Nottingham: Young people reach out to community in special memorial event

Light Fever musicians - Image Luke Potter

Source: Diocese of Nottingham

Young Catholics filled the city's streets on Saturday and invited passers-by to light a candle at Nottingham Cathedral, in remembrance of a loved one who has died.

The event, called Light Fever, was held in honour of the Venerable Mary Potter who dedicated her religious ministry to the dying people of Nottingham and founded the Little Company of Mary, in 1877.

There was a talk delivered by the Little Company of Mary in St Barnabas Cathedral's church hall at 11am, followed by a Mass celebrated by the Bishop of Nottingham, Bishop Patrick McKinney and Eucharistic Adoration, led by the diocese's Christus Vivit Ministry.

Joe Hopkins, Director of Adult Formation For Mission, said: "The last year and a half has been difficult for many people who have felt robbed of community. The diocese has set up the Christus Vivit Ministry to bring Young Adults together for the opportunity to pray together, to grow in faith and friendship; to provide fellowship in a world where holding the views and values of being a Catholic aren't the norm and that can be challenging for young adults.

"Our event on Saturday was aimed to highlight the life of Mary Potter to young adults, who we hope will be made a saint soon. She was only 25 when she began her ministry which led to her founding an order that spread all over the world.

"We also wanted to focus on mission and evangelisation by literally going out into the streets of Nottingham. There are many people in our city who are seeking hope, love, forgiveness, healing, truth, acceptance; these can only truly be found in Jesus and in His Church.

"With the simple invitation to come in and light a candle, along with tea and coffee in the church hall and Eucharistic Adoration in the cathedral, we are providing the opportunity to encounter Him. Planting a seed or raising curiosity in a friendly and accessible way might be something which people want to build on or they may just want to enjoy our hospitality."

Mother Mary Potter was born in London in 1847 and she later became convinced that God was calling her to start a religious congregation, dedicated to looking after the sick and dying.

In 1877, Bishop Bagshawe of Nottingham, invited her to begin her mission with two companions using a derelict stocking factory. This was the prologue to the founding of the Little Company of Mary. Despite ill health, Mary Potter grew her ministry and travelled to Rome to visit Pope Leo XIII, who then invited her to open a house in Rome.

By the time Mary Potter died in 1913, her congregation had expanded as far as New Zealand. She was declared 'Venerable' in 1988.

Nottingham Director of Vocations, Fr Neil Peoples, gave the following homily at Light Fever in St Barnabas' cathedral.

The start of the Gospel today, probably makes the idea of going to the pub later for lunch sound like a very bad idea but I am sure that we will not descend into drunkenness! Yet we are given a stark warning by Christ, that we must stay awake and continue praying for the strength to face the challenges that will come our way.

As we all know, being a disciple of Christ doesn't mean that life is going to be easy. In many ways it can make things even tougher because we are aware of the things that we should avoid, and so have more temptations and challenges to face.

It is a challenge that we have no hope of winning, if we don't seek the grace of God to help us whole heartedly respond to the universal call to Holiness.

It is a call that we must respond to each day; not putting things off until tomorrow because what if tomorrow never comes? Will we be able to stand confidently in front of God, knowing that we made the best of the opportunities that came our way?

Luckily, we also have the example of the Saints who have walked this path before us, to help to guide us on our way.

Today we have come to learn more about the life of the Venerable Mary Potter, someone who has shown us that where we live is not a block to being Holy. Living in Nottingham, Derby, Lincoln or Leicester, is not a bar to holiness but an opportunity! Because there are people in need of God's love living amongst us, they need to know that they matter and are important. That all life is special from conception until natural death.

After this Mass we will go out to the people of Nottingham and invite them to come in and light a candle in front of the Blessed Sacrament- a brief but who knows how powerful encounter with the Risen Lord. Hopefully a sharing of the joy that we have encountered ourselves, in our own personal relationship with God.

Hopefully some will say yes to your invite and come in, but even if they don't it doesn't really matter because the way you approach them, with a smile, the way you speak to them - acknowledges that they matter! As Mother Theresa - the Mary Potter of Calcutta once said: 'We shall never know the Good that a simple smile can do.'

So, let's pray that we can make a difference to the people of Nottingham today just as Mary Potter did many years ago by bringing just a glimpse of God's love to the people that we meet.