May 2012 Music Books and more


WE GIVE AS WE RECEIVE: Apostleship of the Sea brought Easter Cheer to Seafarers


Apostleship of the Sea port chaplains and ship visitors made a real difference to the lives of lonely mer- chant seafarers this Easter by giving them a chance to celebrate their faith at such an important time in their spiritual year and also by bringing them a sweet treat and a taste of joviality– Easter Eggs - as a gesture of thanks from the British community for all they do for us.


Seafarers bring us 95% of all the goods we use and consume. However, as we enjoy the fruits of their labour, merchant seafar- ers are trapped inside their ships in port or at sea, many miles from home – out of sight and out of mind. Indeed, for seafarers any festive peri- od is much like any other time of year – the only dif- ference being that their separation from family and friends and from their faith can be even more dif- ficult to bear than usual. This is where the Apostleship of the Sea steps in, visiting merchant ships and providing sea- farers with some Easter cheer in the form of Easter Eggs donated by the local community and also a chance to celebrate Mass if they wish it.


Seafarers often turn to the


A Future Full of Hope –


Gemma Simmonds CJ


Is religious life in crisis? In her new book, A Future Full of Hope, based on a series of papers given at a colloquium run by the Religious Life Institute (Heythrop College, University of London), Gemma Simmonds CJ addresses urgent questions surrounding the renewal and survival of religious life from a British, Irish, reli- gious and lay perspective. In addressing such ques- tions one may assess the relativity of religious life in a wider socio-religious con- text.


This book combines the expertise of leading authors on religious life with lay and religious colleagues. With a forward by former Dominican Master General Timothy Radcliffe, many questions are raised and


answers proposed. Collectively, the vary- ing angles broached by such people allow for both group and person- al reflection.


As the world evolves and moves forward how is religious life being affect- ed? Simmonds poses a pro- gressive and hopeful atti- tude on the subject: "As some orders die, others are in the process of being born. It has ever been thus in the church."


So, the question remains. Is the death of religious life imminent or is there a future full of hope? Br Paul Bednarczyck, Executive Director of the National Religious Vocation Conference, USA said: "This brave book brings into the public forum critical questions and


obser- vations about the contem- porary religious life that were formerly relegated to private conversation for congregations who long for a future full of hope." Gemma Simmonds is a sis- ter of the Congregation of Jesus. She is Director of the Religious Life Institute and a lecturer in pastoral theol- ogy at Heythrop College, University of London. A Future Full of Hope by Gemma Simmonds CJ is published by Columba Press priced €12.99/£10.99


Page Nine


CATHOLIC SYMPOSIUM ON MENTAL HEALTH


Apostleship of the Sea at Easter for pastoral and practical help – even on Easter Sunday itself. Recognising that seafarers are often unable to prac- tise their faith fully while at sea, Apostleship of the Sea teams make every


effort to take Catholic sea- farers to Mass on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, or arrange to have Mass celebrated onboard; so that seafarers can experience Easter as the important religious festival it truly is.


A national Catholic health- care symposium dedicated to mental health is to be held in Leeds in May this year. Aiming to furnish del- egates with a broad explo- ration of mental health from a Catholic perspective, the symposium is inspired by the often hidden suffer- ing of people with mental illness and is an active


response to the Holy Father’s call to prayer: “I invite you to pray for those with mental health difficulties: that they are not placed on the margins, but treated with respect and lovingly supported as they live their life with dig- nity." - Pope Benedict XVI A continuation of an annu-


A life of prayer


in community CARMEL


in the heart of


East Anglia


For information contact: The Prioress, Carmelite Monastery,


Quidenham, Norwich, NR16 2PH


or visit our website: www.quidenhamcarmel.org.uk


Domincan Sisters are committed to:


Praying the Divine Office in Common Living in Community Study


Preaching and teaching Servicing the elderly and disabled


Convent of St Catherine of Siena 155 Huntingdon Road Cambridge CB3 0DH


Website: www.stonedominicans.org Email: valerywalker@yahoo.co.uk


al symposium series organ- ised by the Catholic Medical Association (UK), the symposium, entitled, ‘A Light Shines in the Darkness: A Catholic Perspective on Mental Health,’ is under the direc- tion of the Leeds Branch of the organisation. With sem- inars on topics ranging from stigma to psychother- apy, speakers include Emeritus Professor Peter Gilbert, Sister Margaret Atkins, Ms Trish Gale, Dr Pravin Thevasathan, and Mr Chris Butler.


The symposium is open to healthcare professionals and students as well as anyone interested in a Catholic perspective on Mental Health. It will be held at the Leeds Diocesan Pastoral and Conference Centre, Hinsley Hall, on Saturday, 5th May 2012 and is followed on Sunday, 6th May 2012 by the Annual General Meeting of the Catholic Medical Association (UK) which is open to members of the association only.


Further details of the sym- posium, including booking arrangements, can be acquired from http://sites.google.com/site/ cmaleeds/ or by contacting cmaleeds@gmail.com.


Gemma Simmonds CJ


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