The big event for Catholics in the UK this autumn is the coming of Pope Benedict XVI to Britain on a state visit. This is an historic occasion but not without its apprehensions because of the current social and religious climate in Britain. Whatever happens it is clear that the spotlight will not only be on the Pope and what he says, but on Catholic teaching, values and beliefs, which will be discussed and debated on a national level and in private conversations. To help ensure that the Church has some well trained spokespeople to contribute to this debate in the media, Catholic Voices has been set up. This is the initiative of three Catholics in the media who have trained up twenty five articulate young lay Catholics (aged between 25-45) to be available at short notice to speak on radio and television about any Catholic issues that might surface during the visit. In this issue, we hear from some of these Catholic voices and their thoughts about the visit. We also feature a moving extract from Pope Benedict’s inaugural homily as pope in 2005 when he speaks about the role of the Pope as the shepherd of the flock. It is not only Catholic Voices that will be called upon to speak about the faith, all of us as Catholics must be ready if we are asked by neighbours, work colleagues and friends about our beliefs and for the “reason for the hope within us.” So let’s prepare ourselves too.

Another evangelization initiative by young lay Catholics is Vision. This is a network of Catholics living in the London area from the different lay movements and ecclesial communities who are planning to use the Alpha course, and some recognized Catholic programmes, such as the parish cell system and the Great Adventure bible series to kick start evangelization and renewal in a couple of trial Catholic parishes. Evangelisation, however, is not just a matter of programmes and the “Renew Programme International” has compiled a very helpful list of evangelization tips that can be put into practice every day. This was used by the At Your Word programme in the Westminster diocese a few years ago, and this year by the Dublin diocese. We offer it too.

The papal visit is a great evangelistic and catechetical opportunity and a call for us to prepare ourselves for this visit. The way that we all can do this is by praying:

- that the Holy Spirit will use this visit for the glory of God
- that the Pope would be inspired to speak the Word of the Lord to this nation and that he would be heard

- that each of us will be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and be able to make the most of the opportunities we are given to witness to our faith
- that all negativity would be overcome through love and Christ will be glorified

To help us in our prayer Fr Pat Collins CM offers a useful model of group intercession and of being led by the Holy Spirit in knowing what to pray. Roy Hendy, the founder of the House of the Open Door community, gives witness to how the Holy Spirit helps him to speak in the power of the Holy Spirit and the fruits of this. Pat Kennedy continues her series on the gifts of the Holy Spirit and concentrates this month on the Gifts of Power, which include Faith, Healing and Miracles. That healing and miracles are still happening today is underlined by Paul Callaghan’s incredible testimony of how he was healed from advanced bone cancer by the grace of God and the intercession of Our Lady to the amazement of his doctors. We also hear how two of the members of Mother of Mercy, an outreach to the homeless which Paul founded, have had their lives transformed and their faith deepened by serving the poor.

One of the fruits of being baptized in the Holy Spirit is a new sense of expectancy at what the Lord can do in our lives. Mary Healy, a leaders of the CCR in the USA, writes about what we can learn from Our Lady and this importance of waiting with expectancy for God to act. This power of God to act is brought very much home in the testimony of Sr Miriam Duggan, an Irish religious sister who worked as a medical missionary in Uganda for many years. In her piece she shares about the way her life and ministry was changed by the baptism in the Holy Spirit and the wonderful things that she saw after this in her work.

Fr Chris Thomas in his regular article underlines the importance of our connectedness as human beings and challenges us to meditate at a deeper level on what it means to be the body of Christ. We also have our regular readers’ feedback page, news pages and conference reports and Sue Whitehead’s Other Half which this month calls us to reflect on who Jesus is for us? Do read it and reflect on who Jesus is for you. You might need to share this with someone in the coming months.