Pastoral Committee meeting minutes15.1.14

Present: Fr Pat, John Barnes, Alicja Dale, Margaret Jones, Helen McShee,Stephen Turnbull, Hilary Taylor, Mary McCormick, Pat Kirkby.

Opening Prayer led by Fr Pat.

Apologies Received: Margaret Barnes, Jude Arbuckle Paul Shuttler andMaureen Teed.

In Margaret’s absence the meeting was chaired by Stephen Turnbull.

1. Matters Arising

  • Fr Pasquino’s jubilee:Although he is away at present, it is known that he will be returning to Horsforth for the Comboni Father’s weekend at Trinity on 28th June. His jubilee is on 29th June. Mary will check if he is able to come to St Mary’s for mass on Friday 27th June. We will arrange for envelopes to be distributed in case parishioners wish to contribute towards a presentation to him.
  • Food Bank:£500 was contributed towards the food bank by the parish finance committee. Hilary explained that the original site at Woodside was not successful, so it has now been moved to beside Broadgate Lane school. The grocery box in the narthex would be used to support the food bank as well as St Judes. Anyone wanting more information about the food bank, or to apply for vouchers, should phone 07758 196951.

2. Review of events - Christmas

Christmas Fayre

This years’“Grand Coffee Morning” was again very well received and generated almost as much income as the Fayre used to do. It is well worth continuing in this format.

Christmas Masses

5pm Vigil; Very full – standing room only! Those who had attended commented that it was a very nice mass and much enjoyed by the children. The church decorations & flowers looked lovely and the church was spotlessly clean.

11.30 carols – Midnight Mass; Not very well attended. We agreed to review whether to continue with a midnight mass at a later meeting.

10am First Mass. Fabulous and full!

Leeds Guild of Singers

The concert was superb, but not very well attended. The music and readings were well planned and enjoyed by those who had attended. We agreed that it should continue, but to have free entry but still provide wine and mince pies in the hope that more people would come. A collection would be taken for the chosen charity. Date chosen for 2014 concert was Sunday 14th December at 3pm.

SVP Party – Went well, but numbers down on previous years. Only 36 attended, but much enjoyed and worth continuing.

3. Events in Lent & Easter

a) Gospel Music Night – We would very much like to repeat this, as it is extremely popular. This year, Shrove Tuesday is 4th March. Fr Pat will see if he can organise the school children to be available to participate on that date. The band and music group should be OK with that date.

b) Lenten Stations etc. – It was a nice tradition to continue at Sunday mass. Also Friday morning mass congregation would continue with the stations.

c) Holy Week would follow the usual format. The starting times of Maundy Thursday and the Easter Vigil will be at 7.30 this year, so that the Exposition on Thursday can be ended by 10.00pm and the buffet after the Vigil can start at a reasonable time!

d) Lenten Talks – Horsforth Churches Together are organising house groups – a notice will be put up in the Narthex. They are also holding the Good Friday walk starting at St Mary’s and the Easter Dawn service in Hall Park.

4. Sacramental Preparation - All are underway –

a) Confirmation – 30 candidates who will be involved in parish masses during their preparation. Mgr Wilson will be asked to preside at the confirmation on a Friday at the end of May/early June.

b) 1st Communion – The school are leading the preparation, with the engagement of the families.

c) Marriage Preparation – 4 teams are leading the classes, with 4 – 6 couples in each group.

d) Baptism – 70 children were baptised last year, with similar numbers expected this year. Baptisms are now held on Saturdays and Sundays to cope with the numbers.

5. Spiritual Support

As previously, readers and ministers would be invited to a day’s retreat with an external speaker. Fr Pat will invite the youngest priest in the diocese, Michael Doody, to lead the retreat. He is an expert on Philosophy and Moral Theology.

6. Parish Event

This year it will be hosted by The Assumption. It will be held on 13th or 20th July 2014.

7. Publicity & Welcomers.

Stephen Turnbull suggested that many parents dropping children off at school may not be aware that the church is open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. He suggested that the school secretary should be asked to send out a note to all parents, and that aboard should be put near the school gate stating that the church was open and inviting parents in for a quite prayer or to participate in the Mass/Eucharistic services that are held in the sacristy on those mornings..

8. AOB

a) Mary said that several parishioners had complained that the special collections had been too frequent recently. Fr Pat explained that Su (OLK Parish Secretary) kept a calendar of Collections. There were 12 Diocesan Special Collections to be made in each year. Other special Appeals (such as for the Little Sisters of the Poor, SVP, or for International Disaster relief) were fitted in so that usually there were no more than two second collections per month at the most.Parishioners are, of course, free to give or not, according to their means.

b) Hilary mentioned that the Bible Society has a fundraising group and she will put up a notice about this in the Narthex. She thanked the Parish for our annual contribution to Horsforth Churches Together which is being used to fund some school projects.

9. Parish council meeting on 26th February

Margaret Barnes, John Barnes and Margaret Jones will attend. The meeting will be held at The Assumption.

10. The dates for Next Pastoral Meetings were set as:14th May; 17th September.