Keeping in Touch 24th May 2020
OLW School update
Please find attached the latest school newsletter for parents. Even if you are not a parent of a child at Our Lady of the Wayside, it is still a good read. There are a lot of good items but I particularly recommend what Mr Taylor, the head, has written about the principles of re-opening the school.
Parish Gardening Volunteers sought
This message was received from a parishioner who did some work in Fr Gerardo’s garden last week:
“Just a thought about maybe reducing the parish’s outgoings at a time of reduced incomings. … I would be more than happy to [help with the garden] every couple of weeks or so. … If you asked via the weekly newsletter I would be surprised if someone in the parish didn’t volunteer to spend an hour or two tidying the garden borders. The garden is easily large enough to maintain social distancing and maybe Fr. Gerardo would enjoy a bit of conversation. I certainly had a very pleasant chat with him on Thursday.“
If you are interested, please contact John olw.shirley@rcaob.org.uk
Virtual Lourdes Pilgrimage
You are invited to an online Lourdes pilgrimage, starting Sunday 24 May with Archbishop Bernard’s opening Mass at 3pm live streamed from St Chad’s Cathedral.
The week features daily Mass, liturgy and Rosary ‘processions’.
Find the full programme on www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/lourdes-pilgrimage .
St Chad’s Sanctuary Update
Just to let you know that we made another trip to St Chads this week with a car load of food. That makes it four full car loads in four weeks, an amazing achievement for the Parish!
We have had a steady and consistent stream of Parishioners donating food and many now add a little something for St Chads to their weekly shop or delivery, which is wonderful.
The Sanctuary is extremely grateful for everyone’s help and generosity and has again asked us to pass on their sincere thanks.
With so much being donated they have been able to revise their requirements so here is a new list of what they need.They would very much welcome MORE of the following please so it is a YES to:*Rice*Tins of Chickpeas and Kidney Beans*Tinned Vegetable Soup*Tinned Fruit and Vegetables*Tinned Fish-any type in oil, water or brine.* Tinned Tomatoes* Salt. They currently have more than enough of the following so it’s a NO THANK YOU to* Pasta*Baked Beans.Unfortunately they are unable to distribute anything containing Meat as most of the recipients are Vegetarian. We would be very grateful if you would be able to circulate the revised list and include it in this weeks newsletter. Please of course pass on the Sanctuaries continued thanks to everyone in the Parish for their kindness at this time.
John and I are more than happy to continue to collect the food and deliver it.
Take care. Our best wishes to everyone.
Pat Curran
Pat and John Curran
12 Fairford Close
Solihull B91 1 JF
We are just off Prospect Lane
Please call us first to let us know you are coming 0121 744 6096
Friends of the Holy Land – Pentecost Challenge
So, FHL launched an appeal in March for those impacted in Bethlehem and widened it on 3 April as a Pentecost Challenge to cover the whole of the region. They secured match funding for the first £100,000 and, with a few days to go to Pentecost, are close to reaching the target but are seeking help from your parishioners to get over the line. Perhaps you could include details in your newsletter this weekend.
As a Patron of FHL, I am kept informed of the wonderful work they are undertaking with a very small team of paid staff and many volunteers both over here and in the Holy Land. Coronavirus is changing the lives of all of us but for so many Christians, especially in the West Bank but also Gaza, Israel and Jordan, it is devastating. So many are dependent for their income on pilgrimages and tourism which disappeared overnight in early March. For many they have no government support nor even a health service which can handle this crisis.
www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk/pentecost-challenge will direct parishioners to the FHL website where more information is available. You may also wish to view the news story on our diocesan website https://www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/news/fhl-launch-pentecost-challenge.
Thank you for your support to help those worse off than ourselves, as FHL strive to maintain a Christian presence in the Holy Land and please keep the FHL staff and volunteers plus those in the Holy Land in your prayers.
With my prayers and kindest wishes.
Yours devotedly in Christ
Bernard Longley
Archbishop of Birmingham
WhatsApp Group
Dear Parishioners,
The Finance Committee met via Zoom yesterday evening and had a very fruitful conversation, despite the strange circumstances.
One of the decisions made was to set up a parish WhatsApp group. The idea is to contribute to the sense of people feeling part of and in touch with the parish and each other. A parish WhatsApp group allows for more sharing in a way that regular emails and the parish website may not.
Accordingly, if you would like to join please email me with your mobile phone number – olw.shirley@rcaob.org.uk
Of course, you will need to have a smart phone and to have downloaded the WhatsApp app onto it before I can add you.
As I write this, we have already made a start and currently there are 23 members of the group.
And as always, if you decide at any point you no longer wish to be part of the group or indeed receive the regular emails, just let me know and I will arrange it.
Keep well and have a good weekend.
Best wishes
John
Message from Rt Rev Marcus Stock, Bishop of Leeds and Chairman of the Catholic Education Service
SEMH (Social, Emotional & Mental Health Team)Newsletter