Dear Friends,

Christmas Message from The Passage

of wonderful food, we reflect on the past, we enjoy the present but most of all we hope for the future. At the end there is a present for each guest to take away. Please keep us in your thoughts when you gather for your Christmas lunch this year. Not just at Christmas The Passage sees over 200 people each day at our day centre. All of

I write to you as we near the great feast of Christmas. Itʼs easy to almost feel ʻChristmas fatigueʼ after the endless promotions and advertising we see around us in the run up to Christmas. It seems to get earlier and earlier each year, focusing on telling us what to buy, and what to eat; before we know it, we are being bombarded with New Year sales! The real message of Christmas, amidst all the marketing, somehow seems to get lost. For homeless clients at The Passage, so many of the things we take for granted at Christmas are of little consequence. Being homeless is, at any time, an awful situation to find oneself in, but at Christmas it seems even harder. For these clients, The Passage is a lifeline. In addition to the Christmas Day celebrations for clients who live in Passage House and Montfort House, we also hold a Christmas lunch for 250 of the people who use the day centre; it is a moving experience. There is something immensely special about cooking a meal for and sitting down with our homeless clients. It has become something of a tradition for me to spend the morning in the kitchen with the Chefs; a chance for them to boss me about! In many ways it is just like a family. We gather together around a table

Mick Clarke, Chief Executive of The Passage, helping colleagues in the kitchen prepare the Christmas lunch for 250.

them have different tales to tell, and all with differing and complex reasons that have led to them becoming homeless. In my time at The Passage I have come to realise just how frighteningly easy it is to become homeless. With the

recession really biting, it is becoming even easier. Now, more than ever, it is vital that The Passage is able to be there for the homeless not just at Christmas, but all year round. Our founding values demand that we treat everyone with respect and as an individual, and that we give them the opportunities to fulfil their potential, despite whatever issues have led to their homelessness. David is one such client. Our first contact with David was via our street team. David was unemployed and sleeping rough. He had a degree in development

studies; he had previously worked for a local authority as a regeneration officer but had been made redundant. David had worked throughout his adult life. The shock of losing his job and accommodation and becoming homeless had a profound effect on him - he had never before experienced any drug, alcohol or mental health problems. We were able to give him the basic care he needed and then help him face the future and make a fresh start. When he was ready, David joined our Mentoring Scheme where he had a weekly meeting with his ʻmentorʼ (a volunteer from Barclays staff) who encouraged and supported him. We helped him write his CV and he managed to complete a work placement we arranged; a big step for him. However, more was to come and soon after the work placement David attended his first work interview; unfortunately he was unsuccessful. Then, in order to improve his interview technique, we arranged for David to have mock interviews with a large company who work closely with The Passage. Ten months after first encountering David on the streets, he secured full time employment with a housing association and his own accommodation. Itʼs amazing what happens when you invest time and resources into addressing the needs of a homeless person like David. Like all of us, when someone invests in us, we tend to blossom. The donation that you invest in The Passage reaps dividends for people like David.

A lasting Christmas present Despite the very generous support we have continued to receive during the year, we are under some financial pressure due to the economic downturn. Understandably, for example, financial donations from businesses have fallen significantly. Please remember The Passage in your Christmas giving this year. Remember David, and the hundreds of other homeless clients we work with each day, and give a gift that will make a lasting difference. Your donation to The Passage this Christmas will literally transform the lives of so many homeless people. As well as donations we have been very fortunate to receive generous legacies from past donors who have remembered us in their Wills. If you are writing or amending your Will, please do consider supporting the work of The Passage.

Thank You On behalf of everyone at The Passage, I want to say thank everyone for supporting us over the last difficult year. May I wish you and your family a very happy and peaceful Christmas, and every blessing in the years to come.

Mick Clarke Chief Executive

Helping homeless people since 1980

HELP NOW By calling us on 0845 880 0689

Life goes on

Some people walk on. Others look away. At The Passage we just get on with doing all we can to help vulnerable and marginalised people who are homeless. To that end, our Day Centre opens its doors to over 250 people everyday, whilst our hostel, Passage House, has beds for 48 people and is open every night of the year. In addition, Montfort House provides 16 studio flats preparing people for independent living. Our aim is to support individuals back into a settled way of life, as well as meeting basic needs. If you’re interested in being a volunteer, would like to make a donation or would simply like more information, we’d love to hear from you. Give us a call on 020 7592 1850, email info@passage.org.uk or visit www.passage.org.uk

Reg. Charity No. 1079764 CONTENTS

NOVEMBER 2009 4

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4-6 Advent: a saint’s guide Translator Alan Bancroft says the poetry of St Thérèse of Lisieux can inspire us to keep the season of Advent with a simple, holy and childlike spirit

8-9 Meditation Pastor Iuventus suggests that we can avoid the commercial distractions of Advent by preparing for the coming of Jesus as hero, liberator and master

10-14 Living in charity The best way to keep Advent is to perform the seven corporal and spiritual works of mercy, says Fr Rupert McHardy of the London Oratory

15 Arts Westminster Cathedral has drawn on its short but marvellously rich history to produce a stunning new recording of Advent music, says critic Michael White

‘It is in the poor, the despised and the lowly that we should always see Christ our King’ FR RUPERT McHARDY

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16 Cookery Panettone is a new addition to British Christmas cuisine, says Fr Tim Gardner OP, and it gives a wonderful lift to classic recipes such as bread and butter pudding

17-18 End piece With tinsel appearing in late October it is becoming ever harder to celebrate Christmas according to the mind of the Church. Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith explains how we can rescue the tradition of the Twelve Days of Christmas

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Guide to Advent The calendar

November 29: First Sunday of Advent

November 30:

St Andrew December 1: Weekday of Advent

December 2: Weekday of Advent

December 3: St Francis Xavier

December 4: St John Damascene

December 5: Weekday of Advent

December 6: Second Sunday of Advent

December 7: St Ambrose December 8: The Immaculate Conception

December 9: St Juan Diego December 10: St John Roberts December 11:

St Damasus December 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe

December 13: Third Sunday of Advent

December 14: St John of the Cross

December 15: Weekday of Advent

December 16: Weekday of Advent

December 17: Weekday of Advent

December 18: Weekday of Advent

December 19: Weekday of Advent

December 20: Fourth Sunday of Advent

December 21: St Peter Canisius December 22: Weekday of Advent

December 23: St John of Kanty December 24: Weekday of Advent

November 2009 Advent THE CATHOLIC HERALD 3