Animate Youth Ministry

As we prepare to welcome 2022, Tom Carty from Animate Youth Ministries offers a reflection on the challenges this decade has brought to date. I have not written anything for the Catholic Pic since the pandemic began so, though Father Simon has no doubt written a lot about it already, I thought I would give you something of my perspective from these last two years. As I am sure was the case for everyone, when lockdown first came into effect in March 2020, we did not expect it to last beyond the Easter holidays. Obviously, we were wrong, and we all suddenly had a lot more free time than we were used to. I was planning to use the time stuck at home to start a new fitness regime, but after spraining my ankle one week in, I gave it up as a bad job. As a team, we were a bit lost. The bulk of our work is with schools and, since they were all closed, we had to think of something else. We met up regularly on Zoom to catch up and think about what we could do. We settled on creating new day-retreat activities and Faith in Action Award reflection points that we could use when we were allowed to work with young people again. But as the weeks turned into months, it seemed to me like that day might never come. When restrictions were eased slightly in the summer of 2020, I was glad to return to Lowe House. Though we were still unable to work with schools, it was good to be back together as a community again. Things were looking up. After the summer holidays, we returned once more to St Helens and fortunately, this time, we were allowed to work with schools again. We had to modify some of our resources and activities in order to comply with Covid regulations and make sure everyone was as safe as possible, but we didn’t mind. We were just happy to be working with schoolchildren again. However, not long after Christmas that year, we entered yet another lockdown. This time the team remained at Lowe House for a while, where we devoted ourselves to renovation and created a recording studio in one of the rooms. We thought that even if we could not physically work with youngsters, we could still spread the Gospel message via the internet. We created a plethora of videos for YouTube and not only did we have a lot of fun making them but they garnered a lot of interest from the youth and others in the Diocese. For the rest of 2021, after Easter, things began to return to a semblance of normality. We worked with many high schools and primary schools from all over the Archdiocese, and it was like we had never been away. Without wanting to come across as patronising, I have been very impressed by the resilience shown by the youth with whom we have worked. The past two years have not made them jaded or cynical in any way. I have witnessed so much enthusiasm, compassion, and generosity from young people that it gives me hope for the future. Though we have been beset from all sides by negativity and bad news, we must not let this wear us down, or harden our hearts. As Jesus said, we must ‘become like little children’. Not jaded or cynical, but humble, compassionate, and willing to trust in God. As we begin the new year, though it is still dark and cold, we can take solace in knowing that light is coming. The light of hope which entered the world 2,000 years ago in a stable in Bethlehem. And the light of hope carried by our young people today. Best wishes for the new year.

The parish community of Our Lady and St Philomena began its Golden Jubilee celebration year with a Mass of thanksgiving led by Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP, assisted by the present Parish Priest Father John Hindley together with priests who had served in the parish and deanery priests who have remained great friends of the parish. The church building of St Philomena in the heart of Sparrow Hall, Fazakerley officially opened its doors on 19 December 1971 with Mass celebrated by Archbishop Beck and the then serving Parish Priest Father Pownall. The church was built to replace the existing, much smaller church opposite, which later became the parish club. The Stations of the Cross are the original ones from the old church, as is the baptismal font. The Stations were refurbished by a generous parishioner for the Golden Jubilee. People of the parish, led by Father Pownall raised funds towards the building of the church by holding raffles, bingo and sale of works. One parishioner recalls going around house to house selling tickets with her mum. So large was the Catholic community at the time that tickets to the opening Mass had to be limited to one per family with other family members having to wait to attend a later Mass at 6.00 pm celebrated by the assistant priest, Father O’Donohue. Father Pownall, the driving force behind the building of the church retired soon after it opened – his legacy being the church of St Philomena. St Philomena’s parish has always had a reputation of being friendly and welcoming. A community that has prayed together, pulled together, worked together and cared for each other. In 2006 when the neighbouring church of Our Lady of Sorrows closed, St Philomena’s opened its heart to its new parishioners and became the parish of Our Lady and St. Philomena. The statue of the Holy Family standing proud in one part of the church was brought from Our Lady of Sorrows when it closed; the Crucifix which hangs over the back door was rescued from St Mary’s Highfield Street and the statue of Our Lady came from the Cenacle on Lance Lane when the old convent closed – they are a remaining history of bygone communities. The Mass of Thanksgiving was emotional and uplifting; from the beauty of the altar and the church to the singing of the schoolchildren. This will be a year to celebrate 50 wonderful years of a great parish. To celebrate the people, priests, religious, schools, teachers and children who have made the community what it is and what it will continue to be. The celebrations will continue throughout the year and will include fundraising events to spruce up the decor with some new carpets, as well as lots of social activities and spiritual events – fingers crossed and Covid permitting. The Archbishop gave the invitation to look forward with hope and so here’s to the next 50 years.

Archbishop Malcolm McMahon joined with parishioners from Our Lady of Walsingham parish, Netherton, for Mass to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of their church on Sunday 5 December. To prepare for the celebration parish priest, Father Gervase Moo CSSp, held a Novena of Masses each evening from Friday 26 November with visiting priests including former parish Priest Father Liam Collister, and neighbouring priests, Father Richard Ebo, Father Sixtus Adejoh CSSp and Father Stephen Cooper. Father Gervase also celebrated with teachers and pupils from Our Lady of Walsingham and Holy Spirit primary schools. During the Novena parishioners reflected on how the parish has changed over the last 50 years and on some of the challenges which face it today. Archbishop Malcolm brought the novena to a close at the Jubilee Mass of Thanksgiving with the Angelus followed by the litany to Our Lady of Walsingham. Among the concelebrants were Father Ugochukwu Ikwuka CSSp, the Provincial Superior of the Spiritans’ British Province, and former parish priest Canon Chris

Parishioners from St Aidan’s Parish, Winstanley, held a wonderful celebration on Sunday 5 December to mark the golden jubilee of their parish. Mass was celebrated in the church by Bishop Tom Neylon together with Father John Causey, Canon Pat MacNally, Father John Johnson and Deacon Jim Cardy. It was great to see so many parishioners joining together in this celebration after such a long separation for so many. At the beginning of Mass Bishop Tom blessed a commemorative stone in the foyer of the church where everyone can see it. The stone was bought by the parish to mark the anniversary. The first Mass at the Parish of St Aidan was celebrated in the newly built school on 5 December 1971. It was Father Daniel Cadogan who realised that Winstanley and Highfield were growing rapidly, new houses being built and young couples moving in. He had the vision and foresight to realise that a new parish was needed, which would include a new school and a new church. Meetings were held in various parishioners’ homes in the neighbourhood. A survey was carried out to find out how many Catholics were already in the area. Money had to be raised so lots of fund raisers were arranged, the future parishioners of St Aidan, worked hard to raise the money for the new school and church. After two years of hard work, the new parish celebrated its first Mass on 5 December 1971 in the new school hall. Contributions of £2 per person were received to help buy chairs for the hall, and a carpet to protect the floor. Every Saturday evening the men of the parish would roll out the carpet and set up the school hall for Mass the following day. This went on until the church was actually finished in 1974. The celebration continued next door in St Aidan’s Parish centre, where it was a pleasure for parishioners to meet our new Auxiliary Bishop. 50 wonderful years of service to the community all celebrated in a safe but joyful way.

Fallon. The congregation included teachers and pupils from the two parish primary schools. In his homily Archbishop Malcolm acknowledged that the past year had been a challenging one especially with the pandemic. Nevertheless, we remain thankful to God for his numerous gifts of blessings. Fifty years as a parish could not have been without challenges but God has always been good and supportive in trials and tribulations. The Archbishop expressed his thanks to the Spiritans for their ministry in the archdiocese and asked parishioners to support parish priest, Father Gervase K. Moo CSSp, in his ministry among them. Archbishop Malcolm referred to the readings for the Second Sunday of Advent which point to the arrival of an age when peace will reign on earth. That time begins each Christmas, and our season of Advent is also a time to prepare ourselves to play our part in the building up of that kingdom. After Mass, the Archbishop joined parishioners for refreshments in the parish centre and cut the anniversary cake with the help of pupils from the parish schools and parishioners.