Our Lady of Lourdes - Parish Council
- Details
- Written by Edoardo Albert
Present
Gerard Barden (chair), Fr Tom Egan, Cecilia Webb, Clyde Webb, Maureen Molloy, Edoardo Albert, Ramon Landi, Doff Landi, Melvin Lewis, Felicity Brown, John Donnelly, Clare McCarthy and Greg Howard (minutes)
- Details
- Written by Greg Howard
Present
Fr Tom Egan, Gerard Barden (chair), Ramon Landi, Felicity Brown, Michael McGowan, Sean Carroll, Greg Howard (minutes)
Apologies
Apologies were received from Patrick Madigan. Patrick Bolger has moved away.
Opening prayer
Fr Tom opened the meeting with a prayer.
- Details
- Written by Greg Howard
Present
Gerard Barden (chairman), Fr Tom Egan, William Capstick, Janet Butterworth, John Butterworth, Patrick Bolger, Libby Biberian, Edoardo Albert, Greg Howard (minutes), Maureen Molloy, Tom Molloy, John Donnelly, Chris Nagle, Michael McGowan, Felicity Brown, Ramon Landi, Doff Landi and Chloris B Flint.
Apologies
Apologies were received from Tony O'Byrne, Margaret O'Byrne, and Kathy Wurr.
Opening prayer
Fr Tom opened the meeting with a prayer.
- Details
- Written by Edoardo Albert
Every so often, just when people are getting ready to go home after Mass, somebody will go to the lectern and introduce him or herself as being a member of the Parish Council, and then proceed, usually, to ask for money. So, who are these people and why do they want your cash?
Well, the Parish Council exists to help in the running of the parish, in matters both spiritual and secular. The council meets regularly, roughly every couple of months, to discuss matters relevant to the parish. You don’t even have to be a member of the Parish Council to attend: any parishioner is welcome to come along.
A typical meeting will begin with a prayer and then go on to look through the minutes of the previous session to see how the matters raised have been dealt with. Then we’ll discuss such matters as finance (as our treasurer is fond of pointing out, it costs £3,000 a week to run the parish), the parish hall and its uses and abuses, fund raising (hence our appearances at the end of Mass) and – it’s not all mammon – prayer and evangelisation.
- Details
- Written by Greg Howard
Present
Fr Tom Egan, Gerard Barden, Patrick Bolger, Libby Biberian, Felicity Brown, Ramon Landi, Patrick Madigan, Michael McGowan, Sean Carroll, Greg Howard (minutes)
Apologies
Apologies were received from Edoardo Albert.
Opening prayer
The meeting was opened with a prayer.
Minutes of last Parish Council Meeting and matters arising
The minutes of the meeting of 15.12.14 were signed off.
Further to the section on IT and security, Felicity stated that she does not want her email to appear on parish lists.
She added further to the section on the Parish Support Network, raised under Any other business, that the network has numerous volunteers, but not the type of work to give them for which the network was established. She suggested that it might be possible to direct volunteers to jobs that need doing around the parish, and that she would discuss this possibility with Liam O’Hanlon, Fr Tom and Anne Banerjee. Gerard suggested that a note should appear in the newsletter publicising the network.
Further to the suggestion made under Any other business, regarding the recording of the life stories of some elderly parishioners, Felicity said that this was an excellent idea, and would be of great benefit to any people in the parish who are lonely. Michael said that he would discuss the matter with the office, as there are some extraordinary stories to be captured. He also said that he would speak to individuals, to see if they were willing to be interviewed.
Also further to a point made under Any other business, Patrick Madigan said that the Bereavement Friendship Group has many volunteers, but few people taking advantage of its services. He said that this was a shame, as the training programme for members of the group is intensive. Fr Tom suggested that the network could be publicised at masses – not just in the newsletter, but with an announcement. He also said, that in his experience, relatives of the deceased often live outside the parish.
Felicity suggested that the need for the network’s services might be greater two-three years after a bereavement – in the immediate aftermath of a death, the family members are more likely to be in touch, and to support each other.