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HomeNewsVicariate for Faith & Mission Update (April 2025)

Vicariate for Faith & Mission Update (April 2025)

April 1 2025

Update from the Vicariate

Dear Friends,

As we continue our Lenten journey, I hope you are discovering grace, hope, and mercy along the way.

We continue to pray for Pope Francis, both for his health and for the wisdom in his leadership as he guides the Church forward.

Recently, we received an invitation from Rome to dedicate 2026 to implementing synodality. This is welcome news, affirming the themes expressed in Bishop Stephen’s pastoral letter from March 2025, which is available on our website and well worth reflecting upon.

The Synod calls us to deepen our commitment to communion, participation, and mission. As we approach Holy Week, we see these themes come to life; Palm Sunday reminds us of the joy of community, Holy Thursday calls us to humble service, Good Friday reveals the cost of love and fidelity, and Easter Sunday proclaims the triumph of hope.

In the coming months, we have a range of formation opportunities designed to support and nurture our faith, both individually and as a community. These include a workshop on faith sharing, a programme on Accompaniment, and the chance to discern your unique gifts through the Called & Gifted programme.

We are also exploring new ways to make formation more accessible and would love to hear what you would find helpful, whether in terms of content or format. As part of this, we are experimenting with virtual learning and podcasts. If you’d like to be part of a pilot group, please get in touch.

Let us continue walking together in faith and hope.

Amy Cameron, Director of Formation and Mission Development.

Year of Jubilee 2025

Dear Pilgrims of Hope!

How adventurous are you?

Have you ever thought of yourself as adventurous or an accompanier? No, me neither, but then I stumbled across this transformative formation programme that helped me to deepen my understanding of walking with others in faith, helping to recognise and respond to God’s call in everyday life. Whatever your background or experience, this programme is for ‘Everyday Catholics’ just like us.

Through a series of engaging sessions, we’ll explore the art of accompaniment, learning how to support and inspire those around us. Whether it’s through casual conversations or sustained relationships, our Adventurous Accompaniment programme equips us with the tools to make a meaningful impact. Join us and become part of a community that listens, shares, and grows together in the spirit of synodality.

Amy and Emma from the Formation & Mission Development team are offering you the opportunity to join them for this pilot programme. Over a series of six sessions, we will be exploring how to accompany others whether informally while out talking with your neighbour or over a sustained relationship with family and friends.

Still interested? Get in touch with me, Emma, at: adminfaith.mission@diocesehn.org.uk and find out about joining our Adventurous Accompaniment community!

Pilgrimage for Pentecost Challenge!

As we journey into the Easter Season, have you considered organising a Pilgrimage for Pentecost?

The Jubilee motto is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ and we’re invited on a spiritual journey as people of Hope, searching for an ever-deeper connection with God. Pilgrimages, journeys of spiritual and personal significance, offer profound opportunities for reflection and renewal. They can take us to sacred sites, historical landmarks, or even local places of importance, and help us connect deeply with our faith, heritage, and community. As we travel, we can meditate, pray, and share with each other, and that can give us a richer understanding of the Jubilee’s themes of justice, mercy, and forgiveness. Pilgrimages are a great way to rejuvenate our spirits, strengthen our bonds with each other, and draw inspiration for the path ahead.

Check out our information and resources here for some ideas and suggestions.

This Year of Jubilee we’re all invited and encouraged to:

  • Rediscover the value of silence, hope and simplicity of life.
  • Be pilgrims on a quest to deepen our relationship with God and with each other as members of One Diocesan Family.
  • Accompany each other through prayer, welcome and witness.

There’s a long history of Pilgrimage, for those with faith and those without. It’s a chance to reflect on life’s journey and to share reflections with one another. And it’s about accompaniment. Pope Francis calls us to walk with others, listening to how God might be at work in each other’s context and circumstances.

The North East is a land of great Christian historical significance. Many local Saints have gone before us and will have walked, prayed and discerned God’s daily call on the ground that is our Diocese. We are invited to walk where they walked, as Pilgrims of Hope.

So, if you are still feeling inspired by pilgrimages, perhaps you can find others from your parish, partnership or schools who would like to help organise something, whatever the distance, wherever you go and take on the Pilgrimage to Pentecost challenge!

Parishes and Schools Celebrating the Jubilee Together

Schools have embraced the Jubilee with a huge amount of energy, deepening faith, reflecting on hope and putting faith into action by preparing to take a Jubilee pledge of solidarity and transformation. Please visit our page for ideas for parishes and schools to celebrate the Jubilee together.

Please visit the Diocesan Year of Jubilee page: https://bit.ly/DHNjubilee2025 for all the latest news, information and events or email the Diocesan Jubilee team at: jubilee2025@diocesehn.org.uk.

May the Year of Jubilee 2025 be a Beacon of Hope.

Re-imagining Baptism Conference: 9 - 10 May

Baptism is transformative, it is the gateway to Christ. Come and join a national conversation about how baptism is understood in the life of the Church today, how to reawaken a baptismal mindset in our families and parishes and how might we spread the light of hope today.

This national conference is being hosted by the Agency for Evangelisation and Catechesis from the Archdiocese of Southwark, and Baptism Collaborative. For further information and details on how to register, please view our event listing.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please get in touch with Deacon Martin Bell at martin.bell@diocesehn.org.uk for opportunities to meet others from our Diocese.

Season of Lent

Holy Week Reflections

The Holy Week Reflection Booklet will be available to view and download in time for Palm Sunday here. This will take the form a shorter booklet, which will offer a daily reflection on the readings from Palm Sunday and throughout Holy Week.

CAFOD Prayers and Reflections

Our prayer as a global community is more important than ever. Let’s stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the world as we pray together with them and for all people who are experiencing poverty.

Browse our collection of prayers, bidding prayers, reflections, liturgy and resources on a wide range of themes and throughout the liturgical year.

Please visit CAFOD’s website at https://cafod.org.uk/pray/prayer-resources for prayer resources for Lent, Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost.

Evangelisation

Evangelisation for the Terrified

‘Evangelising for the Terrified’, written and produced within the Diocese, is a practical, light-hearted resource for anyone wondering how to get started in sharing their faith. It is deliberately written to be a simple, non-threatening collection of ideas that give intention and purpose to normal everyday opportunities that arise. Download a copy here.

Quick Link: Sharing the Faith.

Liturgy

The Eucharist: A Gift to be Nurtured

As part of our aim to promote growth and knowledge of the Eucharist, the Association of the Eucharist offer The Eucharist: A Gift to be Nurtured, which gives us words from Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis to guide time before the Blessed Sacrament. This resource can be used by both individuals and groups.

Association of the Eucharist

The Association of the Eucharist will be holding a Holy Hour on Sunday 6 April at St Andrew’s, Worswick Street, Newcastle from 2.30pm to 3.30pm. This will be followed by refreshments, everyone is welcome to come and spend an hour with the Lord.

Dialogue & Unity

The Interreligious Team are holding their annual Christian Muslim Prayers for Peace on Saturday 14 June, at 2.00pm in the peaceful surroundings of the Lady Chapel in Jesmond Dene.

Members of all faiths and none will be made most welcome. We need now more than ever to pray for peace in our world, communities and families. Our world peace seems highly fragile at the moment, and gathering in unity demonstrates our commitment to prayer for this important goal to be achieved.

Men and young children are allowed to attend with their families.

For more information, please email: interreligious.relations@diocesehn.org.uk.

Quick Link: Dialogue & Unity

Charismatic Diocesan Service of Communion (CDSC)

Life in the Spirit Seminars

Delivery of Life in the Spirit seminars since the beginning of last year has brought our way a growing number of inspirational speakers, and sisters and brothers ready to share how a greater openness to the Holy Spirit has transformed their lives. All being well further deliveries of the seminars will be offered before the summer and in the autumn. More details to follow.

News from the Emmanuel community

The Emmanuel community will be meeting again on Saturday 28 June 2025 from 10.30am to 4.00pm on the theme of ‘The Importance of Belonging’ with various speakers and testimonies. To book a place contact Pat Kennedy at: pat.kennedy42@icloud.com or call: 07546 302832.

Walker’s Bridge of Hope

Plans for Walker’s Bridge of Hope in Walker Park from 11.00am to 2.00pm on Saturday 3 May 2025 are moving at a pace. Contributions to the Faith tent are now all confirmed, drawing widely on the Walker church groups. Contributions to the community tent are also falling into place with a range of activities on offer for children and families. Please pray that many in Walker will take advantage of this opportunity to experience the hope that knowing our blessed Lord brings.

Join us too in the following prayer that sisters and brothers in Walker are now praying.

Walk with us Lord Jesus
As we build Walker’s bridge of hope
Let your love flow
Kindle in us your Holy Spirit
Enrich our community with your love and unity
Renew the hearts and minds of Walker

Mass for Pentecost

Please join us for our Mass for Pentecost at St Mary’s Cathedral, Newcastle on Saturday 31 May from 1.00pm. We look forward to seeing many in the Renewal family, and many who are new to Renewal, coming together in communion. As our contribution to the year of Jubilee, our theme this year is “Hope does not disappoint”. A poster promoting the Mass is now available here.

Mailing list

With the support of the Vicariate for Faith and Mission we have created a mailing list for people to hear more detailed information about Charismatic Renewal opportunities within the Diocese and beyond. If you would like to be added to this mailing list, please email your name to charis@diocesehn.org.uk.

John Wheeler, Co-ordinator Hexham and Newcastle Diocesan Service of Communion.

Email: charis@diocesehn.org.uk

Quick Link: CHARIS

Diocesan Church Music Association

A Call for Volunteers with the Gift of Music

Music makes the world of difference to our lives, especially in our worship. Vatican II recognised ‘the importance of singing‘ in the celebration of the Mass and that it should be ‘integral to worship‘ with ‘due consideration for the culture of the people and abilities of each liturgical assembly‘.

The Diocesan Church Music Association (DCMA) is a body of volunteer musicians within Hexham and Newcastle who aim to help parishes in their use of music for the Mass. We offer practical help and guidance to parish musicians, considering that each parish will have its own musical ‘house-style’. This may be a traditional choir-and-organ setup, an instrumental group, a praise & worship band, or perhaps unaccompanied singing. Previously we have put on singing days and workshops to highlight new Mass settings, simple Communion songs, music for the Triduum, as well as a ‘keyboard-free’ workshop for those parishes who do not have a pianist or organist.

We welcome new members to join the Diocesan Church Music Association team. Our current team members are all from the Durham area, but our aim is always to have representatives from all areas of the Diocese to help inform and plan our work.

For anyone interested in finding out more information about joining the DCMA, please email dcma@diocesehn.org.uk

Quick Link: DCMA

Marriage & Family Life

Marriage Preparation Days

2025:

Saturday 26 April, St Hilda, Sunderland SR5 2JD.
Saturday 14 June: St Thomas Aquinas, Darlington DL1 2PU.
Saturday 21 June: The Sacred Heart, North Gosforth NE3 5EB.

(Other dates and venues will be notified to each Parish Priest and Deacon as arranged.)

Engaged couples can find more information here.

To find and book on a course, please visit our website or call the booking service: 0800 389 3801 (NB. In person and online courses are available).

Fees payable to MarriageCare are given on the website and will cover the costs of the resources and materials that will be provided on the day for each couple; they also include an element of cost towards the counselling arm of MarriageCare, an important facility very well called upon in present society. At the end of the day of attendance, couples will be provided with details to go online to MarriageCare to print their certificates, one of which should be handed to the Parish Priest and the other retained.

Priests, Deacons and lay people may email: marriage@diocesehn.org.uk for further information or Deacon Rob Wareing directly, if required.

Deacon Rob Wareing, Diocesan Lead for Marriage and Family Life

Email: rob.wareing@diocesehn.org.uk
Mobile: 07841 530991

Quick Links: Family & Sacraments Marriage Care

Spiritual Accompaniment

Exploring Spiritual Accompaniment

Spiritual Accompaniment has been part of the Christian tradition and a ministry in the Church since the days of the early Church. It is often called Spiritual Direction, although we prefer the term ‘accompaniment’ because it suggests walking alongside someone in their spiritual/faith journey, rather than telling them what to do!

Spiritual Accompaniment is not about solving problems so much as exploring our relationship with God, through prayer and reflection on our experience of faith and life.

A Spiritual Director is not there to give advice or tell you what to believe in, but rather to listen attentively and act as a ‘sounding board’ for whatever you bring to the session.

Spiritual Accompaniment sessions usually take place every couple of months or so, depending on the circumstances of the individuals involved.

Maybe you feel called to this ministry or know someone who might be interested. St Antony’s Priory in Durham offers training. Sr Sheila McNamara RSCJ, the Diocesan Lead on Spiritual Accompaniment, is part of the training team for the two-year course.

Training in Spiritual Accompaniment

‘Exploring Spiritual Accompaniment’ is a two-year programme of formation that provides both an opportunity for personal spiritual development, as well as offering practical and experiential training in the skills applicable to accompanying others on their faith journey.

Our approach to Spiritual Accompaniment is ecumenical, drawing on a broad range of Christian wisdom and spirituality, as well as being informed by the Guidelines for Spiritual Directors, published by the Retreat Association.

A key principle undergirding the course is that it should be congruous with the process of spiritual accompaniment itself. Rather than simply being a programme of training in skills or knowledge, it should also be seen as a process of discernment and formation in the charism of this distinctive ministry.

The course will comprise eight modules taught over two academic years. Each module will include a significant element of self-directed learning. This will provide an opportunity to reflect on matters considered between sessions, as well as enabling a focus on the development of listening skills and the practice of accompaniment.

“The course has vastly exceeded my expectations on every level. The depth and spread of topics covered, the reading and the materials (physical and online) and individual and group experiential aspects have all been extremely rich and stretching.”

Please see St Antony’s website – Spiritual Direction section – for more information or email Sr Sheila: sheila.mcnamara@diocesehn.org.uk.

Quick Link: Spiritual Accompaniment

Deepening Our Faith

Scientists In Congregations

Scientists in Congregations provides funds and resources for projects that creatively change the conversation by developing a deeper engagement with scientists, theologically, pastorally, or in mission. Applications close on Wednesday 30 April 2025. For more information on Scientists in Congregations and to apply, please visit: https://www.eclasproject.org/congregations/.

Catholic Pastoral Leadership Course

Are you involved in any ministry in the Church? Are you interested in doing more for the Church? Do you want to expand your skills in pastoral leadership? A new online course in Catholic Pastoral Leadership might be what you are looking for.

Liverpool Hope University has partnered with several Catholic dioceses across England and Wales to help people like you to gain fresh perspectives on Scripture and Church teaching. You will look at real-world issues in the light of our tradition and consider the best ways of exploring Christian faith and life with others. The 2-year course is split into 4 modules and you can complete most of the work at a time that suits you.

To find out more information about the course, please visit our website.

Alpha

Alpha in a Catholic Context

Alpha is an 11-week course that creates a space, online or in person, where people are excited to bring their friends for a conversation about Jesus.

Alpha is a parish tool for evangelisation where everyone is welcome. The same Alpha content is run all over the world, by Christians of all traditions, sharing the good news of Jesus.  Alpha is a tool built for local churches based on hospitality, sharing and open conversation. It provides a common expression of proclamation, service and witness. Millions of people have experienced Alpha in over 175 countries and over 100 languages around the globe.

Each session has three key ingredients:

Connect

Whether in person over a meal or virtually with a cup of tea, all sessions start with a time to connect, relax and build friendships. Eating food together creates space for people to connect and share life on a deeper level.

Watch

The Alpha talks are designed to engage people from all walks of life and inspire conversation. They explore the big issues of life and faith and unpack the basics of Christian belief, addressing questions like “Who is Jesus?”, “Why and how do I pray?” and “How does God guide us?”

Discuss

The discussion time is an opportunity for people to respond to the talk, hear from others and contribute their own perspective in an honest, friendly and open environment.

Alpha for Catholics Introductory Video

ALPHA Youth Series

A new way for young people to explore life, faith and purpose.

Made for this generation, the new Alpha Youth Series creatively unpacks the real questions young people have. The series, consisting of 10 episodes, run over 8 weeks, introduces and explores the core ideas of the Christian faith, in a relevant and engaging way.

To find out more about the Alpha Youth Series or how to run Alpha Youth in a Catholic context, please contact the Vicariate.

Alpha for Youth

Are you thinking about running an Alpha group?

Visit: https://alpha.org.uk/try or email: adminfaith.mission@diocesehn.org.uk.

Bereavement Support

People continue to request support following the death of a loved one. Most requests have come via the dedicated phone (07732 980740) and people are put in touch with a member of the Bereavement Support Team very quickly. Some people have been personally encouraged by a friend or relative to contact our service.

The Emmaus Bereavement Support Service number is 07732 980740 a member of the team will contact you promptly.

Quick Link: Accompaniment in Difficult Times.

Reflections

Fr Sean Hall continues to offer his weekly reflections on the Sunday Readings and Pat Kennedy her monthly reflections, both available to read online or download in the Prayer Resources section.

Contact Us

Contact the Vicariate of Faith & Mission by email: adminfaith.mission@diocesehn.org.uk or by telephone 0191 243 3316 / 07375 934713 during office hours.

Visit our Vicariate for Faith & Mission News page here.