sacramental ministry. Already, we’re receiving many requests for preaching at various events and giving parish retreats and missions, which will be one of the main ministerial focuses of this house. In fact, we’re partnering with various national organizations to see how our ministry of parish missions and retreats can fit in a new initiative by the Bishops of England and Wales for parish renewal and a powerful tool for both evangelization for the non-churched and a strengthening of the faithful. WeBelieve Festival One of the big events of the year is the WeBelieve Festival, held in Birmingham in late July. Last year was the first WeBelieve, and it was a resounding success, and hopefully will become a permanent fixture in the life of the Church here in the UK. Various Marians (including myself) will be there, and I hope to see you there too! It is a joyful occasion to celebrate being Catholic, all while being surrounded by thousands of your closest friends, kids running around all over the place and hearing any number of holy, entertaining, informative, and dynamic speakers talk about all aspects of our faith from liturgy to history, from parenting to pilgrimages, from which books to read to the importance of listening to music. WeBelieve is not to be missed (check out WeBelieveFestival.com). The United Kingdom is a beautiful country, from the coasts of Suffolk to the bustle of London, the farmland of Sussex to the hills of the North. I have enjoyed my trips around as I visit different parishes and communities, not only because of the wonderful landscapes, but more importantly because of the wonderful people. While our cultures may be different, the desire for community, the desire to grow in goodness and grace is universal. It has been an absolute joy to share my ministry (and humor) with the people of this nation. So much potential Of course, there’s still a lot of work to be done, and we have many plans for the future. In the fall, we plan to establish a purgatorial society, promoting prayers for the Holy Souls (to be named “Companions of the Holy Souls.”) Additionally, we hope to be able to livestream the Masses from our “small but powerful chapel,” as Fr. Luke Mazurek, MIC, one of the priests here, puts it. Our newest Marian priest, Fr. Patrick Lynch, MIC, will be joining us full-time to help with ministry, and various priests from the USA will be visiting for preaching tours in the months to come. It’s a busy, busy time! If it weren’t for Sylvia, our trusty (and incredibly talented) office administrator, and my times of prayer, I would have gone crazy a long time ago. Or at least, crazier than I already am. There is so much potential here in the UK. This past Lent, a record number of people joined the Church around the country, and we’re seeing more and more people, particularly young people, express an interest in faith. Even the secular news has noticed this (to our joy and their dismay). I am sure that this is because of the intercession of Our Lady of Walsingham, the patroness of England (known as “Mary’s Dowry”) and the patroness of our Marian UK mission. A large picture of her hangs in our lobby, and we have entrusted our work and our mission to her. God calls us When I wake up in the morning or have some free time in the backyard or am walking around the neighborhood, I often stop whatever it is I’m doing to grapple with the awesome fact that I’m in England, that God has called me (has called us) to be part of the conversion of this nation and to be of service to the Church here in London and around the UK. But the Marian Fathers can’t do it alone.We need your prayers and support. We are so grateful for all that you do for us, and we carry you closely in our hearts and our prayers in thanksgiving for you and the gifts that you offer and are. Please continue to pray for us and our mission here, that we will be able to touch hearts and minds through our ministry and presence. And please know of our prayers for you, too, as members of the Marian Helpers and our Marian family! Visit Marian.org/UK to support the new Marian Centre for Catholic Life. Marian Helper • Summer 2026 • Marian.org 21 “God has called the Marian Fathers to be part of the conversion of this nation and to be of service to the Church here in London and around the UK.” At the 2025 WeBelieve Festival, Fr. Patrick Lynch, MIC, and Fr. Alex Pumphrey, MIC, “met” Pope Leo XIV.
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