OUR LADY'S CATECHISTS
(under a Special Committee of CATHOLIC WOMEN'S LEAGUE. CWL Registered Charity Number 250120)

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Last updated
June 7th 2010

 

 

ARCHIVES
(Set up July 2006)

Details for an exciting
Annual Conference and AGM at
17 - 19 April 2009

Oscott College
Chester Road, Sutton Coldfield

Cost of Weekend: £120.00

Theme:  'Paul - The Letter Writer'
Speaker: Dom Henry Wansborough OSB MA (Oxon) STL LSS

The main train station is Birmingham New Street in the City Centre, 6 miles from the College.  As taxi cabs from New Street cost
approximately £16 .00 - it would be a good idea to share, if possible.  Two local cab companies are cheaper -
Kingstanding Cars 0121 377 6666 and StarCars 0121 3731111. There is also a local train from New Street to Chester Road.
  A map on directions to Oscott could be provided on request. 
However this is downloadable from www.oscott.net.

Picture of Mary with Child Jesus

For further details contact Carol Taylor at 36 Ingledene Close, Bedhampton, PO 9 1DG
Tel 02392 479846

Group Photograph taken by Wendy Piper at the July Meeting 2008 at Oscott this year.
[ Click here ]

We hope to have a report on the September day in York here fairly soon.

 

Our Lady’s Catechists Conference 13th  - 15th April 2007


Crucifix above the main Altar at Oscott (Pugin)
 

The Christian Call to Love
 

A beautiful sunny Friday afternoon greeted our arrival at St Mary’s College, Oscott in Birmingham, a new venue for the OLC Conference. This was an eagerly awaited weekend following last year’s cancelled event and it did not disappoint. The good weather continued throughout the weekend, the surroundings were magnificent, old friends were greeted and new friends welcomed.

Holy Mass on Friday evening was our first chance to see the impressive ‘Pugin’ Chapel and during the weekend our visits to the chapel were blessed by prayerful, meditative and joyful Morning and Night Prayers and Holy Mass.

Fr. Harry Curtis gave three talks on Saturday following the theme of the weekend, ‘The Christian Call to Love’, and he pointed out that in this play on words, ‘love’ was both a verb (something we are called to do) and also a noun (the love that is God Himself). In the first talk, we were introduced to ‘Deus Caritas Est’, the first encyclical written by Pope Benedict XVI. In the encyclical, Pope Benedict spends time reflecting on two Greek words for love, eros and agape. The Pope writes that these two types of love should not be separated but are two halves of complete love. Both are needed, the ‘erotic’ possessive or receiving love and the self-giving agape love more often associated with Christian love.

In his second talk Father Harry explained that the statement ‘God is Love’ tells us that God’s very nature is love and in the outpouring of this love, God is a family of three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, - The Family united in perfect love. We are made in the image of God and are created to be in the family of God, a family of divine love.
‘Friendship’ was explored in the third talk and we were encouraged to think about the beautiful words on friendship written in the book, ‘The Prophet’ by Kahlil Gibran. Father Harry summed up his talks in the following words, “God is love. We are called to love. We are called to come to Love, who is God, and we are called to love one another”

A high point of the weekend was a tour of the college and museum given by Dr Judith Champ, her excellent commentary gave a real insight into the history of the building and its significant place in post-Reformation English Catholic life.

Jean Johnson gave a very helpful talk to both tutors and students on the standards required for the Diploma, and we all went home with much heavier bags after being tempted by the usual array of books and other items bought by Sheila Chambers.

The hospitality of the staff and the excellent food helped to make the weekend special and when we finally gathered in the Chapel for Holy Mass on Sunday to be reminded of God’s love bursting into the world at Easter, I think that we all felt the truth of the words, ‘The Lord is truly risen. Alleluia!’

Many thanks to Father Harry, members of the Executive Committee and all who helped to make this weekend special.

Sue Andrews


Easter Flowers at the foot of the Altar

Sr. Mary Fox RIP

Sr. Mary Fox died suddenly on 24th April 2006.
She will be very much missed by everyone who knew her, but these same people
will rejoice that she is now with her dear Lord, whom she loved and served with joy
all her life.  May she rest in peace and may perpetual light shine upon her.
Amen

Sr. Mary Fox - Obituary

Sr. Mary Fox joined OLC on her retirement as head of English from St Philomena Catholic Girls School in Carshalton. She brought with her a wealth of experience of working with children and teenagers together with a wide knowledge and love of literature, music and the arts.

I first met Sr. Mary in 1986 when I became DR for OLC and she was our representative with the Association of Religious in Education. At the time of her death she was still working as a catechist in her parish and tutoring for OLC.  

I soon came to recognise and value her sterling qualities, working closely with her during my six years as Chairman of 0LC. Until 1995 she was the minute secretary and A.R.E. Officer. In1998 she became Vice Chairman and Circulation Officer and was also Course Work Secretary, responsible for distributing Course Papers to the Registrars.  

Sr. Mary was born in Northern Ireland and returned there annually for her summer holiday. She worked diligently with meticulous attention to detail and produced insightful reports of events and speakers.

She always exuded a calm presence however heated discussion became. I greatly admired the enthusiasm with which she embraced first the word processor then her acquisition of computer skills with which she upgraded Course work. She designed the earlier versions of the OLC Courses, and was the first to use graphics with our work papers.  It was Sr. Mary who put the Course papers, and Sr. Mary Clare’s Bible Study Course, on to floppy discs.

As a tutor she was encouraging and kindly toward her students and brought a spiritual sincerity and carefulness to her work as a parish and OLC catechist..

She has been described as having a great sense of humour and being very outgoing. She made many friends through the League and OLC and was a dear friend to me.  She will be greatly missed. May she rest in peace.

Anne Bayley

REPORT ON THE LAST CONFERENCE AT PLATER
April 1st to April 3rd 2005

 

Morning Prayer led by Fr. Harry Curtis on Sunday, 3rd April 2005
where we prayed for the repose of the soul of Pope John Paul II - 1920 - 2005
R.I.P.

 

GOOD-BYE TO PLATER

The Conference of 2005 will be remembered for two events which none of us will ever forget:  We will remember that our beloved Pope, John Paul II died on Saturday evening, 2nd April 2005, the eve of the Feast of Divine Mercy which he himself had instituted in 2002, at the Canonisation of St. Faustina, who painted, at the request of Jesus Christ, the picture of Him radiating His Divine Mercy to all who repent their sins.

 

And we will remember dear Plater College, set up with such enthusiasm so long ago, who has hosted our Conferences for so many years.  Much has been written about the College and a visit to their web site will give some of its history.

This year's Conference was a tremendous success and it was regretted that so many of our students were unable to attend .  Every year it is such a great occasion of fellowship and friendship as people renew earlier acquaintanceships which turn into something warmer and more permanent.  Father Harry Curtis, our Chaplain from Oscott was there to greet us, and while his comment was that he always left after his time with Our Lady's Catechists really uplifted, we could probably say the same for those who attend these Conferences after his ministration and cheerful leadership.

The Committee had planned a most interesting Conference, and the talk given by Sister Mellitus Lawlor is set out below.

The most poignant moment of the Conference though has to be the moment the 'Open Forum' was interrupted while we listened to the radio report, as it happened, of the moment Pope John Paul II, one of the most charistmatic Popes in the entire line of succession since St. Peter himself, left this world to claim the crown for which he had worked the whole of his life.  We thanked God for giving us such a Pope in our lifetime, and pray for his successor, who will be laden with a cross of immense proportions.  God, we pray you have mercy on both these men. . . .

 

THE COMMITTEE, WHO ARRANGED SUCH A GOOD CONFERENCE!

L. to R: Elizabeth Rogers, CWL Representative; Jane Barham Secretary; Glenise Ellis, Chairman; Marie Francis, Treasurer;
and Rev. Harry Curtis; Spiritual Adviser and Director of Studies

Also present at the Conference, in addition to the students, were Margaret Jones, Registrar, Diploma Course; Beryl Wakefield, Registrar. Foundation Course; Wendy Piper, Registrar, C M S Course, Theresa Plunkett, Co-opted Member, Cardiff and Menevia; Sr. Joyce Barnes, Co-opted Member, Liverpool.

Apologies: Sheila Barradell, Anne Criddle, Monica Davis, Marie Harris, Joan McCarthy, Brigid Murphy, Anne O'Rorke and Jean White.

 

REDISCOVERING THE ROLE OF THE LAY CATECHIST

 

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE
 

Talk by Sr. Mellitus Lawlor

Introduction: link with Women’s World Day of Prayer theme - ‘Let your light shine’ - Prologue to St. John’s Gospel : ’The Word was the true light that enlightens all men; and he was coming into the World.  He was in the World that had its being through him and the World did not know him.  He came to his own domain and his own people did not accept him.  But to all that did accept him he gave power to become children of God’ (John 1:9-12)

  • The light of Faith given to us at Baptism.

  • How do we nurture that faith ourselves?

  • Are we people of light for others?

  • Is our Faith deeply rooted in the knowledge and friendship of Jesus – the light?

In this setting I would like to share thoughts with you about rediscovering the Role of the Lay Catechist and a Vision for the Future.This will not be all me – I want to learn from your rich experience so that together we may come, at the end of the – possibly during our evening Open Forum – to articulate the Vision for the Future and how we need to prepare ourselves for that time.

In the first session I would like us to both look back to or roots – the early Church in the Acts of the Apostles – and forward to our future and its challenges.  I will share with you some of my own recent experiences in two very different parishes – each with its own great richness – and, some time back, a spell spent in a Mission parish in Kenya.  We will briefly look at some statistics (just for information) and refer to some more recent Church documents in which reference is made to the role of the Catechist.

In the second session, after a brief introduction, we will, in small groups, address some questions which will help us to look forward, not with fear, but with eager anticipation of the challenge!  As I am preparing this talk in the latter days of Lent I am conscious how Jesus, although being hassled by the authorities and the establishment, continued to teach and live the message given Him by His Father.  In this we must find our courage also 

Today we live, as a Church, in times of change and  of great challenge. In many ways we are like the early Christian communities, struggling to live the new-found Faith, struggling to come to a greater knowledge and love of Jesus in a society mainly pagan, or one with many other gods who were worshipped in a variety of ways – some even with the offering of human sacrifices – Jesus said ‘The time will come when anyone who kills you will think he is doing an act of worship to God.’

Few of us will face persecution to the degree of giving our lives for the Faith, but we are all living in an increasingly secular society – one which is not pagan but is apathetic towards religion and Faith and its practice.  ‘Whole countries and nations where religion and the Christian life were formerly flourishing and capable of fostering a viable and working community of Faith are now put to a hard test, and in some cases are even undergoing a radical transformation, as a result of constant spreading of an indifference to religions, of secularism and atheism.  This particularly concerns countries and nations of the so-called ‘First World’ in which economic well-being and consumerism, even if co-existent with a tragic situation of poverty and misery, inspires and sustains a life lived ‘as if God did not exist’ (‘Christifideles Laici’ [CFL]Para 34 1988)

It is here that I feel we should look back at the early centuries of the Church in re-examining our role as catechists.  In St. Paul’s time, the word ‘catechesis’ meant ‘to hear’, ‘to learn’ or ‘to instruct’, and it is about hearing, learning and teaching - leading to an echoing of what is taught and learned – ‘an echo is like a reflection – when we look at a reflection we know that what we look at is a picture, an image and not the whole reality itself.  A catechist is like a mirror.  Those who learn from a catechist are catching glimpses of the Figure, they are hearing echoes of a Voice who is calling to them and drawing them to himself through the words and life of the catechist.  (Echoes Session 1 – Catechesis).

In the early Church there were many small communities – sometimes large extended family domestic communities.  These shared the instruction that had received from the Apostles, but also worshipped together and offered the Eucharist.  To groups of these small communities in the larger towns like Ephesus, Jerusalem, Rome and others, the Apostles – particularly Paul – came on visits and affirmed, confirmed and guided the elders/catechists in the spreading of the Faith.  Today we find ourselves in a world where there are large and small parish communities and our faith is challenged by a society which does not share our faith or our values and in many cases does not know Jesus as God made man and our Saviour.  It is in such a setting that, as catechists, we find ourselves.  ‘Therefore a systematic approach to catechesis, geared to age and the divers situations of life – is an absolute necessity (CFL Para 60)

I apologise if this is a very simplistic view of today’s situation and that of the early Church, but I feel that, in many ways we need to return to our roots in prayer and reflection – not to turn back the clock – but to look at how best we can help in the Lord’s work of both sowing and nurturing the seeds of Faith and reflect the image of the Figure and the Voice of the One who calls us 

I would now like to look at some of the changes in the Church – mainly with reference to the First World - then within our own country, the changes in parish structures at present being explored, ‘tried out’ or ‘piloted’ and conclude this session by sharing with you some of my own experiences of the catechetical scene in two very different parishes and my short spell on a Mission station in Kenya..

 

CHANGES WITHIN THE CHURCH

GREATER LAY INVOLVEMENT

FEWER CANDIDATES FOR THE PRIESHOOD

AN AGEING PRIESTLY POPULATION

MANY MORE LARGE ONE-PRIEST PARISHES

THE POPULATION IS ALSO AGEING

MORE MOBILE YOUNG POPULATION

SEVEN-DAY WORKING WEEK

MANY MORE WORKING MOTHERS

MORE ECUMENICAL INVOLVEMENT

INCREASING NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

 

COURSES OPEN TO LAY PEOPLE

THEOLOGY

CANON LAW

PASTORAL MINISTRY

CATECHETICAL TRAINING

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

CHAPLAINCY IN HEALTH CARE

CHAPLAINCY IN SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

PREPARATION FOR PARISH LEADERSHIP TO INCLUDE

SPIRITUAL, THEOLOGICAL AND MANAGEMENT TRAINING.

 

CHANGES IN PARISH STRUCTURE

CLUSTERING OF PARISHES

TWINNING OF PARISHES

LAY-LED PARISHES

CLOSURE OF MASS CENTRES (but not closure of the community)

CLOSURE OF PARISHES

 

A look at statistics – from CATHOLIC DIRECTORY FOR 2004

FOR ENGLAND AND WALES

                                             

Present number of priests 

                                                                    3778

Present number of Parish Churches

2830

Present Mass Attendance

1,071,973

Present Catholic population

4,053,827

Religious Order Priests

1471

Retired Priests

702

 

 

COMPARISON OF TWO DIFFERENT PARISHES

 

St. Dunstan's, Woking                                  

St. David’s Stanwell

 

 

 

Mass Attendance

1,058

180

Weekly Income

£2,400

£300

No. of Catechists

69

6

Baptism

11

-

First Holy Communion

18

3

Confirmation

7

2

Parishioners involved in activities

285

35

Economic Status

Varied – upper level commuter belt

Poor

Work Pattern

Straight days, long hours

Shift pattern

Location

Suburbia

Urban/adjacent to Airport

Future Planning

New Church planned for 2007 to house ’Cluster’ parish numbers

None known of

 

* * * * *

 

SESSION TWO

 

Refer back to session one and then ask – this is the challenge – How are we going to prepare for these changes?

The problem today of the number of non-catechised young adults and young parents, together with older Catholic who, for one reason or another, have ‘leaked out of the boat’ – some through ignorance of the changes in the Church and why these have come about:. How can we reach out to these people? Is it catechesis that is needed here or evangelisation? (Reference here to an article by Clare Watkins in The Tablet of 26th February) – Back issues of ‘The Tablet’ available. http://www.thetablet.co.uk/tabletshop.shtml#backissues  How can those involved in Church catechesis work successfully with parents to ensure the on-going formation of children in the home?

(Editor’s note:  Not mentioned during the course is a highly recommended book, Daring to be DifferentBeing a Faith family in a Secular World’ by Sarah Johnson.  Published by Darton Longman & Todd @ £9.95  ISBN0-232-52398-3)

The vision for the future in the light of these changes:

  • Fewer priests

  • Clustering/twinning of parishes

  • Lay-led parishes

In the cluster of parishes the need for a Catechetical Co-ordinator, paid a just wage, assisted by a Pastoral Administrator/Parish Secretary who could also be a Catechist.

  • The need to recruit more Catechists and train them for an ‘extended role in the new Church structure.

  • Careful planning of recruitment and retention strategies with Job Descriptions, Contracts of Employment for volunteers in catechetical ministry.

  • At the same time explore courses which are ‘in between’ catechesis for adults who will not benefit from Marriage, Baptism, Firdst Communion and Confirmation programmes but whose faith needs rekindling – such as an on-going RCIA programme

  • Need for support networks for catechists at local, cluster, Deanery and Diocesan levels.

  • Specific allocation of funds to support and train catechists in the same way as money is allocated for priestly training.

  • Courses in Parish Administration for those catechists and others who feel called to leadership in a lay-led Parish.  Careful examination of those resources already available.

  • The new ‘Echoes’ or CAfÉ programmes

  • To revisit ‘A Gift Destined to Grow’ and the ‘Directory of Catechesis’

  • To take the dust off ‘The Sign we Give’ to see what it has to say about the role of the lay catechist in the collaborative ministry of the future.

  • Above all, deepen our own prayer life by times of reflection and sharing of the message of Jesus and its place in the world of today.

I see the lay catechist as a key person in the Church now and in the future, both at leadership level and in the area of the re-Christianisation of Europe.

Now I would like us to look at this in more depth by spending some time discussing some questions relevant to a vision for the future.'

 

The meeting ended with a general discussion on the content of the seminar.

Picture of Mary with Child Jesus

Annual Conference & AGM

11-13 July 2008

at

Oscott College
 


Pugin Chapel at Oscott College

AUTUMN DAY

We hope to have a report and photograph of this meeting shortly

Saturday 20 September 2008

Venue:

St. Wilfrid’s Parish Room

(right of Church set back)

Duncombe Place, York

Speaker:

Mrs. Jane Cooke

Adult Formation Adviser – Middlesborough Diocese

 

Theme:

 

St. Mark’s Gospel

 

Time:

10.30 am Mass

Finish 3.30 pm

Fee:

£3 payable at meeting
(Please bring packed lunch. Tea & coffee available.

 

For further details contact:

Mrs. Elizabeth Rodgers
16 Canada Drive
Cottingham
East Yorkshire HU16 5EG

 

 

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