Still catching up on all the items I missed seeing in the past few days. Here are two most encouraging reports as the Church in the United Kingdom follows up on the success of the Holy Father's visit last September:
Arhbishop of Birmingham says
'Holy Father's visit has
given us fresh courage
Dec. 12, 2010
"The four days of the Papal Visit brought the Catholic Church in England and Wales to a different and new place, emphasising and enhancing the opportunity we have to live and proclaim our faith in public," said Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham during his homily at a special Mass on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin (8 December).
"The Holy Father has given us fresh courage to witness to the truth of the Gospel and to speak out against all that demeans human beings within our society," emphasised the Archbishop in the Metropolitan Cathedral and Basilica of St Chad, Birmingham.
"Pope Benedict has also given us Blessed John Henry Newman as someone to whom we can relate as we look for the kindly light of faith to help us negotiate our way through the complexities of contemporary life. Cardinal Newman reflected on the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of our Lady in the context of his own journey of faith in becoming a Catholic," added Archbishop Longley.
His Eminence Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Emeritus Archbishop of Westminster, who Presided at the Mass, reminded the congregation that he was present exactly one year earlier at the Installation of Archbishop Longley. "Now a year later I am back to see how he is getting on and he is doing very well," said the Cardinal.
Father Longley was Ordained to the Sacred Priesthood by the then Bishop Murphy-O'Connor of Arundel and Brighton on 16 December 1980, as a priest of that diocese. His Episcopal Ordination by Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor took place in Westminster Cathedral on 24 January 2003 - following the announcement that Pope John Paul II had appointed him an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Westminster.
It was a bitterly cold morning outside St Chad's Cathedral. Inside a crescendo of sound filled this great Pugin architectural jewel, situated near Birmingham city centre, as everyone joined in singing Blessed John Henry Newman's famous hymn 'Praise to the Holiest in the Height', from his poem 'The Dream of Gerontius', set to music by Sir Edward Elgar.
It brought back vivid memories of the Papal Mass and Cardinal Newman's beatification ceremony by Pope Benedict XVI at Cofton Park in Birmingham less then 12 weeks earlier on Sunday 19 September.
At the start of Mass Archbishop Bernard Longley installed Father Gerry Breen, the Cathedral Dean, as a Canon of the Metropolitan Chapter of St Chad's Cathedral.
Bishop Longley, Canon Breen and Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor.
UK keeps light burning
after Pope's visit
LONDON, DEC. 13, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Across England and Wales, candles and pictures have been distributed to symbolize the legacy of Benedict XVI's September visit, which lit a light that is still burning strong.
Last Wednesday, on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, representatives from various parishes gathered in Northampton Cathedral for a Mass of Thanksgiving for the Pope's visit.
At the Mass they were each given a candle and a picture that were blessed by the Pontiff during his visit.
In his homily, Bishop Peter Doyle of Northampton affirmed, "Like Mary we have been chosen and called to be holy and spotless, and to live through love in the presence of Jesus."
He recalled: "That call to holiness was a major theme of the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Britain in September. The Holy Father urged us to see that this vocation does not separate us from the world but encourages us to engage more fully in the world, bringing the grace of God into all aspects of our lives.
"He taught that religion has a large part to play in our society and that all people of faith have an important and necessary contribution to make to the common good.
"The Holy Father called us to enter into dialogue confidently with other churches, other faiths and the state."
The prelate noted that "the Holy Father's visit has given us more confidence" to "speak from the heart of Jesus to the hearts of all people."
"It has also helped to give fresh impetus to our identity as Catholics, as experienced by ourselves and seen by others," the bishop said.
He affirmed that all of the bishops "want to strengthen this identity which is rooted in the gift of faith and which is the wellspring of much generosity."
As Bishop Doyle gave the items to the parish representatives, he blessed them, saying, "May God, who sent his Son into the world as the Light that shines in the dark, help you to bring his light to the world."
In the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, parish representatives gathered for a liturgy on Oct. 24, World Mission Sunday, where they also were given the blessed candles and pictures to bring back to their churches.
The parishioners were encouraged to display the picture, which depicts Christ knocking on a door, and to light the candles during parish meetings, catechetical gatherings, prayer groups, and other events.
Karen Burbridge, a coordinator of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) in Newcastle, is one ministry leader who has used these items in her program.
"It has been such a privilege to be able to use the lovely candle and picture as a focal point during our RCIA meetings in Newcastle," she said.
Burbridge continued, "RCIA is for people enquiring about the Catholic Faith and our enquirers were indeed fascinated by the picture, and moved by the metaphor it creates of Jesus knocking at the door of our heart and bringing us light -- they were also enthralled to be in some way connected to the recent Papal Visit."
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 16/12/2010 13:54]