By Fr Philip Miller, Ethnic Chaplain Coordinator
Over 30 of the ethnic chaplains who work daily with our many immigrant Catholic communities in a collaborative way across the dioceses of Brentwood, Southwark & Westminster came together this week (22nd June) for one of their regular pastoral and spiritual gatherings.
They came for a Day of Recollection to the Youth Ministry Retreat Centre in Pinner first to study the important principles underlying diocesan safeguarding protocols in a session led by Westminster’s SafeguardingCo-Ordinator, Geraldine Allen, and the Chair of Westminster Safeguarding Committee, Baroness O’Loan, and then in an afternoon session to meditate on the mission of St John the Baptist and how it speaks to our own ministry in challenging times. This was presented by Jesuit priest, Fr Jean Nyembo from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, currently residing at St Ignatius’s, Stamford Hill.
Mass for the retreat day was celebrated by Bishop Paul McAleenan, the auxiliary bishop with pastoral oversight of the Ethnic Chaplaincies, and many of the chaplains concelebrated this Mass in honour of our great English martyrs, SS John Fisher & Thomas More. Bishop Paul observed in his homily that each and every Catholic community, from wherever it originates, has its heroes of faith, martyrs for Christ, who urge us to that greater and more faithful Christian witness. Our English duo of martyrs from 1535, SS John Fisher & Thomas More, speak powerfully to our own age, and engender a particularly poignant devotion that British Catholics like to share with those who come from other parts of the Church to this country.
The Ethnic Chaplains’ meetings that take place through the year always have a great camaraderie about them, and provide a way for the Church in our London dioceses to thank and encourage our ethnic chaplains for the invaluable ministry they offer their people, often in tiring and ‘roving’ ways involving much travel around the parishes. May God truly bless them!
If you want to find and get in touch with one of our ethnic chaplains, then go to https://rcdow.org.uk/directory/ethnic-chaplaincy/
