2 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + March 2022 www.catholicvoi ceo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. C AFOD was founded in 1962, two years after a small group of Catholic women came together to organise a fast day to fundraise for a mother and baby unit in Dominica. Sixty years later, communities across England and Wales continue to come together to help CAFOD support some of the most vulnerable and remote global communities. This Lent, CAFOD is calling on its supporters across England and Wales to take up a 5km a day walking challenge to show their support in tackling the causes of hunger. Walk Against Hunger is the only Lent challenge you need: 5km a day, 200km throughout Lent - done your way. Every day. For 40 days. Go the distance and help to end malnutrition! Why walk against hunger? You’,ll be helping children like Lombeh Lombeh, the third child of Amie and Borbor, was malnourished. She was so tiny that a bracelet her mother Amie bought for her at the time now 昀,ts round her thumb. Amie and Borbor left no stone unturned to 昀,nd help, but to no CAFOD celebrates 60 years avail. Amie saw a group of new mothers coming along the road, their babies all healthy, and asked where they had come from. They told her about the Sisters. Amie went straight there. Even though they feared there was no hope for little Lombeh, they gave her benny mix –, a local weaning food. Lombeh immediately began to improve. Now, aged 昀,ve, Lombeh is a lively and energetic little girl, who can’,t believe the stories her mother tells her about when she was a baby. Sign up on line at https://cafod.org.uk/ or talk to your parish CAFOD rep to get involved. Don’,t forget Family Fast Day on 11 March, your contributions are greatly needed to alleviate su昀,ering all over the world. Global Emergencies and CAFOD Appeals •, Afghanistan –, CAFOD and the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) have launched appeals to address the humanitarian and longer-term needs of people facing hunger this winter in Afghanistan. CAFOD is also calling on the UK Government to do all it can to ensure safe passage for those 昀,eeing Afghanistan and reforms our refugee and asylum system. •, Northern Kenya drought –, multiple poor rains have resulted in drought across many parts of the country, particularly the north. CAFOD’,s local Church partners are supporting a昀,ected communities. Over 2 million people are facing acute food insecurity and in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. A large number of those a昀,ected are pastoralists for whom cattle is a crucial part of their social status. The situation has been compounded by Covid-19. •, Lebanon Economic Crisis –, Lebanon is experiencing one of its worst economic crises. Electricity, transport, food and medicines are now luxuries, with food items costing 10 times more than they did in 2019. •, South Sudan –, millions of people are facing extreme food shortages. Last year saw unprecedented levels of 昀,ooding –, some of the worst in living memory –, which are cutting o昀, communities from accessing vital food supplies. Con昀,ict, displacement and Covid-19 have also worsened food insecurity.

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk March 2022 + The Catholic Voi ce of Lancaster + 3 A va Everton, Layla Acton, Gemma Downes, and Isabelle Payne of St Bede’,s High School Lytham have been awarded the Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Award for their work in promoting the common good in their local community. They were nominated by youth worker, Terry Mattinson, for their hard work in Action Youth Group. The award is hosted by Million Minutes, a national Catholic youth charity. They support projects helping young people to transform their lives and help them put Catholic Social Teaching into practice: The Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Award was established in 2020 as a positive response to the global pandemic, celebrating and recognising amazing individuals across the country who, like Ava, Layla, Gemma and Isabelle, are making the world around them a better place. Million Minutes were inspired by their story and their e昀,orts, and awarded a certi昀,cate, signed by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, for each of the girls. Their work will also be automatically considered as part of our 2022 Celebrating Young People Awards. Many congratulations from the Catholic Voice on this achievement. Please keep up the good work. Young people are amazing. They deserve to be recognised and celebrated. And they should know too that the Church and their community is behind them “, Dear young people, my joyful hope is to see you keep running the race before you, outstripping all those who are slow or fearful. Keep running, attracted by the face of Christ, whom we love so much…, May the Holy Spirit urge you on as you run this race. The Church needs your momentum, your intuitions, your faith. We need them! And when you arrive where we have not yet reached, have the patience to wait for us. ”, Pope Francis Christus Vivit #299 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ava, Layla, Gemma and Isabelle are pictured here with Headteacher Mr Paul Marsden and Youth Worker Terry Mattinson. K&,M Maintenance Heating - Electrical - Drainage Established 25 years Telephone: 01772 704530 Fax 01722 798801 Heating, Electrical and Drainage and Plumbing services across the North West of England Gas •, Emergency Boiler Repairs for all makes •, Boiler Installations &, servicing •, Central Heating System repairs/upgrades/leaks •, New fitted Central Heating Systems •, Landlord Gas Safety Certificates (CP12) Electrical •, New consumer units supplied and fitted •, All emergency breakdowns •, Power tripping •, New lighting •, Additional sockets •, Faulty sockets •, Rewiring •, Outdoor lighting/sockets •, EICR - electrial safey certificates Drainage and Plumbing •, Blocked drains, internal and external •, Leaks •, New taps •, Camera surveys Prices Boiler Service - £,49 + VAT plus £,10 for every additional appliance. Tel No: 01772 704530 Mobile: 07941 554730 Fax No: 01772 798801 Address: K &, M Maintenance Services Ltd, Unit 8A, Electron Mill, Brook Street, Preston PR1 7NH More information: www.kmmaintenance.co.uk Mark F H Rae Funeral Directors Dip FD MBIFD Incorporating Rawcliffe and Rae Independent Family Firm A Caring and Personal Service with over 40 years experience Funerals conducted by Mark and Helen Rae Consultant Funeral Director Paddy Keogh Tel: 01253 789000/01253 735269 Wood Street, St Annes on Sea, Lancashrie FY8 1QS Website: www.markraefunerals.co.uk

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4 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + March 2022 www.catholicvoi ceo昀,ancaster.co.uk GENERAL UPDATE 2 022 has started slowly at Castlerigg but it’,s really starting to pick up now! In January, we held our 昀,rst open Altar Servers retreat, as wel l as a few residential retreats and even two day retreats on site for eighty young people each! February was rather busy, with four back to back retreats! We’,ve also given the house a bit of a makeover too! During lockdown we decided to use the time wisely by decorating and updating as much as we could in the house. If you haven’,t been to Castlerigg lately, you’,ll 昀,nd on your next visit that the Chapel and the games room have been completely redesigned and a lot of other areas in the downstairs of the centre have been given a huge once-over. All of the bedrooms upstairs now have Saints names complete with artwork on the doors, and there are a lot of other little bits and pieces around the place too. Decorating the games room was a large undertaking, but a lot of fun was had by the whole team. Professionals were brought in to update the lights and the carpets while the painting was done by the volunteers during some of the quieter weeks! We are hiring! Applications for gap year volunteers for 2022-23 are now open. Volunteering at Castlerigg is a great opportunity to learn some useful skills, make friends for life, deepen your faith and live in the Lake District working with some wonderful young people. If you’,re interested, Email jack@castleriggmanor.co.uk to start the conversation. What’,s coming up? Now that Covid is (please God, maybe…,) behind us, we are o昀,ering a great deal in the weeks and months ahead. Here are the highlights: You can 昀,nd all of these things on our website at www.castleriggmanor.co.uk EASTER 2022 Our Easter Retreat is running from April 14-17th. It’,s a chance to journey through the Triduum with a nice group of people and to have some fun along the way. It’,s open to anyone in Year 10 or above, up to age 25, with separate streams for di昀,erent age groups. £,85 all in. WORLD YOUTH DAY 2023 We will be launching this very soon so keep checking our social media and our website for details. It’,s happening in Lisbon, Portugal next summer and we will be taking a small group of over 18s as part of a larger discipleship process. ENGAGE Every March, we run a ten-session course for people interested in youth Ministry. It’,s called ENGAGE and it features input from some of the biggest names in Catholic Youth Ministry in the UK. What’,s more, if you’,re in the Diocese of Lancaster you can get a massive discount, making the cost just £,89 for the whole ten week course! ONLINE GROUPS Before Covid, none of us had ever really used Zoom, had we!? Now, it’,s very much here to stay! Obviously, we like doing things in person, but given the size of our diocese, sometimes the online stu昀, has its advantages. That being the case, we have two online groups and they’,re both free of charge. OVERFLOW is for Young Adults and RISE is for Years 7-9. They’,re both free and, like everything else here, you can sign up on our website. Youth Matters What’,s happening in the Youth Service

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk March 2022 + The Catholic Voi ce of Lancaster + 5 O n January 15th, we were delighted to welcome a dozen Altar Servers from around the diocese for an open retreat, lasting just over 24 hours! This is the 昀,rst event like this that we have run in a long time and is the fruit of some thinking we did during lockdown about what sort of di昀,erent programmes we can o昀,er. (look out for ‘,LIT’,, our open Con昀,rmation retreat in May for instance!) The thinking behind the Altar Servers Retreat was to get altar servers together from across the area, give them a chance to relax, have some fun, meet other people, and explore what it means to be an altar server. One server from Wigton commented that “,it was great! Just the right balance of fun and re昀,ections.”, Activities included: •, ‘,Altar Server Olympics’, •, Prayer times in the chapel •, A walk around the local area into town •, A ‘,why do we serve’, session and •, Castlerigg’,s usual retreat ending ‘,what’,s next?’, session. Retreats for Altar Servers are something that we de昀,nitely want to continue at Castlerigg, so look out for the next one and please…, help us to spread the word. T his month save yourself some work and use a video series! Not every youth leader has the experience –, never mind the time or the patience –, to write their own sessions. And that’,s why it’,s so nice to learn that a bunch of people have written sessions for you. In fact, some of them have even 昀,lmed them and put them online for you to use for free. The big name in this area is Youth Alpha –, the youth version of the popular Alpha Course. Alpha is designed to give non-Christians a basic introduction to the faith, but it’,s still great for people who are a little bit past that point as it still o昀,ers a chance to come together, learn a little bit more, and talk about it with like-minded people. Anyone can go onto the Alpha site, register an account and then download the videos for free, and this is the same for the Youth Alpha sessions too. There are comprehensive video guides explaining how to lead Youth Alpha, and even sheets to help leaders with the group discussions. There are 13 sessions in the Alpha series. Another big name is Chosen. This is a video series from Ascension Press. There is a downside over Alpha: Chosen costs money! But there’,s an upside too. Chosen is a Catholic course, unlike Alpha, and it’,s far more comprehensive too. It was originally designed as a Con昀,rmation course but it became so popular that Ascension were asked to make a non-Con昀,rmation version, which they did. Both are still available. One 昀,nal video series to throw at you is Altaration - yes, it’,s spelled that way, and for a good reason. Altaration is a video series –, also from Ascension –, that’,s all about the Mass. It aims to bring young people closer to the liturgy and it’,s a good follow-on from either Youth Alpha or Chosen. There are plenty of other resources out there too. Just one word of warning though –, when you 昀,nd a new resource get your priest or a quali昀,ed catechist to look it over 昀,rst. Some of what’,s out there doesn’,t always 昀,t with our theology as Catholics. Our First Altar Servers Retreat! Youth Ministry Tips for Parish Youth Leaders 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 + March 2022 www.catholicvoi ceo昀,ancaster.co.uk I am Declan O’,Brien, and I am taking part in CAFOD’,s “,Step into the gap”, programme and am living and working in the Diocese of Lancaster. As part of the “,Step into the Gap”, program, I and other participants were part of the CAFOD youth delegation on the central weekend of the COP26 conference in Glasgow. Travel to COP 26 was a tense experience. I was anxious with nerves and excited for what was to come. On arrival I could feel the air of the city, like the city was holding its breath until the climate pact was complete. We went directly to St Aloysius church to join in part of a 24 hour prayer service. The Stations of the Cross were being prayed there by the Jesuit mission team and we were invited to join them. The atmosphere was poignantly hopeful and helped immensely with preparing ourselves for the rest of the weekend. The next day we rose early, had breakfast and then got ready for the march led by Greta Thunberg which took place over most of the day. We gathered to march in Kelvingrove Park before it started properly, rallying our spirits and practising chants. We did this despite the heavy rainfall, and strong winds. On my third and 昀,nal day of being at COP26, I was able to visit the green zone in the morning. The stalls, booths and displays of green technological advancements were a beacon of hope to myself and I imagine most others who visited. This new tech, or new implementations of existing technology showed just how achievable a net zero world can be with the proper funding and infrastructure. The 昀,nal activity of our visit to Glasgow was a Mass concelebrated by the Bishops of Scotland, which all the CAFOD and Jesuit missions team members attended. The Mass felt like the perfect conclusion of our time there, 昀,nishing on a high and with big hopes for the future. After the positivity of our trip and the optimism that the delegates spoke of at the event, I can only express disappointment in the actual results. Many key countries failed to live up to expectations, be it countries like India and China not rolling back fossil fuel usage to the degree needed, or historically huge polluters like the UK, Germany, France and the US not committing to the concept of paying reparations to the countries most a昀,ected by the climate crisis. I think I speak for my generation when I say that I am disappointed at how little was achieved at COP26 compared with what we had hoped for. While the COP was a partial success, it will take a lot more work from my generation and those to follow to live up to the goals laid out during this conference. I am con昀,dent we will rise to that challenge and lead the way into a brighter future. “,I think I speak for my generation when I say that I am disappointed at how little was achieved at COP26 compared with what we had hoped for”, The Hopes of Millions My Re昀,ections on COP 26

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk March 2022 + The Catholic Voi ce of Lancaster + 7 O, Lord, I guard your gate and wall In sun and rain and solitude, For a hundred springs stood sentinel. Black candle, crowned with thorn And 昀,ames of shadow bled Into the blue above my head - For you we burn. Storm-scourged and mangled –, and mighty Ghost hands tearing me apart –, Bone from bark –, And branches bruised, all broken –, White Yew Black earth and root ball –, My burning heart ripped open. See, Lord, y our gate and wall destroyed, All breached, forsaken. They dig my grave, Tear out my roots, ring bells for me –, A scorched spear piercing Mary’,s blue. Black 昀,ames –, we burnt for you. My girder towered into noon, My roots reached night, Your sweet span severed ‘,Twixt earth and glory - What hurteth you, hurts me. Red sap rising, all ablaze –, I bleed with thee. Your evergreen was ever thine, Steadfast in my love for thee. See, gloried in light and air, I grow With white 昀,ames risen joyfully. The birds now sing eternally For those hear –, for those who see. KTM (Storm Arwen, St Mary’,s, Morecambe) 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 Our Lady’,s Catholic High School St Anthony’,s Drive, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire PR2 3SQ Headteacher: Mr Nigel Ranson Tel: 01772 326900 Email: admin@olchs.lancs.sch.uk Web: http://www.olchs.lancs.sch.uk Teacher Training with the Catholic Teaching Alliance The Catholic Teaching Alliance (CTA) is a partnership between 70 Catholic primary and secondary schools, and a post-16 college, led by Our Lady`s Catholic High School with a shared vision and commitment to providing PGCE with QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) courses in partnership with the University of Cumbria. Contact: 01772 326931 Email: CTAschooldirect@olchs.lancs.sch.uk Website: www.catholic-teaching-alliance.org

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8 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + March 2022 www.catholicvoi ceo昀,ancaster.co.uk G od loves us with a love that is far beyond our comprehension. We can respond to this by leading a healthy spiritual life through prayer and the sacraments but it does not, must not, end there. Whether we like it or not, we are members of the human family and share our common home with all the living things created by God. These too need our love and care if they are to thrive. The obligation is set out in the 昀,rst two Commandments - to love God and to love our neighbour. So far, so good, but isn’,t it so easy to compartmentalise our love? To be concerned about one aspect of injustice, but less so about others. Yet, if we are to love fully, our love must be all- encompassing and free of prejudice and bias. None of this is helped by many of our political leaders and by the media for whom real love seems to be the best-kept secret. In the places where the need for love should be at the forefront, such as the largely avoidable crises of climate change, migration, poverty and inequality they are happy to sensationalise the events, but not to call-out the underlying cause - the absence or denial of love. Instead, these stories are often reported in the language of nationalism, hostility or hate, using stereotypes to depersonalise or demean those su昀,ering. Generalisations such as “,immigrant”, and “,scrounger”, should raise our hackles and challenge us to ask why such terms are being used. We will never make progress until we replace this language of hate with the language of love. If we look at the climate emergency, warnings of impending disaster have largely washed over peoples’, heads, with some sections of the media happy to ridicule the “,doom- mongers”, . Then came Pope Francis’, great encyclical letter on the environment, Laudato Si. He certainly didn’,t mince his All-encompassing love words on the severity of the many crises we face or on the human sel昀,shness that has caused them, but he also constructively set out what we must do and most importantly, gave us the language to do it. It is not the language of despair, but the language of love, hope and joy. Over the years Catholic campaigners have worked hard to introduce the language of Pope Francis into the previously largely secular environmental vocabulary. It has been transformative. Much of the negative, often angry, language which, for years, produced headline fodder for the tabloids has gone. “,Protestors”, have become “,protectors”, . In our churches we have encouraged the Celebration of Creation to help our parishioners value it and so protect its glories. One of the key themes of Laudato Si and in Pope Francis’, subsequent encyclical, Fratelli Tutti is how everything is interconnected. He shows how the 昀,nancial, social, environmental and poverty crises all have the same root cause - that we see ourselves as lords and masters of the world and all that is within it. In doing so, we have lost respect for Creation. As Pope Francis puts it: “,When human beings place themselves at the centre, they give absolute priority to immediate convenience and all else becomes relative.”, If we are to be true followers of Jesus we must be holistic in our love. We must treasure the living as much as the unborn and the dying and strive to protect the planet upon which we all depend. Lancaster Diocese Faith and Justice Commission Environment Group. Lent is coming......Try reading Laudato Si or Fratelli Tutti as a Lenten exercise. Both are extremely readable - and very thought provoking! Available from CTS or online from the Vatican website. “, When human beings place themselves at the centre, they give absolute priority to immediate convenience and all else becomes relative. ”, Pope Francis ©, Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk For information and bookings visit www.minsteracres.org, Phone: 01434 673248 Email: info@minsteracres.org Minsteracres Retreat Centre, nr. Consett, County Durham, DH8 9RT You are a thought of God led by Fr Ben Lodge CP a Passionist priest and Postulator for the Causes of Dominic Barberi and Fr. Ignatius Spencer This is a preached retreat for Religious. The retreat will start on Sunday 20 March at 6:00pm and finish during the morning of Saturday 26 March. 20 to 26 March, Suggested donation, £,470 On a Journey with the Northern Saints, led by the Minsteracres team Spend a week at Minsteracres journeying in the footsteps of the Northern Saints such as Aidan, Cuthbert, Oswald, Hilde and Bede. Find out more about their spirituality and motivation, and visit the iconic places where they lived out their faith. Includes visits to Holy Island, Bamburgh, Durham Cathedral and Heavenfield and other early monastic sites. All travel costs are included. 25 to 29 April, Suggested donation: £,500 Christian life in a new world: meditations on discipleship drawn from the gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles led by Fr Donald Senior CP The experiences of the past three years—,the pandemic, the effects of climate change, raging political and social conflicts–, have brought profound change to our world. It is time Pope Francis has noted, to set out as pilgrims on a new and life- giving journey. The Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles provided direction to the early Christian community as it, too, entered a new time and a new place. Fr Donald Senior CP, a renowned Scripture scholar will draw on this biblical wellspring to reflect on the possibilities of Christian discipleship now. 11 to 15 July, Suggested donation: £,560 Memory, Experience and Imagination: Aids to all Things Being Made New led by Rev John Bell, a member of the Iona Community We tend to sift anything new through one or more of the three sieves of memory (what has been), experience (what is) and imagination (what might be). This is true as much for our spiritual and liturgical life as it is for our health and wellbeing. In his teaching about God’,s radical kingdom, Jesus draws on the past, present and imagined future to enable us to be open to the newness which God intends. 21 to 23 October, Suggested donation: £,220

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk March 2022 + The Catholic Voi ce of Lancaster + 9 T he St Bede’,s Lytham Action Group is a pupil lead group and is facilitated by Terry Mattinson in conjunction with the RE Department. They meet every Tuesday and their work is based on putting Catholic Social Teaching into Action! Last month I reported on one of the Groups initiatives Reduce, Reuse Recycle and this month I want to provide you with an update on another project inspired by the need to care for our common home - Mr J Harding Teacher of Religious of Education Tree planting This project is headed up by Gemma Downes (Year 11) , Isabel Brierley (Year 10) and Lucy Crook-Williams (Year 7) who are driving the project forward. Due to the best tree planting times this project started in November last year and will run until to the end of March. There has been lots of preparation work needed but the main aim has been to plant trees and hedges around the school site. And it has involved lots of di昀,erent people from the school and externally too. For more details on this project I have attached a PDF copy of the Project Plan. So far the girls have: •, Presented the project to Headteacher Mr Marsden, who has given his full support. •, In true Royalist commitment for the Queens Green Canopy for her Platinum Jubilee Mr Barnett has been enlisted to liaise with the members of Lytham in Bloom in the hope that Putting Catholic Social Teaching into Action they can be brought onboard. •, Asked Miss Cochrane if she can liaise with our Primary School Partners, in the hopes that each primary school will come and plant a tree on our site but also it is hoped that they too will take this project on and make it their own and plant trees on their school sites too. •, Begun the application to the Woodlands Trust for Free Trees for us to plant. •, Raised money for materials such as soil and compost. Once again this project is an amazing re昀,ection of our young people’,s desire to care for our planet. These are inspirational young people that we work alongside every day. In the words of Pope Francis: “,Everyone’,s talents and involvement are needed to redress the damage caused by human abuse of God’,s creation.”, Laudato Si, 14 Hopefully you will take inspiration from these e昀,orts and plant a tree in your garden or church grounds. Last month the Catholic Voice reported on the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle initiative and the story later appeared on Page 31 of the National paper The Universe Catholic Weekly with a headline: Pope’,s words inspire pupils at St Bede’,s to play their part in saving the planet! Just goes to show that good news travels fast. £,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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10 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + March 2022 www.catholicvoi ceo昀,ancaster.co.uk E dith Stein (1891-1942) was a convert to Christianity from Judaism. She lost her father at a young age. A brilliant mind, she studied philosophy under Husserl, later becoming his teaching assistant and a successful academic. She specialised in the subject of phenomenology. When she was staying with Lutheran friends, she read the Life of St Teresa o f Avila and found herself saying ‘,this is the truth’, . She became a Catholic, and soon felt called to Carmel. She delayed her entry out of fear of upsetting her Mother, and became a committed teacher in a Catholic school, until the Nazis required teachers to have an ‘,Aryan certi昀,cate’, . With no prospect of a career in Germany, she would have had to leave the country. Perhaps, she hoped, her mother might accept Carmel as the lesser of two evils. She entered Cologne Carmel in October 1933, taking the name ‘,St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross’, . She ended her days in the gas chambers of Auschwitz on 2 August 1942, a martyr for the faith. Edith Stein shares in her writings four images of prayer –, as talking to God and listening to Him, glancing at God, as resting in God, and as simply yearning for Him. Thus we see the family hallmark of Carmel’,s prayer –, it is profoundly relational. Talking and Listening ‘,It all depends on having a quiet little corner where you can t alk with God on a daily basis as if nothing else existed…, and one i s to consider oneself totally as an instrument, so that you treat yo ur most frequently demanded talents not as something you use, but as God working through you’, (Letter 45 in Self-Portrait in Lett ers, p. 54). ‘,We need hours for listening silently and allowing the Word of God to act on us until it moves us to bear fruit in an o昀,ering of p raise and an o昀,ering of action’, (Hidden Life, p. 16). Resting in God She loved to pray before the Blessed Sacrament, and would spend long hours there on free days, apparently lost to time and space. ‘,There is a state of resting in God, an absolute break from all intellectual activity, when one forms no plans, makes no decisi ons and for the 昀,rst time really does cease to act, when one simply hands over the future to God’,s will and surrenders oneself to fate. I myself have experienced this state to some extent. It came in the wake of an experience which had overtaxed my strength, drained my spiritual resources and robbed me of the ability to act. Compared to that inertia arising from lack of vital energy , ‘,resting in God’, is something new and entirely distinct. One is a kind of ‘,stillness of death’, whereas the other is marked by a sense of tremendous security ... which to the degree I give myself to it , 昀,lls me with life’, (in Herbstrith, Edith Stein: A Biography, p. 60). Yearning ‘,My yearning for Christ was one continual prayer’, (Posselt, Edi th Stein, p. 55). A Loving Glance of the spirit at God who is present ‘,The mystic is simply a person who has an experiential knowledg e of the teaching of the Church, that God dwells in the soul. Anyone who feels inspired by this dogma to search for God will end up taki ng the same route the mystic is led along: he will retreat from the re alm of the senses, the images of the memory and the natural functionin g of the intellect and will withdraw into the barren solitude of the inner self, to dwell in the darkness of faith through a simple loving glance of the spirit at God who is present, though concealed. T here he will remain in profound peace as in the place of rest until the Edith Stein - Yearning for Christ Lord decides to transform his faith into vision’, (Final and Eternal Being p. 157). Prayer is God’,s initiative. He draws us. It is we who respond: ‘,You lower your gaze full of love, into my eyes And bend your ear to my whispered words And deeply 昀,ll my heart with peace’, (Hidden Life, p. 136-7). ‘,Prayer is looking up into the face of the Eternal. We can do t his only when the spirit is awake in its innermost depths, freed fr om all earthly occupations and pleasures that numb it’, (Hidden Life, p p. 3-4). Distractions It is the images of the memory and the emotions attached to them, which she identi昀,es as getting in the way of prayer. Her solution therefore is to silence and quiet the memory, to completely deny all the material it proposes to the soul during the time of prayer. ‘,We need hours for listening silently and allowing the Word of God to act on us until it moves us to bear fruit in an o昀,ering of praise and an o昀,ering of action’, Atonement She was born on the Day of Atonement, and saw her life’,s calling as closely connected with this mystery. Leviticus 16 describes how Aaron and his successors as High Priest, were to enter the sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, once a year to o昀,er the blood of sacri昀,ce (a bull and goat) in atonement for the sins of the people. This was of course the prototype for Christ’,s atoning self- sacri昀,ce on the Cross. Following in the steps of her Master, Ed ith very consciously made to God an o昀,ering of her life on behalf o f her Jewish people, her Carmel and loved ones. She also received permission from her Prioress to prepare herself for life in a concentration camp by increasing her exposure to the cold and hunger. Her life became a total holocaust when, in retaliation for Dutch Catholic Bishops’, condemnation of racism in a circular, Jewish converts to Christianity (hitherto spared) were now targeted by the Nazis for arrest. Her whole Christian life was really a preparation for this, which she seems to have intuited lay ahead of her. At Mass she seemed to participate as if she were o昀,ering herself on the altar. Tha t she saw her life in Carmel as an oblation is evident from these words: ‘,The one thing a person needs to keep doing is to try to live o ut his chosen vocation with an ever-increasing honesty and purity, to make it an acceptable oblation for those with whom he is united ’, (Letter 182 in Herbstrith, Edith Stein: A Biography, p. 132). Edith was taken from her Carmel before she had time to arrange a move to Switzerland, and ended her days in the gas chambers of Auschwitz in 1942. by Dolgellau Carmel, Wales ©, All rights reserved 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 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 M ass Listings –, March 2022 St. Margaret Mary, Scalegate Road, Carlisle Saturdays at 10.00 am Saturday 5th March, 10.00 am Sung Mass for Holy Souls Shrine Church of St Walburge, Preston Mondays –, Fridays: 8.30 am, Low Mass Saturdays: 8.30 am, Low Mass Sundays: 10.30 am, Sung Mass Wednesday 2nd March –, Ash Wednesday Distribution of Ashes &, Mass: 8.30 am &, 7.00 pm Shrine of the English Martyrs, Preston Mondays –, Saturdays: 12 noon, Low Mass Sundays: 9.00 am, Low Mass Wednesday 2nd March –, Ash Wednesday Distribution of Ashes &, Mass: 12 noon Mondays 7th &, 21st March –, Feasts of St Thomas Aquinas &, St Benedict Additional Masses at 6.00 pm (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: 01900 602114) St Mary`s, Main Street, Hornby Saturdays at 11.00 am (Please check with Fr Docherty before travelling: 015242 21246) Local Representatives: Bob &, Jane Latin Telephone: 01772 962387 Email: lancaster@lms.org.uk Website: latinmasslancaster.blogspot.com

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk March 2022 + The Catholic Voi ce of Lancaster + 11 W hoever said ecumenical evenings were di

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12 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + March 2022 www.catholicvoi ceo昀,ancaster.co.uk louder than our band microphones ever could. The air was electric! In the middle of the room extending down the central aisle, a roll of paper and pens were placed. Jane, the Deacon from New Life Church asked all to write or draw what Christian Unity meant to them. Vicky provided some incredible art work. The comments from the people reminded us that: •, We are family •, We are all God’,s children •, We work together to do God’,s work (Ephesians 3 7-10 ) •, We are One in Christ, even when we don’,t realise it or recognise it There was a realisation that: •, Each denomination can learn so much from each other •, Our di昀,erences strengthen us •, We are on the same road and the same journey - all for Jesus These comments united with scripture formed the backbone of the prayers for unity held towards the end of the evening. All in all, the evening was bold, moving and joyous. Over teas and co昀,ees served in the church cafe, we stood mixing with other churches, laughing and networking. Friendships in faith were made stronger still, before we all dispersed with lighter

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk March 2022 + The Catholic Voi ce of Lancaster + 13 hearts 昀,lled with faith and hope! Song for Unity a few years back, began a string of evenings now known (like the band) as ‘,Forever Amen’, . These evenings are a once a month o昀,ering of Prayer, Praise and Worship using traditional and contemporary music. Originally Forever Amen was hosted in a local Catholic Church. Now as of 2022, we are boldly venturing out, walking our ‘,Road to Emmaus’, . Just as Jesus and the disciples went from place to place, so too do we hope to do the same! You can join us on the road for a little while to listen and let your heart be warmed, or for the full journey, to the eventual breaking of the bread! We are o昀,ering these Forever Amen evenings in any church (Catholic or Christian!) , any church hall, or living room, anywhere where we are welcomed! We have some promotional materials to help those who invite us advertise for their evening, so simply pick a date (last Friday of any month) and get in touch. We will provide the musicians and manage the prayer, praise &, worship for the evening, and if you’,re a Catholic Church, then it would be awesome if we could accompany the night with some Eucharistic Adoration! In time we hope to host a few retreats days/weekends too! Our mission is to create a new generation of worshippers, worshipping in Spirit &, Truth. If you want to book your date or 昀,nd out any more information, we have a Forever Amen Music Ministry Facebook Page (which will host our updates and stream our events) . Or contact us via: ForeverAmenMM@gmail.com

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14 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + March 2022 www.catholicvoi ceo昀,ancaster.co.uk M enchu Benavides-Guijarro lives in Preston and he is is a ‘,Laudato Si’, Animator. Here he explains with the help of Brian Austin of ‘,Laudato Si’, Animators UK how the ‘,Laudato Si’, action platform works and how useful it will be to track individual or group progress in caring for our common home. The ‘,Laudato Si’, Action Platform is now live, launched appropriately on World Day for the Poor, November 14th 2021. What the site provides is a resource and a method for us, either as an individual, a family, or organisation, to take the next step in the ongoing ecological conversion that Pope Francis asks for, to care for our common home. It is highly recommended for anyone who wants to engage with ‘,Laudato Si’,. This little article is to help you use the platform, but please remember that this is still new and small changes can be expected. CAFOD recently ran an online talk (30th November) on The ‘,Laudato Si’, Action Platform and ‘,Livesimply’, , which can still be viewed at https://www.bigmarker. com/cafod/Livesimply but you don’,t need to view all of it, these extracts are of particular interest: •, 2:55-8:45 mins (5:55 mins) Pope Francis on the Action Platform (recommended) •, 23:15–,30:00 (6:45 mins) Sophia White –, a tour of the ‘,Laudato Si’, Action Platform website: laudatosiactionplatform.org Our 昀,rst impression is that it is a very professional site and demands our attention, but a little bit of help in using it goes a long way, so what follows is a short guide that might help you navigate it, especially in 昀,nding the ‘,Laudato Si’, Full Planning Guide, explained later. First, though, you need to enrol, although it might seem strange being asked to commit to something before you know what it is you are committing to! But unless you do you so, you do not have access to the whole site. You use the ENROLL tab to create an account. We suggest, to start with, you enrol as a ‘,family or individual’,. You are committing to four things: 1. Complete a Self-assessment 2. Submit a Re昀,ection 3. Produce a Laudato Si’, Action Plan 4. Each year, re-assess, re昀,ect and revise your action plan which follows the analyse-re昀,ect-act-evaluate of the ‘,pastoral cycle’, that some of us may be familiar with, rather like the ‘,see-judge- act’, method. Once enrolled and logged in, you have a set of additional tabs. To start, choose the DASHBOARD. To begin it might be useful to read their Planning Guide, but to 昀,nd it you need to scroll down to the button: [Read the Full Planning Guide] at the very bottom of the page! However, it is provided in a zip folder and you may need some guidance, to read or print the 昀,le (9 A4 pages) . Now, in the Dashboard page, you can begin. You can complete your Self- Assessment, your Re昀,ection and your Action Plan. These are easy to 昀,nd and use on the Dashboard. For the Self-Assessment, it says allow about half an hour, but it could take about an hour, and it is useful to 昀,nd out your annual energy usage before you begin. Once completed, you will receive an email acknowledgement, with the promise “,your results will be evaluated and shortly you will receive a report with the results of your overall environmental impact and carbon footprint.”, At the time of writing we have yet to receive this to know exactly what form this takes. “,Having an overall view of our current The ‘,Laudato Si’, Action Platform

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www.catholicvoiceo昀,ancaster.co.uk March 2022 + The Catholic Voi ce of Lancaster + 15 practices in integral ecology can be very helpful. Being able to see where we stand gives us a sense of direction, an understanding of how far we’,ve come and where we might want to go from here.”, [LS Planning Guide] The next stage is your Re昀,ection, which is very much free-style, so you can write what you wish in any style that you wish, or even produce a video, but ideally you might want to relate it to the ‘,Laudato Si’, Goals in some way. There are a few re昀,ections of others that you can access to see what they have done. Finally, you make your Action Plan. Again, what form this takes and what it contains is entirely up to you. There is no pro-forma or suggested layout. In the Suggested Actions page there are plenty of suggestions and you may even be overwhelmed. One simple approach might be as follows: Go through the Suggested Actions for each of seven ‘,Laudato Si’, Goals, which you will 昀,nd in the Suggested Actions tab (and you will already have seen them in the Self-Assessment section). For each ‘,Laudato Si’, Goal, select the simplest and easiest action that you are able to do in the next year. If there is any criticism to be made, it is that some of the actions are not easy to interpret or are beyond the scope of most people, but a little imagination goes a long way, since each one can be used liberally rather than literally. If you wish you can make a list of these, for example: - Response to the Cry of the Earth: Insulate buildings - I could do this by draught-proo昀,ng my home as much as possible. - Response to the Cry of the Poor In solidarity with those a昀,ected by failed systems, support programmes that address immediate, short-term needs - I will o昀,er to volunteer once each month at my local homeless soup run, drop-in or night shelter. - Ecological Economics: Purchase recycled and sustainable materials - I will shop at a Charity Shop as a 昀,rst port of all, as and when I need something. - Adoption of Sustainable Lifestyles Transition diet from meat-based to plant-based as much as possible - I could try to go meat-free/plant-based for one day each week (in addition to Friday) and do more if I can. - Ecological Education: Create opportunities for youth-led ‘,Laudato Si’, initiatives - I could o昀,er support to your youth leader in doing something related to LS with them. - Ecological Spirituality: Regularly host outdoor prayer services - I could take part in a re昀,ective ‘,walk in the park’, as and when it is organised. - Community Resilience and Empowerment: Organise social/ecological events - I could take part in an activity organised by the ‘,LiveSimply’, Parish team or organise something myself. Then select the easiest, achievable goal. Make this your Action Plan for the next year. If you want to take on more than one, or schedule them for each month, you are free to do that. But it is suggested you make any activity SMART –, simple, measurable, achievable, realistic and timed. This is your goal for the year. Job done! And then, next year, you review your progress by carrying out a new self- assessment and repeat the process. Wouldn’,t it be wonderful if each of us, individually, undertook a LS action plan? Wouldn’,t it be wonderful if every person in our parish undertook an action plan? Wouldn’,t it be wonderful if every parish in every diocese took part? What can we do to make this happen?

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16 + The Catholic Voice of Lancaster + March 2022 www.catholicvoi ceo昀,ancaster.co.uk Mystery of the ‘,Holy’, Ta b l e c l o t h I n a Preston parish Fr. Simon Hawksworth discovered an unusual table cloth. For embroidered on it are the signatures of many church luminaries. There are a total of forty- six signatures and these include + Thomas Wulstan Pearson OSB, the 昀,rst Bishop of Lancaster, The Archbishops of Westminster, Liverpool, the Bishops of Salford, Menevia, Southwark, Middlesborough and Hexham and Newcastle as well as clergy such as Mgr. Gillow, Fr. Harry Holden, Fr. Edward Pyke and Fr. James Corboy. To date its origins remain a mystery and even our own Fr. Harry Holden is in the dark as to why it was produced. What we do know is that it was created by a lady called Eleanor Blackburn from Preston. If any readers of the voice know who Eleanor Blackburn was or have any information about the tablecloth, perhaps they would contact Fr. Hawksworth at rectory@ stjosephspreston.org.uk The tablecloth will be given to the bishop to be kept in the diocesan archives. Church Supplies –, serving Schools, Business and Homes Our advertisers are great supporters of the Lancaster Voice, so please help them by supporting their businesses

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