October 2023 Nottingham Diocesan E-Magazine

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

October is the month of the Rosary, and so my first invitation to you as you read this edition of our E-Magazine, is that you would join me, and ‘Mark10Mission’ in their beautiful and helpful ‘Rosary Challenge’. The challenge to the children and young people is to say a decade every day in school or at home using the video reflection for that decade of the rosary Many of our schools will be using this resource, but whoever and wherever you are, I’m sure that this beautiful and most helpful video resource will only enhance this special month for you. The link is: www.themark10mission.co.uk/rosarychallenge

“Without prayer there is no Synod”

The first session of the final phase of the Synod on Synodality opened on Wednesday 4th October and continues until 29th October We are encouraged to pray for the Synod because it is above all a spiritual event, one of prayer and of listening to the Holy Spirit Cardinal Mario Grech, the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, has said that without prayer there is no Synod So I draw your attention to our dedicated Synod page on our diocesan website (www dioceseofnottingham uk/synod) which contains useful links, information, and an overview of our Synodal journey so far, both locally and internationally

There is much more to engage with this month, with CAFOD family fast day on Friday October 6th, followed closely by Prisoners’ Sunday, both of which you can read more about in this publication Looking back there is also plenty to celebrate and remind ourselves of, with the visit of the Relics of St Columba to a few parishes in our diocese, as well as our annual Altar Servers’ Mass, and not forgetting the institution of Acolytes with the three men who are in training for the Permanent Diaconate All this, whilst we also journey towards the Jubilee Year 2025, a universal celebration which you can read more about in the pages to follow.

With prayer and gratitude for each of you,

An opening message from Bishop Patrick McKinney Bishop of Nottingham +Patrick

Each month, the Diocesan Communications officers gather together online, along with the Communications Team from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, to talk about upcoming events, share best practices and learn from each other's experiences. Online is good, but in-person holds many graces and opportunities that aren’t available in an online setting

So, after an invitation from Bishop John Arnold himself, the CBCEW Bishop for Communication, on Wednesday 27th September, I caught an early train from Newark Northgate, arriving promptly at Kings Cross ready to head over to Vaughn House, the curial offices for the Diocese of Westminster, and our home for the day With numbers building as colleagues arrived from all corners of England and Wales, there were eventually eighteen of us “communications officers” (with varying titles, of course!), plus four from CBCEW, and joined generously for the day by Bishop John, who - as it transpired - as a young person studied at none-other than Ratcliffe College!

After a morning of useful discussion - considering the ongoing Synod, looking forward to the Jubilee Year, and noting many other initiatives and hot topics both locally and nationally - we headed to Westminster Cathedral for Midday Mass Having graduated in that same building some years ago, it was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the great journey of realising God’s calling for my life; through study, work experience, volunteering and interaction and conversation Little did I know, that that same feeling of nostalgia and providence was to be echoed though the words of our afternoon “guest speaker”

JulieEtchingham,aPresenterandReporterforITV,grewupinLeicester,attendingEnglishMartyrsCatholicSecondaryHaving beengiventhe“graveyardslot”,Juliemorethandefiedthestereotypeandcompletelycaptivatedtheroomofprofessionals, sharingherpersonalexperiences-highsandlows-ofbeingacatholicjournalist,broadcasterand-earlierinherlife-student Oneofthepivotalmomentsofrealisationforher,indetermininghercareerandcalling,occurredduringhertimeatEnglish Martyrs,whenshewasinvitedbyBBCLeicestertoprepareaprogrammetobebroadcastoverHolyWeek Usingherfirst-hand knowledgeandlivedexperienceoftheCatholicfaith,coupledwithherpassionforjournalismandmedia,sheseizedthe opportunity,spring-boardingabeautifulandwindingjourneyinpresentingandreporting,navigatingthedifficult,sensitive, carefulreportingoftheAbuseScandal,securingthefirsteverBritishinterviewwithPopeFrancis,andofcourse,reportingon theNottinghamDiocesanLourdesPilgrimagesandWorldYouthDaypilgrimage,asayoungadultInthespiritoftheday,Julie sharedsomefinaladvice,remindingusthatasCatholicsincommunication“Youcanneverexpandyournetworktoofar”

Asspacerunsshort,I’mremindedthatshortlyafterthisgreat”awayday”IwasblessedtoreceivetheaptwordsofSaint FrancisofAssisi,sharedviaSisterDorothy,whomanyofuswillknow

"Ihavedonewhatisminetodo, mayChristshowyouwhatisyourstodo"

SaintFrancisofAssisi

You can never expand your network too far

Naomi Roberts

Naomi Roberts, Communications Officer & Editor

What’s on?

Your guide to the latest events, courses and opportunities in and around the Diocese of Nottingham.

Talk II: Reflections on the Great Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council

Wednesday 18th October

Carlton, Nottingham / Online Organiser: Nottingham Deanery

Young Adults’ Evening

Thursday 19th October

St Joseph’s Church, Derby Organiser: Adult Formation

Christians in Health and Social Care: Ethics and Practise

Saturday 21st October

Nottingham Organiser: St Mary’s University

Living in the Redeemer Retreat Day for Women

Saturday 21st October

Our Lady of Lincoln Organiser: Parish

Nottingham Cathedral Discovery Day

Thursday 26th October 10am-4pm Organiser: Nott’m Cathedral

Young Adults’ Evening

Thursday 26th October

Sacred Heart, Leicester Organiser: Adult Formation

Young Adults’ Evening

Thursday 2nd November

Nottingham Cathedral Organiser: Adult Formation

Caritas Assembly

Saturday 4th November

St Mary’s, Derby Organiser: Caritas Nottingham

Young Adults’ Evening

Thursday 16th November

St Joseph’s Church, Derby Organiser: Adult Formation

Talk III: Reflections on the Great Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council

Monday 20th November

Stapleford / Online Organiser: Nottingham Deanery

Young Adults’ Evening

Thursday 23rd November

Sacred Heart, Leicester Organiser: Adult Formation

Talk IV: Reflections on the Great Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council

Thursday 30th November

The Meadows / Online Organiser: Nottingham Deanery

Handel’s Messiah by Candlelight

Saturday 16th December

Church of the Good Shepherd Organiser: Music Department

Training

Safeguarding Training for Clergy and Parish

Safeguarding Representatives (PSRs)

Various Topics

October and November

Held Online / Book Online Organiser: Safeguarding

World Youth Day Lisbon 2023.

By Michael Furey, Seminarian for the Diocese of Nottingham.

It was with great joy and excitement that on Monday 31st July a group of twenty-five of us from the Diocese made our way on the first part of our journey: to Stansted Airport and our end destination: Lisbon, Portugal for World Youth Day. It was the first time many of our participants had been with only a small number of clergy and attendees having been to at least one previous World Youth Day. The group was led by Bishop Patrick and headed by Father Neil Peoples. Other clergy participating were Father Liam Carpenter and Father Limnyuy Gamsi, accompanying the other twenty-one pilgrims.

One of the most significant and beautiful characteristics of the group was that there was one person who was discerning or had entered into each of the vocations in the Church: one seminarian (student for the priesthood), one candidate for Holy orders with the Franciscan Sisters Minoress in Melton Mowbray and two married couples and other participants were single or in relationships or considering the possibility of the priesthood or marriage and parenthood. The age profile for World Youth Day is anyone aged up to thirty five years old and our group was made up of people aged eighteen to thirty

One area of importance in the planning and registration for World Youth Day was that the whole diocese should be represented, participants came from Nottingham, Mansfield, Leicester, Oakham, Derby, Sleaford, and Barton under Needwood meaning that all five counties of the diocese had at least one parishioner present representing their hometown or city

Upon arrival in Lisbon, we made our way to our hotel, which was very conveniently located less than a minute’s walk to the metro station, a huge blessing as we would become accustomed to using it for the rest of our time in Lisbon We all received our pilgrim backpacks containing our World Youth Day Tshirts, water bottles, Rosary beads, hats, and lanyards to be worn when attending official liturgies and timetabled events We had the option our next day of going to the shrine of Fatima or staying in Lisbon to explore the city and visit a number of Churches which were hosting the Relics of St Thomas Aquinas, St Theresa of Calcutta, and Blessed Carlo Acutis

On Wednesday all pilgrims who had arrived in Lisbon, which already numbered into the hundreds of thousands attended the opening mass in Eduardo VI Parque with the Patriarch of Lisbon which was a joyful and heartwarming experience Every country in the world except for Mauritius was represented at World Youth Day and it helped to give all present a true understanding of what a universal Church looks like

The following day, the excitement had reached its climax as all pilgrims gathered again at Eduardo VI Parque to greet Pope Francis as he arrived in the city to address the countless young people and to make clear that there is room in the Church for everyone, something he emphasised highlighting that God has called each one by his or her own name From Wednesday until Friday the experience was marked not only by liturgies and ceremonies with all pilgrims but smaller gatherings for catechesis given around the city to various pilgrims in their own languages

Our group took part in three days of catechesis led on day one by Cardinal Sean O’Malley from the United States highlighting the importance of care for creation and the environment Day two was led by Archbishop Anthony Fisher from Australia who spoke on inclusion for all within the Church and answered some particularly challenging questions from pilgrims Finally, day three was led by Bishop Robert Barron from the United States during a Holy Hour in which he spoke about prayer emphasising the Prayers of the Rosary, Silence, and Eucharistic Adoration All the days of catechesis ended with mass celebrated by each Bishop or prelate who had led the catechesis and a period of free time before the next major liturgy with the Pope

The climax of World Youth Day came on Saturday afternoon as we along with by now over one million pilgrims made our way to the site where the all-night vigil would be held The vigil was a time of laughter, conversation, surprise at how hard the ground we were to sleep on was, and above all prayer

The Holy Father arrived that evening to lead us again in a time of listening, watching, and waiting with the Lord The evening cultivated in a time of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, where despite the noise made in the day the one million people fell silent in reverent prayer and adoration before the Lord in what was one of the most beautiful, emotional, and prayerful settings once could imagine

The prayer vigil ended with Benediction before the Pope departed for the night and people slowly drifted off to sleep ahead of the final day and Sunday mass on the Feast of The Transfiguration of the Lord At the end of the mass before the final Blessing, Pope Francis gave his official thanks to the Portuguese Church and government and announced the next not one World Youth Day but two! To mark the twenty-fifth year of the millennium the next World Youth Day will be held in Rome in 2025 with the one after it to be held in Seol, South Korea in 2027

Upon completion of the official program and our return to the hotel and subsequent journey home all members of our group remarked how much we had enjoyed and got from World Youth Day and on the friendships we had formed from our week spent together A word of credit must go to Fathers Neil and Liam and to Joe Hopkins for so successfully planning and organizing the pilgrimage and to the deaneries of the diocese in supporting their young parishioners to attend World Youth Day It truly is one of the most unique and life-changing experiences any young Catholic can have and one that every Catholic aged eighteen to thirty-five should get to experience at least once in their life

Many of the articles in this publication are also available to read and share at dioceseofnottingham.uk/news

PILGRIMS of hope

The Catholic Church celebrates a Jubilee every 25 years. Maybe you remember the year 2000, which was known as ‘The Great Jubilee of the Year 2000’? That was a jubilee year when the then Pope, Saint John Paul II, invited us to celebrate by rejoicing in the gifts that God gives to each one of us. He encouraged us to share those gifts throughout society, especially sharing the gift of faith, which had been the theme of the previous ten years of evangelisation, during the 1990s.

The Catholic Church celebrates a Jubilee every 25 years Maybe you remember the year 2000, which was known as ‘The Great Jubilee of the Year 2000’? That was a jubilee year when the then Pope, Saint John Paul II, invited us to celebrate by rejoicing in the gifts that God gives to each one of us He encouraged us to share those gifts throughout society, especially sharing the gift of faith, which had been the theme of the previous ten years of evangelisation, during the 1990s

The idea of jubilee goes back to the book of Leviticus, the third book of the bible, where God tells Moses to celebrate a jubilee as a year of thanksgiving for all that God’s chosen people receive as free gift from God. This notion of jubilee was reinvigorated by Pope Boniface VIII in the year 1300, and since then the Church has celebrated jubilees regularly: firstly at one hundred year intervals, and then at fifty year intervals, and now every twenty-five years. Occasionally there are additional, ‘extraordinary’ jubilee years, such as in 2016, the Jubilee of Mercy, when Pope Francis encouraged each of us to frequently seek the gift of God’s compassion and mercy, especially by coming to confession regularly, and by forgiving others.

So that the coming Jubilee can be celebrated well, Pope Francis has invited the Church to spend two years in preparation for 2025 This year (technically from Advent in 2022) is a year of considering afresh the gifts of the Second Vatican Council, held 60 years ago, and especially the four most important documents it produced Next year (from Advent this year) will be a year of preparation focusing in a special way on prayer, and the Lord’s Prayer, the Psalms, and Eucharistic Adoration in particular.

On Christmas Eve in 2024, when we gather for the Vigil Mass of Jesus’ birth, Pope Francis will formally open the Jubilee Year 2025 in Rome, which will last until the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, on 6th January 2026. During the Jubilee there will be particular celebrations, and we will be encouraged to put into action some of the Jubilee themes, such as the cancellation of debt, and a better sharing of the world’s resources with all of humanity.

In each edition of the diocesan e-news there’ll be an update about what’s happening, how we can get involved, and ways in which we can allow this Jubilee Year 2025 to bring us closer to God who made us, who sustains us, and who calls us to do His will each day.

Father Simon Gillespie

Diocesan Jubilee Co-Ordinator Nottingham Diocese

LIVE TALKS

FATHER GUY NICHOLLS CONGORAT,BIRMINGHAMORATORY

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR PARISH HALL, BULWELL

SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM

“CONSTITUTION ON THE SACRED LITURGY”

WEDNESDAY18THOCTOBER2023

MONDAY 2ND OCTOBER 2023

WEDNESDAY 18TH OCTOBER 2023

MONDAY 20TH NOVEMBER 2023

THURSDAY 30TH NOVEMBER 2023

FATHER RICHARD OUNSWORTH OPPRIOROFLEICESTER

SACRED HEART COMMUNITY CENTRE, CARLTON

DEI VERBUM

“WORD OF GOD”

DOCTOR MARY MCCAUGHEY DIRECTOROFSTUDIES,OSCOTTCOLLEGE

SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST, STAPLEFORD

GAUDIUM ET SPES

“JOY AND HOPE”

THURSDAY30THNOVEMBER2023

RT REV PATRICK MCKINNEY BISHOPOFNOTTINGHAM

LUMEN GENTIUM “LIGHT FOR THE NATIONS”

Walking together and listening to the Holy Spirit

A synodal Church is a Church of listening

Taking stock of the preparatory phases –including the Diocesan, Episcopal Conferences’-Synods of Oriental Churches and the Continental stages – Cardinal Grech pointed out that, despite initial reservations and some difficulties and misunderstandings, this journey has helped the Church “grow in vigour”, educating it “in the synodal experience of ‘walking together’”

“The Church finds itself at a crossroads and the urgent challenge strictly speaking is not of a theological or ecclesiological nature, but how in this moment in history the Church can become a sign and instrument of God’s love for every man and woman ”

“Today – he said – we can attest to how true the vision of the Church that Pope Francis proposed in the speech on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Synod of Bishops is: ‘A synodal Church is a Church of listening’.”

The Assembly must be a strong sign of synodality for the Church

The intense experience of synodality lived by the People of God and their Pastors in these past two years, therefore, calls upon the Assembly “to be a strong sign of synodality for the Church, listening to the Word of God, in the light of Tradition, to understand God’s will for today”, and “to show the Church as one and only ”

“Here more than anywhere else what John Chrysostom states must be clear: ‘Church and Synod are synonymous’”, Cardinal Grech said, recalling that the Synod of Bishops expresses the unity of the episcopate around the Bishop of Rome, the Communion of Churches (Communio Ecclesiarum), but also –and in a special way this synod – the unity of all the People of God with their Pastors

A visible sign of communion

The Synod’s General Secretary went on to highlight that the Assembly is also called to be a “visible sign” of communion and to be an instrument at the service of the Church and of the world

“Cum et sub Petro, we are here to continue listening to the underlying question that has supported the entire synodal process: ‘ what steps does the Spirit invite us to take as a synodal Church?’ he said

“It is up to this Assembly”, Cardinal Grech concluded, citing Pope Francis’ words on the 50th anniversary of the Synod, 17 October 2015, “to question itself – at a universal level – on the Church’s ‘walking together’, in the certainty that ‘the path of synodality is the path that God expects from the Church of the third millennium’” .

Pope Francis’ address opening the first General Congregation of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on Wednesday in the Paul VI Audience Hall was followed by the interventions of the Synod’s General Secretary Cardinal Mario Grech; and the Relator General, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, who recapitulated the goals, spirit, and method of the three-year synodal process launched by the Pope in 2021

Being open to the Spirit’s guidance

Taking the floor, Cardinal Hollerich, further elaborated on the current synodal process and the spirit of the Assembly

He reminded the synodal members that the protagonist of the Synod is the Holy Spirit, who “makes Christ present among us”, and that “only with a heart fully open to the Spirit’s guidance will we be able to respond to the call we have received”.

Recalling that mission plays a key role in the notion of synodality, the Relator General remarked that to grasp the reality of the mission of the Church, the synodal members are called to “broaden their vision” from the Paul VI Aula “to the whole world”, plagued by so many evils: from climate change to migration, wars, extreme polarization, and a consumeristic lifestyle.

Learning the “grammar of synodality” and discernment

In this context, the Church is being called to become more and more synodal and to learn the “grammar of synodality” “Just like the grammar of our languages changes as they develop, so does the grammar of synodality”, Cardinal Hollerich said “Therefore, reading of the signs of our time should help us discover a grammar of synodality for our time”, without changing the “basic rules of Catholicity”

Cardinal Hollerich once again reminded the synodal members that their work is not a parliamentary debate ruled by the majority principle, but “is a common work of discernment”, which cannot be carried out without praying together.

The method of conversation in the Spirit

With regards to the organization of the work –which, as per tradition, will see the alternation of General Congregations, and smaller working groups, the Circuli Minores, to discern on the four topics of synodality, communion, mission, and participation before preparing a synthesis of the work accomplished – Cardinal Hollerich recalled that discussions in the Circuli Minores will follow the method of “conversation in the Spirit,” in continuity with the synodal journey of the past two years

He explained that one of the strengths of this method is that it “allows the expression of everyone’s point of view, enhancing consonances without neglecting differences, but above all discouraging polarisations and polemics” and “aims to build consensus without dividing into factions or crushing into uniformity” “In this way”, Cardinal Hollerich said, “it fosters the passage from listening to one another to listening to the Spirit”

A road map for the next session of the Synod Concluding his address, the Relator General expressed his hope that Synod’s work will allow the development of a “road map” for the second final session to take place in October next year “Ideally,” he said, “this road map should indicate where we feel consensus has been reached among us and above all within the People of God, laying down possible steps to undertake as a response to the voice of the Spirit. But it should also say where deeper reflection is needed and what could help that process of reflection”

Source: Vaticannews.va

“Through genuine discernment, the Holy Spirit opens our minds and our hearts to new positions, leaving A and B behind!”

Restoring Pugin: The Development Phase

The latest updates on the Restoring Pugin project at St Barnabas Cathedral, Nottingham

Thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, work is finally underway on the Restoring Pugin Project at Nottingham Cathedral.

By Nottingham Cathedral team

Last year the Cathedral won a significant grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to discover and restore A W N Pugin’s original decorative paint schemes to the Cathedral’s east end chapels and ambulatories You can learn more about this here The Restoring Pugin Project is split into two parts; a Development Phase and a Delivery Phase. The ‘development phase’ will unfold over the next twelve months and involves undertaking extensive research to prepare the Cathedral for the ‘delivery phase’ in 2025, which will finally see Pugin’s decoration restored to the Cathedral’s east end The project comprises a unique partnership with the Cathedral, Nottingham Trent University and Culture Syndicates CIC This article sets out some of the key aspects of the Development Phase; why it matters, who’s involved, what it entails and what it hopes to achieve by its completion in September 2024.

The purpose of the Development Phase is to ensure that the eventual restoration of Pugin’s decorative paint schemes and this needs to be fully informed by detailed research into the paint patterns and colours as well as the materials, pigments, glues and surfaces used Paint conservators will be appointed to undertake this work and it is hoped they will be able to fully record every layer of paint between the current 1990s scheme and the original Pugin schemes beneath this. This detailed research is also important to ensure that the eventual methods the team propose to recreate the Pugin schemes are indeed the best methods available for such works. In addition to the paint conservation team, a Conservation Management Consultant will be appointed to develop a Conservation Management Plan This person will conduct archival research into the Cathedral’s history, with a particular focus on how the interior decoration and liturgical arrangements have changed over time As well as forming an essential part of the Restoring Pugin restoration plan, this research will also enable Cathedral staff to make informed decisions about future repairs and restoration work

Besides the eventual restoration of Pugin’s paint schemes to the east end of the Cathedral, the project has a number of other important goals including raising the profile of the Cathedral’s heritage, developing and improving heritage skills and the execution of an innovative environmental project Different aspects of the ‘development phase’ will serve and further these goals.

The project is generously funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund As the grant comes from lottery players, it is very important that the money received is well spent and makes a real difference to the local community The development phase is crucial in this regard Every aspect of the project is carefully monitored, tested and measure in order to provide evidence that the Lottery Players’ investment is returning good value outcomes

Sharing the Cathedral’s Story

It is hoped that Restoring Pugin Project will enable the Cathedral’s rich heritage and astonishing decoration to become better known and understood across the city and region. Existing, new and diverse audiences will be encouraged to visit, discover and enjoy this precious architectural gem Therefore, a key aspect of the ‘development phase’ will focus on audience research Different activities and materials will be developed and tested on different audiences (such as school students, families, older people, people with special educational needs, persons with disabilities, young people etc ) to find out the most effective and impactful ways of telling the Cathedral’s story and sharing its unique heritage. This work will be led by a part time ‘Engagement Manager’ Activities offered during the recent Heritage Open Days provide an example of how this might look, with insights and opinions gleaned from visitors of all ages and backgrounds participating in talks, tours and the family art workshops.

Improving Heritage Skills

Developing and improving heritage skills is an essential element of the project and will be delivered in a number of ways. This aspect of the project will be delivered through a partnership with Culture Syndicates CIC, a Nottingham based community enterprise which seeks to diversify the heritage workforce and help young people start a career in the heritage. Culture Syndicates will be recruiting, training and supporting the project team Firstly, two full time trainee paint conservators will be appointed to work alongside the professional paint conservation team for six months This will enable young people to gain valuable paint conservation experience and help them embark on a career path in the heritage sector Two part time heritage assistants will also be appointed to support with events and data gathering Recruitment for these posts will be targeted at local young people from backgrounds typically not well represented in the heritage sector There will be a particular emphasis on encouraging and supporting neuro diverse persons to consider heritage careers by gaining experience through this project

In addition to these paid positions, there are plans to recruit and train at least ten new volunteers who will support the Cathedral with events, guided tours, stewarding and welcoming alongside the Friends’ of the Cathedral. Students as well as those within the congregation will particularly be encouraged to get involved The hope is to support the development and growth of the Friends’ and this new group of volunteers, with training and mentoring lead by a freelance workforce coach.

Environmental Considerations

An innovative environmental project also forms a key aspect of the Restoring Pugin Project. Parishioners and visitors will have noticed there is damp rising on the column bases in the nave and there is occasionally condensation in the Cathedral It is important to find a solution to this problem at the development stage of the project, in order to ensure that the restored paint schemes are not at risk of damage A specialist engineering consultant is undertaking an environmental survey to consider this. Nottingham Trent University, one of the partners in this project, are placing twelve sensors around the Cathedral to monitor humidity and temperatures throughout the next year. This data is then fed back to a Digital Twin of the Cathedral Thanks to Heritage Fund support, Nottingham Trent University will be appointing two Research Fellows to develop this Digital Twin model This should not only contribute to finding a solution to deal with the damp, but the data will be used to create an innovative video game Players of the game will be able to manipulate temperature and humidity to test the different outcomes on the building fabric The hope is that this game can become a tool to help young people understand how climate change can affect built heritage, as well as helping them consider careers in the heritage sector

In 2019, Nottingham Trent University built a virtual reality model of the Cathedral as part of a National Lottery funded Discovering Pugin Project The hope is to build on this work and dovetail with the paint conservation and archival research elements of the Restoring Pugin Project to develop a virtual reality time travelling experience Visitors to the Cathedral will be able to see how the Cathedral would have looked in the 1960s, 1930s, 1870s and all the way back to Pugin’s day in the 1840s This virtual reality experience will be developed with the help of young people and will offer an immersive experience into Pugin’s world.

Once the extensive research of the ‘development phase’ is complete, it will form the basis of a second proposal to the National Lottery Heritage Fund in order to secure the funds for the Delivery Phase of the Restoring Pugin project If successful, this phase of the project will see the original paint schemes restored to the Cathedral and this will be accompanied by new and engaging visitor information and materials

Over the Summer the Cathedral has been busy appointing a large team of people with a wide range of skills to deliver this initial Development Phase of the Restoring Pugin Project Watch this space for a ‘meet the team’ in coming weeks.

Take this vessel...

On the Sunday 24th September, Bishop Patrick conferred the Ministry of Acolyte, on three men John Wynn-Higgins (of Mansfield), Andrew Wakley (of Grantham), and Sam Garrity (of Scunthorpe), during evening Mass at St. Barnabas Cathedral.

On the Sunday 24th September, Bishop Patrick conferred the Ministry of Acolyte, on three men John Wynn-Higgins (of Mansfield), Andrew Wakley (of Grantham), and Sam Garrity (of Scunthorpe), during evening Mass at St. Barnabas Cathedral.

Dating back to ancient times, the Acolyte plays an essential role in the celebration of the Holy Mass. The General Instructions of the Roman Missal clearly indicates their duties (see GIRM nos. 178-193).

Two of them that are of special significance are: setting up the altar, and distributing Holy Communion, especially to the sick and dying.

The Ministry of Acolyte is one of the milestones along the journey in formation. Canon 1035 says the following:

Ҥ1 Before anyone is promoted to the permanent or transitional diaconate, he is required to have received the ministries of lector, and acolyte, and to have exercised them for a suitable period

“§2. There is to be an interval of at least six months, between the conferral of the ministry of acolyte, and the diaconate ”

During the institution of the Ministry of Acolyte the candidate is given one of the sacred vessels of the altar (chalice) to hold while the following words are pronounced:

“Take this vessel with wine for the celebration of the Eucharist Make your life worthy of the service at the table of the Lord and of his Church ”

This was also a wonderful occasion for us Deacons to gather again with Bishop Patrick, for a celebratory afternoon tea, and to show our support towards these men, as they take this important step forward

We thank their wives and families for their sacrifices, in allowing these men to answer the call of Christ We also thank all their parish priests, and parish community, for encouraging them

Please keep these men in your prayers, as they complete this final year of their Diaconal formation, and towards (Deo volente) ordination next summer.

By Deacon Warren Peachy

CAFOD Family Fast Day 2023

Dr Nasha’s Mobile Clinic is a marvel. It’s a motorised modern medical centre, packed with everything she and her team need to treat their patients, and wheels and an engine to get them where they’re needed most.

Last year, when devastating flooding left more than a third of Pakistan underwater, the Mobile Clinic hit the road Dr Nasha and her team travelled hundreds of miles, camping every night, to bring vital healthcare to people who had lost their homes and crops and been left isolated by the floods In a village in Sindh province, they met Meera She told them about a journey of her own

Meera felt herself go into labour as the storm raged She and her husband got their children to safety, and then rushed to the hospital They borrowed a motorbike and rode through the darkness, battling against the rain and the rising water Thankfully, they made it, and Meera was overjoyed to hold her baby daughter, Marwi, in her arms But when the couple brought Marwi back from the hospital, their home was gone – swept away by the flood

The family moved into a temporary shelter at the side of the road But with little food and nothing but contaminated water to drink, diseases started to spread throughout the camp, and Meera and her children soon became sick.

Meera felt herself go into labour as the storm raged. She and her husband got their children to safety, and then rushed to the hospital. They borrowed a motorbike and rode through the darkness, battling against the rain and the rising water. Thankfully, they made it, and Meera was overjoyed to hold her baby daughter, Marwi, in her arms. But when the couple brought Marwi back from the hospital, their home was gone –swept away by the flood.

The family moved into a temporary shelter at the side of the road. But with little food and nothing but contaminated water to drink, diseases started to spread throughout the camp, and Meera and her children soon became sick.

If you would like to find out about how you can get involved in CAFOD’s work in your local community, contact:

Will Cruddace

Community Participation Co-ordinator – CAFOD Nottingham

Dr Nasha, Image Source: CAFOD

Meera and Marwi

Image Source: CAFOD

Pact is a pioneering national charity that supports prisoners, people with convictions, and their children and families We provide caring and life changing services at every stage of the criminal justice process: in court, in prison, on release, and in the community

As President of Pact, I invite you to join with me in supporting Prisoners’ Sunday on 8th October 2023 Pact is the national Catholic charity providing support to prisoners and their families It is good to know that Pact is there for people of all faiths and none, supporting prisoners and their families on our behalf and with our help. I encourage you to play your part in this work of the Gospel for the common good of all ’

Pact posts out a Prisoners’ Sunday pack to every parish in England & Wales – arriving around 18th September It contains a poster, bidding prayers, information about our work and second collection details.

Pact works in seven prisons in the Nottingham diocese We run the Visitors’ Centres where we meet children and families coming to visit someone inside Visitors can easily feel overwhelmed and apprehensive, but Pact staff and volunteers provide a friendly welcome and good information about what to expect. It can be upsetting and overwhelming to visit someone in prison, and it can be hard to be visited in prison by your children and members of your family However, there are also men and women in prison who receive no visits at all Perhaps family relationships have completely broken down, or the person experienced being in care as a child and young person - and never had a good network of support

Pact works in HMP Foston Hall which is a women’s prison In Foston Hall we have begun offering social opportunities for those women who have no visitors We are providing engaging sessions where the women can gather to talk, to take part in activities, and to eat together Some of the women in the new group told us that they had been serving their sentence at Foston Hall for years and this was their first time in the Social Visits’ Hall.

Pact's CEO, Andy Keen-Downs explains, ‘Our work in prisons and communities across England & Wales ensures that prisoners, children and families are supported; and their dignity is respected and upheld Where appropriate, we help families to make a fresh start together and live lives which bear good fruit. By supporting prisoners to be restored to the community, our work makes communities safer – research shows that prisoners who have good family relationships are 39% less likely to return to crime

We are delighted that this year Fr John McCay will celebrate Mass in St Barnabas’ Cathedral on Prisoners’ Sunday at 11 15am How beautiful and how fitting that prisoners and their families will be brought before the Lord in the Cathedral as well as in parishes in the diocese ’

Our Faith in Action team supports Catholic people and parishes to encounter the voices of people in our communities with lived experience of the criminal justice system, to reflect on Catholic Social Teaching, and to put faith into action We offer our JustPeople workshops, Diocesan events, and a network of Pact Parish Reps Events | Prison Advice and Care Trust

LAUDATE DEUM

“PRAISE GOD FOR ALL HIS CREATURES”

On October 4th, the feast of St Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis releases 'Laudate Deum', a message on the climate crisis to all people of good will.

Why it’s the right time to refocus as Pope prepares update to environment document Laudato si’

From CBCEW.org.uk, published on Friday, September 29th, 2023 @ 10:25 am

Q: Bishop John Arnold, our Lead Bishop for Environmental Issues, we have an exhortation which will update Laudato si’, the Pope’s Encyclical on Care for Our Common Home that was released in 2015, eight years ago In your view, eight years on, what are the imperatives? What is the environmental need to update this document and make a strong call to action?

A: Well, I think after eight years, we have to take stock and recognise that Laudato si’ really brought environmental issues to the forefront for all people of goodwill, and it was a very powerful statement, but it came with strong warnings The unfortunate thing is that eight years on, several COP meetings later, we really have not been achieving the targets that those COP meetings have agreed, and the damage is not being reduced In fact, in some ways, it’s increasing Some of the predictions of the environmentalists about what will be happening to the climate are proving to have been, in a way, simplified, and they’re actually accelerating faster now than those environmentalists were thinking So I think the new statement by Pope Francis will be strong and will give an urgent warning But, as always, he will finish with that sentiment of hope and that sense that in the urgency, we’ve all got our part to play

Q: We sometimes ask those questions; just how much is our behaviour affecting the environment? And certainly we look around us we see more extreme weather – even here in the UK, we see more extreme weather Just recently, there was that question mark over the lack of ice in the sea in the Antarctic So there are signs, aren’t there? There are reasons for action now

A: Oh, certainly The Antarctic has never had less ice as it emerged from winter – on any record That is very serious and the oceans are warming and that’s having a big impact on biodiversity and on marine life Every continent now has been struck Even in the last six months, every continent has had some freak conditions, which environmentalists say is due to climate change So we’re surrounded by it And even in this country, we’ve seen droughts and we’ve seen unseasonal weather It’s affecting our crops The harvesting time is not as clear as it should be, and the crop itself is being compromised.

Q: In terms of those that might be challenged by this and say, “these things are cyclical” or “I’m not convinced it’s as a result of human activity or corporate behaviour” or whatever else What would you say to those that have a more sceptical eye on this?

A: Well, all I can say is that the evidence presented to us by people who really do understand the environment is irrefutable, that we are clearly going downhill rapidly António Guterres, who draws on great authorities as Secretary General of the United Nations, he’s talked about no longer it being ‘global warming’, but now ‘global boiling’, and that we are facing a climate catastrophe I don’t see how people can deny it anymore

Q: In terms of the synodal pathway, a synod on how the Church exercises its mission in the 21st century, Pope Francis is clearly one to talk about custodianship, isn’t he? How does that play into this particular dynamic?

Well, I think we’ve got to understand that we are stewards of creation Each and every one of us has our part to play They may seem to be trivial measures that we take in order to save electricity, save water, eat less red meat, all these sorts of things, all small in themselves But if we put them together, then they do make a big difference But what we’ve got to look to is system change and the ending of fossil fuels – because they really are the most dangerous element in global climate change – we’ve got to learn to live without fossil fuels

Q: In terms of the theology and the spirituality, how does Christ play into us being good custodians of this Earth?

A: Well, I don’t think we can take the most important commandments seriously unless we include nature and the environment When that pharisee asks Jesus, “What’s the most important commandment of the law?” And Jesus says, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength ” And the second one resembles it “You must love your neighbour as yourself ” If we’re really going to love our neighbour, we’ve got to look after the world in which we live because too many people are suffering through climate change and we’ve plundered other nations for our profit, and that’s got to change We’ve got to repair the damage and make sure that in that way we’re looking after our brothers and sisters, which is our way of loving God

Q: Finally, Bishop John, our parishes, schools, organisations, some are doing an awful lot, and I know they’ve fed back to you what they’re doing. Is it unfair to say there’s more that can be done? What would you say to those Catholic organisations in terms of their responsibilities?

A: I think there’s certainly more we can be doing, and that’s, first of all, education Young people are understanding it far more clearly than perhaps an older generation Yes, parishes, schools, all Catholic organisations, we can all be learning more When we know and understand, then I’m sure people will want to make a more joined-up effort to make sure that we are doing our best to repair the damage that we’ve done There are many things that we can be doing, but we must not take anything for granted We’ve got to press ahead and make sure that we are a voice – a voice to our democratic nation that says we must change our policies and our life as a nation

If you would like to help the centre in any way – by making a donation of good quality used baby clothes – please ring Carol To make a financial donation, the details of our bank account are as follows: St Colette's PSC, Natwest Beeston, 51-70-06 83740716 On behalf of women in difficult circumstances, and their babies, thank you for your support

St Colette’s Pregnancy Support Centre

SUPPORTING WOMEN IN UNEXPECTED PREGNANCIES

Based in St Paul’s, Lenton, Nottingham the centre offers support for women across the Diocese of Nottingham, which covers most of the East Midlands.

Help available includes:

pregnancy testing kits

baby supplies

nappies

toiletries

clothes

cots

pushchairs

baby baths

help with finances

emotional support

The centre also offers help to new or single mums who may be struggling financially.

If you know someone who is unexpectedly pregnant and in need of support, please contact:

Carol, the centre coordinator

07547 795315 or scpscuk@gmail.com

NOTTINGHAM DiocesanNews