“‘Have-a-Go’ Heroes” is the title given to the ‘Mission’ in our High School this week, as we await the Pope’s visit to the UK. Some ‘wag’ – and there is always one – said that they thought Pope Benedict might have ‘popped in’ to open it. In some ways, any modern Church leader needs to be a hero, because there is such a lot to consider, in today’s complex society. Our Archbishop, Patrick Kelly of Liverpool, put it very well in his Pastoral Letter, published last week.

“Pope Benedict comes to us when so many families are deeply affected by what is happening in Afghanistan. And the reality which is Afghanistan is woven into the story of the whole Middle East. For very many years our country has been involved in that part of the world. And it is wise to remember this: the story of the British Empire, of the Commonwealth ties us into the history and the well-being of so many races and peoples and religions. And that is closely connected with immigration to this country. For the Pope to meet the Queen of this country, to speak with our political leaders is complex indeed. And it is worth remembering: when Pope John Paul visited us we were at war with Argentina in the South Atlantic.

Because of the complexity of our society, where Christians, Jews, Muslims and those of many other religions find their home, the Pope will meet with Jews, Muslims and those of other religions. He will do so especially as they all seek, because of their fidelity to the deepest aspects of their life, to be a blessing in every aspect of human flourishing, both here at home and in the councils of the nations.

But shining through all of the Holy Father’s teaching is this fact: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.’ The way we read that great story of the two sons is this: When we, the younger brothers and sisters wandered away into far countries, even as far as hell, the first, well-beloved only Son, in the words of Pope Benedict’s first homily as Bishop of Rome, leapt to his feet. And in the words of Cardinal Newman’s hymn: ‘O loving wisdom of our God, when all was sin and shame, a second Adam to the fight and to the rescue came.’”

We three, from Leyland St. Mary’s Priory, Columbian, Fr. Luis, Tanzanian, Brother Alfons, and I, spent the whole day on Wednesday, 15th September, in our Catholic Technology College – most of us still think of it as our ‘High School’. On that day, it was the turn of Year 9, which meant that, throughout the day, lessons were interrupted while they were asked to think about how they, themselves, might be heroes – a task not as impossible as it might first sound. The three of us, religious, from three different continents, decided on the complex task of finding a common hero – one to whom we could all relate. It is true that, although we come from different parts of the world, and although we are very different in temperament, we have become very good friends, so much so that it will be rather sad to see Fr. Luis and Bro. Alfons, leave Leyland in the very near future – but all good things must come to an end! In our deliberations, we found a very moving ‘Power Point’ presentation concerning Pope John Paul II, and so showed this to the students, pointing out that ‘JP2’ was a common hero for all three of us. The students were then asked to comment and answer questions.

One of the things we asked went like this:

“Our hero, Pope John Paul II, from the age of eight, had a relationship with a person whom he called his ‘friend’. John Paul II never forgot his ‘friend’ all his life and his ‘friend’ remained with him always. What is your relationship with this ‘friend’?”  Not surprisingly, one bright young girl thought the ‘friend’ was an ordinary human being.  However, the ‘friend’ to whom we referred, of course, was Jesus, and at the age of eight, young Lolek, as he was then known, made his First Holy Communion. 

The photograph, here, is of him at that age, and at that special moment in his life.

It was so very interesting to hear the responses of some of the Year 9 students (aged between 12 and 13) to the question about Lolek’s ‘friend’. Some – either not baptised, or non-Catholic, yet attending our school – were quite sure that one could know God. One young girl spoke simply, and with conviction, of knowing God, personally, through her praying, and through God’s help to her when experiencing difficulties. Some others, among the young people, said with great honesty, that they could not have a relationship with a God whom they had never seen. Another said that, as God had never done anything for him, he could not believe in God. Although controversial, it was very good to hear their honest – and unafraid – replies.

From where, I wonder, did some pupils get their convictions about knowing God (or Jesus)? From where, did a few others express their findings – their views – that they could not have a relationship with God at all? I do not know the answers, for sure, as I did not ask them, but I would suspect that, in both cases, it comes from their own experience of their own families, probably from their parents and grand-parents. In simple terms, belief in God is, usually, reinforced by the Catholic school; it is not usual for it to be ‘caught’, or to ‘originate’, there.  Basically, we know that it is God, himself, who reveals himself to people of any age, and all that parents can do – teachers, to a much more limited extent – is to develop the conditions in which God can more easily enter into a person, at whatever age. I believe, however, that the Rite of Baptism has got it ‘spot on’, when it describes the parents of the, just baptised child, as “the best teachers of their children in the ways of faith”.

On a brief, more secular note, we also asked the students who their heroes may be. Some of the youths came up with eminent scientists, artists or sports people. Interestingly, not one footballer was mentioned, though one mentioned a rugby player and another a basket-ball hero; some answers included musicians and singers. In every case, boys named male heroes, and girls ‘plumped for’ female heroes, (more correctly, heroines, I think!).  It was wonderful, however, to hear some of them saying that my ‘mum’ is my hero. One girl gave this kind of answer, and when I asked her why, she explained that her mum was suffering from ‘multiple sclerosis’ – and yet, she was always cheerful and loving – and a ‘mum’ for her.  This reply had the ring of very real truth about it. Another boy spoke about his father, and said he was his hero, because he was always ‘there for him’. What lovely accolades!

The discussion put me in mind of my heroes, and to take the subject a little further, a girl from year 11 – our ‘Year 11 Heroine’ – acting as ‘guardian angel’ to Fr. Luis, Brother Alfons’ and myself, and who was Confirmed in our Parish last year, asked me who my heroes were? This allowed me to put forward something that has been in my mind for quite a time. For me, it is often the people I meet, here in the Parish, who live heroic lives. None of them would be known outside their family circle – perhaps a few, as far as among parishioners or neighbours. I have mentioned these in my blog, from time to time. Today, I would mention a gentleman who is a very fine human being, and who is seriously ill in hospital. When I went to visit him, yesterday, the first thing he asked me was: “How are you, Father?” He asked this with such sincerity that I was taken aback. I had been looking forward to seeing Jim at home, but events ‘took over’ – as they many times do – for ordained priests, in parishes, and he ‘beat me’ to the hospital. In the meantime, I had heard from his family that he was, really, not very well at all, and, on hearing this, nothing would stop me visiting him there – a ‘number one’ priority! It was such a joy for me to see him, but his ‘How are you, Father?’ made me realise how much good, the laity can do for us ordained priests. Indeed, we really do support, and need each other! I was touched by his ‘pure gratitude’ for the gift of the Sacrament of the Sick and the Viaticum. After I had given him Holy Communion, he said to me: “Words cannot express what I feel.” 

Earlier, I mentioned the heroic nature of Pope John Paul II, and I now want to return to the subject of this holy man. In the ‘Power Point’ presentation of John Paul II it explained that, although some people criticised him, he got on with his life and his work, and, in the final analysis, he found himself with many friends. He dearly loved children and young people, and in the end they came to visit him, when he could no longer go to visit them.

Pope John Paul II with Children and Babies

He often pointed out how much it meant to him, to him to have these many friends; conversely, he knew how much it meant to them, to know him so well, because he knew how sad they were, as he lay dying. The image of a man crying comes from a photograph of people in St. Peter’s Square, on hearing the news that Pope John Paul had died. Another photograph shows the crowd, as his body is carried through the multitude on its way to burial.

 Pope John Paul II with Youth, His Death and Burial

Pope John Paul II hands the Cross to Cardinal Ratzinger

The last slide in the presentation has a beautiful caption; ‘Help my brother who will continue the work of Christ’, and it shows Pope John Paul II, passing the Cross to the then Cardinal Ratzinger. This is an appropriate way to finish the ‘blog’ as we now have the presence of Pope (Ratzinger) Benedict XVI among us. Certainly, for me, I would like to do exactly what the words on the ‘slide’ say – ‘Help my brother… …’, and this is the reason I am so happy to be able to support Pope Benedict, by seeing him in London – at Twickenham, on Friday, and on Saturday, at the Hyde Park Vigil. Incidentally, one of our parishioners will be speaking at Hyde Park, in the ‘warm up’ to the Pope’s arrival, between 5.00 pm and 6.00 pm on Saturday, when Ethel Singo, will explain how her ‘Parish Experience’ in St. Mary’s, has helped her to appreciate her Catholic Faith.

To go ‘full circle’ and end where I began, the slogan for the High School Mission seems, to me, an excellent one: ‘Have-a-Go Heroes, Mission not impossible’. Our young people may, or may not become, as famous a hero as Pope Benedict XVI, or Pope John Paul II, but they can also be real heroes, like the good ‘mum’ or ‘dad’ aforementioned, or indeed, like Jim, my friend, who will never be famous. Mission not impossible! True! And is the word ‘hero’ not very close to the ancient biblical word ‘saint’?

( For the Pope’s visit, if not on the normal channels of the TV, you will be able to watch

the events on EWTN or on the internet: look for the websites:

www.thepapalvisit.org or www.thepapalvisit.org.uk/webcast )