UN International Day of Human Fraternity

The UN General Assembly has declared 4 February as the International Day of Human Fraternity, and it will be celebrated on the same date each year. 

This resolution by the UN builds on the meeting between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad al-Tayyib, on 4 February 2019 in Abu Dhabi, which resulted in the signing of the document entitled, “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together”. It particularly underlines the significance of such initiatives between world leaders.

More information can be found on: Vatican News

“A Precious Place” postponement

We have received news that the following announcement has been made by Bishop Mark regarding a postponement of Diocesan plans for parish review:

Since it was issued on 1 November 2020, “A Precious Place of God’s Grace”, on the development of the pastoral structures in our diocese over the next five years and beyond, has rightly generated a lot of interest amongst our clergy and laypeople, with a number of individuals and parish groups having already fed back their initial thoughts.  However, the on-going Covid-19 restrictions have impeded parish communities from being able to engage fully and widely with the document and its accompanying Parish Self-Assessment Tool.  Therefore, in order to ensure that the important voice and views of our laypeople and parish communities are heard in this process of discernment, “A Precious Place of God’s Grace” will be relaunched, with the Parish Self-Assessment Tool, when lockdown restrictions are eased.  I hope in this way, we can hear from as many people as possible.  Anyone in the diocese is still welcome to send any feedback directly to Canon Kristian Paver (kristian.paver@prcdtr.org.uk ), who is collating it on behalf of myself and the Bishops Council.  Please also note Saturday 1st May in your diaries, when an online event for Clergy and faithful in the Diocese, on “A Precious Place”, will be facilitated by Michael Dopp, Director of the International Summit on the New Evangelisation.  Further details will be sent out by the Vicariate for Evangelisation and Catechesis soon.

Welcome the Stranger

Monday 8th February 5 – 6.30pm

On the Feast of St Bakhita, Caritas Plymouth will be holding a joint online event with Caritas Clifton to reflect on the messages in Fratelli Tutti about migrants and modern forms of enslavement. This free event will be joined by Bishop Mark and Bishop Declan, and will include prayer and liturgy as well as an opportunity for discussion. For more information, visit the Caritas Plymouth pages on the Plymouth Diocesan website here.

To join this event please register HERE.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

18 – 24 January 2021

THIS COMING WEEK is a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity around the world. As Catholics, we also bear witness to our faith through our actions in community with others within the wider Church of Christ. Pope Francis tells us that “All of us, as Christians, are united by faith in God, the Father who gives us life and loves us so greatly.” (Querida Amazonia) He goes on to remind us how much binds us together:

“We are united by faith in Jesus Christ, the one Saviour, who set us free by his precious blood and his glorious resurrection. We are united by our desire for his word that guides our steps. We are united by the fire of the Spirit, who sends us forth on mission. We are united by the new commandment that Jesus left us, by the pursuit of the civilization of love and by passion for the kingdom that the Lord calls us to build with him. We are united by the struggle for peace and justice. We are united by the conviction that not everything ends with this life, but that we are called to the heavenly banquet, where God will wipe away every tear and take up all that we did for those who suffer.  All this unites us.”

WINDOWS INTO ECO-THEOLOGY

Truro Cathedral is offering another in its “Windows into…” series of courses, this one to be held online via ZOOM in the present pandemic.

Windows into Eco-Theology aims to equip us with some of the theological tools to think these issues through for ourselves and for our Christian communities. 

It will be delivered by the Rev’d Elly Sheard via Zoom and held over 6 Mondays from 7:30 – 9:30pm starting from 18th January 2021.

The course is free to join. You can read more and book a place on the course here

Women lay ministry roles confirmed by Canon Law changes

A change to the Code of Canon Law was signed by Pope Francis on 11 January 2021. The Motu Propriu observes that “certain ministries instituted by the Church are based on the common condition of being baptised and the regal priesthood received in the Sacrament of Baptism” rather than from ordination, and confirms that such lay ministries may therefore be entrusted to both male and female faithful.

Pope Francis goes on to decree that canon 230 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law shall in future have the following wording:

“Lay persons of suitable age and with the gifts determined by decree of the Episcopal Conference may be permanently assigned, by means of the established liturgical rite, to the ministries of lectors and acolytes;…”

This change in Canon Law ratifies what has already been in common practice in many dioceses across the world, but it appears to be the first officially documented right of women to a proper institutional mandate to carry out church ministries such as readers, servers and eucharistic ministers.

The Holy Father says in his letter accompanying the Motu Proprio, that in the mission of the church “we are ordained to each other”, ordained and non-ordained ministers, men and women, in a mutual relationship.

The Vatican press release can be read here

Online Learning Resource

With the start of a new year and a new lockdown, now may be a good time to consider learning about how to strengthen both ourselves and others spiritually, and the courses available on Franciscan at Home are a good place to look.

This is the online platform of the Catechetical Institute of the Franciscan University. Plymouth is  one of over 150 Dioceses in America and elsewhere, and the Parish of Our Lady of the Portal has signed up to Franciscan at Home, so the courses are free to parishioners.

With a wide range of programmes covering among others – Catechists, Schools, RCIA, youth, parenting and pastoral accompaniment, it has something for almost everyone. Courses are very modular, delivered online so you can do them at your own pace. 

The programme does recommend having a mentor, and you can opt for the Diocese or Parish Priest to find you one if you like.

Deborah van Kroonenburg our diocesan co-ordinator also advises that many students find meeting regularly in small groups is very helpful, as it provides interaction, support and structure. These can be formed across the diocese, within the parish, or by students themselves. 

Several parishioners have already signed up. Interested? Check out Franciscan at Home, contact Deborah van Kroonenburg (and/or write to us at THE PORTICO.)

2021: Daring to Dream….

It is tempting in this tenth month of the pandemic, to slide into apathy. But in his latest book, Pope Francis challenges us to do the opposite. 

Covid 19  is very immediate in our lives but only one of so many ills in our world – the extent & kind of deprivation and poverty people are living with, the true environmental impact of our consumption-driven society. Our world is in crisis.

”In crisis, we have to choose and in choosing, we reveal our hearts” What is revealed in a crisis is what has to change and it is up to us to work for that change and make it happen. Caregivers “are the antibodies to the virus of indifference. They remind us that our lives are a gift and we grow by giving of ourselves, not preserving ourselves but losing ourselves in service.”  Francis asks us, not to sleep, but to “dare to dream”.

Synodality: a new synod in 2022

Pope Francis has just announced a Synod of bishops to be convened in October 2022. Its theme is “For a synodal Church: communion, participation and mission”, and its purpose is to examine the ways in which the process of Synodality can help the Church to make decisions and govern itself. Synodality has featured very greatly in Pope Francis way of getting the church to address major issues during the whole of his eight years as pontiff, and he says of it that it “is very close to my heart: synodality is a style, it is walking together, and it is what the Lord expects of the Church in the third millennium”.

The full article in Vatican News can be found here.