Bishop Kevin Dunn, a priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, was appointed Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle by Blessed John Paul II.  He was ordained the twelfth Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, by Bishop Ambrose Griffiths on 25 May 2004, the Feast of St Bede, at St Mary’s Cathedral, Newcastle upon Tyne.  He died on Saturday 1 March 2008, aged 57.

Kevin Dunn was born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. He studied for the priesthood at St Mary’s College Oscott, Birmingham and was ordained  on 17 January 1976.

During the lecture Archbishop Nichols said: “One suggestion from me: every radio and TV set has an ‘on/off’ switch. Perhaps we should use it more often and free ourselves from too much input, from the constant round of news and debate, so as to reflect a little more and then deepen the quality of our understanding and of the contribution we can make. Too much input and there is no time or space for reflection. A little more stillness, space and silence and then the ‘still, small voice’ of faith will find its power.”

Here is the full text of the lecture given by Archbishop Vincent Nichols:

The Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster.

I am very pleased to be here to give this Bishop Kevin Dunn Memorial Lecture. It is an honour. Along with so many of you gathered here today, I have the fondest memories of Bishop Kevin. Indeed, I still miss his presence, his vitality and his down-to-earth approach to our faith and Church. I extend my warmest greetings to his family and close friends and assure them of my continuing prayers.

Kevin would have approved of the title given to this talk: Faith finding a voice. He wanted to get on with the job while at the same time thinking carefully about what it entailed and demanded. He wanted action rather than talk, and that must be a criterion we use for ourselves, including for this evening. I hope we can go from here with some resolution carrying us towards action.

In this setting it is right to recall one particular and remarkable action taken by Bishop Kevin: the establishment of the Bede Chair of Catholic Theology in the University of Durham. That truly was a lasting achievement and one which indeed typifies the importance of our theme.

Bishop Kevin was determined that our Catholic faith would indeed find a particular voice in the University and in the local Church. And, to its credit, the University responded so positively, and continues to do so. So do not be surprised if I return to your beloved Bede later in this talk.

As we begin to ponder on various aspects of the challenge of faith finding a voice in our world today, it is important to recall the wonderful, well-known reflection of St Augustine, given in reference to the role of St John the Baptist. Augustine insists that we understand the difference between what is said and who is saying it. He says:

‘John is the voice, but the Lord in the beginning was the Word. John is a voice for a time but Christ is the eternal Word from the beginning.’ (eg Sermon 293 cf Office of Readings for Feast of the Birth of St. John the Baptist.)

There are a number of important points for us here. First is the realisation that in finding a voice, faith – my faith, your faith – must seek to express only the Word of God, the person of Jesus. It is to him that we wish to give voice, not to ourselves.

This is not as easy as it sounds. Our whole frame of mind, shaped by the very air we breathe, is that we want to give voice to ourselves, to our own ideas and thoughts, to the insights we believe are rather special to ourselves. We want to have our signature on what we say.

So this has to be born in mind throughout our exploration: He is the Word, we, in all our different circumstances, are only the voice.

Then there is a second point made by St Augustine: we are a voice – or voices – for a time; He is the Word for all eternity. Our voice is crucial, for it is the voice for this day and age. So we have to work hard at understanding the day and the age so that our voice has a certain coherence, so that what we say ‘makes sense’. But in doing so we have to remember that the Word to which we are giving voice has an unchanging truth, an abiding grasp on reality that we, of ourselves, cannot achieve.

There is a tension here, of course. On the one hand is our creativity. We are properly explorers, adventurers even, wanting to bring to the surface, to bring into the public eye, what has been seemingly lost or hidden. Yet in all of this we are not creators of the reality we seek. Rather we are creatures of that reality who is Himself our creator.  So our own creativity is at the service of given truth, a given goodness, a given beauty: given in the unfolding mystery of God, most visibly in the person of Jesus.

You will recall, perhaps, the wonderful image used to describe the work of the great sculptor, Michelangelo. His work was described as that of releasing, from within the block of marble, the beauty of the statue that was already hidden in it, which he, in his genius, could already discern. The furious pace at which he could work was fired by his desire to set free the wonderful form already present in the stone.

Musical geniuses may well be similar: Mozart frantically writing down the score of his Requiem; Handel intensely completing his Messiah is an astonishingly short time. This is creativity in service of a heat, given good. This is beauty finding its particular expression in time and space, just as, for us, faith, too must find its voice.

To summarise this first point, then, is to state this: Faith finding a voice is always a work of fidelity. Faithfulness to what is given is a key and essential quality of the way in which the great mystery of faith finds fresh expression. And we have clear ways of understanding that faithfulness: it is a faithfulness to Jesus, the Word of God, as expressed in the Scriptures and the Tradition of the Church and safeguarded by its Teaching role, or Magisterium.

There is much contained within that last sentence which I cannot explore now. But its meaning is not a prison, even though some would wish to suggest it is. Fidelity to a gift – whether the love of one’s beloved or to the gift of how the Holy Spirit works within the Church – is not a prison, not an impeding of freedom. Rather it is a form, a shape, the result of a decision, through which freedom is tutored to explore ever more deeply that which it has accepted as lovely, true and beautiful. It is the harness of love which holds us to the task and guides us, often against our more wayward instincts, more deeply into the gift we have received.

From this flows a second and crucially important point, already implicit in what I have said so far: the voice has to be for today if it is to be a true service of the Word. Replaying the voice of yesterday will not be enough, even if a yearning for the familiar, or even a nostalgia for the past are frequently at play within us. In order to fashion a voice for today one thing is necessary: an attentive listening to the heartbeat of the age of which we are a part. In the language of the Church this is to say that dialogue is the essential partner of proclamation.

I heard a wonderful illustration of this point recently. It was a sermon given on the episode, in the Acts of the Apostles, in which Philip meets the Ethiopian eunuch and helps him to come to faith and be baptised. You may recall that the Ethiopian invites Philip into his chariot as he journeys home.

The crucial phrase, as emphasised in the sermon I heard, was this: ‘So he urged Philip to get in and sit by his side.’ (Acts 8.31) It was from that position, being side by side, that Philip is able to engage in conversation, offer insight in response to questions, leading the Ethiopian to baptism. To sit side by side is to be ready for dialogue.

So it should be with us, too. Here too there is much that can be said about the art of dialogue, the art of attentive listening. But I would like to make one point only. Those involved in dialogue take great care not to misunderstand their interlocutor. They take care not to distort or misrepresent the other with which they are engaged. They desire a true understanding and exchange, not an easy and superficial confrontation or argument. Indeed St Thomas Aquinas set as a standard the ability to express the others’ argument better than they can themselves.

In our world today this is a crucially important point in the work of enabling faith to find its voice. Our manner of talking together may not always be like this. There is a danger that we allow the pattern of much media communication to tutor our more personal manner of communication.

Yet much media communication is far from our normal way of talking together. After all, the media constantly deals in the exceptional and, of course, tends to sensationalise it, too. News and comment features are designed to catch our attention and to draw us into an often confrontational interpretation of a trend or particular event.

Our own personal communication, which is usually about the very ordinariness of life, is best shaped by the different qualities of dialogue: listening, understanding and shared empathy.

The media’s typical focus and methodology should not dominate our ways of communication. Indeed we do well to step back from the media output which we are constantly receiving and evaluate or question its underlying assumptions.

The principal point I want to make here is that the way of dialogue is the pathway by which faith best finds its voice. So, in our task, in our conversations, we have to be on the look out not so much for the points of opposition but for the points of possible agreement, not so much for controversy as for convergence, not so much for highlighting what is missing as seeking out the good that is to be found in the other, without ignoring or glossing over real differences (Cf ‘Meeting God in Friend and Stranger’, Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales). The pathway of dialogue is the pathway on which we are encouraged, as was made clear by Pope Benedict during his Visit to the UK in 2010.

In our Catholic tradition, there are three pathways down which faith finds a voice, three arenas or areas of dialogue with our world and our society. These are the pathways of truth, of goodness and of beauty. I would like to say a word about each one in turn – but in reverse order!

The pathway of beauty is, perhaps, the one which is most readily appealing to people today. In places and objects of beauty there remains an unobscured appeal, a quality that raises our minds, hearts and spirit above present circumstances, whatever they may be. Such beauty helps us to see ourselves within a wider perspective, loosening our preoccupation with ourselves and appreciating how our lives are but a part of a wider pattern, a wider response to the mystery of life itself. Often, but not always, that beauty has an explicit connection to the religious, to the account that faith gives of our endeavours and experiences.

There are many places which are recognised as ‘holy’ and people still flock to them: ‘Holy Island’, Durham Cathedral, or the tomb of St Cedd in Lastingham – to name a few near here.

Works of art also have a great eloquence. Some of the most successful exhibitions in London have put forward the beauty of our faith: Seeing Salvation, the Treasures of Heaven and, most remarkably, The Sacred Made Real, the exhibition of Spanish works of art. One of those pieces, a figure of the dead Christ, presented a new problem to the museum: visitors were kneeling in prayer beside it! They were gently asked to move on.

This, I suggest, highlights two points. First, we should be cautious about too easily identifying our age as one of ‘aggressive secularism’. Of course there are some voices of that tone and content, but there is also a widespread and deep sympathy and search for the transcendent, for the things of God which we should note, respect, reflect and to which we can respond.

Secondly, the beauty of our churches and homes, the beauty of our liturgy and behaviour, the beauty of our musical endeavour and the harmony we seek with others in our living together are all parts of the way in which we express our confidence that this is indeed God’s world, it was God who made it and it is ‘very good’. Finding such a voice is hard work, as hard as producing any masterpiece. But it is a work in which all of us can be involved and to which we can give much thought.

The second pathway, on which I wish to touch, is the pathway of goodness. This, too, is clear and practical, within the reach of each one of us.

Pope Benedict, in his Encyclical ‘Deus Caritas Est’, gave great emphasis to the importance of practical charity, rooted in and directed to the love of God, as that which gives credibility to the Gospel (cf ‘Deus Caritas Est’ para 31). The words of Gospel truth begin to ring true when they are accompanied by deeds of kindness and goodness. It is charity which gives them their cutting edge. This much we know.

St James made it clear in his Letter (James 2.18); axioms such as ‘actions speak louder than words’ embed this truth in everyday language, and saints have emphasised it too. Remember the words commonly attributed to St Francis: ‘Let us proclaim the Gospel always and when necessary use words.’

This is faith finding a voice on every street corner, in the kitchen and in the workplace, among friends and strangers, in every part of the broad pathway of life. This is the work of each individual, spontaneous and personal; it is the work of parish groups coming together for a specific task; it is the work of great organisations such as our own CAFOD reaching across the world in charity.

Far more goes on in this work than we realise so it is appropriate that, as a Church, we seek to serve this witness of charity a little more systematically. This we are doing through the development of ‘Caritas’, a pattern of support and networking which has recognition in so many countries and which help to develop the local work of charity and enable it to find a voice, a word of advocacy, which has a strong base in evidence and experience.

A good step in that direction is for every parish just to review and bring to light all the charity work which goes on and simply ask how it can be better supported and encouraged.

Faith finds a convincing voice through the work of practical goodness.

The third pathway, that of truth, is the most complex at the present time, for we live in an age in which truth has been largely relativised. ‘You have your truth and I have mine and you must not impose your truth on me – though I may well want you to accept mine!’

The complexity of this cultural norm with which we are living is felt everywhere: in conflicts between the generations, in debate about the ethical and social norms to be upheld by society – such as the nature of marriage – and in the fields of academic study. How are we to respond? How can the truth of faith find a voice in this context?

I would like to make three practical suggestions.

The first concerns the practice of prayer. Prayer, as the raising of the mind and heart to God, is the first way in which the truth of faith finds its voice. Christian prayer is an explicit statement about the existence of God, about the gift of the Incarnate Word in Jesus Christ, and about how we live our lives in God’s presence every moment, every day.

There is a great openness in much of society to the reality of prayer. It may not be fully understanding of all that is involved, it may be an unformed instinct, but there is an awareness of the reality which prayer touches. Think of the example of Fabrice Muamba, the young footballer who suffered heart failure on the pitch.

There was a huge appeal for prayer. Newspapers had headlines such as ‘God is in charge.’ The young man and his family have never ceased to speak about the importance of prayer alongside deep appreciation of the dedication and skill of the medical professionals.

In a recent interview he spoke of waking up to find his family around the bed saying psalms for his recovery. ‘They were praying so loud’, he laughed. ‘No one could sleep through that!’

Also, at a time when there is often controversy about the place of religious belief in the work place, his fiancé spoke so gratefully of ‘a young African cleaner in the hospital who would come into the room every day to pray silently in the corner.’ She gives us all good example not only of the importance of prayer, but also of the importance of respecting the circumstances and the needs of each particular situation. Prayer is not to be imposed.

In my experience, no one has ever rejected me when I have offered to include them in my prayers, particularly when they have told me of something burdening or troubling them. Sometimes people ask for our prayers. That is an important sign. We should be ready to offer, sensitively and even a little diffidently, to pray for others. To make such an offer is a simple, everyday way in which faith finds a voice in our lives and its truths are proclaimed. Its fruit is clear. Fabrice Muamba states it clearly. He said, and it was a newspaper headline: ‘If God is with me then who can be against me?’

A second way in which faith finds a voice in the proclamation of truth is in public debate. This could readily be a lecture in its own right, but I want to make one essential point.

Often public debate produces more heat than light. Tempers rise – and are provoked – and listening ends and the debate becomes a battle of wills not a meeting of minds. Of course it is not always so, but the temptation to concentrate on making one’s own point rather than seeking to understand and respond to the other is very real as I know too well.

In this context Pope Benedict has made a particular appeal for the part that silence and reflection has to play in communication. He said this: ‘Silence is an integral element of communication; in its absence, words rich in content cannot exist. In silence, we are better able to listen to and understand ourselves; ideas come to birth and acquire depth; we understand with greater clarity what it is we want to say and what we expect from others; and we choose how to express ourselves.

By remaining silent we allow the other person to speak, to express him or herself; and we avoid being tied simply to our own words and ideas without them being adequately tested. In this way, space is created for mutual listening, and deeper human relationships become possible. …When messages and information are plentiful, silence becomes essential if we are to distinguish what is important from what is insignificant or secondary.

Deeper reflection helps us to discover the links between events that at first sight seem unconnected, to make evaluations, to analyze messages; this makes it possible to share thoughtful and relevant opinions, giving rise to an authentic body of shared knowledge. For this to happen, it is necessary to develop an appropriate environment, a kind of ‘eco-system’ that maintains a just equilibrium between silence, words, images and sounds.’

In summary he said: “When word and silence become mutually exclusive, communication breaks down, either because it gives rise to confusion or because, on the contrary, it creates an atmosphere of coldness; when they complement one another, however, communication acquires value and meaning.”  (Message for World Communications Day, 20 May 2012).

In practice this can mean many things which you are well able to discern yourselves.

One suggestion from me: every radio and TV set has an ‘on/off’ switch. Perhaps we should use it more often and free ourselves from too much input, from the constant round of news and debate, so as to reflect a little more and then deepen the quality of our understanding and of the contribution we can make. Too much input and there is no time or space for reflection. A little more stillness, space and silence and then the ‘still, small voice’ of faith will find its power.

The third area in which faith can find a voice for truth, I suggest, is in the area of history, of the telling of a story, the giving an account of what has happened either today or many years ago. And here I would like to turn to one of your own favourite saints, St Bede, whose feast we celebrate next week.

His work in giving an account of our history is formed by one overriding conviction: that the work of the Holy Spirit continues in history. So the chronology which he presented differed from the one predominant at the time which was centred on the date of the foundation of the City of Rome. In contrast Bede placed the Birth of Christ as the centre of history, and therefore interpreted that history from the perspective of the Incarnation of the Lord.

This might suggest to us a way of giving an account of our own personal histories, the stories we so often want to share. To speak of our lives as being under the providence of God and of having key moments recognised as part of that providence, or as a moving away from that perspective, would be a remarkable way in which faith could find a voice in our everyday speech.

This is not so much a question of adopting a kind of pious phraseology, in which speech is interspersed with references to the good Lord, but rather a way of seeing our own history as the unfolding of the gift of life, given by God, and the journey to a deeper understanding of that gift and all it entails as we journey towards an eternal fulfilment.

An illustration of a ‘guiding principle’ at work in a narrative is seen each week in the Antiques Roadshow when person after person overrides the financial value of an antique with the value it has for the family to which it belongs. Here value and meaning are given a specific focus.

The story these people want to tell is the story of the richness of their family life and heritance, not the story of the commercial value of what they own. Things look quite different, and indeed carry different value, from the perspective that is taken on them.

We can take a further step, then,  and speak about the meaning of our life’s experience from the perspective of our faith in God, in our relationship with the Lord and in the perspective of the continual presence of the Holy Spirit prompting and guiding us, not only in the bigger decision of life but in many smaller moments, too.

This is not as strange as it might seem. In my experience, those who attain to old age often adopt this perspective. A fine example of it was seen in the film ‘Catholics-Women’, recently broadcast on the BBC.

There an older women reflected quite spontaneously on her whole life from the perspective of the faith which she has recently rediscovered. She spoke of sixty years of her life, years in which she had been professionally very successful, as ‘wasted years’ now that she viewed them again from the perspective of faith. It was a remarkable and moving testimony: faith finding an eloquent and compelling voice.

Commenting on the life and work of the Venerable Bede, Pope Benedict recently highlighted the ‘timely messages’ given by Bede for many of us in the Church today. The Pope pointed out that for scholars, the message of Bede is this: ‘to examine the marvels of the Word of God in order to present them in an attractive form to the faithful; and to explain the dogmatic truths, avoiding heretical complications and keeping to Catholic simplicity, with the attitude of the lowly and humble to whom God is pleased to reveal the mysteries of the Kingdom.’ (General Audience, 18 February 2009)

Bede’s message for us pastors is that we should give priority to preaching, with the Holy Father adding that ‘Bede recommends that they – the pastors – use the vernacular as he himself does.’

The Pope continues by recommending to those in a consecrated way of life that their pattern of prayer and community life, coupled with attending to the practical apostolate of evangelisation, as the way spelt out by the Venerable Bede.

Finally the Pope says that ‘The Holy Doctor (Bede)’ urged lay faithful to be diligent in religious instruction, to pray ceaselessly ‘reproducing in life what they celebrate in liturgy’ and offering all their actions as a spiritual sacrifice in union with Christ, giving special emphasis to the role of parents.

In conclusion, one last thought. Of all the aspects of the Eternal Word, which took flesh in Christ, one strikes me of particular immediacy for our world today. It is the word of hope. Perhaps, as we struggle to enable the faith in our lives to find a voice, whether in beauty, goodness or truth, and always down the pathway of sensitive dialogue, it is the word of hope that we might most strive to articulate.

Hope is the virtue by which we see all things in the perspective of the heavenly kingdom. Hope expresses that for which we strive, which is as yet not attained but which we know, on the promise made to us by the Lord, can indeed be attained and is indeed our true destiny.

When we articulate that hope, then present reality takes on its deepest meaning, its true perspective. And within that perspective we human beings can maintain our true dignity, our true poise no matter what we face.

It is with a true hope of heaven in our hearts that suffering is borne with dignity, that failure is faced, that betrayal is endured and that success is properly celebrated. Christian hope strengthens our resolve and deepens our charity for in its perspective we know that we are all truly brothers and sisters of one Father and sharing in a common destiny.

To live without such hope is to live with vital pieces of the jigsaw of life missing. And that is frustrating and annoying. We search for the missing pieces and know that until they are found we see the work as incomplete and are tempted to think of it as worthless. But when they do emerge from under the sofa and are clicked into place then the whole jigsaw becomes a thing of joy to behold. Our word of faithful hope can bring great joy to many.

One example of such faithful hope finding a voice is given to us in the Acts of the Apostles. Stephen is presenting to his Jewish brothers and sisters his great witness to Christ. He is proposing to them a new reading of their history, a reading now centred on the coming of Jesus as the promised one of God.

It all comes to a difficult climax at the apex of which we read: ‘But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. ‘Look! I can see heaven thrown open,’ he said, ‘and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ The fruit of this hope is clear. Even as Stephen died he said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit’ and ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ Peace and forgiveness are the fruits of such hope!

Let us give thanks for every fleeting glimpse we are given of the glory of God and the goodness of the Lord. Let those moments form and deepen our faithful hope. And, in that light may we indeed enable faith to find a fresh and compelling voice in our society today.

End of text

H E Nigel Baker, British Ambassador to the Holy See, who masterminded the successful Colloquium, held at the Venerable English College, Rome, on Friday 30 March 2012.

The all-day event marked, as well as celebrated the 30th anniversary of the upgrade of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and the Holy See at Ambassadorial Level; and the 30th Anniversary of the historic six-day Pastoral Visit by Blessed John Paul II to Great Britain, 30 May to 2 June 1982, during which the Polish Pope visited England, Scotland and Wales at the height of the Falkland conflict in the South Atlantic.

The Right Reverend Edwin Regan, Bishop of Wrexham and the Most Reverend Mario Conti, Archbishop of Glasgow, pictured in the garden of the Venerable English College during the Colloquium.

During the first session: “1982, The First Papal Visit and its Impact”, Archbishop Mario Conti, Archbishop of  Glasgow, Bishop Edwin Regan, Bishop of Wrexham and Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, gave an incisive overview. The Moderator, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, also added his thoughts.

His Eminence Cardinal Keith O’Brien, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh and the Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, pictured during the Colloquium organised by the British Embassy to the Holy See.

On 1 April 1982, a few weeks before Blessed Pope John Paul II arrived in Great Britain, Sir Mark Heath had presented his Credentials to the Holy Father as the First British Ambassador to the Holy See. This almost un-noticed event ushered in the start of a new era in the relationship between the Crown and the Holy See going back many centuries. It was in 1479 that King Edward IV appointed Sir John Shirwood as his Ambassador to the Pope – England’s first resident Ambassador overseas.

Ambassador Nigel Baker, who took up his appointment in September 2011 emphasised during his short, and thought-provoking introduction to the programme, that: “We look backwards to understand today and our tomorrows.” The Ambassador announced that the proceedings of the Colloquium would be published in a special publication.

The historic and tremendously successful four-day, State Visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom – Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Birmingham, 16 to 19 September 2010, marked a new high-point in the relationship between the United Kingdom and the Holy See.

The highlights of the visit included the meeting with The Queen at the Palace of Holyrood House in Edinburgh, the Address given by Pope Benedict to the leaders of civil society in Britain in Westminster Hall, in the Palace of Westminster and the beatification of Blessed John Henry Newman in Cofton Park on the outskirts of Birmingham.

Ambassador Baker said that this State Visit by Pope Benedict was an important step in the strengthening of the strong bilateral relationship which the UK and the Holy See enjoy today.

He particularly drew the attention of the distinguished speakers, guests and members of the media, who packed the Garden Room at the English College, to the wide-ranging areas of common interest between the British Government and the Holy See, contained in the joint communique issued at the end of the high-powered British Government Ministerial Delegation’s visit to the Holy See on 14-15 February this year.

The notable speakers at the session, “Vatican II, 1982 and Now: The Ecumenical Relationship”, were  Bishop Christopher Hill the Anglican Bishop of Guildford, and Mgr Mark Langham of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity. The Moderator was Canon David Richardson, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See.

The speakers during the afternoon session on the subject,  “The Diplomatic and Political Relationship”, were Professor Norman Tanner, SJ – “The Long View”, and Mr Mark Pellew, British Ambassador to the Holy See 1998-2002 – “The 20^th Century”. The outstanding address by Mr Pellew included new information and personal recollections.

H E Nigel Baker, British Ambassador to the Holy See pictured with (left to right) the Right Reverend Christopher Hill, Anglican Bishop of Guildford, Canon David Richardson, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See, and Mgr Mark Langham, of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity.

Mr Mark Pellew, British Ambassador to the Holy See 1998-2002, pictured during the Colloquium.

The speakers during the fourth and final session, “From Consalvi to Newman: the 19^th Century”, were Professor Judith Champ from St Mary’s College Oscott (the seminary in the Archdiocese of Birmingham) and Professor Eamon Duffy of Cambridge University.  Mgr Canon Charles Burns was the Moderator.

Mgr Canon Charles Burns and Professor Eamon Duffy pictured during the Colloquium.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor was the Celebrant at Vespers held in the College Chapel, and Bishop Christopher Hill, the Anglican Bishop of Guildford, preached the sermon. The occasion concluded with a most convivial Celebratory Dinner in the College refectory at which Mgr Nicholas Hudson, Rector of the Venerable English College, welcomed a number of the distinguished guests by name including the American Ambassador to the Holy See, H E Dr Miguel Diaz, and Lady Nicholas Windsor.

His Eminence Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, pictured during the Colloquium.

During his speech H E Nigel Baker, the dynamic British Ambassador to the Holy See said: “The British Embassy to the Holy See most definitely punches above its weight.” He and his small team can be justifiably proud of this most worthwhile Colloquium.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols spoke about the success of the State Visit by Pope Benedict XVI during September 2011. He mentioned the difficulties during the early planning stages but emphasised the outstanding success of the Visit.

Asked for his thoughts about the Colloquium, Archbishop Vincent Nichols said: “This was an excellent event and I am grateful to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for its support of this initiative.  It showed British diplomacy at its best.”

The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales added: “I believe that relations between the Holy See and the British Government are very positive.  The recent visit to the Holy See of Her Majesty’s Government’s Delegation was a great success and demonstrated substantial areas of common interest in the service of the common good.”

At no time during the Colloquium did Bishop Christopher Hill, the Anglican Bishop of Guildford, who has contributed so much to Anglican Roman Catholic relations since 1982, minimise the very serious new obstacles that Provinces of the world-wide Anglican Communion, including the Church of England, had put in the pathway to full Unity with the Church of Rome. Mgr Mark Langham, of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, also spoke with equal frankness.

One of the most striking characteristics about this Colloquium was the refreshing honesty and candour in which everyone spoke or asked questions. This would not have happened without the trust, confidence and friendships that have been carefully built-up and nurtured during the past thirty years!

I gratefully recall his commitment to Christian unity, and his memorable visit to my predecessor Pope Paul VI when, in Rome on 10 May 1973, they signed the Joint Declaration of Faith in the Incarnation of the Son of God.

I also recall his meeting in Cairo with Pope John Paul II on 24 February 2000, during the course of the Great Jubilee.

The entire Catholic Church shares the mourning of Coptic Orthodox and, with fervent prayer, asks the One Who is the resurrection and the life to welcome His faithful servant to His side.

The Union Jack is also included in the bottom left-hand corner of the Euro 1,60 value in the set of five stamps released on 18 November 2011.

The Vatican City stamp depicting Blessed John Henry Newman and Westminster Abbey, included in a set issued during November 2011.

Pope Benedict XVI made five Apostolic Journeys outside Italy during 2010. The fourth being the remarkable historic State Visit to the United Kingdom, the first by a Pope, 16-19 September.

The exterior of Westminster Abbey, shown on the Vatican City stamp, is steeped in more than a thousand years of British history. Benedictine monks first settled on the site in the middle of the 10^th century and the monastery of St Peter established.

Pope Benedict took part in Evening Prayer in Westminster Abbey together with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, on Friday, 17 September 2010.

One of the highlights and the purpose of this particular Apostolic Journey made by Pope Benedict XVI was the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman which took place during a special Mass in Cofton Park, Birmingham, on Sunday, 19 September 2010.

Blessed John Henry Newman 1801-1890, a former Oxford don and Anglican priest, was received into the Catholic Church at Littlemore, near Oxford, on 9 October 1845. He moved into his newly built Oratory House in Edgbaston during February 1852. He was created a Cardinal by Pope Leo XIII in 1879, and died in his room in Birmingham on Monday, 11 August 1890, aged 89.

The Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales said: “The Papal Visit to the UK remains a moment of great importance and a vivid memory. This stamp helps many people to reflect further on the role of faith today.”

Archbishop Nichols added: “The depiction of Blessed John Henry Newman alongside Pope Benedict XVI signals an affinity of mind and an encouragement in our study and proclamation of our faith.”

Cardinal Newman was first depicted on a stamp issued by the Republic of Ireland in July 1954. This was followed by Jersey in September 1983. Isle of Man Stamp & Coins issued a special miniature sheet on 11 August 2010, to mark the State Visit of Pope Benedict XVI and the Beatification of Blessed John Henry Newman.

For the record the other Apostolic Journeys of Pope Benedict XVI during 2011 were to Malta in April for the 1950th anniversary of shipwreck of Paul of Tarsus; to Portugal in May; to Cyprus in June; to Spain in November.

The other four Vatican City stamps in the set.

The Vatican City stamps were designed by artist Giorgio Borghesani, and printed using the offset process, in sheets of 10 stamps by BDT (Ireland). The total printing was 200,000 complete sets. The stamps, only available in sets (price Euro 6,35), will be bought not only by stamp collectors but by visitors and pilgrims to Rome and the Vatican.

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson, a Benedictine monk, is Chaplain to the community of Tyburn Covent. A distinguished liturgist, accomplished musician and writer, he worked in Rome at the Congregation for Divine Worship, 1983-96. Abbot Johnson is a Consultor to the Congregation and an Advisor to the Vox Clara Committee.

Peter Jennings: Your first CTS booklet, “Understanding the Roman Missal” has been well received. How does your new publication “Participating in the Mass – Celebrating the Liturgy with dignity & beauty” (September 2011) relate to it?’

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson OSB: There is a widespread desire not only in the Catholic Church in Great Britain but elsewhere to celebrate the Liturgy with dignity and beauty.

This booklet carefully explains that mere external and aesthetic issues, important though these may be, are not of themselves enough. There is a need for all of us, priests and lay-faithful people, to learn the art of celebration.

This is a skill which enables us to exercise correctly that full, conscious, and active participation in the Liturgy first called for by the Church more one hundred years ago and yet still not fully understood today.

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson OSB, Chaplain at Tyburn Convent, London, pictured with his latest CTS booklet "Participating in the Mass - Celebrating the Liturgy with dignity & beauty".

Peter Jennings: In what particular way is this full , conscious, and active participation in the Liturgy not fully understood?

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: The expression full, conscious, and active participation should be understood within the context of the Church’s teaching on the Liturgy.

Participation is first and foremost sharing in the Divine Life through the saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the words of Saint Peter we are partakers of the Divine nature.

Participation is a disposition of mind and heart, body and soul. In general terms we understand participation as simply taking part in an event. Whereas in the liturgy our participation is not conditioned by what we do but by what we are: co-heirs with Christ and sharers in the Divine nature. Because of this everyone, irrespective of personal disability or restricted ability is able to participate fully and meaningfully in the Liturgy.

Peter Jennings: From what you have said so far, I understand that it is not by doing things in the Liturgy that one participates but by the fact of being baptised. Is this correct?

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: Yes, you are right and put in another way, participation as understood in this way is the exercise of the priesthood of all the faithful, We are a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a People Set Apart.

There is indeed a diversity of roles to be fulfilled in the celebration of the liturgy. Those who exercise them in a way which edifies everyone is one manifestation of the actualising of our baptismal responsibilities as members of the Body of Christ.

Peter Jennings: The Church has given many directives about the Liturgy so what more needs to be done?

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: Directives and instructions are necessary and we have had an abundance of them, some may say we have had far too many.

Indeed all that needs to be said has been said. For this reason the booklet “Participating in the Mass” is not a series of do’s and don’ts.

It is an attempt to help us understand the liturgical, theological and spiritual dimension of the directives which ensure good order and dignity when we celebrate the sacred Liturgy.

No matter how faithful the observance of ceremonial and rubrics might be, no matter how elegant the vestments and ornamentations of the church might be, this will not of itself ensure that conscious and active participation which leads us to share and live the mystery of Christ in the Liturgy.

Peter Jennings: I know that you have always had a keen interest in the liturgy form the time that we first knew each other at school in Scotland more than over fifty years ago. Tell me something of your experiences over the years.

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: My interest in the Liturgy stems from my parish church on Tyneside where my uncle was the organist and choirmaster.

I always preferred to serve the sung Mass on a Sunday. The choir sang simple Gregorian chant antiphons and the Masses of Sir Richard Terry the first Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral.

When I joined the monastery in 1964, I received encouragement from Dom Henry Ashworth to pursue the study of the Liturgy. I was able to pursue the technical side of both the Liturgy and the Chant at the Abbey of Solesmes in France and also in Rome.

After obtaining a doctorate in Liturgical Theology, I was called to the Vatican to work in the Congregation for Divine Worship from 1983 to 1996.

Peter Jennings: I know you have co-authored about 16 volumes on the sources of the Latin liturgy and written numerous articles in International Reviews and the richness of your experience come through in your writing. With such experience, how do you see the development of the liturgy?

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: While we must always trust in the Lord, we must take care not to presume upon His goodness and kindness. To expect great improvements without making an effort to bring them about, is like asking the Lord to change stones into bread.

Musicians, artists and all who work in the sphere of the Liturgy need to be encouraged and not just by words. Music and works of art need to be commissioned. And Bursaries could be set up to help young Catholic musicians and artists.

Those who can contribute to the development of the aesthetic dimension of worship need to be helped to what is meant by sacred art and learn from the Church’s rich musical patrimony.

Peter Jennings: Please give me a specific example?

Abbot Johnson: On Easter morning, the Introit as given in the Gregorian Chant version, is in the contemplative and meditative fourth mode. The words and melody suggests the image of one who has awoken from sleep, who lays aside the shroud and wraps up the cloth which was about his head.

Gregorian chant has its joyful and vigorous modes, but the Church chooses to open the Easter Mass in the awesome contemplation of the mystery of the Resurrection.

It is to the silent yet eloquent testimony of the tomb that the Church guides our attention, for only the tomb witnessed that saving event.

Many composers might be tempted to open the Easter Day celebration with a fanfare of trumpets and multiple “alleluias”. This is another and equally valid approach but would we not be losing a precious insight if we overlooked this other dimension?

By studying such ancient examples in both music and art we can learn so much and enrich our faith.

Peter Jennings: I was impressed by your quotations from the writings of Pope Benedict XVI, especially his words: “The beauty of the Liturgy is a sublime expression of God’s glory”. How do you interpret these particular words of the Holy Father?

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: The Liturgy, no matter where or in what rite it is celebrated is intrinsically beautiful, and this is the true meaning of Father Faber’s words that the Mass is: “The most beautiful thing this side of heaven”.

The Roman Rite, the Ambrosian Rite, the various Eastern Rites and now the rite of our own newly established Ordinariate are all a beautiful thing and a sublime expression of God’s glory.

Whether celebrated in a magnificent cathedral or in a humble mission station devoid of decoration, whether in Latin or any other liturgical language this always is and always will be “the Mass of the ages”.

Peter Jennings: Many of the suggestions in your new CTS booklet strike me as being very practical and down to earth. Yet you insist on the need for a theological underpinning. Please elaborate on this?

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: Perhaps you have in mind the remark that standards in church should be no less than that required in secular society, especially as regards behaviour, body language and dress code.

Well, we have to begin somewhere and small practical details can contribute to the work of enhancing the beauty and dignity of the Liturgy. Moments of silence before the celebration help to create the right atmosphere in which we can enter into the presence of God singing for joy.

Let everything be in its right place and everyone know when and how to perform his or her particular function. There should be nothing artificial or affected, nothing that appears military in its style and precision.

Quite simply the putting into practice the art of celebration is taking care to do what is right and contributes to the building up of the body of Christ. Even in moving about and in gestures we could learn something from the discipline of stage directions yet without becoming theatrical.

Peter Jennings: Someone wrote on a blog that your CTS booklet “Participating in the Mass” should be obligatory reading. What is your reaction to this?

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: I welcome the blogger’s remark as a compliment rather than a call to impose it on anyone.

The late Cardinal Virgilio Noe’, former Master of Ceremonies to Pope Paul VI, with whom I worked in the Congregation for Divine Worship, once said to me: “We are not policemen; we are here to serve, to assist the Holy Father and the Church”.

It is worth recalling that Cardinal Noe’s father was actually an Italian policeman!

Like every short study this booklet has its limitations. I have tried to write something that will encourage both priests and lay-faithful to deepen their liturgical life.

Priests today need to be encouraged. Priests do not have any easy task and the good they do is not always seen or appreciated.

If we all try to make improvements, then little by little we will see positive results. But whatever we do it must always be done in such a way that as Saint Benedict says: “In all things God may be glorified”.

Peter Jennings: Finally, as we sit here in the parlour at Tyburn Convent on the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, Tuesday 4 October 2011, I should like to ask you one further question. You have already contributed three booklets published by the CTS about the liturgy. The two titles already mentioned and a third, “A Simple Guide to the Mass”, September 2011. Are you working or planning any further publications?

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: The CTS has dedicated itself in an admirable way to providing for the liturgical needs of the Church in Great Britain.

The quality of these works, especially the edition of the Missal, is evident and a real and lasting contribution to the beautiful character of the liturgy.

Fergal Martin, General Secretary of the CTS, and his staff, have been most helpful to me. I have enjoyed collaborating with them. I have been encouraged to continue to produce more pastoral liturgical publications and am looking forward to starting work on these new projects.

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.

One year ago, the landmark visit of Pope Benedict gave millions of British Catholics an opportunity to celebrate their faith, while sharing a powerful message with everyone in our country about the importance of compassion, tolerance and justice.

The Pope’s message is just as relevant today. The shocking riots in the UK underline that we need more than ever to build a new culture of social responsibility and develop strong and powerful communities as we deal with tough economic challenges.

We should also be proud that Britain’s generosity is saving the lives of millions in East Africa and countless others affected by disasters across the globe.

I am deeply proud of the enormous contribution people of faith have made to our society and look forward to continuing our ever closer cooperation between the UK and the Holy See as we work for the common good.

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

Nigel Baker was based in London between 1998 and 2003. He spent two years on European Union issues (for the UK 1998 EU Presidency and on European Security and Defence questions), before crossing St James’s Park to work for three years as The Assistant Private Secretary to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales.

At St James’s Palace, Nigel Baker worked on international issues, including the management of The Prince of Wales’s overseas visits and tours, on the Commonwealth, interfaith issues, the arts and international development.

Nigel Baker spent much of the early part of his FCO career in Central Europe, after an initial stint as Desk Officer for the Maghreb countries in the Near East and North Africa department (1990-91).

Between 1992 and 1996, Nigel served in the British embassies in Prague and Bratislava, the latter being created in 1993 after the peaceful division of Czechoslovakia into the separate Czech and Slovak Republics.

Nigel Baker joined the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) in September 1989. Between 1996 and 1998 he took a two-year academic sabbatical to research and write about themes in 18th century European history, being based in Verona but also researching in Cambridge, Paris and Naples.

The research followed from his time as a student at Cambridge (1985-88) where he read history and was awarded a First Class Honours degree, followed by his MA in 1992.

Before joining the Foreign Office, Nigel worked briefly for the Conservative Research Department in London at the time of the 1989 European election campaign.

Nigel Baker married Alexandra (Sasha) in 1997. They have one son, Benjamin, born in Bolivia in September 2008.

H E Nigel Baker, British Ambassador to the Holy See.