Holy Ghost Crowthorne and Immaculate Conception Sandhurst
- Parish Pastoral Council -

Minutes of the meeting of the members of the PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL
held on Tuesday 17th April at 7.30pm in the Sandhurst Parish Centre

Present: Margaret Derlacki, Ann FitzPatrick (Vice Chairman), Lawrence Gaffney, John Kavanagh, Jim Nairn, Martin Stubbs (and Sue Niblett)

1. Apologies for absence
Apologies received from Angela, Sheila, Paul, Gerry and Mike.

2. Minutes of previous meeting
The Minutes of the meeting of 6 February 2007 were approved and signed by the Vice Chairman, subject to the following two corrections :

3.4 Larger Pastoral Area - delete "Mike is still to arrange a meeting of the Catenians' Group".

10.2 Parish Helpline - delete "TheDiocese is considering running a course for counsellors" and insert " The Diocese is holding a day for counsellors in the Diocese to meet each other with the possibility of co-ordinating counselling in the Diocese".

3. Matters arising from previous Minutes

3.13.1 Developing Skills for Leadership - the Leadership Course sessions are now finished and Mike is preparing a 1000 essay to complete the course. The attendees on the course will be meeting with the Bishop on 7 June.

3.13.3 Social Evening for PCC members and partners - attendance by PPC members at this social event on 10 February was low. Thanks were given to all those who did attend. No raffle was held.

4. Arrangements for Lent and Easter -
On behalf of the Parish, the PPC thanked everyone who helped in any way with all the Easter celebrations and Masses. The PPC is especially grateful to Father Adrian for all his hard work, which ensured that everything ran so smoothly.
Watching was well attended right up to the close at 10.00pm. Father Adrian and Bill Coleman closed the church at the end.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament - was taken at the Immaculate Conception Church on the Sunday afternoons of 25 February, 11 March and 25 March. Poor attendance was reported on each occasion.
Morning Prayer - in Holy Ghost church was led by Mike on Good Friday and Martin on Holy Saturday. Both prayer sessions were poorly attended, with around 4 and 6 people respectively.
Minibus - some 10 - 15 Sandhurst parishioners took advantage of the minibus to attend the Easter services at Holy Ghost church.
Passover Meal - Lawrence and his wife had attended the Passover Meal on Good Friday, which they found to be a very pleasant and interesting evening. Thanks are recorded to John Butterworth for organising.

10.2 Parish Helpline - the Diocese held a day for counsellors in the Diocese to meet each other with the possibility of co-ordinating counselling in the Diocese. This was on 17 June and was attended by Gilly Withers.

10.10.1 (AOB) HCPT second collection - Katharine Fitzpatrick spoke at Masses over the weekend of 24/25 March and the response was very good. She hopes to put photographs of trip and a thank you exhibition at the back of the church. The office will be notified in due course of the final amount collected.

4. Larger Pastoral Area
-- Ann and Mike attended the LPA meeting on 27 February and Ann summarised discussion as follows :

* Each parish representative gave an update of their own parish. Bracknell still does not have a PPC, although existing groups are continuing.
* The Contingency Plan for loss of priests could not be discussed because Bracknell had been exluded. It will be re-worked and circulated.
* Newsletters are being circulated, except from Bracknell.
* The LPA webpage is being set up and Mike is actioning.
* Father Jim would like our Parish Pilgrimage to Rome opened up to the wider LPA community if there are spare tickets. Lawrence will advise our organising committee. There is a possibility that Wokingham will organise a pilgrimage to Medjugorge.
* There is the possibility of an LPA Youth Day being held in Crowthorne. Mike is investigating.
* Adult CaFE - Mike is part of the Wokingham team and they are happy to facilitate in Bracknell. The next course will start in Wokingham in June.
* Mike recommended the Diocesan Leadership course.

-- Martin advised that the LPA website is operational and is linked to the Parish website.

-- Mike, at the request of Fr. Jim Joyce, has agreed to be the LPA representative on the Diocesan Pastoral Council.

5. Social Committee
Mike will make a presentation to Father Adrian on Saturday 28 April at the informal reception after Vigil Mass at Sandhurst. A collection was taken over four weeks from 25 March. The Cheese and Wine evening on 3 March was very successful and made a small profit. Plans for the Parish Picnic on Sunday 17 June are well underway. A day trip is planned to the Wintershall Play on Saturday 30 June and will be publicised in the Newsletter. A 'Tea at 3' event is planned for Sunday 12 August in the Immaculate Conception garden. Hopefully, there will be a Skittles evening in November.

There was some debate as to whether the PPC should be drawn into discussions about the social side of parish life. It was generally agreed, that although the PPC should not involve itself in detail with parish events, it was important that members be aware of what the Social Committee might be planning.

6. Wellington College
A parishioner/parent had again raised the issue of what more the parish could do to support and inspire the Catholic boarders at Wellington College in their Faith. The issue was originally raised in June 2006. The PPC feel that if the parish has a responsibility within the Diocese for Wellington College, then Father Kevin should be meeting the spiritual needs of the young people who board there, but it is up to Father how he meets those needs. The discussion could not continue in Father's absence and will be deferred until his return. It was suggested that the minibus could collect any youngsters wishing to attend Sunday Mass, or perhaps the College might be able to transport them.

7. Parish Helpline
It was felt that this could not be discussed in Father Kevin's absence and will be deferred until his return.

8. Any other business

8.1   PPC membership - it is likely that several new members will need to be elected/appointed to the PPC. A replacement is needed for Shirley; Ann will retire in the summer; as will Mike. Mike will stand down as Chairman upon Father's return to the parish and Ann agreed to chair the next meeting. Although Mike will be retiring from the PPC, he has indicated that he will still be available to carry out any pastoral, evangelical or ecumenical work that the PPC would like him to continue with or start up. Further discussion deferred until Father's return.

8.2   125th Anniversary of Diocese - there will be a special anniversary Mass at St. John's Cathedral, Portsmouth on Monday evening 21 May. Father Jim Joyce had asked if somebody from the parish could take a picture/icon to the Cathedral for that Mass. Mike has offered to do this and the PPC is happy for him to do so. There will be a second celebration - Liturgy of the Word and Music - on Friday evening 15 June at the Cathedral of St. Swithun in Winchester.

8.3   Fairtrade Fortnight - went very well and parishioners were generous with their purchases. Thank you to everyone involved.

8.4   Burma Orphanage Appeal - money is being regularly donated and several standing orders have been set up. Father Kevin needs to give input as to how best to get the money to where it is most needed. Deferred until his return.

8.5   Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks - a letter has been received from the Diocesan Child Protection Office checking on the status of CRB checks within the parish. A replacement needs to be appointed to replace Shirley, who was our CRB representative. Item deferred until Father's return.

8.6   Coffee Spot- an ecumenical service is held every second Sunday in the month and each Sandhurst church takes a turn to lead. It is the turn of the Catholic Church on Sunday 10 June. Margaret will, as always, help at that service but somebody is needed to lead it. It was agreed that Margaret would approach Rita Paxton. If Rita is unable to help then John would ask Sheila Isted or John Butterworth.

9. Date and time of next meeting
The next meeting will be on Tuesday 22 May at 7.30pm in the Holy Ghost parish rooms.

Meeting closed at 9.00pm

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Distribution: Father Kevin Jones, Margaret Derlacki, Ann FitzPatrick, Lawrence Gaffney, Angela Greenwood, Sheila Isted, John Kavanagh, Jim Nairn, Paul Page-Tickell, Gerry Picozzi, Martin Stubbs, Mike Withers