The Parish Proclaimer Harvest 2010
Cathedral Parish of Our Lady & St. Philip Howard, Arundel, West Sussex Published in September 2010
All about the Parish Rev. Canon Tim Madeley - Dean Rev. Mr. David Clifton - Deacon Rev. Malcolm King - Priest in Residence Louise Sharp - Parish Secretary* Cathedral House, Parsons Hill, Arundel, West Sussex BN18 9AY Tel: 01903 882 297 Fax: 01903 885 335 Email: aruncath1@aol.com
Web: www.arundelcathedral.org * Louise works for the Parish: 9am – 12 noon, Monday – Friday Cathedral Mass Times Sunday
9.30am Family Mass on the third Sunday of the month; Children’s Liturgy available other Sundays.
Weekdays
11.15am
Cathedral Choir.
10am
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Saturday: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass.
Saturday
11am
Benediction.
Convent of the Poor Clares at Crossbush Mass Times Saturday
5.30pm Vespers. 6.15pm Vigil Mass (entry at 6pm).
Sunday
Thursday
4pm
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
5pm
Vespers and Benediction.
8.30am Mass - for Mass times on other weekdays please call the
Convent the night before on 01903 882 536. Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday
Cathedral:
10.30am otherwise by appointment.
Convent :
Before/after the Saturday 6.15pm Mass.
Harvest Reflection
by Deacon David This is the ‘Harvest’ edition of The Proclaimer - a time of year when we give thanks to God for the good things of the earth that he has provided, so that we may have enough food for the coming year. It was recently reported that one third of the food purchased in the UK is thrown away unused. In addition to this, a great quantity of perfectly edible food is discarded before it reaches the shops because it does not meet the exacting quality standards laid down by the supermarkets – things like shape, size or colour which have little effect on the taste or nutritional value. Add in to this equation the fact that this country is rapidly heading for an ‘obesity crisis’; with a large (no pun intended) proportion of the population already overweight, we probably ‘waste’ about half the food available to us. This could provide adequate nourishment for at least another 60 million people (the population of the UK). Assuming that the same argument holds true for the rest of the developed world, this means that about another 1000 million people could live on the food that we waste. This, in a world where the latest available figures (2006) show that, in that year, more than 36 million people died of hunger, or hunger related diseases, of whom at least 10% were small children. Pope Benedict XVI has frequently spoken out on environmental issues, urging the developed nations to change their lifestyles, so that the resources of the world are more fairly shared, and used in a sustainable way. Any kind of waste, of energy, of food, of mineral resources, is a moral issue because it has effects far beyond the individual. Let us enjoy our food (and the other good things of life) but let us not waste them. Someday we will have to give an account of our stewardship. Food for thought.
ARTICLES FOR THE ADVENT ISSUE OF THE PROCLAIMER: 1 November 2010 Email to clouter@mac.com or post to Cathedral House, Parsons Hill, Arundel, West Sussex BN18 9AY
Heart speaks unto Heart: the 2010 Papal Visit Members of our parish had a truly uplifting and enjoyable time at both London and Birmingham, playing their part in giving warm hospitality to Pope Benedict during his visit to the UK. To see highlights of the visit on video and photos as well as read all the speeches and homilies, go online to:
www.thepapalvisit.org.uk Our Lady of Guadalupe By Sara Rodger
When the banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared in the Cathedral a few weeks ago (see above picture) I was a bit surprised, because the image I remembered was quite different. However, someone pointed out to me that she was the Patron of Mexico, and so with a little help from Wikipedia, I managed to work out the puzzle. Four years ago my husband and I took our car to Spain and explored Extramadura, the province in the south-west of the country. There we found, in the barren mountains near Caceres, the tiny pilgrimage town of Guadalupe, which consisted of a church, a monastery and very little else. Inside the church was a small dark wooden statue beautifully dressed in robes of silk and satin, as so many statues are in Spain – Our Lady of Guadalupe. The story is 4
that she was carved by St. Luke and was given to the Archbishop of Seville by Pope Gregory I. When Seville was captured by the Moors she was taken north for safety and buried in the hills near Guadalupe River in Extramadura, where in the 14th century the Virgin Mary appeared to a shepherd guiding him to the site of the buried statue. The shrine which grew up around the statue became a great medieval pilgrimage centre. Extramadura was a barren region in the late Middle Ages, as it still is today, and after the discovery of the New World in the late 15th century younger sons of landed families were encouraged to go west to seek their fortunes. Trujillo, the nearest home town to Guadalupe, was the home of Francisco Pizarro, the Conquistador of Peru, and Hernando Cortés, who overthrew the Aztec Empire in Mexico in 1521, was his cousin (his mother was a Pizarro). Cortés was born in 1485 in Medellin, about 20 kilometres from Trujillo. Ten years after his conquest, in December 1531, a vision of Our Lady appeared at Tepayac near Mexico City, where today stands her Basilica and shrine as the patroness of Mexico – but her image as the picture of the original (below) from Spain shows is quite different from the Mexican icon!
The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Extramadura 5
Newman and the Arundel Connection By Mary Corbyn
“God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission - I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.” Newman’s words express his complete conviction that the indwelling God guides and leads in all circumstances of our lives - success and setback alike - towards the fulfilment of His purpose: “Therefore I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; in perplexity, my perplexy may secure Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about...” Newman’s reception into the Catholic Church in 1846 undoubtedly caused a great stir in religious and intellectual circles - and some perplexity among the Catholic hierarchy who hardly knew what to do with so powerful and celebrated a thinker in their midst. In 1846 he was sent to Rome for theological studies, leading to his ordination to the priesthood in the following year. Among the many religious orders then existing and working in Rome, Newman discovered the Oratorians, a Congregation founded by Saint Philip Neri in the 16th century. Neither monastic 6
nor missionary, the Oratorians lived in small communities, independent of each other, where clergy and laymen met for prayer, study and discussion. They also undertook pastoral work among the poor and sick, besides ‘recreational’ activities such as walking in the countryside and music-making within their groups. It seems that Newman saw in all this some resemblance to the pastoral work he formerly undertook in the Oxford colleges and thus was drawn to the Oratorians as a possible indication of his own future. He was inspired, also, by the personality and piety of their founder, Saint Philip Neri, although very different in many ways from his own; Saint Philip’s gregarious and exuberant character concealed an intense and austere life of prayer which continued to influence later generations of Oratorians. So it was that Newman adopted Saint Philip Neri as his patron saint and undertook a form of novitiate with the Oratory. After his return to England, he founded the first Oratory in this country at Maryvale near Birmingham, moving twice more and finally settling at Edgbaston in 1852 where he also established the Oratory School. In 1860 Henry Fitzalan-Howard succeeded his father who died, aged 45, as Duke of Norfolk. Henry, only 13 years old, was sent to Newman’s Oratory School at Edgbaston to complete his education and prepare to fulfil the role as XV Duke of Norfolk and Earl Marshal of England. John Henry Newman then became a strong influence in his life, encouraging him to embrace fully the role of leading Catholic layman in England. When Duke Henry came of age in 1868, one of his first tasks was to commission the building of a Catholic church securing the people of Arundel; this had been his father’s intention, never put in hand due to his early death. This ‘landmark’ church was opened in 1873 and dedicated to Saint Philip Neri, the chosen patron saint of John Henry Newman, Duke Henry’s own patron and loyal spiritual guide, so confirming this one way - Newman’s own view of himself as:“... a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good. I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place while not intending it if I but keep His commandments.”
St. Philip Neri 7
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Floreat Floral Carpet 2010 By Amanda Brown
Western Australia is famous for its profusion of wild spring flowers at this time of the year. Floreat is situated halfway between the City of Perth and the coast of the Indian Ocean. The Ladies Fellowship at All Saints Floreat Uniting Church were inspired by the flower carpet at Arundel Cathedral to create a similar one as a means to support and encourage a greater sense of community, inviting young people, families, seniors and churches to come together. The carpet consisted of 46 trays of flowers embedded by Oasis florists and was completed by a diversity of people young and old. Each tray had a part of an overall design with one compulsory element of white to tie it all together. The rest was simply filled in with colour and flowers of choice. Flowers were mostly donated by participants or parents in the case of the schools and we are fortunate to have wholesale flower markets in our area. With the primary schools students working in their class room, the rest were completed in the church hall and took one and a half days. Almost everyone was working with flowers in this way for the first time and the final result when put together was stunning! Our aim was to engage with our community and help young people. In working with the schools a number of issues have been identified and the most immediate was to join a ‘Breakfast before School’ programme at a primary school in a high density low income area with single parent and migrant families. These beautiful children are by no means starving 10
the aim of the programme is to get them to come to school, be focused on their studies and stay to the end of the day and it has been very rewarding. The many visitors who came to see the flowers also enjoyed a Devonshire Tea in our specially created Café All Saints.It was a truly wonderful holiday atmosphere with many stories shared, goodwill and friendships made. Funds raised at the event will go to Cambridge Youth Care, the organisation which funds the School Chaplains in out state schools and also creates a small ‘Breakfast before School’ Fund. I have to confess that I am a Sussex girl and came out to Australia in 1972, so I know you will understand my personal passion for flowers. However as we all celebrate creation at this time of the year we are as ever in great debt to the wonderful gift we have all been given in the beauty of flowers. Our best wishes from everyone at All Saints Floreat Uniting Church to the many parishioners at Arundel Cathedral.
Comedy with the Clergy The local priest was reading a Bible Story to children during Sunday School. He read, “The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city, but his wife looked back and was turned to salt.” A boy raised his hand and asked, “Father, what happened to the flea?”
What do you call a nun who walks in her sleep? A roaming Catholic!
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Proclaimer Crossword Puzzle 10 By Chris Dinham
CLUES ACROSS 1. Religious music including text (7) 8. Name of two American states (6) 9. Wobble; sway on foot (7) 10. Something thrown by athletes (6) 12. Energy describing body motion (7) 13. North East England river (4) 14. Popular, small English bird (4) 15. Plunge; swim (3) 16. A number (4) 17. Evil; wicked (4) 18. Musical group of players (7) 19. Australian marsupial known for its thick fur (6) 21. “Hang Leo” (anag.) - with a chemical element (7) 22. Slow piece of music (6) 23. A very poisonous liquid (7)
CLUES DOWN 2. Female singer of lower voice (4) 3. Long river passing through Iraq (6) 4. Marvellous; awesome (10) 5. Primary; essential (5) 6. Pacts or treaty; interests of religion (9) 7. Traveller who could be in a bus,car, train, aeroplane or ship (9) 10. From where your prescription is collected (10) 11. Bird of reddish brown and black plumage (9) 12. “Easy in Ken” (anag.) - reflecting opinions of a 20th Century economist (9) 17. Grieve; mourn (6) 18. Small bird of round body and short tail (5) 20. Part of many a lady’s necklace (4)
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The Dark Night of the Soul - A lesson for today By Elizabeth O’Connor
One of the most profoundly inspiring figures in Catholic spirituality is St. John of the Cross. Known for his mystical writings, he is most widely known for his poem The Dark Night of the Soul. In a world of chaos his mysticism can provide a spiritual comfort not just an insight into the medieval mindset of Carmelite asceticism; it is seen as a mark of maturing spirituality to ponder his writings in order to understand one’s own spiritual journey. The corpus of his writings describes the assimilation of the soul to the Pascal Mystery. Emphasising purification, contemplation and the divine union he believes the quest for the moment when both transcendence and incarnation are complete and the divine and human interpenetrate requires utter simplicity: one’s focus is simply on Christ and total honesty while overcoming the secret sin of self-centred piety. Writing of renunciation and detachment, he has been seen as having an excessively negative view of the human condition. However his writings seek out the divine presence incarnate in the whole of creation and human existence. All of life is rooted in Christ and it is the human values left in the shadows that are made pure in the contemplation of the Night. So profound are his teachings, that the notion of the “dark night” has entered Western culture as synonymous with an emotive/effective state that supposedly precedes direct mystical experience. There is a cultural acceptance that a certain amount of suffering is required before one can realise true joy and pleasure. What many accept as depression could equally be seen as a spiritual hunger - a dissatisfaction with life and a desire for something that is more deep and profound. It is in the allegorical darkness which one associates with all negativity that stems from utter solitude that the soul undergoes a most painful process as the conscious mind is clouded by uncertainty. Learning to embrace this as St. John describes leads to a most profound illumination and realisation. This is when the deepest understanding of the self and one’s spirituality occur. By submitting to The Dark Night St. John believed the soul underwent a transformation that was beneficial to all creation. Indeed the goal of divine union is a common motif in Christian mystical writing as well as the mystical traditions of other faith groups. Therefore it may be of no surprise that when the contemporary world seems to undergo a chaotic period of unrest and loss that more and more people are turning to St. John as a guide for modern life. 13
News from
The Sardhana Support Group would like to thank parishioners for their generous contributions over the past year. Although the economy in India is improving, life still remains very difficult for the Christian minority in that country and our donations for the orphanages and Seminary are desperately needed. We intend to send a sum of money in time for Christmas so we ask you to please continue to be generous. There is going to be a Bumper Coffee Morning on Sunday 28 November in St. Mary’s Hall from 10am –1pm. Home-made soup and bread will be served after Sunday’s 11.15am Mass. There will be stalls of books, toys, cakes, bric-a-brac and a tombola. We will be asking for donations of goods nearer the time, but above all do come and enjoy a pleasant morning after the 11.15am Mass or indeed come back if you attend the 9.30am Mass.
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Choirs at the Cathedral By Alex Clouter Two choirs will be visiting the Cathedral, attending the 11.15am Mass on two different Sundays and a very special early evening recital during October. Schola Cantorum, the name of the choir from Saint Leonard’s-Mayfield School in East Sussex, will be coming to the 11.15am Mass on 17 October 2010. The school is an independent Catholic boarding and day school for girls in East Sussex, founded in 1872 by the Holy Child order of nuns who still play a key role in the school’s governance and spiritual life. The choir has been in existence for forty years and has performed at a wide range of venues across Europe, including St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, York Minster and Notre Dame in Paris. The girls are aged from 12 - 18 years. Messe Basse by Fauré and the motet Ave Maria by Saint Saëns will be sung at the Mass. The choir will also sing Rex Gloriosa Matyrum (plainsong) and, quite appropriate for the Feast of St. Philip Howard, the hymn No eye has seen, written by St. Philip, and the traditional Faith of our Fathers to be sung “to the Arundel theme”. Amongst the girls performing at the Cathedral are a number who attend the School on Choral Scholarships, offered each year to girls who demonstrate outstanding vocal potential. St. Bart’s Choir will be singing at the 11.15am Mass and holding a special recital at 6.30pm on Sunday, 24 October 2010. The choir of St. Bart's celebrated its tenth birthday in 2006 and throughout its life has greatly contributed to the liturgical and musical life of the parish and Rainhill. As a result the choir has a vast repertoire of music from plainsong to present day, from classics to modern, which enriches the weekly worshipping life of the Rainhill Parish. St. Bart’s Choir has toured across Europe, having performed in Rome (2002), Switzerland (2004) and Germany (2006/2008). Formed 14 years ago the 20-strong choir has an annual concert, sings at weddings, sings carols to raise funds for charities and were finalists in last year’s St. Helen’s cultural awards. The Mass setting will be Missa Sancte Johanne de Deo (Little Organ Mass) by Haydn and their repertoire includes Elgar’s Ave Maria, Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine, Wilby’s If ye love me, Haydn’s Insanae et vanae curae, Handel’s Halleujah Chorus, Archer’s Prayer of St.Richard of Chichester and Rutter’s The Lord bless you and keep you. Do come along and listen to these outstanding choirs singing their hearts out during October! 15
A Battle of Good versus Evil Courtesy of The Eaglet Parish Magazine from St. John the Evangelst RC Church, Horsham Jesus and Satan were having an ongoing argument about who was better on the computer. They had been going at it for days and, to put it quite frankly, God was tired of hearing all the bickering. Finally fed up, God said, “That’s it! I have had enough. I am going to set up a test that will run for two hours, and from those results I will judge who does the better job.” So Jesus and Satan sat down at their keyboards and typed away. They moused. They faxed. They e-mailed. They e-mailed with attachments. They downloaded. They did spreadsheets. They wrote reports. They created labels and cards. They created charts and graphs. They did some genealogy reports. They did every job known to man. Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was faster than hell. Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured and, of course, the power went off... Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word known in the underworld. Jesus just sighed. Finally the electricity came back on, and each of them had to restart their computers. Satan started searching, frantically screaming: “It’s gone! It’s all GONE! I lost everything when the power went out!” Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files from the past two hours of work. Satan observed this and became irate. “Wait!” he screamed, “That’s not fair! He cheated! How come he has all his work and I don’t have any?” God just shrugged and said... “JESUS SAVES!”
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A Special Thank You and a Plea By Ruth Johnston
Melvyn has asked me to thank everyone who sponsored him to do the London Marathon for Saint Wilfrid’s Hospice in memory of his dad, Kieran. Melvyn finished in 3 hrs 16 mins 15secs. The photo shows him at the finish with his medal, looking ready to do it all again!! Melvyn raised £2,563 and is so grateful to everyone for such a fantastic sum for such a great and wonderful cause. It was his first attempt of marathon running and lost several of his toe nails but is keen to do another! Now the plea... well the background first! Kieran and I belong to the Confraternity of Saint James (CSJ), founded in 1983 to promote the pilgrim roads through Europe to Santiago de Compostela (established since the Middle Ages). The CSJ is responsible for two pilgrim refuges. One is on the traditional Camino Francés at Rabanal del Camino in Galicia along the Camino del Norte. The other one is the Refugio at Miraz, which came into being when the old Parish House was granted to the CSJ by the Bishop of Lugo in 2005. To date 8,729 pilgrims have been welcomed. In January this year an extension was started to provide both more and much improved facilities by summer, for all the pilgrims expected in this Holy Year. Kieran and I did some of the Spanish Camino in the last Holy Year - a Holy Year being a year when the Feast of Saint James (25 July) falls on a Sunday, which it did this year. The next Holy Year will be 2021. We also did the Portugese route in 2007, but always by coach!! When I saw in the CSJ January Bulletin that they were planning a walk from Oporto (which is in Portugal), going via the less used route along the coast and then into Spain to Compostela in September this year, I knew that I really must do it, despite the fact I have never walked 18
seriously before. Also I did not own a pair of walking boots and certainly not a rucksack; but I knew that Kieran would be there with me, encouraging me every step of the way. So, dear reader, by the time you get The Parish Proclaimer, I will have completed the walk, having started on 14 September and arrived in Santiago on 27 September to meet up with other members of the CSJ who flew in. We carried our own rucksnacks and found hostels and refuges each night to lay down our weary heads (and feet)! Now the plea... The journey is 850 kilometres and I am looking to be sponsored. I do hope that I can rely on your generosity once again. Half of the sponsorship money raised will be for the extension of the refuge at Miraz (next year I might offer my service as a hospitalero at Miraz but that will be another story) and the other half will be donated to Saint Wilfrid’s Hospice, who were such a great support to us in Kieran’s last illness. Jane Edney has the sponsor forms at the 11.15am Mass. The following picture postcard shows the scallop shell of Saint James and the various arrows that guide us along the many routes to Compostela. Thank you in advance of your help...
Solution to Crossword Puzzle 9 From the Pentecost Parish Proclaimer CLUES ACROSS 1. Aldgate 8. Albino 9. Mussels 11. Leap Year 15. Academic Award 16. Equestrianism 17. Ostinato 21. Yashmak 22. Spoons 23. Chamber CLUES DOWN 2. Laud 3. Gush 4. Tool 5. Slips Away 6. Like Magic 7. Notre Dame 10. Seniority 12. Bakehouse 13. Valuation 14. Reasoning 18. Oath 19. Sham 20. Tame
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Parish People: Alex Clouter By Colin Swanton
Alex Clouter, editor of our Parish Proclaimer for the past year, is a man with a strong Catholic faith. This faith, which has always been part of his existence from an early age, is what gives him, he feels, a real purpose in life – he finds it hard to understand how people can manage without faith. From attending Mass with his family at Saint Mary Magdalene in Wandsworth during his childhood, his 20s/30s at the Church of the Sacred Heart at Ruislip in Middlesex, his 40s at Our Lady of the Forest in Forest Row until reaching 48 when he moved to Findon Valley and decided to attend Mass at Arundel Cathedral, Alex was a reader and a ‘counter’ at Our Lady of the Forest and is now collector at the 9.30am Mass at the Cathedral. Accordingly, when he heard Canon Tim appealing for someone to edit and produce the Parish Proclaimer, Alex decided to put his name forward immediately. The eldest of four brothers, Alex was brought up as a Catholic from birth. He was educated at Allfarthing Primary School and afterwards, Tooting Bec Grammar School, which became the Ernest Bevin College in his fifth year there. After eight ‘O’ and two ‘A’ level exams, an HNC Business Studies and a Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma, he started work with Capital Radio in London, involved in client advertising and record royalties. In 1977, Alex started a spell of some 23 years working in the car industry. initially with Renault and then in 1990 was lured across to Suzuki. He was actively involved in TV and press advertising, everything printed - with brochures, direct mail, press releases, customer magazines and newsletters - and the use of the Internet with the design/content of each company’s website and online marketing. In 2000, an opportunity came his way to switch across to the agency side, where he worked in IT communicarions and design/publishing where Alex project-managed various clients in 21
assisting them with their online and printed communications. What he liked the most was getting involved in diverse market sectors applying his skills in areas like HR, medicine, book publishing, aviation, greeting cards and childrens’ gifts. 2009 was the momentous year when Alex decided to work for himself, as a freelance designer, writer and proofreader for business communications - a job he still enjoys and it shows! Words are Alex’s life. From a very early age he was an avid reader of books – he still has his much-prized hardback copies of Enid Blyton’s Brer Rabbit and Famous Five stories to prove it! This thirst of reading has grown with him, from the classics of Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Elizabeth Gaskell, Wilkie Collins and Mervyn Peake to the more contemporary writers like John Grisham, Joanne Harris, MC Beaton, Alex Garland, Peter James and of course JK Rowling! Variety is the spice of life! The written word has followed Alex for most of his working life – producing advertising and direct mail, writing press releases, proofing brochures and newsletters... It was whilst he was working at Renault that he was given the nickname ‘le smith de mot’ - a word smith! Needless to say he is a keen Francophile, loving the French language, culture and food! Somehow he finds the time within his active family and social life to manage the membership and website of the Findon Valley Residents’ Association. Google that! It’s obvious that Alex takes great pleasure in compiling the content for each issue of The Parish Proclaimer. When I asked him about this, he said, “I really enjoy the contact it gives me with so many interesting people, both within the Parish community and further afield; people who are keen to share their experiences and their memories, and any special items of interest to enrich our understanding and belief in God, our many saints and the Catholic Faith. “Hopefully this comes out in the many articles featured so far in the Proclaimer over the last twelve months. I am always seeking more content – anything from a memorable trip to a Cathedral City to amusing clerical jokes. The more variety we have, the more enjoyable and satisfying a read our parish magazine is for everyone. “Something different for this issue and subsequent ones is the introduction of advertisers, to enable us to afford having a printer to produce the magazine, rather than photocopying.” All six editions of the Proclaimer that have come out under Alex’s editorship (including this one!) can also be viewed via www.arundelcathedral.org If you feel you have something to contribute to the magazine you can find Alex’s contact details on the bottom of the Reflection page (p3) of this Proclaimer.
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A Trip to Africa By Sister Aelred, Poor Clares of Arundel In 1993 three sisters, Angela, Felicity and Leo, went from the Poor Clares of Arundel to a fairly remote spot in North West Kenya to found a Poor Clare community in the diocese of Bungoma. Where there was only a patch of bare scrub on the side of a wide valley, there is now a basic but quite large building, with a very lovely, simple, large, light chapel, roomy enough for a growing community and a big congregation. The chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of Light, has two tiers of windows, which give light on the east to the rising sun and on the west, as Vespers is being sung, to its setting. They also let in the sights and sounds of the growing numbers of farm animals who are tethered and graze on the grass of the garden amongst the flame trees, frangipani, jacaranda, acacia and bougainvillea which have now transformed the bare scrub into a paradise. In these years seven young Kenyan women have joined the community of whom two are now several years solemnly professed. It has been a work of grace for the sisters who are there but also for us in Arundel, and I at least had no conception when we began, what it would demand of us. It was my privilege to be in, right from the beginning, and every subsequent visit has brought amazement and joy at what God can do with the good will of a few poor women who trust in Him. This last visit, at Pentecost this year was full of surprises. The courtyard around which the
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house is built was full of colour: where there had been just a square lawn with an umbrella tree in the middle, there are now several flowerbeds with a mix of familiar and new plants. Amaryllis grow in Kenya like daffodils do here! Hibiscus of all colours do well, zinnias, some chrysanths, French marigolds, morning glories, poinsettias and carnations all do well. Sr. Graca is struggling hard to grow some roses but they do not flourish and when the flowers come they are disappointingly small. Later when there is more shade, she may be more fortunate. In the liturgy too there are new things. Much of the office is now in Kiswahili and the sisters have set some of it to their own music and they sing it to drum and shaker accompaniment. Often at the Magnificat there will be a spontaneous movement when the whole choir moves out and begins to dance. With help from the sisters a local branch of the Secular Franciscan Order has been started and it is now going strong, doing a lot of practical Christian work in the locality and closely linked, not only with our sisters in Myanga, but also with the SFO that has been established in Hollington by our sisters there. When we went out we were advised never to give financial help or we would become like an aid agency instead of being poor women with nothing to offer but our prayer. This seemed sense but in practice it has been impossible to keep to it and be faithful to the Gospel, as the gulf between our poverty and the condition of those who often have no one to turn to is vast. With the help of local trustworthy friends the sisters have to discern each day whether they can help the individuals who come to the front door. They have a charity budget and try to give wisely and preferably to women in need or widows. These latter are a particularly vulnerable group because if a husband dies and the wife does not wish to become an extra wife to her husband’s brother, she may face destitution as there is no kind of social security. In the same spirit, the sisters prefer to employ local women to help them in the shamba where maize and groundnuts, pineapples, tomatoes and other vegetables are grown. They work well and can earn money for their families, and many bring their babies or toddlers with them, and these play happily and are never any trouble. While I was there I watched a group of women harvesting beans which are sown between the rows of maize and and gathered before it. They stuff the bean vines into big sacks and carry them on to the verandah to be dried and then they sit on the floor beside the heaps and beat them with big sticks. When they lift off the dried stalks only the beans are left on the concrete. These they gather into concave baskets and in movements that bring back images of Old Testament women, they toss and whirl them for the wind to blow away the dust and scraps of stalk. Although in the nearby town there are Internet cafÊs and all things modern, in Myanga all ploughing is still done by oxen and it is a rare woman who has any mod cons. Editor’s Note: Sister Maria has written a small piece about the shop at Poor Clares, promoting their gifts for sale and some new product lines. This can be read on page 29.
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St. Philip’s Catholic Primary School News By Elizabeth Hargreaves, Deputy Head September has its own special meaning for those involved in educating children.This becomes the time for the school’s new year resolutions, not January! In September the new year awaits expectations for the predictable and the unknown to unfold in the life of the school year. God’s joy is made present in these moments... The joy of bright polished floors, clean classrooms and the smell of fresh paint... before stepping outside to see the empty playground in the fresh morning air, waiting for the rush of children lovingly dressed in newly bought uniform. The joy of meeting colleagues again after the summer break and recounting precious time spent with family and friends. The joy of new beginnings and making resolutions (I will eat less cake and drink more water)! The start of our new youngest pupils who join the school family, entrusted into the caring, expert hands of the Reception class teacher. The joy and honour of the children’s trust in you, their teacher and the parents who place their most precious possessions in your care. The joy of knowing that you can make a difference to the next generation and remembering that they often learn more through your actions and attitudes than your words. The joy of acknowledging effort made and celebrating small successes, that may be a giant leap for that child. The joy of a cosy bed at the end of the day with the quiet and warmth needed to start refreshed in the morning. These joys are the daily blessings from God who loves and cares for us because we are His children. We pray that we do not forget to thank God daily for all the joy in our lives, and for our vocation to nurture our pupils on how to be the best they can be and helping them to know that they are created in God’s image and likeness, in order to share God’s love. This September was another important milestone for all those involved in Christian Education, with the historical visit by Pope Benedict XV1, whose presence in our country to beatify John Henry Newman has given us a deeper sense of renewal and hope. The children learnt about the Pope and the purpose of his visit. They worked on special commemorative books and researched life in the Vatican City. They worshipped in several assemblies including the ‘Big Assembly’ on the Internet with many other schools and celebrated with Ice Pops and extra playtime at the end of the week! The children prayed regularly from the start of the term for the success of the Pope’s visit. Their prayers were certainly answered! 25
Keep taking the Tablet - The Papal Visit By Michael Winters What a visit, and how the crowds came! For example, at each of the first two of the major outdoor events (in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow and Hyde Park in London) it was originally estimated that there might be up to 100,000 present. Initially, the take-up of tickets was rather slow and the original estimates were reduced. However the actual numbers present were back to the original figures; indeed the police in Glasgow estimated that, including the crowds on the approach roads, some 125,000 people were involved! Now that it is all over, and the Pope is back in Rome, how should it be rated? We should remember that when John Paul II made a visit some 28 years ago, it was a ‘pastoral’ visit. In other words, he was mostly talking to Catholics and lapsed Catholics. On this occasion, Pope Benedict XVI was on a ‘state’ visit. This means that he was not only talking to RCs; he was also addressing other Christians (e.g. Anglicans), members of other faiths (e.g. Jews) and others such as atheists and agnostics. He was talking about standards of behaviour and objectives both as individuals and as members of other groupings such as nationally and internationally. It was interesting that the Prime Minister, speaking as a politician, saw many points of harmony between his own views on behalf of the Government and those advanced by the Pope,
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We don’t yet know how the writers to The Tablet will rate the visit, but from my point of view it was a great success. It has worked out far better than previously could have been expected, or indeed hoped for. Of course there were a few ‘bad’ points, but these were outnumbered by the ‘good’ ones. Before the visit started, how might the views expressed in The Tablet in relation to the structure of the Church, and in particular the position of the Pope, be summarised? He clearly generates great respect and loyalty. He is recognised as a great scholar, and as being decisive in his actions (“God’s Rotweiller”). However he shows an increasing practice of overturning the views of others. For example, Vatican II voted overwhelmingly in favour of the vernacular. The Pope initially ruled that the Latin version of the Mass might continue to be used in parishes where it was wanted by a substantial number of (elderly) people, who had been brought up in its use. Subsequently, however, he found many other opportunities gradually to overturn the decisions by Vatican II in relation to the use of Latin, and the result can be seen in the Beatification Mass on Sunday, which to my eyes was a dreadful mix-up of Latin and English. Then again, some years ago the decision was taken to create a new translation of the Missal from Latin to English, so as to recognise the gradual evolution of the English language. This entailed a great number of translations and revisions, but at last it was completed, and it received the unanimous approval of the English-speaking Bishops. However, it was rejected by the relevant Congregation in the Vatican, for none of whom I believe was English their mother-tongue. The new text was thought to be too far from the original Latin. So that was the position. Everybody, both clerical and lay, was attempting to follow Scripture, but in practice the structure of the church was seen to be increasingly inappropriate. All the communications between the senior clergy and the mass of the people were all one-way. The visit of the Pope to the UK then came along. In preparation for this, the UK ‘ambassador’ to the Holy See said in relation to the Pope’s nickname of ‘Rotweiller’, “I don’t see him that way. I find the Pope charming, timid but stubborn.” Then at the various outdoor meetings, the Pope was clearly a crowd-puller. The atmosphere was enthusiastic, holy and involved. This was particularly so in relation to the youth who, time and again, cheered Benedict XVI in response to various passages in his speeches/homilies. This was clearly a delightful surprise to the Pope, who steadily became more assured and successful during his stay in the UK. Another feature of his stay which I found most encouraging was the rapport which had grown up between the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury. I may have misunderstood him, but I believe that the Pope indicated that he was looking forward to complete the amalgamation between Anglicans and the RCs. He saw the ordinariate procedure merely as a first step. 27
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Two or three final points, but I must stop as I am running out of space. First he expressed his (and the Church’s) great sorrow and shame at the continuing child abuse scandal. Over past months, the Bishops in a number of areas (the UK is one such) have already expressed similar sentiments, but this is the first time that the Pope has made this public apology on behalf of the whole church worldwide. There has been continuing criticism of the Pope for the lack of such an apology - perhaps he is now responding to the views of others. Secondly, he thanked the Bishops for the comments they had expressed in relation to the new English Missal. Again responding to the views of others? Perhaps we shall have a missal which is English/English, and not Italian/English, Latin/English or American/English! And finally, he admitted that he was becoming increasingly aware of increasing age; something that I can sympathise with this as our dates of birth were only months apart. We can easily remember how the last few months of the pontificate of John Paul II was distressing not only to him but also to the rest of the Church. This may be something for my next article...
New at The Poor Clares Shop Our foundation in Kenya is helping the extremely poor who come to ask for help at their door. There are Kenyan bags and wooden animals to sell, so the money goes directly to the poor who really need our help. Our Sister Graca contributed a few of her original wax paintings when she was recently home from Kenya for a rest. There are also bits and pieces on a donation basis. On the window sill there are small amounts of home-grown plants and herbs: dill, coriander, red basil and oregano seedlings, ideal for your winter kitchen window sill. This summer the Lord has blessed us with a variety of fruits and the energy to make them into jam and jelly also sweet pickled cucumbers. There are also secondhand books and very beautiful knitting done with love and prayer by our sisters who are no longer able to do heavier work. There is a DVD on St Clare of Assisi (a very good way to get to know about our Foundress Clare) and several Franciscan books by our own sisters. In addition there are wooden toys and puzzles, bought ethnically to support charities who work to give children a better home and future. There are also books for children: all these are ideal gifts for occupying them with healthy activities. We also produce our own cards and notelets. Do not think you must spend any money if you come to the shop, you are welcome to come and see, just ring the door bell and you could pop into the chapel which is opposite the shop, to say hello to Jesus. If you cannot find what you want, just contact me, Maria, on maria.hii@gmail.com - I am most willing to help in any way I can! And lastly we have a very nice 12-piece Kisii stone Christmas Crib, price ÂŁ35. It is the only one left and we shall not be getting any more because of the cost. This is also to help poor children. If you can help, do come. 29
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Parish Events Diary October Friday 1
CAFOD Harvest Fast Day
Saturday 2
2.30pm Ecumenical Animal Blessing Service 7.30pm St. John’s College Choir Concert ‘Angelic Voices’ - free entry, retiring collection
Sunday 3
CAFOD Fast Day Collection 9.30am Enrolment Mass for First Communion children
Sunday 10
Collection: Arundel Cathedral Maintenance Fund
Friday 15
7.30pm New Parishioners Party (If you are new and have not received an invitation, please contact the Cathedral Office on 01903 882 297)
Saturday 16
2.00pm Guild of St. Stephen Diocesan Altar Servers Mass
Sunday 17
11.15am Mass – visiting choir from St. Leonard’s School, Mayfield 3.00pm Annual Mass for the Feast of St. Philip Howard in the Cathedral with Bishop Kieran, followed by tea in St. Mary’s Hall and the ‘Friends of Arundel Cathedral’ AGM
Saturday 23
11.30am Mass with the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre (no 10am Mass)
Sunday 24
World Mission Sunday Collection: Missio 11.15am Mass - visiting choir from St. Bartholomew’s, Rainhill 6.30pm Recital by St. Bartholomew’s Parish Choir
Sunday 31
ALL SAINTS’ DAY Mass at the Convent of the Poor Clares: Saturday 30th at 6.15pm, 9.30am & 11.15am Masses in the Cathedral
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November Tuesday 2
ALL SOULS’ DAY 10am Mass in the Fitzalan Chapel
Saturday 6
7.30pm The Choir of Royal Holloway University of London presents Contemporary Choral Music from Sweden & the Baltic States - call Johnny on 07895 710 106 or email johnny_436@msn.com for tickets
Sunday 7
Collection: Retired Priest’s Fund 3.00pm Blessing of Graves in St. Philip’s Cemetery 3.00pm Knights of St. Columba Mass for Deceased Members
Tuesday 9
11.00am Deanery Mass for Deceased Clergy
Friday 12
10.30am Chapter Mass
Sunday 14
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY Mass at the Convent of the Poor Clares: Saturday 13th at 6.15pm; Masses at 9.30am and 11.30am (not 11.15am) 10.45am Remembrance Service in the Town Square 4.00pm Baptisms
Saturday 20
7.30pm The Angmering Chorale Concert - tickets from www.theangmeringchorale.org.uk
Sunday 21
SOLEMNITY: CHRIST THE KING Mass at the Convent of the Poor Clares: Saturday 20th at 6.15pm; Masses at 9.30 & 11.15am in the Cathedral
Thursday 25
10.00am Mass in the Fitzalan Chapel
Sunday 28
1ST SUNDAY OF ADVENT Mass at the Convent of the Poor Clares: Saturday 27th at 6.15pm Masses at 9.30am & 11.15am in the Cathedral 10.00am – 1.00pm Sardhana Coffee Event, St. Mary’s Hall
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December Wednesday 1
7.00pm Deanery Schools Advent Service
Sunday 4
7.00pm Arun Choral Society Carol Concert with local schools tickets www.arunchoralsociety.co.uk or ACS Box Office 01798 812 481
Wednesday 8
3.00pm Great Ballard School Service
Thursday 9
7.30pm Medieval Baebes Concert - tickets from the Parish Office or www.mediaevalbaebes.com
Saturday 11
7.00pm Arun Choral Society Carol Concert with local schools tickets from www.arunchoralsociety.co.uk or ACS Box Office 01798 812 481 More up to date information can be found in the weekly newsletter, distributed during 9.30/11.15am Masses each Sunday and on the Cathedral’s website: www.arundelcathedral.org
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Parish Notice Board CHRISTMAS PANTO AND SUPPER
WELCOME!
2pm performance, 29 December 2010 If you are a new parishioner, we hope that you will quickly feel at home with us... Please make sure that you have completed one of the special forms kept at the back of the Cathedral (to the left of where the newspapers are displayed) so that you can be registered on our Parish Database.
We have a few of our ‘early bird’ tickets left to see Snow White at Worthing’s Connaught Theatre. Tickets cost £10.50 each. 1st come, 1st served! We must receive payment by Sunday, 24 October. To get tickets speak to see Marion Stratton or Jim Starkey after 9.30/11.15am Masses. Tickets available for collection after Masses on Sunday, 31 October.
ARUNDEL CATHEDRAL GIFTSHOP Visit our shop to see our wide rage of religious gifts. Find us in the North Transept by The Shrine to St. Philip Howard. 1 Nov - 31 March: Mon - Sat, 10.30am - 12 noon 1 April - 31 October: Mon - Sat, 10.30am - 4.30pm All year: Sunday, after Masses
If you are celebrating a special Wedding Anniversary and would like to be featured in the Parish Proclaimer, please call Louise at the Parish Office on 01903 882 297.
PARISH BARBECUE With the Pope’s Visit we had to decide to postpone our Annual Parish Barbecue to next year.
She will arrange for Colin Swanton, a regular Proclaimer contributor, to contact you and discuss more about what he can do for you
Look out for more details as we plan for a date in late August/early September 2011.
TAKE A LOOK! Oliver Hawkins has just recently renewed the “Friends” noticeboard at the porch. You can also go online to www.arundelcathedralfriends.org
From the Parish Proclaimer Editor We are really keen to have more features that will be of interest to parishioners. Whether it’s a recent visit to an interesting church (or cathedral) on a trip, your experience at Lourdes or at another religious shrine, or indeed any other interest you’d like to share with the rest of us, please email me! Alex Clouter clouter@mac.com
QUIET PRAYER An opportunity to experience 45 minutes’quiet prayer with our church communities. Every Monday at 2pm at the Baptist Church. All welcome!
Congratulations & Commemorations
Baptisms 23 May - Gus Machin Hayward 27 June - Ellis Joseph Tanyag 8 August - Edward Antony Sefi 5 September - Ava Lilly Johnson
Marriages 12 June - Brian William Tustin & Manuela Alcalde Sacramento 10 July - Simon Alistair Staveley & Laura Catherine Sheen 31 July - Stephen Allan Clarke Holdaway & Ana Paula Batista Do Santos 28 August - Simon Hull & Sarah Louise Manning 18 September - Thomas James Colbourne & Emma Louise Wedge
Deaths 6 July - Heather April Francine Reeves (aged 62 years) 6 July - Adrian Arthur Newton (aged 60 years) 23 July - John Jarvis Moorhouse (aged 61 years)
Views expressed in The Parish Proclaimer are not necessarily the views of The Catholic Church, the Catholic Diocese of Arundel & Brighton, its affiliated companies and charities, employees thereof or persons otherwise associated directly or indirectly. All material is provided by Cathedral Parishioners and published in good faith, without guarantee. The Arundel and Brighton Diocesan Trust is a Registered Charity - No. 252878 The Parish Proclaimer has been produced by Alexander Clouter, a parishioner who happens to be a writer and designer all wrapped into one! Email: rite4u@mac.com
A Prayer for Harvest
Our help is in the name of the Lord. Who has made heaven and earth. The Lord be with you. And with your spirit. Almighty Lord God, You keep on giving abundance to men in the dew of heaven, and food out of the richness of the soil. We give thanks to Your most gracious majesty for the fruits of the field which we have gathered. We beg of You, in Your mercy, to bless our harvest, which we have received from Your generosity. Preserve it, and keep it from all harm. Grant, too, that all those whose desires You have filled with these good things may be happy in Your protection. May they praise Your mercies forever, and make use of the good things that do not last in such a way that they may not lose those goods that are everlasting, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Courtesy of www.catholic.org