2009-10 Interns

Now well into the fray, meet this year’s interns. These short pieces were written whilst they were preparing to begin the scheme.

Anna Matus

'My CPI experience involves a year working for the Catholic Education Service, particularly in public affairs. Alongside the numerous and diverse elements of the CPI scheme including masters study, work, spiritual growth, community and trips here, there and everywhere, this particular placement also enables me to pursue my interest in contemporary education issues. Having spent my gap year doing youthwork in secondary schools across the country and just finishing my degree in Geography at the University of Leeds, I am looking forward to this exciting next step which combines so many of my interests!

Feargal McGuinness
I think this is a very exciting time to be working in parliament, in a general election year and at a time when the House of Commons is considering electoral and constitutional reform. Working for Steve Webb, MP for Northavon and Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, I'm anticipating learning more about economics. I'm looking forward to gaining familiarity with how it is applied in practice to help the disadvantaged. What excites me most however is that the CPI shows us many different ways in which particular groups are working to improve society, so giving us the chance to see the bigger picture of how all these activities fit together.

William Redfern

I’m William and I’m greatly looking forward to working as an Intern with Don Touhig MP, the Labour MP for Islwyn. Mr Touhig is the Chair of the Committee on Members’ Allowances and as such, given the high profile nature of expenses and allowances at the current time, is in a very important and high profile role. I’m really looking forward to being at Westminster and working at the heart of the political establishment, especially in the run up to the next general election. Having just spent three years studying law it will be very interesting to see how laws are made in practice and to see how politics functions in reality. Therefore, I anticipate having a very exciting, interesting and informative year as an Intern!

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Hannah Mills

I am really looking forward to starting my Catholic Parliamentary Internship. It is a scheme I have been interested in for quite a while, with its unique combination of political work, study and living together, so I am eagerly awaiting September! I will be working for Conservative MP Damian Green, who is Shadow Minister for Immigration so there should be an interesting range of issues to get involved in. I am also looking forward to the chance to study at Heythrop College and to continue being a student. As an economist, studying ethics and theology will be completely new to me and I am looking forward to the challenge. Finally the prospect of being involved and living in the chaplaincy at Newman House should be a fantastic experience – I cannot wait to get started!

Peter Stoddart

It is a great privilege to be on this unique scheme, working in the Houses of Parliament and in a Catholic context. I will be working for John Battle, the member for Leeds West which will introduce me to important issues such as international development, poverty and housing. Living in Newman House promises to add further enjoyment to this year, with its talented residents and many social activities. I would advise any young Catholic with an interest in public affairs to think about applying for this internship. For me it has just begun, but it has already been well worth it!

Hello!

Hello and welcome to this year’s Catholic Parliamentary Interns’ Blog!

First of all, some introductions. There are seven interns this year. Olivia and Oliver are working with MEPs in Brussels, whilst Alison, Laura and Luke are with MPs in the House of Commons in London. Amanda is working at the Catholic Education Service and I (Maeve) am in the Cardinal’s Public Affairs Office.

We’ve just spent the last two weeks being inducted into the scheme. This began with a four-day retreat at St Beuno’s in Wales, which was a great opportunity to pray, unwind and get to know each other. Upon our return, we spent a week visiting various different departments in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, as well as spending a day at CAFOD. Having been thoroughly inducted, we are now settling into our day-to-day roles. You’ll be hearing from the others over the next few weeks, so for now I’ll just update you on what I’ve been up to since I started work.

As the Public Affairs Intern, I work in Archbishop’s House. I’m involved in lots of Diocesan-based communications and so I attend many of the events that occur within Westminster Diocese. Recently these have included the Red Mass (the annual Mass for Catholic lawyers) and a Mass to mark the 80th anniversary of Opus Dei. I write press releases, update the Diocesan website (http://www.rcdow.org.uk/ – put it in your favourites now!) and partake in various meetings in connection with the Cardinal and the Diocese.

I think I speak on behalf of all us when I say that we’re really looking forward to everything this year has to offer, and for those of us in London, this includes immersing ourselves in Newman House life and studying Christian Ethics at Heythrop College. All in all it’s going to be a busy year, but one that is already shaping up very well indeed!

Maeve.

Catholic Parliamentary Interns 2008-9

The Internship Programme has expanded to include another intern who will be working with the Catholic Education Service, and another, in the Public Affairs Office at Archbishop's House, Westminster.


Amanda Brennan
















I was immediately drawn to the Catholic Parliamentary Internship scheme with its unique combination of work, study and community life. I’m anticipating all sorts of new challenges and opportunities, and the distinctively spiritual context of the scheme makes it particularly appealing. Rather than a parliamentary placement, I’ll be spending ten months with the Catholic Education Service, an exciting prospect given the highly topical nature of their work and my own longstanding interest in education. I’m also looking forward to studying Christian Ethics at Heythrop College and living at Newman House which, from what I’ve seen, seems a vibrant, friendly place. Altogether it’s a wonderful program and I’m really looking forward to getting started.

Alison Potter
I am really looking forward to starting the Catholic Parliamentary Internship in September. I am really excited at the prospect of working with an MP and also the chance to study at Heythrop College. It will be wonderful to live with the other interns in such a vibrant Catholic Community as Newman House. I shall be interning with the Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East, Sarah Teather; and I am sure I shall learn a great deal working in her constituency office as well as in Parliament. I am very grateful to be given this opportunity and can’t wait to begin!











Maeve McCormack
I’m going to be working in the Archbishop’s Public Affairs Office in Archbishop’s House. I’m really looking forward to getting out and about and seeing what’s happening in Westminster Diocese as well as helping to publicise everything that’s going on. It’s great to be a part of this scheme and to get the opportunity to see how this vibrant and important department operates. Living in Newman House is a very exciting prospect – I’ve been living in Nottingham University’s Newman House for the last year so I’m keen to get stuck into chaplaincy life and all that it involves. It should be a year full of interesting challenges and new experiences and I can’t wait to get started!







Luke de Pulford
I had been researching various internships when I heard about the CPI scheme and could hardly believe it – the opportunity to combine political work with spiritual development in such a stimulating programme is a rare one – I jumped at the chance. From late September, I will be shadowing Nigel Waterson, Conservative MP for Eastbourne, under whom I stand to learn a lot about the ins and outs of Westminster. I can't wait to get my teeth in to the challenge of juggling a hectic job, evening study at Heythrop, and an active social and spiritual life at Newman House. I feel truly privileged to be an 2008-09 intern – roll on September!







Laura O’Hagan
My name is Laura O’Hagan and I’m really looking forward to working with John McFall MP (Lab) when I start on the parliamentary internship programme in September. John McFall is often a spokesperson for financial issues and I haven’t done a lot of economics before so it will be good to get my teeth in to something new especially as the economy is such a relevant political issue just now. It will be great to work in Westminster and be at the centre of everything. I’m looking forward to the study side too. I’ve been working for the last year, but I’m a bit of a book worm at heart so it will be nice to be a student again

Visit to Goldman Sachs

Well, apologies that it has been such an age since I last posted - the three interns have had a couple of weeks break over the Parliamentary Easter recess which was very welcome I must say. A good opportunity for some R&R and to squeeze in a couple of job interviews I found!

Today, all of us, including the Brussels interns, were invited to the London office of Goldman Sachs by Lord Brian Griffiths to attend a forum with himself, Archbishop Kelly of Liverpool, and Peter Sutherland, the Chairman of Goldman Sachs international. We had a very productive morning which featured a series of presentations - the first being an overview of the global economy and its trends and developments over the past few years, which was delivered by one o the many talented GS staff. Then we heard another presentation from a member of the Government Affairs team, about the influences and interactions of the Westminster Village and the Square Mile of the City of London. And finally, it wrapped up with a thoughtful discussion by Lord Griffiths on the place of faith and spirituality in the City, and the challenges that this can present.

We all agreed how valuable and informative this session was - I found it particularly impressive to be in the heart of the GS operation and with such senior figures from the financial world. It was also somewhat of a crash-course in financial affairs and basic economics - I personally find the business section of newspapers very challenging in getting my head around, and although we throw about phrases like "credit crunch" and "global recession" all the time here in politics, sometimes I'd be under a bit of pressure to define exactly what they mean!

Next week we're off to Brussels with Charles for a couple of days, which will include visits around the European Parliament and its associated departments. I personally am very much looking forward to making my maiden voyage out from the newly-restored Victorian masterpiece that is St Pancras International!

Will

Post-Easter Greetings

Well, it's been nearly 3 weeks since I last posted, so another update from the Catholic Parliamentary world well overdue...

We've all returned to work after a very pleasant Easter break, and all the interns have been up to various bits a pieces in the last few weeks.

Dom had a cracking time in the European Capital of Culture that is Liverpool for the Lib Dem Spring Conference, staying with the Pughs - apparently there was a great party atmosphere and he even came back with somewhat of a scouse accent!

My Spring Forum travails took me to Glorious Newcastle-Gateshead in the luxurious surroundings of the Sage Conference Centre, which boasts fabulous views along the redeveloped quayside. Having visited the area a while ago it was great to be back, and I have to say the area was looking great, with all the redevelopment agencies and money really having paid off - many new businesses and redesigns of the area have made Newcastle a clearly dynamic and vibrant city, and one certainly able to cope with conferences and events much larger than the Spring forum! I even met a local celeb at one of the receptions - one sir John Hall, former owner of Newcastle FC - who was very pleased to see a mainstream political party engaging with an area which has for too long been forgotten by Governments of all varieties in the past; let's hope the latest regeneration is a sign of things to come for the city and the wider area.

Ms Groom has just returned from her band's 2008 St Patrick's Day tour of New York, which apparently went down a storm - I do hope her hand held out for it though!

All in all, we've been getting around! Next big, or rather, grim, event is my birthday on Thursday - the interns, colleagues, friends and myself will be having a few in the appropriately named "Cardinal" pub behind Westminster Cathedral on Thursday - do pop in if you're around!

Will

Marching on to Easter

Been a couple of weeks since my last blog, and a fair bit has been going on here in Westminster.

I've been motoring through the casework (I wish!), although the pile is regularly topped up with the latest constituency issue - all very good experience though and interesting to discover more and more about aspects of everyday life that I have so far not encountered - such as the intricacies of local policing and anti-social behaviour initiatives relative successes or failures.

The ID cards research continues and it's all very interesting watching the roll out of this new initiative and monitoring the response from the media and public opinion. I've also just begun a new project monitoring the progress of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, which has raised a lot of concerns both amongst the Church and many parliamentarians, of whom Im glad to count our Catholic Intern MPs for this year!

This week we welcome Adrian and Rhiannon from Brussels, and meetings have been arranged for us with Ruth Kelly, the Foreign Office and the Cabinet Secretary, which should be very interesting and a welcome enrichment to our internship experiences. Then Dom is jetting off to stay with his MP and his wife in Southport, before heading on to the Lib Dem Spring Conference in Liverpool - his first trip to that part of the country. If it's anything like my experience in Blackpool, he'll have a great time!

Finally, I had a brilliant evening with Father Peter, Chris and others a week ago yesterday at the Desert Island Disks dinner - a really enjoyable evening with some very interesting choices of tracks. I found it most difficult deciding on one which said something about me, but I opted for the uplifting and inclusive "One Vision" by the legends that are Queen.

Will

Constituency week over, roll on Spring...

Well, the three of us having greatly enjoyed a pleasant, if rather random bit of time off with "Constituency Week" last week, it's back to the coalface today! Last week basically involved the house rising for a week so MPs can (in theory) spend a bit more than the customary long weekend in their constituency and the many issues it involves. Damian returned to Ashford a week ago last Thursday and I headed home for a few days for a bit of R&R.

Dom and I particularly enjoyed our jaunt over to Berlin - definitely the home of the best kebabs in the world - so much so that I even spotted a few sober people eating them! I explored a fair bit of the city's communist past, with many an example of soviet-era high rise housing and office blocks, complemented by some particularly chilly communist weather. In fact, great though the city was next time I book a holiday I think I'm going to try and head somewhere just a touch warmer! But particularly nice to be in a city that is very clean, doesnt seem too busy or congested, and where a 45 min train journey from the airport costs 2 euros (compared to £25 for in the UK on the Stansted Express)!

Coming up in this stretch of half term we have a visit of the two Brussels interns, Adrian and Rhiannon, to the UK, where we shall be hosting them in Westminster, and the trip will involve visits to the Foreign Office and the Cabinet Office - coming up in early March. And hot on the heels of these events are the Lib Dem and Tory Spring Conferences - which both Dom and I shall be attending. Both have a northern theme, perhaps in solidarity with the poor plight of Northern Rock (nationalised today by the Chancellor) - the Lib Dems will be partying in Liverpool, and the Tories hit Newcastle-Gateshead, the latter an interesting choice given the scarecity of Tories in that area. We hope all this will change soon though...

Will