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Issue 202 July 2021
‘With the Church in prayer at home’
Our Synod Celebration
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contents Welcome
Issue 202 July 2021
Welcome to a special edition celebrating our Synod Day which took place on Saturday 19 June and the Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by Archbishop Malcolm on the following day. Our Synod was the first to be held in the archdiocese since 1955 and quite definitely the first ever to be held on zoom. We will reflect on the day as we continued to be ‘Together on the Road’, with a summary of the Synod Recommendation votes and the messages of support which were received from Cardinal Mario Grech, the General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops in Rome, and Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, the Apostolic Nuncio. Archbishop Malcolm’s homily from the Mass of Thanksgiving is reproduced in full and we also have a ‘look behind the scenes’ with the Archbishop on Synod Day, while our own Synod members offer their reflections and Sister Nathalie Becquart, Under-Secretary to the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, shares her thoughts on ‘Together on the Road’ in a Synodal Church. A Pastoral Plan will be published on the First Sunday of Advent, 28 November which will plan for the future in our archdiocese. A reminder that we are still ‘Together on the Road’ as our journey continues.
From the Archbishop’s Desk If I had been told four years ago that we would be able to conduct an archdiocesan synod using the internet, at least for the last eighteen months of it, I wouldn’t have believed it; but I would have been proven wrong. One of the benefits of the pandemic, and they are few and far between, is that we have paid greater attention to the means of communication available to us and we have made it work. Of course, Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp and other ways of meeting together are nowhere near as good as the real thing, but they have done more than simply keep us in touch with each other. We have developed the meaning of community in our parishes and schools and have even made new friends. The challenge facing us now is not to get stuck online but to have the courage to return to Mass again. To attend Mass online has been a great blessing during the pandemic as we were united in prayer with the people of our own parishes and even parish communities further afield. But Jesus commands us to take bread and eat it for this is his body given up for us, and to do this in memory of him, not to watch what is happening from afar. Remembering is more than just recalling past events. When we remember we put back together the body of Christ which has been dismembered by the pandemic. St Thomas Aquinas likens God’s people to the grains that make up the one bread that becomes the body of Christ. We need to receive Him in Holy Communion so that we, God’s people, can be one in Christ. So let us thank God for live streaming but also recognise that it is no substitute for the Eucharist. Most Rev Malcolm McMahon OP Archbishop of Liverpool
Editor Peter Heneghan Editorial Catholic Pictorial Magazine Liverpool Archdiocesan Office, Croxteth Drive, Liverpool L17 1AA Tel: 0151 522 1007 Email: catholicpictorial@rcaol.co.uk Copy deadlines August 2021 Friday 9 July 2021 Advertising Sales team 0151 709 7567 sales@cpmmmedia.com Pictures www.nickfairhurstphotographer.com
‘With the Church in prayer at home’
Contents 4
‘The Fire is in your Hands’ Our Synod by Fr Philip Inch and Fr Matthew Nunes
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Messages from Cardinal Mario Grech and Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti
10 ‘Let us continue together on the road with determination and courage.’ Archbishop Malcolm’s homily 14 ‘Together on the Road’ in a Synodal Church Sister Nathalie Becquart 15 Synod Recommendation Votes 19 Members’ Reflections 20 Archbishop Malcolm’s Pastoral Letter 22 Synod Mass of Thanksgiving in pictures 30 From the Archives Father Lennon and the Heather Priests
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‘The Fire is in your hands’ by Father Philip Inch and Father Matthew Nunes, Synod Moderators ‘The Fire is in your hands.’ These are the words with which the Synod film ended on the morning of Saturday 19 June 2021. The film had been commissioned to remind the Synod members of the Synod journey and help them prepare, after discerning, for the moment of voting. (You can view the film on the Synod Website.) With confidence in the presence of the Holy Spirit we were all conscious that this was a historic moment. The people and clergy of the Archdiocese were charged with discerning a new sense of direction for the years to come. There were 420 people on the zoom meeting. The Synod Members were joined by observers, by ecumenical partners and by some invited guests. The Archbishop opened the day from the Cathedral (the place where the Synod had been promulgated on 4 February 2019.) He handed over to the Nuncio, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, who reminded us of the link with Pope Francis and his call for the work of synodality to be the way of the church in the 3rd millennium. Dr Jessie Rodgers, Dean of the Faculty of Theology at the Pontifical University Maynooth, guided us into the place of discernment as we prepared to vote. ‘I invite you to hear in these words that the prophet Jeremiah wrote in a letter to 4
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a group of exiles, the Word of God for us today: “Yes, I know what plans I have in mind for you, the LORD declares, plans for peace, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. When you call to me and come and pray to me, I shall listen to you. When you search for me, you will find me; when you search wholeheartedly for me, I shall let you find me.” (Jeremiah 29:11-14) Those words were written to a people whose experience in many ways reflects our own. They had been torn away from Jerusalem, from the world as they knew it, and forced to march across the desert and into exile in Babylonia. They had lost everything that was familiar, and it had seemed like God was powerless or unwilling to come to their rescue. Some people in their midst, claiming to speak for God, were reassuring them that things would soon get back to normal. They just needed to hunker down and sit it out. But Jeremiah tells them something different. He says that they need to make their home in this strange new world and to find God there. God who was with them in the past, is in their present here and now, and is leading them into their future. God only plays hide and seek to make us look - God wants to be found. And that is what the listening and the discernment process has been about, seeking God in the reality of what is in the Archdiocese of Liverpool, in the nittygritty of people’s lives, and then paying attention to the signs of the times, the seeds of the kingdom that are already
‘Seeking God in the reality of what is in the Archdiocese of Liverpool’
sprouting. Jessie encouraged us with these words: as you come to vote we are reminded of these bedrock truths: 1. God loves your communities even more than you ever could. 2. God notices what is happening, especially on the margins, and God cares deeply. 3. As the Church, the People of God, our calling is to bring God’s light and love to the darkest corners. And since God cares so passionately about the people in the archdiocese, God will provide/not withhold from you whatever you need to be able to work alongside God. 4. God is God. God will not be coopted into our plans - we are invited to join with God’s. Before voting we were left with time to reflect on these words. ‘I know what plans I have in mind for you, the LORD declares, plans for peace, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’ The voting took place on the 19 Recommendations (29 votes). Each member had to make a choice of one of the 4 options below on the 19 Recommendations: A: This is a high priority which the Archdiocese should enact soon B: This is an excellent idea but not at the top of my list C: This doesn’t strike me as vitally important
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D: This is not the right way forward for us in the Archdiocese. After we had voted Cardinal Grech spoke to the Synod Members. We have been very blessed by the interest and encouragement that he and Sister Nathalie from the Synod of Bishops Office in the Vatican have shown to us. After lunch we were able to have a first look at the data as it came in. It is important to say this: All 19 Recommendations received overwhelming support. It would have been possible that all or some of the Recommendations were seen as not the right way forward. But this didn’t happen. In one way this was a real affirmation of the whole Synod process. We had listened and so what was voted on was the result of over 3 years of listening and discerning. The way the votes landed affirmed that the Synod process had been a true experience of synodality.
Among the recommendations which were considered a priority by the synod members are young people, evangelisation, how we hand on our faith, inclusivity, synodality - especially the role of women, lay ministry and love of neighbour. The detailed voting can be found on the Synod Web site. After hearing the votes there was a chance for discussion in groups (breakout-rooms!) This led to a time of discussion and sharing. The question the Synod Members were asked to consider was this: where are we sensing God’s invitation or calling to the Archdiocese at this time. The break-out rooms ended (although the number of participants caused zoom to break!) There was a chance to hear some initial reflections from Synod Members. The final part of the day was an invitation to some of our ecumenical guests and observers to share their thoughts and impressions on our Synod journey. A few of the comments that came:
‘We have Synod envy’ – an observer from another diocese. ‘Just to say, as an observer, how impressive it is to see you listening to the Spirit and weighing together what the community is saying. It’s a model from which my own Church, and many other Christian denominations can learn. Thank you.’ Bishop Paul Bayes, Anglican Bishop of Liverpool. Archbishop Malcolm ended the day with a word of thanks to all the Synod Members and a reminder that the final act of the Synod weekend was to gather in the Cathedral on Sunday 20 June for a Mass of Thanksgiving. ‘The Fire is in our hands.’ The Synod may have happened, but the journey continues.
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Finally, a personal word from Father Philip and Father Matthew: Thank you to all the many people who have made this journey possible. It has been four years in the making and we could never have done it without the wonderful and indeed inspiring commitment of people from across the Archdiocese and from the wider Church. It has been humbling and exciting to play some part in the journey that has been Synod 2020.
‘Just to say, as an observer, how impressive it is to see you listening to the Spirit and weighing together what the community is saying.’ Bishop Paul Bayes 6
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Kate Wilkinson, a parishioner of St Mary’s, Leyland and Lay Chaplain at All Hallows Catholic High School, Penwortham, carries the Book of Synod Recommendations alongside Father Matthew Nunes.
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MESSAGE OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS CARDINAL MARIO GRECH TO THE ARCHDIOCESE OF LIVERPOOL It is with great pleasure that I take part in today's meeting of your Diocesan Synod. I greet Archbishop Malcolm Patrick McMahon, Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Anthony Williams, the Moderators of the Synod, Father Philip Inch and Father Matthew Nunes, and all of you who, in various ways, are involved in the synodal journey, as representatives of the various parishes and pastoral areas of the diocesan territory: priests, deacons, consecrated, laity. Today, with the vote you have just taken, you have reached the culminating moment of the Diocesan Synod. The preparatory journey began in autumn 2017 and the celebratory stage was originally planned for October 2020. Because of the pandemic, you have been compelled to postpone today's appointment by a few months, thus extending the period of discernment that has involved the entire diocesan community in various ways. In this journey - a journey made together - the synodal agenda was not decided from above but elaborated within a process that included a broad involvement of the People of God, just as Pope Francis asks when he invites us, as universal Church and as local Churches, to live a synodal conversion. This is what he said in his Address for the 50th anniversary of the Synod of Bishops: ‘A synodal Church is a Church of listening, in the awareness that listening ”is more than hearing”. It is a mutual listening in which everyone has something to learn’. In the course of the year 2019, you have conducted a wideranging exercise of listening. This started with a questionnaire made up of four simple and direct questions, intended to stimulate reflection on what it means to be a believer and to belong to the Church at this particular moment in history: Where in your everyday life do you experience love, truth, goodness, hope, and joy? When you reflect on your life at the present moment, and as you look towards the future, what are your concerns or worries? What is the purpose of the Catholic Church in the world today? Having reflected on these things, what are the topics you would like to see on the agenda of the 2020 Synod? Based on the answers to these questions, the topics to be discussed at the Diocesan Synod were identified and eventually sent back to the local communities for further reflection and the identification of concrete proposals leading to action. Finally, at the end of this phase of community discernment, a final list of proposals was drawn up, which, after another phase of reflection in the local communities, was submitted today for your vote. Your experience shows that a vote can only take place at the end of a long process of listening and discernment: a listening to the Spirit, who speaks through all the members of the People of God, and a shared discernment of His will for the Church. In fact, as the Holy Father says, every Synod must take place ‘under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, under his light, his guidance and his irruption, in order to learn to listen and discern the ever new horizon that he wants to give us. Because
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synodality presupposes and requires the irruption of the Holy Spirit’ (Letter to the People of God on the Way in Germany, 29 June 2019). I am convinced that during this synodal experience you have learnt that although you were asked to take a ‘vote’, the synod is neither a parliament nor a convention, but, as Pope Francis insists, it is ‘an expression of the church. It is a church that walks together and reads reality with the eyes of faith and the heart of God’. One of the values of a synodal pedagogy is the ability: ‘to abandon this parliamentary logic and "learn to listen, in community, to what the Spirit says to the Church’. In other words, the conclusions of a synod are not an expression of the vote of the majority but an agreement in the faith of the Church. Today's appointment should not represent the final stage of your journey; the decisions taken and ratified by your Pastor need to become operational in your communities and reshape the face of your local Church in a time of great change. It will again be the Holy Spirit who, in the next phase, will bring to completion the work He has begun among you, fostering that conversion of hearts without which the conversion of structures would not be sufficient or, ultimately, possible. I am absolutely convinced that the propositions presented during the course of your Synod as well as the conclusions you have reached today, all have their pastoral relevance for your ecclesial community;
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but I wish to underline that another important achievement of your synod has been that by walking together you have learnt to appreciate and adopt a synodal style in the daily life of your Church: this is the goal of the conversion to which we are called. Dear faithful of Liverpool, you are not alone in this endeavor. Next October, the whole Church will be embarking on a synodal journey, the details of which were made public last month and which, God willing, will culminate in Rome, in October 2023. Before then, all the ecclesial communities of the world are invited to take part in an exercise of consultation on the theme chosen by the Holy Father: ‘For a Synodal Church: communion, participation, mission’. For the Church, this journey is both a gift and a mission: by walking and reflecting together, we will be able to learn from our experiences which processes can help the Church live in communion, achieve participation, and be open to mission. Our ‘walking together’ is, in fact, what best manifests
the nature of the Church as the pilgrim and missionary People of God. You will then discover that your synodal journey is part of a broader path and that what you have learned and put into practice during these years can be offered to the universal Church for the benefit of many others. May God bless your work and, as the phrase chosen for your Diocesan Synod states, may He enable you to become more and more the Church He calls you to be. Vatican, 15th June, 2021 Prot. N. 210155 Cardinal Mario Grech General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops
MESSAGE OF THE APOSTOLIC NUNCIO HIS EXCELLENCY ARCHBISHOP CLAUDIO GUGEROTTI TO THE ARCHDIOCESE OF LIVERPOOL As the Synod began the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, joined the meeting to give the following message: I am very happy to be with you. The experience of your Synod is a very strong experience of the Church – ‘Together on the Road’ is exactly the meaning of the word Synod. The path is shared spiritually but not physically because of Covid restrictions. I read in ‘Together on the Road’ that you are very aware of what has happened during Covid. My best wishes and thanks for this great effort, for this great experience of the life of the Church. You have observed well all that can and must be part of a Diocesan Synod. Thank you for this. I have been touched very strongly by your care given to the practical problems that a Christian faces as this time. We are sometimes obsessed with theory which doesn’t touch reality – we can start with moralistic recommendations – your approach seems to me to be practical, you are speaking and calling out the problems as they are. I perceive the living experience of the Roman Catholics in Liverpool as an expression of the Church universal. My role is to bring you the witness of your link with the church universal – which is totally present in your Synod. The Synod
is part of the universal Church – the local subsists in the universal Church. In ‘Together on the Road’ there are many references to the magisterial teaching of the Church and of the present Holy Father. Before concluding with the blessing of the Holy Father, I have a request. Please do not forget your priests and bishops in your prayers, in your suggestions and in your practical support. Remember that they are human beings in one of the most difficult periods in the history of the Church. Take care of the pastor who has a responsibility for the local community. Accompany them with love, patience, friendship and support. This will not be written in the acts of the Synod, it must
be written in your hearts. The Pope is with you and you are with him and Peter is with us, inspiring us. I convey to all of you, with different responsibilities, the Apostolic Blessing of Pope Francis. Thank you for your work – I appreciate what you are doing I am touched by what you are doing with the spirit of building up the Church following the heart of Jesus. I am grateful to you for being an example for many other Dioceses to follow as they take steps on the road. HE Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti Apostolic Nuncio
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‘Let us continue together on the road with determination and courage.’ Archbishop Malcolm’s homily at the Synod Mass of Thanksgiving Archbishop Malcolm celebrated the Synod Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday 20 June in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. The readings were Job 3:1.8-11; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17; Mark 4:35-41. God’s speech from the whirlwind was a long time coming. And we have needed the patience of Job as we waited for this moment - our long and thorough journey together on the road to this day, the culmination of Synod 2020, has been a long time coming – because of Covid our arrival at this point has been delayed. We also find ourselves, in today’s gospel, in a boat and not on the road! The two main ways of getting around in Jesus’ time were to walk or to sail, and today the gospel has given us the other one – that must be God’s sense of humour. The journey that we hear about has an element of mystery too because no reason is given for it yet at the same time there seems to be an urgency about it – Jesus was taken in the boat just as he was. Yet Jesus is very calm in himself. He was able to sleep and be oblivious to the storm getting up around him – but the boat is a place with a boundary and Jesus’ presence was reassuring. He was present to everyone in the boat. This is an image that we can transfer to a journey on the road – and even though we are walking in groups we can be sure that Jesus is present to each group just as he 10
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was to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, and to the disciples in the boat. The image of the boat provides not only security for Jesus from the crush of the crowd and a cushion on which to rest his head, but also provides a seat for teaching, a pulpit for preaching, a vehicle for travelling between Jewish and Gentile territory and now a platform for a mighty deed. Can this be a model of the Church that God is calling us to be?
But it is not all plain sailing. Even though He is accompanying us to the other side – this stormy journey evokes fear and trepidation but also a feeling of hope that whatever is there will be better than this side. But this may not be the case. In fact, Jesus meets the man possessed by the demon called legion and shows his power once again. Being with Jesus can be comforting but also frightening as we learn about him and understand his power. The disciples took Jesus just as he was into the circumstances of their own lives with the accompanying stresses and dangers of seafaring and fishing. This provides a model for us as we bring Jesus with us into the difficult circumstances of our lives, but we may be tempted to think that he is asleep and unaware or uncaring about the difficulties we experience, whether it is in our personal lives or as the Church in the Archdiocese of Liverpool. As the gale develops the terror of the disciples stands out in sharp contrast to the untroubled sleep of Jesus – manifesting his lordship over life, death and chaos and his awareness of the power and protection of God, the powerful word of command of Jesus to the wind and the sea. When they wake him up, they call him ‘teacher’, because they do not understand his lordship or even his identity as they accuse him of not caring. The term Teacher falls far short of Lord or Christ. But Jesus ‘rises up’ in the boat and takes command of the elements. Our
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Now after the resurrection we may not have the same fear as those disciples because we have the gift of his Spirit and we have a clearer idea of who Jesus is. He sent his Spirit to be with us, so that when we are on the road together, we may be able to meet that which awaits us as the church of the future, without fear but with faith.
the fruits of walking this synodal path together is that we are stronger as a diocesan community. Being in the same boat has brought us closer together, we have become respectful of each other’s opinions, more respectful of each other as people, we have become a community which is wider than our parish or school. Walking together with Jesus among us has taught us what it means to be companions – bread sharers – sacramentally, yes, but also sharing food with the hungry at home as well as overseas during the crisis of the pandemic.
Like the disciples we are full of questions – even at this moment, after a year of prayer, a year of listening, a year of discernment. Like the disciples we have spent three years journeying with him and like the first disciples our faith may not be very strong at least individually but together it can be different. The gift of the Spirit is individual and collective. One of
So, we are in a good place when we land on the ‘other side’. We will have to confront demons of one sort or another – people who have no hope, those who always find fault, those who think they know everything – we will also have to face hardships as we embrace the realities of closing even more churches and look for new ways to meet the
prayer is that Jesus will rise up amongst us – and cause us to rise in his power – so that as those who are ‘with him”, ie his disciples, we may act with his power.
spiritual and material needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ. We will also have to develop new ways of working together so that we can reach out to the wider community and take our place in the public forum witnessing to dignity of human life at every stage of life. So, the journey doesn’t end here. This is not the end of the road, just a service station where we can check our route and refuel. This road has no exits, there is not an easy way to get off it – so let us continue together on the road with determination and courage as we form our pastoral plans and take a further step along the road which will lead to a new place, the Church we are called to be, or as St Paul put it so well; ‘And for anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and now the new one is here’. You’d better believe it!
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Behind the scenes with Archb The Synod Day was always going to be a busy one for Archbishop Malcolm but the challenges Introducing the Synod Archbishop Malcolm introduced the Synod from the Metropolitan Cathedral where the Synod had been promulgated on 4 February 2019.
With Cathedral Dean Canon Anthony O’Brien
Father Peter Murphy looks after the technical side of things
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The morning continues… …and so to Cathedral House for reflections and voting
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bishop Malcolm ges of meeting on Zoom meant several changes of venue for him.
Pictures: Father John Poland
…the afternoon begins at Archbishop’s House
The end of the day The results come in
Summing up
The Synod Candle is lit.
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‘Together on the Road’ in a Synodal Church On the evening of Tuesday 8 June Sister Nathalie Becquart, UnderSecretary to the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican joined Synod members on zoom for a presentation ‘Together on the Road’ in a Synodal Church. She began by stressing the importance of connecting local Churches with the universal Church in order to share experiences and learn from each other. She gave a brief history of the Synod process, which was instituted by Pope St Paul VI on 15 September 1965, at the end of the Second Vatican Council and described as ‘one of the most precious fruits of the Council’. It is an institution - an ancient one in its inspiration - to provide effective support to the Roman Pontiff for the good of the whole Church and it represents the entire Catholic episcopate. Pope Francis has taken a new step forward with the Synod process aimed at the evangelisation of today’s world. The Synod of Bishops meets in Rome for one month following two years of preparation. During the Pontificate of Pope Francis Synods have taken place
to discuss the family (2014 and 2015); young people (2018) and the Special Assembly for the Amazon (2019). A synodal journey is a path of renewal for a missionary Church offering new awareness and new impetus to enter into that ‘permanent state of mission’ which must animate her, to be faithful to her Lord. Sister Nathalie said that ‘it is clear that all the Church, not only at a local level, as is happening in Liverpool, has to embrace the synodal style…to live with the Spirit.’ Quoting from the International Theological Commission’s document ‘Synodality in the life and mission of the Church (2018) she said, ‘making a synodal Church a reality is an indispensable precondition for a new missionary energy that will involve the entire People of God’. ‘Synodality is a learning by doing’ she continued, ‘which evolves Synod after Synod with a synodalization process in the Church at all levels’. Pope Francis said on the 50th anniversary of the institution of the Synod of Bishops, ‘The world in which we live, and which we are called to love
and serve, even with its contradictions, demands that the Church strengthen cooperation in all areas of her mission. It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.’ Referring to the themes of the recommendations for Liverpool’s Synod Sister Nathalie said that they offered to her proof that the world is interconnected, which is particularly relevant in a time of pandemic. All dioceses throughout the world have been asked by Pope Francis to contribute to the Synod to be held in Rome in 2023 described as. ‘a new process beginning in the local churches with all the People of God’. Sister Nathalie outlined the timetable of preparation for the Synod which unfolds in a series of phases: the preparatory phase; the discussion phase and the implementation phase. In terms of Synodality being Church is being a community that walks together. ‘It is not enough to have a synod, you must be a synod.’ The Church needs intense internal sharing: a living dialogue between the Pastors and between the Pastors and the faithful. Three aspects revive synodality: listening – co-responsibility and the involvement of the laity: as full members of the Church, who are called to express themselves and give suggestions. The Synodal process has to be one of sharing at every level of the Church from parishes and ecclesial communities to dioceses, Conferences of Bishops and out to the universal Church. Sister Nathalie concluded by saying that, ‘the challenge for the synodal Church is that we are truly together’. Throughout her presentation Sister Nathalie used the Archdiocese of Liverpool as an example of the process working at a local level contributing to the life and mission of the universal Church.
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Synod recommendation votes All 19 Recommendations received overwhelming support. It would have been possible that all or some of the Recommendations were seen as not the right way forward. But this didn’t happen. In one way this was a real affirmation of the whole Synod process. We had listened and so what was voted on was the result of over 3 years of listening and discerning. The way the votes landed affirmed that the Synod process had been a true experience of synodality. Among the recommendations which were considered a priority by the synod members are young people, evangelisation, how we hand on our faith, inclusivity, synodality - especially the role of women, lay ministry and love of neighbour.
Key: n High Priority n Good idea n Unimportant n Bad idea 1) 1. Evangelisation We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan heed the call of the Church to be courageous in guiding all Catholics to deepen their relationship with Jesus, and to engage in our mission to help make Jesus known and loved in our world.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 91 2) 2. Lay Ministry We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan must include honouring the many vocations of all the baptised, women and men alike. This will also include a strong commitment to lay ministry including training employed ministers, supporting volunteer ministers, and coordinating their work alongside the clergy.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 104 3) 3. Ministry We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include a strong commitment to ordained ministry including a programme of support and formation for priests, deacons, and seminarians, and coordination of their work alongside lay ministries.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 54 4) 4a. A More Inclusive Church We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include action on the part of both parish and archdiocese to announce the welcome we offer to everyone.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 54
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4) 4b. A More Inclusive Church We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include dialogue with those who feel excluded, in order to develop initiatives so that the whole Church can reflect on what it means to be more inclusive.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 75 5) 5. Ecumenism We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include a commitment for parishes and schools to develop education about ecumenism which would lead to concrete actions with ecumenical partners.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 12 6) 6. Young People and Young Adults We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include a plan to assist parishes in understanding, meeting, forming and welcoming young people and young adults, and developing locally employed and volunteer youth ministers to work with young people and young adults.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 92 7) 7. Faith Formation and Adult Education We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include resources dedicated to adult faith formation offered both in-person and online, at archdiocesan and deanery levels.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 41 8) 8a. Catholic Schools A. We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include a comprehensive review of how we hand on and nurture the Catholic faith within the school context.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 50 8) 8b. Catholic Schools B. We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include the promotion, support, and strengthening of chaplaincy in all our secondary schools, colleges, and further education institutions.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 12 8) 8c. Catholic Schools C. We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include the creation of two or three models of home/school/parish partnership at both the primary and secondary school levels, which can be developed and shared among all the parishes and schools.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 19 9) 9. Children and Young People’s Faith Formation We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include a programme of formation through which parents (assisted by parish catechists and Catholic schools) can become the primary educators of their children.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 31 10) 10a. Spiritual Formation A. We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include a provision to help parishes develop spiritual opportunities at the local and deanery level.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 11 10) 10b. Spiritual Formation B. We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan encourage the process of developing “accompaniment parishes” in which family members would accompany one another to deepen faith, and where the parish would play its part in accompanying all who seek “life to the full” within the Catholic Church.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 5
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10) 10c. Spiritual Formation C. We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan warmly encourage all Catholics to grow in confidence in the grace of their baptism, taking the initiative to meet with others (using pandemic learning experiences) to share scripture, faith, and prayer.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 6 11) 11a. Sunday Liturgy and the Other Sacraments We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan acknowledge the primary place of the Sunday liturgy in the life and mission of the Church.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 26 11) 11b. Sunday Liturgy and the Other Sacraments B. We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan propose liturgical formation for both laity and clergy so that the Sunday liturgy is worthy and central in all we do in both the manner of its celebration and in the mission it engenders.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 13 11) 11c. Sunday Liturgy and the Other Sacraments C. We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan provide a way for us to review how we are celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 7 12) 12a. Catholic Social Teaching and Creation Care A. We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include fostering a renewed understanding of Catholic Social teaching across the whole Archdiocese.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 25 12) 12b. Catholic Social Teaching and Creation Care B. We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include the establishment of a “creation care team” that will assist parishes, deaneries, and schools in taking concrete steps to care for the environment.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 22 13) 13. Love of Neighbour We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include training for parish volunteers who can accompany those most in need; giving special attention to those who are housebound, sick, or immigrants, and to those who are members of cultural and ethnic minorities.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 67
14) 14. Community Building We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include support for small group or family-based gatherings for social activity, study, and shared prayer.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 15 15) 15. Communications and Media We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include a commitment to resourcing the promotion, training, and equipping of parish leaders in communication for evangelisation, mission, and community building. This should include model programmes of communication, proper use and recording of data, technology advice, and outreach plans that parishes can adopt.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 29 16) 16a. Governance and Synodality A. We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include a strengthening of collaborative and synodal leadership at local and Diocesan level with a sustained commitment to accountability, transparency, and inclusively.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 36
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16) 16b. Governance and Synodality B. We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan as part of our growing commitment to synodality, develop a process that ensures women are equal, valued, visible and heard.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 30 17) 17a. Property A. We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include establishing a working group of clergy and lay people, along with ecumenical and community partners, to study our current portfolio of properties asking how they can best support our mission.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 15 17) 17b. Property B. We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan develop strategies to accompany communities as they discern the future use of parish properties.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 8 18) 18. Parishes and Deaneries We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan be bold and creative in renewing parish and deanery structures. we want our structures too be at the service of our mission, and we are aware that we must adapt parish structures to meet the needs of our age and plan to share resources across parish boundaries.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 28 19) 19. The Church in the Modern World We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan invite and support all the people of the Church to take a leading role to creatively shape the “new normal” in our society and culture that will emerge after the current pandemic.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 28
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Members’ Reflections ‘Some of the recommendations that came through in the early stages, for example, the ministry of welcome, made us sit up and realise that we weren’t doing it very well at all. As a consequence of that, a small group of people decided to take that in hand and change it. So we had the welcomers at the back of Church, people to say good morning to you as you came to Mass. Very early on we decided this was the route we’d take, we weren’t going to wait for the big picture to come to fruition before we started making our own changes’ Sue, Synod Member
When the Synod was first talked about in the Archdiocese and here on the Isle of Man, I was very sceptical, I had to be persuaded by my wife to become a Synod team member. I was wrong in the sense that I thought it was yet another initiative from the Church, maybe a PR exercise, rather than something real and meaningful. Over the last couple of years I have changed my view of the Synod process, and I am a great enthusiast for it now (and I’m not easily converted to anything) but in this particular case I am. On a personal basis you get to know so many more people. Rather than just nodding to them at Mass, where you know them but you don’t speak to them. This in itself is a great encouragement for me and other Synod members to continue the process. In one sense it’s already succeeded, in bring us closer together. The final thing to say is it’s the beginning rather than the end. We all vote, but we can’t just go home and forget about it. I am keen that the Office of the Secretary of the Synod of Bishops will continue to be involved in encouraging and guiding us, along with our own parish priests, because I think we’re on to something here that is necessary, essential and in need of implementation. We’ve got to be living, got to evangelise, and we’ve got to go out and do something rather than saying ‘they should do something about this’. The they are actually we, I believe. Brian O’Connor - Synod Member Isle of Man
‘If our group is anything to go by the Synod process has brought us together, it has developed our faith, and we’re talking in a way that we wouldn’t have done before. I hope that’s what comes from the whole process, that we meet the needs – emotional, psychological, and religious needs – of our people, everything else will come after that.’ Patricia, Synod member
‘… Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road?’ (Luke 24 32.) I began my Synod journey having heard that the laity were being asked for their opinion. After a brief debate with myself, encouraged and flattered by friends, I put myself forward as a Synod member and was duly elected successfully fighting off no opposition. An enthusiastic team of supporters offered their services and so our Synod group was formed. Initially our way seemed clear. In reality, misunderstandings occurred within the group due to their enthusiasm and desire to begin to evangelise immediately. The response from the parish varied between opposition and disinterest. Looking back, it was at this stage that the process of ‘becoming’ began. Utilising the listening process our regard for each other grew and with the use of silence developed still further Misunderstandings still occurred but we dealt with them prayerfully and as leader I was humbled by the faith and loyalty of so many members of our parish community. Without doubt we were beginning to act and think synodaly. Our small discernment team put themselves in the hands of the Holy Spirit and difficult tasks became easier. Then the Pandemic hit us and everything in people’s lives altered. There was a recognition of the need for extra time followed by a minor miracle. We began to use more of the information available to us online. In the stillness of our hearts and homes we could reflect and meditate on the wealth of material made available from Synod Office and more. Our team familiarised themselves with the ‘Together on the Road’ booklet a revelation and inspiration to many. Thus began the most successful and faith enhancing work of the whole process for us. We needed to present the six sessions to our parishioners. Our delivery which was made in church under lockdown regulations and delivered via the webcam involved all 27 team members. The All Hallows’ High school Lay Chaplain and IT teacher contributed as did pupils who volunteered to take part. It was wonderful. So, we began our journey with the Apostles returning to Jerusalem having encountered the Risen Christ. We now continue with the Apostles on the first Pentecost enthusiastically burning with the fire of the Holy Spirit going out to bring the Good News to all nations. Our Synod Journey continues… Patricia Wilson – Synod member St Teresa’s, Penwortham.
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Pastoral Letter The following Pastoral Letter was read in the Archdiocese of Liverpool on the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 27 June 2021. Dear Friends, Last weekend our synodal process, Synod 2020 - Together on the Road, reached its climax in a great gathering of synod members which took place online because of the pandemic. It was a truly amazing event with contributions from the papal nuncio, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, and Cardinal Mario Grech, the secretary general of the Synod of Bishops in Rome, Dr Jessie Rogers from St Patrick’s College, Maynooth in Ireland, and, most importantly, from the synod members themselves. In a truly wonderful way, all this took place online using Zoom which brought together over 400 members, observers, and contributors. It has been a long journey since we began our year of prayer with the National Eucharistic Congress in September 2018. You will remember that this was followed by an extended period of listening: learning to listen to the Spirit speaking in our hearts and in our parish and school communities which resulted in over 25,000 comments and suggestions. During the period of discernment these were grouped into four themes which
‘As a Catholic community, the celebration of the sacraments and the ministry of the ordained remain at the heart of our life of worship’ 20
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resulted in 19 recommendations which were considered and voted on at our Synod Day last Saturday. On Sunday the synod members with ecumenical observers met to celebrate Holy Mass in the Metropolitan Cathedral to give thanks to almighty God for sending his Spirit to accompany us on our journey together. We had so much to be thankful for - not only the clear recommendations but also the whole experience of being Together on the Road which has strengthened us as an archdiocese. It was very striking that Cardinal Grech emphasised the role of the Holy Spirit in leading us through our synod process. Among the recommendations which were considered a priority by the synod members are young people, evangelisation, inclusivity, the role of women, lay ministry and love of neighbour. You might say that there are no surprises there, but what they express is a genuine desire among our people to reach out to others and not to be an inward looking and closed community. How we do this in practice will be made clear when our archdiocesan pastoral plan is launched on the First Sunday of Advent later this year. Each of these headings when considered in detail will open for us a more committed and sometimes different way of being a disciple of Jesus. All the recommendations will give shape to how we act as good stewards of our resources and how we focus our energies. There is still much work to be done analysing the full experience of the Synod Day, but I would like to share with you my immediate reaction to the outcomes of our journey so far. In the first place, we care about our children and young people, whether it is in our schools or later as they make their journeys through life as young adults.
We have heard a great deal about the challenges they face; and that we should place their Christian formation, care, and education among our list of priorities is good, and natural. My second reaction is that the priorities which have been identified suggest that being an outward-looking church is essential – evangelisation, love of neighbour and inclusivity all go together. Indeed, our journey through time as God’s pilgrim people is undertaken in the midst of humanity, and you have reminded us of the need to be alert to the joys and hopes, the griefs and sorrows of all humanity, and to be, each in our own lives, ministers of God’s mercy, love and healing. I was also impressed by something else of which Cardinal Grech reminded us, namely, that synodality is not just a one-off event but is part of the DNA of the Church. The synod members asked that we continue to journey together and embrace the rich gifts of ministry that the Holy Spirit has poured out upon all the baptised – some to ordination as bishops, priests and deacons, some to consecrated life, but also to all the lay faithful who have an important part to play. By prioritising our aims for a future direction, we are by no means playing down the many other dimensions of life in the church that emerged across the synod process. As a Catholic community, the celebration of the sacraments and the ministry of the ordained remain at the heart of our life of worship. From my visits to your parishes, I am aware of the great emphasis which is placed on liturgy, especially Sunday Mass, which is always celebrated in a dignified and prayerful way throughout the archdiocese. We must not take that for granted, as it is the outcome of much
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effort by priests and people collaborating to worship God so fittingly. Another aspect of diocesan life which is embedded in our common practice is ecumenism. So much of what we do as Christians in the archdiocese we do with members of other Christian traditions and our way forward is one that we take joyfully alongside them. Archbishop Worlock and Bishop David Shepherd left us a living ecumenical heritage which is a vibrant witness to God’s love for his people. We cannot heed Pope Francis’s call to synodality, which he says is the way for the Church of the third millennium, without also hearing his environmental challenges, and his call to a greater fraternity between communities and nations. He has set an agenda which takes us beyond the boundaries of our archdiocese. Pope Francis’s challenges can seem daunting as we take our archdiocesan synod proposals forward. We will need courage and a sense of daring, and I ask you to keep the archdiocese in your prayers. The discernment goes on and challenges lie ahead but we have confidence that the Holy Spirit will be our guide and helper. Finally, many people contributed to Synod 2020, and they are deserving of our gratitude, but above all I want to thank you, the people of the archdiocese, from the bottom of my heart for your prayerful support for Synod 2020. May God bless you and your families. Most Rev Malcolm McMahon OP Archbishop of Liverpool
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Synod Mass of Thanksgiving
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Above: Kate Wilkinson, a parishioner of St Mary’s, Leyland and Lay Chaplain at All Hallows Catholic High School, Penwortham, with the Book of Synod Recommendations
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‘Helping people through the discerning process was good because you could see the moment during the meeting when people got it. At first, they thought it was strange: “Oh, I have to have this time with a stone - what’s that about?” But then when they actually did it themselves, you could see how it worked, people felt they were being listened to. It wasn’t just the person who spoke all the time, with others sat in the background. Every single person had the same amount of time to be heard, or just for people to listen to their silence. That made a huge difference. Once people did that, the change came, and people were onboard and wanted to help.’ Kasia, Synod Member
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A Synod Journey by Helen Jones, Liverpool South Pastoral Associate The peal of the Cathedral bells calling us to celebrate our Synod journey mingling with the sounds of a city emerging after months of Covid lockdown was a visible sign of future hope. As I climbed the steps I felt as if I was going to join a family I had got to know both physically and virtually over the last year - a family that was not limited to specific parishes or pastoral areas but also universal. I entered the Cathedral with a feeling of joy, anticipation, and gratitude. My own Synod journey had begun in January 2019 as the Liverpool South Pastoral Associate where I had been plunged into Synod across the Pastoral Area. My Synod cornerstone has been the traditional Chinese character for deep listening which we were introduced to early on. Each element guided my own path: listening respectfully with ears, eyes, mind and heart; focussing on the person; being truly present. Relationship has been everything– we listened together and shared our hopes, our visions, our fears and frustrations, our uncertainties and joys. These bindings will remain with us and despite Covid, those moments of deep sharing in this time of crisis allowed us to acknowledge and name our collective vulnerabilities. Just as the disciples recognised Christ on the road to Emmaus, we were learning to discern that quiet gentle voice of the spirit. In many ways Covid has prevented the culmination of the Synod weekend as the explosive pinnacle of our journey’s ‘goal’. Synod is not just a moment in time. It is a way of being in time. Synod is not neat and tidy: I was reminded of a passage in ‘The Shack’ by William Paul Young with the garden symbolising souls. At ground level it’s a mess - chaotic and unruly - but viewed from above it is part of a breath-taking fractal structure that has meaning and beauty beyond imagination. I was consistently drawn to this image, occasionally getting fleeting glances of a bigger
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picture, sometimes lost in the foliage at ground level, sometimes having to dig down to the roots. I am filled with the hope that we are all moving together however slowly and messily, sometimes taking parallel paths that suit our companions better but always travelling onwards and as the prayer composed by Bishop Ken
Untener of Saginaw ends: ‘We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future that is not our own.’
Create a better world Archdiocese of Liverpool J&P Commission: Assembly 2021- The World in Crisis: Hear the Cry of the Poor You are warmly invited to join us on Saturday July 10th from 10-12:30 and explore how through our actions, we can help to create a better world post COVID. We will be inspired by our two speakers ; Dr Sr Gemma Simmonds, Senior Research Fellow and Director at The Religious Life institute, Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology in Cambridge and Fr Dominic Curran, Parish Priest of Liverpool’s newest parish St Oscar Romero. The Assembly is free however you need to register for the Zoom link at https://jp.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk
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education news
Abbi paints a picture of mental health awareness Maricourt Catholic High School Year 11 student, Abbi Green has celebrated her finished piece of artwork, which focuses on the mental health of young people. Abbi launched her finished artwork on social media during mental health awareness week and received many messages of praise from pupils, parents, community groups and many mental health organisations. Abbi said: “The story behind the image is to show how much people really face in their minds, and how conflicted it is. It also shows that not everything is bad and there’s still good in everyone. “The butterflies reference the good and beauty and warmth people generate, and the colours also help show this (pinks and reds). The pink also shows femininity and love. Then the Hydra Dragons (taken from Greek mythology) show the evil and bad
Maricourt Catholic High School Year 11 student, Abbi Green 28
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feelings that are in people's heads, some larger than others. “They are depicted with sharp fangs and in the colour blue to show how not only dangerous these feelings can be, but how sad they can make you feel, and cold. I then have the contrasting of the red and blue which emphasises the contrasting of the mind, and finally the face is painted in a style of acrylic which is not the clearest, which helps pull the focus completely to the mind as this is what really matters. “I also have some colours added among the face, which depict the emotions that come from the head, which are chosen to be represented in everyday life - which in this case and most others not everything in their minds and only a snippet of what they are truly conflicting with.” Abbi’s fellow pupils are impressed by the scale of the work, which helps to make it a conversation piece. They often ask Abbi what it means, and it will prompt discussion on what the girl is feeling and why the creatures are above her. It also inspires some pupils to be more confident with scale and media and gives them a standard to aspire to. Abbi continued: “I believe it was important for me to try and highlight the mental issues faced by not only young people, but everyone, as especially a few years back it wasn't talked about as much, and sometimes a brushed away topic. “I believed showcasing these issues in the form of art helps people to eventually be able to speak about these issues and realise that things like this cannot be rubbed/brushed away (like acrylic paint) and that they are here and will always be, and it’s up to us to speak and help others about it. “Mental health is important, and I believe everyone should have the opportunity to talk to whomever they are comfortable with, as mental health affects every aspect in life.” Mrs Clair MacKinnon, teacher of art at Maricourt, said: “I am so proud of Abbi's journey towards this final piece. She put much thought into the concept behind it and there was a long process involving drawing, photography, experimentation, and improvements leading up to this point. “It is the beautiful and evocative conclusion to a dedicated project. Abbi's success is solely contributed to her commitment to selfimprovement and it was lovely to be witness to her pride in completion.” Mr Joe Mangan, headteacher, said: “We have a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing and stress that it is not an extracurricular activity. We place a great emphasis in considering young people's mental health. At Maricourt we aim to lay the foundation, which gives students confidence and an ability to live their future with a healthy heart and a healthy mind.”
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education news
Pupils act of kindeness Two pupils from English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, Liverpool have been recognised for their act of kindness to a help a total stranger. Mai and Ollie have been recognised for their selfless act of kindness after a member of the school staff informed the school headteacher, Mr Dinsdale that they witnessed the two Year 6 pupils helping an elderly lady with her shopping in Hatton Hill Park. Mrs Dinsdale said: ‘The lady was clearly struggling with shopping in a trolley and they offered to help her by carrying the bags, helped her cross the road safely and helped to her front door. ‘The lady offered to give them money for their kindness which they refused. ‘Once they returned to the park, they took the trolley back to Tescos on the lady's behalf. All of this was unprompted and undertaken by themselves. ‘I also shared this wonderful kind act with the whole school Star of the Week assembly as it is such a wonderful act of kindness. ‘Mia and Ollie are wonderful ambassadors
for our school and I wanted them both to know the gratitude, joy and immense pride they have brought to us all with this story.
‘Not only do they represent the very best of English Martyrs, but they are an absolute credit to themselves and their families.’
St Mary’s College pupils enjoy success in Sefton Young Artist of the Year competition Talented young artists at St Mary’s College in Crosby have enjoyed success in this year’s Sefton Young Artist of the Year competition organised by The Atkinson in partnership with The Arts Society Southport. A number of St Mary’s pupils entered the competition, producing some truly amazing work across a variety of artistic practices. Grace Carey, aged 16 from Blundellsands, featured among the competition winners with her entry, simply called ‘Covid’, whilst Jamie Warne’s ‘Spider Man - Miles Morales’ and Ruby Garforth’s ‘Experience’ both achieved special commendations. Art is a key strength at St Mary’s College, which offers Art Scholarships to talented candidates at 11+ as well as for Sixth Form entry. The school aims to give all pupils a broad and varied experience of art and design, helping them to attain a wide range of specialist skills in drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, ceramics, photography and printmaking. A digital exhibition of all of the Sefton
Young Artist of the Year competition entries, including several more from St Mary's pupils, is available on the
Atkinson’s website: https://www.theatkinson.co.uk/.../seftonyoung-artist/
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Isle of Man members celebrate the Synod
On Sunday afternoon a group of the Manx Synod members with an ecumenical observer met together at the Presbytery at St. Mary’s in Douglas to watch the live stream of the Mass from the Cathedral as they were unable to travel over to it. Afterwards tea, coffee and cakes were shared.
Canon Brendan’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations
On Wednesday 9 June Canon Brendan Alger celebrated the diamond jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood. A Mass of Thanksgiving for his 60th anniversary was celebrated at St Mary of the Isle, Douglas, the following Sunday, 13 June. Canon Brendan (seated) was joined for the Mass by Father John Hindley, Monsignor John Devine and Father Brian Dougherty. 30
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Keeping you up-to-date with all the news from around the Archdiocese online at:
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