6 attendees: DB = Diana Betts, MM = Mary O’Mahony (Chair), OC = Owen Clutton, JA = June Adams, PL = Peter Lowe, RW = Roger Wright (Secretary)
Agreed actions shown in bold red type.
1. Apologies for absence had been received from Geraldine Thompson and Fr David.
2. Minutes of last meeting
It was agreed that the “Leave the Car at Home Weekend” event had been successful with many people and children expressing their interest and enthusiasm. The possibility of holding the event twice a year was discussed, probably in spring and late summer when BST was in effect.
3. One World Day
It was suggested that we should follow up the excellent talk given by Louise Zanre da Silva by supporting the work of the Jesuit Refugee Service. More radical ideas such as hosting families in Petts Wood, in collaboration with Petts Wood Churches Together, were considered but unlikely to be effective because of the refugee demographic. PL mentioned that it had been Home Office policy to disperse refugees to parts of the UK other than London. JA suggested befriending might be possible but again it would depend on a local refugee presence.
The J&P group should approach our Catholic Women’s League to see if it was involved with JRS in any way. Breda Ford had worked as a volunteer for JRS and J&P would welcome any information she could give about current plans. It would be an excellent example of inter-group collaboration if some kind of joint effort was possible.
OC would contact JRS direct if the suggestion to work with the CWL was not appropriate.
4. CAFOD issues
RW observed that despite our efforts to hand out envelopes and speak as all Masses, the CAFOD Fast Day collection had been lower than recent trends. JA noted that some parishioners preferred to donate online and this could account for the decrease. RW said he would ask CAFOD for the total figure attributed to St James’.
205 names had been collected on the climate change petition to the Prime Minister. Several people had also remarked that they had used the online version.
Tickets for the Pope Paul VI Memorial Lecture on 04 December were distributed.
The Laudato Si' study day at Westminster Cathedral Hall was now fully booked. RW would be attending this event on 07 November.
CAFOD had asked if we would hand out World Gift catalogues and it was agreed to do this after all Masses during the weekend of 07-08 November assuming they had been received by the Parish Office. RW would advise the office of this intention.
5. Parish overseas project
OC had emailed Fr Alex to confirm that we intended to support his project to build a community hall. He had asked Fr Alex to provide payment details but no further communication had been received. Fr David had advised before the meeting that the Dartford parish was aware that Fr Alex had been in the USA and we should here more on his return to Arequipa.
The first special collection was scheduled for 05-06 December and appropriate publicity would be required for at least a week before. OC suggested a display of photographs and other information should be mounted on the board used at the One World Day event. MM explained that she had used a board lent by parishioner Clare Wakefield and she would ask for the loan to be extended. OC and MM would meet to plan the display layout and also draft out a talk to be given at all Masses the weekend before. RW suggested that additional colour photos could be printed in the Parish Office. The display board should be located where Fr David could gently direct congregations to study it.
JA and MM would remind Terry Wills about the fund-raising quiz to be held on 05 March 2016. MM would make initial enquiries with the Village Fish & Chip shop about supplying 80-90 meals on the night as before. MM might be on holiday for the event. RW recommended that the number of tables might be increased from last time, but this could be determined once the hall refurbishment had been completed.
6. Traidcraft
The stall scheduled for 21-22 November would be more extensive than usual because this would be the Christmas special. Three people per Mass would be needed and the provisional rota agreed as follows:
6pm JA, MM and RW+Ellen
9.15am GT and PL (plus RW if no other)
11.00am OC and DB
DB would ask Angela and Caroline to make up the threesomes if possible. [RW advised DB subsequently that he and Ellen would not be available for 6pm but could help on Sunday.]
DB would send a notice to the Parish Office for Briefly and RW would prepare an announcement for Fr David to make at the end of Mass.
7. Foodbank
The Christmas collection would be made on 13 December (just a week after the appeal for Fr Alex). RW suggested there should be better publicity this time and would ask Fr David to approve a parish email circular containing the types of food required by the Foodbank at that time. The St James’ Christmas market was scheduled for the same date and concern was expressed at the possibility of reduced donations to the Foodbank. There could also be difficulty if the market was to make use of the back corridor where Foodbank donations are normally left.
MM would take over from RW from 02 November by collecting the ad hoc donations left at the back of church and delivering monthly to the Foodbank.
8. Any other business
RW handed out copies of an article from the Catholic Herald which described how far Amnesty International had strayed from the original aims of its Catholic founder Peter Benenson. The article opined that it was now a very anti-Catholic organisation.
There being no other business, the meeting closed at 9.05pm.
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 25 November 2015 at 7.45pm.