Twelfth Sunday of the Year

A favourite description of the Church is “the barque of Peter”, as she makes her way across the often turbulent seas of history to the peace and perfection of that harbour which we know as the Kingdom of God. For ancient peoples the sea conjured up images of unbridled power, fierce in its strength and life threatening to human beings. The passage from the book of Job expresses something of that terror the sea holds and almighty God alone can control its ferocious power. At the dawn of creation the Lord God set limits which the sea could not pass, and so ensured safety for those who dwell on the earth. A similar fear of the ruthless and terrible nature of the sea overtook the apostles on the Sea of Galilee. Seasoned fishermen that some of them were, they felt that they were on the point of perishing by the storm which beset them.

St. Mark tells us that Christ, fast asleep on a pillow in the stern, appeared indifferent to the disciples’ plight. In panic they awoke him only to be met with the rebuke that their faith had failed them in this moment of danger. In a memorable scene, Christ spoke to the turbulent elements and calm immediately followed. The disciples were confused, but went on to ask the pointed question, “Who can this be that even the wind and sea obey him?” As we listen to this gospel passage the same question is addressed to us. We are dealing with someone more than a human being here. The eye of faith sees in Jesus Christ stilling the storm the Son of God himself. The gospel passage is a summons to faith, to the Church as a whole and to each individual. In all the dangers and difficulties, trials and tribulations to which the Church has been subject from the beginning down to the present day, we must never doubt the abiding presence of the saviour, Jesus Christ. Christ will remain faithful to us, provided we remain faithful to him.

The words of Paul the apostle in our second reading can be of great help here. The coming of Christ has changed everything, the way we look at people and view the world. We no longer see things from a purely human perspective, but wonderfully since the death and resurrection of the Lord a new creation has begun and the old order has passed away. In his Son Jesus Christ almighty God has accomplished his greatest wonder. Have we sufficient faith to make God’s marvellous deed our own?

+Michael Campbell OSA

Bishop of Lancaster

(from the Diocesan website)

Holy Hour for Vocations

Bishop Michael has asked every parish in the Diocese to have a Eucharistic Holy Hour each week for the specific intention of priestly vocations in the Diocese of Lancaster. At the joint parish council meeting it was decided to split the hour between our two parishes. Timings will be:
Tuesday 6.30 7.00pm at St Edmund’s
Wednesday 3.45—4.15pm at St Wulstan’s

Year of the Priest begins

Pope Benedict XVI has called the whole Church to celebrate a Year for Priests beginning on 19th June 2009, the Feast of the Sacred Heart.

His purpose for this year is to encourage priests in their “striving for spiritual perfection on which, above all, the effff ectiveness of their ministry depends” and to highlight “the importance of the priestʼs role and mission in the Church and in contemporary society”.

To do this the Holy Father calls us to a renewed focus on the centrality of Christ in our lives and in the Church and that “brings with it the correct appreciation of the ministerial priesthood, without which there would be neither the Eucharist, nor even the mission nor the Church herself”.

This same year is the 150th anniversary of the death of St John Vianney, the patron saint of priests, and also the occasion of the visit to England of the relics of St Therese of Lisieux – who from her Carmelite convent showed her life-long devotion to priests by praying for them, supporting them and corresponding with them.

We join with these great saints in praying for our own priests and priests throughout the world. In the next few days we shall publish a prayer for the "Year for Priests".

Reflection on The Lord's Prayer

The words of the Lord " in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words”. are echoed by Saint Benedict when he tells us: “If we wish to prefer a petition to men of high station, we do not presume to do it without humility and respect; how much more ought we to supplicate the Lord God of all things with all humility and pure devotion. And let us be sure that we shall not be heard for our much speaking, but for purity of heart and tears of compunction”.
The prayer which springs from that purity of heart and tears of compunction is the Lord’s prayer.
This prayer teaches us the right relationship between God our Father and our neighbour. Saint Benedict highlights an aspect of this teaching when he says:
“that the lord’s prayer is to be said in the hearing of all. The purpose of this is the removal of those thorns of scandal, or mutual offence, which are wont to arise in communities. For, being warned by the covenant which they make in that prayer, when they say Forgive us as we forgive, the brethren will cleanse their souls of such faults”.
The Lord’s prayer has the power of transformation as expressed in Scripture "my word that goes forth from my mouth shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it”.
Let us strive to come to a deeper understanding and knowledge of the Lord’s prayer which has the power to renew us, sanctify us, forgive our sins and lead us to the kingdom for whose coming we pray.

(Written by Abbot Cuthbert Johnson.)

Bishops fear new Bill could force schools to take down crucifixes

Catholic schools and care homes could be forced to remove crucifixes and holy pictures from their walls in case they offend atheist cleaners, bishops have warned MPs.

They said that under the terms of Equality Minister Harriet Harman's new Equality Bill they could be guilty of harassment if they depicted images "offensive" to non-Catholics.

The bishops of England, Wales and Scotland have complained that because the burden of proof for such a highly subjective definition is reversed in legal proceedings, under the terms of the Bill, it would put them in an impossible position if people complained about any manifestation of religious belief - even on Church property.

Mgr Andrew Summersgill, the general secretary of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, said: "The practical consequences of this are that a Catholic care home, for example, may have crucifixes and holy pictures on the walls which reflect and support the beliefs of the residents.

A spokesman for the bishops confirmed that a similar threat existed for Catholic schools, which could be forced to remove crucifixes or holy pictures if atheist dinner ladies found them offensive.

(CWN)

Maintenance Issues

We apologise to anyone who has tried to access the Blog today and has been unsuccessful, this has been caused by maintenance problems.We hope this issue will be resolved as soon as possible. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Bishop Campbell appoints Two Vicars General for the Diocese

Bishop Michael Campbell OSA, Sixth Bishop of Lancaster announced on Friday 12 June 2009 that he has appointed two Vicars General who will assist him in the running of the Diocese (donec aliter provideatur) - that is until he decides otherwise.
The two priests selected by the Bishop are:
Mgr Canon Patrick Mulvany, Our Lady Star of the Sea & St Michael, Workington
Mgr Canon Aidan Turner, Our Lady Star of the Sea, St Annes on Sea

Both priests served as Vicars General for Bishop Patrick O’Donoghue (Mgr Mulvany since 2003 and Mgr Turner since 2007).

(from the Diocesan website)

Feast of Corpus Christi reflection

The Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ holds a very special place in the devotion and practice of our Catholic faith. It is the sacrament we receive most frequently in the course of our lives, and it contains the pledge of future glory, a place with Christ at his eternal banquet in the kingdom of heaven. Human words or concepts are insufficient to grasp the full mystery of this most precious of sacraments. What is essential is to keep in mind that the sacred food of the Eucharist is both meal and sacrifice. We feed on the Lord’s body and blood which he offered for us on the cross. The scripture readings chosen for the feast are intended to highlight the sacrificial nature of the holy Eucharist.
The sacrifice of animals in the Old Testament accompanied by the sprinkling of their blood for purification foreshadow in God’s plan the single unique sacrifice of Christ when he shed his blood to take away the sins of the world. What is interesting in our first reading from the book of Exodus is the response of the people and their willingness to live by God’s law and covenant. Each time we receive the Eucharist we are renewing our covenant with Christ and committing ourselves to him and to his way. Holy Communion and our presence at Mass must necessarily
be a twoway process. Christ comes to us, and we in turn come to him.
The Letter to the Hebrews, from which our second reading is taken, underlines the uniqueness of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. All past sacrifices and offerings pale into insignificance in comparison to the selfoffering of the Son of God made once and for all on the cross, and now
marvellously enshrined for all time in the sacrament of his body and blood. A sombre note runs through Mark’s account of the Last Supper, and a careful reading of the gospel text conveys both the authority of Jesus, and at the same time the cost to him personally when he declared the bread to be his body given in sacrifice and the wine the blood of the new covenant between God and mankind. We are to remember above all on this feast of Corpus Christi the infinite love of Christ which finds expression in the sacrament of the Eucharist, and Christ’s desire for our
love and service in return.

+Michael Campbell OSA
Bishop of Lancaster

(from the Diocesan website)

The Feast of Corpus Christi

The Feast of Corpus Christi, or the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (as it is often called today), goes back to the 13th century, but it celebrates something far older: the institution of the Sacrament of Holy Communion at the Last Supper. While Holy Thursday is also a celebration of this mystery, the solemn nature of Holy Week, and the focus on Christ's Passion on Good Friday, overshadows that aspect of Holy Thursday.

Thus, in 1246, Bishop Robert de Thorete of the Belgina diocese of Liège, at the suggestion of St. Juliana of Mont Cornillon (also in Belgium), convened a synod and instituted the celebration of the feast. From Liège, the celebration began to spread, and, on September 8, 1264, Pope Urban IV issued the papal bull "Transiturus," which established the Feast of Corpus Christi as a universal feast of the Church, to be celebrated on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday.

Lancaster Diocese updates online Swine Flu Booklet

The Diocese of Lancaster has published here (on 11 June) an updated version of Sustaining Pastoral Presence: Swine Flu outbreaks that draws on the latest medical information and medical guidance from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Centre for Disease Control and the Health Protection Agency.

Mr Jim McManus and Rev Nick Donnelly, with the mandate of Bishop Michael Campbell, have developed their original work in response to WHO declaring a global pandemic of Swine Flu (H1N1). Both authors are the architects of the advice given in the UK Government booklet: Faith Communities and Pandemic Flu: Guidance for Faith Communities and Local Influenza Pandemic Committees (2009).

The key message of the updated document is that it is important that we all keep calm, and carry on with life as normal. At the present time, there is no need for any special measures to be taken i.e. suspending the use of the chalice at Mass for the people and removing the choice of receiving the sacred host in the tongue. These decisions would be made by the diocesan bishop should a serious outbreak ocurr in the local area.

Having said this, there are things to be done to prepare for the possibility of flu outbreaks in your area. The document provides a simple check-list to help parish priests and key members of the parishes begin to put plans in place in the event that there is an outbreak of Swine Flu in the area.

The new document can be downloaded from our website here

(from the Diocesan website)

9th anniversary of Bishop Brewer’s death.

Today is the 9th anniversary of Bishop Brewer’s death. The picture here shows his funeral procession leaving the Cathedral at the end of the Mass. East Road was closed to allow the procession to make its way up the hill to the cemetery, where the Bishop was laid to rest with his predecessors.
Archbishop Cormac Murphy-O’Connor (at that stage not yet a Cardinal) said the Mass and Archbishop Kelly preached.

The Eucharist and St John Vianney

As Pope Benedict closes the Year of St Paul, he is preparing to open the Year of the Priest. So as we near the end of our series on saints and the Eucharist it is good to reflect on the life and thought of St John Vianney, the patron of parish priests. In his early years he seemed an unlikely candidate for this honour. He was born at Dardilly near Lyons in 1786 and early in life expressed his desire to be a priest. His primary education was sketchy and his greatest difficulty was in understanding Latin. His problems increased when he was drawn into conscription into Napoleon’s troops. This was solved when his brother volunteered to take his place and he thankfully returned to the seminary. There, despite his serious limitations, his teachers never doubted his vocation and he continued to struggle until his ordination in 1815.
Three years later he was made parish priest of Ars, a remote village where he spent the rest of his life. A few years later he founded the “Providence”, an institution for destitute girls which became a model of its kind throughout France. His catechetical instructions to children were so popular and they drew crowds of adults to the church every day.
The Curé was best known, however, for his spiritual direction and gift as a confessor. Again people flocked to his church and confessional where he often spent up to 18 hours a day. Penitents ranged from bishops and religious to sinners and the sick and all were helped by his care and his sanctity.
The Curé d’Ars gave great emphasis to the Holy Eucharist in his preaching and teaching. For him it was the great gift of love in which Jesus laid down His life for His friends. Instituted as it was in a celebration meal of friends, it was the vulnerability of Jesus in the Host which Father Vianney emphasised. For him it was almost a repetition of the Passion in which Jesus was exposed to the
ruelty and contempt of the crowd. Catholics therefore were called to the utmost respect, reverence and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament as a sign of their faith. His instructions to children in particular were very strong on this point. All his life the Eucharist was for him the adored Master who, before all others, had a right to his homage.
His extremely austere way of life was probably detrimental to his health but he continued in his exhausting ministry until he died in 1859. He was canonised in 1925 when he had already been proposed as a model for parish priests.

English schools should teach Christian moral principles, says archbishop

Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the newly installed head of the Westminster archdiocese, has argued that schools should develop the "innate spirituality" of young students, teaching sound moral principles. The archbishop went on to say that all schools do provide moral guidance. He said:

Schools of a religious character are upfront, overt and very reasoned about the values that shape the education, whereas I think often those that would claim to be neutral are covert in the values that they present to the children.

Congratulations to the Mayor & Mayoress

Today at the 11am Mass we had the pleasure to hold Civic Sunday where our two Parishioners Alan and Kath Vincent were installed as Mayor and Mayoress .We wish them every success in the coming year! We also thank anyone who helped make the day a success.

A Reflection for Feast of the Holy Trinity

With good reason we speak of the truths of our faith as ‘mysteries of faith’. By this we mean that these are truths which the human mind can never fully grasp. We accept in faith what God has revealed to us through the Church while realising that that we stand in the face of mystery. Nowhere, perhaps, is this lack of understanding more evident than when we come face to face with the mystery of the Blessed Trinity, whose feast the Church celebrates today. The human race has made vast advances in every field of knowledge and there appears to be no limit to the discoveries and inventions of which we are capable. Yet, we remain finite, limited human beings, and where the inner life of God is concerned the power of our intellects falters. Of ourselves we could never have arrived at the existence of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe it because Christ has told us so.
Yet the wonder of our faith and Catholic religion consists in just how much almighty
God has drawn back the curtain and permitted us to glimpse something of the mystery of the divine life. The Scripture readings for this Sunday’s liturgy help us grasp in some fashion the Trinity which is God, and the effect of each of the persons on our own life. Moses, in the book of Deuteronomy, muses in wonder at how God intervened in the history of the tiny nation Israel and chose them as a people to be his own. The choice of Israel was a prelude to the coming of the Church as God’s haven for all nations. We might comfort ourselves with the thought that we are never far from God’s mind. His choice has fallen upon each one of us in Christ.
The role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian is underlined by the apostle Paul. It is through the power of that same Spirit, the Spirit of the risen Christ, that we have the privilege to address God in the most intimate fashion, as “Father”, exactly as Jesus the Son of God himself did during his earthly life. We would do well to stop and ponder the significance of addressing almighty God as Father. In a very real sense our God is incredibly close to us, as the Father of us all. As we hear in the conclusion to Matthew’s gospel, Christ has commissioned his Church to teach and baptise all nations in the name of the most holy Trinity, a task which the Church must carry out until the end of time. As members of the Church we have been sealed and stamped with the image of the holy Trinity in our baptism. While we will never fully understand this greatest of all mysteries, today we renew our faith and give praise and thanks to God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

+Michael Campbell OSA
Bishop of Lancaster

(from the Diocesan website)

Vatican official sees crisis in Confession

A Vatican official is lamenting that many faithful no longer confess their sins, and says some confuse a psychologist's couch for a confessional booth.
Archbishop Mauro Piacenza has told Vatican Radio the sacrament of penance has been experiencing a "deep crisis" for decades. Piacenza, an official for the Vatican office on clergy, says fewer people distinguish between good and evil, and as a result don't go to confession.
The archbishop said in the interview Tuesday that if faithful don't have a sense of sin, they might "confuse" confession with "the couch of a psychologist or a psychiatrist."
He says the Vatican plans to publish this year a kind of handbook on confession to drum up enthusiasm among Catholics toward the sacrament.

Make time for God, Pope reminds audience

At his regular weekly public audience on June 3, Pope Benedict XVI spoke about the work of Rabanus Maurus, a Benedictine abbot and archbishop whose scholarly influence is evident across a broad range of fields including poetry, music, theology, and Scripture study. At a time when Christian scholarship was in eclipse, the Pope noted, he helped to preserve and to build "that theological, exegetical and spiritual culture from which succeeding centuries would draw."

For Christians of the early 21st century, the Holy Father continued, Rabanus Maurus has an important message: "Whether immersed in the frenetic rhythms of work or on holiday, we must reserve time for God."

The Feast of Pentecost

The outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit, long promised and hinted at in the Scriptures, finally came to pass in most dramatic fashion on the day we have come to know as Pentecost. A mighty wind shook the house in which the disciples were gathered – a symbol of God’s power and strength – followed by tongues of fire coming to rest on the heads of each one of them. God was being true to his promise, the Church was born, and the story of Christ would now be taken to the peoples of the earth. A remarkable and marvellous part of that sequence of events was the fact that those pilgrims, present in Jerusalem from every part of the known world, could hear the Apostles speaking to them of God’s wonders in their own language. The disunity brought about by the many languages resulting from the sin of the Tower of Babel was now being reversed. We learn that the Spirit is the source of oneness, of unity among peoples.

For all its fragility, even sinfulness in its members, the Church spread throughout the world, yet one in faith, hope and charity, offers us a vision of God’s plan for the human race. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the Church draws together men and women of every language, race and land and creates them as one in Christ.

While he was on earth Christ spoke often of the One who would come after him, who would be with the apostles and disciples as a friend and comforter. He is called the Paraclete, the One who defends us and leads us into the full truth of all that Jesus said and did. Christ loved his own too much, and us as well, to abandon us and leave us like orphans. In future, he would be with us in a different but no less real way, through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

We rightly rejoice on today’s feast, often called ‘the birthday of the Church’. The coming of the Holy Spirit brings Christ’s work of redemption to completion, and God’s message of salvation is now freely offered to Jew and Gentile, slave or free, without exception. As the Holy Spirit rested, flame-like, over the head of each disciple, so on this Pentecost Sunday we pray that the same Spirit will once more refresh and renew the Church, and descend gently upon each one of us. Come, Holy Spirit!

+Michael Campbell OSA
Bishop of Lancaster

(from the Diocesan website)

Pentecost Sunday

[Image by St Wulstans Parishoner Patrica Benson]

Eastertide concludes with Pentecost Sunday, the fiftieth day, and its commemoration of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the apostles (cf. Acts 2, 1-4), the Church's foundation, and the beginning of its mission to all nations and peoples.

The protracted celebration of the vigil Mass has a particular importance in cathedrals and some parishes, since it reflects the intense persevering prayer of the Christian community in imitation of the Apostles united in prayer with Mother of Jesus.

The mystery of Pentecost exhorts us to prayer and commitment to mission and enlightens popular piety which is a "continued sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church. He arouses faith, hope and charity, in the hearts [of the faithful] and those ecclesial virtues which make popular piety valuable. The same Spirit ennobles the numerous and varied ways of transmitting the Christian message according to the culture and customs of all times and places".

Bishop Emeritus leaves the Diocese and enters into Retirement

After almost 8 years residing in and leading the Lancaster Diocese, the Rt Rev Patrick O’Donoghue left his Apartment at Cathedral House, Lancaster at 7.30am this morning to begin his retirement in his native County Cork, Ireland.
Yesterday after meeting new Bishop of Lancaster, Rt Rev Michael Campbell OSA, the Bishop Emeritus spent the day making the final preparations to his departure. Bishop O’Donoghue who formally retired as Diocesan Bishop on 1 May, will begin a new phase of his ministry as a priest serving on supply for the Diocese of Cork & Ross, particularly in West Cork.

Note: Bishop O’Donoghue will be visiting his family for the next few weeks before taking up a
residence in West Cork. When the Bishop’s Office has this address it will be posted on the Emeritus Bishop page of the Diocesan website.

(from the Diocesan website)

Papal Blessings

The Diocese of Lancaster does not issue Papal blessings itself. Instead, requests for Papal blessings are handled for the Vatican by the Apostolic Nunciature (the Embassy of the Holy See to Great Britain).

The request for a Papal Blessing should be placed in a letter from your Parish Priest tothe Nuncio but sent to the Diocesan Bishop.

In the letter from the Parish Priest the following should be included:

(1) A written recommendation from your Parish Priest of the persons to receive the blessing, attesting to their good standing in the Catholic Church. In the case of a wedding, both parties should be Catholics.

(2) The contents of the blessing, clearly printed, including:

a. The name(s) (typed or written in capital letters) of the people to receive the blessing.

b. The occasion to be celebrated (birthday, wedding, ordination, wedding anniversary, etc.). Anniversaries should be of a special nature, such as the 25th, 50th, or 60th. Birthdays should also be special, such as 80th or 90th, and so on.

c. The date of the occasion.

d. If the blessing is for a wedding, include the full name of the church and town/city.

(3) An honorarium offering of £25, (cheque) made payable to the “Apostolic Nunciature.”

The Bishop will then examine the request and if appropropriate add his endorsement before the application is sent on to the Nunciature.

Your priest would need to apply at least 3 months before any designated celebration, as it may well take some time to process the blessing in the Offices of the Vatican.

(from the Diocesan website)

How to get tickets to papal audiences and Masses

To attend a Papal Mass or the Wednesday general audience, visitors to Rome need to have tickets, which are free. Visitors should remember that there is a strictly enforced dress code for entering St. Peter's Basilica - shoulders must be covered, shorts are not allowed and skirts should reach the knees.

Visitors to Rome should write directly to the Vatican (The Prefecture of the Papal Household) for tickets. Letters should be addressed to: Archbishop James Harvey, Prefect of the Pontifical Household, Vatican City 00120, Europe. The requests may also be faxed to the archbishop's office: (00 39-06) 6988-5863.

A written request with number of tickets required, names of those wishing to attend, and the date of the Audience or Liturgical Celebration should be submitted to the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household with as much notice as possible (at least 10 days in advance of the Audience/Mass).

Tickets can be collected on the afternoon before the Audience or the Liturgical celebration (from 15.00 to 19.30) or on the morning of the Audience (from 8:00 to 10:30) from the ticket office at the Bronze Door (end of the right-hand colonnade in St. Peter's Square).

The location of the general audience varies; they are held in St. Peter's square, the Paul VI Hall (Aula Nervi), or in St Peter's Basilica. During the summer, audiences may also be held at Castel Gandolfo, the pope's summer residence (40 min outside Rome by car).

Should you be unable to get tickets for an audience, you can always attend the Sunday Angelus, held at noon in St. Peter's Square and presided over by the Pope. While the Pope is at his summer residence, Castel Gandolfo, he says the Angelus from his study window; space is very limited in the courtyard. Please note that private audiences with the Pope are reserved for heads of state and other high-ranking officials.

The best guarantee for a good position is to arrive early and get a seat near one of the aisles where the pope may pass.

You can also follow the weekly General Audience live on Wednesdays at 10:15 am CET on internet, produced by the Vatican Television Center, and hear the most recent Angelus on the website of Vatican Radio.

(from the Diocesan website)

Seventh Sunday after Easter – Feast of the Ascension

With the feast of the Ascension the Church marks the final appearance of the risen Lord to his disciples. From now on his presence would be of an entirely different order. The work of the apostles and disciples was now beginning, a work that would need the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit to give it impetus and sustain it in the course of history. When we try to picture the Ascension our powers of imagination fail us. Even the New Testament writers, such as Luke, were consciously aware that the Ascension, together with the Resurrection, belongs to that category which is ultimately indescribable. What they did proclaim, however, was the solid
truth that Christ had now taken his place in heaven with his Father, that he commissioned his apostles to be bearers of his gospel, and that he would one day return again in glory to judge the living and the dead.
Through his resurrection and Ascension Christ is Lord of the whole universe, and his full identity as Son of God has become manifest. He has left us in his body so as to be with each believer in any part of the world. No longer is Christ confined to Palestine and Galilee, but is present to his Church in every part of the world. The redemption which he has gained for us is ours through our faith in him as the crucified and risen One. It is the task of the Church to mediate that salvation to each generation. When we encounter that salvation through the sacraments and other means, we are encountering Christ himself. He has passed beyond our sight, but remains very much with us!

+Michael Campbell OSA
Bishop of Lancaster

(from the Diocesan website)

Pope2You

Pope2You is a new project from the Pontifical Council for Social Communications with links to the YouTube channel, WikiCath, and Facebook and iPhone apps.

Most Reverend Vincent Gerard Nichols installed Eleventh Archbishop of Westminster

The Most Reverend Vincent Gerard Nichols has been installed as the Eleventh Archbishop of Westminster during a Mass of Installation held at Westminster Cathedral, from 12pm noon to 2pm on Thursday 21 May 2009, and attended by a congregation of 2,200 specially invited guests.

Amongst those present at the Mass of Installation were: Lord Guthrie, representing HRH Prince Charles; Rt Hon Paul Murphy representing The Prime Minister, Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP; The Duke of Norfolk; Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor; Cardinal Sean Brady; Cardinal Roger Mahoney; Cardinal Keith O’Brien; His Excellency, Archbishop Faustino Sainz Munoz; Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury; Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York; The Lord Mayor of Westminster, Councilor Duncan Sandys; Francis Campbell, the British Ambassador to the Holy See; Sir Gus O' Donnell, Head of the Cabinet Office; 50 Catholic Bishops Including Rt Rev Michael Campbell OSA (Bishop of Lancaster) and Rt Rev Patrick O'Donoghue ( Emeritus Bishop of Lancaster); over 500 priests from the Archdiocese of Birmingham and the Diocese of Westminster together with MPs, Peers, Ambassadors and representatives of parishes, schools and Catholic societies and organisations.

The Mass of Installation was broadcast live in the UK on BBC2 and also around the world by EWTN, the Catholic Satellite Television Channel.

The Mass of Installation followed a Service of Solemn Vespers, which was held at Westminster Cathedral at 7pm on Wednesday 20th May. This was attended by Archbishop Vincent Nichols and an estimated 2,000 specially invited guests including Religious Sisters, Brothers and Priests and representatives from schools, parishes and Catholic societies and organisations from the Diocese of Westminster.
The ceremony of the Reception and Installation of the Archbishop of Westminster was carried out according to the ancient Catholic rite used in similar circumstances for the Reception and Installation of the Archbishops of Canterbury prior to the Reformation.

At 12 noon, to the sound of a specially composed fanfare, Archbishop Vincent Nichols entered Westminster Cathedral by the main West Door, and was greeted by the Provost of Westminster Cathedral, Canon Michael Brockie. He then processed to the High Altar where he joined over 150 Clergy in the Cathedral’s Sanctuary, including Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, 50 Catholic Bishops, the Provost and Chapter of Westminster Cathedral, Deans and the Vicar General of the Diocese of Westminster, Monsignori and ecumenical guests including Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Most Reverend Vincent Gerard Nichols officially become the 11th Archbishop of Westminster at around 12.15 pm after the reading aloud of Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Letter of Authority, or Papal Mandate, by Bishop John Arnold, Chancellor of the Diocese of Westminster, and the formula of Installation by the Provost of Westminster Cathedral, Canon Michael Brockie.

The Archbishop-Emeritus, His Eminence Cormac Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor then presented the new Archbishop with the Crozier, the bishop’s staff, symbolic of his office as bishop. The Provost and Canons of the Metropolitan Chapter then greeted the new Archbishop, followed by other representatives of the Diocesan clergy, ethnic chaplaincies, pastoral and administrative bodies.

Catholic Identity Card.

Our wallets are filled with plastic cards proclaiming that we shop at this store, deal with this bank or are a member of that gym. In this context it is surely the right time to stand up and in a gentle way make a statement proclaiming that we are Catholic, and one tangible way to do this is to carry the Catholic Identity Card.
We are proclaiming our identity as Catholics. This is no less than what we are called to do in Confirmation, as we pledge to be witnesses for Christ. The quote contained on the card: "You will be His witness" epitomises this and affirms to ourselves and to others that we will bear witness as Catholics for Jesus Christ in the world. Carrying the card will serve as a constant reminder to us that we must honour this pledge as we go about our daily lives.
The sacrament of the sick is a very healing one, which can only be administered by a Priest. Carrying this card will ensure that if the holder is in great need of this sacrament, he/she will receive it. In times of great need or crisis, we should feel content to know that we carry a card which will ensure that a priest, the centre of the Catholic faith and one of God's representatives on earth, will be called to give us comfort.

Click Here to order yours now (1Euro for 3)

Holy Days Petition to Archbishop Vincent Nichols

A petition has been posted regarding the celebration of Holydays:

We would like Archbishop Vincent Nichols to reinstate the celebration of Ascension, Corpus Christi and Epiphany to their correct days.

It runs until the eve of Corpus Christi.

Sign the petition here.

Fifth Diocesan Altar Servers Mass

On Saturday our Parishes Altar Servers went along with Fr Alf to the Cathedral where Bishop Michael Campbell OSA celebrated the Fifth Diocesan Altar Servers Mass. During Mass all of the Altar Servers were Presented with the 'Letters of St Paul' which were blessed by Bishop Michael. After the Mass the Altar servers went into the Cathedral Social Centre for some refreshments and had there photo taken with Bishop Michael (Pictured Right). Whilst in the Social Centre we noticed a familiar face to the Diocese, Emeritus Bishop Patrick O'Donoghue. Bishop O'Donoghue had not been in the Mass but called in to see all the Diocesan Altar Servers for the last time before he leaves. After a Cup of Tea and a few Biscuits the Altar Servers went to Morecambe bowling! The Altar Servers had a little tournament Boys vs Girls, can you guess who won? of course the boys with 521 points!
The day was most enjoyable for all, and was a colourful sight at the cathedral with all of the different parishes Altar Servers vestments. The day also proved to be a great chance to meet other servers from across the Diocese.

To read Bishop Michael's Homily please click here

Sixth Sunday of Easter 2009

John the Evangelist has a rare gift for expressing profound religious truths in simple language, as is evident in today’s gospel passage. The setting is the Last Supper room where the Lord Jesus is sharing intimate moments with his apostles just before his arrest, passion and death. His words represent something of a final testament and hence all the more precious for that. Love, joy, friends are words which frame Christ’s farewell discourse. The unique love which he enjoys from eternity as the Father’s only Son is nevertheless a love which he wants his disciples to know and experience. In theological terms, Jesus is referring to the mystery of the Holy Trinity, which is love itself. That love far surpasses all human love; it is a divine love, of which we believers are privileged to be part. Words are inadequate to describe the mystery of God’s love which Jesus came to reveal to us. In the midst of the difficulties and tribulations of life we can often forget the joy which is so characteristic of the message of Christ. Here he speaks explicitly of his desire to see his disciples’ joy reach full completion. By his cross and resurrection he would defeat the ancient enemies of sin and death. In all that lay ahead of them they were to be joyful in heart, because their master’s victory would be theirs as well. In the complex world of the twenty-first century where we find ourselves we can feel overwhelmed by the pace of change and technological progress. The recent economic and financial setbacks can engender a sense of pessimism, even foreboding where the future is concerned. At such moments we need to ponder and cherish those words of Jesus, that he wants us to be filled with the joy he gives, a joy that is complete. Theologians speak of the mystery of God’s revelation, of how Jesus Christ brings us truths about God we could not otherwise know. The Lord in our gospel expresses this to his disciples in another way: we have now passed from being servants or slaves to an entirely new relationship with the Son of God. We have become his friends. And he has let his friends into the secrets of heaven! This is the wonder of the Christian faith which springs from the incarnation of God’s Son, speaking to us of divine things in language we are able understand. However, and here lies the challenge, our friendship with Jesus implies that we be friends with one another. In the Lord’s own words, Love one another as I have loved you. It’s a humbling thought to realise that there can be no love of God worthy of the name without an equal love for our neighbour.

+Michael Campbell OSA
Bishop of Lancaster

(from the Diocesan website)

INTERDIOCESAN YOUTH FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT 2009

The tournament is scheduled for Saturday 13 June 2009 and the plan is as follows:

11.00am Arrivals. Meet at the Little Sisters of the Poor, Jeanne Jugan Residence, 228 Garstang Road, Preston PR2 9RB: Junction 32 on the M6/ Junction 1 on M55 and follow signs to Preston City Centre (A6). The Jeanne Jugan Residence is on the left shortly after the Texaco Garage on the right, going into Preston.
11.30am Mass in the chapel of the Little Sisters.
12.15pm Registration and packed lunch at Corpus Christi Catholic Sports College, St Vincent's Rd (just next to the Little Sisters), PR2 8QY.
1.00-3.15pm Tournament
3.30pm Refreshments and Presentations.
4.00pm Departures.

If you would like to be involved please contact the Youth Office by phone on 01524 596063 or e-mail youth@lancasterrcdiocese.org.uk

New coat of arms unveiled on the Cathedra

Yesterday the new coat of arms was unveiled on the cathedra; Bishop Patrick's shield was left there until after the handover. Beneath the shield is the Bishop's motto, "Ecce nova facio omnia" - "Behold, I make all things new" (Rev. 21:5).
Bishop Campbell's coat of arms was revealed for the first time at the inauguration Mass on 1st May. The left hand side of the shield is the diocesan arms, while the Bishop's personal arms are seen on the right. The green hill represents his home town of Larne, Co. Antrim; the book signifies the Bishop's devotion to the Word of God in Sacred Scripture; the heart and arrow are a symbol of the Augustinian order.
A new hanging at the back of the Cathedral also shows the Bishop's coat of arms. To the left of it hangs an image of Our Lady of Lourdes and to the right an image of St Cuthbert. These are the two patrons of the Diocese of Lancaster.
Bishop O'Donoghue's shield is now to be found on the choir stalls, part of a series of five shields which hold the arms of the five Bishops of Lancaster.

New Canon's

The new canons (front row either side of Bishop Campbell) now join the ranks of the Cathedral Chapter, which has a role in supporting the work of the Cathedral and advising the Bishop. The Chapter is now back up to full strength; the new canons take the place of Bishop Campbell, who had been on the chapter during his time as Coadjutor Bishop, and Monsignor Canon Eddie Gould (R.I.P)
After the Mass the canons voted for a new Provost, whose role it is to chair chapter meetings and oversee their work. Canon Dunstan Cooper (back right) was elected to this role, which he will hold until he retires from the Chapter at his 75th birthday. Congratulations to him and to the two new canons.

Fifth Sunday of Easter

During these days of Eastertide the Lord’s words to us in the gospel seem to ring out with ever greater clarity. The liturgy of this season makes us particularly aware that Christ has risen, never to die again, and that through the ministry of the Church we believers become sharers in that new and divine life he now enjoys. In fact, the Church’s only lifeline is her union with her glorified Lord. Christ’s use of the image of the vine and the branches makes the point in a very striking way. Just as the vine provides the sap and the nourishment for the branch to blossom and bear grapes, so the source of life and fruitfulness for the Church is Christ himself. If the Church ever loses sight of Christ, or seeks salvation and fulfilment apart from him, then like a branch severed from the trunk it withers and dies.

As she makes her way through history, the Church as the community of believers is often tempted to seek quick solutions to her difficulties according to the criteria and outlook of this world. Christ does guarantee success and reassurance, but not in this way. Openness to his word and teaching will alone ensure that the Church remains faithful to her mission of offering God’s grace and salvation to the world. The words of the Lord Jesus today come from the upper room on the eve of his passion and death. The disciples would face an uncertain future without his visible presence, yet he left them a programme which would help them negotiate the perils of rejection and persecution. It is a programme which remains valid for all time.

Jesus teaches us that like a vigilant vinedresser his heavenly Father is ever active in the Church, at work in the lives of believers. We need not fear that he is an absent God! The life which flows from Christ the vine is mediated to us through the sacraments, above all through the holy Eucharist which may well underlay the image of the vine. Union with Christ also brings union with the Father, that indwelling within the Church of the Father and the Son which is truly astounding when we think about it. When the word of Christ takes root within us then we have nothing to fear, and he himself comforts us with the assurance that our prayers to God will be heard. May the depth and manner of our Christian living always give glory to God our Father!

+Michael Campbell OSA
Bishop of Lancaster

(from the Diocesan website)

Maresa Walsh R.I.P

Today at 11:00am there will be a Requiem Mass held at St Wulstans for Maresa Walsh who was sacristan there for 15 years.Maresa died quite suddenly on Sunday 26th April at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. Sadly Maresa's Family were unable to be with her when she died, however she died peacefully how she would of liked in the company of Fr. J. Winstanley (Sacred Heart Blackpool) after receiving the Last Rites of the Catholic Church. After the Mass there is a reception in the Green Hut - Everyone Welcome!
We pray for Maresa's Family - Lena, Maria, Diane, Robert, Gillian, Rob & Tomas.

Some of you may remember Maresa as the Last Mayoress of Fleetwood (pictured to right), before Wyre Borough Council took over.

Click here to light a virtual candle for Maresa.

World Day of Prayer for Vocations 2009

Pope Benedict XVI has decided that today shall be World Day of Prayer for Vocations 2009.

Not only is today about Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life, but also to other professions.However i am going to promote Vocations to the Catholic Priesthood. Our website has a regular updated section on Vocations to the Priesthood which features Booklets, Prayers, Videos and links.
The Section on the Priesthood can be accessed if you click here.

It’s All About Prophets is the tagline for this year’s poster that is being sent to parishes and schools all over England and Wales for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations on Sunday 3rd May.

The image (above) shows a number of men and women around a board-room table; some of them have name-plaques indicating the vocational choices they have made and others are writing down possible choices to indicate that they are ‘discerning’. The business setting is a timely reminder that a vocation is an active decision not necessarily to pursue money, power or fame but to follow Christ use our talents in the service of others.

In addition to the poster, schools will have access to resources that will encourage students to reflect on the varieties of vocation in today’s Church and their own faith journey.

Usefull websites:

www.ukvocation.org

www.ukpriest.org.uk

www.lancastervocations.blogspot.com

4th Sunday of Easter

The gospel of John today presents Jesus to us as the supremely good shepherd whose care and love for his flock knows no limits, even to the extent of laying down his life for them. The image of God the shepherd is a much favoured one in the pages of Sacred Scripture and conveys the close and tender bond that exists between God and his people. The public ministry of Jesus Christ and especially his passion and death gives to the shepherd image a new and definitive meaning. By surrendering his life freely on the cross the Lord Jesus revealed the depth of the divine love that he has for us. He was not compelled to die, but of his own accord died so as to bring into unity all God’s scattered children. Through his death and resurrection not only did he prove himself shepherd of Israel; all the nations of the earth became his flock. In his own words there is to be just one flock and one shepherd.

The liturgy of this Good Shepherd Sunday calls us to an ever deeper belief in Christ’s love for us. Nothing can be more reassuring or needed than to know that we are held securely in Christ’s loving arms in a manner which passes human understanding. The First Letter of John assures us that this love is a pledge of that wonderful and unspeakable future which God has in store for us his children. This hope is part of the blessing of Easter peace. Christ mediates all these blessings to us through his Church, and in a particular way through those who minister in his name and share in his office of shepherd: bishops, priests and deacons. Good Shepherd Sunday has now become a traditional day of prayer for vocations to the priesthood, and the Pope always writes a letter for the occasion. We must never tire or underestimate the power of our prayer for vocations. The gospels teach us that prayer can move mountains, provided we have sufficient faith.

The ultimate source of priestly vocations is the Good Shepherd, Christ himself, and we must believe that he will ensure a sufficient supply of other shepherds to feed his people in his name. Yet humanly speaking vocations are the task of all of us, through prayer, encouragement and example. Our young people need encouragement, but also the generosity of parents and family to nurture and sustain a priestly vocation. Let none of us be found wanting in this regard and the Lord will indeed complete our often faltering efforts. The harvest is great but the labourers are few. So pray to the Lord of the harvest that he may send labourers into his harvest…..

+Michael Campbell OSA
Bishop of Lancaster

(from the Diocesan website)

Vocations – The Cochrane Chalice:

Tomorrow is Good Shepherd Sunday, when we pray worldwide for vocations to the Priesthood and the Religious life. I would like to start a scheme where a different name each week takes to their house Canon Cochrane’s chalice, and prays each day for a week that God will send us more priests. If you would like to be part of the scheme, please put your name on the form at the back of church.(more info on vocations can be found on our website here or on the Diocese Vocations Blog here)

The sixth Bishop of Lancaster

Your New Bishop:
Tonight Bishop O'Donoghue retired from the Diocese of Lancaster and Bishop Campbell became Bishop of Lancaster. The occasion was marked with Mass at St Peter's Cathedral with; over 180 clergy, Cardinal Keith O'Brien (St Andrews & Edinburgh) and the Papal Nuncio His Excellency Archbishop Faustino Saniz James (Pope Benedict XVI Representative).Unfortunately His Eminence Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor could not be there due to health reasons.

New Titles:
Bishop Michael Campbell - Sixth Bishop of Lancaster
Bishop Patrick O'Donoghue - Emeritus Bishop of Lancaster

A new start

Today at 6pm there will be a Mass held at the Lancaster Cathedral (TICKET ONLY). At the Mass Bishop Patrick O'Donoghue will hand over the Diocese to Bishop Michael Campbell OSA. We wish Bishop Patrick a Happy retirement and a thank you for what he has done for us all. We also wish Bishop Michael good luck!