The Official Newspaper to the Diocese of Lancaster Issue 238 + April 2012 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk FREE T hese words from the Acts of the Apostles record the action by which the first seven deacons were ordained by the Apostles to serve the nascent Church. Many centuries later the same action was performed by one of the Apostles successors, Bishop Michael Campbell, when I was ordained a deacon in St Peter’,s Cathedral on 11th February. Having left school after sixth-form I was sent by Bishop O’,Donoghue to spend a year in the House of Formation he had founded in Cleator. Following my completion of that year I was sent to study for the Priesthood at Allen Hall Seminary in London where I spent five years. For the past eight months I have been living and working in St Joseph’,s, Lancaster where I now serve as a deacon. The day of my ordination was one of great joy coming near the end of a long process of formation. I was joined by many family and friends from across the Diocese and from across the country, so many we ran out of orders of service! This serves as a reminder that the Diaconate is not a private gift for my own keeping but a gift that is entirely at the service of the Church which was gathered as a witness that day. I now look forward to exercising this ministry in St Joseph’,s. Please keep me in your prayers as I continue to prepare for ordination to the Priesthood. John Millar They prayed and laid their hands upon them... ”, “, Inside this month: p5 Out of Africa p12 Make a Difference p16 Easter Mass Times Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated on Sunday 15 April, please see back page for details of services

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2 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + April 2012 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk Contact us The Catholic Voice of Lancaster is published on the last Sunday of the month previous to publication date. The Catholic Voice of Lancaster is published by its owners. The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lancaster, a registered charity, (No. 234331), and is wholly independent of and separate from any previous newspaper published by or on behalf of the diocese. EDITOR: Edwina Gillett 01253 736630 / 07969 967268 edwinagillett@hotmail.co.uk www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk ADVERTISING: Nick Layton / CathCom Ltd. 020 7112 6710 nick@cathcom.org www.cathcom.org DESIGN &, LAYOUT: Rob Hotchkiss / Hot Creative rob@hot-creative.co.uk www.hot-creative.co.uk PUBLISHED BY: CathCom Ltd. 2/4 Church Street, Steeple Bumpstead, Haverhill, CB9 7DG 0870 228 4266 www.cathcom.org Articles to: voicenews@hotmail.co.uk Letters to: voiceletters@hotmail.co.uk VoiceXtra: voicextra@hotmail.co.uk Postal Address: FAO Edwina Gillett 99 Commonside, Ansdell, Lytham St. Annes FY8 4DJ Please send articles for publication on CD or by email, supplying any photos separate to the text (i.e. in jpeg format). Otherwise please type double spacing or write very clearly. Last date for copy is the LAST DAY of the month prior to publication. Photographs will be returned if you remember to put your name and address on the back of each and enclose suitable stamped and self-addressed packaging. To hear Christ`s sacrifice of praise, and participate in the Church`s song glorifying God in the name of all creation we need silence, otherwise we just hear our own voices. Paradoxically Pope Benedict discussed the importance of silence in his 2012 address on World Communications Day. He said that in the absence of silence ‘,words rich in content cannot exist. In silence, we are better able to listen to and understand ourselves, ideas come to birth and acquire depth.’, The Holy Father went on to say: “,If God speaks to us even in silence, we in turn discover in silence the possibility of speaking with God and about God. . . . In speaking of God’,s grandeur, our language will always prove inadequate and must make space for silent contemplation. Out of such contemplation springs forth, with all its inner power, the urgent sense of mission, the compelling obligation ‘,to communicate that which we have seen and heard’, so that all may be in communion with God. In silent contemplation, then, the eternal Word, through Whom the world was created, becomes ever more powerfully present and we become aware of the plan of salvation that God is accomplishing throughout our history by word and deed.”, This is why silence in our churches is so important before, during and after Mass, because without it we will not dis cover Christ`s song of praise and the possibility He gives us of speaking with and listening to our God. L ast year in an audience immediately before Easter the Holy Father said of the Easter Triduum, the three days in which the Church commemorates the mystery of the Lord’,s passion, death and resurrection, that “,The liturgies of these days invite us to ponder the loving obedience of Christ who, having become like us in all things but sin, resisted temptation and freely surrendered himself to the Father’,s will.”, “,On the evening of Holy Thursday, the Mass of the Lord’,s Supper begins the actual Triduum and recalls the institution of the sacraments of the Eucharist and Holy Orders. The Liturgy of Good Friday invites us to share in Christ’,s sufferings through penance and fasting, and to receive the gift of God’,s love flowing from the Lord’,s pierced Heart. The Easter Vigil joyfully proclaims Christ’,s BY THE WAY…, Pope Benedict on the Easter Triduum EDITORIAL E very so often people comment that there seems to be a problem in many of our churches about the amount of noise before and after Mass that makes personal prayer difficult, if not impossible at times. When Jesus drove the money changers from the Temple He said to them, ‘,Does not scripture say: ‘,My house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples? But you have turned it into a bandits’, den’, (Mark 11:17) . Thankfully Jesus, in all likelihood, would not make this accusation about any of our parishes in the diocese, but He might say about our parish churches, ‘,My house will be called a house of prayer for all people, but you have turned it into a house of noise’,. Sadly, for many of us the one place and time in which it is difficult to pray is the parish church for Sunday Mass. Where once there was an atmosphere of prayer around the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, now there is often the atmosphere of a parish hall or a party. There may well be a section of the readership of The Catholic Voice of Lancaster who, still attached to the 1970`s caricature of the Second Vatican Council`s image of the People of God, will respond, ‘,It`s all to the good that the church has the atmosphere of a parish hall or a party before and after Mass because the parish is a community, and the Mass is about celebrating, sharing, and friendship’,. To question this misunderstanding of what Vatican II meant by the People of God is seen, by some, as inhuman and mean-spirited on a par with Scrooge because who could be against celebration, sharing and friendship. Rightly, celebration, sharing and friendship are part of being Christian, but they are not characteristically Christian. All religions express these human activities, as do pubs, clubs and sports teams. The Catholic Voice of Lancaster is convinced that this wrong- headed focus on merely human activities is responsible for a twofold impoverishment of the Mass that many of us experience: celebration, sharing and friendship have pushed out worship, redemption and sacrifice and chat, busyness and distraction have made rare personal prayer, adoration, and recollection. Challenging talking and noise in church is just the tip of a bigger challenge, which is to re-dis cover the true meaning given the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass by God Himself and to re-dis cover the importance of silence to participating rightly and fully in the sacred liturgy. The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains a rich and multifaceted presentation of the true meaning of the Mass, including this beautiful description: resurrection from the dead and the new life received in Baptism.”, He concluded his address by saying “,By your prayers and our sharing in these liturgies, let us resolve to imitate Christ’,s loving obedience to the Father’,s saving plan, which is the source of authentic freedom and the path of eternal life”,. ‘, The Eucharist is also the sacrifice of praise by which the Church sings the glory of God in the name of all creation. This sacrifice of praise is possible only through Christ: he unites the faithful to his person, to his praise, and to his intercession, so that the sacrifice of praise to the Father is offered through Christ and with him, to be accepted in him. ’, (CCC 1361) ‘,words rich in content cannot exist. In silence, we are better able to listen to and understand ourselves, ideas come to birth and acquire depth.’, Pope Benedict

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April 2012 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + 3 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk Helen Skelton Inspires some advice.”, Isabella also brought in a book on Sir Randulph Fiennes which she showed to the rest of the School in assembly. The children spoke about how Helen had managed to break a world record by undertaking part of the journey on a bike. Toby Liddle (age 8) thought that this was probably the hardest part of the trek. He said: “,When Helen rode the bike it would have been very hard for her. We learnt about how the bike had thicker tyres to help it move on the ice and snow but even with the tyres it would have been a challenge.”, Miss Heslop was very pleased with the way that the class embraced the project. She said: “,Helen’,s challenge really captured the children’,s imagination. By thinking about what she was going through and putting themselves in her shoes the class were really able to think about Antarctica in a fun and exciting way. The fact that Helen is Cumbrian also helped to inspire them further. The School as whole is very proud of Helen’,s achievement and has taken great pleasure in following her progress. Congratulations to a remarkable person.”, Junior School pupils at Austin Friars St Monica’,s School have taken inspiration from Helen Skelton’,s epic journey to the South Pole as part of their Geography lessons. T he Junior 1 (ages 7 –, 8) pupils have been busy learning about Antarctica as part of their Geography lessons and have used Helen Skelton’,s journey to think about what it would be like to be somewhere so cold. The children spent time both in the classroom and at home finding out facts about the climate in Antarctica, where it is on the globe and other facts. Miss Sarah Heslop, the Junior 1 teacher explained: “,The children spent time thinking about what Helen would have gone through on her journey. They thought about the type of animals that she may have seen whilst on the expedition as well as what she would have had to do to prepare for it. The children were all very keen to find out as much as they could and worked in groups to prepare displays on their findings. Once the displays were all completed the children then did a presentation in assembly to the rest of the Junior School.”, Speaking about what they had learnt the children were all keen to share their findings. Luca Feghali (age 8) spoke about what he thought would have been the hardest thing for Helen to face. He said: “,She needed to make sure that she kept herself warm, particularly her hands so that she would avoid frost bite.”, Isabella Harkins (age 8) spoke about Sir Randulph Fiennes, the first person to cross Antarctica completely on foot. She said: “,We learnt about Sir Randulph Fiennes and his expedition to the South Pole. He suffered frost bite himself and lost the ends of his fingers and he was able to speak to Helen Skelton before she went away to give her Church Pews Uncomfortable? Why not try top quality upholstered foam pew cushions? Safefoam, Green Lane, Riley Green, Hoghton, Preston PR5 0SN www.safefoam.co.uk Freephone 0800 015 44 33 Free Sample Pack of foam &, fabrics sent by first clss mail When phoning please quote LV101

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4 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + April 2012 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk B eing a young Catholic is all about continual new birth into an ancient infrastructure, and the challenge of living a contemporary lifestyle in the midst of sacramental mysticism. To some this might sound like huge contradiction. I love Being a Young Catholic Today Tom Sellars, 19, Arnside A sign of Contradiction contradiction! The Bible is full of it. I love how one minute everything is fine and lovely, and the next the world is falling apart. Take Job for example. He worked his fingers to the bone for success and well-being, but in an instant his world came crashing down. If your DVD player is broken, you consult the manual. Failing that, contact the manufacturer. Why should life be any different? I have always strongly believed that the Bible is a manual for life –, everything you need to know is in there and if you can’,t find it, you turn to the Maker in prayer. Young people, even young Catholics often disagree with me. Some insist that the Bible cannot possibly be a manual for life as it contains too many contradictions. To be a young Catholic is to be embattled by a constantly swaying conscience, where traditional and contemporary cultures collide, but ultimately present the opportunity to discern the Christ-centre of both, and settle a life-long faith. My own testimony lies within the Salesians. They began to invest in me from a young age and have had a huge impact on my faith and professional formation. Being a young Catholic commits to the discovery of gifts. Nowhere in life but in youth do we receive such an opportunity to shine shamelessly, no matter what our level of skill. The discovery of a gift in childhood is the beautiful beginning of a new divine connection. Embarrassment or over-modesty of a God given gift is almost sinful, and an attempt at covering up a special connection with God. Knowing your gift holds the responsibility of wearing God on your sleeve, no matter what others say or think. I am no good at meditative prayer. But music for me has brought that prayerful focus, and there is nothing better than sharing that gift. Gifts bring elation, and a sense of worth, the way they were nurtured within me has had a great influence on the way I have lived my life. Not only has playing music given me great enjoyment, but God has blessed me continually with yet more opportunity. My own gifts have always been nurtured by the Salesians, through retreat work at Brettargh Holt and Savio House, chaplaincy and community work in Bootle, and across the world, all over Europe and into Africa and America working with anything from Mexican immigrants, to Dutch toddlers, to Lancastrian teens –, always in the interest of inspiring the Kingdom. Without the Salesians there is no way I would be the person I am today, with the intense and deep faith that I cherish! It’,s been a great privilege to work, study, and worship with other churches ecumenically, particularly over the past six months. As Catholics, we can learn a great deal from other denominations –, even without compromising our special sacramental traditions, and there is a great potential for collaborative mission. My hope is that one day in the future, we can cast aside any differences, mis- understandings, arrogance and narrow mindedness and stand shoulder to shoulder with our Christian brothers and sisters, no matter what the expression and worship our common God. T wice a year, the Bernadine Cistercian Sisters at Hyning Hall (Carnforth) open up their doors to invite young people to experience monastic life. For those who are curious and brave enough, the experience is deeply rewarding as two of our young people discovered... “,It was with much trepidation that we drove to Hyning Hall in January for a Monastic Experience Weekend. Having no idea what to expect, we worried that it would be an intense weekend of strict silence, a harsh timetable, bread and water and no technology. We arrived, and on pressing the doorbell, the heavens opened and we were soaked in the time it took for the several locks to be pulled back and the door opened. For a moment, we thought our fears were confirmed. But from the time we were welcomed into the house, the weekend took on a much different tone. I have never known such peace as I experienced at Hyning Hall. There were five of us on the retreat, and we were surprised to see a young man in the group as we had assumed that the weekend A Weekend of Surprises! A Monastic Experience was all about becoming a nun. However, the aim of the weekend was simply to allow young people such as ourselves to have the time and space to learn how to pray and respond to God’,s call in our lives, no matter what it might be. We followed the daily lives of the nuns at Hyning Hall, getting up and being in the chapel for 6.30am and praying with them 5 times a day. We were touched by the peace, warmth and generosity shown to us throughout the weekend. There is a very gentle pace of life at Hyning Hall, everything the sisters did they offered to God. They truly make God the centre of their lives. Although we had been anxious about the amount of time spent in silence and prayer, we came to find that we loved it. We felt a sense of stillness, an inner calm, a safety in the silence of just being ourselves without having to worry about who we were or what we had to do outside in our busy daily lives. The most poignant moment for us both was on our first night in the beautiful chapel praying Vigils. Towards the end of the prayers, the lights were switched off one by one until the whole chapel was in pitch darkness except for one candle by an icon of the Virgin Mary and Jesus. In this comforting atmosphere of stillness we sang the Salve Regina, feeling the motherly protection of Our Lady. Even though they sang and we weren’,t familiar with the tune, we still felt included and welcomed, listening to their angelic voices. Eating meals in silence was a new experience –, and nerve racking experience –, but one that we wanted to take back to our daily lives! We dreaded an awkward silence, but instead found a caring atmosphere where other people’,s needs were put first. We found that you don’,t need to talk to communicate! Kindness was shown to everyone and there was no need to hurry or rush off during or after the meal. Throughout the meal we were read to –, another surprise! We expected deeply theological reflections, but instead the nuns enjoyed the Biography of the Queen Mother at lunch times and Jonathon Sacks, Chief Rabbi, on “,God, Science and the Search for Meaning”, at dinner times. Although we didn’,t understand all of it, it was enough to watch the nuns chuckle over it during their toad-in-the- hole! Washing up was also done in silence –, a task that was over far quicker than when talked through! We expected the silence to feel lonely, but it was the exact opposite. Silence in a group is a shared activity, it takes everyone to hold and maintain that silence, so it becomes a shared experience. The nuns had a real sense of humour between themselves and moments not spent in silence were more often than not spent in laughing. We felt as though we’,d had twelve mothers looking out for us during the weekend, such was the care and attention the nuns paid us. Hyning Hall is in a stunning location and has a beautiful garden. It was so beautiful in fact, that we felt like we were in heaven with the sun rising and the birds singing when we were there. We were only there for a weekend, but on coming away from Hyning Hall we felt changed, refreshed and at peace. People remarked on the ‘,glow’, that we had to us when we arrived home! Hyning Hall brought us closer to God and changed us in many ways. It is an experience we will always be grateful for.”, Patricia Benson, 24, &, Ruth Baker, 21

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April 2012 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + 5 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk A group of young people from Preston have been attending the Northern Catholic Conference for some years. Last year they asked Annette Barrowcliff, the facilitator of these trips for a Day of Renewal more locally so they did not have to wait a whole year until the next conference. Annette took this to God in prayer, and felt there was a real need to provide a day for the young people, focused around the sacraments, with a clear Catholic identity, which would be lively and engaging. Annette spoke to Fr. Chris Loughran of St Clare’,s in Preston who provided on-going support to the planning team that was gathered together. It is central to emphasise that a lot of prayer and planning and preparation went into this day, and that the major aspects of the day –, the timetable, the speakers, the music, the theme, were considered by a team in prayer, which met regularly at St Clare’,s. ‘,Oksana’, was asked to provide the music, a band made up of members of Holy Family’,s worship team and others. Many prayer groups and individuals held the day in prayer. The day came, Saturday 28th January, and we arrived to set up at Holy Family Ingol. As the start time approached young people started to arrive and sign in ... and more young people, and more! In the end there were 35 young people in all! Fr Augustine Conner of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal was the key speaker and celebrant. He, and Brother Benedict, told the young people of God’,s love for each of us personally, that Jesus is absolutely restless to be with each one of us. Members of the Cenacolo community shared their testimony. A clear theme emerged through the day of the destructive effect of drugs and all sin, and the liberating power of a personal relationship with T his year I have been working at St Mary’,s Catholic College Blackpool as a ‘,Gaplin’, with Christine. A ‘,Gaplin’, is a gap-year chaplain in a programme organised by CAFOD and the Holy Child Jesus sisters in collaboration with the parishes and schools in Blackpool. It has been an amazing experience assisting the chaplaincy team at St Mary’,s, leading assemblies and liturgies, and talking and supporting the young people. Part of the year’,s programme was to go to Ghana to experience the work of the Holy Child Sisters who work as teachers and midwives. Before heading out to Ghana, I was apprehensive as I had no idea what it was going to be like. To prepare we had quite a few meetings with CAFOD, prayed mad about it, and got lots of injections. And then the day arrived. Any reservations left me as soon as I met the people we stayed with and how welcome we were made to feel. Everyone was so open with us and we were made to feel part of their community even before they knew us. All the children came to talk to us –, I could not believe how they had so little but seemed so happy. We worked in the schools throughout the whole time and we spent a lot of time talking about our different ways of life. We spent quite a lot of time interviewing different people so that we could share their stories when we returned home. They all wanted to be interviewed, so we had literally millions and millions of interviews to work through. One of the things we found out was that the children were so eager for education and most of This is What We Did Jesus. Father Augustine spoke about the forgiveness, freedom and joy given through the sacrament of reconciliation, and inspired us with the reminder that Blessed John Paul used to celebrate the Sacrament of confession every day, because he knew his need to stay close to Jesus. Activities were organised by Ruth White of the Metanoia Project, who also provided beautiful, reflective guitar music and sang during adoration and confessions. Oksana’,s praise music was lively and uplifting. Once everyone had been given a bit of encouragement to stand up young people seemed to get into it. Comments included: ‘,Music was awesome!!’,, ‘,It was all really fun’,, ‘,I think the music got us into the mood of the day and it was an enjoyable way to praise God’,. One young person wrote, ‘,I normally don’,t like music like this to praise God but wow! When it’,s done as true praise, not as a performance, it’,s beautiful!’, The feedback requested was very positive. We asked young people what they had enjoyed most. Answers included the music, the activities, being together with other young people, the blessing at the end, the testimonies, and the opportunity for question and answer. Interestingly the most common response was that people had felt most blessed by confession or ‘,the forgiveness thing’, . One young person wrote, ‘,It was very good to see everyone here get to confession! I was renewed in faith to see such faithful priests and brothers and inspired by the faith stories of many addicts’, . Because of the evident need and enthusiasm for this type of event we hope to hold another day of renewal for young people in the future. Katherine Daniels Young People’,s Day of Renewal for the Preston parishes Out of Africa them had jobs before and after school to pay for their education. The children would help their parents set up their stalls in the market or would sell fruit themselves from the roadsides, or fix people’,s shoes... all just to get a few coins to pay for their school. I found the children so eager to learn, desperate to find out anything and everything, especially when it regarded football! In fact, it was the African Cup of Nations whilst we were there and the whole country was in a state of football fever, screaming and waving chairs in the air! One thing which struck me was the amount of vocations to the priesthood and religious life in Ghana. Staying with the HCJ sisters, we visited their novitiate house and it was inspiring to speak to so many young women who so loved their faith and had such a desire to share it with us. We also went to the seminary where we found hundreds of young men. Generally speaking, I couldn’,t believe how strong faith was amongst the people, even when they face such struggles. Sometimes the Masses were two hours long, with Gospel choirs and everyone dancing everywhere! Coming back to England feels a bit like a let-down. Overall, I feel I have gained not only experience but a deeper understanding of the world and the difference in cultures, and would return straight away if I could. Because I have received so much, I want to be able to share all that I have learnt with anyone and everyone who will listen, and somehow bring some of the joy and faith that they lived into our world. Emma Penellum, 19, Millom

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6 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + April 2012 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk Bioethics Fr. Tad Pacholczyk - MAKING SENSE OUT OF BIOETHIC S D uring a 2011 roundtable discussion on Fox News, guest commentator Jay Thomas argued that young people should not be too concerned when it comes to pre-marital sex, because nobody would choose to “,buy a car without driving it first, you don’,t get married, and you don’,t learn about sex, by not having it.”, Any reasonable person would prefer to avoid someone who might be, in his words, “,odd in the sack,”, much as any reasonable person would prefer to avoid getting a lemon when purchasing a new car. Mr. Thomas, therefore, could hardly envision anyone’,s committing to marriage without first “,kicking the tyres”, a bit, and going for a sex “,test drive.”, The test drive analogy comes up short in a number of important ways, and premarital sex is not at all synonymous with a harmless “,test drive.”, The context in which sex occurs is everything in terms of “,getting it right.”, Separated from its proper context of marriage, it becomes a quick path to emotional and interpersonal wreckage. Since sex takes on its proper meaning only within marriage, it cannot be properly evaluated outside the marital commitment. It might be analogous to trying to evaluate the performance of a particular car before it has even been assembled or come off the assembly line. The story is told of a famous but irresponsiblerace car driver who decided to borrow a friend’,s Camaro to take it for a test drive around the racetrack. He quickly ran it to the edge of the speedometer, red-lining the engine at over 100 miles per hour. He pushed it hard for several laps around the track, then, finally pulled the vehicle off to the side. As he did so, the strained engine overheated, seized violently, and began to pour out smoke. He was used to expensive, high performance racing machines, and the Camaro felt sluggish by comparison. He walked away from the vehicle, muttering under his breath, “,I wonder what’,s the matter with that car?”, Sex before marriage is a similar kind of “,test drive”, —, clearly unreasonable and harmful. A sexual “,test drive”, mentality is essentially exploitative in nature, reducing a potential spouse to someone who is easily replaced by a “,better”, model. When we take a car for a test drive, and don`t like it, we can just return the keys and move on to the next model. But people are not cars that we can just exploit and cast aside. The notion of a sexual “,test drive”, as an entré,e to matrimony trivialises and degrades the serious business that marriage really is. What sorts of things would a young man be expecting to discover with a sexual “,test drive”, anyway? What kinds of qualities would disqualify someone from becoming his wife? If he had lived in purity himself, and it were his first sexual experience fresh on the heels of his marriage vows, he would automatically suppose his wife to be wonderful, and no “,comparisons”, should even be necessary. In the final analysis, who really wants to be sexually “,compared”, to others anyway? Predictably, partners can feel threatened if they think their spouse might be comparing them with previous partners. This provides a strong incentive to abstain from sex before marriage, to protect the emotional safety that spouses need to feel together in marriage. Every woman prefers to marry a man who has lived chastely. Similarly every man, in his heart of hearts, wants to marry a virgin, rather than someone who has been “,test-driven”, by scores of other men. As one happily married woman described it on her internet posting: “,I`ve only been with one guy, he was only with one girl - and it wasn`t until our wedding night. Maybe we were both bad in bed. But, you know, neither one of us had any clue, because we`d never been with anyone else. I`ve never seen that as an issue.”, Singer/actress Rebecca St. James, who also participated in the Fox News roundtable, echoed the same sentiments: “,Can I just say married sex (and I’,ve never been with anyone other than my husband) is wonderful. It’,s so cherishing and beautiful, and I’,m so glad I don’,t have any memories with anyone else, and I’,m glad my husband doesn’,t have anybody to compare me to. We only have each other.”, Dating and marriage are about commitment and sacrificial love for another person, not comparison shopping for the best deal, or test driving the latest vehicle. Sex is a unique gift by which we hand ourselves over to another within marriage, and cement the treasure of marital love in a permanent commitment to one another. Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D. earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the diocese of Fall River, MA, and serves as the Director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center. See www.ncbcenter.org “, Can I just say married sex (and I’,ve never been with anyone other than my husband) is wonderful. It’,s so cherishing and beautiful, and I’,m so glad I don’,t have any memories with anyone else, and I’,m glad my husband doesn’,t have anybody to compare me to. We only have each other. ”, Premarital Sex Test Drive ‘, What sort of things would a young man be expecting to discover with a sexual “,test drive”, anyway? ’,

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Nazareth House Care Home Situated in the historic city of Lancaster, Nazareth House Care Home offers 24 hour professional care with nursing, security, comfort and friendship in the warmth of a real home. Our policy is one of quality: •, Quality of care •, Quality of surroundings •, Quality of life Nazareth House Ashton Road, Lancaster Lancashire LA1 5AQ Telephone 01524 32074 April 2012 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + 7 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk Your letters How to send us your letters: Write to: The Editor, 99, Commonside, Ansdell, Lytham St. Annes, FY8 4DJ. Email to: voiceletters@hotmail.co.uk •, Please keep your letters concise (max 300 words), •, Include your full name and address •, Letters should not include any personal criticism or attacks •, The editor reserves the right to: - amend or shorten letters or to refuse to publish them (no correspondence to discuss decisions taken will be entered into) - publish a response if deemed appropriate Dear Editor ‘,Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers…,’, My wife and I, both Catholics since birth, have been known in our parish for many years. My wife, although not active due to ill health, was well known by parishioners and clergy. I was involved in many aspects of the parish, including the PAC, Children’,s Liturgy Group, Fairtrade and a governor of our primary school, holding the chair of one committee. In addition to grown up children, we have been greatly blessed with two extra children and they are a joy to us. For the last 3 years however, my health has declined and due to disability, I am currently not in paid employment. My wife still has poor health. Within our parish, we have had a few very good friends but, with most being under religious direction, they have had to move away as their superiors have directed. We now find ourselves very much on the periphery, rarely attending mass and, excepting the deacon who is willing to bring communion when we ask, we do not receive any personal visits or telephone calls from either clergy or parishioners. Whenever we do see the parish priest we often repeat the invitation to come for a cup of tea but we know he is busy and so that visit is still pending. Because of our health issues, our children do not attend mass often, but we endeavour to teach and pass on the Faith to them and instil in them a love of Our Lord and His Church. This seemingly forgotten status is something we have come to accept as part of our modern culture and we are blessed in many other ways, but we were recently shocked when visiting our parents, also in the diocese. My mother, a well known member of her parish, both as a mass reader and as a special minister of the Eucharist who visits the local hospital, has for the last month been unable to attend mass following surgery. She is it seems, just as invisible as we are, as she has had no contact from any member of the parish, except from my wife’,s mother who rang to see if she was getting copies of the parish newsletter. God bless, Name given but not printed here Dear Editor On reading “,Making sense out of Bioethics”, I was horrified to see such a high percentage of babies being aborted with Downs Syndrome. These parents just do not realise what they are missing. When my grandson was born sixteen years ago with Downs Syndrome it was indeed a very dark day for all the family especially as his parents were comparatively young. BUT we did not know of the joy and laughter that Joshua would bring to us all. His cheeky smile and his constant mantra of crisps and chocolate please, lifts even the darkest day. We would not be without him for even a nanosecond. Yours sincerely A. Molloy Preston - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - Dear Editor Thanks to Canon Alf Hayes and Annie Benson of St. Wulstan`s, Fleetwood, the Ven. Matt Talbot Apostolate was introduced to our dear Radio Maria listeners. www.hmwn.net After we interviewed Alfie Boe, Annie, ever so kindly kept in touch with me and told us of the Matt Talbot apostolate. We interviewed Fr. Brian Lawless &, Michael and Noeleen Murphy who visited St. Wulstan`s, Fleetwood in October! I`ve just read the excellent report by Brian Wood - please pass along my regards to Brian. Perhaps one day the “,Talbot team”, will visit Toronto - sounds like a great presentation! I forwarded Brian`s article to Fr. Eric, assistant to Archbishop Collins (soon to be Cardinal Collins) . The “,Prayer for Canonization of Matt”, has a prominent place on our homepage - we`ve translated the prayer to Italian &, will distribute it to the many Italian parishes. Apparently the miracle which led to the beatification of Irish Saint Oliver Plunkett came from a woman who lived in Naples, Italy! Bless you and your entire team, In Christ our Hope, Sharon DiCecco - host of ",Community in Concert", www.hmwn.net Able Wills Professional Will Writers &, Estate Planners Have you been meaning to make a Will but never got round to it? Do you own property? Are your children under 18? Are you worried about nursing home fees? Might your estate be liable to Inheritance Tax? If the answer to any of the above is “,Yes”, then we can help. Specialists for: Wills and Probate, Lasting Power of Attorney, Property &, Discretionary Trusts, Funeral Plans Call Malcolm Nightingale For a FREE home visit. 01539 737400 7, Windermere Road, Kendal SELF STORAGE Secure Units Available Sizes To Suit All Needs Competitive Rates From as little as £,5 per week Open 7 Days Also Caravan/Car/Boat Storage Curly Tail Storage, Park Lane, Forton Tel: 01524 791837 www.curlytailstorage.co.uk THE ART OF York House, Schola Green Lane, Morecambe LA4 5QS Tel: 01524 400292 www.theartofglass.co.uk DAVID CROSS Stained Glass Artist We specialise in the design, restoration and repair of leaded windows and stained glass. Based in Morecambe, Lancashire we serve the North West and the UK 1

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8 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + April 2012 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk T he other day a gentleman came to the presbytery door to ask if he could host a christening in our Church. It was an unusual turn of phrase which said a lot about his concept of baptism. For him it was primarily a social occasion designed to celebrate with family and friends the birth of his child. The Church’,s role was to provide the venue and ritual. My initial instinct was to pounce with some sort of rebuke to the effect that it was not his place to ‘,host’, anything in our Church. It was the House of God and not for hire. Happily I resisted this temptation and rather tried to understand this father’,s good intention to celebrate the joy of his child’,s birth. In baptism we do of course give thanks to Almighty God for the gift of new life but for us this is not only the gift of life on earth but the gift of eternal life in heaven. You may have noticed that in our older churches almost all the baptismal fonts are eight sided. Why? This is symbolic of the seven days of creation fol lowed by the eighth day of the New Creation brought about by Christ’,s rising from the dead. In baptism we go down into the tomb with Christ so as to rise with him. The font is the womb of the Church in which we are reborn to everlasting life. Usually we pour Over the next few months the Catholic Voice will be taking a close look at the Sacraments of the Church, here is the first in a series of pieces from Fr Emmanuel Gribben of the Willows Kirkham. water on the child’,s head at baptism but in actual fact the primary symbolism of baptism is total immersion in water. It is a ritual death. We are plunged in to the waters of death so as to rise again to new life. Having been baptised by water and the Holy Spirit the rest of the service seeks to illustrate this great truth. The three prayers accompanying the anointing with chrism, the clothing with the white garment and the reception of the lighted candle all conclude with references to the everlasting life of Heaven. In fact the title ‘,Christ’, , given to Jesus literally means ‘,anointed one’, . The anointing with chrism reminds us that through our baptism we have become other ‘,Christs’, , Anointed Ones, sharing in His divine and everlasting dignity. The white garment, usually a Christening Shawl signifies the New Creation, the garment of salvation. The lighted candle evokes the Risen Christ, that light which is dispels the darkness of sin and death. If only that father at the presbytery door had realised the greatness of the gift which he had requested. Baptism is nothing less than the participation in the very life of Christ. He is the host inviting us share in this great celebration of His victory over sin and death. Baptism The Sacraments A Cumbrian biker`s marathon ride has resulted in sweet dreams for children in a Tamil orphanage. Late last year Paul Holroyd from Appleby rode his moterbike from Lands End to John`O`Groats and raised over £,2000. This money was added to the Curryaid fund and sent to India where it was used to provide fifty bunk beds for the children of St Mary`s orphanage near Kodaikanal India. Prior to that the children slept on the floor, a not very comfortable option in the cold mountain winters. Next year, Paul and fellow fundraiser Jessie Oddy hope to provide mattresses for the children and give them a REALLY good night’,s sleep. Sweet Dreams from a Cumbrian Biker St Clare’,s, Sharoe Green Lane, Fulwood, Preston LIFE IN THE SPIRIT SEMINARS Hear again the fantastic news of God’,s love for you Beginning Tuesday 17th April 7.30pm And for five Tuesdays (April: 24, May: 1, 8, 15 &, 22) Led by Fr Christopher Loughran

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The Newlyweds April 2012 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + 9 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk O n a day when the vast majority of the country was covered in snow and flights were being cancelled at Heathrow airport, a small group of walkers (mainly young people) completed a 10 mile stroll along the promenade from Lytham to St Annes Pier and back. Generously organised by the Knights of St Columba the aim of the exercise was to raise sponsorship for young people to go on the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes in July. It was a beautiful day with clear blue skies and sunshine and a good sense of camaraderie and fun. There was also a misty haze across the estuary which offered some wonderful photo opportunities. God looked kindly on the group of potential pilgrims with the weather and saw to it that none of them were frostbitten, windswept or soaked through as is often the case on other Summit walks! Many thanks to the Knights for all their support towards the young people of our diocese. Lizzie Cavanagh, 19, Blackpool S everal young people from the diocese joined the Youth 2000 retreat at Leeds. 150 young people from across the north of England came together, slept on school floors, made new friends, and experienced powerful times of prayer, music and sharing. Sophie Benson shares what the experience meant to her: “,Youth2000 is a fairly new discovery for me and I`m so glad God gave me the opportunity to attend my second retreat, L ove@Leeds. I was so excited to take time out from university life, to go and see good friends and meet new people. The weekend didn`t just live up to my expectations but completely surpassed them! I knew from the New Year retreat that the main focus of the retreat would be adoration, but I was unprepared for the impact that spending time right next to the Blessed Sacrament would have on me. At The Newlyweds A lf and Sarah Benson following their wedding celebrated by Fr. Philip Conner on Saturday 11th February in the Cathedral Lancaster. one of the talks I heard that `when you start being honest with God then you`ll be able to have a deeper relationship with Him`. I was really inspired by these words so at my (2am!) holy hour I realised what it was like to honestly talk to God as a friend and also as the Father. The weekend was full of every emotion possible, from the complete joy and celebration of praise &, worship to the most powerful and moving Eucharistic healing service. To share this experience with others and offer everything to God changes your outlook on faith and the way you pray. For me, Youth 2000 is made by the people you meet, whether it be the priests, religious sisters or other young Catholics, all who just want to feel the presence of Jesus in their lives. The retreat had the amazing power to create honest relationships not only with friends but most importantly with God.”, Sophie Benson, 19, Lancaster University Love@Leeds Walking on Water

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10 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + April 2012 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk Diocese Around the (Left top) Year 10 Pupils present a cheque for £,1700 to Frank Gardner from CAFOD. (Left bottom) Year 9 pupils present a cheque for £,1000 to Arthur Roe from Help for Heroes. S taff and pupils from Our Lady’,s Catholic High School in Preston have been working hard to raise over £,8400 for a range of charities. Their fantastic efforts began when School Manager, Nicky Cooper, began an emergency appeal in response to the terrible devastation cause by the earthquake in Haiti. In two weeks £,1900 was raised and presented to Rosa Trelfa of CAFOD. Pupils and staff then continued to raise cash through huge range of activities including: non-uniform days, concerts and performances, sports events arranged by pupils, sponsored silences, fast days, cake sales and car washing. Pupils elected to I n January Catenian President Tom McAuley (Preston Circle 14) was pleased to hand over a cheque for his designated charity ‘,Baby Beat’, based at Royal Preston Hospital to none other than the TV football pundit Mr Mark Lawrenson. Mark has worked with the charity for some time and after receiving the cheque for £,1000 entertained an audience of around 60 with an informal question and answer session which proved very amusing, as he recalled tales of his past footballing exploits and acquaintances as well as some tales from his time spent at Preston Catholic College. The money was raised through events including a live concert featuring popular Scottish covers band No1 Sun and a summer barbeque. If I can use my pen and ink to tell about His care, If I can tell of lasting love and faith in simple prayer, If I can put my thoughts in words and share them with a friend, Life will have a meaning - my joy will know no end. If I can use this gift of mine, to cheer a lonely mile, If I can make my reader think that life is worth its while, If I can write one single phrase to ease an aching heart, Then in this ever changing world I`ll feel I`ve played my part. Ethel Fisher MBE courtesy of Patricia Boe Baby Beat School’,s Outreach Benefits Charities the School Council selected the charities and have been presenting cheques in assemblies. CAFOD has collected a cheque for £,1700, Help for Heroes £,1000 and Castlerigg Manor and Cancer Research UK will each receive a cheque for £,1000. Deputy Headteacher, Mike Fitzpatrick said, “,We are so proud of what our pupils have achieved. This is the highest total we have ever raised and pupils are already working to raise money for Rock FM s Help a Local Child Appeal.”, Head of Religious Education, Richard Charnock said “,What is so impressive is that pupils have not just donated money but have also worked to find ways to encourage others to donate. Each Family Fast day we have a fast in school, with a restricted menu in our restaurant and pupils encouraged to donate what they would normally spend on their meals. The response is always positive and illustrates how our pupils are willing to make sacrifices to help others.”, Headteacher Nigel Ranson told us, “,our pupils rise to the challenge on so many occasions and fund raising for needy causes are just one of the ways in which the uphold the Christian values of our school. Certainly the amount of money raised, through all number of events, has been quite outstanding and we are very proud of the work of our school community.”, - -- -If - -- - N.D. woodland management-landscapes and trades Based in Kendal, covering all areas in Lancaster Diocese Fully qualified and insured All aspects of tree surgery undertaken (tree felling, pruning, crown reduction, thinning, sectional felling, windblown/damaged trees) firewood available Nik: 07768321446 Diego: 07900616880 Our Lady of Fernyhalgh And the Martyrs Ladyewell Important dates for your Diary May 5th May Procession and Crowning, past and present May Queens invited to participate in celebration of Preston Guild 2012.Get in touch and let us know when you had the honour? June 23rd Lancaster Diocesan Pilgrimage - led by Bishop Michael Campbell OSA June 30th Liverpool Diocesan Pilgrimage led by Archbishop Patrick Kelly. July 14th Healing Service led by Friars of Renewal. 18th August Lancaster diocese Catholic Women’,s League Pilgrimage to Ladyewell. Well stocked Piety Shop, all Communion and Confirmation needs, rosaries, statues, missals, books etc. Please contact for further details or information. Telephone 01772 700181 Email : admin@ladyewellshrine.co.uk Website: www.ladyewellshrine.co.uk

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April 2012 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + 11 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk T he Passion Play, A Passion for Kendal. The Play is being performed in Kendal for the first time in 400 years on April 6 and 7 by Kendal Community Theatre, a secular organisation open to everyone. For more details email apassionforkendal@gmail.com or log on to the website at http://apassionforkendal.blogspot.com/ The Monastery of Our Lady of Hyning has a beautiful Icon workshop where Sister Mary Stella has made an Icon of St John the Theologian as a personal gift for Jacquetta Gomes. Jacquetta is playing St John the Theologian in the Passion Play. She is a member of the Kendal Women’,s Multifaith Meditation Group and has been a regular visitor to Hyning since 1999 with KWMMG. Sister Mary Stella explains the Icon of St John the Theologian as follows: •, St John the Theologian is known in the Gospel of John as the Beloved Disciple. •, St John is turning around and up to listen to God’,s Word seen in the upper left hand corner. God is mysteriously present always. St John teaches us to listen with our inner ear and heart. The divine presence is seen as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. •, St John holds a scroll in his right hand. It is the inspired word of God that his disciple (not seen) is taking down as dictation. •, St John’,s left hand is open to the world, giving what he has heard to the world. •, The halo on St John reminds us he is divinized by God’,s grace. Gold is a symbol of the divine presence. •, St John sits with his feet on a sort of platform bringing heaven and earth into greater oneness. •, The blue cloak reminds us of the divine and St John transcribed the divine word. •, The rocks in the desert remind us it is the locus of God. •, The cave is of dark ignorance, losing one’,s way, despair etc. •, St John sits in the true light and God uses him as a bearer of light. •, St John invites us to sit in God’,s presence. Icon painting workshops led by Sister Mary Stella take place at Hyning Monastery. In 2012 they are held on May 8 -12 (beginners) and July 2 - 6 (intermediate and advanced) . There will be an exhibition of Icons on 29th April 2012. For more details call 01524 732684, log online to www.bernardine.org or email hyningbookings@yahoo.co.uk Passion Play for First Time in 400 Years Martin`s The Funeral Directors 188, Tulketh Brow, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston 1, Stonebridge Parade, Preston Road, Longridge Tel. 01772-733007 or 01772-782121 Proprietor W. Martin Wootton Dedicated and Blessed Chapels of Rest Golden Charter Pre-Paid Funeral Plans The complete funeral service from a private family owned and run firm Diocese Around the

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12 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + April 2012 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk in celebration and to work for the benefit of others. The values that underpin the Guild such as justice, tolerance, community and peace resonate strongly with us at CAFOD because as Catholics we refuse to accept the suffering of our brothers and sisters and are compelled to take action to alleviate it. We believe that by working together a better world can and must be achieved so that all can enjoy fullness of life. Working in partnership is an essential part of our identity. I remember the last Preston Guild. I directed my school’,s Steel Band in a procession on a float: young people and live music –, a perfect combination! It was an amazing day. So with much anticipation I look forward to this Preston Guild, this time as CAFOD Diocesan Manager, based at St Walburge`s, working collaboratively with communities in Preston - Catholic parishes and with Christian Aid. Preston Guild brings people together both With this firmly in mind, a sponsored walk we have organised with Christian Aid on 5th May will not only raise funds and awareness of the work of our two development agencies, but will highlight to our City our shared vision for a world without poverty and injustice. Whilst maintaining our own distinctive natures, working alongside our friends in other charities sends out a clear united message. We invite you to join us as we walk together for the Guild in solidarity with those overseas who struggle on a day to day basis. The spirit of the Guild draws communities together, and gives us a renewed opportunity to pray together, to act for justice and to bear witness to our faith, sharing the many ‘,treasures’, we are blessed to have. I find the thought quite inspiring. The message of hope, not only for Preston but for the wider global community remains strong –, let’,s celebrate it, make it known and enable it to truly make a difference. Rosa Trelfa Get Moving to Make a Difference Preston Guild Preston Guild - but what year? From left to right Canon Patrick O’,Dea, Fr. Luiz Ruscillo, Fr Tony Foulkes, Fr Vincent Smith, Fr Billy Bootle, Canon Patrick Mulvany and Fr. Stephen Cross, present and past clergy of St Anthony’,s Preston.

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April 2012 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + 13 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk The Joy of the Priesthood The Joy of the Priesthood Fr James Burns Ordained: 27th June 1998 Currently: Parish Priest of St Joseph’,s, Lancaster I became a priest after having worked for a number of years in scientific research so I always see parallels between my research years and the journey of discovery in faith. As a scientist, one has to always be open to the infinite: I didn’,t say this. These are the words of Pope Benedict XVI who also said: “,The great discoveries of science reveal themselves only to long, watchful and patient labour that is ready always to correct itself and let itself be taught.”, We are living in an amazing time in history when scientific discoveries are being made at break neck speed. With each new discovery old questions are answered and new questions arise, but the fundamental questions of our existence remain. So the journey continues and the need to remain open continues. For me one of the great joys of priesthood is the challenge of preaching the faith in our modern world of discoveries –, in helping people to see that science and religion, faith and reason are in harmony. If as priests we can remain open to what God reveals to us, we ourselves can be ever refreshed by the joy of this gift to the Church. Every day presents new challenges and opportunities –, to correct oneself and let oneself be taught. (Quotes from “,To Look on Christ: Exercises in Faith, Hope, and Love”, by Joseph Ratzinger) T he new translation of the Mass has given musicians the opportunity to compose new settings. A group of about forty singers and instrumentalists gathered at the English Martyrs’,, Preston earlier in February to learn some of these new compositions. The afternoon was led by Peter Cobb and Fr. Paul Johnstone, who introduced the plainchant settings from the Missal before teaching some new settings they had composed themselves. The singers proved very able at sight reading whilst the instrumentalists provided lively backing. Quotes: “,I am looking forward to taking the music back to our parish.”, “,The afternoon was very enjoyable, thank you to Fr. Paul and Peter.”, “,Our parish is fond of some of the old Mass settings, however the opportunity to learn some new music is welcome.”, “, The human frontier can only be that which has no frontiers. ”, Photos: (Left) Peter Cobb and Fr. Paul Johnstone. (Above top) The singers learning a new setting of the Mass. (Above) The instrumentalists. Music for the New Translation Music for the New Translation

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14 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + April 2012 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk I t is generally accepted that St Mark, the author of the second Gospel, is the same “,John surnamed Mark”, of Acts xii 12 and 25, and that the Mary, whose house in Jerusalem was a meeting place for the apostles, was his mother. From Colossians 4:10, we learn that Mark was a kinsman of St Barnabas who, as stated in Acts 4:36, was a Levite and a Cypriot, it is most likely then that Mark too was of a Levitical family. When Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch, after leaving alms in Jerusalem, they took John surnamed Mark with them. Mark also assisted them in their ministry at Salamis in Cyprus and was a help to Paul when he was first arrested in Rome. In his second Roman captivity and just before his martyrdom Paul wrote to Timothy who was then at Ephesus and asked him to, “,Take Mark and bring him with thee, for he is profitable to me for the ministry”, . However, tradition also testifies that Mark was closely associated with St Peter and was indeed his mouthpiece. Many theologians are inclined to believe that Mark was the young man who followed our Lord after His arrest. St Peter, writing from Rome (1Peter v 13) , speaks of, “,my son Mark,”, who apparently was there with him. There is nothing which conclusively shows that this was not Mark the Evangelist, the same person as the “,John surnamed Mark”, of the Acts. Saints The notice which still stands in the Roman Martyrology declares: ‘,At Alexandria, the birthday of St Mark the Evangelist, who was the disciple and interpreter of Peter the Apostle. He was sent for to Rome by the brethren and there wrote a gospel, and having finished it, went in to Egypt. He was the first to preach Christ at Alexandria and formed a Church there. Later, he was arrested for his faith in Christ, bound with cords and grievously tortured by being dragged over stones. Then, while shut up in prison, he was comforted by the visit of an angel, and finally, after our Lord Himself had appeared to him, he was called to the heavenly kingdom in the eighth year of Nero’,. The body of Mark was supposed to have been brought to Venice from Alexandria in the ninth century and preserved in a shrine. St Mark has the honour of being recognised as Principal Patron of the City. Jenny Phillips St Mark, Evangelist Feast Day: 25th April St Mark O Glorious St Mark, through the grace of God our Father, you became a great Evangelist, preaching the Good News of Christ. May you help us to know Him well so that we may faithfully live our lives as followers of Christ. - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - Amen. L’,Arche Communities are places where people can take time to explore who they are, not just what they can do. They are places of welcome where people are transformed by an intense experience of community life, relationship, disability and difference. To find out more about our life and how you can be part of our community in Preston contact: Brian Kelly, Community Leader, 71 Garstang Road, Preston, PR1 1LB 01772 251113 or brian.kelly@larche.org.uk Statutory Audits, Accounts Preparation, Tax Planning, Advice and Compliance, Payroll, VAT and Book-keeping Services, Management Accounts, Business Planning &, Financial Projections, Family Tax Planning, Retirement Planning, Inheritance Tax advice We are not just accountants - we are here to help you with all family &, business matters. If it’,s on your mind …, it’,s our business 89 Marsden Road, Blackpool, FY4 3BY T: 01253 405 125 F: 01253 341 561 www.keenancharteredaccountants.co.uk Payroll Tax Planning Book-Keeping Inheritance Tax advice Retirement Planning VAT

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April 2012 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + 15 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk ...they went to the tomb, just as the sun was rising. They had been saying to one another, ‘,Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’, But when they looked they could see that the stone –, which was very big –, had already been rolled back. On entering the tomb they saw a young man in a white robe seated at the right-hand side, and they were struck with amazement. But he said to them ‘,There is no need for alarm. You are looking for Jesus, who was crucified, he has risen, he is not here. He is going before you to Galilee, it is there that you will see him.’, Easter is a wonderful time of joy as we celebrate Jesus rising from the dead. To prepare to meet Jesus this Easter it is important that we first ask for forgiveness for any hurt we have caused or for anything we have done wrong. We come to Jesus for forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation –, visit your church soon and make friends with Jesus so that you are ready to meet Him on Easter Sunday. Jesus is Risen - Are We Ready to Meet Him? ‘,Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’,

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16 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + April 2012 www.catholicvoiceoflancaster.co.uk To advertise call Cathcom on 01440 730399

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