2 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + July 2021 www.catholicvoic eo昀,ancaster.co.uk CONTACT US: The Catholic Voice of Lancaster is published on the last Sunday of the month previous to publication date. The Catholic Voice of Lancaster is published by its owners. The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lancaster, a registered charity, (No. 234331), and is wholly independent of and separate from any previous newspaper published by or on behalf of the diocese. EDITOR: Edwina Gillett 01253 736630 / 07969 967268 edwinagillett@hotmail.co.uk www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk ADVERTISING: Charlotte Rosbrooke / CathCom Ltd. 01440 730399 / 07932 248225 charlotter@cathcom.org www.cathcom.org DESIGN &, LAYOUT: Rob Hotchkiss / Hot Creative 01253 730343 rob@hot-creative.co.uk www.hot-creative.co.uk PUBLISHED BY: CathCom Ltd. N2 Blois Meadow Business Centre, Blois Road, Steeple Bumpstead, Haverhill, Su昀,olk CB9 7BN 020 7112 6710 www.cathcom.org Articles to: voicenews@hotmail.co.uk Letters to: voiceletters@hotmail.co.uk POSTAL ADDRESS: FAO Edwina Gillett 99 Commonside, Ansdell, Lytham St. Annes FY8 4DJ Please send articles for publication on CD or by email, supplying any photos separate to the text (i.e. in jpeg format). Otherwise please type double spacing or write very clearly. Last date for copy is the LAST DAY of the month prior to publication. Photographs will be returned if you remember to put your name and address on the back of each and enclose suitable stamped and self- addressed packaging. “, Follow your dreams. They know the way. ”, T hanks go to all the young people of the Impact and Action groups, their parents, voluntary youth workers and our support group, who have all worked hard on our projects via ZOOM meetings throughout 2020 and into 2021. A big thank you goes especially to Marc, the YCW/IMPACT National President, for allowing us to have access to ZOOM so that our meetings could go ahead. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, our projects have been ongoing and we have even been able to start a new youth group in the Fylde which has become our Action Youth Group. This group is made up of students from St Bede’,s Catholic High School, Lytham St Annes, who engage in a collective group meeting every two weeks via ZOOM. The Preston Impact and Action Youth Groups have been involved with the EmpowHER young women’,s programme, which is led by UK Youth and the British Red Cross. In order to aid their social action projects, the young people received funding after making the application and delivering a pitch to a panel of judges which they organised and put together themselves. Additionally, 昀,ve of the young women in our groups have been appointed as EmpowHER Ambassadors. We have started a new programme which we named ‘,Open House’,, a time for young people to join if they wish, we play games and have a chat to one another. The main aim of this programme is to support the young people’,s mental health and wellbeing, and so far this has been a success. To extend this further, we have now been fortunate enough to be granted the space to set up an ‘,Open House’, programme in Our Lady’,s Catholic High School Preston, where students are invited to come along at lunchtime. Father Mario is the Priest Chaplain in Our Lady’,s Catholic High School, and with his support and guidance we have been able to develop a global education link with St John of God, Catholic High School, Awka Nigeria. We have a group of students from Years 7 and 8 who are taking part in this project, which is also part of the CAFOD Global Youth Leadership Training Programme. In partnership with UCLAN, the youth groups are also involved on projects in Our Lady’,s Catholic High School to explore the voice of young people, and this project is called ‘,Time to Speak-Time to Change’, , as well as ‘,Here I Am’, which is a mental health and wellbeing project that focuses on young people’,s experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our young people are working with Deborah Crook, from the university, to develop these projects further. Terry Mattinson and Haille Brady. We got on with it! - Nothing is impossible! The youth groups are co-ordinated by our ‘,Youth Work Team’, which is made up of voluntary youth workers and some of our young people. This allows the young leaders to be equal partners regarding the planning and organisation of the youth groups. To further develop this, we are also in the process of setting up a Youth Forum to ensure that young people in our groups have a real voice, and that their voice is heard, so that they can aid in the process of decision making for the young people in our groups. Community action remains an important part of the work we do within our youth groups. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, our groups have continued to support local care homes in the Preston and Lytham St Anne’,s areas through making cards and sending posters to let them know we are thinking of them, we have made group donations to the Salvation Army and Foxton Centre to help those who are homeless, and we have also provided the A&,E Department Sta昀, at Royal Preston Hospital with a gift of sweet treats as a thank you for all of their hard work. On Saturday 5th June, we had a ZOOM meeting with inner city young people from Davis Middle School, Compton, California, and young people from the Impact and Action Youth Groups which will enable experiences to be shared between young people from the UK and the USA. Over the last 昀,ve months, we have had Angela working with us on her University placement from the University of Cumbria. Terry Mattinson has been her placement supervisor throughout this period of time which has all been completed over ZOOM. Angela has been an asset to our youth groups, supporting the young people continuously in their projects, and putting a lot of work into the delivery of the ‘,Open House’, sessions. We are very grateful for all of her hard work over the last few months! We have some exciting plans for the rest of 2021,that will progress into 2022, and we are looking forward to seeing what else the young people come up with! Terry Mattinson, Youth Worker and Haille Brady Youth Work Team Kobi Yamada

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk July 2021 + The Catholic Voic e of Lancaster + 3 F rom May 2021 –, July 2022, the worldwide Ignatian family commemorates the 500th anniversary of the transformation in the life of Ignatius of Loyola that resulted in his conversion and led to the foundation of the Jesuit order. The Jesuit General, Fr Arturo Sosa SJ has written a book released in many languages simultaneously on 11 May 2021 as part of the year-long celebrations. This will be a major international initiative for Jesuits across the globe. Walking with Ignatius is a celebration of 500 years of the Society of Jesus, as seen through the eyes of its 昀,rst Latin American Father General, Arturo Sosa SJ. Comprised of interviews with Father General conducted over a period of two months by journalist, Darí,o Menor, Sosa invites the reader to ‘,walk the path of Christian adventure in our changing world’,. Together, Menor and Sosa engage in a spiritual conversation that covers such topics as the life of Ignatius, the life story of Sosa, the challenge of the unsettling twenty-昀,rst century, and the future of the Church. With great care, Sosa comments on the circumstances of our contemporary world, contextualising it within the commitment of the Society of Jesus to four Universal Apostolic Preferences undertaken by Jesuits worldwide in 2019. These preferences shape and focus a mission of reconciliation and justice that resonates with many today in a world transformed by individualism and division. Included is a section-by-section guide –, complete with bible references, pointers for prayer, and tips for spiritual conversation –, that encourages the reader to embark on a spiritual journey of their own. Intended for those within and outside the Ignatian family, Walking with Ignatius is both an exemplar of spiritual conversation in action and a response to Pope Francis’,s call for Jesuits to bring the practice of discernment to the world. Walking with Ignatius by Arturo Sosa, SJ in conversation with Darí,o Menor is published in Ireland, Europe, the UK and Australia by Messenger Publications. Priced at £,18.95, for further information email: c.henry@messenger.ie 500th Anniversary of the Society of Jesus

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4 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + July 2021 www.catholicvoic eo昀,ancaster.co.uk

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk July 2021 + The Catholic Voic e of Lancaster + 5 T his Lent, many people the length and breadth of the Diocese donned their boots, trainers (or maybe even 昀,ip 昀,ops!) to join CAFOD’,s Walk for Water challenge. We were called to try and walk 10,000 steps every day, in solidarity with so many millions who don’,t have easy, safe access to clean water. Pope Francis, in his recent encyclical Fratelli Tutti, reminds us that we have responsibility for our brothers and sisters living in more vulnerable circumstances in other parts of the world. This Lent, when we ourselves may have been feeling vulnerable due to the coronavirus pandemic, we were called to remember our sisters and brothers in love. In Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis re昀,ects: “,Love does not care if a brother or sister in need comes from one place or another: for love shatters the chains that keep us isolated and separate in their place, it builds bridges.”, CAFOD shared the story of Abdella and his community in Afar, northern Ethiopia –, one of the hottest, driest places on earth. Abdella’,s daily task of collecting water can take up to 10 hours and means negotiating some steep and rocky terrain. The World Health Organisation states that one in three people around the world –, over 2.2 billion people –, don’,t have access to safe drinking water. But it’,s important to remember that since 2000, 1.8 billion people have gained access to water. The Walk for Water challenge aimed to highlight the di

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6 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + July 2021 www.catholicvoic eo昀,ancaster.co.uk A t St Joseph’,s Primary School, Wesham, we were delighted that Pope Francis declared this year The Year of St Joseph to mark the 150th anniversary of the declaration of this much-loved saint as patron of the Universal Church. It gave us the perfect excuse to lavish more attention on St Joseph, not just on our school feast day but throughout the year. During the week of the Feast of St Joseph, (19th March) , our wonderful pupils were invited to show characteristics of this Christian role model: hardworking, sel昀,ess, loving, kind. They were able to demonstrate these qualities in their classroom work and activities as well as in their relationships with one another. We celebrated outstanding examples of these e昀,ort in our Headteacher’,s Award assembly at the end of the week. COVID restrictions were not going to The Year of St Joseph at Wesham stop us from celebrating! We had a whole school virtual assembly in which we re昀,ected on this great Saint, we were allowed to come to school in our own clothes and enjoyed a sweet treat in our bubbles. As the Holy Family (with St Joseph) is at the heart of our faith, we have also re昀,ected on what makes our own families special. We held a competition in which all children were invited to say why their family is special to them and to share a photograph of themselves with their family. More recently, the Feast of St Joseph the Worker, (1st May) , was marked by our hardworking pupils doing jobs around the school and enjoying themselves in the process –, our outdoor environment was given a facelift in no time at all, proving the old adage ‘,Many hands make light work.’, “, St Joseph was just a man, a tireless worker, the upright guardian of those entrusted to his care. May he always guard, protect and enlighten families. ”, St Pope John Paul II

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk July 2021 + The Catholic Voic e of Lancaster + 7 St. Joseph, watch over me and care for me just as you cared for the child Jesus, and by your help, may I come to know your Son, and so grow in strength and wisdom and the favour of God. Amen. We would like to thank these schools for always supporting the paper. If your school would like to do the same please contact Charlotte on 07932 2 48225 or 01440 730399 or email charlotter@cathcom.org to book your advert HEADTEACHERS –, If you would like to support the Catholic Voice and promote your school to Catholic families in the area please contact Charlotte on 07932 2 48225 or 01440 730399 or email charlotter@cathcom.org to book your advert ST. MARY’,S CATHOLIC ACADEMY St. Walburga’,s Road, Blackpool, FY3 7EQ Headteacher: Mr Simon Eccles Tel: 01253 396286 Email: admin@stmary.blackpool.sch.uk

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8 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + July 2021 www.catholicvoic eo昀,ancaster.co.uk I n January 2021, Canon Robert Horn retired as Parish Priest of Our Lady &, St Edward’,s and St Mary’,s Newhouse and took up residence in the presbytery at Newhouse. At that time Bishop Paul Swarbrick appointed a new ministerial team. The new ministerial team Fr. Ernest Attah, assisted by Fr Mario-Benedict Uche, was appointed priest in charge of Our Lady &, St Edward’,s and St Mary’,s Newhouse, whilst continuing with their duties at St Mary’,s Fernyhalgh and Our Lady’,s Shrine at Ladyewell. Additionally, Bishop Paul invited Sr. Maria Dee Lacson and Sr. Shienrose, two Sisters of the Order of St Paul of Chartres from the Philippines, to set up a convent in the former presbytery of Our Lady &, St Edward’,s Church. The newly installed ministerial team decided to make the Year of St Joseph one of their priorities. Search for a statue of St Joseph A search began, including on social media, to locate a statue of St Joseph which would be suitable to be placed in the grounds of Our Lady &, St Edward’,s. In late March a statue of St Joseph was located and subsequently rescued from the building site of Spring昀,eld Manor Gardens, formerly Little Sisters of the Poor, Garstang Road, Fulwood, Preston. The statue The statue is more than 100 years old, stands 4’, 6”, tall and weighs more than 28 Stone. It was in serious need of renovation. Moving the statue Martin Flowers accepted the challenge to move this large and heavy statue to its new home approximately 1 mile away. Martin St Joseph Statue 昀,nds a new home in Preston devised a plan on how this could be achieved. It was a daunting task but together with his Dad, Peter, brother Stephen and friend Lee they moved it on Sunday 4 April to Our Lady &, St Edward’,s garage where the renovation work would commence. Renovation of the statue Geo昀, Beesley, a parishioner, with a lifetime experience of painting undertook the restoration work and within two weeks transformed the statue to its former glory. Sharon Hart, a skilled potter repaired St Joseph’,s hand and re constructed the Child Jesus’, foot. It was decided the statue of the St Joseph should be sited in line with the existing statue of Our Lady and be placed on a newly constructed plinth. The time capsule A time capsule was acquired, and Sr. Maria Dee and Sr. Shienrose invited parishioners and friends to submit items for inclusion in the capsule. There was an encouraging response, particularly from children and young people. The capsule was sealed on the 17 May. Building the plinth Damian McNeela, parishioner, and builder, advised that due to the weight and size of the statue the plinth should have a deep foundation. On the 24 May, Damian and his colleague Stephen began to build the plinth. They dug a very deep hole and before 昀,lling it with hard core and concrete, they buried the time capsule. Who knows when it will be dis covered and opened? Moving the statue into place On Sunday 30 May Martin Flowers and his team returned to move the Statue from the garage to the plinth. The physical

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk July 2021 + The Catholic Voic e of Lancaster + 9 task of moving the statue took just 25 minutes but the research and planning many more hours. The Fulwood Carmelites Sr. Josephine and Sr. Mary Agnes of the Fulwood Carmelite monastery donated plants from their gardens. On the 31 May Emma McGrath used some of these plants to create a small garden in the border around St Joseph’,s statue. The remainder will be placed in a newly constructed border around the renovated statue of Our Lady. Monthly devotion to St Joseph The new ministerial team have started a service of devotion to St Joseph on the 昀,rst Wednesday of each month. This service rotates between the 3 churches of Our Lady and St Edwards, St Mary’,s Newhouse and St Mary’,s Fernyhalgh. The service starts at 4.00pm and lasts about 30minutes. On Wednesday 2 June it was the turn of Our Lady and St Edward’,s. Fr Pawel Szatlewski from the parish of Blessed Sacrament and St Maria Goretti was the guest speaker. He told a moving story about the intercession of St Joseph in the Polish concentration camps. After the service at the invitation of Fr Ernest and Fr Mario, Fr Pawel blessed the statue of St Joseph. St Joseph our protector This is a year in which we can increase our knowledge and devotion to St Joseph. Our Statue of St Joseph is consistent with this objective. It is a permanent reminder of the relevance and importance of St Joseph in our lives and of the Year of St Joseph. Francis J McGrath, Preston

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10 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + July 2021 www.catholicvoic eo昀,ancaster.co.uk T he last 18 months have, for everyone, seen sadness, uncertainty, anxiety, worry and new ways of doing things, from ‘,quick ’, shopping trips to Lateral Flow Tests. Our lives have all been turned upside down, been given a good shake and then put back a little bit skewwhi昀, to say the least. However, there have been many, many positives that have ensued as a result of the ongoing pandemic, certainly at English Martyrs Primary School Preston. We began our Lockdown journey in March 2020 with apprehension, the unknown and a little bit of insecurity. Life was to some extent put on hold. With paper packs of work sent home (for ‘,the 2 weeks’, we were to be closed prior to Easter 2020, because surely, we would be back up and running as usual by the n) , we set up our Hall for our ‘,Child Care Facility’, or Child Care@EM. Despite the stories we heard and read about in the media, our school family of parents and carers were fantastic. They were supportive, empathetic, sympathetic and totally understanding (words I have found myself using to describe the fabulous famil ies, that I am proud to be Headteacher for, frequently and continuously since) . We started with a plan, not quite being able to move from formal teaching! However this soon went by the wayside when we decided that the children’,s mental and emotional health was far more important. Their happiness and sense of safety and security meant more than times tables and spellings at this point. After all, these were the children of our key workers and most vulnerable children in school, so, my favourite phrase of happy child happy parent was never more appropriate. English Martyrs Primary School Covid 19 Journey SELF STORAGE Secure Units Available Sizes To Suit All Needs Competitive Rates From as little as £,5 per week Open 7 Days Also Caravan/Car/Boat Storage Curly Tail Storage, Park Lane, Forton Tel: 01524 791837 www.curlytailstorage.co.uk Boarbank Hall Contact: Sr Marian Boarbank Hall, Grange over Sands, Cumbria, LA11 7NH Telephone: 015395 32288 Website: www.boarbankhall.org.uk Canonesses of St Augustine of the Mercy of Jesus “,She who accepts the common life possesses God”, St Augustine A Warm Welcome to Everyone Prayer , Community , Hospitality , Care of the poor and sick Church Pews Uncomfortable? Why not try top quality upholstered foam pew cushions? Safefoam, Green Lane, Riley Green, Hoghton, Preston PR5 0SN www.safefoam.co.uk Freephone 0800 015 44 33 Free Sample Pack of foam &, fabrics sent by first class mail When phoning please quote LV101 Hayton, Brampton, Cumbria CA8 9JB nicholashobbsfurniture@yahoo.co.uk www.nicholashobbs.co.uk 07947 030952 Established in 1992 Serving the North West, specialising in Liturgical Furnishing, hand built to specification and budget. Ashes caskets, Memorials and personal crosses also supplied

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk July 2021 + The Catholic Voic e of Lancaster + 11 The sun came out, the paddling pool and slide were bought, the fun was had. We cooked our own food as we could not justify a whole school kitchen and 3 sta昀, being open for 15-20 children. One of our Emotional Literacy Support Team members was amazing! Cooking for children and sta昀, on a 2 ringed Baby Belling where only 1 ring worked at a time, catering for all needs, children and sta昀,! We had BBQs, bu昀,ets, birthday celebrations, VE Day, visits from the LEP, Granada Reports, governors, local councillors and local shop keepers to deliver free fruit for our Rainbow Pod. Then we got involved in Fare Share through Preston City Council. Instead of having a ‘,Pay What You Can’, market as previously decided, we took in the food, bagged it up and made home deliveries, checking in on families, getting them help where they needed it, popping to the shops to buy gas, electricity, nappies, cat food, supermarket vouchers when the ones allocated didn’,t work, the list is endless, as they couldn’,t leave the house for various reasons. It was all a pleasure to be able to be there for them and their children even though we weren’,t in school together as one family, we were there together, socially distanced as one family. It was a true privilege and honour this May when the Mayor popped by and presented us with a Hero of Preston award in recognition of the work we did and continue to do with Fare Share and our community. Holidays came and went, we stayed open. Good Friday saw 1 child in school, we took him on a School Trip to the local chippy for a traditional Good Friday 昀,sh and chip lunch! We had weekly birthday singing by our Rainbow Pod, weekly dress up Fridays, Hero Day, tap dancing lessons from one of our sta昀,, craft sessions with sta昀,, weekly sports with Mr Luke, we made felt hearts for RPH Covid wards, welcome packs for our new Reception and Nursery starters, Leavers’, Packs for our Year 6 children, we tried to keep some of our school traditions alive and in place. It is fair to say we tried to make the most and 昀,nd t he positives in what could be described as a bad job! All sta昀, eve n updated their Professional Development, completing online courses for safeguarding, Children’,s Emotional Health and Well Being, Phonics, First Aid, Food Hygiene to name but a few. We kept in touch with families each week through phone calls, home visits, emails. The newsletter continued each week and updates shared. We were always, and continue to be, at the end of the phone or email. If we didn’,t know the answers, we were honest about it, but would 昀,nd someone who did! ‘,Mrs H’,s Daily Challenges’, began at the start to help keep in touch, the responses from families grew as time went on. As June approached a shift in priorities developed, we got the school Covid safe. Classrooms and rooms that had been closed o昀, were deep cleaned and re-opened. We pondered over the best way to mark the 2metre distance signs and 1 way signs in the grounds. Jo Jackson, Vikkie Thomas, Ang Hewitson and I realised our secret Banksy selves and used spray paint (legitimately!) , the welcome signs are still there to this day, a lasting reminder. When we 昀,nally opened at the end of June, we were all a bit apprehensive but in true style carried on. It was like the children in our Pods had never been away, it was fabulous! Then it was summer, a chance for some R&,R before the WILLIAM HOUGHTON FUNERAL DIRECTORS An Independent Catholic Family Firm Serving our community for over 100 years 259 Garstang Road, Fulwood, PR2 9XL Tel: 01772 788020 www.williamhoughtonfunerals.co.uk Our Lady of Fidelity The church needs religious sisters URGENTLY to bring Christ to others by a life of prayer and service lived in the community of Ignation spirituality. Daily Mass is the centre of community life. By wearing the religious habit we are witnesses of the consecrated way of life. If you are willing to risk a little love and would like to find out how, contact Sister Bernadette Mature vocations considered. CONVENT OF OUR LADY OF FIDELITY 1 Our Lady`s Close, Upper Norwood, London SE19 3FA Telephone 07760 297001 090699502

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12 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + July 2021 www.catholicvoic eo昀,ancaster.co.uk unknown of September. We came back as a whole sta昀, once more, no more rotas with minimum sta昀,, we were back as our sta昀, family once again and wow did it feel good! Children, families and sta昀, soon settled into the new normal of staggered starts, 昀,nishes, drop o昀, and collection points, staggered breaks and lunches and whole school Acts of Worship, live streamed across school via Teams from one classroom, recording then converting to iMovies for the website and social media! Thank goodness for competent Year 6 children with 昀,lming skills! We managed to last until mid September before Bubble closures, by the end of the autumn term every class except nursery had closed at least once. Once more sta昀, rose to the challenge of Blended Learning, turning hands on practical activities into online activities. We simply carried on as we had done since March, there was no other option. We had jobs to do! We managed to still celebrate Christmas in school, albeit totally di昀,erent! Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 all had their own parts in our Christmas Production of Lights, Camel, Action, with sta昀, 昀,lming, then putting it all together in an iMovie to send home. The end of term came and we were all ready for a bit of a rest! On the evening of 3rd January a 昀,urry of emails dropped from worried parents about the return to school. Decisions I’,d made, risk assessments written and plans drawn up all went out of the window. We were to close. Again. We met as a sta昀, team on the 4th, slightly shell shocked, a bit numb, uncertainty set in once more. However, the sta昀, at EM showed true resilience, determination, strength of character and positivity in what they managed to do in 12 hours. Transforming areas of school for Pods of Key Worker and Vulnerable children, transferring the ‘,real life’, plans written over the break into online plans. Learning new skills at the drop of a hat. I couldn’,t have been prouder. The 6th of January saw business as usual. Covid new normal business that is. Breakfast club from 830am, children in school working remotely in their Pods (this time round we had 40-50 children in daily) , children learning remotely at home, sta昀, pre-recording lessons and uploading all with bespoke activities and resources, created by our sta昀,, online for them all, (we are very proud to have continued our bespoke broad and balanced curriculum o昀,er throughout, regardless of where and how children have been learning) . Support sta昀, supported our children in The Pods, SLT and the ELSA Team making phone calls and home visits to check-in, Free School Meal vouchers ordered, printed and distributed, Fare Share parcels delivered, gas, electricity, phone top ups bought. Life went on at EM. Then the news we had waited for, the March reopening. We were relieved, apprehensive but happy we could come back as one. We created a warm welcome with whole school displays celebrating all the work the children had done remotely, we were together once more. We were complete, one family in Christ. We managed to celebrate Holy Week with live streamed liturgies, we held Stations of the Cross, a Penitential Service with Fr Paddy. We found ways to do it, to hurdle the barriers and to face the challenges head on, as a team. We managed a half term with no closures and with lots of fun as well! The children, the families, the Governors and the sta昀, have all been tremendous throughout. We have pulled together as a team, as a family. We have been there for one another, all of us, for the sad times wiping away tears and the happy times with deep belly laughs. They say that after every storm there is a rainbow, for me there have been many rainbows, rainbows of positivity. I couldn’,t have asked for a better group of people or ‘,family’, to have spent the last turbulent 18 months with. The support, advice, care, friendship, understanding and faith from our families, sta昀, and Governors has been second to none, you couldn’,t ask for more. Our Mission Statement, we are all unique, but together we are a masterpiece in Christ, has never been truer. English Martyrs’,, what a Phenomenal place to be! Annalisa Hayes, Headteacher We are all unique, but together we are a masterpiece in Christ

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk July 2021 + The Catholic Voic e of Lancaster + 13 whose hallowed tomb Henry VIII had destroyed, Paul wrote, ‘,I had a particular impulse to pray for the conversion of England, especially because I want the standard of the holy Faith to be erected so that there will be an increase of devotion and reverence, of homage and love, with frequent acts of adoration for the Blessed Sacrament.’, In a sense, therefore, Paul was mourning for the tragedy of the Reformation. He already knew that God wanted him to found a new religious order, because, as he had walked home from Mass one day in Castellazzo, he had had a sudden deeply spiritual experience: ‘,At that moment I saw myself clothed in a long black garment with a white cross on my breast and below the cross the holy name of Jesus was written in white letters. …, Shortly afterwards I saw in spirit the tunic presented to me with the holy name of Jesus and the cross all in white, but the tunic was black. …,. After these visions of the tunic and the sign, God gave me a stronger compelling desire to gather companions and with the approval of holy Mother Church to found a Congregation.’, In his Preface to the Rule, Paul indicated that the religious dress of the Congregation was to be indicative of its devotion to the Passion, for he wrote: ‘,Dearly beloved, you must know that the main object in wearing black (according to the inspiration that God gave me) is to be clothed in mourning for the Passion and Death of Jesus. For this purpose let us never forget to have always with us a constant and sorrowful remembrance of Him.’, By 1741, when Paul received papal approbation of his Rule, he had realised that the distinctive Passionist vocation within the Church was to preserve the Memory of the Passion. The Sign that he then gave to his followers bore the white Cross with the inscription within a white heart: JESU XPI PASSIO (THE PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST) in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, above three nails. Paul’,s commitment to England and its neighbouring kingdoms was such an essential of his life and his Passionist spirituality that, after a lifetime of close union with God in prayer, he claimed that for 昀,fty years he had never been able to pray without praying for England. His life’,s work culminated in his mystical vision, shortly before he died in 1775, of his children in England. As the future Father Ignatius Spencer CP expressed it in 1840, the Passionists from the W hile we happily celebrate that Mother Mary Joseph of Jesus (Elizabeth Prout) CP, Foundress of the Sisters of the Cross and Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and her friend and spiritual director, Father Ignatius Spencer CP now carry the title ‘,Venerable’, and we recall that there had been a close spiritual relationship between them and that other great Passionist, Blessed Dominic Barberi, we must not forget that St Paul of the Cross, Founder of the Passionist Congregation, had an extraordinary love for “,England and its neighbouring kingdoms”, . Paul Francis Danei was born in 1694, the year that the usurper King William of Orange founded the Bank of England and thus consolidated English opposition to the return of a Catholic Stuart king as illustrated in the failures of the Jacobite Risings of 1715 and 1745. Paul died in 1775, when England was embroiled in the War of American Independence. During his lifetime, therefore, there was no possibility of a Passionist foundation in England. Nevertheless Paul had created a Passionist movement for the Conversion of England, by which he meant, not a territorial conquest, but the restoration of the Catholic Faith in the Sacraments of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist even at the cost of martyrdom, a price that, since the reign of Henry VIII, so many Catholics had already paid in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. As Paul made his foundational Retreat in 1720 he wrote in his diary for 26 December, the feast of St Stephen, martyr, ‘, I experienced a special uplifting of soul especially at Holy Communion. I wanted to go to die a martyr’,s death in a place there the adorable mystery of the Blessed Sacrament is denied. …,I desired the conversion of heretics, especially of England with the neighbouring kingdoms’, …, and on 29 December, the feast of the English martyr, St Thomas of Canterbury, The Spirituality of St Paul of the Cross, Founder of the Passionist Congregation A painting of St Paul of the Cross in his cell in his monastery at Monte Argentario, near Orbetello, Italy. commencement of their existence as a body have been sighing to shed their blood for England, and as Blessed Dominic Barberi, the 昀,rst Passionist to set foot in England, wrote to the Passionist Superior General in 1844, England is our portion, our vineyard, more than any other place in the world. That thought was always dear beyond words and deep- rooted in the mind of our Holy Founder. This was the heritage that Blessed Dominic Barberi, Venerable Ignatius Spencer and countless other Passionists have preached in their Missions and Retreats throughout the Diocese of Lancaster and the British Isles. May they pray for England and its neighbouring kingdoms now. Sister Dominic Savio CP, Lytham ... he had never been able to pray without praying for England. Blessed Sacrament Procession in Preston T he Catholics of Preston held their annual Blessed Sacrament Procession to honour the Feast of Corpus Christi on the afternoon of Sunday 6th June, 2021, at which, Canon Cristofoli was the celebrant accompanied by Canon Post. Owing to the continued Covid 19 restrictions the procession took place within St. Walburge’,s Church using four Station Altars. The Church was especially decorated for the occasion. An order of service had been emailed to all the Parishes and the Procession was also live streamed. The Blessed Sacrament was duly honoured and prayers said with the hope of many blessings. Grateful thanks to Canon Cristofoli for his help and support. Ian Mulholland

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14 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + July 2021 www.catholicvoic eo昀,ancaster.co.uk The Indwelling Trinity St Elizabeth of the Trinity’,s great gift to the Church is her profound awareness of the Trinity dwelling within her soul: ‘,It is there, right in the depths, in the Heaven of my soul, that I love to 昀,nd Him since He never leaves me. ‘,God in me, I in Him’,, oh! That is my life!’, (L62). St Elizabeth loved this teaching of Jesus from the Gospel of St John: ‘,Those who love me will…, win my Father’,s love and we will come and make our home in them’, (Jn 14.23). ‘,To every soul in the state of grace may be repeated in all truth the words which made such an impression of St Elizabeth of the Trinity, ‘,The Father is in you, the Son is in you, the Holy Spirit is in you’, (Fr Gabriel of St Mary Magdalene, Divine Intimacy). ‘,He is always there, although you don’,t feel it, He is waiting for you and wants to establish a ‘,wonderful communion’, with you’, (L249). ‘,Love…,. Dwells within us, and my only exercise is to enter within once again, to lose myself in Those who are there!’, (L 179). ‘,In that little inner sanctuary [of my soul], …, I 昀,nd Him at every hour of the day and night. I’,m never alone: my Christ is always there praying in me, and I pray with Him’, (L123). The Virgin Mary –, Our model Elizabeth allowed Our Lady to be the model and guide of her interior life. She writes: ‘,In what peace, in what recollection Mary lent herself to everything she did! How even the most trivial things were divinized by her! For through it all the Virgin remained the adorer of the gift of God! This did not prevent her from spending herself outwardly when it was a matter of charity’, (HF 40) Elizabeth’,s Way of Prayer Once, while still a teenager, Elizabeth was asked by a family friend what she said to God during the long hours of prayer. ‘,Oh St Elizabeth of the Trinity Madame, we love each other’,. Elizabeth’,s beautiful ‘,Prayer to the Trinity’, invites us into her experience of prayer, one that encompasses gazing, listening, being loved, companionship: an experience of the Three Divine persons dwelling within her soul: ‘,O my God, Trinity whom I adore, help me to become entirely forgetful of self, that I may establish myself in You…, May nothing disturb my peace nor draw me from You, O my immutable Lord! But may I penetrate more deeply every moment into the depths of Your mystery. Give peace to my soul, make it Your heaven, Your cherished dwelling place, Your home of rest. Let me never leave You alone, but keep me ever there, all absorbed in You, in living faith, adoring You and wholly yielded up to Your creative action. O Eternal Word…, I want to spend my life in listening to You…, that I may learn all from You. Then, through all nights, all voids, all helplessness, I want to gaze on You always and remain in Your great light. O my beloved Star, so fascinate me that I may not withdraw from Your radiance. Give peace to my soul, make it Your heaven, Your beloved dwelling and Your resting place. May I never leave You there alone’,. Friendship with Jesus A recurring theme that we 昀,nd in St Elizabeth is that of prayer as conversation with a friend who loves us: ‘,I pour out my heart [to Him], I catch myself saying all sorts of foolish things …, but He likes me to be uninhibited and to speak to Him heart to heart’, (D 135). ‘,We come quite simply to the One we love, stay close to Him like a little child in the arms of its mother, and we let our heart go’, (L 123). ‘,[Find God] right in the depths, in the Heaven of [the] soul’, (L62). ‘,You must build a little cell within your soul as I do. Remember that God is there and enter it from time to time’, (L123). ‘,He wants to be the Friend you can always 昀,nd. He is standing at the door of your on prayer G G i v e p e a c e G i v e p e a c e G i v e p e a c e G i v e p e a c e G i v e p e a c e G i v e p e a c e G i v e p e a c e G i v e p e a c e G i v e p e a c e

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk July 2021 + The Catholic Voic e of Lancaster + 15 heart…,. He is waiting…, Open to Him’, (L 174). ‘,If you’,d prefer to think that God is close to you rather than within you, follow your attraction, as long as you live with Him’, (L273). Distractions and dryness Let us not think Elizabeth was a stranger to distractions in prayer: ‘,How hard and di

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16 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + July 2021 www.catholicvoic eo昀,ancaster.co.uk Pilgrimage travel operator goes into receivership - Diocese of Lancaster Lourdes Pilgrimage S ome of you may have learned recently of the announcement that our pilgrimage travel operator, Joe Walsh Pilgrim Tours Ltd, has ceased trading and has unfortunately now gone into receivership. The situation is sadly beyond our control as a pilgrimage group and indeed is now entirely out of the hands of the tour operator. Many businesses have of course faced unprecedented challenges over the past 18 months, thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have su昀,ered. This must be a very sad time for David Walsh and all the sta昀, of Joe Walsh Tours, a business that has traded for over 60 years. The claims for UK pilgrimages have now commenced and pilgrims who have paid monies should by now have received a letter with an explanation of the process. If you have not received a letter through the post then please look on the Lancaster Lourdes website for a copy of all information: lancasterlourdes.co.uk •, If you paid any amount by credit or debit card, you will need to seek a refund from your card issuer. •, If your booking was paid by any other method, then you can submit a claim via the e-claims portal at protectclaims.com/joewalshtours Please note there is no telephone claims service –, you must submit your claim form online and all communication will be by email. If you would prefer to complete a claim form and send it in by post, then you can download one from the Lancaster Lourdes pilgrimage website. You will need a copy of your booking invoice and proof of payment or an acceptable photo of both to complete your claim. Additionally a portal is open for online claims. There will be a 9 month period in which UK pilgrims can claim. In due course, the pilgrimage planning committee will consider future options for travel arrangements for the next pilgrimage, which we hope will be 2022. With my best wishes and prayers, Linda Wisdom (Director of Operations COMMERCIAL &, DOMESTIC PLUMBING, HEATING &, GAS WORK, GLAZING, GUTTERING, DRAINAGE &, JETTING SERVICES. enquiries@wmwilding.co.uk Moorbrook House, 84 Moorbrook Street, Preston PR1 7EX Tel/Fax: (01772) 253127 •, Established Over 60 Years •, Church Supplies –, serving Schools, Business and Homes School building work and refurbishment/ conversion, building and joinery work, extensions, alterations &, repairs, loft conversions, replacement doors and windows Builders Yard, 66 Marsden Street, Kirkham, Preston PR4 2TH Tel: (01772) 684489 Fax: (01772) 671486 email: admin@jeharrison.co.uk www.jeharrisonbuilders.co.uk Our advertisers are great supporters of the Lancaster Voice, so please help them by supporting their businesses

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