Issue 27 - The Pilgrim - May 2014 - The newspaper of the Archdiocese of Southwark

Issue 27 May 2014
How to
transform
a school
Pages 6&7
The power of
prayer
Page 9
Making Jesus
a best-seller
Page 10
Profound impact: Above, Good Pope
John, as St Pope John XXIII is known,
is remembered for convening the
Second Vatican Council
Millions look on: Left, while
thousands packed St Peter’s Square
for the canonisation ceremony,
millions more followed proceedings
through TV, radio and the internet
Two popes made saints
Rome celebrates unique event in front
of worldwide audience of millions
by Mark Nash
On Divine Mercy Sunday, 27 April, a unique,
double canonisation took place in St Peter’s
Square with millions of people taking part in
celebrations around the globe. Saint Pope
John Paul II (1920-2005) and Saint Pope John
XXIII (1881-1963) were canonised by their
successor Pope Francis.
To mark this occasion, the Centre for
Catholic Formation in Tooting Bec has
produced a fact-file on each saintly pope (in
the form of an A3 poster and an A4 doublesided
hand-out) which can be downloaded
from its website: www.ccftootingbec.org.uk.
John Paul II, who was famous for his ‘saint
factory’, sought to emphasise the universal
call to holiness. He added over 480 names to
the canon of the saints – more than the
previous 17 popes put together – but even
he did not canonised two popes on the same
day.
St Pope John Paul II has also left the
Church and the world a tremendous legacy
of teaching documents, letters and
encyclicals including the remarkable 129
talks on what is known as the Theology of
the Body – teaching on human sexuality and
dignity.
John XXIII, fondly known as ‘Good Pope
John’, has a particular role in the history of
the Church as the pontiff who convened the
Second Vatican Council.
This Council, often referred to as Vatican
II, has had a profound impact on all aspects
of the Church’s life, from liturgy and prayer
to a deeper self-understanding of the
Church’s relationship with and position in
the world.
Their teachings, lives and examples
deserve our attention and study.
St Pope John XXIII – pray for us, St Pope
John Paul II – pray for us.
n Mark Nash is the diocesan catechetical
adviser for the Kent area.
Mission: Right,
St Pope John Paul II
on his visit to
Britain in 1982.
Known widely for
his determination
to emphasise the
universal call to
holiness, he made
over 480 members
of the faithful
saints during his
pontificate

News The Pilgrim April 2014
Scenes from the Chrism Mass
at St George's Cathedral
Easter joy: This
year’s Chrism
Mass took place
on a glorious
day, and it was
smiles all round
as Archbishop
Peter came out
of St George’s
Cathedral (main
picture), as
priests greeted
well-wishers
(left) and for the
young altar
servers (below)
The Archdiocese of Southwark
Archbishop Peter Smith
020 7928-2495
archbishop@rcsouthwark.co.uk
www.rcsouthwark.co.uk
Area bishops
Episcopal vicar for Kent
Father Paul Mason
01732 845486
frpaulmason@hotmail.co.uk
South-West London
Bishop Paul Hendricks
020 8643 8007
bishop.hendricks@gmail.com
South-East London
Bishop Patrick Lynch
020 8297 9219
bishoplynch7@btinternet.com
The Pilgrim,
Archbishop’s House
150 St George’s Road
London SE1 6HX
Editor: Greg Watts
pilgrim@rcsouthwark.co.uk
Advertising: Carol Malpass
0161 214 1244
carol.malpass@thecatholicuniverse.com
Distribution: Andrea Black
0161 214 1216
andrea.black@totalcatholic.net
Print management, design and
distribution by The Universe Media
Group Ltd
How C.S. Lewis imagined
life after death
by Bishop Paul Hendricks
I sometimes wonder whether we pay enough
attention to the Easter season. Perhaps
we’re more conscious of Lent because we
find it a bit of a struggle.
Yet Eastertide is important and gives a
certain balance to our perspective. In Lent
we are conscious of what is lacking in our
lives; in Eastertide we celebrate what God
has already achieved in us.
During Lent our thoughts are focused on
our struggle against sin and temptation here
in this life; in Eastertide we look to a future
that goes beyond the limitations of our life
here on Earth.
Unfortunately, our imagination fails us
when we contemplate our future with God.
Images of Hell are plentiful in art and
literature. Heaven is more difficult — and
the old image of angels floating on clouds
and strumming harps isn’t terribly
convincing!
One of my favourite books by C. S. Lewis is
called The Great Divorce and it takes a
sort-of sideways look at Heaven. The story
begins in a dreary urban landscape, in the
twilight of a rainy autumn evening. Everyone
seems bad-tempered, as some people wait
impatiently for a bus.
They complain about the town and about
each other, but they seem the sort of people
who would complain wherever they were.
From what people tell him, Lewis realises
that all the others on the bus have died and
this is some sort of dismal afterlife – but
then that world is left behind as the bus
takes to the air.
Eventually they arrive in a totally different
CS Lewis: A different concept of heaven
place, where everything somehow seems
more alive, vibrant and real — including the
people who come to meet them. In
comparison, the people from the bus look
like ghosts.
The ‘solid people’ turn out to be friends or
relatives of the ‘ghosts’, and have come to
try and persuade them to stay. In fact, they
are quite free to remain, but the question is
whether they will choose to do so.
Lewis gathers that this place is the way
through to Heaven, but in order to enter,
each person needs to let go of some
character defect or obsessive desire which is
a barrier to true unselfish love.
For those who stay, the other place will
have effectively been Purgatory. For those
who go back and never return, it will be Hell
— a place where their main punishment will
be their own selfishness and hatefulness.
We are shown a wide range of
conversations. One speaker was a woman
whose whole life had revolved around
making a “success” of her husband — a
process in which all that he really enjoyed
was ruthlessly cut out and his life made a
misery.
Another was a theologian, unable to
accept that people are not interested in his
theories, now that they have access to “the
real thing”. Another was a man who had
become so used to manipulating people,
acting a part rather than revealing his true
self, that it seemed he couldn’t stop doing
it.
They chose to go back to Hell, because
they would not let go of their pride, their
false self-image, their jealousy. But there
were others who were persuaded. For them
it turned out that all that they had truly and
unselfishly loved, was not lost but was
transformed and perfected in Heaven.
Lewis emphasises the power of our choice,
even to turn away from God. But he also
gives us a glimpse of the joy and the glory
that can be ours, if we are willing to let go
of those things that diminish our love.
Page 2

The Pilgrim April 2014
News
Wimbledon priest to
be made a bishop
Mgr Nicholas Hudson has been
appointed as a new auxiliary Bishop
of Westminster
Mgr Nicholas is currently parish
priest of the Sacred Heart in
Wimbledon, having taken up the
appointment in January after serving
as rector of the Venerable English
College in Rome.
“Coming from the south side of
the Thames, I have always felt at
home in both Westminster and
Southwark,” he said.
“It is exciting to be a Catholic in
this second year of the pontificate
of Pope Francis. I pray that I might
emulate the Holy Father’s radical
simplicity and outreach to those on
the margins of society and of the
Church.
“Of all the many gifts received as
a priest of Southwark, the most
precious has been the privilege of
knowing people with severe
disabilities, who call us to make a
place always for the poor at the
heart of the Church.”
His episcopal ordination will take
place in Westminster Cathedral at 11
am on Wednesday June 4.
Monsignor Nicholas Hudson and Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster
Council gives green light to London
Bridge church development plans
Plans for the redevelopment of
buildings alongside Our Lady of
La Salette and St Joseph Church
near London Bridge Station have
been approved by Southwark
Council.
The planning application was
submitted jointly by Crest
Nicholson, Addition Land and the
Archdiocese of Southwark.
The new development will
include a refurbished church hall
in Melior Street, new premises
for the Manna Centre and 28
private homes.
Part of the former St Joseph’s
School will be demolished to
make way for the new buildings.
Spirituality course
St John’s Seminary at
Wonersh, near Guildford, is
running a 10-day course in
spiritual direction from June
2 – 13.
For more details or to
make a booking please
contact the ongoing
formation office on 020 8672
9391.
Archbishop Peter
blesses Surbiton
school’s chapel
Archbishop Peter has blessed the new
chapel at St Joseph’s Primary School
in Surbiton.
During a special assembly he
explained to the children the reasons
for special places for prayer and
encouraged them to use their new
chapel. Afterwards he spent time
visiting the pupils in their classrooms.
Mark Cross reunion
Over a hundred people attended a
reunion of past students and staff of
the former junior seminary, St Joseph’s
College, Mark Cross.
Following the event at Amigo Hall,
former students Bishop Howard Tripp
and Bishop Francis Walmsley led the
celebration of Mass in St George’s
Cathedral.
St Joseph’s College opened as a
junior seminary in 1924 and closed in
1970.
Parish golden celebration
The parish of The Annunciation and
St Augustine, Beckenham Hill and
Bellingham has begun a special year
of celebrations to mark the golden
jubilee of the dedication of the
church.
Bishop Pat joined parishioners and
Fr Mark Odion for the inaugural Mass,
together with other priests and
deacons from the diocese.
The parish also held a stewardship
conference to highlight how God’s
gifts should be used.
Aylesford festival fun
Two youth festivals will be held at
Aylesford Priory in June.
Southwark Catholic Youth Service’s
annual youth festival is on Saturday,
June 21st, from 10 am – 8 pm, while
on 27th – 29th the Brightlights festival
takes place. Details from Southwark
Catholic Youth Service on 01227 272900
or visit www.brightlights.org.uk.
Bishop becomes parish priest
Bishop John has become the new parish priest of St Andrew’s,
Tenterden. Following his 75th birthday last summer, he stepped down
from his responsibilities for the Kent area of the diocese. However,
when Mgr Ted Hill was forced to retire on health grounds, Bishop John
offered to take over from him.
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Page 3

News The Pilgrim April 2014
New degree
in pastoral
ministry at
St Mary’s
St Mary’s University in
Twickenham is relaunching
its foundation degree in
pastoral ministry. This twoyear
part-time course is
especially suitable for lay
people who have a pastoral
role in parishes and
chaplaincies.
Anyone interested should
contact programme
director Fr Ashley Beck,
who can be reached via
atashley.beck@smuc.ac.uk,
or the Centre for Catholic
Formation.
Award for Purley student
Aiden McNulty, a Year 13 student at
The John Fisher School in Purley, has
received the inaugural Young Person
of the Year Award for London.
Aidan, a parishioner of St Elphege,
Wallington, suffered from stress and
anxiety while preparing for his
GCSEs. Wanting to help others in the
same situation he set up a peermentoring
charity to support young
people suffering from bullying,
esteem and mental health issues.
Through the charity he has helped
train scores of pupils at John Fisher
and at other local schools to act as
mentors to their fellow students.
This has been done with the support
of mental health charity MindFull.
Aidan was presented with his
award by David Lammy MP at
Hatfields Conference Centre in front
of an audience that included the
High Sheriff of London, the mayors
from most London Boroughs, and the
Secretary of State for International
Development, Justine Greening MP.
Sponsored spell
Students at a Saturday Polish school
based at Ursuline High School in
Wimbledon held a sponsored spell
and raised over £1,700 for Cafod’s
Typhoon Hayan appeal.
St Augustine’s Church in Ramsgate is holding a
week of celebrations this month.
The church was made a shrine in 2012 because
of its links to St Augustine, who arrived in Kent in
597 to bring the gospel to England. Leading
church architect A.W.Pugin, who designed it, is
buried in its grounds.
The events take place from May 25 – 31 and
include a youth event at Minster Abbey, a Pugin
ramble and a concert. In addition, Fr Marcus
Holden will be giving a lecture and tour of the
Question Time
with Boris
London Mayor Boris Johnson visited
Richard Challoner School in New Malden
to take part in a people’s question time.
Students’ families, staff and local
residents questioned him and 14
members of the London Assembly on
local issues, including transport and
employment, housing, and policing.
Headteacher Tom Cahill, said, “It was
an incredibly interesting evening and
raised a lot of discussion around the
school.
“Our senior Prefects were also able to
steward the event and support the
management of the evening, which they
did with great courtesy and efficiency.
We felt very proud to host this key
event.”
Lond Mayor Boris Johnson is pictured
left with headteacher Tom Cahill hghg
hghghghg hghgh ghgh ghghg ghg (names
needed?)
Celebrations for
Ramsgate shrine
church’s stained glass and Dr Jamie Jacobs of the
University of Kent will talk about Pugin’s
relationship to industrial production.
There will also be a procession from the Hugin
Viking Ship to St Augustine’s Cross followed by
either a car ride or walk to Minster Abbey.
Also in May, the shrine will be launching a new
prayer book containing images of objects and
places associated with St Augustine.
St Augustine’s is now open every day for
visiting, from 10 am-4 pm.
Bishops celebrate Easter Sunday with prisoners
On Easter Sunday three Southwark bishops
offered Mass to prisoners in four of the south
of England’s largest prisons. Bishop Patrick
visited HMP Belmarsh, Bishop Paul celebrated
Mass in HMP Wandsworth while Fr Paul
Mason, Episcopal Vicar for Kent, visited two
of the prisons on the Isle of Sheppey to lead
a service with inmates.
Page 4

The Pilgrim April 2014
Features
Hard questions about
the Old Testament
Fr David Gibbons, director of
the diocesan Centre for
Catholic Formation,
completes his series of
articles on the Old Testament
Some difficult questions remain.
What about the portrayal of a
violent, vengeful and frankly
unappealing God? How can we
reconcile the Genesis account of
creation with Darwinism? What is
the relevance to us today of
certain passages, such as the
cultic requirements in Leviticus,
which we no longer observe?
One answer is that we can’t
pick and choose which bits to
retain and which bits to throw
overboard; no two people would
select the same bits. And in any
case, human nature being what it
is, we would be tempted to keep
the easy, consoling parts and get
rid of the challenging, difficult
parts. The Hebrew scriptures
have come down to us, wholesale,
as part of our scriptures.
Second, we are dealing with a
mystery, the mystery which is
God and his covenant relationship
with his people. Although we can
appreciate some aspects of this,
we should not expect that
interpreting the scriptures will
always be easy. Indeed, it should
sometimes be hard, requiring
struggling with the text by
theologians over many years. We
are not perfect yet, so we will
not fully comprehend God yet.
“How odd of God to choose the
Jews.” This famous saying should
alert us to the fact that, third,
we need to understand the
Jewish context in which the Old
Testament books were written,
and to recognise the different
literary forms or genres in which
they were written.
We have to do this even for
much more recent texts (such as
Magna Carta or Chaucer’s The
Canterbury Tales). If we are to
understand the Old Testament
writers properly, we can’t short
circuit this.
This mistake is made by people
such as Professor Dawkins, who
claim that Genesis, being written
so long ago, conflicts with our
modern scientific knowledge.
The creation account is a story
asserting that God created the
universe.
It is not a scientific physics
treatise about the origins of the
universe. (Incidentally, it is
remarkable how Genesis, with its
symbolic, picture language, is
consistent with the modern
scientific account of the Big
Bang.) Just because something
Richard Dawkins: unpleasant Old
Testament God
was written millennia ago does
not mean that it cannot be a
revelation about God, that it
cannot be true.
In The God Delusion Dawkins
also writes “The God of the Old
Testament is arguably the most
unpleasant character in all
fiction”. (He does, at least,
concede that Jesus is a huge
improvement!)
But a careful, close reading
shows that although God is
indeed wrathful when his people
disobey him, and follow idolatry
and wickedness, ultimately he is
a God of love. His love for his
people does not waver, however
bad their transgressions.
We have to interpret the Old
Testament carefully and
holistically; then we will not
misunderstand it by extracting
only short sections out of
context.
Fourth, we are members of the
New Covenant (of Jesus Christ).
This means that some of the
prescriptions of the Old
Covenant – such as not eating
shellfish or pork – have been
superseded. They applied to the
Jews then, but not to us today.
Many of the old prescriptions
do still apply, especially those
which are part of basic divine law
or where Jesus has restated
them. Thus the Ten
Commandments – which forbid
murder, adultery and so on – do
still form our basic moral code as
Christians. See Galatians 3:17.
Stuart Blanch, a former
Anglican Archbishop of York,
wrote that the Old Testament is
“a jungle of chaotic ideas,
unfinished themes and tangled
history”. Indeed it is. But he goes
on to say “it is a book which is
meant to throw some light on our
path, to put a spring in our step
and a song in our hearts … It
expresses the mind of God … it is
a book for all mankind … an
ancient source of experience and
wisdom”. And so it is.
Page 5

Behind the scenes The Pilgrim April 2014
We’re top of the class!
The south London college that’s been transformed
through the hard work of its teachers and students
St Thomas the Apostle
College in Nunhead has
undergone a transformation.
It was once a struggling
school but is now one of the
top performing boys’ schools
in south London and the
fourth most improved
secondary school in the
whole of the UK.
Serge Cefai, executive head
teacher, explains how this
has happened.
In the last few years the school has
undergone enormous upheaval in
both staff and facilities. Our school
had traditionally bucked national
trends and was always the most
popular and successful boys school
in the borough.
Through the Building Schools for
the Future programme, the
opportunity for a complete rebuild
presented itself and in 2010
building works began. Demolition
and rebuild took place on site and,
with the retirement of many key
staff, this unfortunately led to a
reduction in the outcomes
previously expected.
This led, in March 2012, to a
coming together of both sets of
governors from St Thomas the
Apostle, Sacred Heart School in
Camberwell – the borough’s top
performing school – the diocese,
represented by Michael Cullinane,
and the local authority.
A soft federation was entered
into and I, as head of Sacred Heart
School, was installed as executive
head. In September 2012 the key
appointment of Eamon Connolly
was made and we both set to work
to restore former glories and
maximise the outcomes for the
boys.
A new senior management team
was formed and along with a whole
raft of new initiatives and extra
emphasis on raising overall
standards in teaching and learning,
the journey to success was
undertaken.
In November of 2012 the new
building was completed and in
January Archbishop Peter came to
celebrate our Mass of thanksgiving
for the official opening of our new
school.
In May 2013, Ofsted paid a visit.
Due to the previous sets of results,
its team had come fully expecting
to put the school into special
measures.
Instead, we received an
encouraging report in which
inspectors congratulated the
leadership team, commended the
behaviour of the pupils and
announced that it felt it had arrived
just a few months early and that an
improvement in outcomes was sure
to come.
The inspectors’ words proved
prophetic and perhaps
underestimated the success. The
2013 GCSE results saw 73 per cent
receiving at least 5 A*-C including
English and maths; they were the
best ever achieved by the school
and a staggering 31 per cent rise on
the previous year’s outcome. Local
press celebrated with the headline
Great teaching
It really is very simple; great
learning is the result of
great teaching. What they
will be less able to tell you
but what we at the school
know is that great teachers
aren’t born but are highly
talented people who refine
and improve their art over
years of practice.
Knowing that it is the
teachers who will make the
biggest difference to our
student’s lives and outcomes
has led the school to invest
heavily in the continuing
professional development of
our staff.
Sunil Collett,
deputy head teacher
‘One of the most improved schools
in the country’.
December 2013 heralded a
Section 48 inspection and, once
again, encouraging comments
followed: “The leadership of the
Catholic Life of the school is
outstanding”, said one; “Never seen
a school where relationships
between staff and students were
more positive”; underpinned by
good teaching, learning and strong
pastoral care,” was another.
In January 2014, the school
received attention from the
national press when Channel 5 News
visited us to look at the
improvement we’d made and
questioned staff and students on
their success.
St Thomas the Apostle College is
an excellent example of what can
be achieved quickly with schools
perceived to be in difficulties.
Support from a strong sister school,
the local authority and the diocese
has been responsible for this
remarkable turnaround in fortunes.
Challenges lie ahead but this
year’s results are on track to
emulate last years. The senior team
and new teachers continue to settle
and develop, the pupils are gaining
confidence and will, I am sure, take
the school to even greater success
in the future.
Our reward is the boys’ own successes
Eamon Connolly,
St Thomas the Apostle College
Head of School
I feel very privileged to be head of school
at St Thomas the Apostle College. Since
taking up post in September 2012, I have
found this time to be one of the most
rewarding times in my career.
Our success is due to the hard work
and dedication of the staff, our boys and
the fantastic support we receive from
parents. Our boys are our greatest asset
and with our renewed sense of purpose
and raising the bar for all, they continue
to surpass all our expectations.
Despite our impressive recent
achievements (74% A*-C including English
and maths) we are not resting on our
laurels.
We are passionately committed to
continually driving the school forward so
that we can best meet the varied,
individual needs of our students.
At St Thomas the Apostle College, we
insist on the highest standards of
behaviour, uniform, attitude to learning,
and respect for one another and the
environment. By providing a traditional,
yet broad and balanced curriculum for all
our students, we are able to recognise
and develop individual talents and
interests.
The Gospel values exist in every part
“We never
lose sight of
the fact that
we are a
community
of faith...”
of the school’s life. As a Catholic
community, our mission is to serve Christ
and one another, by creating a caring
learning environment, where prayer,
education and achievement are
celebrated and valued.
Our boys leave here as well-balanced
young men, fully equipped to deal with
the challenges of life, achieving the
highest academic qualifications,
underpinned by strong moral and
spiritual values.
Building on our growing reputation for
excellence and our strong links with the
sixth form at Sacred Heart School in
Camberwell, St Thomas the Apostle
College is excited to be opening a new
sixth form in September 2014.
Our students will benefit from the
close links built up by Sacred Heart with
the best universities in the country, with
a high proportion of students attending
Russell Group universities and some of
their students recently being offered
places at Oxford and Cambridge.
We have never lost sight of the fact
that we are a community of faith. We
emphasise that it is “our school” and so
we pray together and share a vision in
which all of us achieve our “own level of
excellence”.
Our ultimate goal is to produce well
qualified young men who are a credit to
their faith, family and society.
Page 6

The Pilgrim April 2014
Behind the scenes
Broadening
horizons
In July last year 110
professionals and business
leaders attended the school’s
first ‘Aspirations Evening’.
Pairs of students from years
10 and 11 interviewed them
for five minutes.
The event formed part of a
work experience week, which
included visits to RBS, The
Palace of Westminster,
Bloomberg and Christ the King
Sixth Form College.
Colm Russel, operations
manager with Kadence
International, one of the
company‘s that was involved
in the evening, commented:
“The St Thomas students left
me a little shell-shocked with
their enthusiasm and drive.
“The evening was a real eyeopener,
and the other
professionals I spoke to were
also of similar opinion.”
“
The teachers here are of a different
calibre; apart from having qualifications
and prestigious titles they’re like family. They
don’t just stand in front of a classroom and
force you to regurgitate what you’ve learnt
back to them. It’s safe to say that every
”
pupil confides in them.
Denzel Eggerue (Year 9)
Page 7

Features The Pilgrim April 2014
An inspector calls...
Headteachers will often say how much they dread the call that
announces an imminent Ofsted inspection. But with Catholic
schools receiving a second, religion-based visit, do their
headteachers have twice as much to worry about – or are
inspections from the diocesan education committee on the
religious education provided in Catholic schools a help rather
than a hindrance?
by Michael Cullinane
Between 12 noon and 2 pm every Monday
to Wednesday in term time, many head
teachers up and down the country keep
an expectant eye on the phone. For this is
the period during which the dreaded call
will come, saying “Good afternoon, I am
the Ofsted inspector and I will begin
inspecting your school tomorrow.”
The reason for the short notice is so that
schools do not have time to prepare for
the visit, and the Ofsted team sees the
school as it is.
It is a great testimony to the Catholic
schools in our diocese that around 90 per
cent are judged to be ‘outstanding’ or
‘good’. This compares to about 80 per
cent of schools nationally.
Catholic schools get another phone call,
however, this time from the diocesan
Education Commission, to say that they
will receive a ‘Section 48 inspection’.
Section 48 of the Education Act 2005
requires schools with a religious character
to have religious education and the
content of collective worship inspected
separately by specially trained inspectors.
The archbishop has a right to inspect
Catholic schools in his diocese and this is
carried out on his behalf at the same time
as the Section 48 inspection.
Inspectors comment on and grade
three main areas: the Catholic life of the
school, religious education, and the
content of collective worship.
These reports show that invariably our
schools are vibrant Christian communities
where the spiritual and religious
development of the individual is at the
very heart of everything that is done.
Children and young people make a
tremendous contribution to the Catholic
life of the school and many develop good
Christian leadership qualities through
such initiatives as class representatives,
prefects, prayer leaders, peer mentors
and some older students being
commissioned as ministers of Holy
Communion.
It is breathtaking to see the
contributions student make to worthy
causes at home and abroad, with some
schools adopting a Catholic school in a
developing country. Not only does this
show their commitment to the common
good but it provides opportunities to put
their faith into a practical context.
It is clear that religious education is
given a very high profile in our schools
and is taken very seriously. The Catholic
bishops require that 10 per cent of taught
curriculum time is given to religious
education for ages 5-16, and this is
achieved in the vast majority of schools.
The inspection reports show that the
quality of teaching in the subject is
outstanding or very good in almost all
schools and pupils achieve very high
levels of progress.
The classroom syllabus is enriched by
many other experiences including days of
recollection, residential retreats, school
missions and trips abroad, including
pilgrimages to Rome, Lourdes and the
Holy Land.
Pupils of all ages take an active part in
prayer and worship and it is common
practice in most schools for them to
participate in planning and leading acts of
worship.
It is evident that prayer is a thread that
runs throughout the school and is integral
to all that is done. A number of schools
have prayer rooms or chapels, some of
which were designed by the pupils and
these are used regularly.
The Section 48 inspection is an
opportunity to celebrate all who work to
support the children and young people in
their individual faith journeys. This
includes parish priests, local clergy and
religious, who work in partnership and
provide a tremendous strength to the
school. It also includes governors, who
give freely of their time, the volunteers
who work with individuals or small groups
where special help is needed, and
parents, who support our schools in a
multitude of ways.
It may be another phone call but the
Section 48 inspection, which take place
every three to five years, is as rigorous as
the Ofsted one, demonstrating the
importance the Church places on Catholic
schools and ensuring that they stand up to
scrutiny.
n Michael Cullinane is deputy director of
the diocesan Education Commission and
section 48 inspections co-ordinator.
Lost without my mobile phone
Nana Anto-Awuakye
Over Easter I found myself thinking
back to when I was a child and being,
for once, able to eat real chocolate. You
see, my mum and dad’s idea of a treat
was a rich tea biscuit or a ginger nut.
Ghanaians in and around Crofton
Park, would visit each other’s homes
and with their visits came chocolate
eggs wrapped in yellow cellophane. If
my siblings and I were lucky we might
find that the chocolate egg was encased
in a china mug.
Our Easter eggs were lined up inside
the old radiogram and weren’t to be
touched until after lunch on Easter
Sunday, when they would be shared out
between the four of us, with one or two
kept aside.
The tradition was respected and we
didn’t dare try to own our eggs even if
they were given directly to us.
Today in my house it’s a slightly
different affair. When friends dropped
by with Easter eggs for my nine-yearold
son, he jumped for joy, rushed up
stairs, scrambled up onto the chair in
his room and proudly placed them on
top of his chest of draws.
I dashed up the stairs behind him,
trying to explain in a very positive way
why eating all that chocolate is not
going to be good for him: tummy ache,
spots, rotting teeth, but no amount of
threats on the unhealthy bodily
consequences of eating them leads to
him taking them down and letting me
take control.
So I had to distract him, and I
convinced him to come out into the
sunshine and help me find a secret park
with a pond.
We headed for a green chain walk in
Lee, hoping to find the park with the
pond. But when we finally got there we
were confronted by a gate bound with a
metal chain and a padlock. Sadly, the
obligatory shopping trolley and other
household goods had been dumped in
the pond.
We were disappointed, but hoped
that the residents might at least come
together as a community and start to
clean it up.
On the way back home, we saw a red
phone box, and I got my son to go in
and lean out of the door so that I could
take a photo. He loved it, but couldn’t
quite understand why people would
need to go into a smelly red phone box
to make a phone call.
And that’s when I really started to
feel old. I grew up when mobile phones
didn’t exist. I was an adult when I got
my first mobile phone, not like the
young people today who all seem to
have one from about the age of 11. He
thought it was hilarious that I called my
friends from a phone box.
Soon after this, I left my Blackberry at
a friend’s house in Islington, and she
arranged for one of her friends to meet
me at Blackheath station to return it to
me. But for the next 48 hours I felt like
I had lost contact with my world. It felt
strange; I kept wondering what was
missing in my handbag. I kept worrying
about who might be trying to call me. It
took a little time to enjoy the freedom
of not being a part of the 24-hour
Twitter and Facebook culture.
My son loved the fact that I didn’t
have my phone.He said that I was less
distracted, which was good for him
because he had more of my attention.
And the good news for me, in the
end, was that this provided me with the
perfect opportunity to give him my
undivided attention and talk to him
about keeping his collection of Easter
eggs to himself. He eventually agreed to
my plan.
Page 8

The Pilgrim April 2014
Features
Let’s celebrate the
Catholic politician
who believed
Europe had a soul
Fr Ashley Beck, assistant priest at St Edmund of
Canterbury, Beckenham, Beckenham, and
lecturer in pastoral ministry at St Mary’s
University, Twickenham, continues his series
looking at Catholic saints and major thinkers.
Answers through
power of prayer
John Pridmore
In February I had a trip planned to Texas
to speak at a men’s conference. A month
before, I found out there was a mix up
with the event. The only problem was I
had already booked my flights.
At first I was simply not going to
bother with the trip but as I prayed
about it I really felt that God was asking
me to go anyway, even though there
were no speaking engagements planned.
So I decided to contact two good
friends of mine who have connections in
Texas to ask them if they knew anyone
who would like me to speak while I was
over there.
I began to pray, asking God to open any
doors he wanted me to walk through.
Amazingly there ended up being a talk
almost every single day.
I spoke at a life-teen event to about
350 teenagers and it was a very blessed
evening. One girl emailed to say that she
had been going through a very painful
time after her parents had split up and
she was beginning to lose her faith.
She had been invited to come to the
life- teen event but she really didn’t
want to go. Yet somehow she ended up
going (someone must have been praying
for her) and she received a deep inner
healing as she listened to my story. Jesus
showed her that she was precious in his
eyes and he was so close to her in her
suffering.
There were many similar emails from
young people who were going through
dark times and trying to make sense
“
of where God was in their lives.
I ended up travelling down to Tampa in
Florida to speak at a conference of
around 800 men. These events are so
anointed and I had some great chats with
some of the guys and you could see that
God was moving in a powerful way.
Men’s conferences are very popular in
the US and often attract huge numbers.
It’s good for men to be able to come
together to pray and talk openly and
honestly about their faith and struggles. I
would love to see more of these events
in Britain.
Soon after returning from the US, I
went to visit my good friend Fr Frankie
Mulgrew in Lancashire. Before becoming
a priest he had been a stand-up comic.
His father is Jimmy Cricket.
He arranged for me to speak to
students in the local secondary schools
over the course of two days and at all
the weekend Masses in his parish.
The thing that impressed me was that
Fr Frankie would rise at 6 am each day
and pray for two hours before the
Blessed Sacrament. And he would pray
that my talks might touch the hearts of
those who came to listen to me.
Because of this you could see how God
was touching many hearts and I felt
there was a tremendous openness in all
the people I spoke to.
This just reminded me that prayer is
the secret and that through intercession
and perseverance God really can work
miracles, first of all in our own hearts
and then in the hearts of all those we
meet.
“
I began to pray, asking God to open any doors he
wanted me to walk through... amazingly there ended
up being a talk almost every single day.
Some of the Catholic heroes I am writing about this
year are well known, particularly those who are
saints. But perhaps the least known, at any rate in
this country, is the French statesman Robert
Schuman, who was (at different times) Prime
Minister, Finance Minister and Foreign Minister of
France after the Second World War.
He was born in 1886 in Lorraine, that part of
France annexed by Germany in 1871 after the
Franco-Prussian war. He had trained as lawyer in
the second Reich and was also conscripted into the army, not becoming a French
citizen until Alsace and Lorraine were returned to France in 1918.
In the years after the war he became very prominent in the new French local
administration in Alsace-Lorraine. He was a very devout Catholic: he felt called
to a life of celibacy and some others found his piety rather intimidating.
In the 1920s he was involved in Catholic youth organiSations and in efforts to
build reconciliation between France and Germany. In the next few years his
political life gravitated towards national life in France and he was a member of
the Reynaud government, which collapsed in 1940 after the German invasion.
During the Second World War he spent some time in prison under the Nazis and
on the run.
The reason Schuman is so significant is that in the post-war French
governments he led efforts to build European integration, to avoid another war.
Having come from a territory that had repeatedly changed hands between
France and Germany it was important to him to find a better way.
I am writing this article for the month of May because each year on May 9th is
what we call Europe Day, the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration in 1950,
which effectively started the first common European institutions after the war.
Schuman, along with Jean Monnet, Konrad Adenauer and Alcide de Gasparri,
established the European Coal and Steel Community – countries which had
competed and fought each other over basic raw materials for years freely agreed
to pool their resources and their economic sovereignty.
Out of this was born the European Economic Community (the “Common
Market”) and what we now know as the European Union. Schuman’s vision, and
that of his colleagues, was grounded in Catholic social teaching, particularly the
principles of solidarity and subsidiarity; it was also moulded by two horrific
world wars.
In 1958 he became the first President of the European Parliamentary Assembly
(now the European Parliament) and it later bestowed on him the title ‘Father of
Europe’. He was also a papal knight and there is an important research institute
named after him, the Schuman
Foundation.
He died in 1963, and there is a cause
for his beatification. Schuman was a real
visionary, whose political vision for a
united Europe, free from the scourge of
war, was grounded in his Catholic faith.
Britain remained aloof from what was
done in the 1950s to build a united
Europe and in this country, largely thanks
to bad history teaching and the insularity
of so much of our national life, people
here know little or nothing about
Schuman and what he tried to do.
But Catholics have no excuse – we
should be telling people about this
exceptional man and his vision, grounded
Schuman signs
the treaty
creating the
European Coal
and Steel
Community
in the teachings of our Church, particularly in the month of elections to the
European Parliament.
Schuman’s heroic witness and life remind us that you cannot be a good
Catholic and anti-European.
One of the things that he believed passionately was that a united Europe could
not simply be about economics and shared physical resources. Anticipating the
teachings of Pope John Paul II, who has just been declared a saint, he felt that
there needed to be a spiritual and cultural unity: Europe needs to have a soul.
He once wrote: “This whole gathering will not be able to and must not remain
an economic and technical enterprise: it has to have a soul, the consciousness of
its historical relationships and of its present and future responsibilities, a
political will at the service of the same human ideal.”
Page 9

Features The Pilgrim April 2014
Diary— May
If you have an event, please
e-mail details to us at
pilgrim@rcsouthwark.co.uk
1: Eastertide talk series, Santiago de
Compostela by Marie Mann, Amigo Hall, next to St
George’s Cathedral, 7.30 pm – 8 pm. Free.
5: Altar Servers’ Rally, Aylesford Priory, sung Mass at
11.30 am. All servers and families welcome.
8: Eastertide talk series, The Holy Land by Fr David
Gibbons, Amigo Hall, next to St George’s Cathedral,
7.30 pm – 8.30 pm. Free.
10: A day for married couples to help explore their
relationship and the Church’s teaching, Amigo Hall,
next to St George’s Cathedral, 9.45 am - 4.30 pm.
The suggested donation is £25 per couple.
For details or to book, email philandmary@
blueyonder.co.uk, or phone 020 8651 2477.
15: Eastertide talk series, Lourdes by Canon Edward
Perera, Amigo Hall, next to St George’s Cathedral.
Free.
17 – 18: Catholic Medical Association (CMA)
conference, Ealing Abbey. Charlbury Grove, London
W5. Speakers include Dr Robert Hardie, President of
the CMA; Charlie O’Donnell, A and E Consultant,
Whipps Cross Hospital; and Neil Addison, St Thomas
More Legal Centre.For further details visit
www.catholicmedicalassociation.org.uk.
17: Mass for new Catholics, St George’s Cathedral, 11
am.
17: Solidarity with the Poor, Justice & Peace 2014
Spring Assembly, Holy Innocents Primary School,
Orpington, 10.30 am – 4 pm.
20: Ongoing formation study day, St Anselm: what he
taught and why it mattered, by Dr Anne Inman,
Aylesford Priory, 10.30 am - 3.30 pm.
22: Eastertide talk series, Rome by Sebastian
Morello, Amigo Hall, next to St George’s Cathedral.
Free.
Trip to Holy Land helps
propel Fr James to top
of US bestseller lists
by Greg Watts
It’s hard to imagine a book about
Jesus climbing up the best-seller list
in Britain, but it’s happened in the
US.
Jesus: A Pilgrimage by Jesuit
Father James Martin is currently
riding high in the New York Times
best-seller list. What’s remarkable is
that it’s a very traditional portrait of
Jesus.
Fr Martin’s best-known book, My
Life with the Saints (2006), was
named by Publishers’ Weekly as one
of the ‘Best Books of the Year’, and
was the winner of a 2007 Christopher
Award.
In his latest book Fr Martin
combines travelogue,
spiritual reflections,
anecdotes and modern
biblical scholarship to
present Jesus to a popular
audience.
When it was suggested by
a fellow Jesuit he travel to
Jerusalem to find material
for the book, he initially
rejected the idea.
“I didn’t want to go
because I thought my
own mental
images of
Gospel
passages
and stories
that I’d prayed over for years and
years would be supplanted by
touristy locales.”
But in heeding his advice, Fr Martin
discovered his Jerusalem visit
“provided a great structure for the
book: a little narrative, a little
scriptural exegesis and some
reflections.”
He said his aim in writing the book
was “to combine the Jesus of history
with the Christ of faith, which you
don’t often find put together in one
book.”
The easiest part of the book to
write, he added, was the pilgrimage
narratives, and the hardest the
biblical exegesis.“I was hoping that
I had the most current biblical
scholarship. I sent the book
to 10-15 biblical scholars to
make sure that every jot
and title was correct.”
Some dimensions of
Jesus’ life and ministry
revealed themselves to
him in new ways as a
result of the trip, he
explained. “For one thing,
the close confines in which
he worked along the
Sea of Galilee, where he walked
among the crowds, the crowds
pressing in on him. The towns were
close by one another. It’s easy to
imagine him being pressed by the
crowds, and wanting to get away
from the crowds.”
He said he learned something
about himself as well in the writing
of his experiences in Jerusalem.
“The way that grace works in writing.
When I was writing a particular
chapter I could feel myself growing
more and more enthusiastic and
focused. I’d feel more enthusiastic
about the topic and I got more into
it.God was drawing me more and
more into the topic. That was a
grace.”
“And, as I was finishing the book, I
could feel the graces withdraw. I
don’t know if I could do the book
now.
“For example, I remember writing
the chapter on Nazareth, looking at
the best available Jesus scholarship
on what life in Nazareth was like for
a few months. When I finished the
chapter, I thought, ‘I’m not
interested in that anymore.’ And that
was the working of grace.”
The Holy Land effect: “When I was writing a
particular chapter I could feel myself growing
more and more enthusiastic and focused”,
said Fr James (left)
22: Signs and Symbols. Mike Harris, a special
educational needs expert, leads a creative and
practical day exploring multi-modal and non-verbal
communication, 9.30 am – 4 pm, Charterhouse,
Sutton’s Hospital, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1.
For information, contact: d.kinsella@abdn.ac.uk
Diocesan evangelisation conferences
Registration begins at 11.30 am and the conference
ends with Mass at 4 pm. There is no charge, and
lunch will be provided.
27: Richard Challoner School, Kingston-upon-Thames.
29: St Simon Stock School, Maidstone.
30: St Matthew Academy, Blackheath.
28: The cult of St Augustine through the ages, a talk
by John Coverdale, 7 pm, St Ethelbert’s Parish Hall,
Ramsgate.
31: Youth event with L’Arche community and
Catholic Underground, Minster Abbey, 6 pm – 9 pm.
31: Summer celebration, National Shrine of Saint
Jude, Faversham, devotions, picnic, Mass and St Jude
procession. Begins at 11 am.
School days: Leigh Norton
Home: Surbiton.
Job: Teacher of drama at Richard
Challoner School in New Malden.
What secondary school did you
attend? Richard Challoner Secondary
School.
Favourite subject? I really enjoyed
the arts subjects, so drama, art and
music were definite favourites, but I
also loved games and English.
Worst subject? Maths, without a
shadow of a doubt. I’m better at it
now but it’s the one subject I never
really excelled in.
Favourite teacher? My current head
of department, Mr Zoladkiewicz,
was always enthusiastic about
drama, and really instilled in me the
desire to teach it as a subject when I
was studying at A Level.
Mr Baker, my A-Level English
teacher, taught with such passion
and in a way that made you want to
work and continue to improve. He
was also good fun and I would be
lying if I said there wasn’t a bit of
his teaching style in the way I teach
now.
Favourite school dinner? I had a
packed lunch at school, but did buy
custard by the bucket load. It was
sold for 5p per bowl and I would
always opt for that in addition to the
lunch that was prepared for me.
Guilty secret? I have an identical
twin brother and we did swap
science lessons once, just to see if
we could get away with it. I recall
being caught quite early on but
largely down to the others in the
class pointing it out, rather than the
teacher in question realising.
What lessons about life did you
learn? The most important lessons I
learnt from school were to always be
yourself and treat others as you
want to be treated. These are
lessons that I still carry with me now
and ones that I hope I pass on to
those that I teach.
What do you wish you had been
told? That everything happens for a
reason. This is something I’ve only
Page 10

The Pilgrim April 2014
Feature
Helping the
growing Irish
community
The Irish Chaplaincy in
Britain has worked with
Irish emigrants since the
1950s. Outreach worker
to the elderly Stafford
Cunningham explains
what it does.
We have three projects: The Irish
Chaplaincy Seniors Project, The Irish
Council for Prisoner’s Overseas and The
Traveller Project, and the demand for our
services have never been higher.
A lot of the people who came over for
work in the 1950s and ’60s find themselves
with little support and often very isolated.
Interestingly, the number of young Irish
people coming to London in particular has
rocketed. As an example, where in the
past GAA clubs in London were struggling
to get players, now the numbers of players
on their books have doubled – much to the
loss of the local teams back home.
Young men who cannot get work at
home are arriving over here each week
and sleeping on the sofa of a friend. And
despite the qualifications many of them
have, they’re struggling to find any work,
even low-paid work.
In the 1950s, the Irish Chaplaincy ran
hostels for Irish people in Britain; today, in
contrast, a lot of the chaplaincy’s work is
advocating for improved treatment of the
Irish in Britain.
Last year the chaplaincy has published a
report, Voices Unheard, on the unequal
treatment faced by Irish in prison, in
particular, in terms of discrimination,
problems with access to rehab
programmes and resettlement services.
This is the first time that any
substantive research has been conducted
into the Irish prisoner population within
prisons in England and Wales.
As an Irish Catholic organisation it is
vitally important that our vision of the
Irish community includes and welcomes all
Irish people in Britain from whatever
background they come
This report is just one of the ways the
Irish Chaplaincy is working to promote the
welfare of the broader Irish community in
Britain.
Irish people contact us for help with
many issues. It could be an older man or
woman living alone in a flat in London who
needs to contact family at home in Ireland
or someone who needs to be rehoused or
transferred to a care home. We also work
“
The number of young Irish people coming to London
has rocketed... in the past GAA clubs were struggling to
get players, now numbers of players on their books have
doubled – to the loss of the local teams back home
“
Reaching out:
Stafford Cunningham
with an elderly
member of Britain’s
Irish community
with the Southwark Irish Pensioners
Project in Bermondsey.
When I started working for the
chaplaincy I remember visiting Tom in
hospital. I asked the priest what was
wrong with him and he replied that Tom
was dying. As I approached the bed and
walked around it, Tom was receiving Holy
Communion.
I was praying silently in my head for him
and I heard him say something. The priest
said that Tom wanted to hold my hand. I
placed my hand in Tom’s and he held it
firmly, as if we were long lost friends.
A few days later Tom passed away. He
had a beautiful send off and then returned
back home to the south of Ireland to be
buried with his family.
n www.irishchaplaincy.org.uk
truly realised since I left school
but is something that I am a firm
believer in.
What did you do immediately
after school? After school I went
to St Mary’s University in
Twickenham and studied drama
and theatre studies. During my
final year I worked at Richard
Challoner part-time as a learning
support assistant. When I left
university I worked as a fulltime
learning support assistant
for two years before embarking
on teacher training.
What career advice would you
give to a young person? I was
very lucky in that I knew I
wanted to teach from an early
age, but for those who aren’t
sure, I would advise them not to
do something they think others
want them to do but do
something that makes them
happy.
I have great admiration for
those who take a risk or go with
their heart; be that when
choosing to move away to
another country or choosing a
new job. Life is too short to
spend it unhappy and I am
fortunate that, despite its
varying challenges, I’m in a
career that I love, and I look
forward to going to work each
day (well, most days!).
Leigh Norton: Happy in a
job he lovers
Page 11

The Pilgrim April 2014
Focus on faith
To advertise in this newspaper
contact Carol Malpass.
Tel: 0161 214 1244 or
email: carol.malpass@thecatholicuniverse.com
Education counts: By
supporting schools in
the region, FHL is
giving these children
a chance of a
brighter future
Croydon deanery reaching
out to Holy Land Christians
Peter Rand, national vice
chairman of Friends of the
Holy Land, explains how an
initiative in the Croydon
deanery aims to support
Christians in the Holy Land
Pilgrimages to the Holy Land are
very different from those to Rome,
Lourdes or Fatima. In addition to
personal reflection and visiting the
holy places, the small remaining
Christian population welcomes
pilgrims to witness for themselves
the challenges they are facing.
Many Christians around the world
are not aware of the plight of
Christian families in Bethlehem,
Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza
and parts of Israel. Unless they are
encouraged to stay in the land of
their birth, it may not be long before
there will no significant Christian
presence in the land where our
Lord was born, preached, died and
was resurrected.
Pilgrimages from the Archdiocese
of Southwark to the Holy Land in
2013 have fired the imagination of
returning pilgrims and those who
have heard the story from Friends
of the Holy Land (FHL), a young
charity which is raising awareness
across the archdiocese of the plight
Helping hand: FHL supports
a day care centre for elderly
ladies in the Holy Land
of the Christians in the region.
Following a presentation last
autumn at the Croydon deanery
meeting and at every parish during
the last few months, there is a
commitment to raise awareness, to
increase prayer and to offer
tangible support to our Christian
brothers and sisters.
Their biggest challenges are
often lack of employment and
housing. Parishioners in the Croydon
deanery are being asked to support
an innovative affordable housing
project on the edge Beit Sahour, a
small town near to Bethlehem.
FHL has been offered a piece of
land by the owner, sufficient to
build 10 apartments on five levels.
£120,000 is required to complete
the initial infrastructure, including
licences, drawings, foundations and
essential services.
Ten young Christian families will
secure loans from a local bank to
cover one-tenth of the cost of the
whole project, which will enable
the building to be completed, at
which time the £120,000 will be
returned to FHL for a further
project. This target for the deanery
represents just £1.50 per
parishioner per month for 2014.
So what about the rest of the
archdiocese? Archbishop Peter has
agreed to endorse a presentation by
FHL at each of the archdiocese’s
other deaneries and it is hoped
these will be completed in the next
six months.
FHL has parish groups around the
UK. It is ecumenical, with strong
support from Church of England
bishops. Its founder patron is
Cardinal Nichols, who has agreed to
donate all collections for him from
the archdioceses of Westminster,
Birmingham and Liverpool on the
occasion of his being named
cardinal, to the suffering Church in
the Holy Land through FHL.
The registered charity, launched
in 2009, is non-political, focusing on
the poorest Christian families in the
community. It repairs houses, funds
medicines and medical operations.
It supports 50 families on a monthly
basis, the ‘poorest of the poor’, a
day care centre for elderly ladies
and a special needs school. FHL also
subsidises school and university
fees; without good education, the
prospects of work are almost nil.
The faith schools, many run by
the Latin Patriarchate and Anglican
dioceses, are privately funded.
With no social services, high levels
of unemployment and an insecure
future, life is very tough and your
help is greatly appreciated.
FHL works in the community from
the bottom up. The focus is not to
support institutions but named
families and individuals. We have a
team of volunteers, both in this
country and in the Holy Land,
supported by a minimum budget for
necessary administration to ensure
every penny is guaranteed to be
directed to the most needy cases,
with the help of local clergy.
Archbishop Peter would like to
appoint a FHL diocesan co-ordinator
from among the clergy. Please
contact him if you are interested in
being the link for FHL in Southwark.
• If you would like further
information contact the FHL office
on 01926 512980 or visit
www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk
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