Attendees (12): Diana Betts, Father Bryan (FB), Breda Ford, Geoff Ford, Doreen Hairs, Madeleine Howell, Angela Martin, David McCabe, Mary O’Mahoney, Caroline Price, Jim Simmons and Teresa Wells.
Apologies were received from (2): Owen Clutton and Roger Wright.
Presentation: Jim Simmons – CAFOD Manager, Archdiocese of Southwark
Jim is the new Southwark CAFOD manager, and has been working for CAFOD for nearly 17 years, working on their HIV/AIDS programmes in Africa and Asia. He described how CAFOD works through local partnerships across the developing world, from the “bottom up”, rather than through governments but also, in partnership with Caritas, at the level of the UN in Geneva.
This year’s Harvest Fast Day (2nd October) has a Kenyan theme, focusing on Margaret who lives in the Mathare slum on the outskirts of Nairobi. Margaret has the equivalent of £43 a month to support her extended family of seven. CAFOD is working with a local Jesuit partner, Father Ignatius, to help the people of Mathare with medical care and emotional, spiritual, and wider support.
CAFOD wants to highlight the fact that climate change and the recession have a disproportionate effect on those that have the least to begin with. In addition, due to the depreciation of Sterling in the past year, donations to CAFOD are worth nearly a third less when spent worldwide.
Although Jim has seen terrible poverty and hardship in his mission, he has also seen how CAFOD makes a difference to the lives of so many people. In an excellent presentation he challenged us to “try to be more, rather than have more”.
Review issues from the previous meeting
CAFOD Summer Raffle
The Parish was again very generous and raised a total of £520. Although we didn’t win any of the prizes L we helped contribute to a nationwide fundraising of nearly £50,000.
Justice and Peace weekend 12/13th September
Fr Bryan confirmed that the upcoming weekend’s homily would have a J&P theme, incorporating Fairtrade, the Environment, Racial Justice Sunday, and other J&P themes – A Big Ask!
(to read the finished product visit http://www.stjamespettswood.org/crbst_273.html )
Traidcraft Stall 12/13th September
Helpers for Linnett’s Traidcraft stall, if required, were confirmed for the three upcoming weekend Masses. She would not be speaking after each Mass this time.
Environmental Working Party Report
The Council had now installed our free bicycle stands, with room for ten bicycles, in time for the “Walk to Mass Weekend”, to include car sharing for those that cannot walk or cycle, on the weekend of 19/20th September, to coincide with European Mobility Week / Car Free Day 16th-22nd September (http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/awareness/itwmc/).
Leaflets advertising the event and providing train times etc., would be distributed by the Youth group and J&P members after the forthcoming weekend’s Masses.
A new heating engineer’s quote for work to make the Church and other buildings more energy efficient was on the agenda for the next Finance Committee meeting.
Christmas Shoe Boxes
David had received an e-mail reply from Mrs Bosher at the School, regarding the J&P suggestion of a pre-Christmas collection of shoe boxes for the needy in other parts of the world. The school had decided to continue with their excellent support of the Passage homeless charity, but David was able to confirm that the parish uniformed groups were arranging for the collection of shoe boxes for Romanian children.
J&P Theme for 2010
Once Father Arbo returns from Tanzania in mid-October David will contact him to discuss how best to organise the work for his charity You Touch Africa.
WaterAid theme for Children’s Holiday Club
The Club had been postponed until half-term in Feb 2010.
National Justice & Peace Network request for feedback
David still had to contact the NJPN with details of what our J&P group had achieved so far, and hope to achieve in the future.
Date of Next Meeting - Tuesday 8th September, 8.00pm in the Hall/Social Centre