UK Remembers Pope's Visit, Acts on His Message

Sept. 06, 2011: For three days in mid-September, the Catholic faithful of the United Kingdom will join together to not only commemorate the first anniversary of Benedict XVI's historical visit to their homeland, but to share with each other how his visit has affected their lives and deepened their faith.
In an interview with ZENIT, Clare Ward, the Home Mission Advisor for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, described the festivities that will be taking place, beginning Friday, Sept. 16, through Sunday, Sept. 18.
She said that the Pope's visit to the UK has had a deep and very positive impact on the Catholic community in England and Wales. Many people have felt renewed in their faith and in their Catholic identity. During his visit, the Holy Father invited them to join him in public prayer and witness. In recent months, people have spoken of experiencing new confidence to share their faith with their family, neighbors, and friends.
To support this new-found confidence, the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales has been resourcing a legacy program called 'Some Definite Purpose' to enable and encourage people to continue to respond to Pope Benedict's words. The program has included a wide range of activities in support of home mission: the collation of conversion stories, faith testimonies, multi-media mission resources, the organization of a conference to support people to reach out to non- church going Catholics and much more. The legacy program is framed by the content of the Holy Father's UK speeches, homilies and addresses; it also integrates some of the teaching of Blessed John Henry Newman, who was beatified in Birmingham during the Pope's visit.
Sept. 18 is Home Mission Sunday when the Catholic community will pray for, reflect and support the work of evangelization in England and Wales through … an annual collection. In the afternoon of Sept. 18, a national Mass of Thanksgiving is being celebrated at Westminster Cathedral, which will be con-celebrated by the Bishops of England and Wales.