Holy Ghost Crowthorne and Immaculate Conception Sandhurst
- Parish Pastoral Council -
Minutes of the meeting of the PARISH PASTORAL
COUNCIL
held at 7.30pm on Tuesday 10th May 2005 in the Holy Ghost Parish Rooms
Opening prayer
Present: Fr Kevin Jones, Brenda Baigrie, Ann FitzPatrick, Angela Greenwood,
Shirley Hayden, John Kavanagh, Aoife McLean, Paul Page Tickell, Margaret Pearce,
Gerry Picozzi, Martin Stubbs, Mike Withers (and Sue Niblett to take Minutes).
Prior to the start of the meeting, the Chairman welcomed Gerry Picozzi, who
had been unable to attend any of the previous meetings due to ill health.
1. Apologies for absence
Apologies received from Margaret Derlacki.
2. Minutes of previous meeting
The Minutes of the meeting of 16 March 2005 were approved.
3. Matters arising from previous Minutes
6. Easter Triduum - the Easter Masses and arrangements went well and the minibus proved a great success and, hopefully, will be available again next year.
7. Parish Pilgrimage - a meeting, to decide the venue and date of the pilgrimage, has been scheduled for 18 May.
8. CaFE - Mike is to help Paul with the co-ordination of the CaFE programme. He
mentioned that a course for young people aged between 14-16 years is currently being prepared and it was thought this could be offered to the youth of the Parish after the next Confirmation course.
10. Children's prayers - Father Kevin will be leading a short Readers' course for the
children on Saturday 18 June, after morning Mass.
11. (Any Other business) Churches Together in Crowthorne - it was clarified that David Greenwood is not looking to retire as Parish Representative but would like a second person to assist him. Ideally, that person should be from the Holy Ghost Church community. To be publicised in the weekly Newsletter.
4. 'Growing Together in Christ'
Father Kevin read out the Bishop's letter regarding the Diocesan Pastoral
Assembly at Reading University on 21-23 July, when the Pastoral Plan will
be launched. Names of those attending from the Parish was finalised and Sue
will send off the registration forms by the end of May. Feedback and announcements
following the Assembly are likely to be published in the Portsmouth People.
The PPC wishes the Bishop well is his responsibilities of initiating the plan
within the Diocese.
5. Bishop's visit (2 and 3 July)
Ann FitzPatrick apologised that she cannot, after all, entertain the Bishop
to Sunday lunch, due to family/travel commitments. It was agreed that members
of the PCC, together with spouse or partner, join the Bishop for Sunday lunch
at 1.00pm in the Parish Centre in Sandhurst. Mike kindly agreed to organise
the professional caterers who will provide the food for 25 people, which will
most likely include both a chicken and a beef dish.
PPC members to help with refreshments after all Masses ; the Bishop will bless the new Baptismal Font at the Immaculate Conception Church ; it was agreed that there would be adult Readers only at all the Masses ; Sue to ensure that name badges are available for all members of the PPC
6. Baptismal Font
The new font will be installed at the Immaculate Conception Church on Saturday
14 May. It will be supplied by Ormsby's of Scarisbrick at a cost £2,500
but is to be insured for £5,000. A brief discussion took place as to
what to do with the old one.
7. Parish Charities (re Father Prem)
Following his recent visit to Thailand, Father Kevin reported that Father
Prem now has a new car and is not in need of any additional funding from the
Parish. It was suggested that the Parish might look towards Africa or Zimbabwe
for a worthwhile charity to support or a Parish to twin with, perhaps to build
a nursery or a school. Paul to ask the 'Cor et Lumen Christi' community (outreach
missions to Africa) if they know of a Catholic parish we could support, whilst
Mike mentioned the Jesuit Missions. Father Kevin will contact Father Lazarus
for suggestions.
With regard to the Chidamoyo Trust, the Social Committee is organising a Cheese and Wine evening, during which Gilly Withers will give a presentation on her recent visit to Chidamoyo. An article about the visit will also be published in the Wokingham and Bracknell Times and Mike will speak on the local radio.
8. Remembrance Gardens at Immaculate Conception Church
Father Kevin advised that in future, ashes will be spinkled, not buried. To
tidy up the gardens, the 4 wooden memorial boards, which are decayed and rotten,
will be removed and replaced by 2 new vertical marble stones. People can put
the names of their deceased loved ones onto small metal plaques, uniform in
design and size, which will then be stuck onto the stones.
9. Reading of anniversaries (at beginning of Mass or at Bidding
Prayers)
A parishioner had asked if the anniversary names could be read out at Mass.
It was agreed that this would be done during the Bidding Prayers and the names
would continue to be published in the weekly Newsletter.
10. Parish Mission and Spiritual Direction of the Parish
Following on from the PPC retreat day and the very successful Parish Day of
Reflection, Father Kevin said that it was now time for the PPC to decide how
best the Parish should move forward. He felt that the parish is currently
very inward looking and asked that everybody give some thought as to whether
they want the Parish to stay that way or to move out into the wider community.
Ideas will be discussed at the next meeting.
After the next meeting, another special meeting will be arranged and someone from outside the Parish will be invited to help, in the role of Facilitator. Several names were suggested but Father Kevin will firstly ask Lesley King.
11. Any other business
1. Confirmation - the PPC was reminded that now was the time to start thinking about next year's Confirmation programme.
2. Deanery - in the absence of a Deanery Pastoral Council, Mike suggested that it might be beneficial for the PPC to 'get the ball rolling' by holding a social evening and invite the PPCs from Wokingham and Bracknell. This would be a social event and not a meeting, perhaps sometime in the Autumn.
3. Communion at 11.00am Mass - it is sometimes very chaotic when people come up for Communion. To encourage some degree of order, Father Kevin will mention, before the 11.00am Mass, that the Choir should come for communion first followed by the congregation, from the front pews back. It was also mentioned that, for cleanliness, the chalice should be turned around between offerings. This will be noted on future Eucharistic Ministers' rotas.
4. Children's Liturgy - it was asked if there was a set age when children should leave the Mass to go to Childrens' Liturgy and whether or not they should stay for communion once they had received First Holy Communion. Father Kevin agreed to discuss this with the First Holy Communion catechist although it was agreed that it might be a case of parental choice.
5. Altar Servers - there was a request for the Altar Servers to exercise more decorum on the Sanctuary after Mass and refrain from racing with one another to extinguish the candles. Father Kevin will speak with Sacristan and head Altar Server.
6. Minibus - Father Kevin reported that Our Lady's School is hoping to buy a secondhand minibus for around £2,500 (whilst they fund raise for a new one). The school had suggested that the Parish might like to share the cost of the minibus and use it at the weekends. Issues of livery, insurance and storage were discussed and Mike suggested that Churches Together in Crowthorne might be able to offer some practical advice. In principle, the PPC is in agreement to the proposal but it will need to be presented to the Finance Committee before a final decision is made.
7. Night of Light - Paul said that Rebecca would like to run an 'alternative to Halloween' party for the children of the Parish on 31 October and this was agreed. To be publicised in the Newsletter nearer the time.
8. Deaconate - Paul is to receive the Ministry of Acolyte on 5 June at Wonersh and would be very pleased if members of the PPC could attend. He will check to see what numbers are allowed. Paul will be giving a reflection at all weekend Masses on a monthly basis.
9. Parking at Immaculate Conception Church - there had been a serious problem at last Sunday's 9.00am Mass when an ambulance had to be called to attend to a member of the congregation who had collapsed. People had to be called out of the church, during communion, to remove their cars from the car park as access for the ambulance was completed obstructed. Permanent no parking signs and yellow lines would not be practical but parishioners will be asked to park in such a manner as to leave the centre of the car park free. Gerry kindly agreed to act as 'parking attendant' the following Sunday and the situation would be monitored from then on very closely.
10. Readers and Eucharistic Ministers - John advised that not one Reader or EM turned up for their allotted duty at last Saturday's Vigil Mass. Members of the PPC were asked to spread the word that people should please give advance notice if they are going to be unavailable for duty.
12. Date and time of next meeting
The next meeting will be on Tuesday 28 June at 7.30pm in the Holy Ghost Parish
rooms, with prayers to be led by Angela.
Meeting closed at 9.25pm with prayers led by Paul.
Distribution:
Father Kevin Jones, Brenda Baigrie, Margaret Derlacki ,
Ann FitzPatrick, Angela Greenwood, Shirley Hayden,
John Kavanagh, Aoife McLean, Paul Page-Tickell,
Margaret Pearce, Gerry Picozzi, Martin Stubbs,
Mike Withers