CATHOLIC NEWS NOVEMBER 2025

Catholic News

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ISSUE 342 - nOVEMBER 2025

MORE THAN 26 YEARS OF BRINGING THE NOTTINGHAM DIOCESE TOGETHER Published by CathCom Ltd, N2 Blois Meadow Business Centre, Steeple Bumpstead, Haverhill, Suffolk, CB9 7BN Telephone: 01440 730399 Editor nick Layton E-mail cn@cathcom.org or davidl@cathcom.org

A Special Year

Mass for the Centenary of the Dedication of Our Lady and the English Martyrs' church, Spilsby, celebrated by Bishop Patrick on 3rd May, 2025.

This year has been a special year for the Parish of Sacred Heart Church, Skegness with Our Lady and the English Martyrs Church, Spilsby.

A programme of talks on the sacraments from invited priests, a pilgrimage to Bar Convent in York, a visit and talk from Bishop Jean Laffitte - all these events, organised by our parish priest Fr. George Woodall, helped the parish to prepare spiritually for the celebration of the centenary of the consecration of Spilsby Church and the consecration, after 75 years of use, of Skegness Church.

The first public Mass celebrated in Spilsby since the Reformation took place in 1897.

Fr. G. V. Bull, the celebrant, had the ambition of restoring the Gilbertine Order, little known but the only Order founded in England. The land on which Spilsby church now sits was originally intended for the Church and Monastery of Our Lady of Good Counsel and St. Gilbert of Sempringham.

The generosity of Mr W. D. Gainsford of Skendleby Hall enabled the eventual construction of the current church and its dedication in 1925 under its present name.

Bishop Patrick's homily at a Mass on 3rd May to celebrate the centenary made reference to the many years of commitment to the common good which centred around the church and urged us to

consider afresh Christ's words – ‘Who do you say I am?’

The Sacred Heart Church, Skegness not only serves the people of the town but also its many holiday visitors. The original church, adjacent to the current building, is now used as a social centre and meeting room.

The Dedication ceremony on 27th June was a long and moving liturgy which engaged the mind and all the senses. Bishop Patrick explained the sacramental use of holy water, sacred chrism and incense to consecrate the building. Relics of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque were sealed in the altar before the marble surface was liberally anointed with chrism by the Bishop. Mass was concelebrated with five of our past and present parish priests and chaplain to the local Polish community. The parish was pleased to welcome at the event friends representing Christian denominations in the area.

The parish has been spiritually enriched by our visitors and by the wonderful liturgies enacted this year. All participants have our deep thanks. Conscious of our debt to past missionary work in the area may we in our turn, with confidence, further enable the Gospel mission in our own time.

Mass of Consecration and Dedication of Sacred Heart church, Skegness, celebrated by Bishop Patrick on 27th June, 2025, solemn feast of the Sacred Heart (incensation of altar and church, symbolising the presence of God and also our prayers rising to God).

The Catholic News. November 2025.

Page 2

MORE THAN 26 YEARS OF BRINGING THE NOTTINGHAM DIOCESE TOGETHER The monthly paper for the Diocese of Nottingham

Editor: Nick Layton Editorial Office: CathCom Ltd, N2 Blois Meadow Business Centre, Steeple Bumpstead, Haverhill, Suffolk, CB9 7BN Telephone: 01440 730399 email: cn@cathcom.org or davidl@cathcom.org Website: www.cathcom.org Distribution enquiries: cn@cathcom.org CathCom Ltd, Publication date: Fourth Sunday of the month for the following month. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Diocese.

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Celebrating St Vincent Saturday 27th September was the feast of St Vincent and the SVP held their annual; festival at Sacred Heart, Carlton in Nottingham. It was lovely to welcome 30 members, wonderfully hosted by the conference members at Sacred Heart.

The guest speaker was Sr Maria Parcher, a member of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, who has served as a spiritual advisor for the St. Vincent de Paul Society in the UK and was involved in promoting Vincentian spirituality through writing and speaking.

Sr Maria Parcher

Parental permission should be sought before submitting photographs of minors.

Views expressed in The Catholic News are not necessarily those of the editor.

Wanted Parish Correspondents

St Vincent de Paul

Sr Maria explained that in 1617 Vincent visited a dying man to minister the last rites. Prior to this visit he had been working as a priest but had no real direction and commitment to the role – it was a position that kept him housed and fed. On visiting this man on the Gondi estate where he was posted Vincent saw him as Jesus dying on the cross and recognised that Jesus was there in all of us. It created a direct connection with Jesus. Not long afterwards he was working with a family who were all suffering from illness and malnutrition and again he was aware of Jesus being present there. He preached that it was right and good to help others and managed to generate support for the family. Vincent had learned to see God in the person and realised this was his mission in life; from then on, he worked to support those in need.

The Catholic News is looking for a Parish Correspondent in your parish to send in local news for publication in this newspaper.

All items to be emailed to cn@cathcom.org before 10th of the month

Sr Maria is the ‘font of all knowledge’ regarding St Vincent and St Louise de Marrillac, who together founded the Daughters of Charity. Those present were treated to an engaging and educational talk on the spiritual influences that altered Vincent’s life. Sr Maria referred to Vincent as ‘a mystic of the church in action’, exploring how he developed his relationship with God and by association as Vincentians, how we might do so also.

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SEPTEMBER 2025 Edition

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Vincent realised that practical action could work alongside prayer to make a difference and these gradually fused for him to become one. Now in 2025 Vincentians continue to pursue the mission to actively seek out those in need and offer whatever support is practical. Seeing Jesus in others and working to help them is a spiritual act in itself so Vincentians are continuing the traditions and approaches St Vincent established in 1617.

Joe Gasan, our Membership Support Officer, then gave a report on the work he had been doing, starting and supporting new conferences in the Derby and Leicester districts and it has been wonderful to welcome the new members into the Vincentian family.

Mass was celebrated by Fr Christopher Thomas then all participated in a shared table lunch. To conclude events Jon Cornwall, a previous director of the SVP addressed the group to talk about life as a Vincentian with reference to our journey on the Pilgrimage of Hope. He offered the suggestion that we are on an intentional journey as Vincentians but the route is unpredictable and whilst Vincentians may invariably say ‘yes’ to any request, the caveat is that any response may take time and may need support. The power of the membership and its collective strength and faith are the foundations underpinning al that we do.

The day concluded with prayers led by Sr Maria and all agreed it had been an excellent event. More of the same next year!!

By Frank Goulding

45 www.CatholicPost.co.uk

44 AUGUST 2025 Edition

Carlo Acutis

Dalai Lama turns 90

page 7

page 3

500 mile Camino on bikes

Welcome the noise!

page 11

St John Vianney 4 August

To be a pilgrim OCTOBER 2025

summer months, many As we move into the will be embarking dioceses across the country history and on pilgrimages. Throughout have set out on across the world, people something greater than journeys in search of are many and themselves. The motivations to develop their diverse – some want and the world, understanding of themselves faith or to heal. some to deepen their is a spiritual journey For Catholics, a pilgrimage popular and sacred to a holy place. The most (with an estimated destinations are Lourdes since 1860 when 200 million visitors began), Santiago de pilgrimages there Spain and of course, Compostela in northern the current fighting has the Holy Land which visit. Unlike a holiday, made impossible to might be the where relaxation and sightseeing inner renewal. As goal, a pilgrimage is about so does the soul’s the journey progresses,

page 6

"It changed how I see care"

page 14

Mother Teresa: A Beacon of Compassion 5th September

Jubilee of Youth

Edition 46

www.CatholicPost.co.uk

Gwen Wiseman

Parish reinstates flag of Saint George

‘You Too Can Be a Saint’

page 2

page 6 & 7

Blessing of a newly-built Basilica in western Ukraine

page 11

I first stood at Tor Vergata in 2000.

Returning for this Jubilee, I watched a new generation pray, sing, and be sent as witnesses of Christ’sofhope, St Francis Assisi:joyful today’s Greatness of Humblefor A Lifedisciples world.

4th October For me, the location itself turned the days into a pilgrimage of memory. The last time I was in that field was World Youth Day 2000 with Saint John Paul II, packed in with 2.5 million young people, the largest gathering in the history of Europe. Coming back twenty-five years later was unexpectedly emotional. In 2000, I travelled with the Diocese of Westminster, backpack on my shoulders, utterly unprepared for sleeping overnight in a vast field and without a care in the world and little sense of how those days would mark me.

We slept little, laughed, sang, and prayed much and friendships were forged that I never thought possible. Seeing a new generation at prayer where we once stood made one truth unmistakable: Christ’s promise to be with His Church endures – always and for everyone.

A letter to President Trump

Image: Burkard Meyendriesch a pilgrimage offers the relationship with God, transformation. or walking through the ordinary and step away from to orthopaedic surgeon blockade of food, water and medicine creating Catholic lifetime. simple accommodation, and trust.Dr worldAng,chance In aSwee It is a reminder bonds that can last a of love extraordinary. the Aid encounter is an invitation to stories fosters for Palestine the most brutal man-made famine ever and rain—become acts of Medical and co-founder At its heart, a pilgrimage pilgrimage reminds us said: “I left as a stranger itself is a pilgrimage—a Christian themedics that prizes convenience, way. The effort As one pilgrim Open Letter destination: in anlife other witnessed, killing hundreds more. Partially has joined withthat and humility. encounter God in a profound ultimate with a family.” the towardsfor of the value of perseverance journeyappealing stepping outside returned him to use destroyed buildings have been systematically to President Trump, required—planning, travelling, part of the position to stop the genocide bombed to the ground so as to expel the his power a planeandheaven. response to a deep boarding your comfort zone—becomes many, pilgrimage is a every pilgrimage requires of Gaza City and enforce the pilgrims often find For entire and erasure taking place in Gaza. emotional, or Not the Topopulation you? of miles. Across the UK, prayer. Along the way, need for healing—physical, might God be calling mass exodus of a million people who were or walking hundreds reflect and listen, away for local So, where Lourdes in France or shrine, the healing moments of quiet to countless opportunities spiritual. Sites such as of Walsingham’s quiet the letter to the US sheltering deliver associated there are Dr Ang plans to life. Many pilgrimages routein those ruins and rubble. These from the noise of daily in Wales have long been Historic shrines like Walsingham waters of Holywell, or perhaps a Camino daily Mass, Holywell in Beirut when she attends the 43rd Wherever traumatised Embassy in the people were already severely profound grace. pilgrimages. include the Sacraments: countryside? miraculous cures and the holy well of St Winefride rollingMassacre through on malnourished, and some near death from and Eucharistic with Shatilla not come, in Norfolk, Sabrathe anniversary attract of the Carfin Grotto physical healing does is the same: God walks opportunities for Confession, the promise leads, Wales, and Scotland’s path of saints Even when brings people to famine and diseases. Thousands more will die. as for appeals that She footsteps be September.

16-18 the can peace in a Adoration. Walking seek Him. each year. A pilgrimage pilgrims often discover whothe those withby letter - see The World knows there is only one person who signing burdens and thousands their support marked by Marian show a nearby a day to visit or standing in places inner restoration. In surrendering simple as setting aside The on page 2. put an end to this and bring peace to the QR code theheart. a deeper love for God find a renewed sense inspiration a prayerful below for can apparitions can awaken intentions to God, they church or cathedral with Scan the QR Code Middle East. It is with this in mind that we ask of faith. is not in the distance and a renewed sense to go in the UK. of hope. where essence of pilgrimage about Trump J Gaza live and give its children a heart—a Donald let to you Honourable The the of travelled but in the disposition Him oftothe United States of America us that faith is not a future.

President easy—and that is part to seek God and allow Pilgrimage also reminds Pilgrimage is not always early mornings, willingness shrines and cathedrals 15 September 2025 solitary journey. Visiting of its power. It involves transform the journey. prayed creates a We've seen this before and sometimes long, where generations have unfamiliar places, history away strip you, Church’s moved We survived the Sabra Shatila Massacre in President Trump to the Dear challenges of pilgrimage has ever tangible connection demanding walks. These space for If the idea Whether of Saints. Whether a group of doctors and nurses who September 1982 - but more than 3,000 We are to respond. distractions, creating and to the Communion perhaps now is the time a comforts and or a deeper family, or as part of in Beirut's Gaza Hospital throughout unarmed defenceless Palestinian men, women heart. Small sacrifices— clarity,worked travelling alone, with God to work in the you are seeking healing, a unique fellowship schedules, enduring the Sabra Shatila Palestinian Refugee Camp and children and their Lebanese neighbours group, pilgrims experience giving up control of meals, prayers, and Massacre in 1982, 43 years ago. We are were slaughtered in 3 days, at the rate of a along the way. Sharing witnesses and survivors of the massacre which thousand killed each day. A further 17,000 took place under the watch of the Israeli Army were abducted and never returned to their And now, like countless people round the families. world, we have watched with horror, pain and anguish the relentless livestreamed killing and It happened under the ceasefire brokered by demolition of Gaza ever since 7 October 2023. Phillip Habib, the Middle East Envoy of your

By January 2025, the official body count of predecessor President Ronald Reagan. After a Gazans killed was at least 50,000, with a ten-week bombardment of Lebanon by land, further 10,000 under the rubble, of which air and sea together with a blockade of food, 17,835 were children, leaving more than 35,000 water and medicine, the Palestine Liberation Organisation evacuated to mitigate further kids with one or both parents killed. loss of lives and destruction of homes, schools, But while the escalating onslaught seemed institutions, farms and factories.

Camino Way, Spain

Two Paths, One Call to Holiness page 7

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unstoppable, almost immediately after your inauguration, the world watched with bated breath the ceasefire you imposed on 19 January 2025. The bombs stopped. Food, medicine and fuel entered beleaguered Gaza, as nearly a million displaced Gazans walked from displacement towards their broken homes. Some called it a Trump-made miracle.

But on 18 March, six weeks later, we watched with utter horror the breakdown of the ceasefire . Attacks on Gaza escalated and since then more than 6,000 were killed, with the

The most important part of the ceasefire agreement was the safety of the unarmed civilians left behind guaranteed by the Habib Peace Plan. With this assurance, hundreds of thousands of displaced, traumatised, hungry people and wounded orphans returned to rebuild their broken homes and shattered lives.

We witnessed their complete trust in the protection of the USA and how, despite the

brutal incessant bombardment of their homes, the killing and wounding of their loved ones (leaving many children orphaned), the separation of their families through the evacuation, they put their hope in the stable future in their refugee camps under the protection of the USA.

But when, three weeks later, on 15 September 1982, hundreds of Israeli tanks made a massive land invasion breaking the ceasefire, your Pope Leo XIV arrives for a prayer vigil during the Jubilee of Youth predecessor did not protect them. The tanks at the Tor Vergata field in Rome rolled over fleeing human beings, shelling Around one million pilgrims were estimated at On friendship. “Our life Image: Vatican Media begins with a bond,” he truly buildings and over-ran Beirut city. this year’s Youth Jubilee. Pope change the world. Friendship Leo XIV led a reminded us. We grow through relationships is a path to the greatest good.” Courage flows from peace.” dialogue-style prayer vigil in which three young and the cultures that shape us, which Christ’s love: “It is Jesus you A contingent of tanks headed for Sabra Shatila people from must be seek when you Mexico, Italy, and the United read with discernment dream of happiness.” The Pope embracing what is On the and hermetically sealed the camp. Under the States asked pointed to courage to choose. Choosing about friendship, the courage is not radical, meaningful to noble, rejecting what harms. Friendship with direct control of the Israeli Army who had choose, vocations - marriage, merely selecting something; it and how to meet the Risen is deciding who priesthood, Lord in Jesus is our “guiding star,” the love that makes made the Kuwaiti Embassy their command- daily life. consecrated life where self-gift to become—ultimately, “choosing The Holy Father’s answers, rooted someone.” makes us truly happy. in human friendships sincere, generous, and true. and-control centre, Christian militiamen Scripture His invitation was direct: We learn to choose by remembering and Saint Augustine formed a we were “Find the courage simple Hence the appeal: “Dear young people, love trained and armed by Israel were sent into the pathway. to make difficult choices and first chosen: life is a gift, one another in Christ!” Because born of Love. say to Jesus: camp to systematically torture, rape and “friendship can Anchored on ‘You are my life, Lord.’” that rock, choice “always leads to brutally murder the Palestinians and their Continued on page 4 Lebanese neighbours.

Together with Palestinian and Lebanese medical staff we battled to save the lives of hundreds of severely injured patients - shot at point blank by machine guns. We had to pile the dead bodies on top of each other in the hospital mortuary as there was no space left.

Frightened camp people fled into our hospital hoping to seek safety. At night, Israel launched military flares to illuminate the sky so that the atrocity could continue.

The hospital ran out of blood and anaesthetics; it also ran out of food and water for the desperate people seeking shelter. And when news came that the militia working for Israel shot patients, raped and murdered nurses in a neighbouring hospital, they fled.

Our medical team stayed on to operate on the wounded and cared for them.

On the morning of 18 September 1982, our hospital was invaded by a group of soldiers who marched us out at machine gun point.

If you have been given the Catholic Post for free in your parish, PLEASE would you be able to donate £1 to your parish for it, or even £10 per year!

Library of Congress photo. Unsplash

They claimed to be Lebanese but answered directly to the Israeli Army. They forced us to leave at gunpoint. We feared for the lives of our patients concerned they would be shot dead once we left. Our patients owed their lives to a Swedish nurse and a medical student who refused to leave and stayed to care for them.

As we were marched out of the hospital, we saw dead bodies and terrorised people rounded up by gun men and awaiting execution. There were large military bulldozers tearing down homes and burying people in the rubble. At one point a desperate young mother broke through the line of machine guns to give her little baby to one of us. In a flash, a gunman ordered her back. Mother and child were gunned down along with the others rounded up by the roadside after we left.

Continued on page 2

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You are likely to receive this newspaper on the weekend which signified the end of British Summer Time. This year BST commenced with Mothering Sunday, we now have the month of the Holy Souls, both of these dates are always special but this year we have observed so much change which has given cause for concern.

We still await to know if the Bill which would allow the end of life to be accelerated will continue as our hospices are cutting back on the vital services they provide. Five year after having their first child working mothers in England now face average earning of £105 less each month compared to their previous salary.

Will the two child benefit cap be changed?

Finally will the use of food banks continue to increase as inflation affects those most in need.

The future of our communities lies with our young people. Much has been said about welfare which means help given to people in need. Much has also been said about mental health. Our political leaders often speak about this when leaving school becomes a problem.

leadership especially not forgetting those in greatest need or in danger of being left behind.

We do know that there are fewer job vacancies and that not all apprenticeships work with a high figure of many young people sadly on sickness benefits.

The number of casualties in the many world conflicts this year is a sharp reminder of how fragile life has become in 2025.

Dependent on where you live seems to be a factor in what we call Social Mobility. The movement in the job market can be quite different and I do fear for those who in any way will feel disadvantaged and yet we should be better prepared for this. Local circumstances as always need good

Our priests, sisters, lay workers and all who are working in the many Missions deserve at least our prayers. One priest spoke of compassion by love of our neighbour, breaking down walls and loving our lives differently.

The month of November presents us with the opportunity to remember our loved ones especially if they have died recently.

The Catholic News. November 2025.

Page 3

Newly amalgamated parishes for a commissioning ceremony for our SVP Conference St. John Paul II Parish (previously known as the Good Shepherd Parish and St. Anthony's Parish) On Wednesday 17th September 2025, we celebrated our first ever commissioning ceremony for our newly named St. John Paul II SVP Conference, Nottingham. We were led through the ceremony by our President (Ken Steele) and our SVP members. As St. Vincent de Paul members we undertook the Vincentian Promise and Prayer. We reflected upon Matthew’s

Gospel 25:31-40 and we also received the light of Christ which illuminates the path to those in need. We are grateful to Father Philipp Ziomek (our parish priest) for his continued spiritual support. We ask that you keep all our members and beneficiaries in your prayers as we continue this vital work together.

Rachael Boyce

OCTOBER 2025

Monthly National Catholic Newspaper

Edition 46

Parish reinstates flag of Saint George

‘You Too Can Be a Saint’

Blessing of a newly-built Basilica in western Ukraine

page 2

page 6 & 7

page 11

St Francis of Assisi: A Life of Humble Greatness 4th October

A letter to President Trump Dr Swee Ang, Catholic orthopaedic surgeon and co-founder of Medical Aid for Palestine has joined with other medics in an Open Letter to President Trump, appealing for him to use his power and position to stop the genocide and erasure taking place in Gaza.

Dr Ang plans to deliver the letter to the US Embassy in Beirut when she attends the 43rd anniversary of the Sabra Shatilla Massacre on 16-18 September. She appeals for people to show their support by signing the letter - see the QR code on page 2.

The Honourable Donald J Trump President of the United States of America 15 September 2025

Catholic news and stories from across the nation and beyond to build the Catholic community and deepen Faith

www.CatholicPost.co.uk

blockade of food, water and medicine creating the most brutal man-made famine ever witnessed, killing hundreds more. Partially destroyed buildings have been systematically bombed to the ground so as to expel the entire population of Gaza City and enforce the mass exodus of a million people who were sheltering in those ruins and rubble. These traumatised people were already severely malnourished, and some near death from famine and diseases. Thousands more will die.

The World knows there is only one person who can put an end to this and bring peace to the Middle East. It is with this in mind that we ask you to let Gaza live and give its children a future.

We've seen this before Dear President Trump We are a group of doctors and nurses who worked in Beirut's Gaza Hospital throughout the Sabra Shatila Palestinian Refugee Camp Massacre in 1982, 43 years ago. We are witnesses and survivors of the massacre which took place under the watch of the Israeli Army And now, like countless people round the world, we have watched with horror, pain and anguish the relentless livestreamed killing and demolition of Gaza ever since 7 October 2023.

By January 2025, the official body count of Gazans killed was at least 50,000, with a further 10,000 under the rubble, of which 17,835 were children, leaving more than 35,000 kids with one or both parents killed.

But while the escalating onslaught seemed unstoppable, almost immediately after your inauguration, the world watched with bated breath the ceasefire you imposed on 19 January 2025. The bombs stopped. Food, medicine and fuel entered beleaguered Gaza, as nearly a million displaced Gazans walked from displacement towards their broken homes. Some called it a Trump-made miracle.

But on 18 March, six weeks later, we watched with utter horror the breakdown of the ceasefire . Attacks on Gaza escalated and since then more than 6,000 were killed, with the

We survived the Sabra Shatila Massacre in September 1982 - but more than 3,000 unarmed defenceless Palestinian men, women and children and their Lebanese neighbours were slaughtered in 3 days, at the rate of a thousand killed each day. A further 17,000 were abducted and never returned to their families.

It happened under the ceasefire brokered by Phillip Habib, the Middle East Envoy of your predecessor President Ronald Reagan. After a ten-week bombardment of Lebanon by land, air and sea together with a blockade of food, water and medicine, the Palestine Liberation Organisation evacuated to mitigate further loss of lives and destruction of homes, schools, institutions, farms and factories.

The most important part of the ceasefire agreement was the safety of the unarmed civilians left behind guaranteed by the Habib Peace Plan. With this assurance, hundreds of thousands of displaced, traumatised, hungry people and wounded orphans returned to rebuild their broken homes and shattered lives.

We witnessed their complete trust in the protection of the USA and how, despite the

brutal incessant bombardment of their homes, the killing and wounding of their loved ones (leaving many children orphaned), the separation of their families through the evacuation, they put their hope in the stable future in their refugee camps under the protection of the USA. But when, three weeks later, on 15 September 1982, hundreds of Israeli tanks made a massive land invasion breaking the ceasefire, your predecessor did not protect them. The tanks rolled over fleeing human beings, shelling buildings and over-ran Beirut city.

A contingent of tanks headed for Sabra Shatila and hermetically sealed the camp. Under the direct control of the Israeli Army who had made the Kuwaiti Embassy their commandand-control centre, Christian militiamen trained and armed by Israel were sent into the camp to systematically torture, rape and brutally murder the Palestinians and their Lebanese neighbours.

Together with Palestinian and Lebanese medical staff we battled to save the lives of hundreds of severely injured patients - shot at point blank by machine guns. We had to pile the dead bodies on top of each other in the hospital mortuary as there was no space left.

Frightened camp people fled into our hospital hoping to seek safety. At night, Israel launched military flares to illuminate the sky so that the atrocity could continue.

The hospital ran out of blood and anaesthetics; it also ran out of food and water for the desperate people seeking shelter. And when news came that the militia working for Israel shot patients, raped and murdered nurses in a neighbouring hospital, they fled.

Our medical team stayed on to operate on the wounded and cared for them.

On the morning of 18 September 1982, our hospital was invaded by a group of soldiers who marched us out at machine gun point.

Library of Congress photo. Unsplash They claimed to be Lebanese but answered directly to the Israeli Army. They forced us to leave at gunpoint. We feared for the lives of our patients concerned they would be shot dead once we left. Our patients owed their lives to a Swedish nurse and a medical student who refused to leave and stayed to care for them.

As we were marched out of the hospital, we saw dead bodies and terrorised people rounded up by gun men and awaiting execution. There were large military bulldozers tearing down homes and burying people in the rubble. At one point a desperate young mother broke through the line of machine guns to give her little baby to one of us. In a flash, a gunman ordered her back. Mother and child were gunned down along with the others rounded up by the roadside after we left.

Continued on page 2

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Page 4

The Catholic News. November 2025.

Education Secretary visits Derby for tour of UK's greenest primary school Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson MP was given a whistlestop tour of St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy in Derby – the UK’s greenest primary school.

The visit was organised by Catherine Atkinson MP, Member of Parliament for Derby North.

The original St Mary’s building burnt down in October 2020 and reopened in 2023 as the country’s first biophilic school, as part of a pilot project by the Department for Education.

Bridget Phillipson MP met with leaders at St Mary’s and the St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust. She was also given a tour of the school by pupils.

She said: "Spending time with the pupils and teachers at St Mary’s was inspiring.

Their energy in the classroom and the care they show for their school community capture everything we want for children here in Derby and around the country.

"I’m proud to support the staff who go the extra mile for their pupils every day, giving every child the best start in life."

Catherine Atkinson MP said: “It’s been fantastic to welcome the Education Secretary back to Derby - this time to St Mary’s. She cares deeply about local communities and is driving a truly childcentred government that listens to families and puts children first.

“I’m determined to work side by side with government, families, teachers and local partners to break down the barriers that hold our children back. Every pupil in Derby deserves the support and opportunity they need to reach their full potential.”

Amanda Greaves, Executive Headteacher at St Mary’s who oversaw the new build project, said: “We were delighted to welcome Bridget Phillipson MP to our thriving school and share the school's journey from the fire to the opening of our new biophilic school. We were excited to

Bridget Phillipson MP (pink jacket) with Catherine Atkinson MP and pupils from St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy share the tangible impact a biophilic school can have on pupils’ academic, social and emotional development. The children were so proud to show the Education Secretary around the site; spending time in classes, the chapel, courtyards and other outdoor spaces which collectively enhance their learning experiences each day.”

From: Elston Hermitage…….....

We are often surprised to learn how fascinated people are when we tell them we are not only Priests in the diocese but are also Canonical Hermits. The word ‘hermit’ might conjure up some strange image, a sort of a John the Baptist living in a cave, wearing hair shirts eating locusts and honey. However things are a little different from that, being 21st century Priests and Hermits and not living as some might think in the dark ages!

The word ‘hermit’ comes from the Greek ‘eremos’ meaning wilderness or isolation and this life was popular among early Christians and in fact the eremitical life is one of the earliest forms of monasticism, St Paul the Hermit and St.Anthony were some of the first ones.

In the fourth century St. Benedict followed the call to solitude to find God. The ‘hermit’ vocation in our own times is still recognised by the Church’s Code of Canon Law as one dedicated to God in consecrated life and makes Profession to the diocesan Bishop of the three evangelical counsels of Poverty, Chastity and Conversion of Life.

A ‘hermit’ does not just do this for their own salvation but for the glory of God, for

the good of the Church and the salvation of all people and the world.

Some of the best known hermits of our time were Sister Wendy Beckett and Thomas Merton OCSO. So how do the ‘hermits’ in our own diocese in Elston apply themselves to all this? Well firstly no two hermits live exactly the same way there is no fixed pattern or rule of life.

But most hermits live a simple lifestyle, but still have to support themselves so engage often in work for their financial needs, which is compatible with the silence of the hermitage and the primary task of prayer.

Our ‘hermitage’ here in Elston is our dwelling and that sacred space of communion with God where we pray, work and very often share our life and ministry with others both here and within our diocese. The foundation of our life is based on the Benedictine rule which is to live in simplicity, the daily Eucharist being the pivot of our daily lives, along with a balance of prayer, work , study and our apostolate in the diocese.

Our day begins at 4 a.m with the Office of Readings, followed by time of silent prayer and meditation. Being Priest hermits we have the privilege of celebrating the Eucharist, often for the intentions which

Kevin Gritton, St Ralph Sherwin Trust CEO, said: “We would like to thank Bridget Phillipson MP for taking the time to visit St Mary’s to meet the staff and pupils and our thanks also go to Catherine Atkinson MP for organising the visit. The pupils did a fantastic job of showing her around their wonderful school and they asked some very insightful questions.”

By Fr David + h.d.n. Priest

are requested of us. After breakfast there are the daily chores of running the hermitage, the remainder of the morning is spent in spiritual reading. At midday we return to our small Oratory for Angelus and Midday Prayer.

The afternoon is spent often with some correspondence, visiting, or receiving guests who request spiritual direction intermingled with Eucharistic adoration, Rosary and, of course the shopping and cooking for our one meal of the day after Evening Prayer at 5p.m. After supper we read, listen to music, before retiring for the day about 8.30pm before the final prayer of Compline (there is no TV).

Our hermitage dedicated to Our Lady and Saint Benedict is in the small rural area 5 miles west of Newark just off the A46. It is here that we maintain an atmosphere of prayfulness, quiet and contemplation where God may be found. ‘’Ora et Labora’’ Prayer and Work is often put forward as the Benedictine motto, however this word combination is not to be found within the Rule of Saint Benedict, but this two word motto is a true expression of the Benedictine ethos for a balanced life that gives both the active and contemplative dimension of our lives.

Saint Benedict Hopefully this brief description of life here at the ‘hermitage’ will give some little insight to readers of Catholic News as to our way of life, what being a 21st century hermit is all about.

The eremitical vocation then is a gift from God. Praying wholeheartedly for the Church, the world and all people.Especially for those who do not pray or know how to pray. This then is how ‘hermits’ serve the Church, our society, and the world.

The hospitality for which Benedictines are renowned is maintained here in Elston - we are very happy to receive prayer intentions and to accommodate individuals for spiritual direction or just a cup of tea! Our email is : hermitage.fathers@gmail.com

The Catholic News. November 2025.

Page 5

Fundraiser for the new Community of Our Lady of Walsingham (COLW) Mary's House Appeal On Sunday 14th September 2025 St Bernadette's Hall, Scunthorpe, hosted a quiz, fish and chip supper and raffle to bring together people from the three local churches which form the new Parish of the Lincolnshire Martyrs (Holy Souls, St Bernadette's and St Norbert's, Crowle), together with members of the Polish community who worship in the local churches. More than 40 people came along, and it was a great opportunity to build community, make new friends and simply enjoy a relaxed time together. Many other parishioners made donations, gave prizes and bought raffle tickets in the weeks leading up to the event. In total £860 was raised, a remarkable sum.

The fund raiser was for the new Community of Our Lady of Walsingham (COLW) Mary's House Appeal. As a new community founded just over 20 years ago, from small beginnings the community continues to grow. There are now seven sisters and eleven lay members. It needs £2.5m to open a Mission House in Walsingham, and to extend the existing formation house in Dereham. It is attracting young sisters to a life of prayer, sacrifice and service. Built on a life of prayer and silence, their mission is both contemplative and active, and takes them around the country, including to our own diocese of Nottingham, and beyond. In fact over a three week period this autumn three sisters visited the USA to promote the spirituality of Walsingham and to build relationships there with those who have a devotion to Our Lady of Walsingham. The spirituality of COLW is Carmelite and the charism is to live and to spread the

message of Mary's Joy at the Annunciation to everyone.

In practice the mission is varied and includes work with young people, prison chaplaincy, and parish retreats. The community is part of the new evangelisation, reinvigorating the Church with a vision of joy and hope for the future.

A Mission House in Walsingham will give the sisters a place to welcome guests in their spiritual home, to offer retreats and spiritual accompaniment and to be a praying presence in the village. Extension of the formation house in Dereham will allow the community to take more postulants, and help realise the vision of attracting priests and brothers to the same charismatic calling. As an ecclesial family of consecrated life it already has lay members who try to live the same spirituality in their local parishes.

Members of the community who live in Scunthorpe, and those discerning a call to join, organised the event.

Thanks to all who supported the event in any way. We're sure that this will help to buy many bricks, materially and spiritually.

For those interested in finding out more about the community their website is at www.walsinghamcommunity.org/ Those wanting to donate can find the relevant link at www.walsinghamcommunity.org/marysho useappeal Please keep the community in your thoughts and prayers.

Parishioners of The Lincolnshire Martyrs at the fundraising event

The sisters of the Community of Our Lady of Walsingham in the Slipper Chapel

Page 6

The Catholic News. November 2025.

Scripture Focus

By Fr Jeremy Corley

Everyday Holiness On Sunday 2nd November we celebrate the Feast of All Saints, transferred this year from 1st November to the Sunday.

For this feast, the church could have chosen to highlight those who climbed the extreme heights of holiness—such as the wisest teachers or the most powerful leaders or the great practitioners of prayerfulness.

Instead, the feast day gospel gives us a pathway to everyday holiness in the Beatitudes. This teaching, from the opening of the Sermon on the Mount, offers a challenge to us all, from the greatest saint to the simplest believer.

Whereas the world praises wealth and comfort, status and pleasure, Jesus exclaims: How blessed are the poor in spirit, because it is to them that God’s kingdom belongs. The poor in spirit are spiritual beggars—they realise that

everything they have comes as a gift from God. And if they have God, they have everything.

As St Teresa’s bookmark says: “Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing; only God does not change. Patience gains everything.

Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.”

We all wish to escape sorrow and be happy, but Jesus exclaims: How blessed are those who mourn, those who share in the grief of all who suffer, those who are not immune from pain and sorrow. They will receive consolation in future.

We live in a world of strong figures who assert that might is right. But Jesus proclaims: How blessed are the meek, the gentle, the humble. They are the ones who will finally inherit the earth.

Many people long to see a world where justice will prevail, but not so many are willing to suffer to bring about what is right.

Jesus proclaims: How blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because in future God will satisfy their righteous longing.

We all wish to receive kindness and mercy, but we are not always as ready to show it to those who are at fault. Jesus exclaims: How blessed are those who show mercy to others, because they will receive mercy.

The world is full of unholy distractions that can turn our minds and hearts away from God. But Jesus proclaims: How blessed are those who keep their hearts pure, because their attention will not be focused on other things, but their eyes will be open to see God. The world often seems to thrive on conflict and division, but Jesus seeks to bring

people together in truth and love.

Jesus exclaims: How blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be recognised as God’s true children.

We can frequently notice the need for others to live more righteous lives, but Jesus calls us to fix our own conduct first, even if we may cost us some hardship. So Jesus proclaims: How blessed are those who seek righteousness and are willing to undergo persecution to achieve it, because God’s kingdom belongs to them.

The Beatitudes offer us practical guidance on our journey towards everyday holiness. This way is not always easy, but it is the way to true life. Let us ask the Lord to fill us with his grace to accept these challenges, so that we may receive his future rewards.

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The Catholic News. November 2025.

Page 7

St Ralph Sherwin Parish Derby Pet Blessing Service

On Saturday 4th October, the Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, pets were invited to bring their human owners to a special blessing service at St Mary’s Church Derby.

Fr Andrew Cole asked St Francis to bless and protect all pets and other animals, and the vets and others who look after our them.

OCTOBER 2025

Edition 46

www.CatholicPost.co.uk

Parish reinstates flag of Saint George

‘You Too Can Be a Saint’

Blessing of a newly-built Basilica in western Ukraine

page 2

page 6 & 7

page 11

St Francis of Assisi: A Life of Humble Greatness 4th October

A letter to President Trump Dr Swee Ang, Catholic orthopaedic surgeon and co-founder of Medical Aid for Palestine has joined with other medics in an Open Letter to President Trump, appealing for him to use his power and position to stop the genocide and erasure taking place in Gaza.

Dr Ang plans to deliver the letter to the US Embassy in Beirut when she attends the 43rd anniversary of the Sabra Shatilla Massacre on 16-18 September. She appeals for people to show their support by signing the letter - see the QR code on page 2.

The Honourable Donald J Trump President of the United States of America 15 September 2025

blockade of food, water and medicine creating the most brutal man-made famine ever witnessed, killing hundreds more. Partially destroyed buildings have been systematically bombed to the ground so as to expel the entire population of Gaza City and enforce the mass exodus of a million people who were sheltering in those ruins and rubble. These traumatised people were already severely malnourished, and some near death from famine and diseases. Thousands more will die.

The World knows there is only one person who can put an end to this and bring peace to the Middle East. It is with this in mind that we ask you to let Gaza live and give its children a future.

We've seen this before Dear President Trump We are a group of doctors and nurses who worked in Beirut's Gaza Hospital throughout the Sabra Shatila Palestinian Refugee Camp Massacre in 1982, 43 years ago. We are witnesses and survivors of the massacre which took place under the watch of the Israeli Army And now, like countless people round the world, we have watched with horror, pain and anguish the relentless livestreamed killing and demolition of Gaza ever since 7 October 2023.

By January 2025, the official body count of Gazans killed was at least 50,000, with a further 10,000 under the rubble, of which 17,835 were children, leaving more than 35,000 kids with one or both parents killed.

But while the escalating onslaught seemed unstoppable, almost immediately after your inauguration, the world watched with bated breath the ceasefire you imposed on 19 January 2025. The bombs stopped. Food, medicine and fuel entered beleaguered Gaza, as nearly a million displaced Gazans walked from displacement towards their broken homes. Some called it a Trump-made miracle.

But on 18 March, six weeks later, we watched with utter horror the breakdown of the ceasefire . Attacks on Gaza escalated and since then more than 6,000 were killed, with the

We survived the Sabra Shatila Massacre in September 1982 - but more than 3,000 unarmed defenceless Palestinian men, women and children and their Lebanese neighbours were slaughtered in 3 days, at the rate of a thousand killed each day. A further 17,000 were abducted and never returned to their families.

It happened under the ceasefire brokered by Phillip Habib, the Middle East Envoy of your predecessor President Ronald Reagan. After a ten-week bombardment of Lebanon by land, air and sea together with a blockade of food, water and medicine, the Palestine Liberation Organisation evacuated to mitigate further loss of lives and destruction of homes, schools, institutions, farms and factories.

The most important part of the ceasefire agreement was the safety of the unarmed civilians left behind guaranteed by the Habib Peace Plan. With this assurance, hundreds of thousands of displaced, traumatised, hungry people and wounded orphans returned to rebuild their broken homes and shattered lives.

We witnessed their complete trust in the protection of the USA and how, despite the

brutal incessant bombardment of their homes, the killing and wounding of their loved ones (leaving many children orphaned), the separation of their families through the evacuation, they put their hope in the stable future in their refugee camps under the protection of the USA.

On the morning of 18 September 1982, our hospital was invaded by a group of soldiers who marched us out at machine gun point.

Fran Hazel

SEPTEMBER 2025 Edition 45

www.CatholicPost.co.uk

500 mile Camino on bikes

Two Paths, One Call to Holiness

"It changed how I see care"

page 6

page 7

page 14

Mother Teresa: A Beacon of Compassion 5th September

Jubilee of Youth

Library of Congress photo. Unsplash They claimed to be Lebanese but answered directly to the Israeli Army. They forced us to leave at gunpoint. We feared for the lives of our patients concerned they would be shot dead once we left. Our patients owed their lives to a Swedish nurse and a medical student who refused to leave and stayed to care for them.

As we were marched out of the hospital, we saw dead bodies and terrorised people rounded up by gun men and awaiting execution. There were large military bulldozers tearing down homes and burying people in the rubble. At one point a desperate young mother broke through the line of machine guns to give her little baby to one of us. In a flash, a gunman ordered her back. Mother and child were gunned down along with the others rounded up by the roadside after we left.

If you have been given the Catholic Post for free in your parish, PLEASE would you be able to donate £1 to your parish for it, or even £10 per year!

Continued on page 2

For me, the location itself turned the days into a pilgrimage of memory. The last time I was in that field was World Youth Day 2000 with Saint John Paul II, packed in with 2.5 million young people, the largest gathering in the history of Europe. Coming back twenty-five years later was unexpectedly emotional. In 2000, I travelled with the Diocese of Westminster, backpack on my shoulders, utterly unprepared for sleeping overnight in a vast field and without a care in the world and little sense of how those days would mark me.

We slept little, laughed, sang, and prayed much and friendships were forged that I never thought possible. Seeing a new generation at prayer where we once stood made one truth unmistakable: Christ’s promise to be with His Church endures – always and for everyone.

Around one million pilgrims were estimated at this year’s Youth Jubilee. Pope Leo XIV led a dialogue-style prayer vigil in which three young people from Mexico, Italy, and the United States asked about friendship, the courage to choose, and how to meet the Risen Lord in daily life. The Holy Father’s answers, rooted in Scripture and Saint Augustine formed a simple pathway.

AUGUST 2025 Edition 44

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Dalai Lama turns 90

Carlo Acutis

Welcome the noise!

page 3

page 7

page 11

St John Vianney 4 August

To be a pilgrim As we move into the summer months, many dioceses across the country will be embarking on pilgrimages. Throughout history and across the world, people have set out on journeys in search of something greater than themselves. The motivations are many and diverse – some want to develop their understanding of themselves and the world, some to deepen their faith or to heal.

Gwen Wiseman

A contingent of tanks headed for Sabra Shatila and hermetically sealed the camp. Under the direct control of the Israeli Army who had made the Kuwaiti Embassy their commandand-control centre, Christian militiamen trained and armed by Israel were sent into the camp to systematically torture, rape and brutally murder the Palestinians and their Lebanese neighbours.

The hospital ran out of blood and anaesthetics; it also ran out of food and water for the desperate people seeking shelter. And when news came that the militia working for Israel shot patients, raped and murdered nurses in a neighbouring hospital, they fled.

Our medical team stayed on to operate on the wounded and cared for them.

It was a lively and beautiful service, with each pet blessed with Holy Water.”

I first stood at Tor Vergata in 2000.

Returning for this Jubilee, I watched a new generation pray, sing, and be sent as witnesses of Christ’s hope, joyful disciples for today’s world.

But when, three weeks later, on 15 September 1982, hundreds of Israeli tanks made a massive land invasion breaking the ceasefire, your predecessor did not protect them. The tanks rolled over fleeing human beings, shelling buildings and over-ran Beirut city.

Together with Palestinian and Lebanese medical staff we battled to save the lives of hundreds of severely injured patients - shot at point blank by machine guns. We had to pile the dead bodies on top of each other in the hospital mortuary as there was no space left.

Frightened camp people fled into our hospital hoping to seek safety. At night, Israel launched military flares to illuminate the sky so that the atrocity could continue.

He said we must always remember our obligations to each other and to our fellow creatures, for whom we are responsible before God for their wellbeing.

For Catholics, a pilgrimage is a spiritual journey to a holy place. The most popular and sacred destinations are Lourdes (with an estimated 200 million visitors since 1860 when pilgrimages there began), Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain and of course, the Holy Land which the current fighting has made impossible to visit. Unlike a holiday, where relaxation and sightseeing might be the goal, a pilgrimage is about inner renewal. As the journey progresses, so does the soul’s transformation.

Pope Leo XIV arrives for a prayer vigil during the Jubilee of Youth at the Tor Vergata field in Rome Image: Vatican Media On friendship. “Our life begins with a bond,” he reminded us. We grow through relationships and the cultures that shape us, which must be read with discernment embracing what is noble, rejecting what harms. Friendship with Jesus is our “guiding star,” the love that makes human friendships sincere, generous, and true.

Hence the appeal: “Dear young people, love one another in Christ!” Because “friendship can

truly change the world. Friendship is a path to peace.”

On the courage to choose. Choosing is not merely selecting something; it is deciding who to become—ultimately, “choosing someone.”

We learn to choose by remembering we were first chosen: life is a gift, born of Love.

Anchored on that rock, choice “always leads to

the greatest good.” Courage flows from Christ’s love: “It is Jesus you seek when you dream of happiness.” The Pope pointed to radical, meaningful vocations - marriage, priesthood, consecrated life where self-gift makes us truly happy. His invitation was direct: “Find the courage to make difficult choices and say to Jesus: ‘You are my life, Lord.’”

Continued on page 4

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At its heart, a pilgrimage is an invitation to encounter God in a profound way. The effort required—planning, travelling, stepping outside your comfort zone—becomes part of the prayer. Along the way, pilgrims often find moments of quiet to reflect and listen, away from the noise of daily life. Many pilgrimages include the Sacraments: daily Mass, opportunities for Confession, and Eucharistic Adoration. Walking in the footsteps of saints or standing in places marked by Marian apparitions can awaken a deeper love for God and a renewed sense of faith.

Pilgrimage also reminds us that faith is not a solitary journey. Visiting shrines and cathedrals where generations have prayed creates a tangible connection to the Church’s history and to the Communion of Saints. Whether travelling alone, with family, or as part of a group, pilgrims experience a unique fellowship along the way. Sharing meals, prayers, and

Camino Way, Spain stories fosters bonds that can last a lifetime.

As one pilgrim said: “I left as a stranger and returned with a family.”

For many, pilgrimage is a response to a deep need for healing—physical, emotional, or spiritual. Sites such as Lourdes in France or Holywell in Wales have long been associated with miraculous cures and profound grace.

Even when physical healing does not come, pilgrims often discover a peace that brings inner restoration. In surrendering burdens and intentions to God, they find a renewed sense of hope.

Pilgrimage is not always easy—and that is part of its power. It involves early mornings, unfamiliar places, and sometimes long, demanding walks. These challenges strip away comforts and distractions, creating space for God to work in the heart. Small sacrifices— giving up control of schedules, enduring

simple accommodation, or walking through rain—become acts of love and trust. In a world that prizes convenience, pilgrimage reminds us of the value of perseverance and humility.

Not every pilgrimage requires boarding a plane or walking hundreds of miles. Across the UK, there are countless opportunities for local pilgrimages. Historic shrines like Walsingham in Norfolk, the holy well of St Winefride in Wales, and Scotland’s Carfin Grotto attract thousands each year. A pilgrimage can be as simple as setting aside a day to visit a nearby church or cathedral with a prayerful heart. The essence of pilgrimage is not in the distance travelled but in the disposition of the heart—a willingness to seek God and allow Him to transform the journey.

Image: Burkard Meyendriesch relationship with God, a pilgrimage offers the chance to step away from the ordinary and encounter the extraordinary. It is a reminder that the Christian life itself is a pilgrimage—a journey towards the ultimate destination: heaven.

So, where might God be calling you? To the quiet of Walsingham’s shrine, the healing waters of Holywell, or perhaps a Camino route through the rolling countryside? Wherever the path leads, the promise is the same: God walks with those who seek Him. Scan the QR Code below for inspiration about where to go in the UK.

If the idea of pilgrimage has ever moved you, perhaps now is the time to respond. Whether you are seeking healing, clarity, or a deeper

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The Catholic News. November 2025.

View from the Pew

By Dr Jay Kettle-Williams

Monthly National Catholic Newspaper Catholic news and stories from across the nation and beyond to build the Catholic community and deepen Faith OCTOBER 2025

Edition 46

Parish reinstates flag of Saint George

‘You Too Can Be a Saint’

page 2

page 6 & 7

Blessing of a newly-built Basilica in western Ukraine

page 11

St Francis of Assisi: A Life of Humble Greatness 4th October

A letter to President Trump Dr Swee Ang, Catholic orthopaedic surgeon and co-founder of Medical Aid for Palestine has joined with other medics in an Open Letter to President Trump, appealing for him to use his power and position to stop the genocide and erasure taking place in Gaza.

Dr Ang plans to deliver the letter to the US Embassy in Beirut when she attends the 43rd anniversary of the Sabra Shatilla Massacre on 16-18 September. She appeals for people to show their support by signing the letter - see the QR code on page 2.

The Honourable Donald J Trump President of the United States of America 15 September 2025

blockade of food, water and medicine creating the most brutal man-made famine ever witnessed, killing hundreds more. Partially destroyed buildings have been systematically bombed to the ground so as to expel the entire population of Gaza City and enforce the mass exodus of a million people who were sheltering in those ruins and rubble. These traumatised people were already severely malnourished, and some near death from famine and diseases. Thousands more will die.

The World knows there is only one person who can put an end to this and bring peace to the Middle East. It is with this in mind that we ask you to let Gaza live and give its children a future.

We've seen this before Dear President Trump We are a group of doctors and nurses who worked in Beirut's Gaza Hospital throughout the Sabra Shatila Palestinian Refugee Camp Massacre in 1982, 43 years ago. We are witnesses and survivors of the massacre which took place under the watch of the Israeli Army And now, like countless people round the world, we have watched with horror, pain and anguish the relentless livestreamed killing and demolition of Gaza ever since 7 October 2023.

By January 2025, the official body count of Gazans killed was at least 50,000, with a further 10,000 under the rubble, of which 17,835 were children, leaving more than 35,000 kids with one or both parents killed.

But while the escalating onslaught seemed unstoppable, almost immediately after your inauguration, the world watched with bated breath the ceasefire you imposed on 19 January 2025. The bombs stopped. Food, medicine and fuel entered beleaguered Gaza, as nearly a million displaced Gazans walked from displacement towards their broken homes. Some called it a Trump-made miracle.

But on 18 March, six weeks later, we watched with utter horror the breakdown of the ceasefire . Attacks on Gaza escalated and since then more than 6,000 were killed, with the

Sibling Rivalry

www.CatholicPost.co.uk

We survived the Sabra Shatila Massacre in September 1982 - but more than 3,000 unarmed defenceless Palestinian men, women and children and their Lebanese neighbours were slaughtered in 3 days, at the rate of a thousand killed each day. A further 17,000 were abducted and never returned to their families.

It happened under the ceasefire brokered by Phillip Habib, the Middle East Envoy of your predecessor President Ronald Reagan. After a ten-week bombardment of Lebanon by land, air and sea together with a blockade of food, water and medicine, the Palestine Liberation Organisation evacuated to mitigate further loss of lives and destruction of homes, schools, institutions, farms and factories.

The most important part of the ceasefire agreement was the safety of the unarmed civilians left behind guaranteed by the Habib Peace Plan. With this assurance, hundreds of thousands of displaced, traumatised, hungry people and wounded orphans returned to rebuild their broken homes and shattered lives.

We witnessed their complete trust in the protection of the USA and how, despite the

brutal incessant bombardment of their homes, the killing and wounding of their loved ones (leaving many children orphaned), the separation of their families through the evacuation, they put their hope in the stable future in their refugee camps under the protection of the USA. But when, three weeks later, on 15 September 1982, hundreds of Israeli tanks made a massive land invasion breaking the ceasefire, your predecessor did not protect them. The tanks rolled over fleeing human beings, shelling buildings and over-ran Beirut city.

A contingent of tanks headed for Sabra Shatila and hermetically sealed the camp. Under the direct control of the Israeli Army who had made the Kuwaiti Embassy their commandand-control centre, Christian militiamen trained and armed by Israel were sent into the camp to systematically torture, rape and brutally murder the Palestinians and their Lebanese neighbours.

Together with Palestinian and Lebanese medical staff we battled to save the lives of hundreds of severely injured patients - shot at point blank by machine guns. We had to pile the dead bodies on top of each other in the hospital mortuary as there was no space left.

Frightened camp people fled into our hospital hoping to seek safety. At night, Israel launched military flares to illuminate the sky so that the atrocity could continue.

The hospital ran out of blood and anaesthetics; it also ran out of food and water for the desperate people seeking shelter. And when news came that the militia working for Israel shot patients, raped and murdered nurses in a neighbouring hospital, they fled.

Our medical team stayed on to operate on the wounded and cared for them.

On the morning of 18 September 1982, our hospital was invaded by a group of soldiers who marched us out at machine gun point.

Library of Congress photo. Unsplash They claimed to be Lebanese but answered directly to the Israeli Army. They forced us to leave at gunpoint. We feared for the lives of our patients concerned they would be shot dead once we left. Our patients owed their lives to a Swedish nurse and a medical student who refused to leave and stayed to care for them.

As we were marched out of the hospital, we saw dead bodies and terrorised people rounded up by gun men and awaiting execution. There were large military bulldozers tearing down homes and burying people in the rubble. At one point a desperate young mother broke through the line of machine guns to give her little baby to one of us. In a flash, a gunman ordered her back. Mother and child were gunned down along with the others rounded up by the roadside after we left.

Continued on page 2

Mary is fast approaching term. It won’t be long now till she gives birth. So she might well be wondering what the new child will be like. Unlike many mothers-to-be throughout history, Mary already knows she will be giving birth to a son, and that His name will be Jesus. During the Annunciation event Gabriel had informed a perplexed Mary (Luke 1:31 JB) that she would conceive and give birth to a son and that she was to give Him the name Jesus because He would be great and that He would be called the Son of the Most High.

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At that point Joseph must have been a bit taken aback. As the putative father, the pater putatus (Latin) – whereby those christened ‘Joseph’ in Romance tongues are often referred to as ‘Pepe’ – must have felt he was on an emotional helter skelter.

Poor man! But both blest and blessed nonetheless.

I can’t help at this point but spare a thought for the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, Abraham himself.

There’s nothing at all putative about the direct and undisputed association he holds with the three monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The blueprint is there in black and white (Please excuse the pun). A comparative and contrastive historical snapshot of the three Abrahamic religions touches on some interesting points:

Judaism 2,000 or so BC the nomadic tribe of Hebrews led by Abraham abandoned polytheism (belief and worship of multiple gods) in favour of monotheism (the worshipping one god). Abraham then led his followers from an area identified as modern-day Iraq to Canaan on the west of the River Jordan. Subsequent famine forced the growing community to move to Egypt where they were enslaved by the Pharaohs. Many years later under the leadership of Moses in the 13th century BC

they returned to the area west of the River Jordan. In 586 BC the Jews’ temple was destroyed by the Babylonians and many Jews were deported to Babylon (now Iraq).

Following the destruction of the second temple (70 AD), Jewish emigrés established communities in many parts of the world from southern India to northern Europe. The Jews were driven out of Christian England in 1290, out of Catholic Spain in 1492 and, after persistant persecution elsewhere, most notably at the hands of the Nazis in the 20th century, there has been sustained contention between the Jewish State of Israel, often at variants within itself and its Muslim neighbours.

Christianity Born of the Jewish faith, Jesus was a Jew, Christianity dates back 2,000 years. From being a fringe cult, Christianity established itself by the 4th century AD as the religion of the Roman Empire and Rome became the epicentre of the Church where Popes were elected as successors of St Peter, whom Jesus had appointed to first head His church. The Schism of 1054 saw the Orthodox Christians breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church, reflecting the historical Western Mediterranean (Roman) v. Eastern Mediterranean (Greek) cultural divide. Reaction against Catholic practices fuelled Protestanism, identified by such personnages as John Calvin, Martin Luther and the English monarch Henry VIII.

Islam At the age of 40, Muhammed (570 – 632 AD) had visions in which the Archangel Gabriel taught him to recite the teachings of the one true god, Allah. Those teachings were then recorded in the Qur’an, the Muslim holy book. Muhammed declared himself the prophet of Allah in 616 and began to preach to the Arabic-speaking peoples of the Middle East. In 622 Muhammed was forced to leave Mecca and with his followers he fled to Medina, so marking the

beginning of the Islamic calendar.

Muhammed, having attracted many followers, then returned to Mecca and remained Islam’s spiritual leader until his death.

Subsequent power struggles ensued with the Sunnis, those calling for continuity with Muhammed’s family line, gaining the majority which they have retained to this day. Tension between the factions is the cause of conflict to this very day.

The sorry tale of these three religions is one of protracted contention within their factions, leading even to internecine war between one and other. By way of some random examples: The Battle of Tours (732 AD), The Spanish Inquisition (1478 – 1834 AD); Expulsion in 1492 of the Moors and Jews under Spain’s Catholic Monarchs, Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II; The Battle of Lepanto (1571 AD); Muslim military expansion around the Mediterranean echoing the exploits previously associated with Ancient Rome; The Crusades (1095 – 1291) to win back for Christianity The Holy Land … I could go on.

Together we could probably fill pages of this publication and many more. Abraham must be turning in his grave.

But, menfolk apart for the present, women of the world past and present are not a force to be taken lightly. I have long set great store by their power, be that actual or potential, as instrumental in helping with solutions and finding answers. The women in the Bible, let alone anywhere else, are a case in point. And as for Mary in particular, well, with the devoted ‘Pepe’ at her side, she’s now preparing to present us with the one God-given, all-pervading answer.

Dr J L Kettle-Williams is an experienced business communications consultant and wordsmith (tutor, writer, translator).

The Catholic News. November 2025.

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175 Years of the Diocese of Nottingham!

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Carlo Acutis

Dalai Lama turns 90

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500 mile Camino on bikes

Welcome the noise!

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St John Vianney 4 August

To be a pilgrim

OCTOBER 2025

months, many As we move into the summer will be embarking dioceses across the country history and on pilgrimages. Throughout have set out on across the world, people greater than journeys in search of something are many and themselves. The motivations to develop their diverse – some want and the world, understanding of themselves or to heal. some to deepen their faith is a spiritual journey For Catholics, a pilgrimage popular and sacred to a holy place. The most (with an estimated destinations are Lourdes since 1860 when 200 million visitors Santiago de pilgrimages there began), Spain and of course, Compostela in northern current fighting has the Holy Land which the Unlike a holiday, made impossible to visit. might be the where relaxation and sightseeing inner renewal. As goal, a pilgrimage is about so does the soul’s the journey progresses,

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"It changed how I see care"

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Mother Teresa: A Beacon of Compassion 5th September

Jubilee of Youth

Edition 46

www.CatholicPost.co.uk Gwen Wiseman

Parish reinstates flag of Saint George

‘You Too Can Be a Saint’

page 2

page 6 & 7

Blessing of a newly-built Basilica in western Ukraine

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I first stood at Tor Vergata in 2000.

Returning for this Jubilee, I watched a new generation pray, sing, and be sent as witnesses of Christ’s hope, joyful of Assisi: St Francis disciples for today’s Greatness A Life of Humble world.

4th October

For me, the location itself turned the days into a pilgrimage of memory. The last time I was in that field was World Youth Day 2000 with Saint John Paul II, packed in with 2.5 million young people, the largest gathering in the history of Europe. Coming back twenty-five years later was unexpectedly emotional. In 2000, I travelled with the Diocese of Westminster, backpack on my shoulders, utterly unprepared for sleeping overnight in a vast field and without a care in the world and little sense of how those days would mark me.

We slept little, laughed, sang, and prayed much and friendships were forged that I never thought possible. Seeing a new generation at prayer where we once stood made one truth unmistakable: Christ’s promise to be with His Church endures – always and for everyone.

A letter to President Trump

Image: Burkard Meyendriesch pilgrimage offers the relationship with God, a transformation. or walking through from the ordinary and simple accommodation, to step away orthopaedic surgeon Ang, Catholic Dr Sweechance blockade of food, water and medicine creating bonds that can last a lifetime.

It is a reminder of love and trust. In a world extraordinary. is an invitation to stories fosters and rain—become acts encounter Aid for Palestine the most brutal man-made famine ever Medical ofthe and us co-founder At its heart, a pilgrimage said: “I left as a stranger pilgrimage reminds life itself is a pilgrimage—a way. The effort As one pilgrim that prizes convenience, Christian theother that medics in an Open Letter with witnessed, killing hundreds more. Partially encounter God in a profound and humility.has joined a family.” the ultimate destination: stepping outside returned with towards of the value of perseverance journey appealing for him to use destroyed buildings have been systematically Trump, to President required—planning, travelling, part of the heaven. to a deep and position to stop the genocide bombed to the ground so as to expel the his power your comfort zone—becomes pilgrimage is a response requires boarding a plane pilgrims often find For many, or Not every pilgrimage UK,erasure taking place in Gaza. theand the population of Gaza City and enforce the prayer. Along the way, Toentire healing—physical, emotional, hundreds of miles. Across might God be calling you? and listen, away need for in France or or walking mass exodus of a million people who were for local So, where moments of quiet to reflect Sites such as Lourdes shrine, the healing countless opportunities Walsingham’s of deliver quiet to life. Many pilgrimages spiritual. associated there are US sheltering in those ruins and rubble. These the letter to the Dr Ang plans like Walsingham from the noise of daily in Wales have long been or perhaps a Camino route pilgrimages. Historic shrines of Holywell, daily Mass, Holywell in waters 43rd traumatised when she attends the Wherever in Beirut Embassy people were already severely the cures and profound grace. include the Sacraments: the holy well of St Winefride rolling countryside? and Eucharistic with miraculous through does not come, in Norfolk, on Sabra Shatilla Massacre of thethe anniversary malnourished, and some near death from God walks opportunities for Confession, Carfin Grotto attract when physical healing the promise is the same: path leads, brings Wales, and Scotland’s footsteps of saints Even the that in as be peace for people to famine and diseases. Thousands more will die. appeals She a September.

16-18 can Walking Adoration. pilgrims often discover each year. A pilgrimage who seek Him. thoseby marked by Marian burdens and thousands signing the letter - see The World knows there is only one person who support show theirwith a day to visit a nearby or standing in places inner restoration. In surrendering simple as setting aside a deeper love for God find a renewed sense QR code on page 2. theThe can put an end to this and bring peace to the a prayerful heart. apparitions can awaken for inspiration intentions to God, they church or cathedral with Scan the QR Code below faith.

Middle East. It is with this in mind that we ask is not in the distance and a renewed sense of of hope. essence of pilgrimage where to go in the UK. about heart—a of the The Honourable Donald J Trump you to let Gaza live and give its children a travelled but in the disposition us that faith is not a Him to easy—and that is part future.

Pilgrimage also reminds to seek God and allow President of the United States of America Pilgrimage is not always shrines and cathedrals early mornings, willingness 15 September 2025 solitary journey. Visiting of its power. It involves long, transform the journey. prayed creates a We've seen this before places, and sometimes where generations have history unfamiliar away Church’s strip the to you, challenges Dear President Trump We survived the Sabra Shatila Massacre in tangible connection demanding walks. These of pilgrimage has ever moved space for If the idea of Saints. Whether Whether and distractions, creating and to the Communion now is the time to respond. We are a group of doctors and nurses who September 1982 - but more than 3,000 or as part of a comforts Small sacrifices— perhaps deeper in Beirut's Gaza Hospital throughout unarmed defenceless Palestinian men, women clarity, or aworked travelling alone, with family, God to work in the heart. you are seeking healing, a unique fellowship of schedules, enduring the Sabra Shatila Palestinian Refugee Camp and children and their Lebanese neighbours group, pilgrims experience and giving up control prayers, meals, Massacre in 1982, 43 years ago. We are were slaughtered in 3 days, at the rate of a along the way. Sharing witnesses and survivors of the massacre which thousand killed each day. A further 17,000 took place under the watch of the Israeli Army were abducted and never returned to their And now, like countless people round the families. world, we have watched with horror, pain and anguish the relentless livestreamed killing and It happened under the ceasefire brokered by demolition of Gaza ever since 7 October 2023. Phillip Habib, the Middle East Envoy of your

By January 2025, the official body count of predecessor President Ronald Reagan. After a Gazans killed was at least 50,000, with a ten-week bombardment of Lebanon by land, further 10,000 under the rubble, of which air and sea together with a blockade of food, 17,835 were children, leaving more than 35,000 water and medicine, the Palestine Liberation Organisation evacuated to mitigate further kids with one or both parents killed. loss of lives and destruction of homes, schools, But while the escalating onslaught seemed institutions, farms and factories.

Camino Way, Spain

Two Paths, One Call to Holiness

in your parish, the Catholic Post for free If you have been given for it, or even £10 per year! to donate £1 to your parish PLEASE would you be able

unstoppable, almost immediately after your inauguration, the world watched with bated breath the ceasefire you imposed on 19 January 2025. The bombs stopped. Food, medicine and fuel entered beleaguered Gaza, as nearly a million displaced Gazans walked from displacement towards their broken homes. Some called it a Trump-made miracle.

But on 18 March, six weeks later, we watched with utter horror the breakdown of the ceasefire . Attacks on Gaza escalated and since then more than 6,000 were killed, with the

The most important part of the ceasefire agreement was the safety of the unarmed civilians left behind guaranteed by the Habib Peace Plan. With this assurance, hundreds of thousands of displaced, traumatised, hungry people and wounded orphans returned to rebuild their broken homes and shattered lives.

We witnessed their complete trust in the protection of the USA and how, despite the

brutal incessant bombardment of their homes, the killing and wounding of their loved ones (leaving many children orphaned), the separation of their families through the evacuation, they put their hope in the stable future in their refugee camps under the protection of the USA. But when, three weeks later, on 15 September 1982, hundreds of Israeli tanks made a massive land invasion breaking the ceasefire, your predecessor did not protect them. The tanks rolled over fleeing human beings, shelling buildings and over-ran Beirut city.

A contingent of tanks headed for Sabra Shatila and hermetically sealed the camp. Under the direct control of the Israeli Army who had made the Kuwaiti Embassy their commandand-control centre, Christian militiamen trained and armed by Israel were sent into the camp to systematically torture, rape and brutally murder the Palestinians and their Lebanese neighbours.

Together with Palestinian and Lebanese medical staff we battled to save the lives of hundreds of severely injured patients - shot at point blank by machine guns. We had to pile the dead bodies on top of each other in the hospital mortuary as there was no space left.

Frightened camp people fled into our hospital hoping to seek safety. At night, Israel launched military flares to illuminate the sky so that the atrocity could continue.

The hospital ran out of blood and anaesthetics; it also ran out of food and water for the desperate people seeking shelter. And when news came that the militia working for Israel shot patients, raped and murdered nurses in a neighbouring hospital, they fled.

Our medical team stayed on to operate on the wounded and cared for them.

On the morning of 18 September 1982, our hospital was invaded by a group of soldiers who marched us out at machine gun point.

Pope Leo XIV arrives for a prayer vigil during the Jubilee of Youth at the Tor Vergata field in Rome Around one million pilgrims were estimated at On friendship. “Our life begins Image: Vatican Media with a bond,” he truly change this year’s Youth Jubilee. the world. Friendship is a path Pope Leo XIV led a reminded us. We grow to the greatest good.” through relationships peace.” dialogue-style prayer vigil in Courage flows from which three young and the cultures that shape us, which must be Christ’s love: “It is Jesus you people from Mexico, Italy, seek when you and the United read with discernment embracing dream of happiness.” The what is On the courage States asked about friendship, Pope pointed to to choose. Choosing is not the courage to noble, rejecting what harms. radical, meaningful vocations Friendship with merely choose, and how to meet selecting something; it is deciding - marriage, the Risen Lord in Jesus is our “guiding star,” who priesthood, consecrated the love that makes to daily life. The Holy Father’s become—ultimately, “choosing life where self-gift answers, rooted in human friendships sincere, someone.” makes us truly generous, and true. We Scripture and Saint Augustine happy. His invitation was direct: learn to choose by remembering formed a simple Hence the appeal: “Dear young we were “Find the courage people, love first chosen: pathway. to make difficult choices and life is a gift, born of Love. one another in Christ!” Because say to Jesus: ‘You are my life, “friendship can Anchored Lord.’” on that rock, choice “always leads to Continued on page 4

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They claimed to be Lebanese but answered directly to the Israeli Army. They forced us to leave at gunpoint. We feared for the lives of our patients concerned they would be shot dead once we left. Our patients owed their lives to a Swedish nurse and a medical student who refused to leave and stayed to care for them.

As we were marched out of the hospital, we saw dead bodies and terrorised people rounded up by gun men and awaiting execution. There were large military bulldozers tearing down homes and burying people in the rubble. At one point a desperate young mother broke through the line of machine guns to give her little baby to one of us. In a flash, a gunman ordered her back. Mother and child were gunned down along with the others rounded up by the roadside after we left.

Continued on page 2

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For all your advertising requirements please contact Nick on 01440 730399 nick@cathcom.org On Monday 29 September, Bishop Patrick welcomed priests, religious, lay faithful, civic & ecumenical leaders to Nottingham Cathedral, to celebrate the 175th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Catholic Hierarchy in England and Wales.

On this day in 1850, Nottingham was one of

During his homily the Bishop reflected on

the thirteen original dioceses established

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The Catholic News. November 2025.

Celebrating Our Jubilarians

It was also an occasion to celebrate this year’s Jubilarian priests on the same day as the 175th Anniversary. The 6 priests received a Papal Blessing and, have collectively clocked up and incredible 320 years of faithful and generous priestly ministry in the Diocese of Nottingham and beyond.

• Fr Thomas McMahon- 70 years • Fr James O’Hanlon- 60 years • Monsignor Patrick Lynch- 50 years • Monsignor Jonathan Moore- 50 years • Fr Frank Daly- 50 years • Fr Philip Sainter- 40 years

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The Catholic News. November 2025.

The Jason Ginnelly Memorial Football Match Holy Trinity football club held their annual memorial football match and family barbecue at the end of July, which resulted in a total of £1,800 raised for this year’s chosen charity - Newark Emmas Trust. The match is held in memory of Jason, a former player and manager who died in 2017.

The teams this year consisted of a past managers team and the current managers team.The past managers team won by 2 goals to 1 A cheque was presented to Louise Rumble of Emmaus Trust by Canon Michael O’Donoghue Chairman of Holy Trinity FC. Established in 1993, Newark Emmaus Trust helps local, vulnerable, homeless young people by providing temporary quality accommodation with professional care, support and training. Their aim is not simply to provide a temporary home but to give young people real opportunities in life.

The team at Newark Emmaus Trust works towards the shared goal of independence for young people. Many of the staff are qualified to lead sessions in their purposebuilt Training Centre known as The Hub. All staff are Enhanced DBS checked professionals., but what makes the team unique is that it is not only qualified to lead sessions in their Training Centre but it also provides one-to-one care and support in the project. This breaks down barriers and enables staff to support residents in all areas, it really is a holistic service. There are robust safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures in place to ensure all have a safe place to live.

They have many types of accommodation to meet each resident’s individual needs.

These range from high-support, sharedaccommodation designed to encourage all residents to learn to live together as a group, to individual bedsits for residents who are a bit more independent – right through to houses in the community for young parents with babies.

The CEO of Newark Emmaus Trust, Nicola Burley, said: ‘This gesture is truly amazing. Thank you so much to all at Holy Trinity for the team’s hard work and for including us in such a generous way. The Trust has been very fortunate to have the support of Holy Trinity which also shines a light on the work done by the Trust - for which we are indebted. We send a huge thank you to all the members of the community who attended and supported this event.’

Long serving teacher writes children's book in dad's memory A long serving teacher at an Ilkeston primary school has written an inspiring children’s book in memory of her dad.

The book written by Sue Law, who has worked at St Thomas’ Catholic Voluntary Academy for 27 years, is called How to Succeed.

The uplifting story revolves around three tiny seeds called Knotweed, Poison Ivy and Sunflower. A competition takes place to see who is the most powerful with Sunflower showing that true power comes from doing good.

Sue has now self-published the book through Amazon after writing it following the death of her dad, Denis Hannon, in July 2022. Denis was also a teacher, having worked in various roles, including Deputy Headteacher, for 40 years at Saint John Houghton Catholic Voluntary Academy in Ilkeston.

“Everyone loved him, he was always a joker. He really loved his poetry and I suppose that’s the skill he gave to me.

There’s a photo we have of him with lots of sunflowers and that’s where the idea for the book came from. He died in the July and I wanted to write it for my mum and sisters for the first Christmas that we would be spending without him,” Sue said.

The process of writing the book didn’t take Sue long and she asked a friend’s niece, Addyson Brough, to do the illustrations.

Sue said: “I sent her the script and she created the beautiful illustrations. I couldn’t believe it when I saw them, they were just the way that I wanted them to be.

When I showed my mum and sisters we were all a bit overwhelmed.”

Sue’s colleague Gemma Shelbourne, a Teaching Assistant, also created knitted toys based on the characters in the book as a surprise.

The book has now been self-published through Amazon and is available to buy.

Sue’s colleagues were so impressed with her work that they are planning on using the book at St Thomas’.

“It has been a long process and there were a lot of proofs. I could have given up so many times but it just goes to show you

what can happen if you keep trying. I do want to read it to the children in my class, we were thinking about using it during a pupil induction or a retreat day,” Sue said.

Pupil Favour, six, was given a sneak peek at the book along with her classmate Nancie, also six.

Favour said: “Mrs Law is very lovely and I feel lucky to have her as my teacher. I think she is really clever to write a book.

I love it so much, it’s really good.”

Nancie said: “I was very surprised when I heard that Mrs Law had written a book.

I think the pictures are really good and the book is really good, it’s perfect.”

Page 12

The Catholic News. November 2025.

You can use both sets of clues to solve the puzzle: the solutions are the same.

CRYPTIC Down 1 Chaldean place found among the chapters is a place to worship (6) 2 Given the chance to become talented in goal (7) 3 Upright individual with a North Dakota base (2,3) 4 20 city of silver toppled by revolutionary modern-day artillery (6) 6 Epic Hanoi struggle made the old country (9) 7 No point in Ealing lass working for these Jesus People (9) 12 Moses' boy is found in stranger's home (7)

14 Lift needed to the north – that's the place to get to! (6) 16 Goth in the French style, endlessly wealthy (6) 17 Bathsheba's dad, one investing in land bordering on Persia (5) QUICK Across 5 One of David's leading musicians, in charge of transport (9) 8 Partially burn; domestic cleaner (4) 9 Clan leader in Judah (3-5) 10 Father of Rebecca, nephew of Abraham (7) 11 Roman province of W Turkey, which included Ephesus (4) 13 Mordecai's great-grandfather (4) 15 Exodus craftsman and designer (7) 18 Spectacular unexplained events, particularly in the NT (8) 19 Temple prophet who saw the infant Jesus (4) 20 Series of Greek, non-Jewish, towns to the south of the Sea of Galilee (9) QUICK Down 1 Holy site, from the Greek 'kuriakon (doma)' (6) 2 Authorized; facilitated (7) 3 Without pause or interruption over a considerable period of time (2,3) 4 One of the 20, locale of the miracle of Legion and the swine (6)

6 Maritime country of ancient times, chief ports Tyre and Sidon (9) 7 Compatriots of Jesus (9) 12 Son of Moses and Zipporah (7) 14 Dwelling place of the blessed; Nirvana equivalent (6) 16 Barbaric Visigoth whose army sacked Rome in 410 AD (6) 17 Warrior of David and father of Bathsheba (5) SOLUTION Across: 5 Chenaniah, 8 Char, 9 Ben-Hanan, 10 Bethuel, 11 Asia, 13 Kish, 15 Bezalel, 18 Miracles, 19 Anna, 20 Decapolis. Down: 1 Church, 2 Enabled, 3 On end, 4 Gadara, 6 Phoenicia, 7 Galileans, 12 Gershom, 14 Heaven, 16 Alaric, 17 Eliam.

CRYPTIC Across 5 Achan – he in trouble, being David's musicians' roadie (9) 8 Grill fish? (4) 9 Live with Gran when occupied by Chinese family's clan leader (3-5) 10 God, about Thursday, and late, finally gets to Rebecca's dad (7) 11 China setting is quasi-American in part (4) 13 Father of the first Israelite king and the first king in south Haran (4) 15 Tabernacle he designed out of misplaced zeal, being consumed by 10's god (7) 18 False claims queen is involved in Bible's supernatural bits (8) 19 Articles going back and forth citing Tobit's wife (4) 20 Is a Scottish policeman last month, first to put ten cities in the Book? (9)