CENACOLO COMMUNITY

A Green, Pleasant and Sunny Cenacolo

Our Lady Queen of Martyrs

NEWSLETTER Autumn 2014

a picnic on Scouts Scarwith Festival of LifeCelebrating the

celebration of their wedding.Martin & Gloria‘s Scottish

Mother Elvira

Vigil for Pentecost

The important things in life!

FROM THE BOYS At the beginning of February there were 13 of us in the House. The last guy who entered was David from Scotland. On the 18th we were invited by Fr. Hugh and Fr. Andrew for dinner at the parish house, this was a nice evening spent in friendship among us and some of the friends of our fraternity. This gave us the possibility to see how much our Community year after year is always more welcomed. On the 24th February Patrick and Andrea received the gift to go to Italy in order to participate at the meeting of all the old members of our Community. The title of the meeting was ―Io sono missione su questa terra,‖ a sentence taken from the Apostolic Exhortation, ―The Joy of the Gospel‖ of Pope Francis. The guys came back on the 3rd of March. With them there were Tiziano and Gregory. Tiziano, a guy from Italy who entered in community in Mother House of Saluzzo joined us, and Gregory stayed only for a short lent of time in order to visit his family in The Wirral. During this period we were busy planting the vegetables and flowers for the new season in the garden; but we had also carried on the work at the cowshed finishing sides with wood cladding and with sliding doors. At the end of the month we were happy to receive the visit of few members of the St Vincent de Paul Society who came to our fraternity to meet us and to listen to our testimonies. On the 25th of March, feast of the Annunciation, we visited the shrine of Our Lady of Fernyhalgh, near Preston, where we had a day of prayer. Our retreat started in the morning with the Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Chris at St. Mary`s church and then continued with adoration at the Ladyewell Shrine`s chapel. We had a nice lunch there and in the afternoon we prayed the Station of the Cross to continue our Lent journey of faith. At the beginning of April we went to Warrington to give testimony to a class of young boys who were preparing themselves to their First Communion. We thank Sister Eleanor for the warm welcoming and all the other teachers for the possibility we had to share with them, what

we had learned about the importance of forgiveness and friendship in our lives. Three of us visited Castlerigg Manor in Keswick; we were invited by Fr. Phillip to participate to same gardening work and we took the opportunity to learn something more about the joy found in service and self-giving; we thanked the youth ministry team for their testimony and friendship shown to us. We entered in the period of Lent, time was spent reflecting more on ourselves and on faith especially during Holy Week when we had different moments of prayers in front the Blessed Sacrament, moments of sharing among us to cleanse our relationships and find true reconciliation with all the brothers in the fraternity, moments of truth in which we shared our compromises, faults and failing, in front of our brothers. All this in order to prepare ourselves to better live the true Joy of Easter. Around these days we had Przemek, one of the older brothers in the fraternity, leaving the community to continue his life close to the community of Augustinian sisters in Boarbank Hall, where he is currently working. On the 12th of April we remembered our brothers in Knock and their family day. In this occasion a group of friends of our community from Liverpool visited the house in Knock and celebrated with them the two day of feast that were animated by the presence of Fr. Adrian. On the 14th of April we welcomed in our fraternity Christopher: a brother who continued with us his walk in community started a few months before in Knock. Fr. Chris invited us to celebrate Easter Sunday at his parish house in Preston, where we had a beautiful time together with a nice lunch and prayer of the rosary. We also found the time to pray in front the Blessed Sacrament to say thank you in this special day for the gift of our new lives in community. On the 3rd of May we had the first family meeting, open to all the parents of the guys and girls of our community. It was lovely to have all of them together in prayer for one day especially for the families that are new in community. In the following days we welcomed all the

friends and the people that are supporting our community to celebrate with us the 9th anniversary of the opening of the house. We received the visit of Bishop Michael, who celebrated the Sunday Mass and gave to all our community his special blessing. About these days we remembered especially the familiar atmosphere and the various testimonies of the guys and families that are involved in our community. We took this occasion to say thank you to all those who helped and supported us in so many different ways. These days were also important for some of our brothers here because they received the visit of their parents and family members; to see them together in reconciliation was a real blessing for all of us. In this period we were very busy in the house: we started the works at the new drying shed, first of all with the foundations: new concrete slab as a floor for a future wooden frame structure. In May we also participated in the meeting in Liverpool where we could give our support and our help to some of the guys who were preparing to enter in our community. In June we had been occupied giving our testimonies in different places. We also the pleasure to organise and lead a Holy Hour of adoration in our chapel as a Vigil of Prayer for Pentecost. We animated the prayer with hymns and the music was played by Tommaso, at the keyboard, Giacomo, at the guitar and Andrea at the drums. We had also received a special blessing from Fr. Chris: so that we could be renewed by the Holy Spirit in this special day. We also were invited to take part to the 8th Anniversary Mass of the prayer group in Carfin. There two of us spoke and gave testimony to the many people present who are close to us underlining the importance of their work, time and effort spent for our community. We say thank you in particular to Mary who welcomed us and gave us her time and care. On the 24th of May two of our brothers also went to meet a class of students at the Ampleforth School. We spoke about the importance of serving and how we are called to live these values in our community life.

In June all the works went foreword especially in the vegetables garden and in the husbandry. We had also taken some of our piglets to the market where prized very well! The life in our fraternity continued as usual in the spirit of our community. We are especially praying so that more people can find in the community a place where to rebuild their lives. July too, at Dodding Green was a busy month. We welcomed some lads who were preparing to enter Community and who did their ‗working days‘ here with us. At the same time Francesco who had been at Dodding Green for about a year was transferred to Italy to go forward on his ‗walk‘ there. During the days of mid-July throughout all the Community we celebrated our Festival of Life, and 31 years since the light and resurrection of the young people who arrive at our Houses all over the world. It is a beautiful celebration and testimony to the risen Christ. Here, in Dodding Green, we were able to watch some of the Festival live via internet in the Parish Centre thanks to the priests there. During this time we went to ‗Scouts Scar,‘ a local Lakeland attraction for a picnic and a ‗walking rosary.‘ These were good days when we relaxed the timetable and spent time together. We said farewell to two of our hand-reared pigs who left the House but returned to the freezer! Patrick passed his driving test!! At the end of July we welcomed one of the Consecrated Brothers of the Community: Josip who brought with him two brothers who were being transferred to our Fraternity: Julius & Petar. It is always a great joy for us in the House to welcome new brothers. In August we were able to welcome Patrick‘s mother who came to stay with us for two weeks for an ‗experience‘ of Community. So the House was very busy with all the new arrivals. It was a gift for us to listen to the catechisms of Josip who is studying to become a priest in our Community. We also heard the testimony of Patrick‘s mum which helped us to understand what the parents live dealing with their addicted son or daughter. On the 13th we as said goodbye to her we thanked her for she had touched each one of our hearts. On the next day we got the gift to go to Ladyewell Shrine. All of the Houses in the Community did a pilgrimage that day to a marian shrine and we were

united in prayer all over the world for our Holy Father‘s intentions, for persecuted Christians, for peace in the Middle-East, and also for the situation in Liberia; we prayed hard for our Mission House out there and especially for the children. We welcomed Mark from Stockton who was to be transferred to Ireland; thanks to Divine Providence the whole Fraternity when to Ireland for six days to stay with our brothers at the House near to the Knock Marian Shrine which we attended for the feast of our Lady of Knock.. We had a wonderful time being in a different House where we were able to pray and work with our brothers. Since we returned some former members of our Community came and spent a day with us to pray, play football and to have lunch together. This was a gift for us to see how the lads are going forward with their walk outside the Community with the work that they are doing. On another note, the drying shed is almost complete, the garden is coming to an end, we have had a really good harvest of fruit and vegetables. We have begun to complete the stone cladding of the Shippon. From all of us here at Our Lady Queen of Martyr‘s, you have our prayers and best wishes.

FROM THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE COMMUNITY

About the Annual Festival of Life It is a great moment of the Community of intense prayer and of thankfulness to the God of life in remembrance of the birth of the Community. On the 16th of July 1983, the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Mother Elvira received the ―keys‖ of the Mother House in Saluzzo: on that day community Cenacolo was born! On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Community, in July of 1993, the ―Festival of Life‖ was celebrated for the first time, and through the years it has become a gathering of faith for the youth, families and friends of the Community. Each July since that time, thousands of people from all over the world climb the hill of Saluzzo, where the Holy Spirit brought Comunità Cenacolo, to live together four days of

prayer, catechesis, and testimonies in the joy of the Risen One who continues to ―give sight to the blind, set the prisoners free, and raise up those who have fallen.‖ Mother Elvira said:

The Festival of Life will celebrate Jesus who is risen and alive in our midst. It is His resurrection that makes itself alive in the eyes, the smile, and the shining faces of the youth and families who were once dead in the darkness, but today are alive,

thanks to the powerful Mercy of God, which is a thousand times greater and more powerful than our sin.

During these days we want to give joyful testimony to everyone, that the forgiveness of God has

raised up our lives again, giving them a new birth of hope.

You come, too… to celebrate the God of Life. We await you with joy!

ANNIVERSARY OPEN DAY MAY 2014

As now is the custom, this was held on the first weekend in May – Bank Holiday Weekend. This was the time that Don Stefano first visited the property at Dodding Green and gave it his blessing as a place for Cenacolo. It took a little while longer for the lads to arrive. But, as patron of the Universal Church, the celebration is always near to the Feast of St Joseph the Worker. The Open Day was preceded by a meeting for British parents of girls and boys in the Community wherever they may be. It was also attended by many of the parents of the lads presently in the House at Dodding Green. This meeting was held at Boarbank Hall a Convent of the Augustinian Sisters who made everyone very welcome. The meeting was animated by Massimo and Marco two consecrated brother of the Community who had come over for the anniversary. In most of the countries where the Community a regular meeting of parents is held so

that they too, can ‗journey‘ with their daughters and sons in the Community. It is hoped that this is the first of many such meetings in the UK. (see the article following) The following day, Saturday, was one for the parents of the lads in the House at Dodding Green. There was great joy as the lads were reunited with their parents and siblings, some for the first time since their entry into the community. Sunday there were many friends of the Community present for the day which contained the usual opportunity to pray together and hear the various testimonies. The Bishop of Lancaster came and celebrated Mass with the gathering.

A REQUEST FROM DON ANDREA

The Cenacolo Community in the UK differs in one important aspect from many of its contemporaries in mainland Europe, and it is a difference that needs to be changed. In most other countries regular meetings of parents take place so that the parents can ‗walk‘ with their son or daughter who is in the Community. Knowing that a mum and dad are regularly going to a parents‘ meeting can be an enormous boost to the boy or girl in the Community. In some places these meetings happen every week, but most are monthly and they usually take a few hours – an afternoon, say. At these meetings prayer is offered, there is an opportunity to hear some encouraging words from M. Elvira or one of the Priests of the Community (Via a CD or DVD and translated!), and the chance to learn about the Community from other parents who share their own ‗walk‘ with the Community. So what is the request? Don Andrea is hopeful that some of the UK parents of lads and girls in Cenacolo will take the initiative and start holing meetings to do just what is outlined above. These meetings need not be in the same town or city each time, the venue can vary and should vary. If you have a son or daughter in the Community at this time, and feel that you could organise a Parents‘ Meeting, please have a word with Fr Chris who will give you any support that you might need. (repeated)

FROM THE TRUSTEES

Since the last edition of this Newsletter the Trustees have been busy carrying out their responsibilities. The Chapel carpet was greatly in need of up-grading so a, new carpet has been laid on the Sanctuary befitting for that sacred space. Also, following much work on the rickety stairs and upper hall way, a good tough stair carpet has been laid. In addition heavy duty matting have been provided tot both the front and back doors of the house. Always mindful of expenses, the Trustees have joined the Inter-diocesan Fuel Management Scheme (IFM) thus hoping to reduce cost of energy supplies. The Trustees undertook a review of Health and Safety: First Aid/Fire Training: Fire Signage; Barn/Repeater Fire Alarm: PAT Testing; Training on Woodwork Machinery and a Fire Risk Assessment. One of the Trustees has stepped down. Joan Cate has been treasurer and a trustee over these last years. She felt the time had come for her to retire and handover the finances to another. Clare McEntegart has assumed the mantle of treasurer and we are in the process of appointed another Trustee. Much tanks to Joan for her sterling hard work and we are grateful that she is still around as a ‗Friend of the Community.‘ Finances Cenacolo Community UK is a Registered Charity and one of the chief concerns of the Trustees is to ensure that there is enough in the way of finances to keep the charity doing what it has to do, namely, ensuring that House and grounds are a fit and proper place for the lads in the Community. Ensuring that fuel, insurance, maintenance, travel, vehicle and statutory expenses are met. At the moment there is no great concern about these things. We have been very reliant upon a group of faithful contributors who have set up monthly standing orders in favour of Cenacolo Community UK, thereby helping the trustees carry out their duties. Should anyone be minded to join this generous group, the

treasurer‘s details are on the back of this Newsletter. We are also grateful to those who have given gifts and bequests to the Community.

COMMUNITY RETREAT (Written by the Lads)

It is with true joy that we all say thank you to Our Lady and to the divine providence because we had received the great gift to visit the Our Lady of Knock Shrine. For the first time the fraternity in Knock and our fraternity in Kendal had the possibility to work, pray and stay together. This shown to us once more that even if we come from different places we all live the same difficulties and the same growths. The time passed together helped us to realise that we are part of the same family that is our Community. While we were there we participate to the celebration for the Novena to Our Lady; this year was the 135 anniversary of the apparition that took place in Knock on the 21 of August 1879. We had the possibility to lead a Holy Hour in the Apparition Chapel where we brought in front of Jesus & Our Lady our intentions and our prayers. This was another testimony of the importance that Mary in our Community and in our lives. We said thank you to Our Lady for the many blessings and graces received and for her protection for us and our families. After a couple of days there we were blessed with good weather that allowed us to climb ―Croagh Patrick‖ We lived this as a pilgrimage and so we walked and prayed thinking about the importance that this place had for the conversion of so many people: the same conversion of the heart that we desire for us and our families. The climbing was a real effort especially for some of us but we all manage to reach the top of the hill where we had lunch, thanksgiving prayer in front of St. Patrick‘s chapel and to finish a time of singing that made all the others pilgrims curios about this strange and variegated group

Our daily life in house was characterised, as usual in our Community, by prayer and work; but we didn`t miss the opportunity to have a nice football tournament, that everybody really enjoyed! We also decided that this was a good occasion to let our selves be known better so after every meal two of us stood up and gave testimony about his experience in Community. The witnesses and the examples of the other brothers were really genuine and inspiring so that was easy for us to see ourselves in the other‘s experiences. We were also blessed by the presence of Brother Josip, a consecrated brother of our Community, and Fr. Bryan, who is one of priest close our fraternity in Knock. Both of them gave us a catechism on the importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and on becoming more aware of the evil we do to others and how this evil hurts first ourselves, taking away from us the happiness and the will to live our life. Our week ended with a moment of sharing; we divided into different groups and we shared what we had been living during this time passed together. Again we all want to thank all those made this possible and in particular Bryan and Maurine, Joan, Fr. Chris, Chris, Caroline, Francis, Joseph, Ben, Fr. Donald, Fr. Bryan, Jerry, Elsie, Padraig, and all those supported and helped us with their prayers.

TO LOVE AND TO CHERISH

Martin McNally was one of the first British addicts to enter the Cenacolo Community in the newly opened House at Dodding Green nearly nine years ago. Gradually this shy and seemingly introverted lad began to change, he put behind him his drug addiction and entered fully into the life of the Community. Martin had a great gift for music and was soon part of the music group for the House. He proved too, to be quite a linguist, very quickly picking up Italian which is just as well for he was soon transferred to a Fraternity in Italy. There he continued to move

forward on his ‗walk‘ becoming more confident in himself and reaching out in his very gentle way to newer lads giving them encouragement. He entered into many facets of the life of the Community. After a while he was one of those who was chosen to open a Cenacolo House in Liberia, the first on the African continent. There, together with the others, he reached out to the children and young people scarred by the recent violent civil war. It was there too, that he contracted Malaria which brought him back to Europe. It was whilst he was on a course sponsored by the Community that he met Gloria, a girl from the north of Italy, and romance struck! Martin left the Community last year and later married Gloria in a ceremony in Italy. Recently the happy couple came home to Scotland and renewed their vows and celebrate with their British friends. Martin and Gloria now live in the north of Italy. This is a wonderful and joyful story of a life changed and a life saved through the Cenacolo Community.

ANOTHER WEDDING! Jean McGuinness, one of the longest standing members of the Cenacolo Community writes the following: My daughter Nicky entered the Community Cenacolo 15 years ago suffering from addiction to drugs, in all my life it was the hardest thing I had to endure watching my child so near to death both physically and spiritually. Nicky decided a long time ago to dedicate her life in thanksgiving in return for the help and love she received from the Community from a life threatening addiction. We as a family along with Nicky have received so many blessings from the mercy and love from God and thanks to a beautiful instrument, Mother Elvira Petrozzi, with her faith, trust and obedience and her yes to God. I was given a Cross to carry which ended up a beautiful gift. During her walk within the Community Nicky has helped countless people and has been rewarded with an inner peace a true meaning of spirituality and love of her fellow man. She has also been fulfilled with a new joy and happiness in her life when she once again received a Blessing when on

the 29th of June the feast of SS. Peter & Paul God joined her in matrimony with her husband Djilali who also has recovered from addiction now 12 years drug free and has dedicated his life in thanksgiving. "Nothing is impossible with God" God always answers a mother‘s prayer.

NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN

During late summer, a group of former Cenacolo members came back to visit the House at Dodding Green. Most of them had at one time been members of the Fraternity there. These men now regularly meet to support each other after having passed successfully back into society. They were spending a few days together in The Lakes and called to visit the Community. They had lunch together and then, for old time‘s sake, played a game of football. Their visit concluded with Mass at Holy Trinity & St George, Kendal.

A LITTLE LIGHT RELIEF I tried to catch some fog. I mist. When chemists die, they barium. • Jokes about German sausage are the wurst. • A soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned

veteran. • I know a guy who's addicted to brake fluid. He says he can stop any

time. • How does Moses make his tea? Hebrews it. • I stayed up all night to see where the sun went. Then it dawned on me. • This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I'd never

met herbivore. • I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. I can't put it down. • I did a theatrical performance about puns. It was a play on words . • They told me I had type A blood, but it was a type-O. • I didn't like my beard at first. Then it grew on me.

• A cross-eyed teacher was fired because she couldn't control her pupils? • When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble. • What does a clock do when it's hungry? It goes back four seconds.. • I wondered why the ball was getting bigger. Then it hit me! • Broken pencils are pointless. • What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary? A

thesaurus. • England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool . • I used to be a banker, but then I lost interest. • I dropped out of communism class because of lousy Marx. • All the toilets in London police stations have been stolen. Police say

they have nothing to go on. • I took the job at a bakery because I kneaded dough. • Velcro - what a rip off! • Cartoonist found dead in home. Details are

sketchy.

HOARDED PROVIDENCE IS NOT PROVIDENCE AT ALL!

The story is told – a Cenacolo tale – of back in the early days of the Community, one of the Houses had been without sugar for nearly a month. What to do with many ‗sweet toothed‘ lads needing the energy? Pray! The men made a Novena, each morning for nine days they rose at 2am and prayed for half an hour. Early on the tenths morning a truck rolled up to the House and left five pallets of sugar. Later that morning friends of the Community arrived with more sugar and then same again in the afternoon and indeed, every day that week sugar was given to the House. The lads were amazed especially those newer to the Community, this was prayer in action. But what should they do with so much sugar? There was no place left to store it all. They called M. Elvira, her answer was simple and direct – give it away! Keep what they need for the next

few days but give the rest away. Why? Because when providence is hoarded it is no longer providence. When we trust in God he gives us what we needs (not want!), when we hoard stuff we have stopped trusting in God. So today, one of the rules of the Community is that hoarding is not allowed. For example, at Dodding Green, if say, 100 tins of Baked Beans arrives at the House, at least half would be sent to the local food bank, or night shelter. Does that mean that we should stop taking providence to the House? On the contrary, for in those circumstances the donors receive a double blessing: a blessing from the first destination of their largesse and from the second. Using this principle the Trustees sent a donation to the newest House in the Community, the one in Liberia where the boys and girls (and now sisters) of the Community are looking after many children orphaned or traumatised by the war in that country. And by happy coincidence, the leader of the House is Rainer, an Austrian guy who spent many months with us at Dodding Green. Our small gift has caused them great joy.

A TESTIMONY

This testimony was on the official website of the Community. It is by Matteo who was a member of the Cenacolo Fraternity at Dodding Green. My name is Matteo, and for a few years now I have lived in Community. I come from a large but divided family—my parents got divorced when I was only two months old. I lived with my older brother and my mother, who, in the meantime, had met another man who I saw as my father. But after some time my real father began to be more present in my life; I went on vacations with him and sometimes stayed at his house; in the end this situation allowed me to live my childhood without any big problems. Then, at a certain point, my parents began to fight more and more, destroying the existing balance. Even if my memories are a little vague, I

remember that my mother suffered a lot; as a consequence, us children also suffered. One day my mother‘s boyfriend went away, leaving us alone with another sister that was born in these years. The world crumbled all around us; my mother began to drink and I was distanced from her for some time. I seemed calm; school was going well, and I played soccer. But inside I had a war of doubts and lots of anger for living this distance from my mother. With time things got a little better; my mother didn‘t drink and we finally returned to being a united family. But by now anger and rebellion were very much a part of me. I began to do worse at school, to disobey, and to tell many lies to mask the sense of abandonment that I felt. It was then that everything began: the first cigarettes, the first joints, and then all the other drugs. I thought I had resolved all my problems because my inferiority was disappearing, and my fears and timidity didn‘t exist anymore. Thus, little by little, evil took my life into its hands. For years I was a slave to drugs, sex, and music… when I was eighteen my path was already clear—sooner or later to die at some ―rave.‖ Nothing and no one mattered to me as I left my home in search of constructing my own life. After ruining my relationship with my girlfriend and losing my best friend in a car accident, I fell at the feet of evil. I fell into a strong depression; and, after time spent in recovery in a hospital, I felt the need to ask for help. I remember the first person to be there was my brother; and through his friend, an ―ex‖ of Community, I came to know of its existence. I didn‘t know what it was all about or how the things functioned, but inside of me there was a voice that told me it was the right path. I began to go to the meetings, and I liked them a lot because I met people that understood my problems. Thus, after various meetings and working days in Community, my entrance date finally arrived. However, the fear of changing and losing all the pleasures of the world were stronger than my will; after several days I left. The consequences were obvious: another period on the streets in the presence of evil, until the drop that overflowed the jar—losing a son during my girlfriend‘s pregnancy. I suffered a lot; but I thought about the clean eyes, the smiles, my family‘s sacrifices, and the goodness that I received in those days in Community. Thus, with courage that didn‘t come from me and hope in my heart, I returned to knock at Cenacolo‘s doors. I had a lot

of fear and anger, but I was convinced that I had to do it. Now I know that it was God that took me by the hand and guided me here. The first days were difficult, with lots of rules that didn‘t make sense to me. All the happy guys, the prayer, the way the guys were friends with me without personal interests—they were all things that I had never experienced in life and that I thought didn‘t even exist. Often I think of the patience that the ―old‖ guys had with me in my first period, of the times in which they made themselves uncomfortable for me, of the struggles they had to help me understand that life itself is more valuable than everything, of the moments spent together on our knees in front of Jesus in the chapel-everything that made me encounter that living God that, in my ignorance, I had always searched for. After several months I began to feel life pump in me again, and I saw myself as a better person, more capable of smiling and being unselfish. I remember the first time I did ―guardian angel.‖ I had several months in Community and still lived with a lot of insecurities. Finding myself in front of a guy with the same problems as me made me live many things, but it was then that I began to understand the fortune that I had in encountering the Community. Despite my poverties and weaknesses that now and then surface in order to help me understand that I need to walk in light and true friendship, I feel happy and accomplished. I want to thank Mother Elvira from the bottom of my heart because with her life and love for us youth lost in darkness; she has given us a testimony that God is light. Thank you.

CENACOLO – AN INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE

The year I was ordained to the diaconate, 1983, a new adventure came to birth from the heart of Sr Elvira Petrozzi where it had been growing over many years. Cenacolo became a reality in the little northern Italian city of Saluzzo. Here, eventually, her superiors gave into Sr Elvira‘s request to work with the disaffected youth that she had encountered each day on the streets as she went to and fro to the market. She also met with help from the Saluzzo Commune (City Council) who leased to

her the most dilapidated property imaginable which, in many respects, mirrored the lives of the young men who entered that first Cenacolo. Cenacolo is a manifestation of the Kingdom of God and palpably a work of the Holy Spirit. As St John observes of the Church: it is in the world but not of it. Cenacolo is right for its time; a time of materialism, hedonism, centred on self, where relativism reigns. Cenacolo is a counter blast to the culture in which it is set. And that is why it is attractive to those young people (and some not so young) for whom the drug scene and the pervading culture of death lacks substance, lacks hope. As a sign of God‘s blessing this ‗movement of the Spirit‘ has spread to many countries in Europe, the USA, and now even to Africa – a Cenacolo missionary territory similar to the ones in South America. One of the most recent Fraternities to be formed is the one near to the Shrine of our Lady at Fatima where I have visited twice in consecutive years, the latest of which was in May of this year. After visiting the Shrine and greeting our Blessed Lady, I made my way to the House. En route I called in at the local supermarket so as to be ‗armed‘ with some providence for the guys. What a lovely surprise waited for me, the only guy who had any real command of English was an Italian, Stefano, who had entered the Community in Kendal – what a joy to see him again. They are a small fraternity, 12, but they were expecting some more Portuguese lads soon. They have large grounds which (at present) everso-much resemble a building site. They told me that M. Elvira had visited three possible sites near Fatima before choosing this one which was probably the worst of the three. So why chose it? Well, on this dilapidated property M. Elvira found attached to one of the outside walls a small state of our Lady of Lourdes. So the choice was already made – Mary was there waiting to greet them. There is so much work to do there both in building and agriculture (they already have pigs and chickens and a productive garden) but, as with every House in Cenacolo, the real work is in rebuilding lives. Friendship, work and prayer are the three foundations upon which every Fraternity and the whole movement is based. But the guys are always asking for prayers; our loving prayers for Cenacolo evoke a

response from the heart of God. He uses our prayers to channel his grace to these boys and girls; that is why Cenacolo Prayer Groups are so important. Gathering together on a cold, dark, wet night can seem such a chore, but it is such an act of love that the heart of God honours it and pours out his blessings. Your prayer, no matter how short, no matter how infrequent can and will make a great difference. A rosary a day – even just one decade – is the best sort of providence for these lads; they never ask for material items but they never fail to ask for prayers. Your prayer can be a life-line for some young person somewhere.

IMPORTANT DATES DODDING GREEN NATIVITY OPEN DAY: Will take place on Saturday 29th November. More details will be posted on the website nearer the date. VISIT TO ENVIE – DECEMBER 2014 For whatever reason there is no invitation to Cuneo for the usual nativity pageant; instead there are two separate weekends for the parents of the girls and boys in Envie. Girls meeting Sunday 7th and Monday 8th of December in Envie Boys meeting Sunday 14 th and Monday 15th. ITEMS FOR THIS NEWSLETTER Fr. Chris Loughran will, for the time being, be looking after the production of the periodic Newsletters. His contact details are: St. Clare‘s Presbytery. Sharoe Green Lane, Fulwood, Preston PR2 9HH Or email: frloughran@saintclares.co.uk Fr Chris would love to receive information, articles etc from individuals and especially from the various prayer groups dotted around the country. Electronically generated items are preferred for ease of handling but all items welcome.

MONTHLY MASS

Every Wednesday (more or less) Mass is celebrated in the Chapel at Dodding Green at 6pm. The Responsible and the Community welcome Friends of the Community to join them for that Mass on the First Wednesday of the Month.

SAFEGUARDING

The Diocese of Lancaster, together with the other diocese in the country, has a very strict Safeguarding Policy. Therefore, priests wishing to celebrate Mass at the House must first of all gain the permission of the Responsible (Leader) of the House, and then apply in the usual way to the Diocese of Lancaster for explicit permission to exercise priestly ministry in the diocese. Main Meeting places for addicts and their parents.

Kendal: Thursday evening: Prayer Meeting 6.30 -7.30pm, then meet addicts/family/friends 7.30-8.30pm Cenacolo ‗Lads‘ are present for both prayers and meeting. Holy Trinity and St. George, New Rd. LA9 4BW Contact: Joan 01539 741138 or Sheila 01539 724718

Liverpool Tuesday evening, 7pm-9pm, Blessed Sacrament Shrine, Dawson St. Contact: Mary C. 07883 339 980 or Mary H. 0151 342 4166 or Margaret 0151 342 1043

London Monday evening, 7.30 - 9pm at St Patrick's, Soho Square

(Meet in front of the Statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe) Contact: Philipp 07767 207 176

Birmingham Friday, 7-9pm Holy Rosary Parish, 141 Park Field Road Contact: Daniel Tel No: 0781 806 5309 or Diane 07791 830 322

Scotland Carfin Monday evening, 7.00 pm National Shrine of Our Lady Contact: Mary 07538 789 548

Prayer Groups

Bradford: Every Wednesday at 7pm, St Anthony‘s Convent, 24 Bradford Road, Clayton Contact: Sr. Antonia Tel: 01274 882167

Burnley: 1st Thursday of the month at 7:00pm , St. Mary‘s RC Church, Todmordon Rd., Contact Fr. Paul Blackburn 01282 778388 or St. Mary‘s RC church 01254 733001

Cleveleys: Tuesday, 6.30.to.7.30pm St. Teresa‘s Church, St. Teresa‘s Avenue, Contact: Rev. Deacon B Ward, 01253 858346

Loughborough: First Tuesday of the month at 7pm, St. Mary‘s Church, Ashby Road, Contact: Fr Philip Sainter, 01509 262123

North London: Every second Thursday from 8-9pm, St. Anthony‘s,

Edgware, Middlesex Contact: Theresa & Tom 0208 346 1210

Preston: Our Lady and St. Edwards RC Church, Fulwood. Next meeting: Sunday, 8th February 2014, 3.00pm For details of future meetings: Contact: Mary Bamber, 01772 863147 Rugeley: Every Tuesday, Adoration: 7.30am - 8am, Rosary: 7.30pm, St Joseph & St Etheldreda, Lichfield Street WS15 2EH Contact: Fr. Peter Stonier 01889 802531

Stockton-on-Tees: St. Cuthbert‘s, Spring Street TS18 3NR For details of day and time Contact: Mick & Catherine Woods on 01642 891049 Tunbridge Wells: Every Thursday, 2.30 to 3.30 pm, St. Augustine‘s RC Church. Contact Virginia Longin, 01892 527775

Wales

Wrexham: Every other Monday at 7.30pm, from Monday, 7th January 2013, St Anne's Church, Prince Charles Road, Caia Park, Prayers led by Sister Judith. Contact: Joan Glendenning 01244 552861

Buckley: Every Saturday morning at 10.30am, then by Mass at 11.00am, followed by discussion on Cenacolo to help any visitor. Our Lady of the Rosary, Jubilee Road, Buckley. Parish Priest Fr. Francis Doyle. Contact: Joan Glendenning 01244 552861

Scotland Inverness: Monday, 6.30pm St. Mary‘s, Huntley Street Contact: Therese Finlay, 01463 233519

Shettleston, Glasgow: Every Tuesday at 7 pm, St. Mark‘s, 51, Edenwood Street, G31 5GL Contact: Sister Francesca Tel: 07788798731

Greenock: First & third Monday of each month, 7pm St. Joseph‘s, Bow Road. Contact: Anne O‘Donnell, Tel: 01475 805 625

Arbroath: Monday 7pm St Thomas of Canterbury, Dishlandtown Street, Angus, DD11 1RA Contact Annemarie, 07826 084122.

Aberdeen: Currently every Thursday, after 6pm Mass, St. Peter‘s Cathedral, Huntley Street, Note: may change after 20th February so ring to confirm details. Contact: Ann Ryan, 07545 615198

Oban: Every other Tuesday at 7.00pm, next meeting 4th February 2014, St. Columba‘s Cathedral Contact: Kenny McLeod, 07774 142668

Note: For new Prayer Groups or amendments please contact Bryan Ingleby on 01995 604808

DONATIONS

Please send Cheques/Postal Orders in favour of

‗Cenacolo Community UK‘ The Treasurer,

‗Gatesgarth,‘ Levens, Nr Kendal, Cumbria La8 8PB

A huge THANK YOU to the many anonymous donors, who we are unable to write to personally.

When you have finished reading this newsletter, please pass it on to someone else,

thereby spreading the word of the Cenacolo Community and all its good works Thank you

www.cenacolouk.or g

.thmmunity on June 29Co

Married in the Djilali& Nicky

The Lads of the House

The beautiful game!

Retreat at the Shrine in Knock