Middlesbrough January 2020 Diocesan Issue 473 Catholic VOICE FREE What’s New Bus For Dom Collects Bishop’s Ghana Community Service Award Inside Page 3 Page 15 Column Ten years ago, while still Pope, Benedict XVI In Solidarity With The Poor – wrote a Letter of Encouragement (an Apostolic Exhortation) after the Synod on the Word of God. The letter is full of many good things, it is rich and deep. Right at the Who Will Speak If We Don’t? heart of the letter is the message that the Word of God is not just something on a printed page, but rather a person; the Word More than 250 people gathered in our of God has been given to us, proclaimed to cathedral to follow Pope Francis’ call to stand us so that we might encounter, meet and in solidarity with those in poverty on the experience Jesus Christ who is God’s living third World Day of the Poor. Word. This inspiring event, organised by the Diocese of Middlesbrough Caritas team, During the next year, beginning the First brought together many agencies whose aims Sunday of Advent and continuing until the are to combat poverty in its myriad forms, end of 2020, The Year of the Word – the across the diocese, nationally and God Who Speaks begins, and we, the internationally. Church in England and Wales, are being After a welcome from Bishop Terry, encouraged to focus and concentrate on Middlesbrough-born Sister Lynda Dearlove encountering God, the God who speaks to gave the keynote address, speaking of her us and shares his love so that we might work with women at risk of prostitution have life in abundance. through the Women at the Well project. During the course of the year there will be The issue of poverty was highlighted by various events organised locally and people’s stories, through drama and music diocesan-wide. However, I hope that there led by Streetwise Opera. will also be events in your parishes People were asked to listen as those living organised and led by you and your priests. in poverty on Teesside shared their If there is a prayer group or bible study experiences. One young mother spoke of her situation in dealing with Universal Credit group in your parish or your area, then this which left her and her daughter in dire can be a focus for you. If these do not exist poverty and at risk of homelessness. in your parish or area, why not begin to She also talked of how grateful she was to Streetwise Opera singing at the World Day of the Poor event – Photo by Johan gather to study God’s Word and to the CAUSE hamper campaign, which not only Bergström-Allen encounter the living Word of God in the helped her at Christmas but at other times Scriptures? You could ask your parish priest during the year too. Her story is one of hope “The input from the speakers was perfect Terry asked me without a moment's to help you. There are also plenty of and she is working hard for a better future and the venue seemed to lend itself to that hesitation to be introduced to the asylum resources online if you put “The God who for her daughter and herself. kind of gathering. Someone said to me that seekers and he genuinely and warmly shared speaks” into your favourite search engine. We heard from Ali Awad Ali Muhammed, who if Pope Francis walked in, he would feel at a healthy conversation with some of them As we move into the New Year there is a came from Sudan to the UK as a refugee, home. My response was that I thought if and of his time in Africa. Jesus walked in, he would feel at home too – second strand of action. You may have been seeking asylum. He spoke of how generously “I also saw Monsignor Ricardo and others except, of course, he was already there. aware that over the last couple of years he was received on Teesside and how much deliberately sitting among the asylum they have helped him. there has been a “Dowry Tour” in which the “I would like to thank everyone who did so seekers, most of whom were Muslim, and much to bring the day together, especially happily chatting away together. statue of Our Lady of Walsingham has been “I personally felt very affected by the day, the Caritas Middlesbrough group, who travelling around the country. The statue which seems to have done so much good to so many people,” said Canon John Lumley, worked so tirelessly in the background for came to our cathedral in December 2018. Episcopal Vicar for Christian Discipleship. “It many months.” The purpose of this “tour” is to help prepare Continued on Page 2 was both moving and uplifting and the pace Terry Doyle, who works with asylum seekers us to rededicate ourselves and our country of the event seemed just right. at the St John Paul Centre, said: “Bishop as the dowry or the gift to Mary. Similarly, there will be key events and key BOARBANK HALL dates leading up to the rededication on Augustinian Canonesses Sunday March 29 2020. Again, all of the Mercy of Jesus information and resources can be found HOLIDAYS, COURSES, online at dowrytour.org.uk. RETREATS, GROUPS It was through the “fiat”, the “yes” of the • PRAY • RELAX • MAKE FRIENDS Virgin Mary, that Incarnation took place. • FIND PEACE Mary is very much our model as we enter Themes: Healthcare, Scripture, Augustine, Laudato Si’, into this year. 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Tel: 015395-32288. • Pre-paid funeral plans available There are many good things on offer here. • Guidance & Quotations willingly given Even if we just avail ourselves of a few of them then we will be on course for a blessed and peaceful New Year 78 MAIN STREET, WILLERBY, HULL Yours in blessed hope, Tel: (01482) 656537 www.robertadrew.com www.boarbankhall.org.uk 2 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + January 2020 NEWS In Solidarity With Pope Announces Foundation The Poor – Who Will Speak If We Of The Oratory In York Don’t? It has been announced in Rome that our Holy Father Pope Francis has erected the Continued from Page 1 oratory-in-formation in York as an independent Oratory of St Philip Neri. The decree of foundation is dated November 9, “This is what Pope Francis asks of us – to be the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran an inclusive Church where we get alongside Basilica. our most vulnerable and marginalised people It became the second oratory to be founded and listen to their stories. It is a sacred in England within a month, following news ministry indeed to do just what we of the Manchester Oratory. There are now witnessed at the cathedral.” five oratories in England, at Birmingham, Methodist Asylum Project manager Ailsa told London, Oxford, Manchester and York, with Terry it meant so much to her clients that oratories-in-formation in Cardiff and people in the cathedral made them feel so Bournemouth. welcome, even though many were wary This news comes only a little more than a because of their traumatic pasts and their month since Pope Francis canonised St John fears of organisations and power structures. Henry Newman, who brought the Oratory of “Everyone loved the day, from those who St Philip from Rome to Birmingham and sang with us in Streetwise Opera and those London in 1848. who came along to listen,” said Terry. The oratory was founded by St Philip Neri in “One of the Iranians was an architect back Rome in the 16th century. The main work of home and he spent his time marvelling at the oratory is prayer (both personal prayer the design of the cathedral itself. and public worship), daily popular preaching “Ali, from Sudan, was so proud to be able to and the administration of the sacraments, wear his national outfit and speak to us all especially the sacrament of confession and about how moved he has been to be so the spiritual direction of individuals. warmly welcomed into Middlesbrough. Oratories are typically small communities of “At such a fractious time in our political priests and brothers who look after churches system, our warmth of welcome has to in towns and cities closely supported by continue now beyond the event and our committed laity who share a love of St inspiration has to be Jesus' messages of Philip and his vision. welcome as replicated through Pope Francis There is a special concern for popular and all the many organisations who came devotions and – especially in the English together to express our Catholic faith and its oratories – great care for music, art and social teaching.” architecture. The event closed with a Liturgy of the Word The York Oratory began on the initiative of led by Bishop Terry, who thanked our Bishop Terry, who invited the Oxford Oratory St Wilfrid’s Church in York speakers and those who work so hard to to make a foundation in his diocese shortly help those in need.