The Catenian Association Defends Traditional Marriage

Did you know that the Catenian Association was represented last night in a meeting in central London, called "to discuss how Catholics and others should oppose the Government's proposed same-sex marriage legislation"?  Many organisations, mostly Catholic, were represented at this meeting which was convened and chaired by the Chairman of the Catholic Union, Jamie Bogle (husband of Joanna).

You can read more over at "A Reluctant Sinner", who writes, "Without going into the details of what was discussed, it's fair to say that last night's meeting was extremely fruitful. Those present managed to lay some important foundations for a Catholic campaign to preserve the traditional and natural definition of marriage. Each representative was given the opportunity to share his or her views about the current proposed legislation, and all present were also encouraged to offer ideas as to how the Catholic – and wider – community should go about defending the current definition of marriage."

Have you signed the Coalition for Marriage petition yet?  If not, please do add your own voice in support of traditional marriage and family life, and do so; the petition can be found here.  C4M also has useful guidance for writing to your MP on the issue at the same link.

President's Charity 2012-13

With Bro Edek's term as Crawley Circle President due to commence this week, we thought you might appreciate some information about this year's President's Charity.

We will be supporting Just Different.  This is a charity set up in 2008 by Toby Hewson, a young man suffering from cerebral palsy, to educate children and young people about the world of disability and thus promote positive social attitudes towards disabled people.  Just Different take interactive workshops on disability - written, produced and presented by disabled people - into mainstream schools.  One of Horsham's Catholic primary schools, St John's, recently enjoyed one of their workshops which was very well received.

Toby Hewson, Just Different's founder

Bro Edek and I have found from our experience with our daughter Aila that out of the many challenges facing disabled people, one of the most crippling can be the fear of whether other people will be able to relate to them.  Will those they meet be able to see past the wheelchair to the "ordinary" person within?  How will this affect their working relationships?  How easy will it be to make friends?  Unfortunately their fears are not always unfounded, but this isn't necessarily because people bear ill-will towards them or are prejudiced.  Often it is because of simple misunderstanding which means that others aren't quite sure what to do, say or expect.

By working with young people, Just Different is tackling this problem at grass roots level.  A generation of youngsters growing up today with an understanding and appreciation of disabled people will lead to a truly inclusive society tomorrow.

Just Different offer their workshops free of formal charge, although they ask a suggested donation from the schools they visit.  They are keen to keep things on this basis and avoid charging large fees which many might find unaffordable, thus restricting access to their life-changing message.  However they need financial support - to, in their own words, "pay for the recruitment and training of disabled presenters, the travel costs associated with reaching the schools, workshop equipment and workshop development, so that we can bring about the changes we feel so passionately about."  They are therefore seeking voluntary forms of financial giving to support their costs.

Bro Edek and I also feel passionately about the aims and values of this charity and hope you will too.  To read more about them, visit www.justdifferent.org.

"We see a world in which difference is always valued. The earlier children and young people begin to learn about disability, the more likely they are to just accept it as a normal part of the world they live in for the rest of their lives. JustDifferent workshops demonstrate to children and young people that disabled people can achieve, participate and lead normal lives."

The Just Different team: "We may look or appear different
on the outside, but we are all the same on the inside".

A job well done

Good job,boys!

I'm sure everyone is dying to know how they did, so... I'm pleased to report that Bro President Mike and Bro Vice-President Edek did sterling work with the coffee and bacon this morning at our "cobs, cakes and cards" breakfast sale at St John's! 

Thank you very much, Brothers, for your hard work; particularly to Bro Mike for giving up a long, sunny Sunday morning to help us.  It is very much appreciated.  Thank you too to everyone who supported the event.  Nearly £300 was raised for Aila's Fund.

Let the Presidents take your order

Bro Mike has put in long years of
parish service in this capacity

This coming Sunday morning (22 April), why not save your appetite for a delicious bacon and egg breakfast at St John's RC Church, Horsham?  We will be serving bacon (and/or egg) rolls and coffee in the church hall after 9am Mass.  There will also be a cake sale and handcrafted greetings cards to purchase.  All proceeds will be going to "Aila's Fund".

Bro Edek's bacon is cooked...
don't worry, it tastes second to none

The catering will be headed up by Bro President Mike as Coffee Maker In Chief (thank you, Bro Mike) and Bro Vice-President Edek as Head Bacon Chef.  Both men have many years of experience and expertise in their roles, so if you're around, please do come along and let them serve you up a tasty treat!

Happy Easter!

A little early, but in anticipation of tonight's Easter Vigil & First Mass of the Resurrection, may I take this opportunity to wish all Catenians (and indeed all readers of this blog) a Very Happy Easter!

The BBC News website carries a report today that Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland, will in his Easter Sunday sermon urge his flock to "wear proudly a symbol of the Cross of Christ" each day of their lives.  This, of course, comes in the wake of controversy over whether Christians should be permitted to wear a cross in the workplace, with two British Airways employees taking the issue to the European Court of Human Rights.

The comments in the combox are mixed but, predictably, some are positively hostile towards Christianity.  Some writers feel that by wearing a cross or crucifix, we are trying to show that we think we're somehow "better" than everyone else and that we are going to get to heaven whilst the masses are not; others rebuke Christians for being preoccupied about their right to wear a symbol whilst not behaving in a way that demonstrates love and compassion to others; some have a very basic misunderstanding of the foundational truths of our faith. 

I don't often wear a crucifix but this is for reasons of vanity (another necklace matches my outfit better!) or forgetfulness/laziness in the morning.  I think it's a good thing to do, but it does pose a challenge to us, i.e. that we conform our lives to the symbol we are wearing...  Well, I suggested a challenge to us all after the Incoming Presidents' evening in Worthing and another at the beginning of Holy Week, so why not a third challenge for Easter!  Let's wear a cross with pride, but above all let's make sure that in everything we do and say, our lives are a real witness of our belief in the Risen Christ and of the love and grace He makes available to all people - and that we know sufficient about the teachings of our faith to be able to enlighten others (the Catholic faith is actually very reasonable). 

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)

All readers will be glad to reflect that Mark and Lucy are expected back from Australia soon. I'm sure that your blog editor will then keep a stern eye on me so that I don't have a chance to think up any more "Catenian challenges"....!

Happy Easter, again. Surrexit Christus, alleluia!

A Catenian "challenge" for Holy Week!

As we enter Holy Week, here is the Editorial of today's pro-life newsletter in St John's parish, Horsham.  I reproduce it here as a meditation because I think com-passion (i.e. "suffering with") is something that Catenians do, and should do, very well.  It can be seen for example in their concern for the widows of their Circles and in their fundraising efforts.  As such, Catenians are doing their bit towards building a worldview that sees the answer to suffering as the effort to walk with those who are treading their own Way of the Cross and, by bearing their burdens with them in lots of big and little ways, make them feel life is still worth living even in the midst of pain and incapacity.

"The Catenians.  Strengthening [all] life through friendship and faith."  We're doing well I think, but we can always do more!

* * * * * * * *

Holy Week... Jesus enters Jerusalem for the final days of His life, when, for our sakes, He will voluntarily shoulder a Cross as heavy as all the sins that ever were and ever will be committed, and will submit to suffering unto death.  Foolishness indeed to the world in general, as St Paul points out in 1 Corinthians, but to Christians “the power of God” – a pathway to blessings beyond imagination.

It is no different today.  Our society sees suffering as the evil to be avoided.  Death itself is preferable to it.  Not death arrived at through a process of seeing suffering through to the bitter end as Jesus did, but as an alternative, swallowed down quickly as a pill or potion or administered by lethal injection.  What happiness can there be when suffering makes its appearance on the scene?  What meaning and value can we find to our lives if they contain pain or severe physical limitations?

Seen through this perspective, euthanasia (or the abortion of a disabled foetus) becomes the compassionate – the only compassionate – option to offer the severely incapacitated.  The Catholic viewpoint, that we have no right to take our own or anyone else’s life whatever the circumstances, is seen as meaningless if not downright cruel.  Try to talk about the positive value of suffering and you are likely to be rhetorically stoned for, firstly, condemning someone to bear their pain no matter what and then for adding insult to injury by telling them suffering is good for their soul...

In fact this is the great message of Easter; that we will all find crosses, great or small, in our lives but that through faith in Christ those crosses – the things we most fear in life like pain, illness, paralysis - can be transformed into blessings.  What then is left to for us to be afraid of?  Encouraging someone to “hang on in there” is neither cruel nor pious nonsense because God “will not let you be put to the test beyond your strength but with any trial will also provide a way out by enabling you to put up with it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).  Where suffering abounds, grace abounds all the more, to slightly adapt the words of St Paul.

This isn’t an easy concept, especially as you probably have to walk some dark roads yourself before you can testify to the hidden light to be found there.  Such witnesses can be found.  Alison Davies is a sufferer from spina bifida who herself passed through a stage of wanting to die; now she works to promote a positive view of disability through No Less Human, a branch of SPUC.  Chelsea Zimmerman was paralysed from the chest down in a car accident whilst still a teenager; she is passionately pro-life and writes an inspirational blog, Reflections of a Paralytic.  Alison and Chelsea are witnesses to the light, people who have made – and are making – a difficult journey and learning along the way to value life all the more.  There are others like them, finding blessings and meaning blossoming like those hardy wild flowers one sees obstinately thriving between the rails of train lines or on rock faces.

Every flower must receive water and nourishment from somewhere, however.  As we meditate on what Holy Week can tell us about suffering and grace, can we also respond to the challenge it gives us?  Like Simon of Cyrene, Veronica and the women of Jerusalem, do we have hearts big enough to help shoulder the crosses of those who suffer so terribly -  showing them what comfort we can, weeping with them when the pain feels too much and, well, just loving them?  True compassion will always try to offer a reason to live, not a way to die.

*Perhaps it should be mentioned that this editorial is discussing unavoidable suffering.  Of course it is our duty to alleviate suffering and seek a cure wherever possible; but not at the price of deliberately taking a life.

Hail to all, on the Solemnity of the Annunciation

This being the blogsite of an organisation dedicated (as I love to repeat) to "strengthening family life through friendship and faith", we cannot let the Solemnity of the Annunciation go by without a mention!  This day marks the beginning of the Incarnation and of our final, definitive salvation - and that salvation takes place within the context of a family, the Holy Family.  What clearer indication do we need of God's will, not only that the family (based on the marriage of a man and a woman) should be the foundation of our society and of our growth as individual Christians, but that "family" is the context in which we should see the Church and all Christian organisations?

So - to my brothers and sisters in Christ, a very Happy Feast Day!

View from the Verandah

View from the verandah

While Anneli holds the fort so well, your Editor is busy doing nothing in the Queensland outback - the little town of Springsure to be exact - waiting for his daughter to produce his second grandchild.

The first thing that happened here after we arrived was a race meeting organized by the local Catholic church for the whole community - yes, real horses, not battery powered ones! Everyone in the area attended and they were all dressed up to the nines - the women as for a wedding, the men in smart Akubra hats.

I think it must be the friendliest place on earth. Everyone knows my daughter, who is the local physio, and I can't go anywhere without getting into conversation with someone.

The cliff at the right of the hills in the distance is called The Virgin's Rock, because there is a rock formation which looks exactly like the Madonna and child. As you'll have gathered the Catholic presence is strong here.

Thinking of you all!

Kind hospitality from Worthing & Chanctonbury Circle

Three members of Crawley Circle and two ladies enjoyed a night out at the Windsor Hotel in Worthing yesterday, courtesy of Worthing & Chanctonbury Circle.  Bro Mike Newman, Bro Peter Mullarky, Anne Mullarky and Bro Edek and myself were treated to generous hospitality and had a very pleasant evening indeed.  We were delighted that Bro Philip Gidman, a member of course of Crawley Circle as well as of Worthing & Chanctonbury, and Mrs Arleen Gidman were also present.

Each year Worthing & Chanctonbury Circle hosts a "Ladies' Night" meeting and dinner to which all the incoming Presidents of the Province are invited.  It's an excellent way for those about to take on the office to swap notes, receive advice and generally be bolstered up!  As outgoing Worthing & Chanctonbury President Bro Neville de Moraes pointed out in his Welcome to visiting brothers and guests, it's also a nice opportunity for incoming Presidents' wives to get to know a few faces and names from other Circles.

One of those poised to take up his Presidency was Bro Joe Fackler of Seaford Circle, who will be stepping up to the plate as Provincial President.  I don't know if he's at all daunted at the prospect but he seemed very relaxed as he responded to Bro Neville on behalf of visiting brothers and guests; he'll evidently be taking the upcoming year in his stride!

The only slightly negative note sounded during a fabulous evening came when Past President Bro Philip Gidman stood up to present the New Members' Cup for the past year (won by Hastings with three new members).  Crawley Circle had come joint second with Arundel, both achieving two new members.  Bro Philip drew a contrast between these figures and those achieved in neighbouring Provinces such as West London.  Figures in the north of the country tended to be higher generally than in the south-east and demonstrated that the Catenian Association is not - as it can sometimes be tempting to think in this part of the country - on the decline, but still very much a relevant and attractive organisation for modern men and their families.  It was time, Bro Philip suggested, to think seriously about how we can "up the ante" in our Province during the year ahead and get some fresh faces on board.

There's a challenge, not only for our new Presidents but for all Catenians and - as Bro Neville pointed out - their ladies too!  I'm sure it's one we can rise to.  Let's see how many more people we can introduce to the sort of friendly, generous and thoroughly Catholic fellowship that the five of us enjoyed last night.  Thank you very much Worthing & Chanctonbury.

Aila's Fund - little ways to help that make a big difference

As I have mentioned before, your VP (now soon to be President - gulp!) has a 16 year old daughter suffering from a disabling neurological condition, meaning that major house adaptations have to be made consisting of an extension to provide her with a downstairs bedroom and bathroom/WC.  Edek and I are looking at needing to raise £16,000+ towards this and have already been shown much kindness, generosity and support which is hugely appreciated.

There are a couple of ways in which anyone who would like to help can do so - small things but they are of enormous help.  Firstly, we have launched a "Buy A Brick" scheme.  For £5 you can buy one brick, for £12 three, for £20 five and then multiples thereof.  A very concrete way to be a part of Aila's future!

Secondly, we have silicone wristbands which are available for £1 each (plus 58p postage for up to five bands).  They come in red, blue, pink, teal and purple and in two sizes (the smaller size being most suitable for children and young teenagers).  Charity wristbands such as these are very popular and widely worn so do consider perhaps getting one or two for the cool young members of your family (or for the cool more mature ones come to that)!

Bricks and bracelets can both be purchased over at http://stjohnsprolife.blogspot.co.uk/p/ailas-fund.html where there is a "donate" button, or give me a ring on 01403 241859.

On Aila's behalf, thank you so very much.

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Happy feast day to all Catenians of Irish descent - I'm sure you'll be celebrating tonight as only the Irish know how!  Particularly remembering Louise and Roy Martin who, as talented musicians, are hosting a St Patrick's Night evening of music and song in St John's Church hall in Horsham.  All proceeds will go to AVOCA, a charity which helps South Americans improve the quality of their lives through social and environmental projects.  I'm sure Crawley is going to see its share of festivities too!

St Patrick, pray for us.

Protecting marriage

Sometimes we become aware that just by being Catenians (or Catenian wives!), members of an organisation dedicated to "strengthening family life by friendship and faith", we are witnessing to certain values.  This witness is badly needed just now with many fiercely-fought attacks being waged against Christianity.  The hot topic of the moment, of course, is our Prime Minister's stated support for the legalisation of gay "marriage".  Those speaking out in public to defend the traditional definition of marriage have been subjected to all sorts of vitriol and even death threats.

Why is it so important to defend marriage as "the voluntary union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others for life” (Hyde v Hyde 1866)?  The arguments of our Catholic faith are well known to us: the procreative and unitive aspects of sexual intercourse cannot be artifically separated; sex is meant as a sacramental sign confined to marriage, because marriage was instituted both for companionship and intimacy and for procreation; all sexual activity outside of marriage is not according to the plan of God, and because homosexual acts can never be fruitful they must always lie outside the provenance of marriage and therefore are not licit.

In all sensitivity, we must acknowledge that we are asking homosexual people to make a huge sacrifice... but it is one that will help ground them in the reality of human nature and thus bring greater blessings.

That's all very well if you are Christian, but if not, then the arguments above can be dismissed as "simply theological".  Other, that is, than the one claiming that homosexual and heterosexual partnerships are essentially different and only the latter can be described as marriage.  Marriage, as a procreative and socially recognised union between male and female, is not only a common denominator in all cultures throughout all ages but actually preceded those cultures.  With its stable commitment, its ability to produce children and the familial networks it gave rise to, it preceded any form of "society" and formed the basic building-block for it.

A union of two persons of the same sex cannot do this.  If we try to force a false definition upon same-sex partnerships and call them "marriage", we have replaced an essential foundation stone of our societies - or to look at it another way, an essential glue that holds our societies together as cohesive structures - with a beast of a very different nature.  The only way for children to arise from such a partnership will be through some form of assisted reproduction like IVF or artificial insemination.  This will often lead to children not even knowing who their genetic parents are and will break down the whole structure of the extended family.  The family is already under threat, and we can see the results of its breakdown by just looking around us.

This isn't to say the state of being gay is in itself a sin, or that loving someone is a sin, or that gay people would make awful parents, none of which are true.  Neither is it a question of wanting to callously deny a certain group of people the right to love and intimacy because of some sort of "yuck" factor.  It's saying that homosexual sex can never equate to heterosexual sex and therefore we are dealing with two different partnerships, one of which can be described as marriage and one of which never can. In attempting to place them on equal footing by a false redefinition of marriage, we are denying a natural, fundamental human reality and jeopardising the future health of our societies.  Marriage is never a private matter between two individuals; it is an essentially public bond with wide social ramifications and we do well to remember that.

Just by faithfully living as Catholics, by being Catenians, we do much to witness to the importance of marriage and family life.  To take things one step further, check out the rationally-argued blog posts here and here, and please consider signing an online petition that has been launched by the Coalition for Marriage (just click the picture above).

Proud Parent

Danusia Brzezina

Brother Andrew Brzezina was a particularly proud parent last year after his daughter Danusia was in the news as the lawyer for a young Nigerian girl who had been trafficked and used as a slave for her "family".

Read the full story in the Evening Standard and The Law Society Gazette.

Ladies Night Video

To add to Anneli's report on the Ladies Night here is a short video of the event:

If it's OK...

A chance to indulge yourself before Lent on Sunday 19 February

...I would just like to mention a fundraising drive that we are launching in Horsham for our 16 year old daughter Aila.  I think most Crawley Circle members know that Aila suffers from Friedreich's Ataxia, a degenerative neurological condition that is gradually robbing her of her balance, co-ordination and mobility, as well as affecting her speech and heart.  At the moment her bedroom and the only WC in our house are both upstairs and so we have obtained planning permission to build her a downstairs bedroom and bathroom, as negotiating the stairs is becoming increasingly difficult for her, not to say potentially dangerous.  Unfortunately we have a considerable shortfall in funding for this and - whilst other avenues such as charitable grants are being explored - we are going to have to raise at least some of the money for ourselves.

A fabulous group of friends including members of St John's Pro Life Group have got together and helped us launch "Aila's Fund" which will comprise a series of fundraising events. We are incredibly grateful for the time and energy they are expending to help Aila.  We're starting modestly with a cake and homemade cards sale to be held after 9am Mass at St John's RC church hall on Sunday 19 February so please do pop along!  There will also be a chance to have a professional standard photograph taken of yourself or your family at very reasonable price, upstairs in the church hall on Saturday 24 March.  This is by appointment and details will be available shortly.

You can read more over at St John's Pro Life.

Above all, Aila would be most grateful for your prayers.  Thank you.

Ladies' Night

Last night was Ladies’ Night for the Crawley Catenian Circle!  Bro Mark will no doubt make his own posting on this including photographs, but being a lady I felt eminently qualified to write something too - as well as taking the opportunity to say thank you to the “boys” for a lovely evening out. 

It was of course Ladies’ Night in a very profound sense, because we celebrated the annual Mass for deceased Catenian wives.  Fittingly they came first; the evening began with Mass at St Theodore’s Church in Gossops Green and included the mention by name of each wife.  I am more than sure they were all with us as we celebrated the Mass... that is the beauty of the Church as a place of timeless communion whose walls encompass both the living and the dead.

We were all delighted to welcome Fr Terry Martin as our celebrant.  Those of us from Horsham parish were particularly thrilled to have the chance to worship with him again and to exchange a few words.

After Mass we nipped round the corner (braving a sudden downpour) to Goffs Park Hotel, the usual venue for the Catenian Circle meetings.  The men took themselves off to do... um, whatever men do at a Catenian Circle meeting, whilst the ladies gathered to enjoy a glass or two of wine and have a chat.  The ladies’ get-togethers are always a nice opportunity to catch up with people you haven’t seen in a while.  We don’t all move in quite the same circles (or even live in the same town) and so it’s nice to let this particular Circle gather us in.  Amongst other things there was much talk about children and grandchildren, stressing the fact that the Catenians are far more about family and friendship than about some sort of gentlemen's club-type gathering (despite the secrecy surrounding the meetings, but that might just be because somehow I’ve never pinned Bro Edek down to give me a blow by blow account of what happens!).

Whatever men do at a Catenian Circle meeting was obviously particularly exciting last night, because we managed to get through a fair amount of wine and chat before they finally piled out. I know they had the pleasure of welcoming visitors from other parts of the Catenian world and I’m sure Bro Mark will tell more.

The evening finished with a meal which was unanimously pronounced to be very good and I daresay everyone slept rather well afterwards!  Thank you to all for an evening of family, faith and friendship which included those who, whilst no longer with us in one sense, are still very much here in another and still very much loved.

St John's Pro-Life Blog

I have added St John's Pro-Life Blog to the blog roll in the right margin. You can see at a glance when the last post was made on any of the blogs in the roll.

Blogging for life

A group from St John the Evangelist RC Church in Horsham, the parish from which many Crawley Circle Catenians hail, has just launched a new blog entitled St John's Pro Life (well, I have no doubt that he is and that he considers the pro-life message an important part of Evangelism!).

The group in question is the parish pro-life group, to which your Vice President's wife belongs. I have put up a link to the Crawley Catenian Association's blogsite on our pro-life group's blog, for an Association which aims to support family life is by definition "pro life".  Being pro life is about so much more than opposing abortion.  Indeed, at its heart it is a "for" rather than an "anti" ideology.  We aim to do our bit in the defence of human life from conception until natural death because we believe passionately in the dignity, sanctity and immeasurable worth of every human individual - in whatever stage or condition of life.  It is our support for each other that makes life worth living, and love that is at the heart of true quality of life.

By promoting the value of each and every person we hope to work towards a society in which families, friendship and faith can flourish.  Haven't I seen talk of those three somewhere before (eyes up)...?!

In short, I believe that the Crawley Catenians and the St John's Pro Life Group have lots in common.  Why not pop over to our blog and judge for yourself?

Christmas Charity: Nelson Mandela’s Children’s Fund

£200 of the money made by the raffle at our Christmas Dinner was given to the children of St Wilfrid's School to enable them to meet their target of raising £1,000 for the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.

A group of eleven year-10 student leaders here at St Wilfrid’s have been working to raise money for the Nelson Mandela’s Children’s Fund. We have been given a target to raise £1000 by 16th December and so far, through all commitment and dedication, have raised around £800. This has been through activities involving our school and parish such as raffles, a sponsored walk up Box Hill, cake sales and donations. All the money raised will go to Nelson Mandela’s Children’s Fund- a charity making Nelson Mandela’s final wish come true. Nelson Mandela’s final wish is to build a hospital in South Africa for children, as there are only 4 children’s hospitals in the whole of the continent, whereas there are 4 in London alone. We would be delighted by any donations and any support you and the circle of Catenians are offering as every penny, every pound counts towards the making of the children’s hospital. Thank you for your kind offering and support.

Visit to Epsom Circle 19th January 2012