A crowd of over 800, including at least one Iraqi victim of kidnap and torture, turned out on a decidedly cool evening to cheer on the players at the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough as they took to the field for a very special football match in aid of the Baghdad Children’s Cancer Hospital, a 40@40 event organised by Fr Paul Farrer and friends as part of Fr Paul’s bid to raise £40,000 for good causes in this his 40th year. Read More

BBC newsman speaks on behalf of Fairtrade

During an obviously busy speaking schedule George Alagiah OBE, BBC newsman, Fairtrade Foundation patron and well-known Catholic found himself at the pristine Ahmadiyya Mosque in Hartlepool on a beautiful afternoon in early May speaking to an audience of around 100 people. Following introductions by Martin Green of the Hartlepool Fairtrade Working Group and a warm welcome by Bilal Atkinson on behalf of the Ahmadiyya community, Mr Alagiah spoke first of how privileged he felt to be in a mosque and recalled the Muslim devotions he had seen as a child in Ghana. He said that he felt as if he were “a brick in the bridge we’re building between communities”. Read More

One of the targets of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan was to encourage the singing of the Mass, especially on Sundays. However, a question which is often asked is what do we mean exactly when we talk about a ’sung Mass’? This is a question I’ve been asked to respond to.

The liturgical commission of the diocese of Brisbane recently noted that, ‘When congregational singing became part of liturgical celebrations after Vatican II, there was a tendency to fall prey to the ‘4-hymn syndrome’. Whereas the General Instruction on the Roman Missal says that, ‘In choosing the parts to be sung, preference should be given to those to be sung by the priest with the congregation responding…’ (#19). Therefore, it is the acclamations and responses which should be given priority in our musical repertoires. Read More

CAFOD in Central America

By the time you read this, I will be in Honduras on the first part of an International Programme Visit which will also include visiting CAFOD’s Central America office and partners in Nicaragua. I feel very privileged that CAFOD has given me this opportunity to see for myself the impact of CAFOD’s work in this part of the world. Read More

Bishop Terence met socially with staff from Ushaw College on Tuesday 6th May at Bishops House. Read More

Bishop Terence met socially with students from Ushaw College on Thursday 1st May at Bishops House. Read More

Four months of celebrations to mark Ushaw College’s 200th anniversary are under way with the opening of an exhibition that runs until July. The exhibition, which is FREE, focuses the college’s origins, history, people and artefacts. It will be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm, until Sunday 13th July. Read More

The first of a series of six concerts to celebrate Ushaw College’s 200th anniversary went off to a great response. The Grand Opening Gala Concert took place on Saturday 26th April in Ushaw College’s St Cuthbert’s Chapel, and featured Ushaw Singers, Bede Wind Philharmonic and Bede Chorus. Around 300 people were at the concert, including about 100 performers. Read More

Original sketches of Ushaw College by the architect who helped design the Houses of Parliament have been reproduced for the exhibition to commemorate the college’s 200th anniversary.

The sketches were drawn by English architect and designer Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin. They date from the 1840s and show details from the architect’s designs for the college’s chapel. The originals – which are in the College archives have been scanned and reprinted using the latest digital technology. These reproductions of originals of more than 160 years ago are on display at the College in an exhibition that runs until July. The sketches were scanned by Napper Architects of Newcastle, and reprinted by Consett-based photographer Paul Green, of Upmyway Photography. Read More

St Mary’s Cathedral 10th Anniversary of the Children’s Liturgy Group

In 1997, three mothers decided the Cathedral should have a Children’s Liturgy Group and with the support of the late Fr Gerard Smyth, our group started in the church hall. A few years later, as the number of children grew, the group split into two; the ‘Angels’ for the younger children and the ‘Saints’ for the older ones. Throughout the years, the children have been involved in many activities in and out of the Cathedral including the children’s Christmas Eve Mass and Fun in the Park. The success of the group is based on the strength of faith of the parents involved and the desire for their children to learn more of God’s love. Read More