RC Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle

"An only child, I was born in industrial Tyneside a couple of years after the end of World War II.
After graduation, I drifted into teaching and began my career in a secondary school in a small mining town in County Durham. 

"My father’s family belonged to a very austere non-conformist group and my mother came from an Anglican background, although not a churchgoer.  I’m sure that my father’s wartime experiences as bomber crew, had given both my parents a ‘live for tomorrow ‘slant to their lives.

"Although, I was baptised and subsequently confirmed as an Anglican, I am now ashamed to say that religion played little part in my life.

"For all of my working life, the ‘science’ that I taught was my God and religion and the time and involvement running a large department, left me with little opportunity to do anything else.
When retirement gave me the opportunity to review and evaluate my life so far, a few hidden memories, seemingly long forgotten, came back to life.  The main ones that returned to me were a visit to a Christmas mass with a school friend and a holiday with my wife and family in Norfolk where we had chanced upon Walsingham and all that it stood for. Whilst there I had purchased a small item from the gift shop, but this small souvenir – simple wooden crucifix, became so important to me.

"One day last year in Newcastle my wife and I were looking for somewhere to have a coffee and chanced upon the Cloister Café next to St Mary’s.  We took the opportunity to look into the Cathedral itself and those few steps changed everything.  Having spent four years at Durham University, I was well aware of how imposing a cathedral can be.  However, I was just engulfed with an atmosphere of peace and presence. This wasn’t a religious monument, it was a vibrant living church. A visit there became a weekly event, but usually as the congregation began to arrive for mass, we would quietly slip away. 

"However, eventually natural curiosity took over, and keeping well away from the service, we sat and observed our first mass.

"Everything seemed to fit.  The language, the readings, the reverence, the sheer spiritual presence just bowled me over. I wanted to find out more, and as luck would have it at the back of the cathedral, as we left, was a leaflet giving details of the coming RCIA programme.

"That remained on my desk for weeks, and then having discussed it with my wife, sent an email to the course co-ordinator, asking if we were too late to become part of the course.  I wasn’t too hopeful of a reply as technically I had left everything until well past the eleventh hour. However, on the very next morning there was reply in my inbox, inviting us both for the following Tuesday evening.

"Nervous and a little apprehensive about the step we were taking, we arrived to a fantastic welcome. 

"Tuesday evenings will never be the same again.  We have a new dialogue in our lives and the thoughts and ideas presented by the leaders, the priest and our fellow group members are a part of most things we share.
Last week, my wife and I were part of the Rite of Election, but mind blowing as that was, we cannot wait for the days of Lent to pass over, so we can take receive communion at Easter, as members of the Catholic Church."

"Being at this stage of my journey in faith, just a matter of days from my first communion; it is still so difficult to articulate, even in writing just how far I have come over the past two years as a man and human being.
I was not born into a religious family although I always had some exposure to religion, even though it was mostly tenuous. I was baptised in the Church of England, as my mum was, my maternal grandma was from an Irish Catholic family; my dad, though not religious himself comes from a family of radical evangelical protestants.

"My mum sent me to Sunday school to get me used to the church; I rebelled against it, although even then the story of Jesus struck a chord with me. I think the reason I rebelled was that some fool had the bright idea of putting the words ‘Sunday’ and ‘school’ in the same sentence. Anyway, my mum gave up and withdrew me.
From not really caring about God I began to turn hostile without ever really knowing I had or why I had, these views were a constant thread throughout my high school years and into my twenties. By my mid-twenties I was starting to think about what life is meant to be and asking questions.

"I read about religion a lot, I even came to St Mary’s as far back as 2004, but I ran out in a blind panic after a priest said hello to me. I attended Quaker meetings for about a year, I met many wise people there, they encouraged me to search my heart for the real me, and to think of my whole life as a journey in faith. My atheist friends were a big part of my life and it was my fear of losing them that stopped me exploring religion further, and so again I drifted away.

"A couple of years ago something really awful happened to me and I’m sure this was the final push over the line; I realised I couldn’t do this life thing by myself anymore, it was too much. Knowing the Pope would be coming to Britain that year I started exploring Catholicism. The loving way the Pope spoke about young people, about Jesus as a role model, and about modern society hit me like a sledgehammer; he had articulated perfectly what I had been feeling in my heart.

"Telling people who are used to the old Edwin about my becoming a Catholic has been difficult; I was particularly worried about what my friends would think. Most of them fell away, but my best mate, an atheist, has stuck with me.

"Letting Jesus help me to try and become the real me is the biggest thing I’ve ever done, not least because I’m not an easy person to help. I had been in a really unhappy place and felt of little self-worth, but the community of the church and my growing faith has been a great source of strength. I’m so looking forward to my reception into the Catholic Church at Easter; it feels like coming home."

Bernadette's Journey in Faith

"Becoming a Catholic has always been something close to my heart – I’ve always believed even though I wasn’t officially a Catholic that I am close to being one - so eventually I decided to go ahead and do it. I think the turning point – the key point – was definitely the Pope’s visit. I had thought originally the visit was likely to be a disaster but it wasn’t - it was just so brilliant. It made me so proud to think I would like to become a Catholic. I decided I’m going to go ahead and be proud openly and not just secretly. One of so many things the Pope had said - which all made so much sense - was that you shouldn’t just be private about your faith but you should be free to express it so I thought right that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

"I looked on the Internet for official ways of becoming a Catholic as I guessed  there must be an actual process for adults.  I googled and then I came across the website for our diocese and found this thing called RCIA; the website gave us a list of RCIA courses being held at different churches and I so I could choose the nearest and I’m really so glad I came here to St Mary’s Cathedral.

"It has changed my life – in myself I feel much calmer and settled. I used to be quite quick tempered but now I’m not quite so much like that as I feel I can see things differently, and some things are just not important enough to worry about. It’s not worth losing your rag. When you try to do some of the things you read about in the bible– for instance when Jesus says to let things go and just turn the other cheek – you start to feel much better in yourself and much happier. Before reading the bible this seemed stupid but now I can see more the benefit of it. Jesus is right!

"I feel a brighter and happier person. It has also been lovely to meet friends who you will keep forever – the Journey in Faith group is like a family. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. People are there for you one hundred per cent.  In fact the whole church community here at St Mary’s Cathedral is such a wonderful community and I love going to Sunday Mass here.

"If someone is thinking of becoming a Catholic I’d say to them to Go For It – in the RCIA group there is no pressure – you can take as much time as you want for discernment,  but do go in and give it a try. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done.
I’m looking forward to becoming a Catholic at Easter though the closer it gets the more apprehensive I feel but in a really positive way –  I am so excited wondering what it will feel like to receive communion for the first time."

Katherine’s Journey in Faith

"As a child I was always left free to decide whether I wanted to go to church. I didn’t go to church and it was only later when I was older I began to think to about it

"When I went to University I always used to walk past St Mary’s Cathedral in Newcastle  each day and every time I went past I would wonder what it was like inside and I’d  think “I’d love to go in there” but never quite worked up the courage to go in. Then a family member died and I really felt I needed somebody to talk to. I thought “Right, I’m going to see if God’s listening to me” and I went inside the Cathedral.

"The very first time I came to mass I was terrified. Looking back on it now I wonder what I was so afraid of but at the time I was simply petrified. I sat in a corner and there wasn’t so much as a squeak out of me.

"When I came out I thought “Yes I quite enjoyed that and I think I’d like to go back” and although I was still grieving it helped with the loss. I began to think about becoming a Catholic, but it was to be another year before I started the RCIA course.

"After I had been coming to Mass for a few weeks I spoke to the priest and he was so welcoming and he told me about RCIA.  I felt I was not quite ready for that level of commitment yet as I needed more time to think it through.

"I wanted to see if I could keep coming to church – I wasn’t sure if it was just a natural curiosity about church and Catholicism that would wear off. So I kept coming to church week after week and then I saw in the newsletter a new RCIA course was starting and I thought “I’m going for it!”  So from the moment I started I had made my mind up I wanted to go through the whole process.

"It has been a huge influence on me and I’m enjoying the course so much. I think it’s making me a lot more charitable as a person and aware of how people are feeling.  So for instance if I see someone who looks a bit sorry for themselves I will speak to them and flash a smile at them - normally I wouldn’t give them a second thought.

"The community at the Cathedral and the RCIA group have been so friendly I’ve been completely overwhelmed by the welcome. Even though I’m not a Catholic yet they just spoke to me and said come in and be part of what we are doing here.

"I’m looking forward to joining the Church at Easter but am terrified as well as excited – it’s going to be something so momentous this is going to change my life and will have a ripple effect on everything in my life for the future."

Brigid’s Journey in Faith

"As a child I went to a Catholic School which I really loved, and have such happy memories of it. I did wonder though, at the age of seven, why I wasn’t making my first communion alongside the rest of the class – I just assumed I would, but as I wasn't a Catholic I couldn't.

"My mum is from Ireland and each year we would go to Ireland in the summer and everybody there is a Catholic – all my friends there who I played with when we were young, and I went to church with everybody there.  The people at church were so friendly and welcoming always.

"This is one of the attractive things about all the Catholic churches I have been in – in Ireland, in Hull and now in Newcastle upon Tyne - the unity and cohesion of the Catholic Church – everybody saying hello, so nice to see you.  I feel I already belong and this is where I was always meant to be.

"What made me actually decide to take the step and become a Catholic was three years ago  when I was 17 and living in Hull I found a local Catholic Church and - I can’t remember why -  I decided to start going to church there. I saw about the Journey of Faith meetings they had at this church and I thought I would pop in and just get a taste of them.

"Shortly after this I left Hull as I was accepted for a place to study criminology at University in Newcastle. I wanted to continue the Journey of Faith in Newcastle but didn’t actually get round to it until my second year when I found St Mary’s Cathedral website and the RCIA link and made contact. Everything seemed to come together at that moment – I was thinking about continuing the RCIA and then I got online and saw the link and then in a couple of weeks the meetings were starting so I thought this is how it’s supposed to be.

"I think God has always been drawing me along my journey – at the difficult times and at the best times. One of my favourite stories is ‘Footprints’ and I have always felt the significance of this at the hardest point of my life when I have felt the strength and gentle touch of God’s love and the presence of Jesus helping me through.

"The Journey in Faith has been a great experience and I’ve met some really lovely people – all so welcoming and supportive.
"I definitely think that the Journey in Faith will change my life – I see the Journey in Faith as a practice journey for how I’m going to be living my life from now on."

Cecilia’s Journey in Faith

"I have lived in Newcastle all my life – a born and bred Geordie from Walker and High Heaton. I came from a family of 8 children and was baptised C of E. During the fifties  I remember going to Sunday School as a small child, and by the time I was about twelve years  old I knew that I wanted to become a Catholic as my mother was a Catholic and I used to like the way she prayed and was especially attracted to her love of Mary and the Rosary.

"I got married and had four children, who are grown up now. For a long time I was a very committed Anglican and often went to daily mass in the Anglican church but gradually found that my feelings about the issue of ordination of women and soon to become bishops was drawing me to the Catholic Church.
"In addition the very real and pervasive love of Mary which I found in the Catholic Church so much attracted me. In the end it was this which was the final deciding point in my Journey to Catholicism – I really wanted to be able to freely express my love for Mary in worship and prayer.

"Since joining the Journey in Faith RCIA group and having made the decision to become a Catholic I feel a lot more content in myself and as I haven’t got this anxiety. I feel really at home in the church and more spiritually nourished. I really enjoy the homilies and the music is so uplifting.

"If somebody is thinking of becoming a Catholic I would say to them – Go for it! It hasn’t all been easy though - one of the difficult things has been leaving my Anglican community and the people I worship with there and with whom I can now no longer receive communion.

"I’m looking forward to the Vigil and being able to receive communion in the Catholic Church – being a one-time daily communicant in the Anglican Church it has at times been difficult not to be able to receive communion during this Journey of Faith. But The Journey itself has been so important and I’ve learnt a lot and I’ve enjoyed meeting everyone and sharing the Journey together."