The Benedict Partnership News January 2019

Transcription

1 The Benedict Partnership News January 2019 Welcome to the fourth edition of the Benedict Partnership Newsletter In this edition Reports from some of the Partnership Sub-groups List of current members of the PDG and a few words of introduction from a few more members How I practise my faith by Charlotte Reed (OBLI Washington) Global Healing event - see below Oscar Romero - film and talk Global Healing Responding to Laudato Si On Tuesday 12 th February at 7.30pm in Birtley St. Joseph's Function Room, in the Parish Centre We will be showing a Film about Global Healing to show how our Faith helps us to care for our Common Home. It is 33 minutes long and has contributions from Cardinal Nichols, Bishop John Rawsthorne (CAFOD) and Dr. Carmody Grey, Assistant Professor of Catholic Theology at Durham University. Dr. Carmody Grey will be present to answer any questions. Please try and get along if at all possible. Page

2 BENEDICT PARTNERSHIP VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT VISION The love of Jesus and the gospel are at the heart of our partnership. MISSION We come together as individuals and church communities to respond to the Lord s call to be disciples. We will value and build on the histories and strengths of our individual church communities. We will build on a strong foundation of spirituality, prayer and celebration. We will be an open and welcoming community where there is a place for all. We will encourage everyone to fulfil their unique potential providing support, formation and training. We will go out together with Christ to all! What is happening in other Partnerships? A good resource is the website below which is the Partnership Sharing area of the diocesan website: The site includes links to our partnership newsletter as well as those from other partnership areas. Page 2

3 The Benedict Partnership consists of the following parishes and churches within those parishes: Birtley St Joseph Chester-le-Street St Cuthbert Houghton-le-Spring St Michael Sacriston St Bede (served from St Cuthbert) Washington & Penshaw St John XXIII - the four churches of: Our Lady Queen of Peace Our Blessed Lady Immaculate St Bede St John Boste Current List of Priests and Deacons: St Cuthbert & St Bede Fr Christopher Jackson St Michael Fr William O Gorman Deacon Richard McLaughlin St John XXIII & St Joseph Fr Mark Millward Fr Jim O Keefe Fr Paul Hopper Deacon Chas Ferguson Deacon Peter Lavery Deacon Frank O Neill Acolyte Tony Joy Do you have something for the next edition? You are invited to submit comments, suggestions, ideas, fears, hopes and anything else for inclusion in the next edition of the Partnership Newsletter - due out in April. Hand your article to a member of the PDG or send by to: sj23it@gmail.com - (please note new address) Page 3

4 The Partnership Development Group (PDG)? The PDG is a group of people who have been invited to represent their parish, church, school or group within the Benedict Partnership. The group meet on a regular basis to plan for the future of the partnership, discuss ways in which the members of the partnership can work more closely and decide on actions that may need to be taken to enable us all to fulfil the mission of the church. It is intended that membership of the PDG will last for two years. Current Members of the PDG Mick Davison, St Joseph - Chair Joan Formosa, St Bede (Washington) - Secretary Hannah Bartlett, St Joseph - Vice Chair Maria Ashburner (Our Lady Queen of Peace), Maria Byrne (Our Blessed Lady Immaculate), Andrew Cox (St John Boste), Catherine Davison (St Leonard s School), Ros Elliott (St Cuthbert), Deacon Chas Ferguson, Mark Harris (St John Boste), Fr Paul Hopper, Ian Hunter (St Bede, Sacriston), Fr Chris Jackson, Tony Joy (St John Boste), Joe Lavelle (St Cuthbert), Deacon Peter Lavery, Anne Marie McKenna (St Cuthbert), Deacon Richard McLaughlin, Fr Mark Millward, Barbara Reilly-O Donnell (Primary Schools), Chris O Neill (Our Blessed Lady Immaculate), Deacon Frank O Neill, Fr William O Gorman, Fr Jim O Keefe, Jim Taylor (St Robert of Newminster School), Sophie Taylor (St Joseph), Lorraine Thompson (St Michael), Emma Waldock (St Bede, Sacriston), Ian Willis (St Michael). A few more Members of The PDG introduce themselves As in previous editions of the Partnership Newsletter a few more members of the PDG explain how they became involved with the Group and what their hopes and fears are for the future. Page 4

5 Andrew Cox from St John Bose Church, Washington, St John XXIII parish I first got involved with the PDG when it was brought to my attention by Father Mark. I became a member so that I could hopefully represent my age group and help the partnership move forward whilst also deciding its future. It was humbling to be considered for such a project and I felt that I could contribute to the debates and decisions that need to be addressed. This then led to my involvement with the Communications sub-group because I believe that once we, as a whole, can communicate effectively, we have cracked this ongoing conundrum! My hope is that the partnership can be as effective as possible in terms of dealing with the issues that are queried by lay people daily, as well as there being a dynamic and fruitful approach to tackling these issues. I also hope that every lay person feels respected and represented throughout the churches in the partnership - this is of great importance in my opinion. My only worry is that those who do not feel represented may have a negative view on what we are aiming to do as a partnership, which means we must consider everyone: a tough task some may say. Deacon Frank O'Neill, St John XXIII Parish, Washington & Penshaw I got involved in the partnership development group as one of the clergy, so I get an automatic seat on the table for that. My hopes are that across all of the churches and parishes in our partnership, that we can come together, that there's more that unites us than divides us and that lay people in all of our parishes will start to take ownership and discover the gifts and talents that God's given them to be used for the service of the community. My fears are that in that process of coming together, which is going to happen, is happening, that people may get hung up on the wrong things; things that are peripheral to what community is about. So there would be changes, like changes to mass times and practices; one church might seem to be being left out, those kinds of things. My Page 5

6 fear is that some people will get stuck on those and that might become a barrier. The things that are not central to us as a faith community; so the Eucharist is central, but how many times you celebrate the Eucharist or where the Eucharist is celebrated is not absolutely crucial. The fact that we come together to celebrate the Eucharist is crucial. So that's a fear. And I hope that in the way we are doing it, sensitively and inclusively, that we will avoid those kind of obstacles. Fr Bill O Gorman, St Michael, Houghton-le-Spring Although the Partnership is in its infancy I am fully in favour and see it as the only way forward in the situation we find ourselves as a church today. There is a saying no man is an island: well that is true now of parishes; no parish can hope to exist in isolation and we must support each other. However, I think we need to tighten up our meetings so that they are more productive and less time consuming for clergy and laity alike. Catherine Davison, St Joseph, Birtley I m Catherine Davison and I live in Birtley, with my three children & am a member of St Joseph s Parish. Apart from when I was at university, I have been in the same parish my whole life. I am a member of the PDG representing St Leonard s Catholic School in Durham where I have been the school chaplain for the last 15 years; three of the feeder schools for St Leonard s are in the Benedict Partnership: St Benet s Ouston, St Cuthbert s Chesterle-Street & St Bede s Sacriston. I have been involved in the music group at St Joseph s since I was 10, playing the flute and singing. Liturgical music is something that I am passionate about, and I am one of the leads on the PDG Liturgy & Celebration sub group. I was delighted to have two of my children with me at the liturgy weekend back in November. I am very excited about the future for the Benedict Partnership - the events & formation that we have had so far have been fantastic and as we all learn on this journey together, I hope we will be true witnesses to our faith in all we do. Page 6

7 Your Church Needs You! We need to hear from you how you want your church to function in the future. The way to have your say is to join one or more of the sub-groups listed below and participate in the formation of the Benedict Partnership Sub-groups within the PDG To facilitate the work of the PDG a number of sub-groups have been established. All sub-groups are made up of one or more members of the PDG and representatives from the churches and parishes in our partnership. These sub-groups are shown below with the Link Person who feeds back from the sub-group to the main body of the PDG. PDG Mission and Vision Statement group Aim - to produce the PDG Mission and Vision Statement Link Person: Mick Davison Pastoral Care group Aim - to establish pastoral teams within each church. We will encourage and support all the valuable work both seen and unseen that is already being undertaken in our churches. We will look to the future pastoral needs of our communities and identify the resources, training and formation needed to meet these needs. Link Person: Maria Ashburner Communications group Aim - to improve communication within the Partnership, including production of a quarterly Partnership Newsletter and provide recommendations on future developments. Link Person: Mark Harris Page 7

8 Young People group Aim - to help the young people in our parish communities experience a personal faith in Jesus and to provide opportunities for formation in how to live their lives to the full. Link Person: Frank O Neill Prayer and Spirituality group Aim - to develop prayer and spirituality in our parishes to encourage people to get involved. Link People: Joe Lavelle and Joan Formosa Liturgy and Celebration group Aim - to encourage, co-ordinate and facilitate Liturgical and Celebration events within the partnership. Link People: Catherine Davison and Ann Marie McKenna Discipleship and Evangelisation group Aim - to build up communities of disciples in order to reach out to others as commanded in Matt 28:18. Link Person: Sophie Taylor Social Justice and Environment group Aim - to raise awareness within the Partnership about the poor and marginalised and to encourage people to work towards equality and justice for all, to seek to raise awareness of environmental issues and the responsibilities of the Partnership in exercising proper stewardship of God s creation. Link Person: Chris O Neill Finance, Property, HR and Admin group Aim - to develop Partnership-wide arrangements for the effective use of resources in supporting the delivery of the Partnership's Vision and Mission. Link People: Mick Davison and Rev Peter Lavery Social, Fund-raising and Fellowship group Aim - to offer opportunities to gather as faith communities in a social capacity. Link Person: Ann Marie McKenna Page 8

9 Spotlight On Social Justice And The Environment Subgroup Chris O'Neill, from Our Blessed Lady Immaculate Church in the Parish of St John XXIII, in Washington Village, is the Link Person for the Social Justice and the Environment Subgroup. Speaking on their behalf, she said: Social justice issues have long been central within the Church on both a local and international level and the Subgroup is looking to identify ways in which these very important areas can be brought into the life and mission of the Partnership. We currently have around ten people from different parts of the Partnership working with the Subgroup and we ll be meeting later in January for the third time since we were formed in September Over that time we ve started to identify a number of goals and priorities: Firstly we re committed to linking the work of the Subgroup with the message of the Gospel. That includes taking opportunities, as they present themselves, within the Liturgical calendar to highlight social justice and environmental issues. We aim to produce materials supporting these areas which could be made available for use in churches and at Mass. We are also looking to develop and strengthen our links with young people throughout the Partnership and encourage their input and participation both in the Subgroup itself and in running events. We plan to do this by linking with schools within the Partnership. The Subgroup considers that developing connections both with local businesses and other local and community organisations is vital. We ve already begun to establish links with the Tyne and Wear Citizens organization who recently held a Mental Health Assembly. We see collaboration as an important way forward. We felt that there was no point in us trying to re-invent the wheel Page 9

10 by doing something another organisation is already undertaking successfully. In that case our time and resources could be better used in supporting an already established organisation. We also want to develop our thinking and work in the area of the environment, reflecting upon 'Laudato Si', Pope Francis 2015 document, subtitled; 'On Care For Our Common Home'. Laudato Si, ('Praise be' in English) takes its name from the opening words of St Francis of Assisi in his Canticle of the Creatures and considers the role of the Church and the people of the world in relation to poverty and the use of the earth's resources. We re aware of the need to focus on the educational and awareness-raising aspects of the Subgroup's work. In support of this, we aim to make information on social justice and environmental issues more widely available. We re also beginning to develop and promote a programme of events on topics as diverse as Catholic Social Justice, 'Global Healing' and Oscar Romero. So 'watch this space'! Currently, we are also trying to get an overview of the areas of good practice and of projects that are running in the parishes and churches around our Partnership. Overall we feel that our Partnership needs to act as a catalyst for social justice and the environmental issues both in our local communities and in the wider world. Looking ahead, the Subgroup is developing a wide and ambitious agenda and we would welcome anyone who would like to contribute, in planning or simply to help with individual events. So if you feel passionately about these areas, get in touch, there s always room for new ideas and new people. We d love to see you! Next meeting is on 27th February 2019 Page 10

11 Communications Sub-Group Report Over the last 3 months the communications team have been busy with the Celebrating Partnership Roadshow; production and distribution of the October Partnership Newsletter; a write-up of the Roadshow article for the Northern Cross; and initial drafting of the January edition of the Partnership Newsletter. The team have lost one member and so far have not managed to increase our numbers or the churches represented. We currently consist of just five members whose worshiping communities are St John Boste (2), Our Blessed Lady Immaculate (3). We currently meet monthly at St John Boste, Washington on a Tuesday night between 6 and 7 pm. This is convenient for the current team as it is available and we have easy access to the room. If we were to have new members from other parishes then alternative meeting times and locations would be negotiated. The Pastoral Care Sub-group Report The group held a meeting in the evening of Wednesday 16th January at Our Lady Queen of Peace, Penshaw. An invitation was sent out to everyone who had expressed an interest during the road shows. We welcomed one new member but we still would like a representative from each church in our partnership. Originally we said our aim was to establish pastoral teams within the parishes, we agreed to add the word support recognising the good and extensive work already being carried out. Aim - to establish & support pastoral teams within the parishes. We discussed the very broad definition of pastoral care and talked about inclusion and acceptance of all regardless of life choices. Feedback and update was given regarding the successful Ministry of Consolation course. The next meeting will be in two months time on 20th March when we will look at the ministry of welcoming in our churches Page 11

12 Young People Sub-Group Report How can we be Present, Available and Flexible for our Young People? Across the Diocese, many Church communities are asking the same question: Where are the youth at Mass? Indeed, it appears from the outset that many young people of today are uninterested in Church, and lack the desire to grow in their faith. However, as a young person myself, I would like to share the views of Frank O Neill, Sophie Taylor and myself on this matter. We often ask ourselves What do we need to do for our Young People to get them more involved in Church? The answer to this question normally consists of organising a Youth Mass, whereby young people may do the readings or bidding prayers, or may perhaps get involved in the offertory. But instead, the question we should be asking in our parishes and in the wider partnership is What can we be for our young people to get them more involved? More specifically, what kind of community should we be so that our young people feel enthusiastic and enlivened in their faith? How do we, as the Partnership of St Benedict, witness to the power and impact of faith in our own lives? The answer is far from simple, and it is an ongoing challenge in our partnership and in the wider diocese. If we can sow the seeds of faith in our young people, and if we are willing to be present and available to listen to them, and if we can be flexible in our expectations of them, the seeds of faith will flourish into something truly special. I would like to leave you with a few words from Pope Francis, from his homily at the closing mass of the recent Youth Synod, that I believe summarise the essence of the challenge for parishioners of our Partnership to strive towards: It is not Christian to expect that our brothers and sisters who are seekers should have to knock on our doors: we ought to go out to them, bringing not ourselves but Jesus. He sends us, like those Page 12

13 disciples, to encourage others and to raise them up in his name. He sends us forth to say to each person: God is asking you to let yourself be loved by him. Do you have a group meeting regularly in your parish or church? A drop in, craft group, coffee after Mass or breakfast group for example! How about inviting one or more of the Partnership Development Group members to join your gathering to facilitate an informal chat about partnership and the way ahead for our Benedict Partnership. What Partnership event or activity would you like to happen in 2019? How can we come together socially and/or spiritually across the Benedict Partnership? Any suggestions will be welcomed by your PDG member or clergy or sj23it@gmail.com Oscar Romero Talk and Film With Julian Filochowski (former director of CAFOD, Chair of the Archbishop Romero Trust and friend of St Oscar Romero) 12th March 2019 at 7pm in St Robert of Newminster School Page 13

14 How I practise my faith Practising faith, to me, is more than just turning up to church maybe every other week, or every week or even every day. It is more than being dragged along by parents to sit for an hour and get it over and done with. Church is a vital part to practising faith but not the way some people do it, where they sit distracted for an hour just to have shown their face and leave, sometimes before the mass has truly even ended. Church shouldn t be a chore or a burden, but something to look forward to, to enjoy and mostly to appreciate. Church is a time to come together as a Catholic community and act as one. As Fr. James Mallon writes in Divine Renovation: We are speaking about being intentional about every aspect of the Sunday celebration. To give our best for the Lord so that people who come to our church can leave with a sense of Wow! The days of the 50-minute get-it-over-anddone-with Mass must end. So our Mass is a celebration; a celebration of our faith and the wonders it brings. Another vital part of practising faith is by staying in contact with God, outside the church and the Mass. It s about maintaining and growing in a relationship with Him that is more than a visit to church or a distracted prayer before a meal. An extempore prayer [prayer using your own words without a written text or formula] is probably the most personal way, for me, to pray to God using my own words. It requires focus, thought and meaning as you say the words from the heart instead of reciting a prayer you know back to front that doesn t even require you to think about any of the words. Page 14

15 That doesn t mean that traditional prayers aren t valuable. For example, the Our Father includes all five types of prayer to God in one: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, petition and intercession. Most extempore prayers would only include one of the five, most commonly petition, and it is important to remember to give thanks and worship to God, rather than always requesting help. As Meister Eckhart said: If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough. Perhaps one of the most important ways of actively practising our faith, yet a way that many people seem to forget about, is following the teachings of the Bible in our daily life. It is about being kind to those who need it, those that we may not believe deserve it. It is about loving our neighbour just as ourselves, about loving the stranger, those who are different to us. As John says in his letter: If you cannot love your neighbour, whom you can see, how can you love God, whom you cannot see? [1John 4:20] It is about welcoming all, no matter their attitude or what their beliefs. Just as Jesus welcomed the sinners and the outcasts to listen and speak to Him; treating them as equals not inferiors. We must love those who others will not and welcome those who others will shun. We cannot reject anyone or be cruel or petty or cold due to our personal thoughts and opinions. In the words of Fr. James Mallon: It is everyone s Church! The question of how the marginalized feel when entering our churches is one that haunts me It is not just a question of treating these people the same as everyone else; they are the guests of honour. Our church is more than a church; it is a home. Charlotte Reed (OBLI Washington) Year 12 Student at St Robert of Newminster Page 15

16 Edited Extract from: The BBC Bitesize GCSE Business Studies Revision Website on Partnerships. Partnerships can benefit from shared expertise. One advantage of partnership is that there is someone to consult on decisions. The main disadvantage of a partnership comes from shared responsibility. Disputes can arise over decisions that have to be made, or about the effort one partner is putting into the partnership compared with another. (Hopefully with guidance from the Holy Spirit we can avoid the pitfalls and the worst of the disadvantages, embrace the advantages and grow in strength and unity while aiming for an A* in Partnership - editor) A Prayer for Our Partnership Risen Christ, from your abundant grace, pour out afresh your Holy Spirit upon our Diocese. As we build on the deep foundations of faith laid by the countless saints of these Northern lands, by Aidan and Cuthbert, Hilda and Bede, may our Partnership of Benedict continue the mission of building your Kingdom on the earth: to give living witness to your love, and to your compassion and hope for our world. We pray in trustful confidence that your power working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Through the same Christ our Lord, Amen. Adapted from the diocesan website: Registered Charity Number Page 16