The event attracted in excess of 140 people from the various parishes in the Deanery, and involved a number of workshops, led by gifted speakers. These were followed by questions to a panel of experts, and a closing Mass was celebrated at 3.00 pm, in which the young people took an active part.
The event was organised to encourage Catholics, and others, to consider more deeply the words that the Holy Father spoke to us on his visit—because they were words which merited close examination and deep reflection, and words which should lead to action. Father Timothy Menezes, in his opening address, suggested that because Pope Benedict came on a State Visit was an indication that Her Majesty the Queen expected that what he had to say would be of benefit to everyone in the country. In a special way, however, his words were a call to the Catholics of England:
A call to Holiness
A call to Service
A call to Witness
A call to Dialogue with other Christians
A call to dialogue with other faiths
A call to dialogue with the world.
All these topics were covered in the various workshops run by Fr Agnellus Murphy, Helen Moseley (CAFOD), Sr Gillian Murphy, Fr Paul Moss, Bill Ozanne and Bishop David McGough. The panel of experts consisted of Sr Gillian, Bishop David McGough, Fionnuala Hegarty (Headteacher of St John Fisher Catholic High School) Fr Agnellus Murphy, Helen Moseley and Rob Flello (MP for Stoke South) - Questions from the participants were ably chaired by James O’Hara (BBC Radio Stoke).
As well as being an enjoyable event, enabling Catholics from all over the Deanery to meet and pray together, the day was thought-provoking and inspiring, and provided another opportunity, as we approach the first anniversary of the Papal visit, for Catholics to consider their witness in the world and in their local communities. Twelve months on from the Beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman, heart is still speaking to heart.
