Merseyside's Papal pilgrims trip

Pope Benedict XVI will be visiting the UK between 16 - 19 September.

For many Catholics it will be their one and only chance to see the Pope.

Papal visits to the UK are rare, the last was by Pope John Paul II in 1982.

Groups of Merseysiders are travelling to London where Pope Benedict will be taking part in several events.

He will also be visiting Birmingham and Scotland during the four day visit from 16 to 19 September, 2010.

Becky Ryder, Animate Youth Ministries.

Animate Youth Ministries is the Youth Sevice for the Archdiocese working in schools and parishes. 20 year old Becky has been working as a full-time volunteer for the last year and will be working with Animate on a permanent basis from September.

She will be travelling to London as part of a group of 310 young people from the Archdiocese and will be outside Westminster Cathedral and at the Vigil in Hyde Park on Saturday 18 September.

Father Martin Kershaw, Parish Priest of St Austin's, Thatto Heath, St Helens

Ordained in 1989, he has been Parish Priest of St Austin's since 1997.

As well as being a Parish Priest he also works with the deaf community in the Catholic Church.

Father Martin will be a concelebrant with Pope Benedict at the Mass in Westminster Cathedral on Saturday 18 September.

Kathy Pitt, Chief Executive of Nugent Care

Kathy, who is not a Catholic, will be in the congregation for Mass in Westminster Cathedral on Saturday 18 September.

She has been Chief Executive of Nugent Care, the social care agency for the Archdiocese, for a number of years.

Deacon Paul Mannings

Paul is a Permanent Deacon in the Archdiocese and will be assisting at the Mass in Birmingham on Sunday 19 September. He will be travelling to Birmingham by coach on the Sunday morning.

Ronan Dunne, Headteacher of St Columba's RC Primary School, Huyton

He will be travelling by coach to the event with two other teachers and 17 pupils from St Columba's, one of 13 schools from the Archdiocese taking part in "The Big Assembly" at St Mary's, Twickenham on Friday 17 September.