Reflection with Fr Jan Nowotnik
A priest of the Archdiocese and Director of Mission at the Bishops' Conference
 
Tomorrow (Fri) I shall be heading off to Rome to participate in the long-awaited Synod of Bishops, which begins with an ecumenical prayer vigil in St Peter’s Square on Saturday evening followed by a three-day retreat for synod participants in a retreat centre outside of Rome.
 
The Holy Father has asked Catholics to join in prayer during this time of Synod to pray for a Spirit of discernment and wisdom for those attending, so that the whole Church may know the power of the Holy Spirit at work in these days. I hope that you will join in this prayer from your homes and parish communities, in our schools and chaplaincies so that the Synodal process is truly a moment of prayerful trust in the Lord.
 
Central to this time of Synod is a desire to discern how the Lord wants us to follow him and be faithful to his call to bring his Good News to all peoples.
 
This process is rooted in our baptismal vocation, that as the holy People of God we may know the power of God’s love and mercy revealed in his Son, Jesus Christ and experienced in the gift of the Holy Spirit.
 
In this way we can be confident in the Lord’s promise to the Church, that he is with us always and we will be more ready to proclaim his name by what we say and do.
 
Dear friends, let us pray that this time of synod will be a time of renewal in the Church and help us to be joyful in proclaiming the Gospel and the mission that Jesus has entrusted to us, the members of the Church.
 
Together - Gathering of the People of God
 
This Saturday (30) from 4pm, Christians from around the world are invited to join Pope Francis and other Christian leaders, seeking the blessing and guidance of the Holy Spirit at the beginning of the Synod.
 
Together - Gathering of the People of God is an ecumenical prayer vigil in Rome.
 
Join on YouTube

We shall be taking the CAFOD Harvest Fast collection in the parishes on the weekend of 7/8 October. This weekend there will be a short talk about how your gifts will ensure families and communities get help when they most need it.
Dr Nasha’s mobile medical clinic gets life-saving help to where it’s needed most, fast – so when her team arrived in Meera’s village in Pakistan after it had been destroyed by flooding, Meera rushed to the clinic to get her children the treatment they needed. Donate to CAFOD today so that more families can get the expert help they need. Use the envelope in church or give online at cafod.org.uk

​It has been very upsetting to see the news this week about the earthquake in Morocco and the terrible floods in Libya. We hope everyone will join us in praying for the communities affected and for the helpers responding to these disasters.
 
How are CAFOD responding in Libya?
 
Storm Daniel hit Libya on 10 September, triggering devastating tsunami-like floods. Two dams burst, submerging the port city of Derna. It's feared many thousands have died, with many more missing.
 
CAFOD doesn’t have an established programme in Libya and the collapse of state structures there makes it very difficult for aid agencies to operate, but because of the scale of the disaster we will be working with a trusted partner to ensure that help can get to where it is most needed. We have launched a Libya Floods Appeal so that donations can be made to help those affected directly.
 
We will also be relying on the prayers of the Catholic community of England and Wales as our partner works through the unique challenges of delivering help following this crisis.
 
How are CAFOD responding in Morocco?
 
It is now estimated that more than 2,800 people have been killed by the earthquake, which struck the High Atlas Mountains, south of Marrakech on Friday. Many roads are blocked by collapsed buildings which is making the rescue effort very difficult.
 
The Moroccan government have not appealed for international aid, but we have been able to send a grant of £30,000 to a local Church partner, Caritas Rabat, to enable them to adapt their usual work and support the families affected by the earthquake.
 
 
Your steadfast support and that of the whole Catholic Community of England and Wales during previous emergencies and Fast Days is what has enabled us to quickly make this grant to support work in Morocco, and to find a way to help communities devasted by the flooding in Libya. Thank you.

​David Saint, director of music at St Chad's Cathedral in Birmingham, will give the first recital on the splendid organ of St Wulstan's, Wolstanton on Tuesday 31st October at 7pm. Admission is free. It is sure to be a wonderful evening. There will be an opportunity to meet our organ builders, Philip and Keith Cartwright too.
Come and hear this splendid instrument in the wonderful acoustic of St Wulstan's Church.
St Wulstan's is situated at the top of Grange Lane in Wolstanton, Staffordshire, ST5 0EF and is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham