On Thursday 21 May 2026 the Union of Catholic Mothers (UCM) at St Joseph’s in Castleford welcomed members and parishioners from across the Diocese of Leeds to join them in praying the Holy Rosary in Honour of Our Blessed Lady’s own Month of May – and afterwards for a cream tea served in St Joseph’s Parish Hall.
St Joseph’s UCM Secretary Carol Sidebottom has sent the following report and photographs to communications@dioceseofleeds.org.uk:
Parishioners Trish & Bernadette bringing ‘flowers of the rarest’ to decorate the statue of Our Lady
The event began with thanks from St Joseph’s UCM President Kathryn Waugh, who welcomed the UCM’s Spiritual Director Canon Lawrie Hulme, Margaret Chambers who is the Leeds Diocesan UCM President, and Sr Christina and Sr Marie Clare from the Little Sisters of the Poor – and offered special thanks to Parish Priest Canon John Aveyard for his continued support and guidance.
Margaret Chambers, Kathryn Waugh & Fr Lawrie Hume
With UCM member Claire Johnson playing the organ our Rosary opened with the hymn ‘As I Kneel Before You’, then UCM members were invited to come forward to light our UCM Candle and place their flowers at the statue of Our Blessed Lady, the model and inspiration for all mothers – and for all women! Our Rosary started with The Apostles’ Creed, a prayer in which we profess our faith reminding us that our devotion to Our Blessed Lady is always Christ centred. Individual members then came forward onto the altar to offer a reflection and pray a decade of the Rosary, with Canon Lawrie praying the final decade and giving the Blessing.
Special thanks to Claire who took a day off work to play the organ for the UCM service
Just before our final hymn, ‘Immaculate Mary’, Kathryn Waugh spoke of the significance placed on prayer within the UCM, recounting how every time we meet, we say our UCM Prayer and also our UCM Prayer for Vocations. We also pray for the Pope’s Monthly Prayer Intentions, and more recently, our Bishop’s Prayer to Our Lady of Unfailing Help – and she asked everyone to join with her in offering prayers for Bishop Marcus and his intentions.
UCM members Annette, Lesley & Sue bringing ‘blossoms the fairest’ – and preparing for Cream Tea Duty!
Afterwards, and in true UCM tradition, everyone enjoyed a strawberry cream tea, served with lots of laughter! Also, in another true Catholic tradition, a raffle was held to raise funds for the Little Sisters of the Poor – with Canon Lawrie being the lucky winner of one of the raffle prizes … tea towels!
Sr Marie Clare touched everyone’s heart when she spoke of the work of the Little Sisters both at home and abroad and she praised the generosity and kindness of the people of the Leeds Diocese. She also had a lovely story to share. On this her first ever visit to St Joseph’s Castleford, she had met two parishioners whom she remembered from her early nursing days in Leeds: one had been her Sister in Charge when she was training! Sr Marie Claire also shared with us a few entertaining tales not listed in the training manual, rounding off a busy day for St Joseph’s UCM, filled with prayer and laughter!
Sr Marie-Claire with her former Ward Sister
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