Nurses

The CA Hospitalité would like to ask all members who live in any of the CA Dioceses to contact their local hospital chaplains and see if they would be interested in putting up a poster about our Pilgrimage, and particularly an appeal for more nurses. We have posters below that can be used for this purpose:

• East Anglia

• Northampton

• Portsmouth

Praying the Rosary

This year the Pastoral Theme for Lourdes is With Bernadette, Praying the Rosary.

The Catholic Association Pilgrimage offers some thoughts on the theme in the Pilgrimage booklet and our website, but as this will not be till later in the year, the CA web team would like to share some early ideas.

The rosary is a popular devotion, and in addition to meditating on the mysteries, it is normal to say the rosary for a particular intention. How often do you pray the rosary? Why not try it this month?

If you are already confused, have a look at these pages of our website, which will provide some guidance:
http://www.catholicassociation.co.uk/spirituality/sayrosary.shtml and http://www.catholicassociation.co.uk/spirituality/rosaryabout.shtml

Given this year's theme, we are inviting our fellow pilgrims to pray the rosary for their bishops and priests. Our clergy need all the support that they can get as the tide of secularism increases, and many of them found the prayers during the Year for Priests (2009/2010) very helpful.

There is even a handy site where one can sign up and get reminders to pray for one's bishop:

http://rosaryforthebishop.org/

Let us know how your devotion has gone, or if you have any further thoughts, please let us know below…

CA web team

East Anglia

Message from Fr David Bagstaff

The process of appointment [of a new Bishop] will involve discernment of the present needs of the Church in East Anglia, so that we may be an ever more effective channel of God's love and grace for all the people who live in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Central to this discernment is prayer: prayer for the Diocese, prayer for those charged with its care during the period without a bishop, prayer for those involved in the choice of a new bishop. Please use the prayer below in your own daily prayer, that the Holy Spirit guide us all to know the Father's will.

Eternal God, shepherd and guide,

in your mercy give your Church in East Anglia

a shepherd after your own heart

who will watch over your people with loving care;

a leader of vision and a teacher of your truth

who will inspire young and old alike.

So may your Church be built up,

your Gospel heard,

and your name be glorified.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Our Lady of Walsingham - pray for us!

St. Felix - pray for us!

St. Edmund, King & Martyr - pray for us!

St. Etheldreda - pray for us!

More information: http://www.catholiceastanglia.org/files/uplink/frb.pdf

Bishop Michael Evans

The CA Hospitalité is extremely sad to announce that Bishop Michael Evans (East Anglia) has passed away after a very brave fight against cancer. May he Rest in Peace and rise in glory. The CA Hospitalité extends its condolences to Bishop Michael's family, friends and his diocese.

From BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14118153):

The Right Reverend Michael Evans, the Catholic Bishop of East Anglia, has died in hospital at the age of 59 after a long battle with prostate cancer.

He was diagnosed with an advanced and aggressive strain in 2005 but continued his ministry throughout his treatment.

The leader of Catholics in Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Norfolk carried out limited engagements as his condition deteriorated.

He continued to work until his admission to hospital last Thursday.

Canon Evans was appointed the third bishop of East Anglia in February 2003 by Pope John Paul II and was ordained at the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Norwich, in March of that year.

He was previously parish priest at St Augustine's in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

On his appointment Canon Evans said: "I was astonished to be appointed as Bishop of East Anglia, and have a real sense of my unworthiness for this responsibility, but I accepted this new ministry with a joyful though nervous 'yes'."

Seminary teacher

He became well known throughout the diocese for his teaching and set up an annual adult religious education programme.

He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Southwark in 1975, and spent two years as assistant priest at St Elizabeth's in Richmond, Surrey.

From 1977-1979 he studied for a Master of Theology degree at Heythrop College, University of London, and then returned to St John's Seminary for eight years as lecturer in Christian doctrine.

From 1985-1987 he was Vice-Rector at the seminary, with the then Monsignor Peter Smith (later the second Bishop of East Anglia, and now Archbishop of Southwark) as Rector.

A statement from the Diocese of East Anglia is expected to be made later.

PS:

Archbishop Peter Smith said: "I have no doubt that he [Bishop Michael] will be greeted by the Lord he served so faithfully, with the words: ‘Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the Kingdom prepared for you."

Please visit: http://tinyurl.com/69z83r2 for full statement.In addition, please do visit a recent interview with Bishop Michael Evans which took place after Easter 2011 in which he talked about his illness, and about finding hope in times of adversity: http://www.dayforlife.org/Day-for-Life/Video

Nurses Reunion

The Chief Nurse, Sue Woodford, invites all CA Nurses to a reunion in March.

There will be a Lourdes CA Nurses Reunion in Cambridge on Saturday 26th March at 11am in Our Lady and the English Martyrs Church Hall. This will be followed by Mass at 12.30pm, celebrated by Fr Simon Blakesley.

Afterwards, attendees are welcome to join Sue in town for some lunch.

If you are able to attend, please email Sue here.

Bishop Michael Evans

Bishop Michael Evans of East Anglia has been having treatment for prostate cancer for the last five or more years. During that time he has carried on heriocally with a full diary. He has just told all those in East Anglia diocese that he now probably has only weeks to live and that he is as prepared for that as he can be, accepting it with faith as a gift of God's grace.

In a letter to the Diocese, Bishop Michael said: "In the last few weeks, the cancer has rather quickly taken control. My oncology and palliative care consultants informed me openly and honestly just before Christmas that I now probably have only weeks to live, and I am prepared for that as I can be, accepting it with faith as a gift of God's grace."

"Rather than resign, I would like to continue among you as your bishop and the father of our diocesan family until this stage of my life ends. I do not know how long that will be. I am most grateful for the ways you have cared for and so prayerfully supported me in recent years. You remain very much in my thoughts and care. As I am sure you understand, I am able to do very little, and will need to rely on others. Please can I ask you to limit any expressions of care to prayer for now, rather than anything else to which I cannot respond."

"As I live now under the shadow of death, my prayer is very much that of St. Paul that I may know something of the power of Christ's resurrection and a share in his sufferings, trusting that the Lord is with me. I pray that even now, I can joyfully witness something of the good news we are all called to proclaim." Read full letter here.

Please keep Bishop Michael, his diocese and his family in your prayers at this very difficult time.

Volunteer helpers - 2011 Pilgrimage

Our next Pilgrimage takes place from 19 – 26 August 2011, Each year, the Catholic Association Hospitalité of Our Lady of Lourdes is responsible for coordinating the welcome and care of pilgrims, especially our assisted pilgrims, who come to Lourdes.

If you are planning to travel independently, please view our form and further details by clicking on the link below.

• Apply to be a Volunteer Helper
• Further information our Pilgrimage

Walsingham Retreat - 2011

Every two years the CA Hospitalité holds a retreat at Walsingham - now organised by Pat Richardson.

The next CA Hospitalité Walsingham Retreat is taking place on 8th-10th April 2011, and will be given by Fr Antony Lester, O.Carm.

If you would like to attend, please fill in the form and send to Pat's address with a £20 deposit per person. Please download form here. The Walsingham retreat is a very popular event, so people should send their forms to Pat as soon as possible.

For news of the last two retreats, please view here, or to learn more about Walsingham, please view here.

Walsingham Retreat - 2009

Processing to the Slipper Chapel with the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham

Every two years the CA Hospitalité holds a retreat at Walsingham - organised with Jim Walton.

The latest retreat took place on 24 - 26 April 2009, led by Fr Simon Blakesley.

It was a beautiful sunny weekend and full of great friends – all of which made it all the more special. On Friday and Saturday, Simon discussed many of the teachings of the Church, and taught us a number of new things. Our main theme of discussion was the life of Our Lady, and how she is written about in the New Testament; we followed her life from when she first discovered she was pregnant, right up to Jesus’s death. Simon then helped us to understand
the place Our Lady has in the Catholic Church. On Sunday, we processed down to the Slipper Chapel on a glorious sunny day, led by Simon.

Thank you to Fr Simon and to Jim Walton for organising another wonderful retreat.

A message from Colette Sharrock, President:

In 1988 the first CA Hospitalité weekend retreat was held in Walsingham, instigated by David Lewis and others. Jim Walton was working at Elham House at that time and became involved in the organisation. In 1991 Jim himself then took on the co-ordination of a further CA retreat and subsequently has been organising these bi-annually ever since, with, I may, say great expertise.

At the end of this years retreat, Jim approached me to say he felt it was time to move on and hand over the reins to someone else. He will be a difficult act to follow, but if there is anyone out there who feels they might like to take on this job, please let a member of the Council know. Jim has promised to give his full help and support. Hopefully the next retreat will be in 2011, so plenty of time to prepare!

Meantime, Jim, on behalf of the Hospitalité, may I offer our heartfelt thanks for all the hard work over the past 20 years; those of us who have been lucky enough to attend these retreats, have enjoyed them immensely.

Walsingham Retreat - 2007

Maggie Clark leads the procession to the Slipper Chapel

Fr Tony Lester, O.Carm led the weekend on 27 - 29 April, 2007 - which at times was moving and at other times controversial, but always sincere and very thought provoking. It was good to feel safe in what we thought and ask the questions we often keep hidden.

Fr Tony’s visit to Germany was obviously still fresh in his mind as he told us some interesting stories and left us with good quotations, which he developed in a lovely way. He has a wonderful ability to make people feel good about themselves and totally loved by God.

Fr Tony’s quotation from St Hildergard will stay with us for a long time: “Listen to your desire for life it is the word of the Holy Spirit”: this lead to some interesting discussions all weekend.

Thank you to Jim Walton for organising another excellent retreat, and to Fr Tony Lester for leading it.

Helen Caroll at the Retreat