On behalf of the clergy and people of the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth, I wish to express to Her Majesty the Queen our heartfelt sympathy and the promise of our prayers upon the loss of the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, her dear husband and father of her children. Personally, I have always admired the Prince’s loyal and kindly support of the Queen in her public duties and his good-natured engagement with those whom he meets and serves in his role as her Consort. I also express gratitude to him and to Her Majesty for their witness of over seventy years of marriage and family life, which in these turbulent times gives us all an outstanding example of fidelity and stability. Now that his earthly labours are over, may the Lord show him mercy and take him to Himself in the happiness of heaven.

Here is the homily I preached in the Cathedral at the 1200 Mass on Easter Sunday 4th April 2021.
 
I’m sure you’ve come across CS Lewis, his books for children Chronicles of Narnia, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, now a movie. In one of Lewis’s other books, The Great Divorce, the writer has a dream about heaven and hell. He finds himself in a grim, grey, joyless city where it’s always raining. (No, not Manchester!). This is hell - or purgatory if you can escape. Eventually, the writer finds a bus-stop where he catches a bus to the other place, heaven. Interestingly, when he arrives in heaven, tired and hungry, it’s very different from what he expected. It’s so real, so physical, so solid, that he finds the apples too heavy to lift and the wine too delicious to drink. In Catholic theology, heaven is certainly not a world of ghosts and shadows. It’s a physical world of flesh and blood, more real than this one. It’s a new creation in which our bodies too are risen, healed and transformed. Risen in our prime – St. Thomas suggests at the ideal age of 33 – we’ll be much more beautiful than we are now...

Last weekend, I had the joy of being in Lynton to bless the ‘new’ convent of the Sisters of the Morning Star (Maria Stella Matutina). You may remember the Sisters from their time in Grayshott and from many youth events in our Diocese. The sisters moved to North Devon two years ago and Bishop Mark O’Toole of Plymouth gave for their use a former Poor Clare Convent. The Poor Clares arrived in 1904 from Rennes in Brittany, when there was religious persecution in France and many convents were being closed. However, in recent years their numbers had dwindled, and the convent closed in 2018. It is in a spectacular position, high above the cliffs on the edge of the Exmoor National Park. Since arriving there, the Stella Matutina sisters have been engaged in a lot of renovation work. At present, their community comprises seven members, led by Sr. Florence Laetitia (in the middle in the picture). I found them full of joy and God’s grace. However, they do miss us very much and they continue to remember us all in their prayers! Please pray for them too in their new home – and feel free to visit them when you are over in that direction.

On Holy Saturday, Sally Simmonds interviewed me for ITV Meridian news. Part of the interview appeared in the ITV Meridian news bulletin on Easter Sunday. She also visited St. Boniface’s Shirley, where she spoke with a number of the parishioners and with Fr. Tom Kleinschmidt, the parish priest. Here are the questions she asked me and the answers I gave.
 
What is the message of Easter?
One Person in human history really DID rise from the dead and this changes everything. Easter thus gives us an assurance of everything we hope for as human beings: that there is a loving God, that there is a life in heaven beyond this one, that we will meet again our departed loved ones and that love is stronger than evil, suffering and injustice.
 
How do you feel about churches being open this Easter?
This is a huge joy for us! Of course, we have stringent health and safety protocols in place and for several weeks, the Cathedral has been full for Mass on Sundays. I would suggest that people should come early for Mass on Easter Sunday to make sure they can get in. Last year, it was very wrong for our churches to be closed. Humans have spiritual as well as bodily needs and the spiritual is linked with our mental, psychological and emotional health. The supermarkets were open – so churches too should have been open. This was for Catholics a double whammy - because our churches are not just places of worship. We believe they are places where Jesus Christ Himself is present, teaching, healing and feeding us in the Holy Mass. To close our churches was seriously to damage our religious life.
 
This Easter, you are releasing a Letter to Everyone. What’s it about?
Everyone has suffered badly because of the pandemic. Covid has made us think about what’s important in life: family, love and happiness. It’s made us review our values and the meaning of life. I’ve seen this among some of my friends, who would normally say they are not religious. I’m not suggesting there is a religious revival going on, but this Easter, I’m really trying to reach out to people. This is why I’ve written a Letter to Everyone who lives in the area our Diocese covers, offering to listen, to give support and to share with them the hope-filled and helpful Message of Good News we have.

The Chrism Mass took place in Holy Week on Tuesday 30th March. It was a Chrism Mass with a difference! The Mass is one of the main diocesan events of the year and usually, the Cathedral is packed with clergy and people from across the Diocese. However, because of the COVID restrictions, we had to limit attendance to the Chapter, Deans and Coordinating Pastors, who represented the priests and religious of the Diocese, to two deacons serving on behalf of the deacons of the Diocese, and a small group from the Cathedral parish representing the faithful. Even so, it was a most memorable occasion and a beautiful celebration. Click on the picture to watch a recording of the Mass. Here is the homily I preached.
 
First of all, I welcome all of you joining us online from across the Diocese: priests and deacons, religious and faithful from all our parishes, schools and religious communities, especially those of you joining us from the Channel Islands. I hope and pray your Wi-Fi is working well today, and that you can join in prayer with us here in the Cathedral. I welcome here our wonderful Chapter of Canons, Deans and Coordinating Pastors, representing our priests and religious. It is good to see you in person and to assure you that you look much more handsome than you do on Zoom and Microsoft Teams. I welcome our deacons, Larry and Craig, seated at a safe social distance and all the deacons of our Diocese. I also welcome a small crew of Cathedral parishioners, our musicians Paul, Catherine and Sarah, you who are representing the faithful of the Diocese. Last year, because of the pandemic, we were unable to celebrate this Chrism Mass, but, thanks be to God, here we are today...

On the Third Sunday of Easter we hear the disciples talking of the experience on the road to Emmaus, when Jesus appears to two of his disciples and reveals to them not only the truth of his Resurrection but also the true meaning of Scriptures which foretold it as the culmination of God’s saving plan. Today, the same risen Christ opens our own eyes to His presence among us, both in the Word of God which is the Scriptures and in the Sacraments of the Church. You can find the Sunday readings here and read Scott Hahn's reflection here. You can register to watch our Diocesan Wednesday Webinar here, or join via Facebook live. If you can’t join on Wednesday, you can subscribe to the podcast here.

Next Monday, 19th April 2021, we commemorate in our Diocese St. Alphege, the martyr and a former Bishop of Winchester. He originally came from near Bath. At an early age, he joined the monastery at Deerhurst, Gloucestershire, but later moved to Bath itself, where he became an anchorite. He was noted for his piety and austerity, and was soon elected Abbot of Bath Abbey. In 984, he was appointed Bishop of Winchester, where he spent the next 22 years of his life. As Bishop, he was responsible for the construction of a large organ in the Cathedral, and for building and enlarging churches within the city. He was also noted for his generous charity towards the poor and needy. In 1006, he was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury. He went to Rome to receive the pallium from Pope John XVIII, but was robbed during his journey. In 1011, the Danes raided England, and for a whole month laid siege to Canterbury. Alphege, was taken captive for seven months, along with the Bishop of Rochester and the Abbess of St. Mildrith. The Danes set fire to Canterbury Cathedral and destroyed it. Alphege, however, refused to allow a ransom to be paid for his freedom and as a result was killed on 19th April 1012 in Greenwich. He was the first Archbishop of Canterbury to die a violent death. The site in Greenwich is now the site of a church dedicated to him. He was buried initially in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, but later his body was moved to Canterbury. After his burial, many miracles were attested to his intercession, including the conversion of those who carried out his gruesome death.

Pope Francis asks us to pray for his Prayer Intention to defend fundamental human rights during April 2021...

Let us pray for those who risk their lives while fighting for fundamental rights under dictatorships, authoritarian regimes and even in democracies in crisis, that they may see their sacrifice and their work bear abundant fruit.

The Holy Father says: "Defending fundamental human rights demands courage and determination. I’m referring to actively combatting poverty, inequality, the lack of work, land and housing, and the denial of social and labour rights. Often, in practice, fundamental human rights are not equal for all. There are first-, second-, and third-class people, and those who are disposable. No. They must be equal for all. In some places, defending people’s dignity can mean going to prison, even without a trial. Or it might mean slander. Every human being has the right to develop fully, and this fundamental right cannot be denied by any country. Let us pray for those who risk their lives while fighting for fundamental rights under dictatorships, authoritarian regimes and even in democracies in crisis, that they may see their sacrifice and their work bear abundant fruit."

With the lifting of lock down on the horizon and the successful roll out of the Covid-19 vaccination programme Bishop Philip is inviting you to reserve a place on our pilgrimage to Lourdes. The pilgrimage is from 19th – 23rd July 2021.

Last year we had to postpone our plans due to the pandemic and are this year very much looking forward to meeting with our very patient pilgrims at the airport on Monday 19th July to fly to Tarbes, France to begin our much-awaited pilgrimage. We do still have some places available and would encourage all of you who have told us you would like to join us but are waiting to see what happens with regard to COVID-19 to send your booking forms and deposits to us asap to avoid being disappointed. 

This year we are due to fly from Bournemouth direct to Tarbes, France a much shorter travelling distance and stay as in previous years at the Hotel La Solitude, where we can enjoy en-suite rooms and full board for the duration of our stay.  We have exciting plans for our pilgrimage and if you too would like to join us then please complete a booking form and return it to us.  Further details can be obtained by emailing lourdes@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk or phoning 07780 221686.

Alastair Emblem, ADoRe Core Group Leader invites you to register to join them on Zoom on Saturday, 24th April, for their next meeting...

We are continuing our 2021 Programme: "ALIVE IN THE SPIRIT" which is in response to the invitation from Pope Francis “I ask all of you that you organise seminars to share Baptism in the Spirit.” Our programme this year explores how the Holy Spirit inspires and empowers us to be missionary disciples. More details on the ADoRE website www.altonrenewal.com. People from all over the country are joining our mini-retreat mornings and thoroughly enjoying them. Here is what one participant said recently: "I found the whole  meeting very uplifting. The Mass was lovely and spiritual. The talk was really helpful and inspiring. I'm sure the Holy Spirit was present yesterday. Thank you all so much for these meetings."

ADoRE invite you to join them for an online spiritual mini-retreat morning on Saturday 24th April, 10.00-13.00 with Mass, Adoration, Reflection, Praise, Talk, Prayer and Discussion. Theme: "Receiving God's Gift" - to receive new life you must turn away from those things which block your relationship with God and accept Jesus as your Lord. Speaker: Peter Hobbs. Please register in advance here.

The Centre for Applied Carmelite Spirituality in Oxford is run by a team of Discalced Carmelite friars and laypeople who invite you to join them for a Scripture & Spirituality Conference on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th July 2021...

This year’s conference focuses on St. John of the Cross and his life changing teachings of how love can transform each and everyone of us. Through six thought provoking talks, each of us can learn how to become beacons of light to greater reflect Christ and offer hope to a world in much need of healing. This year, we have been blessed with 6 renowned speakers, authors and experts, who will help bring St John’s teachings to life and transform how we grow in our love and spirituality. Read more about the conference here. “To love, is to be transformed into what we love. To love God is therefore is to be transformed into God.” (St. John of the Cross)

Jo Lewry, Community Participation Co-ordinator for CAFOD Portsmouth, produces a quarterly report on CAFOD activities in the diocese including Walk for Water and our new campaign Reclaim our Common Home. I share with you here the latest update on their recent activities within our diocese.

Maureen Thompson from St. Thomas' church in Emsworth, a member of the newly formed "Living Laudato Si' support group" brings us some ideas to help us live Laudato Si' ...

“Live Laudato si', do not just quote it.” It is the sentiment of this quote from Fr Duffe in Rome when the Pope called everyone to face the “urgent challenge to protect our common home" that has motivated the beginning of some new initiatives across the diocese. 
 
Following the Boarbank retreat where Bishop Philip spoke where about the profound theological understanding of Christian ecology, he explained some of the plans to change things at diocesan level. Also in the questions he said that he felt that most change needed to happen in families and parishes.  Those of us who attended wondered how we could respond to that. We thought we would start small and see where it leads. Three ideas...
 
Prayer: We invited everyone in the diocese to join the ecumenical Prayer without Ceasing, prayer chain for success in the climate conference in Glasgow.  Thank you we can see on the map now that there are lots of people across the diocese joining – please join too.
 
Sharing ideas: We thought to highlight the importance of change by keeping a short insert in e-news every week.  A quote but more importantly an action.   Can you help with this?   We know there are loads of things happening in families, parishes and religious communities – can you share a short story to motivate others?
 
Zoom Network: Once a month a growing group of people from all across the diocese are meeting to share information and ideas to encourage action supported by CAFOD and Caritas.

If you would like to join our Live Laudato Si Network or if you have a story to share please be in touch. We really need everyone’s help! You can contact Maureen at: mthompson@CAFOD.co.uk

Mary Luk, a parishioner from The Annunciation and St Edmund Campion parish in Bournemouth shares some good news from Yemngeh in Bamenda Archdiocese...

A nursery school which was originally funded by Portsmouth Bamenda Funds is up and running again. Having been brought to ruins in the current conflict, it is now a new ‘state of the art’ growing and oversubscribed school. It has solar lighting, classrooms, a small library and group study areas.

Under the leadership and guidance of a young priest Fr Lesley Fonye (pictured here), these children have been rescued from remote and difficult areas in the Bamenda region. They are supported by a hand full of staff and several volunteers. The plan is to train and support the children towards being self-reliant and income generating, giving them a sense of purpose and opportunities to utilise their skills and talents.
 
There are now over 200 children enrolled across the nursery and primary levels who are learning farming, handiwork and sports/ games activities whilst also getting to grips with the core components of the school curriculum. By inspiring them to study and make the most of their natural resources, Fr Lesley and his team are bringing new life and hope to these children and to the local area.
 
Two parishes in the Bournemouth Pastoral Area are working together to provide the resources and equipment for their educational, agricultural and personal needs. Please keep Fr Lesley and his collaborators at both ends of the partnership in your prayers.

Here is a cracking homily by Fr Elijah given at Mass on Holy Thursday evening at the Cathedral...

Today is Holy Thursday, the beginning of the Easter Triduum. On this day, the Church commemorates the Last Supper, or Passover Meal of Jesus Christ with His Apostles. Today, Jesus gave His apostles His last instructions before His passion, death and resurrection – a mission during which He would fulfil His role as the Messiah, the Victim/Lamb of the Passover sacrifice for the redemption of humanity. Today is also called Maundy Thursday. "Maundy" is derived from the Latin word Mandatum, meaning "mandate," which depicts two aspects of Jesus’ command to His apostles. First, to serve: “If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you must wash each other’s feet” (Jn. 13:14), and second, to love: “I give you a new commandment that you love one another as I have loved you" (Jn. 13:34). The pivotal observance of Holy Thursday is the ritual re-enactment of the Last Supper at Mass, an action which is redone daily at Mass in the liturgy of the Holy Eucharist. Today, Jesus is preparing to quit the earth and He gives His last will/Testament to His apostles. This last testament of Jesus has three key events pivoted on the words “Do this in memory of me:” the institution of the Holy Eucharist; the institution of the Ministerial Priesthood; and the sacramental dimension of charity and service of the common Priesthood in the action of the washing of feet to which all of us belong by virtue of our baptism.

Gerry Penfold, leader of our Called and Gifted team, recently informed me that they have now helped over 2,000 people with their personal discernment of charisms – including just over 1,700 from our Diocese of Portsmouth. This is an amazing achievement! Our Diocese launched Called and Gifted in 2014, with a visit from Sherry Weddell herself. It has been a real privilege to see the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many intentional disciples over the years since. Recently, the team completed the Stage 1 teaching and Stage 2 1:1 discernment conversations for over 100 people from the regional Celebrate teams around the UK. There have also been many enquiries from other dioceses, now that Called and Gifted is available online. With the support of the Catherine of Siena Institute in the US, the team has created a new C&G website with links to both the Diocesan website and the Institute's high quality teaching videos. The new website not only explains the benefits of discerning your spiritual gifts (charisms) it also includes personal testimonies for each charism and an easy-to-use booking process that enables participants to purchase access to the videos (stage 1), book their online personal discernment conversation (stage 2) and book a place on a small discernment group (stage 3). See the website here. The website can also be accessed via the C&G pages of the Diocesan website. 

Fr Tom Grufferty reflects on the Lay Benedictine led online Lent retreat, which we advertised in e-News, that he took part in...

This was a virtual Retreat which we started on Ash Wednesday and closed on Easter Sunday Evening. We had people join us from all over the Diocese and beyond. The normal number of screens was 37 which meant we had over 50 people with more than one person using the same Zoom screen. The technical side of the retreat was expertly managed by Peter Agius and the Lay Benedictine Community of Saint Benedict hosted the Zoom meetings. Apart from our Retreat, this community has many rich resources for one’s personal prayer life including virtual daily prayer. Check out the times on the Lay Community website. It was a great pleasure to mix this dynamo of prayer with another powerhouse, namely the Jesuits of Loyola Press.

The Retreat was titled “Arts and Prayer”, and many participants remarked on the prayerfulness of art. Some said it was the first time they had prayed in this way. Several asked for the collection of artworks so that they could continue with them in private. I have put them into a Video which you can request from me. Other retreatants were grateful for the spiritual strength they gained from being on the retreat. At each session there was an opportunity to contribute what people saw in the painting and many gave us remarkable insights. Praying with one’s eyes reveals something different for each of us. Others remarked on the fellowship, love, and friendship they received even at a distance.

The Easter Vigil is special for many reasons. The lighting of the Paschal Candle, the beautiful readings, the anticipation of the great celebration of the Resurrection and, most significantly, welcoming new members into the Church and our parish. 
  
It was wonderful to gather together at the Easter Vigil to celebrate the Sacraments  of Initiation with three new members,  Roxy Peerless, Duncan Tooke and Veronica Giles.  The  number of people attending the Vigil in person was obviously limited, however, thanks to the wonders of technology, we were united with many others online to share this happy occasion. 
 
The church - always beautiful - never looked so lovely, the atmosphere so peaceful and, as we all renewed our Baptismal promises together, it felt so very special, as if we were all saying them for the first time!  It was joyful - a memorable celebration that Roxy, Duncan and Veronica will treasure forever and we will all remember. 
 
In the words of our Easter promise: “The joy of the presence of the Risen Christ was all around, the love of God was reborn, resurrected and renewed in all of our hearts. He is Risen indeed.  Alleluia.”  Amen to that. 

Anne-Marie Kershaw, Teaching Assistant and Foundation Governor at St Amand’s School in East Hendred, South Oxfordshire shares news that the school celebrated a very moving outdoor devotion of the Stations of the Cross on Tuesday in Holy Week which was led by Red Kites Year 6 class. The whole school participated in the prayerful reflection in the bright spring sunshine.

Our Seminarian to keep in your prayers this coming month is Jack Ryan, who is in his first year the Venerable English College, Rome. His parish is St Margaret Mary's in Park Gate. He writes...
 
I was raised a cradle Catholic, going through the ‘normal’ sacramental formation within the context of a Catholic family. This, coupled with serving the Mass, and attending Catholic schools, conforms to a well-trodden path introducing a young person into Catholic life.
 
As a teenager, attending Mass, regular periods of Adoration, working with the S.V.P. and getting involved in other areas of Parish & Chaplaincy life were all really helpful to me in my discernment. I have also enjoyed good relationships with several clergy in our Diocese, and within my own family, and they have all helped me along the way and are good friends.

It is all well and good thinking you know what your vocation is, but it is for the Church to discern if it is a true vocation. This process ultimately ends with candidacy but starts with a discernment conference and the propaedeutic year, which I undertook at Shrewsbury Cathedral. The propaedeutic year is one centred on prayer, giving the foundation necessary for Seminary life, and one day Priestly life. Bishop Philip in his homily at the diocese’s last ordinations remarked to Fr. Matthew King and Deacon Anthony Fyk: ‘This is why before anything else I urge you: be men of prayer.' So it is equally fundamental to start Priestly formation with a year of prayer. The time in Shrewsbury was a great introduction to the prayer of the Church, life in community and life in a Parish context...

We welcome Canon Simon Treloar, a priest of the Diocese of Wrexham, who will be working with us in the Diocese on-loan. Canon Simon (pictured here with his bishop, Bishop Peter Brignall) has family in this Diocese and will thus be nearer to them. I have appointed him as an assistant priest with Canon Michael Dennehy VG at English Martyrs Reading. Before he entered into the priesthood, Canon Simon gained a Masters in Ecology from the University of Wales, Bangor. In 1999, he became a student for the priesthood at Oscott College and I remember him well from that time. He was ordained priest in June 2004. Since then, he has served as an assistant priest at Wrexham Cathedral and in Abergele, and then parish priest in Saltney near Chester. From 2012, he was appointed the Dean of the Cathedral and shortly afterwards a Canon of the Chapter and a Diocesan trustee. Please make Canon Simon welcome and include him in your prayers. We pray too for his family.

Cardinal Christian Tumi, the retired archbishop of Douala, Cameroon, died on Holy Saturday, 3rd April, at the age of 91. May he rest in peace. I remember meeting him and staying with him at his house when we arrived in Douala to visit Bamenda for the fortieth anniversary celebrations of the Portsmouth-Bamenda link in 2014. He gave us outstanding hospitality and care. The Cardinal right to the end was a fearless pastor who preached the truth and during the recent turmoil had constantly called for dialogue and reconciliation. Although not connected with his death, he was kidnapped last November by separatists, but subsequently released. Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of Bamenda said: “We only thank God for all that he has done .. The Cardinal was a strong man of faith, a real servant of God, a fearless preacher of the truth, and someone who loved the Church with his whole heart, and he lived his whole life at the service of God and his people.” Cardinal Tumi was created a cardinal by St. Pope John Paul II in June 1988. Born in 1930, he studied in Cameroon, Nigeria, France and Switzerland and was ordained a priest in April 1966, appointed bishop in 1979. He was a strong critic of the authorities, often shaming the government over the many allegations of corruption, electoral malpractices and the entrenchment of a gerontocracy in Cameroon. Now that he has gone to the Lord, may he rest and enjoy an eternal reward for his labours.