Mosaic: Spring 2023 Edition

Your acts of kindness are like pieces in God’s mosaic of hope in action around the Diocese

Hope in darkness

Your support is providing practical help and kindness to people who are homeless in London, through the amazing work of Hope for Southall Street Homeless.

As you walk into St John’s parish centre in Southall, directly opposite London’s largest Sikh temple, the smell of homecooked soup instantly fills your nostrils.

Jyoti Kujur, who’s been working with homeless people in this area for a decade, is standing over the stove, throwing vegetables from her allotment into an enormous pan. “We provide soup, sandwiches and samosas for homeless people every week,” she says. “But most importantly, we offer face-to-face help.”

This is Hope for Southall Street Homeless (HSSH), a charity which is part-funded by the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal. Until the start of the pandemic, it ran a night shelter for up to 20 rough sleepers. Today, the focus is on providing food, friendship and life-changing care, and advice at a regular drop-in session.

No options, little hope

There are officially more than 8,000 rough sleepers in London, and Southall has a high concentration of homeless people from diverse backgrounds. Many have ‘no recourse to public funds’ (NRPF), so they’re not entitled to any benefits. They’re people who arrived from places like India – sometimes looking for work, sometimes trafficked here – and all left

with a stark choice when things didn’t work out: return to their home nation, if they can, or end up on the streets. It means the people who come to HSSH are among the most entrenched rough sleepers in London – often with nowhere left to turn.

In from the cold

As the guests (all men, including many who are elderly) start arriving, Jyoti and fellow HSSH worker Margarida Pires, busy themselves serving tea and coffee. They

Continued on page 2

2 “People who are homeless are not forgotten”

3 Youth Ministry –A new generation NOW 4-5 Evangelisation –Leadership roles in our parishes 6 A place to grow in so many ways

7 Seeds Hub – enabling people to work for a better future

8 Thank you for your feedback

Jyoti Kujur & Margarida Pires of HSSH preparing the hot food for the daily guests

Continued from page 1

are efficient, pragmatic and kind, greeting each new arrival warmly by name. Most of the men sleep immediately outside the church and look cold and tired as they step through the doorway. But here, not only are the men fed, they can also access vital services. Agencies that help with accommodation, health and benefits all set up desks in the church for the afternoon. Jyoti and Margarida usher the men between appointments, explaining back stories, translating into first languages, and reassuring them as they go.

‘One more saved’

It’s a painstaking process to get the men back on their feet. But it happens – often solely thanks to the remarkable efforts of Jyoti and Margarida.

“We had one man who wanted to take up the opportunity to voluntarily return to India,” said Jyoti. “But he needed to go back with dignity. So, we took him to rehab appointments until he’d dealt with his addiction. We spoke with his relatives in India. We organised documentation with the Home Office. We took care of him like family.”

And did it work? “It was not a small journey,” recalls Jyoti with a wry smile. “But he went home – and we celebrated because that’s one more saved.”

In the last year, the pair have helped 16 people reconnect and return home. They’ve secured leave to remain for three other men, giving them legal status here so they can access benefits. And Jyoti and Margarida have even arranged four funerals.

“Everyone on the streets has depression, and there’s drinking and loneliness,” said Jyoti. “Sadly, we see a number of deaths. We find and contact the families, and organise the funeral.”

As the afternoon session draws to a close, the men wander back out into the cold, and the warm soup smell fades behind them. But thanks to your support, hope does not have to fade.

Satish, 33, has been homeless for two years. He’s been abused and kicked since sleeping on the streets, and his phone was stolen.

“I want to get off the streets and have a room and good work, but I lost my National Insurance number and I smell from sleeping on the grass in the same clothes,” he said. “You need an address to get a job, and you need a job to get an address.”

Satish added: “Here, people are very good to me. They are kind and always help me.”

To support causes like HSSH, and similar projects around the Diocese, visit www.rcdow.org.uk/ donations/cardinalsappeal

If you’re considering remembering our work in the Diocese in your Will, whether to your parish, priest training, the support of our sick or retired priests, the Cathedral, or simply where the need is greatest, we are very grateful. You can find out more at www.rcdow.org.uk/donations/legacy or email supportercare@rcdow.org.uk

A guest accessing art as a means of gentle therapy

A guest drawing the Church – a place of safety in from the cold

Guests enjoy a hot meal and some respite from the cold outside

© HSSH

© HSSH

© HSSH

A new generation NOW

When the Diocese invited young people to join a leadership programme ahead of World Youth Day 2023, the response was overwhelming [see Mosaic Lent 2022]. The final group has now been selected – and they’re young, enthusiastic and passionate about their faith.

When 29 young people gathered on Zoom recently, for the first of a year-long leadership programme, there was a buzz of excitement in the virtual ‘room’. Ahead of them lay a series of monthly workshops, looking at everything from faith formation and leadership, to practical skills like public speaking and running a prayer meeting. For the young people, it was an opportunity to explore their Catholic faith with like-minded people. For the Westminster Youth Ministry team, a sign that God is at work among a new generation.

“To be honest, we thought we’d be lucky to have 20 applicants,” said Andrzej Wdowiak, Director of Youth Ministry. “But the response was huge. I’ve never seen anything like it. We had 46 applicants from more than 20 parishes.”

A selection process followed, with 17 girls and 12 boys invited to join the programme. The majority, aged 18 and 19, are mostly university students, and many are at a pivotal point in their faith lives, having just left home. Some are fully involved in parish life or university Catholic groups. Others are questioning their faith.

Phoebe Prendergast, who’s running the programme, says it’s a brilliant mix. “I imagine there will be a lot of mentoring in the group, which is much more persuasive than us making it happen!”

As well as attending 12 Diocese-run workshops, the group will help out at major youth events like Flame, which is happening at Wembley Arena in March 2023. Each young person has been assigned an area of responsibility, depending on their skills and interests, including communications, prayer and worship.

Then in August, they’ll join millions of young people at World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal. It’s the highlight that prompted most of the group to join the programme … but it doesn’t end there.

“Being part of World Youth Day is an amazing spiritual high,” said Phoebe. “It’s an incredible experience that you cannot capture anywhere else. But often what happens is you get back to your parish and everything feels a bit flat. We hope the young people we’re training will use their leadership skills, build up their own youth ministries and realise they have an active role to play in the Church.”

Thanks to your support, the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal has been able to invest in these young people. This means the Diocese is not just supporting the future of the Church but is also building a vibrant and diverse Catholic community today.

“Parishes are desperate for young people,” said Phoebe, “but young people are not just the future of the Church – they are

the NOW of the Church. I tell our young people, don’t wait, now is the time to get involved and play your part.”

The young leaders need to raise £15,000 between them to fund the trip to Lisbon, for World Youth Day.

Nineteen-year-old Candelaria Jurado Teran, known as Cande, is one of the young leaders-in-training – and already can’t wait for World Youth Day.

Originally from Argentina, Cande is a second-year architecture student at the University of Westminster. She lives in South London, where there’s not much of a local student Catholic community. Instead, she’s a member of the university CathSoc (Catholic Society) and visits Newman House (the Catholic chaplaincy centre).

“My faith is the most important part of my life,” said Cande. “I try to live the best I can. I hope this programme will help me get to know people, learn about leadership and just grow as a person.”

To support them, help build the future of the Church or find out more about Youth Ministry and World Youth Day, visit www.rcdow.org.uk/ donations/youth-ministry/

Young adults on a Westminster Youth Ministry retreat day

“Learn from me, for I am gentle

Thank you for so generously supporting the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal. With your help, people taking on leadership roles in our parishes have an opportunity to explore their faith – and ultimately strengthen our Church communities as a whole.

Many of us learn the foundations of our faith as children, remembering what we learnt in preparation for our First Holy Communion and our Confirmation, many years later.

As such, the earliest years of our lives are well established as a time of exploring, learning and strengthening our beliefs. There are a significant number of people who join the Church as adults, but for most of us, any experience of catechesis in later life is likely to be focused around the sacraments, including preparation for marriage and the baptism of our own children.

Fr. Chris Vipers – Director of the Agency for Evangelisation at the Diocese of Westminster – believes people should

have opportunities to develop their faith at every stage of their life.

“It’s not unusual for people’s faith to have remained largely unchanged since their time at school,” he explains. “One of the ambitions of our Evangelisation team is to whet people’s appetites for life-long learning, and then to make it as accessible as possible.”

Fr. Chris has a passion for learning.

“As well as my role in the Evangelisation team, I have two contrasting parishes – one on the edge of the City of London, and another in the middle of social housing, where there are real families facing real challenges.”

“For me, every day is a school day as a priest. There’s a lot to learn. As a team, we’re not sitting in an ivory tower. We’re all deeply rooted in our communities and any suggestion we make is based on real experiences.”

The mission of the team at the Agency for Evangelisation is three-fold:

• To proclaim and live the Good News of Jesus Christ

• To form missionary disciples

• To build missionary parishes

As part of fulfilling the three-fold mission, the Agency has created opportunities for formation, offered to parishioners under the banner of ‘Learn From Me’.

These opportunities are focuses around:

• Diocesan Short Courses for catechists, usually hosted in parishes

• Certificate courses, including Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS)

There is a whole array of short courses to choose from, including introductions to scripture, prayer and the liturgy. For anyone taking part, there are always suggestions of books to read, and encouragement to develop their own spirituality and prayer life. Some people find it hugely rewarding to begin with short courses, before then going on to commit to the two-year CCRS.

“Once you’ve got the bug for learning, you keep going,” says Fr. Chris. “It’s like mining. The deeper you go, the more you find.”

A formation for every ministry

In every parish, there are large numbers of people who are taking on important duties – from acting as Eucharistic Ministers to reading at Mass. Fr. Chris notes that it’s important to recognise that these aren’t just roles that people take on – they are ministries.

A formation session for First Communion catechists from

CCRS graduates, Adrian, Antonella and Sylvia receiving their certificates from Anna and Fr Chris Vipers

gentle and humble in heart.”

A stronger faith. A stronger Church

Fr. Chris explains how, by supporting ‘Learn from me’, you are helping to strengthen not only one individual’s faith, but parishes and communities too.

“I asked one of my parishioners to consider doing the certification in pastoral mission and ministry. She was a little reluctant. She said she hadn’t done any study for a long time. So, I reassured her saying, ‘Look we’re going to help and support you’.

The next step

With your support to the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal, more people with a ministry in our parishes will be able to receive a formation.

“If you think about the ministry of the priesthood, there is an established formation,” explains Fr. Chris. “That should also be true of other ministries, if we’re to honour the people who step forward to serve our Church communities.”

Mary Crowley and Anna Dupelycz are both Catechesis Advisors, working alongside Fr. Chris. Mary explains that the team is trying to support the many volunteer catechists in the Diocese’s 220 parishes.

“There are volunteer catechists in every parish, supporting the sacramental programme. Their role includes sharing their faith and, with our support, they can also develop and deepen their own knowledge and beliefs.”

Increasingly, catechists see themselves as working with the whole family, so that as their children grow, so do they.

“We have a real care to build up a community of lifelong learners and open up a door for them,” adds Fr. Chris. “We want parishes to be places of formation too. One size doesn’t fit all. So, we’ll work with you to find a model that works in your setting.”

Thanks to your support of the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal, people who may go on to leadership positions in their parish and community, can apply for a bursary to join the CCRS course. That means there’s a route for all catechists, regardless of the funding that’s available from their parish or from them as individuals.

“As a parish we helped to fund her because we wanted, in a sense, to grow her as a leader. The course gave her increased knowledge and confidence, and she’s now leading our ministry with children and young people. It’s been really beautiful to see. She loves it. Recently, she asked me, “What next?” meaning not just “What next can I do in the parish?” But also, “What next can I study?”

“That to me is a beautiful example of what we want to do. It’s one person’s story, but we want it to be many people’s story.”

“What we are working towards is an idea of certification and accreditation for the ministry,” explains Fr. Chris. “That’s the way to go. It’s bringing to life the challenge that Pope Francis has put out there – collaborative ministry. We all have a ministry. We all have a role. We all have co-responsibility for the life of the parish and the mission of the Church.”

You can find out more about ‘Learn From Me’ at www.rcdow.org. uk/evangelisation/ resources-for-parishministry/learn-from-me/ Volunteer Share Give Act Learn

Ten years of Caritas Westminster, thanks to you

Over the past year, we have celebrated the tenth anniversary of Caritas Westminster, the social action arm of the Diocese. We have produced a special film to show you the impact of your support, from parishes and schools, to our four direct services. The film lasts 25 minutes, so sit back with a cup of tea, and receive our heartfelt thanks for everything that’s been made possible with your support.

youtu.be/Vgxvakd-8Ug

from the parish of St Alban & St Stephen, St Albans.

© Anna & Brad Bell at storypartners

Caritas St Joseph’s is a place of personal growth for up to 180 individuals with learning disabilities, who come to try new and meaningful activities, join courses, and follow pathways into work. With your support, the new Place to Grow Horticulture Service means personal growth goes handin-hand with the cultivation of the earth, and growing and nurturing plants.

“Horticulture has always been important here at Caritas St Joseph’s,” explains Gail Williams, the Centre Manager. “We have an allotment, a poly tunnel and an orchard. As part of our horticulture courses, our students are helping to grow fruit and vegetables that end up as food on their table. There are also some wonderful and unusual plants and flowers that are used for our floral enterprise course.”

Getting involved in horticulture can have so many benefits – as Gail explains.

“Take food, for example. All too often, people with intellectual disabilities are simply given something on their plate. They don’t know where it comes from. They don’t see the process of growth. So, there’s great joy to be had in planting seeds that later become part of your meal. The apples and pears from the orchard go into our cooking. Our herbs, spinach and lettuces go into salads, and we produce organic vegetable bags to sell.”

Open to people of all faiths and none, Caritas St Joseph’s is rooted in Catholic teaching, but the theme of caring for creation and living sustainably has a wider appeal.

It can also lead to meaningful work.

“For a long time, we’ve had established social enterprises for ceramics, pottery and garden furniture. It’s been part of my plans for a while to set up a gardening service,” says Gail. “Our

students are already making wonderful garden furniture that we sell. My vision was to expand our reach using our planters, and bring our woodwork together with our new gardening service under the umbrella of our Place to Grow Horticulture Service.”

Your generous support for the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal helped provide seed funding for the new gardening service.

“The money we received from the Cardinal’s Appeal helped us employ our small team to start with,” explains Gail. “It paid for tools, equipment and workwear. It also helped meet the initial cost of petrol for the minibus used to go out to jobs.”

Set up in July 2021, the gardening service was an immediate success.

“We put together a team of staff and volunteers that included people who were longterm unemployed and had significant barriers to finding work.”

As soon as the gardening service was promoted in parish newsletters across the Diocese, the bookings started to come in.

“We had no idea how much it would take off,” says Gail. “We originally planned for the team to be out working on-site one day a week, but we had to move quickly to expand and meet the demand. We’re already on three days a week. Better still, we’ve shown that we have a

stable and sustainable financial model. To be able to cover our costs at this stage is a real achievement.”

Many people have been quick to show their support and use the team’s skills for their garden.

The Gardening Service also has regular bookings from companies and parishes that need help to maintain their grounds.

To find out more about Caritas St Joseph’s social enterprises, or to contact them for more information about their Place to Grow Horticulture Service, visit: www.stjoseph.org.uk

Pray Volunteer Share

“The Earth is God’s gift to us – full of beauty and wonder – where the fruits of the earth belong to everyone.”

Pope Francis, Laudate Si, Care for Our Common Home

View of a terrace the team has worked on

A student, at Caritas St Joseph’s, watering seeds as part of the Horticulture programme

Thank you for enabling people to work for a better future…

Across our Diocese, many people are struggling to make ends meet despite working long hours. By supporting the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal, you’re helping people develop a business idea, start a local project, or set up a charity which will enable them to access decent and dignified work, helping to build stronger communities.

Dignity in work is one of the themes of Catholic Social Teaching, and an important part of building a fairer society. The current reality for too many people is long working hours with little security, for wages that do not cover the basic costs of food, rent and heating.

Thanks to your support of the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal, there’s a positive, longerterm solution. By joining Seeds Hub, people who are unemployed, or working but also in receipt of benefits, can explore self-employment, training and opportunities to earn a living wage.

The first cohort of students started the Business Programme in September 2019, after an initial campaign to promote the scheme in the local community. These students were able to bring an idea for a business, a social enterprise, a charity or a local project. Many came from disadvantaged backgrounds and faced considerable barriers to setting up their own business. As a group, they were able to encourage each other, and step-bystep, the students worked on turning their ideas into real-life ventures.

Seeds Hub, which operates out of a centre in Brent, can be used by the students for meetings. It also generates income from renting office space to more developed community projects. “Someone might start with an idea, which they develop by joining our business programme,” explains Kathy, Head of Programmes at Seeds Hub. “They gain access to the space which they can use, for example, to meet funders. Later on, once they’re established,

there’s the option to rent space here and become a part of a growing community of enterprising people who are focused on social good.”

Sidonie is one such student who was able to access the programme. “The cohort was quite diverse,” says Sidonie. “We all had a varied range of business ideas, services, and products to develop.”

Sidonie had recently begun making lampshades and soft furnishing, and felt she’d benefit from support to get her business up and running. “The webinar sessions delivered by Seeds Hub were varied and covered all the areas that were necessary for setting up a business.” Having completed the programme, Sidonie felt she had the business skills to move forward and has now set up her own soft furnishings business, Sidonie’s Kamore.

Brenda Jules-Carbon also wanted to develop her idea for a social enterprise. “I knew I had the ability and the ideas to help carers,” she says. “But I did not know how to structure it, or bring it to fruition.”

Brenda, a carer for 20 years, knows from first-hand experience the huge – and often unrecognised – contribution carers make to our society. They’re thought to save our economy £132 billion each year. She came to Seeds Hub to develop her idea, and thanks to the support she received, has now launched Jul’cii, which provides workshops that enable carers to explore their creativity. “We want to install hope, faith and confidence in carers,” explains

Brenda. “In the future, as Jul’cii expands, we want to do exhibitions and fashion shows, showcasing the great work of the carers.”

A new chapter

The next step for Seeds Hub is to introduce an accelerator scheme for people who are ready to proceed at a faster pace.

For some people, their idea is successful and becomes their principal source of income. For others, it might be an additional activity. Either way, making money can be transformational. It can provide a huge boost in confidence and provide hope for the future. And with your support, you can be part of that hope too.

Sidonie mentoring another student at the Seeds Hub in Wembley

Brenda running one of her workshops at the Seeds Hub

© Anna & Brad Bell at storypartners

© Anna & Brad Bell at storypartners

Thank you for your feedback

Last year, many people were kind enough to share their thoughts. Here is a small selection of them.

Mosaic is a wonderful thought-provoking idea. Awareness and ability to assist where help is needed is very reassuring for both those who need help and people like me who appreciate what is being done by others for the needy.

Inspiring, encouraging, compassionate

Thanks for the magazine. Keep up the good work!

I look forward to receiving and reading the Mosaic. It gives me such valuable information about the wonderful work being done and where it is most needed.

Decade of service

Congratulations to Supporter Care Manager, Eszter Croitor-Tifan, who has notched up 10 years of service within the Diocese of Westminster. Eszter manages the Supporter Care Team, responsible for processing all gifts received in response to our appeals. She looks after our database and helps parishes process Gift Aid donations and adhere to data protection regulations. Matt Parkes, Director of Fundraising said, “Eszter cares deeply about our parish priests, parish staff and volunteers, and our supporters.With her team, she works to a very high standard. We are very grateful for her dedicated service to the Diocese.”

“I feel truly blessed to be able to help and be here for our lovely supporters,” says Eszter. “To be the mean by which their donations make miracles happen and enable the mission of our Church! Thank you indeed for all your kind support!”

Once you’ve finished reading Mosaic, we’d love to hear from you. On the back of the form enclosed, you’ll see there’s a space for you to share your thoughts. Please take a moment to let us know what you’d like to see on the pages of future editions.

The article comparing a marriage to a Mosaic was very apt. The concept could be widely quoted.

Reading the Mosaic article, Growing Faith in Young People, one said ‘I thought I believed in God, but now I am closer to God.’ How wonderful to realise that you are closer to God.

I am so encouraged to read about young people wanting to share their faith.

‘Little bits of God’ – Front Panel 2020 © Pete Codling

This beautiful mosaic panel depicting Christ, was one of many commissioned by the Bible Society in partnership with the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales.The work, created by British artist Pete Codling, and titled ‘Little Bits of God’, was due to travel the UK in 2019/2020. The tour was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the mosaics did go on display as part of the Scripture Roadshow in 2020, at Westminster Cathedral. It was blessed by His Eminence, Cardinal Vincent Nichols. For more information about the artist, or to watch a short video about the artwork, type these links into your internet browser: www.petecodling.com/mosaic www.youtube.com/watch?v=reUOn17OfVI

Each copy of Mosaic costs around 9p to print and helps us to raise even more precious donations. Donors often tell us they appreciate hearing how we have used the gifts entrusted to us, and we are conscious of our duty to be wise stewards of the funds you donate. When you have finished reading, please put Mosaic into the recycling or pass it on to someone else.

Vaughan House, 46 Francis Street, London SW1P 1QN

Telephone: 020 7798 9025 Email: supportercare@rcdow.org.uk

We look after your personal details with great care.You can read our privacy policy on rcdow.org.uk/diocese/privacy-policy

I am writing to thank you for all the work you do, supporting those most in need in our society. I hope and pray that you are able to continue to help vulnerable people in these challenging times. I will always remember your work and keep you in my prayers.

I’m happy to support the Cardinal’s Appeal always.