Issue 67 - The Pilgrim - December 2017/January 2018 - The newspaper of the Archdiocese of Southwark

Issue 67 December 2017/January 2018
Comic capers
in the parish
Page 5
The year in
pictures
Pages 6 & 7 Page 10
A journey through
the Christmas
calendar
‘The Adoration of the
Magi’ by Battista Dossi.
“Wherever we are in our spiritual journey, our awareness, our belief that God loves us unconditionally,
should fill us with joy, hope and consolation. That love has been revealed in the person and ministry of
Jesus Christ whose birth we will celebrate again at Christmas.” - Archbishop Peter’s Advent pastoral letter
Christmas dinner
for the homeless
By Greg Watts
This Christmas, as in previous years,
the Manna Day Centre near London
Bridge will be providing a dinner for
people who are homeless.
“We normally have two sittings
and although we say that only those
with tickets would be admitted, the
reality is that everyone who shows
up at the door gets a seat and is
served. Last year, we had about 170
guests,” said director Bandi Mbubi.
Thanks to the generosity of Better
Bankside, which collects Christmas
presents from local businesses and
distributes them to local charities
helping those in need, every person
gets a Christmas present when they
leave.
The Christmas is held a few days
before Christmas, explained Bandi.
“Christmas week is the only week
when we are closed during the year.
But rest assured that our serviceusers
are well looked after at Crisis
at Christmas, a project which
specifically runs during that week,
to allow workers from charities like
ours the time to be with their
families and loved ones.
“It gives us peace of mind
knowing that volunteers from across
London spend time with our serviceusers,
providing them with food,
advice and company.”

Editorial
Ralph McTell.
Wandering the city at random, your inner
soundtrack might include Streets of London
By Bishop Paul Hendricks
I’m not a great one for going to pop
concerts, but I did go to one recently to
see Ralph McTell. (Yes, over seventy and
he’s still going strong). At the end he said
something like, “The usual thing is to
finish with a medley of your greatest hits.
Well, I’ve only ever had one, so here it is
...”— and then he played Streets of
London.
This was the song, he once said, that
he’d put out “buried in an album”,
because everyone thought it was too sad
to be successful. For various contractual
reasons, he wasn’t able to put out his own
single of it until ten years later. By that
time it had already been recorded by
thirty artists, including Mary Hopkin, Val
Doonican and Roger Whitaker.
At the concert, I enjoyed the way Ralph
filled in some of the background to the
songs, telling about growing up in Croydon,
holidays to visit relatives in Banbury —
and, later, busking around Europe and
living in an isolated area of Cornwall.
Little incidents and experiences gave
ideas that could feed into a song. The
best-known example was the case of Derek
Bentley, the teenager with learning
difficulties who was sentenced to death
after he and a younger lad named Craig
tried to break into a Croydon warehouse.
It was Craig who had the gun and fired
the shot, but they were both convicted of
murder. Craig was too young to be
executed, but Bentley was hanged. Ralph
was aged eight at the time and the sense
of horror and injustice of all this stayed
with him.
Many years later he expressed it in a
song, Bentley and Craig. Sometimes it
takes the perspective of years for an idea
to bear fruit in a song — and there’s a sort
of authenticity about this that I admire.
There’s an attractive combination of
“edginess’ and maturity in Ralph’s songs.
This reminds me of something I once read
about literature. An author can use his (or
her) own experiences, but they have to be
“processed” in some way, transformed
from the specific context so that they can
speak to the human condition more
widely.
Even a protest song (and Ralph has
written a number of these) needs to do
more than just express anger — if only
because they also need to challenge the
majority of us, who would not have been
involved in the original situation.
I also find a large degree of compassion
in the songs, a quality of imagination that
can see and feel how things might be for
someone very different to oneself. In
Michael in the Garden, he sings about
someone who may be mentally ill or
handicapped — or who just lives in a
different place to the rest of us. He sees a
beauty and peace in the world, with which
he’s much more in harmony than “we, we
who say that there’s something wrong with
your mind.”
As we approach Christmas, preparing to
enjoy time with our families and friends,
we rejoice in these gifts, at the same time
as we celebrate God’s greatest gift to the
world. And as the bleaker side of
Bethlehem also comes to mind — the
poverty and the persecution — we also try
to be more mindful of those who don’t
share our material blessings.
“So, how can you tell me you’re lonely,
and say for you that the sun don’t shine.
Let me take you by the hand and lead you
through the streets of London. I’ll show
you something that’ll make you change
your mind.”
The Pilgrim December 2017/January 2018
We must open
our hearts
Here is an edited extract of Archbishop
Peter’s Advent pastoral letter.
The prominent theme of Advent is the call to
conversion and renewal, as we prepare to celebrate
the coming of Jesus Christ at Christmas, and look
forward in hope and joyful expectation to his second
coming at the end of time.
It gives us an opportunity to stand back a little
from our busy and often hectic lives, to reflect on
where we stand with God our Saviour.
Wherever we are in our spiritual journey, our
awareness, our belief that God loves us
unconditionally, should fill us with joy, hope and
consolation. That love has been revealed in the
person and ministry of Jesus Christ whose birth we
will celebrate again at Christmas.
The spirit of Advent is the spirit of renewed hope
and expectancy as we long for the coming of the
Saviour into our hearts and minds – not just at
Christmas, but every day.
Each day we are called to become more and more
like the person of Jesus Christ and model our lives
on him. Then we too, in some small way, will be
able to reveal to the world something of the
unconditional love of God, which he offers as pure
gift to everyone without exception.
But we will only be able to hold fast to Christ if
we are fully awake and alert to his voice: in the
scriptures, in our prayer, and when we meet him in
the celebration of the sacraments, especially the
Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
We meet him too especially in the weak, the poor,
the sick and the suffering. These are “God’s little
people” for whom we, like Christ himself, must have
a special care and concern. In the words of our Holy
Father, Pope Francis, we must become “a poor
Church for the poor.”
We need eyes to see the needy and suffering
Christ in those around us, those amongst whom we
live and work. We need hearts open to the Holy
Spirit who, if we ask, will fill them with the fire of
God’s love. And we need the support and
encouragement of each other because we journey
not simply as individuals but as disciples of Christ
who are members of God’s family, the community of
faith.
So my prayer this Advent is that we will take the
time to open our hearts to the gift of the Holy
Spirit, asking him to deepen our faith, confirm our
hope in God’s promises, and help us to be more
generous in our love for God and one another,
especially the poor, the sick, the isolated and the
suffering in our midst.
In these we meet the suffering Christ, and it is in
them that we truly serve him who came not to be
served but to serve. “I tell you solemnly, in so far as
you did this to one of the least of these brothers of
mine, you did it to me.”
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 Archdiocese of Southwark
Archbishop Peter Smith
020 7928-2495
archbishop@rcsouthwark.co.uk
www.rcsouthwark.co.uk
Area bishops
Episcopal vicar for Kent
Bishop Paul Mason
01732 845486
bishoppaulmason@gmail.com
South-West London
Bishop Paul Hendricks
020 8643 8007
bishop.hendricks@gmail.com
South-East London
Bishop Patrick Lynch
020 8297 6540
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 December 2017/January 2018
News
The Centre for Catholic Formation in
Tooting Bec was lit in red on the evening of
November 22nd to show its solidarity with
persecuted Christians around the world.
Cathedral dedication
Mass was celebrated at St George’s Cathedral to
mark its dedication. Although it opened in 1848,
it was not dedicated until 7th November 1894
when all of the building debts had been repaid.
Amongst the priests present were two new
honorary canons, Canon (Leo) Francis Mooney
and Canon William Hebborn.
Streatham gathering
A day of recollection was held at Bishop Thomas
Grant School, Streatham, for extra ordinary
ministers of Holy Communion and readers.
Father Denis McBride led the day. The theme
was “The Gospel of Mark' - believing in and
following Jesus Christ strengthened by the
Eucharist.”
Bishop Pat Lynch thanked the ministers and
readers, saying “The service you give is a very
important contribution to the life of the parish.”
New room at shrine
Archbishop Peter officially opened a new
meeting room at the Shrine of St Jude in
Faversham. The room is named after Brother
Anthony McGreal, who assisted the founder,
Father Elias Lynch, in establishing the shrine and
the work of the Carmelite Press.
Sanderstead
celebration
Bishop Howard Tripp returned to the
parish of his childhood, Holy Family,
Sanderstead, to celebrate the 75th
anniversary of its first Mass.
In his homily Bishop Tripp talked
about how people who lived in
Sanderstead used to go to Mass at St
Gertrude’s in South Croydon, most of
them travelling by bus.
During the Second World War, when
buses no longer ran on Sundays, two
ladies, Miss Richardson and Miss Cox,
invited the parish priest of St
Getrude’s to say Mass at a school
they ran in Sanderstead.
Fr Pritchard, the then parish priest
of St Gertrude’s, celebrated the Mass
with Bishop Tripp, who was one of
the altar servers at the first Mass, in
1942.
New scripture-based resource
A new scripture-based resource
has been launched by the
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of
England and Wales.
Counting our Blessings has
been produced by the
Department for Christian
Responsibility and Citizenship
and is designed to help families
connect their ordinary,
everyday living, giving and
caring for life with the sense of
being “blessed.”
The idea is to assist families
to talk about their own
experiences and things that
matter to them in their own
language, and then reflect on them through
Pupils from St
George’s
Cathedral Catholic
Primary School
took part in a
lantern parade
around the back
streets east of
Blackfriars Road.
A giant
mechanical
puppet of Old
Father Thames
accompanied the
parade, which
began in
Lancaster Street
and ended in Mint
Street Park.
scripture.
The booklet consists of an
introduction, and seven standalone
sessions, each beginning
with a question about life
experience: What’s it like to fall
in love? To care for someone
who is suffering? To grieve? To
feel like an outsider? To be
listened to? To feel deeply
joyful?
It is designed to be used in a
variety of pastoral or
catechetical settings in parishes,
schools and chaplaincies.
• Counting our Blessings costs
£9.00 and is available from
www.matthewjamespublishing.com
Lewisham students in court
Sixteen students from Christ the King Sixth Form
College in Lewisham have appeared at Maidstone
Crown and County Court.
But the students had not broken the law. They
were competing in the Bar National Mock Trial
Competition.
They competed in three rounds against other
local schools and colleges, where they
questioned witnesses and answered questions
from the opposing team.
Although they didn’t win, they impressed by
their endeavour and tenacity in the court room.
Want to work in Parliament?
Young Catholics are invited to apply for the 2018
Catholic parliamentary and public affairs
Internships scheme.
Run by the Bishops’ Conference of England and
Wales, the year-long faith in politics scheme
places young Catholics with Christian MPs or
peers in Westminster. Interns also visit various
charities and institutions
They are also given the opportunity to
complete a fully funded, part-time postgraduate
certificate in Catholic social teaching at St
Mary’s University, Twickenham.
As well as this, the group regularly meet with
Christians who work in all walks of public life, as
well as those in the private sector.
The main criteria for entry are an
understanding of the Catholic faith, a strong
vocation to social action, a flair and initiative
for creative work, and a 2:1 degree or higher.
More information and the application form can
be found at www.faithinpolitics.org.uk.
We want your news! Email your stories to
pilgrim@rcsouthwark.co.uk
or telephone 0208 776 9250.
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.
www.rcsouthwark.co.uk
Page 3

News
National award for Canterbury pupil
Anna Chapman of St Anselm’s
Catholic School, Canterbury, has
won the Jimmy Mizen Award
from the national charity Million
Minutes.
Seventeen-year-old Anna is a
member of the St Anselm’s sixth
form chaplaincy team. She is
also a peer mentor for year
seven students with behaviour
issues and secondary school
transitions.
She supports the younger
students who have anger
problems or just need someone
to listen. She gives them
strategies so when at home, or
out, they can control their
anger.
The Celebrating Young People
Listen to young people
Southwark Catholic Youth Service has held its annual
general meeting at Archbishop's House.
It was attended by various clergy from around the
diocese, people working with young people and
representatives from youth groups.
John Toryusen, the director of Southwark Catholic
Youth Service, presented the annual report and
emphasised the areas of development were around the
2018 Synod “Young People, The Faith and Vocational
Discernment”, and CYMFed Faith in Action Awards.
He said, “The key point over the next year is to
encourage parishes to engage with young people and
take the time to listen.”
Chloe’s
new sign
awards ceremony was held at
the Prince Charles Cinema in
Leicester Square and was hosted
by Million Minutes in partnership
with St Mary’s University,
Twickenham.
Million Minutes supports
projects helping young people to
transform their lives and put
Catholic social teaching into
practice.
Anna said she felt privileged
and honoured to receive the
award.
“It is difficult in this
generation to put across values
of peace, hope and forgiveness
when the media portrays so
many shocking stories of
revenge and hatred.
“However, if we seek the good
for one another we see we are
dependent on one another to
gain true peace. This is
something we should continue
to strive for whether through
promoting peace or having a
passion to heal a community by
working together, young and
old, this could be possible.”
Louise Perry who nominated
Anna and is St Anselm’s School
chaplain said, “I am so proud of
Anna, she is an inspiration to
others promoting peace in
school. She is part of the school
chaplaincy team and is very
calm when talking with the
younger students. She was so
amazed she had been nominated
for the award because
promoting calm situations and
peace is part of her normal
life.”
Parish with a caring kitchen
Archbishop Peter paid a visit to the “Caring Kitchen” at St Anselm’s in Tooting Bec.
The “Caring Kitchen” is run by parishioners and it operates two weeks in the
lower church hall. It provides sandwiches, soup, and cake for those who are
homeless or feel lonely or isolated.
Archbishop Peter also celebrated Mass at St Anselm’s, after which he
presented parish administrator, Mrs Martine Mercer, with the diocesan medal,
which recognises fidelity and service in the Church.
Over the years, Martine has gone well beyond the call of duty in many things,
but most especially in the assiduousness with which she has cared for the many
sick clergy who have come to live in the parish.
Archbishop Peter also looked in at St Anselm’s parish shop, which sells a
range of religious items. He commented that it was a wonderful vehicle for
evangelisation to the wider world.
Pudsey visits Sheerness school
The Pilgrim December 2017/January 2018
Recycling champions
St John’s Catholic Primary School in Gravesend
has won a £500 prize and been named a county
recycling champion.
The school topped the leaderboard in a home
recycling challenge which involved more than
100 schools across Kent.
The schools project involved one of the UK’s
biggest recycling companies, Viridor, Kent
County Council and Wastebuster, a not-for-profit
social enterprise which aims to “bust” the idea
of “waste.”
Purley grandparents’ tea
Oakwood School in Purley has held a
grandparents’ tea. The event started with
children and their grandparents listening to a
musical performance by the reception year
children. This was followed by a year six
presentation on inspirational people and then
children and their families enjoyed an afternoon
tea together.
We want your news! Email your stories to
pilgrim@rcsouthwark.co.uk
or telephone 0208 776 9250.
Sixth formers become
UN delegates
Five sixth formers from St Michael’s College in
Bermondsey became UN delegates at a
conference in Wimbledon.
They were allocated a country in advance
(Australia) and had to research its position on
various issues, such as security, human rights,
and economics.
After giving an opening speech, delegates split
into various committees to debate with
delegates from other UN countries and form
resolutions.
Patrick McNeely, one of the group, said,
“Sitting on a model UN is an unforgettable
experience where you get given the time to
engage in international politics and to view it
from another countries perspective as a
delegate.”
Student awards
The annual awards ceremony for students who
have completed
Catholic Certificate of Religious Studies (CCRS)
was held at the Centre for Catholic Formation in
Tooting Bec.
The event was attended by tutors, friends and
family. Mgr Matthew Dickens, vicar general,
presented the awards to the students who
successfully completed the six core modules plus
two specialist modules.
The CCRS is a nationally recognised
qualification and it is designed to allow for
flexible studying. It is also run at the Angelus
Centre, Erith, and St Margaret Clitherow,
Tonbridge.
For more information about the course, visit
www.ccftootingbec.org.uk.
A pupil at St Simon Stock School
in Maidstone has won a
competition to design a new for
sale billboard for an estate
agent.
Chloe Jones received a £1,000
cheque from the managing
director of Bluebell Estates,
John Rafferty, a former St Simon
Stock pupil, for her eyecatching
design.
Pudsey Bear made a surprise
visit to pupils at St Edwards
Catholic Primary School in
Sheerness to thank them for
their fundraising efforts.
The school was one of many in
the country to take part in BBC’s
Children in Need and Lloyd’s
Bank campaign to raise momey
to help disadvantaged children
and young people across the
country.
Headteacher Mrs Wakefield
said: “We’ve really enjoyed
raising money for BBC Children
in Need this year. The children
loved going spotty for The Big
Spotacular.
They were very excited to
receive a visit from Pudsey and
the team at Lloyds Bank. The
pupils loved it and it was great
to have a reward for all our
fundraising.”
Tooting celebration
Bishop Paul Hendricks celebrated an all nations
thanksgiving Sunday Mass at St Boniface’s in
Tooting
The 750-strong congregation was made up of
43 nationalities.
Following the Mass, a food festival was held in
the parish hall, featuring 29 stalls from different
nationalities.
Page 4

The Pilgrim December 2017/January 2018
Feature
The funny side of being a priest
Fr David Gibbons of St Thomas of Canterbury in Sevenoaks takes a humorous look at the life of a parish priest.
a CD for the entrance of the bride,
only to discover no CD in it. A
bridesmaid attempted to download
the music to her mobile, but even
put next to a microphone it was
completely inaudible.
Once, at a baptism, I was just
about to pour a small dollop of the
holy chrism onto the baby’s head
for the anointing when the baby
moved suddenly and knocked my
hand. The whole contents of the
phial splooshed on to the baby’s
head.
Afterwards I thought I had better
apologise to the parents for the
fact that their precious baby was
covered in chrism and would smell
of it for days. “No, it’s a good
thing” said the father, “he suffers
from cradle cap and the oil will do
him some good!”
I had only just been ordained and
it was the harvest festival Mass.
Seconds before the start time word
came that the organ had broken
down and would we wait for the
organist to get down from the
organ gallery to play the piano.
Inevitably the piano lid was
covered with a huge display of fruit
and vegetables, which had to be
removed for the lid to be raised.
We solemnly processed in to see
half the congregation trying to sing
the entrance hymn whilst clutching
a handful of oranges and
courgettes.
I was so distracted by the sight
that I accidentally brushed against
another magnificent display of
harvest produce and sent it
crashing to the ground.
Back to Christmas, when
children’s dressing up efforts are
legendary. I have conducted crib
Services with fifteen Marys and
hordes of shepherds (the costume is
the easiest) and where no-one has
thought to bring a doll to represent
the infant Jesus.
And of course only two kings,
because the third was stuck in
traffic on the M25. But have you
noticed: no child ever comes
dressed as King Herod?
One year, when I was parish priest
of Sacred Heart, Camberwell, a
few days before Christmas a
parishioner came running into the
Presbytery. “Come quickly” she
said.
Fearing the worst – a break in,
desecration of the church perhaps,
or a burst water pipe – I went
quickly. There in the Christmas
crib, empty of course awaiting the
placing of the bambino on
Christmas Eve, was a mouse, fast
asleep.
Since St Francis invented the
Christmas crib we are familiar with
sheep and other farm animals in
them, but try as I might I can find
no reference in the Gospels to
mice!
Mind you, the most bizarre
experience of my time in
Camberwell was in connection with
a funeral. I had received the body
of the deceased (a Ghanaian
gentleman) into Church the evening
before, and knowing that the
Ghanaians like a long wake keeping
I left them to it.
When one of my assistants went
into church the next morning he
nearly had a heart attack: the body
had gone!
We were about to phone the
police when we discovered that the
family had taken the body home
with them after the wake keeping.
Cue a frantic call to the funeral
directors to go and retrieve the
body in time for the funeral Mass.
Weddings are particularly prone
to odd things happening. The very
first one I conducted in my present
parish got off to a poor start when
the groom, who lived some
distance away from Sevenoaks,
forgot to bring the orders of service
with him, and there wasn’t time
for him to return and get them.
So we had the bright idea of
giving the guests a hymn book, but
unfortunately the first hymn is not
in our hymn books so a new one
had to be chosen. So the bride
arrived, only to find that the hymn
was not the one she had chosen.
One wonders how long that
marriage lasted!
At my second wedding, an usher
duly opened the jewel case to play
THE SOUTHWARK
SEMINARY FUND
48 Dale Road, Purley, CR8 2EF
Tel: (020) 8660 3815
Please help train our future priests by
contributing to the cost of educating
our students at St John’s Seminary
Wonersh. The Diocese have 21
students in training at a cost of
£20,000 per student each year.
The Southwark Seminary Fund
augments the annual Ecclesiastical Education Collection.
Please send your donation/legacy either through your parish
priest or directly to Rev Father Christopher Keen at Purley.
Page 5

A year in pictures
The Pilgrim December 2017/January 2018
April: Priests processing into St George’s
Cathedral for the Chrism Mass.
June: Bexley and Greenwich
deaneries’ annual Corpus
Christi procession to the
ruins of Lesnes Abbey.
July: Bishop Paul Mason,
bishop promoter of
Apostleship of the Sea,
visited the port of
Tilbury in Essex.
March: Nearly 400
catechumens and candidates
attended the Rite of Election
Mass at St George’s Cathedral.
Page 6

The Pilgrim December 2017/January 2018
A year in pictures
June: The new visitors’
centre at St Augustine’s
Church in Ramsgate opened.
June: Archbishop Peter attended a vigil
at Potters Field near Tower Bridge for
the victims of the terrorist attacks at
Borough Market and London Bridge.
July: MP Jane Elison opened the new
rooftop football pitch at St Mary’s
Catholic Primary School in Battersea.
May: The national
pilgrimage statue of Our
Lady of Fatima visiting
St George’s Cathedral.
September: The funeral of Cardinal
Cormac Murphy-O’Connor at
Westminster Cathedral.
Page 7

Education/Family
The Pilgrim December 2017/January 2018
Preparing for
the Eucharistic
Congress in
Liverpool 2018
A National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress
will be held in Liverpool next September.
Father John Mulligan, co-ordinator for
Southwark archdiocese, explains why it’s
important.
Eucharistic congresses are
gatherings of clergy, religious and
laity which promote an awareness of
the central place of the Eucharist in
the life and mission of the Church.
The last international Eucharistic
Congress in England was held in
1908, so the 2018 event is a
significant moment in the life and
history of the Church in this country.
There are 22 dioceses
participating, and each diocese is
invited to send a number of
delegates to the event. Southwark
can send 570 people drawn from
parishes, schools and religious
orders.
The excursion to Liverpool,
however, is not just a weekend
away. The delegates are
ambassadors for the project and
have a very important mission to go,
participate, absorb, return and
empower their local communities in
Southwark.
Once the delegates are chosen
there will be some formation
sessions for them so that they are
prepared for the encounter. Each
parish is invited to send two
delegates and each school is invited
to send one delegate.
Schools have an issue with the
Congress coinciding with the first
week of term. However, if head
teachers or RE leaders cannot be
released, a foundation governor
would be an excellent delegate. The
cost of the Congress, travel, food
and accommodation will be borne
by the delegates’ individual parish
or school.
Of course, not everyone can go to
Liverpool, so the home supporters
are vital to the whole Congress
jigsaw that is now taking shape.
The Congress needs to be
surrounded by prayer so Congress
prayer cards will be distributed to
every parish and school so that we
can all be part of the prayer
network. Delegates should also be
invited to participate in meetings
and discussions with parish
leadership groups so that
connections are made, information
is exchanged and the Congress is
given quality time at parish and
school level.
The precise outline of the
Congress is still a work in progress
but there is a general plan
emerging. On Friday 7th September,
the first day of the Congress, there
will be a theological symposium at
the Echo Arena from 10.00am to
6.00pm. There will be workshops for
parish catechists, (especially for
those involved in first Holy
Communion programs), RE teachers,
hospital and prison chaplains,
seminary communities and
extraordinary ministers.
Numbers for the Friday will be
limited so delegates need to book
this event when application forms
are issued from the Bishops’
Conference to the parishes.
On Saturday 8th September at the
Echo Arena there will be a six-hour
stage led programme with two
keynote speakers. There will also be
drama, music, various
presentations, prayer and adoration.
On Sunday 9th September the
focus will be Liverpool Metropolitan
Cathedral for the pilgrimage Masses
followed by a street procession.
The numbers in the cathedral
however, will be limited so those
places also need to be booked once
the booking process opens.
There are seven distinct themes
now emerging for the Congress:
1. Eucharist
2. Adoration
3. Scripture
4. Ecclesiology – the Church
5. Formation
6. Music
7. Mission
These seven themes provide a very
rich reservoir of material for
reflection and discussion. They can
be adapted by parishes so that the
prime focus remains at parish
community level.
While Liverpool plays host to an
important national event, the
impact needs to be absorbed and
consolidated in each of our parishes
and schools because that is where it
matters to every individual person.
As preparation for the Congress
continues to develop, delegates and
their parish supporters should try
and meet up at deanery level. This
will help to eliminate the sense of
isolation that may be perceived or
experienced at individual parish or
school level.
This also helps to connect
personnel in neighbouring parishes
to share best practice and plan for
the future together. Once delegates
return from Liverpool they will have
some very valuable insights to share
and we need to find a way to hear
and record the collective wisdom of
the group.
Such reflections may well become
vital ingredients and pastoral
building blocks towards a future
pastoral plan for the archdiocese of
Southwark.
n Fr John Mulligan is parish priest
of St Teresa’s, Morden, dean of
Merton deanery and diocesan
co-ordinator for the Congress.
He can be contacted at
johnmulligan1@hotmail.co.uk
Was the wolf really bad?
By Lucy Russell
I’m a catechist at St Thomas of
Canterbury parish in Deal, and
recently taught a children’s liturgy
session about practising what we
preach. One of children told me
that it was important people did
what was right, because otherwise
they would end up in hell.
I tried to put over the idea that
we should focus on ourselves and
our own behaviour and try to be a
good role model. One of the boys
agreed.
“It’s not always just about right
and wrong,” he said. “Like in The
Three Little Pigs. Everyone says
that the wolf is bad, but the wolf is
a wolf, and he needed to eat! He
isn’t a bad wolf, he’s just a wolf.
The pigs were bad; it was cruel to
boil the wolf!”
To be completely fair, the pigs
were scared and acting in selfdefence.
I brought the children
back to the point of the Gospel: we
should practise what we preach. On
that basis, the pigs might in fact
have some explaining to do, but we
can leave these judgements to
Jesus, and focus on our own
behaviour.
As a history teacher I used to
teach a lesson about Interpretation
and bias using The Three Little Pigs
and Jon Scieszka’s The True Story
of the 3 Little Pigs, in which the
wolf gives his side of the story from
his prison cell.
He only popped around to the
homes of the three little pigs to
borrow a cup of sugar for his
Granny’s birthday cake. He
happened to have a cold. He wasn’t
trying to blow their houses down –
he sneezed!
In this story the wolf introduces a
moral dimension when he argues
that it would have been wrong not
to eat the pigs who died when their
houses fell on them, because that
would have been a waste of good
food.
But to be honest, I had never
considered the story from a moral
perspective before that children’s
liturgy session. I had learned
something too. I had never
questioned the narrative of the
“big, bad, wolf” before.
Have you ever thought about the
Christmas story from a different
point of view? You could be reading
this during Advent, or Christmas, or
it might even be the New Year. But
it doesn’t matter whatever point in
the calendar we have got to, there
is a strong sense of renewal that
runs through Advent, Christmas and
beyond.
St Teresa of Calcutta said that
“Advent is like springtime, when
everything is renewed and so is
fresh and healthy.” In the “bleak
midwinter” Mother Teresa’s words
conjure a wonderful image of
Spring and new hope.
It really is the most wonderful
time of the year! In the cold and
dark, God introduces the Light of
the World and illuminates our
hearts. Every Christmas, God brings
us face to face with his plan for our
redemption.
The event we are remembering is
so wonderful that it is perhaps no
surprise that our expectations of
the holidays can be unrealistic. I
wonder about that first Christmas:
Joseph and Mary travel to Joseph’s
home town, so why do they end up
in a stable? Where are Joseph’s
friends and family?
It’s a question to reflect upon
when tensions in our own families
become palpable at this time of
year. Family life is not without its
challenges. There may be old hurts
which are remembered, new ones
inflicted. Our Christmas spirit can
be tested.
When I need the encouragement
to dig deep, I just look at one of
the beautiful nativity images on
the Christmas cards. They convey a
romantic idea of the perfect first
Christmas, but what must it really
have been like for Mary and
Joseph?
Advent, Christmas and the New
year: these are times when we
reflect on the past and make new
resolutions for the year ahead.
What will your resolutions be? Mine
is to try and act with renewed
generosity, especially towards
“wolves”.
Page 8

The Pilgrim December 2017/January 2018
Viewpoint
The case against
nuclear weapons
Fr Ashley Beck
The picture below is of the Holy
Father and participants at an
international symposium in the
Vatican entitled “Prospects for a
World Free of Nuclear Weapons
and for Integral Disarmament.” In
his brief address Pope Francis said
this:
“.... The escalation of the arms
race continues unabated and the
price of modernising and
developing weaponry, not only
nuclear weapons, represents a
considerable expense for nations.
As a result, the real priorities
facing our human family, such as
the fight against poverty, the
promotion of peace, the
undertaking of educational,
ecological and healthcare
projects, and the development of
human rights, are relegated to
second place.
Nor can we fail to be genuinely
concerned by the catastrophic
humanitarian and environmental
effects of any employment of
nuclear devices. If we also take
into account the risk of an
accidental detonation as a result of
error of any kind, the threat of
their use, as well as their very
possession, is to be firmly
condemned. For they exist in the
service of a mentality of fear that
affects not only the parties in
conflict but the entire human race.
International relations cannot
be held captive to military force,
mutual intimidation, and the
parading of stockpiles of arms.
Weapons of mass destruction,
particularly nuclear weapons,
create nothing but a false sense of
security. They cannot constitute
the basis for peaceful coexistence
between members of the human
family, which must rather be
inspired by an ethics of solidarity.
Essential in this regard is the
witness given by the Hibakusha,
the survivors of the bombing of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, together
with other victims of nuclear arms
testing. May their prophetic voice
serve as a warning, above all for
coming generations!”
We’re now well into the season
of Advent. One of the themes of
Advent, often lost like many other
things amid frantic preparations
for Christmas, is peace.
This is because the vision of the
coming kingdom of God foretold
particularly in the beautiful
poetry of the book of Isaiah,
portrayed as a place where there
will be right relationships
between people, and indeed
between humanity and the whole
created order.
This passage, also said or sung
as a canticle at Morning Prayer, is
particularly strong: “The Lord will
wield authority over the nations
and adjudicate between many
peoples; these will hammer their
swords into ploughshares, their
spears into sickles. Nation will not
lift sword against nation, there
will be no more training for war.”
Pope Francis’ words need to be
seen as part of this Advent
message of peace which is part of
our prayer in these weeks of
December. He is unequivocally
condemning the possession of
nuclear weapons, with the intent
to use them, and thus the theory
of nuclear deterrence which forms
the basis of the defence policies
of this country.
In this he is following not only
what he has said on earlier
occasions, but also the teaching
of Pope Benedict XVI in his first
message for World Peace day back
in 2006 (as I have pointed out in
earlier articles) when he said:
“What can be said, too, about
those governments which count on
nuclear arms as a means of
ensuring the security of their
countries? Along with countless
persons of good will, one can
state that this point of view is not
only baneful but also completely
fallacious. In a nuclear war there
would be no victors, only victims.
The truth of peace requires that
all — whether those governments
which openly or secretly possess
nuclear arms, or those planning to
acquire them — agree to change
their course by clear and firm
decisions, and strive for a
progressive and concerted nuclear
disarmament. The resources
which would be saved could then
be employed in projects of
development capable of
benefiting all their people,
especially the poor.”
In other words, the theory and
practice of the nuclear deterrent
is simply a pack of lies. Pope
Benedict and Pope Francis have
significantly strengthened
Catholic teaching about this and
removed any possible ambiguity.
The reasons are clear enough: it
would never be morally acceptable
to use nuclear weapons because
we condemn unconditionally the
killing of innocent people;
therefore, it is not morally
acceptable either to threaten to
do something which would always
be wrong and wicked.
This is why nuclear weapons are
a “life” issue, like abortion - and
they are utterly wrong for the
same reason, that is the sanctity
of life. It is disturbing that many
Catholics are simply unaware of
what the Church teaches, and
even more disturbing that a lot of
Catholics in political life - in all
parties - choose to ignore it if
they do know what it is.
This Advent we need to take the
Holy Father’s words to heart, and
those of his predecessor, and pray
for a world without these terrible
weapons
n Father Ashley Beck is assistant
priest of Beckenham, senior
lecturer in pastoral ministry at
St Mary’s University and dean of
studies of the diocesan
formation programme for the
diaconate
Animals at the manger
By Sister Janet Fearns
Sadly, I missed the beginning of the
radio programme. As a result, I do
not know the name of the poet who
wrote about the animals who have
and have not been included in
Nativity scenes since St Francis of
Assisi set up the first Crib at Greccio
in Italy. Each had their complaints,
some would say justifiably so.
The cat pointed out that there is
no stable without a feline resident
or, at least, a temporary visitor. It
could well understand the rats and
mice not receiving prominence, but
the cat thought itself friendly,
helpful, non-threatening and a host
of other good things besides.
The cat complained that its
presence at the birth of Jesus has
been completely ignored by history
and by artists. Why can it not take
its place alongside the camel,
sheep, the ox and the ass?
Of course, if it had been truly
honest, the cat could also have
drawn attention to the number of
stable-dwellers which probably slept
through the whole proceedings: the
ladybirds, a dormouse or two and
perhaps a hedgehog?
The sheepdog’s grumble was of a
different calibre. It saw the angel
and was glad to take the
responsibility of watching over the
sheep whilst the shepherds headed
off down the hillside, but it would
rather have liked to go with them.
It was all very well listening to
the shepherds’ stories when they
returned from the stable, but the
sheepdog would have preferred to
leave the sheep to their own devices
for a while so that it could have
seen Jesus for itself. It was not
enough to simply see the manger
through the words of others.
It was the fox which showed a
beautifully unselfish concern for
Mary, Joseph and the Infant Jesus.
Realising that Herod would soon be
hunting for the Baby, wanting to do
away with his rival, the fox said that
it knew only too well what it was like
to be hunted and to run the risk of a
violent, lonely and deserted end.
It had found a safe refuge under a
bridge where hunters did not come.
Cubs could grow up in safety, their
playing undisturbed by danger. If
Jesus could come to the bridge, the
fox would be happy to share its
refuge with him, would be happy to
help protect and defend him.
There is a beautiful parallel, isn’t
there? Sometimes it is the little
people who are prepared to put
their lives on the line for others.
The self-satisfied cat could only
think of its own position and
potential for glory. “I was there. I
deserve to be recognised.”
The real heroes are unassuming
and often embarrassed by the
unexpected limelight. “I did
nothing. Anybody else would have
done the same”. In their heart of
hearts, they know it was unlikely.
What about the fox? In spite of
the potential risk to its own life, it
invited the Holy Family to share its
own refuge. Of course, this could
have drawn attention to the hidingplace
and drawn down the attention
of the hunters with potential
murderous results.
Then there was the sheepdog. Her
complaints were of a different
nature from those of the selfseeking
cat. There was a sort-of
sadness and a wistful “I wish I had
been there.” It reflected that the
Baby Jesus might have enjoyed
seeing a sheepdog and perhaps one
of her puppies.
The faithful dog saw the Nativity
from two sides: her own and that of
a young child. Yes, she was
disappointed because her
responsibility to the sheep
prevented her presence at the
manger, but she did not begrudge
fulfilling her role or express
bitterness towards the shepherds.
She simply complained of a
niggling sense of disappointment...
and perhaps it was the sheepdog
who spoke on our behalf. We would
all like to have been present in the
stable at Bethlehem. It would have
been wonderful not to depend on
our imagination and, instead, to
have been in the company of the
Holy Family at the moment when
heaven and earth truly became one
– but it was not possible.
We are separated by 2000 years
from the event. Inevitably, whilst
fulfilling our daily roles and
responsibilities, there is a part of us
which would like to have enjoyed
the first Christmas, perhaps to have
held the Infant Jesus in our arms for
a few moments.
Yes, we can understand the
sheepdog and can identify with her
sentiments. Just as the sheepdog
reflected that Jesus might have
liked to see one of her puppies, so
also we would have loved to present
our families to the Holy Family and
basked in the joy of seeing their
enjoyment of each other.
Sadly, we were not present in the
stable at Bethlehem in the same
way as Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the
shepherds, but there is a Crib in our
church or chapel. We can still
present ourselves and our loved
ones before the Infant Jesus. Happy
Christmas!
Page 9

Feature
The Pilgrim December 2017/January 2018
A journey through the Christmas calendar
By Leigh Hatts
On Advent Sunday we light the first
candle on the Advent wreath. The
custom is not old, but it serves as a
handy reminder that Christmas does
not start on 1st December. The
Sunday by Sunday candles can help
us to keep the steps through Advent.
Father Christmas is always on the
scene early, but that is maybe
appropriate for Wednesday 6th
December is St Nicholas Day. Our
Father Christmas figure is derived
from St Nicholas, who was a thirdcentury
Bishop of Myra in what is
now Turkey.
His goodness is told by the story
of him dropping coins down a
chimney into stockings hanging up
to dry. The money saved the
household’s poor children from a
life of prostitution and slavery.
Hence the stockings children hang
up on Christmas Eve.
Should we believe in Father
Christmas? Why not? Nicholas is a
saint and patron of bankers, single
women, pawnbrokers, children,
sailors and scholars who we can pray
for on his day.
Two days later on Friday 8th
December it is the feast of the
Immaculate Conception when we
recall the conception of the Virgin
Mary by her mother Anne. We shall
keep Our Lady’s Birthday in nine
months’ time on 8th September.
Mary was born sinless to be ready to
carry the Christ Child.
Mary received the news of her
unique role at a house in Nazareth.
That tiny building is now in Loreto in
Italy where over the weekend of the
second Sunday of Advent there is
the annual celebration marking the
remarkable move.
The Translation of The Holy House
of Loreto, usually kept on 10th
December, gives us the opportunity
The celebration of
the Feast of the
Epiphany in Madrid.
to dwell on the Annunciation kept in
March but often forgotten by the
anticipation of Easter.
Wednesday 13th December is the
feast of St Lucy who, like Nicholas,
died for the faith under the Roman
Emperor Diocletian. St Lucy’s Day is
widely observed in Italy. In Sweden
a Lucia figure appears in home and
church wearing a crown of lighted
candles. This is derived from the
claim that she led persecuted
Christians to safety through
catacombs by lighting the way with
candles on her head whilst her
hands held food for the fugitives.
Lucy’s eyes were torn out so she is
often depicted with her eyes on a
plate and she is the patron of blind
and visually impaired people and
opticians.
On the third Sunday of Advent the
wreath’s new candle represents
John the Baptist who was the
forerunner of Christ. His candle and
the vestments today are often pink
to mark the rough midpoint in
Advent. This 16th/17th December
weekend is also a turning point in
Advent when we now enter real
time. Mary and Joseph are leaving
Nazareth for their 90-mile journey
to Bethlehem.
In this last week the mood in
church changes as the focus turns
towards the celebration of Christ’s
first coming in Bethlehem. Day by
day the gospel at Mass and the
Magnificat at Vespers are
bookmarked by a different O
Antiphon calling Christ by an ancient
title found in the Old Testament.
Old St Thomas’ Day is 21st
December when children went A-
Thomassing, asking for presents to
help in preparing for the Christmas
feast, and singing the rhyme St
Thomas divine, /Brewing, baking
and killing of fat swine.
This was the day for both
preparing for Christmas and giving
to the poor. Thomas is famous as
Doubting Thomas and his encounter
with the risen Christ takes us
beyond Christmas.
This year the fourth Sunday of
Advent is, unusually, Christmas Eve
so it will feel natural for the candle
on the wreath to be representing
Mary. This is the continuation of the
ancient custom of Mary being
remembered on 18th December,
known as The
Expectation of Mary,
early on her ride to
Bethlehem.
When does Christmas
really start? Maybe in
the gathering darkness
of Christmas Eve as we
hear the carols from
King’s College
Cambridge on the
radio. For others it is at
Midnight Mass. But
Christmas Day is the
first day of Christmas.
For too many, Christmas ends on
Boxing Day morning but it is the
second day of Christmas which is, as
Good King Wenceslaus reminds us,
the feast of Stephen. He was the
first Christian martyr and so today is
an immediate reminder of the
possible cost of following the faith
proclaimed yesterday.
After St John’s Day, comes Holy
Innocents on the fourth day which is
the first hint of Herod’s threat to
kill Baby Jesus.
Meanwhile there is St Thomas
Becket Day on the fifth day, 29th
December. This has much resonance
for the archdiocese which embraces
Canterbury. St George’s Cathedral
possess a relic and has the shrine of
Oscar Romero, who is a 20th century
Becket.
This Christmas, we shall be
keeping the Epiphany a day late on
Sunday 7th January. This so-called
Twelfth Day/Night (even if it’s really
this time the fourteenth!) has long
been part of the Old
England calendar.
The King would wear
his crown at court today
for it is the day we
celebrate the Three
Kings, by tradition from
different lands, arriving
at the stable to
acknowledge Christ.
But Christmas is still
not really over. On 2nd
February it is Candlemas
when we mark the Holy
Family leaving Bethlehem
to avoid Herod and look ahead to
Jesus’ ministry.
n Leigh Hatts is author of Keeping
Advent & Christmas (DLT £9.99).
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Page 10

The Pilgrim December 2017/January 2018
Feature/Diary
Pupils at Margaret Roper
Catholic Primary School in
Purley put on a talent
show to fundraise.
Diary - Dec/Jan
If you have an event,
please e-mail
details to us at
pilgrim@rcsouthwark.co.uk
14: St George’s Cathedral carol
service, sung by the combined
choirs of St George’s Cathedral
with guest choir the Imperial War
Museum Singers, 7.30pm.
16: Christmas organ concert with
Norman Harper, 11am, St
George’s Cathedral. Admission
free.
24: Vigil Mass of Christmas,
St George’s Cathedral, 6pm.
24: Service of carols and
readings, St George’s Cathedral,
11.30pm.
25: Midnight Mass of the Nativity
of Our Lord, St George’s
Cathedral, 12am.
January
30: A vision of Heaven: the
mystic lamb of Van Eyck, by
Pierpaolo Finaldi, part of the
faith and art series of talks,
7.30pm, Centre for Catholic
Formation, 21 Tooting Bec Road,
SW17.
Christmas gifts with a conscience
By Jessica Coffin
It is estimated that £2.6 billion is
spent each year on unwanted
Christmas presents - books that
have never leave the bookshelf, toys
that never leave their plastic boxes,
vouchers that are never spent.
For the last 12 years Cafod has
been providing Christmas shoppers
with an alternative, with gifts which
are more in line with a desire to
care for creation and stand in
solidarity with the poor.
World Gifts are responsible
presents with a conscience. From
chirpy chickens, to a vegetable
garden, to a solar lamp, there’s a
huge diversity in the gifts on offer.
What is guaranteed is that each
present will help transform the lives
of poor communities and families in
developing countries. This year two
new gifts have been launched; Help
a refugee child, which will give
much-needed emotional and
educational support to children who
have fled war, and a birth
certificate, which enables families
to acquire this much needed
document.
Once you’ve chosen your gift, the
lucky recipient will receive a card –
via email or the post - which
explains the gift that has been
bought in their name. With World
Gifts the present drawer won’t get
any bigger and there’s no need for
awkward regifting. Instead,
someone in the developing world
will receive the opportunity to live a
happier and healthier life.
As well as gifts for friends and
family, World Gifts also make a
great focal point for parishes and
schools wanting to fundraise.
Margaret Roper Catholic Primary
School in Purley fundraises for World
Gifts by holding a talent show,
“Ropers Got Talent”, for students
from Year 3-6.
From magicians to gymnasts to
stand-up comedians, there is a huge
variety of acts, all of whom are
judged by a panel committee. The
money raised from the show is
combined with that raised for Cafod
from other fundraising activities
across the year and used to buy
World Gifts.
Excitingly for the children, they
are able to build up a ‘virtual
village’ with all the gifts they have
bought, from vegetable gardens to
goats.
“We use the money raised for
Cafod to buy World Gifts as it makes
it far more meaningful for the
children,” said headteacher Dermot
Mooney. “They can see that their
funds are sending a child to school
or helping a family to have clean
water and it’s very tangible. They
like the idea of helping someone
going to school because they’re
aware that they’re very privileged.”
Lyn Goddard, from St John
Vianney in Bexleyheath, has also
encouraged her parish to buy World
Gifts. Last year she set up a World
Gifts display in the parish, wrote
something for the newsletter and
made sure there were catalogues
for parishioners to take home.
Of World Gifts, Lyn said, “We’ve
all got so much of everything and
World Gifts is a way of bringing
Cafod back into the parish after
Harvest. The gifts are a way of still
showing someone you’re thinking of
them at Christmas – because that’s
all presents are really – but it’s
much better than buying someone
another pair of socks to go with the
pair you got them last year.
“Last Christmas I sent loads of my
friends the bee gift, which is only
£5, and I sent my mother in law the
gardening gift, as my father in law
was a huge gardener.”
n To find out more visit
cafod.org.uk/worldgifts
Page 11

The Pilgrim December 2017/January 2018
Focus on faith
Those who choose to go to prison
Andy Keen Downs, chief executive of PACT (the Prison Advice and Care Trust),
speaks up for those who have the challenging job of working in prisons.
In the movies, and on TV, people who
work in prisons are generally one of
three types. There’s the Tyrant, the
unfeeling authoritarian. There’s the
Sadist, the corrupt, power-crazy
villain who is worse than any of the
prisoners.
And there’s the dim-witted galore,
not fit for anything else. One way or
another, prison officers are typically
portrayed as the bad guys. Can you
imagine us treating firefighters,
nurses, or the police, in the same
way?
I have to admit, in spite of years of
experience of the tough realities of
prison life, there is ample material
for comedy. Those of you who are old
enough, like me, to have enjoyed the
laugh out loud BBC TV Series
Porridge, or who have caught up with
it on the Dave channel, fondly
remember Ronnie Barker as Fletch,
the canny old con, who knows his
way around.
His arch enemy, Mr McKaye, the
peak-capped humourless
authoritarian. Here’s Fletch getting
one over on McKaye:
FLETCHER: I had a friend once –
haven’t told you this before, have I?
He was a light-heavy. Good strong
boy. Won a few fights. Suddenly
thought he was the bee’s knees. Fast
cars, easy women. Classic story of
too much, too soon. He just blew up.
He got into debt and ended up in one
of those travelling booths. Four
fights a night, seven nights a week.
Well the body can’t take that
punishment. His brain went soft, his
reflexes went. You know – punchy.
Just became like a vegetable – an
incoherent non-thinking zombie.
MACKAY: What became of him?
FLETCHER: He joined the prison
service as a Warder. Doing very well.
Occasionally, one also comes across
‘The Christian’. The soft-headed
Fletcher and MacKay from the hit TV series, ‘Porridge’.
officer who believes in silly notions
like rehabilitation and reform. The
comedy favourite is of course also
found in Porridge. Mr Henry
Barrowclough, a gentle soul entirely
out of place in a prison.
Henry’s a Christian, of course, and
therefore naive, overly-lenient, and
constantly being tricked by the
clever prisoners. Because that’s what
we’re like. Us Christians, in the
prisons.
Just for once, may I offer an
alternative view? A view based on
hundreds of officers, governors,
charity workers, chaplains and
others, whose faith has put them in
prison, and kept them there, working
for God’s Kingdom, on the front line.
What I have seen, time and time
again, are people who are smart,
savvy, wise and tough-minded. Whose
skills and expertise are matched with
a resilience to keep pressing on,
which has its foundations in faith.
I meet Christians, of all
denominations, and saintly people of
other great faiths, all working for our
Common Good, believing in the
innate dignity of every person, and in
their potential to change.
I also meet wonderful people of no
faith, working in the prisons, day
after day, for little financial reward
and with little thanks from society,
who are doing God’s work. Porridge
was hilarious, but it wasn’t a
documentary.
So this Christmas, to all the prison
officers, governors, chaplains and
others, I want to say thank you for
what you do, for prisoners, their
families, and for all of us. We press
on – together, in Hope.
The work of
Catholic
chaplaincy
teams in prisons
is a vital one.
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