A long overdue post!!!

I recently met a friend who I hadn’t seen since last summer. One of his first questions was “So how was Spain, I thought you were going to keep us up to date with your happenings through your blog?” If you are reading this then you can see that I didn’t! Therefore I apologise for my complete laziness.  It would be impossible to try and tell you about all that happened in Spain. What I can tell you is that it was a very good and helpful year for me and as a result I am preparing to begin four years of study in Rome at The Beda

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As I type this post I am on a train heading north to Lancashire where my final destination will be Fleetwood and the Catholic parish of St Wulstan’s and St Edmund’s. This is a return visit for me because I spent four weeks in January doing a pastoral placement as part of my year in Spain. At the time I was very happy and even now that month is one that I see as a vocation affirming time.

Why was it so affirming? Simply, it is because of the priest and people of the parish. The parish priest is Canon Alf Hayes who is a real inspiration to anybody thinking about priesthood. He is an excellent example of what being a parish priest is all about. The first thing that we did together when I arrived was to pray Evening Prayer together. This was a sign of what the foundation of our life together over the next few weeks was to be – prayer! For Fr Alf prayer was the bedrock of his life as a parish priest, not only the formal prayers of the church and the Mass, but also that quiet one to one meditation with God each morning.  I would arrive in church on the dark January mornings to find him already in church deep in prayer.

The parish is a two church parish that has recently merged under the ‘Fit for Mission’ plans started off by the last Bishop of Lancaster. I was amazed at how little bitterness there seemed to be in the parish about it. St Edmunds on paper could have been a place of bitterness because they no longer had their own priest and the presbytery had been sold. The church was in remarkably good form and one of my first meetings was with a group of parishioners who were looking at how to develop the life and ministry of the church in that parish.

The life of Fr Alf was certainly a full and busy one – but he is not a priest who feels he has to do everything himself. He is a great enabler. I was extremely impressed by the number of people who would take responsibility for different aspects of church life. In his time there, one of the churches needed painting, so the scaffolding went up and a willing team of volunteers all helped give the church a facelift.

For me the most impressive bit of work that the parish had done in Fr Alf’s time was to set up a food bank. When the credit crunch set in, the parish noticed that people were losing jobs and some families were finding it a struggle to make ends meet. So they decided that it would be good to do food parcels. They were able to link up to local agencies to be put in touch with those in need (or rather the other way round as people have to be referred by an agency). They ran the food bank from a local community centre and in my time there they were providing food parcels for up to forty or so families. This ministry was carried out with Divine Providence. It depended on food donations from parishioners and other local churches or on financial donations from people that would enable the team to go and buy food from the supermarket. There were also regular donations from the local open prison’s market garden, which meant piles of fresh veg! The helpers told me of an occasion where they were down to the last £25.00 in the bank and nothing in the cupboard and they were afraid that they would not be able to open the next time. In the post that day came a cheque from a local parish for £300. They all knew that God is good!

The parish has a large number of sick and housebound who are not always able to get to Mass. On Friday morning there is a team of extraordinary ministers of communion who take the Blessed Sacrament to the sick. Fr Alf also has Friday morning down in his diary for sick communions. He takes a different round each week which enables him to get to see a great number of parishioners over a number of weeks. In my time there I was given my own round and was able to meet a number of different people. I was struck by the fact that once I had given communion there were no expectations for me to stay and chat. They knew I had more people to see and they wanted to be able to give thanks to Our Lord for being able to receive him in the Sacrament.

There was a real core of parishioners who were very prayerful, some would say Morning Prayer before weekday Mass in St Edmund’s and some would recite the rosary before Mass in St Wulstan’s. Each week on a Wednesday and Saturday there was a period of exposition after Mass for half an hour. The intention of each Holy Half Hour was to pray for vocations. The number of priestly vocations that have come from this parish is not insignificant.

The parish also has two schools. The parish primary school is next door to St Wulstan’s and the Cardinal Allen High School is next door to St Edmund’s. I had the privilege of spending time with both. In the High School I would meet with different students in a small group. I would begin with telling a little bit about myself – why I was there, bits of my past. Then I would open it up to questions. There would be the normal questions about “Why do you want to be a priest?” and because they were teenagers the subject of sex would inevitably come up. I always answered the questions that they asked, but would make it clear what the Church teaches on the subject.  The primary school was excellent and it was quite clear that there was a good relationship between the school and the parish. Fr Alf was always a welcome guest and the children would flock around him as soon as he entered the playground. Amazingly they were the same with me. There was one class that I attended which I was very impressed with, but I’m going to leave that for another post as it is too good to just mention in passing.

One of the things I haven’t mentioned is the fact that Fr Alf had already booked his post-Christmas break in January. So I arrived on the Monday and he went off on holiday on the Friday. He had thought about putting me with another priest whilst he was away, but felt it was better that I see what it is like to be a priest in a parish on your own. As my first week went by, he saw that I had various experience from my days in SSF and so he put more opportunities my way. This included taking the RCIA class.

I think I got a wonderful glimpse of parish life on a particular day. I began with Morning Prayer and meditation. Then I prepared for a funeral at the local crem – was picked up by the permanent deacon in the neighbouring parish. After the funeral I dashed back for a Eucharistic Service and exposition. From that I went into the school, had a quick sandwich and then spent the afternoon in different classes. A cup of something warm when I returned to the Presbytery followed by Evening Prayer. I joined the church choir for their practice but had to leave near the end as some parishioners were taking me out to a local eatery. When I sat down in front of the TV to watch Newsnight I was aware that I had spent a day that had taken me from young children to death and that it was all in a day’s work of an ordinary parish priest.

This parish really helped me discern that the diocesan priesthood for me and so they have now become part of my vocation story. I couldn’t have been luckier, and so it is with a sense of excitement that I sit on the train heading north to be with them for the weekend. 

Starting to get excited!!

In March this year the Archbishop asked me if I would consider going to the Royal English College in Valladolid for a year as part of my discernment process towards being a diocesan priest in the Archdiocese of Westminster. I obviously said yes! At the time it all felt a bit far away and so although I knew it was happening never really got my mind around it.

A couple of weeks ago I received a letter from the college telling me the dates for the forthcoming year. Term begins on Tuesday 21st September. This is to allow us to take part in the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Britain. Time is suddenly starting to run out as I begin to get ready for the visit and the move. I've even had to get a date in the diary to have a leaving 'do' with work collegues. What with diary commitments and the preparations for the visit, we are going out two weeks before I actually finish!

Friends have been asking what the place is like and so I have managed to find a few pictures to put on here before I get there. Here are some pics.

This is looking at the college towards the chapel doors

This is one of the corridors in the college

This is the image of Our Lady in the Chapel which was desecrated
by English sailors at the end of the sixteenth centuary

The college courtyard

The College from the outside

I will post a few more bits about the college before I go. The history of the statue of Our Lady is very interesting. At the moment all I ask is that you say some prayers for me!

A Week of Choices

Today I went to the ordination to the priesthood of Fr Stuart Seaton by Archbishop Vincent Nichols. It was an incredible occasion and I saw lots of old friends who were there. The reason was because Stuart had served as a priest in the Church of England, therefore there were quite a few Anglicans and ex Anglicans around.

Those who like me have already made the journey across the Tiber and are in full communion with Peter felt at home (as indeed we are). I lost count of those Anglicans who told me that they are ready to make the journey and are preparing hard to do it. There have been some who have made the journey and are asking "Why the delay?" I think that is ungracious as each and every person who makes that journey needs to do it at the right time for them. I am praying for those who are still struggling with their decision.

Last Sunday I witnessed another choice. I visited the Community of the Holy Cross at Rempstone to join Sr Mary Catherine make her profession. We joined the Anglican Franciscans around the same time in 1998. After eighteen months she withdrew from the novitiate of the sisters. I thought she was a great loss. A number of years later we talked about her sense of vocation to the Religious Life. So in 2007 I was so pleased when I heard she was planning to test her vocation as a sister at Rempstone. One of the last things that I did as an Anglican Franciscan was to attend her clothing as a novice in June 2008. I was so pleased when I received the invite back for her profession. I am clear that God has called her to serve in the Religious Life and I am looking forward to seeing her make her Life Profession in three years!!!

It felt odd for me visiting the convent. I was no longer an Anglican or a Religious. That meant that for the first time I didn't sit in choir there. That was not a major problem. I realised how much I loved (and still do) the sisters. It was good to see them again. They said how much more contented I looked now that I am a Catholic. So the choice I made two years ago is obviously the right one too!

My prayer tonight is for three intentions. Fr Stuart and the choices that he has made. Those Anglicans who have made the choice in their hearts and are getting ready to set off at some point. My final intention is for the Sisters of the Holy Cross and for their future. (I must admit that my prayer is that as a community the would come to Rome).

God has given us the ability to make choices. At the moment I am going through my own choices and so I expect to visit this subject again at some point!

A Book Review

I was asked to write a review for a book that has come out recently. I thought I would share it with others who might not read those publications. Please feel free to pass this on to anyone who might be interested!

Our Priests

Stephen Moseling (compiler)

St Pauls (2010) ISBN 978-0-85439-787-7

66 pages £6.95

To launch the Year of the Priest St Paul’s published a book about priesthood which contained short articles on priesthood from many different priests ranging from Popes to the newest priest in our diocese at the time. They thought it would be a fun idea to end the year with children giving their views of priesthood. That was decided before the controversy of child abuse hit the headlines. This book then changed from being a fun idea to a positive way of showing how children relate to priests.

The three schools that were involved in this project were Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiat School, St Elizabeth RC primary school and St Vincent de Paul Primary School. The pupils were asked to write paint or draw something from there experiences of priests. It is clear that the children had obviously had talks about what it is to be a priest. Having given talks in schools in the past, it always amazes me how it is the small things that children latch on to. One priest must have told a group that he had pizza on his day off as that comes up quite a few times.

The book is divided into three sections.

1. The Life of a Priest.
2. In Praise of our Priests.
3. With thanks to Our Priests.

The first section is how the children perceive the life of a priest. Some of the perceptions are amusing and some are so touching.
The second section has some wonderful poetry and again some very perceptive comments.
The third section is a mixture of really personal comments about the child and their priest and more poetry and reflections.

As a whole this book is a real joy to read. It makes you laugh and it makes you cry. I made the mistake of reading it on the tube and went an extra three stops. The artwork by the children is both excellent and inspiring and makes the book a colourful visual extravaganza. A lot of the words are in the children’s own handwriting which makes this book their work that has been skilfully put together by the compiler.

A pupil called Ayalee has written “Priests take so much out of their lives for us and we should be thankful.” This book is a wonderful way to join in that thanksgiving. As I read this book I could not help think of the phrase “Out of the mouths of babes”. This book is certainly full of their inspiring truths!

This book can be bought at St Pauls Bookshop next to Westminster Cathedral or online at http://www.stpauls.org.uk/ or indeed any good bookshop!

My First Ever Blog Entry!

I thought I would start a blog, but was never quite sure what to write on. This morning I do - so this is my first post.

Last night I made my way to the London Labour leadership hustings in Docklands. I have a vote in the leadership election and I wanted to hear what the candidates had to say for themselves.

The evening was hosted by John O'Farrell who was very funny but managed to keep the candidates in order. Each question was answered by all the candidates with them taking it in turns to answer first.

The questions ranged widely from serious issues such as the Iraq war, council housing and the NHS to a couple of frivoulous ones such as would they be writing their memoirs like Mandelson and also if they are not leader who would be the best leader.

There was no sense of animosity between the candidates for most of the time, although Balls and Abbott clashed when Balls challenged her on saying if he hadn't briefed against people it must have been his evil twin brother!

All the candidates performed well on their own areas of expertise.

David Milliband spoke passionately about foreign affairs and the subject of extraordinary rendition. Ed Balls was excellent on eduction. Ed Milliband was very good on climate change and showing how he gained world experience in Copenhagen. Andy Burnham was amazing when he spoke on the NHS and the dangers facing it from the Con-dem plans. Diane Abbott was very good on not being any of 'the men in suits'.

In reflecting overnight on how the candidates came across I have made my own judgements. I'm not giving an in depth political analysis so please indulge me!

David Milliband. He certainly has the experience of high office and was keen to let us know that. He has certainly been the front runner in this contest so far. The thing that seemed to let him down in my eyes was that he was a bit arrogant and when it came to having an extra go on speaking on the issue of new council housing he didn't have anything to say.

Ed Balls. I have never really been able to warm to the man. He was excellent when talking about education, but there was something about him that I don't think would work in this media image filled world. Whilst the other men took their jackets off, he kept his on and when he stood up to talk at the end his jacket was buttoned up. He didn't come across as that relaxed or natural. Perhaps I am just biased.

Ed Milliband. I arrived feeling slighty sceptical about him. For me the thing that puts me off him is his lisp. His answers to the questions were excellent and he was keen to show the experience he had. When it came up to the summing up speeches, he blew my socks off. It was fantastic and there was a real buzz in the room after he spoke.

Diane Abbot. She is very much the "I am not one of them" candidate. This is because she is black, female and was never in government in the Blair/Brown years. She was able to criticise the previous government with what she saw was wrong, but she was also quick to show the positive things that Labour did whilst in power. I like Diane Abbott on TV, but I think she is really wanting to be an opposition leader rather than a Prime Minister.

Andy Burnham. The card that Andy plays is that he's from a northern working class background. He feels that he can connect with the grassroots of the party who were lost at the last election. He was also able to show how he has held two important posts that will come up in the battles ahead; Chief Secretary to the Treasury (he oversaw the last spending review) and Health Secretary (Tory NHS plans look like a battle is ahead). His summing up speech was just as good as Ed Milliband's one.

So how did I feel when I came away from the hustings? I still don't know who I am going to vote for (or in what preference). I am now swinging between Andy Burnham and Ed Milliband for my first preference.

I think this election is going to be interesting over the summer, and possibly David Milliband won't get the result he wants. I'll keep watching!