Issue 49 - The Pilgrim - May 2016 - The newspaper of the Archdiocese of Southwark

Issue 49 May 2016
What does
the diocesan
archivist do?
Page 6 & 7
The Thamesmead
experiment
Page 10
The Cafod
lady
Page 11
Pope’s message to Europe
Bishop Pat has praised Pope Francis
for taking three refugee families
from the Greek island of Lesbos to a
new home Rome.
“This shows the pope has a
tremendous generosity and tremendous
compassion. He not only visited
the refugees in lesbos, but he
has also received them in Rome,” he
said.
Apart from being in charge of the
south-east pastoral area of Southwark
diocese, Bishop Pat is chair of
the office for migration policy at
the Bishops’ Conference of England
and Wales.
In the symbolic move seen as a lesson
in solidarity for Europe, Pope
Francis, who is the son of Italian migrants
to Argentina, took 12 Syrians
from three families – all of them Muslims
– home with him to the Vatican.
“All refugees are children of
God,” he said on the flight back to
Rome, adding that though his gesture
was “a drop in the ocean” he
hoped “the ocean will never be the
same again”.
The subject of refugees and migrants
has become one of the key issues
being debated in the run up to
the 23rd June referendum on
whether the UK should remain in
the European Union.
Dr David Ryall, secretary of the
department for international affairs
at the Bishops’ Conference of England
and Wales, said, “The Pope’s
visit to Lesbos was not about politics.
It was a humanitarian visit and
to show the world that we need to
look at people as they are, not as
numbers or statistics. We need to
look them in the eye and see them
as our brothers and sisters.
“As Pope Francis has said, we need
to learn again how to weep. Then we
will know what to do. It is striking
that people want to help. But the
mechanisms are not there yet.
“The UK and Europe as a whole is
wealthy. We have the resources and
governments need to marry people’s
generosity to cohesive
mechanisms.”

Editorial
A tale of two societies
By Bishop Paul Hendricks
One of the things I love about novels is the
range of characters and relationships that
you so often find. Even the minor characters
can be important, showing different
possibilities for the way people relate to
each other.
I was reminded of this as I read Pope
Francis' document, Amoris laetitia (The
Joy of Love), thinking about how relationships
of all sorts are so fundamental to the
life of each one of us.
Many of the relationships you'll find in a
novel will be negative, more of a warning
than an example to follow. Even so, I find
myself inspired by realising that it could
have been otherwise, and that something
better is possible.
I found this, for instance, reading Little
Dorrit by Charles Dickens. The two main
characters, Arthur Clennam and Amy Dorrit,
each find themselves to some extent
imprisoned by the expectations and selfdeceptions
of those around them.
After years of conforming to his mother's
plan for his life, Arthur has come to realise
that his own identity has almost disappeared.
He needs to make his own way in
life. In material terms he is moderately
successful, but in terms of love things are
less promising.
Following an absence of many years he
meets his childhood sweetheart. Naturally
she has changed considerably, but what really
shatters him is the realisation that his
idea of her had always been an illusion.
Ironically, Arthur's mother is much more
imprisoned than he is. She has created a
false image of herself, and maintaining the
pretence is crippling her emotionally as
well as physically. Her greatest fear is that
the truth will come out, that she is not in
fact his mother at all and that he owes her
nothing.
For Amy it's her father who is, literally,
imprisoned. For years he has been in a
debtor's prison, with no prospect of ever
being released. He is dependent on his
children for many of the essentials of life.
Worse, though, is the stifling effect on
them of the pretence of respectability that
he keeps up as a way of surviving in this
situation. He keeps up this fantasy more
energetically after his unexpected release.
Having plenty of money, he reinvents
himself as a person of high social standing.
Now his children are even less free to be
themselves, as they have to play their part
in this charade.
His other daughter escapes from this situation
by marrying a rich but foolish young
man, whom she proceeds to dominate and
to mould according to her own ideas.
Her in-laws are no great example of
married love. Their marriage is a contract
of convenience. He supplies the money
and she the social style. He is imprisoned
by knowing that his apparent wealth is an
illusion and that one day his house of cards
will come tumbling down.
In the end, I'd say that what imprisons
these, and other characters, is fear - fear
of allowing people to see us as we are,
fear of losing control of our life, fear of all
that love requires us to do, if it is genuine.
Although so many of the characters fall
short in this, Arthur and Amy do both have
the courage to accept the real world, with
all its limitations and, at times, disappointments.
Pope Francis quotes from 1 Corinthians
13, “Love bears all things, believes all
things, hopes all things, endures all things”.
Little Dorrit leaves me with the hope that
ordinary people can at least go some way
towards putting this into practice.
The Pilgrim May 2016
Sean’s journey
to Rome
Next month, Living Fully 2016, a
conference dedicated to
disability, culture and faith, will
take place in Rome. Sean Rooney
will be one of the speakers
I am a parishioner in the Archdiocese of Southwark
and I have Cerebral Palsy. Since 2008, I have been
volunteering at the Southwark Centre for Catholic
Formation and at The Kairos Forum, who offer a national
disability training and advisory service.
I have really enjoyed exploring my faith, and
through my volunteering I have been encouraged to
take my faith and do a lot more with it.
One of the biggest steps I took was saying yes
when Cristina Gangemi, who was Southwark’s disability
adviser, asked if I would like to try taking the
Catholic Certificate of Religious Studies course.
It was quite challenging, especially as many of the
other students were actually teachers themselves. I
had my personal assistant helping to organise my
homework, and we came up with some great presentations
and essays. I was so pleased when I
passed and was awarded my certificate by Bishop
Paul.
There is a verse of the Bible I’ve remembered
from my studies. It is Exodus 4:10 “Moses said to the
Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been
eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have
spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and
tongue.’”
It means a lot to me because I am someone “slow
of speech” as well. But through the help of others I
have found my way to share what I know and what I
feel. I hope to see you in the audience in Rome.
And guess what? I’ve been invited to the Living
Fully conference in Rome. And not just to listen, but
to talk! The conference is being put on by The
Kairos Forum and the Pope’s Pontifical Council for
Culture. It’s very exciting.
How did I get invited? Cristina, who used to run
the Southwark diocese disability project and now
runs The Kairos Forum, invited me to be the opening
speaker and share how my life is that of a prophet
in the world. I’m really looking forward to talking
about that.
For further informations visit
www.livingfully2016.com
Sean
Rooney
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
episcopalvicarkent@gmail.com
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
0208 776 9250
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Page 2

The Pilgrim May 2016
Vatican cricket team to return
Calais appeal
News
The Vatican cricket
team, the St Peter’s XI,
will again play the Archbishop
of Canterbury’s XI
in Canterbury in the
third of what has become
an annual cricket
match between the two
sides.
The two sides will
meet on 13th September,
again at Kent County
Cricket Club’s Spitfire
ground in Canterbury.
The first ecumenical
match between the Anglicans
and Roman
Catholics was played in
Canterbury in September
2014. The Anglicans
achieved a narrow victory.
The two teams met
again last year in Rome,
in a match which saw
the Vatican side claim
the honours.
New vocations project for schools
Primary school children learned
why certain people chose to follow
God’s call to become priests
and sisters through a new project
from the Catholic education
organisation, Ten Ten.
“The Gift of Priests and Sisters”
is an interactive assembly
resource for Catholic schools
which has been produced in
partnership with the National
Office for Vocation to celebrate
Good Shepherd Sunday.
Ten Ten interviewed a wide
variety of priests, sisters, brothers,
and deacons, as well as
Cardinal Vincent Nichols. Each
shared personal stories about
God’s call in their lives, what
they enjoy most about their
ministry, and what is challenging.
Ten Ten director Martin
Martin
O'Brien
O'Brien said, “For many children
and young people, those in ministry
can sometimes seem remote,
but this assembly helped
them to think of priests and sisters
as human beings. Hopefully
it also helped some of
them to think about the possibility
that they could also have
a vocation to the religious life
one day.
Mary McAleese event
Former President of Ireland Mary McAleese will be exploring the
role of the laity in the Church with journalist Clifford Longley.
Organised by ACTA Southwark, the event will take place at Westminster
Cathedral Hall on 23rd June, from 7pm – 9pm.
Mary McAleese was President of Ireland from 1997 – 2011. She is
now “distinguished professor” at the Centre for Irish Studies at St
Mary’s University, Twickenham.
To book, e-mail actasouthwark@yahoo.com.
Balham language festival
St Francis Xavier Sixth Form College
in Balham has held its first
language festival.
The college canteen was
transformed for an afternoon
of music, dancing and singing,
Former
student
murdered
St Thomas the Apostle College
in Nunhead, has paid
tribute to former pupil
Adrian St John, who was
murdered in Trinidad.
Mr St John, 22, died after
armed robbers attacked him
as he was driving through
San Juan with two female
passengers.
A message on the college
web site described him as
“an incredibly talented
sportsman, cricketer and a
go-getter.”
Mr St John was the captain
of the Chris Gayle
Cricket Academy and
worked as a recruitment
consultant in London.
with special performances from
A level Italian, Spanish and
French students. There was
even paella served at
lunchtime in honour of the
occasion.
Canterbury school success
St Anselm's Catholic School in
Canterbury has been nationally
recognised for its exceptional
2015 performance by the
Schools, Students and Teachers
network (SSAT).
Educational Outcomes data
analysis from SSAT has shown
that the school is in the top 20
per cent nationally for progress
made by pupils between their
key stage 2 results at primary
school to their key stage 4
results.
Clive Webster, head of the
Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership,
the multi-academy trust of
which St Anselm's is part, said,”
This is a tremendous testimony
to the hard work and dedication
of everyone associated with St
Anselm's, especially its staff,
volunteers and pupils. We are
all very proud.”
The Pilgrim is now online, making it possible to read all the
editions since it was launched in 2011. To view it, visit the diocesan
website and click on a lick on the left hand side of the page.
The Southwark Justice and Peace Commission is
encouraging parishioners to continue to support
migrants in Calais, especially children at risk.
According to Help Refugees UK, more than a
hundred unaccompanied children have gone
missing since the southern section of the Calais
“Jungle” was demolished in March.
A census carried out by the organisation found
that 129 unaccompanied minors from the camp
have gone unaccounted for. The census found
that since the demolition, 4,946 refugees are
still living there, including 1,400 in the shipping
containers set up by the French government.
If you would like to know how you can help,
please contact the JPIC office at
office@southwarkjandp.co.uk
Cathedral Mass to
celebrate marriage
The Southwark diocesan Mass for married
couples celebrating special anniversaries will
take place at 3.00pm at St George Cathedral on
18th June. For further information, contact
marriage2014@virginmeadia.com.
Lewisham careers conference
Over 200 speakers took part in the annual
careers conference at Christ the King Sixth Form
College in Lewisham.
Amongst the organisations represented were
St Thomas’ Hospital, Ravensbourne College of
Art and Design, Royal Central School of Speech
and Drama, and the Association of Accounting
Technicians.
Students attended sessions on a wide range of
careers, including medicine, starting your own
business, journalism, engineering, banking and
the NHS.
Andrea Finnegan, a finance lecturer from the
University of East Anglia, said, “This was one of
the best organised school events I have been
to.”
Young people awards
Nominations are invited for the the Celebrating
Young People Awards to honour the
achievements of young people who make our
communities and the world a better place.
The awards celebrate young people who live
out Catholic social teaching and are organised by
Million Minutes. Anyone, from friends and family
to teachers and clergy, is allowed to make a
nomination.
There are seven categories to nominate
people for, including for promoting solidarity and
peace, for fostering community and
participation, and caring for the environment.
There is also an award for an inspiring adult
youth leader plus Cardinal Vincent Nichols will
select from the nominations the recipient of the
Pope Francis Award.
The awards ceremony will be on 19th July,
hosted by Baroness Sheila Hollins. This year
Million Minutes is partnering with St Mary's University,
Twickenham.
Nominations must be received by 20th May
2016. Visit www.millionminutes.org/awards for
information.
World Youth Day
Southwark Catholic Youth Service still has places
left for World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland, in
July. If you're interested or know anyone who is,
contact 01227 272900.
Page 3

News
The Pilgrim May 2016
Lottery funding for Woolwich church
Page 4
Lourdes pilgrimage
The annual diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes (with the Catholic Association) in
will take place from Friday 19th – Friday 26th August. It will be led by Archbishop
Peter. The pastoral theme for this year is ‘Merciful Like the Father’.
For further details and registration forms please contact me 0208 399 9550
or Tangney Tours on 01732 886666.
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has
earmarked up to £250,000 for urgent
roof renewal and restoration work
for St Peter the Apostle church in
Woolwich, built in 1843.
A HLF grant of £43,000 has been
awarded immediately to help the
parish progress their plans up to contract
stage for the work, and then
apply for the balance of the grant.
St Peter's is one of the oldest
Catholic churches in London, designed
by the famous promoter of
the Victorian Gothic Revival, A.W.N.
Pugin, shortly before he began work
on the sumptuous interior decoration
of the Palace of Westminster.
The church is a Grade II listed
building, one of only three Pugin
churches in London, but Historic
England has assessed it as heritage
at risk. After 170 years, the slate
roof has reached the end of its life,
and much of the decorative stonework
has been eroded.
Parish priest, Fr Michael Branch,
said, “We’re delighted that the Heritage
Lottery Fund has given us this
support. The church has been an important
element in the lives of many
different communities in the past 170
years. We can now look forward to it
Professor speaks the
‘raw truth of poetry’
at annual lecture
TS Eliot prize winner Professor
David Harsent delivered the
annual Gerard Manley Hopkins
lecture at the University of
Roehampton.
Professor Harsent, who
teaches creative writing at the
university, spoke about the
“raw truth of poetry.” The lecture
took place at the manor
house where Manley Hopkins
carried out part of his training
for the priesthood. A blue
plaque on the building bears his
name and pays tribute to his
contribution to poetry.
Manley Hopkins is regarded as
one of the greatest poets of the
Victorian era. Born in 1844 into
an Anglican family, he converted
to Catholicism in 1866
and joined the Jesuits a year
later. Two of his best known
poems are The Wreck of the
Deutschland and God’s
Grandeur.
serving an even wider range of communities,
for generations to come.”
The full cost of the project is
likely to exceed £900,000, and it
will include several initiatives to
make the history and heritage of St
Peter's more accessible and better
appreciated.
El Salvador
pilgrimage
Would you like to visit El Salvador?
A trip to visit the places
especially associated with
Blessed Oscar Romero and the
martyrs of El Salvador will take
place in November.
Led by Clare Dixon, Julian Filochowski
and Bishop John Rawsthorne
and organised by
Anthony Coles, the pilgrimage
will include visits to Archbishop
Romero's birthplace in Ciudad
Barrios and to the cathedral
where he preached his legendary
Sunday homilies and where he is
buried in the crypt.
The programme will include
liturgies and talks, and time for
prayer and reflection, as well as
visits to markets, museums and a
social development project.
The estimated total cost with
flights, food, simple en suite accommodation
and local transportation
will be £1,695 per
person. For more details,
contact Anthony Coles at
arctc@btinternet.com or visit
www.romerotrust.org.uk

The Pilgrim May 2016
Feature
The ninth in a series by Fr David Gibbons, director of the diocesan Centre for Catholic Formation, in which
he looks at liturgies other than Mass which we sometimes attend, such as baptisms, weddings and funerals.
What is the sacrament of holy matrimony?
The Church’s understanding of holy
matrimony is clearly set out in the
Catechism of the Catholic Church
sections. All young people and anyone
uncertain about marriage would
do well to read it.
First and most fundamentally,
marriage is part of God’s plan for
our salvation. Sacred scripture begins
with the creation of man and
woman (Genesis 1: 26-27) and ends
with the wedding feast of the Lamb
(Apocalypse 19: 7-9). The Vatican II
document Gaudium et Spes says
that “God Himself is the author of
matrimony”. When a man joins with
his wife “they become one body”
(Genesis 2: 24).
Moreover, scripture refers constantly
to marriage, and in particular
describes the covenant relationship
between God and his people as a
nuptial covenant. Ephesians 5: 25,
32 develops this by saying that Matrimony
signifies the union between
Christ and His Church.
Jesus Christ went further. His first
miracle was at a wedding feast
(John 2: 1-11) and He unambiguously
taught the original meaning of
the union of man and woman as the
Creator willed it from the beginning
(for example Matthew 19: 8).
Jesus unequivocally emphasised
the indissolubility of the marriage
bond (Matthew 19: 6: “what God has
united, man must not divide”), and
because of Christ’s teaching on marriage
the church raised matrimony
to a higher dignity, making it one of
the seven sacraments.
Thus we can say that marriage is
not a human institution or even a
church foundation but is of divine
“This is my beloved son. Listen to Him” Mark 7:9
A contemplative retreat by the Sea of Galilee 4­14 August, 2016
Directed by Fr Gerard Bradley (St John’s Seminary, Wonersh)
and Fr Gerard Hatton (Our Lady of Ransom, Eastbourne)
An invitation to deepen and nourish the spiritual life
in the land of the “5th Gospel” (St Gerasimus)
A time of prayer, silence and reflection; framed by the Feasts of the
Transfiguration and Assumption. In this Year of Mercy we shall be offering this
concentrated period of prayer for the persecuted Christians in the Middle East.
origin. This is why the Church does
not consider itself able to change
our understanding of marriage, by
introducing, say, same-sex marriage
or divorce.
This applies too to the purpose of
marriage in God’s plan. Marriage is
partly about the union or unity of
the couple: their intimacy, their
complete fidelity to each other,
their unselfish and generous love.
Marriage is also about procreation,
joining in God’s plan of creation
by being open to having
children and bringing children up in
the practice of the faith. “Children
are the supreme gift of marriage,”
as Gaudium et Spes says. The family
is thus to be a “domestic church”.
Matrimony is classed as a “sacrament
at the service of communion”
(like holy orders). It establishes the
couple in a public state of life, and
their life of mutual love is meant to
reflect Christ’s love for His church.
This is one reason why the marriage
must take place in a church, before
a priest or deacon, and why witnesses
are required (so there is no
uncertainty).
To be a true marriage the husband
and wife must be free to marry (i.e.
not be already married) and must
freely give their consent (another
reason why the marriage must be
before a priest or deacon in public
in church).
If one of the couple is acting
under coercion or fear the marriage
is invalid. A wedding which was really
an immigration scam and not
about the couple’s true love for
each other would also be invalid.
The sacrament of matrimony does
much more than a civil wedding ceremony
or simply living together. It
creates a bond between the
spouses, which is perpetual and exclusive,
and this bond cannot be dissolved.
It gives the spouses the grace to
love each other, as Christ loves His
Church, the grace they will need to
live up to their vows (“till death do
us part”), and the grace to sanctify
them on the way to eternal life.
Helpful information from the
diocesan marriage policy for those
contemplating getting married is
given in the attached panel.
Daily Spiritual Conference, Mass, Lauds,
Vespers & Adoration. Spiritual Direction.
7 nights Sea of Galilee; 3 nights near Jerusalem
Visits include Bethlehem & Jerusalem
Full details 5th Gospel Retreats (Torquay)
Tel: 01803 314868. Email: info@5gr.org
Those entering marriage
Engagement – as soon as a
couple become engaged they
should inform their parish
priest.
Notification of marriage – at
least six months notice of a
Marriage is normally required.
Contact the parish priest of the
parish where the Catholic
fiancé(e) lives, or where one
lives if both are Catholic.
Preparation talks – in addition
to at least four sessions of
spiritual and practical
preparation given by the priest -
to both partners, whether
Catholic or not – attendance at
a diocesan marriage preparation
course is also required.
Page 5

Feature
The Pilgrim May 2016
The Southwark diocesan archive
Jenny Delves, the diocesan archivist,
explains what she does and why it’s important
to preserve documents from the past
Archives can be defined as
“documents made, received or
accumulated by a person or
organisation in the course of the
conduct of their affairs and
preserved because of their
continuing value.” Archive records
are normally unpublished and,
unlike most library books, are
usually unique and irreplaceable.
An archive is also the organisation
or department that looks after the
archives. The purpose of an archive
is to care for the documents, to
ensure their long term survival, to
manage them in such a way that
they can be easily found, to provide
access to them and to ensure that
they serve the organisation that
created them.
The Diocese of Southwark has long
placed great importance on caring
for its records. There is evidence
that it was during Bishop Butt’s time
(1885-1899) that an archive was first
created in Southwark.
The diocesan archive is located in
Archbishop’s House, next door to St
George’s Cathedral. It holds the
episcopal and administrative records
of the archdiocese from the building
of St George’s Cathedral in the
1840s.
The archive aims to preserve the
records of the diocese; to be a
useful resource for the central
administration, parishes and
agencies; and, to make the
diocese’s archives available to
researchers.
The archive contains a wealth of
material relating to the diocese
from the building of the cathedral
and the establishment of the
diocese in 1850 to the present day.
The records include the papers of
the bishops and archbishops;
material relating to diocesan
finance, property and education;
chancery records; files on religious
houses and seminaries; parish files;
deanery records; information on
Southwark clergy; and the records
of St George’s Cathedral.
There is also a small collection of
early printed books, and complete
series of Southwark Diocese
publications such as The Southwark
Record and the Southwark Catholic
Directory as well as a complete set
of The Catholic Directory and its
predecessor, The Laity's Directory.
Examples of items in the archive:
• A lock of Bishop Grant’s (the first
Bishop of Southwark) hair
• A set of letters from priests who
served as chaplains during the
Crimean War in the 1850s
• Correspondence from Augustus
Pugin, the cathedral’s architect,
about the building of the original
cathedral.
• A large amount of correspondence
relating to Irish history in the
early 20th century.
• Signed letters from well-known
people such as Florence
Nightingale, Éamon de Valera and
King George V.
• Bishops’ diaries and sermons.
Parish registers (marriage and
baptismal records) are held by the
local parish churches and not by the
diocesan archives and you should
contact the relevant parish for
enquiries (parish contact details can
be found on the diocesan website).
I have been diocesan archivist
since March 2014. I graduated from
a MA in Archives and Records
Page 6
Corpus Christi in Southwark:
Service and Ceremony at St
George’s Cathedral Southwark,
1944.

The Pilgrim May 2016
Feature
Florence
Nightingale
letter
Management in 2006 and since then
have worked as an archivist in
several organisations including the
Wellcome Trust and the United
Reformed Church.
Working in the diocesan archive is
a very varied job and there is always
plenty to do. As well as running the
day-to-day aspects of the Archive, I
am also working to develop it into
an even better service.
The archive contains records back
to the early 1800s. I want to ensure
that the collection continues to
grow and develop. To do this I am
identifying all the records produced
in the diocese that should come to
the archive and putting in place
systems to ensure that this happens.
I am currently creating a list of all
the archives held in the archive.
Once this list is complete I will
begin to catalogue the collection.
Having a good archive catalogue will
allow the diocese to know what
records it holds and allow
researchers to know if the archive
holds any records that would be of
use to them.
We hope that once the archive
catalogue is completed it will be
made available online through a
website called the Catholic Heritage
Network (www.catholicheritage.net)
where a number of
Catholic archive catalogues are
hosted.
Removing document fasteners
(e.g. staples, paperclips etc) and
repackaging the records in archival
standard folders and boxes which
are low in acid and lignin is very
important to ensure the records’
survival. Non-archival document
fastenings and packaging can
corrode, stain or tear the paper.
Archival packaging, offers
protection for the records by
protecting them from light,
pollution, pests and changes in
humidity.
Archives need to be stored in
conditions which are cool, dry and
stable, with minimum exposure to
light and protection from pests,
pollution and access by
unauthorised people. The current
archive storage at Southwark is not
particularly suitable as the records
are stored in historic rooms which
were not designed for that purpose.
We hope to develop modern, fit-forpurpose
storage.
Currently the archive receives on
average 8-10 enquiries a month
from researchers. These enquiries
are largely by email and range from
family history questions to academic
research to enquiries from parishes
and diocesan bodies.
Most enquiries can be dealt with
relatively quickly so do not require
researchers to come to the archive.
But we do have on average two
visitors a month who wish to look
into the records in more depth.
The archive exists to be a
resource for the diocese as well as
preserving its historical records. I
am always happy to answer
questions relating to record keeping
that parishes or diocesan bodies
may have. I also hope to produce
record keeping advice and guidance
for parishes and diocesan bodies.
Some dedicated volunteers have
greatly helped the archive. Maria is
currently identifying, listing and
cleaning our rare books collection.
Colette has been carrying out vital
preservation work on our records.
The archive is small with only one
part-time member of staff.
Therefore it is very helpful for both
the archivist and the archive to
have links and networks with the
wider archive profession.
I attend meetings of the Catholic
Diocesan Archivist Association, the
Catholic Archive Society and the
Religious Archives Group.
Membership of these groups is a
great way to share ideas and
resources.
If you or your parish have a query
that you think the archive may be
able to help you with, please get in
touch. If the query involves more
detailed research, you will be
invited to come to the archive to
search the records yourself.
Researchers are most welcome to
use the archive (please contact the
Archivist in advance to arrange a
visit).
While there is currently no
archive catalogue, there is a list of
the contents of the archive. I hope
to make this list available over our
website as a searchable document.
In the meantime, if you wish to
find out whether the archive holds
records on a particular topic, please
email me. Our records are subject
to restrictions due to data
protection legislation,
confidentiality and sensitivity. For
this reason not all our records can
be made accessible to researchers.
There is an archive blog which gives news of what is happening in the archive,
some more in-depth information on our collections and on the archive work:
http://southwarkdiocesanarchives.blogspot.co.uk/
Contact details: Southwark Diocesan Archives,150 St George's Rd, London SE1 6HX.
Opening hours: 8.00am-1.00pm and 2.00-5.00pm Mondays and Tuesdays.
Phone: 020 7202 8193. Email: archives@rcsouthwark.co.uk
www.rcsouthwark.co.uk/Archives.html
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CALLING ALL
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Seeking to dedicate
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Through vows in secular society.
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Tel: 01883 742488.
Email: kinman@ouvip.com
www.theleaven.org.uk
Page 7

Education
Choosing a school
for your child
The Pilgrim May 2016
By Dr Oona Stannard
For many parents choosing their
children’s schools will be one of the
most important decisions that they
ever make. So much is invested in
finding a school in which you will
feel confident in the quality of education
and the happiness of your
child.
Catholic schools in England and
Wales are amongst the best schools
and, overall, exceed other publically
funded schools in achievement.
Here in the Archdiocese of
Southwark 93 per cent of our
Catholic schools are rated good or
outstanding by Ofsted compared to
84-87 per cent of other maintained
schools.
In addition to academic outcomes
Ofsted reports show good and often
outstanding outcomes for Catholic
schools in the diocese in terms of
“personal development and welfare”.
Our schools are diverse communities
where each child can flourish and develop
their God given potential. Unsurprisingly,
Catholic schools are
therefore highly sought after.
Details of Catholic schools in the
area will usually be displayed in the
narthex or church porch throughout
parishes. Libraries will also have details
available of all local schools,
Catholic and others, as will local authorities
and councils. Parishes and
schools are also on the interactive
map on the Education Commission
website (www.education
commission.org.uk).
In the Archdiocese of Southwark,
the supply of Catholic school places
simply cannot keep up with demand.
This makes it all the more
important that parents check the
admissions criteria of schools in
which they are interested so that
they know their eligibility, for example,
in cases of oversubscription
preference will typically be given to
baptised Catholics who regularly
and frequently worship.
In the case of secondary schools
there may be linked feeder primary
schools. A school’s admissions
arrangements must appear on its
website and should provide information
on places available and number
of applications.
Googling “Ofsted reports” will
quickly take you to websites which
contain the published reports and
links to data on any named school.
It is also useful to look at the journey
of the school; is it a school moving
upwards or has it sat as it is for
some time? Ofsted’s school reports
and the school’s own website will
help you to gauge this.
For a detailed and current analysis
of a school’s results google “data
dashboard” and/ or “school league
tables”. You should bear in mind
“value added”.
A school may not initially look as
good in its outcomes as another but
in reality be doing much better. For
example, children may be making
more progress in terms of where
they started from or for children
who are “pupil premium”- including
those on free school meals doing, at
least as well as others.
Other websites can be useful but
idiosyncratic. Other parents and
parishioners are an invaluable
source of first-hand experience.
When it comes to choosing secondary
schools the voice of your offspring
will be crucial and probably
very audible! Where do they want to
go and do they and you want them
to stay with existing friends? Can
the school offer the specialist
choices or extra-curricular activities
that they want? Is there a single sex
or mixed school choice?
Visiting schools is a necessary part
of choosing. Seeing a place through
your own eyes rather than relying on
hearsay may confirm or change your
views. There are numerous things to
which you will want to be alert on
your visits. These include the welcome
from the headteacher and her
or his vision for the school.
Do you have a chance to visit the
school whilst lessons are taking
place so that you see normal day to
day life? Are you able to talk to
pupils and staff? What is the learning
environment like? Are people
respectful and helpful to one another?
Do pupils seem to be enjoying
their learning? What is the
quality of display? What is the
school’s homework policy?
It is useful to ask what extra help
is available if needed. What are the
arrangements for parents to talk to
teachers throughout the year? Which
schools do pupils move on to? What
are the destinations of leavers? How
many secondary pupils go onto apprenticeships
or employment or universities?
It is important to look for evidence
of the school’s Catholicity. Is
there a crucifix displayed in each
room? In primary schools, in particular,
is there a prayer table or shrine
in each classroom? Is there a school
chapel in secondary schools?
Do displays convey a rich sense of
liturgical life in school? Do pupils
have opportunity to go on retreat or
pilgrimage? How and when are
school Masses organised and what is
the involvement of clergy in the life
of the school?
As you make your choices remember
that whichever Catholic school
you choose, it is very likely that
your child will have a happy education
and successful outcomes,
preparing them well for their professional
lives and as family and
community members.
Dr Oona Stannard is deputy
director of standards at the
Education Commission
Why I am a Catholic
By Lucy Russell
I was strolling along the seafront
with my sons one day, Edgar was in
the pram. James, who was nearly
four, was walking with me. We
went down the pier. Now, I hadn’t
realised James couldn’t actually
see the sea when we were on the
pier.
“What are these holes for?” he
asked.
“They’re for when it rains, the
water drains away into the sea,” I
told him.
“The sea?”
“Yes. Let me lift you up to have
a closer look. We are walking over
the sea – the pier is like a bridge.”
“It’s the sea! It’s green!”
“Yes.” I smiled. We inspected all
(125) drainage holes along the pier.
As we walked back down the pier
on that particular afternoon, I
thought, just because you can’t see
something, doesn’t mean it isn’t
there. And if you want to find
something, it is very helpful to be
shown where to look. Otherwise,
there’s a danger of missing it altogether.
Recently, one of the rugby
coaches made a comment to my
husband, when informed of the
away matches Edgar wouldn’t be
able to attend this season.
Edgar can make the 10am training
session if he leaves with his Dad
straight from Mass. In the past we
have taken him to a Saturday
evening Mass so that he can play
away games on a Sunday morning.
However, this year he is making his
First Holy Communion, and he
needs to be at the 9am Mass on a
Sunday morning.
“What are you doing to that kid?”
remarked his coach.
What we are doing is giving him a
choice – he can choose to accept or
reject his faith as an adult. But if
we had never introduced him (or
James) to any faith and spirituality,
it would undoubtedly be more difficult
later, for them to see the sea
from the pier.
Difficult, but not impossible. This
month, a good friend of mine will
be received into the Church. Tim
has asked me to be his sponsor.
Part of his preparation leading up
to his reception has been to compose
500 words on why he wants to
be a Catholic. I thought it might be
helpful to him to know why I am.
Being Catholic is not always easy, I
have been challenged not only on
our decision to bring the children
up as Catholic, but why I am also.
I’m a Catholic because I was born
and brought up as one. And that is
because on 12th February, 1857, at
the age of 30, my great-great-great
grandfather, William Wallace, was
received into the Catholic Church.
He had met Blessed Dominic Barberi
when he travelled to Sutton in
Merseyside in 1849, to make preparations
to build a new church. Fr
Dominic was Italian, and William,
who was a local resident, had been
asked to go along as he had a
smattering of the language, and it
was thought he might be able to
help with the negotiations.
When Fr Dominic heard that
William was not a Catholic, it is
written that he looked at him
earnestly and said, “I will pray for
you: you will become a Catholic.”
As an adult, I have proudly remained
a part of the Catholic
Church because of what it says
about peace; justice; human dignity;
equality; care for the environment;
the importance of a good
work life balance; and solidarity.
When I went to Northern Ireland
for a friend’s wedding in 2001, I
wondered whether I would be
viewed first as Catholic or English.
But whatever the answer is, I know
in my heart, I am a Catholic before
all else.
I like the subversive nature of
that, and the fact that I am no
more and no less important or
worthy than anyone else. We are
all equally loved. The Catholic
Church protects and promotes life
and values everybody.
At the end of this month, we celebrate
the feast of Corpus Christi,
and Edgar will make his First Communion.
So, next month: ‘Part 2’ of
why I am a Catholic, and some reflections
on the liturgy and the
Mass.
Page 8

The Pilgrim May 2016
On being good enough
By Fr Daniel O’Leary
In my pastoral experience a common
cry from those seeking a fuller life concerns
the inbuilt sense of inferiority
and the fear of being judged. That is
why we pretend and tell lies. It is why
we try to impress in a thousand ways.
It lies at the heart of our untold misery
and even tragedy.
Whether in the least competitive of
small communities, or at the heady
heights of political or religious power,
you will find the silent fear of failure,
the watchful tensions at the precarious
edge of peer comparison.
It is the fear-driven ego that makes
us strive too hard – to give more than
we are capable of because we do not
believe that even our best is ever
‘good enough.’ We can too easily get in
the way of the flow and dance of life
when we try too hard.
But we do not have to do it at all.
We keep forgetting that there is an undercurrent
of divinity in our lives that
shapes, guides and empowers everything.
We are called to, fashioned for,
drawn towards, knowingly or not, an
infinite destiny.
The world-renowned leader in psychoanalysis
and child psychiatry D.W.
Winnicott introduced the phrase “good
enough mothers” as a way of reassuring
them that they do not have to be
perfect mothers. He urged them to
trust their own love for their children,
their own natural instincts.
He said, “In each baby is a vital
spark, and this urge towards life and
growth and development is a part of
the baby, something the baby is born
with, and which is carried forward in a
way we do not have to understand.”
He is maybe urging the mother to
leave room for God in the baby’s life,
to allow a space for the baby just to be
– a space where the baby ultimately
develops a sense of the separate self.
To be grounded in the hidden self is,
in a way, to be grounded in God. Maybe
God is at one and the same time both
the space and the spark and the self.
But never the worry.
Our lack of self-belief leaves its
mark on our minds, souls and bodies.
Internalised self-doubt eventually affects
our health. We no longer sense
that presence within – from which all
true beauty shines.
Without a healthy sense of self we
project our unhappiness outwards. As
our harsh treatment of ourselves sets
in, so does our dismissiveness and cynicism
about others. We begin to see the
world through the filter of our own
complexes.
I remember an evening of impromptu
entertainment in a former parish.
Someone was needed to play the
piano. When an unlikely looking, rather
portly volunteer ambled towards the
gap-toothed keyboard on a makeshift
stage there were some doubtful, if not
judgemental, expressions and comments
from those around me.
Let Anna Wigley’s The Jazz Pianist
describe what happened next:
Before he sits at the keys he seems
short-breathed with bulk:
his belly a whale, his arms fat fish
that struggle to hang straight.
He takes the slender stool between
his legs
and perches; a buffalo on a shooting
stick.
The hands come up and rest
over the keys in dainty readiness.
Then he pulls from the piano’s throat
With such a deft, exquisite touch
brilliant scarves; and we stare
as if the room were full of strange
weather.
Recovering the “vital impulse”
of the liturgical movement
Fr Ashley Beck, assistant priest at St Edmund of
Canterbury, Beckenham, and lecturer in pastoral ministry
at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, continues his series
exploring modern papal encyclicals
This month we are thinking
about worship and liturgy -
around the letter which the
Venerable Pius XII wrote in 1947
called “The Mediator of God”,
Mediator Dei.
The letter is a big milestone
in what is known as “the liturgical
movement.” This phrase
describes a theological and pastoral
series of initiatives from
the 19th century, particularly
strong in France, Belgium and
Germany, designed to renew
the experience Catholics had of
corporate worship in church.
Those who led this movement,
often Benedictine monks
(from abbeys such as Solesmes
and Maria Laach), were insistent
that great care should be
taken in the carrying out of the
Church’s liturgy.
They argued that is should
form the basis of people’s spiritual
lives as Catholics at a time
when in most of western Europe
fewer and fewer people
were going to church on a regular
basis. Worship and liturgy
defines Christians when regular
worship is no longer something
which everyone does.
The Mass, of course, was celebrated
in Latin; but the leaders
of the liturgical movement
wanted people to participate in
what was happening as much as
they could. They believed they
shouldn’t simply be spectators:
so they should follow a translation
of the Mass in bilingual
missals and, as far as possible,
join in the singing of plainsong.
The pope’s letter was a celebration
and endorsement of this
movement. Liturgy itself is seen
as the extension of the priestly
life of Jesus Christ on earth.
One of the benefits of the liturgical
movement has been to
deepen understanding of the
Church as the Body of Christ.
The pope specifically commends
inviting everyone to join
in the Mass responses and the
singing of Mass chants. Liturgy
is not removed from other
things which happen in the
world. It can help to build
world peace, very real sentiments
two years after the end
of the Second World War.
People shouldn’t blindly think
that the most ancient forms are
necessarily the best - we must
take account of organic developments
in the liturgy over the
centuries. Liturgy can divide
Catholics from one another,
with people taking extreme
positions.
Pope Pius is calling for balance
and moderation, and for
people to respect the Church’s
authority over liturgical regulations
and guidance.
Worship has to be both external
and internal: liturgy helps
us to become holy, and this is
the way in which God is honoured
by those whom he has
created. The pope also makes
it clear that the liturgy is a
source of right beliefs: worship
is a continual profession of
Catholic faith.
He devotes a whole chapter
of the letter to the Mass itself,
to Eucharistic worship. We are
not mere spectators when the
sacrifice of the Mass is offered:
“It is important...for all the
faithful to understand this it is
their duty and highest privilege
to take part in it, not passively
or negligently or with distracted
mind, but with such active
devotion as to be in the
closest union with the High
Priest...”
This passage is important.
There have been many changes
in liturgy since Pius XII wrote
Mediator Dei, and in many ways
ordinary Catholic participate in
the Mass far more visibly than
they did in 1947, but it is still
easy for us (clergy included) to
be passive, negligent or have a
“distracted mind.”
What is really significant
about Mediator Dei is that it is
one of the few papal encyclicals
actually devoted to teaching
Catholics about how
Feature/Column
important liturgy and worship
actually are.
The Mass should never be
badly or shoddily celebrated,
without care or reverence. Any
parish’s first priority should be
the decent and holy celebration
of the Mass and other acts of
worship, however big or small a
parish is, however poor or rich.
At one point in the letter the
pope makes it clear that it is
preferable for people to receive
Holy Communion from
hosts consecrated at the Mass
at which they are present
rather than from a large supply
of consecrated hosts in the tabernacle.
He also encourages
frequent reception of Holy
Communion.
One thing we should note is
that he asks for churches to be
kept open for people to visit
the Blessed Sacrament reserved
in the tabernacle: “See that
our churches...are thrown open
to ever-increasing crowds of
the faithful...let our churches
be truly the house of God in
which those who enter to ask
for blessings may rejoice in
obtaining all their requests
and received heavenly
consolations.”
This is a challenge: we probably
don’t have the “ever-increasing
crowds”, but probably
fewer Catholic churches are
open all the time than would
have been true in 1947. Perhaps,
as a special way of marking
the Year of Mercy, we
should look at ways in which we
can keep our churches open
more during the day.
There is a great deal more in
the letter - you can download it
from www.vatican.va and it’s
easy to read. Three years after
he wrote the letter Pope Pius
began the process of reforming
the liturgy - beginning with the
Easter Vigil and Holy Week.
These were major reforms
which point towards the renewal
of the liturgy promoted
by the Second Vatican Council.
For all the latest Catholic news visit www.thecatholicuniverse.com
Page 9

Features
The Pilgrim May 2016
The Thamesmead ecumenical experiment
By Tony Castle
When I first arrived in Abbey Wood,
situated between Plumstead and
Erith, I could ride my motor bike
from St Benet's church in Abbey
Grove and down Harrow Manor Way
to Sewell Rd, which was the northern
limit of the parish.
On my right, spreading away into
the distance, were the Erith
Marshes. Travellers' caravans, with
their dogs and ponies, were regularly
parked there. If I could have
continued straight ahead, which I
couldn't, because it was a security
area, guarded by gates and guards
from Woolwich Arsenal, - to which it
belonged, - I would, after a quarter
of a mile, have ended up in the
Thames.
It was this large area, I learnt
soon after my arrival, that the
Greater London Council (GLC) was
proposing to turn into a new town
for 60,000 people. Surprisingly it
was a member of the Council who
made the proposal that it would be
a good idea to approach the local
churches and suggest that they consider
working together and perhaps
share church buildings.
To this end, on 9th October 1964,
representatives of the G.L.C. met
with Bishop John Robinson, the
Bishop of Woolwich, and representatives
of the local churches, to explore
the possibility of an
ecumenical ministry in the new
town.
Following the meeting a survey
was conducted of the local church
membership and the current buildings
and facilities. It was headed,
“Fringe Area Study” and opened
with the identification of the area
and the churches included.
“The New Town will lie between
Plumstead Station and Belvedere
Station. The Churches included in
this Study are within half-a-mile of
the railway line which will divide
the new area from the old.”
The study revealed that the average
Sunday Mass attendance at the
three Catholic churches – St
Patrick's, Plumstead, St Benet's,
Abbey Wood, and St David's, Abbey
Estate – was, in total, 1,954.
The Anglicans had more buildings
(5) but a lower church attendance
at 270. There were similar numbers
shown for the Methodist, Congregational,
and Baptist Churches. The
exhaustive Study examined, among
other things, the floor space of
churches and halls, and the characteristics
of Church membership.
In June 1966 Nicholas Stacey, the
Anglican Rector of Woolwich, was
appointed to be the leader of the
new “Erith-Woolwich Ecumenical
Working Party.” At first, Fr John
Morris, parish priest of Plumstead,
was the leader of the Catholic representation
on the planning group.
But Fr Frank O'Sullivan, parish priest
of Abbey Wood, took the lead once
he was appointed to the area. Later,
in 1966, a competition was run to
find a name for the Project/Area;
and “Thamesmead” won.
Not long after his appointment,
Nicholas Stacey moved on, in 1968,
to be the deputy director of Oxfam
and a Presbyterian minister, Derek
Baker, replaced him. Before building
on the site really got under way.
Bishop Robinson left the area to return
to academia; he was replaced,
in 1969, by Bishop David Sheppard
(the former cricketer and captain of
England).
Later Bishop Sheppard moved to
Liverpool, where he worked closely
with the Catholic Archbishop, Derek
Worlock; the name of the book they
published together summoned up
their approach to Ecumenism, Better
Together.
The Thamesmead Ecumenical
Team Ministry consisted of three Anglicans,
plus the bishop (who, because
they were the established
Church and certain legalities were
involved, had the leadership); two
Catholics, two Methodists, one Presbyterian,
and one Congregationalist
(a woman lay preacher). The Baptists
declined the invitation to join.
The William Temple Anglican
church, with its lounge and office,
on Abbey Wood estate was chosen as
the base for the working party and
for the first two years all meetings
took place there.
A simple, memorable event took
place in the lounge, when Bishop
Sheppard first arrived. About 50
people gathered for a special wine
and cheese reception. Derek Baker
went round with the bishop, and
Grace, his wife, and introduced
everyone individually.
That was on a Thursday and there
followed, the next Monday, the first
business meeting of the ecumenical
team. Bishop David came straight in
and immediately addressed, as he
shook their hands, each one by
name.
After he had shaken my hand and
addressed me personally, I said to
him, “Bishop, that is so impressive;
that you know everyone's name.”
“I'll let you into a little secret,”
he replied. “When I attend any
event, like the reception last week,
my wife stands close by. We generally
leave early and park the car
some little way away. Then we get
out a notebook and together write
the names down of the people we've
met. It gives me the opportunity to
learn them before I meet the group
again!”
The teaching of the Second Vatican
Council, especially on The
Church and ecumenism, which had
closed as the Thamesmead Project
had opened, inspired not only the
Catholic members but most of the
team ministry. They were fired with
a real enthusiasm and a vision.
The vision of the planning group,
who got on so well together, was to
build a strong ecumenical team ministry
that, in time, would draw all
Christians into a shared life as the
Thamesmead Christian community;
lived ecumenism.
But the working out of the vision
would and did prove challenging.
Spielberg film about Pope Pius IX
Steven Spielberg has announced he
is to make a film about Pope Pius IX.
The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara
will tell the story of a Jewish
boy in Italy in 1858 who is taken
from his parents, raised as a
Catholic and later becomes a priest.
Pope Pius will be played by British
actor Mark Rylance, known,
amongst other things, for the TV series
Wolf Hall and the film Bridge
of Spies.
Mortara was taken from his family
home in Bologna because a servant
in his household said she had baptised
him as an emergency measure
when he was very ill.
He grew up as a Catholic under
the protection of Pope Pius IX, who
refused to return him to his parents
despite their pleas. After being ordained,
he spent much of his life
travelling around Europe as a
preacher. He died in 1940.
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Page 10

The Pilgrim May 2016
“The Cafod lady” inspiring
the young of today
Sister Graca Almeida is a member of the Comboni Missionary Sisters. She is also a
Cafod schools and confirmation volunteer and has visited many schools and parishes
I was out doing my shopping when one of
the many children who attended one of
my recent school assemblies excitedly
squealed, “It’s the Cafod lady!”
Such a small day-to-day occurrence
would usually not be enough to brighten
up my Monday. However, this tiny thing
surely meant children were interested in
Cafod and its work.
It is little things like this, being able to
teach younger people how to give something
back themselves and to be the best
person they can be, that brings me great
joy in what I choose to do.
One day I will be up at 5am leading a
group of 30 volunteers to give out emergency
supplies to those caught in the infamous
Calais Jungle and the next, giving
a talk to students about Cafod. The second
may not sound as thrilling, but I get
the same satisfaction as I do with being
recognised as the Cafod lady.
When I moved to the UK six years ago,
I was very happy to start volunteering
with Cafod after seeing their work with
partners while working in Ethiopia. Also
because of their ability to inspire young
people and the way that Cafod works
with local communities, and agencies in
partnership, rather than getting involved
and unknowingly ignoring the needs of
those they are actually wanting to help,
which unfortunately often is the case.
Cafod for me provides a great sense of
community; and at the heart of Cafod is
its supporters; in parishes and in schools,
people like myself. Anyone can be a
Cafod volunteer, and it always needs
more volunteers to help bring their own
skills to their area and share its message.
What I love about being a confirmation
volunteer is seeing young people using
their faith to fight injustice. Cafod volunteers
come from all walks of life; bringing
their own knowledge, ideas and
personalities, from arranging events to
partaking in events. Alongside this, most
volunteers have other commitments like
bringing up families, but still find a way
to help support Cafod.
Cafod’s Lent appeal this year focused
on clean water; and having seen and
lived through the effects of this in
Ethiopia, it is a campaign I fully supported
and it excited me to spread the
word to young people. We need volunteers
to talk and share stories about Lent
and show what the money raised can do
for people in countries across the world.
Something that will always resonate
with me, is when I attended an Ethiopian
mother’s young son who was sick and
gave him clean water. His mother responded
with, ‘and this is?’ questioningly.
She had never seen clean water. At the
age of 33 the only water she had seen
was dirty, brown, sludge.
It is these memories and experiences I
take with me when I talk to schools or
confirmation groups to let them know
that what I’m saying is not an exaggeration.
Pope Francis tells us, “We need to
strengthen the conviction that we are
one single human family. There are no
frontiers or barriers, political or social,
behind which we can hide; still less is
there room for the globalisation of indifference.”
For me, this is what Cafod is about: no
matter where you are from we all come
together working for a fairer and better
world.
To find out more about becoming a
youth volunteer get in touch with
Cafod Southwark on 0208 449 6970 or
southwark@cafod.org.uk
for more information.
Features/Diary
School days
Clive Webster
Home? Broughton,
Hampshire.
Job? Chief executive of The
Kent Catholic Schools'
Partnership, a multiacademy
trust for Catholic
schools in Kent.
What secondary school did
you attend? Cardinal Hinsley
High in Harlesden, North
West London (now the
Cardinal Newman Academy).
Favourite subject?
Woodwork; not that I was
particularly good. I just really enjoyed it.
Worst subject? Geography; because I wasn't
particularly good!
Favourite teacher? Miss Anne Prior, St Joseph's
Primary, Leopold Road, Harlesden, who inspired a lifelong
passion for poetry.
Favourite school dinner? Roast anything.
Guilty secret? As an altar boy, I sampled the wine at
the end of Mass.
What lessons about life did you learn?
Very few things in life really do matter.
What do you wish you had been told?
Those things that really do matter (and sooner!)
What did you do immediately after leaving school?
I got the chance to spend two weeks on the Tuscan
coast in Italy as part of a youth ecumenical retreat,
culminating in a private audience with Pope John Paul
II in the papal summer home, Castel Gandolfo,
just outside Rome.
What career advice would you give to a young
person? Find out what really does matter.
Use it to cultivate a passion; something that makes
you want to jump out of bed every morning;
that helps you, and helps others.
Fr Paul Mason,
episcopal car
for Kent,
speaking at the
meeting of
vocations
directors,
seminary
rectors,
ongoing
formation
directors and
bishops at
Hothorpe
Hall in
Leicestershire.
Diary – May
2: Thanksgiving Mass for the 60th anniversary of
the HCPT, 2pm, St George’s Cathedral, celebrated
by Archbishop Peter.
2 – 6 and 9 – 13: “The Theology, Life and Legacy
of Eric Doyle OFM, 1938 – 1984”, presented by
Dr Brenda Abbot, 7pm – 9pm, Franciscan
International Study Centre, Giles Lane,
Canterbury. For more information, e-mail
Brenda.a@franciscans.ac.uk
5: Saints of mercy series of talks: St Josephine
Bakhita by Cecilia Suarez, Amigo Hall, Lambeth
Road, 7.30pm. Admission free.
Phone 0208 672-7684 to register.
6: Merciful ministry: a template for stewardship, a
day for clergy organised by the diocesan
stewardship team, 11am – 4pm, Amigo Hall.
A cooked lunch is provided.
7: Study day with David Carter from the British
Catholic-Methodist dialogue committee, 11am –
3pm, St Andrew’s Anglican Centre, Short Street,
SE1. For more information, email
togetherinchrist@hotmail.co.uk
12: Saints of mercy series of talks: Ss Padre Pio
and Leopold Mandic by Fr Martin Mikuskiewicz,
Amigo Hall, Lambeth Road, 7.30pm. Admission
free. Phone 0208 672-7684 to register.
12: In-Service Training Day. Professor Thomas Pink
will deliver a lecture entitled Ecumenical
Dialogue: a path to unity or false prospectus?
Amigo Hall.
14: Commissioning of extraordinary ministers of
If you have an event, please e-mail
details to us at
pilgrim@rcsouthwark.co.uk
Holy Communion, 10am, concluding with Mass at
2.30pm, The Friars, Aylesford.
14: Mass for new Catholics, St George’s Cathedral,
11 am, followed by refreshments and a question
and answer session with Archbishop Peter in Amigo
Hall.
21: Reunion of former pupils of St Anne's College
in Sanderstead, Coloma Covent Girls’ School. For
more information, e-mail sacoga@hotmail.co.uk
Page 11

The Pilgrim May 2016
Focus on faith
What does Pope Francis
say about family life?
Mark Nash, formation advisor at the Centre for Catholic Formation, takes a look
at Pope Francis’s apostolic exhortation, Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love)
This study day is intended for new and
potential Catechists. It is also open to
all who work to pass on the faith.
Saturday 11 June 2016
The day will comprise four sessions
including input and discussion on:
The vocation of the catechist, First Holy Communion,
Reconciliation, Con firmation, Baptism, the Liturgy,
RCIA, prayer, safeguarding advice and practical
guidance on working with adults and children.
Time: 10am for 10:30am ­ 4pm
Cost: £10 includes a light lunch.
Venue: Centre for Catholic Formation,
Tooting Bec Road, SW17 8BS
Organised by the Centre for Catholic Formation.
Evangelization and Catechesis in the mission of the Church.
To book a place please contact the CCF by email
office@ccftootingbec.org.uk
or via the website www.ccftootingbec.org.uk
or phone 020 8672 7684 for details.
www.ccftootingbec.org.uk
Pope Francis’s apostolic exhortation,
Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love),
has already elicited a deep variety of
responses. Over recent weeks, commentators
have found that he says
too little or too much – on marriage,
same-sex unions, gender roles, sex
education, and other teachings related
to the family.
Voices from both the “too little”
and “too much” perspectives remind
us the Holy Father has not changed
Church teaching.
For the past three years, Pope
Francis has not let us stop talking
about doctrine. Two synods and a
time to deliberate and debate and
study between them, a broadening of
discussion, at times both carefully
constructed and acrimonious, serve
to remind us that this pope sees in
the “mess” – a fruitful chance to proclaim
the Kingdom through personal
encounter.
In Amoris Laetitia, the Holy Father
continues to ask all members of the
Church to speak boldly, without fear.
We are pushed to accept complexities.
With the Pope’s writings and
now his exhortation, we are called to
admit that the Church is a place
where real people work and fail, find
mercy and work again.
The document itself is a broad
sweep of experience, scriptural reflection,
practical measures and a
joyous restatement of the Church’s
teaching on marriage. It draws heavily
on the debates of the 2014 and
2015 synods, described as a “multifaceted
gem”, on the documents of
the Second Vatican Council and on
the teaching of previous popes.
A lot of what is written here has
been written before. The pastoral
discernment, accompaniment and inclusion
of those in “irregular situations”
had been called for by Pope
John Paul II some 35 years ago in
Familiaris Consortio.
Francis is taking the next important
steps in that area, again, without
changing the necessities of
Church law and discipline.
Pastoral Concerns
The concept of informed conscience
has a significant place in Amoris
Laetitia, while the legalistic application
of rules appears downplayed. As
Pope Francis puts it, the Church cannot
apply moral laws as if “they were
stones to throw at people’s lives.”
Rules must line up behind pastoral
concerns. Among these concerns are
poverty and unemployment, tendencies
toward selfishness and individualism,
and marginalisation of people
in non-traditional unions. His Holiness
is not unrealistic but pragmatic. He
articulates clearly the difficulties of
married life, but sees them not as
problems but as opportunities.
Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn shows a copy of the post-synodal
apostolic exhortation 'Amoris Laetitia' (The Joy of Love)
during a press conference at the Vatican last month
The Joy of Christian Marriage
and the Family
The Joy of Love is a clear appeal to
all Christians to promote marriage as
a vocation. Despite the inevitable
challenges every effort should be
made to safeguard marriage in society
and its promotion should be at
the forefront of Church life.
The family, as a natural society
founded on marriage, is the rock on
which society is built and the factors
that undermine this should be confronted.
In more than one place in the document,
Pope Francis refers to the
couple that loves and begets life as a
“true, living icon” capable of revealing
God the Creator, mirroring God
who is love.
The Holy Family itself, for all of
their burdens, provides us with a
model. The scriptural backdrop provided
in chapter one places the family
at the heart of human experience
as a place where faith is learnt, anxieties
experienced and tensions
resolved.
The Holy Father points out that
better health has led to longer life
and longer marriages. He asks us to
explore questions on how we, as a
Church, support not just engaged and
newly married couples but couples
in crisis, those in mixed marriages;
the childless, the elderly and those
who remain single. How clearly do
we understand what modern times
and cultures have brought to
marriage?
The gift of children forms a significant
part of Amoris Laetitia, with
particular emphasis placed on the
need for family prayer, part of the
section on family spirituality), education
in the faith, the welcoming of
new life and authentic sex education.
Love is…
Chapter Four will no doubt be quoted
at wedding homilies up and down the
country. Offering, as it does, a rich,
scriptural and practical exegesis on
St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians,
this chapter rewards careful and
repeated reading. Indeed, it might be
profitable to provide a copy of this
chapter to all couples undertaking
marriage preparation.
Clearly such an account of Christian
love: building up and serving of
others; not reacting angrily and harbouring
resentment; and enduring offense
refers not just to the marital
relationship but to a Christian way of
life.
A broader vision?
Perhaps it will be the first four paragraphs
that will have the greatest impact.
Here, we read the Holy Father
exhorting the Church, not just to a
“broader vision of marriage,” but to
the need for “continued open discussion
of a number of doctrinal, moral,
spiritual and pastoral questions…
which need not be settled by interventions
of the magisterium”.
The local variety and plurality of
experience and context around the
world, the “legitimate concerns and
honest questions’ of Christian families
requires ‘a commitment to others”,
reflection and dialogue. Trust
yourselves and the Holy Spirit seems
to be the document’s guiding
theme.
Given the extraordinary complexity
of family life, it is perhaps unsurprising
that Amoris Laetitia is extremely
long, over 60,000 words in the English
translation. This word count will
put off many from reading it
“patiently and carefully”.
Many will be tempted to simply
read commentators and cherrypicked
synopses. Indeed, any short
article, such as this, will never do
justice to a rich and varied exploration
of marriage and family life
such as Amoris Laetitia.
A considered and prayerful parishbased
reflection process may be the
only useful way to fully mine its
treasure.
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