Catholic News

Pope Francis has given BBC Radio 4 his ‘Thought for the Day’ reflection focussing on the environment and climate change ahead of the COP26 UN climate summit.

Used with kind permission of BBC Radio 4.

Bishop Robert Byrne has recently returned from the week-long International Eucharistic Congress that took place in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Established in 1881, these congresses take place every four years and celebrate the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Bishop Byrne’s diocese, Hexham and Newcastle, is about to embark on a ‘Year of the Eucharist’. It’s an opportunity, he says, to re-connect with the Sacramental Church – Christ in the Eucharist at the source and summit of our Catholic faith.

“We’re having a year of the Eucharist, linked with the synodal process that the Holy Father has asked us to engage with. It’s an opportunity for all of us to reflect on how we listen to the Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit.

“We need to consider how we emerge from the pandemic. What kind of Church do we want to be? A listening Church? An active Church? A Church that’s ready to go to the margins? A Church that is always focused on Christ and can only be fed on Christ? It’s only Christ that adequately feeds us, and we only really get to know Him through the Eucharist.

“That’s why, for me, the Eucharistic year in the Diocese will be one that is feeding people so that they are able to listen to the voice of Christ speaking in their hearts so that we can re-form as it were – re-form and go forward.”

Bishop Byrne acknowledges the role that technology has played over the past 18 months – particularly the live streaming of Mass. He also appreciates that personal and family prayer in the home has strengthened. However, this is not a substitute for our Eucharistic encounter with Christ in our churches.

“Our faith isn’t just a personal devotion – it’s something that we share. We draw strength from each other and, of course, from Christ ultimately. We can only do that really effectively by coming together as God’s family to hear the Word spoken to us and to receive the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist so that we grow together.”

Bishop Robert Byrne has recently returned from the week-long International Eucharistic Congress that took place in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Established in 1881, these congresses take place every four years and celebrate the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Bishop Byrne’s diocese, Hexham and Newcastle, is about to embark on a ‘Year of the Eucharist’. It’s an opportunity, he says, to re-connect with the Sacramental Church – Christ in the Eucharist at the source and summit of our Catholic faith.

“We’re having a year of the Eucharist, linked with the synodal process that the Holy Father has asked us to engage with. It’s an opportunity for all of us to reflect on how we listen to the Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit.

“We need to consider how we emerge from the pandemic. What kind of Church do we want to be? A listening Church? An active Church? A Church that’s ready to go to the margins? A Church that is always focused on Christ and can only be fed on Christ? It’s only Christ that adequately feeds us, and we only really get to know Him through the Eucharist.

“That’s why, for me, the Eucharistic year in the Diocese will be one that is feeding people so that they are able to listen to the voice of Christ speaking in their hearts so that we can re-form as it were – re-form and go forward.”

Bishop Byrne acknowledges the role that technology has played over the past 18 months – particularly the live streaming of Mass. He also appreciates that personal and family prayer in the home has strengthened. However, this is not a substitute for our Eucharistic encounter with Christ in our churches.

“Our faith isn’t just a personal devotion – it’s something that we share. We draw strength from each other and, of course, from Christ ultimately. We can only do that really effectively by coming together as God’s family to hear the Word spoken to us and to receive the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist so that we grow together.”

Stella Maris, the Catholic charity that supports seafarers, fishers, and their families, has just completed a year-long celebration of its 100 years of service.

To mark the end of the centenary year, a special Mass was celebrated in St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, on Tuesday, 5 October.

For this podcast, we caught up with Martin Foley, Chief Executive Officer of Stella Maris, and Anne McLaren, Regional Port Chaplain for Hull and Goole.

We’ve all experienced a degree of separation and isolation over the past 18-months as we face the on-going Covid19 pandemic, but, as Anne McLaren points out, this is simply a way of life for seafarers:

“Many seafarers spend up to six to nine months away from home, so they don’t see their families. They don’t have the connection that most of us have with our families every day. So they need a lot of spiritual support.

“We need to remember that in the UK, because we are an island, if seafarers stopped supporting the economy by bringing in all the goods we need – petrol, fuel, grain and the things that are going to be required for Christmas – then we’d soon recognise the vital role of seafarers. But sometimes it’s ‘out of sight, out of mind’ and what we need to do is to support the ministry of seafarers and bring them into the sight of the population.”

Chief Executive, Martin Foley, says that seafarers need our support now more than ever:

“During the pandemic, seafarers have had to put up with a lot of disruption so it’s not a recent phenomenon. At the height of the pandemic, there were 400,000 seafarers stranded at sea, unable to get home. That number has now reduced by approximately 50%, but they’re still experiencing disruption to their lives.

“Some of the disruption that we’re currently experiencing in our supply chains in terms of provision of fuel and food – it’s something that seafarers have had to put up with for 18 months.”

Stella Maris, the Catholic charity that supports seafarers, fishers, and their families, has just completed a year-long celebration of its 100 years of service.

To mark the end of the centenary year, a special Mass was celebrated in St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, on Tuesday, 5 October.

For this podcast, we caught up with Martin Foley, Chief Executive Officer of Stella Maris, and Anne McLaren, Regional Port Chaplain for Hull and Goole.

We’ve all experienced a degree of separation and isolation over the past 18-months as we face the on-going Covid19 pandemic, but, as Anne McLaren points out, this is simply a way of life for seafarers:

“Many seafarers spend up to six to nine months away from home, so they don’t see their families. They don’t have the connection that most of us have with our families every day. So they need a lot of spiritual support.

“We need to remember that in the UK, because we are an island, if seafarers stopped supporting the economy by bringing in all the goods we need – petrol, fuel, grain and the things that are going to be required for Christmas – then we’d soon recognise the vital role of seafarers. But sometimes it’s ‘out of sight, out of mind’ and what we need to do is to support the ministry of seafarers and bring them into the sight of the population.”

Chief Executive, Martin Foley, says that seafarers need our support now more than ever:

“During the pandemic, seafarers have had to put up with a lot of disruption so it’s not a recent phenomenon. At the height of the pandemic, there were 400,000 seafarers stranded at sea, unable to get home. That number has now reduced by approximately 50%, but they’re still experiencing disruption to their lives.

“Some of the disruption that we’re currently experiencing in our supply chains in terms of provision of fuel and food – it’s something that seafarers have had to put up with for 18 months.”

In recent weeks we’ve been raising awareness of a long-running Anglophone conflict in Cameroon that has seen almost a million people displaced. Tragically, many thousands have suffered brutal atrocities – perpetrated by both sides – and at least 3,500 people have been killed. As if this wasn’t enough, a million children have been unable to attend school for four years due to an enforced boycott on education.

Fr Anthony Chantry, National Director of Missio for England and Wales, told us the Church “happily” stands in the middle, bringing people together and providing the consolation of Christ when all seems lost.

Now it’s time for us to listen to the voice of a missionary priest who knows exactly what it’s like on the ground right now.

Father Richard Njoroge is a Mill Hill Missionary based in Anglophone Cameroon.

He serves the innocents stuck in the middle of this conflict – the women, men and children literally caught in the crossfire.

“The only thing people hold on at this time is their faith because it seems everything else has fallen by. Even though there’s a higher sense of insecurity, the churches are still full on Sunday and people will defy all odds to go and pray because they feel their faith still gives them hope.”

The people aren’t easy to reach. Many have fled to the bush to escape the state forces on one side and the Amba Boys on the other.

“I was shocked that a huge population is living in the bush with no shelter – children and women all just lying in the open – it’s a sorry scene… but we go to the bush and gather the Christians together and celebrate the Eucharist there. The Church will go to where the people are.”

Listen to our full interview with Fr Richard Njoroge to learn more about the devastating impact of Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis and how your prayers and support are vital at this time.

In recent weeks we’ve been raising awareness of a long-running Anglophone conflict in Cameroon that has seen almost a million people displaced. Tragically, many thousands have suffered brutal atrocities – perpetrated by both sides – and at least 3,500 people have been killed. As if this wasn’t enough, a million children have been unable to attend school for four years due to an enforced boycott on education.

Fr Anthony Chantry, National Director of Missio for England and Wales, told us the Church “happily” stands in the middle, bringing people together and providing the consolation of Christ when all seems lost.

Now it’s time for us to listen to the voice of a missionary priest who knows exactly what it’s like on the ground right now.

Father Richard Njoroge is a Mill Hill Missionary based in Anglophone Cameroon.

He serves the innocents stuck in the middle of this conflict – the women, men and children literally caught in the crossfire.

“The only thing people hold on at this time is their faith because it seems everything else has fallen by. Even though there’s a higher sense of insecurity, the churches are still full on Sunday and people will defy all odds to go and pray because they feel their faith still gives them hope.”

The people aren’t easy to reach. Many have fled to the bush to escape the state forces on one side and the Amba Boys on the other.

“I was shocked that a huge population is living in the bush with no shelter – children and women all just lying in the open – it’s a sorry scene… but we go to the bush and gather the Christians together and celebrate the Eucharist there. The Church will go to where the people are.”

Listen to our full interview with Fr Richard Njoroge to learn more about the devastating impact of Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis and how your prayers and support are vital at this time.

The Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon is taking a toll on the country and its people. It’s a long-running conflict, with its roots in colonial times, that is often overlooked by the rest of the world. There’s no real end in sight and the human cost is severe. Almost one million people have been internally displaced, there are frequent reports of atrocities such as kidnappings and use of torture and more than 3,000 have been killed.

On this ‘Catholic News’ podcast we’re speaking to Father Anthony Chantry, Director of Missio, the Church’s overseas mission charity.

Fr Chantry has been visiting the country in the west of central Africa for more than two decades – most recently in 2018.

“I think the big tragedy is that very few people have been unaffected by this. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced. I’ve met them. Some have actually moved to places like Douala, which is in the Francophone area, because it was no longer safe just to live their normal daily lives in the villages, because of the conflict between the military and the Amba Boys.”

The Catholic Church stands happily in the middle of the conflict. Happily as the ‘middle’ is the place from which it’s possible to bring people together.

“The Church’s general message to the population is that the way it’s being handled at the moment – by both sides – is not going to achieve anything except more violence, more deaths, more suffering.

“The people trust the Church and trust what the Church is saying. They don’t trust the government and they probably don’t trust their own leaders up to a point, but they do trust the voice of the Church and will listen to it.”

The Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon is taking a toll on the country and its people. It’s a long-running conflict, with its roots in colonial times, that is often overlooked by the rest of the world. There’s no real end in sight and the human cost is severe. Almost one million people have been internally displaced, there are frequent reports of atrocities such as kidnappings and use of torture and more than 3,000 have been killed.

On this ‘Catholic News’ podcast we’re speaking to Father Anthony Chantry, Director of Missio, the Church’s overseas mission charity.

Fr Chantry has been visiting the country in the west of central Africa for more than two decades – most recently in 2018.

“I think the big tragedy is that very few people have been unaffected by this. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced. I’ve met them. Some have actually moved to places like Douala, which is in the Francophone area, because it was no longer safe just to live their normal daily lives in the villages, because of the conflict between the military and the Amba Boys.”

The Catholic Church stands happily in the middle of the conflict. Happily as the ‘middle’ is the place from which it’s possible to bring people together.

“The Church’s general message to the population is that the way it’s being handled at the moment – by both sides – is not going to achieve anything except more violence, more deaths, more suffering.

“The people trust the Church and trust what the Church is saying. They don’t trust the government and they probably don’t trust their own leaders up to a point, but they do trust the voice of the Church and will listen to it.”

Pope Francis has given us a new annual day to raise up grandparents and the elderly that will be celebrated, this year, on Sunday 25 July.

So, naturally, the focus of this ‘Catholic News’ podcast falls on the older generation – the “Intensive Prayer Units” of the Church as our guest Bishop David Oakley puts it! Bishop Oakley is the chair of the Bishops’ Committee for Marriage and Family Life.

We’re talking about the value of the elderly and how they play a huge role within the Body of Christ through their prayerful intercession.

Visit our full section on the inaugural Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.