We are delighted to announce that our preacher at the 376th Lion Sermon in October will be Professor Vincent Rougeau, President of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA.
An expert in US legal education and Catholic social thought, Professor Rougeau is the the first lay and first Black president of the College of the Holy Cross, a leading Jesuit liberal arts college. President Rougeau will speak on how we respond to contemporary challenges for freedom of religion in higher education and why this matters for the exercise of power in public life. Professor Rougeau is the first leader of a Catholic institution to give the Lion Sermon since it was founded by Sir John Gayer—who was himself imprisoned for his religious and political views and activities.
The Revd Josh Harris, Priest-in-Charge at St Katharine Cree, writes...
At an Anglican church you don’t normally expect to receive letters in the post from the Vatican, but last February here at St Katharine Cree we received a personal handwritten note from Pope Francis.
A handwritten letter from Pope Francis to the congregation of St Katharine Cree
Papa Francisco, as our Latin American community members know him, had heard about the establishment of our new church community and our vision to be a church for all workers in the heart of the City of London. He wrote directly and personally to encourage us, to remind our congregation that “I am with you from here”, sharing in solidarity our community’s hardships and struggles, and asking for our prayers for him as he offered his help to us.
This moment marked a fresh turning point for us, from an initial pilot project to developing a real congregation and community, to become a place and a people amongst whom all workers are welcome and helped, and all might find hope and joy in a community shaped by the Good News of Jesus.
Papa Francisco’s letter helped us enter a deeper focus on prayer and shared life together at St Katharine Cree especially among our Spanish-speaking congregation. We began to grow significantly, and our community drew together more closely and decisively in a new chapter of our development. His message gave us confidence to walk the path we felt God had set us, and to work with courage and conviction for the renewal of St Katharine Cree and the whole City of London. We will continue to do so.
We did not make a big fuss when we received his letter. We shared it with our community, and treasured it and the opportunity for correspondence which followed. So much of Papa Francisco’s ministry was personal (if not private) and attentive to the people and places he came to know and hear about - rather than concerned only with grand ideals and abstract ideas. He never forgot about the ordinary women and men who fill this world and need to hear about hope.
Love has triumphed over hatred, light over darkness and truth over falsehood. Forgiveness has triumphed over revenge. Evil has not disappeared from history; it will remain until the end, but it no longer has the upper hand; it no longer has power over those who accept the grace of this day.
Sisters and brothers, especially those of you experiencing pain and sorrow, your silent cry has been heard and your tears have been counted; not one of them has been lost! In the passion and death of Jesus, God has taken upon himself all the evil in this world and in his infinite mercy has defeated it. He has uprooted the diabolical pride that poisons the human heart and wreaks violence and corruption on every side. The Lamb of God is victorious! That is why, today, we can joyfully cry out: “Christ, my hope, has risen!”
May that joyful cry of hope echo through the church and world today!
We have prayed for Pope Francis throughout the last year. We pray now that he may rest in peace and rise in glory. May his witness strengthen and encourage us all.
Fr Josh
P.S. If you would like to watch Pope Francis's funeral with others, we will be showing it live in the church from 8:45am on Saturday 26th April with a time afterwards for personal reflection and prayer.
Mission and Outreach Coordinator, Kitty Montero Junca, writes...
On Saturday 15th March the Latin American community at SKC came together for a singing workshop with Maria (professionally known as MONTAÑERA), an artist and researcher who explores how song can bring people together, promote healing, and build peace. Drawing from her research with war survivors in Tumaco, Colombia, she led our community through a powerful musical practice that created a safe space for intimate conversations about migration, grief, loneliness, and resilience.
The words "escucha mi canto que, viene del agua y mar, mojando la tierra pa que crezca nueva vida,” which translates to "listen to my song, it comes from the water and sea, moistening the earth, so that new life may grow" were sung repeatedly sparking memories and reflections on the landscapes they left behind. The community reflected on how suffering is never fully healed but always finds a way to return and how healing is cyclical—pain resurfaces in different ways, just like sound echoes and returns. Singing together became a way to move through it, not alone, but as a collective, creating waves of resilience.
The post-discussion resonated with SKC’s community-inspired, creation-based Lent devotional, which celebrates the beauty of the homelands that community members have come from. Reflections centred on the profound grief of leaving—how migration, despite a deep love for their own countries, often feels like the only option. It's an act of both hope and pain, as they trade the familiarity and richness of their homeland for the uncertain promise of new opportunities in cities like London. And yet, despite the pain, there was also pride. They spoke about how Latin Americans, even when they have little, are known for their joy and hope. The workshop became a reminder of this spirit, of the unbreakable connection they have to their roots, their histories, and most importantly, to each other.
