Catholic and Loving it!

When Terrence Drainey became Bishop Terence Drainey many of us were quite concerned and there was a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth across the blogs. This is the man, remember, who famously said "Some foreign priests working in Britain tend to be too dogmatic about the church's moral rightness on just about everything", "That's not how we do things here".

Well, I have to say a big well done to the man at the top because his letter this Vocations Sunday was excellent...

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It is time for us to turn our minds to the topic of "Vocations". This year the Holy Father has chosen as his theme for Good Shepherd Sunday: Vocations at the service of the Church on mission. Each one of us is called to bear witness and to announce the Gospel, but this missionary dimension is associated in a special way with the priestly vocation. In his letter on vocations Pope Benedict says: Among those totally dedicated to the service of the Gospel, are priests, called to preach the word of God, administer the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation, committed to helping the lowly, the sick, the suffering, the poor, and those who experience hardship in areas of the world where there are, at times, many who still have not had a real encounter with Jesus Christ.

We often think of "mission" and "missionaries" in terms of other countries and other people. A Church without a missionary dimension is no Church at all. If our Church in the Diocese of Middlesbrough is to be genuinely the Church of Jesus Christ, then it has to have missionary outreach both at home and further afield.

Every priest, just as every Christian, has to be a missionary, whether he is working in Middlesbrough, Hull, York or even Africa, the Far East or South America. However, these vocations do not appear out of thin air. We have been told that we must 'pray to the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into his harvest' ((Mt. 9:38). We must also do all we can to create favourable conditions for vocations to grow and develop. 'Vocations to the ministerial priesthood and to the consecrated life can only flourish in a spiritual soil that is well cultivated. Christian communities that live the missionary dimension of the mystery of the Church in a profound way will never be inward looking.' (The Pope's Letter for Vocation Sunday)

Since the last letter on vocations we have celebrated the funeral of Bishop Augustine Harris, emeritus bishop of our diocese. Also Mgr Pat Lannen and Fr Tony Storey have gone to God. May the Lord grant them eternal rest.

At the moment we have four students studying for the priesthood, two in Rome and two at Ushaw. Please keep them in your prayers. Remember all those who are trying to discern their vocation and those who help them.

Like everything in our world, the cost of training men for the priesthood continues to rise. Please be as generous as you can in contributing to the priests' training fund, and perhaps there are some who might consider this particular cause when making a will.

Yours in joyful hope

+Terence Patrick

Bishop of Middlesbrough

He quotes the Pope. He uses the phrase "Each one of us is called to bear witness and to announce the Gospel", but this is the part that gives me real joy and hope for our diocese (emphasis mine):

A Church without a missionary dimension is no Church at all. If our Church in the Diocese of Middlesbrough is to be genuinely the Church of Jesus Christ, then it has to have missionary outreach both at home and further afield.

On first glance it might not seem like a big deal, but these are seriously strong words. Bishop Drainey speaks the unspeakable: The very serious possiblity that we, as a diocese, could actually fail to be genuinely the Church of Jesus Christ. Bishop Drainey doesn't say "Our Church in the Diocese of Middlesbrough is genuinely the Church of Jesus Christ". He says "If". If we are to be genuinely the Church of Jesus Christ, then.... This is a very serious if.

These words remind me in no small way of the "Fit For Mission" review in the Lancaster diocese. Bishop Donohoue started by writing "Our parishes, too, must look to what encourages or impedes mission "How can we make ourselves fit for mission?". In the Fit For Mission guide it says: "It is vital to the life of the diocese that we all realise that mission is essential to the nature of the Church.".

Vital to the life of the diocese

Essential to the nature of the Church

A Church without a missionary dimension is no Church at all

Go go English Bishops. You've got it! It's not married women priests and general absolutions we need. It's Evangelisation.

Thanks to Bishop Drainey for a great letter, I look forward to the next...