Our Lady of Victories News
FR CHRIS WRITES:
Dear All
The PPC reflected further on the responses to the Synod questions and the themes that emerged. We have been asked to present to the diocese some proposed actions: One of them is immediate: we realised we need to update the Parish List to build the community through good communication. We are thinking the best way to do that in present times. More information to follow. The longer term proposal is to develop a Pastoral Plan based on the feedback following prayerful discernment. There will be feedback of the responses to the Parish. Some common themes were the need to rebuild and develop the parish Community and from there to reach out, Churches Together, Marginalized groups, the youth, better communication through technology, keeping in touch with older people, PPC, Adult formation and renewing the spiritual life of the Parish with better Liturgy and Music.
The PPC now has a notice board in the cloister where minutes and notices etc will be put up. Please contact one of the members or Fr Chris if there is any particular subject to be raised, we will try to keep people informed.
PS: from next Saturday evening Confessions will resume: 5:15 pm – 5.45 pm.
Synod 2021 - 2023:
We must pray for the Holy Spirit to speak and that we listen. Please see the Synod page on out Website www.olvic.com/synod.htm. What is our vision for the Parish. How do we reach out to others in our mission given to us by Christ: Go, make disciples of all.
Please pray the Synod prayer (card available) or whatever prayer asking for a new vison for our Church both local and all love the world. This is Key.
Also could people bring in their Red Mission Boxes for emptying. If anyone would like a box please let myself or Christine Shepherd know.
A PRAYER FOR ADVENT:
Spirit of God, You stir our hearts in the Advent season to awaken us from the spiritual doldrums. You urge us to be alert to the coming of the Lord, whether now or at the end of time. You invite us to embrace our longing for the fullness of a life without end. Enlighten our hearts with Your holy wisdom so that we might seek and find You, especially in the needs of the poor. Give us the courage and perseverance to look for the Holy One, who offers us more than the world can ever give. Amen
ALTAR SERVERS:
Following the recent notice and appeal we are pleased to welcome James to our Altar Serving Team, Welcome James. If anyone else is interested please contact myself or Fr. Chris for an informal chat. It’s Advent already and we have to prepare for the services at Christmas. I hope to contact all servers/parents on the rota about their expectations over the Christmas period, if anyone knows they will be at a particular mass or can offer to be flexible can you please call/text/email me so I can start putting the rota together.
Finally, thank you to all our servers, parents, and their families for your help and flexibility during this difficult Covid time. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and holy holiday. Thanks to everyone and Stay Safe.
PRO LIFE GROUP:
This week we have the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception. There will be an evening Mass with a Holy Hour before praying for Life from Conception to its natural end. Please come and pray for this and spend some time with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. It will be a good Advent devotion as well!
THURSDAY COFFEE:
Come and join us for tea or coffee in the octagonal hall on Thursday 9 December 2021 after 10:00 am Mass. If all goes well, we plan to start again on Thursday the 13 January 2022.
PARISH CHRISTMAS CAROL SERVICE on Sunday 19 December 2021 at 3.00 pm.
Supported by the Catenians. Parishioners, family and friends are very welcome.
Children from school will also be taking part. As COVID is still with us bring your masks and also use the online booking system for Masses where the Event will be posted a week before. As before one place can be booked for up to three people.
CHRISTMAS MASSES:
Our Christmas Masses will be booked through the online booking system: www.Massbooking.uk They will appear a week before. For those of you who are new to it when you register with the System, the confirmation email link often goes to the spam Junk folder of your email. Also please book just one place for up to three of you in a family or a family bench for 4 or more. See instructions under our parish.
In respect of COVID: All to wear Masks and I would advise any concerned about COVID to avoid the 6.00 pm Vigil Mass as it will be very full and we may not be able to have our normal social distancing.
Christmas Eve: 6.00 pm and 10.00 pm. (Preceded by carols at 9.30 pm)
Christmas Day: 8.30 am and 10.30 am.
On Sunday the Masses will be the normal 9.00 am and 11.00 am.
Covid 19: We need to proceed carefully and slowly. This is the opinion of those whom I have consulted. With the Delta variant on the rise in our areas Hands, Face, Space, Ventilate is just as important.as ever. So we will still have to wear masks in Church as before: this is to protect all concerned and is an act of Christian charity Mostly There will still be the 2m social distancing in Church back to back., but we will be closer along the benches.We will still sanitise hands as we enter and leave Church. Stewards will operate at the weekend Masses with booking for Mass as we do now. However, on weekdays there will not be a steward. We ask people to sign in or use the NHS QR code. It will be easier if people book in online on a weekday. On a weekday we will alternate sitting: on the Sacred Heart side on Monday, Our Lady’s on a Tuesday and Sacred heart on a Wednesday etc. If people could help sanitise the touch points after Mass that would be helpful i.e. the tops of the benches. I think we are now all accustomed to how to act in a safe way. We will review this every few weeks in the light of local conditions.
The Church is open for Private prayer each day
Enter through Fairfield Road
Sanitize your hands on Entry and Exit
Please sign in on the list or use the Covid NHS App Q code displayed
On-line Booking for Mass
Latest News: If you are a couple living in the same house or bubble you only need to book one seat!
As we gradually come out of lockdown, after long reflection I have decided to move to on-line booking for Mass. I have been asked to do this by many of the younger families who find this much more convenient and it is easy for those who have internet access. Also you can see at a glance if a Mass is full. This will be happening more and more as numbers increase with the vaccine roll out but social distancing remains.
We have our own Diocesan website for all the Churches to book Mass: https://massbooking.uk/
How do I do it?
- You just sign up with your details and create a password (write it down!) NB confirmation email could go to spam folder
- Click on the Churches tab and select our Church which is under Leicester and you will see a booking button next to the particular Mass. (They appear about a week ahead.) Now you can book your seat or seats or choose to book for someone else.
- Some seats are allocated as family benches which are particularly for those who are 4 or more in a family or part of a “social bubble”. (there are 2 family benches at present)
- For Couples or 3 people in a bubble, I suggest you book one place as you can sit together giving all your names.
- For 4 people in a bubble if there are no family benches left I suggest you book 2 places
- If you cannot come please cancel the booking. You can go to my details on the web page when you have signed in. Someone else can use your place.
- Booking closes 4 hours before the Mass.
How do I book if I am not online or find it difficult?
You can ask a family member or friend to do it for you. I would ask people to help those they know who do not have internet access. You can book for others with their details. That would help me. Otherwise you can email me parishpriest@olvic.com or ring me at the Church (01858 462359). It will only take me a couple of seconds to book you in.
What about weekday Masses?
Booking is not strictly necessary at the moment as they are not full. However it is helpful to the Stewards who will only have to tick your name.
There is a very good help section on the website.
Please remember the following:
You should not turn up for Mass if you feel unwell particularly if you experience a new persistent cough, a high temperature, or a change in your sense of smell or taste.
All must enter the Church through the through the Fairfield Road doorPlease come in good time so we do not have large gatherings.Please sit where you are shown by the stewards for safety reasons. You can no longer choose which side.Our Lady’s side to leave by the Coventry Road door and Sacred Heart side from Fairfield Road.Please do not stop and linger near the doors as this is unsafe and causes a hold up for people leaving.Please do not mix with people outside your bubble.Remember to always keep your 2m distance and remember there is no rush to leave Church.
We will continue to review Mass in the light of our local situation.
Confessions is a difficult one at the moment! But I will be available as always on Saturday at 11.00 am.
God Bless you all and especially all who are isolating and unable to come to Church.
Those of you with internet please print off a copy of the Newsletter for Parishioners who do not have the internet. Paper copies are available at church.
May God bless you all and your loved ones in these coming days of grace.
Fr Chris
NB ESSENTIAL:
It is absolutely essential to pre book your intention of coming to Mass. Unless you have previously booked, and all places are filled to our limited capacity, it will not be possible or permissible for us to let you in. It goes without saying that this disappoints and hurts us as much as it does you, and especially so the stewards who have the responsibility to implement the very strict rules and regulations imposed on us by Government Law, together with our Church Compliance and implementing of those laws. Also please note that nobody should, or can enter the Church for Mass without being greeted and taken to a seat by one of the stewards.
Reminders
Don’t forget to bring and wear a Face Mask.
Please follow the stewards requests at all times.
Sanitise your hands on entering and leaving the Church.
Remember the Church must be cleaned and sanitised after every service.
Please remember also that all toilets WILL NOT be in use.
Your help and cooperation in everyway is required and expected.
You must book beforehand to come to Mass because of limited places.
Because we are observing the distance of a metre plus, face Masks must be worn by all from the moment you step inside the Church door, to the end of Mass when you step outside the Church door.
If you happen to forget to bring your mask, we have some disposable ones available for you to purchase at 60p. each. We would request that children of 12 years and upwards, wear a mask during Mass.
Both Church doors will be open.
After you have sanitised your hands, you will be taken to your seat by a steward.
Whilst our car parks will be opened, you will have to walk around the outside to enter the Church. You will not be able to come through the Hall doors as you normally will have done.
Also please be aware that the toilets will not be in use.
With every good wish to you all, and God’s blessings to you and your loved ones.
Fr Chris
SOME LINKS FOR FOLLOWING MASS ONLINE
There is a good website: www.churchservices.tv with regular Masses from all over the country.
St Barnabas Cathedral will be live streaming Mass accessed at:
Also Walsingham is very popular at: https://www.walsingham.org.uk
Bishop Patrick tends to stream his Mass on Sundays via:
(This can be found by searching for 'Bishop Patrick McKinney' on YouTube)
FOR OUR LITTLE CHURCH AGE GROUP AND YOUTH:
CAFOD also have Children's Liturgy activity resources on their website. Please see the link:
There is also https://video.ewtn.com/kids/ which has videos for children including Stations of the Cross.
Also St Mary's Parish and School Derby have a podcast channel - https://www.mixcloud.com/DerbyCatholic/ Sundays 9 am - Children's Liturgy.
Also check out our Youth Service NDCYS for their live streaming on you tube: https://ndcys.com
NDCYS (Nottingham Diocese Catholic Youth Service) have a "YouTube" Channel
FR CHRIS’ THOUGHTS FOR SUNDAY
Each year on the Second and Third Sundays of Advent we encounter John the Baptist. I find the first reading and the gospel a bit puzzling. We hear those words which we know so well: the call to prepare away for the Lord, make his path straight and so on. They are apt words for advent as we prepare to celebrate Christmas with the coming of the Lord born in Bethlehem and of course as we said last week his coming to us in mystery now through faith and our Christian life. In the gospel John is seen as fulfilling the words of the prophet Isaiah. We also hear the same words in our first reading from the prophet Baruch. However, they seem to be saying two different things. In our first reading it's not talking so much about God coming as the people returning from exile. Even though some had already come back after the Babylonian deportation there were many still scattered throughout the world as it was known in great communities in Rome, Egypt and Alexandria and so on. The prophet foresees the Israelites coming from east and West as royalty returning to Jerusalem, to the temple. It is God who has removed every obstacle to their return, as though he had flattened mountains and hills and filled in the valleys, so Israel can return in safety, saved by the Lord. There is the sense of jubilation in the return with God accompanying them and it is he who fills in the valleys makes low the mountains. They will come back through mercy and in integrity.
However, in the gospel it is clearly the Lord who is coming: prepare away for the Lord. Make his path straight. The quote from the prophet Isaiah coming refers to preparing for a royal visit where the roads were repaired and made good in preparation. We see that clearly in John the Baptist as the voice, foretold by Isaiah calling in the dessert. He calls for a straight road to be prepared for God, with valleys filled in and hills laid low. The way that this happens is in the symbolic Baptism of repentance, as the people recognise that they have sins that need to be forgiven. So we have two comings or returns. The Coming of God and the return of the People to God as seen in Jerusalem ,the city of God.
These are the two poles of our Christian life. The first is always God’s action his coming to us. Mountains, valleys and windy and rough roads are big obstacles to be sorted out. God’s grace is the first thing always. He will do the heavy lifting we might say. Indeed, even in the Gospel the verbs about the valleys being filled in and the mountains laid low and the roads made smooth are in the passive tense. In advent we become aware of the great deeds that God has done in the past and will do for us. As the Psalm says: What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.
The other pole is of course our response that is to see our repentance that is vital to prepare for the Coming of Our Lord as John the Baptist reminds us in no uncertain words. We must come out of any valleys into which we may have let ourselves fall such as always taking the easiest route the path of least resistance. The mountains may be our pride and self satisfaction that recognises no need to repent. The windy and rough roads our hearts twisted by sin and disordered appetites - our inner crookedness. We all have things we need to change. This time of advent is a good time to make an examination of conscience over several days in our prayer. And then we should put a date in our diary for confession. I'm sure that already there are many entries in the run up to Christmas. But this is an important one. Write it in!!
PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL COMMUNION:
I recommend that you pray this prayer every. morning.
A “Spiritual Communion” encouraged when we are unable to receive Holy Communion Sacramentally. This prayer was composed by St Alphonsus Liguori:
My Jesus, I believe that you are truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since this moment I cannot receive you sacramentally, I embrace you as being already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.
WALK WITH ME BOOKLETS
are available at church. They have a meditation for each day based on the readings for Mass each day including the Christmas period. They are a great resource to help us pray in this special season.
SALE OF KNITTED GARMENTS:
after all Masses in the weekends of 27 / 28 November 2021 and 4 / 5 December 2021.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION FOR 2022.
We are now looking forward to First Holy Communion in 2022.
Applications forms are now available from Fr Chris after any of the Masses. Please return the form by Friday 17 December 2021.
It is for children in year 3 and above.
The first meeting for parents will take place on Wednesday 12 January 2022 at 7.30 pm in the Octagonal Hall
when we will introduce the course and give out the plan.
The first session for children will take place on Friday 14 January 2022 from 3.30 - 4.30 pm in the same place and
then 21 and 28 January 2022.
Depending on the numbers and COVID-19 there will be two First Communion days: 18 June 2022 and 2 July 2022.
CHRISTMAS VOICES FROM THE HOLY LAND:
Friends of the Holy Land have produced this publication, ’Christmas Voices from the Holy Land’, a collection of Christ-centred prayer resources for Advent and Christmas which speak powerfully to our journey through Advent to the Nativity of Jesus, and beyond.
The publication is available now from https://www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk/shop/advent-book-2021
All funds raised from the sale of this book will be used in the charitable activities of Friends of the Holy Land, and so help those who have suffered in Gaza, the West Bank (including east Jerusalem), and the divided communities in Israel this Christmas.
ST JOSEPH’S SCHOOL
from the twitter account Thank you to all of our wonderful families for supporting our Go Green Fundraiser @CAFODSchools you were very generous @sta_cmat.
See school website and twitter feed: www.stjosephs.leics.sch.uk
DISCOVER HOW JESUS IS SPEAKING TO YOU IN SCRIPTURE
On Tuesday 7 December at 7:30 pm Sr Hyacinthe a Dominican Sister, catechist, tutor, writer and joy filled follower of Jesus will lead a workshop on Zoom introducing the 4 senses of Scripture. These skills are great ways to help us see how we can use and understand scripture more in our own lives and in catechesis too. Register for the talk by visiting www.dioceseofnottingham.uk/onlineevents
THE ORDINARIATE OF OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM
at Saint Mary's Catholic Church, Husbands Bosworth have organised an ADVENT DAY OF REFLECTION on Saturday 11 December 2021 from 10.00 am to 3.00 pm (arrivals from 9.30 am), to be held at Market Harborough Methodist Church. The theme for t h e day is : LIVING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD and will be led by Mr Peter Green, OP. Members of OLV's are warmly invited. Please bring a packed lunch."
The Universe Catholic Weekly
is thrilled to announce that we have launched our new online newspaper with the full support of our first subscriber none other than His Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols.
Order your Digital copy by going to www.universecatholicweekly.co.uk or call us on 0743661 7650 and ask for Michelle. Special offer: Only £20 for 3 months.
'FROM DAILY GRIND TO DAILY GLORY'
Encountering Jesus in your Daily Work is four week online course to help you discover how God is calling you to be his disciple through your daily work. Each session will involve a Video input exploring the theme of the week and interviews with people from around the diocese, this is then followed by group discussion and a time of prayer. The sessions will run from 7pm-8:15pm. The dates and themes are: Wednesday 12th January 2022 - A Catholic View of Work and Holiness; Wednesday 19th January 2022 - Making your work holy; Wednesday 26th January 2022 - Work makes you holy; Wednesday 2nd February 2022 - Your work can make others holy:
PRISON FELLOWSHIP ANGEL TREE PROJECT:
The local Prison Fellowship group will be running the Angel Tree Project this year at HMP Gartree and would like your help. The purpose of this project is to purchase Christmas presents for children of some of the prisoners. The gifts will be sent to the children as from their dad’s. The value of each gift will be approx. £15. The aim is to alleviate some of the sadness experienced by prisoners and their families at Christmas time. Angel Tree provides a crucial link between innocent children and their imprisoned father. If you would like to help with this project, either with a monetary donation or a suitable gift you will be given a gift tag with the first name, age and gender of the child. The gift can be wrapped by yourself in Christmas paper if you wish, but we do need to have a photo of the gift for security reasons otherwise a member of Prison Fellowship will wrap the gift. A hand written gift tag from their dad will be attached to make it extra special. All presents will be posted so please keep them light. Local bank account details: Prison Fellowship (Gartree Angel Tree) Sort code: 40 32 04 Account: 91564005. For your donation to be Gift Aided contact info@prisonfellowship.org.uk
Thank you for your kindness this is very much appreciated by prisoners, their families, staff and chaplaincy. Maureen Douglas, Angel Tree Co-ordinator 43 Gardiner St, Market Harborough, LE16 9QN Tel 07966 515115
VICTORY PRIZE DRAW - December Results
First Prize - £100 - D England ticket number 70
Second Prize - £50 - J Masding ticket number 99
Third Prize - £30 - D Wilson ticket number 238
Annual ticket holders are reminded that they need to renew from 1st January 2022.
Cheques to be made out to THE VICTORY PRIZE DRAW and left for collection with Fr Chris or forwarded to Keith Shiers 23 Fairfax Road MH LE16 9JT. Many Thanks.
NEW MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.
Contact Keith on 07814419322 or keith.mshiers@gmail.com
REPOSITORY:
Christmas Cards, dairies and so on are available in the Repository.
THIRD WORLD GROUP:
Unwanted Items Heartfelt thanks from the Third World Group for the extremely generous response to our appeal for your unwanted clothes, shoes and goods which far exceeded all our hopes. To date, we have managed to raise just over £2,500 from selling your items which has enabled us to send donations to four of our very needy causes. We still need to send contributions to Father Ed and Father John so we hope that you will continue to leave any of your surplus goods in the Cloister to help us fulfil our commitments. Once again, very sincere thanks to you for enabling our parish to support very poor and disadvantaged communities in our world.
SUPPORTING PRISONERS’ FAMILIES: COULD YOU BE A VOLUNTEER?
PACT is a Catholic charity and their Prisoners’ Families Helpline are currently seeking to recruit more helpline volunteers. The role can be carried out remotely. https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/Pages/Category/volunteer
CATHOLIC NEWS
in England and Wales Please see the Bishop’s website: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/home/news-and-media/news/
GRAPEVINE - News from Justice & Peace and Caritas:
Grapevine is the Diocesan Newsletter for Adult formation , Justice & Peace and Caritas in our diocese.
JUBILEE FOODBANK:
The Most Useful Foods Cartons of long life semi-skimmed milk, Tinned Meat, Tinned
Chicken, Instant Mash Potato sachets, Porridge Oats, 1 litre cartons of Fruit Juice, Sandwich Paste, Tinned Vegetables (potatoes, carrots, sweetcorn, peas), Soap.
The following supermarkets are still kindly collecting for us: Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, B&M an both Coops. Refill Revolution at the Eco Village is our newest donation point. Lidl is on board now too! Thank you to the supermarkets and the work of their teams!
We do not need: Beans, tinned tomatoes, tinned fish, soup, fizzy drinks, pasta & meatballs, pasta sauce, rice, cereal, tins or large/family size packets of
biscuits.
WANTED: WANTED:
Your foreign coins and used or unused stamps - all can be sorted and valued, with profits to our Bazaar fund.
See Fr Chris or Mick Crook for further information.
DATA PROTECTION:
All data is stored securely on computer and access is limited to the Parish Priest and a small number of people authorised by the priest, to assist with parish administration. The Diocese remains the sole Data Controller (i.e. has responsibility for the use and control of this data), even where processing is carried out by parishes. The Diocesan Policy can be found at http://www.dioceseofnottingham.uk/data-protection-policy
WHO SHOULD REGISTER?
All who are associated with the Parish in any way are invited to register. When completing the form please use BLOCK CAPITALS and complete all relevant boxes. If there is not enough room on the form for any information please use the reverse. Thank you for your co-operation.
FAIR TRADE:
Market Harborough Fairtrade Town are promoting a bag of Rice can change a life in September and October. If they can sell NINETY one-kilogram bags of Kilombero rice then: ONE Malawian rice farmer can afford to send ONE of his/her children to secondary school for ONE year. Kilombero rice £2.99 will be available from The Oxfam Shop, The Growing Tree in Manor Walk, Anita Beer 07910 073436.
WE NEED THEM!
Yes, don’t forget to bring along your used postage stamps and foreign or old coins. We can use them. Just pop them into the box marked for that purpose in the cloister.
HAVE YOU BEEN AWAY? WANT TO CATCH UP ON PARISH NEWS?
If you have been away and want to catch up on what's been happening in the parish you can now read the Parish Newsletters for the previous four weeks. Click the "Newsletters" button at the top of this page. You can also download a copy of this week's Newsletter.
JUBILEE FOODBANK:
We are grateful for your generous support and would ask you to continue with your donations please. The following items are urgently required:
· Fruit Juice· Tinned Sponge Puddings· Tinned Meat Pies· Tinned Meat
All non perishable donations will be appreciated. There is also an urgent need for more volunteers to help at the Foodbank. Those interested can leave their details at the Congregational Church Office on 01858 462376 or via email at jubileefoodbankmh@gmail.com
ACTIVE GROUP FOR PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA:
Great news for Market Harborough. In addition to the Carers Support Group there will now be an Activity Group for people with Dementia. We are looking for people who would like to volunteer for the Activity Group on a Friday morning from 9.30 am - 12.30 pm. You will be involved in welcoming people with dementia and their carers and helping people with dementia to take part in a variety of discussions and activities. Please contact Alison Chaplin of Alzheimer's Society on 0116 231 1111
THE THIRD WORLD GROUP
sell clothes on e-bay to raise funds for their charities. Last year, thanks to your very generous donations, we raised £1,000 in this way. Life is busy and we have had very few donations recently. This is a gentle reminder that we still use this method to fundraise and are most grateful for your donations. When the weather breaks and you get out your winter wardrobe please remember us. Clothes can be left in our box in the cloisters. Thank you.
GOING INTO HOSPITAL FOR ANY REASON!
If so please ask your family, or if you are well enough to do so yourself, to let the Catholic Chaplain know that you are there. Otherwise you will not have a visit from the Catholic Chaplaincy or be able to receive Holy Communion. Under the Data Protection Act, the hospital staff can no longer reveal to any chaplain, or to anybody else enquiring, the religion of any patient in their care. The same applies to Residential Homes and other places of care. The onus is now on the patient or their family to inform the Chaplain.
COMMUNITY COMPANIONS - Supporting Older People back into the heart of their communities:
Voluntary Action South Leicestershire (VASL) has been offering a befriending service in the Harborough District for over 14 years and are keen to recruit more volunteers who could visit an older person for 1 - 2 hours a week. Training and ongoing support are given, and travel costs are covered. If you could volunteer, or you would like a befriender to visit you, please contact Rohini Corfield (Community Champions Project Manager) or Jenny Young on 01858 439262. More information is available at www.VASL.org.uk/our-projects/community-champions
SUPPORT FOR CARERS:
The Market Harborough Carers Support Group facilitated by Alison Chaplin meets on the first Friday of every month at 10am at the Coffee Lounge of the Methodist Church on Northampton Road. This group gives carers an invaluable opportunity to share some of their experience of caring for a loved one with dementia. There is also an opportunity to hear about the latest news from Alzheimer’s Society and to look at books and leaflets about dementia, including many written from a Christian perspective. If you or anyone you know is in a caring situation, do let them know about the group. Contact Alison on 0116 031 1111 (alison.chaplin@alzheimers.or.uk). Or just turn up on the day and Alison will be thee to welcome you.
Alzheimer’s Society is also looking for volunteer befrienders in Market Harborough and area. The volunteer befriender enables a person with dementia to participate in an activity they would like to do in the community - perhaps going out for a cup of tea, shopping, going for a walk, doing a sport or taking a class. The befriender needs to be available for a session of up to 4 hours a week between the hours of 9 am and 4 pm Mondays to Fridays. It is useful to be able to drive too. Volunteers will receive induction and ongoing training and support from the Befriending Manager. If you would like to hear more, please contact Alison as above.
BOWER HOUSE:
The Bower House Christian Counselling Service offers counselling and help to people of the local community. We are open from 9 am to 9 pm and need Support Worker volunteers to offer hospitality within the house as well as some admin. such as answering the phone and taking referrals. We have a lovely band of volunteers but could do with more help. How will you be spending your time this autumn and winter? Could you offer a three hours slot once a week or once a fortnight? If you are interested please ring Jadz Bower, Chris Hodgson or Jeanette Payne on 01858 469257 or drop in to see us between 9 am and 5 pm.
TORCH BOOK GROUP:
The Torch Book Club requires sighted people to be part of their group. They meet at the Congregational Church room on 1st Friday of the month from 2 pm - 4 pm. Book of the month ‘Faith like Potatoes’. If you are interested in becoming a member or would like to find out more please contact Angela Butlin 01858 467419.
AFRICAN CHURCH NEEDS ROSARY BEADS:
The developing Church in Africa is in need of Rosary Beads. If you have a surplus Rosary, or part of a Rosary, beads, or crosses and centre pieces surplus to requirement, please hand them to Vanessa, Lisa or Fr Chris.
USED CLOTHES FOR THE THIRD WORLD:
Just a reminder that the Third World Group eBay’s clothes in order to raise funds, so if you have been sorting out you wardrobes after incorporating all the Christmas newbie’s please pass your cast-off’s onto us. We do get money for rags, so everything is most welcome. Please mark bags clearly with “For 3rd World”. Thank you for your continuing support.
THE LIFE GROUP:
wish to thank each and everyone for their gifts to the “LIFE SHOP”. When bringing in goods for the LIFE SHOP, can they be clearly marked with “LIFE” on the outside of the plastic bag. Small items of furniture will also be welcome, but please contact the Life Shop direct for collection. Please DO NOT place small furniture in the Cloister for collection.
INTERPRETING THE LAW:
Our Diocesan advisors have informed us that legacies left in wills, directly to the parish, should really be directed to the registered charity. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nottingham is the registered charity. The advice given, is to encourage parishioners contemplating leaving a legacy via their will to their parish, and to make sure the parish will be the beneficiary , is to direct the legacy to the Registered Charity - the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nottingham with strict instruction that it is (in our case) for the parish of Our Lady of Victories, Market Harborough.
VOLUNTEERS FOR TORCH:
Torch Trust is an international Christian Mission that aims to help people with sightless to discover faith in Christ and live fulfilling Christian lives. They are continually developing their service for blind and partially sighted people and as a result the volunteer needs are also changing. Perhaps you know someone who has recently retired and is looking to use their gifts and skills, honed in the workplace, in a new avenue. Or perhaps you know someone who has been long termed unemployed, volunteering can help to raise self esteem and build new skills that can go on the CV with a view of getting back into work.
Further information on what volunteering roles are available can be found on the poster on the notice board.
"The Lord's Day" -
Weekly Newsletter of the Watermead Apostolate: https://www.watermead-apostolate.co.uk/the-lords-day
NEWS ITEMS FOR THE WEBSITE:
This webpage is updated from the Weekly Newsletter. Sometimes due to shortage of space it is not possible to include everything in the weekly Parish Newsletter. If you would like an item published on the website please email any items to newsletter@olvic.com
We can only publish items which meet the criteria for inclusion in the weekly Parish Newsletter.
