Nottingham Diocesan E-News • September / October 2022

Dear reader,

The visit of the relics of St Bernadette to our diocese: 6 7 October

Excitement is certainly beginning to build up across our diocese as we look forward to the visit of the relics of St Bernadette It is indeed a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity for us to pray before the relics of St Bernadette, to thank God for her faith and determination to carry out what Our Lady, ‘the beautiful woman’ had asked of her, even though she was young, just 14, and uneducated, from the poorest of backgrounds. As St Paul reminds us, “God has chosen the weak of the world to shame the proud” (I Corinthians 1:27) Bernadette is now a saint and she continues to draw many millions of people to Lourdes as a place of prayer and healing. Many people, however, have not had the opportunity to visit Lourdes, so with the visit of the relics of St Bernadette to our diocese, something of the prayerful and healing experience of Lourdes comes to us. You will see elsewhere in this E news the detailed outline of the 24 hours that the relics of this saint are present in our diocese for veneration. Please do encourage people, perhaps from your among your family and friends to join you for this most special occasion, especially if they have lapsed from the practice of their faith.

Jubileemotto:‘PilgrimsofHope’

Our next Year of Jubilee will take place in 2025,andthemottowillbe,‘PilgrimsofHope’. It will begin just before Christmas 2024 and end on the Feast of the Epiphany 2026. Pope Francis writes, “the forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal andrebirththatwesourgentlydesire;thatis why I have chosen as the motto of the Jubilee, ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ This will indeed be the case if we are capable of recovering a sense of universal fraternity and refuse to turn a blind eye to the tragedy of rampant poverty that prevents millions of men, women, young people and children from living in a manner worthy of our human dignity…May the voices of the poor be heard throughout this time of preparation for the Jubilee.” 2025 is also the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea (325), which gave expression to the Christological faith that all Christians continue to profess, and so various ecumenical initiatives are also being planned. Responsibility for the organisation for the Jubilee Year 2025 has been given to the Dicastery for Evangelisation and the emphasis is very much on two years of preparatorycatechesis.

Catechetical Preparation in 2023: discoveringtheteachingofVaticanII

Mindful of the synodal process going on, Pope Francis has asked that 2023, the first year of catechetical preparation, should be dedicatedtodiscoveringtheteachingofthe

Second Vatican Council, particularly that presented in the four principal documents, The Dogmatic Constitutions, Lumen Gentium (theChurch),DeiVerbum(DivineRevelation), Sacrosanctum Concilium (Sacred Liturgy) and Gaudium et Spes (The Church in the Modern World). User friendly resources from the Dicastery, which use non technical language and which can be used in catechesis and formation, will be made available.TheHolyFatherwillcelebrateMass on 11 October 2022 to mark the sixtieth anniversaryoftheOpeningofVaticanII,and youmaywishtokeepthisinprayerthatday

2024,the second year of catechetical preparation for the Year of Jubilee, will be dedicated to Prayer. Resources from the Dicastery will be made available which will include, the ‘Prayer of Jesus’ the Psalms, The parables, Holy Spirit, Our Lady, the Bible, Prayer of Silence and commentaries on ‘The

For the Year of Jubilee 2025 a calendar of events is being planned which will include a Jubilee of Families, Jubilee of Youth, Jubilee of Priests, Jubilee of Deacons, Jubilee of the Sick, and many more While there is the expectation that huge numbers of people, from many parts of the world, will travel on pilgrimage to Rome, local dioceses are also encouraged to devise their own programmes of events and pilgrimages which emphasise the key themes and build upon what’s already happening within the diocese. We are not to see the preparatory work for the Jubilee as burdensome and as ‘yet another thing to be done’, but rather as themakingavailableofresourceswhichcan be used to help support the good work already going on locally, as determined by each diocese The spiritual dimension of the Jubilee, which calls for ongoing conversion, shouldrunthrougheverythingwedo.

Discussion within the diocese & generation oflocalideas

Earlier this week I discussed the Jubilee Year with both the Council of Priests and the Bishop’s Council, and some helpful local ideasarebeginningtoemerge Thesewillbe collated and sent out for discussion at the October Deanery Conferences. I would welcome feedback from each Deanery and also some initial discussion in the parishes about how best to prepare for the Jubilee overthenexttwoyears.

Nottingham Cathedral Wins Substantial Lottery Grant To ‘Restore Pugin’

The Trustees of the Catholic Diocese of Nottingham have been awarded a substantial grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to embark on an exciting ‘Restoring Pugin’ project at Nottingham Cathedral. The total grant awarded for the first phase of development work is £277,558. A potential delivery grant of £524, 858 has also been awarded. Both grants represent 60% of total costs.

Proposed and led by Nottingham Cathedral, the project is a unique partnership with Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and Culture Syndicates (a CIC heritage and arts consultancy that offers paid development opportunities to museum sector entrants) Nottingham Cathedral was designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, one of the key pioneers of the Gothic Revival architectural style in Britain during the early Victorian period Through his works, publications and close collaboration with the architect Sir Charles Barry in the design of the Houses of Parliament, Pugin brought the Middle Ages to life with all its richness, colour and detail. At the heart of the Nottingham Cathedral project is the restoration of the three chapels at the east end of the building to Pugin’s original vision and design Early investigations of the paintwork by conservators have showed that Pugin’s original decorative scheme, sadly covered over with later paint, can be uncovered and brought back to its former glory.

As part of this important and innovation restoration, the Cathedral and its partners are taking the opportunity to encourage and develop conservation skills in the heritage sector and to encourage people from diverse backgrounds to get involved in learning new skills This grant will create a number of exciting paid and volunteer opportunities for young people in the region, with a focus on diversity and inclusion. As the project develops, there will be events for the public to learn more about the restoration work and the science of paint analysis and conservation. It is anticipated that the work will put the Cathedral firmly on the heritage map of Nottingham, so that the story of Pugin and the outstanding beauty of his work can become better known to audiences both in the City, and further afield.

Nottingham Cathedral is a Grade II* listed building in the heart of Nottingham City Centre, on the busy Derby Road. It is a vibrant parish community and also ‘The Seat’ of the Bishop of Nottingham, making it the ‘Mother Church’ of the Catholic community across much of the East Midlands. The Cathedral welcomes tens of thousands of people each year who visit to experience its peaceful atmosphere as a place of worship and to learn about its fascinating architectural history It is open every day and in addition to its strong Catholic congregation, it welcomes visitors of all faiths and none

Canon Malachy Brett, Dean of Nottingham Cathedral said:

‘We are really delighted that The National Lottery Heritage Fund is generously supporting our plans to ‘Restore Pugin’ at Nottingham Cathedral. Thanks to National Lottery players, not only will we be able to restore some of Pugin’s magnificent original design work to the Cathedral but also to create a number of opportunities for young people to engage in conservation and heritage work. We are looking forward to working with NTU and Culture Syndicates on this exciting project and hope that it will enable many more people to appreciate the Cathedral’s rich heritage.’

Professor Benachir Medidoub, Professor in Digital Architecture at Nottingham Trent University said:

‘This project will use advanced digital technologies, internet of things and real-time data, to pave the way to new pedagogical tools to educate our young people from different communities in heritage and conservation, and to support Nottingham Cathedral conservation through real time monitoring.’

Neville Stankley, Culture Syndicates said:

‘We are pleased to be collaborating with Nottingham Cathedral and Nottingham Trent University on this exciting project. We will be engaging young people from a range of backgrounds to take part in the wide variety of heritage work involved in a major conservation project. We will show young people that there is a diversity of skills and knowledge needed to preserve our heritage and to get them thinking about conservation work as a potential career choice.’

About the National Lottery Heritage Fund

Using money raised by the National Lottery, we inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future.

Since the National Lottery began in 1994, National Lottery players have raised over £43 billion for projects and more than 635,000 grants have been awarded across the UK.

Each week, thanks to National Lottery players, £30 million is raised for good causes across the UK.

www.heritagefund.org.uk

It could be you!

Could a news story about you, your parish, school or organisation feature here? E-Mail naomi.roberts@dioceseofnottingham.uk to begin the conversation.

March for Life 2022

At the start of September groups from Nottingham, Scunthorpe and Lincoln headed down to London for this year’s March for Life Joining over 7000 people many of them young people they marched through the streets of the Capital in peaceful opposition to the 1967 Abortion Act Whilst the March was a vibrant and joyful testimony to the gift of life from conception, it also sought to highlight the tragedy and injustice of legalised abortion. This Autumn sees the number of legal abortions committed since 1967 reach the ten million mark. And those marching had one message: that is simply ten million too many.

As the March culminated in a vigil in Parliament Square, those gathered heard from various guests who spoke about abortion pill reversal, coerced abortion and the impact of the overturning of the US Supreme Court Decision of Roe v Wade Shawn Carney, Founder and Director of 40 Days for Life, powerfully reminded the crowds that science, reason, truth and love is on the side of the prolife movement and it’s these things that will overcome the fear and despair that fuels the pro abortion movement. As the event drew to a close, Bishop Patrick took to the stage to give words of encouragement to those gathered. He thanked people for the many ways in which they defend the gift of life in their daily lives as well as at the March. And he gave a message of hope and healing for all those affected by the hurt of abortion You can read his full address at the end of this article

ate of next year’s March for life is set for day 2nd September 2023 and there are that even more people from across the se will be able to join this important event meantime, there are plenty of tunities a lot closer to home for people to volved in practical prolife outreach. This h, Dr John Edwards began work as our san Pro Life Coordinator and he is g forward to hearing from people wanting involved in the prolife movement There’s ys for Life campaigns and the St Colette’s ancy Centre, amongst other things. The fe Office is also looking for people who terested in supporting women, or indeed who have been hurt by abortion. John be particularly interested in talking to with professional qualifications in elling, with the view to setting up a post on support group in the Diocese We will aring more about the work of the san pro life office in the coming months you would like to get involved, then you et in contact with John at pro dioceseofnottingham uk

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Above: Dr John Edwards, Diocesan Pro Life Coordinator Below: Bishop Patrick McKinney, March For Life 2022 (credit March For Life 2022)

Bishop Patrick’s Words of Encouragement at the End of ‘March for Life’ 2022

WE are people who share the belief that a society will be judged on how it treats its weakest and most vulnerable members; and that among the most vulnerable are those in the womb That’s what unites us, whether we’re Christian or not. For all of us, abortion is the taking of human life. So, one life taken away through abortion is one life too many. But the 10 million abortions that have taken place in the UK since the 1967 Abortion Act, these can only be viewed as a horrendous tragedy for humanity, and an absolute stain on our society.

As people who are pro life, we want instead to proclaim and bear witness to a culture of LIFE that respects and cares for the inherent dignity of every human person, regardless of race, creed, sex, special need, age or nationality. For us, every life is precious from the moment of conception until natural death And the most vulnerable have a special claim on our care and concern, and can there be any one more vulnerable than the baby in the womb?

Our society knows that we are against abortion, but perhaps it isn’t always so aware of what we stand for in terms of care for vulnerable women; those who find themselves facing an unwanted pregnancy, and who feel they’ve no other option than to seek to abort their unborn baby. And mindful of the cost of living crisis, and the ever increasing financial struggles facing so many people, we must do more to step up and assure women, who may feel under increasing pressure to seek an abortion, that that they’re not on their own, that there’s hope, there’s real support through our wonderful pro life organisations; they can make choices that affirm life and don’t take it away Taking the life of another can never be a solution to the difficulties women face with an unwanted pregnancy. We must strive to offer concrete support and solutions for women, and work to build a culture where life is affirmed and cherished by all.

And to those who have had abortions, or who have been involved in them, women and men, and who are hurting as a result, let’s make crystal clear to them that we love and respect them; we’ll do what we can to walk alongside them That they don’t need to suffer on their own; there’s hope and healing; and fantastic organisations like ‘Rachel’s Vineyard’ are waiting to journey with them.

Thank you for choosing to defend the sanctity of all human life, from conception to natural death, not just here today, but especially in your daily life. It’s not always easy to do so, it’s counter cultural, and it often makes costly demands of us But let’s keep encouraging each other Let history show that we stood up in defence of life and of the most vulnerable, and especially our brothers and sisters in the womb. THANK YOU!

March For Life 2022

spotlight onSPOTLIGHTON

The Curia: Adult Formation for Mission

In England and Wales on the third Sunday of September, the Church celebrates ‘Evangelli Gaudium Sunday’, formerly ‘Home Mission Sunday’. Named after Pope Francis’ first Apostolic Exhortation, the day offers the Catholic Community the opportunity to celebrate the beauty of our faith and our commitment to witness to the fullness of life in Christ You can read more about it here: cbcew org uk/background to evangelii gaudium sunday/

We took some time to speak to our own Director of Adult Formation for Mission, Joe Hopkins, to find out how his role helps people share ‘the joy of the Gospel’ in our diocese

Tell us a bit about your role as ‘Director of Adult Formation for Mission’?

In short, it’s my dream job! I am passionate about helping people come to know Jesus and grow in their faith Our faith is a beautiful gift that has the power to enrich our hearts, our minds, our souls, and our communities. My job is to help parishes unlock that [gift], to be more confident in exploring and then sharing their faith I love it! It has also been great having Helen join the ‘Adult Formation for Team’ this year. As she works across a number of departments, it has opened up more possibilities to work much more closely together as a curial team

You took on this role during 2020, what did you set out to do?

In the midst of the pandemic, with all its restrictions, 2020 was not an ideal time to start a new job and never mind one that is focused on trying to bring people together I began by trying to get to know what was happening in parishes, how they were adapting to lockdowns and to understand where parishes felt they needed help I wanted to learn what we could do as a department to help parishes still enable encounters with Christ, grow disciples and send out missionary disciples, even in the midst of COVID 19. It was great to be able to bring people together from across the diocese via virtual means to reflect on and actually do this

What have been some of the highlights over the last two years in post?

There have been so many! The online Carol Service was amazing Not only was it great to bring people together, but it was also a testament to the fact that we can still share the Good News that Jesus came to live among us, even if can’t access our usual places of worship and facilities. It has been great to get the Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies back up and running I’ve taught the New Testament module and it is wonderful to see people so eager to know more about their faith. I’ve also had the great joy of supporting parishes in their desire for renewal. I’ve helped them ask questions about how they can be proactively and intentionally reach out to people, rather than waiting for people to come to us. It has been a great joy to partner with the Vocations Team, working with Fr Neil and Fr Liam to establishing the ‘Christus Vivit’ Young Adult Ministry It gives hope seeing so many young adults come together each month to pray, to learn more about their faith and to socialise with other Catholics their own age. It is a great environment to welcome new people into and I am delighted that after a successful launch in Nottingham last year, we are starting a second group in Derby this semester. Similarly, the small steps we are taking to develop women’s and men’s ministries, might be embryonic but I hope they are a sign of great opportunities to come Though, I have to say, my highlight of the last year has been the series of events we put on for the World Meeting of Families. With online talks and a great day in Lincoln with families coming together for Mass and celebrations it really was a fantastic celebration and renewal of family ministry in the diocese

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Eco-garden dreams set to come true at eight diocesan schools

As featured at srscmat.co.uk/eco garden dreams set to come true at eight trust schools

Eco gardens will be created at eight schools across the St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust after they secured funding from East Midlands Airport.

Blessed Robert Sutton, in Burton, St Thomas’, in Ilkeston, and St Edward’s, in Swadlincote, will share £34,000 from the airport’s eco gardens project.

English Martyrs’, in Long Eaton, Holy Rosary, in Burton, St George’s, St Joseph’s and St John Fisher, all in Derby, will work with a wildlife expert on their garden plans before the amount of funding they will receive is confirmed in the Autumn.

The eight schools were among 26 which applied for funding from EMA’s eco garden project.

All schools were asked to submit designs for gardens or green spaces that substantially boost biodiversity and lead to improved wellbeing. The proposals were evaluated by a panel of experts which included representatives from the airport’s corporate social responsibility team, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and the parks, green spaces and environmental management team at South Derbyshire District Council.

The submissions were assessed against several criteria The designs needed to demonstrate how the gardens would make existing space environmentally richer and more diverse, improve biodiversity, stimulate outdoor learning, and have wellbeing benefits.

A wide range of designs were submitted with proposals ranging from creating wetlands, living classrooms, sensory gardens, vegetable patches and wheelchair accessible green spaces.

Such was the standard of entries that the judges decided to award funding to all schools that participated Some will be awarded the exact amount of funding that they asked for while others will be given support to refine their designs to maximise biodiversity and wildlife benefits The cost of these will then be re evaluated and schools will be awarded the appropriate funding to deliver these schemes

Jo Pettifer, Sustainability Project Co ordinator for the St Ralph Sherwin CMAT, worked with schools on their garden proposals.

She said: “I am delighted that 8 of our schools have been successful in securing funds. The design ideas include ‘Flight path’ inspired by the ducks which regularly land on St Thomas’ school roof, “The Lost Gardens of Holy Rosary” which is a magical secret garden idea and The Sutton Way Eco Garden: a garden inspired by Blessed Robert Sutton’s Mission Statement – Love, Respect, Hope, Kindness, Resilience – it shows how those values will help us make a more sustainable world. The pupils have worked so hard, carrying out wildlife audits, planning their designs, discussing them with their teachers and filming presentations for the competition. I am so grateful that East Midlands Airport are rewarding all that hard work, what a triumph.”

f i n d u s o n l i n fe i n d u s o n l i n e

ring and g abeth II

ty Queen Elizabeth II on om across the Diocese her reign in various ways. Condolence, prayers for King, churches open for se were just a few of the es across the Diocese gland’s longest reigning n.

ok of Condolence was uraged to pop into the end some time in quiet me of national mourning. al, a Requiem Mass was and Dean were delighted l guests from across the ohn Peace, His Majesty’s hildren from our schools were greeted by a guard ople from various local hedral was at capacity, as epose of the soul of Her

headed to Old Market h leaders from the City at y’ event organised by r the minute silence, nt of Reflection at 8pm, ose gathered His words Christian faith in the late events here,

Homily at the Requiem Mass for Queen Elizabeth II

I begin by focussing on these words from the 1st Letter of St Timothy, our 2nd scripture reading this evening, because that’s what we’ve all come to do, to pray in gratitude for the quite amazing example of duty, dedication, and service in leadership, that Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, gave us during the 70 years of her reign. We recognise also the importance of her Christian faith in the way she lived her long life and exercised her reign as Queen. As long ago as 1947, on the occasion of her 21st birthday during a trip to South Africa, she broadcasted a message to Britain and its remaining empire in which she pledged to commit herself to a life of service to God and the people She said, ‘I declare before you all, that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service…God help me to make good my vow.’ At her coronation she was supremely conscious that she had been anointed by God, she had been called and commissioned as Queen by God, to give glory to God in prayer and worship, and through dedicated service to her subjects. And, as the years went by, the Queen became more open and more comfortable in speaking about the centrality of her Christian faith, in Christmas messages and other speeches In her Christmas Day message for the Millennium Year 2000 she said this: ‘For me the teachings of Christ, and my own personal accountability before God, provide a framework in which I try to lead my life.’

Themes such as forgiveness, mutual respect and practical good neighbourliness loomed large in her Christmas Day broadcasts. They were well received, and influential, because people could see that the Queen tried to live her life by these Christian values, values which also find expression in other faiths and in people of good will. Her faith in Christ inspired and shaped her deep sense of duty, service and commitment, which were so evident throughout her long reign as our Queen In 2002, reflecting on her Golden Jubilee Year, in which both her mother and her sister died, she said: ‘I know just how much I rely on my own faith to guide me through the good times and the bad Each day is a new beginning. I know that the only way to live my life is to try and do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God…I draw strength from the message of hope in the Christian Gospel’ Many people of faith, whether they felt strong in their faith, weak or lapsed, and many who professed to have no faith, listened attentively to and felt encouraged by her Christmas messages

"My advice is that, first of all, there should be prayers offered for everyone…and especially for Kings and others in authority.”

What she said was influential, not simply because this was the Queen speaking to her people, but because her words had an authenticity about them; she spoke of what she knew, her personal faith as a follower of Christ, whom she described as her ‘anchor’ in life, and most especially in times of difficulty. I believe through those messages and the moral way she lived her life, that she showed people that it’s possible to be a professing Christian in a secular society And consciously or not we did all pray regularly for the Queen whenever we joined in singing the national anthem, which is of course a prayer: ‘God save our gracious Queen! long live our noble Queen! God save the Queen!’

The axiom, “Service untiringly done. Duty faithfully fulfilled” expresses well the long and full reign of Queen Elizabeth II She came to the throne promising to devote her whole life to service and, 70 years later, we would all readily agree that she fulfilled her promise, and that she did so with a certain grace and elegance, and a tireless work ethic She will be remembered for her quite remarkable sense of duty and service to the peoples of the United Kingdom, the realms, and the Commonwealth.

Finally, let me focus on some words from our 1st reading, from the Book of Wisdom:

“The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, no torment shall ever touch them In the eyes of the unwise they did appear to die, their going looked like a disaster, their leaving us, like annihilation; but they are in peace.”

In celebrating this Requiem Mass for the Queen, on the eve of her Funeral, we are as Christians celebrating the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, He who was her anchor in life and who is, for all Christians, Our Lord and our Saviour; the one for whom we strive to live our lives generously; and who is the source of our hope that eternal life, not death, will have the final word on our lives There’s a beautiful phrase in our Mass this evening which expresses well our prayer for our faith filled Queen: “For your faithful, Lord, life is changed not ended and when this earthly dwelling turns to dust, an eternal dwelling is made ready for them in heaven ” We thank God for her life of generous duty and we pray that Jesus Christ, whom she served so faithfully all through her life, may now welcome her into His Kingdom with these words, “well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Master.” May Queen Elizabeth be reunited in God’s love with her dear husband, Prince Philip, and all the deceased members of her family.

Eternal rest, grant to her O Lord, and let Perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen

Programme of Events in Nottingham Diocese

October

Thursday 6th October

7th October

The Relics of St Bernadette

Over the 6 7th October, the Diocese will be hosting the relics of St Bernadette in Scunthorpe and at Nottingham Cathedral.

It was a great joy to be back in Lourdes this Summer to make our first pilgrimage to the Shrine since 2019, due to the pandemic And now, over these next two months, the relics of St Bernadette will be making their own pilgrimage to churches and Cathedrals in England, Scotland and Wales. Lourdes is coming to us and on the 6th 7th October, we will welcome the relics of St Bernadette in Scunthorpe and at Nottingham Cathedral This is a very special once in a life time event and will provide an opportunity for people to experience the message and special gifts of Lourdes right here in our Diocese.

Ahead of welcoming the relics to the Diocese next month, Bishop Patrick had these words of encouragement to share with us;

"I'm very excited that the relics of St Bernadette of Lourdes, to whom Our Lady appeared 18 times, will be coming to our diocese.

What a wonderful opportunity this visit provides for so many people to come and venerate these relics, and so to draw near to the holiness of this young women of determined faith. Bernadette grew up in extreme poverty with health issues and little in the way of education May the example of her life and her prayerful intercession encourage each one of us to grow in our faith and to believe that, like Bernadette, God is calling each of us to holiness of life, no matter what hardships and challenges we face in our lives.St Bernadette, pray for us!"

The relics will be in the Diocese for just 24 hours, arriving in the parish of St Bernadette in Scunthorpe on the morning of the 6th October. They will be welcomed by Fr Matthew Jakes, parish priest, who hopes their visit will strengthen the faith of many local Catholics and an influence for the good in the wider community St Bernadette has long been one of his favourite saints and, along with his parishioners, he feels very honoured that Scunthorpe has been chosen as one of the locations for the Relic Tour After a busy schedule in Scunthorpe, where our schools will feature prominently, the relics will move on to Nottingham Cathedral, arriving early evening to be welcomed by Bishop Patrick McKinney. There will be various celebrations at the Cathedral and an all night vigil, before the relics depart for Birmingham on the morning of the 7th October.

Alongside moments for private prayer and veneration at both venues, there will be a full timetable of liturgies and devotions which we encourage people to engage with in person or via Livestream. Some of these will have a special connection or association with Lourdes, such as the Anointing of the Sick, a candlelight procession, the rosary and the gesture of water We hope that this will give people the chance to experience something of the great shrine of Lourdes a lot closer to home, as well as opportunities to venerate the relics in either location.

Travelling on pilgrimage to venerate the relics of St Bernadette right here in our diocese, will be an occasion for many special graces such as healing and conversion. It is hoped that our whole diocesan family, as well as the many individual pilgrims who will visit Scunthorpe and Nottingham, will be spiritually enriched and renewed by the presence of St Bernadette’s relics in the Diocese. Access to both venues and all events is FREE but we expect it to be a very busy 24 hours and therefore encourage you to register on the official website to secure your place

Continue to the Diocesan Event Page: dioceseofnottingham.uk/events/relics

Vocations Department

Vocation Masses

The Vocation Directors are celebrating special Masses around the Diocese to pray for an increase in Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. The focus of these Masses is to get the Diocese praying for Vocations, for if we do not ask, then we will not receive. These Masses are a chance to pray for people (known or unknown) in your parish or community, who might be called to be our future priests and religious.

The next Mass will take place at Holy Spirit Church, West Bridgford on Thursday 27th October. The evening starts with Adoration and Confessions from 6pm before Mass at 7pm, to pray for vocations.

Vocation Discernment Groups

The monthly discernment group meetings have begun again this semester. These meetings are a chance for young men thinking about a vocation to Priesthood, to gather with other young men on similar journeys. The monthly gatherings include adoration, input and a bite to eat If you would like to come along, please speak with your Parish Priest or contact the Vocations Directors directly at vocations@dioceseofnottingham.uk

New Prayer Card

A new vocations prayer card/calendar is currently being sent out to all parishes and communities across the Diocese. It makes use of the prayer for vocations we have been using in the Diocese in recent years, but it also includes a calender with suggested people and groups to prayer for each day Please do make use of these cards i communities and parishe for an increase in vocatio remember in prayer those mentioned on this new ca

Fr Neil Peoples Vocations Director

Fr Liam Carpenter Assistant Vocations Director

Upcoming Events

Wednesday 5th October: Share, Inspire, Support will help Catholics put their faith into action and make a difference locally All parishioners and clergy from Leicester and Leicestershire are welcome. 7:00 9:00PM at St Thomas More Church view on diocesan website

6th-7th October: Tour of the Relics of St Bernadette The Relics will stop in Scunthorpe (St Bernadette’s Catholic Church) and in Nottingham (Cathedral Church of St Barnabas) as part of this once in a lifetime tour view on diocesan website

Thursday 6th October: Young Adults Gathering with the Relics of St Bernadette

After Mass (at 7:30PM) the Young Adult group we will be going to the Sir John Borlase Warren pub, before returning for the Torchlight Procession at 10:00pm. All 18+ are welcome.

Friday 7th October CAFOD Harvest Family Fast Day 2022. Join together with your parish, friends and family so that families around the world survive today and have food for all their tomorrows See cafod org uk for resources and tools

Saturday 8th October: Men’s Walking Pilgrimage. Location: Meet at the Goyt Valley Car Park at 11:00AM, walk to the Shrine Chapel for a time of prayer and then go for a pub lunch view on diocesan website

Thursday 13th October The Rosmini Centre House of Prayer is hosting a lecture from 2 30pm, entitled 'Daring to Dream Pope Francis and Me', to be given by Father Jonathan Cotton.

Sunday 16 October 2022 VISITATION OF THE FATIMA PILGRIM VIRGIN STATUE AND THE RELICS at The Good Shepherd church in Nottingham, (3 Thackerays Lane, Woodthorpe, Nottingham, NG5 4HT, www.goodshepherd arnold.org.uk/). For more details please visit: https://bit.ly/3BB016z

Thursday 20th October. Young Adults Derby. Meeting at St Mary's Church, Derby Eucharistic Adoration from 6:15pm with a time of personal prayer with Confessions commencing at 6:30pm. Talk from Karen Foong begins at 7PM, followed by Night Prayer then social time in a local pub (then every third Thursday of the month) To attend this event you must be aged 18+

Thursday 27th October. Vocations Mass Holy Spirit, West Bridgford, starting with Adoration and Confessions from 6pm with Mass to pray for Vocations at 7:00PM

Saturday 29th October: Women Leadership in the Church Join other women from across the diocese for an afternoon of socialising, discussion and prayer Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Parish Hall, Nottingham. view on diocesan website

Thursday 3rd November Young Adults' Nottingham Meeting at Nottingham Cathedral Eucharistic Adoration from 6:15pm with a time of personal prayer with Confessions commencing at 6:30pm. Talk from Ben Warren begins at 7PM, followed by Night Prayer then social time in a local pub (then every first Thursday of the month) To attend this event you must be aged 18+

Saturday 5 November CARITAS Loaves and Fishes 10 00 a m 4 15 p m St Joseph’s Pastoral Centre, Goodwood Road, Leicester To book visit bit.ly/loavesandfishes2022 email caritas@dioceseofnottingham.ukor call Paul Bodenham on 0115 649 1509

Thursday 17th November Young Adults Derby Meeting at St Mary's Church, Derby. Eucharistic Adoration from 6:15pm with a time of personal prayer with Confessions commencing at 6:30pm Talk begins at 7PM, followed by Night Prayer then social time in a local pub (then every third Thursday of the month) To attend this event you must be aged 18+

B O

Safeguarding

Volunteers safeguarding training

Any volunteer that requires a DBS for their role

3

K Y

modules

a complete safeguarding course.

three modules

Children in Church Communities

Adults in Church Communities

a Safer Environment for Church

courses

start at 6.00pm and finish by 8.00pm.

Children in Church Communities

Tuesday 11th October

Wednesday 12th October Safeguarding Adults in Church Communities

Thursday 13th October Creating a Safer Environment for Church Activities

Tuesday 25th October Safeguarding Children in Church Communities eventbrite.co.uk/e/396445929447

Wednesday 26th October Safeguarding Adults in Church Communities eventbrite.co.uk/e/396525878577

Thursday 27th October

a Safer Environment for Church Activities

For

NOTTINGHAM DiocesanNews