a parish and then a borough councillor in Wandsworth and fought an unsuccessful election as a Conservative candidate for the Wandsworth constituency.

May he rest in peace

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FEATURE

YOUTH
MATTERS

Peter Harrington, Stourbridge Circle, asks how we can stem the rise of non-believers

A youth club weekend away in Malvern, which produced many happy liaisons, a priest and a son-in-law!

As a group, Catenians are providing excellent support

through the Bursary Fund, with ﬁnancial donations to

students who give their time to missionary activity. The challenges and rewards for school success stories and the brilliant public speaking competitions are excellent ways in which we help. These projects help hundreds of young Catholics who generally are encouraged by their Catholic parents, but there are millions of young people who are not being reached.

Or should it be: youth really matters? As our children and grandchildren go back to school after lockdown, our thoughts and prayers go out to the amazing schools, teachers and staff.

Some of us are teachers, have been teachers and are governors of schools. There is a mighty challenge here not just for these heroes, but for us Brothers, going forward with ideas and means to support them. Let us hope that the Catenians can inspire and help with the mission of education and a love for our Christian faith.
Sadly, according to recent statistics, 50% of year 11 students in Catholic schools are declaring themselves non-believers. There are very few Catholic parish youth clubs and sodalities (guides, scouts, music groups, sports teams) which foster the faith in friendships and helping others. We know the well-worn phrase that “people are too busy these days”. It truly is not the reason. We have raised families and shared activities with our children, which is so rewarding and healthy for us. I call it the lost secret of socialising.
Looking back on my previous article about youth, and

how it was so easy to ﬁnd the love in our parishes, let us ask: “How do we stem the ﬂow of non-belief?” This

is a worldwide situation, as we all know. The challenge of science and media raises questions in our minds, and provides persuasive information to our young people. As individuals, how can we make a difference? A lot of what we can do depends on the strength of our faith, and our willingness to try something.
Can we break the mould and start a fresh pattern? You have heard it before Brothers: “I have a dream.”

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FEATURE

100 YEARS OF STELLA MARIS

The Catholic seafarers’ charity celebrates its centenary

The Vatican has produced a set of special stamps to mark this historic milestone.

Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea) was founded in Glasgow in 1920 and is preparing to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its foundation.

Many Catenians volunteer for the charity: one is Glasgow artist, Brendan Berry, whose painting The Spring was part of the Lentfest exhibition through the Archdiocese of Glasgow Arts Project. The theme for the exhibition

was The Sea, to reﬂect the Stella Maris centenary.

As the pastoral ministry of the Catholic Church for seafarers, it now operates in 55 countries throughout the world, supporting more than a million seafarers,

ﬁshers and their families every year.

Brendan painted The Spring as a visual metaphor of what Stella Maris means to seafarers. The scene depicts a pool with a spring of fresh water, and a person reaching into the pool to slake their thirst, scooping water using a scallop shell.
From humble beginnings on 4 October 100 years ago, the charity has built up a global network of ship-visiting on a scale quite unlike any other maritime organisation.

For those experiencing the precarious nature of working at sea, Stella Maris offers spiritual and practical assistance, ranging from hospital visits and dealing with abandoned crews to helping resolve contract issues.
An eagerly-awaited Catenian fundraising event for the charity will take place on the evening of Friday 9 October, when Mr Brian Wilson CBE will host a Zoom talk for Province 22 (Scotland). Mr Wilson, a former politician, is a director of Celtic FC and chairman of Harris Tweed Hebrides.
Every year, there are more than 1000 Stella Maris chaplains and volunteers in 316 ports around the world, visiting over 70,000 ships.
All donations will go towards supporting the important work of Stella Maris. It is hoped that many members and guests will join, with other Circles most welcome to participate.
Their support is invaluable. Many seafarers spend nine

months or more away from home, ﬁnding themselves cut

off from loved ones and families, so they greatly appreciate this ‘home away from home’.
If you would like to join Brian Wilson’s Zoom talk,

or purchase a print of Brendan’s painting, please

contact Euan McArthur, Scotland development ofﬁcer

for Stella Maris, on 07720 093155 or
To mark the beginning of the charity’s centenary year, there will be a Mass in St Mungo’s Church in Glasgow at 3pm on Sunday 4 October, which will be livestreamed. Catenians are warmly invited to participate in this special Mass. For details on how to do so, please see apostleshipofthesea.org.uk/ [email protected] Martin Foley, national director of Stella Maris UK, comments: “The Catenians have been fantastic supporters of Stella Maris over the years, for which we are enormously grateful. I would like to invite all Catenians to join us in celebrating 100 years of Stella Maris and to continue their

support so that we can continue to serve seafarers, ﬁshers

and their families. or facebook.com/StellaMarisorg/ nearer the time.

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FEATURE

WOULD JESUS HAVE
JOINED THE CATENIANS?

Michael Stothart wonders whether Jesus would join the Catenians if He were on Earth today

Why did I rejoin in 1999? I was asked to join and thought I would give it a go. Also, I had just retired and was trying