Westminster Record July 2017 by RCWestminster

Westminster Record | July 2017

Coming Together to Support Survivors of Grenfell Fire

by Fr Gerard Skinner

Our hearts truly go out to all who have been deeply affected by the tragedy that unfolded from the early hours of Wednesday 14th June. It is impossible to imagine the pain of those who have lost family and friends or those who are in anguish while they try to discover where loved ones are. With all my heart please know that the prayers of this parish are with you all.

At the time of writing I know that families from our parish community cannot find members of their family; other families have lost their homes and all their possessions. So many of us will know others who lived at Grenfell Tower who have suffered so much. From early on Wednesday morning our church became the most incredible hub. Scores of volunteers spontaneously came to the Parish Centre and began receiving hundreds of bags of clothes and other items that will be of use to those who have lost everything. They sorted the donated items into boxes that were piled high in the church and courtyard. Human chains passed each box from the Parish Centre and courtyard out to waiting vans. Children were offering their toys for those who now had none and donors hauled in great suitcases of gifts that they had brought by public transport from as far as Hertfordshire, Essex and Suffolk. Throughout the day Frs Peter Wilson and Peter Scott walked around the parish offering comfort to those in distress; the area auxiliary bishop, Bishop John Wilson, joined them in the afternoon. Page 4

Meanwhile in the centre other volunteers welcomed anyone who needed a place to seek refuge: some of those who came had lost their homes, others had been evacuated from homes near the Grenfell Tower. Some were looking for loved ones; others were escaping from the media attention at the nearby Rugby Portobello Club where they had been awaiting news of relatives with whom they had lost contact. At midnight I closed the gate to the courtyard in front of the church. By 7am on Thursday morning I found myself barricaded in by a wall of more donations. Thursday brought a further stream of bags and boxes and the phone was continually ringing with more offers of help. Parishioners and men and women from all parts of London came together in the most compassionate and community spirited way imaginable. They all deserve the highest praise possible for the outpouring of care and kindness over the last few days. Now we must be attentive to the ongoing care of those who are in great need and all who have been traumatised by this terrible time. And how many must be suffering not only from physical injuries but from having seen and heard things that none of us should have to bear. On the day after the disaster I joined Frs Wilson and Scott in prayer for the victims of the fire at the very foot of Grenfell Tower.

Over 24 hours after the disaster began, small fires still blazed, smoke obliterating sight of the higher storeys of the burnt out building. We listened to firemen, policemen and others who were there to support them in their painful work. Meanwhile St Francis of Assisi Primary School had been welcomed by the nearby SionManning Catholic Girls’ School and the totally dedicated staff of both schools made the brave children feel at home in their new, unfamiliar surroundings. On behalf of Cardinal Vincent, Bishop John Wilson visited the school to the great delight of pupils and staff. And then the Cardinal himself came to offer prayer for the afflicted and meet with those who had suffered so much in recent days: a time of much needed reflection amidst the turmoil. Every morning priests pray a prayer that encompasses so much of our human frailty and our need for our Saviour, Jesus Christ. This prayer concludes, ‘He will give light to those in darkness, those who dwell in the shadow of death, and guide us into the way of peace.’ May God grant eternal rest to those who have died and help us all, especially those must in need, now and in the days and years ahead. Fr Gerard Skinner is Parish Priest of St Francis of Assisi, Notting Hill

‘We are made to pray’ ‘We human beings are made to pray. Otherwise we become dislocated,’ were the words of Cardinal Vincent. To respond to this natural instinct to come together to pray with others in times of grief and crisis, a time of Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament and silent prayer followed by Mass was organised for Saturday, 17th June at St Pius X Church in St Charles Square. Towards the front of the church, near the sanctuary, a memorial (pictured on the front page) was set up for the victims, in the form of a cross surrounded by stones representing the 24 floors in the tower and smaller stones representing the families who were resident in the tower. The number of people gathered in prayer grew steadily during the time of Adoration and many more flocked to the church for Mass. Among them were survivors, families and friends of those who had died or were still missing, neighbours, teachers from local schools, members of the emergency services, and well-wishers of other faiths who simply wanted to join the community in prayer and remembrance. The church was full to capacity, with many more standing at the back and in the foyer. The mood was subdued with a hushed silence. Even the young children who might have normally played in the foyer with their friends, were conversing quietly and pointing towards a poster with the photos of residents who were still missing or presumed dead. Addressing the congregation’s grief, the Cardinal explained that, at these times, we can turn to the Lord, knowing that he understands our grief and suffering, having experienced the same himself: 'Jesus died in darkness, feeling abandoned, giving a loud and terrible cry. That cry was a great prayer for us all. It still echoes

today in the terrified cries of the men, women and children in the tower.' He said that there is no pretending that there is recovery from such loss in this life. Instead, ‘God invites us to empty our hearts before him.’ Jesus taught us to pray for each other, added the Cardinal, and he intercedes for us constantly. ‘When we pray for each other, we join our prayer to his. Make your prayer a gift to all who have died and are broken hearted by the terrible fire.’ He also acknowledged the anger and sense of betrayal that were beginning to surface. He warned that there are some who would exploit that anger to incite hatred and hostility: 'Anger is energy,’ he said. ‘Let it become an energy for good, not used to deepen division and conflict. Instead, we should use this energy to fuel a deep respect for each other and for each other’s needs.’ The Cardinal commended the overwhelming compassion and generosity shown by many from the community and further afield who rushed to offer practical help and support to those who had lost everything. He thanked especially the men and women of the emergency services who worked selflessly and tirelessly, and asked the congregation to join him in a visible show of thanks. After Mass, the Cardinal met those who had attended, sharing words of comfort and encouragement and listening to the stories of those residents who had escaped the fire, including one man who was woken by his wife and children just in time to escape the burning building. When he reached safety, he realised that he had left all his possessions behind, only taking his rosary beads, which he was clutching firmly in his hand, as a sign of this instinct for prayer which we all share by virtue of our humanity.