The Parents’, Paper issue 14 Autumn 2015 Jubilee Year of Mercy Page 5 Refugees: How we can help Page 11 Back to school and overtired children Page 8 My Hands Page 3 What can we do? We’,ve all seen the horrendous pictures of refugees who have died trying to find safety in Europe. This week Pope Francis has repeated his call for us to do everything we can to help them. In the run up to the Year of Mercy, how can we actually get involved and help those who need us most? See page 11 to find out how you can help Cafod’,s Harvest Fast Children’,s page 4

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2 , CathCom Reach , Autumn 2015 Pope Francis has dedicated 2016 as a Jubilee Year of Mercy –, which will start at the end of November. He is calling on us as individuals and as a Church to focus on God’,s mercy and look at how we can be merciful to others. He is also asking us to prepare for this with actions to help those in need –, in particular those people who are having to leave their country. The terrible situations faced by refugees and by those who remain in war-torn countries is something that Pope Francis has been drawing attention to for a number of years. As it has been in the media recently, we have focussed on the Year of Mercy and how we can help refugees. We feel that as a group, both us as publishers and you as readers, could come together to answer the Pope’,s call to help those refugees. We have a number of ideas, and I’,m sure you do too, so please go to our facebook page to share ideas and find out if there are people or projects nearby that you could be a part of. If not why not put something on there now and see if other people will join you. I hope together we can make a difference and help those who are in most need. Nick Member of the Editorial Team LEGAL DISCLAIMER - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- The information and/or links in this publication are provided for catholic education and information purposes only. The Editor and Publisher (hereinafter referred to as CathCom) will endeavour to ensure that all the content of CathCom Reach is in keeping with the teachings of the Catholic Church. However CathCom is not responsible for the contents of any of the linked sites. Neither does CathCom necessarily endorse and/or support the views expressed by the information contained within those linked sites. A Dear Reader CathCom Reach is published in September, December, March, and June. Editorial Team Edwina Gillett, Nick Layton, Annie Moloney 020 7112 6710 editor@ CathComReach.com Advertising Alice Jenkins, 01440 730399 ads@ CathComReach.com Head of Finance Claire Richardson Subscriptions Ray Lambert rayl@cathcom.org –, 01440 730399 Website Editor Daniel Griffiths Contact us Manager Nick Layton Religious Advisor Fr Damian Cassidy Health Educ. Advisor Helen Layton Franking Machine Manager Tommie Steel Published By CathCom Ltd., N2 Blois Meadow Business Centre, Steeple Bumpstead Haverhill, Suffolk CB9 7BN 020 7112 6710 www.cathcom.org Please send articles for publication by email supplying photos separate to the text (i.e. in jpeg format). mention and/or listing of linked sites does not indicate CathCom’,s endorsement of any organization`s and/or entity`s activities, reports, publications and/or programs. CathCom cannot be held responsible and/or liable for any damages, real, imagined, past, present or future from the information contained on any linked site and/or other sites that it links to hereafter. While we take reasonable steps to check our advertisers and linked sites are bona fide, readers should carry out their own checks before entering into any contract or arrangement. You may not modify, reuse, reproduce, or publish any content within this publication without the written permission of the Editor. - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - A teacher was walking around her classroom while her students drew pictures. One little girl was scribbling so intently that the teacher asked what she was drawing. The little girl replied, “,I’,m drawing a picture of God.”, The teacher said, “,Oh honey, nobody really knows for sure what God looks like.”, The little girl, without missing a beat, responded, “,They will in a minute.”,

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Autumn 2015 , CathCom Reach , 3 I was visiting my old secondary school recently. It was my first visit back in many years and throughout the morning I spent some time in conversation with most year groups. That morning there had been a fight between a couple of students and fists were thrown. The fight had an effect on the whole year group and I could tell that they weren’,t really with me. Out went the script and I began to focus on the hands that God had given me. I was glad that one of the teachers, who is a good friend of my sister’,s wrote down what I said: “,My hands are amazing. They are a real gift. When I look at them they tell a story. I can see the marks of my youth because there is an indentation on the back of my hand that comes from being stamped on in a rugby scrum. From my time as a nurse there is a scar just below my index finger on my left hand from where a scalpel slipped during a surgery and stabbed me. My hands have been the first to hold a baby fresh from its mother’,s womb. My hands have held and massaged a lifeless heart. They have held people who love me and they have pushed away those who annoy me. I can say so much with my hands without saying a word. These hands have been clenched tight in anger and lashed out. These hands have been both generous and mean. These hands express who I am and how I feel. Now these hands bless. Daily they hold the Eucharist. These hands are raised in absolution, they baptise and anoint the sick. Sometimes they still clench in anger and frustration they are always ready to be subdued and held. I like my hands. They are beautiful and do wondrous things. What are you going to use your hands for?”, The conversation that followed was amazing. Dreams began to be expressed. Descriptions of how talent is sculpted and shaped by our hands. Things of delicate skill and precision are achieved. Pope Francis is asking the people of Europe to stretch out their hands in welcome to those who are empty handed. He is calling on us to reach out to those seeking shelter and safety in the comparative wealth and security of our land. Nobody will forget the image of a Turkish policeman holding the lifeless body of a drowned child in his hands. In this moment and at this time our hands are to be life giving. We all have the gift of life in our hands. Will we use them today for the good of others? Fr Damien My Hands

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4 , CathCom Reach , Autumn 2015 The Divine Mercy The message and devotion to Jesus as The Divine Mercy is based on the writings of Saint Faustina Kowalska, an uneducated Polish nun who, in obedience to her spiritual director, wrote a diary of about 600 pages recording the revelations she received about God’,s mercy. Even before her death in 1938, the devotion to The Divine Mercy had begun to spread. The message of mercy is that God loves us —, all of us —, no matter how great our sins. He wants us to recognize that His mercy is greater than our sins, so that we will call upon Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others. Thus, all will come to share His joy. It is a message we can call to mind simply by remembering ABC. A —, Ask for His Mercy. God wants us to approach Him in prayer constantly, repenting of our sins and asking Him to pour His mercy out upon us and upon the whole world. B —, Be merciful. God wants us to receive His mercy and let it flow through us to others. He wants us to extend love and forgiveness to others just as He does to us. C —, Completely trust in Jesus. God wants us to know that the graces of His mercy are dependent upon our trust. The more we trust in Jesus, the more we will receive. A team from CathCom have just returned from Krakow as part of our preparations for World Youth Day. The Polish Tourist Board arranged for us to visit many of the pilgrimage sites in and around Krakow. The trip to the Divine Mercy Sanctuary and the convent where Sr Faustina wrote her revelations was incredibly moving and inspir ing. It is also something which we want to share with those who are coming with us to the amazing city of Krakow in July 2016.

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Autumn 2015 , CathCom Reach , 5 Pope Francis has dedicated 2016 as a Jubilee Year of Mercy. The announcement was made earlier this year: The call of Jesus pushes each of us never to stop at the surface of things, especially when we are dealing with a person. We are called to look beyond, to focus on the heart to see how much generosity we are capable of. No one can be excluded from the mercy of God, everyone knows the way to access it and the Church is the house that welcomes all and refuses no one. Its doors remain wide open, so that those who are touched by grace can find the certainty of forgiveness. The greater the sin, the greater must be the love that the Church expresses toward those who convert. Dear brothers and sisters, I have often thought about how the Church might make clear its mission of being a witness to mercy. It is a journey that begins with a spiritual conversion. For this reason, I have decided to call an extraordinary Jubilee that is to have the mercy of God at its centre. It shall be a Holy Year of Mercy. We want to live this Year in the light of the Lord`s words: “,Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (cf. Lk 6:36)”, This Holy Year will begin on this coming Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (December 8th 2015) and will end on November 20, 2016, the Sunday dedicated to Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe –, and living face of the Father’,s mercy. I am convinced that the whole Church will find in this Jubilee the joy needed to rediscover and make fruitful the mercy of God, with which all of us are called to give consolation to every man and woman of our time. From this moment, we entrust this Holy Year to the Mother of Mercy, that she might turn her gaze upon us and watch over our journey. Year of Mercy

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It’,s autumn. Crisp mornings, piles of leaves to wade through and the time of year when walking within a 1 mile radius of a Horse Chestnut tree will result in pockets bulging with beautiful shiny smooth conkers. But once you’,ve filled up every bag, flower pot and shoe box you possess, what then? If, like me, your heart sinks because you know in all likelihood you’,ll be binning the treasures in 6 weeks’, time because they’,ve gone mouldy, read on for some tips on uses…, ‘,Cooking’, with conkers. Any play kitchen needs play ingredients –, conkers are the perfect choice and they make a lovely rattle when being stirred in little saucepans ‘,Writing’, with conkers. Try writing letters or numbers onto conkers and then letting your children spell their name or do some adding up. Children (and some adults…,) love the feel of the shiny surface of the conkers and if you’,re fed up with them rolling off the table, try using an egg box to house the ‘,letters’, whilst you write. Make a racket! The dull thud of a conker in a box makes a lovely satisfying noise. Try making percussion instruments by putting different numbers of conkers in different types of plastic bottles, boxes or tubes and then find some ear plugs! Spider defenders. There is an old wives’, tale that little piles of conkers in the corner of your room will deter spiders from coming and making their home in yours. There isn’,t a lot of scientific evidence to back up this claim but it can’,t hurt to try! Make jewellery. Drill some holes, find some ribbon, wool or string and get making! Necklaces, bracelets or earrings –, you’,re only limited by your imagination. Plant them! If all else fails, you could start your own forest. Choose a fresh conker (it doesn’,t work if they’,ve dried out) and make sure there aren’,t any holes in the outer layer. Then plant in a pot of soil and cover with more soil or compost. Water well and put in a shady spot outside. By next spring you should see the sprouts appearing at which point you could either pot them on or plant them outside to provide the conkers of the future! Conkers! 6 , CathCom Reach , Autumn 2015

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Little Autumn 2015 Peace Colouring Page 3 Harvest Fesival Page 4 Spot the Difference Page 2 esources For more information about, classroom resources, answers and activity sheets go to www.CathComReach.com/teachers Refugees

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2 The Unmerc Spot the Difference Year of Mercy Pope Francis has declared that 2016 sho think about Mercy…,this could be forgivi perately need help. We are asked not only to think about it b In this story we are told 2 things: - We should forgive those who hurt - We will only be forgiven if we forgi It is not easy to forgive those that hurt u is not good for us either. So we ask God t

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3 iful Servant Colouring ould be the Year of Mercy. This means we are asked to ing those who have hurt us or helping those who des- but to do these things as well –, even if it is difficult! us again and again and again. ive those people that hurt us. us but holding onto the anger or the pain that is caused to help us be merciful…, Prayer Jesus, help us to be merciful, Help us to look after those people around us who help.. Help us to forgive those that hurt us. Please forgive us each time we do something wrong AMEN

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4 CAFOD Harvest Fast Day Brighten Up this Harvest, and build a brighter world! Harvest Fast Day is Friday October 2, and this this year we are sharing stories about how CAFOD partners are helping children live in peace in El Salvador, by creating safe spaces away from violence. Today hundreds of thousands of children around the world are living in fear of violence –, violence from gangs, crime and conflict. This violence stops children from going to school, from going out to play, and from achieving their full potential. So we’,re asking children to Brighten Up this Harvest –, it’,s a chance to help build a brighter world and make a difference to the lives of others. Your support will mean that our partners around the world can help more children live without fear –, by creating safe spaces where the y are free to learn and to play with their friends, helping to build a more peaceful world. So how will you Brighten Up this Harvest? Visit cafod.org.uk/primary to watch our film and to find out more about El Salvador and how you can Brighten Up and get involved.

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Autumn 2015 , CathCom Reach , 7 Book Reviews Off The Wall Bible Tales by Bob Hartman. Illustrated by Woody Fox In his introduction, Bob Hartman says that he likes to take a playful approach to telling stories –, all stories –, especially those like bible stories which people might otherwise expect to be ‘,moral- laden’, and ‘,preachy’,. He certainly succeeds here. These 12 short stores adopt a very playful approach to well known bible stores –, covering amongst others, the Nativity, the birth of Moses and David &, Goliath. They are retold in short stores –, ideal bedtime reading length and are written in an almost poetic style which makes them a pleasure to read out loud. The style of writing means that they could either simply be read as a light hearted story or they could be the gateway to further discussion if your child is in an inquisitive mood. Available from book shops price £,4.99 The Sheep in Wolf’,s Clothing By Bob Hartman. Illustrated by Tim Raglin. This is a very funny reversal of the usual story about a lamb who, bored with her family’,s usual pastimes of ‘,baaadminton’,, ‘,sheep dipping’, and knitting woolly hats, decides that she wants to be a wolf. Naturally her parents are worried but, convincing themselves that it is only a phase, let her go off to wolf school where she learns how to blow down houses constructed of various different materials. All is going well until lunch when fundamental differences in dietary requirements make her realise that sheep and wolves aren’,t natural companions. A very funny story with clever illustrations. Available from book shops price £,5.99

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8 , CathCom Reach , Autumn 2015 What the Church teaches The corporal works of mercy: 1. to feed the hungry, 2. give drink to the thirsty, 3. clothe the naked, 4. welcome the stranger, 5. heal the sick, 6. visit the imprisoned, and 7. bury the dead The spiritual works of mercy: 1. counsel the doubtful, 2. instruct the ignorant, 3. admonish sinners, 4. comfort the afflicted, 5. forgive offences, 6. bear patiently those who do us ill, and 7. pray for the living and the dead. Christians must look after the needy of this Earth with great consideration, love, and perseverance. After all, on no other point will they be evaluated by Christ so decisively as on their way of treating the poor. “,As you did it to the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.”, Matthew chapter 25 verse 40 01440 730137 info@close2home.org.uk www.close2home.org.uk Award winning Gifts in a Tin Things to make, play and do Perfect stocking fillers New Mini Gift in a Tin Crafty Kit Co Gifts for all

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Starting School - Sleep Tips The Sleep Nanny ®, So you have a four year old who has out-grown pre-school and is ready to embark upon the next journey at school. Where did that time go? Some start school when they are just about to see their fifth birthday while others have only just turned four, and in many cases there is a huge difference in that year. Whether your child is one of the older ones or the younger ones, whether they are used to a nine hour day at pre-school or have spent their life so far at home with a parent and even though the first school year is very gentle and play-based, it is still highly likely that the milestone of starting school, the changes in routine and the mental and emotional development, will leave your little one feeling more tired than usual for at least the first term or two! I have some tips for you for how to help your little school starter cope during this time and avoid going down the path of getting overtired. 1. Bring bedtime forward thirty minutes to an hour earlier for the first few weeks as it is likely he will be tired and ready to go sleep sooner than usual. 2. Start the day with a good breakfast to help energy levels 3. Send a bottle of water in to school with your child to help them stay hydrated. Dehydration can lead to fatigue. 4. Plan to have some fairly restful weekends to allow your child to relax and let him take a nap on weekend days if he wants to. Catching up on rest at the weekend will reenergise and prepare him for the week ahead. 5. If your child is really exhausted, talk to his teacher about allowing a quiet area for a nap in the afternoon. Many schools will accommodate this in the first year with the little ones. 6. If you notice your child’,s night sleep deteriorating or it becomes a battle to settle him at bedtime or early rising starts creeping in, these are all signs of over tiredness so go through the tips above and see if there are any that you are not doing that might help. 7. Confusional arousals (or night terrors) are another sign of being overtired. If your child has episodes of anger or thrashing about in bed and when you go to him he looks awake but looks through you rather than at you and does not appear entirely ‘,with it’,, this is a confusional arousal. It is not often possible to console a child who is having one of these so you just have to allow it to pass. Don`t worry, he will have no memory of it in the morning. Look at ways you can help alleviate some of this over tiredness. 8. If your child sleeps in a little late at the weekend, let him! He needs to catch up on some sleep. I don’,t know many parents who find this difficult to implement! These tips will help you to keep your child well rested and able to cope with the new demands of the school day. It is also worth being aware of the additional emotional development that your child is going through. Perhaps choose your battles at home and be extra patient. He may express some emotion in unexpected ways, so try talking it through and helping him to process it and express it rather than tell him off. Autumn 2015 , CathCom Reach , 9

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“,Think of the starving children in the refugee camps. Just think of them: this is fruit of war! And if you want, think of the great dining halls, of the parties thrown by the bosses of the weapons industry that makes the arms that wind up (in those camps). A sick child, starving, in a refugee camp —, and the great parties, the fine life for those who manufacture weapons. “,Every day, in the newspapers, we find wars, and the deaths seem to be part of a normal day’,s tally. We are accustomed to reading these things. It seems, as though the spirit of war has taken control of us.”, World War I “,Everyone then was horrified, but today it is the same! Yet rather than one great war, we have small wars everywhere. …, This great war is happening everywhere on a smaller scale, under the radar, and we are not shocked! So many die for a piece of land, for some ambition, out of hatred, or racial animosity. “,Who among us has cried when they read the newspaper, when they see these images on the television? So many dead.”, Pope Francis The question for us is: “,What do we do about it?”, Indifferent? Pope Francis asks people and churches to help Syrian refugees ",May Every parish, every religious community, every monastery, every sanctuary of Europe, take in one family. The Gospel calls us to be close to the smallest and to those who have been abandoned”,. Reminding the faithful of the upcoming Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Pope said that offering shelter to the needy is a “,concrete act of preparation”, for the Holy Year. This is a reprint of an article which was published in the Spring 2014 edition of Reach –, which is more relevant now than it was at the time …, unfortunately: 10 , CathCom Reach , Autumn 2015

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Autumn 2015 , CathCom Reach , 11 Easy ways to help CalAid.co.uk is a group of volunteers who take donations to the camp so that refugees can have “,access to basic human rights like shelter and warmth”,. They do need money but they also: However other charities may be different or the situation may change so do check. Journalist, Dawn O’,Porter, has set up an Amazon wishlist where you can buy basic goods like tin openers, space blankets and tarpaulins that will be delivered to the camp as part of the #HelpCalais project. You can also send donations of tinned food, sleeping bags, tents and similar straight to the #HelpCalais project at: Help Calais, Big Yellow, 401 High Rd, Finchley,N2 8HS There are many petitions on the internet which you could sign in support of refugees and this will draw attention to their situation. The Big Green Bookshop in Wood Green is collecting books to send to the ‘,Jungle Library’, in the camp. It was set up by a teacher called Mary Jones who “,wanted to start something that offered real, practical help. Many people there are well-educated —, they want to get on and they want books that will help them read and write English, apply for jobs, fill in forms.”, They particularly need Pashto- French dictionaries, Pashto-English dictionaries, Eritrean dictionaries and books in native languages. You can send books or drop them off here: The Big Green Bookshop, Unit 1, Brampton Park Road, Wood Green, N22 6BG Fr Dominic Howarth, parish priest in Basildon, has been visiting Calais and taking out aid that has been collected and sorted by the parish. If you want to do something on a larger scale as a school as a parishes or even as a group of friends here’,s what he suggests: Having found out what is and isn’,t needed, the best thing to do is focus on one item and get lots of the same brand, same style, etc. It could be 1000 bottles of coke, or bars of chocolate. If you are able to raise the money and you want to buy something –, try contacting the manufacturer or a large shop, explain what you are doing and see if they would double the amount you get for your money –, they may be do even more than that if you offer to send the pictures of it being handed out and if you put it on social media. Make sure your items are as similar as possible, and if it is something in DESPERATELY NEEDED Shoes - trainers or hiking shoes in sizes 41-46 Tents, covers and tarpaulins Jackets - small and medium sizes only Travelling bags, Socks, Candles or other lighting implements and Belts ALWAYS NEEDED Tracksuit trousers, Jeans - sizes 28-32 Blankets, Sleeping bags Soap, Shampoo, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste Plastic bags, Woolly hats, Pant, Pots and Pans NOT NEEDED Women and children’,s clothes and shoes Sheets, Pillows Suits, Town shoes, Jumpers, Wellingtons different sizes, like shoes or jeans, sort them by size beforehand. When hundreds of people are waiting in line, it will cause frustration if people are lingering over choices of colour, style etc. Aim to bring 500 of something, or 1000 of something so people don’,t go short. , Link with a charity –, don’,t just head in alone. Co-ordinate with a charity so you are not distributing items at the same time as a daily food distribution. Another charity will be able to tell you what is suitable both in terms of what to give out and how to do it. Seeking Sanctuary will link you with Secours Catholique, and there is also Calaid. , Bring a team with you –, at least 4 or 5 people –, to help make sure the distribution is as efficient as possible, and to help sort out the line when you arrive. Financial donations The biggest need, as winter arrives, is proper shelter. Secours Catholique and CSAN are working on a plan to get proper timber frames to make more robust shelters for winter, and in the next few weeks it may be that collections can be directed to purchasing some of these. For more information go to: CathComReach.com CalAid.co.uk seekingsanctuary.weebly.com basildoncatholics.org –, Calais Update Page london24.com/news/easy_practical_ways_you_can_help_refugees _in_calais_1_4218777 To exchange ideas or to find other people who might want to work with you go to: www.facebook.com/CathComReach www.twitter.com/CathComReach

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12 , CathCom Reach , Autumn 2015 The lady in front of you seems quiet, moody, not engaging. ",Why is she here?", you think to yourself. ",There are patients here who would really appreciate my time.", Look again. What you don`t know is that her husband is very sick. She`s asking herself how the family will cope. The young woman says she is really unwell yet her hair and make up are perfect. She can`t feel that bad if she could be bothered to do that, can she? Look again. She has had treatment for a brain tumor. She wears a wig which is why her hair is perfect, and without make up she has no eyebrows. “,Migrants”, are confidently breaking the law to come to European countries to get free hand outs. Look again. A boy is washed up on a beach after a boat overloaded with refugees sinks and you realise –, what must you be running away from to risk this? We all make assumptions about what we see, feel and hear. These assumptions can have a huge impact on our ability to reach out to our neighbours in times of need. They can compromise our ability to show compassion, understanding and mercy to others. Lets remember, that no matter how busy we are, we mustn`t presume to know why people appear the way they do. What was I thinking?

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