Zimbabwe Missionary Experience Summer 2012

In the summer of 2012, a group of Oblate volunteers will return to Zimbabwe to take part in a missionary experience among the most marginalised people in our world today.
From 15th June to 15th July (approx.), volunteers will spend time working in the Sandra Jones Children's Village with children who have been orphaned by AIDS, and have often suffered grievously at the hands of those charged to protect them. We will also spend time in local schools, educating the children on the realities of AIDS, and equipping them with the tools to make positive life choices. Finally, we will spend time in the malnutrition ward of St Luke's Mission Hospital, witnessing to the life changing project, which is being funded by your generous donations to the recent
Oblate Christmas appeal.

Applications are now being received by the Partners in Mission office from anybody wishing to take part in this experience. (Please note all applicants must be at least 18 years old). To request an application form, or for more information about the trip, please contact:

Ronan Lavery,
Oblate Partners in Mission,
Denis Hurley House, 14 Quex Rd
Kilburn London NW6 4PL
Tel 020 7624 7296 | e-mail lavery.ronan@googlemail.com
(Closing date for applications: Sunday 26th February 2012)

OFFERTORY COLLECTION Sunday, 15th January £851.87 - Building Fund £321.48

SUNDAY TEAS: Teas/coffees will be served in the Parish Centre today.

NEW MISSALS - Orders can now be taken at the Repository for the new missal.

THE ARCHDIOCESE OF ST ANDREWS & EDINBURGH CATHOLIC DIRECTORY 2012 is now on sale at the Piety Stall, price £2.00

THE SOCIAL GROUP will meet on Monday, 23rd January at 6.30 p.m.

THE FIRST PLAN TALK FOR 2012 will take place on Monday, 23rd January at 7.30 p.m. The speaker will be John Hughes and the theme is "Reflections on joining a new well established Parish".
All welcome.

OVER 60s: Pensioners meet on Tuesday, 24th at 1.30 p.m. New members welcome.

WOMEN'S GUILD will meet on Wednesday, 25th at 7.30 p.m. in the Parish Centre meeting room. New members are most welcome!

THE HOLY FAMILY ASSOCIATES will meet on Friday, 27th January at 2.00 p.m.

THE SCRIPTURE GROUP will meet on Tuesday, 31st January at 7.00 p.m. in the Parish Centre meeting room. All are welcome to come and join the group, when we reflect on the following Sunday's readings, based on scripture notes which we receive from Fr. Brian de Burca OMI, who is now based in Lourdes.

LEITH CHURCHES TOGETHER: Our next committee meeting is on Wednesday 1 February, at Duke Street URC, 7 for 7.30pm (Observers are welcome but please contact one of our Co-Chairs in advance so that we know numbers - David Igoe 0131 467 1449, or Rev. John Tait 0131 554 1842).

PARISH RETREAT AT HOME MARCH 2012: St Mary's has been chosen as one of 6 parishes to link up with a team from the diocese in order to deepen in prayer and scripture during a week this Lent. The retreat takes place in the church/parish centre each day. Our dates are Mon 12 - Fri 16 March. There will be short sessions each day, hoping to accommodate people's different schedules. These will be : before Mass, before end of primary school day and in evening: all are welcome. Help needed now to join a small coordinating group for this event. Would you like to help in some way? Please contact Marguerite Kramers: [margueritekramers24@yahoo.co.uk] or Fr Frank for more information.

IMPACT AT ST. MARY'S STAR OF THE SEA: A new youth project for young people aged 13 - 17. Impact is a project specifically for young people, developed by the Young Christian Workers, which aims to encourage young people to become active members of their community. The Impact sessions will invite young people to develop a deeper understanding of their faith, through participating in group activity, discussing social issues relevant to them, and meeting other young Catholics. The first Impact session will take place on Sunday, 29th January from 11am - 12pm in the meeting room, in the parish centre. All Welcome. If you would like to know more information, please speak to Anne Fegan: anne.oblate.partners@gmail.com

SEARCH WEEKEND 9th - 11th March 2012: Are you aged between 18 and 30? Do you sometimes struggle to hear God’s voice in this modern world? Would you like some space for yourself? If so, why not join us for a weekend retreat in beautiful Wistaston Hall, Crewe? Spend a couple of days listening to your own thoughts and feelings. At Wistaston Hall you will have the opportunity to share your journey with a spiritual director. These meetings will help you notice the reality of God’s presence and activity in your life. You will also have the opportunity to spend time with other like-minded young people. Please contact  Ronan Lavery, Oblate Partners in Mission, Denis Hurley House, 14 Quex Rd, Kilburn, London NW6 4PL. Email: lavery.ronan@googlemail.com Tel: 020 7624 7296

ST. MARY'S STAR OF THE SEA welcomes our newest members who were baptised recently - Oliwier Wiktor, Daniela Civkors, Sebastian Civkors, Christopher Civkors, Daisy Margaret Mann. We welcome Grace Louise Hunter who will receive the Sacrament of Baptism during the 11.30 a.m. Mass today. We congratulate their parents and families, and will continue to keep them in our prayers.
We extend our sympathy to the families of William Devlin-Dillon, James Gordon, Patrick F Hickey and Bill Lee, who died recently.
We ask your prayers for Anne (Nan) Crean whose Funeral Mass will take place on Monday, 23rd January at 12 noon. We extend our sympathy to Nan's son, Michael, and her niece, Theresa.

CHILDREN'S LITURGY TRAINING EVENING: Patricia Carroll, the Episcopal Delegate for Pastoral Resources will facilitate a training evening for all those in our deanery who are involved in children's liturgy. This will be held in the Stella Maris Centre on Wednesday 25th January at 7.30pm. This is a great opportunity for anyone who is thinking about helping with the preschool or primary school age liturgies and would like to find out more.

Pastoral Finance Group (PFG) - Survey Feedback 5
This week the feedback follows the established routine of being contained in a separate insert in view of its length. Please take a copy home with you to read. The insert includes a timetable of the known collection dates for the rest of the year, so you may wish to keep the insert after reading.
The PFG can advise that to date the Survey Feedbacks to Parishioners are, encouragingly, being met with feedback from Parishioners (just what is being looked for!). A number of suggestions and questions have already been posed. In view of this, after the final scheduled PFG Survey Feedback (6) has been published a further Newsletter insert will be issued dealing with all matters raised. The more feedback PFG receive, the more interesting that article should be, so please keep the feedback coming (remember the Blue Wallet in the porch for anything in writing).
Help! A number of Parishioners including Pastoral Finance Group (PFG) members are attending the seminar on Gift Aid and Planned Giving at Gillis today. The information obtained will be used to improve next week's Survey Feedback (6) on Gift Aid. Even without attending the seminar it is apparent that if increased Parish participation in the Gift Aid Scheme is going to be achieved further resources are going to have to be provided. Many Parishioners have commented that since the Gift Aid Scheme (and before it the Covenant Scheme) was championed by the late Bill Gillon there has been no impetus to keep Parish Gift Aid Participators updated nor new subscribers encouraged. Bill encapsulated competence, conscientiousness, control and dedication and the Parish urgently needs somebody who can follow on and develop the work he undertook. The PFG and Rita will give support in training, organising, and record keeping to enable administration of the scheme within the Parish. The (PFG) will also be looking for support with the recruitment of new donors using the Gift Aid Scheme, a task the PFG has set itself. If more than one person is interested there is plenty of space available! If you feel you have or could develop the required qualities please do not hide or withhold your talent and time but contact any of the PFG members urgently. Further, if you know of someone who you think could undertake the roll please try and encourage her or him likewise to urgently contact any of the PFG members.