Education Sunday 2010

Education Sunday takes place on 31 January. The theme for 2010 is Called to Serve.

Message from Bishop Malcolm McMahon

"The elusive factor that often characterises our schools is referred to as ethos. Ethos is a term that is difficult to get hold of. It is expressed in the spiritual, moral, social, and cultural threads that run through the whole of education, the subjects that are taught and the way they are delivered, the way school is managed, the behaviour of the staff and children, the quality of the school dinners, the refereeing on the football pitch. The relationship which the teacher has with the individual pupil or student is usually a unique forum in which the young person is guided in discovery of the truth beyond the bare facts of the subject to that which is Truth itself. An awesome responsibility!

"The teacher in a Catholic School has a special role because for them the child or student is not just a person to be trained for life but someone who has been created by God to reach a fulfilment which is beyond our imaginings. For a person to take on responsibility for our young people and become a teacher is more than finding a job which is personally satisfying, it is to become a partner in God’s plan for a better world."

Bishop Malcolm McMahon,
Chairman, Catholic Education Service for England and Wales

(CCEW)

Ad Limina 2010: Bishops of England and Wales meet with Pope Benedict

Some of you may be aware that the Bishops of England and Wales are currently on their Ad Limina visit at the Vatican. Details of the visit can be found here. But today as i read the Vatican Information Service bulletin i came accross the following:

The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:
Bishop Michael Gregory Campbell O.S.A. of Lancaster.

Thank You

A BIG Thank You to Charlotte O’Halloran, who after many years has handed in her keys to St Edmund’s, which she has been selflessly available to open up and lock up, for all our liturgies. Other demands on Charlotte’s time have inevitably taken over now, but we are very grateful for her many years of loyal service.

Pope blesses lambs, renewing Vatican tradition

In keeping with an ancient tradition, Pope Benedict XVI blessed two lambs on January 21, the feast of St. Agnes. The wool from those lambs will be used to make the palliums that are conferred upon new metropolitan archbishops.

The pallium, a white woolen vestment, is worn by archbishops during liturgical celebrations. Every year on June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, the Pope presents the pallium to each prelate who has been named as an archbishop during the preceding year. The presentation of the pallium is a symbol of the communion among the metropolitan churches around the world.

The blessing of the lambs is traditionally done on January 21, the feast of St. Agnes-- a 4th-century martyr whose symbol is a lamb. The lambs are raised by Trappist monks, and when they are shorn their wool is woven into the white vestments.

Report of Pope summoning Irish bishops to Rome

The Irish Catholic newspaper is reporting that Pope Benedict has summoned the Irish bishops to Rome to discuss the content of the Ryan and Murphy reports, which examined the abuse of children by priests and religious. The Vatican meetings will reportedly take place on February 15 and 16. Prior to that timme, the Irish bishops will hold an emergency general meeting.

Pope John Paul's would-be assassin released from prison, may face military service

Mehmet Ali Agca, who attempted to assassinate Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1981, has been released from a Turkish prison. After spending 19 years in an Italian prison for the attempted assassination, Agca served a 10-year sentence in Turkey for the murder of a journalist.

Mr. Agca has been taken to a military academy to evaluate his readiness for mandatory military service. “Agca is shocked and disappointed that he might be conscripted into military service,” said his attorney. “He says it is against his religious and philosophical beliefs to bear arms. There will also be difficulties in protecting Mehmet Ali Agca’s life where thousands of people carry weapons.”

(CWN)

STATEMENT FROM THE BISHOP OF LANCASTER REGARDING THE EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI

“We have been horrified and saddened by the pictures of mass destruction and human suffering due to the earthquake in Haiti earlier this week. I am sure the Diocese of Lancaster joins me in their thoughts and prayers for all the deceased, the injured and homeless.
We pray that practical help will soon be available to all the distressed in Haiti, and we ask Almighty God to look down with mercy on this nation who have been so grievously afflicted.”

Rt Rev Michael G Campbell OSA
Bishop of Lancaster

Pope's representative to Haiti gives first-hand account of destruction

Speaking with the Vatican's Fides news agency, the Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, described the devastation in the streets of the capital Port-au-Prince. He reported on what he had observed of the situation of religious and government officials in the area and described widespread destruction.

Archbishop Auza stated his observations of the situation in the capital to Fides, saying, "Port-au-Prince is totally devastated. The cathedral, the archbishop's office, all of the big churches, all of the seminaries have been reduced to rubble."

The nuncio said that the resident priest at that cathedral had informed him of the likely death of Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot as he was buried under rubble along with hundreds of priests and seminarians. Other news reports confirmed that the archbishop did pass away in the earthquake.

Auza reported that many government buildings had been razed. All of the Ministry buildings but one were on the ground, as were the Presidential Palace and the schools.

"Parliament with the Senators, the schools with the children, the supermarkets were reduced to nothing," the nuncio stated.

The nuncio had made his way across the city to see the Haitian President and "express his condolences and solidarity" and found that, because they had been outdoors, he and his family had been saved although their home had crumbled.

People who live in front of the collapsed U.N. headquarters had reported to Auza that the head of that mission, Hedi Annabi, was trapped inside with hundreds of others.

The nuncio said that he had returned to his residence later in the morning to find "Priests and Sisters in the street, no longer with homes. The Rector of the seminary saved himself, as did the Dean of studies, but the seminarians are under the rubble. You hear yells everywhere from underneath the rubble."

"The CIFOR (according to Fides, an institute of study for religious men and women) collapsed with students inside that were participating in a conference. The office of the nuncio resisted (the earthquake), there was no one injured, but all of us are in shock!" he said.

"So many things were broken, including the tabernacle, but we are more fortunate than others. Many relatives of the personnel are dead, their houses destroyed. Everyone is asking for help. We will have a problem with water and food before long. We cannot go inside and stay there for very long because the ground continues to shake, so we're camping out in the yard."

(CNA)

Pope visits cardinal injured during Christmas Eve incident

Pope Benedict XVI visited Cardinal Roger Etchegaray in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Friday evening, January 9. Cardinal Etchegaray is recovering from a broken hip that he suffered during the confusion that broke out when a woman leapt over a crowd barrier to confront the Pope during the procession before Mass on Christmas Eve.

After the short conversation, Cardinal Etchegaray—who required a hip replacement—took a few steps to accompany the Holy Father to the door. The French cardinal, who is 87, expected to be released from the hospital next week.

Romance without Regret – Embracing the Virtue of Chastity

In an age in which the media tell young people that they cannot – and need not – control themselves sexually, Jason & Crystalina Evert’s message is challenging, entertaining, encouraging and healing. To get the healthy and correct Catholic perspective on living chastely join them at one of these venues – Sunday 10^th January 7-9pm at Ladyewell Shrine, Fernyhalgh Lane, Fulwood, Preston, or Wednesday 13^th January 7-9pm at The Education Centre, Balmoral Road, Lancaster. To book a place contact Sean & Clare on claremackey@btinternet.com or Tel 07966 087485.