Bishops’ Statement on Racial Justice

24th June 2020Mrs D Curtis

Archbishop Bernard Longley:

During the last week I have been thinking about the impact and implications of the Black Lives Matter protests within England and Wales and especially what the issues they have highlighted might mean for our Archdiocese.  I am therefore happy to share with you the following statement made on behalf of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales which I fully endorse.

Within our own spheres of influence, with family, friends and colleagues, we can find ways of living and expressing the Church’s rejection of racism as completely contrary to the values of the Gospel.  I would urge you to share the following statement from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales as widely as possible:

Bishops stand in solidarity with US sisters and brothers as they challenge the evil of racism and the brutal killing of George Floyd

“We stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in the USA as they challenge the evil of racism and the brutal killing of George Floyd.  As the US Bishops made clear: ‘we cannot turn a blind eye to these atrocities and yet still try to profess to respect every human life. We serve a God of love, mercy, and justice.’

“Systemic racism is embedded in our own society.  The disproportionate harm suffered by BAME people throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted profound inequalities, marginalisation and injustice here in the UK.  The peaceful Black Lives Matter protests taking place in our towns and cities this week reflect the understandable anger that so many people feel about this.

“As Catholics we recognise that racism is an evil which must be opposed; we all have a responsibility for actively promoting racial justice.  Whenever we ignore racism or dismiss BAME people’s experience of it, we are complicit in violations of human dignity.  We pray for God’s help to overcome racism in all its forms and that we might protect everyone who suffers its consequences.  We are all made in God’s image.”

Bishop Declan Lang
Lead Bishop for International Affairs

Bishop Paul McAleenan
Lead Bishop for Racial Justice

Please find this article here: https://bit.ly/37U4OQ8

Daily Gospel Reflection

24th June 2020Mrs D Ferris

He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Luke 1:63-64

Zechariah provides a great witness to all of us of one who sinned by lacking faith in God, but after suffering the humiliation of his sin, he became truly faithful and ended up “blessing God.”

We are familiar with his story. His wife became pregnant with John the Baptist by a miracle in her old age. When it was revealed to Zechariah by an angel that this would take place, he failed to have faith in this promise and doubted. The result was that he was struck mute until the moment that John was born. It was at that moment when Zechariah acted in fidelity to the revelation of God by naming his baby “John” as the angel had requested. This act of fidelity on Zechariah’s part loosened his tongue and he began to speak the praises of God.

This witness of Zechariah should be an inspiration to all who seek to follow the will of God in their lives but have failed. There are many times when God speaks to us, we hear Him, but we fail to believe in what He says. We fail in fidelity to His promises. The result is that we suffer the effects of that sin.

At first, the effects of sin in our lives can seem like a punishment. Indeed, in many ways they are. It’s not a punishment from God; rather, it’s a punishment of sin. Sin has devastating consequences in our lives. But the good news is that those consequences of sin are permitted by God as a way of drawing us back to fidelity to Him. And if we allow them to humble us and change us like Zechariah did, we will be able to turn from a life of infidelity to the will of God to a life of fidelity. And a life of fidelity will enable us to ultimately sing the praises of our God.

Reflect, today, upon the ways that you have not been faithful to God in your life. But think of it in the context of hope. Hope that God will receive you back and transform your life if you return to Him. God is waiting and His mercy is abundant. Allow His mercy to fill you with a heart that blesses the goodness of God.

Lord, help me to see my past sins not so much in despair, but as reasons to return to You in greater fidelity. No matter how many times I have fallen, help me to get back up and to faithfully sing Your praises. Jesus, I trust in You.

International Women In Engineering Day

23rd June 2020Mrs D Curtis

I was fortunate enough to take part in the BMW Girls Go Technical Programme at the Hams Hall Plant in Coleshill Parkway. It was a very interesting and valuable experience.

I initially applied for the programme on the BMW website, there I learnt about the programme briefly and the activities that would be set for the applicants during the three day work experience. To begin with, mechanical engineering wasn’t my main career choice, however the programme most definitely made me more interested in engine manufacturing.   

The first day, the other girls at the programme and I had a tour and introduction to the plant itself. There I saw various types and sizes of machinery and tools that are used to assemble the BMW engines.

I got more hands-on the next day. I was taught how to build and put together different parts needed for the engine. The manufacturing aspect of vehicles captivated me even more as a result of the activities and even the friendly staff and team that helped the girls taking part in the programme.

On the last day, the Girls Go Technical team at Hams Hall drove us down to the ‘MINI Plant’ in Oxford, where we met all the other girls in the programme from Oxford and Swindon. The ‘MINI Plant’ is where all the parts are assembled and come together to make a Mini road-ready model. We got given a tour of the assembly area where all the parts are put together and also a tour of the paint area where the cars get customized.  

Overall, the experience was very enlightening because of the activities and even the staff, it was a happy and friendly environment. After my participation in the Girls Go Technical, I would definitely recommend it to those interested in anything automotive as it is a vast sector and there are many jobs that are involved in the making of a vehicle.

by Emmanuela Esedebe

Daily Gospel Reflection

23rd June 2020Mrs D Ferris

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the Law and the Prophets.”  Matthew 7:12

This familiar phrase was a command from God established in the Old Testament.  It’s a good rule of thumb by which to live.

What would you have others “do to you?”  Think about that and try to be honest.  If we are honest, we must admit that we want others to do a lot for us.  We want to be respected, to be treated with dignity, to be treated fairly, etc.  But on an even deeper level, we want to be loved, understood, known and cared for.

Deep down, we should all try to recognize the natural longing that God gave us to share in a loving relationship with others, and to be loved by God.  This desire goes to the heart of what it means to be human.  We as humans are made for that love.  This Scripture passage above reveals that we must be ready and willing to offer to others that which we desire to receive.  If we can recognize within us the natural desires for love, we should also strive to foster a desire to love.  We should foster a desire to love to the same extent that we seek it for ourselves.

This is harder than it sounds.  Our selfish tendency is to demand and expect love and mercy from others while at the same time we hold ourselves to a much lower standard regarding how much we offer.  The key is to put our attention on our duty first.  We must strive to see what we are called to do and how we are called to love.  As we see this as our first duty and as we strive to live it, we will discover that we find much greater satisfaction in giving than in seeking to receive.  We will find that “doing onto others,” regardless of what they “do to us,” is what we actually find fulfillment in.

Reflect, today, on the natural desire you have in your heart for the love and respect of others.  Then, make this the focus of how you treat those around you.

Lord, help me to do to others what I desire they do to me.  Help me to use the desire in my own heart for love as the motivation for my love of others.  In giving of myself, help me find fulfillment and satisfaction in that gift.  Amen

 

 

 

 

Get into Medicine – By Faith Katanga

23rd June 2020Mrs D Curtis

I want to do something to help others which makes me happy and so I know becoming a doctor is the ideal career.

The “Get into Medicine” virtual conference on June 6th was very helpful as it provided an insight on what I would need to do to get into medicine. It was enlightening to hear information that I had not heard before from the medic mentor team and statements from current students on how they dealt with things like interviews and exams.

I had never heard about Medic mentors before but I am looking forward to hearing more about them and what information they can provide to help me in the future.

By Faith Katanga, Year 10

Daily Gospel Reflection

22nd June 2020Mrs D Ferris

Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.”  Matthew 7:1-2

Being judgmental can be a difficult thing to shake.  Once someone falls into the habit of regularly thinking and speaking in a harsh and critical way, it’s very difficult for them to change.  In fact, once someone starts down the road of being critical and judgmental, chances are that they will continue down that road becoming more critical and more judgmental.

This is one of the reasons Jesus addresses this tendency in such a strong way.  After the passage above Jesus states, “You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first
”  These words and Jesus’ strong condemnation of being judgmental is not so much because Jesus is angry or harsh toward the judgmental person.  Rather, He wants to redirect them from the road they are heading down and help to free them of this heavy burden.  So an important question to ponder is this: “Is Jesus talking to me?  Do I struggle with being judgmental?”

If the answer is “Yes,” fear not and do not get discouraged.  Seeing this tendency and admitting it is very important and is the first step toward the virtue which is opposite of being judgmental.  The virtue is mercy.  And mercy is one of the most important virtues we can have today.

It seems that the times we live in demand mercy more than ever.  Perhaps one of the reasons for that is the extreme tendency, as a world culture, to be harsh and critical of others.  All you need to do is read a newspaper, browse social media, or watch the nightly news programs to see that our world culture is one that is continually growing in the tendency to analyze and criticize.  This is a real problem.

The good thing about mercy is that God uses either our judgmentalness or our mercy (depending upon which is more manifest) as the measuring rod of how He treats us.  He will act with great mercy and forgiveness toward us when we show that virtue.  But He will also show His justice and judgment when this is the path we take with others.  It’s up to us!

Reflect, today, on mercy and judgmentalness in your life.  Which one is greater?  What is your primary tendency?  Remind yourself that mercy is always far more rewarding and satisfying than being judgmental.  It produces joy, peace and freedom.  Put mercy in your mind and commit yourself to seeing the blessed rewards of this precious gift.

 

Lord, please do fill my heart with mercy.  Help me to set aside all critical thinking and harsh words and replace them with Your love.  Jesus, I trust in You.

 

Black Lives Matter By Leah James (Y12)

19th June 2020Mrs D Curtis

Imago Dei is probably one of the most important teachings in the bible from God. It teaches us that we as humans are one race of humanity capable of love. Made in the image of God does not mean that we look like Him but instead that we have His qualities and attributes. We are to share God’s nature amongst others here on Earth and that is why we protest for Black Lives Matter. As human beings, we should not be looked differently, treated differently and most importantly killed for the colour of our skin. Having a darker pigment of melanin in our skin does not make us different from any white person out there. We may share the same interests and hobbies as a white person and that is perfectly normal and illustrates how we can be the same person. It does not matter how we look on the outside. It is what happens on the inside that matters, we are told to think good thoughts which would come as a reflection of how we act on the outside. Through Imago Dei we are taught to love one another despite the flaws a person must have. In addition, the phrase allows us to put aside all feelings of hatred and look after one another as we are stewards of the Earth and must love all creatures of God, which especially includes humans. No child is born discriminating against others due to the colour of their skin. It is the effect that their environment and society has on them. As stewards, our first action must be to try and debunk certain parts of society who feel as if they are better due to their white skin. The radical right-wing extremists may not be approachable, but your family and friends who may feel this way are. Educate the uneducated and let them know that BLACK LIVES MATTER!

 

If Jesus was to see the prejudice and discrimination against people he would be disgraced. He did not put himself on the cross so that his people could kill and hate one another. He gave us the new commandment to “Love Thy Neighbour” and I believe that is what the basis of the protests are. The protests seek change and justice which can only be done if you start to care and love everyone for who they are on the inside and not what they look like. God laid down his only son so we as humans, and His creation would learn to protect one another and care for in times of need. Jesus did not die for another man to commit a hate crime against God’s creation named George Floyd. There are many people like George Floyd who deserved much better and did not deserve to die. Jesus was a man of change, he would praise the revolution that’s currently happening and tell us to keep going and fight for what is right. 

 

If my house was on fire, and the firefighters came to put it out, would you stand there asking “What about my house?” when your house is not going up in flames. The answer is no you wouldn’t because you would put other peoples’ needs instead of yours as you don’t need the attention or the help. That is why Black Lives Matter is so much more important than “All Lives Matter” because at the moment not all white lives are getting killed for carrying a toy gun. Not all white lives are getting killed for a speeding ticket. Instead, they’re told to “drive carefully” with a laugh and a smile on their face or to “get out of this neighbourhood” which is predominantly black people. That is racism. Showing signs of hatred due to the colour of someone’s skin. As a woman of colour, raised in England for most of her life, I have endured racism on the streets, in school and even shops. Many non-people of colour think that racism is only bad if you hit someone who’s not white or yell derogatory terms at them, but what most of them are unaware of is that the worst part of racism is the unintentional actions. Clutching your bag closer to you when a person of colour walks into the room, not smiling at them down the street or even scrunching up your nose as you walk past someone who smells of “curry”. White people are unaware of the privilege they receive from birth. They will never know how it feels when someone doesn’t want to play with you on the playground because your skin colour isn’t the same or not being able to find the right foundation colour because companies refuse to make colours that dark. I cannot stress how important it is for black people to have allies in the white community. To have someone stick up for you against their own race and prove them wrong is one of the most empowering feelings alongside a sense of gratitude. 

 

St Paul’s teaching could not be any truer to what we need now. I believe that one of the most important things that can be done to improve equal treatment for all people here in the UK is to teach. Teaching children from a young age about racism will let them know that it is wrong to be discriminative. As well as that I believe everyone should get equal opportunities and access to higher posts and not be looked down upon. Those black people who worked hard to get a promotion but instead was demoted should be the next.

 

I believe that the Pope congratulated the Bishop for taking the chance to stand with his people as a man of God and to let them know that God is always with them. The Pope believes that as creations of God we are all one and should not be treated differently, therefore I believe that the Bishop felt the importance to kneel in solidarity with respect to those who lost their lives. He knew that it was the right thing to do, to enforce change in our society and to let other Catholics know that under God’s law we are united.

By Leah James, Year 12

Daily Gospel Reflection

19th June 2020Mrs D Ferris

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. Matthew 11:29 (Year A Gospel)

Happy Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus!

To some, this can seem like an old and outdated celebration in the Church. It can be seen as one of those ancient feasts that have little meaning in our lives today. Nothing could be further from the truth!

The Sacred Heart of Jesus is exactly what we need to know, experience and receive in our lives today. His heart, that heart which was pierced by the lance and from which flowed blood and water, is the sign, symbol and source of the burning love of His very soul. The blood is an image of the Most Holy Eucharist and the water is an image of the cleansing waters of Baptism.

This celebration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a celebration of Jesus pouring out on us His whole life and all of His love. He held nothing back which is symbolized by the pouring forth of the last drop of this blood and water from His Heart as He lay there dead on the Cross. Though it’s a very graphic image, it’s graphic to make a point. The point, again, is that He held nothing back. We need to realize that Jesus continues to give us everything if we are willing to receive it.

If you are finding that you need to know His love more deeply in your life this day, try spending time reflecting on this Scripture: “
but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out” (John 19:33-34). Spend time reflecting upon that last self gift, the gift of that water and blood flowing from His wounded Heart. It is a sign of His infinite love for you. Reflect upon it being poured out especially for you. See it, be immersed in it, and be open to it. Let His love transform and fill you.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. I thank You, dear Lord, for giving all to me. You held nothing back from me and You continue to pour out Your life for my good and for the good of the whole world. May I receive all You give to me and hold nothing back from You. Jesus, I trust in You.

Daily Gospel Reflection

18th June 2020Mrs D Ferris

“This is how you are to pray: Our Father who art in heaven
”  Matthew 6:9

The following is an excerpt from the My Catholic Worship! book, Chapter Eleven, on the Lord’s Prayer:

The Lord’s Prayer is indeed a summary of the entire Gospel.  It is called “The Lord’s Prayer” in that Jesus Himself gave it to us as a way of teaching us to pray.  In this prayer, we find seven petitions to God.  Within those seven petitions we will find every human longing and every expression of faith found within the Scriptures.  Everything we need to know about life and prayer is contained in the wonderful prayer.

Jesus Himself gave us this prayer as the model of all prayer.  It is good that we repeat the words of the Lord’s Prayer regularly in vocal prayer.  This is also done in the various sacraments and liturgical worship.  However, saying this prayer is not enough.  The goal is to internalize each and every aspect of this prayer so that it becomes a model of our personal petition to God and an entrustment of our entire life to Him.

The Foundation of Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer begins not with a petition; rather, it begins with us acknowledging our identity as children of the Father.  This is a key foundation for the Lord’s Prayer to be prayed properly.  It also reveals the foundational approach we must take in all prayer and in the entire Christian life.  The opening statement preceding the seven petitions is as follows: “Our Father who art in Heaven.”  Let’s take a look at what is contained in this opening statement of the Lord’s Prayer.

Filial Boldness: At Mass, the priest invites the people to pray the Lord’s Prayer by saying, “At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching we dare to say
”  This “daring” on our part comes from the foundational understanding that God is our Father.  Each Christian is to see the Father as my Father.  We must see ourselves as God’s children and approach Him with the confidence of a child.  A child with a loving parent is not afraid of that parent.  Rather, children have the greatest trust that their parents love them no matter what.  Even when they sin, children know they are still loved.  This must be our fundamental starting point for all prayer.  We must start with an understanding that God loves us no matter what.  With this understanding of God we will have all the confidence we need to call on Him.

Abba: Calling God “Father” or, more specifically, “Abba” means we cry out to God in the most personal and intimate of ways.  “Abba” is a term of endearment for the Father.  This shows that God is not just the Almighty or the All-Powerful.  God is so much more.  God is my loving Father and I am the Father’s beloved son or daughter.

“Our” Father: To call God “our” Father expresses an entirely new relationship as a result of the New Covenant that was established in the blood of Christ Jesus.  This new relationship is one in which we are now God’s people and He is our God.  It’s an exchange of persons and, therefore, deeply personal.  This new relationship is nothing other than a gift from God to which we have no right.  We have no right to be able to call God our Father.  It’s a grace and a gift.

This grace also reveals our profound unity to Jesus as the Son of God.  We can only call God “Father” in so far as we are one with Jesus.  His humanity unites us to Him and we now share in a deep bond with Him.

Calling God “our” Father also reveals the union we share with one another.  All who call God their Father in this intimate way are brothers and sisters in Christ.  We, therefore, are not only deeply connected together; we also are enabled to worship God together.  In this case, individualism is left behind in exchange for fraternal unity.  We are members of this one divine family as a glorious gift of God.

 

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.