The ”We Believe” Festival is a joyful sign of a growing revival in Britain

The Guild of Our Lady of Ransom: the name has a splendid ring to it. As well it might, as an organisation founded in 19th-century England in the years following Fr (later Cardinal, now Saint and Doctor) John Henry Newman’s ringing declaration of the emergence of a Second Spring for the Catholic Faith in England.

In the later years of the 20th century, however, the Guild had a faintly faded feel. It was essentially a fund-raising project to assist in the development of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, and, in practice, that meant grants to dioceses and parishes. But what had been rather dramatic in former times–funds to help priests in impoverished areas to pay grocery bills and to get urgent house repairs–had given way to continued quiet generosity allied with worried discussion about falling church attendance and a sense of collapse in the notion of evangelization and mission.

Older Guild events, at least to this then-young witness, had a sort of charm about them. Typical Ransomers were staunchly loyal Catholic men whose steadfast faith had seen them through the years of World War II and/or National Service and who still carried a faintly military air. The great annual event, the Tyburn Walk—carrying a Cross through London along the martyrs’ route to the Tyburn Gallows–had culminated in 1970 with the canonization of the English Martyrs by Pope Paul VI. Over the next years, the names of the martyrs increasingly became simply part of Catholic life, with schools and Catholic groups carrying their name, and a general wider recognition of the persecution endured by Catholics under the Tudors and subsequent monarchs.

Did we still need a Guild of Ransom?

Yes, we did and do. Today, the Guild thrives anew. As I write this, I have just returned from a massive event at Oscott, which is where Newman preached his “Second Spring” sermon, sponsored by the Guild. Over two thousand young people, the majority of them families with small children, gathered to celebrate the Catholic Faith in a weekend packed with glorious liturgy, excellent talks and lectures on topics ranging from poetry and literature to parish evangelism and pilgrimages. The theme was joyful and evangelistic. These are the children and grandchildren of the John Paul II and Benedict XVI era. They grew up attending things like New Dawn, an annual pilgrimage with origins in the charismatic movement, at England’s national shrine at Walsingham, or the large gatherings of Youth 2000, which, as its name implies, focused on evangelising as the new Millennium arrived. Many attended World Youth Days or locally linked events. Many met future spouses this way.

The current Master of the Guild of Our Lady of Ransom–yes, it has retained its traditional style and titles–is Monsignor John Armitage, a London priest of immense vigour and dedication, who was appointed in 2020. He had taken up the idea, promoted initially by a small group of unfashionable enthusiasts, that England should be re-dedicated to Our Lady under the title of her Dowry. This is a tradition that goes back to King Richard II and a time of unrest. To stand with a vast crowd at a packed Mass against a backdrop depicting King Richard and the original dedication was extraordinarily stirring.

The ”We Believe” Festival, celebrated July 25th-28th, brought together bishops and priests, young members of religious communities new and old, student groups, pro-life groups, organisations such as Divine Renovation, and teams promoting the Theology of the Body. In tents named various Goodness, Truth, and Beauty, there were talks and workshops on music, art, poetry, and every sort of possible topic from contemplative prayer to C. S. Lewis, from 12th-century chant to post-abortion healing.

A particularly moving display showed pictures of Catholics facing Islamic persecution, including the martyred French priest Fr. Jacques Hamel, stabbed and murdered in 2016 while celebrating Mass, and villages in Nigeria destroyed by Muslim insurgents. This was organised by the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need. Several other charities were also displaying their work, including the popular Mary’s Meals, which has fed millions of children in projects across Africa.

Arriving for a packed Mass in the giant main marquee (appropriately named St Peter’s), Archbishop Bernard Longley invited all adults to some moments of complete silence before the liturgy began. The atmosphere was reverent as all whispering ceased. But what followed was a delight as the air was filled instead with the chirrups, cries, and gurgles of the vast numbers of babies present. It perfectly summed up the atmosphere of the whole weekend.

It was a real privilege, as well as a lot of fun, to be part of this whole venture. Along with fellow historian Lauren Heithause, I had been invited to give a talk about history on the theme “Our Catholic roots run deep here”. We had worked hard and were nervous about it going well: we need not have worried, as there was an enthusiastic response. Our experience was echoed by the other speakers. The difficulty was knowing which talks and workshops to attend, as there was such a rich choice. I particularly enjoyed Mgr Michael Nazir-Ali, formerly an Anglican bishop and now prominent in the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, discussing some of the major social and moral issues facing the country. Also excellent was the poetry workshop led by writer Sara de Nordwall, who runs a “Bard School” encouraging creativity in an authentic tradition.

But also enjoyable were the conversations and contacts made over excellent coffee and home-baked pastries on offer in the vast tented cafe, where bishops and novices, toddlers and teenagers—anyone and everyone—met and relaxed and talked and laughed and swapped news and ideas and plans.

Archbishop John Wilson of Southwark celebrated a glorious Mass of thanksgiving for the restoration of the Catholic Hierarchy of England and Wales (1850). We sang Fr Faber’s hymn “Faith of our Fathers,” with its lines about martyrs withstanding “dungeon, fire and sword”. There was a deep sense of hope for the future, and of pledging loyalty to the Church in whatever lies ahead.

Recent reports have suggested that there is a quiet revival of the Faith in Britain. There is. Pray for England, Mary’s Dowry.