Jesuits & Friends Winter 09

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Jesuits and FriendsA faith that does justice

Winter 2009 Issue 74

Jesuits and FriendsJesuits and FriendsA faith that A faith that does does justicejustice



Winter 2009 Issue 74Winter 2009 Issue 74



Royal Opening of the Dermot Gogarty Sports CentreZimbabwe: Our Lady of the Wayside celebrates

Guyana: remembering the ‘Little Padre’

South Africa: World Cup 2010PLE

ASE TA

KE A C

OPY

All don

ations

grate

fully

rece

ived

BRITAIN – Fr Matthew Power SJLoyola Hall, Warrington Road,Prescot L35 6NZ Tel: + 44 (0)151 426 4137,[email protected]

GUYANA – Fr Joaquim de Melo SJJesuit Residence, PO Box 10720,Georgetown, GuyanaTel: + 592 22 67461,[email protected]

SOUTH AFRICA – Fr Russell Pollitt SJHoly Trinity, PO Box 31087,Johannesburg 2017, South Africa, Tel: + 27 (0)11 339 2826,[email protected]

Or visitwww.jesuit.org.uk/becomingajesuit

Have you or someone you know consideredlife as a Jesuit priest or brother? For more information, contact:“You and I know that the

knowledge (of Christ Jesus) ofwhich St Paul is speaking is theknowledge of the heart … for usand especially for Religious men

and women, it’s a knowledgethat fills our hearts entirely, it’s aknowledge that is rooted in loveand explored in love and makesus say at those key moments…‘I

do it for you Lord’”.

Most Rev Vincent Nichols, to Religiousmen and women, on the eve of his

installation as Archbishop ofWestminster, 21 May 2009

“I had some problems and you listened to me andhelped me. I like JRS because when I was sick yougave me a bus pass for my hospital appointmentand you gave me some food”. An Ethiopian woman

JRS provides support for completely destitute asylum seekers leftin the UK with no status, no benefits and no permission to work.Many have not seen their families for years. Please help usshow that someone cares and help us provide hope along withthe grants we give for food, bus tickets, or other essential itemslike spectacles and medicine.

Please send your donation to JRS, 6 Melior Street, LondonSE1 3QP or email on [email protected] or more information about ourwork.

Hope and sharing at Christmas

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ContentsWinter 2009 Issue 74

EditorialTim Curtis SJOur Lady of the Wayside celebrates: parishioner, Mike Hamilton, shares somegolden moments from the jubilee in Zimbabwe

4The World Cup 2010 Welcome to Soccer City - Thomas Plastow SJforesees local benefits from the internationalsporting event taking place next year in South AfricaOn the ball – But Anthony Egan SJ warns thatthere may be an unsavoury side to the occasionAnd the parishioners and High School studentsof Soweto say ‘thank you’ 6

The beginnings of ‘community’ Cristina (Potty) Connolly reflects on theBaptism programme at Sacred Heart parish insouth west London 8

St John's Beaumont welcomes the Queen as she officially opens the school’s new SportsCentre 9

Take time to discover life’s little miracles Kyra Noblet explains why she now leaves herwatch at home, after working as a volunteer inDodoma 10

The Everest of Open Air SwimmingThe parent of a pupil at St Ignatius College,Enfield, attempts to swim the English Channelin support of its sister school in Tanzania. ByTim Byron SJ 11

The remarkable story of the ‘Little Padre’ Ged Clapson marks the centenary of the startof Fr Cuthbert Cary-Elwes’ missionary work inthe Interior of Guyana.Plus - Jesuits are honoured at Guyanese Massin New York 12

Desperately seeking God in central LondonDr Paul O’Reilly SJ of the Mount Street JesuitCentre, on making the Incarnation a reality inWestminster 14

Faith School brings harmony to West Everton How music is having an impact on a communityin Liverpool and upon the children of St FrancisXavier’s primary school in particular. From Debbie Reynolds, Zoe Armfield and Ged Clapson 15

St Aloysius Gonzaga School: a testament tofaith in action Ashleigh Callow visits two schools in Kenyawhich are partnered with St Aloysius’ Collegein Glasgow 16

Skills and shelter for young Zimbawians Emilia James, Director of Zambuko House,explains how they are helping youngZimbabweans experience a better tomorrow

17

Obituaries 18-19

Bits n piecesNews in brief from around the province 20

Their voice has gone out Michael Beattie SJ, the Promoter of theApostleship of Prayer, reflects on the HolyFather’s intentions 22

How can I help? 23

The Directors of European Jesuit MissionOffices during their meeting at LoyolaHall on Merseyside. They are picturedhere with Frank Turner SJ (front row,centre), the Director of OCIPE, the JesuitEuropean Office. See page 21.

Jesuits and Friends is published

three times a year by the British

Province of the Society of Jesus

(Jesuits), in association with JM.

Tim Curtis SJ

Executive Editor

Ged Clapson

Editor

Editorial group:

Denis Blackledge SJ

Dushan Croos SJ

Alan Fernandes

Jane King

Siobhan Totman

Graphic Design:

Ian Curtis

www.firstsightgraphics.com

Printed in the UK by

The Magazine Printing Company

www.magprint.co.uk

To protect our environment papers

used in this publication are

produced by mills that promote

sustainably managed forests and

utilise Elementary Chlorine Free

process to produce fully recyclable

material in accordance with an

Environmental Management

System conforming with BS EN

ISO 14001:2004.

Editorial office: 11 Edge HillLondon SW19 4LRTel: 020 8946 0466 Email: [email protected]

Cover photo credit: Arthur Edwards

4 Jesuits & Friends Winter 2009 www.jesuitsandfriends.org.uk4 Jesuits & Friends Winter 2009 www.jesuitsandfriends.org.uk

The Parish of Our Lady of the Wayside is unique in being aJesuit parish - not just in the sense of being served byJesuit priests but because the church is owned by theSociety of Jesus. It has within it Arrupe College, which is aJesuit School of Studies for Jesuit scholastics fromthroughout Africa, as well as the apostolic nunciature andthe provincial Jesuit headquarters. There is also anestablishment, Richartz House, for Jesuits who are elderlyor infirm. There are a number of convents of differentreligious orders within the parish too.

The parish is a vibrant one. Its character has changed overthe years, reflecting changes within the community ofwhich the parish is a part. The organ has been replaced bythe African drum as the main instrument accompanyinghymns in the parish church. Attendance at weekday Massesin the morning and evening would probably be the envy ofmany parishes. The number of active organisations hasmultiplied. There are several active women's groups, and

We are approaching the “season ofgoodwill to all” where many people,moved by the mystery of theIncarnation, seek to go out of theirway to do some good deed forothers. It is wonderful to see peoplewho are normally so busy with theirown lives looking out for the needsof others.

Jesuits, indeed all who aretouched by the spirituality of StIgnatius, are privileged to be able tomake this an all year round activity. It is our calling toseek out and help those most in need, most neglectedby others where the most good can be done.

But this means that we don’t just help the first needyperson we come across. Members of the Ignatian familyare constantly asking themselves questions: Why am Idoing this work? Could I be doing this work in a betterway? Could what I do be more effective? Could morepeople be helped if I did what I do in a different way?

Through a constant process of reflection and review,we can make sure that we are attuned to the promptingsof the Spirit who helps us make “the greater glory ofGod” a reality in the particular circumstances of theworld of today.

Anniversaries are a precious moment for doing this.Various works of the British Province of the Society ofJesus are celebrating important milestones, 100 yearsof the Amerindian Apostolate in Guyana and 150 years ofSt Aloysius in Glasgow are two important ones thatoccur this year. Obviously, these celebrations involve alot of looking back with gratitude. We give thanks toGod for the heroic work of those who have labouredbefore us.

However, anniversaries are also a time to look to thefuture. Our work needs to be constantly renewed. Weknow that outstanding Jesuits in the past havediscerned how best to reap a rich harvest from theirlabours, but it is up to us today, in honouring theirmemory, to engage in the same process to make theirwork ours and take it into the future.

As you read through the various articles that we havecollected together for this issue, I hope that, like me, youare struck by the great generosity of many people.However, behind each story lies the deeper question ofwhy this work was chosen and a prayerful reflection onhow it can be continued.

It is reported that when Jerónimo Nadal, one ofIgnatius’ first Companions, was asked who the SpiritualExercises were for, he replied: “They are for Catholics,for Protestants, for Muslims, for everyone”. So this giftof being able to choose what good we should be doing isthe gift we can share with the world.

From the Editor...Jesuit parish inZimbabwecelebratesgolden jubilee

Fifty years ago, in December 1959, the Parish ofOur Lady of the Wayside in Harare's MountPleasant, Zimbabwe, was founded andcelebrations to mark their Golden Jubilee havebeen ongoing through the year. Parishioner, MikeHamilton, has been assessing how the parish hasdeveloped over the past 50 years and whatmakes it so vibrant.

more than one associationpredominantly for men. Throughoutthe week there are activities beingconducted by a variety of groups. Inaddition to having an active Society ofSt Vincent de Paul, the parish has itsown outreach group to assist the poorof the parish.

The parish has been divided intozones, in an effort to promote small neighbourhood Christiancommunities. This has met withvarying success, with some zoneshaving well attended meetings andothers attracting few participants.Within the parish there is a Catholicsecondary school, St John's HighSchool, which also serves as a Masscentre, an orphanage and school forthe deaf run by the Dominicansisters at Emerald Hill and St Anne'sHospital, which was founded bysisters of the Little Company of Mary.The country's largest university, theUniversity of Zimbabwe, which hasits own chaplain, is close to theparish church.

One of the events at the goldenjubilee celebrations was an inter-zone choir competition. This was thefirst time the parish had attempted tohave an all-day fun day for

parishioners and it proved so popularthat it was clearly an event worthrepeating.

Last year, the parish decided tomake its harvest festival an occasionnot only for bringing foodstuffs fordonation to the poor, to be brought upduring the offertory procession atMass, but also an opportunity forbringing the parish family together.We repeated it as part of the goldenjubilee celebration.

One of the biggest challenges theparish faces is one that confrontsmany parishes, namely how to passonto the younger generation a love forthe Mass and appreciation of theirCatholic faith, in a world where theyare continually bombarded withmessages that undermine Christianvalues. Another is the lure for youngpeople of some evangelistic non-Catholic churches offering what mayseem to them more attractiveservices than the Mass, particularly ifthey have never learnt to appreciatewhat Mass is all about.

There are two active youth groupswithin the parish, both of which aredoing a good job. Keeping suchgroups going has proved a challengein the past, as the dynamism of some

groups can be lost when some of itskeenest members become adults andmove out of them. Encouragingchildren to talk to the priests of theparish is another challenge, giventhat the priests are over 70 years ofage and the young people areconscious of the generation gap.

The parish has for a long time beennoted for the generosity of itsparishioners, many of whom areamong the more affluent members ofsociety. That generosity, even duringthe difficult economic times thecountry has gone through, was oncemore demonstrated at both theharvest festival last year and at thegolden jubilee celebrations. A wholecow and whole pigs were donated toensure there was plenty of meat forparishioners to share together. Suchdonations made it possible to makemeals affordable and helped raisemoney for the parish.

All in all, the priests andparishioners of Our Lady of theWayside parish have a great deal togive thanks and praise to God for. MayHe continue to bless this parish andhelp it to do better still in carrying outHis work in Mount Pleasant.


Preparing for the Parish feast

6 Jesuits & Friends Winter 2009 www.jesuitsandfriends.org.uk

You cannot move around any majorcity in South Africa without beingaffected by the FIFA World Cup 2010soccer tournament, whether you likefootball or not. Not only are there

billboards announcing it on the streets,the streets themselves proclaim it inthe almost infinite number ofroadworks we are forced to negotiateas we head to and from work.

None of us who works at the JesuitInstitute (JISA) or at Holy Trinity Parish,both in Braamfontein (Johannesburg),have been left unaffected. Down the hillto the north of us Empire Road is beingrevamped. South of us the Rea Vayarapid bus transport system has alteredthe face of the inner city, swallowingthe middle chunk of one of the majorroads. To the east of city centre, nearmy community in Belgravia, not only dowe have Rea Vaya but the impressivelyrebuilt Ellis Park stadium. To the southwest our colleague, Puleng Matsaneng,must pass massive roadworks, the ReaVaya again, or two thoroughly upgradedstadia – Orlando Stadium and FNBStadium – from her home in Soweto tothe office in Braamfontein.

The Southern African CatholicBishops Conference (SACBC) hasdedicated a section of their website to2010, posting items of news that may

be of interest – possible pastoralstrategies for parishes which will(hopefully) receive a significant influx ofvisitors. I expect, nearer the time, to seefolk writing about the ‘spirituality ofsport’ or of ethics of sportsmanship; ifnot, perhaps the JISA crew should dothis.

On a more ominous note, there is asection on the SACBC site expressingthe fear that three million tourists maywell ‘encourage’ the less savoury partsof our society – organised humantraffickers – to increase their businessto meet the ‘need’ for prostitution. Acoalition of NGOs, including JISA, hasmade written interventions toencourage the government not tolegalise prostitution in anticipation of2010. JISA member Fr Chris ChatterisSJ produced a thought-provoking article for our website(http://www.jesuitinstitute.org.za) inwhich, citing Sweden as an example, heargued that the focus should be onprosecuting those who solicit ratherthan the prostitutes themselves. Ahuman trafficking activist friend ofmine used Chris’ piece as part of herintervention in the recent NGO meetingwith the government.

Meanwhile we wait to see what willhappen, not so much whether BafanaBafana (the South African team) willsurprise us all and win – a cynic like mewould say that even miracles havelimits! – but how the World Cup willaffect us during and after 2010. Billionshave been invested in infrastructure;will it pay off? There is muchspeculation that 2010 may have a longterm boost effect for tourism. But will ithappen? What if there is another majoreconomic meltdown in the meantime?What if the tournament is marred by aterrorist attack? As the politicalanalysts say: there are many‘independent variables’. In other words,we have no idea what to expect!


South Africa is gearing itselfup for the 2010 World Cup.While the occasion isprobably going to mean goodnews for the country’seconomy and infrastructure,there could be more sinisterresults from the influx ofvisitors. Fr Anthony Egan SJfrom the Jesuit Institute ofSouth Africa writes.

JM

ON THE BALLTHE WORLD CUP 2010

A view of the new stadium as seen fromSt Martin de Porres Church


St Martin de Porres, the Jesuit-runparish in Soweto, is eagerlyanticipating the 2010 World Cup.

The opening match and final will beplayed at the new ‘Soccer City’ on theoutskirts of Soweto. This is a newlybuilt stadium on the site of a complex that was erected betweenJohannesburg and Soweto, before thefall of Apartheid, in an attempt to bringpeople of different races together forsporting activities.

Our parish had a much older stadiummade of wood and iron, and this was the

original home ground of OrlandoPirates, one of the most popular clubsin the country. In fact, their greatestrivals, Kaizer Chiefs, also began in thetownship of Orlando. When these twoclubs clash there is more interestexpressed than for an internationalgame. The din of the vuvuzelas (longplastic trumpets) is so great duringthese matches that I do not have to havethe TV on to know who has scored – Ican tell depending on which side of thechurch property erupts at that time!

Orlando Stadium was rebuilt last

year. Since it seats only 40,000, it willbe but a practice venue during theWorld Cup, but it is a valuable newasset in this part of Soweto. Duringnight games, the sky is ablaze,enabling one to walk about outsidewithout a torch. The parishioners loveit, except for those who cannot get inand out of their houses during a matchbecause of the way fans park across the entrance to theneighbouring houses.

Fr Thomas Plastow SJ is parishpriest of St Martin de Porres Church.

Both the parish and the High Schoolof St Martin de Porres in Soweto havebenefited from the generosity of JesuitMissions donors and those who ran inthe 2009 London Marathon.

“Thanks to you we have receivedfinancial support which is alreadybeing put to good use in theimprovement of the grounds andfacilities at the school,” writes FrThomas Plastow SJ. “In August, someunemployed men of the parish spent afew hours each day clearing the emptylot below the school which the late

Father Xolile Keteyi had bought as asports ground back in the 1980s. Inthis way, they were able to take home awage packet each week and do some

lasting good for the school.The St Martin de Porres

parish hall has also beenrefurbished, using donationsfrom Jesuits and Friendsreaders. This building,

originally from the 1950s whenpeople were forcibly relocated to thisarea, was in a bit of a state. They havenow been able to patch up the existingstructure, remove all the old asbestosceilings, and equip the hall with ceiling

fans, a small kitchen, additionalsecurity and wheelchair access.

“Since the hall was officiallyreopened we have held several largechurch functions, a ‘health day’ onwhich we provided free testing fordiabetes, high blood pressure andHIV/AIDS, and the South African BloodNational Blood Service has begun tohold bi-monthly blood drives for thosewho are able to donate,” Fr Plastowinforms us.

Thanks from St Martin de Porres

JM

Welcome to Soccer CityThomas Plastow SJ

The new fences which some local men have been erecting in order to provide bettersecurity around the school, which has sadly become necessary in order to discouragetruancy and to prevent drug trafficking – a growing problem in high schools acrossgreater Johannesburg.

And the refurbished parish hall, packed with the Ladies’ Sodality


The Rite of Baptism suggests startingat the church door as it is the sacramentof “Entry into the Church”. At SacredHeart, we have a big open space so,weather permitting, we start outsidewith the initial welcome. A mini survey inthe parish in which we asked what madebaptisms here so memorable resulted in“welcome” being the most popularword. This is the sort of scene Jesushimself would have been familiar with –an outdoor setting with parents bringingtheir children to him to be blessed. FrKevin Donovan was often thought of asthe Pied Piper as he led thecongregation into the church playing his flute.

Fr Kevin also stressed howimportant preparation was for thefamilies, so preparation courses areheld on the first Sunday of eachmonth attended by parents ofchildren being baptised that month.This makes for the beginnings of“community”. Each family is visited athome the week before the baptism toensure that the ceremony becomespersonal.

Baptism is a community sacrament

but due to the size of the parish,baptisms during Sunday Mass do notprove practical. Joint baptisms of threeor four babies take place on mostSunday afternoons. Every two months,the recently baptised babies and theirparents are invited onto the sanctuary atthe 9.45am Family Mass to be presentedto the congregation and afterwards toshare refreshments.

Music is an important part of theceremony and we have had grandfathersplaying oboes, guitarists, violinists,pianists, solo singers and a godfatherfrom Galicia in North West Spain playingthe Gaita Gallega (the equivalent of theScottish bagpipes).

The ceremony is lively and participativebased on the Directory for Masses withChildren. Children are encouraged totake an active part by composing biddingprayers, playing instruments andpreparing pictures connected with water.Many non-church goers havecommented how much they have feltinvolved on the day and not threatenedby something incomprehensible orstuffy. Appropriate scripture readingsand bidding prayers are read bymembers of each family, often indifferent languages. Over 20 different

languages have been spoken over theyears, including Cornish and Manx.

When parents are of mixed faiths, theemphasis is “what do we share incommon?” Children can grow up to bebridge builders and experience therichness of different cultures andtraditions. One letter of appreciationsaid: “I was amazed at the way youbridged the gap between our two faiths –it was very moving. I was used to such arigid view of the Catholic Church; myfaith is entirely restored.”

Follow-up pastoral visits encouragefamilies to build community in theirrespective neighbourhoods. Familieswho have had their children baptised onthe same day often continue theirfriendship and go on to share thesacraments of reconciliation, firstcommunion and confirmation.

In addition to Infant Baptism, SacredHeart parish also runs an active RCIAprogramme for adults and a “Minicat”(Mini Catechumens) group. Minicatsprovides an opportunity for children ofcatechetical age and their families to beintroduced/re-introduced to the parishthrough the sacrament of baptism.

More details are available onwww.sacredheartwimbledon.org.uk


Sacred Heart parish in Wimbledon,south west London, is currentlyraising funds to replace part of thefloor of the church near thebaptistery. The plan is to dedicate itto the late Father Kevin Donovan SJ,who established a comprehensiveprogramme in the parish for thefamilies of those preparing forbaptism. Parishioner Cristina (Potty)Connolly continues to coordinate FrKevin’s legacy and reflects here onwhy the occasions are so special.

‘community’The beginnings of

Her Majesty The Queen received anenthusiastic welcome when she visitedSt John's Beaumont in Berkshire, andofficially opened the school's newSports Centre. On her arrival at theJesuit school, Her Majesty was greetedby the British Jesuit Provincial, FrMichael Holman SJ, the Chair ofGovernors, Fr Kevin Fox SJ, andHeadmaster, Mr Giles Delaney, whoproceeded to escort the Queen on atour of the school.

Their first stop was the new SportsHall, where boys were demonstratingthe school's state-of-the-art cricketnets which are helping them improvetheir sporting skills. The Queen theninspected an impressive art exhibition,before moving onto the fitness suite andperformance studio. She then returnedto the foyer where there is an indoor 30'rock climbing wall, which the boysdemonstrated for her with much energy.

Mr Delaney then escorted the Queenaround other areas of the school, andshe engaged enthusiastically inconversations with the pupils and staff.On her return to the Sports Hall, theschool orchestra played Land of Hopeand Glory, after which pupil JoshuaSteeds gave a virtuoso performance onthe violin.

It was Her Majesty's first visit to theJesuit preparatory school, althoughshe had visited its Senior School,Beaumont College, in 1961, on theoccasion of the centenary of itsfoundation. A painting of that eventstill hangs in the entrance to StJohn's Beaumont. The new block,which cost £2.8m to build, isdedicated to the memory of DermotGogarty, Headmaster of St John'sBeaumont from 1987 until hisuntimely death in a car accident in 2005.

Mr Delaney, who succeeded DermotGogarty, recalled the passion that hispredecessor had for the Jesuiteducation principles of both producing'men for others' and also for ensuringthe development of the whole person,spiritually as well as academically. Healso reminded the audience, made up ofparents and supporters of the school,and members of Mr Gogarty’s family, aswell as pupils and staff, of Dermot’senergetic support of sporting activitiesamong the boys and his ambition toprovide St John's Beaumont withexcellent facilities. This, Mr Delaneysaid, had now been achieved in hisname. He then invited Her Majesty The Queen to unveil a wooden plaque commemorating the official opening of the Dermot Gogarty Sports Centre.

Ged Clapson


St John's Beaumontwelcomes the Queen

HM The Queen encourages the pupils on the rowingsimulators at St John’s Beaumont. Credit: Arthur Edwards


There is an old Swahili proverb,‘Mambo mazuri hayataki haraka’,‘Good things should not behastened’, which beautifullyencapsulates one of the many thingsI learned earlier this year from mysix month experience in Dodoma. Idiscovered that Africa overwhelmsthe senses, and I shared manyincredible sights, smells and tasteswith the local people. In fact, I hadthe opportunity to share manythings: my faith with other youngpeople, languages and dialogueswith my students, my rucksack witha scorpion, and most importantly,time. I shared a lot of time with thecommunity there and I learned thatthe Tanzanians are remarkablypracticed in making time to greetpeople, to listen, to understand, tolearn and to empathize. Greetings inAfrican culture are especiallyimportant and in Airport Parishwhere I worked, members of thecommunity happily and freelyrelinquished their minutes to taketime to greet one another, ask abouteach others’ families, and stayedlong enough to hear the reply.

We don’t tend to be as selfless withour time here in the UK, and I thinkwe miss far more than we realise. Alot of life’s small miracles are oftenoverlooked and fade into a frenzied,

hectic day. For the Tanzanians, eventhe small things are sincerelyappreciated; a warm conversation, abreathtaking view. The disabledchildren I worked with in theCheshire Home in Miyuji had verylittle to treasure but for them an oldbucket was a new hat and a tiredblanket could very quickly become amagic cloak!

The pace of life in Africa is verydifferent from that in our cities andduring my stay I didn’t always crossoff my to-do list or finish all myironing; but when I climbed into bedat the end of each day, I knew that Ihad been listened to, I hadunderstood and I had shared. I gotup the next day and went into work(with rather creased clothes) butwith a sense of integrity and value,knowing that I mattered to thecommunity, that I belonged, and thatthe relationships which had beenattentively developed over mymonths there had such depth that Ifound myself unable to feel alone inany problem or crisis.

It is this investment of time thatleads to solid networks betweenparishes and families. All theribbons of community life become

wonderfully bound together and intime this steadfast web is able tosupport each individual.Communities are supposed to beeclectic and colourful and whenpeople from very differentgenerations and lifestyles cometogether, it will not be without itsproblems; but as I’ve seen first-hand, strong relationships andbonds help to nourish a healthyenvironment where respect andappreciation of one another canflourish.

The act of listening seems to havebeen lost somewhere in our hecticlifestyles. Relationships andcommunities can’t be expected todevelop or endure on their own, theyneed a generous helping of time.Benjamin Disraeli once said “But whatminutes! Count them by sensation,and not by calendars, and eachmoment is a day.” We all have plentyof moments to cherish and plenty ofmoments to give. Since my trip, I havelearnt to appreciate the ordinary asextraordinary and to leave my watch athome every once in a while.

For more information aboutbecoming a volunteer with JM, pleasesee www.gbjm.org.uk


JM

Kyra Noblet has recentlyreturned from Dodoma inTanzania, where she worked inthe local school, youth centre andCheshire Home, as part of the JMVolunteers programme. Here shereflects upon one timely effect ofher experience.

Take time to discoverlife’s small miracles


Mark Sexton (47) is a former pupilof St Ignatius College in Enfield, andhis sons, Luke and Daniel, arepresently students there. Mark wasso inspired by their commitment toraising money for their sister schoolin Africa that in mid 2008 he decidedto swim the English Channel to raisemoney to allow AIDS orphans toattend the Jesuit school in Dodoma,Tanzania. Mark used to swim everyday in the school pool.

As the crow flies (or the dolphinswims) the channel is 21.7 milesacross; however, due to themovement of the body of water in thechannel, the distance covered islikely to be 30 miles. As well as localcurrents, the narrowness of thechannel exaggerates the tidal effects– so on occasions you could drift upto 10 miles north or south. Themajor hazards in attempting such anopen cold water swim arehypothermia and ensuring that youhave enough energy to continueswimming. Other dangers are jelly

fish stings – although Mark wasstung more often in training. Thegood news is that cold salt water hasa healing effect, but the scars stilllasted for over three weeks.

There is a whole subculture to theintrepid breed we call channelswimmers. There are strict rulesthat mark any channel swim whichreflect the first crossing by CaptainMatthew Webb in 1875. Men mustonly wear swimming trunks a hatand goggles.... no wet suits allowed,and contrary to popular myth no-onewears goose fat. Although a bit ofextra fat is necessary to keep youwarm – as Mark points out you neversee thin seals!

The temperature of the water is 2.5degrees centigrade, which isswimming in water that is colderthan a can of Coke in the fridge.Because of the cold water you areusing more energy to keep your bodywarm – so you need to feed regularly;that is where the back-up crewcomes in. You need to drink hotcarbohydrate drinks frequently,refuelling every half an hour.However, this refuelling is closelymonitored, the swimmer is notallowed to touch the boat so theirfood is thrown to them in a bottle ona string and they have to consume itlying on their back in the water. Thecost of hiring a boat and a pilot, aswell as the medicals you need toundergo, and joining the ChannelsSwimmers and Pilots Federation(CSPF) is roughly £6,000.

The strangest visual experiencecrossing the channel is thephosphorescence, according to Mark.“Just before dawn you getthese little sparkles oflight from the tiny

microorganisms in the water. Thisgives a very beautiful effect,swimming in the dark and seeingthese sparks as your hand breaks thewater.”

After 15 months of training – onaverage 20-25 miles a week, someweeks up to 60 miles - Mark hadalready swum the distance of theChannel 38 times. On Friday, 25September, he embarked upon hisepic swim. He swam for 9.5 hours –and had just 5.8 miles to go to theFrench coast – when a shoulderinjury lead to him swimming with onearm for the last half hour. Hecouldn’t get his arm out of the waterso kept swimming into the boat. Theattempt was aborted, but it was aheroic effort nevertheless.

Mark’s first feelings at not finishingwas that he had let everyone down;but these feelings soon disappearedwhen he got home and realised howmuch support he had received fromeveryone . Now he realises that it isunfinished business. His bravery andcommitment have inspired many innorth London and beyond. Themoney he has raised will go to payfor the education of orphans inTanzania, at St Ignatius primaryschool in Dodoma. Please join in bycontributing at www.justgiving.com/channelswimfordodoma/

But that’s not all: at a recent dinnerat St Ignatius College, the nextchallenge was revealed – a team ofparents swimming a relay fromEurope to Africa. If you areinterested in joining in [email protected].

Follow Mark Sexton’s adventure onwww.marksswimsthechannel.blogspot.com


Swimming the channel betweenEngland and France is consideredto be ‘The Everest of open waterswimming’. Considering thenumerous challenges - freezingcold water, the long distance,swarms of jellyfish, one of thebusiest shipping lanes in theworld, tides, currents – youeither have to be mad, stupid orvery, very dedicated to evenconsider attempting the feat. FrTim Byron SJ, Chaplain at StIgnatius College, Enfield, writeshere about one parent’s attemptto swim the Channel in support oftheir sister school in Tanzania.

The Everest of OpenWater Swimming


The remarkable storyof the ‘Little Padre’

Fr Cuthbert Cary-Elwes’first missionary ambition wasto be sent to China or among“the very wild Indians” of Brazil.In June 1902, he wrote to the JesuitGeneral, Father Luis Martin SJ:“From my earliest childhood I havehad a great desire to work amongsavages who know nothing of JesusChrist, and this has always beencoupled with an ardent desire ofdying for Him who died for me – agrace I have never failed to ask forevery day at Mass. It was this desire,together with an admiration for StFrancis Xavier, which made me seekadmission into the Society and toask during my noviceship to go tothe mission.” Such references to thenon-Christians of the Far East andSouth America obviously pre-datepolitical correctness!

The General left the decision in thehands of the Provincial of theEnglish Province who eventuallyagreed, in 1904, to send him toBritish Guiana (now Guyana). Afterthree years in Georgetown, Fr Cary-Elwes was stationed atMorawhanna, offering the Mass andteaching the catechism to thechildren. The biggest event of theyear was the Assumption Dayprocession on the river, with theboats lit up with Chinese lanternsand the people united in prayers andsinging hymns.

At that time, the Bishop of BritishGuiana, Compton Galton SJ, decidedto open up new missions in the

interior of the country. Hecommissioned Fr Cary-Elwes for thework and, at the end of 1909,accompanied him as far as theTakutu River. For the next two years,Cary-Elwes had to rely oninterpreters – a particularfrustration when dealing with issuesof faith. But the priest diligentlypractised and learnt the Makushiand Wapishana languages until hebecame fluent and was able totravel extensively among thePatamona Indians, instructing,baptising, preaching and buildingchurches and mission houses.

The missionary’s pastoral areaextended almost 300 miles and he

In the latter part of 1879, a 12-year-old boy by the name ofCuthbert wrote to his uncle in SouthAfrica, informing him that he wishedto pursue the same vocation as him,as a missionary priest. He alsowished to become a Jesuit like hisuncle – Father Augustus Law SJ, oneof the great missionary pioneers ofthe Zambesi. Cuthbert followed hisuncle both into the Society of Jesusand to the missions, though to SouthAmerica not Africa. And this year,the British Jesuits have beencelebrating the centenary of FatherCuthbert Cary-Elwes establishingthe first missionary post in theInterior of Guyana in 1909. As GedClapson recalls.


Guyanese Catholics in New Yorkcelebrated their 20th annual Massrecently at the Church of St GerardMajella in New York; the church wasfull to over-flowing.

The Guyanese Mass was thebrainchild of Monsignor Paul Jervis,who was born in Guyana and served asan altar boy of St Pius X parish inGeorgetown. The Mass has, andcontinues to be, the occasion whenGuyanese Catholics in New York andbeyond, worship together, pray for theircountry, make generous donations toprojects back home and socialize forabout two hours.

Part of the tradition is to invite apriest from Guyana to travel to NewYork to be the chief celebrant of theMass. This year it was Fr MalcolmRodrigues SJ, the Superior of theGeorgetown Jesuit Community. Heinformed the congregation of the

planned pilgrimage from Georgetownto St Ignatius in the Rupununi, toobserve the centenary of Jesuit work inthe Guyana hinterland.

Certain individuals or groups whohave made a special contribution to theChurch in Guyana are regularlyhonoured at this annual Mass: theJesuits of Guyana were one of the fourhonoured on this occasion. Inaccepting the award on behalf of thescores of Jesuits, both Guyanese andnon-Guyanese, alive and dead, whohave worked tirelessly in British Guianaand later Guyana, for well over acentury, Fr Rodrigues stated that hewas also accepting the award "for theChurch in Guyana".

In his homily, Fr Rodrigues focused onthe role of technology, in particular thecomputer, in modern-day education. Heimplored his listeners to take theknowledge they have in their heads

down into their hearts and into theiractions.

During the reception which followedthe Mass, many took the opportunity togreet Fr Rodrigues and sharememories of Guyana. One of the guestshad brought a photo taken at hiswedding and took great pleasure inshowing it to the others. In that photowere youthful Jesuits Fathers FredRigby (d. 2001), Andrew Morrison (d.2004) and Harold Wong, who is still amember of the GeorgetownCommunity.

JESUITS HONOURED AT GUYANESE NEW YORK MASS

preferred to make his journeys onfoot, rather than by boat or onhorseback, saying that he found itmore helpful to prayer: “And withouta real spirit of prayer my life as amissionary would be impossible.”

Indeed, it was Cary-Elwes’prayerfulness that attracted people– alongside his gentleness, his zealfor souls and love for the Indians. Hemastered Makushi – one of the mostdifficult languages of the region –after eight or nine years in theInterior, and used to sit late into thenight surrounded by men, womenand children instructing them, ortalking or singing with them. “Hehad a deep-rooted respect forthem,” wrote one of hiscontemporaries, “and was verycareful to observe and fall in withtheir peculiar customs and points ofetiquette. All this made him lovedand revered and most heartilywelcomed wherever he went.”

The Indians’ name for Fr Cary-Elwes was the ‘Little Padre’ – a termof endearment and deep affection.

It was in January 1923, after 23years in the Interior of British Guiana,that Fr Cary-Elwes was struck downby sickness. He was on his way to the

Wapishanas and becameserious ill anddisorientated, wanderingaround the forest forseveral weeks. He wastaken back to Georgetownand from there to England,where he gradually startedto recover. But back inBritish Guiana, hiscongregation sought newsof him, enquiring whentheir ‘Little Padre’ would bereturning to them. He never did. Heremained in Britain for the next 20years, giving lectures, missions andretreats. He also spent a great deal oftime writing up his notes about theMakushi, Aroak and Carib languages,and writing hymns for theWapishanas. His affection for theIndians was undiminished, and BishopGeorge Weld SJ, who had succeededBishop Galton, commented that thisincapacitation and his separation fromhis people in British Guiana was “akind of martyrdom harder to endurethan that which he had prayed foramong ‘the cannibals of Brazil’”.

A friend of his wrote after the deathof Fr Cuthbert Cary-Elwes in August 1945:

“His missionary exploits wereknown widely, and had almost costhim his life; yet because they hadnot been crowned by martyrdom, forwhich he ardently longed, heconsidered them worthless. Whenhe talked of his beloved Indians, onegathered that he felt he had beenmore privileged to live among themthan they to have him there. Hefulfilled the injunction of St Ignatiusto ‘see God, Our Lord, in everycreature’, but I think he found iteasiest to do this in the case ofthose whose simplicity had beenleast tarnished … children,unlettered folk and the so-calledbackward races. His courtesy tothem was unfailing and exquisite.”


Mayfair in the City of Westminster is thecountry’s largest single confluence ofpower, influence, money and debt, coach- and train-stations, drugs andprostitution, hope and fear in the UnitedKingdom. All of those things are obviouslyinter-related. It is a place of transience -Westminster has a resident population of222,000 and a day-time population of 1.2million. It is what people of my age usedto call a ‘happening place’.

And in this place, five years ago,something happened that, withhindsight, we think of as a very small,but rather special Incarnation. At theProvincial’s inspiration, a group of laypeople and Jesuits came together toform the Mount Street Jesuit Centre onthe model of ‘cluster-working’ alreadypioneered in other Jesuit centres inEdinburgh and Preston.

He told us that “an apostolic cluster isa grouping of Jesuits engaged incharacteristic missions of the society,coming together in an apostolic teamand networking beyond that tomaximise their impact, influence andeffectiveness”. He hoped that it couldbe a new way of responding to theneeds of the emerging Church –building a praying, worshiping, learningand working community out of aninchoate and hyper-diverse group ofshifting, transient urban people, mostlyadrift from any real fixed points in theirlives and desperately seeking personal

experience of God.And now, after five

years of trying, prayer,discussion (and even alittle fasting), I believewe have now come tobe a place of Faith –Faith of many kinds.

It is a place of Faithin Christian Truth, thatby thought andreflection, reason andrevelation, we maycome to understandsomething of who Godis in the world andwhat God’s Presencecan achieve in ourlives. We learntogether the word ofGod revealed inScripture and theChurch's teaching.

It is a place of Faithin Christian Prayer –that by coming toknow God’s presence

in the depths of our own hearts,explored in the richness of manyspiritual traditions, we can come toappreciate how God lives in and throughour own lives. So, we spread thebenefits of the Spiritual Exercises of StIgnatius in all of their usual adaptationsand a few new ones. We have aburgeoning network of spiritualdirectors and a near insatiable demandfor their services. We pray together withthe God who inhabits us.

It is a place of Faith in Christiancelebration – that by celebrating thesacraments of the Church we mayknow the power of God’s grace withinus. We have a lively, active and growingparish with a well-deserved reputationof liturgical excellence and Christianwelcome. We celebrate together theGod who unites and inspires us.

It is a place of Faith in Christian action– that being inspired by God’s presencein us, we may find ourselves drawn toGod’s work in the world. We earth all wepray, learn and talk about in the realexperience of the poor andmarginalized in Westminster –especially that of the largest populationof homeless people in the country.

Like the people of Faith who come tous, our programme is rich, diverseand multi-faceted. We hope that thereis something for every person, nomatter where they are on the journeyof Faith. And we hope that it willinspire in our participants and inourselves a constant growth of theFaith that we profess.

One of my favourite poems is JohnBetjeman's Christmas 1954. Hespeaks of an Incarnation that touchesthe hearts and lives of the greatestand the least – from the “oafish louts”who “remember Mum” to the ‘shiningones who dwell, safe in theDorchester Hotel’. He believed that noone is so rich or so poor as to beentirely immune to the Incarnation –the presence of God in a particulartime and place. And we happen tothink he was right.


Location! Location! Location! The true story of an institution isoften more its geography that itshistory, according to Dr PaulO’Reilly SJ, the Director of theMount Street Jesuit Centre.

JM

Desperately seekingGod in central London

Photo credit: MSJC


The Royal Liverpool PhilharmonicOrchestra is helping to make majorsocial changes in one of the poorestparts of the city, hoping that theinitiative will help residents feel agreater pride in their community andmore importantly, increaseconfidence and self-esteem among itsyoung children. In the five months thatit has been running, it is alreadyhelping to nurture the aspirations,self-esteem, creativity and teamworkof the pupils of Faith School – theprimary school of St Francis Xavier’sparish in West Everton. It has alsoinvolved their families and the widercommunity.

In Harmony was launched over thesummer and aims to make music anintegral part of the children’s everydaylives. Almost 100 musical instrumentswere provided for 81 pupils and 11teachers, ranging from violins andviolas, to cellos and double basses. Inless than three months, they wereperforming with world-renownedcellist, Julian Lloyd Webber atLiverpool’s Philharmonic Hall as the

West Everton Children’s Orchestra. This was followed by an Open Day for

local residents at the West EvertonCommunity Centre. The day washugely successful, and included animpromptu performance by somechildren from Faith School, which is ajoint Anglican/RC primary school. TheIn Harmony team also offered localparents and children the chance tohave a concert in their own homes inthe school holidays, with each childplaying their own instrument forfamily and friends. Over 20 homeswere visited in three days, and in someof them, the audience was made up offour generations!

The RLP have a long history of takingtheir musicians into schools, but onthis project they are also working withmusicians from the Liverpool MusicSupport Service and with staff andstudents of Liverpool Hope University,as well as the resident-led WestEverton Community Council, FaithPrimary School and the Jesuit parishof St Francis Xavier.

“The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic

is absolutely committed to moremusic making for children and youngpeople in Liverpool and Merseyside,and this provides a massiveopportunity to get more childrenlearning instruments,” says PeterGarden from the RLP.

Earlier this year, they opened a newcentre for the orchestra at what wasthe Friary Church, which they havetransformed into a rehearsal room,recording centre and community andeducation venue. “We had beentalking to West Everton council andlocal schools about what programmeswe could run, so In Harmony camealong at a perfect time,” says Peter.“The rehearsal centre is right nextdoor to the schools where all of thechildren are going to be drawn from,so we’re literally side by side.”

Peter concedes that the plan is anambitious one, to get every one of the93 children at Faith Primary playingan instrument. “If this is going to workwe felt we had to have a reallyintensive programme, with every childin the school, linking to early years,

and a programme ofworking with adults.Then, we feel, wecould have a realimpact. We believeIn Harmony couldlead to real socialchange. We hope tosee a shift and achange in theconfidence of thechildren and youngpeople, and the way families areviewing their wholecommunity.”


JM

FAITH SCHOOL BRINGSHARMONY TO WEST EVERTONFrom Debbie Reynolds, Zoe Armfield and Ged Clapson

Photo credit: RLPO

16 Jesuits & Friends Winter 2009 www.jesuitsandfriends.org.uk16 Jesuits & Friends Winter 2009 www.jesuitsandfriends.org.uk

I have been to several townships inSouthern Africa, but nothing preparedme for Kibera. All my senses wereengaged on arrival! Tiny dustyalleyways are the pathways not only forhuman traffic, but they are the sewagesystem and the rubbish dump.

In order to get to the different parts ofthe school I had to hop, skip and jump tododge puddles and get from rock torock in the narrow alleyways that wendtheir way between the mass of shantydwellings that approximately onemillion people call home.

What impressed me more thananything is the hop, skip and leap offaith the community at St Al’s (as it’saffectionally known) has taken toprovide quality education for childrenwho have nothing and who come fromvery difficult home environments:children who have lost one or bothparents to HIV/AIDS; children adjustingto living with their extended familywhere, in many instances, they are veryaware of being an additional burden tothe family or are exposed to abusivesituations.

The classes have limited resourcesand are dark and hot, with tin roofing,and the only natural light coming fromthe narrow corridors. Despite thehaphazard nature of the schoolstructure and surrounds, classeshappen in a quiet and orderly fashion.

From the labs, which are precariouslybalanced on the roof of classrooms

below, the site for the new schoolbuilding can be seen. Most pupils don’tbelieve that the promises that they’veheard of a “new school” will bear fruit,but when I was there earlier this yearbuilding contractors were submittingtheir bids. Soon after, foundations werebeing laid, and in August the externalwalls were up to the level of the ceilingof the ground floor. Seeing dreamsbecoming reality is always inspiring andeven more so when the obstacles ofgetting there have been seeminglyinsurmountable. St Al’s is certainly atestament to “faith in action”.

The pupils at St Al’s, with their smartgreen and white uniforms, stand out inthe community as they move from classto class in between people’s homes. Intrue Jesuit fashion the school has anactive community service project whichinvolves most of the graduates from theschool. These pupils are positive rolemodels for a community strugglingfrom decades of government neglect.

St Aloysius Junior School in Glasgowand Laini Saba Primary School inKibera have recently joined theCompanions' Programme. We wantedto have pupils of a similar age incommunication and so Laini SabaPrimary, which is one of the feederschools to St Al’s in Kibera, was decidedupon.

Laini Saba Primary School is in theheart of Kibera; to get there, three StAl’s graduates accompanied me on our

50 minute walk. En route we passednumerous hairdressers and butchersall colourfully adorned to lurepassersby. We mainly walked along therailway line that intersects Kibera.“Laini Saba” means “line seven” andthis is the closest station stop to theschool.

Laini Saba is next door to Christ theKing parish where an enormous churchis being built to accommodate theburgeoning number of parishioners.Sister Margaret, the headmistress ofLaini Saba, told me about the dramatichappenings early last year when theyfound themselves in the epicentre ofthe political conflict in Kibera. Sherecounted how worried they werebecause buildings around them werebeing set ablaze and the schoolbuilding is made of wood. She spoke ofthe groups that came in to counsel thechildren after the conflict. A number ofchildren were very traumatised, but thefact that they were able to receive somekind of counselling certainly helped.

The heads at both schools are verykeen to see the partnership developingand Mr Kiambi the headmaster of StAl’s said, “We are excited about ourpartnership. It is very mind-openingand it is good for the students to explorenew possibilities. We hope that thepartnership goes from strength tostrength so that it will be of mutualbenefit to our students in Glasgow, andhere in Kibera.”

St Aloysius Gonzaga School: a testament to faith in actionAs part of the Companions’Programme, St Aloysius’ College inGlasgow is partnered with St AloysiusGonzaga Secondary School in Kibera,Kenya. Earlier this year, AshleighCallow of JM visited Kibera and theprogramme’s two partner schools todiscuss the Companions’ programme,which sees the exchange of cultureand ideas and the sharing of acommon Ignatian ethos.

The children of Laimi Saba school. Photo credit: Ashleigh Callow


Most of the youths we work with atZambuko House are drawn from thestreets, although many of them arenow coming via other child welfareinstitutions. Services offered include a ‘home’ environment whichaccommodates an average of 16 to 20homeless teenage boys and/or youngadults at any given time, and a ‘dropin’ facility for a maximum 30 to 35 boys

per month for their personal andhygiene needs. We have a ‘jewel box’approach whose aim is to be practicalin a small but very effective way. Thedriving force in the achievement of ourobjectives is guided by our passion toinstill in the beneficiaries the sense offamily living and belonging, and thedignity they lost as a result of theirharsh background (street life).

Through our comprehensiveOutreach programme, we manage tovisit most of the homes andcommunities or social supportsystems of all the boys on ourprogramme. Outreach is an ongoingactivity as well as the cornerstone andan important aspect of our work. Forexample, two brothers were referredto us from a government institutionwhich had ‘expelled’ them because oftheir ages. They were reported ashaving no relatives but some relativeswere traced as a result of ourintensive Outreach efforts. They nowhave a social support system to fallback on, even after they finish theirindividual intervention programmes.

Another achievement is that we nolonger have school-going youngstersresident at Zambuko House. Thosewho are academically gifted are beingassisted with fees, and they areencouraged to stay with theiridentified support systems so as toavoid the boys making ZambukoHouse their permanent home. Afterobserving that the majority of the boys

were always spending holidays atZambuko House, we beganencouraging them to spend weekendsand holidays with their families andcommunities; this re-integration isyielding positive results.

Challenges and Future Plans

Most of the activities within ourSkills Training Department are beingmanaged mainly by volunteer andpart-time staff. Funding in this regardis important and has to be consideredby funding agencies, if the project is tohave a professional approach in itsactivities and be able to retainprofessional staff as well: mostdonors are not keen to fund staffsalaries.

There is a need to upgrade our metalworkshop, which is not well equippedand some major items needreplacing. We also need money tohelp our Skills ‘Graduates’ start uptheir own projects within their chosenline of training. For example, we haveone young man named Shepherd whowas trained in metal work.Unfortunately, we are not able to buyhim a welding machine because oflimited financial resources on ourpart; hence the need to have fundsavailable as starter capital for anyprojects the youngsters may wish toembark upon.

The gardening project is beingaffected by the erratic water supplywhich is a major setback for us.Though we have a small well, webelieve that it would be better for aplace like Zambuko House to have itsown borehole sunk so as to boost ourgardening project, which promises tobe our major income earner in ourendeavors to be self-reliant. Some ofour worn-out household items werereplaced with a grant we got fromJesuit Missions, UK, but a lot stillneeds to be done, including new bedsand linen for the boys’ dormitoriesand some shelving for storing theirclothes.

We are very grateful to our friendswho help us financially through ouraccount at Jesuit Missions UK.


Shepherd, the young man in desperate need for a welding machine and ‘starter’ capital sothat he can be more independent. Photo credit: Zambuko House

Skills and Shelter for

Zambuko House in Zimbabwe is aJesuit initiative which startedoperating in 1994. The focus is onproviding rehabilitative servicesand skills training to young peoplewithin the Greater Harare urbanareas. Emilia James, Director ofZamuko House, explains how theprovision of shelter and spiritual,moral, personal and skillsdevelopment to the less fortunateyoung males of Zimbabweansociety can lead to thembecoming self-reliant responsiblecitizens with a “bettertomorrow”.

Young Zimbabweans

DEATHS &OBITUARIES

Franz Gabriel was in his quiet, smiling way a man ofgreat charism and the perfect example of a brotherwho lived his Jesuit vocation to the full.

Born on 7 October 1919 near the German/Polishborder, Franz was called up for service with theGerman Navy in Norway, only to be dismissed from thearmed forces in October 1941, because, as a Jesuit hewas not “worthy to defend the fatherland”.

He was trained as a tailor, but he was also anexcellent cook. In the aftermath of the war, Br Franzwas indispensible in rebuilding many shattered Jesuitcommunities. In 1951 he was sent to help build aseparate community for the East German province. Heworked in both noviciates for a while and many Germannovices regarded him as their “second novice master”.

At the age of 52, Franz’s dream to be a missionary wasrealised and he was sent to learn English in London sothat he could go out to what was then the Rhodesiamission, serving mainly in the Chinhoyi diocese. In1990, he was moved to Arrupe House as Minister of anew community of young Jesuits, which became theorigin of Arrupe College. He found it very easy toengage with the young Zimbabweans who were intraining to be Jesuits.

After two years, Franz returned to a very differentunified Germany where he served in the retreat housein Biesfeld. However, he was recalled to Zimbabwe ontwo further occasions to help at Arrupe and Canisius.

On 1 December 2006, he finally retired to Peter-Faber-House in Berlin, which he had helped build as ahouse of formation many years earlier. He would havecelebrated his 90th birthday (and 72 years in theSociety) in October 2009, but he died on 16 August2009. Masses of thanksgiving were celebrated for himin both Germany and Zimbabwe.

Brother Franz Gabriel SJ

John Francis Grumitt was born inPenang in the Malai Straits andspent much of his childhood inAustralia, attending Riverside JesuitCollege in Sydney, before his familymoved to the UK. He then completedhis secondary education atStonyhurst College. In September1947, at the age of 17, John enteredthe Jesuit novitiate at Roehampton,studied philosophy and theology atHeythrop College, Oxfordshire, andqualified for his Teacher’s Certificatein 1955.

As a scholastic, John taught for three years in St Mary’s Hallpreparatory school, Stonyhurst. He was ordained priest in 1961and made his tertianship at St Beuno’s, north Wales. In 1963, hewas assigned to St George’s College in what was then Rhodesia.He was based at Hartmann House and Prestage House inSalisbury (Harare) and was awarded a BA by the UniversityCollege of Rhodesia in 1969. He taught at St George’s College fora further two years until he returned to the UK.

Between 1972 and 1976, John taught at St Aloysius’ College,Glasgow, before being appointed headmaster at Mount StMary’s College, Spinkhill, a post he held for 15 years. He thenmoved to Enfield, Middlesex, and served as chaplain at StIgnatius’ College, before assuming responsibility for the alumniof the Society’s schools in Britain and establishing the YBJA(Young British Jesuit Alumni). In the mid-1990s, John undertooka series of trips overseas to coordinate GAP year assignmentsfor alumni.

On moving to Wimbledon in 2004, John was appointed chaplainto Donhead, the preparatory school of Wimbledon College. Hemoved to the Corpus Christi Jesuit Community in 2007 inBoscombe, Bournemouth, where he died on 19 October 2009.

Stanley Thomas Maxwell was born on 1 April 1922 in Cumberland and was educated by theSociety of Jesus at Preston Catholic College. He entered the Society at St Beuno’s in 1942, andstudied for degrees in philosophy and theology at Heythrop College in Oxfordshire, where hewas also ordained in 1955.

During his formation, Stanley taught at Mount St Mary’s College near Sheffield, St Michael’sCollege in Leeds, and St Francis Xavier’s preparatory school in Liverpool. After his ordination,he was assigned to British Guiana (now Guyana), where he worked for the next 18 years. Heserved four years at Sacred Heart parish in Georgetown, seven years at the cathedral – duringwhich he also taught at St Stanislaus College – and a further two years at the St IgnatiusMission in Lethem, in the Rupununi.

Between 1969 and 1972, Stanley taught at St Paul’s Seminary at Better Hope, and then spenta further two years serving at the Catholic church in Victoria, before returning to the UK in1974 for medical reasons. He then spent 33 years at St John’s Beaumont in Old Windsor, as ateacher from 1974 to 1987, and thereafter as Spiritual Father to the boys.

Stanley Maxwell moved to Boscombe, Dorset, in December 2007 and was a member of theCorpus Christi Jesuit Community, until his death in Poole Hospital on 29 June 2009.

Fr Stanley Maxwell SJ

Fr John Grumitt SJ


DEATHS &OBITUARIES

Thomas Geoffrey Holt (known as Geoffrey) was a historian, a writer and a Jesuitpriest. He died at the Corpus Christi Jesuit Community in Boscombe, Dorset, on 28September 2009, having recently marked 79 years as a member of the Society ofJesus.

Born in Hereford in 1912, Geoffrey was a pupil at Stonyhurst College and enteredthe Jesuit Juniorate at Roehampton at the age of 20. He studied philosophy atHeythrop College in Oxfordshire and achieved his BA in history at Campion Hall inOxford. During the war years, he taught at Corby School in Sunderland andStonyhurst College, before being awarded a Licentiate in Theology at Heythrop.

After three years of teaching at Mount St Mary’s College, Spinkhill, Geoffrey didhis tertianship at St Beuno’s in North Wales in 1949 and then spent the next 16years teaching at Stonyhurst College.

In 1966, he was appointed Assistant Archivist for the British Province, based inMount Street in London, a position he held for the next 20 years until he becamethe Provincial Archivist in his own right. During this time, he wrote extensivelyabout the history of the British Jesuits and became a Fellow of the Society ofAntiquaries in London (1973) and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (1985). Healso lectured in Church History at St John’s Seminary, Wonersh, from 1974 to 1979.

Geoffrey Holt’s articles covered many aspects of English Catholic history – frombiographies of such celebrated figures at Cardinal Vaughan and St Thomas More,to recusant history and the suppression of the Society of Jesus. He moved to theCorpus Christi Jesuit Centre in Dorset when it opened in 2007, but his funeral wascelebrated at Farm Street Church in London, a church with which he had beenassociated as a Jesuit for over 40 years.

Fr Geoffrey Holt SJ

Mr Victor Charan

Mr Alexander Carlton

Mr Derek Brookshaw

Sir Michael Quinlan OW

Sr Christina SSA

Mr John O’Brien

Mr John Scullion

Mrs M L Pearson

Mrs Geraldine MacFarlane

Mr Ambrose Remedios

Mr Peter Rennison

Dr E B Butler

Sr Mary Joseph OCD

Mrs M Mendonca

Mrs Annie Smith

Mrs Mary O’Connell

Sr Bryan D'Arbreu RSM

Mr Peter McCarthy

Mr Philip O’Brien

Mr L Porter

Sr Theresa La Rose RSM

Mr Richard Nute

Mr Francis Clark

Mr Roland MacIntosh

Mr Tadeusz Filochowski

Mr John O. Persaud Snr

Mrs Lucille Yip

Mr John Gillham

Brother-in-law of Fr Kevin Fox SJ

Mr Felix Britt-Compton

Brother of Fr Peter Britt-Compton SJ

Mrs Elizabeth Howard Madigan

Mother of Fr Patrick Madigan SJ

Mr Sylvester Kerketta

Brother-in-law of Gabriel Xess SJ

Mr Paul Smulders

Brother of the late Fr W Smulders SJ

Mr Nero Singh

Brother-in-law of Godfrey Veerasammy SJ

Mr Peter Anthony

Brother-in-law of Godfrey Veerasammy SJ

Mr Donald Knott

Brother of Fr Peter Knott SJ

Miss Nora Lavery

Aunt of Fr Andrew Cameron-Mowat SJ

Mr George Plowman

Cousin of Fr Tom Jackson SJ

Mrs May Burscough

Sister of Fr Ted Rogers SJ

Br Franz Gabriel SJ

Fr Stanley Maxwell SJ

Fr Fabian Sitolo Masina SJ

Fr Charles Edwards SJ

Fr Geoffrey Holt SJ

Fr John Grumitt SJ

Fr Jim Henderson SJ

Please pray for those who have died recently.May they rest in peace.



Bits ‘n’ Pieces


The celebrations inGlasgow to mark the 150thanniversary of St Aloysius’College have continuedthroughout the autumn.The beginning of term wasmarked by Masses for theJunior and Senior Schools,celebrated by the MostReverend Mario Conti,Archbishop of Glasgow,and His Eminence KeithPatrick Cardinal O’Brien respectively. At both Masses Fr Michael HolmanSJ, the British Provincial, spoke of the College not merely as a good and afine school, but as an outstanding school. He acknowledged the energy,enterprise and foresight of the Society of Jesus in establishing St Aloysius’which has contributed to society in the West of Scotland.

As Guest of Honour at this year’s Prize Giving, the Right Honourable LordGill, Lord Justice Clerk (a former student of St Aloysius) said that althoughthe College enjoys an outstanding academic reputation, there is more to StAloysius’ than academic success. He particularly commended the way thatpupils are urged to dedicate their talents to the welfare of others. In thesame week, a Civic Reception was held at Glasgow City Chambers.

One of the highlights of the Sesquicentennial celebrations was a concert atGlasgow’s Royal Concert Hall, at which the College Orchestra and Choirs,joined by an enlarged Junior School Choir, took part in spectacular programmethat include Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, and the first performance of a newwork by Howard Goodall, Classic FM's Composer of the Year.

GLASGOW CELEBRATIONS

INTERNATIONAL FORMATION

MARION'S COMMITMENT NEW OFFICERS FOR CLC BRITAIN

Una Buckley has been elected President ofChristian Life Community Britain and EamonnHamilton has been elected Treasurer. Unareplaces Evelyne Maloret who now becomesConvenor of the European Team of CLC. At theNational Assembly of CLC, gratitude wasexpressed by Evelyne for all the support shehas been given during her term of office fromthe Province and both she and Una lookedforward to increasing cooperation between theSociety and CLC.

The British Province in September welcomed 46 Jesuits in formation from24 provinces of the Society of Jesus. The Jesuits come from as far afield asLithuania, Korea, Zambia and Chile. Most men will be pursuing courses inthe traditional subjects of philosophy and theology at Heythrop College inLondon and at Campion Hall in Oxford, while others will be studying inspecialized programmes at the School of Oriental and African Studies, theLondon College of Communication, Roehampton University, the Institute ofEducation and the London School of Economics. The British Province wasrecently named a formation centre for Jesuits in studies.

Marion Morgan, aparishioner of theformer Jesuit parish ofSt-Mary-on-the-Quayin Bristol chose theFeast of St IgnatiusLoyola for a veryspecial occasion.During Mass, Marionwas consecrated tocelibate life by BishopDeclan Lang of Clifton, and is now a memberof the Order of Consecrated Virgins (OCV).

There are currently about 200 ConsecratedVirgins (usually known as consecratedwomen) in the UK. It is a way of leading adedicated and vowed life for those who do notfeel called to life in a specific religiouscommunity or who are not free to join one -perhaps because, like Marion, they are full-time carers.

“The community of an OCV is her parish andDiocese,” she says. “There is no commonspirituality, apart from the commoncommitment. OCVs express their ministry inmany different lifestyles. For me, it willalways be Ignatian spirituality which attractsme. I revel in the freedom to go out and about,to meet different people and to engage inconversation.”

At the final count, this year’s LondonMarathon team of 21 runners raised a total of£65,350 for JM and JRS (UK) projects. InAfrica, orphans are being supported inZimbabwe, parishes are being refurbished inZambia, funds are helping feedingprogrammes in South Africa, and support isalso being given for a number of educationaldevelopments across southern Africa. InGuyana, a number of pastoral projects havereceived vital support, while at JRS they havebeen able to fund a number of their works inthe UK. All places have been taken for the2010 Virgin London Marathon, but the list for2011 is open already, so if you would like toregister your interest, please call JM.

BOOK EARLY IF YOU WANT TO RUN!


Bits ‘n’ Pieces


Wimbledon College has launched a ‘Pound for Pannur’campaign, following serious flooding in the state ofKarnataka in India. Their aim is to raise a pound fromevery pupil - and to expand the appeal to their parentsand friends outside the college. The Jesuitcomprehensive boys’ school in south west London hasbeen supporting Pannur Mission in this poor rural regionof Southern India since 2002. Meanwhile, JM has set upa designated link for donations.

Jesuits working in the village of Pannur andsurrounding hamlets have sought to empower the peopleof the downtrodden Dalit caste, the so called‘untouchables’ of Indian society. Their work hasconcentrated on raising the status of women through theestablishment of women’s groups and credit unions; andthe building of a school for bonded labourers andchildren condemned to a life in the fields as goatherdsand cowherds. The Wimbledon College project(www.projectmanvi.co.uk) centres around providingeducation for Dalit children in Manvi. For the past fiveyears students and teachers from the college havetravelled to India to spend a month working on theproject and in particular building a primary school, forwhich they have raised £125,000.

www.justgiving.com/Emergencyappealforfloodinginmanvi

Six novices who completed their two years’ novitiate thissummer pronounced their first vows as Jesuits on 5September. The Mass at St Mary’s Church, Harborne,Birmingham, was celebrated by dozens of Jesuits,among them, the Provincials of Ireland, Britain,Netherlands and North Belgium, the Novice Directorfrom Manresa House and others involved in the men’sformation.

Lithuanian Mindaugas Dijokas is now continuing hisstudies in Munich; and Kensy Joseph is studying in India.The remaining four scholastics - Eddie Cosgrove fromthe Irish Province, Ricardo DaSilva and Grant Tungayfrom South Africa, and British novice, Philip Harrison -are studying for their philosophy degrees at HeythropCollege, University of London.

Directors of the European Jesuit Mission Offices and Non-Governmental Organisations gathered at Loyola Hall this autumnto assess their work over the last year and identify areas for mutualcooperation. They discussed several key issues, including the factthat during the recession, though the numbers of donors has fallen,income has remained steady; new links have been established withChina and other Asian countries; Irish Aid has funded a JRS projectin its own right for the first time; and many new superiors anddirectors in African countries are taking over projects from ex-patriots. The offices of Europe have spent approximately 73 millioneuro over the past year, of which 35% went to Africa, 37% to SouthAmerica, and 20% to Asia. The Mission Offices have sponsoredprojects submitted by Jesuit Refugee Service, Fe y Alegria, AfricanJesuit AIDS Network, and individual Jesuit provinces.

POUNDS FOR PANNUR

FIRST VOWS

A WORLDWIDE MISSION

Leonard Michael SJ from theSri Lankan Province has beenordained deacon at StAnselm’s Church in Southall,Middlesex. Throughout hisschooling at St Joseph’scollege in Colombo, he felt hewas being called to thepriesthood, and this wasconfirmed when heencountered a Jesuit Italian priest, whose missionary zeal andpassion to love and serve the Lord so touched Leonard that heapplied to join – and was accepted by – the Society of Jesus in1997. As part of his formation, Leonard worked as a Chaplain in atechnical school run by Jesuits in Sri Lanka; and since 2005, hehas been studying at Heythrop College in London. He is nowcontinuing his studies – in Psychotherapy and Counselling – aswell as working in St Anselm’s parish, where he was ordaineddeacon by Bishop Alan Hopes, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster,pictured above, being assisted by Leonard.

LEONARD ORDAINED DEACON

The second book of poems by Fr PatrickPurnell SJ is now available. The Book ofFurrows follows the pattern of the four weeksof the Spiritual Exercises with some verymoving expressions of Scripture and of thetext of the Exercises - with his own “empathy,intuition, insights and personal wisdom”, asthe late Fr Michael Ivens SJ would have said. This could be theperfect Christmas present for some of your friends. Copies may behad from Patrick himself or from Fr Michael Barrow SJ at 757Christchurch Toad, Bournemouth BH7 6AN Price £8.50 + £1 p & p).

The Book of Furrows by Patrick Purnell SJ

We live in a world that can boast of awhole range of instant methods ofcommunication. Just think how thehistory books would have to be re-written if information technology hadbeen available, for instance, in the 16thcentury, when the Church had to copewith the problems of the Reformation inEurope. It is interesting to speculatewhat would have happened if, forexample, the Pope in Rome, MartinLuther in Germany and Henry VIII inEngland had possessed laptops, email

facilities and the availability of fasttravel offered by modern aviation. Theworld in which we live today couldindeed be very different.

It may come as a surprise to many butthanks to the wonderful work of ourredemption wrought by Jesus Christand the Church that he founded wehave always had a most marvellousmeans of communication available tous, not electronic but powered by thedivine initiative of God made visible inJesus Christ. December is the monthmost looked forward to by our childrenwith the feast of Christmas gettingcloser and closer. We celebrate hisbirth on December 25 and shortlyafterwards, the Feast of the HolyFamily of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.Jesus, as a child, and indeed allchildren are so central to theChristmas story. We are asked at thistime to unite our daily offering with theprayers of the Holy Father that childrenwill be loved and respectedeverywhere, and that Jesus will beseen to be our true light and theirs,shining in our darkened world. Maythey all grow in wisdom and grace to begood stewards of God’s creation!

The papal intention for Januarybrings us right into our modern worldof electronic communication. The HolyFather ask us to pray that all theseelectronic means that are at the finger

tips of the young will be mastered andused wisely and, indeed, will be used aspowerful means for communicating theGood News of Jesus Christ to the world.St Paul, I am sure, would have revelledin the world of electroniccommunication if it had existed in hisera. Remember his words in the tenthchapter of the letter to the Romans andimmortalised for many by Handel inThe Messiah: “Is it possible they did nothear? Indeed they did; in the words ofthe psalm, their voice has gone outthrough all the earth, and theirmessage to the ends of the world”.

“Fides quaerens intellectum, Faithseeking understanding” is a hallowedphrase in academic theological circles.Looking ahead to February, the HolyFather asks us to pray for all who areengaged in the intellectual apostolate.

And finally for this quarter, it isappropriate that our daily prayer inMarch is directed towards a just andhonest management of the economy,especially at this time of worldwidefinancial crisis. The Holy Father alsoasks that we focus our prayers onpoorer nations and pray that they maybe truly helped.

Michael Beattie SJ

Their voice has gone outApostleship of Prayer Papal Intentions

For respect for children everywhere.That people may come to realisethat Jesus is the Light of the World.

That young people may grow ingrace as they use wisely the modern means of electronic communication.That Christian men and women maybe truly united and more effectivelyproclaim the Good News of JesusChrist.

For academics: that their researchmay bring them to know, love andserve Almighty God. That every Christian may have a senseof responsibility for the spreading ofthe Gospel of Jesus Christ.

For just and honest management ofthe world economy, especiallywith regards to poor nations.That the Church in Africa be aninstrument of justice andreconciliation.

December

January

February

March


The Youth Choir of St Martinde Porres Church inSoweto sing their gratitude,but they still need oursupport – see page 6

The children ofLaini Saba PrimarySchool, in theheart of Kibera,Kenya,desperately needbetter resourcesand classrooms –see page 16

You can send your donations to the address below, or log on to our websitewhere you can increase your donation by 28% through the Just Givingscheme. Thank you!

Your donations enablethe work begun 100years ago by FrCuthbert Cary-Elwes SJin the Guyanese Interiorto continue and grow –see page 12

Your generoussupport for peoplelike Shepherd atZambuko Houseensures youngZimbabweans learna trade and becomemore self-sufficient.See page 17

The JESUIT DEVELOPMENTFUND helps to establish andmaintain churches, schools,retreat centres and apostolicworks of all kinds at home andoverseas. At present thetrustees are assisting thedevelopment of our work inSouth Africa, and providingnursing care and attention forthe elderly Jesuits of the Province.

YOUR GIFTS in response to any appeals, orfor any of our Missions overseas, should besent to JM, which is the central missionoffice. Please make all cheques and postalorders payable to JM.

GIFT AIDFor every pound you donate we can reclaim28p, thanks to the government scheme. Ifyou need further details contact the JMoffice.

www.gbjm.orgJM · 11 Edge Hill · London · SW19 4LRT: + 44 (0) 20 8946 0466 F: + 44 (0) 20 8946 2292 E: [email protected]

Why not senda donation tosupport us?

All Benefactors are remembered in the Masses and prayers of every Jesuit in our Province.Thank you for your generosity

A BEQUESTWe would be delighted if you remember JMor the appeals mentioned here in your Will.We shall be happy to send you details of theofficial wording.

How Can I ? HelpThe JESUIT SEMINARY ASSOCIATIONhelps to defray the expensive cost oftraining Jesuit priests and brothers.



A reflection on the birth of ChristBased on Isaiah 11, 1

A shoot sproutsA bud opensA scarlet roseEnchanting scents

A shoot sproutsA tree growsIts foliage changing From green to red

Leaves fallLike drops of bloodInto rivers of pain

Bare branchesBearing death

The wind blowsThe spirit moves

Oceans of blood, pain and deathWash seeds into rock-dark graves

A shoot sproutsBuds open, trees growPain and death are no moreLove reigns

JESUS is born at last

Photo: © Aniszewski

Jesuits & Friends Winter 09

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Transcript of Jesuits & Friends Winter 09