The Augustinian Friars in Britain
Our Hearts are Restless until they Rest in You, Lord
Around our Augustinian Parishes; March 2010
Harborne
The parish Credo group have organised a series of talks in Lent on aspects of Augustinian Spirituality. The speakers will be Augustinians Brian Lowery, Martin Nolan and George Lawless, and the Province youth worker, Michela Notarianni giving the lay perspective.
The first talk was on 25 February, and the others will follow on the succeeding Thursdays.
The Parish Council is in the process of being reformed. It will be made up of representatives of various parish groups, and two members elected by the parishioners.
Faith Through Art continues to reflect the liturgical seasons of Lent and Easter through artwork, which is displayed in the old church.
Faith Through Art have continued their evangelising in collaboration with St Martin’s C of E Church in the city centre Bullring. They have completed 3 stations within the Lenten labyrinth, again making the centrepiece for this event. The primary school and the parish youth group have produced work that is central to this display.
A now established Lenten practice of a Taize evening took place on 24 February. Taize music, with prayer and reflection in candlelight creates an atmosphere of peaceful prayer which always attracts a large crowd from all the local Christian churches.
Hoxton
St Monica’s School meets the Prime Minister
As one of the 150 most improved schools in the country, St Monica's Primary School was chosen to meet the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and the Secretary of State for Education, Ed Balls, at the Department of Education on 4 January. The Head Teacher, Mrs Violet Richardson, as well as two members of staff and a group of children and parents, represented the school.
Of particular interest was the one-to-one tuition the school has been providing for children with learning difficulties. Brief news items featuring the event appeared on Channel 4 and Sky News that evening. The front page of the London edition of the free morning paper Metro on 5 January featured a photograph of Gordon Brown with one of the St Monica's children.
Last term, as well as being upgraded by Ofsted from 'satisfactory' to 'good', the school was also declared 'good to outstanding' by the diocesan religious inspection. The school also came second overall in Hackney out of over fifty schools in the Year 6 Sats results, up from very low down in previous years.
In the mid-1990s St Monica's was almost closed by the government as a 'failing school', and had been struggling for a number of years. This progress has been made since the appointment of a new Head Teacher two years ago. It is important to note that St Monica's pupils come from mainly immigrant families, mostly from Africa, for whom English is a second language; and nearly half the children are on free school meals, a national indicator of poverty. St Monica's School was founded by the Irish Augustinians in 1867, becoming a state-recognised school in 1870. Fr Michael Kelly OSA, the 'Saint of Hoxton', was effectively the school's founder, manager and chief fund-raiser in its early years.
Clare
Instead of Lenten talks this year, the community are providing extended homilies at Mass on the Saturdays of the first three weeks of Lent, beginning on 27 February.
The Women’s World Day of Prayer is taking place at Clare Priory on Friday, 5 March. In preparation Bernard Rolls OSA led two Bible study sessions in the United Reform Church Hall on 2 and 16 February.
The plan for the New Church/Church Extension took another step forward with a meeting between the parish team and the English Heritage Commission. The meeting, one of many in a process lasting 14 years, was described as ‘the most positive meeting yet.’
Hammersmith
A Quiz Night on 12 February was held to raise funds for a group of young people in the Augustinian parish of Kisumu in Kenya, to enable them attend the AYE in August. Kisumu was an area that suffered grievously during the disturbances some years ago.
It was a very successful evening and raised £753.64. Fr Jacob, the parish priest, is establishing contact with the other Kenyan parishes of Ishiara and Baba Dogo, who also hope to send young representatives.
A feature of the evening was the prominent part played by the parish youth group (aged 14+) in setting out tables and chairs, selling raffle tickets, serving hot dogs etc.
The Province Commission to reflect on the potential use of the Hammersmith site met on 25/26 February.
Woodvale
A steady programme of fund-raising for Ishiara continues: an Elvis night that raised £1725, a house pancake party £350, a social night £1450, while a parishioner celebrating her 60th birthday, asked ‘no presents but a donation to bring young people from Ishiara to AYE’ raised £1000, while the St Patrick’s Day dance is pending. Incidentally their appeal for Haiti brought in £3500.
Churches Together in Ainsdale celebrated Church Unity Week with services in the churches of different denominations each night of the week of prayer. They, as usual celebrate Lent with a series of five talks in their different churches on the theme: Christ’s Cross and Ours.
The parish will lead a pilgrimage to Oberammergau from 25 May to 1 June. Preparatory meetings are taking place.
The parish joined in prayer for the Mission at Christ the King High School during the week 8-12 February