Middlesbrough February 2015 Diocesan Issue 415 Catholic VOICE FREE Lent Fast Tony’s A Crossing The What’s Day Hero Threshold Inside Page 3 Page 6 Page 12 Bishop’s Called to Column If you don’t take advantage of the month of February then before you know where Proclaim ’15 you are, you’re already half way through the year. That might sound a bit odd. But what I mean is that you can’t keep on Catholics throughout the Diocese of thinking that you are still at the Middlesbrough are being urged to respond to beginning of the year, and have plenty of the call of Pope Francis to help the Church time for whatever it is you have to do. If embark on “a new chapter of evangelisation”. you have not taken things in hand by The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales February, then you probably won’t! have launched the Proclaim ’15 initiative, February is ushered in with the Feast of which is designed to equip every parish with the Presentation. Together with the Feast the support and resources they need to spread of the Baptism of the Lord, which we the Good News of the Gospel throughout their celebrated at the end of the Christmas families and communities. Cycle, our focus is on Jesus Christ, the The “Proclaim ’15, Building Missionary Son of God made man, as the Father’s Parishes” plan has five key strands, including ultimate word to us. He is the New a major national conference in Birmingham on Temple, the means by which God Saturday July 11, the first of its kind in a communicates his life and grace to us, by generation. means of his body, the Church and the That night it is hoped parishes will unite to Sacraments. We are no longer wandering create a network of prayer vigils to ask God in darkness wondering where to find God for the success of the mission to spread his and how to serve him. Jesus is truly the word. glory of Israel and the Light of the nations. Proclaim ’15 involves… Listening to the Gospel of Mark, as we 1. PREPARATION: Parish small group sessions Mazur/www.catholicnews.org.uk by Photos begin our journey through Ordinary Time, – three evangelisation-themed sessions are we are invited to repent and believe the now available to download. Good News. Jesus shows us very clearly 2. PRAYER: A network of prayer vigils - that he is the one who can cure all ills, parishes are invited to host a simultaneous, even our sins. He demonstrates this by nationwide evening of prayer on July 11. various examples and finally cures the 3. EVENT: National Catholic Evangelisation Leper because he feels sorry for him. Conference on July 11. Lent follows immediately from this 4. LEGACY: Local events - templates will be episode and on February 18 we celebrate provided online to enable dioceses, deaneries Ash Wednesday and begin our and parishes to have their own Proclaim ’15 preparation to accompany Jesus as he gatherings this autumn. Conveyancing, Wills enters Jerusalem, ready to suffer and to & Probate New Evangelisation resources die for our Salvation. Here is our 5. RESOURCES: Also covering Court Hearings, Family Problems, developed out of the National Conference will opportunity to take a grip on things Crime, Housing, Personal Injury, Mental Health, be made available to parishes in autumn 2015. before it is too late. Time is passing, Immigration Law opportunities are being offered to us. The inspiration for the initiative is the Pope’s For more information contact: Will we accept them, take them, grasp Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, in Bill O'Hanlon, Sean Grainger, them? We know this is the acceptable which he writes: “I wish to encourage the Helen Connelly, Peter Kilgour time, the Day of Salvation. Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelisation marked by this joy, York House, 102 Borough Road Oh, for a closer walk with God, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s Middlesbrough TS1 2HJ A calm and heavenly frame, journey in years to come.” E: [email protected] W: www.watsonwoodhouse.co.uk A light to shine upon the road Welcoming the launch of Proclaim ’15, Cardinal T: 01642 247656 That leads me to the Lamb! Vincent Nichols said: “This pioneering initiative, inspired by Pope Francis, is for all Where is the blessedness I knew, clergy, religious and lay people. When first I saw the Lord? Where is the soul refreshing view Of Jesus and His Word? Continued on page 2 What peaceful hours I once enjoyed! How sweet their memory still! But they have left an aching void The world can never fill. So shall my walk be close with God, Calm and serene my frame; So purer light shall mark the road That leads me to the Lamb. William Cowper 1731-1880 2 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + February 2015 NEWS Continued from page 1 Bishop Backs Social Action Report “We all share the one mission – to proclaim the joy of the Gospel. The wide range of practical ideas offered for planning and carrying out fruitful parish evangelisation will help us all to Bishop Terry on the bridge near be better missionary disciples. the Grotto at Lourdes “Please put July 11 in your diary and don’t let this opportunity pass you by.” The conference, at Birmingham Repertory Theatre, is the first event of its kind in a generation, bringing together speakers, workshop leaders and representatives from every diocese to celebrate their Catholic faith and to explore how to share it. Among the speakers will be Cardinal Nichols, Archbishop Bernard Longley and Reverend Nicky Gumbel, who developed the Alpha Course. A quota of day passes has been equally assigned to each diocese, primarily for members of evangelisation teams and commissions, as well as those working in support of existing diocesan strategies and plans. The programme includes workshop sessions, from which material will be produced to be made available to every parish, with the aim of building “missionary parishes”. Live coverage of the event will be carried on the Bishops’ Conference Twitter and Facebook accounts. For more information, please contact [email protected] or call 01642 850505, extension 241. Website: www.catholicnews.org.uk/proclaim15 Facebook: facebook.com/cbcew Twitter: @catholicew #proclaim15 Email: [email protected] Proclaim ’15 Prayer Loving Father, You so loved the world that you sent us your only Son, that we might believe in him and have eternal life. May Bishop Terry has welcomed a report Specific areas of concern included Supporting our Catholic charities we encounter Jesus Christ anew this day highlighting action undertaken during 2014 and live the Good News with joy. Through • The impact the changes to the welfare A central part of CSAN’s work is providing by the social action arm of the Catholic the power of your Holy Spirit, help us to system have had on the poorest and most political information, analysis and support to Church in England and Wales, Caritas Social “go out to the whole world and proclaim” vulnerable families and the increase in food organisations involved in Catholic social Action Network. our faith with confidence. Give us the poverty. action, ensuring they are aware of legislative courage to witness to the Joy of the Gospel CSAN’s network of 42 Catholic member • Child poverty as families struggle to make changes affecting their service users and by our words and actions. Help our parish charities, including our Diocese through ends meet due to the rising cost of living. actively involved in formulating responses to Caritas Middlesbrough, provides huge Government. to become more welcoming and • Increasing poverty among those in work. missionary, so that you may be known and support to some of society’s most vulnerable CSAN has raised awareness about the effect and marginalised people. CSAN supports the adoption of the Living loved by all people. We make this prayer Wage within the Church. of welfare cuts on the lives of the people through Our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son, Members have been working for many years Catholic charities work with through its who lives and reigns with you and the Holy to respond to the needs of people in their CSAN also campaigns to challenge negative Benefit Changes Impact Project. rhetoric around people in poverty. Spirit, one God for ever and ever, communities including older people, children Last year’s Parliamentary Reception took Amen and families, refugees, asylum seekers, place on November 5 and enabled members prisoners and the homeless. Our Lady, Star of the New Evangelisation, A strong Catholic voice on trafficking, asylum to meet with parliamentarians to discuss pray for us. Blessed John Henry Newman, Speaking in his new role as CSAN Chair of and migration their vital work. The reception was pray for us. St Thérèse of Lisieux, pray for Trustees, Bishop Terry thanked his Together with the Catholic Bishops’ addressed by Cardinal Vincent Nichols and us. predecessor Bishop Terence Brain, for his Conference of England and Wales, CSAN the Secretary of State and Minister for Faith, support, wisdom and guidance of CSAN for worked on the high profile Modern Slavery Eric Pickles. the past 14 years. Bill, which aims to specifically address “The parish is the presence of the Church “I am delighted to be taking the baton from slavery and trafficking in the 21st Century. in a given territory, an environment for Summary Bishop Brain in supporting the work of this hearing God’s word, for growth in the It also lobbied ahead of the Immigration Bill, vibrant network of Catholic charities who are During 2014 CSAN Public Affairs Team… Christian life, for dialogue, proclamation, which became law in May 2014, highlighting living out the Gospel in the spirit of Caritas • Worked on four bills and draft bills.