Dear Brothers and Sisters,
 
Towards the end of last year, on the Friday before the Feast of Christ the King, there was a gathering of 500+ young people from all over the diocese at the Cathedral. It was a really good celebration. The title of the event was the “Be-Attitudes – what makes you happy?” So I had to say in a few lines what made me happy. Have you ever tried that – what really makes you happy, in just a few short lines? Its hard!
 
Just over 70 years ago a young Jewish girl, imprisoned in Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp was thinking about happiness amid the trauma and atrocities of that hell-hole. Anne Frank, in her diary, wrote: “When I looked outside right into the depth of Nature and God, then I was happy, really happy …. Riches can all be lost, but that happiness in your own heart can only be veiled, and it will still bring you happiness again, as long as you live … As long as you can look fearlessly up into the heavens ….” (Wednesday, 23 February, 1944)
 
Pope Francis, just a few weeks ago, speaking to young people throughout the world on the 30^th World Youth Day, Palm Sunday said: ‘Some of you feel, or will soon feel, the Lord’s call to married life, to forming a family. I also ask you to consider whether you are being called to the consecrated life or the priesthood. How beautiful it is to see young people who embrace the call to dedicate themselves fully to Christ and to the service of his Church! Challenge yourselves, and with a pure heart do not be afraid of what God is asking of you! From your “yes” to the Lord’s call, you will become new seeds of hope in the Church and in society. Never forget: God’s will is our happiness!’(29.03.2015, Pope Francis’ Homily at Palm Sunday Mass)
 
Self-serving never achieves happiness. To find true happiness we have to go out of ourselves and learn to be fulfilled in something or someone else. We are called to live beyond our own personal needs, even those of our family, or local community, or parish. Indeed, for a truly happy and fulfilled person there are no boundaries to charity. This inevitably demands sacrifice, putting others first. Jesus says this succinctly and clearly in today’s Gospel: ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep.’ (John 10.11, 14-15)
 
Each of us has a vocation, a calling to happiness which is fulfilled in serving God and our neighbour. Some of us were taught this off-by-heart a long time ago in the Catechism: God made me to know Him, love Him and serve Him in this world, and be happy with Him forever in the next. Many male and female religious in our diocese witness to these truths quietly and constantly, day-in and day-out. Thanks be to God for them! Many of you, sitting listening to this Pastoral Letter are doing exactly the same in your marriage, in your work, in your dedication as single people, young and old. We are witnesses to the Father’s call to each one of us to be loved and to love as we heard in our second reading: ‘Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God’s children … but … in the future …. we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is.’ (1John 3.1,2) Our priests and deacons find their true happiness and joy also in serving the Lord who calls them, and in serving the people to whom they are sent. They model their lives after the example of Christ, the Good Shepherd and discover that in laying down their lives they find the true meaning of life itself.
 
All of us, through our baptism, confirmation and others through ordination are consecrated to the Lord and called by him to go out and bring his message of love and mercy to the world. If we do not do it as priests and deacons, as married and dedicated single people, as male and female religious, as God’s People young and old, who will do it? The message needs to be proclaimed: ‘It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in men. I will thank you for you have answered and you are my saviour. My God, I praise you. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his love has no end.’(Psalm 117 from today’s Mass)
 
Who today will accept the challenge and recognise that: God’s will is our happiness!’? Who among us is brave enough to tell the whole world that: ‘… of all the names …. given to men, (Jesus Christ the Nazarene) is the only one by which we can be saved.’? (Acts 4.12)
 
Yours in blessed hope,
 

 
 
Bishop of Middlesbrough
03.04.2015, Good Friday
We have four seminarians offering themselves for the diocese one of whom will be ordained this July, Philip Cunnah. We also have one candidate for ordination to the Permanent Diaconate, Bob Shakesby, who will also be ordained in July. Please keep them in your prayers.