Father Gregory Winterton pictured in the Cloisters at the Birmingham Oratory.

I had the privilege as a teenager of attending the Ordination of Father Gregory to the priesthood in the Newman Memorial Church, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, Edgbaston, on 9 March 1963. I then worked closely with him on the Newman Cause from the mid-1970′s.

I saw Father Gregory Winterton for the last time at about 10.55am in his room at the Little Sisters of the Poor in Harborne, on Saturday 7 January 2012. His body was frail but his  memory was remarkably good as he recalled events from the past. I gently held his right-hand for a moment. I said “goodbye” knowing it would be the last time that I would see him alive. Father Gregory replied: “Goodbye and God Bless You.” It was a deeply poignant and memorable moment.

I was in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia on Wednesday 18 January when I received the text from Father Paul Chavasse with the news that Father Gregory had died peacefully  a few hours earlier.

Father Gregory Winterton and me pictured by Cardinal Newman's Grave, at the Oratory House Rednal, on 11 August 1990 - the Centenary of Newman's death in 1890.

I plan to publish a full Obituary including personal memories of Father Gregory Winterton.

Father Gregory Winterton pictured in Cardinal Newman's Room, in the Oratory House, Birmingham.

Monday 23 January: 6.30pm Reception of Father Gregory’s body into the Oratory Church followed immediately by Solemn Vespers of the Dead sung in Latin.

The Oratory House and entrance to the Parish Church, Edgbaston.

Tuesday, 24 January, Feast of St Francis de Sales, Bishop, Patron Saint of  Writers and Journalists.

8am Matins & Lauds of the Dead.

11.30am Funeral Mass of Father Gregory Winterton – Principal Celebrant Father Paul Chavasse.

According to a very old custom, no sermon or panegyric is given at the Requiem Mass of a Father of the Oratory.

Father Gregory Winterton and Father Paul Chavasse pictured at the end of Mass on St Philip's Day, 26 May 2011,

Following Mass Father Gregory Winterton will be buried in the small secluded community graveyard at the Oratory Retreat, Rednal.

The community graveyard at the Oratory House, Rednal, where Father Gregory Winterton will be buried on Tuesday, 24 January 2012..

*Please note that all the pictures included are my copyright but may be used with due acknowledgement: “Picture by Peter Jennings.”

Dr Patricia Crosby pictured on Sunday 9 October 2011.

Bishop David McGough, Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham, Chairman of the Archdiocese of Birmingham Lourdes Pilgrimage Committee, and Bishop Philip Pargeter, retired Auxiliary, concelebrated the Mass with the Archbishop of Birmingham and more than 20 priests.

Relatives, friends, colleagues, and pilgrims, past and present packed the Cathedral for the Mass on the Feast of Blessed John Henry Newman, who was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI at Cofton Park, Birmingham, on Sunday 19 September 2010.

Among them were parishioners from Our Lady of the Angels, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, Dr Patricia Crosby’s home, together with the Parish Priest, Fr Philip Harrop.

Dame-elect, Dr Patricia Crosby heads the procession into St Chad's Cathedral, on Sunday 9 October 2011.

At the start of Mass Archbishop Bernard Longley warmly welcomed Dr Patricia Crosby and her guests on behalf of the Archdiocese of Birmingham Lourdes Association.

After the homily, Dr Patricia Crosby, Dame-elect, was escorted by her two sponsors, Dr Tony Cole, KCSG, and Tony Flanagan KSG, to the foot of the sanctuary steps where she was greeted by Archbishop Bernard Longley, delegated by Pope Benedict XVI to invest her with the Insignia of the Order of  Pope St Sylvester.

The Archbishop of Birmingham said: “The Pontifical Order of St Sylvester is the oldest of the Papal Orders, and it is conferred on lay faithful of proved loyalty in recognition of services to the Holy See and the Church as exemplified in the exercise of their professional duties.”

Archbishop Longley continued: “Dr Pat, the Papal Brief which creates you a Dame of the Order of St Sylvester reads as follows. The Papal Brief was read: “Benedict XVI Supreme Pontiff, gladly acceding to a request made to Us from which We have gathered that you are most deserving for what you have done for the Holy Catholic Church and its affairs, and in order that We might give a clear sign of Our pleasure and appreciation, We choose, make and declare you: Patricia Sabina Crosby of the Archdiocese Of Birmingham a Dame of the Order of St Sylvester.

“We bestow on you the right to use and enjoy all the privileges which go with this high dignity.” Signed and Sealed by the Cardinal Secretary of State: Cardinal Bertone.

Archbishop Bernard Longley then said: “In the name of the Holy Father I herewith invest you with the insignia of a Dame of the Pontifical Order of St Sylvester and I present to you the Papal Brief.

Dr Patricia Crosby turned to the congregation and smiled. She was greeted with heart-felt applause.

The new dame: Dr Patricia Crosby, pictured with (Left to right): Bishop Philip Pargeter, Archbishop Bernard Longley, Fr Philip Harrop, Bishop David McGough, and Canon Gerry Breen, outside St Chad's Cathedral, on 9 October 2011.

During his homily on the theme “‘Cor ad Cor Loquitur” – “Heart speaks unto heart”, Gerry Breen, Dean of St Chad’s Cathedral, a long-time friend of Dr Patricia Crosby said: “Today in our diocese we celebrate the Feast of Blessed John Henry Newman. His motto “Cor ad Cor Loquitur” embraces all that we gather to celebrate and thank God for.

“Cor ad Cor Loquitur” calls to mind the visit of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom just over a year ago and the Papal Mass, celebrated not far from here in Cofton Park when John Henry Newman, a priest of this diocese, was declared Blessed.

Then, as last year, members of our Lourdes Hospitalité were involved in organising and providing medical care for pilgrims. Dr Pat was very much at the centre of things on both those wonderful occasions. As we know, Pat is not one to be found on the periphery!

In his homily for the Mass of Beatification Pope Benedict said in reference to Cardinal Newman’s motto: “Heart speaks unto heart gives us an insight into John Henry’s understanding of the Christian life as a call to holiness, experienced as the profound desire of the human heart to enter into intimate communion with the Heart of God.”

Canon Breen continued: “Now, to young Patricia Sabina Crosby and how she responded to her invitation. I managed to get hold of a copy of Pat’s C.V. and you will be interested, though not surprised to learn that she listed her hobbies as Music, Art, and Talking – or does it say Walking? Surprisingly enough there is no mention of her interest in fashion!

“Pat was born in Liverpool and raised in Oxton on the Wirral; and we know that when she is in full flight that lovely Liverpool accent comes to the fore. She was a boarder at St Winifred’s Convent, Holy Well in North Wales. Her school reports never said: “Could do better” rather the nuns feared that “nothing will become of this girl!”

“However, her mother had other ideas and a greater insight into the capabilities of her daughter and she decided that Pat should be a doctor. So Pat arrived at Edinburgh University to study medicine. A contemporary at University was a young student called Keith O’Brien, later to become Archbishop of St Andrew’s and Edinburgh and Cardinal for Scotland.

“In a recent gathering Pat exclaimed with a little faux surprise “how strange it was that most of her male friends were priests and bishops!”  I know she is delighted with the presence of so many of her male friends here today – especially her “boys” – our younger clergy.

“Graduating in 1961 Pat served as a House Physician and Surgeon in a number of Edinburgh’s hospitals working in Oncology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She moved into General Practice in New Malden, Kingston-on-Thames, where she nurtured her interest in uniforms as Medical Practitioner to RAF, Chessington, and Medical Officer to Richmond Prison for Young Offenders.

“In 1970 she moved to Nuneaton, intending to stay for just six months; and she’s still there!

“The C.V. continues: A member of the Guild of Catholic Doctors; Chairman, twice, of North Warwickshire B.M.A.; Trustee of the Mary Anne Evans Hospice; founder member of the Lourdes Medical Association in 1974, serving on their Council for 34 years.

“Pat’s involvement as a doctor with the Birmingham Lourdes Pilgrimage began in 1972; and, thankfully, that has become a major part of her life ever since.

“So, what is it that fills our hearts? We know of two things that fill Pat’s heart. First, it is her firm conviction of the intervention of Our Lady of Lourdes in her life. She has never failed you Pat or any of us when we have sought her intercession. Secondly, and more importantly, it is Pat’s love and devotion to the Mass which continues to nourish her vocation to be the caring and compassionate woman we know and love.”

Canon Gerry Breen concluded: “Dear Pat, for your acceptance of that invitation to intimate communion and for how that cor ad cor has found expression in your professional life of service to the Church and others, it is fitting that the Holy Father recognises this and confers on you the high dignity of a Dame of the Order of Pope St. Sylvester.”

A most enjoyable wine and canapés reception followed in the Grimshaw Room after Mass.

Mrs Trish Brookes, Pilgrimage Director of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, Lourdes Pilgrimage Committee, who has known Dr Patricia Crosby since 1999 when she first became involved with the Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage, said: “At the time Dr Pat Crosby was the Chief Medical Officer having served for many years as a pilgrimage doctor with the medical team. Her current role is that of Medical Director and it is impossible to estimate the amount of time she dedicates to this important task.”

Dr Patricia Crosby pictured with Mrs Trish Brookes, Executive Director of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, Lourdes Pilgrimage Committee, and Canon Gerry Breen, after the Mass and Investiture , on Sunday 9 October 2011..

Mrs Brookes emphasised: “Dr Pat works tirelessly to ensure that the sick and disabled pilgrims who travel to Lourdes with us receive the best possible care and support, and she is respected by everyone involved; helpers and pilgrims alike.

“Dr Pat is strong, professional, accomplished, inspirational and persuasive. She has a warm and generous personality, a fantastic sense of humour and a wonderful laugh.  It is a great pleasure to know her and to call her a friend.”

Trish Brookes added: “Dr Pat was overwhelmed when she discovered that she was to receive this award, but I think we all agree that she is a truly fitting recipient, and a credit to the Archdiocese of Birmingham and to all who know and love her.”

Today in our diocese we celebrate the Feast of Blessed John Henry Newman. His motto “Cor ad Cor Loquitur” embraces all that we gather to celebrate and thank God for.

“Cor ad Cor Loquitur” calls to mind the visit of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom just over a year ago and the Papal Mass, celebrated not far from here in Cofton Park when John Henry Newman, a priest of this diocese, was declared Blessed.

Canon Gerry Breen, Dean of St Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham, pictured during his homily, on Sunday 9 October 2011.

Many here today will also remember, and were present at the first Papal Visit when Blessed John Paul II celebrated Mass and the Sacrament of Confirmation at Coventry in 1982.

Then, as last year, members of our Lourdes Hospitalité were involved in organising and providing medical care for pilgrims. Dr Pat was very much at the centre of things on both those wonderful occasions. As we know, Pat is not one to be found on the periphery!

In his homily for the Mass of Beatification Pope Benedict said in reference to Cardinal Newman’s motto: “Heart speaks unto heart gives us an insight into John Henry’s understanding of the Christian life as a call to holiness, experienced as the profound desire of the human heart to enter into intimate communion with the Heart of God.”  (Homily of Pope Benedict XVI Cofton Park, 19.09.2010)

Even now when recalling the days of the Holy Father’s visit we remember how “as believers we were indeed united as one heart one soul” (Acts 4:32)

The invitation to “intimate communion with the Heart of God” comes from the Father’s abundant free gift to each one of us – it is never our invitation but His– we just have to accept.

The Scripture for today reminds us of this invitation too.

The first reading from the Prophet Isaiah speaks of something more than an invitation to a “candle lit supper” to be enjoyed with friends. It is a divine banquet that is a sign of God’s limitless love and self-giving to his people within the parameters of time and space, as well as the pledge of the eternal kingdom of heaven.  (cf. Is 25:6-10)

Jesus, the self-giving of the Father made flesh, reminds us in the Gospel of Matthew that our response to the invitation must be generous – otherwise others will be invited instead! (cf. Matt 22:1-14).

Accepting this invitation can influence the choice of vocation we follow in life; and a true vocation, whatever form it takes, is that which builds up the living Body of Christ the Church; and, as St. Paul reminded us in our Second Reading: “There is nothing we cannot master with the help of the One who gives us strength.” (Phil:4: 12-14.19-20)

Today we are particularly mindful of those amongst us whose acceptance of that invitation of the Father led them to serve the needs of humanity in the medical profession and followed their vocation as a doctor.

Now to young Patricia Sabina Crosby and how she responded to her invitation. I managed to get hold of a copy of Pat’s C.V. and you will be interested, though not surprised to learn that she listed her hobbies as Music, Art, and Talking – or does it say Walking? Surprisingly enough there is no mention of her interest in fashion!?

Pat was born in Liverpool and raised in Oxton on the Wirral; and we know that when she is in full flight that lovely Liverpool accent comes to the fore!

Pat was a boarder at St Winifred’s Convent, Holy Well in North Wales. Her school reports never said: “Could do better” rather the nuns feared that “nothing will become of this girl!”

Canon Gerry Breen and Dr Patricia Crosby pictured outside St Chad's Cathedral after the Investiture, on 9 October 2011.

However, her mother had other ideas and a greater insight into the capabilities of her daughter and she decided that Pat should be a doctor. So Pat arrived at Edinburgh University to study medicine. A contemporary at University was a young student called Keith O’Brien, later to become Archbishop of St Andrew’s and Edinburgh and Cardinal for Scotland.

In a recent gathering Pat exclaimed with a little faux surprise “how strange it was that most of her male friends were priests and bishops!”  I know she is delighted with the presence of so many of her male friends here today – especially her “boys” – our younger clergy!

Graduating in 1961 Pat served as a House Physician and Surgeon in a number of Edinburgh’s hospitals working in Oncology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Pat moved into General Practice in New Malden, Kingston-on-Thames, where she nurtured her interest in uniforms as Medical Practitioner to RAF, Chessington, and Medical Officer to Richmond Prison for Young Offenders.

In 1970 she moved to Nuneaton, intending to stay for just six months; and she’s still there!

The C.V. continues:       A member of the Guild of Catholic Doctors; Chairman, twice, of North Warwickshire B.M.A.; Trustee of the Mary Anne Evans Hospice; founder member of the Lourdes Medical Association in 1974 serving on their Council for 34 years; since 1998 she has been a member of the Archbishop’s Advisory Committee on Women’s Affairs. And so the list goes on!

Pat’s involvement as a doctor with the Birmingham Lourdes Pilgrimage began in 1972; and, thankfully, that has become a major part of her life ever since. The only break she has taken since that time was to care for her late mother, whom she affectionately refers to as Mummy.

Mummy, Sabina Ann, was a real mulier fortis! A strong woman who not only gave but  expected nothing less than the highest of standards from Pat, and indeed from all people! She never suffered fools gladly! Mummy was very particular about her appearance and her dress – insisting on nothing but the very best in haute couture – in garments – both seen and unseen! And we wonder where Pat got it from – like Mother like Daughter!

Pat should you ever need a Latin motto, I would like to suggest one: ‘Cor regat caput’ which loosely translates as ‘The heart rules the head’.

In these days of political correctness, red tape, bureaucracy and risk assessment, people who let their hearts rule their heads can be some of the most frustrating of all; and I know that over the years Dr Pat has exasperated more than Tony Flanagan, even the odd Bishop!

Yet, those who let their hearts rule their heads are often the most compassionate of all. I would like to share with you one anecdote that illustrates this in relation to Pat; and it goes part of the way to explain why we hold her in such high regard both as a medic and a friend.

Some years ago we were asked to take a very sick man to Lourdes. He was in the advanced stages of carcinoma of the throat which was inoperable. Logic, reason and insurers dictated that we should not take him. Even some of Pat’s colleagues thought it too great a risk. But her heart ruled her head, and she insisted that he was precisely the type of pilgrim we should be taking to Lourdes. John joined us on pilgrimage and, as always, we had a wonderful week.

When it came to leave Lourdes on the Friday, our Sick Pilgrims were all gathered in the transit lounge of the Accuiel awaiting transport to the train station to begin the overland journey home.

By now John was gravely ill, and there was an acute possibility of the cancer rupturing the carotid artery. In a baggage room, John, fully conscious, was anointed in danger of death.

Reason, logic and the dreaded insurers once more insisted that John could not and should not risk the return journey home. John knew how close to death he was and asked not to be left behind. Pat stood her ground and yes there were words exchanged; but John was coming home – she refused to leave him!

Provision had to be made on the train; a compartment was commandeered and covered in plastic sheeting from floor to ceiling should the worst happen. John arrived on the platform and was passed through the window on his stretcher.

When it came to Night Prayers, broadcast over the intercom, John himself requested if we could sing the hymn Bread of Life?  Mike Stanley and Jo Boyce readily obliged. (And it’s good to have Mike and Jo here with us today).

The train carrying almost 400 pilgrims settled down very quickly on that return journey as John was very much in our thoughts and prayers. Pat sat on the floor of the carriage throughout the night re-assuring John and praying with him. A number of our young people kept vigil in the corridor outside should anything be needed. One was even delegated to take care of a handbag purchased in Madrid.

Arriving at Calais Ville in the early hours John was transferred to the Jumbulance for the ferry home. He was so grateful not to have been left behind. On the journey up through England, John passed away quite peacefully and without struggle just outside of Oxford. One of many grace filled happenings which we refer to as “Lourdes Moments.”

There have been many more occasions when Pat let her ‘heart rule her head’ whether in General Practice or as Medical Director for our Pilgrimage – occasions motivated by her compassion and care for both pilgrim and patient.

But there is a caution whenever the heart rules the head. For as scripture teaches: ‘It is the good man who draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart….. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.’ (Luke 6:45)

So, what is it that fills our hearts? We know of two things that fill Pat’s heart. First, her firm conviction of the intervention of Our Lady of Lourdes in her life. She has never failed you Pat or any of us when we have sought her intercession! Secondly, and more importantly, it is Pat’s love and devotion to the Mass which continues to nourish her vocation to be the caring and compassionate woman we know and love.

When speaking of the Most Holy Eucharist, in his “Apologia pro vita sua”, Blessed John Henry Newman said this: “The personal structure of Christianity finds its most intimate expression in Holy Mass, the source and summit of Christian life. In the mystery of the Eucharist, God never ceases to speak to us cor ad cor. When we receive the Lord in Holy Communion we can communicate in a most special way with God cor ad cor. Receiving the Body of Christ, we become what we are, the Body of Christ. Thus we are enabled to pass on the Good News cor ad cor.” (Apologia pro vita sua {26})

Dear Pat, for your acceptance of that invitation to intimate communion and for how that cor ad cor has found expression in your professional life of service to the Church and others, it is fitting that the Holy Father recognises this and confers on you the high dignity of a Dame of the Order of Pope St. Sylvester.

We join with him in giving thanks for you today as once more we enter into that most intimate of communions: the Mass. May Our Lady of Lourdes continue to intercede for you and each one of us; and may God, the Father of all compassion, grant you every grace and blessing now and always.

“Fr Ignatius Harrison has been appointed Provost of the Birmingham Oratory by the Holy See, following the resignation of Fr Richard Duffield.

Fr Duffield has resigned for reasons of ill-health, at his own request.

Fr Harrison will also be actor and vice-postulator for the cause of Cardinal Newman, who was beatified in 2010.”

End of release.

Fr Ignatius Harrison is at present also Provost of the Brompton Oratory in London.

Fr Gareth Jones, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cardiff, a former novice at the Birmingham Oratory, has been appointed as Assistant to Fr Harrison.

Thoughts and comments about these appointments most welcome.

Blessed John Henry Newman 1801-1890.

Archbishop Nichols presented and read extracts from the Message from the Bishops’ Conference made public on the Anniversary of the Papal Visit.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, addressing the seminaries of England and Wales, in Westminster Cathedral Hall, on Sunday 18 September 2011.

Deacon Michael Glover*, aged 25, a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Birmingham, responded on behalf of all the seminarians present.

He began: “Most Reverend Father, on behalf of the seminarians of England and Wales who are here, the formation staff from our venerable institutions and everyone else who finds themselves here today, I would like to thank you for those thought-provoking reflections on the Papal Visit to the United Kingdom. Thank you also for bringing us here together.

“When I was asked to say a few words, after an initial moment of panic, I took solace from a cup of tea which I drank from my ‘Heart Speaks unto Heart’ official Papal Visit mug.  Then reclining in my chair, I thought back to the events of last year.”

Deacon Michael Glover, seminarian for the Archdiocese of Birmingham, pictured during his address in Westminster Cathedral Hall on Sunday 18 September 2011.

Deacon Glover said: One of the most profound moments for me, during the Papal Visit, was when we all met at Oscott after the Mass of Beatification at Cofton Park.  The whole shape and character of that last part of the visit had the sense of a family event. The Bishops gathered around the Bishop of Rome and the seminarians gathered around their Holy Father.

“The footage of the Holy Father’s visit to Oscott, and in particular, the photograph with the seminarians on the front steps of Oscott, has had over 5,000 hits on ‘You Tube’.  That is not quite as many as Susan Boyle but 5,000 hits is a significant number. It’s more than seminarians trying to spot themselves on television!”

Deacon Glover emphasised: “That photograph of the seminarians of this country surrounding the Holy Father was extraordinary.  It was clear that there was a love for the Holy Father. It was clear that there was a common desire among everyone on those steps, to follow Christ and serve him authentically.

“That photo on the steps of Oscott was not just an opportune snap shot for a newspaper or magazine.  It was an image of hope for the Catholic community in the United Kingdom.”

Deacon Glover stressed: “The Lord still calls men to the priesthood and there are men listening to that call and answering it.  Gathered on those steps we, as seminarians, said to the people of this country that the future is hopeful, there is something worthwhile in following Christ’s call to the priesthood.”

Deacon Michael Glover concluded: “Most Reverend Father, thank you once again for that powerful reflection. Thank you for bringing us together once again as we gather to commemorate the Holy Father’s visit to these Isles.  Thank you for bringing us together, bishops, seminarians, formation staff and vocations directors, to draw strength and support from each other’s presence.

“In the Archdiocese of Birmingham, at ordinations, you often encouraged men to the priesthood with the words: “Look around you, priests come in all shapes and sizes”.

“Looking around it seems that some things do not change. As you look on us, the future clergy of the United Kingdom, I pray that you may see what many people saw on the steps of Oscott, hope for the future. Thank you.”

*Deacon Michael Glover is currently in his last year at St Mary’s College Oscott where he is Dean of Seminarians and preparing for priestly ordination in the coming year. He is originally from Nuneaton.

Deacon Michael Glover, seminarian for the Archdiocese of Birmingham

Archbishop Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham, pictured in Westminster Cathedral Hall

Bishop David McGough, Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham and Sister Luke Lennon, Assistant to Archbishop Bernard Longley at Archbishop's House, Birmingham, pictured in Westminster Cathedral Hall.

The Mass was attended by those who made a particular contribution to the organization of the successful Papal Visit. All of the Bishops of England & Wales, along with seminarians, attended as they remembered the historic meeting of the Holy Father with the Bishops and seminarians at St Mary’s College, Oscott, on Sunday 19 September, 2010, following the beatification of Blessed John Henry Newman by Pope Benedict XVI at Cofton Park, Birmingham that morning.

Bishop Philip Pargeter pictured in the procession before Mass in Westminster Cathedral, on 18 September 2011.

Archbishop Bernard Longley pictured in the procession.

At the start of Mass Archbishop Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, welcomed everyone and mentioned a number of people by name. These included: Simon Martin, the Director of Protocol and Vice Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who was officially representing Her Majesty’s Government.

Mr Martin, who  exercised overall operational responsibility for the Visit of His Holiness to the United Kingdom, was accompanied by H E Nigel Baker, the  new British Ambassador to the Holy See; Dame Helen Ghosh, Susan Scholefield, George Edgar, Alison MacMillan and Tony Humphries.

Councillor Anita Ward, the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, represented Birmingham City Council. Blessed John Henry Newman lived for much of his Catholic life in Birmingham and died in his room at the Oratory House in Edgbaston on 11 August 1890, aged 89.

Father Gregory Winterton, aged 89, Provost of the Birmingham Oratory 1972-1992, who revived the Newman Cause during the mid-1970′s and who helped to create popular devotion to the great English Cardinal in many part of the world, was present on the sanctuary.

Detective Chief Superintendent Philip Jordan, represented the Association of Chief Police Officers Visit Team and Detective Chief Inspector Chris Lundrigan, represented the Metropolitan Police Service Command Team.

Mgr Paul Conroy, Coordinator of the Papal Visit on behalf of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, represented the Bishops of Scotland. Mgr Andrew Summersgill, Coordinator of the Papal Visit on behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales was present.

Also on the sanctuary was Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh from the Russian Orthodox.

Archbishop Bernard Longley pictured with ecumenical guests before the Mass of Thanksgiving.

MESSAGE FORM POPE BENEDICT XVI

At start of Mass of the two-hour Mass a special message from Pope Benedict XVI was read by His Excellency, Archbishop Antonio Mennini, the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain:  “The Holy Father was pleased to learn that on 18 September 2011 a solemn Mass of Thanksgiving will be celebrated in Westminster Cathedral to mark the anniversary of his Apostolic Visit to the United Kingdom. He sends cordial greetings to the bishops, clergy, religious and lay faithful gathered for the occasion, as well as to the distinguished civil authorities present.

“His Holiness recalls with deep gratitude the warmth of the welcome given by Her Majesty The Queen and her Government, and he again expresses his appreciation to all those who contributed to the happy outcome of his Visit. He trusts that this moment of thanksgiving will serve as a renewed summons to take up the challenge which he issued a year ago in this very place: to bear joyful witness to the truth of the Gospel “which liberates our minds and enlightens our efforts to live wisely and well, both as individuals and as members of society”.

“In a special way, he encourages the seminarians to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus Christ, to devote themselves wholeheartedly to their intellectual and spiritual formation, and to be steadfast heralds of the new evangelization. “Commending you to the intercession of the Blessed John Henry Newman, the Holy Father is pleased to impart his Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of grace and peace in Jesus Christ our Lord.”   – Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State.

Archbishop Antonio Mennini, the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain and Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, pictured before Mass.

MESSAGE FROM THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY

The  message from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, was read by the Anglican Bishop of St Albans, Dr Alan Smith, who represented the Archbishop at the occasion: “Twelve months on, we look back on the visit of Pope Benedict with abiding gratitude. The visit was a great gift for all the Christian communities of the United Kingdom, affirming their role in society and strengthening their resolve to serve the communities of this country. The Pope’s memorable speech in Westminster Hall and many more of his public sermons and addresses brought a remarkable and creative theological mind to bear on the issues of the day, and proved impossible for even the most dedicated secularist to ignore or dismiss.

“But perhaps most importantly of all, those days last September visibly reminded the public at large that Christian discipleship is not the concern of some tiny ageing minority but a reality enthusiastically embraced by millions of all ages and races. Pope Benedict showed us all something of what the particular vocation of the See of Rome means in practice – a witness to the universal scope of the gospel.

“We who belong to other Christian families gladly acknowledge the importance of this witness and join with our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters in thanking God for the inspiration and challenge of Pope Benedict’s visit, in the hope that we can go on working together for the sake of Christ’s good news here in the United Kingdom.”   – +Rowan Cantuar

Dr Alan Smith, the Anglican Bishop of St Albans.

FULL TEXT OF THE HOMILY GIVEN BY ARCHBISHOP VINCENT NICHOLS

Today we come to thank the Lord for the blessings of the Visit of Pope Benedict to the United Kingdom one year ago and to ask for the Lord’s grace to profit fully from the inspiration of those wonderful days.

Each of us has our special memories from those days. I hope there has been time to reflect on them, study his words and refresh the joy and encouragement we experienced.

For me a particularly evocative moment was the Vigil of Prayer in Hyde Park, well captured in these words of one young person: “The procession of banners revealed the true depth and role of Catholicism in England today. The line was long and diverse – it brought tears to my eyes to see the effort that everyone puts into living out their belief in the sacred value of each human being….

“Pope Benedict spoke to us all of Newman’s witness and living in the light of truth. We all stood listening in a disruption to our daily routine that appeared like a wonderful moral and spiritual boost, sent to prepare us for an inspired return into secular society with our own unique God-given mission.

“At Adoration, the altar was covered in stars like another night sky and the figure of our Supreme Pontiff stood like the most beautiful moonbeam, with the Eucharist held aloft as the greatest treasure.

“As one, we knelt and stood at the instigation of our Holy Father and it felt truly as though we were all one heart, in that field with no roof: one body of worship and a witness to the world around of the great power of love in our faith.” (Rebecca Binney)

Those words, I suggest, sum up the gift and challenge we have received. Yes, we are to be effective witnesses in our society; and we can only be so if we are close to the Lord, strengthened by him in holiness of life.

This inseparable connection between our constant striving for holiness of life and our work in service of others is well expressed in other words of our Holy Father:

“Those who change the world for the better are holy, they transform it permanently, instilling in it the energies that only love, inspired by the Gospel, can elicit. The Saints are humanity’s great benefactors.”

And Pope Benedict, through his words to our young people, called us to be the saints of this age.

For me, three phrases sum up the message of Pope Benedict to us all. It is, of course, a message that reaches beyond the Catholic community and is one which we can pursue with many others, especially our fellow Christians. But it is addressed to us, first of all.

The witness we are to give, he said, is to the beauty of holiness, to the splendour of the truth and to the joy and freedom born of a relationship with Jesus Christ.

How do we grow in the witness to the beauty of holiness that we are to give? Most of all, I believe, through a deepening of our life of prayer. Only prayer roots us in Christ. Only prayer sustains the poise and purpose in life that becomes a witness to the reality of God’s presence.

Only prayer produces the reverence we are to show to all things holy. Only prayer sustains the space and silence our spirits need if we are indeed to be guided and formed by God’s Holy Spirit. As Cardinal Newman said: without prayer we cannot “radiate Christ; we become just another ‘clashing symbol’ in a world filled with growing noise and confusion.”

In the words of Pope Benedict, prayer is simply being in silent inward communion with God at the heart of our thinking, our meditating, and our being. Prayer is letting the Lord have the right of free speech.

This means that every one of us is called to renew in our lives the practice of daily prayer. There is no fixed or set way of prayer that suits everyone. Each of us is to pray as we can, and be faithful to that practice. And coming together in a family for prayer is a great foundation for family life.

This means that we do well to think of our parishes as well as our families, first and foremost, as being schools of prayer, places and communities in which we are encouraged in prayer, tutored in prayer and all contribute to prayer. The rich flowering of so many different ways of prayer and devotion can rightly find their place in our parish life. This much is clear: Pope Benedict is not afraid of diversity in the prayer and liturgical life of the Church. Neither should we be.

Prayer which is truly formed in the faith of the Church, and truly expresses that faith will enrich our shared life. And surely there is to be a special place in our prayer, in every parish, for Eucharistic Adoration. Prayer, then, is the foundation of all. In this way we can become ever more conscious of our dignity as a priestly people, “called to consecrate the world to God through lives of faith and holiness.”

Secondly, Pope Benedict urged us to be witnesses to the splendour or wholeness of the truth. And he gave us an astonishingly clear lesson in how to do so.

Who can forget his address in Westminster Hall? Building on the strengths and achievements of our democracy, he placed the great gift of faith at the service of our world today. He did so with sensitivity and reasoned argument, without hectoring or condemning, inviting rather than demanding, firmly but gently.

Listening to him I was reminded of the lovely words of Cardinal Hume spoken here many years ago. Speaking of St Francis de Sales he said: “He was gentle but firm, a combination which helps us to sustain and guide the faithful. It is never easy to keep these two qualities in harmonious balance. If one is to be favoured at the expense of the other let it be gentleness – a gentleness born of strength. The key to all ministry is to love people as Christ loved them.” (24 January 1992)

Archbishop Vincent Nichols, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, pictured during his homily.

Pope Benedict spoke of the need in our society for clearer moral values, needed for a peaceful and harmonious society. Scandals in the world of the media and the violence and looting on the streets of some English cities in mid-August revealed how profoundly true his observations were. He said, “If the moral principles underpinning the democratic process are themselves determined by nothing more solid than social consensus, then the fragility of the process becomes all too evident.”

He reminded us of the crucial question: “Where is the ethical foundation for (political) choices to be found?” and that “Catholic tradition maintains that the objective norms governing right action are accessible to reason, prescinding from the content of revelation.”

How are we to think about meeting this challenge? The prayer of Pope St Gregory the Great comes to our help when he prayed for ‘the grace to see life whole and the power to speak effectively of it’, for love of the Lord.

Our Catholic faith, illuminating reason, gives us that gift. We see life whole when we recognise the true nature of the unborn child. We see life whole when we see in every pupil not only a future contributor to our economic prosperity, not only a future parent and leader, but also a spiritual being whose deepest needs and surest happiness can be answered only in the mystery of God and in a personal relationship with Him.

We see life whole when we recognise the limited value of our personal experience as the criterion of moral truth. We see life whole when we recognise that the well-being of every human person has to be at the centre of our economic life, the ultimate purpose of our striving and the measure by which we are to judge success. We see life whole when, in sickness and terminal illness, we both treasure life as it is and do not fear death when it comes, so that we neither deny the dignity of life at its endings, nor fail to welcome our journey to God when He calls.

In our exploration of life in its fullness we are aided and inspired by our own Blessed John Henry Newman. How much we can rejoice in a new wave of interest and devotion to this great man. We rejoice in his sensitivity to our culture and his insistence on the reasonableness of faith in God in an age of agnosticism and doubt. He will continue to inspire us.

Perhaps today’s Gospel expresses most forcefully the challenge of seeing life whole. We heard, somewhat incredulously, of the owner of the vineyard paying those who came so late to work as much as he paid to those who had laboured all day. The parable focuses on not so much the lot of the workers, but the absolute generosity of God, whose merciful actions go way beyond the requirements of justice.

We are always tempted to reckon life in terms of our achievements and our possessions. But when we see life whole then we know it is all a gift of God. All we have is God’s gift. When this is clear, then we are able to serve generously, to give freely, for what we have is already a gift, and what is freely received can more readily be freely given.

As the Holy Father said in Hyde Park, “Faith is meant to bear fruit in the transformation of our world through the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives and activities of believers.” Today we pray that the long line of banners and groups of Catholic action in our society will grow stronger and longer, coordinated centrally for strength and flourishing locally in responsiveness to all the needs and demands of our difficult times.

Finally, Pope Benedict reminded us of a key testimony that we are to give: that of joy and freedom. How many in our society would immediately associate those qualities with the Catholic Church? Yet they are there, to be seen in so many. Approaching two million young people – including some who were not so young at all – gave unmistakable testimony to that joy and freedom born of a relationship with Christ at the recent World Youth Day in Madrid. This was a manifestation of youthful faith and friendship, reaching to every continent.

Maybe its secret was expressed in the words of a young pilgrim from this country: “Catholic is what we are, not something we belong to!” That sense of common, inner identity, as opposed to a sense of membership of an organisation, is something for many of us to rediscover. Being a Catholic is a way of life, not a set of membership duties. Being a Catholic is expressed in everyday actions, the habits of a maturing faith, actions of devotion, kindness and, indeed, self-denial, actions which are willing expressions of our love of the Lord who alone is the source of our joy and freedom.

I hope that this is the spirit in which we will embrace the communal act of Friday abstinence, sharing together in our identification with Jesus in his self-denial for our salvation. Let the joy and freedom born of our loving relationship with him lift the burden of so much anxiety and strife from our hearts so that others may see the hope and consolation we receive from him.

My brothers and sisters, today we do indeed give thanks for the ministry and charism of the Bishop of Rome, the Successor of St Peter. We willingly express again our love and devotion to him, the visible touchstone of our faith and truly our Holy Father in the Church. We promise him the support of our prayers and we commit ourselves to working each day, in our families, our friendships, our schools and our parishes to reap a hundredfold from the seeds he has sown in our hearts.

May this truly be a moment of fresh wind in our sails, a moment of hope and confidence in the gifts that our Catholic faith offers to our world.  Amen.

Westminster Cathedral during the Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday 18 September 2011.

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Anita Ward, pictured with H E Nigel Baker, British Ambassador to the Holy See, after the Mass of Thanksgiving.

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Anita Ward, and her Consort, Mr Michael Brown (to her left) pictured with members of West Midlands Police and others who helped to make the Visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Birmingham ( Sunday 19 September 2010) such a memorable occasion.

The Bishops from England and Wales have called on all Catholics to be confident, faithful and courageous in playing a full part in building a better future for all in  this country, especially during these difficult times of economic and social turbulence.

The call  comes on the anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s historic State Visit to the United Kingdom during which he helped many to recognise that “faith is not a problem to be solved, but a gift to be discovered afresh”.

Polling undertaken immediately after the Pope’s visit showed that the majority of the country agreed that there is a place for God and religion in public life.

Reflecting on the Pope’s call for all to discover the definite service that God has called all of us to give, the Bishops have set out their priorities for the Church over the next five years. The Bishops state: “Following the wonderful example Pope Benedict has given us, in our  mission we must be gentle but also confident in manifesting the ‘beauty of holiness’… faithful in proclaiming the ‘splendour of truth’… courageous in testifying to ‘the joy and freedom born of a living relationship with Christ’.”

Following the re-establishment of Friday abstinence as a common act of witness and of solidarity with those who are in need or suffer and as an expression of our vocation to follow Christ who sacrificed his life for the good of all humanity, the Bishops called on all Catholics to witness publicly to their faith with renewed confidence and to assist in all of their activities to work together for the good of the community at large.

The Bishops conclude : “On Home Mission Sunday, the anniversary of the Holy Father’s visit to our country, we renew our faith in the power of God to lead us through the difficult times faced by our nation and by our world. Confidently Catholic we look forward not anxiously or fearfully, but with renewed hope and courage. We invoke God’s blessing on our country and on our world.”

 A PILGRIMAGE TO THE HEART OF THE BRITISH PEOPLE

The full text of the Message follows: On this anniversary of the momentous Visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom, we recall the excitement, vision and hope that stirred in the hearts of so many who watched or took part in those historic events. Many experienced the Visit as a powerful encounter of God’s love and a welcome response to the “deep thirst there is among the British people for the Good News of Jesus Christ”^[i].

Only a few days after returning to Rome from the UK, the Holy Father spoke movingly of the importance of the Visit:

“It was an official Visit and at the same time a Pilgrimage to the heart of the past and of the present of a people rich in culture and faith, as is the British people. It was an historic event that marked a new and important phase in the long and complex relations between those peoples and the Holy See in the four busy and very beautiful days I spent in this noble land I had the great joy of speaking to the hearts of the inhabitants of the United Kingdom and they spoke to mine, especially with their presence and with the testimony of their faith. Indeed I could see how strong the Christian heritage still is and how active it still is in social life at every level. British hearts and British lives are open to the reality of God and there are numerous expressions of religious feeling that my Visit has made even more visible.”^[ii]

A VISION FOR THE CHURCH IN OUR LAND

Mindful of the need to “proclaim the Gospel afresh”^[iii], Pope Benedict presented a vision and direction for the Church in our land. This vision challenges each Christian believer, “in accordance with his or her state of life”, to work “for the advancement of God’s Kingdom by imbuing temporal life with the values of the Gospel”^[iv]. Inspired by the teaching of Blessed John Henry Newman^[v], it directs the Church on a journey where, “each of us has a mission, each of us is called to change the world, to work for a culture of life, a culture forged by love and respect for the dignity of each human person”^[vi]. All of this, the Holy Father reminded us, can only be attained “By letting the light of faith shine in our hearts, and by abiding in that light through our daily union with the Lord in prayer and participation in the life-giving sacraments of the Church”^[vii].

What this vision encourages us to seek and hope for is the renewal of Church and society through the mission, teaching and witness of all the Christian faithful. Pope Benedict has helped many to see that faith in God is not a problem to be solved but a gift to be discovered afresh. By his gentle, courteous, humble and open-hearted approach, the Holy Father models for us a way in which we can share this vision with others. By our gentle, courteous, humble and open-hearted living of the Christian faith, we too can proclaim the Gospel through the “beauty of holiness”, “the splendour of truth” and “the joy and freedom born of a living relationship with Christ”^[viii].

In setting out this vision, the Holy Father also reminded us that we must be realistic in our understanding of contemporary society and the world around us. The financial crisis which Pope Benedict spoke of a year ago and the suffering of long-term unemployment which has caused so much hardship to countless individuals and families, is still very much with us and its end seems a long way off.The effects of the global economic emergency, the desperate living conditions which millions of people face all over the world, the lack of hope and the profound crisis of faith within our society, form the context in which this vision is presented.

Nevertheless, Pope Benedict reminded us that it is precisely in times of “crisis and upheaval” that “God has raised up great saints and prophets for the renewal of the Church and Christian society”^[ix]. All the Christian faithful should then reflect on and, seek the graces for, the particular “definite service”^[x] that Almighty God is calling us to give.

THE NEW EVANGELISATION

A significant part of our continuing reflection on the Holy Father’s Visit and the vision he presented to us will involve next year’s XIII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome. This Synod will have as its theme: ‘The New Evangelisation for the Transmission of the Christian Faith’.

After his Visit to the UK, Pope Benedict explained that: “In addressing the citizens of… (the United Kingdom), a crossroads of culture and of the world economy, I kept in mind the entire West, conversing with the intellect of this civilization and communicating the unfading newness of the Gospel in which it is steeped. This Apostolic Journey strengthened a deep conviction within me: the ancient nations of Europe have a Christian soul, which is one with the ‘genius’ and history of the respective peoples, and the Church never stops working to keep this spiritual and cultural tradition ceaselessly alive”.^[xi]

That statement links the urgency of the New Evangelisation with the vision and challenge presented by the Holy Father during his Visit. The Christian faith has ancient and deep roots in our lands. It has formed our nation and continues to play an important role in forming many aspects of our national and cultural life. It has a voice and a resonance which find a home in many a heart of those within our land who would not necessarily call themselves Christian.

Yet, as Pope Benedict stated: “No-one who looks realistically at our world today could think that Christians can afford to go on with business as usual, ignoring the profound crisis of faith which has overtaken society, or simply trusting that the patrimony of values handed down by the Christian centuries will continue to inspire and shape the future of our society.”^[xii]

The challenge of the New Evangelisation is then, ‘how’ we “work for the advancement of God’s Kingdom by imbuing temporal life with the values of the Gospel”^[xiii] and “present in all its fullness the life-giving message of the Gospel”^[xiv].

THE WORK AHEAD

Over the past year, we the Bishops of England and Wales have reflected together on the Holy Father’s ‘Pilgrimage to the heart of the British people’ and the vision he presented. We have considered the challenge he issued to the Church, to proclaim the Gospel, “which liberates our minds and enlightens our efforts to live wisely and well, both as individuals and as members of society”^[xv]. Together with the Church throughout the world, we are determining the demands of the New Evangelisation.

We have begun to formulate how the mission, teaching and witness that we must give will be expressed strategically in the priorities, aims and objectives for our work as a Bishops’ Conference over the next three to five years. These priorities will shape our work as a Bishops’ Conference, determining our use of scarce resources and offered in support of the mission of every diocese in England and Wales.

Integral to this work is recognising the importance of being confident, faithful and courageous in our mission, teaching and witness. Following the wonderful example Pope Benedict has given us, in our mission we must be gentle but also confident in manifesting the ‘beauty of holiness’, a beauty which can lead the heart of every person to an intimate knowledge of Christ^[xvi]. In our teaching, we must be courteous but also faithful in proclaiming the ‘splendour of truth’ through “the witness of lives lived in integrity, fidelity and holiness”^[xvii]. In our witness, we must be humble and open-hearted but also courageous in testifying to ‘the joy and freedom born of a living relationship with Christ’.

In respect of our mission, our first priority area of work will be: ‘To proclaim the universal call to holiness in Christ – by promoting a culture of vocation within the corporate identity of the Catholic Church, marked by a confident Catholic faith’; in relation to ‘teaching’, the second priority area of work will be: ‘To proclaim Christ and his Gospel as saving truth – by fostering and encouraging a culture of dialogue and solidarity’; and in terms of witness, our third priority area of work will be: ‘To proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God – by serving and witnessing to the whole community, especially by supporting marginalised and vulnerable people’.

Within these priority areas we have already identified a number of aims and objectives:

We have re-established Friday abstinence as a common act of witness and of solidarity with those who are in need or suffer and as an expression of our vocation to follow Christ who sacrificed his life for the good of all humanity.

We are actively encouraging lay Catholics to witness publicly to their faith with renewed confidence and to communicate a culture of vocation to a wide audience.

We are creating a national vocations framework, offering discernment opportunities to all, not only to ecclesial vocations but also to marriage and other forms of lay witness^[xviii].

We will continue to encourage the programme we have begun of ‘deepening social engagement’ to bring greater coherence, support and visibility to the Church’s evangelising witness through the development of ‘Caritas’ within England and Wales.

We will foster opportunities to “build bridges of friendship to other religions, to heal past wrongs and to foster trust between individuals and communities”^[xix] by building on the unique and inspirational encounter between people of faith and representatives of other religions which took place during the Holy Father’s Visit.

We will work with other Christians and people of other religions to identify the areas of greatest need, at home and abroad, so that we can come “together in concrete forms of collaboration, as we apply our religious insights to the task of promoting integral human development, working for peace, justice and the stewardship of creation” and to work “together for the good of the community at large”^[xx].

We will strengthen our communication of the work of the Church through the use of new technology and build partnerships with appropriate media outlets to build on the vision of the New Evangelisation for the transmission of the Christian Faith.

CONFIDENTLY CATHOLIC

In coming to the UK, the Holy Father “…wanted first and foremost to support the Catholic Community, encouraging it to work strenuously to defend the immutable moral truths which, taken up, illuminated and strengthened by the Gospel are at the root of a truly human, just and free society.” He also wished “…to speak to the hearts of all the inhabitants of the United Kingdom, excluding no one, of the true reality of man, of his deepest needs, of his ultimate destiny.” ^[xxi]

We believe that the ‘beauty of holiness’, the ‘splendour of truth’ and the ‘joy and freedom born of a living relationship with Christ’ can still speak powerfully to the hearts of the people of our country. This is the inspiration for our work ahead.

On this Home Mission Sunday, the anniversary of the Holy Father’s visit to our country, we renew our faith in the power of God to lead us all through the difficult times faced by our nation and by our world. Confidently Catholic, we look forward then not anxiously or fearfully but with renewed hope and courage. We invoke God’s blessing on our country and on our world.

Notes:

[i] Pope Benedict XVI, Address to the Bishops of Scotland, England and Wales, Oscott College, 19 September 2010

[ii] Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, Saint Peter’s Square, Wednesday, 22 September 2010

[iii] Pope Benedict XVI, Address to the Bishops of Scotland, England and Wales, Oscott College, 19 September 2010

[iv] Pope Benedict XVI, Address, Hyde Park Vigil, 18 September 2010

[v] Blessed John Henry Newman, Meditations and Devotions, “Meditations on Christian Doctrine”, “Hope in God—Creator”, March 7, 1848

[vi] Pope Benedict XVI, Address, Hyde Park Vigil, 18 September 2010

[vii] Pope Benedict XVI, Address, Hyde Park Vigil, 18 September 2010

[viii] Pope Benedict XVI, Homily in Westminster Cathedral, 18 September 2010

[ix] Pope Benedict XVI, Address, Hyde Park Vigil, 18 September 2010

[x] Blessed John Henry Newman, Meditations and Devotions, “Meditations on Christian Doctrine”, “Hope in God—Creator”, March 7, 1848

[xi] General Audience, Saint Peter’s Square, Wednesday, 22 September 2010

[xii] Pope Benedict XVI, Address, Hyde Park Vigil, 18 September 2010

[xiii] Ibid.

[xiv] Pope Benedict XVI, Address to the Bishops of Scotland, England and Wales, Oscott College, 19 September 2010

[xv] Pope Benedict XVI, Homily in Westminster Cathedral, 18th September 2010

[xvi] Cf. Pontifical Council for Culture, The Via Pulchritudinis, Privileged Pathway for Evangelisation and Dialogue, 2009

[xvii] Pope Benedict XVI, Address, Hyde Park Vigil, 18 September 2010

[xviii] The number of those applying to enter seminaries reached a ten year high in 2010 and this upward trend appears set to continue. Since the Holy Father’s Visit, there has also been an increase in the number of women approaching religious congregations.

[xix] Pope Benedict XVI, Speech to Representatives of Other Religions, St Mary’s University College, Twickenham, 17 September 2010

[xx] Ibid.

[xxi] General Audience, Saint Peter’s Square, Wednesday, 22 September 2010

On 15 September 2010, the day before you arrived in the United Kingdom, Foreign Secretary William Hague spoke in The Old Hall of Lincoln’s Inn in London about the importance of values in foreign policy. He noted that “as a democratic country we must have a foreign policy based on values, as an extension of our identity as a society.”

And he added that: “Our values cannot be defined in purely legal terms. They include our belief in political freedom and economic liberalism, our commitment to helping the poor, to granting protection to refugees and to mitigating the impact of climate change on the most vulnerable. Our attachment to the qualities of tolerance, compassion, generosity, respect for others and the right of families and communities to choose how they live within the law, are also part of our values.”

These values are an indivisible part of the practice of British foreign policy today. But we recognize that they cannot remain as simply a statement of the ideal. We must seek to apply them in reality, working with others whilst respecting difference, recognising our own faults, and ensuring that we understand what is practical and achievable.

As Prime Minister David Cameron said to you in Birmingham at the end of your visit last year, we in Britain need to build “a new culture of social responsibility” at home. But we also need to work with others abroad, including the Holy See, on key international issues where we share a common goal and, indeed, common values.

The agenda that we share is global, multifaceted and profoundly important to the world today. It is difficult to do justice to the full extent of the relationship between the Holy See and the United Kingdom in a single speech. But I would like to touch upon three broad themes that encompass the reasons for our close and continuing relationship today, and in the coming years.

Firstly, because we share common values, we need to work together to tackle the existential threats this world faces, of which the two most significant are climate change and arms proliferation.

Climate change is the greatest threat facing mankind today, perhaps ever. You have called in your Encyclical Letter “Caritas in Veritate” for “an alliance between the human being and the environment”. As we look ahead to the next Conference of Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change at Durban later this year, and the Rio plus 20 Summit in 2012, it is clear that we and others need to show far greater will and ambition if we are to tackle this extraordinary challenge that threatens the very relationship between man and creation.

The British Government is determined to keep this issue at the forefront of global diplomacy, and act as an example to others, for example by committing to reduce our carbon emissions by over 80% by 2050. The Vatican is already well on the way to becoming the world’s first carbon neutral state, and we recognize the important role played by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in the global debate.

Arms control, and in particular the elaboration of an international arms trade treaty that can reduce the risks that defence exports will be used to fuel conflict, violate human rights and undermine development, is a crucial area of mutual collaboration. It is a fundamental cornerstone of the construction of a rules-based international edifice that needs to stand the test of time, improve people’s lives and make the world safer for the next generation. We welcome our ongoing conversation with the Holy See as we aim to persuade others of the need to enshrine our wish to make the world a safer place into rules and safeguards that work, in practice and in a sustainable way.

Secondly, we need to come together to encourage dialogue, between faiths and beliefs, promoting peace and understanding. This means above all working, wherever they do not exist or are under threat, for liberty of religion, freedom of expression, and freedom from violence. We see these values threatened in many parts of the globe, but also see people struggling to realize these essential rights, most notably in recent months in the Middle East and North Africa.

It is our mutual challenge to help ensure that across the globe those who wish to enjoy and exercise these rights are able to do so, in the present and for the future. Your invitation to faith leaders to meet in Assisi this October reflects the fundamental nature of this challenge for people of all faiths and creeds. Closer to home, we deeply appreciate the Holy See’s continued support for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.

Thirdly, we need to work together to fight poverty and disease, with especial focus on the most disadvantaged, and the most vulnerable. The United Kingdom is committed to dedicating 0.7% of its national income to development aid by 2013, for which Prime Minister David Cameron argued the “strong moral case” despite difficult economic circumstances at home. But we are also committed to turning this solidarity into effective action, judging our aid by its outcomes rather than by its aspirations or simply by the level of funds disbursed. We need to be clear eyed and honest about the effectiveness of our international development cooperation as we strive towards the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

The Holy See and the United Kingdom have collaborated closely in recent years in practical development, such as in promoting debt relief, fair trade, and financing for development through the International Finance Facility’s Immunisation Bond and the Advanced Market Commitment. More recently, we have worked together on the Global Alliance on Vaccines and Immunisation, including at the 13 June 2011 conference in London, at which Prime Minister David Cameron announced a new commitment of $1.3bn of British aid to vaccinate over 80 million children over the next five years, and save 1.4 million lives. We welcome the fact that the Apostolic Nuncio in London, Archbishop Mennini, attended the conference and announced the Holy See’s support and a symbolic donation.

We share the conviction that more needs to be done in the common effort towards implementing the MDGs. The United Kingdom is looking carefully at those countries and MDGs most “off-track”, and is restructuring its aid accordingly, for example towards key programmes in countries in Africa like Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and issues such as sanitation for the poorest.

We believe that it is essential for national governments to work effectively with faiths to fight poverty, and we recognize the leading role of the Catholic church and Catholic charities across the world, including the Caritas and CIDSE global networks, in educating, caring for and supporting the most deprived, the most needy, and the most vulnerable.

Your Holiness, these immense global challenges require vision and a readiness to work together on the basis of what you have named “the many core values that we share”. In Westminster Hall you suggested that “the world of reason and the world of faith – the world of secular rationality and of religious belief – need one another and should not be afraid to enter into a profound and ongoing dialogue, for the good of our civilization”. We are ready and willing to enter into that dialogue. In his speech on values in foreign policy, William Hague concluded that: “We will seek to act in a way that appreciates the complexity and dignity of other nations that champions human rights in a pragmatic and effective way, that inspires others and that strengthens the global rule of law.”

It will be my task over the next few years to work closely with the Holy See to ensure that we can do this together, in harmony and in collaboration. In doing so, I shall bear constantly in mind the Prime Minister’s call at Birmingham Airport at the end of your visit to the United Kingdom for “ever closer co-operation between the UK and the Holy See as we redouble our resolve to work for the common good”.

My predecessor, Francis Campbell, noted in The Tablet Annual Lecture last year that “taking that forward will be a key task for my successor”. Your Holiness, there is a great deal to do. Rather than a task, it will be my privilege to play a role in building on the platform of our excellent current relations to develop and deepen our bilateral and global relationship in the years ahead.

H E Nigel Baker, British Ambassador to the Holy See pictured with Peter Jennings, outside the East India Club, London, during May 2011.

H E Nigel Baker, British Ambassador to the Holy See pictured with the Catholic journalist and publisher Mr Kevin Grant (left) and Mr Ian Brunskill, Editor, The Times Register, in London, during May 2011.

The Elizabethan manor-house was built by Humphrey Pakington (1555-1631) a courtier from the household of the Lord Chancellor Ellesmere, who managed to practice his Catholic faith in secret during a time of great persecution. Harvington Hall has the finest surviving series of priest-holes anywhere in the country and during Elizabethan times offered shelter to many recusant priests.

Several hundred pilgrims and priests from parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Birmingham were present on the lawn on a glorious early September afternoon. The blue sky, warm sunshine, the backcloth of trees and the old manor-house added to the occasion.

Red vestments in honour of the English Martyrs were worn by Archbishop Bernard Longley; Bishop Philip Pargeter, retired Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham; Mgr Canon John Moran, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Birmingham since 1998, and Parish Priest of St Mary’s Harvington since 2008; and Fr Douglas Lamb, Parish Priest of St Ambrose, Kidderminster. More than 15 other priests also concelebrated.

The four martyrs especially venerated at Harvington, who worked at various times in the area, are: St John Wall – hung, drawn and quartered at Red Hill, Worcester on 2 August 1679, and canonised in 1970; St Nicholas Owen – died under torture in the Tower on 2 March 1606, and was canonised in 1970; Bl. Edward Oldcorne – executed at Red Hill, Worcester on 7 April 1606 and beatified in 1929; and Bl. Arthur Bell – executed at Tyburn on 11 December 1643 and beatified in 1987.

During his homily Archbishop Bernard Longley said: “I am delighted to join you for the second time on pilgrimage to Harvington to honour the memory and witness of the English Martyrs of our diocese and especially those associated with this beautiful place. When I was last here on pilgrimage we were all making our last-minute preparations for the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom and to Birmingham for the Beatification of Blessed John Henry Newman.”

Archbishop Longley stressed: “The witness of the martyrs here at Harvington Hall is an inspiration to all of us. When we reflect on their courage and loving steadfastness in the face of opposition and menace we are moved to make apology to our Lord for the comparative weakness of our own faith. Today’s pilgrimage isn’t only a lovely day-out, but it fires us again with enthusiasm for the mission that Christ has entrusted to us in our own time, just as the Holy Father’s visit and example have given us fresh courage to follow and serve our Lord.”

He said: “The prayers of our pilgrimage at Harvington contributed to the remarkable blessings that have been the lasting legacy of the papal visit. For Catholics our sense of identity and unity were strengthened and we saw the Holy Father’s spiritual leadership widely recognised by people of all faiths and of none. Other Christians and people of faith welcomed the emphasis placed by Pope Benedict on the vital contribution that we can and do make to the common good of all.”

At the conclusion of his homily Archbishop Bernard Longley paid a warm tribute to Mgr John Moran on his last day as Vicar General. The Archbishop said: “I want to thank him again, in the midst of his own parishioners and all of us on pilgrimage for his devoted service to the clergy and people of the Archdiocese as VG over these last thirteen years.

“Mgr John has exercised his demanding ministry as VG with dedication and above all by example. In this way we have witnessed the qualities of his generous character and the many talents that have enabled him to achieve so much for the sake of the Kingdom of God,” he said.

Archbishop Longley added: “I know how much Mgr John has been looking forward to dedicating his time to the parish community here at Harvington and how greatly supported he has felt by the people of this parish.”

The Archbishop of Birmingham announced that he had appointed Fr Timothy Menezes, Parish Priest of St Thomas More Coventry since 2004, as his new Vicar General, as from Monday 5 September 2011.

Archbishop Bernard Longley, Mgr Canon John Moran (left) and Bishop Philip Pargeter, pictured at Harvington Hall, Worcestershire, on Sunday 4 September 2011.

The Archbishop of Birmingham pictured during Mass at the Annual Pilgrimage to the Shrine of the English Martyrs at Harvington Hall.

Archbishop Bernard Longley pictured during his homily on 4 September.

Pilgrims pictured during the Mass.

Mgr Canon John Moran (left) and Fr Douglas Lamb pictured during the procession at the start of Mass.

Archbishop Bernard Longley and Fr Dominic Cosslett, his Secretary and MC.

Archbishop Bernard Longley pictured with the Lord Mayor of Kidderminster, Councillor Anne Hingley, and Mgr Canon John Moran, Parish Priest, St Mary's Harvington (left), and Fr Douglas Lamb, Parish Priest, St Ambrose, Kidderminster.

Canon Gerry Breen, the Dean of the Metropolitan Cathedral and Basilica of St Chad, Birmingham, whose parish includes areas of the city centre affected, said in a statement the following afternoon: “All people of good will are dismayed at the current unrest on our streets. It is important for us, particularly Faith Leaders and our communities, to continue to work and pray together for our great City and the welfare of its citizens. At times like this we stand that much closer together.

“We are encouraging our congregations to pray for those whose homes and livelihoods are directly affected. Also to keep in mind the members of the Emergency Services on whom we turn to for help on any day or night of every week.

“As people of faith, we must pray also for the youngsters who are misled by others or misguided in their thinking who are being swept along on this wave of criminality.”

Canon Breen added: “Thursday 11 August marks the anniversary of the death of Blessed John Henry Newman in 1890. He ministered as a priest in the heart of our City to the disadvantaged and the poor, regardless of creed or culture.

“I encourage Catholics, in particular, to seek his intercession in prayer.

“As Pope Benedict XVI reminded us when quoting John Henry Newman during his homily at the Mass of Beatification at Cofton Park, here in Birmingham,  just last September: ‘Prayer is the practise of turning to God in every season, in every place, in every emergency.’

“May Blessed John Henry Newman intercede for our City and its people.”

Canon Breen and his counterpart the Very Reverend Catherine Ogle, the Dean of St Philip’s Anglican Cathedral, Birmingham, situated in the heart of the city have excellent ecumenical relations and work together for the good of all Christian traditions and religious faiths in Birmingham.

Canon Gerry Breen, Dean of the Metropolitan Cathedral and Basilica of St Chad, Birmingham.