Fr Rory Writes

Our Sponsored Walk Today

With the help of God, our walk will do me and indeed all of us some good.  My ability to ask for sponsorship money does not bode well for its financial outcome; but its social value is of great importance.  Quite a number of key        persons for our cause are away, but hopefully it presents an important opportunity for our parish communities to reach out.

I am always impressed by Mary’s Meals.  As well as reaching more than 2.4 million hungry children every school day with our life-changing meals, we do everything we can to help in emergency situations.  It is thanks to your kindness that Mary’s Meals is a shining beacon of hope in dangerous and desperate times.  Already this year we have responded with urgency to the earthquake in Syria and the cyclone in Malawi.  We are also providing emergency aid to people in Tigray, a region in Ethiopia that was locked in brutal civil war for two years from November 2020.

Our Mary’s Meals family longs for the day that it is safe for classrooms to reopen so that we can return to serving our school meals to children as they learn.  In the meantime, your donations to our Crisis in Ethiopia Appeal will enable us to keep doing all we can to bring hope to the people of Tigray as they try to rebuild their lives. 

Thank you for all you do for the world’s poorest children.

Parish Social Events

Parish Social Events provide a life to our parish and its wider community beyond our spiritual devotions, however we need many more volunteers to reduce the workload of just a few.  If you can offer even just occasionally to help, please give your name and details to Jean Barnham at St W or Sandra King at    St G. We need as many willing helping hands as can be offered! 

Fr Rory Writes

‘Our Sponsored Walk’

Is coming at a most opportune time.  I have to confess I really need the exercise, and must benefit from it.  At the   moment the amount of exercise that I take is pathetic.  I could say that at one time I made a real effort to keep fit enough.  Now my car provides too much of my comfort zone.   This is a chance to get back into my stride.  The walk will provide a good challenge and become a real marker for my future exercise endeavours.  Getting sponsorship is more of a challenge.  I am being encouraged to get sponsorship, but  I also know that many are constantly giving in support of the activities that are taking place at this time.

Finance is becoming more of a challenge and careful decisions are very important.  Maintenance, health and safety requirements, child and vulnerable adult protection are going to be a heavy essential expense in parishes in the      future.  So it is important, like our kindred cause “Foodbank” similar charitable causes must remain a constant on our horizon.

Opportunity for our Youth

The Bursary Fund was formed by The Catenian Association, a Catholic    organisation which promotes Catholic life. The Fund makes 2 types of awards: Lourdes Awards – every year many young Catholics travel to Lourdes to work as a helper to an assisted pilgrim. Individual Project Awards – a grant to assist a young Catholic to volunteer in the UK or overseas. Contact www.catenianbursary.com or Eastbourne Catenians : [email protected].   

Parish Over 50’s Club

Next afternoon tea will be Thurs 29th June, 2-4pm, St W’s Hall.  £5.  We will have a French theme, as Annette & Joan will be back from their holiday in France.  See you there!

Our next outing is a trip to Staverton Nursery, Mon 26th June, £10 each.  Leaves St Wilfrid’s 10am return 4pm. contact Joan on 07873390944.

Parish 1st Holy Communion Breakfast

We had 4 children making their 1st Holy Communion this year.  The whole parish was invited to join them in St Wilfrid’s Hall.   The tables were set out beautifully, the food was very special and the hand decorated cake was large enough for us all to have a piece.  Thank you once again to all helpers making this a very special occasion, especially Angie, who was left out when thanking the other first communion helpers.