Issue 69 - The Pilgrim - March 2018 - The newspaper of the Archdiocese of Southwark

The Pilgrim March 2018
Organ donation
should be a gift
Donating your organs and tissues should be a
gift, Bishop Paul Mason has said.
He was responding to the launch of a
Government open consultation titled,
“Introducing ‘opt-out’ consent for organ and
tissue donation in England.”
Bishop Paul, the Catholic bishop responsible
for healthcare, said, “The Government’s plans
to introduce ‘opt-out’ consent for organ and
tissue donation in England undermine the
concept of donation as a gift, and cross the
line of what is a reasonable action for the
state to take in relation to the individuals
within it.
“Moreover, the structure of ‘opt-out’
consent doesn’t necessarily succeed. This
system was introduced in Wales in December
2015. Since then there has in fact been a
slight decrease in organ transplants in Wales,
compared with an increase in England over
the same period.
“When an ‘opt-out’ system is implemented
for organ donation, it is no longer a gift.
Voluntary organ donation is an intrinsic good
and something I’d encourage all people to
consider.”
No to abortion clinic buffer zones
News
Chaplains remembered
A remembrance service was held at St Mary’s
church in Clapham for all the Redemptorists who
served as chaplains in the armed forces during
the first and second world wars.
The service was modelled on that held by the
Royal British Legion, and brought together
military chaplains of all denominations,
veterans, the Redemptorists of the London
province, parishioners and members of the local
community.
Death of young priest
Parishioners at St Andrew’s church in Thornton
Heath are mourning Fr John Ehichioya, who has
died aged just 31.
Parish priest Fr Len Tatt said: “The memories
that we need to hold in our minds and hearts is
of someone who cared about this parish more
than he did about himself. He had a brief period
back in the house and was so happy to be here.
He managed to celebrate a mass one Sunday
evening which I believe was God’s way of
allowing him to say goodbye.”
Father John came from Nigeria, where he had
been secretary to the Archbishop of Benin. He
had been assistant priest at St Andrew’s since
2014.
Help Waterloo food bank
St George’s Cathedral is encouraging
parishioners to buy some food for the Waterloo
food bank during Lent. The cathedral’s St
Vincent de Paul group is involved with the
project. Collection baskets have been placed at
the back of the cathedral.
Southwark Council has decided
there is not enough evidence to
create a buffer zone around an
abortion clinic where pro-life
campaigners gather.
Last November Southwark’s
council assembly unanimously
passed a motion asking the
borough’s cabinet to explore
the creation of a “buffer
zone” around the Blackfriars
Medical Practice in Colombo
Street which hosts a British
Pregnancy Advisory Service
clinic.
Campaigners from Abort67
have held regular gatherings
outside the clinic since it
opened in 2014.
However, at a recent cabinet
meeting, Councillor Barrie
Hargrove said there was not
enough evidence to bring in a
Public Space Protection Order.
Responding to a Government
review of protests outside
abortion clinics, Bishop John
Sherrington, the Bishop with
responsibility for the Day for
Life, insisted protesters should
have the right to make their
views known.
“There are members of the
public, often associated with
churches, who gather
peacefully to pray outside
abortion clinics and witness to
the good of human life in a
dignified way. They do so
because of their fundamental
belief in the protection of
unborn life and the good of the
mother.
“The offering of leaflets is
part of helping to inform
women who might not have had
impartial information before.
There are also those who offer
practical alternatives and
assistance if a woman wants to
make a different choice.
“In a democratic society the
freedom to protest and express
one’s opinion is always to be
considered in relation to the
common good. It should not be
necessary to limit the freedom
of individuals or groups to
express opinions except when
they could cause grave harm to
others or a threat to public
order. There are already
proportionate means in current
legislation to deal with these
situations.
“A blanket introduction of
‘buffer zones’ carries with it
the danger of both denying
freedom of expression and
fostering intolerance towards
legitimate opinions which
promote the common good.”
Archbishop Peter: Trust in Jesus
In his Lenten pastoral letter, Archbishop
Peter has said that even if we feel our faith
is weak we should hope and trust in Jesus.
He writes, “Sometimes the darkness and
gloom of winter is not simply something
outside us, but seems to have invaded our very
hearts and chills the very depths of our being.
“In especially dark times we may even
feel that we have lost our faith altogether.
We can become anxious and fearful;
beginning to think that we are being tested
beyond our strength and endurance, or
even that God has finally given up on us and
abandoned us.
“But the message of Lent is a message of
hope and trust in the person of Jesus, our
Saviour and redeemer, who says to each one
of us, ‘I am with you until the end of time.’”
Kent Catholic
schools on top
The Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership (KCSP)
has been ranked in the top ten best performers
in the country.
In a year when more than half of all trusts fell
below the national average for pupils’
performance, KCSP has been included among the
best performers.
The Department for Education tables are
based on 2017 exam results, including an
analysis taking account of Key Stage 2 (primary)
and Key Stage 4 (secondary) outcomes.
Clive Webster, chief executive of KCSP, said:
“This ranking is an early indication of all that
can be achieved through working hard together.
Catholic schools have a proud history of
achieving success for some of the most inclusive
school populations, comprising all abilities, rich
international diversity and every social and
economic background.”
Chatham school lectures
St John Fisher Catholic School in Chatham has
held a series of pre-university lectures for
students, parents and teachers. Topics explored
included why we sleep and dream, the origins of
the universe, and mapping the smells of a city.
Battle of Britain
Students from St John’s Catholic Comprehensive
School in Gravesend with a Polish background
visited the Battle of Britain Memorial Museum at
Capel-le-Ferne, near Folkestone. They learned
about the contribution pilots from Poland made
during the Battle of Britain.
We want your news! Email your stories to
pilgrim@rcsouthwark.co.uk
or telephone 0208 776 9250.
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