The first ‘Caritas Leeds Day of Reflection and Action’ was held at Hinsley Hall, bringing fresh energy to Bishop Marcus Stock’s vision of Catholic social organisations and projects coming together for prayer, networking, and inspiration.

In the summer of 2023, Bishop Marcus designated Catholic Care as the ‘Caritas agency’ of the Diocese of Leeds. Caritas is the Latin word for love, and every diocese in the world has a Caritas agency whose task is to show God’s particular love for the poor and marginalised through practical acts of charity.

In addition to Catholic Care, there are many charitable projects happening in parishes, schools, chaplaincies, and religious communities across the diocese. Catholic Care is now entrusted by Bishop Marcus with the task of supporting those projects on practical matters such as safeguarding, health and safety compliance, and finance. Because of Catholic Care’s resources and experience, Bishop Marcus has asked us ‘to provide ongoing direction and coordination of the service of charity’ in the Diocese of Leeds, which means we’ll be working even more closely with partner charities and groups like CAFOD, the Saint Vincent de Paul Society (SVP), Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission, and the Vicariate for Education. As a charity, Catholic Care won’t be taking on additional projects or taking over other groups, but will help build capacity and encourage coordination.

The Day of Reflection and Action was the first gathering of these different groups since Bishop Marcus’ designation of Catholic Care as the diocesan Caritas agency. The plan is to hold such an event at least annually, hopefully with additional ‘Forum’ gatherings for those in the Caritas network looking at specific topics and areas for collaboration.

The day was jointly chaired by Carol Hill, Director of Catholic Care, and Monsignor Paul Grogan, Episcopal Vicar in the Diocesan Vicariate for Education. The event was opened by Bishop Marcus. He reminded everyone present that baptised members of the Church have a role in administering what he called ‘the universal sacrament of salvation’, which is the love of God we show to our sisters and brothers through acts of practical care.

Raymond Friel, Chief Executive Officer of Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN), spoke about the bigger Caritas Internationalis network, active in over 160 countries in the world, and the second largest provider of humanitarian aid in the world, after the Red Cross. England and Wales have two members of Caritas Internationalis: Caritas Social Action Network, which convenes and supports 52 Catholic charities working to alive poverty at home, and CAFOD, which works on international development. It’s amazing to think that Catholic Care is part of such a huge network of charitable love.

Carol Hill led a very informative session on Catholic Social Teaching (CST), inviting participants to take part in a game matching film quotes to CST principles. This was followed by workshops and presentations by the various groups present, including: Growing Old Grace-fully, St. Vincent de Paul Society (SVP), Together for the Common Good, and The Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust.

Among the forty or so participants there was a great deal of energy for the mission of charity in the diocese. Participants could see the benefits of having one organisation to act as a point of contact, supporter, and convener of the charitable works of the various agencies and parishes.

Bishop Marcus reminded us that Pope Benedict XVI said in his encyclical Deus Caritas Est (God is Love) that ‘Love needs to be organised if it is to be an ordered service to the community.’

The many groups working for justice, animated by love, in the Diocese of Leeds, will be all the more fruitful in their work for getting to know each other and sharing ideas and inspiration under the banner of Caritas.

You can see more photographs of the day on Catholic Care’s new Flickr account: www.flickr.com/photos/catholiccare

STAY IN TOUCH WITH CARITAS LEEDS

Catholic Care is producing a quarterly newsletter, Caritas Leeds Connect, to promote the work of the Caritas Leeds network. The first edition, Autumn 2024, is now available to download.

In response to the riots, Raymond Friel, CEO of Caritas Social Action Network said that Christians “stand in solidarity with all victims of violence, especially with our brothers and sisters seeking asylum, our Muslim brothers and sisters, and indeed with anyone feeling threatened because of who they are or where they are from.”

An excellent opportunity to reflect and act in favour of a better society is coming up on 21st September: the Caritas Leeds Day of Reflection and Action.

Please join us to find out more about the ongoing development of Caritas Leeds, how it links with Catholic Social Teaching, and how you can become involved in social action, taking positive steps to make an impact on what Pope Francis refers to as “globalisation of indifference”.

Saturday 21st September 10am – 3.30pm, Hinsley Hall, LS6 2BX. Lunch included.

Register for free at www.tinyurl.com/caritasleeds

Download a poster for the event.

My personal challenge for National Walking Month in May was to raise funds for Catholic Care by walking from Head Office in Headingley to Eller Beck Court, the charity’s extra care facility in Skipton. How hard can that be? 29 miles via pavement and canal, pace ourselves, no problem!

The walk turned into 34 miles and took over 10 hours to complete, but my partner and I raised £545 for Catholic Care and learned that the Leeds & Liverpool Canal is quite bendy in places with no benches for miles, and all of the cafés and pubs appeared to be closed on a Monday! We really enjoyed the challenge though. So scenic. The weather was perfect for walking.

When we arrived in Skipton we were so pleased to see Eller Beck Court’s Registered Manager, Julia, who greeted us on the street outside the facility with a big smile and the news that her staff had donated £20 towards our total! She took us in for well-needed drinks and a sit-down, before very kindly giving us a lift back to the train station! Thank you very much Julia, and to all who helped us reach our total. We slept well that night!

CONGRATULATIONS KATRINA, AND THANK YOU!

Each Lent pupils and students raise funds for Catholic Care through a variety of ingenious and often wacky activities which they then present to Bishop Marcus at the Good Shepherd Celebration. The total raised this year was £29,818.12.

It’s lovely to hear the passion and enthusiasm the young people have for this great cause, and the ways in which they raise funds. This year there were some additions to the ever-growing list of fundraising activities, including: the ever-popular selling toast; bring a cuddly toy to school day; saints day dress down day; bend the rules day; culture day; pre-loved books sale; and (the teachers’ favourite) sponsored silence.

This was a special year for the celebration, recognising Catholic Care’s 160^th Anniversary from its humble beginnings in 1863.

The presenting school this year was St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Hunslet, Leeds. They read a number of readings emphasising the virtues of Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

Their singing was beautiful, as was that of singers from the Vanderbilt University Blair School of Music, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

As groups left the cathedral to return to school, there were many happy faces and comments about how much everyone had enjoyed the celebration.

Photographs courtesy of Patrick Sice.

It was an opportunity to showcase our work to existing and potential partner organisations, and to say thank you for the support the Gianna project receives from many different sources.

Some twenty people were welcomed by Siobhan Vink, the project’s Administrative Assistant, who gave an excellent video presentation explaining how mothers refer themselves or are referred to the baby bank, and the various types of support that Catholic Care can provide.

New Welcome To The World packs were launched at the Open Day. These will be distributed with other goods and equipment that new mums receive, containing information on postpartum mental health, nutrition, and services provided by Catholic Care and other charities in the area. Representatives from other charities included Spark Social Justice, Better Start Bradford, and Bradford Doulas.

The Open Day was an opportunity to express Catholic Care’s thanks to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW) for a grant we received for the Gianna project from the Conference’s Day for Life Fund. Every June, Catholic parishes across England and Wales are asked to take a second collection to mark the Day for Life, which raises awareness about the meaning and value of human life at every stage and in every condition. The Fund gives financial assistance to organisations that promote the dignity of human life, and last year Catholic Care received a grant that allowed us to buy a bulk order of moses baskets, mattresses, and stands.

The Bishops’ Conference took the opportunity of our Open Day to open grant applications for the Day for Life Fund, and Conference staff who had travelled up from London read the following message from Bishop John Sherrington (pictured) who is the Conference’s Lead Bishop for Life Issues:

I am pleased to announce that this year’s Day for Life Fund applications are now open. I encourage any organisation whose work strives to uphold the Church’s commitment to protecting the dignity of human life to apply. I also encourage anyone who can to donate to the Day for Life Fund to ensure that this important work continues.

One previous recipient of funding is the Gianna Baby Bank project, run by Catholic Care in the Diocese of Leeds, which provides support to anyone within the diocese during a pregnancy for the first year of the baby’s life. Recently, the project launched a new initiative, supplying Welcome To The World packages to families in need, which include Moses baskets purchased through the Day for Life Fund. This support is open to anyone within the diocese, regardless of age, religion, race, or marital status, and is a vital lifeline for expectant mothers.

We recently celebrated the feast of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, the patron saint of physicians, mothers, and unborn children. Her life is a testimony of sacrificial love for the most vulnerable, that each member of the Church is called to follow. I congratulate Catholic Care’s Gianna project. Their work reflects the example set by their patron to provide support and assistance to women and girls during and beyond pregnancy. Thanks to the generous contributions to the Day for Life Fund, the Catholic Church in England and Wales is able to fund work like the Gianna Baby Bank. As we approach this year’s Day for Life on 16th June, let us pray with St. Gianna Beretta Molla that we can receive the graces to better recognise the beauty and gift of life in the most vulnerable. Using her words: ‘Lord, keep your grace in my heart. Live in me so that your grace be mine.’

Visitors were given a guided tour of the baby bank’s facilities. The Open Day was a great success, and will hopefully become an annual event.

Sarah Crossley, Senior Support Worker at Catholic Care’s service for Adults with Learning Disabilities at Roxholme Grove in Leeds, writes …

M. loves to take a snack to Day Centre, and will always opt for celebrity chef Ainsley Harriot’s cup soup. With support, M. reached out to Ainsley Harriot on social media to tell him his soups are her favourite snack to take. Ainsley’s team responded back to M., saying “Thank you for your message M., this is so lovely to hear. At the request of Ainsley, we’d like to send you something to show his appreciation.”

M. was delighted to receive a large package in the post with no less than 20 boxes of Ainsley’s cup soups – a total of 100 soup sachets! – and she was thrilled. Needless to say, M. is well and truly stocked up on them now for the visits to the Day Centre! Thank you, Ainsley!

As part of my role in our charity, I co-deliver the Cygnet Parenting Support Programme with my lovely colleague Mandy!

Parenting is a journey filled with happiness, triumphs, and challenges. For parents and caregivers of autistic children, this journey comes with joys of course! But also unique experiences and obstacles.

That’s where the Cygnet programme steps in, offering a beacon of guidance and support.

Designed for parents and carers of autistic children and young people aged 5-18, Cygnet provides a nurturing environment for individuals to deepen their understanding of autism and explore practical strategies to support their child’s development.

We recognise the diverse spectrum of challenges faced by parents of autistic children. From navigating communication hurdles to addressing sensory sensitivities, the Cygnet programme offers parents the opportunity to understand the world from their child’s point of view. It empowers parents with tools and resources tailored to their child’s needs.

One of the most invaluable aspects of Cygnet is the opportunity for parents to connect with others who share similar experiences. Through shared stories and mutual support, participants forge meaningful connections in an informal yet supportive atmosphere. These connections foster a sense of community, reminding parents that they are not alone on this journey.

The response we have received from this programme has been overwhelmingly positive. One participant shared “My knowledge of autism has increased by 100%, it has been a very powerful, informative and emotive experience.” Another stated “Cygnet has been great, a huge help for all of us as a family!”

If you have any questions or would like to talk to me about Cygnet Parenting Programme, it would be great to hear from you. Please contact me.

Fizaan Mohammed, Catholic Care’s Graduate Trainee, discussed this topic with the residents at Foundry Mill, our charity’s mental health accommodation facility, who shared the following thoughts:

Staying active is essential for our mental well-being, but let’s face it, finding the time and motivation can be tough. We get it, life can be hectic! That’s why, during Mental Health Awareness Week, we’re all about making movement a priority in our daily routines.

Whether it’s a leisurely stroll around the neighbourhood, dancing to your favourite tunes in the comfort of your living room, or squeezing in some chair exercises during TV time —every little bit counts!

Let’s make staying active a seamless and enjoyable part of our lives for a happier and healthier mindset.

Creativity is another great support for mental health. Above you can see tenants with some of the pictures they’ve recently created. A. loves to make vehicle models and display them in the entrance hall for tenants to see.

Another of the ways in which the residents at Foundry Mill are ‘moving more for mental health’ is by getting out in the garden.

To that end, Foundry Mill is hoping to start up a regular gardening group by the end of this month. Fizaan writes:

I’ve managed to get in contact with a local arts and social well-being charity called Space2 who run a gardening group at The Old Fire Station (literally around the corner from us). I spoke with some of the community development workers there, and whilst unfortunately they didn’t have the capacity to take on new gardeners for their group, they mentioned that they could come and deliver a short course to help us get a group going at Foundry Mill.

Since then, we’ve had an introductory session in which tenants were making seed clusters, and we’re looking at scheduling a design / planning session sometime in the next few weeks so that once the group starts at the end of May, tenants can get to work decorating the garden as they see fit.