Middlesbrough November 2018 Diocesan Issue 459 Catholic VOICE FREE Schools Chief Service Bishop Blesses What’s Sets Out Honoured At Mass House Vision Masses Plaque Inside Page 5 Page 6 Page 10 Facing Our Future With Hope Some of you may be aware that I have been on a visit to the Tombs of the Apostles (ad limina Apostolorum), which every bishop has to do every five-to-seven years. Part of the visit is to celebrate Mass at the Tombs of SS Peter and Paul, in St John Lateran, (the pope’s cathedral) and St Mary Major. Each bishop has to submit a report to the pope of what has happened in the diocese since the last visit. Below I offer a very brief résumé of my report (the original is just under 100 pages). Several statistics stand out in my mind. Since my last visit, the Mass attendance throughout the diocese has gone from 16,500 to just over 12,000. The overall finances have fallen by 8.3%. There have been four ordinations since the last visit and there have been 32 deaths and retirements of priests. In the last report to the Holy Father in 2010, I expressed the hope (somewhat naïve in hindsight) that by informing everyone of the situation regarding vocations and priests stepping down from pastoral responsibility, we might have been able to foster vocations to the priesthood, the permanent diaconate and to lay ministry in sufficient numbers to provide for our needs. Sadly, this has not happened. Given that there are fewer and fewer clergy Bishop Terry with Pope Francis during the ad limina visit – © Servizio Fotografico – Vatican Media year by year, it is vital that we have a pastoral strategy that enables the faithful access to whether, indeed, it is not the amalgamation of of priests grows less, the number of funerals My own personal motto is “Expectantes the sacraments and growth in their spiritual parishes that we should be looking at but the either remains the same or grows. Beatam Spem” – As we wait in blessed hope life. At the same time, we also need to make amalgamation of the diocese with another! (for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ). I the best use of the diocesan clergy, especially The development of the Diocesan Caritas has have often said that I truly believe that we the younger ones, while ensuring that they On a more positive note, we must continue to been a very positive thing and causes much remain in the loving and providential hands of are not overburdened. Therefore, I have set develop and facilitate lay ministries. We need enthusiasm and commitment to the Social the Father and so I can never feel hopeless or up a new Vicariate for Pastoral Strategy. Given some role in the Catholic Church in our Teaching of the Church and a way of working fearful. The Lord is our light and our help that there is a good proportion of lay and countries which is equivalent to the role of a ecumenically with other Churches. It inspires whom shall we fear (Ps.26). I tried to be clerical representation on the council of this Lay Reader in the Anglican Church. One whose peoples’ imagination and gives a way to put realistic and honest in the vicariate, we should achieve an equitable qualifications are recognised outside the the Gospel into daily action. There is a real report and in the end all is by solution. Church, enabling them to take on such roles desire for this right across the differing age as lay prison chaplains, hospital chaplains, groups and social backgrounds of the the grace of God. Glory be to I feel that if we are not able to achieve such a school chaplains etc. diocese. This is certainly something to be him in the Church and in solution or no solution at all, then we will celebrated and developed over the years to Christ Jesus throughout all need to turn our minds to the question of the Already we are developing and trialling the come. generations, for ever and ever. viability of Middlesbrough as a diocese; ministry of lay-led funerals. While the number Amen. (Eph 3.21) An independent family owned & run business providing a personal and efficient service • Practising Catholic Funeral Director within the company • Pre-paid funeral plans available • Guidance & Quotations willingly given 78 MAIN STREET, WILLERBY, HULL Tel: (01482) 656537 www.robertadrew.com 2 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + November 2018 NEWS The bishops of England and Wales in Rome with Pope Francis – © Servizio Fotografico – Vatican Media Bishops' Statement As Ad Limina Visit Ends As we end our visit, ad limina Apostolorum, clearly rooted in God and blessed by God. His visits to all the departments of the Roman England, Bishop Martin Warner and Bishop we offer these reflections on our days peace is secure. His life is serene. We know, Curia. We were asked to speak freely about Christopher Foster. On one occasion we were together in Rome. On Friday September 28 we because he showed us his heart. It is the our endeavours and problems. In the officials joined by Sister Frances Orchard CJ of the were immensely privileged to share heart of a loving father. In our turn, we of the Holy See we have found a spirit of true Conference of Religious in England and Wales. conversation with Pope Francis for over two affirmed our deep communion with him and cooperation. Everywhere we have been We also visited the Pontifical Commission for hours. It was a most remarkable and intimate promised him our love, support and prayers. encouraged and given helpful advice. We Communication, whose prefect, Dr Paolo experience. We expressed confidently these sentiments on have seen clear evidence that the life of the Ruffini, is a layman. These are all firsts, We asked the Holy Father for a message behalf of all the faithful Catholics of England Catholic communities of England and Wales is examples of openness and change. which we could bring back to our dioceses, to and Wales. generally well respected and even admired Our ad limina visit is now completed. We our priests and people. His message was We spoke with the Holy Father about the here in Rome. have celebrated Mass together in the four simple: we are to live the gift of our faith with difficulties of fulfilling our role as bishops. In Our reports of the Eucharistic Congress, great Roman basilicas, at the tomb of St Peter joy. Joy was his great emphasis. He explained turn he reflected on the importance of prayer Adoremus, have been well received, as has and the tomb of St Paul. We have been that this joy is rooted firmly in our and preaching in our lives, and of paternal the strength of our compassionate outreach embraced by the Successor of Peter, Pope relationship with Jesus. It is a joy of knowing closeness to our priests and people, with care to those in need. Indeed, the leaders of our Francis. Our pilgrimage has been richly that he is with us; of knowing the presence of and with firm justice. He spoke of the diocesan charitable works were present in blessed and we are glad to share this sense the Holy Spirit at work in our lives, drawing encouragement he wishes to give to priests Rome at this same time, at the instigation of of the deep encouragement and powerful and guiding us towards the will of God; a joy today, who can sometimes feel vulnerable in the Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN), and grace we have received. of knowing our Heavenly Father is waiting for the face of difficult circumstances, in a critical we were able to spend time and pray Pope Francis commended us to our Blessed us, longing to hold us in his embrace of environment. He spoke, movingly, of the together. In encouraging this work of Lady, Mary our Mother, reflecting beautifully loving mercy. This is the joy of the faith by wounds inflicted by abuse and neglect, outreach, Pope Francis urged us always to on her role as the “untier of knots”, a deep which we are to live. He added that this joy is wounds that wreak such harm in the lives of walk with those engaged in its projects so as devotion in his own life. May she always be the source of lasting peace in our hearts and its victims and in the life of the Church. to draw them nearer to the Lord who is the at our side. We pray that God bless and lives, no matter our circumstances. Wherever they are found, these are wounds in source of compassion and mercy. We know so strengthen our Holy Father, Pope Francis. May As we spoke with Pope Francis we realised, the Body of Christ and are painful to touch. well that it is from our prayer, especially God guide us in all our ways that we may more and more, that he simply radiates this He encouraged us, in our pastoral work, never before the Blessed Sacrament, that the share the joy of our faith and the ways of joy and peace. He is indeed gifted with a to neglect even the tiny flames of faith that mission of each of the baptised truly springs. peace. exist in so many communities and people. unique grace of the Holy Spirit of God. Even In a number of our visits we have been The Bishops of England and Wales in this time of turmoil, the Holy Father is so We have been given a warm welcome in our accompanied by two bishops of the Church of Cause Hamper Rugs Tell 200-Year-Old Story The small church of St Mary’s, Crathorne, the second Post-Reformation Campaign church in this diocese to be built on the ground floor, can be found just a few miles from Yarm.