Dear Parishioners,

The following brief report appeared in last week’s Tablet:

The number of British adults who identify as Christian has risen for the second year while the number who say they have no religion has declined.
Figures from NatCen’s British Social Attitudes survey showed that the number of Catholics rose from 8 per cent to 9 per cent last year, the level it was last at in 2002.
This caused the figure for Christians to rise from 43 per cent of the population to 44 per cent. This coincides with a slight fall in the number of those who identify themselves as having no religion, from 49 to 48 per cent. This is the second year it has fallen. The decline of these so-called “nones” is most pronounced among the under 45’s.
The percentage of adult members of religions other than Christian has remained at 8 per cent.

Ian Simpson, senior researcher at NatCen said: “It appears that the steady decline of religion in Britain has come to a halt, at least for the moment.”

But my quote of the week is from Pope Francis who, when addressing two million youth in Poland, advised them to speak to their grandparents to cultivate a ‘memory’ of their identity, of who they really are. How true! Up until a generation or so ago, Lancashire Catholics had a clear identity of who they were. Today most of our kids have little idea of who they are, their history and the faith their forebears suffered to preserve against all the odds.

This year’s RCIA course will begin after the holidays, next month. The RCIA is an introduction to Catholicism and is of interest to those wishing to learn more about the faith, or who may have missed making their First Communion, or those who wish to join the Church or are simply curious about what makes Catholic tick! If you have a friend who may be interested but possibly shy to come along, then do please consider inviting them and accompanying them to at least the initial session.

Fr John

Some comments from parishioners who joined the Salford Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes two weeks ago…

“Just got to be there to really experience shared joy of Lourdes; there may be tears but it brings it home to you that we are a universal church.  We can speak different languages, have different skin colours and live in different countries but we are all part of the holy family of God.”

“Inspirational, special times – to see the future of our diocese, preaching at the Grotto.  To see Bishop Terence opening our Pilgrimage and being joined by Bishop John following his busy schedule in Poland.  To see Mark Paver preaching the Gospel, following his ordination to the diaconate”

“A very reflective & inspirational journey with our Parish Pilgrims amongst our Salford Diocese Family. An insightful & historic place where you feel even more able to hand everything over to God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit and Mary our Mother, wherever you go, whatever you choose to do and take part in, whoever you are with.  Special times, places and people.”

“Celebrating the joy of enthusiasm & hard work of all the volunteers and the young people who are our future. The joy of support they gave to the sick, disabled, elderly or anyone who might need  a helping hand.”

“Beautiful Door of Mercy, very special and inspiring to find the others, offering praise and thanksgiving wherever we may travel”.

“Lourdes is a glimpse of Heaven on Earth.”

“My thoughts and feelings, for different reasons; were very powerful. Summing up: to allow Mary our merciful Mother to accompany us through The Jubillee Door into God’s merciful light. My Pilgrimage of Thanksgiving this year.”

“Lightens peoples’ lives up, everyone so friendly, shaking hands with everyone, a very homely place.”

“Holy hour and journey in completing our Jubilee Passports – a perfect opportunity to spend time with God at the end of the day and reflect with our fellow diocesan pilgrims.”

“The love and kindness of God is felt all around you in the people you meet and the support of our Diocesan family is truly amazing.”

“You just have to be there to see it and feel it, you can’t express it.  I loved both of the torchlight processions; they felt different and it’s all just so special.”

Why not see for yourself next year?

Susan Fellows

In Poland last week…

While the Islamic State and other terrorist organizations are able to recruit small numbers of young people into their deadly campaigns, hundreds of thousands of Catholic youth from all across the planet came together in the streets of a major European city and left no destruction behind, but rather indelible images of friendship and fraternity.

For another, World Youth Day went ahead despite apprehensions about security threats. The presence of police and military throughout the week was palpable but never overweening or distracting, and every night, late into the night, young revellers filled up the squares and parks of the city as if their team had just won the Super Bowl or the World Cup.

In effect, this was a vast throng of loving, caring, positive young people saying to the Islamic State and the other wreakers of havoc in the early 21st century, “We refuse to be terrorized.”

As opposed to other scenarios of large-scale mobilizations one might imagine, crime rates in Krakow plummeted last week, garbage collections declined as these young pilgrims picked up after themselves, and locals were left smiling and delighted with the positive energy coursing through the city.

Finally, these young people exuded a different vision for the future of humanity, one based on a global solidarity, respecting differences of class, race and culture without viewing them as divisive, and embracing religion not as the problem but as the wellspring of the solution.

“Our response to a world at war has a name: its name is fraternity, its name is brotherhood, its name is communion, its name is family,” Pope Francis told the roughly one million youth gathered for a prayer vigil Saturday night.

“We celebrate the fact that coming from different cultures, we have come together to pray. Let our best word, our best argument, be our unity in prayer,” he said.

That might sound like hollow rhetoric, but if you had been in the streets and squares of Krakow in late July, you would understand that it’s not artifice or a pious aspiration, but the living, beating heart of an honest-to-God youth army – in this case, an army dedicated not to violence or hatred, but to hope.

John Allen, Crux

DAY OUT SUCCESS FOR REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS

Saturday 23rd of July saw Our Lady of the Valley parishioners, people from other Clitheroe Churches, and members of the Clitheroe Mosque hosting a day out for 38 refugees and asylum seekers from the Middle East and Africa. The organizing team are grateful to everyone for their financial support, practical help, and goodwill.

The weather was kind, and everyone had a good time. At Edisford Bridge the children paddled and played games, learnt how to cook sausages and make bracelets.  A bagpiper turned up to entertain, and our guests were keen to have their pictures taken with him. Later they played diamond cricket on St. Michael and St. John’s school field. Father John led a walk along the River Ribble for a small group of adults, and the Mosque put on a delicious BBQ. Later in the afternoon, everyone headed to Sabden (by the Nick o’ Pendle to take in the views) for a delicious traditional cream tea, put on by Sabden parishioners. We learned that our love of cream cakes was something we all had in common! It was particularly moving to see the children having so much fun: one 8-year-old lad told me it was the best day since he had left home!

Manager for Revive, the Charity we have been working with in Manchester, has written to say:

I wish to thank you again for the great Day Out you organised for the refugee and asylum community at Revive.

It’s a fantastic experience for all. The opportunity to see the beautiful country side of Clitheroe; the opportunity to experience the generosity/ hospitality and welcome of your Catholic Parishes and Muslim community were awesome and inspiring.

It was bold and courageous of you to lead and drive this amazing outreach project to the refugee and asylum community.

Everyone was gushing with praise and admiration for you and your team. Many declared the day out as one of the best days of their lives. And the question from everyone has been: Can we do this again, regularly?

I thought we could and should. It is a worthwhile event and a win for all, hence I wish we book it in again in our calendar for 2017 (22^nd July). What do you think?

Warm regards to the Christian Parishes and the Muslim community at Clitheroe for making our day.

Thanks and God bless. Uchenna Odenigbo

Just over £1,000 was raised towards the day, and so there are sufficient funds left over in Revive’s account to kick-start a similar event next year. We should give it a go!

Tom Clay

Dear Parishioners,

Not being the sort of bloke who walks into ladies’ toilets, I confess to never having checked the ladies’ facilities in our Clitheroe Parish Social Centre. So at the request of our women’s group I visited their toilets in the Centre and must admit to being surprised at just how dilapidated they are. So a further visit with the maintenance committee and Tony Hargan has resulted in a plan. The toilets will be completely refurbished with four cubicles instead of the present three, three wash basins instead of the present two, the walls and ceiling will be replastered, lighting improved, the flooring will be renewed and baby changing facilities will be introduced. Unfortunately, because of the number of events already booked into the centre and the lengthy holiday, work cannot begin until the end of October. However, to smarten up the place immediately new temporary hand basins will be installed. The development will cost around £12,000 but to help defer the cost, the Women’s group will raise some funds and have been promised assistance by the Knights. The proceeds of the Christmas Fayre also will be given to this project.

With the school closing for the holidays we shall commence to repair the church roof, repoint the west gable end of the church and attend to various parts of the presbytery where the rain managed to penetrate the walls last winter. In addition, the small perimeter wall that runs in front of the main church door will be demolished and rebuilt before it collapses.

You’ll be aware that for the past number of years a parish sponsored walk has been organised to raise funds for the Blackburn HCPT group. This group has now disbanded but the walk will continue and the money raised will be divided equally between a diocesan Caritas project to build a mother and baby welfare unit in Bolton and help fund the new toilets in our Social Centre. This year’s walk will be on Sunday, October 2^nd.

Meanwhile, wherever you are or where ever you’re going I wish you a very happy holiday.

Fr John

The Knit and Knatterthon was a wonderful community event.  With an age range of 97 years, some stayed the full 12 hours and one woman brought her baby for just half an hour to cheer the knitters along.  Nearly all the local Christian denominations were represented.  The conversation flowed easily even amongst complete strangers and Clitheroe Ukulele Band entertained the evening knitters.

75 people put their names on the list of attendees.  This doesn’t include the 12 children from St Michael and St John’s who were an absolute delight, talking and laughing and looking around, all the time knitting away with their competent little fingers.

What was particularly good was the number of young people and the number of people who came to learn or refresh.   Men came too, some who could already knit and some who had never knitted before. The experienced knitters were kept busy teaching the newcomers.   The final number of squares was 135, albeit many of them brought along already knitted.

The event was for Syrian refugees in Turkey, some fleeing their war torn cities but hoping to return to Syria and some, despite advice and education, trying to get across the water to Lesbos.   When the winter comes these people will need the blankets made from the 8 inch squares knitted in Clitheroe.

With thoughts about how we can become a more welcoming community we can make a number of observations:

• nearly all different Christian communities represented
• school involvement
• the number contributing who couldn’t make it on the day
• young people attending
• men coming with their wives and learning to knit
• relaxing experience of chatting whilst knitting
• learning about the refugee crisis and how people can help
• people sharing their faith
• people of faith and no faith working together to a common cause
• the number of requests for similar events

Concern for refugees is good for community building, bringing together people of different Christian beliefs or none.  The next Knit and Knatter is July 27, but before that we have the Refugee Picnic and Walk on July 23, as mentioned in last week’s newsletter.  Come along.  You will enjoy it.  For details and how you can help, contact Tom Clay on 07962136749

Anthony Brown

Dear Parishioners,

The Bishop’s proposal for the restructuring of parishes within the diocese is available at the back of the church. I have mentioned that the reorganisation will not affect our three communities; it is a road that we have already travelled! However, I do urge that you read the 16-page document which offers an overview of how we have come to where we are , and  to where both Pope and Bishop wish us to travel. In the near future I hope to announce a meeting to discuss these issues further.

Mark Paver, who was with us two years ago, has contacted me asking for our prayers. “I am writing to let you know that I am due to be ordained a deacon on July 13th at Palazzola. It is hard to believe that the two years I have been at the English College have passed so quickly. After getting the STB (Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology) done last year, I started a licence in biblical theology this year which has between one and a half to two years to go, so I will still be in Rome for a while yet.

As the ordination approaches I realise that many people and parish communities have been a great support on my journey so far and continue to be so. I am very grateful for the time I spent with you in Clitheroe and Sabden and I often reflect on my experiences there as a concrete context for all the stuff we are doing here. Hopefully it will bear fruit in the future. Please say a prayer for me on 13th. It was good to see some of your parishioners last summer in Lourdes, I don’t know if I will see any again this year?”

So, please do remember Mark in prayer on Wednesday and I propose that we offer the 9.30 Mass for him next Sunday.

A week on Saturday, 23^rd July, we shall host a number of refugee families for the day. They should arrive at Edisford Bridge by 10.30am to enjoy games and a picnic by the river while the more energetic will join a walk along our eight-mile circuit of the River Ribble. I do encourage you and all families, children included, to join us if only for an hour, at Edisford, to  meet and mix with our visitors and help them feel welcome.  Bring a picnic!  The Mosque is to provide a Bar-B-Que.

Walkers should meet inside Brungerly park gates, also at 10.30am. The visit will end when they travel over the nick to our parish hall in Sabden for afternoon tea. Come join the fun!

Fr John

Dear Parishioners,

Let me begin with some thoughts of Pope Francis:

“How important it is for our families to journey together towards a single goal! We know that we have a road to travel together; a road along which we encounter difficulties but also enjoy moments of joy and consolation. And on this pilgrimage of life we also share in moments of prayer. What can be more beautiful than for a father and mother to bless their children at the beginning and end of each day, to trace on their forehead the sign of the cross, as they did on the day of their baptism? Is this not the simplest prayer which parents can offer for their children? To bless them, that is, to entrust them to the Lord, so that he can be their protection and support throughout the day. In the same way, it is important for families to join in a brief prayer before meals, in order to thank the Lord for these gifts and to learn how to share what we have received with those in greater need. These are all little gestures, yet they point to the great formative role played by the family in the pilgrimage of everyday life.” Wise words!

I write this page with an eye on the weather forecast which promises Weld Day will be completely free of rain! I hope it remains so for Weld Day is the one day each year on which we celebrate as the parish family that we are.

In the beauty of the Ribble Valley we thank God for the generosity of Thomas Weld and his wife Mary for the gift of Dove Syke meadow on which our parish began. But the parish is more than stone buildings; it was built by living stones, past generations who remain members of our parish family, our heavenly members who look down on us still. Thomas Weld asked only one thing of us and that is that we remember him and his wife in prayer. We do so gladly as also we remember all who have gone before us.

Today also we celebrate with the families of our children from Dunsop, Sabden and Clitheroe who received their first Holy Communion this year. We pray that Jesus Christ will remain their travelling companion throughout life.

Enjoy the day,

Fr John