Photos, copy and distribution queries for The Catholic Mother should be sent to Margaret Postill, National Media Officer, 23 Il kley Crescent, Reddish, Stockport, Cheshire, SK5 6HG or by email to catholic.mother@yahoo.co.uk. For further details about the Union of Catholic Mother s please contact the National Secretary, Kate Moss, at ucmnatsec@yahoo.co.uk The Goodlife Orphanage Page 3 The Miracle of Camp 60 Page 13 The Amazon is burning Page 7 Pilgrimage, let’s make it a special one with everyone wearing a yellow rose, button hole. This year, unfortunately our President, Margaret McDonald, was unable to be with us. She was greatly missed. Stepping in for her was Deputy President Val Ward, who read out an address written by Margaret. The weather was good to us once again. We had more than the required number to have the Mass outside, at which Bishop Alan spoke about Walsingham being the shrine of the Annunciation. He said, we had that wonderful Gospel of the incarnation, when Mary received the news that she was to be the mother God, Joy was the great note of her life. Then there was a very different Gospel, we have a very lonely scene of Jesus dying on the cross. There was Mary a couple of women and St John, Jesus said to Mary, “woman behold your son”, as he points to John, “son behold your mother” commending of Our Lady and St John to each other, it could be said commending of the Church to Our Lady. Very serious, weighty matters, because we have to move from things of great joy, great hope, great welcome, great expectation to much more sombre moments. I want to remind us of the shear breadth of ‘Our Lady’s experience in this world, as a young girl she became the mother of God, saw her son grow up. He then moved into his public ministry, for three years he changed people’s lives incredibly, amazingly, but then in a few days it went from the wonderful joy of the presence of The Son of God on this earth, to arrest, imprisonment and death on the cross. To try to get a sense of what that meant to Marys mind, well, it’s just impossible. Then it gets more difficult because we have Good Friday we have Holy Saturday, Our Lord in the tomb, the body of your son in the tomb then the shock of Easter Sunday, although he was risen from the dead. We have 50 days to come to terms with all of this, culminating in Pentecost where the Apostles gathered with Mary in pray. Somehow the gift of the Holy Spirit transforms everything. When I talk about these matters, I think it’s important to get some sense of the Paschal mystery. I ask myself how the early Church, how did the apostles cope with all of this, all the ups and downs, the joys and the sorrows, the light and dark. One person transcends all of this and that person was Mary, a women of balance, the Mother of Jesus. The UCM hand book has hefty objectives, it talks about families, the church in the world, the sacraments, and it talks about difficulties, there’s a lovely phrase in there that pulls it all together,” members of the UCM live in unselfish love”, that is a quality that Mary carried all through her life. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, for Mary, the perfect disciple, not even when he was rejected, not even when he was arrested, not even when he died on the cross. She went from the cross to the tomb, she saw her son buried and nothing could separate her from the love of Christ. So when the UCM aspire to live in unselfish love, we aspire to live in the same way as Mary. Margaret Postill National Media Officer Walsingham 2020 will be the 75th anniversary of the UCM October 2019 Autumn Left to right: Canon Noonan, Fr. Gerard and Fr. Bill Serplus

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Page 2 Autumn 2019 UCM News FROM THE NATIONAL P RESIDENT Dear Members Hello everyone, well here I am, halfway through my term of office. Nomination forms will be going out before December for the office of the next National President and Vice Presidents. Time for you to stop and think, ‘I CAN DO THAT’. In this issue of the newspaper is an article originally published in 1958 about how the Walsingham pilgrimage started. Next year we are celebrating our 75th platinum anniversary and our symbol will be a yellow rose, hope you can join us. I was unable to go on the pilgrimage this year, however I followed the mass on the Walsingham website, if any of your members are unable to attend I would recommend that they watch it as it gives you the feeling of being part of the celebration. Everyone is welcome to our October meeting at St. Chads in Birmingham; one of the items on the agenda is the important subject of R E in our schools. In August the National President of the Catholic Women’s League invited me to join them on their national pilgrimage to St Wilfrid’s Church in York to celebrate the feast day of St Margaret Clitherow. It was a lovely occasion that was followed by afternoon tea in a nearby hotel. On the train journey home I was kept entertained by a ‘hen party’ on their way to Liverpool for the weekend. Remember every member has a gift or talent to share think about putting your name forward for one of the vacancies on the National Committee. Take care and God bless. Margaret McDonald, National President ARUNDEL & BRIGHTON Annual Pilgrimage Members of Arundel +Brighton attended their annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation at West Grinstead near Horsham. They were accompanied by members of the Knights of St Columba, Catholic Women’s League and Chichester Mothers’ Union. The day was led by the A & B Diocesan Spiritual Adviser, Canon Tom Treherne. He has had a busy week as he celebrated 40 years as a priest on Monday. The weather was beautiful so they were very blessed. Many thanks to Fr David Irwin who concelebrated Holy Mass + Deacon Seamus, who assisted at Holy Mass and at Benediction. Thanks also to Mrs Goddard who played the organ + provided refreshments; to Kate, Sacristan and to Geoff Callister, Shrine Administrator, who made all the arrangements + gave talks on the History of the House + the Caryl family. A lovely day was had by all. May Leitch Diocesan Media Officer Cheesy We held our AGM at Arundel. Holy Mass was at noon presided by Canon Tom Treheryne our Diocesan Spiritual advisor. We had lunch which was provided by our president’s son, it was delicious. After we had eaten there was a talk given by Rob Booker of Booker Charmer Cheeses and how they are made, it is a mixture of Cheddar and Parmasan. A taste of the cheese was well received by all present. All officers were re-elected for another year May Leitch Diocesan Media Officer Haywards Heath On 24th June Vera and John Keating celebrated 70 years of marriage. Both are 92 and they started their day with a celebration Mass and Fr Vlad gave them a special blessing. They then joined the UCM ladies for coffee and cake before leaving for a family lunch. Vera, a former president, is very committed to the UCM as she has been a member since 1963 when Haywards Heath was founded. May Leitch Diocesan Media Officer For those of my generation who do not and cannot comprehend why Facebook exits; I am trying to make friends outside of Facebook while applying the same principles. Therefore, every day I walk down the street and tell passers-by what I have eaten, how I feel at the moment, what I have done the night before, what I will do later and with whom. I give them pictures of my family, my dog and of me gardening, taking things apart in the garage, watering the lawn, standing in front of landmarks, driving around town, having lunch and doing what anybody and everybody does every day. I also listen to their conversations, give them ‘thumbs up’ and tell them I ‘like them’. It works just like Facebook. I already have 4 people following me; 2 police officers, a private investigator and a psychiatrist Eileen Goodwin Media officer Leeds A Senior’s Version of Facebook CLIFTON DIOCESE Difficult To Attend Meetings “If the mountain will not go to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the mountain”! Since several of the members of Clifton Cathedral foundation now live in St. Joseph’s Home, within our parish, it was proving difficult for them to attend meetings at the cathedral venue. Consequently they were missing out on regular contact with the group. We decided to rectify that by “taking Mahomet to the mountain”, in other words with the approval of the Mother Superior at St. Joseph’s we now have our meetings at the Residential Home. Not only does that bring us all together again but it offers members of other foundations in the diocese who are also residing there the opportunity to join us if they so wish. It will also be the venue for Study Day in October. Rita Daws (Min. Sec) Clifton Diocese Prayer of the Wood Following my recent holiday in Canada, Vancouver BC, I wanted to share this moving “Prayer of the Wood” with you all. The wood in question is Redwood Park in the Langley district outside Vancouver. My daughter and I were taken there by my sister and brother-in-law and what a delight it was. As we wandered through the magnificent trees we came upon a scene of enchantment. As part of a Community project people, mainly children were encouraged to design and paint bird houses and attach them to logs and remains of older trees. The results gave a magical quality to the wood. Given the tragedy of the fires in the Amazon the joy of that recent visit and the Prayer of the Wood bring home the importance of cherishing our woodlands and loving and respecting our beautiful world. Rita Daws (Min. Sec) Clifton Diocese

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UCM News Autumn 2019 Page 3 BIRMINGHAM Study Day Study Day at St. Rose of Lima Weoley Castle on 8th June 2019. We discussed Pope Francis` Gaudete et Exsultate Rejoice and be Glad Chapter One. The Call to Holiness in today`s World. UCM Members were asked who their role models and mentors in faith were when they were growing up. I remember this as a day of rain and wind (yes it was June!). As Margaret says in groups we discussed what had inspired or encouraged us to become, or remain, practising Catholics. Family was of course high on the list. One member amused us when she related how, on Sundays, one set of grandparents kept the day strictly for religious observation whilst the other set of grandparents played cards on a Sunday afternoon, behind closed doors. Another told us that her grandmother found Sundays doing nothing (apart from church of course) so difficult as she was a very active person. She asked her priest if she could do some knitting, and was told No. How times have changed! Friends were also important in our church going when we were young, either by being someone to go with or by setting an example. Margaret Butler Susan Martin Media Officer The Goodlife Orphanage May Procession One of our longest serving members, Bridget Power crowned Our Lady at the May Procession at St Ambrose`s. The sun shone for her and us all, as we held the service in the rectory garden. We walked from outside the church, along Leswell Street and through the school playground, before eventually finishing the service in the rectory garden. Miriam Cunliffe St Ambrose Foundation Kidderminster Mass at Harvington Hall Sunday 1 September members from various foundations attended the annual open air Mass at Harvington Hall Worcestershire. The weather could not have been kinder. Just as we are coming up to celebrate the canonisation of an Englishman John Henry Newman, so we in this Mass remembered the English Catholic Martyrs of the 16th and 17th centuries, especially those associated with that area of the West Midlands and in particular St John Wall and St Nicholas Owen. Nicholas Owen unlike many of the other martyrs was not a priest but a carpenter, and his contribution to the church and his faith was practical, he became a master, indeed THE master designer of priest holes. In order to fully appreciate the Mass you also need to go inside the house to see the priest holes he made. Harvington Hall has eight priest holes, more than anywhere else, and five are on permanent display. Nicholas met his end when he was starved out of priest hole at another house and taken to the Tower of London. He was tortured cruelly on the rack and died of his injuries. He revealed nothing to his interrogators. You don`t need to attend the annual mass to visit the beautiful Elizabethan house set in glorious countryside. It is open annually Wednesdays to Saturdays March to October. Pay homage to those you truly suffered for our faith. Susan Martin Media Officer We were fortunate enough to have an update presentation and talk about ‘The Goodlife Orphanage’ which was set up in Kenya 10years ago by Mary and Kevin McGuire. The idea was conceived after they had been holidaying on several occasions and witnessed the poverty of the population. What they also saw was the abandonment of children who had HIV/Aids, physical and mental disability or were orphaned. They realised that there were great cultural differences between the UK and Kenya in relation to children who were different. There were many superstitions and beliefs related to disability of any kind and at that time there were many deaths of parents who had HIV or Aids. They have taken in children who have been abandoned at the side of the road or who, for whatever reason, had been delivered in hospital but left behind. The orphanage began as a small undertaking but they had many supporters who still help to keep the orphanage going. What also became apparent was that education was almost non-existent in this particular area and that many children never went to school. Mary and Kevin’s next endeavour was very ambitious. To build a school for the children within the Orphanage grounds but also for the children of the surrounding village. The school was completed and there are places for over 200 local children as well as the young people in the Orphanage. The school is enabled to continue through a benefactor who gives them a cheque for £65,000 each year and maintains of all the cheques he writes this is his favourite. Each child has a uniform specially made for them in the bespoke sewing room on site. The uniform is replaced every two years and shoes are bought for each child when required. The uniform costs £20- 25 and shoes £15. The school is over- subscribed and just like here in the UK people are inventive about where they live in order to get into the school. What was realised as time went on was that as many of the children grew into adolescence and adulthood they would require skills for the future. It was decided at this time to build another section onto the Orphanage to enable the transition of young people into adulthood and prepare them for life outside of the Orphanage at 18 years of age. This has been a huge success enabling many young people. As previously mentioned, there is a sewing room on site which employs local people who are able to earn a living sewing the much-needed uniforms for the children in the school and other sewing assignments. The information given to us by Mary was so interesting yet heart-breaking and we were privileged to hear such a heart-warming success story. If you would like to help pay for a uniform or a pair of shoes or just donate you can go on line www.thegoodlifeorphanage.com Margaret Dilger Guardian Angels Bury.

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Page 4 Autumn 2019 UCM News Congratulations Frances Flanagan, 99 years young, St Patricks Foundation, Birstall Leeds Diocese 90th BIRTHDAYS Josephine Sillett, Costessey Foundation, East Anglia Diocese Rose Mackowski, St Patricks Foundation Birstall Leeds Diocese Sylvia Meehan, Bromley Foundation, Southwark Archdiocese Jean Egan, Bromley Foundation, Southwark Archdiocese Joyce Whiting, Sutton Foundation, Southwark Archdiocese Marie Gray, St Edward and St Marks Foundation, Windsor Portsmouth Diocese 80th BIRTHDAY Janet Smith, Costessey Foundation, East Anglia Diocese Mary Dixson, Sutton Foundation, Southwark Archdiocese Eileen Kinsella, Sutton Foundation, Southwark Archdiocese Terry Ellis, St Joseph’s Foundation, Tilehurst Portsmouth Diocese June Haines, St Joseph’s Foundation Maidenhead Portsmouth Diocese Diane Hawes, St Joseph Foundation Maidenhead Portsmouth Diocese Pauline Middleton, Foundation President St Vincent’s, Sheffield, Hallam Diocese Sheila O’Neill, All Saints Foundation, Liverpool Archdiocese. Eileen Snell, All Saints Foundation, Liverpool Archdiocese Maureen Smith, St Marie`s Foundation, Birmingham Archdiocese WEDDING ANNIVERSARY DIAMOND Pat & Syl Skelly, St Mary`s and St Philip Neri Foundation, Radcliffe, Salford Diocese Gillian & Mike Badcock, Hythe Foundation, Kent Southwark Archdiocese 75th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY Trudie & Barclay, Patoir Sacred Heart & St Peter Foundation Shrewsbury Diocese. Submitting copy for next issue The deadline for articles and photos for the next edition of the UCM News is Monday 6th January 2020 Please send copy to Margaret Postill, National Media Officer, at catholic.mother@yahoo.co.uk Thank you (GDPR) General Data Protection Regulation Anyone sending photos to be published in The UCM News newspaper, it is your responsibility to make sure you get permission from all in the photos. Frances Flanagan Rose Mackowski Joyce Whiting Pauleen Midleton Maureen Smith The Pillar of the Cloud John Henry Newman (1801–90) LEAD, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home— Lead Thou me on! Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see 5 The distant scene,—one step enough for me. I was not ever thus, nor pray’d that Thou Shouldst lead me on. I lov’d to choose and see my path; but now Lead Thou me on! 10 I lov’d the garish day, and, spite of fears, Pride rul’d my will: remember not past years. So long Thy power hath bless’d me, sure it still Will lead me on, O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till 15 The night is gone; And with the morn those angel faces smile Which I have lov’d long since, and lost awhile. All of a piece By Julia Beacroft I HAVE ALWAYS absolutely loathed doing jigsaws. We have a great family ‘dine-out’ anecdote featuring moi, about my jigsaw exploits. Apparently I used to rip bits off the jigsaw pieces to make them fit, when I was a child. The fact that the picture didn’t make any sense whatsoever was apparently irrelevant to me, or so I’ve been told! It seems that doing jigsaws is just not in my skills set – both then and now. EXTRAORDINARILY GIFTED There is a lovely quotation which claims: ‘Love what you do, by doing what you’re good at’ and I feel that this is so true. We are almost certainly good at doing the things which we love. And yet I have noticed time and again some incredible facts about the talents which people have. We are an extraordinarily gifted people and our range of talents is indeed breathtaking. It’s an interesting fact that if a number of completely diverse people found themselves in a strategic situation, such as on a desert island, the miracle would be that the combination of their individual skills would be sufficient for survival, or to achieve some measure of success in another situation. It’s also incredible how we can learn to improve upon our gifts because we have been given the capacity to do so. In his letter to the Romans, St Paul reminds us of these different gifts and of our need to use them to their fullest advantage: ‘We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully’. FIT TOGETHER Of course St Paul is absolutely right in that we are called to share those gifts which we have been entrusted with and he also points out that these are ours only by virtue of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And we can explore this still further by looking at each person as a whole. We have been created with a perfect balance of characteristics, skills and tastes in what is the miracle of life. There is another idiom which refers to the ‘rich tapestry of life’ and every single person is part of that tapestry. Whether we consider ourselves to be an individual stitch in it or one jigsaw piece in the whole picture, that picture or tapestry would be incomplete without it – without you or I. And so we give grateful thanks to the Creator who made all things and endowed us with such a marvelous variety of gifts and talents. By his grace our personal jigsaw is thereby complete, designing us to fit together with each other and with Christ. NORTHAMPTON UCM Kettering Foundation A marvellous concert held in the Church, raised well over £1,000. Special thanks must be given to Mery Manns for all her hard work in making the evening such a memorable and successful event, from which generous donations were made to CAFOD, Mary`s Meals, the Deanery Jumbulance to Lourdes, and a unique project for the Children`s Ward of Kettering General Hospital. In May a Coffee Morning raised over £230 for the Medaille Trust, a national Catholic Charity supporting the victims of human trafficking. Invited speakers to our meetings included local historian, Ian Addis, on the fascinating history of our ‘local hero’ and great philanthropist Charles Wicksteed, whose legacy to the town remains to this day, and not just in the theme park! Debby Horsman delivered an outstanding talk entitled ‘Shackleton’s Forgotten Men’; a distant relative of one of the very few survivors of this disastrous Antarctic folly, she gave us so many insights into a flawed and failed expedition to the South Pole, in which every man involved went far beyond that demanded of him. They were heroes. Shackleton received a knighthood. As ever, July saw a good contingent from Kettering, Corby and Rushden, on the National UCM Pilgrimage to Walsingham. Always a spiritual, yet convivial, `ladies day out`! It was an honour for Kettering to be asked by Diocesan President, Jenny Hyde, that four of our ladies carry the Statue of Our Lady of Walsingham through the Abbey grounds for the final devotions of the day and Benediction. This no mean feat was delivered by Breege Conway (Past Secretary), Marilyn Hughes (Past President), Sue McGrenaghan (Treasurer), and Veronica Preedy (Foundation Photographer) - congratulations to them all. On the hottest day of the summer (phew!), yet a wonderful celebration, Sue, husband John, Margaret, husband Peter, alongside parishioners and friends attended the Silver Anniversary of Father David Barrett’s Ordination, our Assistant Priest for five years just two weeks following his Ordination - how we missed him when it came to the Bishop’s `re-shuffle`. He now serves the parish of St. Augustine`s High Wycombe. Another most loved and well-remembered parish priest, Canon Brian Alban Frost died on 30th June. Of respect and great affection for him, Margaret and Peter attended the reception of his body into St. Edmund King and Martyr`s Church, Halesworth Suffolk. The chief celebrant, Fr, David Barrett, spoke eloquently of his service, and of his fruitful and fulfilling life; Fr. Bernard Barrett concelebrated. The chief celebrant at Canon`s very well attended requiem Mass was the Vicar General, Mgr. Sean Healy. Sue and John, with less than a fortnight to plan and pack, went to Lourdes on the Jumbulance in late August. John wrote a very heartwarming recollection of their time on pilgrimage, read to us by Sue at our September meeting. In October, Anna also spoke to us of participating in a `once in a lifetime` experience in Liverpool at the National Eucharistic Congress Adoramus . We were as smitten as was she! Margaret Anderson Diocesan President

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UCM News Autumn 2019 Page 5 UCM National Study Conference 2020 “Exploring and Praying with the Gospel of Matthew” The UCM National Study Conference 2020 will highlight the themes from the initiative launched in September this year by the Bishops Conference of England and Wales. The initiative is in recognition of the 10th anniversary of Verbum Domini, Pope Benedict’s Apostolic Exhortation on the Word of the Lord and the 1,500 Anniversary of the death of St Jerome. Translator of most of the Bible into Latin. During 2020 the faithful are asked to explore Scripture more deeply and to reflect on how we celebrate, live and share God’s Word in today’s world. During Conference we will focus our attention on the Gospel of Matthew, the Gospel of the year. Sister Joan Kerley FMSJ will lead us in our reflections using Scripture, art, poetry and music. There will also be a session led by the National Welfare Officer Brigid Hegarty: “The role of the Safeguarding Officer” for all Diocesan Welfare Officers attending Conference. Date: 16-18 March. Venue: The Hayes, Derbyshire. Cost: £141approx. Booking forms will be distributed to Diocesan Secretaries by the end of the year. Cath Rutherford National Vice President PORTSMOUTH Portsmouth Diocese AGM It was a busy day when Portsmouth Diocese had their AGM; in more ways than one. The M27 motorway was closed for several miles including the junction for Fareham where the meeting took place. So that some members, including all the officers, who had travelled from the north of the diocese, arrived nearly an hour late, even though they had allowed extra time. However, a cup of coffee and a biscuit soon cheered up the latecomers and the meeting was under way. We all received a warm welcome from Fareham President. It was a busy meeting because our president Sue Meese officially retired and handed in her badge. Our new president Carol Willis was inaugurated during Mass officiated at by our spiritual director, Father Josef Gruszkiewicz, known as Father Joe. We are still looking for a new treasurer to take over from Marjorie Killen who has now served for over five years. Elizabeth Christian, while reading her report announced that she was stepping down after six years as media officer and that Pauline Kaznowsky, St Colman’s president, had agreed to take on the role. After a break for lunch, at which a magnificent chocolate gateau, made by Pat Kemp’s daughter, Nicola, took pride of place on the table, the usual business was dealt with, after which Sue Meese kindly handed out little gifts to all the officers who had served with her during the last six years. She is now going to have a well-earned rest and she was thanked by Sarah Davis, diocesan secretary and presented with Mass cards from each foundation and a gift of a plant. After the obligatory raffle took place, tea and cake was served to help us on our journey home. Elizabeth Christian Media Officer Afternoon Tea It was a beautiful sunny afternoon when one of our members in St Colman’s foundation opened up her beautiful garden and hosted afternoon tea to raise funds for a small charity in Medjugorje called St Joseph the Worker. This charity was started by an American nun by the name of Sister Muriel who was appalled to find that there were survivors of the Bosnian war, mostly old people on their own living in huts in the forest, barely existing on what food they could find. So she set up her charity which seeks out these people and provides shelter, food and clothing. They cover a radius of 10-12 miles outside Medjugorje. She was, a few years ago joined by a lady by the name of Mary Walsh. Mary does all the driving because Sister Muriel is now 96 years old. It is not possible to send money because there is so much corruption and envelopes would be opened and the money taken. So Sue personally makes a pilgrimage to Medjugorje every year and takes any money raised to hand over personally to Sister Muriel. About fifty people attended her garden party and others gave donations or bought some of the beautiful cakes after Mass on the following Sunday, which had been either baked by Sue herself or donated. So, happily, this year, she will be able to hand over £600 to Sister Muriel. Elizabeth Christian Media Officer Sponsored walk Fareham Foundation did a sponsored walk in July for our chosen charity which is research into the strep b virus in pregnant ladies and new-borns which can prove fatal. We raised in the region of £500 which we were really pleased with! We were joined by a couple of husbands and children. Lorne Fry, Fareham President

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Page 6 Autumn 2019 UCM News SOUTHWARK Canary Wharf Sutton UCM had a record number of members and friends on our latest outing to Canary Wharf to visit the Museum of London Docklands! Not many Sutton members had ever been to this part of London before. The Docklands Museum is a fascinating place to explore and experience. Entry is free for all - a great place for family visits too! Helen Appleby President Walderslade Foundation Textile Museum In February this year there were 16 members and friends of Sutton UCM who took a trip down memory lane leading back to the 60s and 70s. We were visiting the London Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey Street to see the "Swinging London" exhibition. The big names were Mary Quant and Terence Conran. It was a wonderful collection of dresses, fabrics and furniture. We then went further back in history to the seventeenth century when we had lunch in the George Inn, the only galleried coaching inn left in London. Maggie Carr Secretary Sutton Foundation Since 2012 when we first met City of London Guide Kate Boyle of Anerley Foundation, Sutton UCM have been guided around so many different areas of London - Greenwich, Fleet Street and Clerkenwell to name just a few. We have all been so impressed by Kate`s knowledge and presentation of the history of London! We hope she never runs out of new places to show us. Our destination this year was Spitalfields which perfectly displays all the different immigrant groups who settled in the area. She took us to Fournier Street, home of the Huguenot weavers, via Christchurch, Catherine Wheel Alley, the old Jewish Soup Kitchen, Spital Square and the Brick Lane Mosque. We ended our day with a lunch in one of the many restaurants in Spitalfields Market. Many thanks again to Kate for an amazing day out. I cannot recommend her enough! Maggie Carr Secretary Sutton Foundation Tour of Southwark After hearing about Kate Boyle’s tours of London at the AGM this year the president of our Foundation at Walderslade suggested we take up the offer. We therefore found ourselves on the train to London Bridge on a lovely Saturday in July. Kate met us at the station, and our Tour of the Southwark bankside commenced. She delighted us with stories and landmarks all along the South Bank, including Nancy’s Steps, Southwark Cathedral (where we were delighted to see a bridal procession!) The Clink, & the original site of The Globe Theatre. We were pleased to be able to donate to her aunt’s charity The Holy Rosary Sisters in Sao Paulo, Brazil. We all enjoyed it so much a second tour is already booked for November. Helen Appleby President Walderslade Foundation Big School Build Westgate and Birchington foundation’s annual summer party was attended by Mary Burt UCM Diocesan President, UCM members, friends and parishioners. This year we raised funds for a local charity the Llewellyn Big School Build (Louie`s Helping Hands Charity) by holding a Knit- a-Thon, quiz nights and coffee mornings. The school being built is for local children with multiple sensory disabilities who were affected by the closure of the Royal School for the Deaf in Margate. We were delighted to present Debbie from the charity with a cheque for £ 2004 during the afternoon. She spoke about the progress of the school so far and the hope that the school will be finished by September. She was very grateful for the cheque and invited us to visit the school`s open day. Everyone enjoyed the afternoon tea and felt that all the fun and hard work raising the money was well worth it. Sue Maharry Secretary Outing to Spitalfields

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UCM News Autumn 2019 Page 7 Dear friends, What will we, do in the face of this scourge that is attacking our planet? Aren’t we "carriers of living water" as we stated at our last General Assembly in Dakar in October 2018? How can we react to the destruction of our "Common Home" and the mistreatment of the poorest inhabitants of the Amazon basin? I ask myself: what would Mary do in our place when listening to the cry of the indigenous people and the cry of the Earth? The global climate balance is at stake: without the rains that forests attract, nearly 20% of the water we need for our subsistence and the same amount of oxygen production, as well as 10% of biodiversity, is at risk. Several regions of our continents will suffer the consequences of smoke and ashes. Most importantly, more than 500 indigenous peoples have already lost their natural habitat. Women of WUCWO: we have formally declared that "A HEALTHY PLANET DEPENDS ON ALL OF U S." We have set this resolution as a work guideline during the period 2018- 2022. It is time to take this responsibility into our hands, with creative determination and greater action. I am sure that our peculiar sensitivity and our feminine intuition will allow us to find the best that our organisations can do, according to our own reality. I only present, as a proposal, some possible responses: - Let us accompany with our prayers the prophetic gesture of the Pope and his enormous effort for the Synod "Amazonia: New Paths for the Church and for an Integral Ecology," to start this October in Rome (http://www.sinodoamazonico.va/content/sino doamazonico/en.html). - Let us take into account the proposal, sent by the WUCWO Working Group dedicated to the healthy planet, which consists of dedicating the month of September to implement a local campaign aimed at saving water, seas and beaches from pollution. (See the poster: https://wucwo.org/index.php/en/resolutions/r esolutions/general-assembly-2018/1295- earth-action-initiative.) - Let us organise ourselves to reread and meditate together on Laudato Si, in order to discern, according to our own radius of action, concrete actions to achieve an integral human ecology that takes care at the same time of our most vulnerable brothers and sisters and of the Earth that God has created for all Humanity. - Follow the proposal of the Latin American Jesuits (currently only in Spanish): 40 Days on the River: Sailing Together the Good News of God to the Amazonian Synod, to daily travel a path to the Synod from the place where we are, through prayer, contemplation and reflection (https://jesuitas.lat). - Join other movements and institutions in our area or country that are already taking actions about the crisis in the Amazon basin, especially with young people who can find effective responses and thus provide a positive collaboration. I thank you in advance for communicating your initiatives to WUCWO (write to info@wucwo.org) so that we can share them with other members. I ask the Blessed Virgin Mary that She, who knew how to react to the crisis suffered by the apostles of Jesus after his death, sheltering them united in prayer, waiting for the Holy Spirit to transform them so that the Church would be born (cf. Acts 1:14), may inspire each one of us and our organisations to know how to react in order to be capable to deal with this humanitarian crisis. Women of WUCWO: let us not be robbed of life and the planet! The Amazon is burning: life is dying out Message from the WUCWO President General, María Lía Zervino, Servidora, LIVERPOOL St Winifred’s Well The Ladies of all Saints Foundation, on their visit to ‘St Winifred’s Well’ at Holywell North Wales. They had a wonderful visit to this ancient holy place. It was an uplifting experience and they also enjoyed the delightful cafe" Madelaine McDonald Media Officer Pilgrimage to the Holy Land Three heavily disguised members on St Margaret Mary`s parish pilgrimage to the Holy Land, here standing by the beautiful Sea of Galilee (please be assured that they had spent some time on their knees, praying for your intentions!). Left to right, Madelaine McDonald, Media Officer, Maureen Finnegan, Diocesan President and Maria Bruns Deputy President Madelaine McDonald Media Officer UCM’S Annual Mass Photographed at Liverpool UCM`s Annual Mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral, with celebrant Bishop Tom Williams, were five of our Jewish Guests. They are Alderman Eddie Clein and his wife Pamela, President of the Jewish Youth Organisation, Ruby Enfield with her parents. Madelaine McDonald Media Officer Silver Jubilee Mass Fr Aidan Prescott, Parish Priest of St Clare’s, Liverpool, an enthusiastic supporter of UCM is shown here relaxing with Committee members after celebrating his Silver Jubilee Mass. Madelaine McDonald Media Officer

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Page 8 Autumn 2019 UCM News LEEDS AGM in St Anne’s Cathedral Leeds Diocese held their AGM in St. Anne’s Cathedral. We were delighted to welcome our Bishop Rev. Marcus Stock, Margaret McDonald (National President) and mothers from both Shrewsbury and Middlesbrough Diocese. Cannon Lawrie Hulme, our UCM chaplain, celebrated Benediction before the start of the meeting which took place in the Cathedral hall. Mrs Liz Taylor, who is a Cafod volunteer, gave us a wonderful talk on the work of the charity in our area. She spoke movingly about the work her husband Steve, who works as a volunteer with the charity “Simon on the Streets” named after Simon of Cyrene, the helper. Steve has been involved for 23 years helping with the night soup run for the homeless. After the business of the meeting we ended with afternoon tea and cake before making our way home. Eileen Goodwin Media Officer Three Nonagenarians St. Ignatius UCM Ossett, are very lucky to have three members in their 90s. The ladies are all active and attend meetings every week. The photo was taken at the 90th birthday party of Mary Keane. From left to right Mary Keane, Ethel Murray 94 years old and Edna Finnigan 91 years old. We look forward to celebrating many more birthdays with Mary, Ethel and Edna. Eileen Goodwin Media Officer Ladies Race Night Ladies Race Night at St.Benedicts UCM. W onderful hats on display and a shared supper. And they’re off When we saw visual evidence of the state of the teeth in people of Malawi the St. Ignatius foundation, Ossett decided to try and raise some money to help a local dentist to go to Malawi and provide some treatment. A race night was decided upon so we dusted off our old horses heads and we were off. We made it a bit special by wearing posh frocks and, in some cases, hats or fascinators. We had a “Tote” and I must say the prosecco flowed freely. It was all great fun. We are very fortunate to have a lot of help and support from family and friends on these occasions; they always seem to go with a swing. The race night was no exception. We raised £750 which will be given to the dentist to take with him on his next trip to Malawi Pam Watkins President St. Ignatius To advertise please contact Charlotte Rosbrooke on 07932 248225 or email charlotter@cathcom.org

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UCM News Autumn 2019 Page 9 National Justice and Peace Network 41st Annual Conference The Hayes, Derbyshire. July 2019 Union of Catholic Mothers was represented by, L/R Pamela Johnson, J & P Northampton. Christine Singleton, J &P Salford. Catherine Rutherford, National Vice President. Patricia Rogers, Birmingham and Elizabeth Howe, J & P East Anglia. The conference theme was, ‘Forgotten People, Forgotten Places: Being Church on the Margins’. The conference was chaired by former MP John Battle, Chair of Leeds Justice and Peace Commission. John led the first session which highlighted beacon churches that are inclusive, with a lively panel discussion involving a church community at Hodge Hill in Birmingham and another at Sunderland Minster. We heard about Hodge Hill’s outreach volunteers working in the local community, known as “street connectors”, connecting with isolated and vulnerable people and holding open events outside the church and in green spaces, sharing food and friendship. Sunderland Minster has a mission of hospitality to welcome refugees and Revd Chris Howson, an Anglican priest who works closely with the sanctuary-seeking community in Sunderland. Chris is also a university chaplain, he urged us to “build kingdom communities” locally as well as support justice and peace internationally. His book, ‘A Just Church: 21st century Liberation Theology in Action’ aims to help Christians evolve their own way of demonstrating the relevance of Church in today’s contexts, such as widespread poverty, militarism and the climate crisis. One of the Key Note speakers, Professor Anthony Reddie, a Birmingham-based scholar in the practice of Black Theology in grassroots communities, suggested, “We need to tell a new story about ourselves as British people, not one focused on the imagined glories of the past. The great tragedy of our time is that xenophobia is mainstream and Christianity has to resist that”, His talk to more than 200 participants, wearing a tee-shirt, ‘Black History is British History’, highlighted issues of identity, history and culture. It prompted discussion about how we live together in a manner which recognises the needs of those at the bottom and on the margins of British society, and how the Christian Churches help that to happen. Professor Reddie warned about the narrow factional nationalism of Brexit – his latest book is: Theologising Brexit: A Liberationist and Postcolonial Critique – and felt Churches have a role to play in transcending boundaries and borders that are being put in place. “The people who are likely to suffer most after 31st October will be the poor” he warned. Another fascinating speaker was Revd Dr Deirdre Brower Latz. She gave examples of “faithful, active churches” which reach out to people on the margins. Deirdre emphasised that a key feature is hospitality, but in addition she mentioned church projects offering woodworking, self-esteem classes with prostitutes, and English language initiatives with refugees. She herself has worked with her neighbours to improve the locality and people’s well-being. At the conference Mass, Fr Peter Scally SJ lamented that, despite the leadership of Pope Francis, the mission of Justice and Peace is sidelined in the Church in Britain. The example he gave was of the Archdiocese of St Andrew in Scotland that “got rid of its J&P post”, but, in England and Wales, the dioceses of Brentwood, Portsmouth, Shrewsbury and Wrexham are amongst those that have also dispensed with J&P fieldworker posts in recent years. His view that J&P voices are pushed to the margins in the Church received nods of agreement around the hall. There were beautiful liturgies throughout the weekend led by Colette Joyce, parish catechist in Hounslow parish, Westminster Diocese. The opening and concluding hymn of the conference was ‘Love Each Other’ by Graham Kendrick. This year’s workshops covered a wide range of issues, from ‘Christianity, Poverty and Politics in an Age of Austerity’ to ‘Women’s Voices on the Margins’ to ‘Becoming an inclusive Church: Disability’. CAFOD led a workshop on ‘Reimagine our Common Home and listen to vulnerable yet resilient communities’. One workshop was youth-led and focused on young people’s hopes for the Church and their place in it. “Young people want to learn more about their faith and about the Bible but in a fun way” said one. “We want an active community, not just a place where you go for Sunday Mass” said another. The conference children’s group used the story of the ten lepers as a way of considering “forgotten” people in today’s world. They organised a collection for Care4Calais, remembering refugees living in limbo in Northern France, and sang a song, ‘Come be a kingdom maker’. The youth group looked at people on the margins through the Beatitudes and discussed such topics as the difference between being a peacekeeper and a peacemaker. The ‘Just Fair’ hosted 23 organisations including York Ecumenical J&P, Medaille Trust, Missio, Pax Christi, SVP, Columbian JPIC and Catholic Women’s Ordination and Fairtrade, John Battle concluded the conference with…..” Pope Francis is a huge inspiration for positive action, having called for “a Church which is poor and for the poor and a Church which tackles structural injustice as well as offering charity”. John then quoted St Oscar Romero “We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realising that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.” Catherine Rutherford. National Vice President National Study 16th – 18th March 2020, the Hayes, Swanwick, Host – Leeds National Council 11th -13th May 2020, the Hayes, Swanwick, Host – Birmingham Walsingham Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th July 2020 Lead Diocese – Plymouth President’s Pilgrimage – Banneux, Belgium, 20th – 27th September 2020 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Vacancies National Welfare Officer Appointed Office – closing date 15th November 2019 • Co-ordinate the work carried out nationally • Liaise with the diocesan welfare officers and provide information and help • Attend meetings of Caritas Social Action Network and housing justice • Closely observe the UCM health and safety recommendations and safe guarding policy • Observe affairs that relate to human welfare National President – closing date 31st January 2020 • Monitors routine administration, with the other trustees, • Makes decisions on incoming information • Presides at national meetings • Is a member all sub-committees • Attends WUCWO general assembly and holds the right to vote • Leads the pilgrimage to Walsingham • Is an ambassador for UCM • Visits each diocese during her term of office • Visits UCM Scotland and UCM Wales • Is responsible for ensuring all information received from National officers is passed on to Diocesan officers 2 National Vice Presidents – closing date 31st January 2020 • Look after travel kit for Mass in the roll of sacristan • Compile rota for inviting each diocese in turn to prepare the liturgy for national meetings • Compile the intercessions for Walsingham • Co-ordinate the daily Mass scheme • Attend Justice and Peace • Organise the National Study Conference

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Page 10 Autumn 2019 UCM News First Steps 2 School Peru is a British charity whose purpose is to alleviate some of the effects of poverty in children of under 6 years of age. It provides education, care, and a great deal of love through its day nursery where your children will learn various activities for early years stimulation, delivered in an entertaining way. And in this way, parents can have a break or find a part time job to improve your economic situation. Continuing with our activities; our children are enjoying the nursery very much. Little children who started this year are now taking their first steps and their first falls. Older children are more able now to manage brushes and paint and colour pencils and papers, as well as writing some letters, distinguishing colours numbers, up, down and under. And all the activities we do, such as acting, free play, singing, telling tales, papier mache, etc. We are all growing up!” certain that your children are in good hands. Because we are now registered we will receive children until 6 years of age, next year, some new things will be added in curricula; for example, we will designate each week a colour in order to teach the children a specific colour every week. If it is blue then children, that week, must wear an item of blue clothing. Once a month we will make a visit to the police station, next month our hospital, next month our market, etc. with a signed letter from their parents of course. This is for the children to recognise our environment and for the people to know more about us. [Importance of stimulation] It develops language skills in the early years. It develops the child’s physical abilities. It promotes the desire to learn and explore. It gives new ways of relating to the world around. ALL WELCOME!!! Dawn Stars Day Nursery – NGO MIDDLESBROUGH St. Crux Day St. Aelred’s UCM held their annual fund- raising day at St. Crux Church, situated at the lower end of the Shambles, York. After days of very sunny weather we were unfortunate to have a day of intermittent showers, but this did not deter our members or the visitors. We were lucky to have parishioners who helped to assemble the gazebo’s to cover the stalls and erect tables by 8.30am, the invaluable help from the people who were up early collecting articles for sale from the various points in the parish, not an easy task when everything has to be transported. Members and friends excelled themselves with the cakes and refreshments and sale of goods, in all a great team effort and enjoyable day. The amount raised helps the UCM to support the charities which we support during the year. Kath Stubbs Media Officer Middlesbrough Diocese Diocesan AGM Middlesbrough Union of Catholic Mothers met for their Diocesan AGM at Scarborough in July. Mass was concelebrated by Canon E. Gubbins and the Diocesan Spiritual advisor Fr. Serplus. Prior to the meeting, St. Peter’s members provided us with an excellent lunch. Members were welcomed by our Diocesan President Mrs Jean Rigg and reports were given from the National Council and foundation activities. With only one change of Officer the members were delighted when Theophila Serernain from the St. Charles Borreomeo foundation in Hull agreed to be the Justice and Peace Officer. The Welfare officer spoke about the value of the National Holiday and Rest Homes and advised members to use and gain the benefit from it. Members were reminded that in November this year that the UCM would be celebrating the 60th Anniversary in the Diocese. Kath Stubbs Media Officer Middlesbrough Diocese Anne Lawrence, Pauline Haigh, Margaret Walsh, Kath Stubbs, Catherine Cole Young helper Amy Hartley Lynne Horsley, Julie Martin, Betty Wilson

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UCM News Autumn 2019 Page 11 Sunday October 13th will be a great day for the Archdiocese of Birmingham, we will have a Saint, a man it regards as its own. Pope Francis will canonise the Blessed John Henry Newman during mass in St Peter`s Square Rome. He is the first English person to be declared a Saint by the Catholic Church since the 16th and 17th century Reformation martyrs were canonised in the late 20th century. John Henry Newman was born in 1801 in Old Broad Street London. In 1816 he underwent his first religious conversion and entered Trinity College Oxford. A year later he took his first communion in the Church of England and in 1822 decided to take orders in the Church of England having gained his degree in 1820. His first ministry was as a curate in the parish of St Clement Oxford in 1824 and a year later he was ordained priest. In 1828 he was appointed Vicar of St Mary`s, the Oxford University Church. The words of "Lead, kindly light" were written by him in 1833 as a poem which was later set to music as a hymn. From 1839 he started to have doubts about the Church of England which led to him being received into the Catholic Church at Littlemore Oxford by Father Dominic Barberi (Father Barberi is another priest loved and honoured in our Archdiocese). Newman was then confirmed by Bishop Wiseman at, and settled in, Old Oscott, which was renamed Maryvale. In 1846 he went to Rome where in the following year the Pope approved his decision to start an Oratory in England. He was ordained as a Catholic priest in Rome and on his return set up the English Congregation of the oratory at Maryvale. 1852 saw the Oratory move to its present home in Edgbaston, Birmingham after a brief intermediary time in Acester Street Birmingham. The Oratory School opened in 1859. In the meantime Newman had been installed as Rector of the Catholic University in Dublin in 1854. His poem "The Dream of Gerontius" was published in 1865. In 1879 he was made Cardinal in Rome. Newman died of pneumonia in 1879 and was buried in the Oratorian cemetery at Rednal, near Birmingham. He was so loved in the city of Birmingham that 15 000 lined the streets for his funeral procession. Newman was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI at a Mass in Cofton Park, Birmingham in 2010. The Oratory now houses some of his relics, in the chapel established as the national shrine for him. The church also contains Newman`s Room which is well worth seeing. Susan Martin Media Officer Birmingham Archdiocese Canonisation of Cardinal John Henry Newman SALFORD Painting ‘The Last Supper’ Artist Ketty Day I chose ‘The Last Supper’ because I thought it would be nice to have a permanent painting specially positioned at the Alter of St. Patrick’s Church Rochdale. I asked the parish Priest Fr. Joseph Sweeney for his opinion, as I had, a long time previously, painted a picture of The Resurrection, which had hung in the same place. I love the original by Leonardo Da Vinci, but the faces on his painting are not very clear; I’ve painted Jesus and his disciples a little differently and made the background very plain to enhance them. The table is painted simple too: salt spilled by Judas is a metaphor for his coming betrayal of Jesus, and Rosemary is a meaningful symbol of remembrance. As for the background, rather an Italian Context, I thought it was nice to use Blackstone Edge (Blackstone Edge is a gritstone escarpment at 1,549 feet above sea level in the Pennine hills surrounded by moorland on the boundary between Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire in England.) I began the painting in the old office in the presbytery. The initial drawing took a long time, as I had to get the measurements just right, starting afresh more than once. The heads and faces were painted first and the most important aspect of each disciple. I took the painting home in order to get it completed in time for installation on Maundy Thursday 2018, but revised the ceiling a little later. Painting ‘The Last Supper’ for St. Patrick’s has been a very special, moving experience which has made me very happy. A photo was taken and made into Parish Easter cards for 2019 but we also had a number of blank cards produced which are available for £1 from our piety shop or from the parish office. UCM members attend reunion Mass With the demise of most FCJ schools in the country, it was decide to form an FCJ Federation throughout the country. The Federation was divided geographically as such NE, NW, SE and SW branches. Obviously our NW Branch lasted much longer than the others. We met each spring for a reunion starting with a theme talk, in our case given by Fr Ian Kelly, followed by a short discussion, quiet break and then assemble for the Mass. We have had several venues but met mostly at the FMSJ Convent in Greenleach Lane where the nuns have been most hospitable. After Mass we have our usual buffet, over the years numbers have been dwindling but this year with parishes joining up we had some new blood which was most welcome! Fr. Kelly does not want it to die a death. Hope this gives you the gist of the Federation. Adela Ramsbottom Media Officer

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Page 12 Autumn 2019 UCM News Not, as some people may think, with the great "Crosses" pilgrimage of 1948. Not, indeed, with the first U.C.M, National Pilgrimage in 1946, For one mother at least, it began back in 1940, with France defeated — and with the remnants of our army defeated, too. Though, thank God, we would not acknowledge it — waiting on the beaches for the boats to bring them across the Channel. A mother prayed. She was only one of many thousands who must have been praying at that time, but she had a teenage son and daughter, and dreaded what might happen to them, if, as seemed inevitable, England was invaded, London would be the main target. Her home would be destroyed. Her children would be maimed mentally and perhaps physically, too. She prayed desperately, and then, without any conscious thought of it, she found herself saying, "Our Lady of Walsingham, protect our homes and our children. Protect our boys on the beaches, and bring them home safe. Protect England from invasion." Not knowing much about Our Lady of Walsingham, except her title, this started her finding out more. She found that Our Lady of Walsingham, unlike Our Lady of Lourdes and Our Lady of Fatima, has the Child Jesus on Her knee. Our Lady asked of Richeldis to build a replica of Her Home at Nazareth, because, it is said, the infidels were in possession of the original Shrine of Her Home, and pilgrims could no longer visit it, but they could, and did, come to England. Unconsciously, the most perfect mani¬festation of Our Lady, the Mother concerned, about Her Child and Her Home, had been invoked for those very needs. Still praying through that terrible winter, with its night-long continuous bombing of London, the mother promised Our Lady she would go on pilgrimage to Walsingham, as soon as it was possible. Then the idea came of doing greater honors to Our Lady by persuading others to go to Walsingham. At first this was envisaged as a very small number, such as the parish Study Circle group. Then the idea was enlarged to include a promise to Our Lady to make it a bigger pilgrimage, and include other members of the parish. Then the war was over, and no invasion; with home and children safe, there came a U.C.M. Diocesan meeting, when the Westminster President, Mrs. Given-Wilson, said, out of the blue, "What about a pilgrimage to Walsingham to thank Our Lady for Peace? Shall we send a Resolution to National Council?" You can imagine how the mother`s heart leapt! How she rejoiced and applauded the idea — riot a handful of pilgrims, not just a parish pilgrimage, but a NATIONAL pilgrimage. And of mothers, too, who must have been praying so long for their homes and children during the war. Her enthusiasm was such that Mrs. Given-Wilson said, "Very well, I shall not be able to stay for the whole of the meeting, so you will read the resolution and speak of it at National Council." It was at this meeting, at the Spanish Convent, Bayswater Road, London, that Mrs. Bower was elected National President, The proposal was duly made, seconded and "spoken to" and "carried." With her customary vivacity, Mrs. Bower threw herself into the organising of the pilgrimage. It was not easy, especially as she, too, at that time, had little knowledge of, or devotion to Our Lady of Walsingham. She did it as her duty as the new National President. Later she admitted that she came to feel, as others too have felt, that Our Lady wanted this pilgrimage. There have been great difficulties, but this feeling was strong enough to overcome them, A striking example was the way we were refused permission to enter the Abbey grounds as a pilgrimage. We wanted to carry the statue of Our Lady from the Slipper Chapel to Walsingham, along the way the pilgrims of old had trodden barefoot. We did not want to do it the other way, carrying our Lady AWAY from Walsingham, up to the last day, almost, the owners of the Abbey said they could not give us this permission, as it had been refused to others, including Anglicans, and even Cardinal Hinsley had only been allowed to take a handful of attendants into the grounds while the procession waited outside. Then, almost a miracle, it seemed, permission was suddenly and inexplicably granted. Our Lady evidently wanted it. For many years, certainly, we were the only pilgrimage allowed to go in procession into the Abbey grounds and hold a service there. Of course the great highlight came the year the famous Crosses Pilgrimage joined us. The organizers’ had sought hard for permission to carry the fourteen crosses through the length and breadth of England, but again and again this was refused, then someone told the organiser to get in touch with the U.C.M, National President. That story alone makes fantastic reading, but in the words of the organiser, "Every door that had been gently but firmly closed in our faces, was now opened." Again, Our Lady evidently wanted it, but thousands and thousands more than were expected or catered for came to Walsingham that day. Since then, it has been a smaller, but solely U.C.M. pilgrimage, and in our hearts, that is the way we like it. Some 2,000 of us go, yearly, to honor Our Lady, Our Mother and our Patron, to thank her for past blessings and to ask of Her a true Peace in the world, and all the graces we need for our families and our homes, and for ourselves, that we may be "faithful wives and devoted mothers." Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for us. This was found in an old edition of The Catholic Mother by Angela Batey, the person who wrote it seems to have been in the Westminster Archdiocese. JULY 1958 THE CATHOLIC MOTHER The Walsingham Pilgrimage — How Did It Begin? Once again, we were blessed with perfect weather for another wonderful pilgrimage. I am sure we all gained some blessings for the time we spent with Our Lady of Walsingham, joining in the services, processions and the Benediction in the Abbey grounds. Unfortunately, Margaret McDonald our National President could not be with us in person, but she was able to join in with us in prayer as she watched the wonderful Mass on her iPad. Thanks go to Val Ward for stepping in at the last minute to represent Margaret. Special thanks go to Our Spiritual Adviser Bishop Alan Williams and Bishop Peter Doyle, who despite having a bad knee walked the Holy Mile to the Abbey Grounds. Thanks also go to Northampton chaplain, Fr Gerard Byrne and Canon Noonan for leading our Pilgrimage this year and for all the other clergy who help made these two days special. This year I was shadowing the outgoing co-ordinator Maureen Smith and was amazed with her organising skills and realise I have big boots to fill. I would like to thank her on behalf of the UCM for the hard work she has done over the past 5 years. The pilgrimage was led by the Diocese of Northampton, I would like to thank them for the wonderful way they organised everything especially Mrs Jenny Hyde, their President and Mrs Sam Canning, their co-ordinator as they had extra hurdles to overcome with the refurbishment of the Pilgrim Bureau, some confirmation of the room availability was a little last minute. I am sure you all will agree the way they dealt with the room allocation and keys was swift and smooth. I hope you were able to view all changes in the Bureau and like its new layout. Feedback to the Bureau is welcome. Thanks also go to our wonderful stewards, the choir, the Knights of St. Columba, the Norfolk Constabulary, the first aiders and not forgetting Mgr. John Armitage, all the Shrine and Pilgrim Bureau staff who work tirelessly with the UCM throughout the year to ensure we have a blessed and Holy pilgrimage. Next year it will not only be the Rededication of England as the Dowry of Mary (where we will be invited to consecrate ourselves to Jesus through Mary), it will be 75 years of the Union of Catholic Mothers pilgrimages to Walsingham, how fitting it would be end the consecration by going on pilgrimage. Numbers of pilgrims have been decreasing for various reasons, costs, age, poor mobility, but for us to ensure an open-air Mass we need over 500 pilgrims. I would like you to make the commitment now to join us next year perhaps for both days and save a little each week/month and the cost may become less daunting. Plymouth will be the lead Diocese next year; they will be joined by Bishop Mark O’Toole and Fr. Colin Furness will act as their Chaplain. All beds for the Pilgrim Bureau must be booked through the Lead Diocese, Caroline Mills, their President and her co-ordinator Diane Norman. The Booking form for the pilgrimage badges will be in this issue of the Catholic Mother and the next issue. Finally thank you for joining us this year and the Walsingham committee looks forward to welcoming you next year. God Bless. Mary on behalf of the Walsingham sub-committee Walsingham Whispers 74th ANNUAL WALSINGHAM PIL GRIMAGE - 2019

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UCM News Autumn 2019 Page 13 By Philip Paris In 1941 approximately 1,200 Italians, were transported to Orkney to help with the construction of the Churchill Barriers, designed to seal the eastern entrances into Scapa Flow, the harbour for the British Home Fleet. A German U-boat entered the supposedly safe anchorage and sank the battleship HMS Royal Oak resulting in the loss of 833 lives. To prevent this happening again Winston Churchill ordered the entrances between three islands and Mainland Orkney should be sealed with great barriers. The Italians arrived at the beginning of 1942 to help with the construction. 550 men arrived on Lamb Holm encountered a bleak, barren camp consisting of 13 Nissen huts and little else. It was the middle of an Orkney winter and the weather and harsh working conditions hit the Italians hard. Within a few weeks they went on strike, which inevitably led to increased conflict with their new captors. Strikes rumbled on until the autumn of 1942 when Camp 60 received a new commandant with the appointment to the post of Major Buckland, who spoke Italian and loved everything to do with Italy. The new British officer gave permission for Domenico to build a statue of St George slaying the Dragon, which he made out of cement and barbed-wire. When it was completed the three-foot statue was placed on a concrete plinth on the parade ground. Before this final stage, however, a milk bottle, containing several sheets of paper with the names of all the POWs in Camp 60, was put inside the hollow plinth as a record of the Italians on the island. Father Gioacchino Giacobazzi, arrived in September 1943, he was known as Padre Giacomo. He had been captured by the British army while helping at a field hospital in Soddu, Ethiopia, and ended up in Edinburgh along with 30 other priests. His presence was the catalyst for the creation of the chapel and shortly afterwards, two huts were moved to Camp 60. Apart from cement the Italians had little in the way of materials, but they overcame this hurdle with faith, determination and sheer ingenuity. Used bully beef tins were turned into lanterns, the brass stair rods of a part sunken ship were used to create candlesticks. Several old ships had been sunk in an effort to block the channels between the islands and these subsequently provided some useful materials such as the tiles for the floor and, later on, wood for the tabernacle. The artist Domenico Chiocchetti made an altar and altar rail out of leftover cement. He painted his masterpiece above the altar of the Madonna and Child. The blacksmith Giuseppe Palumbi took on the task of building a rood screen, it was the most complex structure Giuseppe ever made and when he was repatriated he took back to Italy a photograph of the inside of the chapel, which he hung on a wall at home. By the spring of 1944 the men in Camp 60 had their chapel. What had been created so inspired the Italians that they decided to convert the entire building. An artist, Giovanni Pennisi, was brought over from the Burray camp to help Domenico paint the nave, and with great skill they made the curved walls look like stone and brick as though the smooth surfaces had varying depths. As this progressed, work was started to build a facade to hide the rather ugly entrance of the Nissen hut. Pennisi produced a design and the stonemason Domenico Buttapasta built it with a team of helpers. When it was finished, Pennisi crafted an extraordinary bas-relief of the head of Christ and fitted it to the facade, just underneath the bell-tower. The only part remaining untouched was the roof, and to make this as watertight as possible the corrugated iron sections were covered with by hand cement. After the war ex POW camps were razed to the ground throughout Britain as people tried to return to normality as quickly as possible and one day a demolition team arrived on Lamb Holm. However, these tough men used to tearing down buildings in the shortest possible time were so moved by the chapel that they refused to touch it and, disobeying their orders, when the huts, barbed-wire and all that made up Camp 60 was taken away, the chapel and Domenico’s statue of St George slaying the Dragon were left alone in the field. The Miracle of Camp 60 Bishop Challoner situated in Shortlands, Kent is a Catholic co-educational independent school catering for children from nursery to sixth form. Headteacher, Mrs Paula Anderson, now in her sixth year as Head, leads a successful school that provides a broad and balanced seamless education that prepares pupils for life both professionally and spiritually. The school offers strong pastoral support based on Catholic Christian values with a focus on the individual. Experienced staff strive to nurture the unique God-given gifts and talents of each pupil by drawing out the best in everyone. The strong sense of unity amongst the staff and pupils with the support of families, enables the achievement of all to be celebrated. At Bishop Challoner, they encourage every pupil to choose subjects best suited to their needs and aspirations that they will enjoy and that they are good at, allowing them to achieve and be successful. Bishop Challoner is about offering an education foundation for life, so that as good citizens they look beyond their own needs to the needs to those of the wider world. As a well-disciplined environment, Bishop Challoner is conducive to quality teaching and learning. Pupils grow in confidence, learn to be caring, resilient and creative adults ready to make a difference in the real world of work. Many parents who are not of the Catholic faith choose to send their children to a Catholic school because they recognise the good moral grounding it provides and the outstanding pastoral care and dignity with which pupils treat each other. Bishop Challoner is a place of great ethnic richness and diversity, characterised by core Catholic Christian values including faith and spirituality, happiness, honesty, trust, love and respect. Teaching these values for those who build their lives on them yield highly positive results. Staff and pupils are encouraged to live out the school’s mission statement: ‘Through faith and a broad education, Bishop Challoner strives to develop and nurture each child’s unique talents. To Live, Love and Learn like Christ and fulfil their true potential in an ever changing world’. Bishop Challoner’s Catholic Christian values underpin everything that they do and for anyone visiting the school they will be struck by the warmth of this vibrant community. Bishop Challoner has its own chapel, known as ‘The Chapel of the Annunciation’ which sits at the heart of the school, providing a place of worship for pupils, parents and staff. The chapel helps to cultivate not only an understanding of core Catholic teachings but also a spiritual and morally reflective approach to life. Regular liturgical celebrations and daily prayers are at the heart of school life. Staff and pupils have the opportunities for spiritual retreats including a pilgrimage to Lourdes, Kintbury and Aylesford Priory. In the co-educational environment, every pupil is treated as an equal and given a fair chance and through debating, Duke of Edinburgh`s Award Scheme, drama, sport, music and charity work and leadership opportunities, they have every possibility to excel. They are able to develop naturally in an environment that mirrors that of the real world, mix with others and learn from each other intellectually as well as socially. The pupils at Bishop Challoner are able to develop interpersonal and communicating skills, a spirit of co-operation and learn from their peers, all of which are essential to life beyond school, enabling them to cope with the demands of society in an interconnected world. To arrange a visit and have a tour of the school, please contact Miss Ridley on 020 8460 3546 or email admissions@bishopchallonerschool.com P. Anderson Headteacher ADVERTORIAL Why a Co-educational Catholic School?

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Page 14 Autumn 2019 UCM News Submitting copy for next issue The deadline for articles and photos for the next edition of the UCM News is Monday 6th January 2020 Please send copy to Margaret Postill, National Media Officer, at catholic.mother@yahoo.co.uk Thank you (GDPR) General Data Protection Regulation Anyone sending photos to be published in The UCM News newspaper, it is your responsibility to make sure you get permission from all in the photos. To advertise please contact Charlotte Rosbrooke on 07932 248225 or email charlotter@cathcom.org EAST ANGLIA Photos from Walsingham 2019 Prisoners of War Costessey Foundation had a very interesting and moving DVD presentation by Rosie Taylor on the miracle of Camp 60. The people of Orkney and Maena, Italy have now twinned and have regular exchanges of children between them. It has also become a place of pilgrimage if you are holidaying in Orkney. Maria Taverna Media Officer Dedicated Lady Marion Ring-Davies celebrated her 32 years as a Catechist in our parish. On Sunday, 7th July, after the First Holy Communion, she was presented with a Diocesan Medal and a certificate to mark the occasion by our parish priest, Fr. Brendan Moffat. At the July UCM meeting, Marion was congratulated by everyone for her wonderful work and dedication. Maria Taverna Media Officer Thank you Marguerite Wayling and her family would like to thank the UCM for all their support, cards and messages on the death of her husband Kent. Maria Taverna Media Officer Birthday Girls Janet Smith and Josephine Sillett, celebrating their special birthdays. Left to right Marguerite Wayling, Joyce Potter Left to right Wendy Blick, Rosalind Woodward, Janet Smith, Margaret Lambe and Josephine Sillett.

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UCM News Autumn 2019 Page 15 OBITUA RIES Dorothy Ryan, Haywards Heath Foundation, Arundel & Brighton Diocese David McWeeny, husband of Una, East Anglia Diocese Mrs Vera McCabe, Past President, St. Peter-in-Chains Foundation, Doncaster, Hallam Diocese Colleen Collins, St Joseph’s Foundation, Tilehurst, Reading, Portsmouth Diocese Jean Bednall, St Thomas of Canterbury Foundation, Walsall Birmingham Diocese Colette Shudall, St Philomena’s Foundation, Liverpool Archdiocese Kath Hunt, St Wilfred’s Widnes Foundation, Liverpool Archdiocese Peggy Rodgers, Christ the King Foundation, Liverpool Archdiocese Stella Murphy, Past Archdiocesan Treasurer, Christ the King Foundation, Liverpool Archdiocese Madge O’Connor, Christ the King Foundation, Liverpool Archdiocese. Rita Bradbury, Holy Spirit Foundation, West Bridgford, Nottingham Diocese Teresa Fidler, Sacred Heart & St Peter Foundation, Shrewsbury Diocese Irene Brack, St Joseph’s Foundation, Maidenhead Portsmouth Diocese Mary Staples , Wolverhampton Section Secretary, Birmingham Archdiocese Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord 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 class mail When phoning please quote UCM101 Ethical Recruitment Have you met Sophia McKie? - Blind, Deaf and Partner in the Ethical Recruitment Movement My name is Sophia. I am blind with a hearing problem, with a form of Epilepsy. All 3 challenges arose because I was 15 weeks premature. I am also a recovering stammerer thanks to the McGuire program. I am a proficient braille user, and have a 40 cell braille display at home and an 80 cell at work. I have attained a BA Hons in Criminology and a Masters in Criminal justice, and I am also a grade 6 pianist and singer. I have a glorious 3 year old daughter Margot. I have had many challenges in looking for work, mostly down to "society lack of understanding and empathy" From a past employment coach, this was evident, for when I was doing a mock job interview, I was imagining it in a job interview scenario, sitting in front of a stranger, putting myself within that situation, and exaggerating my speaking technique, and she said, "You have to be more fluent" Because of her attitude, I changed support workers. It is people like her that make me strive for success, and to want to help people. Disability should be embraced. The differences we have should be nurtured and it is our abilities and strength that will be the determinant factors of whether or not we succeed, and therefore, I will succeed. "I want to be a role model for my daughter working hard to change lives for disabled people through the Ethical Recruitment Movement" The Disability Employment Gap has not moved in the past 20 years despite the law and legal acts aimed to protect disabled people. At the Ethical Recruitment Movement we are passionate about developing our candidates project by project, layer by layer through their continuous professional development to prove their worth into paid employment. Our candidates have faced far more adversity than other people this gives them a huge energy and determination to succeed if they could only have a chance. ER give our candidates belief in their unique advantages. Will Eccles - A delivery driver with a brain the size of a planet Will Eccles is an amazing young man with an Autism Spectrum Condition who came to Ethical Recruitment after a negative experience on a placement in the retail sector in Bolton. Will explained that he was only allowed to monitor the changing room and return and refold clothes 8 hours a day in the back store room; although he repeatedly asked to attempt till work he was not allowed to do so. This shattered his confidence, increased his anxiety and had a severe impact on his mental wellbeing. When we invited Will to the office we asked him what he liked to do in his spare time. Will explained that he has a passion for driving and volunteers for two local libraries delivering books to elderly people who cannot get to the library. He also loves maps and planning journeys and regularly drives from Bolton to Bedford to visit his brother on his own, drives to Huddersfield (to watch his football team) and a friend at University in Hull. We explained that our client Clarity North West have customers that live in Bolton and would Will like to be paid to deliver their wonderful products to their lovely customers? Will was blown away by this opportunity and did not hesitate to say "yes please!"

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Page 16 Autumn 2019 UCM News

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