CAFOD Middlesbrough Pilgrimage Walking with the Northern Saints 26 June to 2 July 2011 The pilgrimage will begin with Mass at the Benedictine Monastery in Osmotherley village at 10.30am Sunday 26 June Sunday 26 June: Osmotherley to Hutton Rudby Monday 27 June: Hutton Rudby to Stokesley Tuesday 28 June: Stokesley to Cathedral Wednesday 29 June: Cathedral to Redcar Thursday 30 June: Redcar to Saltburn Friday 1 July: Saltburn to Runswick Bay The pilgrimage will conclude with Mass at Whitby Abbey on Saturday 2 July at 2.30pm Celebrant Canon John Lumley St John of Beverley became Bishop of York; at Harpham, in the East Riding of Yorkshire; and at Beverley on 7th May 721. In his early life, St John was under the care of Archbishop Theodore who supervised his education and gave him the name of John. He became a member of the Benedictine order and stayed for a time at St Hilda‘s monastery at Whitby. Afterwards, he was renown as a preacher, displayed marked knowledge in expounding Scripture, and taught other subjects. On 25th August 687, he was consecrated Bishop of Hexham, where he had once led a life of retreat at Erneshowe where he would go for seclusion, especially during Lent. In 705 John was transferred to York after 18 years serving Hexham. In his new post he was diligent in visitation, considerate towards the poor, and exceedingly attentive to the training of students who he maintained under his personal charge. His pupils included Bede, who he ordained, Berethune, afterwards Abbot of Beverley; Herebald, Abbot of Tynemouth; and Wilfred, John‘s successor. St John established a monastery in Beverley, which became an important ecclesiastical centre. After resigning the See of York to his pupil Wilfred, John retired and spent the remainder of his life with Abbot Berethune, a one time favourite scholar. In 1037, he was canonized by Benedict IX. Pilgrimage Prayer: As we set out on our pilgrimage today, we ask that by the intercession of the saints of our diocese, we may travel in safety and reach our destination in good health. We remember all the pilgrims who have gone before us, and give thanks for the faith and vision they showed in their lifetime which has been handed down to our age. May God the Father bless us, Jesus, Our Lord be with us and the Holy Spirit guide us to our journey‘s end. Amen Stage one: The theme for today is Compassion El Salvador In January we heard about the terrible floods that destroyed so much of the harvest in Puentecitos. For the people in the village, the crops are not only the fruits of their labour, but also the food they need to survive. Rosa Idalia‘s farm was hit especially hard. She says: ―The corn and bean harvest was devastated. Everything rotted or was swept away. We only managed to save four sacks of corn. ―Our worst losses were the vegetables. We needed those to earn money. I felt terrible losing my tomato crop, with so many costs to cover like electricity and water bills. If I had something to sell, I wouldn‘t feel so bad, but I‘ve got my mum‘s operation coming up and I have to contribute‖. In the face of all these challenges, Rosa Idalia sees a ray of hope: ―I am putting my faith in my chickens. I bought them for 70 cents and I‘ll be able to sell them on for about four dollars each. Native chickens make more money – eight dollars – but they sell best at Christmas. Breeding chickens is my greatest hope.‖ For Rosa Idalia and our other friends in Puentecitos, preparing for natural hazards and finding creative ways to make a living can mean the difference between surviving a disaster, or going hungry. Reflection: Confronted by global poverty and suffering, our fundamental response is compassion. We are deeply affected by the suffering of our brothers and sisters in the global family and alongside them take action to alleviate it. ―Because of our covenant with God, all human beings should consider themselves brothers and sisters.. Human beings are more children of God when they become more brotherly or sisterly to other human beings, and less children of God when they feel less kinship with their neighbours‖. Oscar Romero, 1977 Prayer Compassionate God, You call us into your generous life of justice, a life into which all your people are called to share. Gift us the courage to incarnate your compassion in our lives, so that we too may touch the lives of those who cry out in need by journeying with them side by side. Amen William, Archbishop of York became a priest, and around 1130 He was Canon and Treasurer of York. In 1142 he was elected Archbishop of York at the insistence of the King, in opposition to the candidature of Henry Murdac, a Cistercian monk. However, there was much controversy over how he was elected to become Archbishop, as there were claims of royal influence and bribery. Nevertheless, in 1143, the Pope decided that William should be consecrated, if he could clear himself from the accusation of bribery. William proved his innocence so conclusively that the legate consecrated him Archbishop at Winchester in September 1143. He set himself at once to carry out reforms in his diocese, and his gentleness and charity soon won him popularity. However, the new Pope was a Cistercian monk, and favoured Murdac. Complaints were made against William which led to him travelling to Rome. As a result, William‘s partisans in England took an unwise revenge by destroying Fountains Abbey, of which Murdac was now Prior. This angered St. William's enemies, who again approached the Pope, with the result that in 1147 he deposed the archbishop from his seat; and he consecrated Murdac in his stead. St. William devoted himself to prayer and mortification at Winchester till 1153, when the pope and St. Bernard were both dead. He then appealed to the new pope, Anastasius IV, for restoration to his See, a request which the death of Murdac in October made it easier to obtain. St. William having received the pallium, returned to York, where he showed the greatest kindness to the Cistercians who had opposed him, and promised full restitution to Fountains Abbey. But his death, so sudden as to cause suspicion of poison, took place within a few weeks. Miracles took place at his tomb, and in 1227 he was canonized by Pope Honorius III. In 1283 his relics were translated to a shrine behind the high altar of York Minster, where they remained until the Reformation. His festival is observed in England on 8 June. Pilgrimage Prayer: As we set out on our pilgrimage today, we ask that by the intercession of the saints of our diocese, we may travel in safety and reach our destination in good health. We remember all the pilgrims who have gone before us, and give thanks for the faith and vision they showed in their lifetime which has been handed down to our age. May God the Father bless us, Jesus Our Lord be with us and the Holy Spirit guide us to our journey‘s end. Amen Stage two: The theme for today is Solidarity Cambodia High unemployment? Low pay? No pension? Times may be tough in the UK, but they‘re even tougher for our friends in Samrong Mean Chey. We‘re sorry to report that 20-year-old Dara has had to leave the community to find work. He needs to earn money urgently because his mother is in debt to a credit agency after taking a loan to repair her home. With few jobs available locally, Dara has moved to faraway Kampot Province where he has found work on a construction site. His mother said: ―I‘ve only spoken to Dara once since he left, and he‘s really missing Staff at SCC having cookery lessons home. But he hopes to come back next month.‖ People in Samrong Mean Chey don‘t have benefits or pensions to fall back on, so they rely on our partner Salvation Centre Cambodia (SCC) when times are tough. We‘re delighted to introduce Samy, the new livelihoods officer for SCC. ―We always provide training when we give people a loan,‖ she says, ―And we set up savings groups to help them pay the money back. The relationship between me and members of the community is like between brothers and sisters. It‘s not easy for people to find work here, but I am happy to be helping.‖ Reflection We stand alongside poor and marginalised communities in solidarity, uniting with them in prayer, making their cause our own, sharing our resources, supporting them in their advocacy and challenging the policies and systems that keep them poor. John Paul II said, ―Solidarity is not a feeling of vague compassion or a shallow sadness but a firm and preserving determination to commit oneself to the common good. It is an attitude squarely opposed to greed and the thirst for power‖. The Social Concerns of the Church, 38—Donder’s Version Prayer God of Solidarity, when the Word became flesh, you came and stood side by side with all your people, in the midst of their suffering and pain. May we hear your call to stand in solidarity with all of our sisters and brothers and let our faith explode into authentic communion. Amen. (1556-1586) Margaret was married to a butcher and lived in the Shambles area of York. She converted to the faith and continually risked her life by harbouring and maintaining priests which led to her being frequently imprisoned, sometimes for two years at a time.