Here at St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust, our primaries are the starting point of our young people’s education journey – and what a fantastic start it is. We’re proud to say that our primaries have places available and that these incredible learning environments could be the perfect place for your child.
Last month I took a break from work to make a spiritual retreat. It took me a while to convince myself that it was the right thing to do as there are many pressing matters in the archdiocese, and I had taken my holidays as usual in August. It wasn’t as if I was physically tired and needed a rest, but I did need refreshing in a spiritual way. My last retreat of more than three or four days was about twelve years ago. Right up to the last minute I was trying to find a reason not to go on retreat; I was leaving behind several things I should have done. But if I am honest, I find it difficult to face up to deep questions that linger about my relationship with God and hence about myself and my mission. That’s not unusual - most people, including priests and bishops, struggle a bit with these matters at times.
I am grateful for the opportunity to have been able to step aside for ten days from the daily routine of being your archbishop. There is no doubt that my making a long retreat is a privilege which is not available to everyone who would want or need to do so, but it might be possible to set apart some hours or even a day every now and then to reflect on some of the questions which inhabit your inner self. I hope so. We all live very fast lives being bombarded by questions and demands from all sides, so if you can make some space for reflection then I recommend it. If it is good for your soul, then it will be good for you and the people around you.
Most Reverend Malcolm McMahon OP Archbishop of Liverpool
The Holy Father’s prayer intentions entrusted to his worldwide prayer network for the year 2024:
Let us pray that the Church continue to sustain a synodal lifestyle in every way, as a sign of co-responsibility, promoting the participation, communion and mission shared by priests, religious and laity.
www.popesprayer.va
Editor Harriet Anwyl
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Katie Parry
Pictures Nick Fairhurst www.nickfairhurstphotographer.com
Martin Cahill
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Contents:
4 Main Feature Called to serve others
7 Sunday Reflections
8 From the Archives Kirkby’s black superstar
9 News News from around the archdiocese
12 Pastoral Ponderings
Copy deadline November 2024 - Monday 21 October 2024
Subscriptions To take out a subscription please email Kim O’Brien at kim.obrien@cpmmmedia.com or call 0151 709 7567
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14 What’s On What’s happening in the archdiocese
15 Cathedral Record
16 Cathedral Life
17 Profile Professor Gerald Pillay
27 Animate Youth Ministry
28 Pic Extras Mums the word News from the KSC
29 Nugent News Article
30 Dialogue and Unity
‘When you start your formation, you realise how important it is to be there for other people. That, for me, is what is at the heart of being a deacon.’
The Archdiocese of Liverpool has a newly ordained permanent deacon, Bill McMahon, and hopes that others will follow the same path.
by Simon Hart
‘The deacon in the ordination rite is called to be the herald of the Gospel and that’s not just at Mass through service at the altar, but to go out into the world beyond the boundaries and confines of the church wall and go out and proclaim the word of God in sometimes unusual and challenging situations and also the ministry of diakonia, of charity, of service, to live that and practice it – particularly with those on the margins of society.’
This reflection comes from Deacon Paul Rooney, the assistant director of the Permanent Diaconate for the Archdiocese of Liverpool, and it is pertinent for more than one reason. For a start, he recently concluded the process of mentoring the newest deacon in the archdiocese, Bill McMahon, through the four-year preparation period which culminated with his ordination on Saturday 7 September. In addition, he and Canon Chris Fallon, the archdiocese’s director for the permanent diaconate, are now eager for more men to step forward for the role, at a time such ministry is required more than ever.
‘In Europe and particularly England and Wales, there is a lot of change going on in our Church and we have to respond to that and one of the responses is the permanent diaconate and developing our understanding and implementation
of it,’ adds Paul who is currently conducting a research project on the permanent diaconate at Liverpool Hope University.
And he believes that the newly ordained Bill McMahon offers an excellent example of what a deacon can bring.
‘It really was a pleasure to accompany and support Bill. He will be a wonderful deacon and this points towards the type of person we are looking for,’ he added.
Ordained at his home parish of St Oswald’s in Longton, near Preston, the 61-year-old spent 30 years in the police before a subsequent period working at the University, first teaching Policing and then as their head of security. Hence, he too summons that word diakonia – a Greek word which can be translated as service – as he reflects on his calling.
‘A big part of my life up to now has been spent in the service of others,’ he begins. ‘I had 30 years in the police and was there to protect people and serve the public and that concept of service has always been deep inside me.
‘When you start your formation, you realise how important it is to be there for other people. That, for me, is what is at the heart of being a deacon.’
Bill’s Ordination Mass was celebrated by Bishop Tom Neylon with parish priest Father Michael Barrett and Canon Chris Fallon among those concelebrating.
His responsibilities supporting Fr Michael at St Oswald’s will start with weekend Masses and taking Holy
Communion to care-home residents, though there will inevitably be more, given that he is retired and able to commit plenty of time to the role. ‘It is an open book in terms of what that might be,’ he says.
As mentioned already, Bill’s ordination comes at a time when the archdiocese is seeking more candidates for the permanent diaconate.
To this end, there are two information days planned for the coming months – one at Bishop Eton on 5 December, the other at St John’s, Wigan on 23 January – and Canon Chris has the following message for anybody considering the role but doubting their worthiness to minister in this way.
‘I always say none of us are worthy of the call to ministry,’ he says.
‘A friend of mine who worked in the theatre used to say that Jesus had a wonderful plot but chose a lousy cast. If you look at the people that Jesus invited to be his closest followers and representatives, they were a motley crew.
‘The Lord works with unlikely people as well as those who might seem obvious choices. It’s all about whether the Lord is calling somebody to that particular vocation and it is a process of discernment, and we stress that always.
The question we ask through the enquiry period and then the training is not “Is this person good enough to be a deacon?”. It is “Is the Lord calling this person to be a deacon?”.’
As for the criteria for becoming a deacon, Canon Chris explains that ‘we are generally looking for people between 30 and 60, although this is not absolute.’ Those who are married should be in a stable relationship, he adds, while if single, they should be able to commit to remaining unmarried.
As for the human qualities required, he remarks: ‘It is about engaging with people. We need people who can get on with others and who will respect everybody equally. All deacons have a three-fold ministry of proclaiming and teaching the Word; serving at the altar, which includes leading services for marriage, baptism, funerals; and the ministry of charity, wanting to ensure the Church helps people who are in need.’
The four-year programme that Bill McMahon has recently concluded is run jointly by all the northern dioceses and includes a few weekends a year studying at Hinsley Hall in Leeds.
There is also an online element in the form of a postgraduate certificate in Catholic Pastoral Leadership, which is a programme led by Liverpool Hope University. Bill, who was grateful to his wife Jill and children Hannah and Benjamin for their support during his training, explains that the process brought a much deeper understanding of his faith.
‘I’m 61 now and I thought “I’ve been a practising Catholic for so many years and have a decent understanding” but there’s so much I didn’t know and still so much that I don’t know,’ he said.
‘When you have time to study it rather than hear it at Mass on a Sunday, you start to get a much deeper and richer feeling about what the Bible is saying to you. It’s an enlightening journey and I’m still learning.’
To return to the roles and responsibilities of a deacon, these are much varied according to Canon Chris.
He explains: ‘Not every deacon is retired. People give what they can give, and some deacons are still in full-time work.
‘We have a number whose employment is as a chaplain, be it in a school, hospital, prison or the armed forces – in fact, we have Liverpool deacons doing all four of those things.
‘We also have those like Bill who can put a lot of time into their ministry.
‘We have deacons running charities, working with asylum-seekers, spending time visiting the sick, going into schools. It really depends on the circumstances of each deacon.’
Whatever their specific tasks, Deacon Paul Rooney adds that each man ‘requires energy and enthusiasm and a willingness and ability to go beyond the norms.
‘We need people who are equipped theologically in terms of their liturgical skills but also who can turn their talents out into the world to serve others and bring them to Jesus, in often unusual situations.
‘As we see the secularisation of our society here and the changing nature and challenges facing our Church, the diaconate is one of the key strands for our Church to remain vibrant and alive and of the world.’
Anybody wishing to learn more about the permanent diaconate should contact Paul Rooney at p.rooney@rcaol.org.uk.
At the beginning of this month we held the day of thanksgiving and prayer for the gift of Creation and the part we play at its heart ; a Saint closely linked with this is Saint Francis of Assisi and his well known Canticle of the Creatures:
Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures, especially Brother Sun, who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendour!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
Many of us will also have shared in the Family Fast Day organised through CAFOD and it begs a question - why do we FAST when we are actually giving thanks for the ABUNDANCE of God’s good creation, surely we should be enjoying that abundance, not fasting from it?
I think part of the answer is that we want to show that we take nothing for granted and that when we read in the Book of Genesis that we are ‘ to subdue the earth and conquer it ‘ that doesn’t mean we are to exploit or damage it but
Monsignor Michael McKenna witnessed my first homily. He never let me forget it. In 1972 I was assigned to St Mark’s, Skelmersdale, as a deacon. He was the priest serving in Tanhouse, in the rapidly expanding new town.
To my embarrassment, he would regale friends with my story of choosing one puppy from a litter. My sermon went on to suggest that this is the way God loves us. I then joined the team at Skelmersdale as a priest after ordination and, as the youngest, Father Paddy O’Sullivan referred to me thereafter as ‘the pup’. Michael and I remained friends throughout my years as a priest.
Most of our escapades in Skelmersdale are best confined to conversation rather than the pages of the Pic. We had a ball. Speaking at the 50th anniversary of my ordination last year, Michael talked of our adventures. On a visit to Makro in Kirkby we bought a suit. It was light grey with wide lapels and flared trousers. Being the same size, we shared it. We saved it initially for special occasions. The only trouble was we couldn’t both wear it at the same time. I think it cost £16. We got our money’s worth out of it.
As a new town, Skelmersdale had a young population. The priority for the Church was the building
Canon Philip Gillespie
that we are to tend it, care for it , and generally be good STEWARDS OF CREATION.
When we open the newspapers or watch the television and we see the natural world being exploited and spoiled - be it by wild fires, forced labour in mines searching for minerals, or the discarded plastic in our rivers and seas, I am reminded that Pope Francis wrote in his Encyclical Laudato Si ( may you be praised O God in all your creation ) that we share a ‘ common home’ and that we abuse it at our peril - or rather not just our peril but that of the generations who follow us.
So when in October, this month of mists and mellow truthfulness, you keep a Harvest Thanksgiving, either in your home, your school or your parish , or when you next make a donation to your local Food bank, be grateful for that which we can so easily take for granted and in that way we can affirm our belief in our common home and make a prayer that we will always cherish all those things which, regardless of the length of the production line ,are always ‘fruit of the earth and the work of human hands’
Mgr John Devine OBE
of schools to serve them. These schools became community hubs. We spent years mopping floors and putting out chairs after Saturday evening socials and stacking them away after Sunday Mass, ready for school on Monday morning. Some of their teachers were present at Michael’s funeral in Chorley last week.
One of my favourite places is Beadnell in Northumberland. It is the wildest of places out at the headland and it always speaks to me of the wild, unfettered presence of God.
Whenever I am there, I find myself swept up into the mystery of presence. Tony Jones, an American theologian, says: “The God of wild places honours place,” and I think I understand what that means because if I think of Beadnell or Iona, another place, or the west shore in Llandudno, I know there are experiences of God that have been planted within the fibre of my being, and that just by thinking we can be transported into the mystery we first encountered.
I have sat at Beadnell and sung aloud to the God I have found in the wild places, so real is the experience. I know every rock that the water pours over, and even those rocks scream at me of the presence of God, and while it is a place of wildness, it is a place of solace too because of the presence of God. When I think of Iona and Mull, they remind me of the day, sitting staring at some water, when I recognised that the risen Jesus is still the wounded Jesus. That has affected my life so powerfully. The west shore of the holiday town Llandudno is wild and wonderful and transports me into the mystery of God every time I feel that place.
The process of establishing individual parishes in the town was reversed with the appointment of Derek Worlock as Archbishop. We suggested he establish a team ministry. Kevin Finn was designated as the first team leader with Michael, Frank Tillotson and me, soon joined by Francis Burke, Bernard Higham, Denis Harvey, Chris Kelly, and later by Kevin Kelly. Bernard and I are the only remaining survivors. Our enthusiasm and energy were matched by the commitment of a cohort of dedicated head teachers and teachers. In time, churches were to be built, but there was a sense that the town’s best days were when the school/parish partnership flourished. Michael and I kept in regular contact thereafter. In retirement, he visited me on the Isle of Man when he could. We would talk about the puppies and the suit, and Archbishop Worlock. I’ll miss him.
We are never alone. We are given the gift of creation in which we find the presence of God. We depend on that creation and that creation depends on us. The challenge is to reverence all that you see and experience: creation, trees, grass, animals, wind, rain, thunder and lightning, sunshine, and other human beings. The more we reverence the created order, the more we discover the wild, free God who is present in the very stuff around us which too is wild and free if we allow it to be.
I am minded of the words of Saint Bonaventure that I have spoken, and written, of before that everything is charged with the footsteps of Christ. Look with eyes that see and you will find God. There is, of course, a huge challenge in this because if creation is the dwelling place of God, then we as believers must do everything we can to preserve the wonder that is all around us. We must be as ‘green’ as we can be.
A.W. Tozer, the American author and pastor, once said: “God dwells in His creation and is everywhere indivisibly present in all His works. He is transcendent above all His works even while He is immanent within them.” The created order calls us to hear God whispering and at times shouting to us to let go and to let God into our lives.
Father Chris Thomas
by Neil Sayer, Archdiocesan Archivist
October has been marked as Black History Month in Britain for several years now. It’s an occasion to celebrate the contribution to British life and culture of those of African and Caribbean origin who have often been overlooked or forgotten in our nation’s history.
Figures who have been brought to life through recent research in local archives include John Archer, an early black politician who was elected Mayor of Battersea in 1913. He was born in Liverpool in 1863, just a stone’s throw away from the present-day site of the Cathedral. The city in fact has one of the longest-established black communities in Europe, thanks to its trading links with West Africa and the Caribbean. Many sailors settled in Toxteth and married local women. The Charles Wootton Centre was established in Toxteth in 1974 to perpetuate the name of a Barbadian sailor killed in race riots in Liverpool just after the First World War. More recently, the Dorothy Kuya Archive Project has sought to make available the personal papers of Liverpool’s first Community Relations Officer, a campaigner against racism and discrimination in the city and elsewhere.
Sporting stars have also been rediscovered, including McDonald Bailey, a sprinter who ran for Britain in the 1948 London Olympic Games, and Len Johnson, a Manchester boxer of Sierra Leonean heritage who campaigned against a colour bar in his sport in the 1950s.
It is perhaps timely then to celebrate the achievements of John Conteh, who 50 years ago this month became the first British boxer to hold the light heavyweight championship of the world, when he beat Argentinian Jorge Ahumada at Wembley on 1 October 1974. Conteh was born in 1951 in Toxteth. His father was from Sierra Leone, his mother Irish. The family, including John’s seven brothers and two sisters, moved out to Kirkby in the 1960s. It was here that he took up boxing at a club on Ingoe Lane. As a former pupil of St Kevin’s Comprehensive School, his sporting exploits were often featured in the pages of the Catholic Pic in the early 1970s.
At the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh in 1970, aged just 19, John became the first Englishman to win the middleweight title for 36 years. When he returned home, the streets in Kirkby were painted in red, white and blue, and the neighbours put up “Welcome Home Champ” posters as a tribute to their local hero. Interviewed when relaxing at home, John mentioned his father’s contribution to his success: “He used to come with me to the club to make sure I went. I didn’t like boxing at first but now I can’t thank my Dad enough for taking me.”
This seems to be one of those occasions when fatherly dreams are transferred to the next generation. Frank Conteh himself said of his son, “John has fulfilled an ambition I have had secretly for many years. When I was a lad I always wanted to be a boxer but I never made it. I always hoped that one of my boys would make a name for himself in the boxing ring and John looks as though he’s going to do just that.”
At this stage John was dreaming of Olympic success at the 1972 Munich Games, but as it turned out he soon relinquished his amateur status, winning his first professional fight in 1971.
Further success came, including British, European and Commonwealth titles, before his world title fight in 1974. That was a big year for him: he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews, himself a former Irish amateur boxing champion, for a recording of “This is Your Life”, and aficionados of 1970s TV will also remember that John won the second series of BBC’s testosterone-fuelled athletics competition “Superstars” in 1974.
John Conteh’s talent, looks and sense of humour led to a good deal of media exposure. He was even invited by Liverpool FC manager Bill Shankly to accompany the team on their “glory parade” around the city following their trophy-winning season in 1973. With all the interviews for newspapers, TV and radio, he came to feel that they were “even more shattering than actually fighting.” As far as the fighting went, he retained his world title until 1977, and had his last professional bout three years later. By this time, the Conteh family had left Kirkby, having moved to Ainsdale, where they became parishioners of Sacred Heart. John’s youngest brother had to give up boxing, as there were no training facilities nearby.
If you’ve got any news from your parish that you’d like featured e-mail us with the details at: CatholicPic@rcaol.org.uk
For a whole generation of priests, Monsignor Michael McKenna will be remembered as a key figure in the life of the Archdiocese of Liverpool.
In his role as Episcopal Vicar for Finance and Development, between 1983 and 1999, he did so much to stabilise and improve the finances of the archdiocese, as well as working tirelessly to alleviate the stresses borne by parish priests in parishes burdened by debt. Though without doubt financially astute, he was above all motivated by a pastoral heart that cared deeply about the wellbeing of his brother priests.
He encountered many of these problems first-hand during his second appointment as a priest. In August 1967, he was appointed as a curate to Monsignor Tom Barry in Skelmersdale, which had been designated as a new town in 1961. This was a time of rapid expansion, with families moving from Liverpool with the promise of employment in the new factories of Courtaulds, Dunlop, and Thorn EMI. With a young population, the Church prioritised the building of schools, and these became community hubs. Fr Michael spent many years mopping floors and putting out chairs after Saturday evening socials, and stacking them away after Sunday Mass, ready for school the next day.
Following the appointment of Archbishop Derek Worlock in 1976, the drive to establish several distinct parishes within the new town was reversed. Under the leadership of Fr Kevin Finn, a team ministry was established with several priests working together with some very dedicated and enthusiastic headteachers and teachers. By this stage many of the major employers, who had been drawn to Skelmersdale by generous financial incentives, pulled out when the incentives were withdrawn. As a consequence, many factories closed, and unemployment reached 40% at one stage. Fr Michael responded to this crisis with a project that came to be known as ‘Tomorrow’s People Today’. With considerable funding from central government, he established a programme of job creation. His vision and enterprise enabled many young people to take their first steps into the world of work. It is not surprising that his gifts came to be recognised by Archbishop Worlock, who appointed him to succeed Canon Vincent Burrowes as Episcopal Vicar for Finance and Development.
He was responsible for establishing the offset-banking system, whereby parishes in debt did not pay interest on the overdraft and parishes in credit sacrificed a percentage of the interest to which they were entitled. Fr Michael was always careful to acknowledge that the idea came from Monsignor Joe Gibb, for many years Treasurer of the archdiocese. He challenged breweries to write off existing debts on individual parish clubs in return for an advantageous central purchasing arrangement. Provisions for priests set up in his time included the George Andrew Fund and healthcare arrangements to provide for the sick and retired priests of the archdiocese. Many will remember his work in helping to set up an interdiocesan car scheme for priests, and Inter-Diocesan Fuel Management Limited (IFM) to negotiate gas and electricity tariffs with suppliers.
Though he worked most of his days in the office on Brownlow Hill, he spent many evenings visiting parish priests to help them negotiate the bureaucracy generated by the increasing demands of the Charity Commission, Inland Revenue, and Customs and Excise. It was this aspect of his work that gave him the most satisfaction.
In addition to his work within the archdiocese, Monsignor McKenna advised many others within the Church in England and Wales. For many years after he ceased to be Episcopal Vicar, he continued to do work for, and to advise, the Bishops’ Conference. His friendship with Albert Gubay, an Isle of Man resident and construction and retail magnate, resulted in Mr Gubay leaving the bulk of his wealth in trust for charitable purposes when he died in 2016. The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation has since funded many Catholic projects throughout England and Wales.
In recognition of his service to the Church, he was made a Chaplain of His Holiness in 1987, and a Prelate of Honour in 1992. Michael McKenna was born in Liverpool on 18 May 1937, the son of Vincent and Grace McKenna. After the death of his mother, he was largely brought up by Marie McKenna, one of his aunts. He received his early education at St Charles’ School, Aigburth, and then at St Francis Xavier’s College. On 9 September 1950, he entered St Joseph’s College, Upholland, alongside 30 boys of similar age, to begin his training for the priesthood according to the traditional model of the pre-Conciliar
Church. Six of these, including Michael, were ordained priest in the college chapel by Archbishop John Carmel Heenan on 8 June 1963. They were ordained during the period of the Second Vatican Council and began their priestly ministry amidst a period of significant development. Following ordination, Fr McKenna was appointed to the parish of Saints Peter and Paul in Crosby, assisting Monsignor Joseph Turner, who had been the seminary rector at Upholland for the first eight years of his training. After four years in the long-established parish at Crosby, he moved to the new town of Skelmersdale to immerse himself in the establishment of new parishes communities and in the development of team ministry. During his time as Episcopal Vicar, he was Administrator at St Mary’s, Highfield Street, Liverpool, for a short period. Subsequently, he was chaplain to the Redemptoristine sisters at Gillmoss, whilst living in Upholland.
He returned to parish ministry in 2000, succeeding Canon Dick Firth as parish priest at St Gregory’s, Chorley, and relished the contact with parishioners again. Speaking of those to whom he brought Holy Communion at home, he remarked that, “If I ever get to heaven, it will be because of them.” He had a great capacity for friendship, maintaining many lifelong friendships with his distinctive handwritten cards, even as his eyesight was failing. In 2016, he retired from active ministry, moving the few yards to the lodge at the end of the drive at Weld Bank. He died on Friday 23 August 2024, aged 87 years, in the 62nd year of the priesthood.
May he rest in peace
After a two-year process, the parishes of St Mary’s, Woolton and Our Lady of the Annunciation, Bishop Eton were delighted to receive CAFOD’s LiveSimply award recently.
The occasion was marked with a gathering in Bishop Eton’s garden, where Father Jim Casey blessed the awards, before the team walked together to St Mary’s for a reflective service outside, followed by a picnic.
The scheme encourages everyone to embed LiveSimply principles into the daily life of the parish and wider community. At the official launch, with “Creation Masses” in 2022, parishioners were asked to sign up to pledge their support. This was followed by a plant swap and giveaway, with parishioners bringing seeds and cuttings to share. This is now an annual event.
Subsequent initiatives have included prayerful creation walks through local parks, as well as events to increase awareness, such as inviting WaterAid to help people appreciate this precious resource and hosting a “Question Time” event on the climate crisis.
The Junior Justice & Peace group has provided inspiration with posters, talks and songs. ‘Nearly New’ fashion shows, meanwhile, have raised over £3,000 for charity. And recycling in general, has become a focal point of interest, education and activity.
Further initiatives are now being planned, such as local focus groups to share information on topics such as solar energy. Father Tim Buckley, the parish priest, said: “I suggest the challenge now is not
that we sit back and glory in all that has been achieved, but recognise that we’re called to live in this way every day of our lives, for there is no doubt that we and our planet are still in dire need of rescue.”
If any other parishes would like to contact the team at St Mary’s and Bishop Eton, they would be happy to help and equally to learn from others: LiveSimplyBEandStM@rcaol.org.uk
Our Lady and All Saints Church, Parbold, along with prominent buildings across the country, will be lit in red to commemorate #RedWednesday.
#Red Wednesday is an Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) initiative that draws attention to the human rights tragedy of persecution of Christians and other religions. Red is the colour of martyrdom and #RedWednesday highlights the suffering experienced by Christians and people of other faiths throughout the world, who are persecuted or discriminated against because of their faith or beliefs.
Pope Francis calls us to pray for the persecuted when he reminds us that “Today there are more martyrs than in the first ages; but the media says nothing about them, because it’s not news.”
#RedWednesday offers an opportunity for us to show solidarity with those who suffer for their faith by offering prayers, and through special events and activities like wearing red, and lighting a building red.
For those who permanently live in fear because of their peacefully held beliefs and are therefore denied Mass, let us proclaim our solidarity with them.
As a symbol of solidarity, Our Lady and All Saints Church, Parbold will be illuminating the Church in red this Wednesday 20 November and for the following week.
by Dan Howarth
I have always known that my future ministry will be inclusive of our LGBT+ family. Sometimes this feels difficult, as despite Pope Francis’ openness and pastoral approach, we often hear of stances against the community within the church (thankfully, not often in Liverpool).
Our synodal report told the archdiocese that we want an inclusive church. I am very proud of that within Liverpool, and of the wonderful LGBT+ Masses led by Monsignor Stephen Maloney. So I was delighted that the Archbishop asked me to write this for Pic readers.
At the beginning of August, I attended Outreach, an LGBT+ catholic ministry conference. Part of America Magazine, founded by Fr James Martin (a wellknown LGBT+ advocate) and held at Georgetown University, Washington DC, this event brought theologians, academics, clergy and LGBT+ Catholics and their allies together. The theme was to build community, and I feel very lucky to have been part of it. The event kicked off with a beautiful prayer service that asked the Holy Spirit for forgiveness, courage, openness and compassion. Panel events were held to hone in on the voices of people who Cardinal Archbishop of Washington DC, Eminence Wilton Gregory, described as the heart of the church (he also presided over the first Mass) and how their faith sustains them through difficulties.
Poignantly, Prof AJ Levine (biblical scholar and NT expert) spoke of the times when the Bible has been used to target LGBT+ people, but how this too has often been misinterpreted. Biblical times were very different from today and social structures in Roman and Jewish cultures back then were more focused on a male, female, slave, or free social class. For example, in St Paul’s letter to the Romans - famously quoted to condemn homosexuals, the original translations were more accurately describing nonconsensual sex between males from different classes.
We heard examples of good ministry to LGBT+ people. Some queer Catholics may not feel that their church is a safe place to be open about who they are. For those who question why this is needed, the answer is probably because for many years LGBT+ Catholics may have been told that they are not welcome or even worse, not equal to their straight counterparts. Good practice here is to remind our parishioners that an inclusive safe space for LGBT+ people is also a safe space for everyone. In the Church’s synodal way, we are listening and, importantly, hearing the barriers people face within the church. Words can hurt all of us, closed attitudes can isolate us, and neither of these are part of Jesus’ gospel. As AJ Levine reminded us, the Bible is a rock to stand on, not a rock to be thrown to hurt.
Finally, I attended a panel discussion on how to preach to LGBTQ+ Catholics, and importantly how not to. Our homilies should never target someone or intentionally cause humiliation and isolation. And the takehome message – if you start with love, people will hear it with love. This was also live recorded for the “Preach: Catholic homilies” podcast.
Being at this conference reaffirmed my desire to have an open ministry to people with all sexualities and none. I was blown away by the continued faith some people had despite at times hearing very unloving things.
For anyone who struggles to understand the need for LGBT+ ministry, listen to LGBT+ Catholics, or perhaps meet people at the LGBT+ Masses.
For our LGBTQ+ family, you are heard, you are visible, and you are very much loved.
For information on Archdiocese LGBT+ Mass, visit www.facebook.com/p/ LGBT-Catholics-Archdiocese-of-Liverpool-100079342640658
For more information on Outreach visit our website outreach.faith
By Pat Murphy
I read recently that the baths in Lourdes are once again “fully open”. The first time since the pandemic. To some regular visitors to Lourdes, this will be great news.
Others, including myself, found the water gesture much easier and more symbolic. Even from my first school visit to Lourdes, I wondered how pilgrims who were poorly coped with being submerged in freezing cold water, being so ill and fragile - but then that is the real faith that our Blessed Lady will give them strength and healing.
Many of you will have seen the film about a year ago called The Miracle Club. A film set in the mid-1960’s, with a strong cast including Maggie Smith, about a group of women on pilgrimage to Lourdes. Each of the women has wanted to visit Lourdes for many years. The character Eileen has good reason as she thinks she has cancer. She then loses faith, having been submerged into the icy water after being told that fewer miracles have happened than she expected.
The film has some wonderfully funny one-liners that I think maybe only Catholics would understand, but the one that has stayed with me was from Eileen’s parish priest when he said to her: “We don’t come to Lourdes for a miracle, but to ask for the strength to go on when there is no miracle.”
I think that there are only about 70 recognised miracles of Lourdes. However we all know that there are many more, and most who have been pilgrims to the shrine will have had their own “little miracle”.
Sadly, the tragic events in Southport a few days after the Liverpool Pilgrimage came back from Lourdes said to me that dreadful events can happen in the world, but somehow, we all dig deep into our faith and prayerful life to carry on. I am sure we have all asked, “How and why did this happen?” But our great faith and the faith of the family, friends and community I am sure will help to give strength to the broken-hearted.
St Bernadette pray for us.
Holy St Jude, Apostle and Martyr great in virtue and rich in miracles, near Kinsmen of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke you, special patron in time of need, to you I have recourse from the depths of my heart and humbly beg to you whom God has given such great power to come to my assistance.
Help me now in my urgent and present need and grant my earnest petition. In return I promise to make your name known and cause you to be invoked. For nine consecutive days say three Our Fathers, three Hail Marys and three Glorias.
Publication must be promised. St Jude pray for us and all that invoke your aid.
Amen
This novena has never been known to fail.
by Paul Pimblett
By the time this article is published I will have begun my second year of studies, and third year of formation, at Allen Hall in London. I have been writing this column for one year now and it has been a great joy and privilege to have shared my formation journey with you all!
One thing I have never taken for granted in life is my faith and my personal relationship with the Lord. I am incredibly lucky to have been raised in a practising Catholic family. I will forever be grateful to my parents for introducing me and my siblings to the beliefs and teachings of the Church. As I grew older, I faced the same challenges I believe we all do, especially as a teenager. I had doubts and questions about belief, as I’m sure many do. It was also not particularly popular to be so open about my faith in secondary school and eventually, university. (It is unfortunate that today, to publicly practise or at the very least acknowledge the Christian faith is being met with increasing resistance.) However, I am very grateful for this time as despite the challenges, my love for Christ and His Church grew more deeply and I began to feel the call to discern a vocation.
As I look back, it is easy to see that whilst I may have wavered or struggled with my faith, there was one constant presence in my life: Jesus Christ. I believe we can often fall into the trap of assuming that we must do all the work when it comes to faith and belief. We can become worried that our relationship with God is only one-way. In reality, the Lord has called us all before He formed us in the womb. He reaches out constantly and draws us into a relationship with Him. He waits for us in every Church, in every tabernacle, and He is there to receive every prayer and petition. We have a saviour who knows and loves us all personally. Throughout my life, by knowing and loving the Lord I have found so much joy and strength in the face of any doubts, worries and concerns.
As I return to my studies, I ask you to please keep me and my brother seminarians in your prayers, you are always in ours!
St Thomas More and St John Fisher, Pray for us.
Liz Parsons, Director of Pastoral Development
I am very pleased to be able to announce that the Pastoral Development Department has been growing over the summer. As you may know, we were recruiting for two positions over this last year, and I am very proud to introduce you to our new team members.
Chris Higgins is our new Parish and Deanery Development Advisor. Having worked in primary schools for much of his career as a teacher and head teacher, he has also been a very active member of his parish. In his new role with the Pastoral Development Team, he will be working closely with churches and Deanery Synodal Councils on Families of Parishes, collaborating on strategies for Area 4 of the Pastoral Plan (Becoming a Church that renews its organisational structures and administers its property to serve its mission), as well as supporting parishes in their ministries.
Moses Mui is our new Training Coordinator. With a background in social work and volunteer management as well as being a long-standing catechist, he will be coordinating the Certificate in Pastoral Leadership as well as coordinating courses and formation facilitating liturgy, spirituality, catechesis and pastoral ministries, with a focus on Area 2 (Becoming a Church that honours the vocation of all the baptised).
Moses and Chris will be joining Pablo Guidi, our Catholic Social Action Coordinator; our administrator, Jonathan
Mcguirk; and myself, Liz Parsons, the new Director of Pastoral Development. Pablo has been working in adult and community education prior to joining the archdiocese and is overseeing a number of Catholic Social Action projects including Care for Creation, and Becoming a Welcoming Parish.
I began working for the Liverpool Archdiocese two years ago as the Training Coordinator and since then, I have been focusing on developing a new Certificate in Catholic Pastoral Leadership with Liverpool Hope University, initiating formation and training for catechists and supporting the RCIA Core group. As the Director for Pastoral Development, it will be my privilege to work alongside these amazing, dedicated people, to strategically and operationally oversee the Pastoral Development function of the archdiocese, providing support and resources to the local church (parish and deanery) to identify its current and future needs in order to maintain a faithful, healthy and active presence in every part of the archdiocese.
Our first act as a team has been to work on the Adoremus Liverpool event, which took place at the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral and St Mary on the Isle (Isle of Man). We all bring a variety of skills and experience to our roles and we couldn’t be more excited about the new possibilities and initiatives our team will be able to explore and facilitate.
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Saturday 5 October
Eucharistic Minister Training Day
The Irenaeus Project, 32 Great Georges Road, Waterloo, L22 1RD
The Irenaeus Project will host a Eucharistic Minister Training Day on 5 October. Parishes are invited to send participants to this important session. To book your place, email jenny@irenaeus. co.uk or call 0151 949 1199.
Tuesday 8 October
Time Out on Tuesdays
Tithebarn Grove, Lance Lane, Wavertree. The Sisters of Our Lady of the Cenacle invite you to ‘Time Out on Tuesdays’ for a day of reflection and rest. From 10:30AM to 4PM, take a break from daily life and enjoy a few hours of quiet contemplation. No need to book, just come along with a friend if you like. Suggested offering is £10. Bring your own lunch; tea and coffee will be provided. For more details, contact Sr Winnie on 0151 722 2271.
Tuesday 15 / 22 / 29 October
CDSC Life in the Spirit Seminars
The CDSC (Charismatic Service of Communion) are facilitating the ‘Life in the Spirit Seminars’. This is an opportunity to recognise the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. However, if your prayer group would like to participate as a group in your own venue it is possible for you to request a link and join as a group on Zoom. For any further information, and if you require a link, email jenny@irenaeus.co.uk
Thursday 17 October
Newman Association Talk
St Helen, Alexandra Road, Crosby, L23 7TG. Join the Newman Association for their latest talk, ‘Why Real Friends Are Good for the Soul,’ led by Professor John Sullivan at St Helen’s Parish Centre, Crosby. The talk explores the connection between friendship, spiritual growth, and synodality. It begins at 7:30PM, and all are welcome to attend.
Saturday 19 October
Bruckner and Saint-Saëns Concert
Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Mount Pleasant, L3 5TQ.
Experience an unforgettable evening of music at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. The cathedral’s restored grand organ will feature in Saint-Saëns’ Third Symphony, alongside Bruckner’s renowned motets and his powerful Te
Sunday 20 - Saturday 26 October
Guild of St Stephen Pilgrimage to Lourdes
The Liverpool Archdiocesan Council of the Guild of St Stephen will lead a pilgrimage to Lourdes from 20-26 October. The cost is £495 per person sharing, or £595 for a single room, including coach travel, full board, and excursions. For more information, contact Rose Curry at 07932 729896.
Tuesday 22 October
The Blessed Sacrament Shrine in Liverpool City Centre is offering drop-in sessions for anyone in need of someone to talk to, regardless of faith. These sessions will be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 2:15PM to 4:15PM. Sponsored by the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament and supported by Samaritans, this initiative is open to all. Please share the attached poster with your congregation and others who may benefit.
by Dr Christopher McElroy Director of Music, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
Since 1952, the city of Liverpool has had a twinning arrangement with the German city of Cologne. This was the first such arrangement between British and German cities after World War II, symbolising reconciliation and a commitment to peace and cooperation. A particular feature of this twinning has been the relationship between the Cathedrals of Cologne and Liverpool, leading to a number of exchanges whereby the cathedral choirs of one city have visited the other.
To mark the 100th Anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, a special exchange has been organised in October / November of this year between the cathedral Choirs of Cologne and Liverpool. The Choir of Cologne Cathedral will visit Liverpool on the weekend of 12-13 of October. Whilst in Liverpool, they will sing Choral Evensong at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral and sing at the Solemn Mass in the Metropolitan Cathedral, as well as having time for sightseeing and a sports tournament with choristers from both Liverpool cathedrals.
Both Cathedral choirs from Liverpool will travel to Cologne on 31 October. On Friday 1 November (All Saints Day), all the choirs will sing together at a special High Mass in Cologne Cathedral. On Saturday 2 November (All Souls Day), the Choirs of Liverpool Anglican Cathedral and Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, together with a local orchestra, will give a performance of Mozart’s Requiem in the church of St Apostein. Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Choir will join the choir of Cologne Cathedral to sing at mass in St Kunibert on Sunday morning, and in the afternoon sing vespers in Cologne Cathedral in front of the high altar where the shrine of the Three Kings is sited.
The trip won’t all be hard work, as the choirs will have time for sightseeing, sports & shopping! The trip presents an opportunity to deepen the relationship between our two cities that has existed since 1952 and allows our choirs to represent the city of Liverpool on an international stage. A special report on the tour will appear in the December Catholic Pic!
Canon Anthony O’Brien –Cathedral Dean
A great deal of cathedral activities for the month of October will be concentrated around a number of important visitations.
Deans from the Catholic Cathedrals across England and Wales will be visiting Liverpool in the early part of October for a short conference. Archbishop Malcolm and Bishop Tom Neylon will be joining us for the celebration of the regular Mass at 5pm on Tuesday 8 October to welcome the visiting clergy from the various cathedrals and join us and the congregation for the celebration of Mass that evening. Almost as soon as this conference finishes the BBC will be here at the cathedral to broadcast a live service of Choral Evening Prayer for the Memorial of St John Henry Newman, and a recording of Mass for the Feast of the Presentation next year.
The Choirs of Cologne Cathedral will be visiting and singing at both our Cathedrals in Liverpool over the weekend of 11 -13 October. They are joining our choirs for the Sunday Morning Mass at 11am on the Memorial of St Edward the Confessor.
Archbishop Malcolm will preside at this Mass. College staff and a section of pupils of St Edwards College will be joining us for this celebration. The Knights of Saint Columba from across the archdiocese will be attending Mass at 11am on Sunday 20 October for their Annual Eucharist with Archbishop Malcolm.
At the end of the month, we return the visit of the Cologne choirs by going over to their city, along with the choirs from Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. The choirs will be singing in Cologne Cathedral for the Feast of All Saints, a joint performance of Mozart’s Requiem at St Apostein, and Sunday morning service at the Basilica of St Kunibert.
This month’s pilgrimage takes us through the heart of the city, focusing on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a powerful devotion that represents Christ’s infinite love and mercy.
This 4.7 mile pilgrimage will take us through the historic streets of Liverpool and nearby areas, connecting us to the Sacred Heart and encouraging a deeper encounter with Christ’s compassion. If you’re not up for the whole journey, consider travelling part of the way.
Route Overview - Time Taken: 2 hours
Stops on the Way
1. Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Toxteth
Our pilgrimage begins at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Toxteth, a Marian shrine that reminds us of the deep connection between the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. As you set off on your journey, take some time to pray to Our Lady, asking her to guide you on this spiritual journey. This quiet church is an excellent place to reflect on the Sacred Heart’s call to humility, love, and devotion.
2. St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Toxteth
Distance from Start: 0.6 miles
A short walk through the vibrant streets of Toxteth brings us to the next checkpoint, St. Patrick’s Church. It is a church known for its stunning architecture and rich history. Founded in 1821, it stands as one of the oldest Catholic parishes in the city. Here, you can reflect on the role of the Sacred Heart in offering consolation to those suffering. Consider pausing for a quiet moment to offer prayers for those in your life who need the healing mercy of Christ’s Sacred Heart.
3. St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Liverpool Distance from Stop 2: 0.5 miles
Our journey continues to into the city centre, and St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, a church dedicated to the patron of charity and service to the poor. The Sacred Heart reminds us of Christ’s love for the marginalised and those in need. Take time here to pray for those who are less fortunate and reflect on the ways we can live out the call to be merciful, following the example of Christ.
4. Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King
Distance from Stop 3: 0.8 miles
Walking further into the city centre, we arrive at the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, the seat of the Archbishop of Liverpool. While you are here, pause for personal reflection and offer prayers in front of the Blessed Sacrament. The Cathedral’s peaceful atmosphere provides the perfect setting to meditate on the Sacred Heart’s call to love all of humanity without reservation.
5. Sacred Heart Church, Kensington
Distance from Stop 4: 0.6 miles
Next, we make the two-mile trip to the beautiful Sacred Heart Church in Kensington. This stop is central to our pilgrimage’s theme and serves as a key moment to deepen our devotion to the Sacred Heart. The church’s architecture, with its towering spires, points heavenward, reminding us of the divine love poured out from Christ’s heart. Take this opportunity to say the Litany of the Sacred Heart, reflecting on the many ways in which Christ’s love transforms our lives.
6. St. Francis Xavier Church, Everton
Distance from Stop 5: 0.5 miles
It is a short walk to our next destination, St. Francis Xavier Church, a parish steeped in history. Known affectionately as SFX, this church has been a cornerstone of the Catholic community in Everton for over 150 years. Here, you can contemplate finding God in all things and pray for the grace to align your heart more fully with Christ’s Sacred Heart. The church’s quiet, reflective atmosphere invites a moment of deep personal prayer.
7. St. Anthony of Egypt Church, Scotland Rd Distance from Stop 6: 1.1 miles
As we journey closer to the Mersey, we arrive at St. Anthony’s Church on Scotland Road. This parish has long been a place of devotion for local Catholics. As you enter the church, consider lighting a candle in front of the Sacred Heart statue. Take this time to thank God for His love and reflect on the pilgrimage so far.
8. Our Lady of Reconciliation, Vauxhall Distance from Stop 7: 0.5 miles
The final stop on our pilgrimage is Our Lady of Reconciliation, a parish that symbolises healing and unity. The Sacred Heart is ultimately a symbol of Christ’s desire to reconcile humanity with God. As you conclude your journey here, take time to reflect on how Christ has worked in your life throughout the pilgrimage, especially in areas where you seek healing or forgiveness. This final stop is a place for thanksgiving and spiritual renewal.
Prayer for Peace
— St. John Paul II
Lord Jesus Christ, who are called the Prince of Peace, who are Yourself our peace and reconciliation, who so often said, “Peace to you” – please grant us peace.
Make all men and women witnesses of truth, justice and brotherly love. Banish from their hearts whatever might endanger peace. Enlighten our rulers that they may guarantee and defend the great gift of peace.
May all peoples on the earth become as brothers and sisters.
May longed-for peace blossom forth and reign always over us all. Amen.
Send us your favourite prayer, along with your name and your parish, at CatholicPic@rcaol.org.uk to be featured in next month’s issue!
Saint John Almond
Born in Allerton, Liverpool, Saint John Almond was educated in Ireland, then at Reims, then lastly at Rome, before he was ordained to the priesthood and returned to England as a missionary in 1598. He worked on the English Mission until he was martyred in 1612 at Tyburn. He is one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales who were canonised.
Find the hidden words
“I can’t find a place elsewhere in the world – and I’ve worked on four continents – where Catholic and Protestant institutions have come together to form one ecumenical university foundation.” With these words, Professor Gerald Pillay articulates the special character of Liverpool Hope University, a place he called home for almost two decades.
Although he retired in 2023 as rector and vice-chancellor, he is revisiting his Liverpool Hope years as they are central to his upcoming receipt of a special Papal honour. On 11 October, Gerald will be invested as a Knight of the Order of St Gregory the Great – an award conferred for his efforts in ‘extending ecumenism in the field of education’.
“I think it’s a wonderful affirmation of the entire university and all of my colleagues and students over the years,” he adds of the honour, and the fact his investiture will take place not at the Metropolitan Cathedral but at Evensong at Liverpool Cathedral is testament to the ecumenical spirit he considers so strong in his adopted city.
“I’m very proud that the city does these acts of fellowship and unity. The coming together of Hope was a Liverpool achievement,” reflects the 70-year-old, who cites the vision of the late Archbishop Derek Worlock and Bishop David Sheppard who were instrumental in the melding of the Catholic Notre Dame (1856) and Christ’s Colleges (1964) with the Anglican St Katherine’s College (1844).
On his own involvement, which began with his appointment as rector in 2003, two years before Hope gained full university status, he says:
“I came with a sense of mission and 20 years later it’s a vibrant and serious place of learning – not a large, elite inner-city university, but rather an ecumenical foundation of quality that offers an alternative, more personal way of educating.”
The South Africa-born Gerald had previously held significant positions at both the University of South Africa in Pretoria and Otago University in Dunedin, New Zealand. At the former, he was heading the Ecclesiastical History department when his status as the only Indian professor meant he was called on to help lead the ‘transformation process’ as South Africa turned away from apartheid in the 1990s.
In Dunedin, he faced a different challenge as head of the Theology and Religious Studies department. It was the first of its kind at any university in Australasia – and faced initial resistance from several
By Simon Hart
secularist department heads. Yet within a short time, he had become Otago’s first head of Liberal Arts, and those opponents became ‘fine colleagues and friends’.
Today, though retired from academia, Gerald remains busy as president of Initiatives of Change International, a global charity given to reconciliation and peace-making. Yet his passion for education is undimmed. His work at Hope earned him an OBE for ‘services to Higher Education’ and he reflects with ‘much joy’ on the path travelled there.
“The number of eighteen-year-olds in the UK is limited, so a programme of unending growth in student numbers was unrealistic. We sought to be a serious, Liberal Arts-informed university open to social, economic and scientific enquiry.
“What we did was grow deeper, culturally and educationally, and tried to protect the core of Liberal Arts alongside the Social Sciences and the Sciences and also formed a good Business School. Over the 20 years, we became more robust in terms of research.
“We increasingly raised academic standards,” he adds. Yet while raising the entry bar, they remained mindful of those with promise from “socially disinherited postcodes”.
And crucially, the university retained its Christian ethos. As he notes, “Western civilisation began with the cathedral schools which were the precursors of the universities,” and this informs his belief that education should involve the “formation of the whole person – body, mind and spirit”.
“Thousands of these students will probably never go to church, but many do. A good education plants seeds that may well grow into something much bigger than the immediate outcome of their degree subjects. We often think spreading the “good news” is only through evangelism or a church programme, but I think a rounded education is an important way to make the world humane. I strongly believe that in a secularised world, Christian higher education has an important role to play.” Even, as he laments, when commercial and utilitarian imperatives hold such sway. “They erode our culture and values,” he argues, “so we have to articulate the alternatives even more.” Which is why, he says proudly, at Liverpool Hope University the educational goal is described as “the quest for truth, beauty and goodness.”
by Dr Jennifer Jones, Scientist and nature writer
For my grandmother it was, ‘make do and mend’; for my mother, ‘waste not, want not’; and for my schoolteachers, ‘always take your litter home’. They were not to know it, but their advice was embodying the 3 Rs of living sustainably: reduce, reuse and recycle. Reduce means to minimise the amount of waste we create. Reuse refers to using items more than once. Recycle means putting a product to a new use instead of throwing it away.
My grandmother, a seamstress, was adept at reusing and recycling. When he was little, my brother could not be separated from his Little Brown Coat, a jacket made from an adult’s old bouclé coat, lined with material from grandma’s discarded skirt, with buttons cut off an old cardigan. Nothing went to waste, and the little coat was worn for years. We still have it many decades later. Socks were darned, worn adult knitwear was undone and reknitted as jumpers with matching socks for children. I remember them well!
I am not looking through rose-tinted glasses. Our attitude to waste has changed. Work or family pressures leave us time-poor, so we are not as skilled or willing to reuse or recycle. However, compared with my grandma’s day, we do have the potential to recycle some waste. Bins of different hues transport our waste for recycling and reuse - although with some still going to landfill.
Perhaps the most pernicious form of waste is food waste. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reported that in 2022, over 700 million people faced hunger, 2.4 billion were moderately or severely food insecure and over three billion lacked access to healthy diets yet, in the same year, the world wasted one billion tonnes of food. The FAO marks World Food Day on 16 October. The theme for 2024 is “Right to foods for a better life, and a better future”.
In a weekly audience back in 2013, Pope Francis denounced what he called a culture of waste saying “Whenever food is thrown out it is as if it were stolen from the table of the poor, from the hungry! I ask everyone to reflect on the problem of the loss and waste of food”. Last year during an audience at the Vatican, the Pope expanded his view by saying that responding to the needs of people and the environment requires “a determination to overcome the ‘throwaway’ culture of waste generated by presentday consumerism”.
A second form of waste gaining more attention is that generated by the fast fashion industry. The environmental price of fashion is considerable. Fast fashion relies on cheap labour and
manufacturing, frequent consumption and short-lived garment use, which in itself raises ethical issues. It is estimated the global fashion industry produces 8-10-per-cent of global CO2 emissions, is also a major consumer of water, and contributes ~35-per-cent (190,000 tonnes per year) of oceanic primary microplastic pollution. Vast amounts of textile waste (>92 million tonnes per year), ends up in landfill or is burnt. The industry is beginning to address these issues, but current efforts to improve sustainability are often outpaced by increasing consumption.
I have a young friend who refuses to buy new clothes, buying all hers from charity shops or online sites. She always looks fabulous, so perhaps we should follow her approach. Alternatively, we could just decide to buy clothes less frequently. Do we really need a new outfit for every party we go to?! Of course, if you are partial to luxury clothing, you might wish to purchase from Stella McCartney’s collections. She believes in ensuring a sustainable industry, making the least impact on the planet. The company’s mantra is “We stand up and speak up for Mother Earth, our fellow creatures and in solidarity with all humans today, in order to protect our better tomorrow.”
Did you notice during the time of COVID-19 how many of your neighbours upgraded their properties? Sounds of drilling, hammering and skips being filled were pervasive. Waste observed in domestic skips is just the tip of the iceberg. According to the organisation Business Waste, the construction industry in the UK produces 100 million tonnes of waste annually, and waste from construction and demolition accounts for 62-per-cent of all waste generated annually.
The industry is working hard to reduce waste, although some is inevitable. Despite these efforts, five-per-cent still goes to landfill where it will take hundreds to thousands of years to decompose, sometimes releasing harmful components into the environment. It is too easy to simply throw timber, bricks or other materials into a skip. And, of course, disposal of the waste will add to the cost of a project. Excluding anything classed as hazardous, it may be possible to use waste materials for another purpose rather than consigning it to landfill. We can look carefully at recycling or reusing materials.
For now, I try to adopt my grandma’s and mother’s advice. It’s not easy, but if we focus on Pope Francis’ urgings to overcome the “throwaway culture” in our lives, we can be confident that we are helping planet Earth and its present and future inhabitants.
cuf.org.uk/lookup-tool
Staff and pupils from four Catholic primary schools in Sefton recently joined colleagues from the Pope Francis Catholic Multi Academy Trust to celebrate their recent conversions to academy status.
The conversions of the four schools took place on 1 September. These schools are: St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Little Crosby, St Edmund’s and St Thomas’ Catholic Primary School in Waterloo, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School in Southport, and Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Primary School in Netherton.
During the short celebration, pupils wrote some hopes and dreams for the future on special cards made with wildflower seeds.
With the sun shining down, the pupils then planted their cards in a special place within the school grounds. Chaplain of Pope Francis Catholic Multi Academy Trust (CMAT), Dennis Jones, led the pupils and staff in prayer, and Andrew Dawson, trust CEO, offered some welcoming words.
Andrew said: “We feel very privileged that all four schools have put their trust in us and joined the Pope Francis CMAT family.
“We are greatly encouraged with the level of collaborative work that that has already take place to enable all to flourish within our common Catholic mission and ethos.”
The theme of growth and flourishing will be continued at a Year 6 retreat for all four schools to take part in on 14 October.
Four Year 11 students from Hope Academy, who are preparing for a life-changing trip to Tanzania in 2025, successfully completed the National Three Peaks Challenge during their summer holidays.
George, Harry, Mason, and Max embarked on this gruelling trek, conquering the highest peaks in Scotland (Ben Nevis), England (Scafell Pike), and Wales (Snowdon), to raise funds for their upcoming expedition with Camps International.
The Three Peaks Challenge, widely regarded as one of the most demanding hiking challenges in the UK, saw these determined students push themselves to the limit as they hiked over 10,000 feet of elevation and covered nearly 27 miles.
Their efforts are part of a larger mission, as the funds they raise will support their volunteer work in Tanzania, where they will engage in crucial community projects aimed at improving local infrastructure, education, and conservation efforts.
“We are immensely proud of George, Harry, Mason, and Max for their outstanding dedication and perseverance,” said Mrs Marie Adams, principal of Hope Academy.
“Completing the Three Peaks Challenge is no small feat, and their success is a testament to their commitment, not only to their physical goals but also to the incredible work they will be doing in Tanzania. We wish them continued success in their fundraising efforts.”
In 2025, the students and staff will embark on a once-in-alifetime expedition to Tanzania, where they will volunteer in rural communities, helping to build schools, provide clean water access, and conserve the local environment through reforestation projects. This unique experience will provide them with the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of those in need and help preserve the region’s natural resources.
The funds raised through the Three Peaks Challenge, along with other initiatives over the next academic year, will help cover the
costs of the trip, enabling these students to fulfil their dream of making a difference in the world.
George commented: “The Three Peaks Challenge was tough but knowing we’re doing it for a great cause made it all worthwhile. We can’t wait to contribute to the projects that will benefit both the local communities and the environment in Tanzania.”
Donations can be made towards the trip via GoFundMe: gofund.me/87b161ce.
The St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust (SJCMAT) has unveiled an ambitious three-year plan that underscores its commitment to providing world-class education and facilities.
The trust’s vision for the future, aimed at being fully realised by 2027, is built on its five core pillars that will guide its strategic initiatives and ensure the continued success of its academies.
With Christ at the centre of SJCMAT, the trust is committed to ensuring that Catholic life and mission, religious education, and collective worship of all academies are outstanding.
All leaders in the trust aim to be in the top 20-per-cent nationally for outcomes. Reading is one of the pillars and the aim is for all children to confidently read for pleasure.
By 2027, SJCMAT aims to establish a sector-leading infrastructure that will ensure all its academies are financially resilient and equipped with cutting-edge technology and worldclass facilities.
An ambitious estates strategy is in place to deliver state-of-theart facilities, enabling students to thrive in a world-class learning environment.
SJCMAT recognises that a high-performing, motivated workforce is essential to achieving its educational goals. By 2027, the trust aims to become an employer of choice, renowned for its supportive and enriching work environment.
A key aspect of this vision is the commitment to providing worldclass professional development opportunities, ensuring that staff are not only high-performing but also continually growing in their roles.
In line with the Archdiocese of Liverpool’s CMAT Strategy, SJCMAT said it will integrate an additional 26 academies into the trust over the next three years.
In 2024-2025, the first wave of converter academies will join the trust as part of these exciting plans. The trust’s growth plan model is structured as a triple helix consisting of three strands and reflects their vision for the future.
We were delighted to welcome the chaplains of our secondary schools and sixth-form colleges to the St. Margaret Clitherow Centre at the start of July. This was to attend an annual review day which I planned and coordinated with Father Mark Beattie, ‘Chaplain to the chaplains’, and Martin Malone, Chaplain of St. John Rigby Sixth Form College, Orrell.
The day began with a series of updates: Joan McCarthy, Director of Education, spoke about the progress of the Archdiocesan Academisation Strategy, and I reported on the forthcoming launch of the Prayer and Liturgy Directory in Autumn, and the Catholic Schools Inspections framework. Pablo Guidi from Pastoral Development gave an update on his work with Racial Justice, Equality and Diversity.
The real strength of the day was in the opportunity it gave for chaplains to come together to share the experiences, joys and challenges they face in supporting the young people and staff of our schools and colleges. We were delighted to welcome Archbishop Malcolm who listened to the stories and experiences that emerged from the small group sharing. He celebrated Mass where he commissioned our new school Chaplains: Danny Sweeney (St Mary’s, Astley), Eleanor Lalley (St Augustine’s, St Helens), and John Baron (Our Lady Queen of Peace, Skelmersdale). Father Simon Gore also attended part of the day and spoke about the preparation process for the sacrament of Confirmation.
Being a school chaplain can sometimes feel like a lonely, isolated role. The hope is to bring chaplains together more frequently and to consider the best ways of providing ongoing formation. We are introducing termly cluster meetings for chaplains from September. The feedback received from the day was overwhelmingly positive. Despite it being such a busy time of year for schools, it was very pleasing to see such high numbers at what was a very enjoyable and successful day.
Ben McMullen Deputy Director of Education Archdiocese of Liverpool
Our Lady of Pity RC Primary School, Greasby, has celebrated its 60th anniversary with a special school-wide mass and picnic.
On Wednesday, 18 September, the 60th anniversary celebrations began with a mass held at Our Lady of Pity RC Church, led by Fr Mike Lester.
The mass invited the whole school community, including representatives from the Diocese of Shrewsbury and Holy Family Catholic Multi Academy Trust - the trust of which the school is proudly part of - to join together to honour and celebrate 60 incredible years of Our Lady of Pity.
Back at the school, children from across each year group headed to the school’s picturesque grounds to enjoy a picnic in the sunshine.
To mark the momentous occasion, the school used a drone to capture a heart-warming photograph of all pupils, where they spelt out ‘OLOP 60’.
Mila, a Year 6 pupil, said: “We all enjoyed a picnic outside in the sun, the food was really tasty! Having a drone take our picture was pretty cool too and it was really good to try and make the letters big!”
At the end of the school day, Our Lady of Pity opened its doors to past colleagues, governors, and friends of the school for a special tour.
Attendees enjoyed some light refreshments, and a walk around the school’s stunning grounds while reminiscing on their time and experience at Our Lady of Pity.
Cath McGowan, teacher at Our Lady of Pity from 1970-2000, was in attendance at the celebrations and commented on the lovely day. She said: “The 60th anniversary at OLOP was a perfect opportunity to catch up with colleagues and friends who are still around!
“Memories of dedicated colleagues, loads of laughs, chalk blackboards and good old netball and rounders. We were made to feel very welcomed and valued and the cake was delicious. OLOP – long may she reign!”
Head of school at Our Lady of Pity RC Primary School, Mrs Kathryn Dunne, said: “We have had an incredible day celebrating 60 years of Our Lady of Pity RC Primary School.
“Across our school’s long history, we have been a small part of our children’s educational journey. As a Catholic school, we are committed to our mission to ‘do everything with love’ and this is echoed in events and celebrations like this, where the whole school community comes together for a joyous occasion.”
Situated in the village of Greasby, the school has been a longstanding pillar of the community and has supported local organisations and individuals through charity work and community partnerships.
Teachers from the Catholic primary and junior schools of Warrington started the new academic year with a celebration of Mass at St Stephen’s Church at Orford, Warrington, on 2 September.
As 2024 has been designated by Pope Francis as a Year of Prayer in preparation for the Year of Jubilee 2025, the theme of the Mass was ‘Called to Prayer.’
Father John McLoughlin, parish priest, presided at the Mass assisted by the Dean, Canon David Heywood. In place of the homily, Fr John gave a talk reflecting on the prayer life of Jesus.
Beginning with the letter to the Hebrews, Fr John suggested that when the author speaks of Jesus praying ‘aloud and in silent tears’, we can assume that the early church was well acquainted with Jesus as a man of passionate prayer.
Fr John said: “Jesus at prayer inspired the disciples to ask: ‘Lord teach us to pray,’ reminding us that the disciple is the one who watches the master at prayer and then, because he is incapable of prayer, asks for help.
“First, we watch the master, we observe the Lord, then we too must ask for help because prayer is not something that comes naturally. We learn how to pray not once but every day. So, every day we need to ask anew, ‘Lord, teach us to pray’.”
Fr John explained: “In response to the disciples’ request, ‘Jesus gave the formula of words which we know today as the Lord’s Prayer.
“But this is not the sum total of Jesus response. Jesus will also have to show the disciples how this formula animates his own life and mission.’
Fr John illustrated this point by reflecting on the passage of scripture which speaks of Jesus leaving the house in Capernaum to find a lonely place in which to pray (Mark 1:29-39).
After Mass, the teachers continued their inset day in their respective schools
Laura Wilcockson is set to join All Saints Multi Academy Trust as director of people.
Currently director of human resources (HR) at Wirral Met College, Laura has successfully led the transformation of a team of 11 HR advisors and developed and implemented a bespoke HR strategy across each campus.
Prior to moving into the education sector, Laura worked in various HR managerial roles within the hospitality sector.
Laura’s experience and expertise uniquely position her to drive strategic human resource initiatives and foster a collaborative, supportive environment within All Saints Multi Academy Trust.
Speaking about the strategic appointment, CEO of All Saints Multi Academy Trust, Heather Duggan, said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming Laura to our team.
“Her expertise will be instrumental as we enhance and expand our HR division within the trust.
“Laura’s arrival represents a significant milestone in our journey of growth, and we look forward to the positive impact she will undoubtedly make.”
All Saints Multi Academy Trust is a unique joint faith multi academy trust.
16 catholic schools, colleges and multi-academy trusts (MAT) from the Archdiocese of Liverpool have been named in the Educate Awards 2024 shortlist.
For over a decade, the Educate Awards has shone a spotlight on the education sector, showcasing the fantastic work of schools and colleges.
The schools and colleges shortlisted are as follows:
• All Saints Multi Academy Trust has been shortlisted in the Most Inspirational Multi Academy Trust category.
• Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School has been shortlisted in The Communication Award.
• Great Crosby Catholic Primary School has been shortlisted in the Outstanding Commitment to STEM category.
• Paul Bohan from Holy Spirit Catholic Academy has been shortlisted for School Support Star of the Year.
• Hope Academy has been shortlisted for the SEND Provision Award – Mainstream School, Outstanding Commitment to Sport in a Secondary School and Joanne Ashcroft has been shortlisted for Support Star of the Year.
• Maricourt Catholic High School has been shortlisted in The Communication Award.
• Our Lady and St Swithin’s Catholic Primary School has been shortlisted for Leadership Team of the Year.
• Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School has been shortlisted for the Mental Health & Wellbeing Award.
• Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School has been shortlisted in the Outstanding Commitment to the Environment category.
• St Aloysius Catholic Primary School has been shortlisted in the Outstanding Commitment to Sport in Primary School category.
• St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School has been shortlisted in the Outstanding Arts in Primary School category.
• St Elizabeth’s Catholic Primary School has been shortlisted for the Mental Health & Wellbeing Award and Most Inspirational Primary School.
• St John Bosco Arts College has been shortlisted in the Outstanding Arts in Secondary School category.
• St John Rigby College has been shortlisted for the Most Inspirational Sixth Form & College.
• St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust has been shortlisted in the Most Inspirational Multi Academy Trust category.
• The Academy of St Nicholas has been shortlisted for the Careers & Enterprise Award, Most Inspirational Secondary School and Katie Bell has been shortlisted for Teacher of the Year.
Catholic schools, colleges and multi-academy trusts from other dioceses have also been shortlisted. These include, St James’ Catholic High School in Stockport, St Damian’s RC Science College in Tameside, Loreto College in Manchester, Blessed Carlo Acutis Catholic and Church of England Academy in Runcorn, Holy Family Catholic Multi Academy Trust on the Wirral, Ss Peter and Paul Primary School in New Brighton, St Mary’s Catholic College in Wallasey and St John Plessington Catholic College in Bebington.
In total, over 70 entries from nearly 60 schools, colleges and multi academy trusts from across the north west have made the prestigious shortlist. They will find out their fates on Friday, 15 November, at the glittering Educate Awards ceremony, held at the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral.
Featuring 21 diverse categories, the awards shine a spotlight on all aspects of education from sports and arts to literacy and the environment.
The shortlist recognises inspiring teachers, dedicated support staff and strategic leadership teams who continue to make a profound impact in their communities.
The event, which is in partnership with ASL Group, is the largest and most prestigious education awards of its kind. Schools, colleges, leadership teams, teachers and support staff from across Merseyside, Cheshire, Lancashire and Greater Manchester come together to celebrate their achievements in a truly unique fashion.
This year, the Educate Awards has seen a record number entrants, highlighting the ongoing commitment to educational excellence and innovation around the northwest, with a 52-per-cent increase in entrants from Manchester and Lancashire.
The eagerly awaited shortlist was revealed on Thursday, 26 September, via the Educate Awards’ social channels.
“All students, including those with high needs make exceptional progress on their programmes.”
Ofsted 2024
St John Rigby College in Orrell, Wigan celebrates the success of all its students as they start their apprenticeships, jobs or start at University.
COLLEGE OPEN EVENTS
Saturday 5th October 10:00am - 1:00pm
Thursday 17th October 4:30pm - 7:30pm
Wednesday 6th November 4:30pm - 7:30pm
To discover more about St John Rigby College, book a place at one of our open events by visting www.sjr.ac.uk
St John Rigby College, Gathurst Rd, Orrell, Wigan WN5 0LJ 01942 214797 www.sjr.ac.uk
On Wednesday, 25 September, students from across Holy Family Catholic Multi Academy Trust’s (HFCMAT) schools took over Chester Zoo. They had thought-provoking conversations with visitors at different animal habitats across the zoo around topics such as plastic waste and fast fashion.
Pupils from Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School, Warrington, headed to the Dragons in Danger house where they confidently interacted with members of the public discussing the impact of plastic waste on the environment.
Year 6 pupil, Angelo, said: “It is so exciting talking to people about the dangers of plastic in the ocean and helping spread the word to help the planet.”
While fellow Year 5 pupil, Oliver, said he was ‘excited to tell people the benefits of recycling plastic’.
Over at the Snow Leopard habitat, students from St John Plessington Catholic College offered informative advice on reducing clothing waste and the impact of fast fashion on the environment. Students encourage visitors to sign their pledges to stop fast fashion and hang them on a small clothesline inside the enclosure viewing area.
Year 11 student Gabriella shared how fun the event was. She said: “It has been so fun to be at the zoo discussing sustainability with all different people. It’s really interesting talking to people from all walks of life who might not know all the different ways we can be more sustainable, and the impact of different factories and fabrics has on our global environment.”
While Year 10 student and fellow eco-club member, Hew, shared how he enjoyed listening to people’s ideas about eco-fashion. He said: “It’s been really fun to hear the different ideas people have and come together to make a difference.”
Ed Boyd, assistant team manager for school engagement at Chester Zoo was impressed by the students’ confidence when discussing such important topics.
Ed said: “We have worked with Holy Family Catholic Multi Academy Trust for several years on various projects around conservation and sustainability. It is amazing to see how they have incorporated those into the curriculum.
“Today was an opportunity for students to talk to visitors and make a difference in their own learning. They were able to understand, engage, and grow in confidence, ensuring their messages were communicated clearly. A massive well done to all those students who visited today, you were incredible.”
St Alban’s and Our Lady of Pity spoke about how to protect coral reefs, St Bernard’s persuaded the public to switch to sustainable palm oil, St Augustine’s showed people how to save the bees and St Mary’s Catholic College highlighted the problems with plastic pollution.
The zoo takeover forms part of the trust’s wider initiative; Care for our Common Home.
Care for our Common Home focuses on the season of creation and supports the Trust’s young people to take curriculum learning and apply it to real-world situations with a core theme of sustainability.
Across a series of three events, Chester Zoo takeover, HFCMAT COP29, and the Green Careers Carousel, students from across the
Trust’s two secondary schools and six primary schools can explore themes and topics around sustainability in different real-world scenarios, applying their classroom learning to authentic situations.
Leading the project is Emily Reid, assistant headteacher at St Bernard’s RC Primary and Nursery School. Emily said: “The Care for our Common Home Festival was developed to enable our students to take curriculum learning and apply it to an authentic audience in real-world situations.
“Engaging with community members in different settings supports our students to increase their problem-solving and communication abilities while fostering their creativity through important topics.”
At the Green Careers Carousel event, four of the trust’s primary schools joined St John Plessington students to explore green careers.
Businesses and colleges from the local area and beyond, including Matalan, Reaseheath Agricultural College, and the University of Chester, attended the event to share what they are doing to protect the environment and deliver sustainable ways of working in the future.
There was also an opportunity for St John Plessington students to share the variety of opportunities within the school’s thriving eco-club, Urban Farm and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Speaking on Care for our Common Home, CEO of HFCMAT, Andy Moor, said: “It is incredible to see our students meet and engage with members of the public, colleges, businesses and university to discuss conservation and sustainability.
“At HFCMAT, we are passionate about sustainability and through a range of initiatives and programmes both at the trust level and within each of our schools, we are supporting our young people to explore important topics that affect their futures.”
By Father Simon Gore, Animate Youth Ministries
As the new term starts here at Animate we thought the readers of the Pic might be interested in a few things we have planned this year.
After the two years without a pilgrimage because of the pandemic, we have had a steady increase over the last few years of young people once again applying to go to Lourdes. Application forms for 2025 will go online on 7 October and we are asking that young people apply through liverpoollourdesyouth.co.uk.
We have managed to keep the cost of the 2025 pilgrimage down to only £10 more than in 2024. And this cost does include travel, a seven-night hotel stay, full board (with all meals), insurance and pilgrimage T-shirts. The deposit will be £100. Please do encourage young people you know to apply and note that there are promotional videos available on the Animate YouTube channel.
Registration for Confirmation for those in Year 8 (or above) will open on 13 January and end on 17 March, and those interested should register online between those dates at liverpoolcalled.co.uk. Posters and more information about how to register will be available nearer the time.
Last year we had 2,078 young people take part in the FIA awards – a tremendous number, I hope you would agree. We hope to continue to grow the award this year and it would be great to have more schools and parishes involved. If you are interested in knowing more about the award with no obligation to join, we have a Zoom meeting set up for the following date: 3 October at 4pm on Zoom. Please get in touch with Lauren (l.lynch@ animateyouth.co.uk or 01744 740461) to get the link for the meeting.
If you cannot make this day and time, please do get in touch with Lauren anyway and she can try and run through what the award is and what you need to know. In the meantime, note the following key dates for 2025:
• Deadline for organisations to register: 6 January
• Deadline for final pieces: 21 May
• Award Ceremony: 24 or 25 June
This year we wanted to try something new and link the Faith in Action awards with the Lourdes pilgrimage. So we are going to offer as a reward for those who received the Gold award last year (June 2024) a £100 reduction in the cost of next year’s Liverpool Youth pilgrimage. This will take the overall cost down to £610.
We hope this might be a tangible reward for young people that completed the award and allow them to continue their faith journey in a different way. And over time that it might encourage more young people to both go to Lourdes and try to complete the Gold award.
This offer is for those we have on our database here as having completed the award in the last academic year. Sadly, we cannot backdate the offer beyond the last academic year.
We hope for this to become a regular reward so those who complete the Gold award this year (2024/25) will be eligible for a reduction for the 2026 pilgrimage. Please do use this reward offer to encourage young people to go to Lourdes this year or to sign up for the FIA Gold award this year. And please keep us as a team here at Lowe House, and the young people in the diocese that we work with, in your prayers this year.
As you know, October is the month of the Holy Rosary. The rosary was given to us by Saint Dominic in the 12th century and is probably the most popular prayer we use.
Whenever we are asked to say the rosary, especially for someone who is ill or has sadly passed, we always refer to the Joyful Mysteries as they relate to all of us in our daily lives. These mysteries are as follows:
1. The Annunciation
The Angel Gabriel asked Mary to be the mother of God. Mary said yes and the Holy Spirit came upon her, and she became pregnant. We can all recall the time when we were pregnant with our first child and how excited we were.
2. The visitation
Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth and she greeted Mary with love. Think of when you had a visit from a special family member or friend.
3. The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem
After nine months, the birth had finally happened. There is elation and, just like Mary, we nurse our new child and greet all our visitors.
4. The mystery of the presentation Mary took Jesus to be presented, and Simeon welcomed him. We take our children to be baptised, and our friends and family join us.
5. The finding of the child Jesus
When Mary and Joseph were returning to Nazareth, they noticed that Jesus was not with them. They searched for three days until they found him. How many of us have lost a child either in a supermarket or at a fairground or park? And when we find them, we hug and kiss them with relief before telling them off for going off.
Looking ahead
Our annual raffle will take place at the October business meeting. Please be as generous as you always are as all charities rely on our support. I would also like to remind you that if you are going to Walsingham next year a deposit of £30 is due at the end of October.
Maria Pimblett, Media Officer
After the war, Britain sought help from the people of its colonies to rebuild the mother country – and many thousands responded.
The Windrush generation were pioneers with a wide range of skills – some gained while serving in the British Armed Forces during the war –which were needed for the rebuilding task. They contributed most notably, initially, to the transport system and the new National Health Service hospitals (and the cricket teams!) following their arrival on the HMT Empire Windrush, a passenger motor ship, from the West Indies in 1948.
Many of them joined the earlier influx of Irish Catholics to places like Willesden and Kilburn in London. Now, 60–70 years later, they and their children (second to fifth generation) are largely integrated into the everyday life of London and other conurbations including Merseyside.
What a shock it was for many of us, therefore, when the Guardian newspaper broke the story of the Windrush scandal in 2018. The paper highlighted case after case of Home Office brutality towards the Windrush generation: retirementage citizens who had lived and paid taxes in the UK for decades had been detained, made homeless, sacked or denied benefits and NHS treatment because they had struggled to prove they were British. Many, wishing to visit their birthplace and relatives in the West Indies, were denied this dream because they had never been issued with passports. This was partly a result of Theresa May’s flagship immigration policy, the ‘hostile environment for illegal migration’, that she launched in 2013 when Home Secretary.
What is the relevance of this to our archdiocese? In October 2023 a new advocacy group, Liverpool Advocates for Windrush (LAW), was founded to guide families through the complex process of rectifying their immigration status. The charitable organisation was
set up by a lawyer (Tonika Stephenson) and a campaigner for social justice (Garrick Prayogg), both descendants of Windrush immigrants.
With the help of students from the Liverpool John Moores University Law clinic, they produced a survey, aimed at members of the Windrush Generation and their descendants residing in Liverpool, and were amazed by the response. ‘At first, we thought that if we got a hundred responses it would be a wholly worthwhile exercise. The questionnaire closed in January and to our surprise we received 1,022 responses from across the region including Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens, Wirral, Runcorn and Warrington.’ Evidence, they add, of ‘how important the issue remains across Merseyside.’
According to the former deputy leader of Knowsley council, Louise Harbour, ‘LAW has uncovered a minimum of 180 affected residents in the Knowsley area alone, indicating that this number may just be the tip of the iceberg. I’ll be doing everything I can to highlight the issue and find opportunities for us as a community to help and assist in whatever way we can.’
Interestingly, the British historian, writer and broadcaster David Olusoga has discovered that in March 1947, before the arrival of the Windrush, the SS Ormonde transported the first group of 108 Jamaican workers to Britain and they landed at Liverpool.
Locally, the Atkinson Library on Southport’s Lord Street has a free exhibition, ‘Windrush: Our Story, Our Community’, which runs until 18 January next year. This was guestcurated by the Southport AfricanCaribbean Heritage Association. Further afield, for those visiting London, the Royal Museums Greenwich (rmg. co.uk) have a marvellous exhibition of Windrush memorabilia. Finally, here’s a thought: for next year why not organise a Merseyside celebration of Windrush Day on 22 June?
To learn more about LAW or seek free advice, contact: liverpooladvocatesforwindrush.org/
At Nugent, we are fortunate to have supporters who go the extra mile to help us improve the lives of those in our care. One of these remarkable individuals is Dave Verburg, who has brought a wonderful project to life: a sensory garden called the Memory Meadow.
This garden will enrich the lives of residents at Lime House, a care home for adults living with dementia. Before being relocated to Lime House, the Memory Meadow made its debut at the prestigious Southport Flower Show.
Dave’s Journey: Walking for a Cause
Dave’s journey started with a personal challenge: a 100-kilometre trek across the Sahara Desert in memory of his mother, Doris, who passed away from dementia in 2022. Determined to honour her memory and support others living with the disease, Dave took on this demanding adventure to raise funds for the Memory Meadow. His inspiring journey highlights how one person’s dedication can make a huge difference in the lives of others.
Normandie Wragg Chief Executive Nugent
Thanks to Dave’s fundraising efforts, the Memory Meadow has been created for Lime House residents. The sensory garden is designed to engage the senses and stir fond memories, providing ongoing benefits to residents, their families, and the care staff. Some key features of Memory Meadow include:
• Water Feature: A calming centrepiece.
• Illuminating Plants and Trees: Creating a magical atmosphere.
• Vegetable and Fruit Garden: Encouraging residents to engage in nurturing activities.
• Herb Garden: Filling the air with soothing scents like lavender.
• Stone Pathways: Safe, accessible routes for all to enjoy.
Dementia affects not just those living with the disease but also their families and caregivers. The Memory Meadow provides a peaceful space where residents can relax, enjoy the natural surroundings, and find comfort. Families can share precious moments with their loved ones, while care staff benefit from a calming environment that helps with therapeutic care.
Jo Henney Chief Executive Officer Nugent
Nugent CEO Jo Henney said, “We are immensely grateful to Dave for his incredible efforts and the profound impact he has made in memory of his mum, Doris. His dedication exemplifies the spirit of compassion and community that is at the heart of Nugent. With the support of individuals like Dave, we can continue to provide vital services and create meaningful experiences for those in our care.”
If you would like to support our work, please get in touch with our fundraising team to see how you can make a difference!
Email: fundraising@wearenugent.org Phone: 0151 261 2000
By Ultan Russell, Archdiocesan ecumenical officer
The theme for 2025 is Do you believe this?” based on John 11:26 “The raising of Lazarus”. It has been prepared in consultation between the Vatican Dicastery (Department of the Roman Curia) for Promoting Christian Unity & the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches working with the Bose Community in Northern Italy. On the main Committee drawn from a range of counties and denominations was Dr Clare Watkins from the University of Roehampton in London who is a lay Roman Catholic Theologian.
The Monastic Community of Bose seeks to embody the monastic path today, Bose was founded in 1968 on the initiative of Br Enzo Bianchi, together with some brothers and sisters. Since its inception, it has been an ecumenical community, due to the presence of Christians belonging to different Churches and has established three other communities in Italy.
Many of us dread the fact that the traditional period in the northern hemisphere for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is 18-25 January. Those dates were proposed in 1908 by Paul Wattson to cover the days between the feasts of St Peter and St Paul, and therefore have a symbolic significance. Notably, in the southern hemisphere, churches often find other days to celebrate the Week of Prayer, for example, around Ascension to Pentecost (suggested in 1926) – and the weather is better here as well!
This year marks the 1,700th Anniversary of the first Christian Ecumenical Council, held in Nicaea, near Constantinople in 325 AD. This commemoration provides a unique opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the common faith of Christians, as expressed in the Creed formulated during this Council; a faith that remains alive and fruitful in our days. The Council of Nicaea was convoked by the Emperor Constantine. The text of this Creed was revised and expanded at the Council of Constantinople in 381 AD. This is the form of the profession of faith that Christian churches recognise today.
Though we are still awaiting the day when we will again have a common yearly celebration of Easter, by happy coincidence, in this anniversary year of 2025, this great feast will be celebrated on the same date by the Eastern and Western churches.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity this year uses materials that are in keeping with contemporary cultures, which are even more diverse today than those of the Christian world at the time of the Council of Nicaea. To quote the Information Leaflet: apostolic faith together today does not imply re-opening the theological controversies of that time, which have continued down the centuries, but rather a prayerful re-reading of the scriptural foundations and ecclesial experiences that led to that Council and its decisions.
It is with this in mind that the guiding biblical text was chosen –John 11:17-27. The theme for the week, “Do you believe this?” (v. 26), takes its cue from the dialogue between Jesus and Martha when Jesus visited the home of Martha and Mary in Bethany following the death of their brother Lazarus, as narrated by St John. Material for the Week of Prayer provides texts for personal or communal prayer for each of the eight days and includes two scripture readings and a psalm. The biblical texts for each day highlight statements of the Nicene Creed.
Instead of newly written reflections for each day, the scripture texts are followed by short readings from different geographical areas and ecclesial traditions (Greek, Syriac, Armenian and Latin). The aim in selecting these short texts, mostly dating from the first millennium, is to offer an insight into Christian reflection at that time, helping to situate the Council of Nicaea’s definitions in both the contexts that gave rise to them and those that were influenced by them.
The material can be used at any time. Prayers and reflections can be used for a Deanery Synodal Council, School Assembly, Day of Recollection, or meeting of a branch of the Union of Catholic Mothers.
One is this reading from Cyprian of Carthage [c. 210-258]:
The church is one, spread abroad far and wide. into a multitude by an increase of fruitfulness. As there are many rays of the sun but one light, and many branches of a tree but one strength based in its tenacious root... in the same manner the church, shone over with the light of the Lord, sheds forth her rays over the whole world, yet it is one light which is everywhere diffused, nor is the unity of the body fractured. Her fruitful abundance spreads her branches over the whole world.
The material can be downloaded at the Dialogue and Unity Commission section of the Archdiocesan website.
