MINUTES OF THE PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL MEETING
THURSDAY JULY 6TH 2017
ST GREGORY’S SOCIAL CENTRE
AT 7.30 PM
PRESENT: Fr Clement, Terry Breed, Veronica Brown, Bron Coleman, Peter Fryer, Amy Jarkulisz, Rebecca Jinks, Pam Looi, Kathryn Timmons
1. OPENING PRAYER
2. APOLOGIES: Emma Bowley, Cath Jackson
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE LAST MEETING
a. A card had been sent to Haris Roberts; he had replied with thanks.
b. Mass for vocations: Fr Clement will publish a list of dates.
c. Children’s Mass. This is on the first Sunday of the month in Syston. It would be simpler if it were on the same day in Sileby. To avoid placing too heavy a burden on the children’s liturgy group:
e. St Gregory’s statue: This needs further discussion.
f. Second Collections: there is a list at the back of the church. Perhaps a few words of explanation are necessary if it is a less well-known cause.
g. A card has been sent to Tricia Ward to thank her for her work in preparing the bulletin.
h. Bishop’s visit: this has been a great success. The young people were well prepared, the congregation participated well in the singing and responses, the food was excellent, and the clearing up was shared by many.
i.Book of Remembrance: this is a fitting memorial to the deceased members of the parish. A title cover would be a useful addition. Kathryn’s sister to be asked to do this; the wording to be “In Memoriam”.
4. EASTER HOLY WATER.
A parishioner had attended Easter Sunday Mass in another parish and had received a small bottle of Holy Water to take and use at home.
We will try this next Easter as an experiment: Peter to research the cost of the small bottles.
5. COMMUNION ANTIPHON
In some parishes this is said by the congregation. Though this is not a compulsory requirement we will try it next Sunday.
6. WALSINGHAM
Despite efforts at fund raising, the recent pilgrimage to Walsingham had not broken even financially. Several possibilities were discussed:
There is no way of securing the church door if the lock should fail. Terry suggested that we put a bracket on each side of the door which would hold a wooden bar and so make the door secure.
The lock is quite fragile; Terry will discuss this with the locksmith and get his advice.
8. DAMP IN CHURCH
This continues to be a problem. Fr Clement will raise this with the finance committee.
9. AOB
a. Bishop’s visit.
The Bishop had written to Fr Clement and was very happy with the visit.
He had raised some points:
12th October 2017
The meeting closed with prayer at 9pm
THURSDAY JULY 6TH 2017
ST GREGORY’S SOCIAL CENTRE
AT 7.30 PM
PRESENT: Fr Clement, Terry Breed, Veronica Brown, Bron Coleman, Peter Fryer, Amy Jarkulisz, Rebecca Jinks, Pam Looi, Kathryn Timmons
1. OPENING PRAYER
2. APOLOGIES: Emma Bowley, Cath Jackson
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE LAST MEETING
a. A card had been sent to Haris Roberts; he had replied with thanks.
b. Mass for vocations: Fr Clement will publish a list of dates.
c. Children’s Mass. This is on the first Sunday of the month in Syston. It would be simpler if it were on the same day in Sileby. To avoid placing too heavy a burden on the children’s liturgy group:
- perhaps the young people could do a simple introduction to the Mass
- we could use one of the children’s hymns they know from school; Pam has a list of these which she will forward to Jean
- the young people could read, as several of them do already
- if none of the above were possible we could pray particularly for the needs of the young people.
e. St Gregory’s statue: This needs further discussion.
f. Second Collections: there is a list at the back of the church. Perhaps a few words of explanation are necessary if it is a less well-known cause.
g. A card has been sent to Tricia Ward to thank her for her work in preparing the bulletin.
h. Bishop’s visit: this has been a great success. The young people were well prepared, the congregation participated well in the singing and responses, the food was excellent, and the clearing up was shared by many.
i.Book of Remembrance: this is a fitting memorial to the deceased members of the parish. A title cover would be a useful addition. Kathryn’s sister to be asked to do this; the wording to be “In Memoriam”.
4. EASTER HOLY WATER.
A parishioner had attended Easter Sunday Mass in another parish and had received a small bottle of Holy Water to take and use at home.
We will try this next Easter as an experiment: Peter to research the cost of the small bottles.
5. COMMUNION ANTIPHON
In some parishes this is said by the congregation. Though this is not a compulsory requirement we will try it next Sunday.
6. WALSINGHAM
Despite efforts at fund raising, the recent pilgrimage to Walsingham had not broken even financially. Several possibilities were discussed:
- Share a coach with Syston
- Organise a parish retreat instead
- Alternate Walsingham and a parish retreat
- Various venues for retreats were discussed: Launde Abbey, Ratcliffe House of Prayer, Mount St Bernard’s Abbey, The Diocesan youth centre at Crich
- Some thought needs to be given to catering for the young people
- This should be discussed with the whole parish
There is no way of securing the church door if the lock should fail. Terry suggested that we put a bracket on each side of the door which would hold a wooden bar and so make the door secure.
The lock is quite fragile; Terry will discuss this with the locksmith and get his advice.
8. DAMP IN CHURCH
This continues to be a problem. Fr Clement will raise this with the finance committee.
9. AOB
a. Bishop’s visit.
The Bishop had written to Fr Clement and was very happy with the visit.
He had raised some points:
- He would prefer it if the candidates that had prepared together were confirmed together. This is a problem as Rebecca prepares the candidates for Syston as well as Sileby. The young people felt very strongly that they wanted to be confirmed in their own parish.
- He hoped that there could be more sharing between the two parishes.
- He had enquired about the reasons for the Mass being said in Barrow.
- Our numbers are quite depleted. Fr Clement to reflect and pray about this.
12th October 2017
The meeting closed with prayer at 9pm
