Catholic Truth Society – News

The task of compiling the official record of the historic State Visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom in September 2010 has been entrusted to Peter Jennings, the noted Catholic journalist, writer and broadcaster.  Peter Jennings has been writing on Catholic Church matters since the mid-1970s and wrote the comparable work on the 1982 visit here of Pope John Paul II.

The large-format book, entitled: BENEDICT XVI AND BLESSED JOHN HENRY NEWMAN, The State Visit September 2010 – The Official Record*, will be published by the Catholic Truth Society during October, price £14.95.

The Catholic Truth Society has been especially active in supporting the state visit of Pope Benedict to Britain in 2010. CTS has introduced a wide range of books and prayer cards to assist people preparing for the visit and for the beatification of John Henry Cardinal Newman. As well as publishing this official record of the state visit, CTS has recently published the official biography of Newman commissioned by the Oratory Fathers for the beatification of their founder. More details can be found at www.cts-online.org.uk/acatalog/PAPAL_VISIT_2010.html

Archbishop Vincent Nichols has commented:

“Mr Peter Jennings has been appointed by the Bishop’s Conferences of England and Wales and Scotland to edit the formal and official record of the Papal Visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom.”

The Archbishop of Westminster added:

“We believe that the publication will be a fine record of the Visit and one that will be of lasting value.”

Cardinal Keith O’Brien, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh has said

“Looking forward, as we are, to the forthcoming State Visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom, we equally look forward to reading reports and having visual records afterwards.

“Consequently, I am happy to recommend the publication of the official record produced by Peter Jennings, whose work during the Pastoral Visit of Pope John Paul II during 1982 is so well known to us all.”

Peter Jennings said:

“It is an honour and privilege to have been invited to compile the official record of this historic State Visit of Pope Benedict XVI, culminating as it does with the beatification of Cardinal Newman.”

Mr Jennings added:

“I was baptised by the eminent Newman scholar Fr Stephen Dessain in the Newman Memorial Church situated next to the Oratory of St Philip Neri, Edgbaston, where Cardinal Newman lived from 1852 until his death on 11 August 1890, aged 89. I have worked on the Newman Cause since the Holy Year of 1975, helping to raise the world-wide profile of Cardinal Newman not only as a great academic, theologian, writer and preacher but  in particular as a holy pastoral parish priest who looked after the sick and poor in Birmingham.”

The A4 softback, 208-page, book is the official record, in photographs, background information, speeches and addresses, of the State Visit to this country by Pope Benedict XVI. The significance, background to the venues chosen and the complex preparations for this unique four-day State Visit will be fully chronicled.

The highlight of the State Visit is the beatification by Pope Benedict of the Venerable John Henry Cardinal Newman, 1801-1890, the best known English churchman of the 19^th century, at Cofton Park, Birmingham, during the morning of Sunday 19 September 2010.

The colour photographs throughout the book will capture every aspect of this historic first State Visit by a Pope to the United Kingdom, from the moment Pope Benedict lands at Edinburgh Airport on the morning of Thursday 16 September until his departure for Rome from Birmingham Airport during the early evening of Sunday 19 September.  The book will also include more than sixty pictures by Peter Jennings taken from his own photographic archive.

The book will include the full text of all the addresses, speeches and homilies given by the 83-year-old Pontiff.

Pope Benedict first became interested in the life and writings of Cardinal Newman during 1946 as a young seminarian. Cardinal Newman is the first Servant of God to be beatified by Pope Benedict XVI since his election as Bishop of Rome in April 2005.  That the Pope should travel to Great Britain to beatify the great English Cardinal is at the same time a sign of the Pope’s high personal estimation of him and a significant honour for the Catholic Church here.

Peter Jennings is Press Secretary to Archbishop Bernard Longley, the Archbishop of Birmingham and to the Archdiocese of Birmingham. He was Press Secretary to Archbishop Vincent Nichols, now Archbishop of Westminster, throughout the years when he was Archbishop of Birmingham, 2000-2009.

Mr Jennings has written and edited close to twenty books including: The Pope in Britain, the Official Record of the six-day Pastoral Visit of Pope John Paul II to Great Britain in 1982. Also The Pope in Ireland, 1979; The Pope in Poland under Martial Law, 1993, published by the CTS.

He has worked on the Cause for the beatification and canonisation of Cardinal Newman since 1975.  His book Benedict XVI and Cardinal Newman was published in 2005, and his booklet Cardinal Newman – The Story of a Miracle, about the miraculous healing of Deacon Jack Sullivan on 15 August 2001 through the intercession of Cardinal Newman, was published by the CTS in September 2009.

A Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London, Peter Jennings enjoys a world reputation for his writing about stamps and the hobby of philately.

The Isle of Man Post Office has released a special miniature sheet to mark the State Visit of the Pope and his beatification of Cardinal Newman in Birmingham.  It was issued on 11 August, the 120^th anniversary of the death of Cardinal Newman. Peter Jennings had the original concept for the sheet and related philatelic products.  They depict photographs of Cardinal Newman, one of them never published before, and a stamp label showing Pope Benedict XVI.

PICTURE ONE

The front cover.

The picture of Pope Benedict XVI used on this front cover will be replaced by one of Pope Benedict with HM The Queen at the Palace of Holyrood House, Edinburgh on 16 September.

PICTURE TWO

Peter Jennings pictured with Archbishop Vincent Nichols and Archbishop Bernard Longley at St Mary’s College Oscott, in July.

Picture by Stella Jennings

In a recent feature article on the memorabilia on offer for the Papal Visit to Britain, Christopher Howse in the Daily Telegraph concluded his review of the market with the following warm words for the CTS’s own offering:

For me, though, the best value souvenirs for the Pope’s visit are on the CTS website. That’s not Defra’s online Cattle Tracing System, but the Catholic Truth Society. Along with some informative books is a selection of “holy pictures”, as we used to call them, to tuck into your Missal, with a photo of Newman on one side (in a variety of extremely Victorian poses) and a prayer on the other.

One of them is the most wonderfully convoluted prayer ever written, hedged about with very Newmanesque provisos. It begins: “O my God, I confess that You can enlighten my darkness. I confess that You alone can. I wish my darkness to be enlightened. I do not know whether You will: but that You can and that I wish, are sufficient reasons for me to ask what You at least have not forbidden my asking…”

This, and more, for less than 12p a card.

>>> You can access CTS’s wide selection of publications, prayer cards and other gifts here.

The Third Evangelium Summer Conference has been a great success, attracting more than 170 participants and a wide range of speakers from Europe and the United States. Young people attending the conference described it as ‘inspirational’, a great opportunity to meet with other Catholics and a source of renewed hope and vigour for their own faith.

Over the weekend 6^th-8^th August, the Evangelium Conference brought world-class, seasoned campaigners, philosophers and theologians together with young Catholics to the beautiful Reading Oratory School in Berkshire. The wide range of speakers included Steve Ray, a former Baptist who is now a world famous Catholic evangelist, Prof. Roy Schoeman, a Harvard professor and author of Salvation is from the Jews, Prof. Maria Fedoryka from Ave Maria University, Fr Aidan Nichols, Fr Timothy Finigan, Fr Nicholas Schofield, Prof. Thomas Pink from King’s College London, Joanna and Jamie Bogle, Fr Jerome Bertram and Fr Thomas Crean OP. This year, with the forthcoming visit of the Holy Father, the main themes were John Henry Newman, conversion and the Papacy. The conference also provided an opportunity to showcase two DVDs filmed at last year’s conference, Arise Once More and Confession: the Forgotten Sacrament, both produced by St Anthony Communications. Although the topics addressed were often serious, there was much good humour and a great sense of joy.

The Conference was organised by Fr Marcus Holden and Fr Andrew Pinsent of the Evangelium Project, in association with the Catholic Truth Society. As Fr Pinsent describes the approach of the Conference, “Speakers with a depth of scholarship and love for the Catholic faith can be immensely powerful witnesses to the young. What we aimed to do with this conference was to bring such speakers and young people together in a prayerful atmosphere, with beautiful liturgy. The enthusiastic response of those present confirms the fruitfulness of this approach.”

The Evangelium Project is planning to organise a fourth Conference at the Reading Oratory School next summer, 5^th – 7^th August 2011. The details will be posted at the Evangelium website as they become available.

Feedback from participants

Feedback Sheets were distributed on the last day. Below is a selection of comments:

The talks and workshops were all excellent.

A great opportunity to meet people, hear of other initiatives and be energised.

The Apologetics Panel was the highlight … tremendous value in terms of hearing how to answer difficult questions and defend the faith.

An opportunity to get so much theological and spiritual richness in such a short period of time. All of the talks were very helpful, packed with useful knowledge.

A great opportunity to pray and meet other committed Catholics.

It was very helpful to me to be able to spend a weekend away concentrating totally on my faith, with periods of adoration and prayer.

It was very valuable to be made aware of the wider network of Catholics in Britain and beyond.

A splendid time!

A combination of excellent talks with many opportunities for prayer and the sacraments – food for the mind, body and soul.

A great opportunity to discuss spiritual issues with educated and like-minded persons.

The conference inspired me to evangelise once again. I feel so encouraged to meet such lovely people who have also taught me so much.

I have been inspired and encouraged to express my faith and witness to others.

This conference restored and rekindled my desire to be part of the re-evangelisation of England, and the rest of Great Britain and Ireland.

There was a wonderful friendly atmosphere.

I appreciated this conference from the bottom of my heart.

Two postage stamps depicting photographs of Cardinal Newman, one never published before, and a stamp label showing Pope Benedict XVI, are included in a miniature sheet to be issued by the Isle of Man Post Office on Wednesday 11 August, the 120th Anniversary of the death of Cardinal Newman.

The two £1.50 special stamps received Royal Approval from HM The Queen and include the Royal Cipher.

The miniature sheet is being issued to commemorate the State Visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom, 16-19 September, and the Beatification of Cardinal Newman, 1801-1890, at Cofton Park, Birmingham, on Sunday 19 September.

Isle of Man Stamps & Coins is now working with the Vatican Post Office to produce a limited edition souvenir first day cover and joint special hand stamp postmark to commemorate the Beatification of Cardinal Newman on 19 September 2010.

The  left-hand stamp depicts a previously unknown original photograph of Cardinal Newman taken by H J Whitlock, Photographers, New Street, Birmingham, and signed by Cardinal Newman, aged 82, at the Oratory House on Passion Sunday, 11 March 1883, for a visitor.

The right-hand stamp shows an original photograph of Dr Newman taken c. 1866 by McLean & Haes, Photographers, Haymarket, London.

The picture of Pope Benedict XVI by this correspondent on the stamp label was taken during a General Audience in St Peter’s Square, Rome on Wednesday 10 June 2009.

John Henry Newman was the greatest English religious figure of the 19th century. Today he is  known world-wide as one of the foremost theologians of the Catholic Church and a prolific writer – he left more than 30,000 letters – but most of all he is revered as a much loved holy parish priest in Birmingham. Cardinal Newman died in his room at the Oratory House, Edgbaston, aged 89, on Monday 11 August 1890.

The miniature sheet, a presentation pack and a first day cover and insert were printed well ahead of the four-day visit of Pope Benedict to Scotland and England and before the announcement on 24 June that the Holy See had requested a change of venue for the Beatification of Cardinal Newman from Coventry Airport to Cofton Park Birmingham.

The miniature sheet wrongly refers to the beatification of Cardinal Newman taking place: “at Coventry Airport, 19 September 2010.”

These special stamps depicting Cardinal Newman will be collected and treasured by stamp collectors and non-collectors alike throughout the world. The inclusion of the Coventry Airport venue will add philatelic interest.

The commemorative stamps and related products were the idea of this correspondent, a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London, who wrote the text and supplied the pictures to Isle for Man Stamps and Coins and worked with designer Stacey Smith at Isle of Man Advertising & PR Ltd.

The miniature sheet was launched by Archbishop Bernard Longley at the end of a press conference about the Papal Visit to the Archdiocese of Birmingham held at Cathedral House, Birmingham, on Friday 23 July.

Archbishop Longley said:

“This is first time that that a Pope has been welcomed to the United Kingdom on a State Visit and these stamps highlight the importance of such a visit for UK and Isle of Man citizens within and beyond the Catholic Church.”

The Archbishop of Birmingham added:

“Once again postage stamps show their remarkable ability to inform and raise people’s awareness of historic celebrations or important national and local events.

“Isle of Man Stamps and Coins are to be congratulated on these engaging and imaginative stamps included in a special miniature sheet to commemorate the State Visit of Pope Benedict XVI and the Beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman.

“The Beatification of Cardinal Newman promotes this man of God as an example of holiness and as the bearer of truth. He is a figure of international significance and these Isle of Man stamps will introduce Cardinal Newman and his witness to goodness and truth, to many people throughout the world who may not yet know him.”

The back of the special first day cover includes a specially written “Welcome to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI” by Cardinal Keith O’Brien and Archbishop Vincent Nichols.

>You can order now from the CTS website (stamps available from 11 August 2010)

[article by Peter Jennings in Independent Catholic News]

Children at Catholic primary schools across Britain have taken part in a project to welcome the Holy Father to our land, and have won prizes and trophies for their schools.

Run jointly by the Catholic Truth Society and the Association of Catholic Women, the Project invited children to find out about Pope Benedict and about the first Pope St Peter, and to write a prayer for the Papal Visit.

The result was astounding, with hundreds of entries pouring in from every corner of the country. In addition to the main winners, listed below, large numbers of children won certificates  and special prizes including CTS’s Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Simple Prayer Book. Every child taking part in the project received a commemorative holy picture.

The prayers for the Pope, and letters that some of the children wrote to him,  covered a range of topics:

“Dear God, please guide Pope Benedict on a safe route to England. We will make sure that Pope Benedict has a lovely time in England and make sure that he teaches us a lot about you.”

“Dear God, Please pray for Pope Benedict to have a safe journey to the United Kingdom. Hopes he settles in quick. Guarantee he will love it here.”

“Dear Holy Father…I am doing a project all about you for my school homework. I have found out lots of information in books and the Internet. However I really wanted to find out a few more things about you.
1. I have four fish and four cats. Have you ever had any pets?
2. I like to eat sausages. What do you like to eat?
3. I made my first Holy Communion last July when I was 8. What age were you when you made your 1^st Holy Communion?”

“I hope you are Okay do you enjoy your job?”

And the children were happy to explain who the Pope is and what he does:

“He wears a tall hat and long robes. He carries a cross and a staff. He teaches the world about Catholic religion by travelling around”

The main prizewinners in the project are:

Older children

1. Amie Donnelly, St Fidelis School. Erith, Kent
2. Matthew Tansey. Our Lady of Victories School, London SW15
3. Jointly Leah French and Caitlin Hickey, St Charles School, Richton, Lancs

Younger children

1. Wenzel Kinsky, London Oratory School, Junior House
2. Natalie Boner, St Kenneth’s School, East Kilbride
3. Stephanie Belton, St Joseph’s School, Darwen, Lincs

They win cash prizes for their schools as well as book prizes for themselves. The first winners in each section win a trophy to be kept for one year.

> The next competition will be run in 2011. CTS will mail schools to inform them about it. If you would like to be kept informed directly, why not sign up for CTS’s email newsletter?

> Find publications prepared for the Papal Visit here

When Ann Kissane Engelhart came across the online transcript of Pope Benedict speaking to children about making their first Communion, she knew, as a Catholic and an artist, that she wanted to share it by turning it into a children’s book.

“It’s a very charming dialogue,” Engelhart noted of the October 2005 meeting between the Pope and some children of Rome who had recently received their first Communion. “The idea of this scholar theologian speaking to eight-year-olds really struck me. They asked him questions about the Eucharist and he answered them off the cuff. He really spoke to them on their level, answering challenging questions with great depth but in a way they could understand.”

The dialogue inspired Engelhart, a American mother of two, to create a children’s book, “since otherwise I thought it might get lost like everything else in cyberspace.” Friendship with Jesus: Pope Benedict XVI Speaks to Children on Their First Holy Communion, was published last month by the Catholic Truth Society. Blogger and children’s author Amy Wellborn edited the dialogue for the book, and Engelhart provided the illustrations, using watercolour.

Discovering Pope Benedict

Engelhart noted that before she started this project, she didn’t know much about Pope Benedict, but after hearing him preach at Pope John Paul II’s funeral, “there was something that resonated with me. I was particularly touched by his homily at the Mass for the inauguration of his pontificate, where he already began to introduce the importance of friendship with Jesus as essential for a life of beauty and liberation. It was at that point that I began to read his books and follow his writings as Pope and discovered him to be an extraordinary teacher.”

It was during this time that she discovered his conversation with the children. She noted that the pope spoke to them about his own first Communion, and when they asked him how we can know that Jesus is in the Eucharist even though we can’t see him, she liked how he compared it to knowing electricity is turning on a light, even though the electricity can’t be seen.

Illustrating the Pope

Engelhart had been a school art teacher for many years and has a studio in her home where she teaches art classes and paints watercolors for customers, but this was her first time illustrating a book.

“It’s different, illustrating in general,” she noted, “and when you’re commenting on the Pope, you want to be as accurate and supportive of the ideas being expressed as possible. But I had been inspired by the Pope’s teachings and it encouraged me to want to do this project because of my faith. This book really is an expression of my faith.”

The project finally came together after several years, she noted, and this past spring while visiting her daughter, who was studying in Rome, “we actually gave a copy of the mock-up to the Pope during a general audience.”

A book for all

Though the Pope’s conversation is aimed at children, Engelhart noted that she hopes the book is something that will speak to entire families, who can read it together. “I would hope that (by reading the book) they have a greater understanding of the sacrament of Holy Communion, that they would see it as the beginning of a friendship with Jesus, that they’ll always stay close to Jesus, and that the book will hopefully make them interested in the words of the Holy Father.”

Friendship with Jesus is available now from the CTS website.

[This story is an adapted version of one published by The Long Island Catholic]

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The Catholic Truth Society’s Editor, Pierpaolo Finaldi, is father of four young children and an occasional author. He recently visited Holy Cross School in Catford, South-East London, to talk about the Pope’s forthcoming visit and to present CTS’s new children’s book Why does the Pope wear White? which was written with the help of children from the school.

Mr Finaldi said:

“The idea for the book came from all the brilliant questions the children had regarding the Pope: what he wears, what he does and why he’s coming. I think it’s really important for everyone to be involved with the Pope’s visit in September and hopefully this book can help children to get involved as well. We all need to know who the Pope is and what he represents for us Catholics, so that when he comes to visit we’ll go out to meet him with enthusiasm and knowledge.”

The book answers children’s questions like “Why does the Pope carry a big cross and wear a funny hat?” and “Why does the Pope choose a new name?”, and is illustrated with photographs of the Pope and drawings by the children themselves.

• To order the book visit www.cts-online.org.uk.
• Sample Q&As from the book follow below
  

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(Copyright Catholic Truth Society 2010, All Rights Reserved)

Why does the Pope wear white?

The Pope wears a beautiful long tunic called a ‘soutane’ (pronounced soo-tan) and a short cape over his shoulders called a ‘mozzetta’ (pronounced mot-set-a). Priests wear black and bishops wear purple and Cardinals wear red but only the Pope wears white, and he really stands out from the crowd!

For almost 1500 years, Popes used to wear red or purple, but then a monk who was a follower of St Dominic became Pope Pius the Fifth (or V in Roman numerals). He had always worn the white tunic or habit which Dominicans wear. So when he became Pope he decided to continue wearing white. Ever since then all the Popes have worn white.

Every Christian including you and I wore something white when we were baptised. It shows that our sins have been washed away by the water of baptism and that we are clean. The Pope shows all the world he is a Christian by wearing white.

Why does the Pope carry a big cross and wear a funny hat?

When Jesus asked St Peter to look after the Church, he said: “Peter do you love me? Then feed my sheep.” Jesus wanted Peter, who was the first Pope, to look after all Christians like a shepherd, protecting them and feeding them. Shepherds always carry a staff which helps them to walk ahead of the flock and with which they can protect their sheep.

Every bishop carries a staff called a crozier to show that they are the shepherds of their flock but only the Pope carries one with a cross on it.

Jesus loved us all so much that he gave his life for us on the cross to take away our sins. The Pope’s first job is to show the whole world how much Jesus loved every human being and there is no better way to do that, than to show Jesus on the cross with his arms opened wide, welcoming everyone.

The Pope’s hat is called a mitre. Its shape reminds us of the tongues of fire which appeared on the heads of the apostles. It tells us that the Pope and all the Bishops have been given the Holy Spirit to help them.

Monsignor John Dale, National Director of Missio, writes:

Pope Benedict received in audience the National Directors of Missio from across the world as they concluded their annual conference in Rome on Friday 21 May. This yearly gathering allocates the funding to the Church’s 1069 mission dioceses for the coming year.

Mgr John Dale, National Director of Missio in England and Wales, presented to the Holy Father the materials produced by the Catholic Truth Society which are especially designed to help the Catholics of England and Wales to prepare for his visit to the UK in September.

The Pope was very grateful to receive this symbol of welcome, which expressed the eagerness with which the Catholics in England and Wales are looking forward to his visit.

To find out more about

• Missio: www.missio.org.uk
  Missio is the new name of the Pontifical Mission Societies in England and Wales

• The Catholic Truth Society: www.cts-online.org.uk

Anticipating the announcement of a new Vatican office to promote the New Evangelisation, Ignatius Press and the Catholic Truth Society (CTS) have launched a programme to make the Catholic faith more widely-known throughout North America. This new joint international apostolate will conveniently and cost-effectively provide CTS’s popular booklets to parishes and other Catholic outlets.

>>> North American Customers: www.ignatius-cts.com

>>> UK and International Customers: www.cts-online.org.uk

Papal Visit, 16–19 September 2010

Pope Benedict, long known for his affection for the Church in Britain, will make what promises to be an historic visit in September. The central act of the visit – the beatification of John Henry Cardinal Newman – will confirm the faith of Catholics in these shores, and give encouragement to those who are currently seeking admission to the Catholic Church.

This is also a golden opportunity for the Church to evangelise, to bring a positive message about our faith to the many in today’s world who need to hear it.

How you can get involved
There are a number of ways you can personally contribute to the success of the visit:

• CTS’s spiritual bouquet for the Holy Father. The most important thing we can do to support the Pope is to pray for the success of his visit. CTS has set up a special panel in our home page where those who wish can register the prayers they would like to contribute to our spiritual bouquet to be presented by CTS to the Holy Father.

• Prepare yourself and your parish for the visit. CTS has published a booklet which you can use to prepare yourself, your parishioners, friends and family for this great event: The Pope in Britain – Preparing for the Visit with Prayers and Devotions. See here for more details of books for children and adults which we have published to promote interest in the Holy Father and in Newman.

• Find out more. The Bishops of England and Wales have set up a website www.thepapalvisit.org.uk where you can keep abreast of the latest news on the visit. They also need our help in their national drive to raise funds for the visit.

• Support Cardinal Newman’s cause. Jack Sullivan’s miraculous cure through Newman’s intercession is the basis for this year’s beatification (see CTS’s booklet, Cardinal Newman, the Story of a Miracle). Now is the time for as many people as possible to start asking Newman for favours in order to obtain his canonisation.
  To help with this, CTS has worked with the Oratorian fathers to produce a beautiful little Newman Prayer Book, including a Novena to him.