The Augustinian Friars in Britain

Our Hearts are Restless until they Rest in You, Lord

Around our Augustinian Parishes; December 2009

HARBORNE

Christmas Revue, Parish Centre, Friday 4th December, Sketches, music, a fun-filled evening for all the family. Proceeds will go towards car park re-surfacing costs. a fund-raising event for the parish, but also  a social event.  

Christmas Gifts for Children & Adults:

Once again this year we are making our appeal for Christmas gifts for those in our wider community less privileged than ourselves, including Brushstrokes and a parish in Nechells.  

Parishioners are asked to donate a suitable gift according to age and gender.  This is an annual parish project.

St Mary's "Parish Directory 2010":

This is now available,  20 full colour pages, on: our parish, priory and community; Fr George's looking forward to parish development; parish and other local organisations; "Twenty (-three actually) years ago"; What's on in the coming year....

 Faith Through Art:

The overall theme for Advent is Angels and Humans. As a community we are hoping to make a prayer Angel. In the Old Church, squares of coloured card are available for writing prayers on, which will make up the angels’ body and wings.

More creative parishioners are encouraged to take them away and decorate them with images of Christmas.

Preparation for Christmas will be ongoing in the old church which will be revealed Christmas week.

CAFOD 5p Canisters

Each year during Advent, old photo canisters are distributed and parishioners are asked to fill them with 5p pieces in aid of a particular charity, nominated each year.  This year, following a visit to Zimbabwe by the CAFOD director and her experience of a primary school where the children were too weak through hunger even to walk to school, the funds will be directed through CAFOD towards a primary school in Zimbabwe.

HAMMERSMITH

Advent

Rick Piatt OSA of the Villanova Province has been resident in St Augustine’s, while studying.  He is soon to complete his studies in London and to return to teach at Merrimack College.

He has contributed his talents to the benefit of the community and parish, especially the music ministry at the 10.30 and 6.30 pm Masses on Sunday.  The parish is advertising for a music director to take his place and continue what he has developed.

For Advent, his group are creating appropriate decorations, to develop each week.  As a public statement, the gates onto Fulham Palace Road are decorated with Advent wreathes.

There will be two sessions of carol singing outside the church on 10th and 17th December.

Scripture

Bernard O’Connor OSA gave a talk on Advent Scripture and has made available leaflets giving background, explanations and references for the readings at Mass on weekdays.

CLARE

Advent Programme

Three sessions will focus on the Year of the Priest, the first led by an Anglican priest, the second by a minister of the United Reform Church and the third by John Reid OSA.

Journey through the Bible

An 8-part introduction to the Bible will begin in May 2010, offering a ‘quick journey through the Bible’.  This study will help those taking part to learn about the major people, places, events and themes of scripture.

Travelling Crib

As in previous years, the practice of giving shelter to the Holy Family during Advent is being repeated.

A rota is prepared of those willing to have a travelling crib in their home for a couple of nights.  A short prayer ceremony accompanies the hand over of the crib from family to family.

Octogenarian Lunch

On Saturday 12 December, octogenarians of the parish are invited to a celebratory lunch.  Volunteers are sought to help with car driving, with serving and washing up.  A wine waiter is sought but there is no need for a volunteer wine taster!

Question and Answer Session

On Friday, 20 November, Bernard Rolls, the parish priest, invited questions from youth in school year 5 and above, directed through members of their older youth group.

HOXTON

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation commissioned a Social and Cultural Survey of Shoreditch and Hoxton, an interesting description of the area, past and present.

It describes Hoxton Square in detail.  It mentions St Monica’s Primary School and although the residents of area are described as predominantly unskilled and semi-skilled workers, and many of the children are on free school meals, nevertheless attendance is above the national average.

Paul Graham OSA, described as ‘Father Paul, Augustinian and Parish Priest’ is given a page in the section of ‘Local Narratives’ with a full-page photograph and his description of the parish.

The survey describes Hoxton Square as one of the ‘Creative Industry Hubs.’

The same Gulbenkian Foundation has offered, as reported in the November ‘Newsangle’, to finance a booklet on Fr Michael Kelly OSA.