Newsletter: April 2009
April's newsletter focuses on Pope Benedict's announcement that the Most Rev Vincent Nichols will be the 11th Archbishop of Westminster. We also speak to Bill Kilgallon, Chair of the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission, get the latest update from the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service, look at the newly launched Easter page on Yfaith.co.uk for 11-13s, preview the Caritas Social Action Network 2009 conference and prepare for Easter. All this and more below.
Mt Rev Vincent Nichols: Archbishop-elect of Westminster
His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has appointed the Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, who has been Archbishop of Birmingham since March 2000, as the next Archbishop of Westminster.
Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor as Archbishop of Westminster. The Cardinal will now become the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Westminster until Archbishop Nichols is installed at Westminster Cathedral, The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Precious Blood, on Thursday, 21 May 2009. Until then, Archbishop Nichols will remain in Birmingham.
Archbishop Nichols will succeed Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, who has been Archbishop of Westminster since March 2000, becoming the 11th Archbishop of Westminster since the Restoration of the Hierarchy in 1850, when the diocesan structure was re-established.
Visit our full section for biography, media releases, image galleries, videocasts and more...
Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN)
Annual Conference 2009
June 4-5, 2009 at Beaumont House in Berkshire
Catholic social action can help build a more equitable society - especially for the most marginalised.
Over two days, at the Caritas Social Action Network annual conference, delegates will have the time and space to consider how they and/or their organisations can contribute to tackling exclusion while balancing the tension between the teaching of the Church and the demands of an increasingly secular world in which they have to deliver services.
It will challenge delegates to consider where and who are the most marginalised in our midst today, whether the services provided by the Catholic voluntary sector meet this need and if there is room for the development of new, ‘prophetic’ services which better respond to the hidden excluded in the UK today.
Catholic services for older people
Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN) is commissioning a study to quantify, assess and understand the scope and nature of the Catholic community delivering services to older people.
The scope of the project will include formal residential care, residential care offered by religious orders to members of their own communities which does not require registration, and formal support services offered at parish and community level within dioceses.
Dementia and Spirituality Project
The rising incidence of dementia in our aging population is one of the biggest challenges to our health and social care system, as the recent campaign of the Alzheimer's Society has made us aware.
There is a developing awareness of the spiritual and pastoral needs of people with dementia and their carers. As we focus on person-centred approaches to the care and support of people with dementia and recognise their dignity and rights, we need to ensure that their spiritual needs as well as the practice of their faith are both acknowledged and met.
Safeguarding
National Catholic Safeguarding Commission
The National Catholic Safeguarding Commission (NCSC) is the independent body that sets the strategic direction of the Church's Safeguarding policies for children and vulnerable adults. It's also responsible for monitoring compliance with these policies.
In this audio feature, we speak to Bill Kilgallon OBE, the Chair of the Commission. Bill talks about the independent Commission, its new website and the difference between the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission and the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service.
CSAS: Vetting & Barring Scheme update
Further to last month's update, the Home Office made an announcement to the House of Commons on 19th March regarding the introduction of this new pre-employment registration scheme. As of October 2009, the new barred lists will be in place and the existing CRB Disclosure levels will become simplified to remove "Standard" level checks. The requirement for people working with children and vulnerable adults to be registered on the Scheme will not commence until July 2010.
This staggered introduction of the Vetting & Barring Scheme will be a huge benefit to all organisations working with vulnerable groups including the Catholic Church as it provides a greater period of time for necessary preparation to take place. The final Scheme Guidance is still due for release in April and the workshop events delivered by CSAS will be continuing in all 22 Dioceses in England & Wales as scheduled.
CSAS has supported Bishops and Congregation leaders in meeting one of the recommendations of the Cumberlege Commissions Report, "Safeguarding With Confidence". Recommendation 39 proposed that all Bishops and Congregation Leaders commit themselves to a full day's study and/or training concerning safeguarding within 12 months.
In March the first of two such days was held at Hinsley Hall. The event was opened by Bill Kilgallon, chair of the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission, who emphasised the importance of this work and the role of Bishops and Congregation Leaders in taking it forward. This was followed by a joint presentation from Adrian Child, Director of CSAS and Jim McManus, Director of Public Health on the secular imperatives around safeguarding and the theological basis for safeguarding within the context of the Catholic Church.
Participants then watched a very powerful performance from Geese Theatre Company, highlighting the impact abuse can have on a parish and individuals within that parish, where a member of the community gains the trust of the parish priest, parishioners, parents and a vulnerable young person and then betrays that trust. After lunch Donald Findlater of the Lucy Faithful Foundation delivered a presentation about the dilemmas raised by abusive images of children and what is sometimes described as “internet pornography”. This in the context of what motivates and enables people to abuse.
The final plenary session provided some valuable, and positive feedback which will help shape the second day scheduled for May.
Catholic Education Service
MP pays tribute to Catholic school leaders at conference
Visions for Leadership Conference
The Right Honourable Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners today paid tribute to the expertise and experience of Catholic school leaders, and noted that through collaboration and partnership these leaders can be a valuable resource for the whole community. The minister made his comments at Visions for Leadership - a national conference hosted by the Catholic Education Service for England and Wales and the Heythrop Institute for Religion, Ethics and Public Life. He joined over one hundred headteachers, principals of Catholic sixth form colleges, diocesan officers, school governors and other Catholic educational leaders at the Commonwealth Club to discuss the unique challenges faced by leadership in the Catholic sector.
The Most Rev Vincent Nichols, Archbishop-elect of Westminster and Chair of Catholic Education Service, stated that it is not possible to take a "narrow view" of leadership and called on school leaders to "foster an ecology of human growth", in keeping with the unique mission of Catholic education.
In the full press release, you can download pdfs of speeches by Archbishop Nichols and Oona Stannard, CES Chief Executive and Director.
Liturgy
Liturgical Calendar - Easter Triduum
Directory on Popular Piety - Triduum
Preparing and Celebrating the Paschal Feasts
Cycle of Prayer
New Members of the Church
The Easter Vigil is the usual time to celebrate the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) with Adults. The Easter Season is therefore the time for post-baptismal catechesis or 'mystagogy' with the newly baptised or 'neophytes'.
Vocations
Especially on World Day of Prayer for Vocations — 4th Sunday of Easter (3 May)
Human Work
Especially on St Joseph the Worker — 1 May
Right Use of the Media
Especially on World Communications day — The Ascension of the Lord (24 May)
The Church
Especially on Pentecost
G20 Leaders Summit London
On 2 April 2009, world leaders from the G20 countries met in London. The G20 countries are responsible for 85% of the world’s output and a key aim for the leaders was to stabilise our global financial systems.
The leaders agreed a global plan for recovery and reform pledging an additional $1.1 trillion in a programme of support to restore credit, growth and jobs in the world economy.
Pope Benedict XVI wrote to Prime Minister Gordon Brown calling for a "renewed faith in the human person" to shape the solution to this crisis. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor welcomed the "shared commitment" of the Holy Father and Prime Minister Gordon Brown to tackling poverty.
For more - including the full text of the Pope's letter and the Prime Minister's response, a statement from UK religious leaders and the official G20 communique - click here.
April/May Events
Holy Week and Easter 2009
Click to visit our Holy Week and Triduum section.
Good Friday: Stations of the Cross
Multimedia meditations
Join us on Good Friday as we pray and reflect on the profound sacrifice Christ made for our salvation. In our Holy Week and Triduum section you'll find interactive meditations on the Stations of the Cross. The images are from the Stations installed in Liverpool's Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. Fr John McLoughlin and Mrs Veronica Murphy provide the accompanying audio reflections.
World Day of Prayer for Vocations 2009
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 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.
Catholic Agency to Support Evangelisation (CASE)
Read CASE's accounts of some extraordinary Easter journeys to Catholicism.
Yfaith encourages ‘tweenagers’ to engage interactively with the Easter story
www.yfaith.co.uk has launched its Easter page. The site is designed to give 11-13 year olds an interactive, relevant and safe environment where they can engage with, explore and express their faith. It's full of the faith and hope of young people, ready to inspire others. Interviews with young people giving their take on Easter are a highlight of the new page.
There are also numerous downloadable resources for parents, teachers and chaplains, from Bible detective quizzes, to discussion starters and commentaries on the Sunday readings.
Click for the Easter home page of Yfaith.
Click for the downloadable resources.
For more information email Emily Davis.
Click for media release.