Friday, February 28, 2014

Good News for the New Evangelisation...

...as this news item sparkled in Auntie's in-box this morning:

A Centre of Formation for the New Evangelisation has been established by leading experts in Catholic education.  Dr Petroc Willey, Dr Andrew Beards, Dr Caroline Farey and others, have established this centre, called the School of the Annunciation, in the grounds of Buckfast Abbey in Devon, UK, thanks to the generosity and collaboration of the Abbot of Buckfast, the Rt. Rev. David Charlesworth and the monastic community.

Dr Petroc Willey was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation in 2012. The Holy Father also appointed Dr Petroc Willey and Dr Caroline Farey as advisors to the Synod on ‘New Evangelisation for the Transmission of the Faith’ held in the Vatican.

The School of the Annunciation will begin by offering a Diploma in the New Evangelisation delivered by experts in this exciting and newly emerging field of activity and reflection in the life of the Church. As well as the Diploma in the New Evangelisation, the School of the Annunciation is offering short Summer Schools.  These provide a unique opportunity to study the Catholic Faith in the beautiful setting of Buckfast Abbey, sharing the monastic community’s life and prayer over long summer weekends in August.

More info here...

Allen Hall...

...is the seminary for the diocese of Westminster, and stands on the site of what was once St Thomas More's garden at Chelsea...in May I will be leading a group of Catholic History Walkers there, and in what has now become an annual tradition, we are given tea and then shown round by teams of students, after which we join them for Adoration in the chapel, and then Evening Prayer...

When I dropped in today to make arrangements, I was made most welcome.  After the meeting, I asked if I could possibly make use of their wi-fi, as I had an urgent email to send...they could not have been more helpful, and so the final corrections to the proofs of my new book on JPII were sent from Allen Hall, on the site where St Thomas More once lived...

To Manchester...

...to speak to the North West branch of the Catholic Writers Guild.  It meets at the Catholic Chaplaincy of Manchester University, where there was a lot going on, as a Catholic Medical Group was also meeting, and of course in any case the place was teeming with students... the chapel was full for Evening Mass.  Afterwards in a crowded room we struggled to get the projector etc working for the power-point I had prepared. To no avail - and in the end I did the talk without it, and no one seemed to mind. Topic: John Paul the Great. It really is fascinating to explore his extraordinary life - working in a stone quarry, having lost both parents and his only brother, studying secretly for the priesthood under the noses of the Nazi authorities with all colleges and universities closed, his country occupied by a ruthless power in a savage war...and then the grim years under Communism, the long-drawn-out battles to build the church at Nowa Huta, the young people  in solidarity with their Archbishop...then Rome, and that magnificent "Do not be Afraid!" and the great missionary journeys...World Youth Day...Veritatis Splendor...the Theology of the Body...

Monday, February 24, 2014

Exmoor...

...looking enchanting, Porlock village in a fold of the hills, the sea a sturdy blue, meadows lush and green,  and while I work at my computer in front of a wide window on to a lovely garden, there is birdsong, and two pigeons cooing. 

Correcting proofs of forthcoming book, and working on a power-point for a talk to the NW Catholic Writers' Guild,to be  held at the University Chaplaincy in Manchester.  How extraordinary to be doing this while nourishing the eyes and heart by looking out on to a Medieval church, great hills with cloud and sunshine gently altering their colours moment by moment, and the sound of a rushing river - a reminder of those recent floods which soaked so much of the neighbouring parts of Somerset - mingling with the trilling of the birds.



Sunday, February 23, 2014

Clifton Cathedral...

....is a truly dreadful lump of concrete, and Sunday Mass there a most depressing experience. The place leaks - plastic buckets stacked in a row - and it was more than half empty. I counted just over 130 people at the 11 am main Sunday Mass.  There are horrid chairs with soft seats and spindly legs, and it's arranged like a theatre, and several people sat through Canon of the Mass.  For the psalm, a lady got up at the microphone and waved her arms at us,  in that infuriating way that they do when assuming that we won't know how to sing the response unless they indicate it to us. So I waved back. A guest choir sang Panis Angelicus at Communion much, much too fast. The Stations of the Cross are ugly and the whole place feels bleak.

To Bristol...

...and an excellent production of The  Merry Wives of Windsor at the Redgrave Theatre. Hugely enjoyable, a richly talented young  cast, a glorious set and costumes -  all Edwardiana which perfectly matches the mood of the play - a great sense of fun...a perfect evening.

Beloved Papa Emeritus Benedict...

...joined Papa Francis in Rome for the ceremony creating new cardinals. Watch here...

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Get a flavour...

...of the recent LOGS pilgrimage to Littlemore here...

Friday, February 21, 2014

...and I'm busy planning...

...a launch party for this...

John Henry Newman...

...and Littlemore.  We had a wonderful pilgrimage there this week. You'll be reading about it shortly in The PORTAL...

Thursday, February 20, 2014

A MUST event...

 Message from St Patrick's, Soho:  In just over a week St. Patrick's church in Soho is hosting an exciting international conference called Choose Life: Choose Love! Speakers from across the Canada, the U.S and Australia will be there for this weekend conference on 'Beauty, Freedom and the Family'. Students can attend all the talks for FREE, or, if they wish to enjoy meals can pay half price. Advance booking is necessary. For more information and to book please visitwww.chooselifechooselove-rcdow.eventbrite.co.u
For full details of programme please look at here:  www.stpatricksoho.org 

"From the beginning...

...the Creator blessed man and woman so that they would be fruitful and multiply..."

Papa Francis on marriage and family. Read more here...

JOYFUL EVANGELISTS...

We are looking for joyful evangelists! 
Nominations are invited for the 2014 Catholic Women of the Year. Every year,  four women are honoured, chosen by ballot from nominations sent in from across Britain. Any Catholic woman can be nominated – and the aim is especially to honour those who are living out their faith publicly, in service and in witness, as part of the New Evangelisation in our country.
Pope Francis has emphasised joy – Evangelii Gaudium – the Joy of the Faith. We are looking for joyful women who teach the Faith, serve their local community, and share Catholic values with the next generation.
“In fidelity to the example of the Master, it is vitally important for the Church today to go forth and preach the Gospel to all: to all places, on all occasions, with­out hesitation, reluctance or fear. The joy of the Gospel is for all people: no one can be excluded”.  (Pope Francis: Evangelii Gaudium)
 
How to nominate some one as a Catholic Woman of the Year
It’s simple. You can use the form here:  http://catholicwomenoftheyear.wordpress.com/nomination-form/
or you can send an email to: mijamajoje@ntlworld.com: 
or a letter to: Catholic Women of the Year 2014, 22 Milton Road, WARE, Herts SG12 0PZ
All we need from you to nominate some one  is the lady’s name and  information on why why she is being nominated: a few paragraphs setting out what she does, and where she does it, and the spirit in which she does it! The nomination can be from a friend, family member, or parish priest. It does not have to be long, but it must give relevant information – and must give the writer’s name and contact details. It is not necessary to obtain permission from the lady being nominated – for most of our Catholic Women of the Year, the honour comes as a complete surprise, and perhaps that’s the way it should be!
Closing date for nomination is April 30th 2014

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

t!...

...yes, I know that looks a bit odd. But t! is the name of a girls' magazine, now distributed FREE through Sainsbury's. It's run by a young team, which also organises courses on journalism for students...and I was invited to be part of the course running this half-term. A grand group of young people, and it was great fun...info here...

Sunday, February 16, 2014

...and if you want to read...

...Auntie on the subject of the Ordinariate (recent feature in the CATHOLIC HERALD) you can do so here , with  thanks to the Ordinariate Expat blog.

A splendid traditional Sunday Mass...

...at St Anselm's Church at Pembury in Kent. Well, two splendid Masses: I went to the 9.15, with a fine choir singing some glorious music, and a troop of children trotting off to Sunday School, and a rousing hymn to finish, and then there was a gathering outside (no church hall as yet...they are raising funds for a development project to create one) for coffee and orange juice and biscuits and children running about and making a cheery noise...and then I went in again for part of the 11 o'clock Mass.  This was all because I was giving a short appeal at the end of each Mass, to invite people to get stitching for the Great Hassocks Project. Thanks to a modest donation, we are able to  make some proper church kneelers (hassocks) for this church, and we need volunteers...I have several people already working away, and Fr Ed invited me to the parish to explain the project in detail.  And also to get the parish involved in the big "Our Father" project, which is for children at RC and CofE primary schools, and involves them writing out the Lord's Prayer, and answering some short questions to show their understanding of it.  We have a number of local groups running this project across Britain...and now Kent is to be involved, too, and it was WONDERFUL to meet local volunteers from this excellent parish who will be taking it all on.

This little church at Pembury is thriving under the care of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. Fr Ed and Hayley and their cheery family welcomed me to a very jolly lunch, and it was so good to relax and talk over so many things.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

...and thence to Kent...

..also rainwashed, and the trains delayed. But I made it, am writing this from a damp Tunbridge Wells,  and tomorrow (Sunday) will be at Pembury, to talk about church kneelers, and an education project. More on this later.

Meanwhile, of you want to know more about the Confirmation last Sunday at Precious Blood Church in London, read here...

Friday, February 14, 2014

Writing this...

...in Somerset, where I've been visiting an elderly relative, and am marooned overnight because of the weather.  Early bus back to London tomorrow...

Rain and winds  lashed the small seaside town where I was visiting, and lashed the windows of the comfortable room where we were sitting chatting and sewing - fortunately high up, on the edge of Exmoor, so flood-free -  and lashed the country bus as it went along the lanes and made its usual stops in the villages...

With laptop and mobile phone, and plenty of work to do, I am comfortable in a pleasant b-and-b...too many in Somerset and elsewhere in Britain are not comfortable tonight, and it's still raining...

Life and love...

...a conference that promises to look at this theme in depth, and with some wonderful speakers.

Dana Rosemary Scallon, plus the Family Life team from Holy Trinity Brompton, plus a beautiful setting at St Patrick's, Soho Square...this is a weekend event not to be missed.

Marriage is so much under attack today, and simply hoping that things will get better isn't good enough...we need to explore and celebrate the good, the true and the beautiful, and do so with wisdom and knowledge and in good company...

It's Feb 28th-March 2nd, and there's more info here...

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Big excitement...

...for Auntie is...


THIS

which will be formally launched in April!!!

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

The river...

...at Kingston was lapping up against the verandas and swishing over the banks, as the train chugged across the bridge this afternoon, taking me to a meeting at Strawberry Hill.  Elsewhere, homes are flooded and people are being evacuated.

The weather matches the sense of solemnity felt today: the anniversary of the resignation of dear Papa Benedict...it is good that he is still with us, praying with serenity, close to Papa Francis, and presumably still working quietly away on the books that will be part of  the rich theology that he is contributing to the Church and which will illuminate minds and hearts for generations.  We are grateful for so much...for that wonderful visit to Britain in 2010, for his joy, his teaching...

Rain falling, and an icy wind cutting into faces.

Like vast numbers of other people, I can't travel by rail to the West Country later this week...the coaches to Taunton are still running, so I've booked a seat on one, but the western rail route down through Reading from Paddington is disrupted by flooding. A planned visit to Cornwall has had to be postponed indefinitely as the railway line along by Dawlish has been swept to pieces and is partly in the sea...

Spent the day partly working on a piece for the Catholic Herald (for a couple of weeks ahead:  first anniversary of Papa Francis election), and partly mulling over plans for some possible further academic work...all this interspersed with work for Christian Projects (25th anniversary of Schools Bible Project) and EWTN (I fly off to the USA - weather permitting! - in a couple of weeks' time to make a new series).



Saturday, February 08, 2014

Worth signing...

...this, and getting your friends and neighbours to do so, too.  With a certain urgency. Things are a bit grim.

Confirmation...

...tomorrow (Sunday) and the class met today for a run-through with Father C.  Their catechist found it gratifying - and was relieved - that the group was able to answer up in response to questions about knowledge of the Sacrament and what it means and so on...Explanation of the various parts of the ceremony, including the anointing (oil...strengthening...) touch on the cheek ("It's a sign of his authority"). Some are first being baptised - explanation of the signing with the Cross ("claimed for Christ") etc...

Oddly moving to sit in the church as the group held a practice session and each candidate went to kneel before Fr C., seated in the Bishop's chair.

Home in pouring rain. News of more to come.

I find it difficult to think with great seriousness about the issue of Scotland breaking the union that has been the United Kingdom for these past centuries...such a break is obviously a very bad and rather stupid idea.  But with the government having imposed a law destroying the legal framework of marriage, and obliging public officials to tell lies about the fundamental relationship between a man and a woman, somehow breaking apart a state seems of less long-term importance. 

Rain against the windows, under a darkening sky. Working on material for next EWTN series, exploring Marian themes and lives of saints. List of names of Confirmation candidates carefully typed out for tomorrow: the catechist has to present them.

Thursday, February 06, 2014

To Coventry...

...to meet the Coventry Ordinariate Group and discuss a schools project with them. Young Father Paul met me at Coventry station, and the meeting was in his house, with his young family evidently happy and familiar with parish events, tucking in with us to the bring-and-share supper...( quantities of the most delicious food, including two different sorts of  lasagne, and a most great array of puddings). Everyone had made enough for twelve...

A most useful meeting, talkative and friendly, and the schools project looks set to be under way shortly...all rather exciting (details to follow in due course).

I'd spent much of the earlier part of the day au Euston station, as I was worried that with the Tube strike I might not get there on time...in the end I arrived by bus with two hours to spare, so got out my laptop and finished doing the footnotes etc for the new Prayer Book to be published by the CTS, to mark the canonisation of Pope John XXIII and John Paul II.  Working on this book has brought me into greater contact with John XXIII.  I'd read his Journal of a Soul, of course, and studied his other writings and encyclicals, but there is more.  An impressive and extraordinary life: Bulgaria and Turkey in wartime,  with so many conflicting groups and tensions,Nuncio to Paris in the days immediately following WWII...and then, as Pope, a joyful and humble certainty that the Church can face the future with confidence and hope. I've become a fan...

After the meeting in Coventry I stayed the night at the home of Ronald and Jenny Crane, and we talked Ordinariate news and The Portal, and so on. I do wish the Archbishop of Birmingham - who is an old friend whom I have known since his seminary days - would show more strong and positive support and encouragement for the Ordinariate: it's going to be a big part of the Church of the future in this country, and it could bring him and the diocese a much-needed boost...

Travel is going to be restricted over the next weeks because of the rain and floods...I was due to go to Cornwall, but the railway line linking it to the rest of the country has been swept away, and it is just a mangled mess of metal and shingles along by the beach at Dawlish...



Tuesday, February 04, 2014

Ooops...

...in an earlier post - some 2-3 weeks ago, I advertised a Catholic History Walk as being on Feb 14th. But it isn't. It's TODAY, Tuesday FEB 4th. Sorry about that: misprint unnoticed  and resulting from too-hasty typing.

CATHOLIC HISTORY WALK TODAY Feb 4th, 6.30pm, meet on the steps of Westminster Cathedral after the 5.30pm Mass...

On Monday Feb 10th...

...an important meeting about sex-ed in schools, and how to cherish family values...sponsored by the Catholic Union Charitable Trust...read more here...

En route to...

...a meeting to plan the 2014 TOWARDS ADVENT Festival, which is always held at Westminster Cathedral Hall, I ran into Archbishop (soon to be Cardinal) Vincent Nichols. I was hurrying across the piazza in front of the Cathedral, and so was he...we greeted each other, and I  explained, a bit breathlessly, that I was on my way to a meeting  and he laughed and said "Off you go then!" and I hurried on...he will open the Festival, and we have some fine speakers booked...details in due course...

Evening: meeting of LOGS (Ladies Ordinariate Group) at St Mary's, West Croydon. An excellent - really rather gripping - talk by Father James Clark, about his work as a chaplain in a Young Offenders Unit. The plight of young, usually fatherless, men caught in a trap of re-offending and friendlessness...there were some poignant descriptions of the way things are and the work of a chaplain...it was all very down-to-earth and makes for a lot of prayerful reflection, and  a commitment to do what we can...one of our number, a lawyer who has worked in prisons also spoke up at the general discussion...

Our Schools Project is now under way, we have various speakers planned for meetings through the rest of this year, we will be studying a new teaching scheme for possible Sunday School use, and there is more...but we have also long had the idea of adding some form of prison work and this will now be on the agenda...lots to pray about...

Sunday, February 02, 2014

On Papa Francis...

...and the latest media thing, read this...

Candlemas...

...and last night as I walked home from visiting a beloved elderly relative, I realised I was seeing something not seen for weeks...stars glittering in the night sky. A clear night, no thick layer of cloud! No rain!  And Candlemas Day dawned bright, clear, and with crisp cold air and a blue sky.

The church was full for the CandleMass, and there were great stacked boxes of candles to the side of the sanctuary, blessed by Fr Chris to be used for sanctuary lamps etc throughout the coming year. The Sunday School children paraded off to their class behind their processional cross, holding their lighted candles as we all sung the Gloria (Missa de Angelis) each of us with lighted candle too  and the whole congregation drawn together, and drawn up to the sanctuary and to God...

Next Sunday will also be a special one for this church, as Mgr Keith Newton is coming to administer Baptism and Confirmation. The catechist - you can guess who it is - is a little nervous, hoping that all the candidates are confident and knowledgeable (well...and prayerful, of course...and their catechist too) ...we have one final session of preparation, which will probably focus on the details of the ceremonies...  Much discussion at the previous session, about Confirmation names: some have still to choose one. On the other hand, there was evidence of considerable knowledge when it came to some of the doctrine, Scripture etc we have been discussing over recent weeks. The ANCHOR programme is warmly recommended...

In the afternoon, to St Anne Line Church in South Woodford, Essex, for a most interesting lecture about this heroic woman, and about Shakespeare and the hidden messages in his plays, about Catholicism and persecution, and the feeling among the people at that time...The speaker made a  good case for Anne Line being the inspiration for more than one of his female characters...

A visit...

...to a friend of many years  Professor Dennis O'Keefe,  confined to a hospice following a serious spinal injury and enduring this with courage. His wonderful family, including an enchanting small granddaughter, bring him joy, strength, and comfort: it was a privilege to see.  Dennis, author and academic, was active, along with Roger Scruton and others, in supporting Solidarity in Poland during the grim years of martial law, and I have been writing down some of his memories of that time...

Saturday, February 01, 2014

...and you can read Auntie in...

...The Portal, the on-line magazine of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. Read the Feb edition here...

GOOD NEWS...

...and worth reading about it. The excellent Neil Addison reports...read here...