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Issue 111DECEMBER 2013

ARCHDIOCESE OF LIVERPOOL

Aid after Typhoon Haiyan

James Nugent Court opens

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

AdventPrayer andReflection

Sean HardeleyTeacher of the Year

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WelcomeToday we begin the Season of Advent, a beautiful time ofpreparation for the great Feast of the Incarnation, yet atime which all too often can be lost in ‘other’ preparationsfor Christmas.

In contrast to what is happening in the world around us Advent is a timefor quiet reflection. A time to contemplate the three comings of Jesus:in history, in mystery and in majesty. In history at Bethlehem in thefeast we will celebrate in a little over three weeks. In mystery, dailyJesus comes into our lives through the celebration of the Eucharist, andin majesty when Jesus will come at the end of time.

To help our preparation Advent moves us, but in reverse order, from thefuture to the past. Today in Matthew’s Gospel Jesus tells his followersto ‘Stay awake’, and then gradually as we pray our way to Christmasthe mood changes culminating in the Gospel reading of the FourthSunday: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son...’

Our main feature this month looks at the work of Cafod in thePhilippines following Typhoon Haiyan, we remember them in prayer aswe prepare for Christmas.

Contents

4 Main FeatureTyphoon victims need your helpLives still to be saved in the Philippines

8 NewsFrom around the Archdiocese

14 SpotlightHelp the homeless this ChristmasA Nugent Care appeal

15 Sunday ReflectionsLiturgy and Life

16 What’s OnWhats happening in the Archdiocese

18 ProfileSean HardeleyTeacher of the Year

19 Animate Youth MinistryWork, work, work…and a Harry Ramsden’s supper

20 Justice and PeaceA time for giving?Three ways to help others thisChristmas

25 Cathedral RecordNew Nativity Set for the Cathedral

26 Pic ExtrasMums the wordNews from the KSC

28 Pic LifeWalking with a guardian angel

29 Join InFamily FunMore Mullarkey

contents

From the Bishop’s desk‘Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, close bosomfriend of the maturing sun’; so did the poet describe thistime of the year. Winter approaches, cold, ice, wind andrain, but it also bodes for the coming of a New Year, andnew Church’s year.

Advent: it not only prepares us for the coming of our Messiah, for thebirth of our Saviour, but it brings with it Hope, the dawn of a new year, ora new beginning.

I love the notion that the colour of Advent is purple, or lilac. The reasonit is that colour is because it represents the colour of the sky before thesun comes up on the horizon. It lasts but a short time, but it brings theearth to life. The dawn chorus heralds a new day. All things come backto life.

Welcome to our New Year, our new dawn. This coming year we willwelcome a new Archbishop, just as we bid farewell to Archbishop Patrick,we look back with gratitude and love, and we look forward with Hope: butmost of all, with Faith.

As we celebrate Advent, the New Year, may we always appreciate ourpast.

Happy New Advent.

Editor Peter HeneghanEditorial Catholic Pictorial Magazine Liverpool ArchdiocesanCentre for Evangelisation, Croxteth Drive, Liverpool L17 1AATel: 0151 522 1007 Email: [email protected]: Cover: Tom Murphy

Main feature: CafodAdvertisingAndrew Rogers 0151 709 7567Publisher36 Henry Street, Liverpool L1 5BS

Copy deadline January issue4 December 2013

CPMM Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may bereproduced copied or transmitted in any form or by any means orstored in any information storage or retrieval system without thepublishers written permission. Although every effort is made toensure the accuracy and reliability of material published, CatholicPictorial Ltd. can accept no responsibility for the veracity of theclaims made by advertisers.

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Typhoonvictims needyour helpLives still to be saved in the PhilippinesJUST days after Typhoon Haiyan struckthe central Philippines, with sustainedwinds of 235 kph, forcing millions ofterrified people from their homes, thepeople of Liverpool Archdiocese beganlooking for ways to help the survivors.

Catholics across the Liverpool regionand all over England and Wales havealready shown their incrediblecompassion and kindness, according toCatherine Dowling from aid agencyCafod, who describes below thedevastation that took place and reportson how the Church is responding. Shealso underlines what more we can do tohelp when, in the words of Cafoddirector Chris Bain, ‘there are still livesto be saved’.

The so-called ‘super-typhoon’ was thestrongest storm to hit the Pacific thisyear, and has been described as themost powerful storm ever to makelandfall. It has left the lives of 9.8million people torn apart.

Typhoon Haiyan– known locally asYolanda – has killed thousands ofpeople and caused the widespreaddestruction of homes, schools androads. It is difficult to know the fullimpact yet as power lines, phone linesand mobile towers have all beendamaged, making communication withremote areas very difficult.

The storm hit some of the same areasthat were affected by an earthquake inOctober, further damaging houses and

hampering aid efforts. Thousands ofpeople on Bohol Island – where Cafodwas responding to the earthquake – arenow reeling from another painfuldisaster, living in tents, makeshiftshelters and evacuation centres.

A catastrophic impactMany people have been left withnothing; they have lost their homes,their possessions and their means ofmaking a living. They are in desperateneed of emergency shelter, support inrebuilding their homes and essentialhousehold goods – like blankets,clothes, pots, pans and other cookingequipment – to replace those that havebeen lost.

People in isolated areas, and in placesmade inaccessible by storm damage,are facing severe food shortages. Withthe power down in many areas, watersupplies have also been cut off, leavingmany communities in need of cleanwater and sanitation to prevent thespread of disease.

Rey Barnido is a volunteer aid workerwith Cafod partner Caritas Philippines,who lives in the parish of Maribojoc inBohol. Following the disaster, he madehis way to some of the hardest-hitareas to assess the damage and assistwith aid delivery. As he waited atMactan airport in Cebu for a militaryplane that would take his team to thecity of Tacloban, he surveyed thechaotic scene around him: desperatepeople trying to reach relatives and help

them in their time of need. Uponarriving in Tacloban, a placedevastated by the typhoon, thereality was shocking.

‘Patients are overflowing from theregional hospital here,’ he said.‘There are dead people everywhere.There is no water or power.Volunteers are trying to manage thedisaster, but it looks as if nuclearbombs were dropped.’

The role of the ChurchAid workers and volunteers arefacing many challenges – roads areblocked, communication is down,airports have been damaged, andsome areas are still flooded – butCafod partners are doing all theycan to reach the worst-hit areas.

The Philippines is a staunchlyCatholic country and Churchpartners are uniquely placed toreact quickly and help deliver aid tothose most in need. In someinstances they are also able toovercome some of the securitychallenges that other aid convoysare sadly facing. Father AntonPascual is leading a CaritasPhilippines team of aid workers. ‘Weare reaching families across Samar,Leyte, Iloilo and Palawan with food,water, tents and household itemssuch as pots and pans,’ he said.

‘Transport and communications areour worst problems, but we areworking to overcome these issuesday by day. There have been reportsof looting of aid on some roadsmaking it difficult to reach the mostremote villages, but we wear ourpriest collars and we are able to gothrough. People deeply respect theChurch.’

In Manila, the capital city, 250volunteers from local church groupshave been working in shifts since

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feature

10 November to fill food packs, eachholding five kilos of rice, nine cans ofgoods, six packets of noodles and fivepackets of protein-rich manna rice. Thepacks are designed to last a family offive people three days and 2,000 packshave already reached Leyte Island, withthe team aiming to send 18,000 moreas soon as possible.

Relief packs with clothes and medicineswere delivered to a local hospital inCebu Island, while a truck with reliefsupplies was sent to Bogo City in thatisland’s devastated north. Ten truckswith 18,000 food packs were sent toOrmoc in Leyte and Cafod partners havedelivered 6,500 shelter kits with 30,000more on their way.

What can you do to help?According to Cafod director Chris Bain,support is urgently needed. ‘Howeverdistressing the images of devastationand stories of suffering caused byTyphoon Haiyan, we cannot waste timeon despair or shock – not when thereare still lives to be saved, andcommunities in such desperate need ofhelp,’ he said.

‘We are launching our emergency appeal

‘Upon arriving inTacloban, a place

devastated by thetyphoon, the reality

was shockinge’

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‘We wear ourpriest collars andwe are able to gothrough. Peopledeeply respectthe Church

in response to the hundreds ofschools, parishes and individuals upand down the country who havecontacted us to ask ‘what can we do?’,showing the generosity andcompassion that is always the hallmarkof the Catholic community in times ofcrisis.

‘The best way we can all help is bysupporting the charities and churchgroups who are already operating in theworst-hit areas, responding to theirimmediate needs for food, water andshelter, beginning the hard work ofrebuilding the communities that havelost everything, and keeping themconstantly in our prayers. Together, wecan bring new hope to those who todayface utter desolation.’

Cafod is part of the DisastersEmergency Committee (DEC), workingtogether with 13 major British aidagencies to ensure that its efforts arenot duplicated. These are the costs ofsome of the emergency items it isdelivering:£5 for a clean water kit for one family£9 provides emergency shelter for a

family£13.50 covers essential household

supplies, such as blankets andcooking pots for one family

£18 gets one family a hygiene kit

You can donate to Cafod’s TyphoonHaiyan appeal online atcafod.org.uk/typhoon; by calling 050085 88 85; or by post addressed to:FREEPOST RSHJ-KJBY-YXLT,Philippines Typhoon Haiyan Appeal,CAFOD, Romero House, 55Westminster Bridge Road, London,SE1 7JB.

Prayer for the people of thePhilippines after Typhoon HaiyanGod of compassion and mercy, weturn to you, we seek your help inour distress. May we always seek to be a lightfor others bringing hope in place ofdespair.Pour out, we pray, your consolinglove upon our brothers and sistersin the Philippines.Bring comfort to those who mourn,shelter and sustenance to all thosein need.Heavenly Father, you are alwayswith us,may we never forget your enduringlove which lights our patheven in the darkest times.

St Rose of Lima, pray for us.St Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.St Pedro Calungsod, pray for us.

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If you’ve got any news from your parish that you’d like featurede-mail us with the details at: [email protected]

News diarySilver for St Mary’s

The Lord Lieutenant ofLiverpool Dame LornaMuirhead and the Mayor ofSefton Councillor MaureenFearns visited Jospice for theofficial launch of a Pool ofRemembrance on theanniversary of the death offounder, Father FrancisO’Leary, 4 October.The pool of remembrance is astructure that has been builtin the grounds so thatsupporters and friends of thehospice are able to buy oneof the glass bricks and havethe name of a loved oneinscribed on it. Pat Murphy,director of fundraising said‘Very often we are asked by

supporters if they can buysomething for the hospice inremembrance of a loved one.Very often a bench issuggested as a name plaquecan be placed. This structureis more prominent, and hasproved very popular so far.Needless to say we dedicatedthe first brick in the pool tothe Father O’Leary.The pool is made up of 156glass bricks that willeventually have a nameinscribed on each one inmemory of a loved one. Thepool has a small fountain inthe middle and is floodlit atnight. A donation of £500 foreach brick is asked, and this

can be donated over a periodof 10 months.Jospice is peaceful andtranquil woodland and it’s aperfect setting to visit andremember a loved one on a

special day maybe ananniversary or birthday.For more information aboutthe pool of remembrance,contact Pat Murphy on 0151932 6024.

Jospice Pool of Remembrance

St Mary’s church, Leyland, won thesilver award in a competition organisedby the National Churches Trust inassociation with the Ecclesiastical

Architects and Surveyors Associationand the 20th Century Society. The criteria to enter the competitionwere that the Church was built since

1953, and it is still in use andcontributes to the local community.There were 200 entries for the awardwhich was won by St Paul’s church inBow Common, East London. ParishPriest of St Mary’s, Father JonathanCotton OSB attended the ceremony atLambeth Palace and writes:‘It was astonishing being there: EdwardAlmond, born and bred in Leyland waspresent; as was Peter Bullen, the sonof the Architect at the time (late 1950’sand 1960’s). Peter told me he hadthree uncles as Priests in theArchdiocese, two Bullens and one onhis mothers’ side. Fr EdmundFitzSimons chose the LiverpoolArchitects, Weightman and Bullen todesign our Church in the late 1950’s.It is a great honour for St Mary’sLeyland to win the silver award; and wewill hopefully find this a boost for us aswe prepare for our Golden JubileeCelebrations in 2014.‘The Archbishop of Canterbury, formerDean of Liverpool, Justin Welby, wasmeant to present the awards, but hadbeen caught up in an importantmeeting. But he came for ten minutesand spoke well and hopefully of thefuture of the Church.‘The friendly welcome for all, itsecumenical nature, the setting and thepresence of a remarkable group ofpeople was a very good mix for a verygood occasion. The Lambeth Palaceauthorities also laid on a wonderfullunch and a brief tour of LambethPalace.’

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news diary

50 years on theecumenical journeyLiverpool Hope University was thevenue for a 400-strong gathering tomark the 50th anniversary of theFocolare Movement’s arrival inBritain in November 1963. Liverpool was the Focolare’s firstcentre and from there spread toother parts of the country. It was avery different ecumenical contextthat welcomed the first group to acity which had known its share ofsectarian differences. Three local Anglican clergy wereinstrumental in the Focolare’s arrivalalongside Canon Bernard Pawley, theAnglican Observer at the SecondVatican Council.It was Canon Pawley who suggestedto the Dean of the AnglicanCathedral in Liverpool that he inviteFocolare founder, Chiara Lubich, tospeak in the Cathedral to a group ofAnglican Clergy. At the same time he also mentionedthe idea to Pope Paul VI in a privateaudience and gained papal approvalfor this event which took place inNovember 1965.In her diary for that day, 17November, Chiara Lubich remarkedon the poignancy of the name, HopeStreet, which connects the AnglicanCathedral to the Catholic Cathedral(still under construction at that time)and expressed a heartfelt prayerthat, with faith, the ‘mountains’ oflack of understanding between thechurches might be moved.In his address to the meeting,

Professor Gerard Pillay, Vice-Chancellor of Liverpool HopeUniversity, reminded those presentthat the last honorary doctorateChiara Lubich received, just twomonths before she died in March2008, was from Liverpool Hope inrecognition for her work of dialoguein ecumenism, in interfaith and withcontemporary culture. He paid tribute to her workdescribing Focolare as ‘notinstitutionally focused, not empirebuilding but part of the spreading outof goodness all over the world ...Chiara Lubich, from the verybeginning was outward looking.’

Obituary of CanonBrian Mullan

Canon Brian Mullan Parish Priest of StBernadette’s, Liverpool, for 32 yearsdied on the morning of Sunday 3November at the age of 92.James Brian Mullan was born on 24November 1920, the son of John andElizabeth Mullan. His early educationtook place at St Edmund's School,Waterloo, and St Mary's College, Crosby,before Studies for the priesthood at StJoseph’s College, Upholland. He wasordained priest in St Joseph’s Chapel,Upholland, by Archbishop Downey on 26May 1945.Following ordination he was sentimmediately to do further studies incanon law at St Patrick's College,Maynooth, where he obtained hisdoctorate in 1948. Upon his return tothe archdiocese he was appointed curateat St Gregory's, Weld Bank, and inAugust 1951 he moved to St Anthony's,Scotland Road. In October 1955 he wasappointed curate at St Clare's, Liverpool,where he remained for six years, beforemoving to be curate at Our Lady and StJoseph, Prescot. In June 1970 he wasappointed parish priest at StBernadette's, Liverpool, where he was toremain until his retirement to Woolton in2002.He served for many years in theMetropolitan Tribunal. In 1958 he wasappointed Vice-Officialis by ArchbishopHeenan and in February 1967 becameOfficialis. He held this post until 1982and thereafter he continued to act as aconsultant to the Tribunal for someyears.For his distinguished service to thearchdiocese he was appointed anhonorary canon in May 1970 and achapter canon in October 1986.His Funeral Mass was celebrated at StBernadette’s, Liverpool prior to burial atAllerton Cemetery.

The Vincentian Volunteers are asmall organisation working withyoung people on a gap yearencouraging their spiritual growthand enabling them to work withpeople who are experiencing variousforms of poverty They are currently looking for aFinancial Officer to help them in theirwork, the salary is to be negotiatedThey are looking for a qualifiedaccountant to assist the their

trustees in all areas of financialmanagement, systems and control.As a very small charity, the workinvolved will not be more than oneday per calendar month. Anyonewishing to apply may be self-employed and must be able todemonstrate appropriate training andexperience. Interviews will takeplace on Friday 3 January 2014.Anyone interested should apply inwriting including a full CV byWednesday 4 December to SisterSusan Molloy DC, VincentianVolunteers, St Matthew’s Presbytery,Worsley Road, Winton, Eccles,Manchester M30 8BL or [email protected]

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James Nugent Court opens

news diary

The new James Nugent Court residential carehome in Ullet Road, Liverpool, opened inNovember offering state of the art care for 56older people, in luxurious accommodation andmore than 50 jobs for local people.All bedrooms are equipped with en-suitefacilities, including showers. They also have aflat screen television, DVD player, mini fridge,telephone and internal points. Contemporaryon-site hairdressing facilities and a coffee shopare also available in the building and, for sunnydays, there are landscaped sensory gardensincluding seating areas.Just before the official opening on Sunday 17November, Lord Mayor of Liverpool, CouncillorGary Millar, and former Chair of Nugent Care,Archbishop Emeritus Patrick Kelly, led an openday at the Centre which gave members of thecaring profession an opportunity to view thefacilities.Nugent Care Chief Executive, Kathleen Pitt,said: ‘We are delighted to be able to show thisfantastic care home off to care sector workersand we are thrilled it will be opening to thepublic soon. Linda Corcoran, Home Managerand her team are able to show why JamesNugent Court will be a great place to live andwe are looking forward to the home becomingan integral part of the local community.’Linda Corcoran said: ‘I am thrilled that JamesNugent Court is finally opening and we canbegin welcoming our first residents. I have areally strong team behind me and we are allpositive we can make this home a great placeto live and work’.For more information on James Nugent Court,14 Ullet Road, Liverpool L8 3SR, or to arrangea visit, call 0151 261 2000, email:[email protected] or write to: Head Office,Nugent Care, 99 Edge Lane, Liverpool L7 2PE.

The official opening of the new Notre Dame Catholic Collegebuilding took place with many distinguished visitors attending.Headteacher Frances Harrison welcomed Bishop Tom Williamsand Mayor Joe Anderson along with Greg Clarke, theGovernment Minister for Cities. A large contingent of the NotreDame Order attended led by Sister Patricia O’Brien SND, theProvincial Moderator and former Headteacher, Sister SusanWalters. Governors and former staff were invited and wereable to wander around the new building and be entertainedwith a short programme produced by the Performing Artsdepartment.Frances Harrison said: ‘We’re all thrilled to bits with our newschool. Everyone who has been inside has been absolutelybowled over by how light, airy and spacious it is. It is such animprovement over the previous building and will make amassive difference to the education we provide to our pupils.’

New beginnings at Notre Dame

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news diary

Over sixty people filled the RiverRoom at the House of Lords for areception hosted by Lord Mike Storeyfor the Volunteer MissionaryMovement. The event was held tobring faith partners together andhighlight the issues and successesinvolved in faith based overseasdevelopment and mission.Speaking at the reception ChiefExecutive of VMM, Dr Vincent Kenny,said, ‘the societal work of religiousand faith groups continues to be seenthroughout Great Britain today throughtheir legacy of voluntary hospitals,social services, universities andschools and also throughout thedeveloping world. These are the realcapacity buildings blocks of integralhuman development which VMMcontinue to support through the workof their professional and vocationallyminded volunteers.’Van Garber, Manager of VMM Englandand Wales, who is based at LiverpoolHope University, introduced BishopJohn Arnold, Auxiliary Bishop ofWestminster and Chairman of Cafod.Bishop Arnold highlighted the vitalimportance of building the capacity ofpartner organisations and praisedVMMs role. He said, ‘People are nolonger waiting for handouts alone, thework of the VMM goes much furtherthan just giving money to the needy: it

is about fulfilling the potential ofpeople’.VMM trustee, Mark Wiggin, gave apresentation of VMM’s role inrecruiting skilled lay peoplethroughout the UK to assist inoverseas development. Since itsinception in 1969 VMM has recruitedand placed over 2000 lay Christiansto work with and build the capacity ofoverseas partner organisations,improving the lives of millions. Theycontinue to build organisationsthrough partnerships with universities,professional associations, missionorders and development NGO’s thatshare the values of developmentmission.

VMM at House of Lords

The charity Friends of Mulanje Orphans(FOMO) who look after 4,000 orphans inMalawi are facing a funding crisis due to a63% rise in the cost of maize, thechildren’s staple diet. Following thediscovery that a cheap form of bio-fuel canbe made from maize food supplies arediminishing as the price rises. FOMO hascurrently had to halve the meals which itdonates.The FOMO objectives are to feed, clothe,educate and address health issues, butthe major worry is now the question offood. The children live in abject povertyand FOMO looks after them in thecommunity, with the support of otherfamilies.In this crisis situation FOMO is lookingboth for sponsorship and individualdonations. To make a donation or forfurther information contact: FOMO UK, 29Liverpool Old Road, Walmer Bridge,Preston, Lancashire, PR4 5QA. Tel: 01772619409. Email: [email protected]

Crisis for Mulanje orphans

Members of the Passionist Order fromthroughout the world gathered at theShrine of Blessed Dominic Barberi inSutton, St Helens, to mark the fiftiethanniversary of the Beatification of thenineteenth century Passionist Priestwho received Blessed John HenryNewman into the Church.It was fifty years to the day since PopePaul VI beatified Dominic in Romeduring the Second Vatican Council.On that day, 27 October 1963, PopePaul said of Dominic in his homily: ‘Hehad a great love for England. Thisphrase would seem to define thishumble, but great, follower of thegospel of Christ; it seems to sum upthe historical current of thesentiments of the Church of Rome,towards that island of high destiny; itseems to give expression to thispresent spiritual moment of theApostolic See, which now raises to theglory of the Blessed this generous

missionary.’To mark the anniversary the SuperiorGeneral of the Passionists, FatherJoachim Rego celebrated Masstogether with Passionist ProvincialFather John Kearns and priests fromthroughout the country. Many Sistersof the Cross and Passion attendedand coaches of pilgrims arrived fromas far afield as Hearne Bay in Kent.In his homily Father Rego describedthe day as an ‘historic occasion’ and

Dominic: ‘a beacon of light for us’

said: ‘we celebrate this declaration by theChurch that Dominic’s life, his virtues andhis self-sacrifice, were such that he notonly deserves our recognition but that hislife has inspired us and continues to be abeacon of light for us in our own Christianjourney.’He concluded by encouraging thecongregation to be true to the work ofBlessed Dominic saying, ‘let us take upagain the mantle of Dominic and continuehis mission today’.

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news diary

50 years of serviceOn Sunday 27 October the finaltwo jubilarians of 2013 celebratedthe fiftieth anniversary of theirordination to the priesthood.Monsignor Peter Cookson, formerDean of the MetropolitanCathedral, and Father BrianNewns, Parish Priest of St Oswaldand St Edmund Arrowsmith,Ashton-in-Makerfield, marked theoccasion with Masses ofThanksgiving.Archbishop Emeritus, Patrick Kelly,concelebrated the 11.00 amSolemn Mass at the MetropolitanCathedral of Christ the King.Monsignor Cookson was thecelebrant and spoke of the privilegeof celebrating Mass daily over somany years and of prayer andhumility saying that in fifty years ofpriesthood there is ‘much to behumble about’.The Archbishop Emerituscelebrated a Mass of Thanksgivingwith Father Brian Newns in theafternoon at St Oswald and StEdmund Arrowsmith whereparishioners and friends joined inmarking the significant anniversary.In his homily the ArchbishopEmeritus reflected on thecelebration of Mass, particularly atthe time of the Second VaticanCouncil.

A town pays tributeThe road outside St Mary’s, Lowe House, St Helens, waslined with hundreds of people, there to pay tribute to StevePrescott, former rugby league player with St Helens, Hull,Wakefield and England. Over 1,000 people were in thechurch for the Funeral Mass and more outside to pray forSteve who died on 9 November at the age of 39.Diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer at the age of32 he had been given only months to live, but fought backto set up the Steve Prescott Foundation and raise almost£500,000, much of it by his own efforts including running,walking, swimming and many other activities.Steve’s 12 year old son, Taylor, gave a moving eulogy inwhich he said: ‘I’d like to say how proud I am of what mydad has achieved. I have got lots of great memories of thetimes we have had together. I will remember them forever.’The Mass was celebrated by Canon Tom Neylon who in hishomily said: ‘St Paul's second letter to a young man calledTimothy contains words of encouragement for us who aresaddened by Stephen's death. St Paul had travelled manyhundreds of miles for the sake of preaching the gospel. He

was an athlete for Christ in the way in which he spenthimself in preaching the gospel’.As the procession left the church the bells of the carillonrang out ‘when the saints go marching in...’ Thousandsstood in respectful silence before applauding as the cortegeleft. Picture: Liverpool Post and Echo


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spotlight

Christmas should be a time forfriends and family. For far too manypeople, though, it is the loneliest,coldest and toughest time of theyear and this Advent, Nugent Carehas launched an appeal to helpsupport single homeless peoplealong with those families andindividuals who may be at risk ofbecoming homeless.

Becky’s storyBecky was born into a lone-parenthousehold. Her father was absentand her mother died of a heartcondition at 31, when Becky was justfive. Her grandmother became themain carer for her and her twosiblings, but Becky’s brother wasviolent to them and tragically hergrandmother committed suicide as aresult.

Aged 12, Becky was taken into careafter her older sister, then 18,abandoned the two younger children.

At 18 Becky got her own flat and shemanaged well until her brother wasreleased from prison and moved inwith her – on her 21st birthday hetried to strangle her. She was forcedto abandon the flat and went to livein a women’s hostel.

Becky was introduced to the NugentCare New Beginnings Service 10months ago and has been workingwith Rachel, one of our homelessteam workers, to help her resettle.Becky was moved into a short-termtenancy bedsit with support to helpher develop the skills to sustain alonger-term tenancy in future.

It has not been easy: Becky gotpregnant and the subsequentmiscarriage left her at a low ebb.That was some months ago andthankfully Becky now is studyingpart-time; she would eventually liketo work in the care sector and thestaff at Nugent Care are encouraging

Becky to consider a part-timecourse at university.

Becky’s story is far fromunique and Nugent Careprovides housing support,education and wellbeingservices to help many peopleout of homelessness. Whenwe rehouse someone likeBecky the basics – a bed,microwave, kettle etc – costapproximately £150. Yourdonation, no matter what thesize, will help a person out ofhomelessness. Consider thefollowing:

• £5 would provide toiletries • £10 would provide a foodpack• £15 would provide a kettleand toaster• £35 would provide amicrowave• £80 would buy a new bed.

To donate online via our VirginGiving webpage, go to:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/finalCharityHomepage.action?charityId=1001574

You could also donate over thephone on 0151 261 4498 or by post– please make your cheque payableto Nugent Care and post it toChristmas Appeal, Nugent Care, 99Edge Lane, Liverpool, L7 2PE. If youare a regular supporter and wouldlike to help us throughout the yearyou may want to consider setting upa standing order. You can phone usfor a form or download one from ourwebsite. Marie Reynolds ourfundraising manger would be happyto discuss donations, corporatesupport or gifts in your will. Pleasecontact her on 0151 261 2049 or [email protected].

Christmas fundraising events• Christmas Homeless Appeal CarolConcertThis will take place on Saturday 14December at 7.30pm at Our Lady ofthe Annunciation Church, BishopEton, Woolton Road Liverpool L168NQ. The concert will feature theLiverpool Voice Choir (led by LesleyBentley, former director of arts atNotre Dame College) and theMaghull Parish hand-bell ringers.Tickets are £5 each with free entryfor children, and refreshmentsincluded. All proceeds will supportpeople out of homelessness. Ticketsare available from Francesca atNugent Care – call 0151 261 2043or emailfrancesca.d’[email protected].

• Hayes and Finch are holding a pre-Christmas charity event onWednesday 4 December between10.30am and 2.30pm at theirLiverpool showroom on HansonRoad, Aintree, Liverpool, L9 7BP.They will be offering a selection oftop-quality products at greatlyreduced prices and will donate aproportion of the sale to thehomeless appeal at Nugent Care.

Help the homeless this Christmas– a Nugent Care appeal

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On a liturgical note Canon Philip Gillespie

As this month of December opensbefore us, ‘We wish you a MerryAdvent’ may not have quite thesame ring to it as the more familiarmessage but that, at least, is theChurch’s hope for us through ourliturgies of the coming weeks.

Although the shops and the advertsmay want to lull us into that falsesense of security that we are boundto have the happiest, most perfectand fulfilled Christmas IF we buy thefollowing items, we know perfectlywell that the happiest Christmas isthe feast centred upon the gift ofChrist; once He is at the centrethen, in poverty or plenty, we willhave a Blessed Season which willthen lead us into a Blessed 2014.

Advent, as a season of the Churchyear, can so easily get pushed toone side in the headlong rush to thegrotto and the turkey! Each year, atthe beginning of the Advent Servicein St Cuthbert’s Chapel at UshawCollege, we heard the followingwords; I offer them to you, wishing

you ‘HappyAdvent’:The voices ofAdvent speak tous of light andhope, of witnessand ofcommitment.They call us torepentance, to‘prepare a way’ for the coming ofthe Lord.The tenor of this season demandsthat we draw aside for reflection andcontemplation, at a time when theworld clamours for our attention. Webecome trapped on the expresstrain to Christmas Day from whichthere seems to be no escape.

But the strength of this time ofpreparation lies in the ability toprovide a respite, a quiet corridor, amoment of peace amid the noiseand rush of the day.Advent, a season as brief as thewinter days it encompasses, givesus an opportunity to develop theneglected art of holy waiting.

sunday reflections

What isreal?Earlier in the year I was in Las Vegas.I was mesmerised by the size of thehotels.

I loved the lights which made it seemlike day all the time and the fountainswhich danced majestically to wonderfulmusic. I was amazed to find people atslot machines at 8.30 in the morning.

While I enjoyed the buzz and theexperience it struck me how unreal itall was and how all of it was built toserve the great god Mammon and toexploit our perceived need for wealthand material goods.

I was reminded of the story of thevelveteen rabbit and the questionasked of the old skin horse in thenursery: ‘What is real?’ The answergiven by that old nursery toy is that‘real’ is when you have been loved, somuch so that your joints grow slack andyour ears get ripped and your eyes fallout but you do not really mind becauselove has made you real.

In just a few weeks’ time we willcelebrate Christmas, which really is thefeast of love. God became flesh toshatter our illusions about what realityis and to show us that the only truereality is love. Advent is aboutpreparing our minds and our hearts tosee that because of love we candiscover who we really are, belovedchildren of God. The challenge ofAdvent is to open ourselves up to thepower of love.

The deep discovery of love that knowsno end is what makes us real. It iswhat turns our drab, futile, greyexistence into vital, pulsating life. Godbecame flesh to show us what love is.Dare we this Advent open our heartsand minds to love that transforms andmake us real?

Do take time each day to open yourselfto God. Meet love and become lovewhatever the cost, and know the truththat Jesus came that ‘we might havelife and have it to the full’.

Fr Chris Thomas

Sunday thoughts Mgr John Devine OBE

The wheelie bin is an uglyinvention. Colours vary from onelocal authority to another as do thecategories of waste allowed ineach one. Can glass and paper berecycled together? Are booksclassified as paper? The threat ofpenalties from some boroughcouncils for getting it wrong or forfailing to put the right bin out onthe right day in the right weekadds a sinister dimension.

‘Form follows function’ is theprinciple of good design, but it is aprinciple clearly abandoned in thedesign of the wheelie bin. Therequirement to engage directly withthe lifting mechanism on wastedisposal trucks has been achievedat the expense of user friendliness.Their height makes them difficult tomanoeuvre when full. Best pulled,they are impossible to park againsta wall with their lids opening theright way. Negotiating a garden gatein the dark (and rain) with a full binto ensure that the right-coloured binis ready for collection at 6am thefollowing morning is a nightmare.

And finally, thesound of thembeing tossed anddragged aboutonce emptiedwakens the entireneighbourhood.

The wheelie binis one more feature of 21st centuryurban living masquerading asprogress.

I have just returned from my firsttrip to the Holy Land. My firstencounter was with the Church ofthe Nativity in Bethlehem. It was notan uplifting experience. MangerSquare serves as a car park and Iwas confronted by two stinking andoverflowing wheelie bins. ‘O LittleTown of Bethlehem, How still wesee thee lie’? Forget it.

Further reflection suggests that ifthe Word became flesh 2,000 yearsago in Bethlehem, He is also madeflesh in the world of the wheeliebin: in Bethlehem and Warringtonand Liverpool.

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Sunday 1 DecemberAn Advent Sequence5.00 pm in the Metropolitan Cathedral ofChrist the King. Sung by the CathedralChoir in procession with seasonal musicand readings followed by mulled wine andmince pies.

Monday 2 DecemberAdvent Exposition2.00-2.30 pm at St Marie’s, AlmondBrook Road, Standish, WN6 0TB.

Wednesday 4 DecemberClosing Mass for the Annual Novena inhonour of the Immaculate Conception ofthe Blessed Virgin Mary(offered forpeace). Presider: Bishop Tom Williams. 7.30 pmat St John the Evangelist, Fountains Road,Kirkdale, Liverpool, L4 1QL.

Thursday 5 DecemberSAMM Service7.30 pm in the Metropolitan Cathedral ofChrist the King

Friday 6 December to Sunday 8December‘Preparing for Christmas’A weekend retreat to help keep Christ atthe centre of Christmas preparations ledby Philip McParland. St Joseph’s PrayerCentre, Blundell Avenue, Freshfield,Formby, L37 1 PH. Details Tel: 07722572753. Bookings Tel: 01704 879665.

Friday 6 DecemberEmbroidery for Pleasure Class1.00 pm-4.00 pm in the Art Studio at theMetropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King.All welcome from beginners toexperienced embroiderers who would liketo learn new skills. Cost £5 per sessionincluding refreshments. Bookings andenquiries: [email protected] Tel: 0151 709 9222.

Mersey Wave Christmas ConcertWith Kathryn Rudge (Mezzo-Soprano),Jason Ellis (Piano and Director) and theLadies and Gentlemen of the MerseyWave Choirs. 7.00 pm at St Ambrose,Heathgate Avenue, Liverpool, L24 7RS.Tickets £7 fromwww.merseywavemusic.com

BBC Radio Merseyside Christmas CarolService7.30 pm in the Metropolitan Cathedral ofChrist the King. In aid of Children inNeed. Tickets £4.00, available from theBBC Shop in Hanover Street. The CarolService will be recorded for broadcast onChristmas Eve at 5.30 pm.

‘Life in the Spirit’ Seminar:‘Evangelisation’7.30 pm at St Anne’s, Overbury Street,

Liverpool, L7 3HJ. Details: Prince ofPeace Community Tel: 0151 228 0724 orSt Anne’s Tel: 0151 709 4434.

Saturday 7 DecemberHandel’s ‘Messiah’Sung by the Choirs of LiverpoolMetropolitan Cathedral and LiverpoolCathedral. 7.30 pm in Liverpool AnglicanCathedral. Tickets and details Tel: 0151708 7283 orwww.liverpoolmetrocathedral.org.uk

Sunday 8 DecemberMarie Curie ‘Lights to Remember’Service5.00 pm in the Metropolitan Cathedral ofChrist the King.


Wednesday 11 DecemberBritten’s ‘Ceremony of Carols’Boy Choristers of Liverpool MetropolitanCathedral. Director: Christopher McElroy.Harp: Deian Rowlands. 1.00 pm atLiverpool Hope University Chapel, HopePark, L16 9JD.

Schools’ Advent Service2.00 pm in the Metropolitan Cathedral ofChrist the King. Led by Cathedral Staffand Volunteers.

Thursday 12 DecemberSchools’ Advent Service2.00 pm in the Metropolitan Cathedral ofChrist the King. Led by Cathedral Staffand Volunteers.

Friday 13 December‘Life in the Spirit’ Seminar: Mass ofThanksgiving and Commissioning7.30 pm at St Anne’s, Overbury Street,Liverpool, L7 3HJ. Details: Prince ofPeace Community Tel: 0151 228 0724 orSt Anne’s Tel: 0151 709 4434.

what’s on

Various dates

Saturday 14 December

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Catholic Pictorial 17

december

Britten’s ‘Ceremony of Carols’Boy Choristers of Liverpool MetropolitanCathedral. Director: Christopher McElroy.Harp: Deian Rowlands. 7.30 pm at Christthe King, Queen’s Drive, Liverpool, L156YQ.

Saturday 14 December‘A Dickensian Christmas.’Ken Dodd will compere an evening ofreadings, familiar carols and seasonalmusic from the Metropolitan CathedralChoirs and local primary schools. 7.30pm in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christthe King. Tickets and details Tel: 0151708 7283 orwww.liverpoolmetrocathedral.org.uk

Sunday 15 DecemberShorter Evening Prayer and Britten’s‘Ceremony of Carols’Boy Choristers of Liverpool MetropolitanCathedral. Director: Christopher McElroy.Harp: Deian Rowlands. 3.00 pm in theMetropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King.


Tuesday 17 DecemberNugent Care ‘Light up a Life Service’12.00 noon in the Metropolitan Cathedralof Christ the King. Details Tel: 0151 2614498.

Cursillo Christmas Ultreya7.30 pm in the Blessed SacramentChapel of the Metropolitan Cathedral. Allwelcome.

Thursday 19 DecemberCafod Carol Service7.30 pm at St Teresa’s, College Road,Upholland, WN8 0PY.

Saturday 21 DecemberService of Reconciliation with BishopTom Williams3.00 pm in the Blessed SacramentChapel of the Metropolitan Cathedral ofChrist the King. An opportunity forreflection and individual confession.

‘Christmas from around the world’ atCulcheth High SchoolWarrington Light Opera and ManchesterOpera Orchestra supported by St HelensCatholic Gilbert and Sullivan Society.Tickets: £11, Concessions £9. DetailsTel: 01925 601773.

Sunday 22 DecemberFestival Carol Service5.00 pm in the Metropolitan Cathedral ofChrist the King. A mix of seasonal musicand readings and congregational carols.Refreshments will be served after theService.

‘Christmas from around the world’ atCulcheth High SchoolWarrington Light Opera and ManchesterOpera Orchestra supported by St HelensCatholic Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

Tickets: £11, Concessions £9. DetailsTel: 01925 601773.


Tuesday 24 DecemberFirst Vespers of Christmas3.00 pm in the Metropolitan Cathedral ofChrist the King. Sung by the CathedralGirls’ Choir. During the Service the newChristmas Crib will be blessed.

Wednesday 25 DecemberSolemn Midnight Mass of Christmas

12.00 midnight in the MetropolitanCathedral of Christ the King. Celebrant:Bishop Tom Williams.

Christmas Day Masses in theMetropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King8.30 am (Blessed Sacrament Chapel);10.00 am (Family Mass: Crypt); 11.00 amSolemn Mass of Christmas Day (HighAltar).

Friday 27 December29th Cafod Fun Run1.00 pm at Wavertree Park, L15 4LE.Details Tel: 0151 228 4028. Email:[email protected]

Tuesday 17 December

Friday 27 December

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profile

When Emily Hardeley grows up, shewill discover that the year of her birthwas an unforgettable one for her fatherSean, who has had double cause forcelebration in 2013 having also earneda national Outstanding Teacher award.

Sean, deputy head of Science at HolyCross High School in Chorley, was oneof 24,000 candidates put forward forthe prestigious Pearson TeachingAwards and won the regional award forOutstanding New Teacher before goingthrough to the finals in October.

Sean, now in his fourth year ofteaching, was interviewed by a panel ofjudges before he was eventually chosenand received his gold-plated trophy fromOlympic champion Mo Farah at anawards ceremony at London’s TheatreRoyal, which was shown on BBC2.

Yet the unassuming 28-year-old is quickto thank his pupils and colleagues whohelped him earn this accolade. ‘I amvery pleased to win, and flattered that Iwas nominated in the first place by thehead of my department,’ he explains.‘It’s great for the science departmentand the school. The pupils have been

very supportive – they actually spoke upfor me at the interviews for the awardand on the BBC.’

A key factor in Sean’s success was hiswork with the school’s Science TeachingEngineering and Maths club (STEM),which sent a video camera 21,000metres into the atmosphere to video thecurve of the Earth –the ‘thin blue line’as he calls it. They attached a camerato a school teddy bear and sent it upfixed to a weather balloon – somethingSean describes as ‘a greatachievement’.

Sean, who grew up in Guildford, has anunusual career background. He startedout working in London as a physiologistdelivering health assessments forNuffield Health, yet the memories of hiswork experience teaching in South Africabegan to pull at him. ‘I had had a tasteof teaching and liked it. Physiology wasgreat but after one and a half years Ireached the stage of thinking, why notgo into teaching?’

After completing his teacher training inphysics at Loughborough University,Sean and his wife Kate decided he

would apply for jobs within reach ofFormby, where she is from. ‘The 30-mileradius job just happened to come up inChorley. I admit I knew nothing aboutChorley, but the school is great and Iam very happy here. Now we have babyEmily and it’s a really brilliant time forme.’

And will he tell his daughter aboutwinning his award just after her birth?‘Well, I could show her the video of theawards ceremony and let her play withthe trophy,’ he laughs.

On teaching science at a Catholicschool, he adds: ‘I am not a Catholic,but what I can say is that we have asyllabus that we work to, but we alsoask the pupils to talk about theirCatholic perspective.’ It is not justscience though; Sean, who played rugbyfor Harlequins academy and later atLoughborough University, has also takenon rugby league coaching at the school.

As for the future, he says: ‘My ambitionis to be a head but my immediateambition is to be head of department,wherever that is. I’ll just take each stepas it comes.’

Teacher of the Year By Ann Todd

SeanHardeley

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youth ministry

By Sarah Beatty

Our second half-term began with abang as we welcomed Year 7 pupilsfrom St Mary’s College, Crosby tofocus on the theme of ‘Newcommunity’.

The day was split into workshopsfocusing on what it meant for theseyoung people to love one anotherand to appreciate the gifts andtalents that they have, but also thegifts and talents of the other peoplein their year group. The studentsenjoyed their day, and we lookforward to welcoming them back inthe future.

The team then travelled furtherafield to Macclesfield to join the AllHallows High School Faith Day. Wehad the chance to work with Year 10pupils, focusing on the scripturetheme of ‘Peace I leave you, mypeace I give you’ (Jn 14:27). Theday was split into three sessionslooking at how we can show loveand peace to others.

After our Youth Alive weekend, wewelcomed Years 7, 8 and 9 from StEdmund Arrowsmith Catholic Centrefor Learning, Whiston, to LoweHouse for day retreats focusing onthe theme of ‘Living life to the full’.

This is part of their school’s missionstatement and we wanted to explorewith them how to live out the coreGospel values in our lives. WithNovember being the month ofremembrance, the retreats had anadded focus on peace andreconciliation.

The past month has also given usthe chance to work with our firstprimary school of the year – StMary’s Catholic Primary in Euxton.Working with Year 5 and 6 pupils,we explored their school missionstatement of ‘Living and Learningtogether in Faith’. The team had agreat day working with St Mary’s,both in the main sessions andworkshops, and are looking forwardto more primary-school visits in thefuture.

However, it has not been all workand no play. The team have had afew trips out over the last fewweeks, including a visit to Blackpoolto see the illuminations. Our nightout began with the 2p machines inthe arcades, where Dom managedto win the best prize ever: a HighSchool Musical pen… No trip toBlackpool would be completewithout fish and chips, so we

thought we would treat ourselves toHarry Ramsden’s. The boys on theteam took on Harry’s Challenge – anextra-large fish, chips, two side dishes,and bread and butter, which all had tobe eaten in 30 minutes. Mike was theonly one who successfully completedthe challenge, but all the boys got a T-shirt for taking part – much to Mike’sdisappointment! After a walk along theprom and photos under the tower, itwas time to head back to Lowe Housebefore our next week of day retreats.

Keep up to date with our activities viaFacebook (Ani Mate), Twitter(@animateyouth) or our website(www.animateyouth.org).

Dates for the diary1 December – Super Sunday, startingat 12 noon. Youth Alive Mass followsat 3pm.

18-19 January 2014 – EucharisticMinister Training for Young Peopleaged 15+. For further information,contact [email protected].

Work, work, work… anda Harry Ramsden’ssupper


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justice & peace

By Steve Atherton, Justice andPeace fieldworker

Every year at the start of Advent theJustice and Peace Commissionorganises the sending of Christmascards to people who need to knowthat someone cares enough to writeto them. Christmas cards can makea big difference to the many peoplein the world who feel neglected andforgotten. Sending a card is an easyway to bring hope to the heart ofsomeone who feels abandoned andforlorn.

The J&P Commission has addressesfor several groups of people:• Churches in the Holy Land• Victims of Torture• Victims of Human Rights abuse• Persecuted Christians

We have been sending cards toprisoners of conscience for manyyears and to the Holy Land for thelast four. Any of these forgottengroups would be delighted to receivea greeting card from you and fromothers in your parish. If you post cards directly to parishesin the Holy Land there is a chancethat they will be sent back by theauthorities. We recommend,therefore, the system that we haveused for the last three years: send

cards via Father

Humam Khzouz, the Administrator ofthe Latin Patriarchate, who is veryhappy to pass them on to theparishes. He has suggested that anextra card is included to explain whothe cards are from and why they havebeen sent. This year’s addressesinclude parishes in the state of Israelas well as in the PalestinianAuthority.

How to get involved:To get the addresses contact the J&Poffice on 0151 522 1080/1081 oremail [email protected]. Youcan also visit our websitewww.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk (the J&Ppage can be found in theCommissions section).

Closer to home, there are two groupsin Liverpool who are desperate forhelp. This year we have seendreadful images on ourtelevisions ofimmigrants drowning inthe Mediterranean intheir desperate attemptto escape fromstarvation andhopelessness in theirhome countries. Thoseof them who end uphere in the Northwestsoon discover that theUnited Kingdom doesnot welcome them withopen arms or offerthem the new life theyseek. Asylum LinkMerseyside supportshundreds of asylumseekers every day byoffering immigration lawadvice, case worksupport, a hot meal,cheap clothing, low-costfurniture, cycle repair,English languageclasses and a place to

meet other people.Without ALM there

would be peopleliving in

doorways. It is approaching a fundingcrisis and it relies on voluntarysupport.

The other organisation is MRANG, agroup that supports and cares forrefugee women who are victims oftrauma and rape in their homecountries, supporting them with preand post-natal care in a confidentialenvironment. MRANG is nowpenniless. The contact details for the two bodiesare:ASM, St Anne’s Centre, 7 OverburySt, Liverpool. L7 3HJ (Tel 0151 7091713).MRANG, 36 Windsor Street,Liverpool, L8 1XE (Tel 0151 708631601).

• You can read more about AsylumLink Merseyside in next month’s Pic

A time for giving? Three waysto help others this Christmas

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The shop is now open at the Carmelite Monastery,Maryton Grange, Allerton Road, Liverpool L18 3NU. The Sisters have produced some really beautifulChristmas Cards of excellent quality and very lowprices.

There is also a Maryton Grange Calendar 2014 showingstunning photos of the new monastery and gardenwhich would make a lovely Christmas gift at £6.00each.

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Do go along and see for yourself

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Notre Dame RemembersAll members of the Notre Dame Community gatheredtogether for their first Remembrance Service in theirnew school building on Monday 11th November2013. The prayerful atmosphere throughout the service wasextremely moving. Staff and pupils assembled on thetheatre steps and the balconies, overlooking theperformance area just before 11am to participate inthe service led by Frances Harrison, the headteacherand the 1804 Society. This is a group of Sixth Form students who arecommitted to communicating and fostering themission and vision of the Sisters of Notre Dame. Representatives from all year groups laid crossesbearing the names of servicemen and women whohad given their lives during past wars and the morerecent conflicts. It was a poignant occasion for the school and one where MrsHarrison had nothing but praise for the 800 plus pupils whoconducted themselves with utter dignity and respect.Prayers were said for all who had died and those experiencing

any form of violence or conflict in their lives. The pupils werethen challenged to become peacemakers in the school intheir own homes and local communities. The serviceconcluded with a two minute silence followed by the ‘LastPost’.This was indeed a service to remember.

St John Bosco Archdiocese dayOn Thursday 3rd October 2013 St John Bosco held its firstArchdiocese Day for 200 Year 6 students and their teachers.Five local primary schools; St Matthew’s, Our Lady and St

Philomena’s, Our Lady and St Swithin’s, St Teresa’s andEmmaus joined together to celebrate our shared Catholicethos with a retreat style day ending with a shared liturgy.Each individual student celebrated their unique talents

sharing this through artwork by creating an altar cloth to beused for their school leavers mass. They drew a self portraitand surrounded it with words describing what makes themspecial and unique.Collectively the students celebrated what makes their schoolspecial by creating a banner for their whole school. Eachcreated a banner with words and illustrations creating reallybright and beautiful banners that were used during the liturgy. After all the art work students prepared for their liturgy witheach school taking responsibility for different aspects of theliturgy like the music and the wonderful dramatisation of theGospel. This helped the liturgy to be both spiritual andcharismatic as all students got involved in singing, learninglots of new hymns actions and all. This was a wonderful dayfor our pastoral area bringing together young people tocelebrate themselves through faith.

Strictly come dancing!On the 19th October 2013 Archbishop Beck Dance Ensemblecompeted in the Liverpool’s “Just Dance Competition” inEllsemere Port Civil Hall. They competed against ten otherdance schools in the under 21's and the open age sections. In both of these sections they gained 1st place for musicaltheatre genre of dance! A fantastic result for the danceperformers! They were also placed fourth overall in the under21’s section. This has secured their place in the “Just DanceFinal” in the Empire Theatre on the 30th March 2014. This isa brilliant achievement for Archbishop Beck dancers as thestandard of dance in North West dance schools is incrediblyhigh. All of the committed and hardworking dance performersare honoured to be going through to the final. Congratulationsand good luck in March!

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Cathedral Record

cathedral

Canon Anthony O’Brien –Cathedral Dean

December at the Cathedral is a busy but veryrewarding time with many thousands of peoplecoming for special services and events duringthe Advent Season in preparation forChristmas. Unfortunately because there is somuch going on this month’s record reads likea ‘Whats On’ feature.The First Sunday of Advent falls today, 1December, and to mark the change of seasonwe have a special service of readings andmusic which takes the place of Evening Prayer,the Advent Sequence, this is at the later timeof 5.00 pm. During this week there is theSAMM Service (Support for those bereavedafter murder or manslaughter) at 7.30 pm onThursday 5 December and the BBC RadioMerseyside Carol Service on Friday 6December at 7.30 pm.On the Second Sunday of Advent there is aspecial evening Service entitled ‘Lights toRemember’ at 5.00 pm organised by the MarieCurie Hospice. Then on Wednesday andThursday afternoons 11 and 12 Decemberthere are the Schools Advent Services. TheCathedral is organising the services this yearand they are shaping up to be an even biggerextravaganza. I have been demoted from‘Joseph’ to one of the Kings but I will have theadded enjoyment of riding around the Cathedralon a mobility scooter which will be made tolook like a camel. On Saturday 14 Decemberat 7.00 pm there is our own CathedralDickensian Christmas Carol Concert, comperedby Ken Dodd and involving lots of choirsincluding our own Cathedral choirs, this couldwell be a sell out.On the third Sunday of Advent there will be aperformance of Britten’s ‘Ceremony of Carols’after Evening Prayer at 3.00 pm. Nugent Carehave their ‘Light up a Life’ service on Tuesday17 December at 12.00 noon. Our AdventReconciliation Service is at 3.00 pm onSaturday 21 December led by Bishop TomWilliams and our Festival Carol Service is at5.00 pm on Sunday 22 December.First Vespers of Christmas will be sung by theCathedral Girls Choir at 3.00 pm on ChristmasEve. We will bless the new Cathedral Cribduring this service. Bishop Tom will preside atChristmas Midnight Mass in the Cathedral andour final Mass on Christmas Day is the SolemnMass with choir at 11.00 am.

With the generosity and help of theCathedral Friends, who have part-funded this purchase, a new NativitySet has been bought for theMetropolitan Cathedral writes ClaireHanlon.

Peter Woods, Chair of the Friendssaid, ‘The Friends role is to supportall cultural and artistic aspects ofCathedral life and we were delightedto financially support the purchase ofthe new nativity tableau. We areconfident that it will prove to be agreat attraction throughout theChristmas period.’

This is the first time in over thirtyyears that the Cathedral has had anew crib, and it is our sincere hopethat many of you will come, with yourfamily and friends, to say a prayerand spend some quiet reflectiontime, before the baby Jesus over theChristmas season.

The new Nativity set will be blessedat a special service of First Vespersof Christmas sung by the CathedralGirls’ Choir, at 3.00 pm onChristmas Eve. It will also besituated in a new setting in the UnityChapel. Everyone is welcome toattend this service.

However, the Cathedral has not beenable to afford to buy any animals forthe Christmas scene. The Dean of

the Cathedral Canon Anthony O’Briensaid, ‘I am enormously grateful forthe generosity of the Friends and forall they do to support the work of theCathedral but I deliberately did notask the Friends to finance any of theanimals to complete the set as Ithought that people may wish topurchase an animal (lambs, sheep,rams) or make a contribution to payfor the bigger animals (ox anddonkey).

‘All the names of the donors willappear in a Donor’s Book that will bedisplayed close to the Nativity scene,throughout this season and over theyears to come, and they will beremembered at Mass.

‘If anyone would like to make adonation on behalf of someone elseas an extra special Christmaspresent a unique personalisedcertificate will be sent to them. Thegenerosity and kindness of thepeople in the Archdiocese hasalways inspired and amazed me, andI hope that many of you will be ableto make some contribution towardsthis project.’

If you have any questions or queriesabout the new crib or if you wouldlike to contribute please contactClaire Hanlon([email protected]), orcall 0151 709 9222.

New Nativity set willbe blessed at aspecial service


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Pic extras

The KSC has raised over £5,000 for Nugent Care through recent sponsoredevents organised by council 146 Southport and council 9 Liverpool West.The Southport knights raised £2,100 from a sponsored bike ride while theircounterparts in Liverpool West harvested £3,150 from a sponsored walk.This second amount will probably exceed £5,500 with Gift Aid tax refundsand matched funding from Barclays bank. Websites: www.ksc.org.uk and www.kscprov02.weebly.comEmail: [email protected]

Mums the Word

Well Mums, hasn’t 2013 been a year ofsurprises and celebrations? We were allshocked and saddened by ArchbishopKelly’s early retirement and we send ourprayerful wishes to him.

Beyond our Archdiocese, history wasmade for the first time in almost 600years when the papacy was relinquishedby Pope Benedict XVI, due to hisdeteriorating health. We remember tokeep in our prayers Emeritus PopeBenedict and his successor PopeFrancis.

Back closer to home, our centenaryMass and celebration at the AdelphiHotel proved a wonderful occasion, whilethe National Mass at Westminster was amemorable closure to the UCM’scentenary year. Many thanks to all forthe help and great support you providedon those occasions.

Our new ‘Prayer tree’ in the Cathedralhas had an overwhelming response withover 5,000 cards written since it wasinstalled in June. The special Year ofFaith, meanwhile, ended on the feast ofChrist the King. It was a greatopportunity to gain plenary indulgencesand to reflect on our own faith andrelationship with God in our daily lives.

We are now in the holy season of Advent,and away from the madness of the shopsthe services in our churches give us theopportunity for peace and reflectionbefore the great feast of Christmas. Letus remember those families andindividuals who have had severecutbacks in their benefits and also in thelifeline services. Let us remember toothe sick, disabled, those sufferingmental and emotional problems, thehomeless, and those parents trying togive their children presents for Christmaswhen their daily bread is coming from themany food banks operating throughoutour Archdiocese. Let us do our utmost tobe the Light of Christ to those in needthis Christmas.

May I wish you and your families peaceand joy this Christmas season and ahealthy and blessed New Year.

Angela Moore, Archdiocesan president

News from the Liverpool Province of the Knights of St Columba

Nugent Care profits from Knights’ fundraising efforts

Top: Southport’s grandknight, Tom Sammin,presents a cheque toSister Benedicte fromClumber Lodge NugentCare Home. Alsopresent in the pictureare Father Phil Gregory,Mrs Pat Sammin andprovincial action andyouth officer MikeNolan.

Middle: Danny Grimes(far right), grand knightof Council 9, ispictured together withSue Carter of Barclaysbank and NugentCare’s Marie Reynolds.• The recent visit ofthe Miraculous Relicimage of Our Lady ofGuadalupe toLiverpool’sMetropolitan Cathedralconcluded on Friday 25October with a serviceof return conducted byCathedral Dean CanonAnthony O’Brien. Thevisit was a greatsuccess and the Teamfrom the permanentshrine in Bedfordthanked Canon O’Brienand the Cathedral staffand also the KSC forall the help provided inorganising the visit.Framed pictures of theimage were presentedto Canon O’Brien andto our provincial grandknight, John Hamilton.

Bottom: The photoshows brothers RayPealing, Mike Nolan,John Hamilton andGeorge Lwin with thepicture of the imagepresented to theLiverpool province.


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Worth a visit

A visit to Oxford promises a peek insideworld-famous buildings which were oncehome to some of our most inspiring poetsand thinkers, writes Lucy Oliver. GerardManley Hopkins, the poet renowned for suchworks as The Windhover and God’sGrandeur, read Classics at Balliol College inthe 1860s before he realised his Jesuitvocation. As with many Oxford colleges,visitors are welcome to wander aroundBalliol’s quad and cloisters for a smallentrance fee. Hopkins later became curate at the CatholicChurch of St Aloysius on Woodstock Road,which welcomes visitors to pray in itsbeautiful chapels to Our Lady of Lourdesand St Philip Neri. This stunning example ofgothic revival was founded in 1875 as aJesuit parish, and today houses a shrine toBlessed John Henry Newman. For those intrigued by Oxford’s history as aseat of learning, the Bodleian Library,opened in 1602, offers tours around itscollections, taking in the Divinity School, theoldest teaching and examination room, andthe Radcliffe Camera, with its distinctivecircular dome and drum. Nearby is theSheldonian Theatre, designed by ChristopherWren, where various university ceremoniesare conducted. More detailed tours can bebooked at Blackwell’s on nearby BroadStreet.

By Moira Billinge

Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead.Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow.Just walk beside me and be my friend.

I listened to this poem on the radio; Ihad come across it on many previousoccasions, but this time, for someunknown reason, the words refused toleave my brain and kept repeatingthemselves, over and over throughoutthe course of the day. Eventually theybecame, not the edifying adviceintended by their author – thought to bethe French philosopher and journalistAlbert Camus – but more of an irritation.

That night after Mass in a neighbouringparish, as I headed back towards thechurch car park, my thoughts wereobviously hovering somewhere in theheavens rather than on the groundahead of my feet. It was entirely my ownfault; I wasn’t concentrating and didn’tsee the step and so landed face firstacross the concrete.

Two guardian angels in the form of alady and a gentleman emerged from thedarkness, coming to rescue me from myspread-eagled and momentarily stunnedindignity. Gently and with patientkindness, they helped me to stand,linked my arms, took me to my car andvery kindly offered to wait until I felt wellenough to drive.

Who said that lightning never strikestwice? Two nights later, still nursing myinjured pride and battered face, Iattended a second evening Mass in thesame neighbouring parish. Again it wasdark but on this occasion, it was alsoraining. As I approached the car park Isaw, in the distance, the lovely couplewho had helped me when I fell two days

earlier. At the time I had been tooshaken to thank them properly, so I nowhurried towards them, carefully avoidingthe step which had so wilfully broughtme to my knees.

There is a saying, though, that ‘manproposes but God disposes’ and I couldnot have foreseen a wicked conspiracybetween that same step and theblindingly bright headlights of a nearbyvehicle. For the second time in 48hours, at the crucial moment, I missedthe step and fell once more in exactlythe same place, practically at the feet ofthis poor, very startled couple.

On this occasion, I was not the onlyvictim. The various Catholic newspaperswhich I had been carefully shieldingfrom the rain flew into the air andlanded in the puddles all around me.Amazed that one obviously accident-prone woman could contrive to trip onthe same car park step twice, to land inthe same spot and require rescue forthe second time, my guardian angelshuddered with horror as I attempted toretrieve the newspapers from theirvarious pools of water. ‘No, don’t! Leavethem. I’ll pick them up for you.’

Once again, they helped me to my feet –and, luckily, on this occasion, thepavement had missed my face. Againthey linked my arms and insisted onwalking with me to my car. The womanintroduced herself and her 92 year-oldfather, and added in jest: ‘We are yourguardian angels.’

Now, when I think of that poem, I thinkof that kind, special couple and I hearvery different words. ‘Please, walkbehind me, and walk in front of me andwalk beside me. That’s being a friend.’Or, perhaps, it is being a guardianangel.

PIC Life Our Prayer for DecemberDear JesusFrom your crib this Christmas please sendout your love and peace to all the world.Surround us with the happiness only you canbring to our lives.

Amen

Please send your favourite prayer to:Barbara, Catholic Pictorial, 36 Henry Street, Liverpool L1 5BS

Please include your contact number (not forpublication) and which parish you are from.

Walking with a guardian angel

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Children’s word searchTry to find the clues to our Christmas word search. The meaning ofChristmas is Jesus.

T R T Q B L R L K E P Y

H N W L U X V R H V G J

G E C A E P U F F O R Q

I D B R T O R P X L A U

N K M I I S E A F T C I

Y I Y V R Y C T T C E S

L V A A O T F Z O S I W

O S P J D I H W R R L S

H Z R Z C F A F A I U P

V H A Z O P S K G A H P

H F M A A I M H C T E D

J E S U S A T T G V I U

JESUS

GRACE

SAVIOUR

LIGHT

BIRTH

STAR

JOY

PEACE

HOLY NIGHT

LOVE

Eating OutAfter a few hectic days Christmas shoppingcall into one of our restaurants listed andenjoy a break

HOST Restaurant31 Hope Street, Liverpool 1 0151 708 5831

Bella Italia39 Ranelagh Street, Liverpool 1 0151 707 2121

Bistro Jacques37 Hardman Street, Liverpool 10151 709 1998

Cafe RougeMet Quarter, Liverpool 10151 258 1879

Italian Club FishBold Street, Liverpool 10151 707 2110

MattouPier Head, Liverpool 30151 236 2928

join in

The shop is now open at the Carmelite

Monastery, Maryton Grange, Allerton Road,

Liverpool L18 3NU.

The Sisters have produced some really

beautiful Christmas Cards of excellent quality

and very low prices.

There is also a Maryton Grange Calendar

2014 showing stunning photos of the new

monastery and garden which would make a

lovely Christmas gift at £6.00 each.

Call the Sisters at the Card Office on

0151 724 7102 or email

[email protected]

Monastery ShopMore Mullarkey

Audio copy of the Pic out nowAn audio version of the ‘CatholicPictorial’ is available free of charge,compiled by students, techniciansand Chaplain, Helen Molyneux, atAll Hallows RC High School,Penwortham

Anyone interested in receiving theaudio copy should contact KevinLonergan Tel: 01772 744148 or01772 655433 (home).

From Johnny Kennedy

The young curate had been asked to help out by taking a funeral in a nearby church where the priest was ill. On hearing this, Father Mullarkey told him: ‘The last time I stood in forsomeone at a funeral, I didn’t know anything about the fella who haddied, except that he’d been a headmaster. I told this to thecongregation and then asked if there was anyone who would like to saya few words of tribute to the deceased. ‘There was complete silence, not a word from anybody. So I said,‘Come on don’t be shy, I’m sure there is someone who would like tosay a kindly word about the gentleman who has passed on’. There wasa long silence, and then a voice from the back muttered, ‘His brotherwas worse’.’

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JOHN W. GRIFFITH & SONSINDEPENDENT FAMILY FUNERAL DIRECTORS

(Incorporating Gibbons)

GRANGE BANK FUNERAL HOMEGRANGE ROAD,WEST KIRBY, WIRRAL

0151-625 7606(Opp. Post Office)

MILL BANK FUNERAL HOME, MILL LANE, WALLASEY, WIRRAL0151-638 5528/5563

We are available 24 Hours, 7 days a Week. As near as you telephone. our service extends throughout Merseyside

TheJesuitsFor information about life as a priest or brother

in the Society of Jesus please contact

Vocations Promoter114 Mount Street

London W1K 3AHemail: [email protected]

www.jesuit.org.uk

Wanted for theMissions

Large Statues (Even damaged ones), old vestments,pictures, church fittings, rosaries, prayer books, etc.

Please ring Mr. B. Ferris KSC, 102 Moor St, Earlsdon,

Coventry CV5 6EYTel: 02476 676986

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Samples available from26 Holm Hey Road, Birkenhead CH43 0TP

Phone: 0151 608 9370Visit our website www.mortonpress.co.uk

Mail order in memoriam cards & bookmarks

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Acknowledgement Cards also available

Funeral Service Sheets also available

PRESCOTWILL WRITING SERVICE

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To advertise on this page please contact Andy. Tel 0151 709 7567 or email [email protected]

Blooming Affordable Memorials304 Park Road, Toxteth L8 4QY

T: 07804 286165 or 0151-7278333 Evenings

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Catholic pic dec 2013

Documents

Transcript of Catholic pic dec 2013