7 attendees: OC = Owen Clutton, DB = Diana Betts, PL = Peter Lowe (Secretary), MM: Mary O’Mahony, JA = June Adams, RW = Roger Wright, FB = Fr Bryan (part-time)
Apologies were received from: Clare Fisher, Teresa Wells, Kathryn Salter, Simon Howell.
1. Blankets made by the Monday Craft Club
Sheila Simon very kindly brought in six beautiful cotton crocheted blankets which had been sewn together from panels made by an elderly lady, and then embellished with attractive crochet. She donated these for the J&P Group in the hope that "You Touch Africa" would take them out to Africa for the hospital. OC agreed to contact Fr Arbo to ask if these would be helpful.
Discussion continued, after Sheila had left, about requesting more information on the progress of expenditure relating to the donations raised by St James’.
2. CAFOD livesimply Group
MM noted that the livesimply group meeting yesterday was cancelled due to Lenten activities. There was an interesting speaker at Holy Innocents’ – Clifford Longley – on the subject of Catholic Social teaching.
RW said that the papal encyclicals tell us everything we need to know. Vincent Nichols is passionate about the subject. In the same way that the C of E bishops have started addressing these issues in light of the St. Paul’s protestors, the speaker thought that the Catholic bishops should do the same. Perhaps the bishops should push this a little harder? The speaker did add that there was a lot more lay involvement higher up within the church nowadays.
JA agreed that the church should be more outward looking.
MM said that the next major step by the livesimply group would be to contact parish group leaders.
3. Collections and Traidcraft
OC reported that Fr Bryan and David McCabe had agreed that Traidcraft stalls will be held on 18 March, 22 April, 27 May, 24 June, 22 July, 16 September, 21 October and 25 November. The Manna Centre collections will be made on 17 June (toiletries) and 07 October (food). The Orpington Foodbank collections will be on 15 April, 15 July and 18 November. There was some concern expressed about the frequency of such events and the workload for J&P volunteers. In particular RW said he would need help with the Foodbank delivery. It has to be made between 10am and 2pm on a Monday, Wednesday or Thursday. Help was offered by JA, DB and OC as well as MM volunteering her husband Seamus.
OC suggested that as a Lenten observance an item of food be bought and accumulated by each parishioner on Fridays until the 15th April. However, these should be brought in during the weekend of 14/15th for a delivery during the following week.
RW had changed the wording of the leaflet produced last time to reflect this idea. MM offered to do the photocopying and guillotining at work using paper provided by the parish.
FB was happy that the Manna Centre clothes could be left at the back of church until Pat Flood came to collect them on a Monday.
4. CAFOD Lent Fast Day
A short talk was given at all Masses during the weekend of 25/26th February and posters put up all round the church. J&P volunteers handed out the special Fast Day envelopes. A CAFOD volunteer would be talking at all this weekend’s Masses and envelopes would be available for those who had forgotten to bring them in. The government would be matching all the donations this year (where declared, gift aid would be added before doubling). The parish would provide CAFOD with the signed gift aid slips so they could claim this from the tax authorities.
5. Any other business
There was a brief discussion about biofuels following an article read in “Young Africa” by DB and her subsequent reference to this issue by email. This topic, along with food security could be raised at the next meeting.
It was agreed that the next meeting would be on 4th April as the normal date would clash with the Parish Forum. That could be an opportunity to discuss the possibility of taking part in CAFOD’s Connect2 scheme as the main J&P contribution to livesimply.
FB noted that on Saturday 20th October 2012, the parish and Petts Wood Churches Together will be commemorating the 50th anniversary of the opening of Vatican II. The St James’ Pastoral and Advisory Team and the Mission and Planning team will hold an exhibition. Ecumenism was a breakthrough as a result of the Council. Vatican II had an impact on all major churches. FB will ask Fr Ashley Beck to attend as a guest speaker and talk about the interpretation of Vatican II.
RW noted that the Southwark J&P Spring Assembly will be on Saturday, 19th May 2012, at Aylesford.
There being no other business, the meeting closed at approximately 9.30pm.