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From the Archbishop’s Desk
The last few weeks have been a time of blessings.
In mid-June, I travelled to the Isle of Man to be installed in the cocathedral of St. Mary of the Isle in Douglas. After a stormy arrival, we were blessed on the following day with beautiful clear skies. In a simple ceremony of scripture and prayer, the co-cathedral echoed song and praise to God. Mgr John Devine warmly welcomed me, and among the civic guests were the Lieutenant Governor representing Charles, the Lord of Man; the President of the Tynwald; and other politicians, mayors and leaders. We were also joined by many ecumenical guests; The Bishop of Sodor and Man was represented by the Archdeacon as she could not be present. The gathering of people symbolised the rich cooperation between Christians on the island. I look forward to returning in July to celebrate confirmations and visit the other churches.
The following day brought another joyful occasion – the celebration of the Good Shepherd Mass in the Metropolitan Cathedral, with 1,600 school children and young people. The choir numbered about 1,000 young people who had benefitted from the Schools Singing Programme. Financial gifts were brought from the various schools to support Nugent and continue the pioneering work of Father James Nugent (1822 - 1905) who developed child welfare, relief from poverty, and social reform. Today, Nugent continues its social outreach and seeks to make a positive difference to people and communities, especially the vulnerable and disadvantaged. The young people spoke of the ways they had raised the money including cupcake sales, sponsored events, and even throwing sponges at staff. I invited the young people to ‘Imagine our World’ if it was built as Jesus wanted it. It would be full of joy, hope, justice, and peace. The cathedral was alive with children and young people singing and praising God. It was a wonderful day which will be remembered.
On 17 June, the people of Liverpool rejoiced when they heard that Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral had been given the status of a Grade 1 Listed Building. This new designation recognises our cathedral as one of the outstanding architectural designs of the twentieth century. Sir Frederick Gibberd’s revolutionary design of stone and bright colourful stained glass with its funnellike tower stands out over the city and welcomes people home. The cathedral is a place of prayer, sanctuary and peace. I hope that this new status will bring many pilgrims and visitors to enjoy the Cathedral and find there a place of rest. Congratulations to Mgr. Anthony O’Brien and the team at the cathedral.
Archbishop John Sherrington Archbishop of Liverpool
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Hope, unity, and inspiring music
‘It was good to meet new friends and old friends, and I could see the hope in the sense of unity.’ Moses Mui, Archdiocesan training co-ordinator
Walking in a spirit of unity
This year’s Pentecost Walk between the two cathedrals on 8 June was all the more special for incorporating the Jubilee theme of Pilgrims of Hope.
by Simon Hart
It is a tradition which has its origins in the day in 1982 when the now Saint John Paul II came to Liverpool, visiting Liverpool Cathedral before being driven along Hope Street to the Metropolitan Cathedral.
For many years now, the Annual Pentecost Walk, taking participants from one cathedral to the other, has held a significant place in the archdiocesan calendar as a day to celebrate the close links between the denominations on Merseyside.
This year’s walk on Sunday 8 June was no different - though it contained an additional dimension with the weaving of the Jubilee theme of Pilgrims of Hope into the celebration. A year earlier, the walk had been linked to the 100th anniversary of the consecration of Liverpool Cathedral; now those walking from that huge edifice towards the Metropolitan Cathedral carried six blue banners bearing the message ‘We are Pilgrims of Hope – Walking Together to Build a Better World’.
For Archbishop John Sherrington, it was his first Pentecost Walk and, coming just 12 days after his Mass of Installation, he was delighted to be following, literally, in the footsteps of Archbishop Derek Worlock who was such a driving force for ecumenism in the city alongside Bishop David Sheppard during the era of that papal visit.
‘I was delighted to take part in the
“Two Cathedrals” walk on Pentecost Sunday and to experience the vibrancy of ecumenical friendship in the city of Liverpool,’ said Archbishop Sherrington. ‘Walking together with other Christian leaders, we witnessed to the hope in our hearts; the hope we find in the Risen Christ. It was particularly poignant for me to walk past the memorial to Bishop David Sheppard and Archbishop Derek Worlock and see how I am called to follow in their footsteps on this journey together in faith and love.’
This year’s event, titled the Annual Pentecost March, began with a short service at the Anglican Cathedral,
starting at 3pm. It commenced, fittingly, with the singing of the hymn ‘He Who Would Valiant Be’ – with its famous refrain ‘To be a pilgrim’ – before the Dean of the Anglican Cathedral, Reverend Sue Jones, provided the welcome and introduction. After an opening prayer from Archbishop Sherrington, there were reflections on three themes for prayer and action in this Jubilee year – care for creation, food poverty, and managing debt – along with prayers of intercession. These came from Cathy Kearney from the Micah Liverpool Foodbank, CAFOD volunteer Angela Pender, and Joanne Dobbie from Nugent. The music, meanwhile, came from the choirs of both cathedrals, enhancing the uplifting mood and befitting an event co-ordinated by the respective deans – Monsignor Tony O’Brien from the Metropolitan Cathedral and his abovementioned Anglican counterpart, Rev Sue Jones. They sat side-by-side and then walked together along Hope Street.
In total, around 600 people had congregated in the Anglican Cathedral and the procession that followed – led by a Salvation Army brass band – featured people of all ages, including more than one young child on the shoulders of their father. And as they got closer to the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Melling Baptist choir began singing from the cathedral piazza to welcome them. As Elisabeth Hachmoeller, ecumenical coordinator for Churches Together in the Merseyside Region, who was walking alongside Archbishop Emeritus Malcolm McMahon, said: ‘We could hear the Melling choir that beckoned us up to the Metropolitan Cathedral.’
Once the walkers had gathered in the square at the foot of the steps leading up
to the cathedral, the two cathedral choirs sang the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. Then Reverend Phil Jump, the Baptist regional minister, joined Annie Spiers from the In Another Place theatre company in reading ‘A Pentecost Story’ – a version of the events of Pentecost which Rev Jump had scripted.
To conclude the event, Archbishop Sherrington said the final prayer before delivering a joint blessing along with Bishop Geoff Pearson (there to represent the Bishop of Liverpool) and Reverend Geoff Felton, moderator of the Mersey Synod of the United Reformed Church, who was there on behalf of the Free Church Leaders.
Elizabeth Parsons, Director of Pastoral Development for the archdiocese, had helped to organise the event and was delighted with how it unfolded. ‘It was a wonderful ecumenical celebration,’ she said. ‘It was special that our brothers and
sisters from other denominations joined us in the theme of Pilgrims of Hope. It was a very hopeful day. There was a lot of optimism.’
One last element worthy of note, she added, was the set of stalls on the piazza which allowed local charities and organisations to highlight the work they are doing. These ranged from Together Liverpool, the Micah Foodbank, CAFOD, Nugent, and Care for Creation, to Pax Christie, The Medaille Trust, Mary’s Meals and the Faithful Companions of Jesus.
‘We had a marketplace with stalls set up for number of charities who help to support people and offer hope in Liverpool,’ said Elizabeth. ‘We tried to make sure each of the six social action themes were represented somehow. It was a way of seeing the people who are on the ground working every day to offer hope to people. That was something that was very special too.’
With games laid on for children as well, one of the lovely aspects of the afternoon was the number of people who stayed and mingled after the service had concluded. As Elisabeth Hachmoeller said when summing up a hope-giving afternoon: ‘There was a lovely family atmosphere. People were talking to one another and getting to know one another. There were family games at the end, and it was very joyful overall. I’ve not spoken to a single person who didn’t feel that.’
‘At the end of the walk, it was great to be reminded of the Jubilee themes which were represented by many charities and organisations from around the archdiocese. The array of music was amazing too – from the Salvation Army band accompanying the walk, to the Baptist Church community choir singing at the steps of the Metropolitan Cathedral, to both Cathedral choirs singing the Hallelujah Chorus … all truly inspired by the Holy Spirit.’
Chris Higgins, Parish and Deanery Development Adviser
On a liturgical note
On the 26th of this month, the Liturgy remembers Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Mary will have learned the love of God from the example of her parents – it is perhaps not too far-fetched to say that, when the Angel Gabriel visited her, Mary had the generosity of spirit and openness to say her ‘Fiat’ - her yes to God’s plan and purpose - because she had learned it daily in the heart of the household.
Mary teaches us what it is to be responsive to what God wants for us – and once we have recognised what God wants, we need to have an active engagement in the practicalities of living to make it something ‘real and active’.
At the beginning of the Mass, we acknowledge the grace of Our Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father, and the Communion, the togetherness, which is brought about in our lives through the working of the Holy Spirit.
Sunday thoughts
For decades I have defended the Jewish people from the absurdities of Holocaust deniers. I admire, and even love, the rituals and observances of the Jewish faith. My spiritual life has been sustained by the yearnings of the Jewish people expressed in the sublime words of the Psalms; words which Jesus made his own. I envy the Jewish Friday night culture when they gather for a family meal. I have been inspired by the integrity and rectitude of contemporary Jewish figures: religious leaders such as Jonathan Sacks and Hugo Gryn; intellectuals such as Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud; and many more who have contributed to the cultural, scientific and social fabric of our nation.
Throughout the Hebrew Bible, with the exception of the reigns of David and Solomon, Israel has been overrun by powerful neighbours. At the time of Jesus, Israel was a neglected and exploited province of the Roman Empire. The Holocaust confirmed the status of Jews as victims. Britain was their last colonial overlord prior to the establishment of the State of Israel. American money and military might have allowed Israel to punch above its weight.
Canon Philip Gillespie
We live in a world which seems ever more in need of these virtues. The divisions which can be brought about through fear, greed and envy soon tip over into violence and conflict – and, sadly and painfully, the slaughter of the innocents is not just something of the past.
Since his election, Pope Leo has been laying great emphasis on the need for peace – peace which is rooted first and above all in the right recognition of our interdependence in this ‘common home’ which has been entrusted to us by God. Over the summer, we will all hopefully have the opportunity to find some peace and space in what can be busy and fractured lives.
Please remember in your prayers those from the Beda College who will be ordained as deacon or priest during these weeks. May they – and indeed each one of us – be people of grace, love and communion.
Mgr John Devine OBE
Although, in recent years our support for Israel has been tempered by sympathy for displaced Palestinians and a call for a two-state solution, we have been happy to see the modern state of Israel flourish. That support extended to the atrocities of 7 October 2023. We shared their outrage. But the tables have turned. Israel’s moral capital has been squandered in their brutal attempts to wipe the population of Gaza from the face of the earth and in statesanctioned attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.
You call us into deeper waters
My cousin Barbara was adopted when she was a baby and brought up very lovingly.
Eventually, there came a point in her life when she wanted to know where she had come from and to try to reconnect with her natural family. She has often said that she loved her adoptive parents very much, but deep within was a sense of not belonging and feeling different to other people.
The drive towards community is deep within us. To belong is one of the basic desires of the human heart. God created us to be in relationship. There seems to be within us a drive to experience the emotional strength of being part of something bigger than ourselves. When we do not have a sense of belonging, we seem to be less emotionally stable than we would otherwise be. I am sure that is why so many of us spend so much time building up the mounds of possessions that we have. I am sure it is why we create our own little kingdoms of power to take away our sense of alienation and isolation, so that we have the security of feeling as though we belong somewhere.
In her book ‘Blessings’, Mary Craig describes being at a party in Poland. It was held by survivors of the Ravensbruck concentration camp. As the evening wore on, she noticed one woman sitting on the outside not joining in. Eventually Mary made her way over to her and the woman, with a great deal of pain in her voice, said, “You don’t understand, I wasn’t there”. She wanted to belong.
We are born in a period of history that has probably produced the most individualistic culture the world has ever had. We have lost our communal understanding. Everything about life today is about fulfilment for the individual and if, as individuals, we are not fulfilled then somehow we have failed.
Does anyone else now share my discomfort with the constant references to Israel and Jerusalem in our readings at Mass? Non-Jews who are critical of Israeli policy are condemned as antisemitic. In the United States, universities are targeted for pro-Palestinian views and protestors are arrested as terrorist sympathisers. Those displaying Palestinian flags are threatened with arrest and deportation. Where in Israel are the present-day successors to Amos, Micah and Hosea, holding their Jewish leaders to account?
The primary call of the modern world seems to be to individualism. Even in the Church we have bought the lie and laid so much stress on the individual going to heaven and saving my soul. Yet God created us with a desire to be communal. It is no wonder there is so much pain in the world and brokenness. We are fighting against the deepest part of ourselves.
Whenever you experience the presence of God in a profound way, it calls you into relationship. If your experience of the spirit has not called you into something bigger than yourself or has not invited you to look beyond yourself to the needs of others, then I would question its validity. If your faith has not made you realise that you are one with your brothers and sisters – whether they be black, white, asylum-seekers, refugees, the starving, gay or straight – then maybe it is not faith.
God will always push us beyond the boundaries we create for ourselves and challenge us to enter deeper waters. It is there, in that place of uncertainty where we do not have all the answers, that God can work the miracle of transformation.
Father Chris Thomas
Other pilgrimages, part 1
by Neil Sayer, Archdiocesan Archivist
In 1975, as the oil crisis (“what crisis?”) continued to have an impact on air fares, the small Norfolk village of Walsingham was being touted as “an alternative to Lourdes as a place of pilgrimage for English Catholics”.
In fact, of course, the two centres of pilgrimage had happily coexisted for years, and continue to do so. As pilgrims from our archdiocese prepare for their annual trip to France, we explore the history of this “alternative” site in rural East Anglia.
Walsingham was established as a Shrine in 1061, a few years before the Norman Conquest of England. A replica of the House of the Annunciation, where the angel Gabriel greeted Mary in Nazareth, was built in a village in north Norfolk. With the later building of an Augustinian Priory, Walsingham became one of the greatest shrines in medieval Christendom, known as “England’s Nazareth” and second in importance in England only to Canterbury with its Thomas Becket connection.
The Reformation led to the destruction of the Priory and Shrine in 1538. In 1896, After centuries of secular use and with the assistance of a generous benefactor, the Slipper Chapel, a mile south of the village and the last remaining wayside chapel on the pilgrim route to Walsingham, was restored for Catholic use. By tradition, pilgrims removed their shoes to walk the last mile to the Holy House and Walsingham Priory barefoot, which gives one theory for the building’s designation as the “Slipper Chapel”. The first public pilgrimage took place on 20 August 1897 to the national shrine then established in King’s Lynn, and was organised by the Guild of Our Lady of Ransom. Its popularity increased so that in 1934, when the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales led 10,000 pilgrims to Walsingham, the Slipper Chapel was declared the national Shrine of Our Lady for Catholics in England. The Chapel of Reconciliation was opened in 1982, and in 2015, Pope Francis conferred the title of Minor Basilica on the Shrine precinct.
In our archdiocese, several parishes were both early and long-term supporters of Walsingham. St Clare in Wavertree and St Richard of Chichester in Atherton, for example, sent groups of pilgrims in 1949 and for many years following. The Union of Catholic Mothers established their own annual pilgrimage in 1945, and many local branches sent representatives. The Catholic Teachers’ Association also did much to create support among its members. When Dan Morgan retired as headmaster of St Christopher’s School in Speke, he dedicated much of his retirement to the shrine, and he was a guiding force for the formation of the Liverpool Walsingham Association in 1972. By 1976, the Diocesan Walsingham Association was able to organise its first pilgrimage to the shrine, when 450 members took part.
It grew steadily in popularity, but one reason why it has never eclipsed Lourdes was identified by Mr Morgan even before the first pilgrimage set off: shortage of accommodation. Whereas Lourdes has hotels in abundance, Walsingham, said Mr Morgan, “is tiny and not at all orientated to taking in pilgrims. In the long term, something permanent will have to be done about this.” In its early days, the coaches from Liverpool set out on a Saturday in September for a six-to-eight hour journey and returned the following day. Following the lead of the Diocese of Newcastle, pilgrims were accommodated in halls of residence at the University of East Anglia in Norwich.
By 1982, Bishop Kevin O’Connor, Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool, was the usual religious leader of the pilgrimage. Certain traditions had also become established. The Archdiocesan Catholic Youth Service would send an advance party in a minibus, staying in a Youth Hostel on the Friday night. The “Red Army” would nip up to the seaside resort of Wells-next-the-Sea where they would stock up on ice cream and spend their coppers in the slot machines before returning in plenty of time for their main duty: to bear the statue of Our Lady for the 40-minute procession along the Holy Mile from the village to the Chapel of Reconciliation.
There are now about 35 major Catholic pilgrimages there every year, with over 150,000 pilgrims making their way to worship at the Shrine. With its sister Anglican Shrine in the village itself, Walsingham has a reputation as a place of reparation and reconciliation, of prayer and penance.
Bishop O’Connor with representatives of Walsingham’s Catholic and Anglican churches; Dan Morgan at right, 1982
Bishop O’Connor with representatives of Walsingham’s Catholic and Anglican churches; Dan Morgan at right, 1982
Bishop O’Connor with members of the Youth Service and packed lunches, 1983
Bernard Walker from Chorley in front of the Slipper Chapel, 1977
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Archbishop John Sherrington takes possession of his Episcopal Chair at the co-cathedral
On Tuesday 10 June, Archbishop John Sherrington took possession of his Episcopal Chair in the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary of the Isle, Isle of Man, the co-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Liverpool.
The Archbishop’s first trip to the island in an official capacity came a few weeks after the Mass of Installation at the Metropolitan Cathedral in May.
The service was attended by parishioners from across the island, as well as dignitaries including the King’s personal representatives on the Isle of Man, His Excellency The Lieutenant Governor; the President of Tynwald; the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man; the Deputy Mayor and the Chief Executive of the City of Douglas.
Ecumenical representatives and the choir from St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, who sung This Little Light of Mine, were also in attendance.
At the beginning of the service, Archbishop Sherrington, accompanied by the Vicar General and Chancellor of the archdiocese; knocked on the cathedral door to gain entry. Cathedral Dean Monsignor John Devine opened the doors of the cathedral and welcomed the archbishop.
Before the Archbishop took possession of his cathedra, Vicar General Canon Aidan Prescott read the mandate from the late Pope Francis, before Monsignor Devine led the archbishop to the Episcopal Chair.
The Gospel was read in Manx, and the Manx national anthem was sung to recognise the cultural heritage and unique status of the Isle of Man.
Archbishop John Sherrington said: “My visit to the Isle of Man was full of great joy. It was wonderful to meet so many parishioners as well as clergy, ecumenical partners, civic dignitaries and young people. I want to thank everyone for my warm welcome to this part of our archdiocese.”
Fatima Centenary Marked at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
Hundreds gathered at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King on Monday 2 June for the visitation of the National Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima and the relics of Saints Jacinta and Francisco Marto.
The event marked one hundred years since the devotion of the Five First Saturdays was revealed to Sister Lucia, one of the Fatima visionaries, in December 1925. The statue and relics are currently touring cathedrals across England and Wales as part of a national programme organised by the World Apostolate of Fatima.
The Five First Saturdays devotion is closely linked to the message of Fatima, which calls us to pray, make small sacrifices, and work for peace. During this Jubilee Year of Hope, the Church is encouraging people to renew their devotion, seeing it as a way to grow closer to God and bring peace into their lives and the world. It invites us to comfort Mary’s heart
and follow Jesus with more love and trust, especially in difficult times.
The day began with a welcome and a procession, followed by Mass celebrated by Archbishop John Sherrington. Schools from across the archdiocese attended the morning liturgy, including pupils from All Saints, Our Lady Queen of Peace, St Monica’s, Notre Dame, and St Cuthbert’s. Volunteers from the cathedral community supported the procession and services throughout the day.
Following Mass, there was an opportunity for veneration of the relics and the statue of Our Lady of Fatima. The programme continued with the Rosary, a talk and film on the Fatima message, enrolment in the Brown Scapular, and a Holy Hour with Benediction and Reconciliation. A second Mass at 5pm concluded the day.
Further information on the devotion can be found at worldfatima-englandwales.org.uk
Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral upgraded to Grade I listed status
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has awarded The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King in Liverpool Grade I listed status, following advice from Historic England. The cathedral, previously Grade II* listed, is now nationally recognised as a building of the highest architectural and historical interest.
Built between 1962 and 1967, the cathedral represents the greatest Roman Catholic post-war architectural commission in Britain. It was built over an earlier Sir Edwin Lutyens-designed crypt, intended to be part of a grand classical-style Catholic cathedral in Liverpool that began in the 1930s, but construction was halted, largely due to financial constraints and the outbreak of the Second World War.
The upgrade of the cathedral’s listing status reflects a deeper understanding of Sir Frederick Gibberd’s architectural vision and the cathedral’s significance as an international example of progressive Roman Catholic architecture during the mid-20th century.
The cathedral’s revolutionary design features make it an architectural landmark of the highest order. Gibberd’s centralised plan with a unified worship space was unprecedented in British cathedral design, allowing congregations to participate more fully in the visual drama of the Mass.
The striking central lantern or ‘corona’ filled with coloured glass by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens uses an innovative technique of cementing glass with epoxy resin pre-cast within tracery of thin concrete ribs – a method invented specifically for this building.
The cathedral also features numerous artistic collaborations of exceptional quality, including William Mitchell’s Evangelist entrance doors and carving to the bell tower, Elizabeth Frink’s crucifix, David Atkins’ geometrical floor pattern, Ceri Richards’
work in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, and coloured glass by Margaret Traherne in multiple chapels.
This fusion of modern architecture with fine art epitomises the progressive shift following the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), which emphasised the full, conscious, and active participation of the congregation in Catholic worship.
Archbishop John Sherrington, Archbishop of Liverpool, said: “I welcome the announcement that Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King has been recognised as a Grade I listed building. It commands the Liverpool skyline and is visible for miles around. The building has been described as ‘the soul of the city’ and brings hope to thousands who visit each year. The colours of the stained glass and revolutionary architectural style help raise their minds and hearts beyond this world to the transcendent and to God.
“It is very significant that the cathedral has been recognised during the Jubilee Year which has the theme ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. I hope the upgraded listed status allows us to welcome even more pilgrims to our striking Mother Church.
“I thank all who have contributed to the upkeep and repair of the building for over 60 years and pray that we may care nationally for this building of the highest architectural and historical interest.”
Through the Missing Pieces Project, Historic England invites everyone to discover the listed places on their doorstep and contribute their own unique piece to the picture by adding photos, videos, stories and memories on the National Heritage List for England.
For more information, and details on how you can add your story to the Missing Pieces Project, visit www.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/news
Fr Austin Griffin Celebrates 60 Years of Priesthood
A Mass of Thanksgiving was held at St Oswald’s Church, Padgate, Warrington, on Saturday 14 June to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Father Austin Griffin’s ordination to the priesthood.
Archbishop Emeritus Malcolm McMahon OP concelebrated the Mass, joined by priests from across the archdiocese. Fr Austin was ordained 12 June 1963 at St Joseph’s College, Upholland, and notably served for 25 years as chaplain to the Parachute Regiment Officers’ Mess in Aldershot, following the tragic death of Fr Gerry Weston in 1972.
In his homily, Fr Austin expressed deep gratitude to his family and the parishioners he has served over the decades, including those at St Teresa’s, Penwortham, and later at St Mary Magdalen. He described the people he encountered in ministry as “so many good people whose goodness strengthened my faith and made my service a joy.”
Archbishop Emeritus Malcolm commended Fr Austin’s unwavering dedication to his vocation and to the people he served so faithfully. The church was filled with family, friends, and former parishioners, gathered to celebrate this remarkable milestone.
St Patrick’s moves outside!
Refurbishment work is well underway at St Patrick’s Church, Wigan, with a new roof and exterior repairs making the building temporarily unusable since March. Parishioners showed great creativity and teamwork by clearing the church and setting up a weekday chapel in the presbytery.
Sunday Mass and the Sacred Triduum has been celebrated in St Patrick’s Primary School hall, kindly provided by Head Teacher Mrs Hobden. On special occasions - such as the Traditional Blessing of Baskets on Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday and the May Crowning - Parish Priest Fr Paul Grady and Assistant Priest Fr Hugh Donleavy have celebrated outdoor Liturgies, using a magnificent outdoor altar created and donated by parishioner, Patrick McLoughlin. Staff, parishioners and families have worked together to make these events possible – with a strong sense of community very much present.
This period has united the community in faith and service. Plans to mark the refurbishment’s completion include a time capsule, Commemorative Book, and a Mass of Thanksgiving.
Marking Conscience and Peace on International Conscientious Objection Day
On 15 May 2025, members of PX Liverpool, together with friends from Liverpool Quakers, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (C.N.D.), and other peace advocates, gathered outside Liverpool Law Courts to mark International Conscientious Objection Day.
This location was chosen to symbolise the many courtrooms across the globe where, both historically and in our time, people of conscience have been prosecuted for refusing military conscription. These are individuals who, compelled by faith or deeply held principles, refuse to take up arms or participate in war.
The event included singing, music, poetry, and the powerful voice of Tayo Aluko—playwright, activist, and performer—who shared a speech by Paul Robeson. Leaflets were distributed, highlighting the ongoing importance of the human right to act according to one’s conscience, particularly in matters of life and death.
This year, the group remembered in particular three young Israeli army refusers who, in the face of the ongoing war in Gaza, have
by Maureen Wilcock
publicly declared: “We will not participate in genocide.” They have already served 30 days in military prison, with further incarceration likely. “Their stand is a modern echo of an enduring struggle for peace,” commented Maureen Wilcock of Merseyside Pax Christi.
Merseyside Pax Christi
A wonderful reception followed in St Oswald’s Parish Centre, organised by Canon David Heywood.
Photo: Kevin Holt
Annual Marian Procession Through Liverpool Marks 20th Year
On a bright spring day in Liverpool city centre, faith and tradition met the bustle of everyday life as the annual Marian Procession, organised by the Missionaries of Charity, marked its 20th anniversary with a joyful public witness to the Catholic faith.
The procession began, as it has for two decades, at the Missionaries of Charity house in Seel Street, winding its way through Bold Street, Church Street, and Whitechapel, before concluding with a short service before the Blessed Sacrament in Queen Square.
Father Peter Ross, ordained in 2024 and currently serving at St Bede’s, Widnes, led the prayers and hymns when the procession paused at the bottom of Bold Street. As a teenager, Fr Peter had walked the same route — and this year, he returned not as a participant, but as its leader. “It was particularly meaningful to see Fr Peter, my nephew, now leading the walk he once joined as a young pilgrim,” said Jim Ross, writing on behalf of the Missionaries of Charity.
Several children in their First Holy Communion dresses scattered rose petals at the feet of the statue of Our Lady. Many passers-by and busy shoppers paused to join in the hymns.
There were also touches of light-heartedness, especially when the group paused outside bustling cafés. “People enjoying tea and coffee joined in good humour,” Jim shared. “About 150
walkers belted out ‘O Mary, we crown thee with blossom today,’ and some of the public sang along.”
Now in its 20th year, this much-loved event continues to offer a peaceful, prayerful presence in the heart of the city.
St Teresa of Avila Parish, St Helens celebrates its Centenary Year
This year marks a significant milestone for St Teresa of
as it celebrates its Centenary Year.
Founded in 1925, the parish initially held Sunday Mass in a local Victorian primary school. Two years later, in 1927, a temporary church was opened to serve the growing Catholic community. In July 1965, the current church was opened—marking a historic moment as the first Consecration and Mass in England celebrated in English.
In this Jubilee Year, the parish reflects on the theme “Pilgrims of Hope” and the work of the priests and parishioners who built the Catholic community over the last century.
In 2024, A volunteer group was formed to help commemorate the centenary. As a result, several historical displays have been installed within the church, and a comprehensive parish history
has been compiled. A calendar of both spiritual and social events has been planned, bringing parishioners together in celebration and reflection.
In January, commemorative bookmarks were given to parishioners, with the parish’s oldest member, aged 99, presenting them during the Offertory collection. On Sunday 2 February, Fr Martin Kershaw, Parish Priest, celebrated a special Mass for all those baptised in the parish, during which the congregation renewed their Baptismal vows.
The first social event of the centenary, an Easter Bingo, raised £500 and highlighted the strong community spirit within the parish. In May, children from the primary school and Children’s Liturgy group led a joyful procession before Sunday Mass. Looking ahead, the parish has several more events planned:
• Sunday 13 July: A commemorative Mass led by Bishop Tom Neylon, former Parish Priest, marking the 60th anniversary of the church’s opening in 1965
• Sunday 16 November: A Mass of Remembrance for deceased parishioners
Upcoming social events include:
• 24 August: Parish Garden Party
• 2 September: Pilkington Choir Concert
• 13 & 14 September: Participation in Heritage Open Days
• 17 October: Quiz Night
The centenary year will conclude with a festive Gala Concert on Tuesday 16 December
St Teresa of Avila Parish celebrates 100 years of faithful service— and looks ahead to the next chapter with hope and unity.
Avila Parish in St Helens
Jottings of a Lourdes Pilgrim
By Pat Murphy
I have a fascination with reading old newspapers - often they are more interesting than the present ones! I recently came across an article from the Times dated Friday 21 May 1858:
- “A girl named Savy in the Haute Pyrenees gave out at the beginning of the year that the Holy Virgin had several times appeared to her in a grotto near the town.”
It continues in a rather disbelieving manner, concluding that “the persons who pretend to see visions shall be sent to the hospital in Tarbes and be subjected to medical treatment, and that those who spread absurd tales of heavenly visitation shall be prosecuted for propagating false news.”
Oh dear oh dear. I wonder what that journalist would write now. There was a slightly more accepting report a little later in June of the same year. The journalist had travelled to Lourdes and had spoken to Bernadette, her aunt, the police and Father Peyramale. However, the grotto was said to be barricaded from people entering. It was an offence to enter the area and drink the water, with a heavy fine incurred for breaking the rules.
Just think of the millions of pilgrim’s visiting the shrine of Lourdes year-on-year since 1858. The many miraculous cures, the healing waters. Lourdes has been a continued place of pilgrimage from the early days. A place not only of pilgrimage but spiritual, physical and mental healing. If only the Times journalists could have seen into the future, how their eyes would have been opened.
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Let us all continue in this jubilee year on our own personal pilgrimage, whether it’s a walking pilgrimage within our own deaneries, a visit to a Holy place, or joining a jubilee year pilgrimage to Lourdes or Rome. Maybe your pilgrimage of prayer is from your own armchair – but we join together in prayer and unity. Here in Liverpool, not only have we
welcomed our new Pope Leo XIV, but also our new Archbishop John Sherrington, who will join those of us who are able to travel to Lourdes later this month.
Your petitions and prayers will travel with us on that pilgrimage. Our Lady of Lourdes pray for us. St Bernadette pray for us.
Pat Murphy will continue her Pilgrimage Jottings from Rome in September.
what’s on July
Wednesday 2 July
The Adventure with the Spirit
7:00pm – 8:30pm at The Irenaeus Project, 32 Great Georges Road, Waterloo, L22 1RD
Throughout July, The Irenaeus Project will be hosting a series of Summer Scripture Evenings called The Adventure with the Spirit. You can either attend in person, or get a Zoom link from jenny@irenaeus.co.uk.
Saturday 5 July
Come and See Day: The Wonder of our Call
10:30am – 4:00pm at The Irenaeus Project, 32 Great Georges Road, Waterloo, L22 1RD
The next Come and See Day is called The Wonder of our Call. The keynote speaker will be The Rev Canon Dr Ellen Loudon, who leads the Justice and Mercy work of Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. All are welcome to attend. You are asked to bring a packed lunch and a suggested donation is £10. For more information, email jenny@irenaeus.co.uk or phone 0151 949 1199.
Sunday 6 July
Summer Serenade
3pm at the Metropolitan Cathedral Join us for a Summer Serenade! The Metropolitan Cathedral Choir and the Liverpool Cathedral Choir, accompanied by Richard Lea on the organ and conducted by Christopher McElroy, will be performing Mass in G Minor by Vaughan Williams. Free admission, retiring collection.
Monday 7 July
Marriage Preparation Course (Course A –Part 4 of 4)
6:30pm – 8:30pm at Christ the King, Queens Drive, Wavertree, L15 6YQ
This is the final of four sessions in Course A of the Archdiocese of Liverpool’s Marriage Preparation Course for engaged couples planning to marry in the Catholic Church. Course A takes place over four consecutive Mondays in June and July. Attendance at all four sessions is required. Led by trained lay facilitators, each evening offers couples a chance to reflect on their relationship, develop communication skills, and explore the meaning of love in the Catholic tradition. Contact: Moses Mui at m.mui@rcaol.org.uk
Tuesday 8 July
Time Out on Tuesdays
10:00am – 4:00pm at Sisters of Our Lady of the Cenacle, Tithebarn Grove, Lance Lane, Wavertree, L15 6TW
In the midst of their busy lives, Jesus invited the disciples to “Come apart and rest for a while.” Why not take time to respond to this invitation and join The Sisters of Our Lady of the Cenacle for a time of prayer and quiet. No need to book, just come along and maybe bring a friend. For further information, contact Sr Winnie Morley on 0151 722 2271.
Wednesday 9 July
The Adventure with the Spirit 7:00pm – 8:30pm at The Irenaeus Project, 32 Great Georges Road, Waterloo, L22 1RD
Throughout July, The Irenaeus Project will be hosting a series of Summer Scripture Evenings called The Adventure with the Spirit. You can either attend in person, or get a Zoom link from jenny@ irenaeus.co.uk.
Sunday 13 July
Annual Yew Tree Cemetery Mass
3:00pm at Yew Tree Cemetery, Liverpool
The Annual Yew Tree Cemetery Open Air Mass will be taking place on 13 July. Mass will be offered to those who are buried in the cemetery. Since it is open air, be ready for any weather! You are also welcome to bring your own chair if you would like to sit down.
Wednesday 16 July
The Adventure with the Spirit 7:00pm – 8:30pm at The Irenaeus Project, 32 Great Georges Road, Waterloo, L22 1RD
Throughout July, The Irenaeus Project will be hosting a series of Summer Scripture Evenings called The Adventure with the Spirit. You can either attend in person, or get a Zoom link from jenny@ irenaeus.co.uk.
Wednesday 30 July
– Saturday 2 August
Society of St Gregory Summer School
Liverpool Hope University
The theme of Jubilee and Hope will be reflected in our liturgies and music, providing us with an opportunity to reflect on what we have learned and to consider how we might take the message of hope back to our parish communities. Keynote Speaker: David Wells, a pastoral leader and speaker encouraging and inspiring people to share the joy of the gospel.
Director of Music: Martin Barry, parish musician and President of Universa Laus. Workshops include: Proclaiming the Word, Presiding, Chant, Singing the Psalms, Exploring the Liturgy Directory, the “Volunteer” Organist and more. We welcome Residential, Non-Residential and Day Delegates. Bursary Funding is available. For more information, visit ssg.org.uk/summer-school or contact: summerschool@ssg.org.uk
Catholic Choir Calendar
by Dr Christopher McElroy Director of Music, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
In the cathedral choir calendar (which follows the academic year) July brings the end of year. It is a time when we thank those who are moving on from the choir and celebrate all the wonderful things that we have achieved during this choir year.
Here is an overview of some of the highlights of the cathedral choirs’ 2024-25 year:
September
- Workshop with the Sixteen (world famous choir)
- 24hr Musicathon
October
- Live broadcast of Choral Evening Prayer on BBC Radio 3
- Concert of music by Bruckner with Liverpool Mozart Orchestra
November
- Tour to Cologne, Germany
- Feast of Christ the King
December
- Numerous Masses, concerts and carol services to mark the seasons of Advent & Christmas
January
- Joint Service to Mark Week of Prayer for Christian Unity at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral
February
- Parish Choral Offerings at Our Lady of Compassion, Formby and Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Croxteth
March
- Civic Mass
- Video recordings of music by Sir James MacMillan
- Performances of devotional Lenten works by Handel, Franck & Pergolesi
April
- 12 services in 7 days for Holy Week
- Requiem Mass for Pope Francis at 24hrs notice
May
- Singing at Installation of new Archbishop of Liverpool to a capacity congregation
June
- Two Cathedrals’ Pentecost Walk
- Chorister recruitment events
On Sunday 6 July, the choirs of both of Liverpool’s cathedrals will join together in the Metropolitan Cathedral to present a Summer Serenade at 3pm. The combined choirs will sing the beautiful Mass in G minor by Ralph Vaughan Williams alongside English music played on the grand organ by Richard Lea. All are welcome - free admission with a retiring collection.
Cathedral Record
Canon Anthony O’Brien – Cathedral Dean
As we approach the end of the Academic year and the main summer holiday period, the early weeks of July at the Cathedral are awash with graduation receptions and celebrations, school visits and pilgrimages.
Our own choir children celebrate their end of choir term on Sunday 13 July with a party for them following the afternoon service, and a farewell to those who will be leaving this year. Archbishop John will also be celebrating the Lourdes Departure Mass that Sunday at 5pm.
The following week there is an important meeting to progress the proposed new Cathedral Welcome Centre to the next stage of development. The original concept designs for the new café, gift shop and welcome centre have been updated and refined following initial consultations with the various statutory consultative bodies and planning officers. We are now moving to the stages of final detailed plans and seeking formal approvals to eventually be able to share details of the scheme more widely with the general public, and we will also be able to have a clearer idea of overall costs and budgets.
The hoardings around the remains of the former café building have been repainted and had some graphics added to them. The proposed plans for the replacement building will enable people to enter the new building at the pavement level and move indoors up to the lower foyer area of the cathedral entrance, passing through the various facilities which will be part of the new Welcome Centre, including much-improved hospitality areas, better accessibility, and a clear link and connection between this building and the cathedral. Although there will be a significant drop in the amount of events at the cathedral over the next few weeks of the holiday period, there will be a great deal of work to progress this scheme behind the scenes.
Pastoral ponderings
by Paul Pimblett
Building Stronger Communities: Accompaniment & Solidarity in the Wake of Laudato Si’
Recently, a new seminarian preparing to start his studies at the Royal English College, Valladolid, asked me what the seminary was like and what to expect. It once more made me reflect on a topic very dear to me, the glorious martyrs of England and Wales.
I have spoken fairly frequently of the martyrs. People often remark that I refer to them a lot - and rightly so! Three of our seminaries are directly linked to the stories of those brave men who fled this country in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries when Catholicism was brutally persecuted and priests were hunted. The Royal English College, Spain, and the Venerable English College, Italy, were both founded to train priests with the aim of reestablishing the faith in England and Wales. Allen Hall, my current seminary, is derived from Douai College, France, which was founded by Cardinal William Allen. Hundreds of men trained abroad and bravely travelled home in the almost certain knowledge of the grisly end that awaited them. The majority were hanged, drawn and quartered for treason, mostly in London at the Tower or Tyburn.
I have followed in the footsteps of the martyrs in Valladolid, and now in Allen Hall some twenty-five minutes away from Tyburn. Our seminary is even located on the grounds of St Thomas More’s estate, another martyr who suffered death for his defence of the sanctity of marriage. I therefore have a great personal devotion to the martyrs and I constantly seek their intercession as I journey towards priesthood.
Why then am I always referring back to those men and women who gave their lives for the faith in our land? The answer, I should think, is obvious. For nearly half a millennium, the Roman Catholic Church has been persecuted and attacked in our country. It is an inescapable part of our history and heritage as Catholics. Even within our own archdiocese we have a strong connection with St John Almond. Yet despite the gloom, there are green shoots of the faith growing in this country once again. Mass attendance is increasing gradually, as are the numbers of vocations to the priesthood. I believe this is due to the prayers of those men and women who have gone before us. We can never take the freedom we have to practise the faith in our country for granted.
Martyrs of England and Wales, Pray for us.
by Lucy Rauer, Catholic Social Action Coordinator
This year marks the tenth anniversary since Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’: On Care for our Common Home reached our doorsteps. In this month’s Pastoral Development article, we celebrate Pope Francis’ message, dive into the meaning of ‘accompaniment’, and ask for your prayers as we approach the archdiocese’s annual conference on Catholic Social Action.
If you are an avid reader of the Pastoral Development section of the Catholic Pic, you will have noticed the recurrence of what seems to be a very trendy word around the archdiocese in recent years: ‘accompaniment’.
Of Latin derivative, ad cum panis, the term implies the sharing of bread or sustenance. In her own usage, the Church understands ‘accompaniment’ to stand for the exchanging of gifts; the formation of a relationship that enables both parties to flourish. As my colleague, Moses, pointed out in last month’s article, “accompaniment means meeting people where they are”.
To accompany someone is, therefore, a statement of solidarity.
The current focus on accompaniment has not been pulled out of thin air. The idea took a central position in Catholic Social Teaching at the time of its founding
in 1891 with the publication of Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum, which prompted a shift in our understanding of how we ought to relate to those in situations of suffering; simply giving to charity whilst maintaining distance from those suffering is not enough, Pope Leo XIII urged - we are called to meet people where they are and to walk alongside them in their journey.
The highest example of accompaniment, of course, is to be found in Christ, “who came to accompany us on the journey of life” (Laudato Si’, §235). Not once ignoring the grumblings of creation, Jesus lived in solidarity with the suffering, made known that all belong to him, and gave hope for the renewal of all things.
As we celebrate the tenth anniversary since the publication of Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’, the themes of accompaniment and solidarity once again become relevant to us. Following in Christ’s example, Laudato Si’ urges us to create communities where each person can feel “held within a network of solidarity and belonging”, so that any place can be transformed into “the setting for a dignified life”.
This July, the archdiocese celebrates its annual conference on Catholic Social Action. Charities, working groups, and other champions of social action will meet to collaborate on the theme of ‘Building Stronger Communities’. We will accompany each other, sharing our gifts and resources, and encouraging each other in mission.
We ask for you to join us in praying for the strengthening of networks of solidarity across the archdiocese. And to God who came to earth to accompany us on every one of our journeys, we say with Pope Francis: Praise be to you!
For more information on the upcoming conference, or to find out ways to get involved in catholic social action in the Archdiocese of Liverpool, contact Lucy Rauer (Catholic Social Action Coordinator) at l.rauer@rcaol.org.uk.
“Ladybird, ladybird …”
by Dr Jennifer Jones, Scientist and nature writer
…fly away home”. I have remembered this rhyme since childhood because it upset me whenever I heard it. “Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home. Your house is on fire and your children are gone”. The thought of the trauma that mother ladybird and her children must have endured touched me immensely. The pain of that has reemerged in recent years as I have witnessed the damage caused by moorland fires.
If media reports are to be our yardstick, we might think that wildfires occur only in Australia or North America, but the number of wildfires occurring in the UK are on the increase, many with severe consequences. The heatwave of 2022 caused temperatures of over 40 degrees in the UK. A grassfire in London resulted in the destruction of 20 houses. That year there were 24,316 wildfires in England between June and August 2022. Only a minority of those hit the headlines.
In April this year, according to the BBC, the area of land burnt by wildfires so far is already higher than the total for any other year in the past decade. Closer to home, a large wildfire in the Goyt Valley in late April caused devastation and damage to an area the size of 325 football pitches. Inevitably, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue service reported considerable numbers of birds and mammals being killed and showed a heartbreaking image of a ground-nesting bird’s nest containing charred eggs.
So why is this happening and, apparently, increasing? Climate change is one cause. March this year was unusually dry with temperatures higher than the norm. Late April and early May also have featured low rainfall amounts, which will leave areas susceptible. Those researching climate change believe that this is one aspect that is likely to increase if global air temperatures are not brought under control. Scientists at the Met Office predict a rise in wildfires globally by 14 per cent by 2030, 30 per cent by 2050 and 50 per cent by 2100.
Human activity is also a major contributor, most of it thoughtless and unintentional. There are cases of arson, but many large wildfires are the result of carelessly discarded cigarettes and campfires, including the use of so-called disposable barbecues. Many people do not understand the fire risk of camp fires or disposable barbecues. Dry vegetation ignites rapidly. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service believe these to be primary causes of moorland fires and, with a number of bank holidays in the coming months, they have urged visitors to our uplands not to use disposable barbecues. The British Mountaineering Council feels so strongly about the environmental and economic costs of wildfires that it
is campaigning to make use of disposable barbecues on open moorland a criminal offence.
Management of grouse moors requires controlled burns, mainly being in the uplands. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for these burns to become uncontrolled. The soils of our moorlands are very peaty and peat makes an excellent fuel. A major burn on Saddleworth Moor in Lancashire in 2018 burnt for 3 weeks because the fire burnt deep into the peat, smouldering for considerable time. This burning into deep peat not only damages the habitat, it also results in a loss of carbon into the atmosphere.
Why does reducing fire risk matter? Primarily because wildfires are a potential risk to humans and animals and cause considerable economic costs. An individual fire might cost in excess of £1 million. Smoke from wildfires creates problems with visibility when fires occur close to transport networks. Some wildfires in the UK are often close to built-up areas. Smoke can be hazardous if inhaled and may cause respiratory disease. During a recent fire in the Goyt Valley, local residents were urged to stay away from the blaze area and to keep all doors and windows closed.
Large wildfires require interaction of many agencies: fire and rescue teams, helicopters to bring water to inaccessible areas, the military and police. Many of our reservoirs are based in the uplands, so the ash from wildfires can cause problems for our water treatment works. These are not without cost.
Fire service professionals always state that prevention is the best measure. They believe that public education is critical. It should be easy to achieve this, yet it is clear that the message is not getting out there. Smokers should not discard their cigarette butts out of car windows or on moorland vegetation. If disposable barbecues must be used, check the guidance given by your local fire and rescue service. Always take litter home. Discarded crisp packets or chocolate bar wrappers add to the potential flammability of moorland.
Moorlands are exquisite habitats supporting a panoply of life. They should not go up in flames.
All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love, That we may protect life and beauty.
(Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, 2015)
Walking Pilgrimage of the Month
JULY
Families of Parishes Pilgrimage Walk – St Helens
Our latest Families of Parishes pilgrimage walk takes us into St following a route that begins in the town centre and finishes in Thatto Heath.
This walk takes in three churches, with a total distance that makes it ideal for a reflective afternoon journey.
Distance: 3 miles | Estimated Time: 1 hr 8 mins
Start: Holy Cross and St Helen, Town Centre
Begin your pilgrimage at Holy Cross and St Helen, right in the heart of St Helens town centre. The church is easily accessible via public transport – it’s right next to St Helens bus station, and a short walk from St Helens Central train station, with connections from Liverpool, Wigan, Preston and even as far north as Glasgow!
If you’d like to attend Mass before setting off, it’s celebrated at 10am on Sundays and 12:15pm throughout the week (except Tuesdays).
Even if you’re not planning your walk around Mass, the church has plenty of history to engage with —having been built in 1862, it has witnessed many of the town’s transformations over the decades. Spend a few moments in prayer before you begin your journey.
Stop 1: St Teresa of Avila, Devon Street
Your first stop is St Teresa of Avila, just outside the town centre. To get there, head over the roundabout by ASDA, continue slightly up Croppers Hill to Eccleston Street, then onto Devon Street via Cambridge Road.
The parish is celebrating 100 years since its formation this year, with the church itself
having been built two years later. While visiting, take a moment to pray for the parish community and those who help keep it active and vibrant—like Fr Martin Kershaw and Deacons David Lawson and Kevin Taylor.
Distance: 1.3 miles Time: 30 minutes
Stop 2: St Austin, Thatto Heath
The final stop on this pilgrimage takes you into Thatto Heath, and to St Austin’s Church. It is a straight walk down, and for rugby league fans, you’ll pass the former St Helens RFC ground on Knowsley Road, where St Helens played from 1890-2010. The homes on Coslett Drive now stand where the stadium once was.
Continue along Prescot Road, then Thatto Heath Road, turning onto Heath Street via Scholes Lane to reach St Austin’s. This parish dates back to 1895—the same year rugby league was founded—and the current church was built in 1906. Set back slightly from the road, it offers a peaceful place to pause and reflect on your pilgrimage.
Take a moment to appreciate the steps you’ve taken—physically and spiritually —as you complete this Families of Parishes walk.
Distance: 1.7 miles Time: 38 minutes
Saint of the Month
Venerable
Ignatius of St Paul
Born George Spencer, he converted from Anglicanism to Catholicism in 1847 and entered the Passionist religious order. Fr Ignatius assisted Elizabeth Prout in establishing her community and was spiritual director and friend to the Sisters of the Criss and Passion. He died in 1864 and is buried at St Anne and Blessed Dominic alongside Blessed Dominic Barberi and Venerable Elizabeth Prout.
Deanery Diary
It took a long and very difficult discernment to come up with Families of Parishes in Liverpool South, but eventually it was decided that two families would probably work best, and so an east / west split left us with The Riverside Family and The Inland Family.
Having named the Families, it was now time to engage with the people! Our first joint venture was a Pilgrimage of Hope to introduce the Jubilee Year. We used St John Almond from our Deanery, along with other Saints and Blesseds associated with the archdiocese— St Edmund Arrowsmith, Ven. Elizabeth Prout, Bl Lawrence Johnson, and St John Rigby—as the focus of our shared prayer time. The event was well organised and very well attended. The feedback was very uplifting, which encouraged us to follow a similar pattern for our more recent event.
The event took place on a Saturday during Lent, with the two Families of Parishes holding simultaneous Stations of the Cross in their respective churches. It was organised as a pilgrimage too, with each church hosting two stations before the group moved on to the next church to continue the service. A cross representing the Jubilee of Hope was carried to each new church. At the start of each service, a ribbon in one of the Jubilee Logo colours was added to the cross, along with the logo itself.
There are 5 churches in each family; each church hosted 2 stations, and for the final 1114th stations, the whole Deanery gathered at Bishop Eton and celebrated them together. The gathering concluded with a talk and final prayers, which formed part of the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, held at the shrine with the Icon.
Many people joined us on the full pilgrimage, and some just attended their church stations depending on their circumstances, time commitments and mobility - all were equally welcomed. What a wonderful testament to our faith that so many people gave up their Saturday to give witness.
There were opportunities for us to share our stories with each other, and how powerful some of them were! Listening to our neighbour is something we as Families of Parishes will try to do more of in the future for certain.
A successful and very rewarding day seemed to be the leaving comments. We need to do more together! And so we will...watch this space!
Liverpool lost a special daughter in May with the passing of Dr Anne Merriman at the age of 90. Dr Anne’s pioneering work in palliative care improved the lives of tens of thousands of critically ill people in Africa thanks to a model of affordable, home-based palliative care, using oral morphine to manage pain.
Dr Anne passed away at her home in Kampala, Uganda on Sunday 18 May, five days after her 90th birthday. At her funeral on 21 May, Sylvia Nagginda Luswata – the Queen of Buganda, a kingdom of Uganda – summed her up as “a truly remarkable woman, and that really is an understatement” and hailed her legacy of “a model of palliative care rooted in love, dignity and hope”.
It was in Liverpool in 1993 that Dr Anne established Hospice Africa, a charity that retains its two volunteer-run shops in Old Swan and Ainsdale. A year later, she launched Hospice Africa Uganda – the first hospice in the country that became her home.
At that time, only three African countries had palliative care. Her efforts led to the establishing of the Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care in Africa (IHPCA), which offers masters, bachelors and diploma programmes in palliative care and has trained hundreds of students from 37 African countries. In 2004, the year after she received an MBE, she became a founding member of the African Palliative Care Association. Following her passing, she was posthumously awarded the National Independence Diamond Jubilee Medal by Uganda’s head of state, President Yoweri Museveni.
Born in Liverpool to Irish parents, Dr Anne joined the Medical Missionaries of Mary as a young woman and served in Nigeria. On leaving the order, she began her medical career in Liverpool as a consultant and senior lecturer in geriatric medicine. It was on taking an academic post in Singapore in the 1980s that her work in palliative care started. ‘We commenced the Hospice Care Association from my flat,’ she remembered when speaking to the Pic in 2018. There, she created the formula for the affordable oral morphine so pivotal to her work in Africa.
She took it with her after becoming medical director of Kenya’s newly opened Nairobi hospice in 1990, and today it is used in over 20 African countries. “This formula changed the face of palliative care in Africa because the low economies cannot afford oral morphine manufactured and imported from abroad,” she explained to the Pic in 2018.
Remembering Dr Anne Merriman
‘A truly remarkable woman’
By Simon Hart
Driven by
compassion
“When I look back on my life, the biggest thing I see is I moved from place to place and I wasn’t sure why, but God knew why and brought me to Africa,” said Dr Anne in a speech to 150 guests at the end of a special Mass on her 90th birthday.
“Our love comes from God and our compassion comes from his example of the Good Samaritan, and compassion is such an important thing for us, not only in our work but also with each other. It is important even in our families, it is important anywhere.” Indeed, her message to her nursing staff was that they could not care for the sick without caring first for those around them.
Those who knew her spoke too of her great determination. At her funeral, the Irish ambassador to Uganda, Kevin Colgan, said: ‘Anne had something else, she had a steeliness. When Anne heard “no” she always turned and asked, “Why not?” – and you better have a good answer!’
Similar words came from one of her nurses, Rose Kiwanuka. “When she wanted to do something, she’d do it. She always said you should have fire in the belly.” It was Dr Anne who inspired Rose to become the first palliative care nurse in Uganda, having ‘amazed’ her with “the love, the care that she had for the patients.” Rose added: “I remember her preaching those words of care and love. Even when she was about to leave us, she continued to say, ‘Love yourselves, love each other and care for each other’.”
Chris Merriman, chair of Hospice Africa UK and Anne’s second cousin, was present with Anne during her final days and he offered the following reflection on an extraordinary woman: “She just had endless compassion but also a strong sense of mission and vision, which just drove her relentlessly forward in Nigeria, then later Singapore, and of course, for the last 30-plus years in Uganda, where there was no obstacle too big for Anne. She had no fear and was resolute and tenacious and just determined to achieve her aspiration, which, of course, was palliative care for all in need in Africa. It’s just remarkable the legacy that she’s left.”
All Saints Multi Academy Trust hosts inspiring Service of Blessing at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral
All Saints Multi Academy Trust recently came together at the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral for its annual Service of Blessing, a celebration of growth and shared faith among its unique family of schools.
The service was led by Canon Rev Stuart Haynes, vice chair of All Saints Multi Academy Trust, and marked the first major event attended by the new Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Rev. John Sherrington, who played a special role in blessing the trust community. Together, they offered prayers, reflections, and blessings that celebrated the trust’s ongoing growth and commitment to faith and education.
The special service was attended by students, staff, governors, and stakeholders from across the trust’s academies located in Liverpool, Sefton, and St Helens.
Sponsored by both the Diocese of Liverpool and the Archdiocese of Liverpool, All Saints Multi Academy Trust is founded on the ecumenical partnership of Bishop David Sheppard and Archbishop Derek Worlock, which began in the late 1970s and developed through the 1980s. Their belief that communities ‘better together’ remain central to the Trust’s mission today.
The event celebrated the unique and exceptional Christian identities of the expanding family of academies. This academic year, Trinity St Peter’s Church of England Primary School, Formby, and St Michael’s Church of England Academy, Crosby, proudly joined the trust.
The service commenced with a procession, where students proudly carried framed logos of their respective schools. The event featured uplifting hymns, scripture readings, and a poem written by a student from Hope Academy, all centred around the themes of love, friendship and service.
The trust choir, made up of children from each academy, delivered moving performances that resonated with the congregation.
Rev Canon Stuart Haynes offered a reflective sermon on togetherness and service, while Archbishop John Sherrington read from the Gospel of John and spoke of the deep friendship Christ calls all people into – a friendship built on love, sacrifice, and service to others.
The ceremony concluded with a blessing of school badges and the congregation, symbolising the shared journey of the trust’s growing community.
CEO of All Saints Multi Academy Trust, Miss Heather Duggan, said: “Our Service of Blessing has quickly become the highlight of the year within the trust. Events like this remind us of the strength we have when we come together in faith and purpose.
“The participation of children from across all our academies, through music, prayer, readings, and poetry, showcases the amazing talent and dedication within our trust.”
Miss Duggan added: “We are incredibly grateful to Archbishop John Sherrington for joining us this year and for his thoughtful and inspiring message. I would also like to thank Rev Canon Stuart Haynes for leading the service. This event truly captured the spirit of being ‘Better Together’.”
Archbishop John Sherrington played a special role in blessing the trust community.
L-R Canon Rev Stuart Haynes, Archbishop John Sherrington and CEO of All Saints Multi Academy Trust, Heather Duggan
The ceremony concluded with a blessing of school badges and the congregation.
Notre Dame Catholic Academy and St Francis Xavier’s College have made significant strides in school improvement since joining St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust (SJCMAT).
Through the successful rollout of YONDR pouches, both schools have eradicated mobile phone disruption, creating calm, focused learning environments. Behaviour across both academies is now consistently calm and orderly.
Curricula and timetables have been made more ambitious, and innovations such as mixed prior attainment groupings help raise expectations for all students.
The SJCMAT curriculum is now embedded at Key Stage 3 in English, maths, science and geography, offering coherence, depth and challenge.
Both schools have implemented the SJCMAT Reading Strategy, with around 18 new reading intervention tutors trained across both sites, alongside evidence-based programmes like Ruth Miskin Fresh Start Phonics and Reading Plus.
Raising Standards at Notre Dame and St Francis Xavier Garston students lead community litter pick in local area
Students from The Academy of St Nicholas in Garston, part of All Saints Multi Academy Trust, have taken their commitment to the environment beyond the classroom by organising a community litter pick in Garston.
Led by members of the student council and the school’s eco-ambassadors, the initiative saw students working alongside representatives from Liverpool City Council, Onward Homes and South Liverpool Homes to clean up the local area.
Students headed to areas of the village which had been identified as hotspots for litter. Armed with bin bags, gloves and litter pickers, the group collected over 20 bags of rubbish.
By taking action in the community, students have helped enhance the local environment while promoting a shared sense of responsibility and pride.
Year 8 student Kai Ritchie, who took part in the clean-up, said: “It is important that we look after our surroundings. I want to show the local community that young people are interested in the environment and making a difference.
“I have enjoyed being part of this year’s many sustainability projects in school and hope to continue working in the local community next year!”
The litter pick forms part of a wider sustainability drive at the academy, which includes a number of student-led projects focused on making a positive environmental impact.
Headteacher of The Academy of St Nicholas, Mr Gary Lloyd, commented: “We are incredibly proud of our students for taking the lead on such an important initiative. Their passion for protecting the environment and giving back to the local community reflects the values we promote every day at the academy.”
Thomas Heyes, community investment team leader at South Liverpool Homes, added: “It was fantastic to support the litter pick in Garston village, which was organised by The Academy of St Nicholas. “It was a great example of partnership working in action, bringing people together to take pride in their community, strengthen local relationships, and make a real difference to the environment. It was especially inspiring to see young people leading the way and taking positive action to improve their local area. We’re proud to have been involved.”
Maricourt’s choir shines at Cathedral’s Good Shepherd Mass
Talented students from Maricourt Catholic High School, Maghull, were honoured to take centre stage at the recent Good Shepherd Mass held at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King.
Accompanied by music teacher Mr Loughlin and school chaplain Julia Ashes, members of the school choir played a key role in leading the congregation in song. Their performance was the result of weeks of careful preparation, including a special workshop led by Josie Burke from the Archdiocesan Music Department, who visited the school to rehearse hymns and Mass settings with the students.
On the day of the Mass, the choir sang beautifully, performing a selection of hymns including the newly composed hymn for the Year of Jubilee. Their voices helped to enhance the sacred atmosphere of the celebration and were warmly received by all in attendance.
Mr Loughlin commented: “I am incredibly proud of our young people who enhanced the sacred liturgy of the Mass with their beautiful singing. We are looking forward to providing more opportunities to showcase the talents of our young people in the community, including our Summer Spectacular in July, when we will be joined in our Big Sing by pupils from our partner primary schools.”
The school is now preparing for a busy summer of musical events and is proud to continue nurturing the gifts and talents of its students within the wider community.
Local students selected to represent the UK at a world final fashion competition
Two students from St John Plessington Catholic College in Bebington are preparing to take to the global stage as one of 10 design teams across the country representing London at the Junk Kouture World Final 2025.
Junk Kouture is a fashion competition that challenges participants across the world to design, create and model haute couture pieces made entirely from 100 per cent recycled materials.
Guiliana in Year 13 and Beatriz in Year 11 impressed judges with their original design, ‘Penumbra’, that was made from teabags, sticky notes and beads.
The innovative creation that showcased the students’ imagination was selected due to its originality, creativity and commitment to sustainability with competition organisers coining them the ‘next generation of changemakers’.
Not only visually striking, the students’ ‘Penumbra’ design is a statement on transformation, resilience and the beauty that can be found in discarded materials. Through months of dedication, teamwork
and imagination, Guiliana and Beatriz have brought their concept to life with exceptional craftmanship and vision.
Head of art at St John Plessington, Sarah Davies, said: “This is an incredibly exciting time for our students, and I am extremely proud that Guiliana and Beatriz are progressing through to the world finals.
“We have a brilliant creative community here at St John Plessington and making it to another world final demonstrates the immense skill and knowledge our students have when it comes to sustainable fashion.”
Peadar McLoughlin, headteacher, commented: “We’re incredibly proud of Guiliana and Beatriz for being selected to represent the UK.
“They have worked extremely hard on this design, and I am thrilled that their commitment and creativity to this project is now being recognised on an international level.”
Following the announcement that they are in the world final, Guiliana and Beatriz are now preparing to showcase their design on the world stage where they will compete alongside finalists from Milan, Paris, Dubai, New York and Dublin.
Students at St Francis Xavier’s Catholic Academy help raise over £70k for charities
Students from St Francis Xavier’s Catholic Academy (SFX) in Woolton, have helped raise more than £70,000 for charities, upholding the school’s Xaverian values of making a difference and caring for others.
During the 2024/25 academic year, all SFX year groups have fundraised for a charity of choice and have also come together as a school community during key points in the liturgical calendar to raise money and gather donations for Catholic charities that work across Liverpool and beyond.
The three Catholic charities that SFX students across all year groups have fundraised for this year are: the Good Shepherd appeal for Nugent, that has been supported for 123 years by generations of schoolchildren across the Archdiocese of Liverpool; Micah Liverpool, the social justice charity set up by Liverpool Cathedral, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, and St Bride’s Church; and CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development), that works in some of the poorest communities across the world to end poverty and injustice.
Jo Henney, chief executive of Nugent, said: “On behalf of everyone at Nugent, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the students, staff, and wider community of SFX for raising an incredible £871.20 in support of our 2025 Good Shepherd Appeal. The school’s efforts truly embody this year’s theme, ‘Pilgrims of Hope’.
“Through students’ creativity, compassion, and generosity, they are helping us build brighter futures for individuals and families across the Liverpool City Region. We are so grateful for SFX’s continued support and proud to have them walking alongside us on this journey of hope.”
From hosting whole school colour runs to foodbank appeals, students have combined their Catholic Social Teaching (CST) by focusing on SFX’s second key principle - the common good and the community.
This principle forms the basis of all that the school does, by prioritising the wellbeing of entire communities to ensure all members of society have the conditions to flourish and live with dignity.
Why Join SJCMAT?
At St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust (SJCMAT), it is united by a shared mission: Christ is at the centre of everything that it does.
It exists to transform children’s lives by providing them with a world-class, Catholic education. Schools that join SJCMAT benefit from strong, experienced leadership and a culture of collaborative support. Its leaders work alongside schools, not above them, to drive improvement and innovation. With access to a shared, high quality curriculum and expertly developed resources, teachers are empowered to focus on what matters most: excellent teaching and learning.
Every member of staff is supported with tailored professional development, from early career support to executive coaching. Above all, SJCMAT schools belong to a community of faith, where Catholic values guide every decision, and every child and adult is seen, known, and loved.
Mr David Hayes, headteacher of St Francis Xavier’s Catholic Academy, said: “I am extremely proud of the SFX school community and all it has achieved this year to support those less fortunate and help raise awareness of key issues currently being faced within today’s society.
“Looking after others and making a difference are important values at SFX as we strive to create meaningful relationships, not only with God and one another, but our wider community. Our students have shown themselves to be outstanding Catholic citizens and should be delighted with their efforts in raising such an incredible amount of money.”
Individual year groups have also helped raise thousands of pounds for a range of local, national and international charities including South Liverpool Domestic Abuse Service, South Liverpool Foodbank, The Royal Liverpool Hospital Kidney Dialysis Unit, The Owen McVeigh Foundation, Macmillan Cancer Support and the Vietnamese charity Kianh Foundation.
As SFX continues to grow and thrive, the school community remains enthusiastic about the support it can provide to others, and it is currently selecting charities to support for next year.
St Helens students walk as ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ in Jubilee Year Pilgrimage
Students and staff from three St Helens secondary schools came together in May to take part in a special Jubilee Year pilgrimage to the Shrine of St Anne and Blessed Dominic in Sutton, designated as a pilgrimage church in the Archdiocese of Liverpool.
In a sign of faith and unity, students from De La Salle School, St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy, and St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School walked from their schools to the historic shrine, joining as one community of Pilgrims of Hope.
Each school journeyed on foot, with students from De La Salle walking for over ninety minutes across the borough, while St Augustine of Canterbury students walked for around an hour – stopping enroute to collect and cheer fellow pilgrims from St Cuthbert’s. Along the way, students sang hymns and offered encouragement to one another, walking through neighbourhoods, crossing busy roads, and making their way through peaceful woodland paths.
Upon arrival, the pilgrims received a warm welcome from parish volunteers and were invited to explore the history and significance of the Shrine, learning more about Blessed Dominic Barberi, Venerable Ignatius Spencer, and Venerable Elizabeth Prout.
The day included time for a shared, received input on the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and had the opportunity to go to confession. Many students took the opportunity to receive the Sacrament, with one young pilgrim reflecting: “Going to confession helped me to let go of stress and feel better about myself.”
Meeting new people and taking time for reflection were highlights for many. One student commented: “It was great to meet students from other schools and have a day to think about what I’m grateful for.”
The pilgrimage concluded with a short service of thanksgiving and a chance to walk through the Shrine’s Holy Door, passing the tombs of the saints.
The special day served as a reminder that everyone are Pilgrims of Hope, called to walk together in faith through school life, family life, and the wider community.
Local primary school celebrates national success for outdoor provision
St Bernard’s RC Primary and Nursery School in Ellesmere Port has been awarded the prestigious ‘OPAL Gold Award’ for excellence in outdoor play and learning.
The nationally recognised accolade highlights the school’s commitment to creating an inclusive, enriching, and high-quality play environment for all pupils.
The OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) Primary Programme is an award-winning school improvement initiative, endorsed by Sport England and recognised by Ofsted, which supports schools to develop sustainable, high-quality play opportunities.
Achieving the gold award places St Bernard’s among the leading schools in the country for outdoor play provision.
Julie Le Feuvre, head of school at St Bernard’s RC Primary and Nursery School, said: “We believe play is a vital part of children’s development, and this award recognises the incredible effort our staff, pupils, and wider school community have made to transform playtimes at St Bernard’s.
“We are thrilled to receive the gold award and will continue to ensure that our outdoor spaces inspire creativity, cooperation, and joy every day.”
Over the past two years, the school has worked in partnership with the OPAL team to further develop its outdoor environment, create a comprehensive play policy, and establish a culture that values play as essential to children’s learning and wellbeing.
Now, St Bernard’s proudly boasts a vibrant, dynamic playground where children are encouraged to explore, take positive risks, and grow in confidence through purposeful and imaginative play.
Parents and carers have also praised the transformation, noting the positive impact on pupil wellbeing, engagement, and social development.
MP Dame Angela Eagle praises student progress St Mary’s Catholic College during school visit
St Mary’s Catholic College in Wallasey was honoured to welcome local MP Dame Angela Eagle for a special visit recently.
During her time at the secondary school, which is part of Holy Family Catholic Multi Academy Trust, Dame Angela met with staff and students to explore how the National Tutoring Programme has supported student progress.
The programme was introduced by the Department for Education to provide additional support to children across the country whose learning was most affected due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The visit also included a tour of the school, where Dame Angela experienced St Mary’s strong sense of community and its unwavering commitment to helping every student reach their full potential.
A key part of the day was spent with members of the student council, who enthusiastically shared their experiences, achievements, and aspirations for the future.
Year 9 students Amelia and Kieran provided musical entertainment during the visit, with Kieran accompanying on piano and Amelia performing ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon.
MP Dame Angela Eagle commented: “I’ve been coming to St Mary’s for over thirty years now as MP for Wallasey, and it’s always fantastic to speak to local children about politics and democracy, and to get to see them showcasing their talents.
“I am impressed by St Mary’s continued innovation in teaching and holistic support for its students in the face of new challenges. The National Tutoring Programme being delivered by the Tutor Trust is part of that innovation. The contributions of volunteers helping to bring up educational achievement across the board for so many children in the aftermath of the upheaval of COVID-19 is inspiring.”
Kevin Maddocks, headteacher of St Mary’s Catholic College, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome MP Dame Angela Eagle into St Mary’s. Her visit was a great opportunity to share the positive work taking place across our school.”
St Cuthbert’s celebrates Catholic Schools Inspection success
St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School is celebrating after receiving glowing feedback in its recent Catholic Schools Inspectorate report.
The school was awarded an overall judgement of ‘Good’, with an ‘Outstanding’ judgement for its Catholic Life and Mission.
Headteacher Stuart Holland, said: “To say I’m proud is an understatement. Our overall judgement of ‘Good’ is something every member of our community should celebrate. The ‘Outstanding’ grade for Catholic Life and Mission truly captures the heart of who we are; a school where Gospel values are lived every day, where every person is known, valued and supported, and where Christ is at the centre of all we do.
“I am particularly proud that Pastoral Care was recognised as being exceptional.”
The inspection team praised the school’s vibrant Catholic identity, exceptional pastoral care, and visible commitment to the values of ‘Courage’, ‘Compassion’, ‘Commitment’ and ‘Community’.
The report describes a school where “relationships at all levels are characterised by mutual respect, kindness and compassion,” and where “the consistent witness of staff to the mission and values of the school leaves a lasting impression on students.”
Staff were commended for actively living out the Gospel in both word and deed, creating a deeply inclusive and supportive community.
The report also recognised the school’s creative liturgical life, meaningful charitable outreach, and strong chaplaincy provision, calling the Catholic ethos “lived and visible” in every part of the school.
This latest recognition reflects a school on a continued journey of improvement, and one which is deeply committed to forming students not just academically, but spiritually and morally, a community living out the words of John 10:10: “Live life in all its fullness.”
Triple trophy success for St Mary’s under 13 boys footballers
The Under 13 boys’ football team at St Mary’s College, Crosby, has rounded off a sensational season by lifting three major trophies.
The crowning glory of their campaign was victory in the English Schools’ FA National Small Schools Cup, which they secured with an impressive 3-0 win over Royal Russell School from Croydon in the final at The Hawthorns, the home of West Bromwich Albion.
This historic achievement marks only the third time in the college’s 100-plus year history that a team has reached a national football final, and only the second time St Mary’s has been crowned national champions.
Goals from Jacob Woods, captain Oscar Townsley, and Patrick Donegan sealed the win, in a match broadcast live on the English Schools’ FA YouTube channel. Jacob was also named Player of the Match.
The pundits were full of admiration for the team, with one noting: “This is just a college that creates talent.”
The national title was the highlight of an incredible season that also saw the Under 13s retain the Sefton Cup, defeating Chesterfield High School 5–2 in the final at Marine FC, and lift the Sefton Small Schools Cup after a 4–2 victory over Merchant Taylors’ School, again at Marine FC.
It’s been a remarkable year for football across the board at St Mary’s. The Under 12 team has reached the final of the Merseyside Cup, yet to be played, while the first team also made it to the Sefton Cup final, narrowly losing out to a strong Deyes High School side from Maghull.
St Mary’s principal, Mike Kennedy, commented: “Everyone at the school has been thrilled with the success of our under 13 footballers who have gone from strength to strength as the season has progressed.
A lesson for our primary-school leavers
Father Simon Gore from Animate Youth Ministries reflects on the end of the academic year – and a bittersweet moment for pupils leaving primary school.
I must confess, there are times in the year when we are not sure what to write about for our Pic article. We may have things going on in the house and with our work, but is there any interest in writing about those things?
We are always aware that it is a privilege to be able to communicate in the pages of the Pic and do not want to waste anyone’s time with an ill-thought through article or a collection of uninteresting notes.
By contrast, at this stage of the year there is more choice regarding what to write and what to exclude. And so, in the best spirit of classic trilogy films, I think we will have a trilogy series of articles that I hope will cover this end part of the year.
The opening part of the trilogy will be on our end-of-year retreats. Next month, we will give a final update on the Faith in Action awards and the end-of-year celebration. And the final part of the trilogy will be about Lourdes. So, as every good story must have a beginning, let’s start with ours here.
Although, as I write, we are still almost two months from the end of the year, we are now in the final stretch of retreats. This does not mean they are coming to an end, but that the themes are now mainly based on the year ending or looking to new beginnings.
We still have a number of high schools joining us, but we can see this end-of-year feel most obviously in the number of primary schools we have working with us this term to allow their Year 6 pupils to look back at their time in primary and look forward to their new starts.
Even for us as a team that have little invested in the time these young people have spent at primary school, it is still a bittersweet moment. We can see the excitement and also the nerves in these youngsters. We hope, in our retreats, to remind them of the blessings they have received in their time at primary school, while also reminding them that what they have gained they will carry with them on the next stage of their life’s journey.
Most importantly, we remind them that as much as they will carry with them friends and lessons learned, skills and gifts acquired, they will carry with them too the most important thing of all: their faith. And we want to remind them that, for all of us, as we get older and face new challenges, it is our faith that can help us as we know we will never be alone.
I hope this simple message is one that our young people take with them as the term approaches its end and the summer comes into view.
Mums the Word Pic extras
Committee members and three delegates were among those who attended the Union of Catholic Mothers’ national council at the Hayes Centre in Swanwick in May.
Liverpool was hosting this year, so apart from various roles we had to play – like handing out keys and directing people to their rooms – we were also responsible for entertainment. There was some wariness, as you might imagine, but with a little encouragement, we came up with a plan and had our first rehearsal in the mini-bus on the way to Swanwick – of which more later.
The conference was very interesting and ladies from all over the country inspired us with reports on their UCM activities. We were delighted to welcome Archbishop Emeritus Malcolm McMahon as a special guest and Bishop Alan Williams, who is ecclesiastical adviser to the UCM.
Joan Hodge, the national president, had come to end of her term of office and stepped down to become national deputy president, taking the place of Margaret McDonald. Meanwhile, Eileen Priest was elected as national president and I think, at 50, she is the youngest-ever incumbent of that role. Eileen is from St John Fisher foundation In Birmingham and has been a UCM member for 15 years. She has previously held the post of diocesan president and secretary. We all wished her every success in her new role and hope she will encourage more young ladies into the UCM.
To return to the above-mentioned entertainment, it was on the Tuesday evening that we Liverpool ladies did our turn with a 10-minute pantomime – including ‘A Couple of Swells’ and songs from The Sound of Music and Sister Act. It was so bad that everyone loved it! There were people clapping and shouting for more – I couldn’t believe it.
At our leaving Mass the following day, Joan Hodge was presented with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal by Bishop Williams. A lovely end to a perfect conference.
Maureen Finnegan, Archdiocesan Deputy President
Over a Century of Service News from the Liverpool Province of the Knights of St Columba
Why Alma Mater matters
Every two years we support a charity as our national action project, and we are now halfway through our 2024-26 partnership with the Alma Mater Fund. This charity provides financial grants and advice to students facing pregnancy at universities across the UK, in order to support them in pursuing their academic goals while raising their children.
At our recent provinical council meeting, we heard from one of our brothers whose own daughter was faced with the decision of whether to continue with her studies or her pregnancy. She decided on the latter which, at that time, meant giving up her place at university - an example, if one were needed, of the value of the fund. Do look out for activities locally to raise funds to support this very worthwhile and life-changing fund, and to find out more or make a donation, visit: www.ksc.org.uk/alma-mater
Biennial Mass for Deceased Members
The KSC were honoured to have our Biennial Mass for Deceased Members celebrated by the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendia, at the Metropolitan Cathedral on 7 June. Bishop Thomas Neylon, our ecclesiastical adviser, was the co-celebrant. The first reading was read by Brother Michael Akinrele, the supreme knight, while the second reading was by the supreme director for spirituality and welfare, Brother Barry Johnston. Following the Mass and the blessing by the Apostolic Nuncio of the books of remembrance, which were then returned to the Chapel of St Columba, the brothers and their families enjoyed refreshments before departing. The Mass was streamed live on the cathedral’s YouTube channel, where it can still be viewed.
News from around the Councils
• Council 146 Southport
In the council’s centenary year, several donations have been made to local causes, including supporting the family of a deceased member in buying a ‘buddy bench’ for the Key Stage 2 yard at Holy Family Primary School. Upcoming events include an August BBQ.
• Council 18 Widnes
The photos displayed show the winners of Easter art competitions run by the council, starting (left) with the prize-winners from St Bede’s Junior School – Dolly Ainsworth, Libby Smith and Madison Ryan. They are pictured with KSC members Philip Higgins, John Hamilton, Mike Naughton and Ged Newport. The second photo shows the winners from Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Primary School –Emilia, Hattie and Finley, pictured with Philip Higgins. Our thanks go to Miss Abigail Ramsey at St Bede’s and Mrs Alison Heston and Miss Jenny de Beger at Our Lady’s for their help with organising the competitions.
Date for the diary
• Supreme Council 2025 – We have booked this year’s Supreme Council for 5–7 October at the Liner Hotel in Liverpool. Further information will follow in due course.
If you are interested in finding out more about the KSC or arranging a visit to your local council meeting, then please contact me at Philonline2@btinternet.com
Phil Woods, Provincial Publicity Officer
Dialogue and Unity Ecumenism – a way of life
By Sister Moira Meeghan
To reflect on my experience of ecumenism, I believe that it constitutes a fundamental way of life to which we are intrinsically drawn. The commitment to ecumenism in Liverpool has evolved significantly over the years, as I have observed throughout my life.
I remember joining a girl guide group at an Anglican church in St Helens aged 11. I had to get permission from Canon Fitzpatrick to attend their church parade. After Mass, my mum took me into the sacristy to speak to the canon who said that if I went to morning Mass too, he would allow it. Thankfully today, we no longer need permission to go to an Anglican church.
In 1984, I joined the Sisters of St Mary of Namur and spent my noviciate in Notting Hill. From my window, I could see the Lancaster West Estate and Grenfell Tower. We attended St Francis of Assisi Church, a lively, multi-cultural parish, and had connections with the local Anglican Church of St Clement’s. During Lent, we formed ecumenical groups to discuss Sunday Scriptures and made friends with Anglicans and Methodists. We also collaborated on the Notting Hill Carnival, spending hours preparing the float and costumes together.
I taught at St Francis of Assisi Primary School and even then, Grenfell Tower residents faced frequent lift breakdowns and constant fire safety concerns. One morning, a six-year-old boy came in crying without his homework. He lived on the 20th floor of Grenfell Tower and the lift was broken. Dele only remembered his homework at the bottom of the stairs and could not understand why his mum would not let him go back up the 40 flights to get it. Residents often faced difficult choices, such as mothers deciding whether to leave prams and shopping downstairs while they carried their babies up the stairs. Yet they were a caring community, with people helping each other regardless of religion or race, as we witnessed after the fire.
My journey in ecumenism continued when I returned to Liverpool in 1994 and lived in the lively parish of St Margaret Mary’s, which maintained strong connections with Holy Spirit Anglican Church. I taught RE at St Margaret Mary’s Juniors, and in 1999 became deputy head at St Oswald’s Junior School, Old Swan. Then, in 2004, I was appointed head of a new joint Catholic/Anglican primary school in West Everton, Faith Primary School. Working with individuals from both traditions over the next decade was a wonderful experience. A strong connection already existed between the clergy of St Peter’s Anglican Church and the Jesuit community at SFX. Aiming to serve as a centre of learning and evangelisation, we became a central community hub for West Everton.
The ‘In Harmony’ music project was initiated at the school and has shown significant growth. Moreover, the local people frequently emphasised that the school’s foundation was built on faith in God, faith in ourselves, and faith in the community. This principle was consistently demonstrated through the various challenges and triumphs we encountered.
I now work for the Irenaeus project, engaging with people from various traditions through our centre of spirituality and hospitality. I trained as a spiritual director with the Anglican diocese, and we are now formally recognising it as an ecumenical venture. Spiritual accompaniment is a fundamental aspect of our work, and we uphold St Irenaeus’ assertion that “The glory of God is a person fully alive”. Thus, our goal is to empower individuals to live a life fully alive in Christ. Based on my experience, I believe that one of the most effective ways to achieve this is by fostering unity.
Good Shepherd Mass 2025: Pilgrims of Hope
This year’s Good Shepherd Masses were a powerful celebration of community, compassion, and faith. Held at the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral and St Mary’s RC Church in Leyland, these special services brought together 1,900 pupils, staff, and supporters from across the Archdiocese of Liverpool to mark a tradition that spans over 123 years. Thanks to their generosity and commitment, the appeal has already raised an incredible £20,000; a testament to the strength of collective kindness and the lasting impact of children helping children.
Our deepest thanks go to Archbishop John Sherrington for leading a beautiful service in Liverpool, and to Father Bibby for his thoughtful leadership at St Mary’s. We are also especially grateful to Deacon Rooney, whose meaningful contributions to both Masses added a deep sense of reflection and unity.
This year’s theme, Pilgrims of Hope, resonated throughout every part of the celebrations. It reminded us all that we are each on a journey, and that through kindness, generosity, and action, we can bring hope to those who need it most. Schools across the archdiocese truly embraced this message, organising a wide variety of creative fundraising events; from bake sales and sponsored walks to reada-thons, talent shows, and more. Each effort, no matter how big or small, helps to create real and lasting change.
Thanks to this incredible support, Nugent can continue its work to support people through some of life’s most challenging times. Guided by our Imagine Our World strategic plan, the funds raised
directly support our five key priorities: providing safe and secure accommodation, helping individuals develop skills and confidence through employability initiatives, tackling poverty in all its forms, improving quality of life for the people we support, and creating lasting, joyful memories that bring light during difficult moments.
The Good Shepherd Appeal, rooted in our founder Fr James Nugent’s belief in “children helping children,” has always been about more than raising money; it’s about showing solidarity, compassion, and faith in action. At a time when many families are facing increased hardship due to reduced public funding and ongoing economic challenges, the appeal continues to be a vital source of support, hope, and dignity.
We are incredibly thankful to all the pupils, staff, chaplains, and families who took part in this year’s appeal. Your energy, creativity and generosity have a lasting impact, and your support helps us to continue our mission of care, education and advocacy across the region.
As we look ahead, we warmly invite more schools to join us in 2026. Together, we can continue building a kinder, brighter world for those who need us most.
For more information, please contact Joanne Dobbie, Community Engagement Manager: joanne.dobbie@wearenugent.org.
To find out more about Nugent and discover how you can get involved or fundraise for us, visit wearenugent.org.
