2 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + September 2021 www.catholi cvoiceo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. R everend Fathers, Sisters and Brothers, my dear people, we are to witness and actually participate in something profoundly moving, the ordination of a Priest. Faithful to the tradition of the Church, established by Our Lord Jesus Christ, Stuart will be ordained into the Presbyterate of this Diocese. Shortly, we will hear more about what this entails. Stuart, before I begin my homily, I wish to greet your parents, Ian and Cathy, your brother Philip and the extended family. It is a proud day for you, perhaps emotional, and a little puzzling. Christ has called your son, you have helped him hear that call, and helped him answer. I am grateful for all who have had any part in helping Stuart discern his vocation, both within the Diocese and beyond our borders. I express my thanks to Father Paul Keane (acting rector) and the sta昀, at St.Mary’,s College, Oscott. Your years of careful work are bearing fruit. I bring to mind Father Giles, a key member of the sta昀,, so recently gone to the Lord so soon after having been appointed rector. His death has been perhaps his greatest act of faithful service as one who has formed Stuart and so many others. Our prayers are also with Fr. Michael Doleman recently appointed rector, who takes up his work in the autumn. I am delighted that so many of the clergy of this Diocese have travelled. For you, this is a day to re昀,ect on your own call to the Priesthood. Let this day refresh and encourage you. It is wonderful to see the Cathedral so full again. I thank Father Pearson and all who care for this beautiful Cathedral, particularly all who have had a role in today’,s Liturgy. And to all gathered here, whoever you are and wherever you are from, welcome. We must not forget those who were unable to travel but who are very much with us in prayer and in joy today. We are aware of the Saints, big and little, o

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk September 2021 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + 3 A request from the Editor –, Due to some technical problems experienced in early July I h ave lost all my contact details from my database. I have managed to recover som e of the detail but It would be help- ful, particularly if you are involved in the delivery process o f the Catholic Voice, if you could drop me a test email so that that I can re populate my lists –, thank you (edwinagillett@hotmail.co.uk) of another smell, which can be expressed less crudely. It is th e odour of Sanctity, the Sacred. The setting ‘,He asked Simon to put out a little from the shore. And He sat down, and taught the people from the boat.’, Images are often more enduring than words. In this simple picture we are given a thought-provoking lesson. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Word made 昀,esh, appears to distance Himself from the people. In fact, His astute action enables Him to be better seen and heard , without abandoning the people or His mission. •, He appears to leave us, but He is better able to teach us. A lesson for how we are called to live our priesthood in the world. Some may sense ordination as a separation from the rest, but it is rather a way given by Christ for us to do His work more e昀,ectively. The boat becomes His seat of learning. The sea conveys more clearly the sound of His voice. Much in this world is exquisitely beautiful. That should not surprise us when we give thought to its Creator. Art, music, poetry, the inspiration of nature, friendships, all these deser ve our admiration and thanksgiving. But they do not become an end in themselves. ‘,The beauty of this world hath made me sad, this beauty that will pass.’, It is the work of the priest to constantly remind people of the Author of creation, its Divine origin, and so, its sacredness. The priest is the man who has not lost sigh t of this. The task before us, the task given to us Above all, it is the work of the lay Faithful to take the Faith into the world. It is their Mission, given in Baptism, accepted in Con昀,rmation by which they are empowered with the Gift of the Holy Spirit. It can be a daunting vocation. It requires both competence and con昀,dence. Once these two aspects are present, it is a task that will be an experience of Joy even in the face of apparently formidable opposition. The work especially of the Diocesan Priest is to nourish, equip, motivate and discipline the Faithful for their mission. He does this through the leadership he exercises in the celebration of the Sacraments –, above all through his o昀,ering of the Eucharist together with hi s parishioners. •, The forces of evil are determined to undermine the work of Christ and the Church. Battle is engaged! Goliath, the giant, threw down the challenge, ‘,Give me a man that we may 昀,ght together.’, Ironically, it was a pagan, a man of war, Pilate, who recognised Jesus’, calibre and declared, ‘,Behold, the man.’, But it needed the Apostle Thomas, the man of Faith, to look at that same 昀,gure and say of Him, ‘,My Lord, and my God!’, As a Diocesan Priest, you will spend much of your time amongst people who are mostly nominally counted as disciples. As you get to know your parishioners do not overlook how di

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4 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + September 2021 www.catholi cvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk D eus io vult, which translates into English as “,God wills it”, was the Vulgar Latin motto of the Crusades and is still used as the motto of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem (EOHSJ) . The EOHSJ is a legal entity in Canon Law as a Religious (but not Ponti昀,cal) Order of Chivalry under the protection of the Holy See with the Pope as its sovereign. It is one of only two such recognised by the Holy See, the other is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. History The Order dates its origin to the capture of Jerusalem in 1099 at the culmination of the First Crusade launched by Pope Urban II to prevent the destruction of Christianity in the land of Christ’,s birth by Fatimid (Shia) Caliphate Turks and the desecration of the church of Jesus’, empty tomb on the site of His death and resurrection. The Church had been split by the Great Schism of 1054 into Latin, based on Rome and the West, and Greek based on Constantinople and the East. The Patriarch of Jerusalem, a Greek named Simeon, had been forced into exile by the Turks and the victorious crusaders led by Godfrey of Bouillon appointed Daibert, one of their own and a Latin, as the new Patriarch for both Greek and Latin Rites with the right to appoint Knights of the Holy Sepulchre. These had the role of defending the newly established Canons of the Holy Sepulchre who were forbidden by Canon Law to take up arms. The knights came under the direct service of the crown when Godfrey died in 1100 and was succeeded by his brother Baldwin who took the title of King of Jerusalem, which Godfrey had declined. In later texts Godfrey of Bouillon was listed with Charlemagne and his son Louis the Pious of France among those who took the cross and founded the Military Order of Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, the latter two posthumously! God Wills It Godfrey’,s sword is still on display in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. After the crusaders were 昀,nally expelled from the Holy Land in 1291 there was no longer any Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem but a small number of Franciscan Friars Minor who had remained in Cyprus returned in 1336. Their superior, the “,Custos”, , assumed the right to appoint new knights from among suitable men who had undertaken the extremely hazardous trials of a pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulchre. In this way, over the centuries 1,835 knights were invested into what was considered the most perfect form of knighthood. Development of the Order In 1847, the 昀,rst year of his papacy, Pius IX restored the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem (LPJ) . The new Patriarch was given the right to invest new knights. Today the LPJ (lpj.org) is e昀,ectively the Diocese of the Palestinian Territories of the West Bank and Gaza, Israel, Jordan and Cyprus. In 1868 Pius IX reconstituted the EOHSJ to support the Church in the Holy Land by Prayer, Presence on Pilgrimage and by Financial Contributions. In 1888 Pope Leo XIII approved the admission of women as Dames of the Holy Sepulchre, it wasn’,t until 1918 that a highly limited number of women were given the vote in UK. Today there are, worldwide, 30,000 Knights, Dames and Clerics from 40 countries in 60 Lieutenancies. They are headed by the Cardinal Grand Master who is appointed by the Pope, Cardinal Fernando Filoni succeeded Cardinal Edwin O’,Brien in 2019. The Lieutenancy of England and Wales (khs.org.uk) was established in 1954. As at 1 January 2020 there were 599 members in 8 Sections. The Northern Section, comprising the Dioceses of Lancaster, Liverpool, Salford and Shrewsbury was established in 1976 and has 102 members: 65 Knights, 26 Dames, and 11 Ecclesiastics The Holy Land today Christians were a majority in the Holy Land from the 5th century to the 11th despite the 7th century Islamic conquest,. After this their numbers gradually declined to become about 10% of the population by 1948. Today they constitute at most 2% of the population west of the Jordan and about 4% in Jordan where numbers are a昀,ected by the in昀,ux of refugees from Iraq and Syria. These local Christians are largely Arabs and are still divided between Greek and Latin traditions. Half are Orthodox and the rest Catholics of either the Roman or various Eastern Rites. The Reformation did not happen within the Ottoman Empire so the Protestant presence is small. As of December 2019, Israel’,s population stood at 9,136,000 of whom 2% (177,000) are Christian. In a 2017 census, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said the Palestinian population of the West Bank and Gaza was 4,780,978 of whom 1.0–,2.5% were Christian. (Note: approximately 391,000 Israeli settlers lived in the West Bank {2016}, approximately 201,000 Israeli settlers lived in East Jerusalem {2014}. Of the Old City’,s 40,000 residents, 6,000 are Christian, with 3,000 of those Catholics, a number three times lower than it was 70 years ago.) In 2019 the population of Jordan was estimated (due to the increased 昀,ow of refugees) at 10,458,413 of whom 4% (416,000) were Christian including 222,000 Catholics. In 2018 the population of Cyprus was estimated at 1,189,265 with 78% Christian and around 1% Catholic. The EOHSJ’,s role today The buildings of the Holy Places are no longer threatened as they were in the 11th century but are now a tourist attraction and even in danger of becoming lifeless museums. Meanwhile, the ages-old Christian Community, the “,Living Stones”, , are very much in danger of extinction. The Order has the responsibility of ensuring that this does not happen. Through its frequent pilgrimages solidarity is demonstrated with the “,Living Stones”, . Through its 昀,nancial contributions support goes to: poor families, 41 primary and secondary schools which are open to all regardless of religion, Bethlehem University run by the De La Salle brothers with 3259 students, the Seminary in the Beit Jala district of Bethlehem with 30 minor and 20 major Palestinian and Jordanian seminarians, health care institutions, and today refugees. Membership of the Order is by invitation only, it is o昀,ered to Roman Catholic men and women, lay or clerical, aged over 25, whose record of service to the Church and community indicates that they can be expected to make a signi昀,cant contribution to the Order’,s work. As such it should be seen not as an honour but rather as a privileged opportunity for service. Usually, though not always, a candidate is put forward by an existing Member of the Order. Nowadays new members are invested in their own Lieutenancy but undertake to make, as soon as practically possible, the pilgrimage to Jerusalem where they receive their Pilgrim Shell from the Patriarch. Any membership enquiry in regard to the Order can be directed to the national membership o

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk September 2021 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + 5 “,Well done good and faithful servant”, Deacon Jim Wood retires from active ministry in Lancaster T he parish of St Peter’,s Cathedral and St Thomas More’,s church Lancaster celebrated the ministry of their parish deacon Rev Jim Wood as he achieved the age of 75 on Thursday 22nd July. Many parishioners paid personal tribute to Deacon Jim over the previous weekend Masses, but on the birthday itself gave Jim a small reception after the 12.15 Mass to mark his signi昀,cant birthday. Together with Fr John Paul Evans who leaves the parish in early September, a Mass of thanksgiving is to be planned for mid-September when the work and presence of both individuals will be celebrated and honoured. Deacon Jim retired early from his work at Lancaster University in 1999 and wanted to enter into service of the local community. His love of the church helped to discerned his vocation to the Diaconate, and he was ordained in 2003. But Jim also felt called to serve the locality within University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust. Indeed, more recently Jim’,s face became well known around the hospital and within the trust because of his appearance, along with other members of sta昀,, on a campaign poster promoting clean hands! Jim’,s diaconate also saw a spell assisting Fr Hugh Pollock at the Catholic Chaplaincy within Lancaster University, but through all this Jim remained a valued part of the clergy team at St Peter’,s Cathedral where he had been an active parishioner for many years. Our parish thank Jim for his years of dedicated service to God and to the people of Lancaster and wish him well in his “,second retirement”,. Fr Stephen Pearson, Cathedral Dean Photo: (L to R) Joan Fox, Fr Stephen Pearson, Deacon Jim Wood, Fr John Paul Evans, Joanna Booth. Photo courtesy of Damian Howard (Cathedral Director of Music) To advertise please contact Charlotte on 07932 248225 or email charlotter@cathcom.org Independent Catholic Funeral Director Arranging and conducting funerals in the Catholic Diocese of Lancaster since 1986 Lytham Funeral Service Ltd. 42 Clifton Street, Lytham FY8 5EW Tel. (01253) 733909 www.lythamfuneralservice.co.uk David Pope dip FD MBIFD

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6 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + September 2021 www.catholi cvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk 405. What is the foundation of the authority of society? Every human community needs a legitimate authority that preserves order and contributes to the realisation of the common good. The foundation of such authority lies in human nature because it corresponds to the order established by God. Further reading 1897 -1902, 1918-1920 406. When is authority exercised in a legitimate way? Authority is exercised legitimately when it acts for the common good and employs morally licit means to attain it. Therefore, political regimes must be determined by the free decisions of their citizens. They should respect the principle of the ‘,rule of law’, , in which the law and not the arbitrary will of some, is sovereign. Unjust laws and measures contrary to the moral order are not binding in conscience. Further reading 1901-1904, 1921-1922 407. What is the common good? By the common good is meant the sum total of those conditions of social life which allow people as groups and individuals to reach their proper ful昀,lment. Further reading 1905-1906, 1924 408. What is involved in the common good? The common good involves: respect for and the promotion of the fundamental rights of the person, the development of the spiritual and temporal goods of persons and society, and the peace and security of all. Further reading 1907-1909. 1925 409. Where can one 昀,nd the most complete realisation of the common good? The most complete realisation of the common good is found in those political communities which defend and promote the good of their citizens and of intermediate groups without forgetting the universal good of the entire human family. Further reading 1910-1912, 1927 410. How does one participate in bringing about the common good? All men and women according to their place and role they occupy participate in promoting the common good by respecting just laws and taking charge of the areas for which they have personal responsibility such as care of their own family and the commitment to their own work. Citizens also should take an active part in public life as far as possible. Further reading 1913-1917, 1926 T his month we dip into the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Compendium) and take a closer look at what the Church says about the Common Good. The numerical references relate to paragraphs in the Compendium. Know Your Faith - What does the Church say about the Common Good CARDINAL ALLEN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL OPEN EVENING Thursday 30th September 2021 Headteacher Address: 6.30pm 01253 872 659 www.cardinalallen.co.uk “,Be all you can be”,

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk September 2021 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + 7 O ut of the blue, most of the world has been invited on retreat. We have been forced to ponder our mortality, our vulnerability, our weakness, our ignorance. We have been prompted to repent of the collective thoughtlessness of our modern way of life and its side-e昀,ects. We have had to slow down, to abandon our ordinary routines, to wean ourselves from the addictions of ‘,business as usual’, . Our values have been overturned, care workers, fruit pickers, parcel packers and cleaners have become our new Out of the Blue Re昀,ecting on Laudato Si saints, while go-getters, celebrities and billionaires kick their feet in their own homes. We have redis cover ed our neighbours, and even our own families. We have shared our fears and anxieties, we have grieved together, even at a distance, for the wonderful individual human beings we have lost. We have publicly honoured courage, 昀,delity, and simple acts of kindness. We have learnt to value statesmanlike modesty, honesty and truthfulness over political bluster. The religious among us have been praying more intensely, with more focus, than for decades, despite the disruption of our normal supports. And many, many others, who do not normally pray, have begun to join us, without embarrassment. We know that we cannot do this by ourselves. And we have all been in this together, rich and poor, famous and unknown, old and young, strong and weak, from every corner of the globe, together, we have shared fear, anxiety, sorrow, compassion and love. “,Nature is 昀,lled with words of love, but how can we listen to them amid constant noise?”, wrote Pope Francis 昀,ve years ago in Laudato Si’,. Suddenly, the noise stopped, and we had the chance to listen, listen to the sounds of nature, listen to the tradition of our faith, and listen once again to the Holy Father’,s appeal. Rereading Laudato Si’, would not be a bad place now to train ourselves to listen again as we emerge from the COVID 19 restriction. God of love, show us our place in this world as channels of your love, for all the creatures of this earth, for not one of them is forgotten in your sight. Enlighten those who possess power and money that they may avoid the sin of indi昀,erence, that they may love the common good, advance the weak, and care for this world in which we live. The poor and the earth are crying out. O Lord, seize us with your power and light, help us to protect all life, to prepare for a better future, for the coming of your Kingdom of justice, peace, love and beauty. Praise be to you! Amen. Sr. Margaret Atkins We would like to thank these schools for always supporting the paper 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 248225 or 01440 730399 or email charlotter@cathcom.org to book your advert English Martyrs’, Catholic Primary School Sizer Street, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 7DR T: 01772 556092 E: head@englishmartyrs.lancs.sch.uk www.englishmartyrs.lancs.sch.uk Headteacher: Annalisa Howarth Deputy Headteacher: Michelle DeCarteret SLT: Jo Jackson &, Vikkie Thomas Judged once more as Good ~ Ofsted December 2017 Judged once more as Good with Outstanding Catholic Life ~ Section 48 March 2019 ‘,Our children are all unique, beautiful individuals but together we are a masterpiece , brothers and sisters in Christ .’, 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 + September 2021 www.catholi cvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk of the World T hat’,s the message CAFOD has been highlighting over the summer. This year, 2021, sees the UK hosting a unique combination of two major international events –, the G7 meeting of government leaders from some of the world’,s richest nations, held in Cornwall in June and the crucial ‘,COP26’, UN climate conference taking place in Glasgow in November. In playing host to such signi昀,cant events, the UK Government has a chance to show global leadership in the quest for a just and green re covery from the coronavirus pandemic. Reclaiming our Common home But where does CAFOD come into it, and where do we as Catholics come into it? We are called not to stay silent and not to be passive. Pope Francis, and Ponti昀,s before him, have consistently called for a transformation of the way our global economy works and the ideology upon which it is built. For too long, it has been based on the pursuit of pro昀,t and growth, above care for people and our planet. For example, African countries will pay out more than $10 billion in debt repayments in 2020 and 2021 alone. More than half will go to some of the richest companies in the world. It is not just the coronavirus pandemic that is blighting the world: there is a climate pandemic, a debt pandemic, an unfair business pandemic…, They are interrelated and have common causes, as identi昀,ed by Pope Francis. We need to reclaim our common home from the deeply embedded ideologies, systems and practices that threaten nature and humanity, particularly the poor. We know that small individual actions, done collectively, can be transformative. What better example than the story of the CAFOD founders: a small group of Catholic women, who decided to raise funds for a mother-and-baby clinic in the island of Dominica where children were starving. Sixty years later, we are part of Caritas Internationalis, one of the largest aid networks in the world, reaching out to people living in poverty in over 30 countries and campaigning for global justice so that everyone can live a full and digni昀,ed life. Yet CAFOD wouldn’,t exist if they hadn’,t taken action. They chose to put their faith into action. As Pope Benedict once put it, “,…, The world o昀,ers you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness…,”, We need to: Reclaim nature Reclaim the world’,s land and resources Reclaim power How can we play our part in this? You can sign CAFOD’,s petition to the Prime Minister asking that, in hosting COP26, he makes sure communities hardest hit by the climate emergency are listened to. Visit: www.cafod.org.uk/reclaim Also, you can engage with your MP. It’,s easier than you think! And MPs can appreciate hearing from their constituents on these matters. I share two quotes from an MP in Lancaster Diocese re昀,ecting on having met with CAFOD supporters: “,Meeting you gives me the legitimacy to raise these questions –, I can fairly say that I am representing the views of constituents”, and “,Meetings with altruistic people are a refreshing change from those with individuals pursuing a personal interest.”, CAFOD’,s ‘,Parliament in your Parish’, action over the spring and summer months has seen parishioners from across England and Wales arrange meetings with their MPs –, with some recognisable names such as Theresa May amongst those involved. At the time of writing, around 10% of MPs in England &, Wales had attended or were booked to attend these meetings, which have mainly taken place remotely thanks to technology such as Zoom. In some places, we have seen more than one parish group work together to meet the same MP, something that can perhaps help build a sense of community for us in these di

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk September 2021 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + 9 are on us ...

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10 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + September 2021 www.catholi cvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk Society of the Holy Child Jesus –, Celebrating 175 Years Sr. Philomena Grimley, Blackpool, provides a potted history of the contribution of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus to education in Blackpoo l and Preston. E arlier this year there was a very special reunion on Zoom for former sta昀, and students who attended Holy Child schools in Blackpool and Preston. About 90 people attended. The eldest were in their 90’,s! 2021 marks the 175th anniversary of the Foundation of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus and their early story is closely linked with both Preston and Blackpool. Background The Society, a religious order for women, was founded by Cornelia Connelly in 1846. She was an American, born in Philadelphia in 1809 and her own story is quite remarkable. She married an Episcopalian priest, Pierce Connolly, and they had 昀,ve children, though two died in early infancy. A few years after they were married the couple became Roman Catholics. When Pierce decided that God was calling him to be a Catholic priest, Cornelia had to take a vow of chastity. She gradually came to realise that God was calling her in a new way to found a new religious order for the work of education, especially for girls, which was so urgently needed in 19th century England where Bishop, later Cardinal Wiseman, invited her to make a start in 1846. From humble beginnings in industrial Derby the group of sisters grew in number and they were able to begin foundations elsewhere. They taught children in parish schools, they ran night schools for factory girls, they set up small boarding schools for girls whose education was so neglected and inadequate in those days, and Cornelia began a teacher training college since no formal training was available at that time. Beginnings in Blackpool: Parish Schools In 1856 the 昀,rst resident Roman Catholic priest in Blackpool, Father George Bampton SJ, invited Cornelia to send some sisters to run the Poor School in the newly established Sacred Heart parish. In fact the school was set up before the church was opened in 1857. The sisters rented a small house in Queen’,s Square and taught in the cellar room of an inn that became the Railway Hotel. That was the beginning of Talbot Road School, renamed in 1951 as Sacred Heart School. Holy Child sisters served as head teachers and assistant teachers there for over 100 years. In 1904, as the town expanded, a second Roman Catholic parish was established in Blackpool, St Kentigern’,s, the sisters took charge of that school too and taught there until 1972. Layton Hill From the beginning Holy Child sisters, as well as running parish schools, established small boarding schools for girls. They brought twelve boarders with 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 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 M ass Listings –, September 2021 St. Margaret Mary, Scalegate Road, Carlisle Saturdays at 10.00 am Shrine Church of St Walburge, Preston Mondays to Saturdays: 8.30 am Low Mass Sundays: 10.30 am, Sung Mass Shrine of the English Martyrs, Preston Monday-Saturday: 12 noon, Low Mass Sundays: 9.00 am, Low Mass (but please check the website for any variations: https://icksp.org.uk/preston/) Our Lady &, St Michael, Banklands, Workington Second Fridays at 7.00 pm (Please always check with Canon Watson before travelling) Local Representatives: Bob &, Jane Latin Telephone: 01772 962387 Email: lancaster@lms.org.uk Website: latinmasslancaster.blogspot.com SELF STORAGE Secure Units Available Sizes To Suit All Needs Competitive Rates Open 7 Days Curly Tail Storage Park Lane, Forton PR3 0JX Tel: 01524 791837 E: andrew@curlytailstorage .co.uk www.curlytailstorage.co.uk Our advertisers are great supporters of the Lancaster Voice, so please help them by supporting their businesses

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk September 2021 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + 11 them when they arrived in Blackpool. In 1859 as the numbers increased they leased Raikes Hall but soon that was not big enough and a more permanent home was needed. They purchased land outside the town and in 1870 opened the school at what was then called Layton Hill. It became both a boarding and a day school and over the years was destined to serve generations of girls from Blackpool and beyond. Radical Changes In the 1960’,s there were many educational changes in which all-age schools were abolished and the school leaving age raised. The Catholic 11-16 year old pupils were transferred to new schools, the boys to St Thomas’, and the girls to St Catherine’,s, where a Holy Child nun, Sister Mary Parkinson, became head. In 1982, after two reorganisations, owing to the falling birth-rate, these schools merged with St Joseph’,s College and Layton Hill Convent school to form St Mary’,s, the town’,s Catholic comprehensive school Once again, a Holy Child nun, Sister Maureen Grimley, was appointed head teacher. In 1982 St Mary’,s was the largest Catholic school in England and Wales. In 1984 St Mary’,s was handed over to lay leadership. It continues to thrive to this day, proud of its history. Preston The Holy Child sisters’, contribution to education in Preston from 1854 to 1990’,s in many parish schools and in Winckley Square Convent school is an equally impressive story but ‘,for another time’,. Holy Child education today There is no longer a Holy Child school in Blackpool but two sisters live in the parish of Christ the King, maintaining close links with St Mary’,s School and working in partnership with several voluntary organisations in the town to support people in need. Elsewhere the sisters continue the mission to educate in educational projects and schools in the United States, Nigeria, Ghana and Chad. The Holy Child Schools Network links the schools now under lay leadership in the UK, Ireland and France ensuring that the educational legacy from Cornelia Connelly lives on to inspire new generations. This is truly a cause for celebration after 175 years! For further information about the Society of the Holy Child Jesus visit: www.shcj.org WILLIAM HOUGHTON FUNERAL DIRECTORS An Independent Catholic Family Firm Serving our community for over 100 years Fulwood 01772 788020 Ingol 01772 722415 www.williamhoughtonfunerals.co.uk £,1.80 provides a child with a meal every weekday for a month Donate Now at www.reachfoundationuk.org THE REACH FOUNDATION UK

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12 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + September 2021 www.catholi cvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk Lisa Vallente-Osborne reports on a Lancaster parish initiative getting closer to nature and be(e)coming productive! A s the Covid 19 lockdown 1.0 saw most retreat to their homes, a new development at St Joseph’,s Lancaster began to emerge. With the change in workload and daily rhythms, Fr Philip Conner began clearing a wasteland area at the back of the church and ordered seed to sow grassland. It was at this point we turned up. Over the next couple of months, the ground was dug by our small family bubble. When the railway sleepers arrived our vegetable garden came into being. A full plot emerged with a fruiting terrace and three pre-loved recycled greenhouses erected. The Sisters at Hyning Monastery provided some vegetable seedlings for growing in the 昀,rst year, and guided us through sowing seeds for this next season. This year’,s crop is mainly from seeds. As the church reopened and people returned to the building they were welcomed to a new garden. The space provided a Covid safe meeting space, the large greenhouse became a well- ventilated room for a Confessional and Spiritual Direction, through the remaining months of restriction. The fruit and veg produce were o昀,ered to parishioners for donations and excess fruit was made into jams and marmalade. All the raised proceeds helped provide funding for the next year’,s planning. Throughout Covid lockdowns 1.0 and 2.0, as the restrictions allowed, the volunteers emerged to help tend our little Eden. It rapidly became a haven to preserve sanity! The space has rapidly become the place for people to meet, to rest, to work and to play, reconnecting with nature and enjoy the outdoor space. Local builders became aware of the project and continue to donate any excess from their trade from stone to planks! We even have a local lady who supplies pallets, which has been used to build fencing, benches and various planters! A local supplier brings locally sourced peat free compost, and the most important local, our horse poop lady provides her ‘,donations’, on a regular basis! Many of the volunteers and regular donors are not from our regular church community. In fact, most are agnostic or atheist. Through the garden, all feel welcomed, intrigued and love to watch all the ‘,developments around the back’, of the church, leaving a little more curious about ‘,faith’, and what makes ‘,us Catholics tick’, . And as all become more familiar and comfortable with the space, the conversations deepen. Our community plot borders with our St Joseph’,s primary school. These children have watched with inquisition and awe as ‘,the monsters’, (pumpkins) grew by the A New Beginning A New Mission ...

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk September 2021 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + 13 fence, and classes visit us regularly to see some of God’,s creation unfold. They and others will undoubtedly continue to visit! This garden project has linked us in with other local allotment holders. I regularly visit these, and their members come to our St Joes garden too. The links with Hyning Monastery are strong (as I am an oblate there) but also new links are being forged with Nazareth House too! Our garden is on the Hedgehog preservation map, and we have opened Hedgehog highways between us and the school and provided various shelters for wildlife. Our new pond is thriving with tadpoles, and the garden has never seen such a diverse bird population and all their little chicks in quite some time! At the beginning, as the garden took shape, me and a volunteer prayed for bees and a beekeeper. Little did I know that person being trained would be me! (Note to self- be very careful what you pray for!) . So as of today, this latest development has seen us restore one of the Catholic Churches most ancient traditions of ‘,bee-keeping’,. We joined up with The Lune Valley Beekeepers initially for advice to o昀,er space for hives, and then for support and training. And in true traditional sense, the bees have been o

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14 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + September 2021 www.catholi cvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk “,I can’,t wait for things to get back to normal”, Fr. Stephen Talbutt re昀,ects on Hope . “,I can’,t wait for things to get back to normal”, seems to be a phrase I’,m hearing a lot these days. It does make me question what is “,normal”, . I t has certainly been a very challenging eighteen months since the pandemic hit, it has e昀,ected how we live our lives, how we worship, how we school, how we work. These things that we had become accustomed to suddenly seemed to be turned on their heads. Maybe our normal was comfortable in its routine, predictability and dependability. It could be that we are wanting things to be comfortable again. It strikes me though, that nothing ever remains the same, everything changes all the time, it’,s just that the pandemic has been a more dramatic change, it’,s made us stop in our tracks and reassess what we thought of as normal. Su昀,ering and pain is very much a part of this life, but during this pandemic we have experienced it in a global and for a lot of us in a very personal way. But our trials and uncertainties can bring us closer to God. St Pauls tells us of a particular trial he undergoes in his second letter to the Corinthians he tells us: ‘,In order to stop me from getting too proud I was given a thorn in the 昀,esh, an angel of Satan to beat me and stop me from getting too proud! About this thing I have pleaded with the Lord three times for it to leave me, but he has said ‘,My grace is enough for you, my power is at its best in weakness’, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 God uses Paul’,s su昀,ering to bring him closer. Indeed, if we let him, God will use our pain, our discomfort, our weakness to bring us closer to him. In my life I see a lot of people who are sick and in pain, and it’,s humbling to see how much comfort the sacraments can bring to those who turn to the Lord. When we are at our weakest God’,s grace is at its strongest. But what is “,Grace”, ? I think of ‘,grace’, as divine help, Gods help both in times of need, and in times of joy. God’,s grace can lift us and work through our su昀,ering even when we can’,t feel it, all we have to do is trust and hope. I lost my dear mum in September last year during the middle of the pandemic. During the last years of my mum’,s life she really su昀,ered, her eyesight was failing she had an incurable chest infection and she was riddled with painful arthritis in her hands and especially her legs. It got so bad she could barely hold a pen. But she had a religious colouring book, she used to 昀,nd it relaxing to colour in the sheets. After she died I was going through her things and I found the book, and the 昀,rst page I opened was a sheet she coloured in saying just one word, “,Hope”,. (It’,s the picture at the top of this page). It was as if she left me a message, ‘,hope’, in the Lord, even in the darkest times in the painful times faith, hope and love are all you need. I’,ve had that sheet framed and I look at it everyday on my prayer table. “,Hope”, . In mum’,s weakness God’,s grace worked strongly, she may have struggled but she never lost hope and she never lost faith, the night she died the nursing home let me come in to see her, it was the 昀,rst time I’,d physically been with her since the lockdown started. She put her arms out for a hug, and the 昀,rst words she said to me were “,Have you brought the Sacraments”,. Of course I had! It was my privilege and my joy to anoint her for her 昀,nal journey. Mum never lost hope, not hope in this world, but hope, and trust, and love in God. Hope was her grace, and that is the grace I pray for every day. Things may never be “,normal”, again and this doesn’,t worry me, but I pray that through the abnormal through our pain and uncertainty the Lord will bring us ever closer to him, Amen.

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk September 2021 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + 15 A Cry of Gratitude St Thé,rè,se of Lisieux provides the Catechism’,s de昀,nition of prayer: ‘,For me prayer is a surge of the heart, it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of gratitude and of love, embracing both trial and joy. It’,s a vast, supernatural force which opens out my heart, and unites me close to Jesus’,. Gratitude is one of the hallmarks of Thé,rè,se’,s spirituality.: ‘,It is the spirit of gratitude which draws down upon us the over昀,ow of God’,s grace, for no sooner have we thanked Him for one blessing than He hastens to send us ten additional favours in return. Then when we show gratitude for these gifts, He multiplies His benedictions to such a degree that there seems to be a constant stream of divine grace coming our way. This has been my own personal experience. Try it out for yourself and see. For all that Our Lord is constantly giving me, my gratitude is boundless, and I try to prove it to Him in a thousand di昀,erent ways’, (Celine Martin, My Sister, Thé,rè,se). Believe in the Power of Prayer Thé,rè,se had a strong belief in the power of prayer: ‘,What an extraordinary thing it is, the e

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16 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + September 2021 www.catholi cvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk Greg Watts reports on the change of name for the Apostleship of the Sea and how the charity has coped during the global pandemic. S ea Sunday fell on11th July and was a special time for Stella Maris ( formerly called Apostleship of the Sea) , the o

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