MARCH 2022 Issue 474 FREE V OICE Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic What’,s Inside Success for SVP appeal Page 10 Saluting our NHS heroes Page 6 Bishop’,s Column With the government reverting to Covid Plan A –, that is removing the vast majority of restrictions, as far as worship is concerned –, we are almost back to “,normal”,. My first thoughts are to thank those through whose fantastic and dedicated work our churches have been kept open and for supporting our isolated parishioners in so many ways, and indeed the wider community. It has not been an easy time, and we don’,t know what the future holds, but thanks to one and all for “,keeping the ship afloat”, during these challenging times. However, the hardest task is to come –, to encourage those who can come back to regular worship to do just that with confidence. I know that many are still fearful. I hear some saying when we are told we have to go back to Mass and we are not sure if we have the confidence, will we be committing a mortal sin? I really don’,t think the issue is mortal sin, but meeting with our Eucharistic Lord as his people, to be truly present with him who is truly present with us. Now’,s the time to encourage and support one another as best we can. From a statistical point of view, churches and places of worship have been just about the safest meeting places during the pandemic. As we make preparations for Lent and eventually Holy Week and Easter, let’,s hear words of welcome back to Mass. We are physical people, we are body and soul, that’,s what Liturgy is all about, that’,s what prayer is all about. We need our Lord truly present in the Blessed Sacrament and we need to be physically present, if we can, to gather as a people to worship him. On another matter, just to give you the heads up, we will be celebrating the World Meeting of Families from June 22 to 26. Normally it is held in one central place. This year it is Rome but due to the circumstances, we are encouraged to celebrate it in our diocese and parishes. Therefore, on Sunday June 26 I encourage all parishes to focus on the family. The theme of the meeting is “,Family love: a vocation and a path to holiness.”, The central celebration in our diocese will be at the cathedral, 5.30pm Mass, which will also be live- streamed. As time goes on you will hear more about this celebration. In the meantime, I am Yours in blessed hope, A charity that helps children, young people and adults who are grieving a loss in their lives is hoping to roll out its training programme to more schools in our diocese. Research shows that Rainbows Bereavement Support Great Britain –, whose patrons include Bishop Terry –, has a dramatic, positive impact on the young people who access its support. The charity began in Catholic schools but its programme is not faith-based and is for everybody who needs it. It provides training for school staff to run the peer-support programme, which is delivered to groups of not more than six pupils. Educational psychologist and Rainbows’, chair of trustees Jan O’,Neill, from Thornaby, has seen for herself how powerful the programme can be. “,I recently did some training for trustees of the diocese and talked about some cases that have had an impact on me,”, she said. “,One young boy was referred at the age of 12 with concerns about his behaviour –, he was skipping school and was rude and aggressive. As I spoke with him over time, it emerged that his parents had separated, and his dad had a new partner and a baby. “,His mum was off work with depression and had threatened to take her life and he was Bereavement charity unveils ambitious plans REMEDY FOR COLD/DAMP WALLS? We are a small family award winning business with all the certifications and accreditations of a large national company. We produce our own in-house patented products and have the expertise to assure a service second to none. We can install either our WALL-REFORM insulating plaster/render or our WARM-A-WALL new thermal wall lining made from recycled materials (saves energy, stops condensation and mould growth problems) 100s of houses installed throughout the UK. Reference available. 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2 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + March 2022 NEWS BISHOP TERRY`S MARCH ENGAGEMENTS 2 Celebrates Mass of Ash Wednesday at St Mary’,s Cathedral 7pm 6 Attends Rite of Election at St Mary’,s Cathedral, Middlesbrough 3pm 7 Attends Ampleforth College for reflection with the community 11.30am 9 Attends small Synod Group Meeting All day 10 Attends 80th anniversary at St Peter’,s College, South Bank 3pm 19 Attends meeting of the Synod Group at Middlesbrough 10am 21 Attends Northern Church Leaders’, meeting 4pm 22 Attends meeting of the Bishop’,s Council, Middlesbrough 10.30am 24-27 Visit of the Nuncio 26 Lourdes Pilgrimage Formation Day –, Trinity College Middlesbrough 10am 29 Attends meeting of the Trustee Board at the Curial Office, Middlesbrough 10.30am 30 Attends meeting of CSAN Board of Trustees Noon skipping school because he was worried about her. “,He told me his parents had given him the choice about which parent he lived with and admitted there were times he wished he’,d chosen to live with his dad. This seemed such an emotional responsibility for a 12- year-old! Staff in school didn’,t know his story and referred him because of his poor behaviour. “,Another young man, whose father had died by suicide, said he found Rainbows so helpful as it helped him see that other young people experiencing loss and bereavement felt as angry and upset as he did. “,One colleague told me about her brother’,s death when she was nine or ten. Her parents were devastated, and said she and her siblings made a pact that they would never cry in front of their parents, to protect them. “,Her teachers had said their doors were always open with time for a chat, but she never went. I was struck by how these kindly meant offers placed all the responsibility on her to take the first step. “,In Rainbows, it’,s the adults who take responsibility for initiating and creating a safe place with trusted adults, where young people can explore experiences of loss and bereavement. “,Our vision is for every child and young person in every school who is grieving a significant and often devastating loss in their lives to be understood and supported appropriately. By week three of the 12-week programme, young people often start to feel safe and comfortable.”, There are four programmes –, Sunbeams, Rainbows and Spectrum for different age groups and Sunrise for young people with special educational needs and disabilities. More than 1,400 schools have received training on the use of the programmes, which aim to provide a safe space where facilitators can support groups of young people in developing their understanding of loss. During lockdown, the charity asked young people, parents and carers, staff delivering Rainbows programmes and teachers not directly involved about their Rainbows’, experience. Nine out of ten of 70 young people who took part felt that Rainbows had helped them in all its aims. Comments include a boy aged 11 who said: “,I can say all my feelings out loud –, it doesn’,t matter what I say, I can talk about my grandad.”, Twenty-nine parents and carers completed a questionnaire, and all said they had seen improvements in their young people’,s self- esteem and confidence. “,Rainbows gave her a safe space to come to terms with her grief,”, said one, while another said: “,I truly wish there had been something like this for me when I was at school.”, All 22 staff who organised and delivered Rainbow programmes said they were satisfied with its outcomes and nine out of 10 teachers rated the impact as “,excellent”,. “,The work of Rainbows is tried, tested, researched, monitored and evaluated,”, said Jan. “,We know the impact of our work is long-lasting and has a tangible impact on people’,s lives.”, Sharon Melia-Craven, Rainbows’, national co- director (north) and former head of St Richard’,s Catholic Primary school in Hull, has recently been working with Angela O’,Brien, lead lay chaplain of Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust (NPCAT). Angela is now able to deliver training in NPCAT’,s 27 schools in the diocese. “,Many schools in the diocese have had training and are delivering Rainbows programmes,”, said Jan. St Mary’,s Catholic Primary School in Grangetown recently received updated training and staff spoke about the real need for an intervention like Rainbows. There are costs for materials and specific training, but the charity is also looking for funding from bodies such as local authorities, funding trusts, business and schools trusts to help it deliver training. “,We are exploring ways in which we can become more secure as a charity and have developed a partnership with a local authority in the north where they have helped pay for training and materials,”, said Jan. “,We have a social media presence and would love to have social media ambassadors who will share our posts to raise our profile.”, Next year is the charity’,s 30th anniversary and there are ambitious plans to reintroduce the programme into prisons, where it has been delivered in the past. To find out more about the work of Rainbows visit rainbowsgb.org. You can follow Rainbows’, social media at facebook.com/RainbowsGB1 and atRainbowsGB on Twitter. Bereavement charity unveils ambitious plans Continued from Front Page Catholic and Anglican Bishops pray and walk together between Liverpool’,s two great Cathedrals Bishop Terry joined Catholic bishops as they met their Anglican counterparts for a two-day joint meeting in Liverpool. The meeting began with a service of midday prayer in the city’,s Catholic cathedral, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. The bishops then took part in a fraternal pilgrimage walk along Hope Street –, the famous road that links the Metropolitan Cathedral and Liverpool’,s Anglican Cathedral, pausing at the Sheppard-Worlock memorial. The memorial comprises two face- to-face sculptures of two of the city’,s much-loved former bishops. Archbishop Derek Worlock and his Anglican counterpart Bishop David Sheppard forged a long-lasting, genuine friendship based on working together to serve the Common Good. The meeting was the first between the Catholic Bishops of the Bishops’, Conference of England and Wales and the Church of England House of Bishops since they gathered in Leicester back in January 2019. Bishops unite for pilgrimage walk Bishop Terry speaking to Archbishop Welby during the meeting –, Photos ©, Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, and the Most Revd Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, standing between the two sculptures that make up the Sheppard-Worlock memorial in Hope Street “,Over the last couple of years, nearly all of us have experienced our own vulnerability and have known someone close or reasonably close who has died “,before their time”, as a result of the pandemic. Our culture is not much good at facing and squaring up to either of these realities. There is the stiff- upper-lip mentality or the suffer-in-silence syndrome. The work of Rainbows provides help and support to so many children, young people and adults who would otherwise have no one to turn to. It is a simple but effective way of offering help at some of the most difficult times of life.”, –, Bishop Terry

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March 2022 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + 3 CAFOD There are 200m children whose lives are at risk of malnutrition. There is enough food produced in the world to feed everyone but the way it is distributed is unfair. Now you have the opportunity to do something about it by taking part in our Walk Against Hunger. For those who are unable to walk, please pray for those who are walking, like Helen, featured here, and for all the children who need our help. Can you commit to walking five kilometres a day during Lent and raise sponsorship funds to help us combat hunger? You can run, walk, skip or stroll your way to 200 kilometres, either on your own or as part of a family or parish team. The more people who join, the easier it will be to reach the target. Don’,t worry if you can’,t manage five kilometres a day, just do what you can. If you can’,t walk, please consider sponsoring someone who is walking, or donate online. How can your sponsorship help? 1. £,20 can fund nutrition and healthcare classes for new mums and dads in remote locations 2. £,200 can feed 10 children nutritious sesame seed paste for a week, helping them to grow big and strong 3. £,500 can provide an entire community with pepper seeds for a planting season You will find more information and can donate or set up a family or parish Just Giving page on our website: cafod.org.uk/lent Thank you for whatever you can do to support us! Feeding the hungry, one step at a time HELEN LEWIS ROBSON, from Leyburn, tell us about the challenge she has set herself this Lent to help CAFOD feed hungry children…, Who is not moved by the fact that 200m children in our world are malnourished? Far too often we see scenes of starving children on our TV screens, their undersized bodies and large appealing eyes tugging at our heartstrings. This year CAFOD is challenging us all to do something about the situation by asking us to walk five kilometres a day for the whole 40 days of Lent and to seek sponsorship for doing it. As an 82-year-old, who normally walks more than five miles every day, five kilometres would not be a challenge at all, so I have set myself the target of 10 miles every day this Lent. During the 40 days, I plan to visit the four churches in our Richmondshire parish, beginning on Ash Wednesday, when I will walk the two miles from home to SS Peter and Paul’,s Church in Leyburn for Mass, then walk back home again afterwards. After lunch, I’,ll walk six miles visiting SS Simon and Jude’,s Church at Ulshaw Bridge, which overlooks the River Cover. The following day, my target is to walk from Leyburn Church to SS Joseph and Francis Xavier’,s Church in Richmond, a distance of about 10 miles. The fourth church in our parish is St Mary’,s at Wycliffe, which is roughly ten miles from Richmond, so that will be my challenge for another day. This will take me to the very edge of the Diocese of Middlesbrough, bordering that of Hexham and Newcastle. When we have Mass in our own church, every Sunday and usually every Friday, I will walk there and back, completing my target ten miles by walking in my home area of Wensleydale. Other planned walks will be to Ulshaw Bridge, then on to the ruins of Jervaulx Abbey on the banks of the River Ure, and continuing to the village of Thornton Steward, where the ancient Saxon church is now part of an Anglican parish. Then I will return home via the village of Finghall. My home is about 10 miles from Bedale, so I hope to visit SS Mary and Joseph’,s Church, which is now part of the Northallerton parish, and another day will walk from Bedale to the Church of the Sacred Heart, Northallerton. The ruins of Coverham Abbey in Coverdale are within walking distance from home, the route taking me through the racehorse training centre of Middleham and over the “,gallups”, on Middleham Moor. Marrick Priory in Swaledale is now beautifully restored as an outdoor centre and, conveniently, is ten miles from Richmond, so it is another target walk. There are many footpaths in Swaledale and Wensleydale, so there is plenty of scope for circular walks on days when it may be difficult to find transport to bring me home and where bus services are almost non- existent. Our Richmond parish covers the whole of Richmondshire, a huge area, so there will be no problem in finding a variety of different walks, with several of them passing through villages where our parishioners live, some of them almost 20 miles away. Hawes, Gayle and Askrigg in Wensleydale will all be included in my itinerary. In Swaledale, the villages of Reeth, Healaugh and Grinton will be on my list. Closer to home are the villages of Hunton, Patrick Brompton and Hauxwell, which will be reserved for days when the weather may be too difficult to venture too remotely, while the ever-growing Catterick Garrison lies close to Richmond and on its fringes is the now- closed church at Brough. A public lane passes by and leads to the villages of Tunstall and Scotton, so another route to follow. March can bring some extreme winter weather, but whatever the conditions I will still attempt to walk ten miles every day. Malnourished children cannot take a day off from their hunger because of bad weather, in fact, it will make life much more difficult for Helen takes up CAFOD`s Lent challenge them. With this in mind, the least I can do is to challenge myself to walk the extra mile this Lent. I am blessed with good health, but I know that the day will come when I won’,t be able to tackle these Lenten challenges. So, for as long as I can, I will, often with the company of my faithful greyhound, Dane. In retirement, it is much easier to afford the time every day for this longer distance challenge, but I appeal to all who can walk to try at least the shorter 5km, only about three miles. Even those who work should manage to fit that into their day and every step is worth it if, with the help of CAFOD, it prevents one child from facing starvation. For all those who can’,t walk, please sponsor us. Thank you. *Helen’,s Just Giving page is at walk.cafod.org.uk/fundraising/ Helen-Robson-22. Helen Lewis Robson, who is planning to walk 10 miles a day for CAFOD during Lent More than 30 children pictured at a Mass of Enrolment at St Peter`s Church, Scarborough, for their First Confession and First Holy Communion.

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4 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + March 2022 NEWS St Benedict`s Catholic Primary School ‘,Pray together, Learn together’, Part of Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust Mersey Road, Redcar TS10 1LS Headteacher: Mrs Kendra Sill Tel: 01642 495770 E-mail: enquiries@stbenedicts.npcat.org.uk Website: www.stbenedicts.npcat.org.uk St Edward’,s Primary School a Catholic Voluntary Academy Part of Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust Eastbourne Road, Linthorpe Middlesbrough TS5 6QS Tel 01642 819507 Executive Head Mrs Mary Brown Head of School Mrs Anne Teasdale email: Enquiries@stedwards.npcat.org.uk www.stedwardsrcprimaryschool.co.uk PART OF THE NICHOLAS POSTGATE CATHOLIC ACADEMY TRUST Headteacher: Mrs Louise Dwyer Email: news@trinity.npcat.org.uk Telephone: 01642 298100 Website: www.trinitycatholiccollege.org.uk Saltersgill Avenue Middlesbrough TS4 3JW An inclusive learning community living out Gospel values Part of Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust Normanby Road, South Bank Middlesbrough TS6 6SP Executive Headteacher: Mr M Burns Head of School: Mrs S Garthwaite Tel: 01642 453462 enquiries@stpeters.npcat.org.uk www.stpeters.npcat.org.uk Green Lane East, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 1NB Executive Headteacher: Mrs Mary Brown Head of School Fran Mackle Telephone: 01845 523058 Enquiries@allsaints.npcat.org.uk Father John passes away in Redcar care home A popular retired priest has died in a Redcar care home after being in ill-health for some months. He was 86. Monsignor John Heslin was a well-known figure in Saltburn`s town centre and lived in Garnet Street for nearly 20 years ago after retiring. Known as Father John, he was a ",Father Christmas", figure with a strong white beard. He chuckled and chatted his way along the 200 yards from his terraced home to the town centre. He usually ",held court", on the bench, opposite Sainsbury`s entrance, giving his opinion on affairs. He was a wise man, well- respected by many in Saltburn. He also celebrated Mass at Catholic churches in the area when parish priests were not available. Father John was ordained on February 21 1959 and his first parish appointment was at Sacred Heart in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, where he served from 1959 to 1965. He was next appointed to St Michael and the Holy Angels in West Bromwich from 1965 to 1968. From there, he was appointed to the Diocesan Youth Council at Soli House from 1968 to 1976. Father John was appointed parish priest of St Patrick’,s in Stafford in 1976 and remained there until his retirement in 2000. He was also a chaplain to the town`s jail and several ex-prisoners kept in touch by phone with him, seeking his advice. His holidays were spent on cruises to Hawaii, where the leprosy island of Molokai can be found. He relieved the Molokai-based priest for a few weeks. His hero was Father Damien, the ",lepers` priest",. A personal touch he mentioned once was that he knew he talked at length about his faith during homilies. His mother had a system of scratching the outside of her nose in church to indicate he had spoken for 15 minutes. Once at Saltburn he admitted he had talked for too long (probably about leprosy) and joked that listeners were excused his next homily. Father John moved to Saltburn because his sister, Elizabeth, and her family lived in the town when he arrived. He often said Mass in his small first-floor chapel at his terraced home. His funeral was due to take place at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Saltburn, on Monday February 28 at 11.30am. Bishop Stephen Wright will be present to represent the Archdiocese of Birmingham. We pray for Father John’,s family, friends, former parishioners and all those who mourn him. May he rest in peace. Michael Morrissey Monsignor John Heslin, who passed away in a Redcar care home in February Monsignor John, right, with the late Canon Bill Madden

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March 2022 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + 5 SCHOOLS Return of competitive sport can help children bounce back Clare Harding is on a mission to inspire primary school children across Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust to develop a love of sport that she says will help them lead happier and healthier lives. As NPCAT Sport’,s primary strategic lead for PE and sport, Clare has spearheaded the return of competitive sport that has seen hundreds of children take part in events in the fields at trust HQ Postgate House. She has also made fantastic use of social media channels to launch the Active January and Fit Feb campaigns that have been highlighting the positive effect that sport and physical activity can have. “,Competitions are so important, especially after children missed out on so much because of the lockdowns,”, said Clare. “,School is about having lots of different experiences, and taking part in sport can have a positive impact on behaviour, attendance and academic achievement, as well as on emotional wellbeing. “,We’,re determined to do everything we can to make up for those missed experiences and it’,s been lovely to see the smiles on their faces as they’,ve competed against children from other NPCAT schools. “,There’,s nothing better than children telling us how much they’,ve enjoyed themselves and that’,s what makes all the hard work and planning worthwhile.”, As well as football and cross-country at Postgate House, Eston Sports Centre was the venue for Sportshall athletics, which includes track and field disciplines such as standing long jump, with more events planned there including basketball and netball tournaments. Clare’,s role involves driving continual and sustainable improvements within primary PE, school sport and physical activity in all NPCAT schools. As primary network lead, she delivers staff training and maintains excellent standards in teaching and learning. She is also responsible for the use of the Primary PE and Sport Premium funding, as well as implementing and monitoring the new Trust Mark award. ",We have to make our money go as far as possible to help prepare all our pupils for their future,", Clare said. “,We’,re keen to make sure class teachers feel confident and competent when it comes to teaching PE so that all our children are encouraged to have a healthy, active lifestyle.”, Clare’,s passion for the sport, and desire to ensure there are opportunities for everyone, led her to set up a women and girls’, rugby team as well as coaching at junior level and she is looking forward to upcoming tag rugby competitions in partnership with Middlesbrough Rugby Club and netball together with Grangetown Netball Club. Having graduated as a primary class teacher with a PE specialism, she has taught in primary schools across the North East and held senior sports development roles in organisations including the Tony Blair Sports Foundation. Clare said: “,Sport offers something for every single child, from the age of three to 18. Regardless of their background or where they come from, we want to make sure they all have access to the same opportunities.”, St Edward’,s Catholic Primary School in Middlesbrough celebrate their success in the Year 5 and 6 football competition

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6 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + March 2022 LOURDES Lourdes nurse DEBI McKEOWN, who runs the Therapeutic Support team at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, thanks members of our pilgrimage for their support during the pandemic…, When you’,re part of the pilgrimage, you have to understand that the support is not just while in Lourdes, it’,s all year round. As a nurse in the South Tees area, I was in a privileged position during the pandemic. My team, Therapeutic Care, provided support to patients and staff alike. Lots of help was needed and volunteers stepped up to contribute in so many ways. From vaccinators to runners, they covered all bases. We had retired nurses and nurses who worked elsewhere coming forward to help on our wards. Volunteers manned a Covid advice line and supported patient transport and pharmacy runs. All this support filled me with such hope and brought joy to the whole organisation. Father Pat Keogh, our chaplain to the sick, contacted me to ask how he could help and was assigned to the vaccination hub, where he very soon created a merry trio with Chris Tinkler and Bernie Watson. Thursday became a day that was always fun. He connected with so many people and whenever I walked through, there was always laughter. I would often see him just quietly talking and supporting people as they waited for their vaccine. His role was to support the vaccination hub, but more importantly to provide therapeutic interaction at a time of great worry for a lot of people. I wasn’,t a bit surprised that he stepped up and was always amused by people’,s reaction to the fact he was a Catholic priest –, some wondering if he was there for the vaccination hub or a quick confession! I feel very proud of what was achieved through therapeutic care and incredibly grateful to the whole Lourdes community –, your prayers and donations of holy water and medals made a huge difference to our patients and families. Anything I ever needed was arranged through many of our Lourdes family at a time of such sadness and fear. Without doubt, they all brought so much hope and carried me and many others through these times. Thank you will never seem enough to say to these true NHS heroes! Debi salutes our Lourdes NHS heroes FATHER PAT explains what made him decide to join the NHS volunteer army…, Thursday was my day off and there were some things I was unable to do in the parish because of the restrictions in place. I saw what Captain Tom was doing and started asking myself what I could do that might be of some help. I contacted Debi and she was delighted I was volunteering. We formed a good team together and it was lovely to discover I was working with a lot of Lourdes people who had been so generous in giving their time. We had a lovely time together and there was such a bond between us. Everyone was so happy. I went every week for about 18 months, talking to people, showing them where to go and helping with the administration. Some were afraid and anxious and needed encouragement. People were fascinated because they didn’,t expect what I was doing to be the role of a priest and they were surprised that I would come all the way from Whitby. I made some great friendships with the staff and the whole experience was extremely rewarding and so affirming –, the most affirming thing I’,ve ever done. Debi McKeown at James Cook University Hospital with Father Pat Keogh We are asking you to register your interest for our 2022 pilgrimage, including hospitalité, helpers, supported pilgrims and everyone who wishes to visit the shrine as part of the pilgrimage. Supported pilgrims: headofhospitalite@rcdmidd.org.uk Brancardiers: headbrancardier@rcdmidd.org.uk Handmaids: headhandmaid@rcdmidd.org.uk Nurses/doctors: doctor@rcdmidd.org.uk or headnurse@rcdmidd.org.uk Musicians: thelombards@hotmail.com Pilgrims: pilgrimagedirector@rcdmidd.org.uk Alternatively, write to Lourdes Pilgrimage Director, Curial Office, 50a The Avenue, Middlesbrough TS5 6QT Register your interest in Lourdes 2022 Happy birthday, Katy! Head handmaid Chris Tillotson handed this beautiful birthday bouquet to Katy Demoily. Katy, who is a regular on our Lourdes pilgrimage, was serving on the altar during Mass at St Mary’,s Cathedral for the Association of Lourdes Pilgrimage Directors annual conference. Special arrangements for this year`s pilgrimage The organising committee has put in place comprehensive arrangements to enable this year’,s Diocese of Middlesbrough Pilgrimage to Lourdes to go ahead. We hope as many as possible of those who can do so will take the opportunity to travel, as our pilgrimage returns to Lourdes for the first time since 2019. To enable us to plan, we’,re asking you to book as soon as you can, or let us know if you hope to travel independently. Before you book, we would ask you to carefully read our pilgrimage Terms and Conditions, which are set out in full on the diocesan website, middlesbrough- diocese.org.uk. You can book online at tangney- tours.com/pilgrimages/lourdes/middlesbrough- lourdes. Why I signed up to help

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March 2022 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + 7 NEWS Pope Francis spoke about the importance of listening and how it is vital to the current synod process as he delivered his annual message for World Communications Day. The title of this year’,s message was “,Listening with the ear of the heart”,, inviting us to reflect that listening involves more than just using the sense of hearing and is fundamental to the relationship between God and humanity. “,Listening corresponds to the humble style of God,”, he said. “,It is the action that allows God to reveal himself as the one who, by speaking, creates man and woman in his image, and by listening recognises them as his partners in dialogue. “,God loves humanity. That is why he addresses his word to them, and why he ‘,inclines his ear’, to listen to them. On the contrary, human beings tend to flee the relationship, to turn their back and ‘,close their ears’, so they do not have to listen. “,The refusal to listen often ends up turning into aggression towards the other, as happened to those listening to the deacon Stephen who, covering their ears, all turned on him at once.”, Pope Francis gave the examples of King Solomon, St Augustine and St Francis, who all urged us to listen with our hearts. He also said St Paul affirmed that: “,Faith comes through listening.”, “,Fundamentally, listening is a dimension of love,”, the Pope said. “,This is why Jesus calls his disciples to evaluate the quality of their listening. ‘,Take heed then how you hear’, (Luke 8:18). “,This is what he exhorts them to do after recounting the parable of the sower, making it understood that it is not enough simply to listen, but that it is necessary to listen well. Only those who receive the word with an ‘,honest and good’, heart and keep it faithfully bear the fruit of life and salvation (see Luke 8:15). In many relationships, the Pope said, true communication is lacking, as dialogues end up as competing monologues, where the two sides refuse to listen to one another. “,We all have ears, but many times even those with perfect hearing are unable to hear another person,”, he said. “,In fact, there is an interior deafness worse than the physical one. “,Indeed, listening concerns the whole person, not just the sense of hearing. The true seat of listening is the heart.”, He said good communication does not try to impress the public with a soundbite or attempts to ridicule the other person. “,It is sad when, even in the Church, ideological alignments are formed and listening disappears, leaving sterile opposition in its wake,”, he said. “,In reality, in many dialogues we do not communicate at all. We are simply waiting for the other person to finish speaking in order to impose our point of view.”, The Pope said there is no good journalism without the ability to listen. “,Only amazement enables knowledge,”, he said. “,I think of the infinite curiosity of the child who looks at the world around them with wide-open eyes. “,The ability to listen to society is more valuable than ever in this time wounded by the long pandemic. So much previously accumulated mistrust towards ‘,official information’, has also caused an ‘,infodemic’,, within which the world of information is increasingly struggling to be credible and transparent. “,We need to lend an ear and listen profoundly, especially to the social unease heightened by the downturn or cessation of many economic activities. The reality of forced migration is also a complex issue, and no one has a ready-made prescription for solving it. “,I repeat that, in order to overcome prejudices about migrants and to melt the hardness of our hearts, we should try to listen to their stories. Give each of them a name and a story. “,Many good journalists already do this. And many others would like to do it, if only they could. Let us encourage them! Let us listen to these stories! Everyone would then be free to support the migration policies they deem most appropriate for their own country. “,But in any case, we would have before our eyes not numbers, not dangerous invaders, but the faces and stories, gazes, expectations and sufferings of real men and women to listen to.”, Turning to the synod process currently taking place within the Church, Pope Francis said: “,Let us pray that it will be a great opportunity to listen to one another. Communion, in fact, is not the result of strategies and programmes but is built in mutual listening between brothers and sisters. “,As in a choir, unity does not require uniformity, monotony, but the plurality and variety of voices, polyphony. At the same time, each voice in the choir sings while listening to the other voices and in relation to the harmony of the whole.”, “,This harmony is conceived by the composer, but its realisation depends on the symphony of each and every voice. “,With the awareness that we participate in a communion that precedes and includes us, we can rediscover a symphonic Church, in which each person is able to sing with his or her own voice, welcoming the voices of others as a gift to manifest the harmony of the whole that the Holy Spirit composes.”, Pope Francis says there can be no good journalism without the ability to listen –, Photo ©, Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk Listen with the heart, Pope Francis urges £,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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Since late summer and throughout the autumn, Bishop Terry and I have been visiting parishes where the parish priest is due to step down from pastoral ministry during the next year or so. The visits have initially consisted of meeting with the parish priest, followed by Bishop Terry speaking at Mass and then holding a public meeting at which parishioners are invited to “,have their say”,, with Bishop Terry listening to them. Bishop Terry has assured these parishioners that it is not his intention to close parishes, as he wants to see lay people “,step up”, to playing a much more proactive role in keeping the parish functioning without a resident priest. So far, all the parishes have responded positively, with some establishing a parish pastoral council to help move things along. This is proving to be a very interesting time for our diocese. Support is provided in terms of written and electronic resources along with my help and assistance as and when needed. 8 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + March 2022 ADULT FORMATION The days are getting longer, the shoots of new growth are now well established, with birdsong greeting us at the beginning of each day –, spring is most definitely in the air! It’,s been a long winter for many of us and it’,s now time to begin re-emerging. Here, adult formation coordinator DEACON DAVID CROSS gives us a round-up... Busy year ahead for adult formation Candidates and catechumens at the 2017 Rite of Election Congratulations to Terry Graham, who recently completed the University of Loyola online Certificate in Pastoral Ministry. We currently have two people who have just moved into the second year of the course and are finding it both helpful and inspiring. If you are interested in taking this two-year, online course then please get in touch, as we’,re looking for two more people to begin at the start of the next academic year in September. We hope to develop a team of people who will help and support parishes in developing their pastoral ministry throughout the diocese. Terry completes pastoral ministry Terry Graham, who recently completed his Certificate in Pastoral Ministry By the time you read this edition of the Voice , six people will have been commissioned as lay funeral ministers by Bishop Terry. Maria Brancatti and Terry Graham from St Thomas More’,s, Middlesbrough, Simone Chisena from Sacred Heart, Middlesbrough, Gina and Graham Wilson from St Anthony of Padua, Brotton, and Sue Westmacott, from SS Leonard and Mary, Malton, are our very first lay funeral ministers to be commissioned. They will provide support to their parish priests in this very important ministry. In the absence of an ordained minister, they will offer support to those who have lost a loved one and, when necessary, assist the family in putting together a funeral service so the bereaved can fittingly celebrate the lives of their deceased loved one. If you would be willing to offer yourself to this service or would like to find out more, please talk to your parish priest. Six new lay funeral ministers commissioned From left to right, Sue Westmacott, Terry Graham, Canon Pat Hartnett, Maria Brancatti, Simone Chisena, Graham Wilson and Gina Wilson David Cross has been visiting parishes throughout the diocese along with Bishop Terry in recent weeks The changing face of parish life Small steps towards missionary discipleship In the coming months we will be picking up our missionary discipleship work again and finding ways of supporting parishes in the recruitment and formation of catechists. Many of our existing catechists have worked hard over many years and continue this important ministry. However, given that we are emerging from the pandemic, maybe it’,s time for us to look at ways of encouraging more people to take on what is a key ministry in spreading the Word. It seems that there are two dimensions to this…, 1. Catechesis: Helping people to get to know Christ and supporting them in becoming part of the Christian community. 2. Ongoing Adult Formation: Involving the formation of catechists so they feel more confident in ministering in their parish community and beyond. Over the next year or so we’,ll be exploring with people different methods and ways of doing these things. There are several excellent resources that can help to get parishes back on track with our missionary discipleship work: RCIA, Alpha, Sycamore, Divine Renovation and the synod process can also provide us with an avenue into developing a way forward. This is to name but a few and information about everything mentioned here can be found online. All we need to do is start taking small steps. I would be very happy to hear from anyone who would like to discuss any of the items mentioned on this page. Encouraging news on permanent diaconate There’,s some encouraging news to report in terms of vocations to the permanent diaconate. Three men from our diocese are almost halfway through their propaedeutic year, which is a period of discernment for both them and the diocese as they explore their vocation. Formation for the permanent diaconate takes around four years and involves a combination of pastoral and academic formation and time spent in prayer and reflection. If you are interested in finding out more about the permanent diaconate, have a chat with your parish priest in the first instance. Autumn date for inspirational day After two long years, it is fully expected that our Inspirational Day will once again go ahead in the Spa at Scarborough on Saturday September 10 and will be led by the Madonna House Community from Robin Hood’,s Bay. If you are a minister of the word or holy communion, please put the date in your diary. I will be in touch nearer the time. Plans are also underway to recommission all our ministers of the word and holy communion. We are currently updating our records and will be in touch soon. Rite of Election returns after two-year absence Despite the short, dark days of winter and the pandemic, some things have continued and are beginning to get back on track. At 3pm on Sunday March 6, for the first time in two years, we will be holding our Rite of Election in the cathedral with Bishop Terry for those preparing to be received into full communion with the Church this coming Easter. Maybe there’,s someone from your parish who will be making this very important commitment. Why not come along and support them?

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March 2022 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + 9 SYNOD Synod consultations are now well underway across the diocese and by the time you read this article the Wednesday March 2 deadline for parish feedback may well have passed. Every parish in the diocese has received information on the synod process and how to record the feedback of the parish consultation meetings along with a “,parish feedback”, pro forma. The synod contact group, established by Bishop Terry, has been meeting regularly to try to put in place the structure and resources to help us through this initial stage. All our meetings have consisted of prayer and reflection in preparation for our discussions. In January, the group facilitated a synod “,catch-up meeting”, on Zoom, to which parish priests, parish coordinators and the coordinators of organisations such as St Vincent de Paul Society, Catholic Women’,s League and National Board of Catholic Women and those of religious orders were invited to attend. More than 70 people took part, some joining as a parish group. The meeting was an attempt for us to “,take the temperature”, of how the synod process was being received by people around the diocese, to listen to what was going well and to find out if anything in the process was proving problematic in getting it up and running. The first thing that became apparent was the sheer amount of goodwill from priests and people in seeking to help the synod take root in the parish and encourage the kind of consultations that Pope Francis hoped would take place. It’,s worth reminding ourselves of the questions posed by the Holy Father: A synodal Church, in announcing the Gospel, “,journeys together”,. 1. How is this “,journeying together”, happening today in your local Church? 2. What steps does the Spirit invite us to take in order to grow in our “,journeying together? Many of those who participated in the catch- up spoke of how well the parish discussions were going and how moving and powerful some of the sharing has been. People have been able to speak without the fear of being contradicted or disagreed with. This has meant that people who wouldn’,t normally say anything feel able to contribute. This is exactly what Pope Francis hopes would happen. The parish consultations are not about one group being right and another being wrong. As well as listening to each other we are asked to listen to the Holy Spirit too. Others highlighted that they felt the timescale by which they were being asked to get the parish consultations concluded was too short, particularly if they have to find ways of drawing those who are often on the margins of our Church and society into the process. A lot of time needs to be spent in reaching out. The short timescale doesn’,t help. A simple resource, “,Reaching out to people on the margins”,, has been produced and sent to every parish and parish coordinator to help with this. If you would like a copy, it can be downloaded from the diocesan website or email adultformation@rcdmidd.org.uk. The synod is giving all of us the opportunity to say how we would like the Church to be as we journey together in the 21st century. It’,s asking us to think about what it means to be Church. Although the initial part of the process seems to be very short and requires us to move rather speedily, the Holy Father has said that he wants us to “,embed”, this kind of “,spiritual conversation in the life of our parishes, diocese and the church throughout the world. These kinds of discussions are not to be “,one-offs”, but are intended to help guide us into becoming a “,synodal church”, going forward, announcing the Gospel and journeying together. If your parish hasn’,t begun yet, don’,t worry, there’,s still time to start. Although the deadline for parish feedback is Ash Wednesday, we are asked to keep the consultations going. Keep looking for ways to listen to each other. Maybe, when we are looking at embarking on some new venture in our parish or some big decisions are to be made, we begin by using the synodal approach. It`s not unlike the Young Christian Workers’, “,See, Judge and Act”, model that many of us are familiar with. Let’,s go forward on our journey. Let us dare to make a “,Synodal Church”, a reality. It may not be perfect and some may feel afraid or unconvinced of its outcomes. Nevertheless, we all need to find a way of doing what St Peter did –, “,Put out into deep water”, (Luke 5:4) –, and be surprised by the result! During this month, the synod contact group will be reading through the parish feedback pro formas and spending time in prayer and reflection on what they contain in preparation for drafting our diocesan “,Synodal Synthesis”,, a ten-page document that will, along with the syntheses of every diocese in England and Wales, go forward for further discernment by the Conference of Bishops of England and Wales. A synthesis for England and Wales will then be sent to Rome for the Synod in September 2023. On Saturday May 21, we will be holding a Diocesan Day on the Synod in the cathedral. Jenny Sinclair, founder and director of Together for the Common Good, will give a keynote input. We will also share our diocesan synthesis with those present. David Cross, Adult Formation Coordinator The next steps of our synod journey Pope Francis wants everyone’,s voice to be heard in the synod process –, Photo ©, Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk

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10 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + March 2022 NEWS St Vincent de Paul Society conferences in the Hull area have been overwhelmed by the response to its appeal to support the work of Welcome House, which caters for the needs of around 500 asylum seekers and refugees in the area. The centre has a desperate and ever-present need for toiletries, especially for women and children, as well as for baby and children’,s clothes. SVP members made appeals in their parishes over the past six months after the large meeting held in October to discuss the good work they already do and how they can do even more. Parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Hessle have been so generous that SVP members have been making frequent trips to the centre with donations. They have spent over £,300 on nappies alone, never mind the countless boxes full of toiletries. There was a similar reaction in St Anthony’,s Parish, where a continuous supply of gifts has been left at the back of the church. One member put an appeal on her local Neighbourhood Watch website and every time she opened her front door for several weeks she found more donations on her doorstep. The conference at St John’,s Parish in Beverley adopted the centre for its Christmas appeal. They received more than 90 Christmas boxes for children, with the age and gender of the child written on the box. It took members of the conference a full weekend just to wrap the parcels in Christmas paper! They also donated half the proceeds from their Christmas fair, a total of £,300. St Vincent’,s Parish, too, contributed £,100 plus lots of boxes of goods. St Charles’, conference has been supporting the centre’,s work with single mothers and single women, assisted by the Asylum Seekers Fund set up by the national SVP. This support has been ongoing throughout the pandemic. They have also made home visits to some of the families. In Cottingham, Holy Cross conference has been incredibly generous in its support of asylum seekers over many years, even before Welcome House opened. As well as donating food and clothing and helping in the kitchen, members have also helped with translating and interpreting –, and that support still goes on today. More than once, members have opened their homes and let people stay with them at times of great need. In East Hull, members of the Sacred Heart conference have contributed both money and goods. The conference also helped a young asylum seeker who had been given a house by the council, but it had nothing in it. With help from Acts 435 and Eternal Benefits, they were able to provide her with enough essential items to enable her to turn the house into her home. She is still in contact with the conference and has been joined by her family. She has also secured a good job and they have made the city their home. In addition, the students of St Mary’,s College held a “,Jolly Jumpers Day”, before Christmas and this raised £,400 for the centre. Also, St Richard’,s Primary School made the plight of refugees the theme of their harvest festival, asking for donations of clothing rather than food. The response of the parents was wonderful, and the school was able to take a large amount of clothing to the Hull Help for Refugees charity, which supplies the clothing to Welcome House as well as sending it to all parts of the world. Welcome House general manager Bashir Siraj expressed his gratitude and appreciation for all this good work. He needs volunteers who can spare an hour or so a week to help in the centre in roles such as teaching English, working with single mothers and single women refugees, helping to run the kitchen or simply to spend time talking to the asylum seekers. The centre is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 3pm. If you would like to know more, contact Bashir at Welcome House, 3 Wright Street, Hull HU2 8HU, telephone 01482 205882, email bashir.siraj@welcomehousehull.org.uk. You can find out more about Welcome House at welcomehousehull.org.uk or facebook.com/WelcomeHouseHull/. Chris Cuthill Overwhelming response to asylum seeker appeal A Letter From Madonna House –, Requiem aeternum Well, my mother finally moved to the house on the hill. She started talking about it shortly after my parents moved into a care home. She insisted that they weren’,t meant to stay there, but in the house on the hill. What house was that? Where they used to live? An imaginary home? Two years later, my father died. We didn’,t begrudge his journey to heaven, as life was no longer supportable for him. But it was in lockdown, and our mother was alone and bereft. It was difficult, as my sister and I live so far away from her. But a couple of days later she announced happily that she had seen him somewhere up high, where the air was better and he could breathe better. “,Well, that’,s in heaven, Mum,”, I assured her. “,He came to tell you that he’,s happy in heaven”,. It was not long after that, that my mother started talking again about moving to the house on the hill. In her dementia, here was the story: my father was up high with a big boss who saw his gifts and put him to work –, he liked that! “,You know,”, she confided. “,We came here in a storm, but we were never meant to stay here. We were always meant to move to the house on the hill.”, One recent Friday afternoon, my sister and I had our weekly Zoom meeting with my mother. She was bright as a penny, sitting by her window, with the sun streaming on her, alighting her flowing white hair in radiance. She couldn’,t carry on much of a conversation at that point, but she giggled and laughed, and said how happy she was to be with us. It was the last time we saw her. The next morning, she had a catastrophic bleed on the brain, and she died three days later. Still with Covid restrictions, Mum hadn’,t been able to receive visitors, and neither my sister nor I could get back to her in time anyway. But my cousin was allowed to see her in the hospital, and within an hour of her arrival, Mum died and went soaring up to that house on the hill. I’,m sure the big boss sees all of her gifts, but perhaps he’,s allowing Mum to luxuriate in being back with her beloved husband before putting her to work! Those last nine months of her life were full of healing and light. She became more who she really was –, childlike, delightful, grateful for everything. The sharp edges accumulated through 93 years of hurts and disappointments just melted away, and we were left with the best of our mother. Our own scars from her edges were also transformed into light. Longevity runs in the family, so it will probably be quite a while before I arrive at that house on the hill. Already, I know a room is being prepared for me. I wonder if I can put my bid in for bright yellow walls? Cheryl Ann Smith Bashir Siraj with members of the St John of Beverley SVP

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March 2022 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + 11 NEWS Please remember in your prayers the following clergy from our diocese whose anniversaries are this month 1 1908 Very Rev Canon James Wells York 6 1944 Very Rev Canon Thomas Noone Pocklington 7 2015 Rev Joseph Brennan Enfield 8 1927 Rev Patrick Clancy Hull 8 1927 Rev Charles Donovan Wycliffe 8 1999 Rev James Gannon Middlesbrough 9 2007 Very Rev Mgr Patrick Lannen Dungarvan 10 2015 Rev Michael Murray Carlisle 12 1934 Very Rev Canon Patrick Cronin York 12 1951 Rev Michael McEldowney Grangetown 13 2015 Rev Michael Murray 14 1886 Very Rev Provost Henry Walker South Bank 15 1932 Very Rev Canon A D’,Hooghe Thornaby 16 1908 Rev Edmund Hickey Egton Bridge 16 1969 Very Rev Matthew O’,Connell York 17 1968 Rev Richard O’,Riordan Hull 21 1949 Very Rev Canon John Owens Hull 21 1969 Rt Rev George Brunner Third Bishop of Middlesbrough 21 1991 Very Rev Canon Patrick Bluett MC TD Florida 24 1935 Rev Stephen Hines York 26 1997 Rev Matthias Smyth Ballyjamesduff 27 1963 Rev Eugene O’,Reilly Hedon 27 2012 Rev Hugh Curristan Letterkenny 29 1960 Rt Rev Mgr Provost Patrick Lynn Scarborough 30 1972 Rev Oswin Corboy BA Scarborough FUNERAL DIRECTORS If you would like to advertise in the Funeral Directors section, please contact Charlotte Rosbrooke on 07932 2 48225 or email charlotter@cathcom.org Our family caring for your family Covering all areas Tel: 01642 459555 King George House, 92 High Street, Eston TS6 9EG Website: www.fawcettandhetherington.co.uk Email: info@fawcettandhetherington.co.uk Fawcett &, Hetherington Funeral Service Bishop George Brunner’,s anniversary is on March 21 Church helping crisis-hit Ukraine As growing numbers of Russian troops amass on the border of Ukraine, the leader of the country’,s Catholics has described how the Church is coming to the aid of those suffering because of the mounting crisis. Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, outlined the various ways the country was being targeted by the Russian Federation. In addition to the military build-up on the borders, the leader of Ukraine’,s Byzantine Catholics said there were political and economic escalations –, not to mention a “,war of propaganda”,. “,Russia has declared that the goal of this escalation is to change the government,”, he said. And he said that “,economic escalation”, is causing widespread hardship. Major Archbishop Shevchuk said: “,Especially in the wintertime, we feel that Russia is using the price of gas as an economic weapon against Ukraine.”, He added that many people were unable to afford to heat their homes. The Major Archbishop said the Church is organising help for those in need. “,This year our goal is to heat those who are cold, to help to enable them to survive the winter,”, he said. “,The parish community is the first and most important place for the people –, especially meeting those in need.”, Parishes have also set up food banks and clothing stores to meet the growing needs of the people. The Church is trying to help those afflicted to survive the crisis in different ways. He also stressed the importance of prayer and invited Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) benefactors to join with them in the Rosary every evening at 8pm. He added: “,When we pray, we are not afraid anymore.”, Major Archbishop Shevchuk thanked ACN for its support over many years. He said: “,ACN is a special organisation of Christian solidarity, supporting different initiatives in Ukraine.”, In 2020, ACN supported 278 projects in Ukraine, including help for seminaries, Catholic media initiatives and catechesis. Pope Francis urged world leaders to seek a peaceful solution to the Ukraine crisis, as Western nations warn Russia could invade its neighbour at any time. Renewing his prayers for peace during the Sunday Angelus in St Peter’,s Square, the Holy Father said the news coming out of Ukraine is “,very worrying”,. Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk –, Image courtesy of Aid to the Church in Need

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12 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + March 2022 NEWS Copy Deadline Copy and photographs for inclusion in the Catholic Voice should be sent to: The Editor, Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice, Curial Offices, 50a The Avenue, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, TS5 6QT. Tel (01642) 850505, email catholicvoice@rcdmidd.org.uk Deadline Friday March 4 for our April edition. Where possible please send articles in Word and photographs as jpegs. Please confirm when you send in your photographs that those who appear in them have given their permission for publication. Tuesday 1 10am Christian Meditation Group meets online. Further information from Terry Doyle at emailing terry-doyle@live.co.uk. 7pm Knights of St Columba Council 29 meets at St Mary’,s Cathedral, Middlesbrough, beginning with Mass at 7pm in the cathedral chapel. Wednesday 2 5.30pm Vespers and Benediction at St Mary’,s Cathedral, Middlesbrough Friday 4 Events, articles and photographs for April Voice are due by today Monday 7 9.45–,10.25am Beverley Christian Meditation Group meets online. Further information from Christianmeditation.beverley@gmail.com Tuesday 8 10am Christian Meditation Group meets online. Further information from Terry Doyle at emailing terry-doyle@live.co.uk. Wednesday 9 5.30pm Vespers and Benediction at St Mary’,s Cathedral, Middlesbrough 7.30pm Cleveland Newman Circle Talk, St Mary’,s Cathedral Hall, Middlesbrough. All welcome. This month’,s guest speaker is Cheryl Ann Smith: “,Who were the women in the genealogy of Jesus Christ?”, Thursday 10 7.45pm Middlesbrough Catenians meet at Middlesbrough Cricket Club. Meetings are currently taking place via Zoom Monday 14 9.45–,10.25am Beverley Christian Meditation Group meets online. Further information from Christianmeditation.beverley@gmail.com 2–,3.30pm Music for the Mind, for people who enjoy singing and connecting memories, St Mary’,s Cathedral Hall, Middlesbrough. No charge, donations welcome. Tea, cake and biscuits followed by fun. You can also join in on the Diocese of Middlesbrough Diocese YouTube page. For details call 01642 710179. Tuesday 15 10am Christian Meditation Group meets online. Further information from Terry Doyle at emailing terry-doyle@live.co.uk. Wednesday 16 5.30pm Vespers and Benediction at St Mary’,s Cathedral, Middlesbrough Sunday 20 3pm Middlesbrough Fellowship Mass, Sacred Heart Church, Redcar Monday 21 9.45–,10.25am Beverley Christian Meditation Group meets online. Further information from Christianmeditation.beverley@gmail.com Tuesday 22 10am Christian Meditation Group meets online. Further information from Terry Doyle at emailing terry-doyle@live.co.uk. Wednesday 23 5.30pm Vespers and Benediction at St Mary’,s Cathedral, Middlesbrough Monday 28 9.45–,10.25am Beverley Christian Meditation Group meets online. Further information from Christianmeditation.beverley@gmail.com Tuesday 29 10am Christian Meditation Group meets online. Further information from Terry Doyle at emailing terry-doyle@live.co.uk. Wednesday 30 5.30pm Vespers and Benediction at St Mary’,s Cathedral, Middlesbrough *Please note, the Postgate Rally will now be held on Sunday July 10 and not the week before as previously publicised. Out and About 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 The Sacred Heart Church in Redcar will host March`s Fellowship Mass –, Photo by Tom Rolfe

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March 2022 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + 13 NEWS If you would like to advertise please contact Charlotte Rosbrooke on 07932 248225 or email charlotter@cathcom.org Wanted for the Missionary Sisters Large Statues, Church Fittings, Rosaries, Pictures etc. Please phone or write Mr. Ferris KSC, 102 Moor St, Coventry CV5 6EY Tel: 02476 676986 Follow the Diocese of Middlesbrough on social media Twitter: atMbroDiocese Facebook: facebook.com/MiddlesbroughDiocese Flickr: flickr.com/photos/middlesbroughdiocese/ The Diocese of Middlesbrough would like to point out that while every care is taken with advertisements placed in the Catholic Voice, publication does not suggest an endorsement of any views expressed. Catholic charities invited to apply for Plater grants The Charles Plater Trust (CPT) has launched a new £,2.5m grant programme with up to £,500,000 on offer to good causes for each of the next five years. It is calling on all registered charities that share its Catholic Social Teaching values to apply for grants for social action, lay leadership or applied research projects for up to £,50,000 per grant. Bishop Richard Moth, the new chair of the CPT, said: “,It is significant and timely that we are extending the Church’,s charity and social mission to all who care about making a difference in our increasingly divided and unequal society. “,We have been working hard over the last year to reorganise our finances so we can make more of the legacy of the late Father Charles Plater available for good causes. “,This is our biggest and most sustained programme of grant-making ever, and I know there are great partners out there for us to work with to make real the Church’,s social mission across England and Wales on the 100th anniversary of the death of Father Plater.”, Father Charles was born in London in 1875 and spent his life pursuing social justice through education. The Catholic Workers’, College at Oxford was founded in his memory and was later named Plater College. It offered educational opportunities –, with an emphasis on Catholic Social Teaching –, to those who were in the working world or who had seen their studies interrupted. The college closed in 2005 and the Charles Plater Trust was established to manage funds realised by the sale of the college building through the awarding and administration of grants to social action projects. Any registered charity can apply for funding as long as the proposed work has a direct benefit in England and Wales and fits one of the three Plater priority themes of lay leadership, social action and/or applied research. The trust will also consider applications from organisations seeking to use a grant as match funding as part of a larger project. Visit plater.org.uk for more details and an application form. The closing date is Tuesday March 15 with all successful applicants publicly announced at an award ceremony in May. Father Charles Plater and his bulldog, Jimmy Fiona Bruce MP, the prime minister’,s special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, has met home secretary Priti Patel MP to raise continued concerns about the plight of Pakistan Christian girl Maira Shahbaz. Maira has described how, at the age of 14, she was kidnapped, forcibly married and converted before escaping, only to be forced into hiding after her abductor accused her of apostasy. She is now trapped in one room with her mother and siblings, fearful of going out. More than 18 months since Maira first went into hiding, special envoy Mrs Bruce stressed the need for action to change the teenager’,s situation and pressed the home secretary to do anything she can to help. Mrs Bruce handed Ms Patel a copy of “,Hear Her Cries: the kidnapping, forced conversion and sexual victimisation of Christian women and girls”,, a report produced by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the Catholic charity which supports persecuted Christians. The special envoy said reading the report had “,reduced her to tears”,. It includes cases of abducted Christian girls and women from the Middle East, Africa as well as Pakistan, and was the main focus of ACN’,s 2021 #RedWednesday campaign promoting religious freedom. More than 12,000 people signed an ACN petition calling on Prime Minister Boris Special envoy raises Maira’,s plight with home secretary Maira Shahbaz

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14 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + March 2022 NEWS As we begin to find our way out of the Covid restrictions, the Cathedral and Diocesan Choirs are among the many choirs up and down the country, both sacred and secular, looking for new members. The Diocesan Choir sings at the major diocesan liturgies, including the Rite of Election and the Chrism Mass this term, and meets once a month to rehearse, in York. There is no audition and new members are always welcome, with current members being drawn from across the diocese and even slightly beyond! One of the biggest casualties of the pandemic at the cathedral has been the number of young people singing with us. Although recent weeks have seen several new children joining our existing dedicated choristers, particularly through the work being led by our two choral directors in some of our schools, we have ambitions to build a new junior choir structure to supplement the adults and teenagers who sing in the cathedral week by week as well as on many holy days. We currently have three unfilled choral scholarships, for an alto, tenor, and bass, for students in schools, colleges or tertiary education wishing to sing while receiving tuition in singing and/or piano, as well as being paid a small termly honorarium. We also have the Cathedral Consort, which is auditioned, and currently sings for Vespers and Benediction twice a month. The final choir is the Ladies’, Schola, which has been led for many years by Sue Black. Sue has recently retired from this role, and we thank her for her service to the cathedral and diocese and are delighted that she will continue to serve the Diocesan Choir as well as her own parish choir. The Ladies’, Schola will start singing, again, next term, initially singing once a month for Vespers and Benediction and directed by Janine Busbridge, the cathedral’,s assistant director of music. The hope is that some or all of these choirs might sing not only at the cathedral but also more widely around the diocese as and when the occasion arises. If you know of anyone who might be interested in joining one or more of the choirs or might be interested in having a visiting choir for a service, please don’,t hesitate to be in touch with me. Equally, if you would like support in rebuilding or starting choirs in your parish, do let me know and I will be delighted to help. You can contact me by emailing musicdept@rcdmidd.org.uk or calling 01642 597750. Steven Maxson, Diocesan Director of Music New members invited to join diocesan choirs Environment Corner Lent is a good time to re-evaluate our lifestyle and consumption. Much has been written about the fact that avoiding meat and dairy products is one of the biggest and best ways to reduce your environmental impact on the planet. Studies also suggest that a high-fibre, plant-based diet is also better for your health, so this can be a win-win situation. Sometimes statements like this can be off-putting and too sombre or dreary, but the illustration suggests that this idea can also be enjoyable! All family members could be engaged in a quest to discover the carbon footprints of different foods and contribute to the menus for the week. In Pope Francis’, book, Let us Dream, one section is devoted to “,A Time to Choose”,. He writes: “,This is a time to recover values, to embrace what is authentically worthwhile.”, The book is focused on the path to a better future. We can all be part of this, and we are blessed with a plethora of resources to help in a quest of this sort. For me, one of the best is the BBC Climate Change Food Calculator. It is full of information and easy ways of looking at what we eat and the carbon footprint behind it. It`s also fun and a voyage of discovery! It can be found at: bbc.com/future/bespoke/follow-the-food/calculate-the-environmental- footprint-of-your-food.html Barbara Hungin Taking stock of our lives during Lent If you would like to advertise please contact Charlotte Rosbrooke on 07932 248225 or email charlotter@cathcom.org Members of our Diocesan Choir –, Photo by Chris Booth

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March 2022 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + 15 NEWS Catholic folk legend`s autobiography tops charts The young Vin Garbutt playing his tin whistle on Eston Hills From the Archives 40 Years Ago (From March 1982 Catholic Voice) Michael Brennan, who lives in Redcar and is a marketing manager with Redpath Dorman Long, told ‘,Voice’, on his return from Poland where he had delivered 4 tons of goods from the people of Teesside to Lodz, that the Black Madonna of Jasna Gora, in whom the Polish people have great faith, must have been with him in spirit throughout the journey to Poland. Without her, he felt sure that he would not have made the successful trip. Before they left, the organising committee drew £,500 from their own bank accounts to cover petrol and other expenses for the journey. Just before they left a cheque for £,500 was received from Reverend Mother at Endsleigh Convent. After crossing over from East Germany into Poland it was so cold he was forced to stop the van. He could not see anything ahead but there was a church building across the road –, he knocked on the door and the local priest greeted him and gave him hospitality for the night. These were just two of several coincidences that convinced Mike that the Black Madonna was there with him. 100 Years Ago (From Notice Book of St Francis Xavier’,s, Richmond) Stations of the Cross &, Benediction on Friday evening at 7.30. A Plenary Indulgence may be gained on Friday next, the feast of St Patrick. The memorial to our fallen Catholic soldiers will be blessed and dedicated on the 4th Sunday of Lent, March 26th. David Smallwood The autobiography Catholic folk legend Vin Garbutt wrote in his final years has been reprinted three times since being published last autumn. Folk legend Vin, who was 69, passed away on June 6 2017 after undergoing heart surgery at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough. He had begun working on All The Very Best! with the help of Voice editor Michael McGeary in 2014 and the first draft was completed a few days before Vin died. Just under 1,000 hardback copies were pre-ordered by folk fans as far away as Australia and Canada and have been shipped across the world from Loftus, North Yorkshire, by Vin’,s wife, Pat. A second hardback print run is now on sale, along with the third batch of paperbacks. The book has a five-star Amazon rating and topped the online retailer’,s Biographies of Folk Musicians chart. Born in South Bank, Middlesbrough, on November 20 1947, Vin became known as the funniest man on the worldwide folk scene. But while his patter was hilarious, his songs were often deadly serious, tackling issues from unemployment in the North-East to oppression and injustice wherever he saw it in the world. He recorded 12 studio albums and three live albums and was the subject of a full-length feature film, Teesside Troubadour. He was the first British folk artist to tour Australia and he played to packed out venues across the globe, attending Mass each Sunday wherever he found himself. In 2001 he was named Best Live Act at the 2001 BBC Folk Awards and received an honorary degree from Teesside University. But he was equally proud of the Benemerenti medal he was awarded for his work for Life, for which he performed an annual fundraiser Vin was also shunned by elements of the mainstream folk world because of his outspoken views on the issue of abortion, but he refused to be silenced, even at considerable cost to his career. In the book, Vin says: “,I`m a Catholic and happy that way. My religion means a lot to me and I have confirmed my membership of the Church in adulthood. I love the painting The Light of the World. Victorian artist William Holman Hunt depicts Christ standing outside a closed door, holding a lantern. “,To me, the message is that you have to welcome Jesus into your life –, he won’,t force his way in. The more I open that door, the more I find out what it`s all about.”, In 1983, Vin recorded an album of pro-life songs, Little Innocents, and donated the proceeds to the charity Life. He continued to write and sing pro-life songs throughout his career, even though some folk clubs and festivals refused to book him. Vin’,s son Louis, who has managed the project together with his mam, Pat, said: “,It’,s been lovely to hear the positive comments from fans, many saying it’,s like listening to Dad talking to them through the pages of the book. “,The book truly captures Dad’,s spirit and his outlook on life and we’,re proud of the way it’,s turned out.”, All The Very Best! includes many previously unseen photos from Vin’,s life and contributions from some of Vin’,s friends and admirers from the folk world, including Tom Paxton, Loudon Wainwright III, Eric Bogle, Christy Moore, Mike Harding, Barbara Dixon and Jasper Carrott, as well as from fans and the people who knew Vin best. The book is available in hardback, paperback and ebook editions from vingarbutt.com. The autobiography of the late Catholic folk singer Vin Garbutt was published last autumn and has already been reprinted three times

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16 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + March 2022 NEWS Designed typeset and printed by CathCom, N2 Blois Meadow Business Centre, Steeple Bumpstead, Haverhill, Suffolk. CB9 7BN. To Advertise call 01440 730399. or e-mail: ads@cathcom.org –, serving Schools, Business and Homes If you would like to advertise please contact Charlotte Rosbrooke on 07932 248225 or email charlotter@cathcom.org Units 2-4, Lakeland Estate, Faverdale North, Darlington, DL3 0PX T | 01325 464464 E | contact@harrisonlp.co.uk W | www.harrisonlp.co.uk , Strike Risk Assessments , Installation , Maintenance , Testing , Marked Plans , Certification Please quote reference LP399 when you contact us Lightning Protection and Earthing Specialists Family Business since 1926 Property Maintenance, Extensions, Alterations and Repairs (Large and Small) , Private and Commercial Work undertaken , Many contracts completed with Middlesbrough Diocese for schools and church properties , All work guaranteed Contact: John 07831822285 Tom 07557335366 E-mail: john.shipley@ntlworld.com 66 Gunnergate Lane, Marton, Middlesbrough TS7 8JB J. M. Shipley &, Son Building Contractor Please support our advertisers. Revenue from advertising pays for the production of this paper and without them we would not be able to produce the Catholic Voice free of charge each month, so please support their businesses. Thank God, we have been to return to near normal and meaningful worship here in St Margaret Clitherow Parish, York, and in other parishes. Our Rosary Group prided ourselves in praying together every Saturday during the lockdown. One of our members created a Whats App group and we agreed to recite the Rosary each Saturday at 9.30am. Petitions were sent via Whats App on Friday evenings and those not using the app could email or telephone to keep them in the loop. The home Rosary was followed by coffee and cake as we raised a cup with fellow members. Our love and friendship for one another strengthened throughout the lockdown period and Our Lady has kept us all in prayerful safety. Kath Campbell Together in love, friendship and prayer Members of the St Margaret Clitherow Parish prayer group The church`s statue of Our Lady

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