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MARCH 30 2012 THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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Birmingham archbishop to begin major consultation

BY ED WEST

ARCHBISHOP Bishop Longley of Birmingham has announced the launch of a consultation in his archdiocese on the provision of priests.

The letter, which was read at churches throughout the diocese last Sunday, announced a discussion document on a reorganisation of the diocese “so as to make Christ and his Gospel present in our multireligious, multicultural and increasingly secularised environment”.

Archbishop Longley wrote: “Changing patterns for our diocesan mission may in future require a different deployment of our priests and deacons. This may in turn mean that I cannot guarantee that every parish in the diocese will have its own resident priest.”

The archbishop said that some of the diocese’s 224 parishes may lose their priests, the result of changing demographics in the archdiocese, which covers Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Oxfordshire, as well as the city of Birmingham.

The archbishop wrote: “Over the coming weeks I want to ask you, within each deanery, to consider how we might share our resources more generously with one another across existing parish boundaries, and to understand our parish communities as part of a network that is held together by faith and by a common mission. I shall look to you to help me and those who advise me to make wise decisions about the future shape of our pastoral provision within each deanery.

“Every succeeding generation of Catholics has to become part of the life and mission of the local Church in its own way and for its own time. We need to look carefully at our customs and practices to discern whether they are truly serving the Church’s mission in a way that is faithful to the Gospel and that meets contemporary needs.

“At the same time I cannot ignore the diminishing number of priests we have to serve the present number of churches and parishes. These stand alongside those chaplaincies and other important ministries to which our clergy are dedicated. It is my duty to see that the energy, talents and enthusiasm of our deacons and priests are used to best effect for the preaching of the Gospel, the sacramental care and the spiritual nourishment of the people.

“Changing patterns for our diocesan mission may in future require a different deployment of our priests and deacons.

“This may in turn mean that I cannot guarantee that every parish in the diocese will have its own resident priest. To help us face these challenges with confidence we need to reflect on them together at deanery level.

“I believe that this prayerful process of reflection will help me to fulfil my duty both to care for the wider mission and pastoral needs of the diocese and to appreciate and support the priests and deacons who are my closest co-workers in this task,” he wrote.

Archbishop Longley also emphasised the workload placed on religious congregations and Catholic schools, where the Gospel is brought “to families and communities that might otherwise remain untouched by the witness of faith”.

“The religious who witness and work in each deanery and the leadership of our local Catholic schools have a significant contribution to make to this important discussion” he said.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the previous Archbishop of Birmingham, introduced a consultation on the future of the diocese, and Archbishop Longley said he was asking “those who have pastoral responsibility for our parishes and chaplaincies” to give the faithful the chance to meet and discuss the reorganisation in the coming months.

The archbishop told parishioners that a document had been prepared, offering some questions for the public, and it would be available after Easter, with responses needed by the June.

“These discussions will be vital, but I cannot expect them to provide all the answers. Once they have taken place, the responsibility lies with me to make the best decisions I can for the good of all.

“I realise that some decisions will not be popular with everybody but I know that you will do your best to support your priests and deacons as I ask them to implement plans which these discussions will have helped to shape.”

A spokesman for the archdiocese said there was no shortage of priests and that nothing would be decided now. He added that the consultation would be a “step-bystep process”.

Bishop Mark Davies gave the homily at the re-opening of the church in New Brighton on the Wirral

Bishop blesses church devoted to the Extraordinary Form BY ED WEST

THE FIRST shrine church dedicated to the Extraordinary Form in Britain has opened.

Bishop Mark Davies of Shrewsbury opened the shrine church of Ss Peter and Paul and St Philomena in New Brighton, Wirral, on Sunday.

Bishop Davies expressed his hope that the landmark domed building may serve as a “beacon of hope” for future generations if it turned their gaze towards Christ and assisted a renewal of Eucharistic faith.

Almost 1,100 people, three times the expected turnout, attended the solemn High Latin Mass, with the crowd spilling on to the forecourt.

The church is in the care of religious order the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, and the grand opening Mass was celebrated by Mgr Gilles Wach, the founder of the society of apostolic life. Bishop Davies preached the homily, noting that “seafarers once recognised this church as a dome marking their safe arrival home”.

But he also said that Canon Olivier Meney, a French priest of the Institute and the rector of the shrine church, was “a beacon of hope”.

Bishop Davies said: “Perhaps in this image we can recognise the new mission given to this church in a new and vibrant parish and amid the new needs of those who travel through the century before us.

“This is the prayer and intercession that I wish to especially entrust to this shrine church.”

He added: “So today we do not simply wish to open the doors of a closed building but to be open in our hearts to what Blessed John Paul II called ‘Eucharistic amazement.”

“We wish to recognise in this shrine church set high on the Wirral horizon not simply a landmark but a beacon announcing hope to passing generations. So above the mists of confusion which obscure our vision, the storms of controversy which unsettle us we may turn our gaze always towards Christ, loving and redeeming us, in the Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Altar, He who lives and reigns for ever and ever.”

Pope Benedict XVI had offered a papal blessing with an attached plenary indulgence – for the remission of punishment due to forgiven sins – for all the faithful who attended the opening.

The church, which closed in 2008 amid rising repair and maintenance costs, is the first in Britain to be entrusted to the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

The church was built in 1935. Editorial Comment: Page 13

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Sikhs and Jews join Catholics in rebellion Judges to consider exhumation of priest

Continued from Page 2 Cajetan Skowronski, the incoming president of the Catholic Society, said that afterwards “students from all kinds of backgrounds approached us and said: ‘if you want to challenge this we will support you, because it’s ridiculous that a union is trying to impose one opinion on us, especially at a university”.

“We had support from people who were pro-choice as well as those who were pro-life,” he said.

Catholic, Jewish and Sikh students later informed the union in a joint letter that they would not abide by the resolution.

Students then initiated legal action against the union which resulted in a meeting of the trustees, who threw out the resolutions.

Mr Skrowronski, who attended the meeting, said the trustees took the simple view that “if it’s illegal we can’t do it and if it’s impractical we can’t do it”.

Neil Addison, the director of the Thomas More Legal Centre, who advised the students, said: “I am delighted with this result which is due to the courage of pro-life students refusing to be intimidated.

“I find it worrying that a students’ union should be so ignorant of the concept of free speech and demonstrate such a totalitarian and intolerant mindset,” he said.

BY STAFF REPORTER

THE COURT OF APPEAL was to consider this week whether to allow a revered Polish priest to be exhumed from the grounds of a 17th-century mansion in Buckinghamshire.

The Polish Congregation of Marian Fathers sought permission to move the remains as they planned to sell their Fawley Court headquarters.

They received an exhumation licence from the Ministry of Justice two years ago but this was suspended after campaigners lodged an injunction.

The Marian Fathers have long since moved out of Fawley Court, which was sold to businesswoman Aida Hersham through an intermediary for £22.5 million in 2008.

The priest buried there, Fr Jozef Jarzebowski, spread the message of Divine Mercy around the world and founded Fawley Court as a school and museum in the 1950s.

Campaigners say it is clear that he wanted to be buried in that spot. But Fr Wojtek Jasinski, who was superior at Fawley Court, said it would be “crazy” to leave Fr Jarzebowski in unconsecrated ground.

“We are a religious order and we do not choose or own place of burial. We are buried where we die, it does not matter where,” he said.

Archbishop says tolerance has become tyranny

BY ED WEST

ARCHBISHOP Mario Conti of Glasgow has warned politicians that they would be redefining “natural law” with plans to legalise same-sex marriage in Scotland.

During a strongly worded sermon at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh he said that changes in the law were designed to “re-create society” and that any legislation to allow same-sex marriage would have negative consequences.

Archbishop Conti said: “Those voices are growing ever louder in our country, that attempted marginalisation is becoming ever more acute and we are witnessing the transformation of tolerance into a kind of tyranny in which religious views are the only ones which seem unworthy of respect and acceptance.

“Governments which fail to take into account the wisdom that is handed down generation to generation in communities of faith or fail to underscore the right and duty of following informed conscience on the part of citizens will, it seems, inevitably find themselves attempting to be wise by creating ever more legislation and requiring judges to interpret it according to the mores of the day.”

The Sunday Mass was marking the seventh anniversary of the election of Pope Benedict XVI, and was celebrated the presence of representatives of Scottish civil and political life and the papal nuncio Archbishop Antonio Mennini.

Earlier this month Equality Minister Lynne Featherstone announced the British Government’s consultation into introducing same-sex marriage, but said it was a question of how, not if, gay marriage was introduced. The Scottish Government has already staged a consultation on whether the law should be changed but said it “tends towards the view” that samesex marriage should be introduced.

The consultation closed in December and is due to be published in the spring.

The Coalition for Marriage’s petition against samesex marriage has now been signed by 323,000 people, making it the largest British petition in modern British history.

Colin Hart, of ‘Campaign for Marriage’ said there had been “a staggering response”, he said: “What has been particularly interesting is the jump in numbers backing the petition since the Government unveiled its sham consultation.

“I hope the Government will consider the growing opposition to their proposals which are being pushed without the British people being given an opportunity to make their views clear.”

NEWSBULLETIN Pope sends telegram to the Queen as he flies overhead POPE BENEDICT XVI promised that he would pray for the people of Britain as his plane flew over British soil on his trip to Mexico last Friday.

The Holy Father, sent a short telegram to the Queen and his blessing to her subjects, after his flight left Rome. He also sent telegrams to the heads of state of all the other countries he crossed, including

Italy’s President Giorgio Napolitano, France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy and Ireland’s President Michael Higgins, Queen Margrethe of Denmark, Canada’s Governor General David Johnston and US President Barack Obama.

The Pope assured the Queen that the British people had a “special remembrance” in his prayers.

Patron saint of podcasts proposed TWO seminarians have proposed St George Preca as the patron saint of podcasts.

The seminarians, Dan Fitzpatrick, a former youth worker, and Frankie Mulgrew, a former comedian, produce a series of podcasts called Vocationcast. They began the series in September in response to Pope Benedict XVI’s call for priests to engage with the web.

The pair said in a statement: “We pray before we record and at other times too, asking the intercession of St Maximilian Kolbe who is associated with media. However, we [recently] were shocked to discover that there is no saint associated with podcasting. So we began to look at saints’ lives to see if one would be suited to podcasting.”

St George Preca, a Maltese priest born in Valletta in 1990, wrote a great number of books and prayer booklets and was called “the Voice of the Beloved”.

CCTV installed in cathedral NORWICH’S Catholic cathedral has installed CCTV equipment after lead valued at £20,000 was stolen.

Fr Patrick Limacher, deacon at the cathedral, said: “It is now easy for us to keep an eye on who comes through the door and the entire surroundings of the building 24 hours a day.

“I can also monitor it remotely from home via the internet,” he said.

Progressio head leaves CHRISTINE ALLEN, the executive director of Progressio, has stepped down after 11 years.

She said her years at the overseas development charity, which was called the Catholic Institute of International Relations until 2006, were “hugely rewarding”. She is to become public affairs and policy director at Christian Aid. The name Progressio is a reference to a Paul VI encyclical.

Peace campaigners are dismayed PAX CHRISTI and Westminster Justice and Peace have written a letter expressing dismay at the inclusion of the Armed Forces in the Olympic ceremonies.

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BY MADELEINE TEAHAN

Thousands kneel in adoration at Wembley

PHOTOGRAPHS: MAZUR/CATHOLICNEWS.ORG.UK

COMPLETE silence filled Wembley Arena on Saturday afternoon as about 8,000 young Catholics adored the Blessed Sacrament.

The famous sports arena was host to the Flame Congress, which was a day of prayer and praise for young Catholics across Britain.

tor and band leader, it is also part of my intention that the young singers and musicians involved in making the music are also encouraged to grow in their relationship with Christ and his body, the Church through their involvement. So we prayed in the dressing rooms before and after going on stage. This also helped to calm nerves.

The day culminated in exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament led by Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster who said: “Consider the love of God which brought you into existence. Consider how total that love is, for it brought Jesus to give himself entirely for you and to you, on the Cross and here in the Blessed Sacrament. In this light you are truly extraordinary. Maybe you have never thought of that before.”

“I really enjoyed the day. It seemed that the young people out in the arena needed almost no convincing to step on board, to participate and to be open to the graces God wanted to give them through the day.”

Deacon James Bradley, who is due to be ordained next month said that the event proved that the young people of Britain would welcome World Youth Day in London.

Drawing on the theme of the Olympic Games which London will host this year, he continued: “We won’t all be Olympic or Paralympic athletes, but we definitely all have our races to run, our finishing lines to cross.

“Consider the people you have heard today – the athletes, the Mizen family, Fr Timothy Radcliffe, Fr Christopher Jamison and Sister Catherine Holum. Are there things in their words that have encouraged you? What are the gifts that the Lord has given you that he might fan into a flame, to share with the world? Name these gifts and ask God to help you to use them well, always for the glory of his name.”

The day also included a keynote speech by the Dominican Fr Timothy Radcliffe on the theme of respect, followed by dance and drama.

Testimonies were heard from the Mizen family, whose son Jimmy was murdered in a south London bakery, and there was a short talk on silence from Fr Jamison, made famous from the BBC documentaries The Monastery and The Big Silence.

Pope Benedict XVI sent a message of prayer and support for the people attending Flame Congress. It said: “Pope Benedict prays that ‘the flame of faith will continue to burn strongly in them and urges the pilgrims from every diocese in England and Wales to ‘hold up to their contemporaries the Gospel values of generous love, peace, forgiveness and service to others’.”

In his Eucharistic Adoration reflection Archbishop Nichols appealed to young Catholics to “be who you

From top right: Archbishop Nichols elevates the monstrance; compère Paschal Uche talks to Bridget Parker, an equestrian who won Olympic gold in 1972; Sister Catherine Holum, an Olympic speed skater at the age of 17; pilgrims pray inside the arena, and snack in the sunshine outside; one young man stands as thousands kneel in Adoration are”. He said: “Today there are many voices in the media and in advertising telling you what to wear, how to look, what size you should be, what clothes you should buy. And there is a risk that if we do not look like that, cannot afford to dress like that, somehow we are made to feel second-class. That can lead us to think very negatively about ourselves.”He continued: “So it is good for you to know what the Catholic Church thinks of you, what Christ thinks of you. Let me tell you what that is: you are God-given, precious, loved and loveable. You do not need to conform to someone else’s image of perfection; instead, look deeply within, pray, discover and recognise your gifts and talents, and then live them.

“A wonderful saint, Francis de Sales, said, ‘Be who you are. Be it well. And all for the Glory of God.’ Pope Benedict invites you - all of you to be ‘Saints of the Twenty First Century’, telling you that ‘your lives will bear abundant fruit for the growth of the civilisation of love.’

Edwin Fawcett, a young Catholic musician and composer who co-ordinated the music for the event, said that it manifested the power of the arts to evangelise.

He said: “The day at Flame was punctuated with music in a variety of styles and for a variety of purposes. Some of it accompanied dance performance, choreographed football skills, some was for congregational participation, for times of adoration and worship, to underscore spoken word or reflective prayer. It was a great pleasure for me as a Catholic composer and performer to be stretched in writing for these different applications. It also required me to dust off a few skills I had put on the shelf since graduating in composition in 2008.

“Pope John Paul II’s Letter to Artists has been an inspiration to me over the years. For me, Flame manifested a real example of this letter ’s description of the power of the arts to evangelise the recipient, the beholder, the listener.

“In my role as choir direc

He said: “There is always a danger that any event like this might fall into a sort-of Pelagian trap, simply encouraging young people to be themselves or to follow merely human aspirations – the truth is, not everyone will be a pop star or an Olympic athlete. It was particularly good, then, to hear 28-year-old Paralympian Stef Reid, Olympic rower Debbie Flood, and former Olympic speedskater turned nun Sister Catherine Holum CFM all pointing beyond their sporting achievements to the greater goal of knowing and loving Christ.

“The young people were clearly ready for this: spontaneously chanting the name of Jesus, and giving their loudest applause and cheers to those who spoke boldly of their faith and Catholic identity.

“It was impressive to see how the young people moved into a profound silence during the time of Adoration in the afternoon, and received the comments of Archbishop Nichols who stressed the need for conversion and redemption in Jesus Christ and the importance of becoming the person that God wants us to be.”

Brenden Thompson, a 21year-old seminarian in the Diocese of Brentwood, said: “The atmosphere reminded me of the joy experienced at World Youth Day, and as a seminarian experiences of such quality and diversity of input, prayer and witness, are invaluable in my ongoing formation.

“To all the organisers, religious orders, youth leaders, chaplains, catechists, bishops and most importantly young people who made this event so memorable and enjoyable,” Editorial Comment: Page 13

Bishop to face mob of protesters at pro-life vigil

Sixth ex-Anglican bishop is ordained a Catholic priest

BY MADELEINE TEAHAN

AUXILIARY BISHOP Alan Hopes of Westminster will join a prolife vigil this evening where a counter-protest by the proabortion lobby is expected.

The 40 Days for Life group is to hold the Lenten prayer vigil outside the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) clinic in London on Friday evening where they will be joined by Bishop Hopes.

But, following escalating tensions between the abortion lobby and participants in the prayer vigils, a counter-protest has been organised via Facebook which claims that over 500 people are attending. The Facebook states: “Come along, let’s have a bit of a party! BPCA (Bloomsbury Pro-Choice Alliance) will be providing glowsticks – if you’d like to help us make some noise (bands, guitars etc), please comment below. Obviously it would be a terrible shame if we were to disrupt 40DFL’s vigil, however I think that’s a risk we’ll have to take.”

It later continues: “Bear in mind that this is a residential area; let’s not cause any damage. Neighbours have been incredibly supportive of BPAS so far; we don’t want to do anything to jeopardise this. So BEHAVE. Within reason. Also please don’t punch anyone.”

Bishop Hopes explained last week why he is attending the prayer vigil. He said: “Together with Catholics, priests and laymen, and with other Christians, I will be offering my prayers for those women who are considering an abortion and I will also be praying that our society will come to respect the sanctity of the life of the unborn child.

“Many priests and lay people have already spent time in prayer outside the BPAS clinic and I am glad to be able to join them for what is a principled and peaceful statement of opposition to our society’s ‘culture of death’.”

Pro-abortion campaigners have accused 40 Days For Life of “haranguing and intimidating” women seeking abortions and there was one report of a member filming women going into abortion clinics.

Robert Colquhoun, a spokesman for 40 Days for Life, rejected the claims, arguing that members only ever filmed themselves for protection against threats or profanities. He said that the clinic was “prayerful, peaceful and within the law”.

He continued: “Since our campaign started in September 2010, we estimate that more than 30 women have chosen life for their unborn children as a result of our campaign through prayer and also through an offer of love, help and support during a difficult time.”

BY STAFF REPORTER

A FORMER Anglican bishop has been ordained a priest for the ordinariate.

Robert Mercer, who was received into the Catholic Church in January, was ordained by Auxiliary Bishop Alan Hopes of Westminster at St John’s Cathedral in Portsmouth.

Mr Mercer, 77, was Bishop of Matabeleland, Zimbabwe, in the Anglican Province of Central Africa. He was bishop for 11 years before leaving the Anglican Communion to join the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada, part of the worldwide Traditional Anglican Communion. He served as metropolitan bishop from 1988 to 2005, when he retired to England.

He is one of three former Anglican clergy to be ordained priests for the ordinariate. More than 200 former Anglicans are also expecting to be received into the Catholic Church in Holy Week next week.

Fr Mercer will serve the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth Ordinariate group, ministering especially to those worshipping at the historic Portsmouth church of St Agatha’s, Landport, who hope to be received into the full communion of the Catholic Church at Easter.

Mgr Keith Newton, Ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, said: “Fr Robert’s witness to the truth of the Catholic faith, and his commitment to the unity of all Christians, has led to this very happy day when we can welcome him as a brother priest in the Catholic Church. His ministry in Africa, in Canada and here in Portsmouth has been exemplary, and we look forward to his renewed ministry now – bringing many rich gifts from the Anglican tradition into the Catholic Church.”

Fr Jonathan Redvers Harris, who bears overall responsibility for the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth Ordinariate group, said: “As the ordinariate continues to grow in Portsmouth, it will be good to have Fr Robert’s expertise and great wealth of experience. I welcome him warmly as a colleague and a friend.”

Fr Mercer’s priestly ordination came days after he was ordained a deacon at Allen Hall seminary in west London.

Mgr Newton, speaking after the ordination, said: “It is a great joy to be here today to celebrate Robert’s ordination. We hope and pray that it will be an encouragement to members of the Traditional Anglican Communion – an assurance of the respect and warmth of welcome, which the ordinariate offers to them and to all Anglicans who are faithful to the vision of Christian unity.”

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