Issue 2
Nov 2026 prepares What’s Peter for ordination Inside Page 3
Could you ring our bells?
Double celebration for Father Kevin
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Couples come together to celebrate 730 years of love and commitment The Diocesan Celebration of Married Life at St Marie’s Cathedral was a joyous and deeply moving occasion. I attended with my husband Dave and 16 other couples who were all celebrating significant anniversaries this year, along with our families and friends. The total of years married added up to 730, so our personal achievement of 30 years made us feel somewhat like beginners! The liturgy included the encouraging and thought-provoking First Letter of St Paul to the Corinthians. In his homily, Bishop Marcus told us about a couple who were both aged 104 and after being married for 80 years were celebrating their oak wedding anniversary, representing strength, stability and endurance. Something for us all to aim for! We all stood and faced our spouses, and holding hands we renewed our commitment to each other and received the Blessing of Married Couples and the Blessing of Rings. It was a beautiful and emotional moment. The cathedral was beautifully decorated with flowers, the choir was splendid and the welcome was warm. Afterwards, we enjoyed refreshments and had the chance to meet and chat with the other couples. Our thanks to Bishop Marcus, Kevan Grady and the team for our wonderful afternoon. Alison Goldson
Couples who took part in the Diocesan Celebration of Married Life at St Marie’s Cathedral – Photos by Bob Rae and Maggie O’Malley
Alison and Dave Goldson renewing their commitment to each other
Bishop Marcus receives the offertory gifts
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Smiles and prayers as Pope Leo visits Lourdes
Pope Leo at the Grotto
The Torchlight Procession makes its way through the domain
One of the many, many babies Pope Leo blessed during his visit
There was an atmosphere of joy throughout the pilgrimage
Pope Leo in the famous glass lift at the Accueil Notre-Dame
See page 15 for more on Pope Leo's visit to Lourdes – All photos © SNDL/Pierre Vincent
Environment Corner - A call to action for COP 31 This month, the world will turn its attention to Antalya, Turkey, where representatives of almost every country will gather for COP31 – the United Nations Climate Change Conference. It might seem a long way from our own lives, but the decisions made there will affect all of us, particularly the poorest and most vulnerable people across the world. For Catholics, climate change is not simply an environmental issue: it is an issue of justice, human dignity and our responsibility for creation. Pope Francis reminded us in Laudato Si’ that “the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor.” Care for our common home is inseparable from care for our neighbours. COP31 is intended to be a COP of implementation – a time when governments must turn promises into practical action. We need governments to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, accelerate the transition to clean energy, protect nature and provide adequate support for countries and communities already suffering the effects of climate change.
But governments will respond to the pressure they feel from their citizens. That means COP31 is also an opportunity for us. We should not leave climate action to politicians and diplomats. We can contact our MPs and councillors, support organisations campaigning for climate justice, raise the issue in our parishes and communities, and ask our Church leaders to continue giving a strong voice to those most affected. Pope Francis called for an “ecological conversion” – a change in the way we see our relationship with creation and with one another. Our personal choices matter, but so does collective action for changes in the systems and policies that shape those choices. COP31, which takes place from November 9 to 20, is therefore not someone else’s business. As Catholics, we are called to be people of hope – but also people who act on that hope. The question for us is not simply, “What will happen at COP31?” It is: “What can we do to make sure that our leaders act – and that justice and care for our common home are at the heart of what they decide?” Barbara Hungin
T COP31 is taking place in Turkey this month – Photo copyright UNclimatechange
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Privileged to be called to serve God’s people On Saturday November 7, Bishop Marcus will ordain Sacred Heart, Hillsborough, parishioner PETER HOLLAND to the permanent diaconate at St Marie’s Cathedral. In the days before the celebration, he wrote this reflection about his journey so far… It’s hard to believe that in a few weeks I’ll be ordained a permanent deacon. If you had told me this 17 years ago, I would probably have laughed! Looking back, I first started to become aware of my vocation in 2012, following my return to the Church in 2009 after many years away. After meeting Emma, my wife, I rediscovered my faith, and this was a huge turning point in my life for lots of reasons! I spent a lot of time studying Catholicism and gradually became increasingly involved with the Church, initially helping with admin and IT, the parish council and school governors, before becoming more involved with the liturgy, charitable work and other aspects of parish life. I felt a deep sense of joy and contentment in what I was doing and a gentle pull towards contributing in lots of different ways. God has a funny way of gradually revealing a vocation. Sometimes it’s a feeling you get as you become more involved, but often it’s him working through others to encourage you. The standout for me was how things in my life seemed to align to give me the time and opportunity to do more, together with the constant support and encouragement from others. In 2020 I had a conversation with my then parish priest, Father Michael, and Deacon Tony about my possible calling to the
diaconate. This coincided with the diocese running the two-year Certificate in Pastoral Ministry, which we decided would be a good way of discerning my calling (or not!) to the diaconate, or perhaps another ministry. During the course I met several people already in formation, which helped enormously. In late 2021, following a long conversation with Emma, I decided to apply. The application process involved background checks, a home visit and a selection day in Leeds, where I was asked lots of questions about my faith, vocation and understanding of the diaconate. Thankfully, all went well, and I was delighted to begin four years of formation in September 2022. I don’t think I fully appreciated just how much those four years would change me! A significant part of formation has been through the National Diaconate Formation Programme (NDFP), involving residential weekends and study days covering Scripture, theology, liturgy, Church teaching and the ministry of the deacon. It’s been challenging at times, particularly balancing study with work, family and parish commitments, but also incredibly rewarding. The residential weekends have been particularly special, providing opportunities to pray together, share experiences and develop some wonderful friendships with others on the same journey. Alongside the academic side has been pastoral formation, putting what we’ve learned into practice through different ministries and experiences. This has helped
me appreciate that ministry isn’t always about having the answers. Often it’s about being present, listening to people, and accompanying them during difficult times. Perhaps the most important aspect, though, has been personal formation. I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself, my strengths and weaknesses, and the areas where I need to grow. Formation challenges you to reflect honestly on who you are, how you relate to others and what it really means to put yourself at the service of Christ and His Church. It’s an ongoing process and certainly doesn’t finish at ordination! My prayer life has also developed enormously. Morning and Evening Prayer have become the foundation of my daily routine, alongside spending time quietly with Christ. The retreats we’ve attended during formation, particularly at St Beuno’s, have been a wonderful opportunity to get away from the busyness of everyday life, spend time in prayer and deepen my relationship with God. I’ve come to realise just how important prayer is in my life and ministry.
community and those involved in my formation.
Throughout my journey, Emma and my family have been incredibly supportive. One thing that has been emphasised during formation is the importance of balancing family life with ministry and remembering that my first vocation is as a husband and father.
Ordination isn’t the end of the journey. It’s really just the beginning! In a few weeks I’ll be making a lifelong commitment to Christ and his Church as a permanent deacon, dedicating the rest of my life to prayer and service.
This is something that will remain incredibly important as I begin my ministry as a deacon. As my ordination gets closer, I feel an enormous sense of gratitude to everyone who has supported and encouraged me, particularly Emma, my family, our parish
I have no idea where God will lead me over the coming years, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that his plans don’t always turn out quite how we expect!
Peter Holland is being ordained to the permanent diaconate on Saturday November 7
What a wonderful privilege it is to be called to serve him and his people.
Forming servant leaders for tomorrow’s Church One of the greatest privileges of serving the Church is seeing people responding to Christ’s simple invitation: “Follow me”. Every year, through the Northern Diaconal Formation Partnership (NDFP), we accompany men from across the north of England and Wales as they discern and prepare for ordained ministry as permanent deacons. Our recently published annual report offers an encouraging picture of a ministry that continues to flourish and serve the Church with hope. For the Diocese of Hallam, the past year has been especially significant. We rejoiced in the ordination of Deacon Ken Agwuh in 2025. Peter Holland has completed his final year of formation and will be ordained by Bishop Marcus at St Marie’s Cathedral at 11am on Saturday November 7. Please come and join in celebrating with Peter. We have two further students currently in formation. Peter’s reflections capture something of what NDFP is all about. Looking back over four years of formation, he speaks of excellent theological teaching, strong friendships, deepened prayer and the confidence that comes from being formed as part of a supportive community. The Northern Diaconal Formation Partnership exists to serve eight dioceses, including Hallam, Leeds and Middlesbrough, by providing the integrated formation required for the permanent diaconate. Formation is much more than academic study. Candidates are formed spiritually, pastorally
and liturgically through parish placements, spiritual direction, regional formation days and regular residential weekends at Hinsley Hall in Leeds. It is in these gatherings that a genuine fraternity develops, preparing men not simply to undertake ministry but to become ministers in the service of Christ and his Church.
possible. Above all, I thank those who generously offer themselves in response to God’s call.
Our trustees undertook a strategic review during the year and reached a clear conclusion: formation cannot be reduced to online learning or academic content alone. The relationships built through gathering together, praying together and learning together remain at the heart of forming future deacons. This shared life reflects the Church’s growing emphasis on synodality – walking together in faith and mission – and ensures that formation remains rooted in the pastoral realities of our local dioceses.
If you are a Catholic man aged between 30 and 60, active in your parish community, with a heart for service, and may sense a call to the permanent diaconate, have courage and speak with your parish priest or email me at astrike@hallam-diocese.com.
Please keep our current students and newly ordained deacons in your prayers. The Church continues to need faithful servant leaders who will proclaim the Gospel, serve at the altar and bring Christ’s love into the everyday places where people live and work.
Deacon Dr Tony Strike, Chair, Northern Diaconal Formation Partnership
Our formation programme draws upon local clergy, theologians and lay specialists for teaching while remaining firmly centred on the Church’s mission of service. Particular emphasis is placed on Catholic Social Teaching, pastoral theology and serving those on the margins – reflecting the distinctive vocation of the permanent deacon as a servant of the Word, the Liturgy and Charity. As chair of NDFP, I remain deeply grateful to the bishops, trustees, tutors, diocesan directors, pastoral mentors, spiritual directors and administrators who make this work
The student group at Hinsley Hall
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Day of recollection focuses on Advent Anglican priest Nick Helm is the speaker at Waiting in Darkness, a day of reflection in Advent at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Talbot Road, Penistone. Nick was ordained in 1988 and was the Bishop of Sheffield’s advisor in spirituality and chaplain to Whirlow Grange, where some of you may have met him. Experiencing Ignatian individually guided retreats in the mid 1990s had a profound and transforming effect on his life and ministry. Since then, the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises have been foundational to his own spirituality and his spiritual direction. He has been offering spiritual direction for over 25 years, including individual spiritual direction, accompanying people praying the Spiritual Exercises and guided retreats. He has also been involved in developing and running training courses in spiritual direction since 1997. Nick is now retired from diocesan ministry but continues to be involved in spiritual direction and co-chairs the Spiritual Direction Forum UK and is vice chair of the Society of Retreat Conductors. Nick says: “I am passionate about enabling people to dance their dream, God’s dream. I do this through one-to-one work of spiritual
Jubilee Garden takes shape at St Vincent’s
direction and spiritual direction formation programmes. “I’ve been particularly helped by the wisdom of Ignatian spirituality, continually finding it helps my engagement with the deepest realities of life and how I choose and live. “The key values I seek to live from are love, commitment, integrity and compassion. I know these are a gift of grace and continually desire to be open to grace touching me and enabling grace to touch others.” Advent is a time of looking forward with hope to the coming of Christ and attending to darkness and the hope for light, the fulfilling of God’s promise. In this day, we will give space to explore where these aspects of Advent are connecting with us personally, the nature of our hopes and longings and to help give them prayerful expression. You are welcome to join Formation & Mission for this event, which takes place on Saturday December 12 from 10.30am to 3.30pm. We are grateful to the community at St Mary’s who have kindly agreed to host us. Book on the Formation & Mission Eventbrite Page at eventbrite.co.uk/o/hallam-formation-andmission-46212155433. Further details from the Formation & Mission team on 0114 256 6410.
The Bethany Garden at St Vincent’s, Crookes The Jubilee Garden Project asks us to look at church spaces with the question, “How do we become friends of Jesus through gardens?” Launched by the Ecological Conversion Group in partnership with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the scheme focuses on Mary, Martha and Lazarus and their house in Bethany. Mary inspires contemplation, Martha welcome and service and Lazarus revival and resurrection. At St Vincent’s, Crookes, Sheffield, we are fortunate to have grounds that already suggest working along these lines, and a Bethany Garden is under consideration. The front entrance, with a statue of Our
Lady, a crucifix and plantings of hedge roses and cherry trees has always felt like an area for contemplation. This year we have started a kitchen garden with many inward pleas to Martha for help. And for Lazarus, along the car park, a “field” – which is really a thin layer of grass over piles of rubble from demolished tram sheds – is renewing itself with a combination of rewilding and young fruit trees. To find out more about the project visit jubileegarden.org/about or email community@jubileegarden.org. To learn about what we are slowly working on at St Vincent’s, email heavygate@aol.com. Columba Timmins
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Awards encourage youth to put faith into practice The CYMFed Faith in Action Award is a national Catholic youth programme designed to recognise and celebrate young people who put their faith into practice through service. The award is structured across four levels – Pin, Bronze, Silver and Gold – and invites participants aged 10 to 18 to engage in acts of service both within their school or parish setting and in the wider community. Alongside this, young people take part in guided reflection rooted in Scripture and Catholic teaching, helping them understand how faith inspires action. Across our diocesan schools, around 80 young people took part last year. A group of them gathered at Blessed Trinity, Rotherham, where Father Richard Gomersall presented their certificates in a joyful celebration of their commitment and generosity. This year, 12 students achieved the Silver Award, which places particular emphasis on
leadership, initiative and a deeper sense of missionary discipleship. Their service has included supporting food banks, assisting parishes and schools, learning about the work of St Wilfrid’s Centre and engaging with parishioners across the diocese. Their contributions reflect a growing maturity and a willingness to step forward in service of others. Many of these young people will continue their journey by progressing to higher levels of the Faith in Action Award or by becoming involved in initiatives such as Called to Action, the SVP or CAFOD. The programme not only recognises what they have already offered but also opens the door to ongoing opportunities for service, leadership, and living out the gospel in practical ways. Sue McDonald, Director of Youth Ministry
Father Richard Gomersall with young people who took part in the CYMFed Faith in Action Award at Blessed Trinity, Rotherham
New book tells the volunteer Safeguarding day will focus on making a positive difference missionary story A new book has been published telling the story of the Volunteer Missionary Movement (VMM), which trained, placed and supported more than 2,500 volunteer lay missionaries, including several from the Diocese of Hallam. The authors of The Volunteer Missionary Movement 1969–2020: A Short History are both former VMM volunteers: Martin Desforges, who lives in Sheffield, and Mark Wiggin, retired director of Caritas Diocese of Salford. Volunteers worked in education, health and social services, diocesan and community development roles throughout Africa, Central and South America and Southeast Asia. This short history offers a comprehensive analysis of a unique laity-led missionary organisation and offers a new and important contribution to late 20th-century Catholic missionary history.
The authors are informed by their long association with VMM and their experience of working as volunteers overseas. Martin was deputy principal at Mwenge University College, Tanzania, and a visiting member of staff at the Catholic University of East Africa. Mark volunteered in Uganda and served as VMM trustee for many years, including a time as chair. He was instrumental in getting the VMM archive material moved to the Mill Hill Missionaries Archive and Heritage Centre in Freshfield, Lancashire, and in starting the process of cataloguing the material. The book is £10-plus P&P (deliveries within Sheffield free), with all profits helping maintain and develop the VMM Archive. For more details or to order, contact Martin at Desforges@blueyonder.co.uk or 07746 752052 or Mark at m.wiggin@btinternet.com or 07921 211961.
It has been written to preserve and celebrate an organisation that offered so many people the opportunity to live out and deepen their faith while serving the communities they lived as volunteers. Women played a central role in the establishment and growth of VMM. Edwina Gateley was the initiator and driving force behind its rapid development during the 1970s. She was supported by like-minded women who provided excellent models, demonstrating the important contributions lay women could make within a church dominated by a male hierarchy and an allmale clergy.
There will be speakers from Caritas (formerly Hallam Caring Services), St Wilfrid’s Centre, Carmel Care Centre, St Vincent’s Mission Hub, Hallam Youth Ministry and Welfare Support for Retired Clergy. Our hosts are Bishop Marcus together with Catherine Bailey (chair of Hallam Trustee Safeguarding Sub-Committee), Bernie Ware, (director of Caritas and line manager of the Safeguarding Team), Marie O’Donnelly (safeguarding coordinator) and Jo Pearson (safeguarding administrator). The event takes place from 9.45am to 4pm on Saturday November 14 at St Peter-inChains, Chequer Road, Doncaster, DN1 2AA. Refreshments and a free lunch will be provided. To book, please contact Jo Pearson on 0114 2566453 or jpearson@hallam-diocese.com We look forward to seeing you there.
Copy Deadline Copy and photographs for inclusion in the Catholic Voice should be sent to communications@hallam-diocese.com
VMM showed that a lay-led Catholic organisation for lay people could play a successful role in missionary work and international development. When it started, the teaching documents from Vatican II on the role of the laity in mission were still new, and the work of VMM provided a powerful example of what the laity could achieve. Missionary congregations were quick to realise the potential for the professionalism and expertise that volunteers could bring to the missions, and were supportive in providing them with accommodation, funding and placements.
This year’s safeguarding event for clergy, safeguarding representatives, parishioners and volunteers has the theme “Every interaction can be an intervention”. During the day, a range of speakers will examine how collaborative working across our communities can make a positive difference. Early intervention in safeguarding (often referred to as early help) is the process of providing timely, targeted support to children, young people and families when problems first arise and before they escalate into severe crises or significant harm. The Diocese of Hallam safeguarding team collaborates with support organisations, including internal diocesan departments, whose representatives you will hear from on the day.. By working together, we provide help to those experiencing harm or abuse, homelessness, loneliness or social isolation.
Deadline Friday November 13 for December edition. Where possible please send articles in Word and photographs as jpegs. Martin Desforges, from Sheffield, is one of the co-authors of The Volunteer Missionary Movement 1969-2020: A Short History
Please confirm when you send in your photographs that those who appear in them have given their permission for publication.
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Will you answer the call Eileen steps down after to join our bell ringers? decade in the chair St Marie’s Cathedral needs more volunteers to keep our bells ringing! More than 7,000 churches around the world are equipped for what’s known as “full circle” bell ringing. Only 50 of these are Catholic churches and St Marie’s is one of them. St Marie’s resurrected its band a few years ago after a gap of more than 70 years and it now includes ringers from different parts of the diocese. It rings regularly on Sundays from the end of the 10.30am Mass to the start of the 12.30pm Mass and holds practice and
introductory sessions from 7pm to 9pm on Mondays. The bell tower is also home to Sheffield University’s Guild of Change Ringers, who ring before the 6.30pm Mass and practice on Fridays. If we are to keep St Marie’s bells ringing, we desperately need new volunteers. If you would like to find out more about the bells and what is involved in ringing them, please contact me on 07710 116701 or ringing@bobrae.force9.co.uk. Bob Rae
Eileen Maher receiving her gift from Corrie, with cathedral dean Father Chris Posluszny in the background Eileen Maher has decided to step down after a decade as chair of St Marie’s Parish Pastoral Council.
Bell ringers, left to right, Bob Rae, Maggie O’Malley, Maria Di Domenico, David Jackson and Tony Turner, pictured among the ropes for St Marie’s tower bells with the cathedral’s recently refurbished hand bells
During this time, she has been regarded by many as the face of Hallam Cathedral. Eileen’s contribution to the faith community at St Marie’s has been marked by dedicated and outstanding service. In recognition of her efforts – and in anticipation of the many thanks she will receive – St Marie’s Rosary Group was among the first to hold a reception for her as a presentation was made by Corrie Percival.
Eileen received the Maundy Thursday Money from HM The Queen in 2011. She was married at St Marie’s and is involved in many areas of parish life, including heritage, cathedral tours, flower arranging, stewarding, reading ministry, and coordinating cathedral visits with schools. She also supports the clergy in many behind-the-scenes roles and encourages parish groups in their mission of spreading the gospel. An official reception will be held early in the New Year at Houlden Hall. Thank you, Eileen, for your love and dedication. Joseph Durham
THE LIVING WORD - Exploring the Biblical notion of body LUCA SETTIMO, Professor of Theology at the University of Nottingham and currently living in the Diocese of Middlesbrough, continues his series of reflections on the meaning of some key biblical words. Exploring the biblical notion of Spirit The Greek word in the Bible for Spirit is Pneuma. This word appears 379 times in the New Testament; like the Hebrew equivalent ruah, it has at its core the meaning of “breath” or “wind”. The Latin word anima (which in English translates as soul) has its roots in the Greek ánemos, meaning “wind”. On Easter evening, the risen Christ says to his disciples: “‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’ [Pneuma Hagion]” (John 20:21-22). Christ immediately thereafter grants them the power to forgive sins: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:23). The Holy Spirit – whom he had promised to the apostles gathered in the upper room a few hours before his
arrest (cf John 13-17) – is not only creator but also redeemer. The Holy Spirit is also the source of new life through the salvation offered in baptismal rebirth, as Jesus taught Nicodemus during that famous nocturnal encounter: “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:5-6).
on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability” (Acts 2:2-4). St Paul, then, always in the wake of this interior “breath” that the Spirit infuses into the baptised, giving them new life beyond
And Jesus used the analogy of the Spirit as wind, following the meaning of the word pneuma: “The wind [pneuma which means both wind and spirit] blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit [pneumatos]” (John 3:8). Given the affinity between the Spirit and the wind, we can understand the scene of Pentecost described by Luke in the Acts of the Apostles when the disciples were gathered in the Upper Room: “Suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested
Professor Luca Settimo
physical life, concludes: “For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Romans 8:15). Thus, within us we experience an inner spiritual breath, which unites our soul with God himself. It is an intimacy that enables us to enter into dialogue with him using the affectionate Aramaic expression Abba, meaning “Dad”, the expression Jesus himself used in addressing God as Father. The role of the Holy Spirit is also evident within the Trinitarian vision of the Christian faith: for example, Matthew explains that when Jesus had been baptised by John the Baptist: “suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him” (Matthew 3:16). I wish to acknowledge Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi for granting me permission to use his material. A YouTube video entitled “The Biblical Notion of Spirit,” which explores this biblical concept in greater detail, is available on my YouTube channel (youtube.com/@LucaSettimo-7).
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A special day as school family comes together in pilgrimage Holy Family Catholic Primary School in Worksop came together for a joyful day of pilgrimage under the theme “Together in Love”. Pupils, staff and parents joined house teams for an array of activities that brought our whole school community closer – from our youngest to our oldest pupils. The day focused on pilgrimage as a journey walked in fellowship, with the reminder that God walks with us every step of the way. Pupils explored Catholic Social Teaching in a special workshop led by Ann Neale, CAFOD volunteer and chair of governors. They produced stained glass inspired artwork for display around school and collaborated on a large playground design, which was beautifully photographed from above by a drone. Music filled the day, too, and pupils used Boomwhackers (hollow plastic tubes tuned to different pitches) to accompany hymns that reflected our theme. Blessed with fine weather, we shared a community picnic on the field and concluded with a reflective liturgy. Many families and friends came to join us, and staff were immensely proud to see pupils living our values throughout the day. Our thanks go to all the staff and volunteers who made the day possible, with special thanks to Year 5 teacher Helen Wood for leading such a meaningful and uplifting experience for the children. Alexia Fox, Headteacher
Children join in the hymns with their Boomwhackers
Why do we go on pilgrimage? It gives us the opportunity to come together as a school family, to listen, reflect, share and simply enjoy being together, children sitting calmly alongside one another, listening, reflecting and sharing in the moment. There was a beautiful sense of calm, belonging and togetherness. These moments remind us that pilgrimage creates a space where every child can feel that they belong. It is also about giving children the freedom to become involved without worrying about getting things right. We saw children who can sometimes find learning difficult getting stuck into the activities, having fun and experiencing success without worrying or stressing about the outcome. It is about kindness and looking after one another. We saw older children being so supportive and caring towards the younger ones. Some even swapped seats so they could support younger children they didn’t know. The Year 3 and 4 children were particularly helpful to the younger children.
moments that stay with us and remind us of the importance of being together. It is about reminding us what it means to be a family. One little boy’s poster shared how much he loves school, but also how important it is to him that we are together in love. It was a simple but incredibly powerful reminder of what we want every child to experience: that they belong, that they are valued and that they are loved. These are the reasons we go on pilgrimage: to build relationships, nurture kindness, create joy, strengthen our sense of belonging and remind every child that they are a loved and valued part of our school family. Helen Wood, Class Teacher
These moments show our children living out the values that are at the heart of our school. It is about joy. It was about children singing along, laughing and literally living their best school day. One child summed it up perfectly: “I bet no other children in Worksop are having as much fun as we are today!” It is about relationships too, laughing with staff I wouldn’t usually work with, and a child with special needs jumping onto a member of staff’s knee at lunchtime to share how much he had enjoyed his session. These are the
A stained-glass-inspired design on the school playground, captured by a drone
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More stained-glass-inspired artwork adorned the school
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Local steps can help national homeless Earlier this year, Prime Minister Andy Burham announced a national drive to get everyone sleeping rough into accommodation by Christmas. The announcement was backed by £442m in funding to provide emergency and long-term housing alongside wraparound support for health, social care and other needs. His ambition is a powerful reminder: homelessness is not something we should simply accept as an inevitable part of modern life. If we want change, we need vision, partnership and practical action. Here in Sheffield, Caritas Hallam is taking one of those local steps. We have recently launched a new project providing counselling for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. It is a relatively small contribution to an enormous challenge, but we believe it can make a significant difference to individuals who are often dealing with much more than the immediate crisis of finding somewhere to live. Homelessness can be accompanied by trauma, bereavement, relationship breakdown, anxiety, isolation, loss of confidence and a sense that life has somehow got beyond repair. Finding accommodation and practical support is vital, but so is having the opportunity to be heard, without judgement, and to begin to understand and address some of the experiences that have contributed to a person’s situation. Our work builds on connections with partner organisations already doing excellent work in
Sheffield, including St Wilfrid’s Centre and St Wilfrid’s Place. St Wilfrid’s Centre offers a welcoming environment and practical and welfare support for homeless, vulnerable and socially excluded adults, including a dedicated rough sleeper service. St Wilfrid’s Place provides supported accommodation for people who have experienced homelessness, helping residents move towards independent living. We are conscious that we are part of a much wider network of organisations across Sheffield working tirelessly with people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. Our aim is not to duplicate that work, but to add another piece to the jigsaw: making good-quality counselling available as part of a broader, compassionate response. The project has been made possible through generous funding from the Albert Gubay Foundation, whose funding priorities include supporting people experiencing homelessness on their journey towards better mental health and independent living. We are also working in partnership with several academic institutions, with a rolling programme enabling trainee student counsellors to gain experience of this important work. They are supported and supervised by experienced members of the Caritas Hallam team, bringing together fresh perspectives, professional development and experienced pastoral care. At the heart of the project is our Catholic understanding of human dignity. Catholic
Caritas Hallam works with partners to try to alleviate the effects of homelessness in Sheffield – Photo by DepositPhotos Social Teaching reminds us that every person has an inherent dignity and that solidarity and the preferential option for the poor are not optional extras, but central to Christian discipleship. The Church’s social teaching calls us to see the person before the problem and to stand alongside those who are most vulnerable. A national vision for ending rough sleeping is important. But lasting change is also built through countless local acts of solidarity: a
meal, a safe place, a home, a conversation and a listening ear. At Caritas Hallam, we hope our new counselling project can provide some of those conversations – and help people who have experienced homelessness to rediscover something that every person deserves: dignity, hope and the possibility of a future. Anna Bailey, Senior Manager, Caritas Diocese of Hallam
CATHOLIC HISTORY FOCUS - Pillar of the Church – the life of St Augustine SHAWN RAS, a Dutch-born historian and parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes and St Peter Chanel in Hull, continues his series of articles about Church history… On Sunday November 13 534, joining the roster of lovely people born on that day (the author included), was born one of the most important minds in Christendom. His mother, St Monica and father Patricius had both been converts from Algeria, likely being of Berber descent. This meant they looked not unlike modern-day Tunisians and Algerians, and were culturally a mix of local, Roman and Phoenician cultures, all of which had been present in the region for centuries around the time of his birth. Being born into a relatively upper-class family, the young Augustine relied on the Roman cultural systems of education to be taught rhetoric, one of the most respected Roman skills. In his famous autobiography, Confessions, Augustine tells of his youthful exploits, many of which included hedonistic pursuits and minor bouts of crime, which he admits were committed out of youthful, upper-class boredom. Augustine turned to teaching in his hometown and in the urban hub, Carthage, the second city of the Western Empire. Unsatisfied with the area, he packed his things and moved to Rome but was equally disappointed with the attitudes to education there. Augustine, who believed in Manichaeism at that time, was introduced to the Prefect of Rome, who had been invited to the court of Emperor Theodosius in Milan.
There Augustine and his mother discovered how deep the Christian faith ran in that city. His mother Monica was already a devout believer, and when in the 580s Augustine came into contact with future saint Ambrosius, Bishop of Milan, he began to turn to Christ. In Ambrose, Augustine found a teacher, a mentor and a friend, a fellow rhetorician and orator. His mother had arranged for him to marry a respectable girl, and Augustine started on a difficult road to Christianity, famously praying: “Give me chastity and continence, O Lord, but not yet.” At the age of 31, Augustine entered the Church and became a Christian. In 587, his friend Ambrose baptised him in Milan, and Augustine began writing his first work, On the Holiness of the Catholic Church, and in the following year, his mother Monica passed away. In 591, having returned to Algeria, Augustine was ordained a priest and preached famously against his former faith, Manichaeism. Augustine’s preaching was unorthodox, as he would walk into the church and among the congregation, leading to his rise in popularity. In 595 he became the coadjutor bishop of Hippo Regius, earning him his epithet “of Hippo”. He started work on Confessions at this time and was inspired to write his other famous work, The City of God, after hearing of the Visigoth sack of Rome in 410. He famously lived a life akin to a monk while desperately trying to convert the pagans of Roman North Africa.
Augustine reposed in the Lord in 530, in the middle of the Vandal siege of Hippo. He had begged his caretakers to hang the penitential psalms of David on the walls so he could read them as he slowly passed away. He died at age 75. Being a prolific writer with an iconic prose and great mastery over rhetoric, he was sainted and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Boniface VIII in 1298. Augustine’s writings are considered among the most influential of any in Christendom, inspiring saints, scholars and popes alike, from Thomas Aquinas to Pope Benedict XVI, the latter being arguably his most ardent admirer and scholar. Augustine’s life started as one of sin and scepticism, surrounded by Christian love and aware of it, but wilfully rejecting it. Personally, I find him one of the most relatable and sympathetic saints in the litany. A man choosing to reject Christ but ultimately becoming one of his most important followers and a pillar of his Church, being one of the four Western Church Fathers. His writings about sin, repentance, the structure of the Church and most recently his newly refuted ideas about “just war” have been keystones for Western philosophy through the ages. His life and conversion remind us of the promise of Christ’s unconditional love. Truly, St Augustine of Hippo remains an inspiration to us all.
A Byzantine style mosaic of St Augustine in the Palatine Chapel of Palermo: note the Greek style but Latin text
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Giving thanks for good things in our lives this harvest time CAFOD is thankful for the wonderful supporters who are helping others in the parish communities to put their faith into action at harvest time. Volunteer Emmanuel Findoro Obasi has been giving witness to a CAFOD project he visited earlier this year that’s helping Nigerian families to keep their children in school. He was pleased to be able to speak at Mass at St Paul’s, Cantley, Doncaster, about CAFOD’s Harvest Fast Day Appeal and how it helps families around the world. This harvest season, we have an opportunity to thank God for all we have received and Emmanuel told us he wants to share those blessings by helping others. As one global family, we are called to put our faith into action by supporting our neighbours who don’t have enough food or safe water. This theme was echoed in the pastoral letter from Bishop Marcus, which asked us to reflect on our interconnected nature with one another and with God’s wonderful Creation. During the Season of Creation, we stop to give thanks for the good things in our lives, and we remember that God’s riches are to be shared by all. By sharing in the work of creating better opportunities for our sisters and brothers around the world to have access to what they need to flourish, we are responding to the “cry of the earth” and the “cry of the
Emmanuel Findoro Obasi with Father Evangelist and parishioners from St Paul’s, Cantley
poor”. This helps us experience a deeper realisation of our mutual need and in doing so, become closer to God. Bishop Marcus encourages parishes to engage with CAFOD’s Live Simply Award, which enables Catholic communities to
care for God’s creation and stand in solidarity with our global family. If you would like to find out more about this or about how you can help as a CAFOD volunteer, please contact me at apowell@cafod.org.uk or 07779804247. I
am happy to provide support and guidance and look forward to hearing from you. Angela Powell, Community Participation Coordinator
A new way to remember loved ones this month November is traditionally a time for prayer and reflection, when we remember family and friends who have gone before us. In his first Mass for the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, Pope Leo said: “Christian faith, founded upon Christ’s Paschal mystery, helps us to experience our memories as more than just a recollection of the past but also, and above all, as hope for the future.” Across the country, people remember those they’ve lost. Some have set up a Candlelight Fund with aid agency CAFOD in memory of their loved ones. For one bereaved mother, the Holy Father’s powerful words resonate with her journey from overwhelming grief to finding a sense of peace. Nina lost her beloved daughter Annabel to Covid in 2022, leaving her utterly bereft. She said: “Annabel was my greatest ally and kept me young and constantly challenged. Her ‘why’ questions started young and continued throughout her short life. “Every Christmas she donated generously to her special charities for refugees and the homeless. However, she also thoroughly enjoyed life and enjoyed a glass of bubbly. She spoke five languages and worked for a UN agency, absolutely refusing to admit it was anything special.”
Through her faith, Nina now feels a sense of hope. Setting up a CAFOD Candlelight Fund was part of her path to peace. The fund, whereby friends and family can donate to mark special moments such as a birthday or important milestone, felt like the perfect tribute to Annabel. “We have survived. Somehow, we’ve come through it and achieved a kind of acceptance and peace. Being an advocate for CAFOD has helped enormously. “The Candlelight Fund has shed warmth and light on our experience. So many mothers in poorer countries lose many children to conflict, hunger and disease. “I’m grateful for organisations such as CAFOD that are attempting to right this wrong. And through Annabel’s Candlelight Fund, we want to be part of this change, in her memory. “I can now feel gratitude for Annabel’s 39 years with me and how the world benefitted from her presence. And now, on that solemn feast of All Souls in November, when the weather’s dark and cold and generally wet, I remind myself that she is there with them. I suspect she’s brightened it up no end. She’s humanised heaven for me.” For more information on the CAFOD Candlelight Fund, visit cafod.org.uk/candlelight.
CAFOD Candles in St George’s Cathedral, Southwark – Photo by Thom Flint
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Double celebration for Father Kevin Father Kevin Thorton has enjoyed two major celebrations within the space of six months at St Francis of Assisi Parish in Sheffield. Earlier in the year he celebrated 65 years since his ordination to the priesthood, which took place in Dewsbury. After his jubilee Mass, he was presented with a framed scroll signed by Pope Leo. By a lovely coincidence, Deacon Stephen Parker, also of St Francis, was present at the presentation and at Father Kevin’s ordination – as a young child, he assures us! Father Kevin has since stepped down as parish priest but still lives in the presbytery and assists at Mass.
The parish wanted to give him something for his nearly 30 years of faithful and dedicated service, but what can you offer someone who is “live simply” personified? We decided to present him with a retirement book in which parishioners could write something to show how much he means to us. After a month of people secretly writing in the book, we presented the book to him after Mass on the 800th anniversary of our patron, St Francis, which is also our Parish Day. At both presentations Father Kevin was given a prolonged round of applause. Mike Campbell, Chair of St Francis Parish Pastoral Council
Father Kevin with Deacon Stephen Parker, priest administrator Father Craig Fitzpatrick and Parish Pastoral Council chair Mike Campbell
The scroll signed by Pope Leo
Marriage catechists come together to examine future role Nine couples who act as marriage catechists and work with couples preparing for marriage in the diocese came together for an evening to review their work over the past year and consider how they might develop their work in the future. The evening provided an opportunity to socialise, catch up and feed back on the work that they are involved in. The diocese offers a marriage preparation programme called Preparing for a Lifetime together, which is delivered by trained married couples. This supplements the preparation the couples do with their parish priests. The marriage catechists come from parishes in Bassetlaw, Chesterfield, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield deaneries but prepare couples from anywhere in the diocese. In the meeting, the catechists had time to share their experiences and wisdom. Arthi Fernando, coordinator for the preparation programme, fed back on a national meeting of Marriage and Family Life co-ordinators, which she attended on behalf of the diocese. Charles and Jane Perryman spoke about attending a conference held recently which celebrated 80 years of Marriage Care. Input at the conference provided scientific
validation of the methods used for marriage preparation in the programme as being helpful for building long lasting and loving marriages. It was fortuitous that as the group gathered Pope Leo was meeting in Rome with bishops who are heads of Eastern Churches and the presidents of episcopal conferences on the tenth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Amoris Laetitia. One of the themes they were to consider was: “Couples need support not only when they marry, but throughout their married and family life. The first few years of marriage are particularly important as couples establish their relationship, adapt to parenthood and balance work, family and faith.” As part of this conversation, the group considered how they might encourage others in parishes across the diocese to become involved in this very important task. If you think you could be part of this work, either by offering support to couples throughout their marriage or by helping to prepare couples for marriage, speak to your parish priest or email the formation and mission team at formation-mission@hallamdiocese.com. Kevan Grady, Associate Coordinator for Formation and Mission
Some of our marriage catechists pictured at their commissioning
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Remembering the faith of Sir Thomas Fitzherbert Sir Thomas Fitzherbert’s name sits in the background of the history of the arrests of Blessed Nicholas Garlick and Blessed Robert Ludlam at Padley Manor and their martyrdoms in July 1588. But it shouldn’t. We know how deep Sir Thomas’ commitment to his faith was from the fact that he was willing to endure 30 years of imprisonment. The legal entailment of Padley Manor to his brother John was to protect the Fitzherbert estates, raise money to pay fines and for Padley to become a secret haven for missionary priests, to ensure the continued celebration of Mass. His faith commitment would have been a source of inspiration for the Padley martyrs, the Fitzherberts, Eyres, Fentons and other Catholic recusant families, both regionally and nationally. While in jail, Sir Thomas, of Norbury, Derbyshire, knew the fate of the Padley Martyrs: the arrest, imprisonment and finally the death of his brother John, in the Fleet Prison. I hope that Sir Thomas had Mass brought to him secretly while in jail. He sacrificed half of his life to defend the celebration of Mass. But there was little possibility of that for him in the last prison that held him, the Tower of London. Sir Thomas died on October 1 1591. His family will not have received his mortal remains for
St Mary and St Barlok in Norbury, the ancestral church of Sir Thomas Fitzherbert – Photo by Gerard Bonner private burial at Norbury Manor’s St Mary and St Barlok Church. Please remember in your prayers Sir Thomas and all Christians who dedicated and lost their lives in defence of our faith.
Padley Martyrs’ Shrine will be open Sundays from Easter to early October 2027 (dates to be confirmed) between 2pm and 4pm. If you would like to explore the possibility of any additional visit times or join the
welcomers or would like a copy of A Pilgrim’s Guide to Padley, please contact friendsofpadley@hallamdiocese.com. Gerard Bonner Friends of Padley
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Pope rallies million-strong child Rosary army for peace Pope Leo joined 700 children at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens to pray the Rosary for peace and launch a worldwide week of prayer. The gathering marked the start of One Million Children Praying the Rosary, a global initiative organised by Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). The Holy Father told the crowd of youngsters: “I am truly happy to be with you. This evening and during these days, it is not just us praying. Throughout the world, a million children are praying with us. A million!” The initiative brought together children, families, schools, parishes and communities worldwide to pray for peace. Thanking ACN “for having promoted this initiative and for the great work it does”, Pope Leo invited children to pray especially for youngsters living through conflict. He added: “Let us ask together for a special gift – peace for all the children of the world, especially for those who live where there is war.” He then invited them to imagine “fifty million Hail Marys” rising to heaven “from everywhere and in all the languages of the earth”. Each of the five decades of the rosary, which was offered for countries affected by conflict and instability, was recited in a different language – Italian, Arabic, Urdu, German and Spanish. Data collected by ACN’s online campaign platform recorded 313,938 participants from 94 countries. But many schools, parishes and communities took part without registering, particularly in areas where internet access is limited.
Registered participants came from countries including Bangladesh, Finland, Indonesia, Japan, Sierra Leone and South Africa, with particularly high turnouts in Brazil, India, Poland, the Philippines and Ukraine. Meanwhile, in the UK, data showed around 22,000 people took part across 27 UK cities. Greeting the Pope, Cardinal Kurt Koch highlighted children facing war, persecution or humanitarian crises in Ukraine, the Holy Land and Middle East, Pakistan, South Sudan, Cuba and Venezuela. He asked the Pope for his blessing so that children might learn, with Mary, to be “little peacemakers”. He said: “Prayer also educates our hearts towards peace, forgiveness and caring for others.” Before the Holy Father arrived, the children had prepared for the Rosary through music, testimonies and interactive activities. Children from four countries performed alongside a choir and musicians from the Shalom Community during the event.
Hundreds of children joined Pope Leo for the launch of the Rosary campaign – Photo © Vatican Media
Pope Leo concluded by telling the children that prayer should lead to action in their daily lives, encouraging them to do good at home, at school, during catechism and while playing and taking part in sport. He said: “Prayers must always be accompanied by good deeds, by acts of love. This is how peace grows.” Anyone wishing to join the One Million Children Praying the Rosary campaign can register their participation and download campaign materials at acninternational.org/millionchildrenpraying. Nathalie Raffray
Pope Leo and Cardinal Kurt Koch with a child at launch of Rosary campaign – Photo © Vatican Media
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Archbishops issue joint Drumcree appeal
Fund supports students facing crisis pregnancies
Archbishop Eamon Martin, Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, and Archbishop John McDowell, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, issued a joint statement in response to the crisis in Drumcree, Portadown, Northern Ireland, after a controversial Orange Order parade was given legal clearance to march down the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road for the first time in nearly 30 years. In it, the archbishops wrote: “As archbishops and pastors in our different Christian traditions, we have always taken seriously our call, in Christ, to speak and act together when we can. We call for the urgent creation of a constructive, inclusive and reconciling initiative to patiently find a way through this current crisis. Too much is at stake.”
The Alma Mater Fund provides financial and practical support to university students facing crisis pregnancy, enabling them to continue their education while embracing motherhood. The fund is administered by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) and has already supported several students in the dioceses of Leeds, Middlesbrough and Hallam. SPUC’s Abortion Recovery and Care Helpline (ARCH), started by women who experienced abortion and struggled in the aftermath, provides free, confidential, compassionate and non-judgemental support for those who may be carrying similar emotional and psychological effects. For more details, visit spuc.org.uk/support-hub/almamater and archtrust.org.uk.
State urged to commute death sentence after failed execution Tennessee’s Catholic bishops joined an ecumenical appeal in the wake of the twice-failed execution of Christa Pike on September 30, asking Tennessee Governor Bill Lee to spare Ms Pike’s life and prevent another attempt to carry out her death sentence. Ms Pike, 50, who was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, survived two doses of a lethal injection drug and was taken to hospital. Governor Lee subsequently suspended executions for the remainder of 2026 and ordered an independent review. The bishops acknowledged the gravity of Ms Slemmer’s murder and the immeasurable suffering of her family, stressing that their appeal upheld the state’s responsibility to hold perpetrators of violence accountable.
Thousands attend Archbishop Fulton Beatification Mass More than 50,000 people attended the Beatification Mass for Blessed Archbishop Fulton Sheen at the Dome in the America’s Centre, St Louis, Missouri. They included 90 bishops, 1,000 priests and 1,600 women and men religious. Chief celebrant Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle conveyed the greetings of Pope Leo XIV, who, he said, “rejoices at the beatification of his fellow countryman, his fellow Illinoisan and brother bishop”.
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Study examines future direction for Christian social action A unique four-month study involving 73 church leaders, theologians and frontline practitioners has concluded that Christian social action has reached a critical crossroads. A report of the study reveals a widespread consensus that to tackle entrenched poverty effectively, current charitable models must evolve. The Crossroads study from Christian charity Together for the Common Good tested a provocative framework identifying three critical disconnects, described as the “three sins” of Christian social action – these are, the disconnect between charity and justice, the problem of deepening dependency and the disconnect with empowerment and the problem of secularism and the disconnect from distinctive Christian roots. The study engaged leaders from across the major Christian traditions, including Catholic,
Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Salvationist and Evangelical denominations, and from more than 30 organisations, including Caritas, Trussell, Ascension Trust and Feeding Britain. A report of the study’s key findings highlights the importance of these three “sins”, which were first formulated by Jon Kuhrt, whose challenge to the Christian social action sector was published on the Grace+Truth blog. There is no “silver bullet” to the issues of poverty in the UK but the study found a consensus that these three issues need grappling with. Frontline charity workers expressed a strong desire for deeper systemic change. They felt a prophetic voice was needed from the Church and this is largely absent. There was a fear among some that asking questions risked being “political”, and this needed to be addressed. Most felt that systems are broken but that there is no clear voice setting out
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clearly what the Church should be doing or asking for. There has been significant growth in social action projects that focus on providing food and other resources. Overcoming the trap of long-term dependency emerged as the highest priority. Many felt that the dependency questions often go unasked at the grassroots level and that these urgently need discussing. Senior leaders and funders voiced significant concern over a fading theological vision, warning that “mission drift” threatens the distinctiveness that inspired Christian social action in the first place. There was a desire for greater confidence in the distinctive Christian story. Together for the Common Good founder and director Jenny Sinclair said: “For too long, we’ve measured Christian social action by how much we deliver. The challenge this
study puts to the church is not whether we care, but how we do it: whether the disposition of the church is one of solidarity or as a service provider. “We are at a crossroads. The appetite to discern a different way is real and broad. We must find a way that integrates justice, empowerment and a confident Christian distinctiveness. Our task now is to walk that good way together. We invite people to read the report and comment.” The next phase of the Crossroads initiative aims to bring together cross-denominational working groups to design practical frameworks. These will help Christian social action across churches, schools and charities make the shift from temporary crisis management towards sustainable, relational community transformation.
Pope: Women’s Vatican contributions must be increasingly valued
A time that brings us closer to our departed loved ones
Pope Leo has insisted that the presence of women in the Vatican “is a valuable asset that must be increasingly recognised and appreciated”. Speaking in an address to representatives of the Women in the Vatican Association and the Association of Vatican Lay Workers, he said women “bring not only a special sensitivity towards people and relationships but also the full range of human, professional, and intellectual talents inherent in the female experience and perspective. Their expertise, discernment, creativity, and practical approach enrich the lives of these institutions and help foster a broader view of reality and the challenges encountered.”
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Holy Island is ‘soaked in the prayers of the saints’ – Photo by Prakich/Depositphotos Continuing his regular column for the Voice, a Yorkshire countryside parish priest offers an insight into his experiences of the Church… People sometimes talk about “thin places”, where the boundary between the heavenly and earthly realms seems very porous. In these places, prayer seems easy, and the glory of God is unusually visible to the mind’s eye. Lourdes is a place like that, as is Walsingham (they’re the only two Marian shrines I’ve been to but do write to our editor andtell us about your experiences!). There is a place in the Lake District where I almost expect to see a “stairway to heaven”, and the district around Holy Island in Northumberland is soaked in the prayers of the saints. I want to suggest, though, that there can be “thin seasons” as well as “thin places”. Christmas is one, as is the Easter Triduum. We might not think of November as being particularly “thin” – but the Month of the
Holy Souls focuses our minds on our loved ones who have died. Parishes have their November Dead Lists – I have my own private one where I remember teachers, mentors and priests who have helped me on my Christian journey. I call to mind relatives who may not be at the top of my prayer list at other times of the year. As a convert, I love the Catholic attitude to death. We are all saddened to lose loved ones, but as a prayer says, “They have only gone as far away as Christ, and Christ is very near”. We may not seek to contact them, but we can pray for them and their “onward journey” into the love and mercy of God. And they can pray for us. May this season be a “thin one” for you and for the Holy Souls who are dear to you. Your fellow pilgrim in Christ Raphael Postgate
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NEWS The real cost of slashing overseas development spending Yet, as both Pope Francis in Laudato Si’ and more recently Pope Leo XIV in Magnifica Humanitas insist, we must be more practically conscious that we all on earth “share a common home”. Moreover, the global energy shock is hitting many of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries particularly hard, even though they consume far less than rich countries.
SIR JOHN BATTLE, MP for Leeds West from 1987 to 2010 and a minister in Tony Blair’s government, continues his regular column. Sir John, who was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Gregory the Great by Pope Benedict and was knighted in the 2022 New Year Honours, is chair of the Diocese of Leeds Justice & Peace Commission and has a deep commitment to Catholic Social Teaching. Societies, like individuals, tend to turn inwards under pressure and recent energy price increases are certainly putting pressure on family budgets at home. But can we neglect to think and act globally as well as locally in an increasingly interconnected world? The tensions and conflicts of the whole world, including immigration pressures, are already present in our cities, towns and communities. So while there is a focus on rising petrol and diesel bills, it was disappointing that the Prime Minister’s conference speech made no mention of aid and international development.
Very low-income countries such as Burundi, Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Malawi and Somalia have all suffered huge increases in fuel prices. In Afghanistan petrol has gone up 32% in three months; in Malawi it is $3.24 a litre, more than twice the current world average of $1.49. Here in Britain, petrol is now an average of $2.32 a litre. Countries such as Burundi and the Central African Republic only have 11.6% and 17.6% access to electricity. Only 15.6% of the population of Malawi has electricity access, compared with 100% in the UK. Higher oil, gas and fertiliser prices are creating real risks for households, for food security and employment in poorer countries. UN Trade and Development estimates that nearly one million people live in countries highly exposed to rising fuel costs and that includes many in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Nor are energy prices the only pressure point. There have recently been major cuts in international aid programmes to developing countries. The world’s largest bilateral donor, the USA, cut its official USAID development assistance budget by 56.9% in 2025. Total aid from all Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development donors dropped
by 23.1%, the largest annual fall on record. This has meant interruptions to health programmes for malaria and HIV and AIDS treatments. Maternal and child health clinics have lost funding. Some water and sanitation projects have been closed. There is less humanitarian food and agricultural support and a loss of schools and youth programmes. Consequently, it is estimated 14m people will die due to the USAID cuts, 4.5m of them children under five. Here in the UK there have been substantial cuts in development aid in recent years. In February 2025 the aid budget was cut from 0.5% of Gross National Income to 0.3% by 2027/28. Funds were switched to Ukraine support and tackling illegal immigration. Development aid spending is down to £9.2bn, a cut of £6.2bn a year and well down from when it was 0.7% of Gross Domestic Product for most of the early 21st century. Bilateral aid is down by 37% and regional and country programmes are down by 36%. Aid to African countries dropped from £1.5bn to £675m in 2028. In practice this all means that aid to health and education programmes in the DR Congo, Mozambique and Ethiopia has been reduced. There has been a focus shift to multilateral institutional and humanitarian crisis support, but this is far removed from the integral local development work of the former Department for International Development, which was merged into the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2020. Coordinated, long-term, sustainable development work has been cancelled and downgraded. Yet surely a strategic approach leading to sustainable local community
development was meant to ensure that people and whole communities were not condemned to future poverty and forced to migrate to survive? Perhaps returning to integrated international development work could actually lead to “stopping the boats” of illegal migrants by enabling young people to develop livelihoods where they are born. Cutting international development aid could prove in future to be a costly, shortsighted failure of investment. Our Catholic Church at least has its own aid agency, CAFOD, which has itself suffered from government aid cuts and the reduction of partnership programmes. CAFOD, funded mainly by donations from Catholic parishioners, is struggling to maintain its quality programmes, which focus on developing food security and livelihoods, helping communities grow food and incomes, build resilience and empower local people. CAFOD works particularly in DR Congo, South Sudan and East Africa. In Old English, autumn used to be known as “harvest”, and the harvest festival tradition is still maintained. CAFOD now urges us to contribute what we can at harvest time to support its international development work. The theologian Professor JB Metz said: “Theologians will be the last universalists in a highly differential world, in an age of postmodern fragmentation, and will have to remain so for God’s sake and for humanity’s sake.” We need to remain committed to the universality of one world of one people of God. Support CAFOD as best you can this harvest season. Visit cafod@cafod.org.uk.
Prayers for Pope Leo Pope appoints new Bishop of Brentwood after successful lung surgery
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Timothy Menezes as the new Bishop of Brentwood. Bishop Timothy, until now an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, succeeds Bishop Alan Williams SM, whose resignation has been accepted by the Holy Father having turned 75 years old.
Catholics around the world have been praying for Pope Leo XIV after doctors removed the lower lobe of his left lung at Gemelli Hospital. A statement from Dr Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora, released by the Holy See Press Office, said tissue examined during the operation confirmed the diagnosis suspected from tests conducted beforehand.
Bishop Timothy said: “It is a great privilege to be appointed by Pope Leo XIV as Bishop of the Diocese of Brentwood. I'm aware there will be much to learn, so I ask the lay faithful, the clergy and the religious of the diocese to pray for me, and with me, in our shared mission as Pilgrims of Hope in a world in need of hope. “I am grateful for all those who have shaped my life, faith and priestly ministry in the Archdiocese of Birmingham over many years. “I look forward to building on Bishop Alan's good work in the diocese and pray that Christ the Good Shepherd will help us all to be a people of thanksgiving for his many blessings, and to show his compassion to those in most need.”
New Bishop-elect of Brentwood, Bishop Timothy Menezes – © Mazur/cbcew.org.uk Bishop Timothy's Mass of Episcopal Installation as the eighth Bishop of Brentwood will take place at the Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Helen, Brentwood, on Thursday December 3, the memorial of St Francis Xavier.
“An intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected from the preoperative examinations,” the doctors said. The doctors said the operation was successful and there were no complications. Pope Leo awoke normally after surgery and, following a brief period of observation, returned to his room.
After the operation, Pope Leo asked for dinner and spent the evening in the company of his secretaries and other Vatican staff. Archbishop Richard Moth, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said: “It is with gratitude and relief that we learned that Pope Leo’s surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital was successful. “In this month of the Holy Rosary, we entrust his recovery to the maternal care of Our Lady Health of the Sick. “I ask that Catholics in England and Wales, and indeed all people of goodwill, pray for Pope Leo – in our homes and in our parishes – that he may be restored to full health after a period of rest and recuperation. “We also remember all those who are experiencing illness at this time, and keep them, their families and those who care for the sick in our prayers.”
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November 2026 + Hallam Diocesan Catholic Voice + 15
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Pope Leo joins Torchlight Procession in Lourdes The daily Torchlight Procession in Lourdes took on extra significance when Pope Leo joined pilgrims praying the Rosary and walking around the domain. The Holy Father followed in the footsteps of thousands who have travelled from our diocese to the French shrine since our pilgrimage began in 1953, and in smaller groups even before that. All have carried in their hearts their hopes, sorrows and struggles in this beloved Marian shrine known for being a place of healing. In his address, Pope Leo said: “How moving it is to see the faithful, from one generation to the next, respond with love and trust to the tender invitation of the Virgin Mary. “How consoling it is to hear Christians sing hymns filled with fervour and faith, and to see them walk, with a light in their hands, towards their mother in Heaven, the mother whom Jesus gave us from the Cross. “I give thanks to the Lord that I, too, may respond this evening to the call of our mother, becoming a pilgrim among pilgrims.” Pope Leo led the procession as it began at the Grotto of Massabielle, where the Virgin Mary appeared to St Bernadette, and was followed by the papal delegation and then a large crowd made up of bishops, priests, volunteers and their families. In front was the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, which is always used in this procession, often carried by Middlesbrough brancardiers during our pilgrimage.
This fantastic picture, captured by Alex Wright, of Photo Durand, shows Pope Leo taking part in the Torchlight Procession Thousands of pilgrims recited the Rosary, carrying their candles. Many were in wheelchairs with blankets wrapped around them.
through this life.”
Pope Leo said: “The light that guides us and draws us onward is the light of hope, which never abandons us even as we journey
He also visited sick pilgrims and staff in the Accueil Notre-Dame, telling them: “Life is beautiful and precious. Do not be
The Holy Father’s visit included Mass on the prairie opposite the Grotto, where around 150,000 pilgrims gathered.
discouraged: Our Lady of Lourdes is holding you by the hand.” Speaking to carers and volunteers, he added: “Is not the first miracle of Lourdes, for them, that they have met you, that they have experienced your generosity, your dedication and your closeness?”
16 + Hallam Diocesan Catholic Voice + November 2026
NEWS
Holy Father prays for peace after five die in airstrike Pope Leo XIV has expressed his sorrow and assured Gaza’s Christian community of his prayers after an Israeli airstrike killed five civilians and injured many more. The attack struck a residential building in the Rimal neighbourhood of western Gaza City in the early hours of Saturday October 3.
Metropolitan Alexios, the Greek Orthodox patriarchal vicar, prayed for their eternal rest. According to medical sources at Al-Shifa Hospital, those wounded in the attack were in serious condition. The Israeli military said the strike targeted a Hamas command centre or leader.
Among those killed were Maysa Khader Ibrahim Abu Daoud and her daughter, Mary Hafez Michel Najjar. The two Greek Orthodox women had recently found a new place of refuge and were trying to rebuild their lives. In a message to Father Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of Holy Family Church in Gaza, Pope Leo prayed for the victims and thanked him for his ministry. “Since learning the painful news of the deaths of Maysa and Mary, I have been praying to God for them, for their families and for the entire community of Gaza. How long, O Lord?” he wrote.
The local church, led on the ground by Father Romanelli and the Missionaries of Charity, continues to assist hundreds of displaced people with nowhere safe to go.
“Thank you for accompanying the parish and so many people who wish to live in peace. Blessings and an affectionate embrace.” Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, expressed his condolences on behalf of the clergy and the diocese, condemning the loss of innocent lives.
“The rains will be an enormous problem for all those living in tents,” he said. Amid these difficulties, the reopening of Gaza’s parish school has offered the community a sign of hope.
The women’s funeral took place at St Porphyrius Church in Gaza City, where
redemp orist
p u b l i c a t i o n s
Although the intensity of the fighting has diminished, Cardinal Pizzaballa warned that everyday life and humanitarian conditions may be worse. “Reconstruction has not begun. Living conditions have not improved; indeed, in some respects, they have even worsened.” With winter approaching, Cardinal Pizzaballa voiced particular concern for displaced families.
“Reopening was an important sign to give. A sign that, despite all the difficulties, we want to begin again: we are not giving up. There was great joy that day; everyone was crying.”
The school attached to the Gaza’s only Roman Catholic Church has proudly reopened its doors to its 1,000 pupils after three years of war – a sign of hope as the death toll in the strip rose to 73,789 – Photo © CAN
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cbcew.org.uk Archbishop John Sherrington, the Archbishop of Liverpool and Lead Bishop for Life Issues for the Bishops’ Conference, has offered his gratitude and thanks to those who wrote to their MPs to stop the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill progressing through parliament. Archbishop Sherrington also expressed his gratitude to disability rights groups and legal and healthcare professionals for raising a collective voice to uphold “the dignity and sanctity of every life.”
TODAY! its doors following a Salford Cathedral has reopened renewal three-year programme of restoration, the cathedral and refurbishment that has transformed
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Throughout this debate, we have argued that our response to those facing serious illness, disability or the challenges of old age should be rooted in solidarity, care and respect. The true measure of a compassionate society is its
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The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will have its crunch vote and second reading in the House of Commons on Friday, 11 September .
three-year programme
following a
of
of
So what are the problems
We are pleased that MPs have voted to oppose the passage of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. We would like to thank those who wrote to their MPs to stop the bill’s progression and who assisted the campaign against the bill in other ways. I would like to express my gratitude to those MPs who voted against the Bill and the many people from across society who made their voices heard – doctors, legal professionals, disability groups, other faith communities and those of no faith who stood up for the dignity and sanctity of every life. We are thankful for the many prayers which have been offered during these weeks.
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The following interview is part of the Catholic News podcast which features interviews with lay people, religious and clergy involved in dioceseofsalford.org.u the k Church's work in England Salford Cathedral and Wales. has reopened its doors
Archbishop’s Full Statement interior scheme, restored statues, renewed key liturgical decoration, the repositioning of on Chapel features, and a new glass entrance a visible sense of heritage, Street designed to offer Alongside restoring the cathedral’s of the city. in its future. welcome in the heart the project has also invested flexibility, Improved facilities, increased Purcell Architects and a strong We are grateful to enhanced accessibility and for their expertise help ensure Simpsons of York commitment to sustainability to the project. Their specialist and throughout stonework people its the to serve repairs has the cathedral can continue to the Evangelist longstanding knowledge of heritage conservation The Cathedral Church of St John ensuring it could continue come. back on infrastructure while of the of the diocese for generations to welcomed worshippers and visitors enabled the careful restoration of a growing community. while weekend of to meet the needs character historic Saturday 4 July, when a cathedral’s much of the work focused on essential and completion of celebrations began to mark the has been the While incorporating modern standards A key element of the project fabric of the building, visitors will historic repairs to the support its future mission. this significant project. transformation technology to restoration of many of the cathedral’s remarkable a notice the reinstatement of heart of the features, including the cathedral. Improvements Continued on page 2 Having served as the spiritual schemes and the throughout the cathedral original decorative new energy-efficient exterior lighting diocese for more than 175 years, stained-glass windows, include to address conservation of required extensive restoration bringing renewed colour, vibrancy to this sacred space.
God of Our Senses
Fr Stephen Wang appointed as new Bishop of Arundel and Brighton
page 3
Celebrating the Comp Transformative Cathe letion of a dral Restoration
bringing renewed colour, vibrancy and beauty to this sacred space. Alongside restoring
scheme, restored statues, renewed interior decoration, the repositioning of key liturgical features, and a new glass entrance
restoration, renewal on Chapel heritage, Street A diverse range of people, the project has also designed to offer a and invested in its future. visible sense of notrefurbishment just welcome in the heart have raised their voicesThe Cathedral Catholics, that has transformed the cathedral Improved facilities, increased flexibility, of the city. Church of St John the in opposition enhanced accessibility Evangelist longstanding and a strong Private Members' Bill welcomed worshipperstoandthis We are grateful to visitors back on infrastructure repairs to its stonework and commitment to sustainability Purcell Architects and that Saturday seeks to help ensure Simpsons while ensuring it could to legalise 4 July, when a weekend continue the cathedral can continue of York for their assisted suicide. Our of to meet the needs to serve the people expertise began to mark the completion of a growing community. newcelebrations Prime Minister, throughout the project. of the diocese for generations of Their specialist to come. Burnham, has said that this significant project. Andy knowledge of heritage A key element of the now is not the time for conservation has project has been the While enabled the careful much of the work focused this debate and it wouldHaving served as the restoration of many restoration of the of the cathedral’s historic on essential cathedral’s spiritual heart of the be better sort repairs to the fabric of historic features, including outthe character the building, visitors than 175 years, the reinstatement the UK's palliative care diocese for moreto while will incorporating cathedral original of notice a modern standards required and remarkable decorative schemes social extensive carerestoration transformation technology and crisis. to address conservation and the throughout to support
The Bill failed after it’s Second Reading by 270 (Yes) votes to 286 (No) – a majority of 16.
dioceseofsalford.org.uk
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St. John Henry Newman October 9th
Archbishop thanks those who united to defeat assisted suicide Bill
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willingness to support people through difficult circumstances rather than encouraging them to end their lives. Every day, families, friends, carers and healthcare professionals demonstrate extraordinary generosity in accompanying and supporting those who are suffering. Their dedication reminds us of the value of human relationships and of our shared responsibility to care for one another, especially at life’s most vulnerable moments.
We remain convinced that the most effective way to address suffering at the end of life is through greater access to excellent palliative and end-of-life care. Ensuring such care is available to all who need it can help people experience comfort, dignity and support in their final days. We will continue to promote these as priorities and to stand alongside those who devote themselves to caring for the dying in hospices, hospitals, care homes and communities.
May all the sick and frail find comfort in the support of their loved ones, and the love of God, which transcends all suffering. I ask the Catholic community to continue to pray for our legislators, that they will ensure that our laws always uphold the dignity of human life. Archbishop John Sherrington Lead Bishop for Life Issues Archbishop of Liverpool
and what
stained-glass
windows,
the cathedral’s
the cathedral. Improvements include new energy-efficient exterior lighting
its future mission.
Continued on page
2 Dr Karen Groves MBE needs to be fixed? "We've moved on a lot (Inset) in nearly 50 years, and Dr Karen Groves MBE “It's a huge challenge, qualified as a doctor but it's taken many years at now for this area, we've got integrated a time when the modern hospice of work to build hospice and palliative and specialist How does a hospice relationships with all palliative care services achieve care movement was other working local services, and those only just beginning. standard palliative care gold out of Queenscourt, are really important and which is our local hospice, so that everything's end-of-life care? What knitted together, and the specialist clinical are the key "Pain and other symptoms that and educational hub, provides the continuity were really poorly seeing ingredients? of care. managed, not due to patients and families “I think there are many," lack of compassion in Queenscourt or itself, or an equal says Dr Groves. "But care, but just through number in our local hospitals, "It's made a big difference a lack of knowledge," to the number of a few of the main ones, are: investment said Dr Groves. "There and twice as many in selection, ongoing training, was a lot of fear among again in our local care people who are able to stay in their and real support of own the public and health homes. Some people homes and their own professionals about homes, which is where accuse hospices of skilled clinical and non-clinical staff. the Plus time use of morphine, and providing a gold standard also of speaking to the vast majority of people really service to the very and attention to detail for every patient want to be few, and I people about their illness and would counter that to and what to expect living their lives, and living them say that where family - that's really important. A huge number to the full, to hospices have in the future. It just wasn't of committed volunteers the opportunity to done in those days." the end." develop without whom the integrated services service can't provide across all settings, the standard then of care that actually they can provide To address this and to meet end-of-life a responsive, helpful, it does. Then the financial care Dr Groves advocates for a 'continuity support and needs in West Lancashire, goodwill of the community of care' reliable, and consistent service in Formby, and so that integrated which of this area - West services are provided patients and families have Southport, Dr Groves Lancs, Southport confidence, and founded Queenscourt consistently and Formby - who've they're much less likely and appropriately for Hospice in Southport to dial 999 because of supported the building, the each person in the late 1980s. growth, and the across a number of care fear or not knowing what to do in a situation. development of their services. settings. It makes a big difference." Continued on page 2
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