stbernadettewhitchurch.org » Outreach

To gift a Nuncio

Fr. Christopher — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 18:21:58 +0000

As many of you know, our friend in Zambia, His Excellency Archbishop Nicola Girasoli, celebrated the fifth anniversary of his episcopal ordination the weekend of the 12 March. Maria Amesbury represented our parish community and took with her the greetings and prayers of the people of St Bernadette’s, as well as a token of our respect and good wishes. What can you give a nuncio who has almost everything? Well, we opted to give him something that was personal both to him and to us. We had a Bristol Blue plate made bearing the Archbishop’s own coat of arms…something which we hope he will both enjoy and treasure over the years to come. At least it will be a talking piece if he uses it on the dining room table in the Nunciature…and at least he will bring us into the conversation, too.

We wish him every blessing in the years to come and pray that God will continue to use him as the instrument through which eh smiles on us, his people.

Ad multos annos.

APF – Missio Invitation

Fr. Christopher — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 12:41:21 +0000

All supporters of Missio are invited to a special diocesan Mass at Clifton Cathedral on Sunday 19th June at 11 am.

This Mass is to celebrate 75 years of collaboration between missio APF and the Mill Hill Missionaries.

The celebrant will be Bishop Declan, and concelebrants include Monsignor John Dale (National Director of Missio) and Father Tony Chantry (General Superior of Mill Hill Missionaries).

Please invite friends and anyone interested in mission.

Future Events

Gordon Hodgson — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:08:56 +0000

Sunday 26th September – Big Brunch in the parish hall after 10.30 Mass

Friday 1st October – CAFOD Harvest Family Fast Day

Sunday 23rd October – Mission Sunday with a celebration of the work of Missio.

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th November – Appeal for Aid to the Church in Need

Sunday 28th November 4pm – Vespers with the members from the Amplius group of churches

Friday 3 December – Amplius Christmas Concert 7.30pm in St. Bernadette Secondary School Hall

Ministry of the Door

Gordon Hodgson — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:01:25 +0000

Through money raised on our Traidcraft stall in May we were able to donate £200 to the work of the Ministry at the Door at St. Nicholas Tolentino, Lawfords Gate. Sister Bernadette and helpers respond to every caller at their door with a hot drink and a sandwich in the mornings after night shelters close. Sister Bernadette accepts that this is only applying a sticking plaster to the wounds of homelessness but hopes that with a new daytime centre for the homeless opening in the Autumn the work of the Ministry will be more effective.

Other Outreach Updates

Gordon Hodgson — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:47:02 +0000

Traidcraft

The weekly Traidcraft stall in the Narthex after the Sunday vigil and morning Masses is thriving and well supported. We get the opportunity to buy little treats and houehold essentials to promote the work of Fairtrade and the profits go to some of our local and overseas parish projects. Any suggestions on what should be stocked on the stall are always welcome.

Missio (APF)

The success of the work of the our representatives has resulted in 65 members in the parish contributing through the little red boxes or planned giving. A total of £2126 was raised in 2009 and £1198 has been raised in the first half of this year. A regional celebration Mass for members was held in Newport in June and was attended by four representatives from the parish.

Amplius

Amplius, the Christian churches together in Whitchurch, continues to reach out to the local community. We held lunches during Lent at a different church each week with money raised going to the particular church charity. Our annual walk of witness was held on Good Friday. Christian Unity Week was celebrated with a service at the United Reformed Church with Dame Anne Doyle, the Clifton diocese ecumenical officer, as the guest speaker. We have formed a community choir at the instigation of Amplius. The choir has performed two concerts this year and two more are planned for Autumn.

CAFOD

Gordon Hodgson — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:36:20 +0000

The work of CAFOD continues to be an important part of our parish community. Supported by the deanery, regional and national organisation we have been kept informed and responded to the appeals for overseas aid, action and justice for a fairer world. We responded to the Haiti earthquake appeal with a collection of £800. The Lenten “Give it up” campaign resulted in raising £511 for the Lenten family fast day, £336 from a Lenten lunch in February as well as money raised in the CAFOD boxes. Our Summer campaign will be to get as many people as possible to sign up to ask the government to act on poverty.CAFOD will push for a fair climate change deal at the UN, for the government to honour the commitment on spending on aid and to ensure businesses are accountable to people in poor countries.

Zambia Update

Gordon Hodgson — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:26:28 +0000

Through the generosity of parishioners and a number of fund raising events in 2009 we managed to send a total of £6149.92 to support projects in Zambia. As part of this total, £2000 was sent to support two seminarians and a further £3442 was sent to the Kassisi orphanage and Sr. Maria’s homes and school. None of this could have been possible without the continued support, social gatherings and collections for special events.

This year already has seen £442.50 from our crib collection, over £400 from our Darts Night in March, a Lenten lunch, £160 from a Sunday afternoon cream tea at the end of May and £645 from our Italian evening on 10 July.

No injuries were sustained on the Darts Night apart from a few marks to the plasterwork in the hall. Whilst Eric Bristow and co. have nothing to worry about, some parishioners amazed some of us by managing to finish on doubles on the board.

The Lent lunch for Zambia was part of a series of lunches held by local Christian churches and was well supported. The simple lunch of homemade soup, bread and fruit was enjoyed by members from the local Christian communities coming together on Palm Sunday.

Father Oswald’s weekend visit at Pentecost was to thank us and to give us a first hand account of the work we support. After the Vigil Mass on the Saturday and the parish Mass on the Sunday we were able to chat with him and get further feedback. Father Oswald is going to the University of East Anglia in Norwich in September to continue his studies, so hopefully we will see him sometime in the future.

The cream tea on 30 May was enjoyed by everyone who came along and held pleasant surprises for some whose numbers were pulled out of the boxes for the 200 club half yearly big draw.

The Italian evening was held in the parish hall on a balmy night in July. Over 45 parishioners and friends were treated to a delicious four course meal prepared by Maria Amesbury and Father Christopher. We were welcomed with glasses of Pimms or fruit cup followed by antipasti, primi, secondi and dolci courses with wine and soft drinks.

More events are planned after our Summer break.

Pentecost Sunday – a community of languages and culture

Fr. Christopher — Fri, 07 May 2010 20:49:37 +0000

MASS FOR PENTECOST

Our parish is growingly multi lingual – rich and diverse in culture and tradition. To celebrate this richness in diversity, on the Feast of Pentecost (23rd May) our Liturgy of the Word will reflect some of the different languages spoken in our Parish family.

The readings and the bidding prayers will be read in a particular ‘mother’ tongue and also in English.

On the feast which unites through the gift of faith, we thank God for the faith that draws us together from across our continent and from across our world.

A visitor from Zambia

Fr. Christopher — Fri, 07 May 2010 20:44:43 +0000

ZAMBIAN VISITOR

Fr Oswald Mallya is studying in Kent on a sabbatical.

Fr Oswald was the priest of the St Lawrence Community Project that we, as a parish, have been supporting in simple ways over the last two years. He is coming to visit us this weekend - Saturday 29^th & Sunday 30^th – and he will be with us at both Masses that weekend and so able to tell us how what we have sent has been used for the community on the outskirts of Lusaka.

Missio – A.P.F

Fr. Christopher — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:46:49 +0000

Association for the Propagation of the Faith – Missio

As from 8/9/09 the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) of which APF (red boxes) is one of four branches, has changed it’s name from PMS to MISSIO.

This change will not have any consequences for the APF – Mill Hill partnership and the way red boxes are distributed and collected. APF, the Pope’s own mission support agency, guarantees the outreach and vital work of the Catholic Church in the world. It is the only organisation, which supports the growth and development of every mission diocese in the world.

Mill Hill Missionaries serve the poor, building up local faith communities to live in peace, justice and become self – sufficient. The APF has no investments. Every penny goes into a short-term deposit account and is distributed as soon as possible. APF is safe! This year £2.7m will go to support the missions in Africa and Asia. If anyone would like more information, a red box, or to become an annual member please contact Judy Lavelle 01275 836779