PARISH OF THE SACRED HEART – PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL
Minutes of the Meeting held on TUESDAY 9 APRIL 2019 at 7.30pm
PRESENT: Fr James Walsh, Richard McGreevy (Chair), Antonia Martinez, John Bolger, Rebecca Walker, Elaine Haughton, Keith Copperwheat, Grazyna Skawinska, Carol Shippey, Ginny Keane, Peter Rylands, Catherine Watkins (Secretary)
- APOLOGIES: Deacon Ron O’Toole
Fr James opened the meeting with a prayer.
- It was agreed to try and finish the meeting by 8.30pm.
- MINUTES OF THE MEETING: of 29 January 2019 were approved and signed.
- MATTERS ARISING:
Adoremus Congress in Liverpool. Fr James is continuing to use the themes of the Congress to colour his homilies. This will now cease to appear as a Matter Arising.
Day of Development for Readers and Eucharistic Ministers. As agreed, Antonia had produced a guidelines sheet for readers, which would be made available at all three churches. This was because so few readers had been able to attend the day of development. The guidelines are based on a comprehensive guide which had been produced by Fr David Ward, with a few added highlights. The printed guidelines would be placed in the church boxes.
Action – Antonia
Lent Preparation. This was ongoing.
Sacristy Ceiling. Fr James will ask the decorator for an estimate.
Action– Fr James
Sacred Heart Forum. The inaugural meeting did not take place as Fr James was feeling unwell.
Action – Sacred Heart PPC Members
- LIVE SIMPLY STEERING GROUP UPDATE: There was no report.
- ANNUAL PARISH MEETING, 20 MAY 2019: Fr James and Richard would meet to discuss reports, etc. Nick Sutherland would provide a Financial Report. Catering – North Walsham providing the main course, Aylsham the desserts.
Action – Fr James, Richard
7.PARISH PASTORAL COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS:
St Helen. Regarding the recent donation of new crib figures it was agreed to make a donation of £200 to Cambodia towards the purchase of 2 wheelchairs. This is in accordance with the wishes of Carol Shippey who kindly donated the crib figures.
Work on unsound trees in the church grounds will be carried out on 6 May.
Local SVP has requested help with providing visitors for needy persons in the area.
There are problems with 2 heaters in the church – a contractor will be attending soon.
Seeding of the resurfaced section of the car park will take place after delivery of additional topsoil.
Plans for 60th anniversary celebrations on 3 May are progressing. Concelebrated Mass followed by a buffet. Donations are coming in but plenty more needed to offset expenses. It is estimated there will be about 80 people attending. There are lists in each of the churches for those wishing to attend.
Bank account stands at £4972.04 which includes £200 from the Peter Walmsley bequest and £800 from the repository.
St John of the Cross. Parishioners had asked for more detail on their events in the newsletter. Antonia explained that the issue was lack of space.
There are problems with the heaters; there are four gas heaters and a number of overhead electric ones. The gas heaters are noisy and inefficient and two are not working. Unfortunately, they will prove expensive to replace. Keith had agreed to research on the internet, and Peter is getting an electrician to look at the overhead heaters.
The issue of the church seating had been discussed. The church seats 95 at present, the current chairs are heavy and awkward and the attached kneelers are rickety. Modern wooden chairs are wider which would reduce the numbers the church could accommodate. (Already standing room only at Christmas and Easter). Metal chairs would fit but kneelers only come with wooden ones. Separate hassocks cost £20 each. In view of the necessary outlay for heating it was agreed to defer any decision for further consideration.
There will be a baptism the Sunday after Easter – the baby of a family new to the parish. Kay had ordered a cake and would buy a small gift from the Cathedral shop. Agreed that ADF would cover the costs.
Clare Hardie had taken 6 boxes for the Refugee Backpack project to the Cathedral.
CAFOD Creation mass to be held at Diss 12 May 2019 at 9.00 am.
Date for the Strawberry Tea changed to 29 June to be held on the lawn behind the church.
ADF Balance is £13,357 (incl. Alive in Faith funds)., less £2,000 reserve and outgoings.
Sacred Heart. As reported above, the inaugural meeting was postponed until 12 May.
Antonia reported that the music settings booklet is being updated and will be professionally printed. Nick Walmsley (organist at St Helen) had expressed an interest in having the booklet there as well. St John of the Cross already use Laudate from which the settings are taken, so would have no need. Antonia will obtain quotes from printers (Action – Antonia).
Parishioners have expressed disappointment at their being unable to light candles to the Sacred Heart now that the statue was in the lobby. Fr James explained the issue of fire safety and the fact that there was nowhere for the statue to go in the body of the church. He would consider the possibility of LED candles being provided.
- ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
Cool Catholic Kids. Ginny asked whether there could be a permanent entry on the back page of the newsletter giving the date of the next Family Mass. This was agreed (Action – Antonia). CCK are hosting the Good Friday Walk of Witness in North Walsham, which would be followed by Family Stations of the Cross at the Sacred Heart, and refreshments. Ginny asked the Committee whether CCK could have their own keyboard as Mike brings his own to each Family Mass, having to set up and dismantle each time. It was suggested that an entry be placed in the newsletter, asking whether anyone had a full-size keyboard to sell. The Committee thanked Ginny for all the work she does with the youngsters.
North Walsham Lent Lunch. Only three people attended from the Sacred Heart (+ three helpers), 20 from St Nicholas and 20 more from other churches. Fr James expressed his disappointment. The matter of attendances to be raised at first Forum meeting.
Newsletters: Antonia said she had reduced the number of newsletters she printed each week as there had been so many left over. Hoveton reported that there are usually only a handful remaining, Aylsham said the same. Antonia would keep an eye on uptake to see whether a further reduction was called for at Sacred Heart.
Action – Antonia
“Celebrate” Festival, 11 June 2019. Elaine asked whether leaflets could be distributed in each of the churches. Fr James agreed to this.
Welcome Packs. Cathy said that while she was Committee Secretary, Clare Hardie had been looking at the pack content and to this end, had obtained a sample of the Sheringham Welcome Pack. Cathy suggested that the two be compared at the next committee meeting to see whether any improvements could be made to ours. Aylsham asked for some more packs for their church. Cathy agreed to provide some.
Action – Cathy
First Holy Communion. This will be on 23 June this year.
The Year of the Word. The year 2020 will be the 10th anniversary of Verbum Domini – Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Exhortation on ‘The Word of the Lord’ and the 1,600th anniversary of St Jerome’s death. These events in the life of the Church have motivated the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales to make 2020 a year of focus on the Bible and ‘The God Who Speaks’. It was agreed that thought should be given to ways in which this could be marked in our Parish. Read about it at https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2019-04/bishops-england-wales-year-of-the-word-2020.html
It was suggested that the Newsletter include ideas of Bloggs for parishioners to follow.
Summer Garden Party. Fr James said he would like to have this on 27 July, taking the form of a “Hot-dog Social”.
- Date of Next Meeting:
Tuesday 9 July 2019 at Sacred Heart, North Walsham. Cathy to book hall with Annabel.
Action – Cathy
Fr James then concluded the meeting with a prayer.
