Leeds Catholic Post History

Newspaper for the Diocese of Leeds

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Jun 2012 edition of the Leeds Catholic Post

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CATHOLIC POST THE NEWSPAPER FOR THE DIOCESE OF LEEDS JUNE 2012 www.dioceseofleeds.org.uk www.catholicpost.org.uk FREE Newly Listed Church to host Diamond Jubilee Flower Festival J ust before Easter this year, English Heritage informed Mgr Andrew Summersgill, Parish priest of St Stephen’,s that the Church of St Margaret Clitherow at Threshfield near Grassington has been added to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest at Grade II. St Margaret’,s has been described by English Heritage as “,making good use of its site and setting and is well executed and rich in craftsmanship”,. It is the only Catholic Church in the whole of the 680 square miles of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The Church, home to a vibrant country community, will be forty years old next year, having been opened by Bishop Wheeler on 2 October 1973. This July, St Margaret’,s will be hosting the Wharfedale churches flower festival from 13 to 15 July 2012 on the theme of the Diamond Jubilee. Chair of the Organising Committee, Fiona Romano told the Catholic Post that the annual festival, which rotates around the churches in upper Wharfedale will showcase the floral talents of a number of local churches. Fiona added that St Margaret’,s are hoping to broaden the appeal of this year’,s Flower Festival and attracting families by putting on activities for children including a children’,s corner and a flower card competition involving local schools. There will also be a flower quiz, teas with home baking and a raffle with prizes donated by local businesses. “,It should be a great weekend”, said Fiona “,St Margaret’,s provides a wonderful backdrop for the flowers, and with the children’,s activities there really will be something for all the family”,. Further information and details are on www.stmargaretclitherow.org.uk . From our Dales Correspondent

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Page 2 Leeds Catholic Post The Catholic Church in England has always, it is said, been regarded as rather suspect in its loyalties since the national and religious conflicts of 500 years ago, when Catholics were often regarded as the agents of any foreign power which seemed likely to restore the Roman Catholic faith to England. This is why many of our martyrs were actually put to death for treason. In recent years, things have got much better. Catholics have taken senior positions in government and many have served in the armed forces. Probably the majority of English Catholics regard this as their own country, with their own monarch as their Queen- and other systems much worse. We have a tradition of long-reigning Queens- Elizabeth, Victoria and this second Elizabeth. Elizabeth II came out of the shadow of her uncle’,s abdication and the turmoil of war and social change to take the throne at a young age. She has seen huge changes in this country, not always for the better, and a variety of prime ministers from Churchill to Cameron, with Wilson and Blair between times. She has borne four children and suffered- in public- the private problems known to many parents with them. Sixty years on when the glamour of the new Elizabethan age has faded, we seem to have a Queen of a sure faith and determined duty in the midst of a storm of atheists and relativists, of people who “,don’,t do God”, if it is bad for their public persona. For that, at least, we should be very grateful. It is totally the wrong time for Fr Ashley Beck from Strawberry Hill College in Twickenham to accuse- as he is doing- the monarchy of “,colonialism and oppression”,. Most of us prefer to tread a path of reconciliation, not looking back at what the monarchy- and the country- may have once stood for. Fr Beck says that the British Crown has never sought forgiveness or apologised, he says, “,for the torture and execution carried out in its name”, Is he thinking of Mary or Elizabeth? We need to recognise- and many have done so in many places- times of violence and persecution on various sides, but this is not the way. In the words of Blessed John XXIII, on this very topic, we should not conduct a trial of the past: “,Let us come together. Let us put an end to our divisions.”, The Post Says Report from Kath Spillane C hildren at Jubilee celebrations at St John the Evangelist Catholic Primary School Bradford had a fantastic week of celebrations to mark the Queens Diamond Jubilee with the whole curriculum planned around the Royal theme! During the week as well as the normal subjects a special mosaic was made for the school’,s Prayer garden and a dance workshop, based on the Jubilee, was led by a dancer who had performed in London’,s West End in shows including, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Joseph and His Technicolor Dream coat! On the final day the whole school was decorated with balloons and bunting, everyone wore red, white and blue and a special Jubilee assembly was held where all the children were able to present their work. At the assembly the children were delighted to welcome a special guest, Mr Gerry Sutcliffe, MP for Bradford South. He was able to talk to the children and answer their questions about the Queen and they were surprised to hear that he had once been the Vice Chamberlain of the Household, a special role which required him to meet regularly with the Queen to report on proceedings in the House of Commons-and attend Garden parties at the Palace! The assembly closed with the whole school singing the National Anthem! Each year the school always has a special Pentecost celebration on the final day of the half term and, even with the Jubilee celebrations, this year wasn’,t any different! The school’,s annual Pentecost mass was celebrated by Father Kieran Walker, candles were lit on a birthday cake and everyone sang ‘,Happy Birthday’, to the church! In the afternoon children, staff and governors were able to share a very special Jubilee lunch in brilliant sunshine, and the day ended with a concert with children, and staff entertaining everyone! The children were presented with a commemorative stationary set to remind them of the Diamond Jubilee. Jubilee celebrations at St John the Evangelist Catholic Primary School Bradford FROM JUST £,299 R.G.R. MEMORIALS COLOUR CATALOGUE QUALITY MEMORIALS AT AFFORDABLE PRICES IN GRANITE, MARBLE &, STONE ALL PRICES INCLUDE DELIVERY &, FIXING Ogee top memorial 2’,6”, high Fully polished Black Granite, Delivered and Fixed for £,399 inc VAT FREE Tel: 0113 282 3888 43 High Ridge Park, Rothwell, Leeds LS26 0NL Gerry Sutcliffe being welcomed to the school by the Head girl ,Katie Smith and Head Boy, Mitchell Hyde May Procession St Winefride`s Catholic Primary School Bradford O ur correspondent from Bradford writes: We had our May Procession on Sunday 27 May. After processing from the School grounds, across St Paul`s Ave and into church,(singing all the way), we crowned the beautiful statue of Our Lady, shared Benediction in Latin, heard Readings and Bidding Prayers read by the children and finally Fr.Kieron Walker presented the children with their personal certificates in celebration of making their First Holy Communion during the previous two weeks. The sun was shining, the Holy Spirit was with us and it was a day that both children and grown ups will never forget. Pentecost Witness I n celebration of Pentecost the children and staff of St-Malachy`s catholic primary school paraded to St-Malachy`s church, this morning all wearing red yellow and orange holding banners and playing instruments. They also took 25 balloons which were released after the church service. Two children, Christopher and Teigan quoted ",we thought the procession was marvellous and the banners symbolised the gifts of the Holy Spirit",. Also in celebration of the Queen’,s Diamond Jubilee and St Malachys schools Diamond Jubilee there was a 1950`s week.

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O ne of Bishop Wheeler’,s most treasured possessions was a simple gold ring. It was given by Pope Paul VI to the bishops who had taken part in the Second Vatican Council. For Bishop Wheeler it was a reminder of one of the most important and indeed the most formative experiences of his whole life. He was consecrated as Assistant to Bishop Brunner of Middlesbrough on 19 March, 1964 and attended the last two sessions of the Council in his place. Describing his feelings while in Rome he remembers looking often at a window in St. Peter’,s representing the Holy Spirit as a dove. This, he says, ‘,was a constant reminder of the need to listen and to learn in humility and love’,. How well these two words convey Gordon Wheeler’,s response to his experience of the Vatican Council. It is worth remembering that this exciting vision of a renewed Church came to him at the very beginning of his episcopate. In June, 1966, he left Middlesbrough to become the new Bishop of Leeds. He would spend his remaining years faithfully responding to the challenge to put the Council’,s teachings into effect in his own diocese. First, the Council’,s insights had to be passed on both to the priests and the people of the Diocese. In his own words, Bishop Wheeler’,s first aim was ‘,to enable the clergy who were going to lead the people in the parishes, to enter more fully into the spirit of Vatican II’,. And so the Bishop set up the new ‘,Pastoral and Ecumenical Centre’, at Wood Hall. It was to be a place to learn, to discuss, to experience and so to absorb the lessons of Vatican II. Before too long another ‘,centre of development’, had been established at Hazelwood Castle, the former home of the Vavasour family. Here the Carmelite Fathers offered their own contribution to spreading the message of the Vatican Council. At Bishop Wheeler’,s enthronement in Leeds Cathedral, a Rabbi and an Anglican Bishop sat in the sanctuary as honoured guests. He saw the development of ecumenism as another essential aspect of the insights of Vatican II. Indeed he felt this was the first time the Catholic Church had unequivocally committed itself to this venture. A Diocesan Ecumenical Commission was set up to encourage this work and to provide a lead. Nonetheless he was clear that church unity was not something that could be rushed. It was pointless to set dates or deadlines. Unity would come when God willed and in the manner in which He willed. In liturgical matters Bishop Wheeler found traditional ways attractive. On major occasions in the Cathedral he liked to wear the Cappa Magna, with its splendid purple train. He was often attended there by Knights of Malta in their striking choir dress. He loved the Latin liturgy in which he had first celebrated Mass as a Catholic priest. Indeed he probably never felt completely comfortable when celebrating the liturgy in English. Nonetheless he was prominent in the work of producing a vernacular version of the Mass, something he felt was required by the Council’,s Decree on the Liturgy. He served as Chairman of the National Liturgy Commission and was involved in the International Committee for English in the Liturgy where his insistence on accurate translation did not always endear him to colleagues. At home he established a Diocesan Liturgy Commission with the aim of encouraging the renewal of liturgical life in all its aspects. In a further development in liturgical matters, Gordon Wheeler, in 1971, introduced the Permanent Diaconate into the Diocese. This move saw the Ordination of married men as Deacons to assist in a special way in the life of their parish. The Bishop saw the Diaconate as a vocation in its own right and not just as a step on the way to the priesthood. The Deacon had his own proper role to play in the celebration of the Eucharist. Soon after he became Bishop of Leeds Gordon Wheeler established a Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission. He recognised that the insights of the Council did not simply concern church matters but had an important bearing on secular life. The new Commission was something, he said, ‘,emerging specifically from Vatican II’,. He believed that ‘,we should be urging our people to enter more fully into the life of the nation’,. The role of the bishops and clergy was to support and to encourage involvement but the realm of the political was the proper province of the laity. Consultation and communication were for Bishop Wheeler essential elements in making Vatican II a reality in his diocese. He therefore encouraged the formation of various consultative bodies such as a Diocesan Pastoral Council, Area or Deanery Councils and, most importantly, the establishment of a Pastoral Council in every parish. How successful was Bishop Wheeler in re- forming the Diocese of Leeds according to the mind of the Council? By nature he was no passionate innovator. He has been described, and truly so, as essentially an educated, middle class English gentleman. Yet, as he said, he fully shared the view of his fellow bishops in being ‘,intensely aware of a new and great movement of the Holy Spirit’, making itself known through the Council’,s teachings., There is no doubting the commitment with which he worked to make the Council a living, driving, shaping force in his own diocese. For example, although of a conservative temperament Bishop Wheeler was the first bishop in the country to establish a Pastoral and Ecumenical Centre and the first to ordain a married Deacon. At the same time Gordon Wheeler was quite clear-sighted. He did not allow his enthusiasm to blind him to the presence in the post- conciliar Church of what he himself called ‘,aberrations’,. These, he believed, were due to a complete misunderstanding on the part of some people of what had really happened at the Council. Liturgical renewal in particular was important to him but he could still describe some of the things done in its name as ‘,vandalism’,. As to his success in Leeds, he addresses the question himself in his memoirs. At Wood Hall and in other ways he had set up the means to convey to the priests and people of his diocese the teachings of the Council and to enthuse them with its vision of a re-invigorated Catholic life. When reflecting on this period in retirement he wondered if he had expected ‘,a great deal in a short time’,. He feared he may have underestimated how long it would take to inspire others to share his own commitment to renewal. He had also done much to organise diocesan and local forums to promote discussion and action. Yet he concludes that a different approach might have brought about a more effective and lasting outcome. It had been a top-down process. As a result, diocesan and regional bodies lacked the secure foundation which could only be provided by parish communities already inspired by the ideals of Vatican II. This was something not yet achieved. ‘,We set up the top layer of the structure before we had founded the fundamental ones’,. Yet hindsight is so easy and ‘,on the spot’, decisions often so difficult. Gordon Wheeler deserves to be remembered as a reforming bishop, or, as one writer has expressed it, ‘,a progressive traditionalist with a record of intelligent innovation and pastoral achievement’,. How well that sums up his years of leadership in the Diocese of Leeds. Leeds Catholic Post Page 3 Vatican II Fifty Years On This October it will be 50 years since the opening of Vatican II –, over the months from now until the end of the Year there will be an article reflecting on the Council. These articles are not offered as deep reflections on the Council or the Documents from it, rather they are written from the point of view of those who experienced the Council in its time –, some are from people who were there, some are about people who were there –, some are by people who were the first to try and put into action the documents as they came out. They are all from a personal point of view and try to capture at least a little of that ‘,freshness of the Spirit’, as it blew through a church thrust into a modern World trying to find a Rock to hold fast to. by Mgr John T Dunne Bishop Wheeler and the Second Vatican Council A Special Visit To Rome A t 6am on Monday 14 May, a group of 4 pupils from year 10 and 2 members of staff from St John’,s School for the Deaf in Boston Spa, set off to Leeds Bradford airport and a flight to Rome. The group were transferred by minibus to their hotel in Rome early in the afternoon and were given a very warm welcome by the sisters who run the hotel Fraterna. After unpacking in their rooms the group went to get their first taste of the city and to find some lunch. Over the next few days they visited as many religious, historical and cultural sites as they could and as their hotel is situated in the heart of the historical centre they were able to walk to most of the major sites. Needless to say they also visited many different restaurants and finished every day with a visit to an ice cream emporium so that the students could carry out a comprehensive survey of all the available flavours! The students benefited hugely from the opportunity to look at beautiful churches, architecture, paintings and sculptures and pupils in the present year 9 are already looking forward to being the sixth group from St John’,s to visit Rome

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Page 4 Leeds Catholic Post Happy Fathers’, Day to all dads, granddads, and father figures! Did you know our modern that Fathers Day started to commemorate men who died in a mining accident in the US at the start of the last century? Some Catholic countries, like Costa Rica, still maintain 19th March, the feast day of Our Lord’,s stepfather Joseph, as their Fathers’, Day. In a culture that celebrates the primacy of motherhood, my dad always had a special reverence for St Joseph. Joseph is the model father, an ordinary Jo who does his duty. He steps up to the mark to support a woman and child in the ordinary ways of daily family life and to protect them from threats to life. So, today’,s a day to celebrate fatherhood, in whatever form it takes, and especially to celebrate the very ordinary and yes, imperfect (only God is perfect!) men in your life who sacrifice themselves in ways we may not ever be able to imagine to be the rock upon which we can live and grow in safety and in love. Let us pray for all who take on the role of dads, it has never been easy but it is full of meaning. We pray too for all who have suffered at the hands of unthinking, unkind or abusive men. St Joseph may be an impossible role model but if we ponder the actuality of what he did and went through our young men and women may find the strength to be the dads (and mums) our children need and deserve. Parenting Support Project shows just how keen dads can be to be the dads their children need. In several of the parenting courses run in various parts of the diocese over the last three years of the Celebrating Family Fund, dads have formed a real and positive presence. Just one dad or granddad in a room full of mums, foster mums, step mums adoptive mums and grandmas a man is always welcome. In previous years a whole course just for men was run in the evenings for men. They were supplied with plenty of pizza as most came straight from work. Thank you to all men who have taken part in any of our sessions, as one said ‘,you are never too old to learn’,! St Ignatius Ossett Parenting Group pictured My Family My Priesthood Booklet out now Did you know that 73% of vocations to the priesthood are influenced by grandparents? Catherine Wiley of The Catholic Grandparents Association will share why at our FLM Renewal Day (see box). Here you can read one priest’,s striking account of his grandmother’,s role in own vocation (it includes taking on the local Bishop!) His story is just one of the stories which form part of this newly published booklet. The whole offers an invaluable insight into the impact of their own family on their vocation to the priesthood of several priests. Pictured here at the FAMILIAS Event, which led to the booklet, are three priests from our diocese with the Family Life Ministry Team. Copies of the booklet are available for a small charge from Phil Butcher, Director - Commission for Justice and Social Responsibility, Diocese of Brentwood, Tel 01277 265252 Coffee Morning for parents at Hinsley Hall 4th and 5th July. This is for every mum, dad, grandparent especially those who have attended or been involved in any way with, the parenting courses, the parenting facilitator training and the Parenting Support Project in the last three years. Home made cakes (yes, only the the best, really made in a family home) Lyndsey and Marjorie are show her with some of the parents and grandparents who attended our very first coffee morning. FLM Renewal Day our Family Life Ministry Renewal Day on Saturday 7th July 2012 will take us out of our comfort zone again this year to consider topics from grandparents and their role in passing on the faith (at least 73% vocations are inspired by grandparents), and natural fertility and its role in healthy family life. This day is for All Family Life Ministers, and Familias Associate Members and Friends, in the Diocese of Leeds including: ·, Marriage Preparation Presenters ·, Parenting Facilitators ·, Parish Family Ministry contacts See box for details and contact us. Pictured: last year’,s renewal day on Living with Loss with Fr Daniel O’,Leary Family, Faith and Olympics Carry the torch for Christ! On Sunday 25th June two amazing family friendly events are happening in our diocese. The annual Corpus Christi procession is in the lovely grounds of our Diocesan Pastoral Centre, Hinsley Hall from 2pm EVERYBODY’,s WELCOME! And that same evening the Olympic torch is passing within ½, mile of Hinsley Hall, through Headingley, where it will be outside the Church of St Urban’,s on Grove Lane around 5-6pm For details go to www.dioceseofleeds.org.uk and www.london2012.com/torch World Meeting of Families Pope Benedict values families and recognises their role as indispensible to the new evangelisation. See more of his words to families at the recent 7th World Meeting of Families in Milan at www.flm.org.uk and hear Catherine Wiley founder of the Catholic Grandparents Association who spoke at Milan, at our Renewal Day in July. Pictured is Bishop John Hine, Chair of the Committee on Marriage and Family Life, at Milan with some of the delegates from England and Wales. Coming Up Year of Faith Family Life Ministry would like to hear from your family about what you would like to see for families in the Year of Faith. Maybe you could interview your parents or grandparents about their faith. One cost effective and fun activity for all ages would be to find out about our Catholic history where you are and visit. Did you know for instance that there is a skull of one of the Yorkshire Martyrs at Myddleton Grange Youth Centre? To share your ideas and for more on the Year of Faith go to www.leedsyearoffaith.co.uk Getting Involved With Family Life Ministry We are continually developing our network of people who share an interest and a passion for supporting family life. We always need couples and individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and with a wide range of skills. If you would like to volunteer in any way we would be delighted to hear from you. Parish Contact could you be the ‘,nominated FLM contact’, for your parish? We try to do as much as possible via e-mail but it really helps to have someone to put up notices at school and church or who can be a friendly voice and listening ear on the end of a phone! The commitment is not huge but we do need people from ordinary families who know all the struggles and joys connected with family life to support our work. If you feel that you can help our work in any way or even if you just want to chat through some ideas you have contact Breda on flm@flm.org.uk or Angela on adim@flm.org.uk Let us have your news for www.flm.org.uk FAMILY LIFE MATTERS

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Leeds Catholic Post Page 5 A brouhaha has brewed up about the recent diaconal ordination of some Anglican priests to the ordinariate. If you are lost already, then this is an…, ordinariate (“,a canonical structure within the Roman Catholic Church enabling former Anglicans to maintain some degree of corporate identity and autonomy…,”, (thank you Wikipedia) to ac- commodate Anglican congregations who wish to leave their church and join Rome- crossing the Tiber as it is popularly known, or simply ",poping", The Catholic Herald became very exercised by the fact that these good men were to be ordained in Westminster Cathedral and not in their own mother church. Why? Because they haven`t got one, and they should have one, complained the Herald, or rather the duumvi- rate of ex-editor William Oddie and ex-Holy Smoke blogger Damian Thompson who came up with it. This article appeared at about the same time as a letter in The Tablet suggesting that we should take over a few Anglican churches... no doubt dreamily imagining that we would get hold of some quaint if totally impractical medieval church tracing its origins back to 1135 with that evocative mixture of smells- must, fust and wood preservative, and even a complementary dead pigeon in the bell tower. We would be more likely in these parts to have found ourselves with some Victorian colossus like St Margaret of Antioch in Kirkstall (now in new and artistic hands, it seems) as in our urban areas, medieval churches are few and far between. We should be content with what we have, even built as they are in en- tirely random locations. At least we are not expected to be the na- tion’,s custodian and benefactor of ancient buildings. We don’,t seem to realise that our Anglican friends have careful five yearly maintenance cycles and the local parishes put such great ef- fort-and money- into keeping these heirlooms going. We ourselves are not the best stich-in-time people when it comes to buildings main- tenance. We seem to prefer mission. Any notion of having these buildings ",given back to us", is theologi- cally or historically shaky and financially ridiculous. Anyway, back to the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham from where we have wandered. Its website is a very attractive place to visit. It has all the excitement of new beginnings with clergy numbers multiplying and a feeling of opportunity. What a contrast indeed with the ruminations of correspondents and bloggers for whom a pilgrim church will always be on the road to disaster. As for any question of a church of their own, which would the young Ordinariate prefer …,.. Historic, glorious Westminster Cathedral for ordinations, St James Spanish place for its chrism Mass- or some redundant pile with a leaky roof? It reminds me of that old maxim...when your company has at last moved from cramped borrowed offices to a marble pan- elled headquarters with an atrium, a bubble lift, a fountain and a gym... it is on the way down. Benchmark Sidelines Language sometimes gives away more than we might realise –, for example, the common phrases, `hear Mass` and `attend Mass` could mean the same thing –, but perhaps they suggest something more about what we actually do during the Mass. In recent weeks, I seem to have been gallivanting around the country, and I have been to Mass in various different parishes and communities. In a small town north of Glasgow, at the Vigil Mass on Saturday evening, there was no organist, no other accompanying music –, but the priest led the large congregation who sang out strongly. On another weekend, at a reunion of London University Chaplaincy staff and students, I had been involved in choosing the music for the Mass –, and three of the four hymns were fine –, everyone sang up –, but the Communion hymn (always tricky to pick!) was `an opportunity for the musicians to display their talents` if you are an optimist, or `a hymn no-one else knew` if you are not. Meanwhile, back here in Yorkshire, fellow parishioners have been busy, writing hymns at the recent Retreat (see report elsewhere in this paper) and singing and playing them in church at Pentecost. I recall a teacher from my own school days, he taught RE to the sixth form, wore a bow tie, and was keen on church music –, he suggested that music in Catholic churches tended to be aesthetically uninspiring, when he felt in need of the uplift of beautiful music, he would go to an Anglican Evensong service. I should emphasise that this was 1965, so definitely before the invigorating reforms of Vatican ll. Which brings me to …,. “,Liturgical worship is given a more noble form when it is celebrated in song, with the ministers of each degree fulfilling their ministry and the people participating in it.”, (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council: Instruction On Music In The Liturgy) The instruction is “,and the people participating”, - not “,and the people sitting back and appreciating the wonderful organ/choir/musicians”,. So maybe, `hear Mass` is a little too passive –, we `attend Mass` - and take part, the choir sings to lead and inspire the congregation, while the congregation need to pick the hymn books, and sing! The National Network of Pastoral Musicians Weekend Conference is at Worth Abbey Sussex 20-22 July including John Bell, Nicola Slee, Phil Jakob and others…,.. Contact jburridge@mac.com or 01792775598 The next W Yorkshire Church Music network afternoon is likely to be in early October, and we may well be sharing ideas of alternatives for old favourites. Date, venue and topic will be on the website as soon as they are finalised! You can contact Tim on tim.devereux@ssg.org.uk If you`d like to add your name to the email list to receive information about WYCM Network events, I`d be happy to hear from you. West Yorkshire Church Music Network: http://www.westyorkshirechurchmusic.org.uk/ National Network of Pastoral Musicians: http://nnpm.org/ Society of Saint Gregory: http://www.ssg.org.uk/ Instruction on Music in the Liturgy: Either, google “,documents vatican 2 music”,, or ... http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/ documents/vat-ii_instr_19670305_musicam-sacram_en.html Musical Notes by Tim Devereux OFFICE FOR EVANGELISATION &, CATECHESIS Corpus Christi Procession –, Sunday June 24, 2.00 –, 3.15pm. Join Bishop Roche in a witness of our faith. Starting at Mount St Joseph’,s Home (Little Sisters of the Poor) and concluding with Benediction at Hinsley Hall, Headingley. All are welcome. If you have a school or parish banner, please bring it, along with your rosary beads. This year the procession will be within the grounds of Mount St Joseph and Hinsley Hall. This is because the Olympic Torch Relay will be coming through Headingley on June 24th For further details contact Linda Pennington on 0113 2618043 or email linda.pennington@dioceseofleeds.org.uk First Holy Communion children and families are specially invited to attend the Corpus Christi Procession. It would be lovely to see the children wearing their first Holy Communion outfits. Foundations in Faith (CCRS)–, Closing Retreat A group of twenty have been participating in the Foundations in Faith course during the past two years. The course concluded with a retreat day at St Thomas a Becket church in Hampsthwaite. It was a beautiful, sunny May day and much of the time was spent outside in the lovely church grounds by the river. The group have enjoyed their time together learning about the Catholic faith, discussing, sharing and praying together. One participant said that “,it is wonderful to have and make the time to think about, talk about and share your faith…,.you really feel like you are doing something worthwhile!”, Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS) The next diocesan Foundations in Faith course which incorporates the CCRS begins in September 2012. For further details please contact the administrator on 0113 261 8040 or evangelisation.admin@dioceseofleeds.org.uk Or download information from www.dioceseofleeds.org.uk/evangelisation - click on Foundations in Faith. RCIA –, Journey in Faith On Saturday 12th May a group of RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) catechists met at the Holy Name Church Hall to explore ways of encouraging catechumens and candidates to deepen their faith during the period of the catechumenate. The day was led by Angela Joyce from the Diocese of Hexham &, Newcastle, Catherine Davies from the Diocese of Salford and Linda Pennington from the Leeds Diocese. The day began with a reflection on the parable of the sower which was followed by a presentation on the Liturgical Year and group discussion based on using the lectionary to plan catechetical sessions. In the afternoon there were presentations and discussion on the roles and ministries of the catechumenate and the liturgies which are celebrated during this period. Further days on aspects of RCIA are planned. Catechist Forum –, November 17 –, Wheeler Hall All catechists are invited to this day of reflection, discussion, resources &, networking. 10:00am –, 2:30 pm at Wheeler Hall, St Anne’,s Cathedral. There is no charge for this event but please bring a packed lunch. Advent Retreat Day –, LTUC, Chaplaincy, Saturday 1st December There will be an Advent Retreat Day for anyone interested in the Chaplaincy at Leeds Trinity University College from 10:00 –, 4:00. More details to follow. WHO TO CONTACT AT HINSLEY HALL There are many courses and events organised by the Office for Evangelisation and Catechesis throughout the year which help to support formation in faith and training for catechists, leaders of Children’,s Liturgy of the Word and other parish ministries. Check this page in future editions and also the website: www.dioceseofleeds.org.uk/evangelisation - see Forthcoming Events. For further information or booking please contact Linda Pennington on 0113 261 8043 or linda.pennington@dioceseofleeds.org.uk Assessment show at Holy Family F amily and friends gathered at Holy Family School, Keighley, for the assessment show prior to final exams by students in the Performing Arts faculty. Drama students had prepared three pieces: The first a modern take on Romeo &, Juliet. They were followed by a piece exploring the exercise of control within a group of friends at university. The final playlet, entitled Torn Between Two Worlds, examined the horrors of the concentration camps. Installations by the art students, utilising a broad mix of media, were on display around the auditorium. Guests were invited to tour the displays, watch the plays and then comment to help students with final “,tweaking”, before the works are presented to the examiners

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Page 6 Leeds Catholic Post There is an old but reputedly true story about an American Deacon visiting Ireland, who called at the local Parochial House. The housekeeper came to the door, and was then heard to retire and say “,Father, there’,s a priest here and I think it’,s his wife…,.”, There was a roar from within…,. Well -it’,s happened. According to the Irish Independent, eight married men will have been ordained to the diaconate in Dublin at the beginning of June. It’,s been a long haul- it is forty years since this happened in Leeds Diocese, but it will give a boost to an Irish Church which surely needs one. The Irish Independent managed to get its story spectacularly wrong, telling us that these men will help the “,shortage”, of priests (really?) because they are a sort of “,priest-lite”,. Oh dear. Never mind, we have to start somewhere. Fifteen Irish dioceses, it also tells us, are intending to introduce the diaconate as a permanent state. The Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin announced the ordinations in Maynooth whilst ordaining five men to the diaconate, who intend to become priests. Maynooth has had its recent problems and, presumably thinking of the charisms of the diaconate, he warned his listeners against “,a narrow preoccupation”, with day- to-day seminary life. That was often “,an unhealthy sign”,, tending “,inevitably to be inward-looking, self-serving and individualistic, rather than focusing on the self-giving love of Jesus Christ”,, he said. The archbishop then said that next Sunday he would ordain “,the first group of permanent deacons to be ordained in Ireland since the reinstitution of the permanent diaconate by the Second Vatican Council”,. The Archbishop certainly got it right, adding “,the rite of ordination to the permanent diaconate and to the diaconate as a path towards priestly ordination is identical,…,”, “,There is only one diaconate and your calling as deacons today is not simply . . . an obligatory passing step on your road to priesthood”,. The order of deacons was “,a call to be configured in a special way to Jesus who serves and to represent that Jesus who serves in the life of the church”,. Deacons Diary Working together for the Common Good J ointly hosted by CAFOD, Progressio, Islamic Relief and the Tony Blair Faith Foundation the fifth interfaith dialogue on development took place at the beginning of May. Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, said in his address that fulfilling one’,s duty to love one’,s neighbour meant shunning the “,moral equivalent of a gated community.”, He went on to say that living with a sense of being responsible for the good of others did feel quite risky. “,There is going to be no safe place to stand as long as one of my neighbour sis at risk.”, Tim Aldred from Progressio continued the theme of working across faith boundaries exemplified by Progressio’,s work in Yemen alongside imams to combat HIV/AIDS. He reminded delegates of the misplaced impression out in the world that faith-based groups only cared for their own and went on to commend the support more often than not offered on the basis of need alone. Sr Mogdala, from the Buddhist organisation Amida Trust (with projects in Zambia, Bosnia and India) spoke of her experience of working across faith boundaries with groups that liked working together and respected each other This is one of the forms of dialogue explored by Meeting God in Friend &, Stranger, that of shared action. Whatever our motivation we see a task that need to be completed and we are willing to co-operate with others of any background who agree that something needs to be done. This does not have to be any of the splendiferous projects that the development agencies run. It could be joining in a neighbourhood clean-up or tree planting. It is the parish SVP reacting to anyone in need irrespective of background. All of these and many other actions are furthering the Church’,s call for the faithful to enter interfaith dialogue. Give yourselves a pat on the back! If you have news to share please let us know via interfaith@dioceseofleeds.org.,uk Wednesday June 20th Leeds Peace Garden People from all faiths working for peace –, join with LCC Peacelink Group to establish a Peace Garden in Queens Square. For more information contact Roger.Carter@leeds.gov.uk 0113 24 74339 Saturday June 30th Bradford Concord’,s Walk of Friendship. 9.45am –, 2.30pm. Meet at Gurdwara Sing Sabha on Grant Street BD3 9HD –, visit a Mosque, Moravian Church and Hindu Temple For full details contact Mohinder on 07740 245841 mohinder@cyberstyle.it Friday 13th –, Sunday 15th July Treasures Revealed in Kirklees Contact Zainab.Akudi@kirklees.gov.uk Monday July 16th Food, Feasts &, Fasting in Muslim Traditions A talk for Concord by Henna Iqbal. 7.30pm in the Quaker Meeting House, Woodhouse Lane LS2 9DX And one with a bit of notice for the diary Wednesday October 17th. Annual Peace Service 7.30pm in Leeds Civic Hall. Join with the Lord Mayor and representatives of nine faiths, lighting candles for peace in the Civic Hall Forthcoming events INTERFAITH Vatican message to Buddhists for Vesakh F or a good number of years it has been the custom of the PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE to send fraternal greetings to members of the other world faiths about the time of their major feast each year Cardinal Tauran and Archbishop Celata, President and Secretary of the Council respectively maintained the tradition with a message to the Buddhist community to mark Vesakh The theme this year was on educating the young on justice and peace through interreligious dialogue The statement acknowledged that more and more classrooms all over the world contain students belonging to various religions and beliefs sitting side-by-side, learning with one another and from one another. The Cardinal continues, “,This diversity gives rise to challenges and sparks deeper reflection on the need to educate young people to respect and understand the religious beliefs and practices of others, to grow in knowledge of their own, to advance together as responsible human beings and to be ready to join hands with those of other religions to resolve conflicts and to promote friendship, justice, peace and authentic human development.”, The statement concluded, “,We join our hearts to yours and pray that together we will be able to guide the young people by our example and teaching to become instruments of justice and peace. Let us share the common responsibility we have towards the present and future generations, nurturing them to be peaceful and to be peace makers.”, Find the whole statement via the diocesan website www.dioceseofleeds.org.uk/interfaith or directly from the Vatican website www.vatican.va The Buddhist festival of Vesakh is usually celebrated on the May full moon, though this varies in different traditions, with dates of the celebration ranging from 4th April to 8th June. Due to the use of different calendars, Buddhists around the world celebrate Vesakh at different dates. Vesakh is commonly known as “,the Buddha’,s birthday”,, even though it celebrates all three important stages of the Buddha’,s life –, his birth, enlightenment and passing away, all said to have taken place at the full moon of the fifth month. There are many ways of celebrating Vesakh in different Buddhist traditions and cultures. These include visiting temples, making offerings to the monastic community, lighting lanterns, bathing statues of the baby Buddha, and abstaining from eating meat or fish (to avoid harming living beings). Buddhists believe that the Buddha attained enlightenment, ending the cycle of repeated rebirth, and that it is possible for every human being to do so, too, by understanding and practising the Four Noble Truths: there is suffering in the world, suffering is caused by greed and desire, suffering can be ended, and there is a path to follow, a compassionate life of morality, meditation and wisdom. The Five Precepts are training rules which encourage Buddhists to avoid taking life, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and taking intoxicants, and to develop instead the qualities of compassion, generosity, faithfulness and self-restraint, truthfulness and mindfulness. Monks and nuns have further rules involving celibacy and renunciation. There are around 150,000 Buddhists in Britain, out of roughly 400 million world-wide. As Buddhism is often practised alongside other religions, however, this number is hard to determine. Response to the Rochdale grooming case T he following is a statement of condemnation by the Islamic scholars and Imams of Bradford and district regarding ",street grooming abuse perpetrated by men of Pakistani and Afghani background",. The core values of Islam are those which safeguard and protect the weak and vulnerable against abuse and oppression, and as such we wholeheartedly and unequivocally condemn the actions of the gang of Rochdale sex offenders from the Pakistani/Afghani community who were convicted for the reprehensible crime of grooming vulnerable girls for sexual abuse. We welcome these convictions and are committed to ensuring that any future abuse is prevented and actively challenged. Their actions can in no way be justified according to the moral conduct and values of Islam, and as a group we are committed to working with all the safeguarding agencies to ensure that these actions are prevented from occurring in the future. We also condemn any action of sexual violence committed by men of Muslim background as this is explicitly forbidden in Islam and opposed to its core teachings and objectives. Our sympathies are with the victims of this terrible crime, and we unreservedly challenge the distorted notion that somehow `other women` are lesser and not as deserving of protection as Muslim women/girls, as this also has no basis in Islamic teaching. All females are to be seen equally and afforded the same protection, and we cannot dehumanise and discriminate one group of women/girls to the exclusion of others. Crime has no race, and sexual abuse occurs in all communities and is perpetrated by people from all backgrounds, and where this abuse occurs within the Muslim community and by members of the Muslim community, we will strive to actively prevent and challenge it. We must also stress that it is a small minority of men who have perpetrated such abuse, and as such the whole community should not be collectively labelled and associated with these crimes. Signed by 16 scholars. The letter was published by several newspapers and we are grateful to Malcolm Hoddy (Editor) and the Keighley News for permission to re-publish the item.

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NEWS FROM LEEDS TRINITY UNIVERSITY COLLEGE Leeds Catholic Post Page 7 Free Theological Public Lectures at Leeds Trinity University College Vatican II 50 years on: The New Evangelization L eeds Trinity University College is hosting a major International Theological Conference from 26 –, 29 June 2012 entitled Vatican II, 50 Years On: The New Evangelization. The fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of the Second Vatican Council provides a unique opportunity to revisit that seminal event which had such a profound impact on the life of the Catholic Church and its mission. In particular, the Council began an engagement with the modern and secularized world through a renewed proclamation of the Gospel. Blessed John Paul II described this as the ‘,new evangelization’,, and in 2010, Pope Benedict XVI confirmed this priority by creating the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization. This conference, which is being organised in conjunction with the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University, will reflect on the impact of Council and deepen understanding of the New Evangelization. “,I welcome the forthcoming International Theological Conference at Leeds Trinity University College. This represents an important moment in the Church’,s outreach to society following the Papal Visit in 2010. Our Catholic faith has a specific content. Rearticulated at the Second Vatican Council, this faith is to be constantly explored and treasured. God is calling us to share its saving truths respectfully with others so that they may share our joy. I hope that your reflections will bear much fruit.”, The Right Reverend Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster A s part of the Conference there will be a series of public lectures which are free and open to all. Tuesday 26th June, 7.30pm - 9.00pm Christ, Culture and the New Evangelization Professor Tracey Rowland Professor Tracey Rowland, Dean of Blessed John Paul II Institute in Melbourne, Australia, is a leading authority on the theology of Pope Benedict XVI. She will examine how the power of Christ working within his Church can change minds and hearts in our secularised society. Wednesday 27th June, 7.30pm - 9.00pm Ecclesiology of Communion: From External Jurisdiction to Internal Relationships Francis Cardinal George Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago, is one of the leading thinkers in the American Church at the moment. He will reflect upon the key Vatican II word which describes the Church, namely “,communion.”, What does it mean to live communion with each other and with Christ? Thursday 28th June, 6.00pm - 7.30pm Vatican II, the Catechism and the New Evangelization Mgr Watson has championed the use of the Catechism as the authoritative summary of our faith in a wide series of courses at home and abroad. He will explain how this book is the starting point for a new mission to convince the world in our time of the saving truth of the gospel. All the public lectures will be held in the Auditorium at Leeds Trinity University College, Brownberrie Lane, Horsforth, Leeds LS18 5HD. For more information about the public lectures or to book on to the conference (day rate only £,50) please contact Maddie Addinall on 0113 283 7325 or email m.addinall@leedstrinity.ac.uk More information can be found at www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/VaticanII Conference Francis Cardinal George Mgr Paul Watson Professor Tracey Rowland

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Page 8 Leeds Catholic Post Mary Pray For Us O ne bright Sunday morning in May the parishioners at St Joseph’,s, Castleford came together not only to celebrate Mass but to pay homage to Mary our Mother at their annual celebration. Lorna Gaughan and Olivia Murphy, two young altar servers from the parish, were chosen to crown the statue of Mary during this much loved time-honoured tradition, as the congregation sang a traditional hymn. Canon Durcan’,s Homily focus was looking after each other the way our Mother looked after and cared for Jesus and all of us and also being willing to follow in Mary’,s footsteps and say YES to God whenever we are called to serve –, a hard request in today’,s world but one that should be undertaken by all of us. A WALK OF WITNESS TO CHURCH O n Thursday May 3rd, the whole of Year 8 from St. John Fisher Catholic High School, Dewsbury processed from school through Crow Nest Park to the parish church of Our Lady &, St. Paulinus. Each year group celebrates Mass together annually during key liturgical seasons and this celebration during Eastertide also marked the feast of Ss Philip &, James, Apostles. The procession was led by Father Michael Hall, Deputy Head, followed by a crucifer and thurifer with incense - the students showed great enthusiasm and pride at being a part of this experience. This was the second occasion such a procession had taken place as Year 9 went in March, during Lent, to Our Lady &, St. Paulinus for a year group Mass to celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The pupils were involved in the preparation of both of the Masses, reading the scripture, writing and reading the prayers of intercession and producing liturgical artwork for the Mass booklets. Both celebrations were enhanced by the outstanding contribution made by the Music Department, with the orchestra, solo cantors and Melodies group. The staff and students of St. John Fisher wish to convey their thanks to the parish community of Our Lady &, St. Paulinus for their welcome and enabling us to join them at Mass and to the parish priest Father John Aveyard parish priest for presiding and his excellent homilies. O n Tuesday 24th April, Barkston Ash Catholic Primary School welcomed 3 visitors from Zambia. The group visiting consisted of 2 headteachers and the deputy director of education for the province of Mongu in western Zambia.The visitors were welcomed into school by the headteacher - Mrs Anne O`Neill and Mrs Angela Cox - Principal Diocesan Education Officer. During the visit, pupils presented songs, dance and drama to the group as well as telling them something of the local area and its history. Following a shared lunch with staff and pupils, the school council gave the group a guided tour of the school and presented gifts from the pupils of Barkston Ash. Andrew Bastable, deputy headteacher at Barkston Ash said, “,Over the past 6 months we have established a link with a school in western Zambia and the pupils and staff here at Barkston have been exchanging work and projects with our partner school in Mongu. Today has been a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to not only learn about Zambia, but also to share something of our school with our 3 visitors. This mornings presentation has been attended by parents, governors as well as residents from the village of Barkston Ash. Hopefully this visit will see our links with Zambia continue to develop for the benefit of both schools and our communities”,. During the weeklong visit to the Selby area, schools from across the area have provided a variety of visits and cultural experiences for the 3 visitors, these ranged from a traditional afternoon tea to a celidh and visit to York for shopping! Barkston Ash Builds on Zambian Links! First Anniversary Celebration Leeds Catholic Charismatic Renewal Group The Church Of The Holy Rosary Chapeltown Road LS7 4BZ Theme: You Will Receive Fire Speaker: Derek William (Catholic Teacher And Evangelist) Date: Sunday 1st July 2012 4pm To 7pm You Are Highly Invited Buses 2 3 &, 36 Run To And From The Church For More Information Please Call Jones Bediako on 07983776337, E-mail josbedko@hotmail.co.uk or Chris Redding, E-mail chrisred@freeuk.com

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Leeds Catholic Post Page 9 Indonesian link at Holy Family, Keighley T he Holy Family School, Keighley, has been linked with the Darunnajah Islamic Boarding School in Jakarta since March 2006. At that time the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, whilst on a visit to Indonesia, announced the beginning of formal partnerships between schools in the UK and schools in Indonesia. The Holy Family was invited to be the first school in the UK to take part. Since then HFCS have developed our link through a programme of professional development for teachers in both countries. This allows for transition of 2 members of staff each year to visit the other country in order to have an understanding of the different needs of students, and to develop an awareness of the similarities and differences in our two cultures and religions. It is the custom for staff from Indonesia to visit the UK in May/June while members of Holy Family staff make the return visit in October/November each year. Iwan and Nurkhamid arrived in the rain on May 20th to become the sixth set of visitors from Indonesia. They will spend ten days in Keighley before going to London for a few days sight-seeing hosted by the Indonesian Embassy The pair will be observing lessons in school and doing some teaching of geography and Arabic. They will also have chance to do “,tourist Yorkshire”, with visits to White Scar caves, Haworth, Ilkley and the Dales planned for them. There will also be the opportunity to see primary education at Our Lady of Victories School. It is the clear intention that students will be involved in the next cycle of visits A Papal Medal For A Life Time Of Work T he parishioners, the School’,s Headteacher and staff, and numerous guests gathered on the 14th of May, the feast of St. Matthias the Apostle, to celebrate in St. Ignatius Church, Ossett the conferring of the Pro Ecclasia et Pontifice Award to Mr. Terence Mulready. The Bishop was represented by Mgr. K. Heskin. VG, who preached on the readings of the Mass for the Feast, and was joined by Canon McCreadie and Fr. Naughton the parish priest. The musical tradition of St. Ignatius Parish came to the fore in the singing of the Mass which was a wonderful celebration as part of the celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of the present Church and the Silver Jubilee of the Parish School. At the end of the Mass Fr. Naughton spoke about the great honour the Holy Father, at the Bishops’, requested had granted to Mr. Mulready and the fact that this honour was also shared with parishioners past and present. Mr. Mulready was born and raised in St. Ignatius Parish, he was the first Catholic Magistrate from the area and had served on the Prison Parole Board and currently on the Prison Monitoring Board for Wakefield Prison. He has served twice as Catenian President of the Wakefield Circle and had served his parish throughout his life. Mr. Mulready had joined the SVP at the age of 7 and was their youngest President at the age of 23. Fr. Naughton spoke of Mr. Mulready’,s passion for Education, having served as School Governor in the parish and currently at a large High School, and Social Justice and his love of philosophy and keen interest in theology. Mgr. Heskin, in conferring the award on behalf of Bishop Roche spoke of the vital role of the lay faithful and how central it was to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council. Mrs Magdalene Mulready and their children Phillipa and Paul were also invited to the Sanctuary by Mgr. Heskin for the conferring of the award. After Mass there was a wonderful reception which provided parishioners and guests the opportunity to mix and to continue the celebrations. A WEEKEND THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE by Helen Edwards Q uestion: What happens if 3 families get together for coffee after Mass one day and spend some time in prayer? Answer: A dynamic lay-led retreat for their parish. Over the May Bank Holiday, 42 parishioners from St Joseph`s, Pudsey and Brother Paul (a franciscan friar), experienced what it is like to live in community. All ages from 7 weeks to 70 attended the retreat. We cooked together, ate together, and put on workshops for each other. Some of us camped, some of us slept more comfortably but we all worked together to create an event that was reminiscent of the community described in Acts. We explored our theme of ",gifts and community", in many ways. We had discussion groups. Some of us shared our gifts by leading workshops such as silk-screen painting, stained glass window making, active listening, and art and spirituality and songwriting. Children decorated buns to eat with our drinks at tea-break time and took part in an active treasure hunt to find out about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Some of our confirmandees came with us and led a drama workshop for the younger children. We prayed together in many ways: daily Mass, morning and night prayer from the Divine Office, Lectio Divina, the Rosary, a penitential service and through action songs for the young and young at heart. Some of us went on a reflective walk. We played together round a campfire, singing campfire songs, toasting marshmallows, drinking hot chocolate and taking part in an amusing re-telling of the ",bear hunt", story. We brought some gifts back with us for the rest of our parish: 2 hymns written during the songwriting workshop, a newsletter and a Pentecost banner. Can a retreat put together and run entirely by the laity be a success? The answer lies in the feedback from those who took part: ",it was out of this world in so many ways, spiritually and physically...",I learned how to read a passage of scripture and really think about what it was saying",... ",Our endeavour was one of beautiful cooperation, companionable togetherness and Holy wonderfulness",...",my faith in God, people and society has been boosted by the event",... ",uplifting",... ",amazing... ",I really enjoyed the weekend, and although I was looking forward to it, it did far outdo my expectations",... ",the retreat was a spiritual and fulfilling experience",... ",I`m so excited and inspired by the weekend",... ",we learnt to put aside our preconceptions and discover or rediscover our gifts",... ",the weekend offered us what it says on the tin - a ",retreat", from the trials of life and a chance to really enjoy what we have as a family and as a community",... ",I`ve been to very few places where I felt as much at home",. I think the Spirit that inspired Lumen Gentium would be proud of us, and also of our parish priest, who was brave enough to allow us to explore this possibility and supported and encouraged us at every stage of the journey. If anyone feels inspired to try this in their own parish and would like to talk about how we did it, please contact Helen Edwards edwardshelen@btinternet.com Shortlisted for this year’,s Royal Academy summer exhibition N otre Dame Art student Sophie Gornall is celebrating being shortlisted for this year’,s Royal Academy summer exhibition. The exhibition is the world’,s largest open submission contemporary art show, and has been in existence for an astonishing 244 years. It showcases work by both emerging and established artists in all media including painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, architecture and film. Sophie’,s entry, a ceramic leech jar decorated in blood imagery is only her third attempt at working with clay. The idea for the piece came from an exploration of the story of a Hungarian Countess who bathed in the blood of young girls in order to preserve her beauty. Mr Rogers, Head of Art was so impressed with her work that he encouraged her to submit it to the RA. There were nearly 1500 submissions and only 70 have been shortlisted so this is a tremendous achievement. Sophie has been influenced in her work by well-known artist Grayson Perry and went to see his exhibition of ceramic urns at the British museum earlier this year. After Notre Dame, Sophie intends doing a foundation year before specialising in Fine Art.

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Page 10 Leeds Catholic Post The ‘,Glorious Day’, S t Peter &, Paul’,s Church, Wakefield played host to parishioners, children, parents, clergy, governors and teachers from catholic feeder primary schools of St Thomas a Becket and St Wilfrid’,s on the evening of Wednesday 23rd May. Representative year 6 children, from each of the ten Catholic Primary schools, came together to share a series of dance workshops over 2 days. They were led by once again by the inspirational liturgical dance group from the North East- ‘,More Than Dance’,. The theme was ‘,Celebrating the Glory of God’,- explored through music, dance and prayer. This is one of a number of events bringing catholic communities together organised each year through the partner schools. To a packed church, more than 60 children and staff shared dances, prayers and moments of reflection to a captive audience moved by what they witnessed. Despite the intense heat of a beautiful day children found the energy to ‘,keep on dancing!’, For the children involved the two days were an exploration of the relationship we each have with God, they sacrificed two days lessons in school to concentrate their time and energies into developing new friendships, supporting each other and celebrating their successes together before beginning a new stage in their lives with transition to high school. The evening offered something for all who were there: from times of great energy and noise, to quiet moments of prayer and reflection. Those present were encouraged to partake in the final dance-‘,An Irish Blessing’,, sent forth to enjoy what remained of a The evening of worship is testimony to the strength of community between parishes and schools giving our young children an experience that they would treasure and share with other children back in their respective schools. Specialists in wedding photography 01977 556088 07716728109 Your wedding is a unique day which involves considerable thought, planning, time and effort. Once your special day is over you will be left with many lovely memories some of which will inevitably fade over time. Investing in good photography can ensure that the mood and emotion of your day is captured to form a permanent reminder to enable you to relive your memories for years to come.

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Leeds Catholic Post Page 11 SEND FORTH YOUR SPIRIT S aturday May 26th turned out to be one of those perfect English summer days, as well as being the Vigil of Pentecost. It was a special Day for the Diocese because it is the day that the Bishop invites all those who have entered into the Church for the first time over Easter to come together again and affirm the Faith that they now fully share in. The Bishop welcomed them all at the start of Mass and said how pleased he was to see them on such a special occasion and such a wonderful day. In his Homily the Bishop told the story of the young child who stole the show at the start of a concert by walking out and picking out a tune on the piano and how he was helped by the star of the show enfolding him and playing along to accompany the simple tune. He used this story to point out how the Holy Spirit accompanies us in all that we do –, how he makes all things possible –, it is the coming of the Holy Spirit that brings about the completion of the work that Christ started –, he makes all things New.

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Page 12 Leeds Catholic Post Going For Gold was the theme of a partnership day for teachers at Leeds Trinity University College on Friday 25th May. After keynote speaker, James Parker, from the ‘,More than Gold’, initiative had given the keynote address Angela Warren and Susan Kambalu from CAFOD’,s Education team ran workshops on involve students in exploring the deeper values and global justice dimension in celebrating the Olympic Games. For a few hours teachers became students again as they tried out a range of CAFOD Olympics resources, learning how for many years sport has been an important part of many of CAFOD’,s programmes for building peace and reconciliation with young people. Inspired by video clips from CAFOD ‘,Sport and Peace’, programmes in Kenya El Salvador and the Philippines, teachers compared Olympic values with values that underpin catholic school ethos and CAFOD’,s work. Given the ‘,golden’, sunshine, there was little hesitation in accepting the invitation to play the ‘,Fair/Unfair’, handball game outside. The homemade ball, typical of many used by poor children in the global south, was wrapped in stickers that contained information about the causes of poverty and also forfeits, which the teachers entered into in good spirits. Nomusa Hlabangana, a Theology student who also attended the Going for Gold Day told us, ‘,I learnt a lot from this experience and I felt privileged to have been part of it. I have always considered Sports to be mainly physical and important in promoting health and fitness but as the activities of the day progressed, I realised that it also cultivates within competitors and officials as well as the spectators positive moral values that our society and the world at large need. It was interesting to note how CAFOD identified sport and Olympic values and compared these with values expressed in Scripture and catholic Social Teaching. They also affirmed how the ethos of our Catholic schools promotes these same values and how we can use the Olympics to highlight what is at the heart of our mission. The CAFOD team shared with both Secondary and Primary school teachers appropriate and interesting activities and games that could help develop values such as dignity, respect, co-operation. I was impressed with the level of support CAFOD gave to teachers and also how much together they were positively contributing to the values of our young generation.’, (Nomusa is pictured back row, right watching the Fair /Unfair handball game). Resources for both primary and secondary schools can be found on the schools’, and teachers’, pages of the CAFOD website www.cafod.org.uk T wenty years after the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, Brazil, more than 100 government representatives from around the world, including Britain’,s Caroline Spelman and Nick Clegg, will attend the Rio+20 Summit in June Launch of our campaign! In June, government representatives from all over the world will gather for the Rio+20 Summit to discuss how the world can develop more sustainably and how to bring a greener, fairer global economy. Rio+20 is not the end of the road but a starting point to voice our hopes for a better and more sustainable world. Our campaign urges the UK government to remain committed to delivering a global green and fair economy. We are also calling on them to support the world’,s poorest communities to adapt to climate change and also to make sure that practical actions are agreed at the Summit to tackle poverty in developing countries. Write to your MP by 22 June Please ask your MP to sign the Rio Declaration which focuses on the green economy, climate change and tackling poverty. We need as many MPs as possible to ensure that the UK supports a global green and fair economy to enable millions of people to lift themselves out of poverty. The ‘,Rio Declaration’, •, The UK should lead the world in the transition to a fair and green economy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating jobs and opportunities to reduce poverty and inequality here and overseas. •, The Rio+20 summit is an important milestone for this ambition, and the UK should engage constructively, with a view to uniting governments across the world behind a vision for a global green and fair economy which benefits all people. •, We must lead by example at home by delivering on the commitments in our groundbreaking Climate Change Act whilst showing international leadership to increase the EU’,s 2020 climate targets. •, At the same time we must help the world’,s poorest communities adapt to the effects of climate change, invest in getting clean energy to all people, and protect rainforests.”, Find out more on our website To read the full Rio Declaration, briefings on key issues being discussed at Rio+20 and to find out what’,s happening in your area, please visit cafod.org.uk/rio. ‘,Mobilise your MP –, become a CAFOD MP Correspondent CAFOD supporter Shaun Radcliffe shares his experience. ‘,Mobilise your MP - become a CAFOD MP Correspondent On one of CAFOD`s ",Energiser Days", information was provided about why it was important to lobby your local Member of Parliament on issues you supported or opposed. It appears that an MP is just a normal person who can be contacted and influenced just like anyone else. If I feel strongly about something, why shouldn`t I let the one person who is supposed to act on my behalf, know how I feel? My concern could be just one of many who feel the same. CAFOD explained their MP Correspondent scheme called Connecting The Poor To The Powerful giving examples on how lobbying by letter can be effective. This was supported by feedback provided by certain MPs in the form of statements. They said that on receipt of just one letter, it could reflect a major concern. Imagine if a mass of people all wrote to their MP on the same subject!! What a reaction it would cause. So I decided to join the scheme, with at firsat, some reservations. The folder received from CAFOD lifted my fears somewhat as in it was a comprehensive guide to many circumstances, not only correspondence but help given if you arrange to meet your MP. I looked up a web-site which provided background information about my own MP, his opinions on issues, how he has voted on matters and also contact details. I took the plunge and sent my first letter in September 2011 on the subject of global pollution and climate change. I kept the tone of my letter polite and courteous and waited for his response. Interestingly, the MP`s letter always has his motto on the bottom line ",YOUR INTEREST, NOT SELF INTEREST", which I hoped would be true. The reply did not cover all points but my MP did refer to fellow Ministers for further information. This means my concerns are also being made known to another person, a Government Minister. I have since written on other matters so how can I evaluate what effect the letters have been? First of all, I have taken the trouble to write so my MP knows that the matter is important to me. Secondly, my letters always thank the MP for his assistance, therefore keeping a friendly relationship going (as he is going to be contacted again!), and finally, I am part of an informal team of CAFOD supporters who all feel the same way about obtaining world justice for the poor, wherever they are. You do not need clerical skills. Hand written letters are just as good. CAFOD provide excellent back up - so go on, give it a try and become a CAFOD MP Correspondent. Let`s make our MP`s earn their money! Triathlon Success for Holy Name Students W e heard this love story of how two young people wanted to make a real difference when they learned in school about communities who don’,t have a clean and safe water supply. The photograph shows Joseph Laverty (aged 10) and Jack Mercer (aged 11) during the cycling leg. “,While we were looking through the CAFOD booklet in school (Holy Name Primary School, Leeds) we read about children like us who don’,t have access to clean water. We both wanted to do something to change this. We decided to raise enough money to buy a community water supply for people in Africa. This was going to be a big challenge but we are the sort of boys who are up for it. We had many ideas about what to do but we decided on attempting a Triathlon over a period of time. Jack is a good swimmer so he took the challenge to swim and I am better at running and jointly we cycled the 19 Km. The bit we enjoyed most was cycling together along the Leeds Liverpool canal for 19 Km on a beautiful sunny morning. So far we have raised £,414.20 which, when it is matched £, for £, by the Government, comes to £,828.40. This exceeds the amount we needed for the Community Water Supply so we are very grateful to those who sponsored us.”, Well done to Joseph and Jack!

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Report by John Battle S t Vincent’,s Support Centre on York Road in inner East Leeds is only 15 minutes walk from the Light Complex in the heart of the city’,s shopping centre and a short ‘,pilgrimage”, of over 50 service-users, staff and volunteers from St Vincent’,s brought their “,Hour Leeds”, challenge into the city centre on 17th May, to give it a formal public launch , spelling out that wealth and poverty are literally only ten minutes apart in our one city. The “,pilgrimage walk”, was greeted at midday by a crowd of St Vincent de Paul Society supporters from the parishes across Leeds and passing shoppers and onlookers gathered around a bright green bannered stall in the Light centre. There North East Member of Parliament who had come up specially for the launch from the House of Commons that morning, city councillor Lucinda Yeadon, lead member on the city council for adult services and Bishop Arthur Roche’,s representative Fr Martin Kelly all in welcoming the march arriving then added their weight to the launch of the “,Hour Leeds”, campaign. The basic idea is an appeal for those in paid work to donate an hour of their wage to St Vincent’,s support centre to enable it to extend its services in these times of increasing demand. Fabian Hamilton spoke of the need to support local charities such as St Vincent’,s support centre which provides such vital services at a time of increasing demand as poverty rises in our city. Cllr Lucinda Yeadon who has visited St Vincent’,s herself spoke of the need to bridge a dividing Leeds, scarred by widening health inequalities, which mean in reality shorter life spans for the poorer next door, into closer practical and supportive relations. Fr Martin reminded all present of the Gospel imperative both to serve those most in need and to give generously according to our means. Former MP John Battle compared the event and the Catenians contributed to the launch with a magnificent £,1000 gift. Given the media interest on the day the “,hour Leeds”, appeal is obviously an imaginative fund raising initiative which has captured wide public interest. Launched with a sign up leaflet the “,hour Leeds”, campaign is a provocative personal challenge insisting we simply pause and work out “,How much an hour are we worth?”, and contribute it directly to enhance the work of ST Vincent’,s Support Centre. What will an hour of your earnings buy you? For example £,7 a takeaway meal …, today in Leeds there will be people who do not eat a hot meal. £,24 may buy the latest gadget but in Leeds not far from us are children who have no toys to play with or develop them. £,436 And some in our city are on £,436 an hour (and some much more) which may cover new carpets or curtains but there are far too many families sleeping in inadequately furnished or heated properties, not to forget the homeless still sleeping out. The fundamental idea of the “,Hour Leeds”, campaign is to bring our city of Leeds back into an essential relationship of human support. St Vincent’,s Support Centre is a place of real help, hope and opportunity for many people struggling in poverty who don’,t know where to turn. St Vincent’,s Support Centre goes way beyond handouts working with over 5000 people last year alone to address the root causes of poverty., through a free debt advice service, free professional counselling support , teaching basic reading and writing skills to adults, providing English classes for speakers of other languages. St Vincent’,s Support Centre runs a shop selling low cost second hand clothing and household goods, providing a quality local community café, and supplying emergency support of food parcels and warm clothing. It employs a few highly skilled staff and a number of supporting volunteers but the workload is greatly expanding at time when grants to local charities are under unprecedented competitive pressures. By donating an hour’,s earnings those who need help most can be assisted through St Vincent’,s. £,7 buys an emergency food parcel for a family for a week. £,13 buys warm clothes and a blanket for a homeless person. £,24 buys some toys for children in Leeds who have none. £,103 will help give free counselling sessions to a vulnerable person £,436 will support a programme teaching adults to read and write. An hour’,s salary in other words can give a real chance to a person or family to break out of poverty. To join in contact ww.hourleeds.co.uk or visit www.localgiving.com/charity/stvincentsleeds or simply send an hour donation to St Vincent’,s Support Centre 82 York Rd LS9 9AA. Can you help distribute the leaflets in your parish or community? Ring 01132484126 for a batch. Leeds Catholic Post Page 13 Leeds Diocesan Youth Service ‘,All who are thirsty, come!’, (Rev 22:17) For more information about how to register for Leeds Diocesan Youth Service events, check out: www.leedsyouth.org.uk, contact Anna at the Youth Office: 0113 261 8058 / abcleedsdiocese@hotmail.com or join the “,Leeds Diocesan Youth Service”, Facebook group. Every Tuesday Refresh: Youth 2000 Prayer Group, 6.30-7.30pm, Leeds Cathedral Friday 22nd June Lourdes Pre-Departure Mass Youth Section, 2pm, Leeds Trinity Saturday 23rd June Handmaids Prayer Group for Women, 7pm, St. Clare’,s Convent, Leeds Sunday 24th June Diocesan Corpus Christi Procession, 2pm, Hinsley Hall 26th-29th June Vatican Council II 50 Years On : The New Evangelisation, Leeds Trinity Thursday 28th June Youth Ministry Holy Hour, 2.30-3.30pm, Hinsley Hall 5th –, 13th July Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes, Lourdes, France Tuesday 17th July WYD Pilgrim Gathering 6.30-9pm, Leeds Cathderal 23rd –, 27th August earchlight@Walsingham Youth 2000 Festival, Walsingham Thursday 20th September Lourdes Reunion, TBC Wednesday 26th September REVELATION, 7-9pm, Hinsley Hall Leeds Saturday 29th September Diocesan Walsingham Pilgrimage, Walsingham Leeds Diocesan Youth Service Calendar Searchlight@Walsingham with LDYS S earchlight@Walsingham is a brilliant Catholic youth festival with great music, inspiring speakers and a chance to spend some quality time camping in the middle of no where with friends new and old! Searchlight@Walsingham takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend (23rd - 27th August 2012) and is for young people roughly aged 16 –, 35. For more information about the amazing Youth 2000 festival in Walsingham check out “,Seachlight@Walsingham with LDYS”, on Facebook or have a spy at www.youth2000.org. 5 reasons you should come to Live@Walsingham... 1. Camping fun! 2. It`s donation only, you pay what you can afford (recommended donation for young people and students £,50) 3. Walsingham is BEAUTIFUL 4. There`ll be a huge group from Leeds going! 5. God would LOVE to see you there for a bit of quality time! 1 reason why we want you to let us know if you`d like to come with us... We`ll help arrange transport for you to get there and a tent to share if you don`t have one of your own. Transport will probably cost about £,25 (return). Go on ... be brave ... take a risk ... come with us! For more info. about coming with the Leeds group email abcleedsdiocese@hotmail.com or call 0113 2618058 or send us a message on the event wall on Facebook. Follow us atLeedsDYS. HOUR LEEDS LAUNCH FOR ST VINCENT’,S

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Page 14 Leeds Catholic Post M ore than 5,000 Catholics in East Leeds are being offered a unique opportunity to re-affirm their commitment to the Christian Life. The Parish of Blessed John Henry Newman is hosting a Mission from the 7th to 22nd July under the banner of “,One Family In Christ”,. It is being led by the Brentwood-based Sion Community, who conduct Parish Missions throughout the United Kingdom. “,A Mission is a special event in the life of any parish”, said Amanda Williams, one of the Mission leaders, “,and is a challenge to us all, both as individuals and as one family in Christ”,. The first week will be devoted to house visits by Mission Teams. The second will consist of a series of daily events, including music, drama, art, and social occasions –, all centred round prayer, worship and reflection. Eamonn McGee, Mission Co-ordinator, says : “,Everyone in the wider community will be very welcome to join us for any of these events”,. The Parish of Blessed John Henry Newman was formed on the 1st January 2011, bringing together the former parishes of St Theresa’,s in Crossgates, Corpus Christi in Osmondthorpe, and St Gregory’,s in Swarcliffe. Covering much of East Leeds, the combined parish consists of some two and a half thousand families, over 1800 young people in its 3 schools, three convents, one deacon, two priests, many active parish groups –, and Zeus, the parish dog. It was the first parish ever to be named after John Henry Newman following his beatification by Pope Benedict during his UK visit in 2010. Parish priest Monsignor Philip Holroyd said : “,This parish mission will be an opportunity for the communities of our three churches to have a powerful and inspiring experience, which will both deepen our faith and help us to show to others how fruitful and important is the Christian faith in our society. “, Further information from Eamonn McGee, Mission Co-ordinator : 0784 653 1401, eamonnmcgee@yahoo.co.uk C hildren as young as three at St Francis Catholic Primary School ran five kilometres on Friday 18th May to raise money for Cancer Research UK. Race in Your Place is a new way of getting more people on board for the Cancer Research Race For Life 5k run, which is usually an all female fundraiser for the charity. St Francis Catholic Primary School in Bradford got on board to hold it’,s own Race in Your Place with competitors ranging from three year olds to parents, families and staff. They all completed the 5k circuit around the grounds of the school, they were supported by Year 9 students from St Joseph’,s Catholic College and Sixth Formers from St Benedict’,s Sixth Form College. In all, the school hopes to raise £,2000 with the event. The school would like to thank all those who supported the event including Betty’,s and Hardy’,s of Harrogate, Tesco’,s in Bradford and the Yorkshire Building Society for their kind donations. Deputy Headteacher Anne Rowan said “,We organised this event and opened it up to our whole school community because sadly every two minutes someone in the UK is told they have cancer.”, St Francis, Bradford Race in Their Place! A fter a classy victory at Queensbury in horrendous conditions the mighty St Bede’,s marched on to face their nemesis Oakbank at Odsal stadium the home of the Bradford Bulls. The boys met with a great deal of excitement and couldn`t contain themselves when they got to the ground and saw the field and all the fans that had travelled to cheer them on. St Bede’,s started really brightly with a great kick off and Luke Briscoe dived over in the corner to score. Bede’,s continued this pressure and this told with another great passing move allowing Harry Varley to squeeze over and make it 8-0. Bede’,s kept up this relentless pressure and on the fifth tackle opted to kick for the corner which was picked up beautifully by Dominic Walker to score under the posts which Kieron Baker converted nicely. Again Bede’,s kept up the fantastic momentum they had built with Matthew Bell going past countless numbers of defenders to score a great individual try. The second half started very slowly for the Bede’,s boys and allowed Oakbank to score two try’,s very quickly and had Mr King thinking about what they needed to do to combat this team which looked rejuvenated after a half time pep talk from an ex Bede’,s boy. After a rousing chat under the posts the boys came out from the next kick off with a much better attitude applying the pressure in the same manner as they had in the first half and forced an error which gave the boys great field position. From this the Bede’,s boys drove forward using the forwards well pushing the Oakbank defense backwards and allowing Kieron Baker to dive over for his first score. This Bede’,s pressure continued throughout the second half with Baker, Milnes, Wainwright going over in a matter minutes to out the game way out of Oakbank’,s reach. Oakbank then went on to score two tries late in the game but this was only conciliation as Bede’,s were just too good on the night. Result: St Bede’,s 36 - 20 Oakbank Bede`s show class on the big stage to pulverise cup favorites!! SPIRITUAL AWAKENING IN EAST LEEDS

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Leeds Catholic Post Page 15 Classified Advertising MARRIAGE CARE Marriage isn’,t always easy —, Counselling can help For an appointment in confidence, with an understanding and experienced listener, please telephone: 0800 389 3801 A Relationship Counselling Service W. Lever Ltd BRADFORD 01274 547137 524 THORNTON ROAD, BRADFORD BD8 9NB FOR OVER 75 YEARS PROVIDING A COMPLETE PERSONAL &, CARING 24 HOUR FUNERAL SERVICE CHAPEL OF REST H UGHES F UNERAL S ERVICES (Catholic Funeral Directors) 180 YORK ROAD, LEEDS LS9 9NT. Tel 2480953/63 152 GREEN LANE, CROSSGATES. Tel 2326900 3 HOLLIN PARK PARADE, OAKWOOD ROUNDABOUT Tel 2499338 Web: wwww.hughesfuneralservices.co.uk Email: info@hughesfuneralservices.co.uk Family owned and managed. Fully Qualified in all aspects. 24 Hour Service Guaranteed Fixed Price Funeral Plans etc. “,At a time of bereavement we carry out our duties with dignity and respect”, In times of bereavement please contact: B. J. MELIA &, SONS (B. J. Melia Dip F.D.) F UNERAL D IRECTORS AND M ONUMENTAL M ASONS Private Chapel of Rest 64 GIBBET STREET, HALIFAX Telephone: 01422 354453 PRE-PAID FUNERAL SERVICE AVAILABLE DETAILS ON REQUEST Vocations –, News Websites Vocationcast: (http://vocationcast.org). This is a monthly on- line audio webcast and podcast which was the brainchild of two seminarians: Dan Fitzpatrick and Frankie Mulgrew at Oscott College, Birmingham. They are now assisted by a team of fellow seminarians, including Leeds man Marc Homsey, who is a student at theVenerable English College in Rome. They manage to secure some well-known interviewees and speakers: for example, the May podcast includes contributions from Fr Robert Barron, famous for his just-released and well-recieved10-part DVD “,Catholicism”, and Fr Federico Lombardi, Director of the Holy See Press Office. Each podcast lasts 30 minutes and also includes faith stories, prayer and reflection. The presenters are cheerful and professional. It is a signal example of a grassroots initiative which is becoming increasingly influential: the site receives 500 unique hits each month. Book review Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati: An Ordinary Christian, Maria Di Lorenzo, trans. Robert Ventresca (Pauline Books and Media, Boston, 2004), Pier Giorgio Frassati: Letters to His Friends and Family, trans. Fr Timothy E Deeter, ed. Fr Timothy Deeter and Christine M Wohar (St Paul’,s, New York, 2009) The book by Maria Di Lorenzo is the best that I know on this most attractive of beati, whom Pope Benedict commended to young people as a role model during his message for the World Youth Day in Rome a couple of months ago. Many people are now familiar with the outline of Pier Giorgio Frassati’,s life. The son of a wealthy family in Turin –, his father founded the influential “,La Stampa”, newspaper –, he died at the age of 24 in 1925. He was a very attractive character: a natural leader, a prankster, a dedicated if not an especially able student, one who had an intense spiritual life, based on daily Mass, Eucharistic devotion and the rosary, a committed political activist, a mountaineer, a frequent visitor to the destitute in the slums of Turin, a man who fell deeply in love but refrained from declaring his affection. This book provides a thematic narrative of his life. Hence one chapter considers his political activities - he was a passionate upholder of workers’, rights, in line with the emerging Catholic social teaching, and a brave opponent of the burgeoning Fascist Party. The book records one contemporary as saying: “,I often noticed how during even the most heated debates…,Pier Giorgio went out of his way to show respect and kindness towards his opponent, as if to show that he was fighting an idea, not the individual.”, Another chapter considers his Marian piety. When his family was staying in Pollone, eight kilometres from a famous mountain Marian shrine, he slept with a rope tied round one of his wrists which he then fed out of his bedroom window: early in the morning the gardener would pull the rope and wake him up so that he could ascend to the shrine and be back before breakfast. He used to say the rosary aloud each day, sometimes while walking on the street. One of his friends chanced upon him while he had his rosary beads in his hand. “,So you have become pious now?”, he remarked. “,No, I have simply remained a Christian,”, Pier Giorgio replied. For those who would like to go deeper, the collection of his Letters translated by Fr Deeter is a treasure trove. My favourite is one he wrote in October 1922 to his fellow members of the Soldiers of Mary. He said that they needed three things if their efforts were to be successful: “,continual prayer to obtain from God that grace without which our efforts are in vain, organisation and discipline so that we can be ready for action at the opportune moment and finally, sacrifice of our passions and of ourselves, because without that it is impossible to reach the goal.”, Photograph of the Month Faith Walk: A group of young people from Leeds and Middlesbrough Dioceses went on a mini- pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Grace, Osmotherley last month. They enjoyed a seven- mile walk in the North York Moors –, eating a picnic in a wood sheltering from unseasonal snow! –, and then had tea and cakes in the village. Fr William Massie, the vocations director of Middlesbrough Diocese, gave a talk on “,Saying ‘,yes”, with Mary”, and then the group processed to the shrine chapel saying the rosary. Fr Damian Humphries osb celebrated Mass, preaching on the need to “,remain in”, the Lord, and he then gave a fascinating talk on the history of the shrine. The next Faith Walk, which is open to young men and women aged 15-20, will be on Sunday 1st July: a visit to Egton Bridge for the famous Postgate Rally in honour of the Yorkshire priest martyr, Blessed Nicholas Postgate (see below for details). Reflection Mary is the first disciple. She is a model of what it means to live totally centred in God, and what it means to go with haste to our neighbour in need, what it means to ponder the mystery of life as it unfolds, what it means to stand firm in the midst of suffering in the conviction that for a follower of Jesus, it is death that leads to the fullness of life. Marie Schwan “,Come Home”, Ave Maria Press, 2010 Invocation 2012 Free transport is now available to Invocation 2012, the Discernment Festival for young people aged 16-30 which is being held on the weekend of 6th-8th July 2012. A coach will leave Hinsley Hall, Leeds, at 2pm on the Friday and return at approximately 4.30pm on the Sunday. The festival will provide an opportunity for young people to reflect a little more deeply on how God is calling them to serve in his Church, whether as a layperson, in consecrated life or as a priest. The weekend comprises inspirational talks, workshops, beautiful liturgies, a night-time Blessed Sacrament Procession, and recreational time in the bar. The cost is £,65 (the Vocations Office can provide grants for those who would not otherwise be able to go). Further details:www.invocation.org.uk. To book a place on the coach: celia.blackden@leedsvocations.org.uk . Looking forward To book a place on some the listed events please email Celia Blackden at the Vocations Office: celia.blackden@dioceseofleeds.org.uk Friday 15th June: Ordination to the Diaconate of Phillip Hall, Basilica of St Paul’,s-Outside-The-Walls, Rome. Sunday 1st July: Faith Walk to Egton Bridge near Whitby for the Postgate Rally. Depart Leeds Cathedral at 9am. Cost £,5. Vocations Pathways Facebook Group. Thursday 5th July: Men’,s Discernment Group. Mgr David Smith will speak on the Vatican II Decree on “,The Life and Ministry of the Priest.”, The evening begins with a Holy Hour at 6.30pm with the opportunity for confessions. The group is for men who wish to explore the possibility of the priesthood. Friday 6th-Sunday 8th July: Invocation 2012, a national discernment festival for young adults at Oscott College, Birmingham (see above). Monday 9th July: Vocations Walk for young people up the Pic de Jer (Part of the Lourdes Pilgrimage) Tuesday 10th July: Vocations Walk for Young People to Bartres (Part of the Lourdes Pilgrimage) Saturday 28th July, 12 noon: Ordination to the Priesthood of Rev Michael Doody, Leeds Cathedral Sunday 29th July, 2pm-5pm: A Day with Blessed Chiara Badano, Pope Benedict’,s Role model for Young People, Hinsley Hall. Vocations Pathways Facebook Group. Looking to advertise a company or an event –, why not advertise in the Leeds Catholic Post This space could be yours! We have good rates for adverts, reaching a local population of 15,000 Contact: Louise Ward, Catholic Post, Hinsley Hall, 62 Headingley Lane, Leeds LS6 2BX Tel: 0113 261 8028 louise.ward@ dioceseofleeds.org.uk Mgr Paul Grogan

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Page 16 Leeds Catholic Post SEARCHING THE HEAVENS Since that great Yorkshire explorer Captain James Cook sailed all the way to New Zealand in order to observe the “,transit of Venus”, across the face of the sun , and discovered Australia en route, I felt an obligation to his memory to get up and see if I could spot the recent crossing of the planet against the sun in the early morning of 6th June. Not only was it extremely cloudy at 5am that morning (there was a heavy mist over Leeds) but when I later saw the photographs taken elsewhere it appeared as a micro dot that was hardly spottable in the brightest light. That’,s the chance gone for another 104 years apparently. though when I remarked on this to a computer scientist friend he proposed that science could well keep me going to have a look next time round. In fact light pollution is not as bad even in our towns in Yorkshire as elsewhere and so the night sky can still be a sight to gaze in wonder at as there is an awful lot of universe out there not yet explored or understood. On 6th August the latest American robotic explorer, aptly names “,Curiosity”,, will arrive on Mars equipped with huge cameras and a miniaturised laboratory on wheels, all geared up to researching the big question of whether Mars was ever suitable to sustain life. “,Curiosity “, will effectively be a time machine exploring the rocks strewn around and tracing back through billions of years of environmental history, in particular telling us about the history of liquid water. Neutrons fired into the ground of Mars will detect any traces of water or ice or mineral-bounded water. Already some astro-biologists are looking even further afield to Jupiter and its giant icy moon Europa which is thought to hide a global saltwater ocean beneath its hard icy shell of a surface, which suggests that a hot core might be the source of hydrothermal vents similar to those to be found on earth. But while the search for life earlier on other planets that might be now extinct and to discover the possibilities of life existing elsewhere in the universe, science is at the same time addressing other “,life”, challenges here on earth in the biological, neurological and computing laboratories. In his latest work “,Connectome, How the brain’,s wiring makes us who we are”, Professor Sebastian Seung of MIT in America argues not only that a person’,s unique identity could be entirely defined by the connections between brain cells but that mapping the brain’,s connections will in the not too distant future enable computers to replicate a brain and its activity. Imagine being able to download our grandma’,s brain and access her memories? Will computers be able to bring cryonic “,frozen”, brains back to life ? Given that the average adult human brain is made up of 100 billion neurons and with the capacity for a million billion synaptic connections between them, it may yet be some time before computing power develops the capacity to deal with this volume of data but its coming on fast. Replicating the actual workings of the human brain still remains one of contemporary science’,s greatest challenges. But while some of the seven billion minds on earth work on these two great scientific questions perhaps others ought to be focussing much more on the basic ethical questions that should always accompany our scientific searches. Will our the results of our scientific researches add value to humanity or diminish our sense of personal dignity and the common good? Even the way research is undertaken cannot escape ethical questions. For example should all research be continued for its own sake regardless of its human (or indeed environmental impact) as work on genetic modification of plant and animal life illustrates? Even efforts to tackle diseases and viruses like flu can lead to the development of new transmutant organic forms which prove deadly to anyone exposed to it. Perhaps there is a responsibity not to reveal and to discontinue some bio inventions as harmful to mankind. The psalms encourage us to foster a sense of wonder at the heavens and the place of mortal man in the system of the universe with a view to recognising the genius of the Creator and respecting all other life forms but sometimes in the search for the origins of life and the efforts to extend and replicate it science and technology, as Pope Benedict warned in his Pentecost sermon can take us into the world of building a modern tower of Babel and believing we can replace God in the process, which in turn can prove to be a humanly lethal process. Meanwhile even if “,Curiosity”, proves to be a bit disappointing and as neuroscientists continue to struggle to understand the complex wiring of the brain, ( and in the face of some violent human actions to harm it) perhaps we should hold fast to those ancient psalm prayers which never lose sight of the infinite mystery that is God, keeping us human. John Battle KSG Diamond Lunch C elebrations to honour the Queen’,s Diamond Jubilee began early at St Augustine’,s Primary School in Leeds. Throughout the week Literacy, Numeracy and Art activities were planned around this Royal theme including calculating the cost of the party food, pencil portraits of Queen Elizabeth and composing party invitations from Her Majesty to her subjects in St. Augustine’,s! The children gained great knowledge of the Monarchy, both historically and currently. Children could be heard practising our National Anthem and the official children’,s celebratory song for this special occasion. The school was a sea of red, white and blue –, bunting, flags, table decorations and the children and staff came dressed in our national colours. The children, all the staff and some Governor representatives came together for a celebratory lunch. The meal began with prayers and enthusiastic singing of “,God Save the Queen.”, The sun shone and the whole school community had a thoroughly enjoyable day! St Ignatius Victory M onday 20th May saw representatives from nine of the Wakefield Catholic Partnership feeder schools come together for the partnership High Five netball tournament. There were twelve competing teams split between two pools with squads being a minimum of seven players both girls and boys. Competition was fierce throughout all of the matches with an exceptionally high level of skill being demonstrated by these nine to eleven year olds. Highest on points and placed through to the semi- finals were St Ignatius, Ossett, St John the Baptist, Normanton and St Benedict’,s, Garforth. St Joseph’,s Castleford narrowly secured their place on goal difference which was amazing for them as they have only had a team for three weeks and were not planning to enter. Two outstanding games followed finding St Ignatius and St Joseph’,s facing each other in the final. St Joseph’,s narrowly missed out on victory to St Ignatius who played a close game leaving the final score at 2:1. All of the children from all of our Catholic schools were tremendous team players and real ambassadors for their school. In addition, St Wilfrid’,s (who hosted the event) provided referees, medals for the winning teams and certificates. Mayor Of Goole’,s Public Speaking Competition B ailey and Holly from Year 5/6 class recently took part in the Mayor’,s Public Speaking Competition, along with other young speakers from primary schools across Goole. The event had prizes supplied by the Goole and District Lottery and theme for this year’,s competition was focus on the environment. We were very proud of both of their performances. They delivered their speeches with confidence. We are thrilled that Holly received a ‘,noteable performance’, and Bailey won the competition. Well done to both of them!

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Leeds Catholic Post Page 17 Here in Rome, as in other expat communities around the world, we’,ve been celebrating the Queen’,s Diamond Jubilee in style with tea parties, Union Jacks a-plenty and a Service of Thanksgiving held at All Saints’, Anglican Church on June 5th. Attended by a couple of cardinals, an abundance of ambassadors and an impressive array of clergy from the different Christian Churches, the service featured music from the 1953 Coronation ceremony, including Handel’,s majestic anthem ‘,Zadok the Priest’, and Vaughan Williams’, hauntingly beautiful ‘,Taste and See’,. The sermon was preached by the visiting Dean of Birmingham Cathedral, the Very Rev. Catherine Ogle, who trained in textiles and fashion design before becoming one of the first women to be ordained by the Church of England in the mid-1990s. Noting that Her Majesty has never been seen as particularly fashionable or in touch with the changing trends of British society, the Dean reflected on the deeper values of stability and selfless service which the Queen has sought to embody over the past 60 years. Similar sentiments were expressed in a letter sent by Pope Benedict to Buckingham Palace to mark the Jubilee, in which the Pontiff recalled the ‘,gracious welcome’, he received from the Queen at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh at the start of his four day visit to the UK in September 2010. Offering his ‘,warmest congratulations’,, the Pope said ‘,during the past sixty years, you have offered to your subjects and to the whole world an inspiring example of dedication to duty and a commitment to maintaining the principles of freedom, justice and democracy, in keeping with a noble vision of the role of a Christian monarch. Your personal commitment to cooperation and mutual respect between the followers of different religious traditions,’, the Pope continued, ‘,has contributed in no small measure to improving ecumenical and interreligious relations throughout your realms.’, At a reception after the service, on the British Council rooftop terrace beside the Spanish Steps, Britain’,s ambassador to the Holy See, Nigel Baker, also compared the concept of “,service”,, as embodied by both Elizabeth and Benedict XVI. One of the Pope’,s titles, he noted, is “,the Servant of the Servants of God”,, while the Queen, on her 21st birthday, even before ascending to the throne, declared to the peoples of the Empire her dedication ‘,to your service’,. Speaking of the two octogenarians, he said they are both in ‘,jobs for life’, with no retirement age –, Queen Elizabeth, he reminded us, has served alongside 12 Prime Ministers and 6 Archbishops of Canterbury, not to mention 6 Roman Pontiffs - and both continue to offer inspiring examples as servants of their communities. The ambassador pointed out that while the monarch no longer rules over an empire, she now serves as head of the Commonwealth, which comprises 54 independent countries. As Supreme Governor of The Church of England, he added, she still holds the title “,Defender of the Faith”,, but in her words and actions she has also developed a role as ‘,defender of all faiths’,, helping to make all nine of the major faith communities in Britain feel recognised and respected in a way that was unimaginable at the start of her long reign. Reminiscing on the way he has come to know the Queen ‘,quite well’, over recent years, the former Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’,Connor told me how ‘,she has come to know the Catholic Church much better’, over the past six decades. Full diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and the Holy See were re-established in 1982, the same year as the historic journey of Pope John Paul II to England, Wales and Scotland. The Queen herself has visited the Vatican three times since her coronation for a private meeting with Pope John XXIII in 1962 and two state visits in 1980 and 2000. But the Cardinal also recalls the time a young Princess Elizabeth came with Prince Philip to meet Pope Pius XII, back in the spring of 1951. He laughs as he describes how ‘,everyone in the Vatican was dressed up to the hilt as she came in looking very beautiful in her black dress’,. As a student at the Venerable English College, Cormac and his fellow seminarians were allowed to go into the Apostolic Palace to see her, but told that ‘,on no account could we clap or cheer or do anything like that…,. so she went in and met Pope Pius XII and then she came out and all of us clapped and cheered and she was rather chuffed!’, And the Cardinal tells me that when he met her years later, she confided that ‘,she was quite terrified as a young woman entering the Apostolic Palace for the first time…, Buckingham Palace is all very grand,’, the cardinal chuckles, ‘,but it doesn’,t compare with the Vatican, does it!’, Philippa M Hitchen Our Rome Correspondent A date for your Diary Leeds Catholic History Day Wheeler Hall, Leeds Cathedral Saturday, 20th October Further details in September edition of the Catholic Post CHURCHES TOGETHER IN BOOTHTOWN, HALIFAX S unday June 3rd saw the Church Communities of Boothtown, Southowram and Northowram coming together in St. Bernard’,s for “,Songs of Praise”, to be followed by an indoor “,street party”, in the Parish Hall. The Ceremony was one of thanks to God for the service of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II over the last 60 years. It was attended by The Mayor and Mayoress of Calderdale, Cllr John Hardy and Mrs Janet Hardy, together with the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire. Provost Joseph Taylor (St. Bernard’,s) welcomed everyone and explained the purpose pf the celebration. Rev Guy Jamieson, Vicar of St. Thomas’, Claremount assisted. Music was provided by St. Bernard’,s Organists and by Littlebrough Brass Band, who later provided a concert at the “,street party”,. A tremendous afternoon with plenty of food, laughter, and neighbourliness.

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Page 18 Leeds Catholic Post First Friday of the Month SINGLE CATHOLICS (appeals mostly to over 35s) meet for mass at 7.30pm at Our Lady of Lourdes church, 130 Cardigan Rd, Headingley, Leeds LS6 3BJ, and a social afterwards. Events held during the month include walks, meals, cinema, theatre etc. For further details tel Sean (Chair) 07811 468939. Leeds Cathedral 20-35 Group Young people (20-35 years old) who attend St. Anne`s Cathedral in Leeds meet regularly every Thursday for spiritual, social and charitable activities. For further details search Facebook for “,Leeds Cathedral 20-35 Group”,, phone 07816 891872 or 07759 591233 or email leedscathedral20-35@hotmail.co.uk Crusade Mass The crusade Mass and Rosary of Mary Immaculate is held at St Patrick`s Church, Bradford, on the first Saturday of the Month after 12.15pm Mass , Second Sunday of Month 2pm Meeting of Bradford Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order at St. Anthony`s Convent, Clayton, Bradford.` `Third Sunday of Month 2.30pm Meeting of Leeds Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order at the Cathedral. Ampleforth Renewal Community Ampleforth Abbey, meet 1st Sunday each month, at Ampleforth. 11 .30am Praise, Speaker, Sharing Groups, Reconciliation, Exposition, Finishing with Mass and Healing at 4.00pm. All enquiries: Seamus McEneaney 01429 426181 Monthly Vocations Mass Mount St Joseph’,s Chapel 11am First Wednesday of Month. Calix: An organisation for those recovering from addiction and working the 12 Step Programme of AA so that they can develop and deepen their relationship with Jesus as their Higher Power. Meets on the First Sunday of every month at Corpus Christi Church, Neville Rd. Osmondthorpe. Leeds. Mass at 4.30pm followed by meeting. Contact: Fr. Michael on 01977 510266 Helpers of Gods precious infants, prayer vigils, regular weekly prayer vigils at Marie Stopes Abortuary, 7 Barrack Road.LS7 4AB, next to Jaguar car showrooms. Fridays 12-30 to 1-30, and Saturdays 9am-l1am. Monthly all night vigil of reparation in St Marys Horsforth 12th of every month, 9-30pm to 6am . Other times variable. Further details Pat 0113 2582745 Rosary rally Sat Oct 9th 2010 12-30pm Leeds cenotaph, outside art gallery, Headrow. Contact 07747698553/ or 0113 2582745 Leeds Schola Gregoriana The Schola meets on the 2nd Saturday of each month (except August), at 2.00 p.m., for rehearsal, followed by sung Latin (Vigil) Mass in the Ordinary Form, fulfilling the Sunday Obligation. An opportunity to learn and sing Gregorian Chant on a regular basis. Contact Michael Murphy (Director) on 07810 808 530, or Peter Lawley (01423 884274), or Rev. G.M. Parfitt (01756 793794). Days Of Renewal St. Wilfid`s Deanery Day of Renewal led by Fr. Stephen Wright OSB. Second Saturday of the month beginning Sat. March 10th from 12 noon to 4pm. Venue St. Aelred`s Church hall, Woodlands Drive, Harrogate. Please bring a contribution for a shared table lunch. For more information ring Dolores Omand 01423870789 or visit the Diocesan web site www.ccrleeds.org Diary 20 –, 35 years group Email: leedscathedralgroup@gmail.com Facebook: Leeds Cathedral 20-35 Group Phone: 07810 291 154 Diary A few moments for thought and prayer In 1948, the Olympic Torch was relayed from Greece to Wembley for the Games. It was handed in Bari to the first Italian runner with these words: ‘,Go tell them that this is the torch of love triumphant over hatred, of peace triumphant over war, a flame of love and faith.’, From “,Release Peace”, a schools resource for the Olympics by London Catholic Dioceses. Be Still Deadline: For receipt of material for next edition: July 13th 2012 Parishes receive their copies: 29th July 2012 Send articles, reports &, pictures: Mr John Grady, Hinsley Hall, 62 Headingley Lane, Leeds LS6 2BX. Send text as word doc, pictures as jpeg, e-mail to: john.grady@dioceseofleeds.org.uk Tel: 0113 261 8022. Advertising Deadline July 23rd Please note paid-for advertising is dealt with by: Louise Ward Hinsley Hall, 62 Headingley Lane, Leeds LS6 2BX Telephone: 0113 261 8028 Email: louise.ward@dioceseofleeds.org.uk Your Cath Post Friday 22 June 10.30am Meeting with Diocesan Finance Board &, Trustee Directors, Hinsley Hall, 2pm VGs’, Meeting, Bishop’,s House Sunday 24 June 2pm Corpus Christi Procession, Mount St Joseph’,s, Leeds Tuesday 26 - Thursday 28 June Theology Symposium, Leeds Trinity University College, Horsfoth Friday 29 June 10am Governors’, Meeting, Leeds Trinity University College, Horsforth Tuesday 3 July 11am Celebration of Priesthood, Leeds Cathedral Wednesday 4 July 11am Mass, Little Sisters of the Poor, Headingley, CBCEW Standing Committee Meeting, London Thursday 5 July CBCEW Standing Committee Meeting, London Friday 6 - Thursday 12 July Leeds Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes Saturday 14 July St Bede Liturgy Lecture, Ealing Abbey, London Monday 16 July 11am Ushaw Trustees’, Meeting, Hinsley Hall Thursday 19 - Friday 20 July Governors’, Meeting, Leeds Trinity University College, Horsforth Thursday 26 July 11am Governors’, Meeting, Leeds Trinity University College, Horsforth Saturday 28 July 12 noon Ordination to the Priesthood of Rev Michael Doody, Leeds Cathedral Bishops Engagements –, May/June 2012 G overnors, staff and pupils at St. Joseph’,s, Goole, have been celebrating following a recent visit from Ofsted which rated the school as good. After a very successful year, which saw the school judged to be in the top fifty schools in the country for sustained improvement, the school community was delighted to find that the inspector, Ms Joan McKenna, also recognised the high quality of the school. She found that the extremely inclusive ethos meant that pupils felt very safe, secure and happy with a consistently positive feature being the effective promotion of pupils’, independence. The achievement of the children was rated as good. At the end of Key Stage 2, attainment is above average overall in reading, writing and mathematics. A Y6 pupil having passed a GCSE in maths at grade A in April demonstrating the school’,s determination to get the best for all its pupils. Praising the support and care staff give to the children the inspector noted that the behaviour and safety of the pupils is good. The children told the inspector that ‘,We are not just friends we are like one big family’,. Ms McKenna also noted that with the pupils’, personal development being promoted extensively through teaching and the curriculum, the acquisition of the skills and qualities that make them such model pupils also makes a significant contribution to their academic progress. Commenting upon adults’, warm and supportive relationships with pupils which secures their full cooperation in lessons the inspector found that across the school and in all key stages teaching was good. The inspector was particularly impressed by the way the pupils responded very well to the high demands made of them. She complimented the pupils on the calm and confident way in which they approached their SATS tests, which coincided with the inspection. The inspector paid tribute to the strong commitment to the pupils shown by the Headteacher, in the clear lead she provides, a commitment which is shared by other leaders and staff. This has led to the strong promotion of pupils’, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and the good capacity for the school to improve still further. Headteacher, Diane Marten, said: ‘,We are delighted with this report which has seen the school move from satisfactory to good. The school’,s motto is’, Working in Harmony’,. This has truly been brought to life through the fantastic teamwork of staff, governors and pupils which has achieved such brilliant results. We were pleased to see that all our parents believed that their children were well taught and making good progress.”, St. Joseph’,s Chair of Governors, Mrs Pat Ellis, expressed her pleasure with the improvement in the school and praised the dedication and hard work of the team which have brought it about. GOOLE IS GOOD! M embers of the British Legion visited Holy Family School, Keighley, to present a certificate recognising the school’,s success in selling poppies for Remembrance Day last year. The troop of veterans heard about the work done by Year 9 students looking at the history of the World Wars and were told the story of the recent trip by the students visit the war grave cemeteries. In their turn the veterans told their own stories of warfare and comradeship. They spoke of their specific involvement in the British military which included a variety of operations during the Second World War and more recently in Palestine, India and Northern Ireland. The visitors were united in urging the students to make friendships with one another and people from other countries as they emphasised that war was never a good thing nor the preferred solution to any dispute. Students took the opportunity to ask many questions of their visitors, eager to know if they had any regrets over joining the army and, if they could go back, would they join again. One admitted that he would not have joined up as there can be bad experiences gained which are hard to forget. The members of the British Legion concluded telling of the functions of the Legion and the fantastic job done looking after those soldiers who have returned from warzones badly injured. The contributions that our students made to the poppy appeal were much appreciated and had been put to good use British Legion present certificate to Holy Family School Promising Career Ahead A lyssia Carr, a student at St. Mary’,s Catholic High School, Menston recently competed in the Yorkshire Athletics Championships with great success. Fifteen year old Alyssia won both the 100m Hurdles and Long Jump events and came second in the 100m. These outstanding performances now mean that Alyssia is ranked ninth in the country at Hurdles and seventh in the Long Jump for her age category. This is a tremendous achievement in Alyssia’,s first year competing at Under 17 level and we wish her continued success for the rest of the season.

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Leeds Catholic Post Page 19 I t was with a sense of anticipation that the parish of St Cuthbert and First Martyrs of Rome, Bradford welcomed the Eucharistic Congress Bell on the weekend of the Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord. The Bell is currently on a 500 day pilgrimage, starting in Rome. It has travelled through Europe, visiting various places of Pilgrimage on the way. So far, the Bell has been rung by over a quarter of a million people, including our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI. It is now on the final stage of the Pilgrimage and is touring every parish in Ireland on it`s way to Dublin for the 50th International Eucharistic Congress which is taking place in June. The Bell took a short detour to England, specifically to the Diocese of Salford for a 5 day tour. However, the delegate assigned to accompany the Bell on Pilgrimage, a Mr Tommy Burns, has a family connection with the parish of St Cuthbert and First of Rome. Mr Burns approached Fr Eamonn Hegarty the Parish Priest, and asked if the parish would like to host the Bell for the weekend as he made his way from Ireland to Salford. The parish were delighted and honoured to accept the offer. Surrounding the Bell, as Mr Burns explained were four beautiful icons explaining the significance of the Mass, I The Gathering together as the People of God II The importance of the Word of God in our lives III The Eucharist, the profound place it has in our life of faith IV The Mission, and our role This final aspect, the Mission was highly appropriate on the weekend of the Ascension of the Lord, when Fr Eamonn reminded the parish of the call of Jesus to ",Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News.", As you can see from the photographs, the people of the parish took the opportunity to add their own prayers and rung the Bell in solidarity with thousands of other people of faith throughout Europe who have also done the same. After the visit of the Bell, it continued it`s Pilgrimage in the Diocese of Salford for 5 days and then back to Ireland for the final leg of the Pilgrimage which ends in Dublin with the beginning of the Eucharistic To advertise contact Louise Ward Leeds Diocesan Curia, Hinsley Hall, 62 Headingley Lane, Leeds LS6 2BX Telephone: 0113 261 8028 Eucharistic Congress Bell CATHOLIC POS THE NEWSPAPER FOR THE DIOCESE OF L Reception and Class 1 children at St Francis Catholic Primary School, Morley performed the Christmas play ‘,A Little Nativity’,. It was an outstanding performance and the children participated throughout with confidence and enthusiasm. High praise was given by all that attended. As a school we feel that it is very important that the children understand the true meaning of Christmas. The Lady Mayoress of Morley, Judith Elliott, commended the children, parents and staff for their hard work in producing an enjoyable play. Mary –, Francesca Lambert, Joseph –, Kieran Ryan, Donkey –, Jack Mallinson, Angels –, Charlotte Benson &, Keira Pearce, Kings - Fintan Armour, Antionetta Sibanda-Ilimezekhe &, Daniel Brown. A Little Nativity CATHOLIC POST THE NEWSPAPER FOR THE DIOCESE OF LEEDS NOVEMBER 2011 www.dioceseofleeds.org.uk www.catholicpost.org.uk JIMMY SAYS A LAST GOOD –, BYE I t was fitting that the Funeral Mass for Sir J immy Savile, OBE KCSG w as held in Leeds Cathedral. This w as the church he grew up in and the o ne w here he not only went to on a Sunday but also other days of the w eek as and w hen he could. ple who gathered fo r the celebration o f h is lif e and to pray fo r h is soul y s tr ands of h is lif e. So it was th at the Marines c arr ie d his body in, ds read th e Prayers o f t he Fa it hfu l, the L ittl e Sisters and he offer to ry , six peop le gave eu log ie s, some The Hom il y was del iv ered by Mgr Mass in the Immacu la te t man , an s FREE CATHOLIC POST THE NEWSPAPER FOR THE DIOCESE OF LEED CELEBRATING THE YEAR OF EDUCATION O ver the past twelve months t he e ducation department of the D iocese has been celebrating t he Year o f E ducatio n. So on Thursday, October 6th the Bishop c e le brated M ass f or all t he Headteachers f rom across t he Diocese to bring the Y ear to a f it t in g close . He chose t o c elebrate a votive Mass O f B le ssed John Henry Newman , for as the Bishop explained at the opening of t he Mass, Blessed John Henry Newman ‘, was a s tr ikin gly o riginal th eologian and a celebrated educational t heorist `. He c ont in ued in h is homi ly to e xp lain in m ore d epth, ‘, As many of you w ill k now, he (Cardinal N ewman) del iv ered a ser ie s of influen tia l le ctures which w ere gathered together in a book ent itle d ", The Idea of a University.", T wo o f the points wh ich h e made in this book are of particu la r re le vance to us tod ay. F ir st ly , he a rgued t hat rea lit y is a s ing le u ndiv id ed w ho le and that the dif fe rent disc ipli nes in an ed ucat io na l in st it ut ion need to be coord in ated in order to ref le ct th at f act . Secondly, theology needs to be taught in our s choo ls an d universi ti es because r e lig io us tr uth ",bears upon", all truth........ .. . .. . .. ... T he d iv erse sub je ct areas wh ic h ar e t augh t in our schoo ls have been deve lo ped in the w ay they have prec ise ly because they correspond to the C atho lic vi s io n of educat io n wh ich B le ssed John Henry Newman art ic ulated so beaut if ul ly .` The B is hop c onc lud ed h is homi ly by u s in g a q uote fr om the Leeds Mercury pr inte d at the T ime of The Card ina ls dea th ‘,F ew cu lt ivated E ng lis hmen w ill h ear w it hou t emo ti on the news o f Card ina l N ewman `s death. I n th e fash ion o f h is dea th , in deed, there is noth ing t o regret, he had outlived the storms of controversy, th e clouds of misunderstanding, and h e is ca ll ed away in the peacefu lne ss of an honoured old age. H is countrymen w i ll m ourn for h im w it h no b it terness, bu t in suc h w is e as is fit ti ng wh en th e venerated figure of a man of conspicuous genius a nd goodness p asses from the scene. ` The B is hop added ‘,How truly marve ll ous it wou ld be i f th e same cou ld a ls o be sa id of us no t only for what we p ersonal ly pursue in our Chr isti an vocat ion , but for allowing what lies at it s heart to s hape us. Newman `s greatness came no t from self p ursu it but from Christ h is Lord a nd h is T eacher.` At th e conc lu sion o f the Mass the Bishop thanked al l the H eads for the work they are doing and then jo in ed them for coffee. Why not subscribe and have the Catholic Post delivered to your home! Individual subscriptions, valid for one year (including postage and packing) cost: £,10, Europe: £,12 Complete the form below or email: louise.ward@dioceseofleeds.org.uk to register your interest Post cheque - payable to: Diocese of Leeds, Hinsley Hall, 62 Headingley Lane, LEEDS LS6 2BX –, Tel: 0113 2 61 8028 Name: …,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…, Address: …,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…, …,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,Postcode: …,…,…,…,…, Telephone: …,…,…,................................................... Email: …,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…,…, Subscription Form O n Wednesday, 9th May 2012, St Walburga’,s Catholic Primary School, Shipley took part in a nationwide competition to encourage children to try berries at breakfast. Pupils were given the chance to create and enjoy a delicious berry breakfast while learning about the nutritional benefits of berries. The children who regularly attend our Breakfast Club enjoyed a shared breakfast with members of staff. Mr Mark Buck, Store Manager and his colleague Annie O’,Donnell from Asda Shipley came along to support the event and very kindly donated cereals, muffins, fruit and milk for the children to enjoy and joined the children for breakfast and presented prizes to the children for their winning recipe idea and pictures. Pictures shows Mr Mark Buck (Store Manager) and Annie O’,Donnell from Asda, Shipley and the children from Breakfast Club. St Walburga’,s Catholic Primary School takes part in Berries for Breakfast Competition Football Success for St. Marys Catholic High School S t. Mary’,s Catholic High School Year 10 Football team, under the guidance of Team Manager Mr Wilkes, played Roundhay School in the final of the Leeds League Playoffs at the John Charles Centre for Sport. After a tense opening 10 minutes where Goalkeeper Tom Brady made two superb saves, St. Mary’,s took the lead through Aaron Roberts who added a second goal ten minutes later. St. Mary’,s showed passion and determination throughout the whole game and were a credit to the school. At full time, with the score still at 2-0, they were crowned Leeds League Champions 2012 with Simon Hall lifting the trophy in front of friends, family and staff who had attended. A brilliant end to an excellent season!

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Page 20 Celebrating 40 years F riday May 11 was the day chosen to celebrate 40 years of education at Holy Family and St Michael’,s school Pontefract. Mgr John Wilson was the celebrant and the Headteacher Mrs Weir writes: ‘,I`d like to say a heartfelt thank you to all our children, staff, governors and parents for making the celebration truly memorable. Staff and Governors, particularly Bernadette Ahsan and Helen Hall who spent days in school last week, know all the additional hours that the team gave to help make the 40th Ruby Anniversary a success. Special thanks go to Mrs. Washington, Parent Governor, who organized the ‘,Christ in Majesty’, image (original art work by Chris Turpin) for the Mass leaflet and mug design and orders. The image is inspired by the mosaic design on the Sanctuary at Holy Family Church. A copy of the print was presented to the school after Holy Family Church closed in 2008. So many of our visitors, Stefan Lord, our School Improvement Partner, Rachel Redfearn, our Adviser, parents, Governors and staff, past and present, were full of praise for the Mass, for how the school and displays were presented and for our achievement. It has been a journey and we have travelled together, in all our schools within the partnership, we commit to strive to achieve the best for all our children. I am glad we have had the opportunity to share our reflections, to acknowledge the contribution that everyone has made. It has been good to remember how Sue Broadhurst’,s comment, Everything we do is for the children’, to the Investors in People Assessor was recognised by Governors as being integral to the school ethos and they decided that the comment should be included on every policy before the ‘,Every Child Matters’, agenda was introduced. We have Mgr John Wilson to thank for his interactive homily with our children which cleverly contrasted life in 1972 with our lives today and for the message he gave, that Jesus never changes, He is the one constant in our lives. Mgr John, Head Mrs Weir, Fr Solomon, Mgr Bryan

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