30/1/2024 0 Comments Homes for Ukraine updateHomes for Ukraine: SJOG and Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN) are part of the Community Sponsorship movement in the UK offering a matching, training and support service to sponsors and guests under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.
Together we are working to enable the many generous people willing to open up their homes as sponsors and match them with people displaced by the war in Ukraine. We aim to support people on their journey and provide opportunities to integrate into our community in the UK. Nearly two years since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the number of those still wishing to evacuate and find refuge in the UK remains high. In addition to matching hosts with guests, the project has expanded to assist Ukrainians in the UK to find private rented accommodation at the end of their hosting period. Prayer cards are available in church. Find out more Homes for Ukraine (sjog-homesforukraine.uk)
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7 Nights Apartment B&B from €273 per person sharing. Airport transfer available on request. Contact us for details and book the dates that suit you.
Tel. 020 3239 8662 or website www.med-irishcentre.com 26/1/2024 0 Comments Bishop Lang: Holocaust Memorial Day is a reminder to appreciate and guard our freedomsFor the upcoming Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January, Bishop Declan Lang, Chair of the Bishop’s Conference’s International Affairs department, urges us to reflect on those who lost their lives in the Holocaust and pray for those who work tirelessly to promote and protect freedom around the world.
Bishop Lang said: “On Holocaust Memorial Day, we remember the six million people who were murdered and all those who have suffered in the genocides that followed. “The theme this year is “Fragility of Freedom.” It reminds us of the slow and subtle erosion of freedoms that create the circumstances that allow genocide to take place. It also urges us not to take our freedoms for granted, and to be mindful of our own responsibility in defending and strengthening freedoms in our communities. “The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust published a special prayer to commemorate this day. I invite you to join me in prayer, remembering those who were murdered.” Prayer Loving God, we come to you with heavy hearts, remembering the six million Jewish souls murdered during the Holocaust. In the horrors of that history, when so many groups were targeted because of their identity, and in genocides which followed, we recognise destructive prejudices that drive people apart. Forgive us when we give space to fear, negativity and hatred of others, simply because they are different from us. In the light of God, we see everyone as equally precious manifestations of the Divine, and can know the courage to face the darkness. Through our prayers and actions, help us to stand together with those who are suffering, so that light may banish all darkness, love will prevail over hate and good will triumph over evil. Amen Bishop Lang: Holocaust Memorial Day is a reminder to appreciate and guard our freedoms - Catholic Bishops' Conference (cbcew.org.uk) Reflection from Fr Michael Dolman, Rector of St Mary’s College, Oscott
During this Year of Prayer, Pope Francis asks us to meditate on the words of the Lord’s prayer. Each day we pray with Jesus, “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil”. In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus not only teaches with the authority of God but with that same authority, he liberates a man who is possessed by an unclean spirit. We are inspired to trust in Jesus who has the power to overcome evil in our lives. Through prayer and the celebration of the sacraments, day by day we humbly come before Jesus, seeking freedom from sin. St Paul speaks of this struggle with evil as a thorn in his side, “Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’”. (2 Cor 12:7-9). God uses our weaknesses to draw us closer to himself as he frees us from our sins. St Francis de Sales once wrote, “God wants your misery to be the throne of his mercy. He desires that your powerlessness be the seat of his omnipotence”. As we pray the Our Father each day, let us renew our trust in God’s power over evil, learning to depend upon the grace that he gives us through faith in Jesus. 23/1/2024 0 Comments Pilgrimage to KnockEscorted Tour to Westport, Knock & Co Mayo, 14th April 2024. £899.00 pps. Price includes flight, 10kg hold luggage, 5 nights’ in 4* Castlecourt Hotel, Westport with Dinner, Bed & Breakfast. Lunch on three days. All entertainment, excursions and transport included. Visit Knock, Galway City, Kylemore Abbey, Croagh Patrick & Ashford Castle. Single supplement on Enquiry. Contact Patricia or Natali on 01268 762 278 or 07740 175557 or email [email protected].
From the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales:
Our written evidence to the Health and Social Care Select Committee Inquiry into Assisted Suicide, submitted in January 2023, offers ten clear reasons to oppose assisted suicide and euthanasia. Summary of the written evidence to the Health and Social Care Select Committee inquiry The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales opposes the legalisation of assisted suicide out of concern for the good of every person in society, the protection of this good in law, and the spiritual and pastoral care of the sick and dying. Our opposition is a matter of human reason, as well as religious faith: assisted suicide is inherently wrong and the evidence from other jurisdictions shows there can be no safe or limited assisted suicide law. Clarity of language is central to effective public debate on important moral issues. The use of the term ‘assisted dying’ in this Inquiry endorses the euphemism that assisted suicide means compassionate assistance in dying rather than the prescription of lethal medication. 1/ Life is a gift and equally valuable even in times of suffering The Catholic Church teaches that life is a gift to be cherished and cared for at all stages until natural death and that it is morally wrong to intentionally end one’s own life or that of another person, including at their request.1 2/ Assisted suicide is based on a flawed idea of autonomy Assisted suicide can never be an isolated act but is always deeply relational, involving many beyond the dying person such as family, friends, and healthcare professionals.2 3/ Assisted suicide is based on a misleading view of compassion Appeals for assisted suicide are often based on a false view of ‘compassion’ which fails to address the reality of suffering that is part of being human.3 The Catholic Church consistently teaches that ‘human compassion consists not in causing death, but in embracing the sick, in supporting them in their difficulties, in offering them affection, attention, and the means to alleviate suffering,’ such as through nursing homes, hospices, and chaplaincy work in hospitals.4 4/ Calling assisted suicide ‘dignity in dying’ ultimately passes judgement on the value of human life Those who propose assisted suicide are, implicitly, denying that life has an inherent value beyond its abilities and capacities. 5 Deliberately bringing about death in the name of ‘dignity’ denies the innate dignity of every human life which, in turn, has damaging consequences for how society views those with severe disabilities, those who are dying and those in great discomfort. 5/ Assisted suicide undermines the medical duty to care for patients Legalising the intentional killing of patients would gravely undermine the vocation of healthcare professionals to care for life until its natural end. Trust between doctor and patient would be undermined by the difficulty in accurately predicting the outcome of terminal illness.6 No doctors’ groups in the UK support assisted suicide, including the British Medical Association, the Royal College of General Practitioners, and the Association for Palliative Medicine. 6/ Assisted suicide undervalues the lives of people with disabilities The legalisation of assisted suicide would be likely to result in a change in the way society views those with disabilities by effectively reducing the value of life to its physical or psychological capabilities such that those living with disabling, terminal, or progressive conditions could easily become disillusioned with their lives to the extent that they see death as preferable.7 The dehumanising effect of assisted suicide legislation on people living with disabilities has been highlighted by the United Nations which has expressed serious concern at a growing international trend in providing access to assisted suicide largely based on whether people have a disability.8 All major disability rights groups in the UK have opposed any change in the law on assisted suicide, including Disability Rights UK, Scope, and Not Dead Yet UK.9 7/ People may choose assisted suicide because they feel a burden Evidence from countries where assisted suicide has been legalised demonstrates that those who seek it often report a fear of burdening their loved ones with their suffering, which is particularly concerning for those who are elderly and infirm.10 The fear of being burdensome would be amplified by the current health and social care crises and cost-of-living crisis.11 8/ We cannot know for sure if people seeking assisted suicide have full mental capacity Prescribing lethal medication for individuals suffering from suicidal ideation would be a grave betrayal of the public health duty to save life. Expressions of suicidal ideation by any other group, such as young women suffering from eating disorders, would be treated as psychological distress requiring compassionate care rather than as cause for lethal medication. International experience suggests that there are serious dangers to those who have mental health conditions from the gradual extension of assisted suicide legislation. 9/ Legalising assisted suicide is likely to lead to a slippery slope The experience of other jurisdictions illustrates the slippery slope of assisted suicide legislation from hard cases to more comprehensive provision. Oregon, often referenced as a model template for mild assisted suicide legislation, now allows assisted suicide for non-terminal conditions including anorexia, arthritis, and kidney failure.13 Canada, legally and culturally very similar to England and Wales, now offers assisted suicide when death is not ‘reasonably foreseeable’.14 Belgium has expanded their provision of assisted suicide to include children.15 Any legalisation of assisted suicide for terminal illnesses in England and Wales would be likely to be challenged in court on discrimination grounds and extended to allow for cases of non-terminal illnesses and euthanasia in cases of difficulties in self-administering lethal medication. 10/ Investing in palliative care is a better way to support people suffering at the end of life Rather than legalising assisted suicide, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales strongly supports greater Government investment in the availability and accessibility of specialist palliative care across the country.16 We reiterate the Catholic Church’s commitment to protecting and valuing life at all stages, no matter how physically or psychologically limited, and our opposition to assisted suicide as an attack on the inherent dignity of human life. +++ 1 See V. The Teaching of the Magisterium, Letter SAMARITANUS BONUS on the care of persons in the critical and terminal phases of life, Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, 14 July 2020 (Hereafter, SAMARITANUS BONUS 2020). See also John Paul II, EVANGELIUM VITAE on the Value and Inviolability of Human Life, 25 March 1995 at 64-67. 2 See IV. The Cultural Obstacles that Obscure the Sacred Value of Every Human Life, SAMARITANUS BONUS 2020. 3 See Pope Francis, Address to the National Federation of the Orders of Doctors and Dental Surgeons (20 September 2019). 4 See IV. The Cultural Obstacles that Obscure the Sacred Value of Every Human Life, SAMARITANUS BONUS 2020. 5 ‘Cherishing Life‘, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, 2004 at 185. 6 APPG for Terminal Illness, ‘Six Months to Live?‘, Report of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Terminal Illness inquiry into the legal definition of terminal illness’, July 2019, page 24. 7 Assisted Dying Bill [HL]: Volume 815: debated on Friday, 22 October 2021. 8 See United Nations Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights, ‘Disability is not a reason to sanction medically assisted dying – UN experts’ 25 January 2021. 9 See for example: Disability Rights UK ‘Our position on the proposed Assisted Dying Bill’, Scope UK ‘Scope concerned by the reported relaxation of assisted suicide guidance’, and Not Dead Yet UK ‘About’. 10 See for example: ‘Oregon Death with Dignity Act, 2021 Data Summary’ p13: 48.3% of those who underwent assisted suicide between 1998 and 2021 in Oregon cited fear of being a burden on the family, friends, or caregivers. Similarly, this was the case of 35.7% of those who received an assisted suicide in Canada. See ‘Third Annual Report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada 2021’ p26. 11 See for example: ‘One in ten UK Older people are reducing or stopping their social care or expect to do so in the coming months as they struggle with the cost of living’ Age UK, 3 November 2022. 12 See for example: ‘Third annual report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada 2021’ Government of Canada Table 6.3: Only 6.7% of cases of assisted suicide in Canada in 2021 involved prior referral to a psychiatrist. 13 See ‘Oregon Death with Dignity Act, 2021 Data Summary’ p14. 14 See ‘New medical assistance in dying legislation becomes law’ Department of Justice Canada 17 March 2021. 15 See ‘Belgium approves assisted suicide for minors’ DW 02/13/2014 16 In this vein, we welcome the Government’s acceptance of Baroness Finlay’s amendment to the Health and Care Act 2022, which requires integrated care boards across England to provide palliative care as a legal right for patients. See Health and Care Act 2022, s. 21. 18/1/2024 0 Comments Online Discussion Forum: How do we make the climate crisis a priority election issue?Invitation from the Archdiocese of Birmingham Justice and Peace Commission
Forum: How do we make the climate crisis a priority election issue? Tuesday 23 January at 7pm, online on Zoom. Following on from our last Forum which was led by Sylvester from CAFOD and Barbara from the Justice and Peace Commission we will be discussing How do we make the climate crisis priority election issue? To find out more or to register visit Online Discussion Forum: How do we make the climate crisis a priority election issue? | Birmingham Diocesan Trust (birminghamdiocese.org.uk) Archbishop Bernard Longley is inviting everyone to join in this year’s Year of Prayer ahead of the Jubilee Year 2025.
In a short video, recorded at Archbishop’s House, His Grace introduces the Year of Prayer and invites all to pray the ‘Our Father’ with him. During this year there is a particular focus on the Our Father, and this presents us with a great opportunity to go back to the basics of prayer. Archbishop Bernard describes the Year of Prayer as a chance to "focus again on what’s at the very heart of our faith in Jesus Christ and our life as witnesses within the Catholic Church. And that focus should be on our prayer". He adds: "When you pray the Lord’s Prayer, the Our Father… remember these are the words of Jesus Christ himself". Archbishop Bernard invites all to join the Year of Prayer | Birmingham Diocesan Trust (birminghamdiocese.org.uk) Of your charity, please pray for the Repose of the Soul of Father Alexander John (Sandy) Brown, Retired Priest of the Archdiocese, who died on Tuesday 9 January 2024 at the age of 83. Fr Sandy was ordained on 12 April 1969 and served in Saltley, Coventry and Redditch. He then became chaplain at Keele University before being appointed as parish priest of Our Lady of Lourdes, Hednesford, in 1985 and then of St Giles, Cheadle, in 2003. He retired to Aston Hall in 2016 and moved to Oulton Abbey in 2023.
We pray for Fr Sandy’s family, his friends, his former parishioners and all who mourn him. May he Rest in Peace. Funeral details will be issued in due course. Notice of Death - Fr Alexander John (Sandy) Brown | Birmingham Diocesan Trust (birminghamdiocese.org.uk) We are a LiveSimply Parish.
At this time, many people make ‘New Year’ resolutions, in the hope that they will improve their lives and the lives of others. Here are some ideas which will help you to continue Living Simply, Sustainably and in Solidarity. We will continue to publish reminders in the weekly bulletin. Live Simply Purchase and eat seasonal foods. Try gardening; grow your own vegetables. Say Grace before and after meals. Have an ‘unplugged’ day each week. (Leave all your electronics, smart phones etc untouched for a day). Try to have a period of silence each day. Upcycle your furniture; chairs, sofas, etc. Go for a walk in a park, in the country, and take in the beauty of creation. Walk, cycle or use public transport where possible. Have an extra meat free day, in addition to Friday abstinence. Say no to fast fashion. Try not to buy any new clothes for a year. Think about ‘staycations’. Avoid single-use plastic; recycle all plastic wrapping. Recycle all paper, cardboard, plastic, tins, bottles etc. Compost food waste. “Just as we need the courage to be happy, we also need the courage to live simply.” Pope Francis Live Sustainably Walk, or use public transport, wherever possible. Switch energy supplier to a renewable supplier. Change lightbulbs to LED. Switch off lights, T.V, Appliances, when not in use, -- don’t leave on standby. Re-cycle cardboard and paper; plastics etc; food waste. Only prepare and cook as much as you are going to eat. Only boil as much water as you are going to use, (put in one cup of water if you are going to make one cup of tea/coffee). Check the insulation in your home. Be water wise. Reduce your transport carbon footprint. Eat seasonal fruit and veg. “The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change. The Creator does not abandon us; he never forsakes his loving plan or repents of having created us. Humanity still has the ability to work together in building our common home.” Pope Francis Living in Solidarity Support CAFOD Fast Days, Lent and Harvest. Support Missio. Have a Red Box in your home. Support the Aids Hospice in Lusaka, Zambia. Support Asha by bringing items of food and/or clothing for destitute asylum seekers. Pray regularly for the poor and marginalised in our own town, country, and in the world. Join the S.V.P. Support the S.V.P. Join in with CAFOD campaigns to make sure the voices of all our sisters and brothers are heard. Join the Parish monthly Quiz which supports small, local charities. Purchase and use FairTrade products wherever possible. Switch to an ethical bank. Check that your energy is from a renewable source, or Switch to a renewable source. Set aside time to reflect on Laudato Si’ individually and as a parish. Buy ethical gifts. Find ethical alternatives to your shopping. Follow the Lent Calendar on the Laudato Si Action Platform. Lobby the Government on Climate Action. “We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love. Be poor among the poor. We need to include the excluded and preach peace.” Pope Francis |
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