CANON MICHAEL MAHADY
Fr Michael is due to undergo a major operation shortly. There is a Get-Well card to sign for Fr Michael in the foyer which will stay there until 11th November. Also, there is a box available if anyone wants to make a small contribution to a gift from the Parish Family. Personal cards can be left in the Sacristy and will be safely delivered, Fr Michael will be away from Otley for a few weeks.
Please keep Fr Michael in your prayers.
PAFRAS
The next collection will be this weekend (2nd/3rd November) for food items and toiletries for the Refugees and Asylum seekers.
LIVESIMPLY SOLAR PANELS
Our parish has identified several new projects to continue our LiveSimply programme. One of these is to install solar panels on our church roof to provide renewable electricity to both the church and the presbytery. Please join us at a meeting in the hall on Sunday 10th November after the 11am Mass, where you can ask any questions and get details of the project and also the UK and Diocese of Leeds’ support for sustainability.
Fundraising concert for Burley-Tereli Friendship Trust and the St Mary’s Parish Church Organ Restoration Fund
The Pinsuti Chamber Choir, directed by Robert Webb, will perform Durufle’s Requiem and Parry’s Songs of Farewell.
Saturday November 9th at 7.30pm, St Mary’s Parish Church, Burley
Tickets: £12 (under 18s free) will be available on the door.
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CHILDREN’S LITURGY
The next children’s liturgy will take place on 17th November at 11am Mass.
We are looking for some volunteers to help with children’s liturgy at 11am Mass. We have done lots with the children in engaging them with the LiveSimply messages and we want to build on that. We would welcome new volunteers with new ideas for the liturgy. You would be fully supported and work with others. The commitment would be less than once a month, then to lead 2 or 3 Children’s Liturgies per year – you could come as a visitor to start with to see how things run. Each session lasts for around 20 minutes and makes the Mass so much more welcoming to our primary school children. If you want to find out more or think you can help, please get in touch with Mary Preston on: mary.preston@googlemail.com or on 07759 516386. Thank you.
PARISH BRIEFING
The next Parish briefing will take place on Sunday 17th November 12.10-12.55pm in the Parish Hall. Notes from the last briefing are on the foyer noticeboard and includes Joe’s update from Churches Together.
SPECIAL SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE
If you are attending this service which will be held in our church on Sunday 17th November at 3pm and wish a family member or friend who has died in the last year to be included in those remembered, please can you e-mail Judith on steve.jue@live.co.uk so they can be included in the Parish list. Everyone is welcome to stay for tea and cake in the Parish Hall afterwards.
HELPING THE PARISH TWICE A YEAR
Could this be a contribution you could fit in? The Parish Hall is occasionally let out to known people. We need volunteers to visit after the Hirer has locked and left to check all is safe. Just a 5 minute but very important job. Occasionally it may be necessary to open the hall. A WhatsApp rota will be set up to make it easy to swap with one another. Please volunteer via Sue Rix or the Parish Office (office.ssfishermore@dioceseofleeds.org.uk).
PASTORAL LETTER FOR THE SEASON OF CREATION, September 2024
Bishop Marcus’ pastoral letter can be read here. Our bishop reminds us that, “Care for creation is a subject which has long and rich tradition in the Catholic Church, from the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament through to the teachings of successive Popes.” He says:
- our care for the earth should be “motivated not by catastrophic visions but by hope in the future” and a deep love for the God in whom we live and move and have our being.
- in this period of prayer in preparation for the Church’s Jubilee Year of Hope, let us be inspired to take hopeful, but urgent, positive action as stewards of creation.
- these works we cannot just leave to others. We may lack the power to change the whole world, but we do have the ability to make our views known to those who govern our country, and to make changes in our own lives, homes and communities.
NEW LECTIONARY MEETING FOR READERS
This is a meeting for ALL PARISH READERS from Sacred Heart, Our Lady and English Martyrs and Ss John Fisher and Thomas More, and all those interested in reading at Mass. We will have new Lectionary texts beginning in Advent, so this is the opportunity to learn about the changes, clarify our role as readers and to ask questions. Saturday 16th November 10am – 12noon in our parish hall.
PARISHES PASTORAL COUNCIL MEETING
The next Parishes Pastoral Council Meeting will at 7.30pm on Thursday 14th November at 7.30pm in our parish hall. All parishioners are welcome to attend.
LOVE BURLEY – REQUEST FOR NEW TRUSTEES
Love Burley is a registered charity which, amongst other things, holds the funds for the village wellbeing hub and listening ear project and aims to ensure a continuing community volunteering response to wellbeing provision in the village. A new trustees group including a Chair, a Treasurer and a Secretary are being sought plus people with expertise in fundraising and grant applications, communications and social media, safeguarding and communicating with other organisations. If you are interested in exploring how you can help with this vital piece of work in the life of our village, please contact Rev Tim Perkins directly at: revtmp1971@gmail.com or 01943 864187.
REPOSITORY STALL
Christmas cards and Nativities are now available for sale on the Repository stall. Also, if anyone is interested in buying a copy of the brand-new edition of The Sunday Missal for use with the new ESV-CE Lectionary from Advent, please contact Jane Parker. (5.30pm Mass on Saturdays and 10am Mass on Tuesdays). If there is enough interest, we can obtain copies at a reduced rate. The price for a single missal is £18.99; the price for 10 is £130 so a saving of £5.99 per copy.
SISTER ACT
To be presented by Bradford Catholic Players on 13th – 16th November at Yeadon Town Hall Theatre, Wed-Fri at 7.30 pm plus Saturday 1pm and 5.30pm. Ticket Prices: Wednesday: Adults £18, Under 18 £5, Thursday to Saturday: Adults £23, Under 18 £10. To book your tickets visit the Ticket Source link: ticketsource.co.uk/bradfordcatholicplayers, email bcptickets@live.co.uk or call our ticket secretaries on 07305 632 513.
RCIA JOURNEY IN FAITH
This monthly group for all those interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith will take place in Ss John Fisher & Thomas More parish hall from 7.00pm-9.00pm on 14th November, 12th December, 9th January and 13th February. All parishioners are invited to learn more about their faith and to support those preparing to be received as Catholics and/or Confirmed as adults next Easter.
Please email Fr Mark for more details: mark.jarmuz@dioceseofleeds.org.uk.
LiveSimply social/fundraising event for our new garden project
A big thank you to all for helping to make Sunday 23 June’s LiveSimply social/fundraising event such a success and what a celebration! To everyone who donated bottles/games/cakes/jams & plants and to those who looked after the tombola, cakes (weren’t they beautiful and delicious!) and plant stalls. There are a few plants left, they are in the kitchen at the back of the hall, please take one and give it a home. This was our first Fund Raiser for the new garden project and we received over £500 in donations which was brilliant. We are planning similar celebration events later in July and an autumn harvest Sunday when we will have fruits and veg to bring in and share.
Do join our LiveSimply team, you can leave your details on the form in the church entrance. We are finalising the new garden details; you can help with this, for example choosing new plants or building the paved area. Also if you were away you can support the project by donating LiveSimply via the DONA machine.
Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day activity at Children’s Liturgy – showing appreciation for mothers everywhere.
Confirmation
The Deanery celebration of Confirmation of 80 candidates at Leeds Trinity University. Such a happy occasion!
Tree of Life
At our parish meeting in October Fr Tim asked us to include Caring for Creation as one of our main priorities. This would mean building on what we did to gain our CAFOD LiveSimply award with new ideas from all our parish families. At our Mass on Sunday 18th October you wrote your suggestions on card leaves, these will be added to the Tree of Life in the foyer. We will be repeating this at a Saturday Mass early in the New Year to give everyone in our parish the opportunity to contribute to this work. In the meantime, you can add your ideas on card leaves in the basket in the church foyer. Please include your name and email/telephone so that we can contact you.
‘The Wednesday Word’ Web Site
This site contains information which you may find helps in preparation for the Mass readings for each Sunday, see http://www.wednesdayword.org
SVP, do you want to join?
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) is very active in Leeds Diocese. Ss John Fisher and Thomas More had a conference in the past. Sacred Heart Ilkley SVP Conference remains active and would like to extend an invitation to any Burley parishioners who might be interested in finding out more about the society and perhaps joining us in our work. The central purpose of the society is to assist those in need whatever form that need takes. Amongst other things members visit people in their own homes or in residential homes. For more information please contact Frank McCrickard, thatcanyon@gmail.com or Krzysia Condliffe krzysiacondliffe@gmail.com
CHAIR of the PPC ( Burley)
So many good things have happened in the first month since we welcomed Fr Tim as our Parish Priest and last Thursday was the most special when we joined together for Father Tim’s Induction ceremony led by Fr Chris Angel. The atmosphere, singing and refreshments were splendid, and our thanks go to Sacred Heart Parish for their hospitality and happy conversations.
Last Sunday we had a record attendance as we had a Children’s Liturgy and a special Diamond Wedding blessing but there is always room for more congregation. There is always lots to do in the Parish Family and since the appeal for new helpers nearly a year ago I would love others to say if they would like to join and help with anything at all. Joe is solo at the forthcoming Churches Together meeting in Burley and would much appreciate a companion. On Thursday, I attended the launch of Catholic Care Caritas Leeds and after 160 years, Catholic Care continues to evolve and grow as it new title suggests. There are great supporters of Catholic Care within our Parish Family, and I would like you and other wonderful members to join the Friends of Catholic Care group. The charity like many other charities is hoping to raise a little extra funds through this. You can join as an individual £15, family £20 or parish £50. Before you decide you may which to view the website www.catholic-care.org.uk
I have a few forms and I can easily acquire more. I have Christmas card order forms for you too !Finally this week’s special Thank You goes to all who are such regular givers to the weekly Parish Collections and the second collections too ! Please don’t forget you can use the DONA machine for everything, and the Welcomers will always help! [cash is a rarer commodity] Greg has once again up=dated the DONA machine so it can accept donations for the Columban fathers who we here from this weekend. As always please do ask if you need any further information other than what the Bulletin [thank you Hugh] and website [thank you Keith] contain. Sue 07939063120
A Wonderful Weekend
What a wonderful weekend our Parish Family enjoyed. So many people came to celebrate Mass together. On Saturday evening we gathered after Mass for the blessing prayers for the newly installed defibrator. On Sunday a Mass we welcomed Josephine and Colin with their family to give thanks to the Lord for their ruby Wedding Anniversary. After Mass we had a most amazing Retirement Party. It was an exiting and enjoyable occasion and I am most grateful to so many of you who worked so hard to arrange this event.
Thank you everyone. I have loved being part of such a wonderful Parish Family and it has been a privilege to serve as your priest. Your love, care and prayers and generosity have brought me great happiness and encouragement. The speeches last Sunday made me feel very humble and your most generous gift from the parish family amazed me. So let us continue to pray for each other. I will still pray each day especially for those who are sick, and their carers. May God bless Fr Tim, Fr Mark and the wonderful Parish Family at St John Fisher & St Thomas More.
Fr Michael
Fr Michael cuts the cake at his Retirement Party. The garden party on the church grounds was attended by his family, some very close friends and nearly two hundred members of the Parish Family. Happy Retirement Father and Thank you for everything!
One of the Youth members of our Parish Family reading at Fr Michael’s Retirement Mass
Special gifts from the leaders of many Parish Family groups
Fr Tim
We welcome our new parish priest, Fr Tim Swinglehurst. Fr Tim’s induction as Parish Priest of the 3 parishes by the Dean (Fr Christopher Angel) will be on Thursday 14th September, 7:00pm at Sacred Heart, Ilkley. All are welcome.
Good News: The Defibrillator is installed!
Fr Michael blessed our Parish Defibrillator at the conclusion of the Vigil Mass on Saturday 19 August.
THANK YOU to Stephen and Martin for ensuring the very neat installation without spoiling our lovely hall entrance.
THANK YOU so much from all the Parish family to the very caring and the generous family who have funded the purchase of the Defibrillator.
IChildren’s Liturgy
On Father’s Day we had a children’s liturgy where we spoke about discipleship and what we could do beyond listening to the work of God at church. We talked again about Pope Francis’ message about caring for the world and how we were trying to live that out in our lives through our Live Simply message. We visited the herb garden created in the church gardens and talked about the herbs, their smells and what they could be used for . The herb garden has been created for parishioners to use as and when they want with many herbs provided by parishioners. We then created herb posies for the children to give to their dads and also one for Fr Michael.
Frances, Cath & Mary
A VERY BIG THANK YOU, St Mary’s Lourdes Group Cake Sale
St Mary’s Lourdes group are so very grateful to you all for making us so welcome and for your overwhelming generosity.
Your donations amounted to £607.48. Please pray for us as we will pray for you all whilst we are in Lourdes.
Please place your prayer intentions in the box at the back of church.
If you wish your prayer to be posted privately, then please place it in an envelope marked as a private intention. The final date for intentions to be handed in will be Sunday 02 July. They will then be collected and taken out with us to Lourdes on 06 July.
Once again, thank you all so very much.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION CHILDREN
Congratulations to all our very special young members of the Parish Family namely, Allie, Ani, Hannah, Henry, Jack E, Jack S, Krissy, Marianne, Nell, Nyla, Rosa, Rosie, and Seamus who have received their First Communion.
Many, many thanks to Nicola our Parish Catechist for guiding the children and parents throughout their preparation for the sacrament.
Men in Sheds
Please see details below if you would like to join Burley’s Men in Sheds community spaces.
MORE NEWS FROM THE PASTORAL PARISH COUNCIL
Thank you to the Defibrillator sub-committee who have arranged the selection and forthcoming purchase of a defibrillator to be installed outside our church in the coming weeks. The Parish Family are very grateful to 2 wonderful members of our Parish Family who have offered to fund the cost of the defibrillator…in memory of their very beautiful daughter.
The ongoing costs of the machine would be funded by ourselves and any donations for this can be left with the Welcomers.
There will be an opportunity for many members of the Parish Family to have questions answered/ be trained in how to use the machine. Thank you to the individual members of the Parish Family who have volunteered to be guardians of the machine over the coming years.
LIVE SIMPLY
It is nearly one year since we heard we have been recognised as a Parish Family who try to follow the ‘Live simply’ ideals in our daily lives. We continue to strive to change and do even more in caring for our beautiful creation and our brothers and sisters. We have a new edition of our Parish Prayer cards to include on the reverse side a ‘Live Simply’ prayer which will be said at some weekday masses and as part of our prayers of Intercession on some Sundays. The Welcomers will make the cards available and are grateful for the return at the end of each Mass.
Support from anyone else who can help take the recycled blister packs to Leeds or Keighley Superdrug stores would be exceptionally welcome. Thank you.
RECEPTION OF HOLY COMMUNION UNDER BOTH KINDS
Bishop Marcus writes: “I am pleased to give permission for the distribution of Holy Communion under both kinds to resume from Maundy Thursday onwards. Please note that this is permission but not obligatory.
The Church teaches that Holy Communion ‘has a fuller sign when it takes places under both kinds, for in this form the sign of the Eucharist banquet is more clearly evident and clearer expression is given to the divine will by which the new and eternal Covenant is ratified in the Blood of the Lord.’ However, it is important to remind the faithful too, of the Church’s teaching that ‘Christ, whole and entire, and the true Sacrament, is received even under one species, and hence that as regards the resulting fruits, those who receive under only one species are not deprived of any grace that is necessary for salvation.’ There is therefore no obligation for a member of the faithful to receive Holy Communion from the Chalice.
PAFRAS – collections
We have received a big “thank you” from PAFRAS for our recent collections.
We collect for PAFRAS who are very happy to take any gifts of non-perishable food and soaps / shampoo and other hygiene gifts you may have for the centre in Leeds. THERE IS A BASKET IN OUR CHURCH ENTRANCE.
The Burley Methodist Church collect all non-perishable food and toiletries on the first Thursday of the month outside their church from 10:00am until 11:30am. This collection all goes to PAFRAS on behalf of all the Churches in Burley. If that isn’t a convenient time, there is always a collection basket inside our church entrance where items can be left, or you can email me to arrange a drop off at my house.
Catherine (at Burley Methodist Church).
Thank you.
MAKE TIME FOR YOU
Wharfe Valley Family Links is launching its Nurturing Programme in the local community, covering Addingham, Burley in Wharfedale, Ilkley & Menston. This is a 10 week course beginning on Thursday 20th April, 6:30 – 8:30pm at St Mary’s parish centre, Burley. Please email WharfeValleyFamilyLinks@outlook.com if you would like to attend.
RED BOX 2023 – THANK YOU!
A massive ‘thank you’ to all our Red Box holders for the generous donations received in support of Missio. Our parish raised £178.26. The next collection will be in October 2023. If any parishioners would like a Red Box, please let me know (07969842081).
Brenda
In 2022 our parish raised £337 through our Red Boxes and donations to Missio and the Mill Hill Missionaries. Thank you! Our missionary community here at Ss. John Fisher & Thomas More is part of a worldwide network of people supporting missionaries through prayer and financial assistance. Your support of projects such as the Fundong Mission station in Cameroon has enablef Fr Leon, a Mill Hill Missionary, to help children learn in a safe environment and instil values that empower them to turn away from conflict and towards faith in God. Visit missio.org.uk to find out more about how your support changes lives for the better.
BAMBISANANI FUNDRAISING QUIZ NIGHT – THANK YOU (from Rebecca)
I wanted to say thank you so much to everyone who attended my fundraising quiz in the Parish Hall on Friday night in support of the Bambisanani Partnership. With your help I have been able to reach my fundraising target of £2,000. In the summer I will be volunteering my skills to work with orphaned children in a deprived rural community in KwaZulu Natal province. The partnership uses sport to teach leadership, literacy, numeracy and art as well as training PE teachers and sports coaches and teaching athletics.
Thank you all so much for your support again.
Rebecca Shaw, Yr. 13 student, St Mary’s School.
Tree of Life, Fruit Trees
Our parish children helped to plant the two fruit trees (an apple and a Victoria plum). It was a great event, we look forward to picking the fruit in the next few years.
The Live Simply and the Gardening Team
Methodist Church events
The Methodist Church in Burley is a warm space, with the following events.
- Tuesday Coffee Mornings are from 10-12 each week
- Wednesday Soup Lunch and warm space serves soup from 1pm and is open until 4pm for tea/coffee and company. We aim to serve gluten free & vegan soups in our selection. This will be running every week until 29th March.
All are welcome.
Refreshments are on a donations/‘pay as you can afford’ basis.
Board games, magazines are available as well as company.
Please text 07713485947 for further information. If anyone wishes to join us to help please get in touch
CAFOD Family Fast Day Thank You
Thank you for your prayers and for holding a collection in your parish (SS John Fisher & Thomas More) this Family Fast Day. Please pass on our thanks to all your parishioners for your parish’s donation of £632 which we received recently to our World Food Crisis Appeal. Your parish total is £632.
Your parish’s gift will mean we can get food and clean water to more families like Talaso’s. As well as giving practical help, your prayers, fasting and collection are a gift of friendship, of love and of hope. When we met Talaso and her young sons, she was able to find a smile. She told us: “We have hope. We always have hope.”
Thank you for your support, solidarity and prayers. For being alongside families as they work to protect their children from the long-term causes of hunger, such as climate change and an unjust global food system. Please keep all those affected by the food crisis – including those here at home – in your prayers.
A new Musicians’ Group at 11:00am Mass
A new music group is being formed to play at some of the 11am Sunday Masses. We would welcome musicians and singers of all abilities and ages – including players returning to instruments after a break. We will be playing modern arrangements of easy to access, liturgically appropriate music and can find something for you to play regardless of your instrument or musical background. First playing Sunday 27 November (first Sunday of Advent). We are aiming to be a relaxed and friendly group; you will not have to be able to make every Mass we play at to get involved. If you would like any more information please contact Richard or Nicky Webster at rpwebsterdesign@gmail.com or nicolajohnson@mac.com or via phone /text on 07528281981 or 07752282804.
CHILDREN’S LITURGY DATES
For the children of the Parish Family, it would be good to double the number of gatherings BUT we need Leaders to work together to achieve this.
We always work in twos and if we could manage just 4 teams of two it would mean once every 4 weeks.
You could almost choose your dates and themes.
Please if you are over 16 and would consider leading a session with another just let Fr Michael or Mary Preston [preston.mary@googlemail.com ] or even me know. PLEASE consider it. Sue
Burley in Wharfedale Wellbeing Hub
The Wellbeing Hub which meets at the Scout and Guide Hut on Wednesday mornings (10-12) celebrated its first birthday on September 28th. The hub supports the community in whatever concerns they might have, whether loneliness, anxiety, depression, bereavement or as a carer. They are also actively looking at wellbeing provision for children and young people. You can find out more about the hub here.
SUNDAY 17th JULY: CELEBRATION SUNDAY
Sunday 17th July was a great Parish Family event in the church gardens. We celebrated our children receiving sacraments, Fr Michael’s golden jubilee, welcoming all our new parishioners and winning a CAFOD LiveSimply award. The biggest gathering to date, well over a 100 people came together AND lots of cakes!
The Justice & Peace September 2022 newsletter can be found here, it includes the full story! about how our parish gained its LiveSimply award.
A HUGE Thank You to EVERYONE for helping to make this happen and to ALL those who came along to make it such a success.
This was our first social event in a long time. Shall we do it again? And what else shall we do to continue our Friendships and Faith in Action.
PLEASE let us know. The Welcomers, the Parish Pastoral Council or Fr Michael would really appreciate your suggestions. Sue.
More details can be found here.
A DATE for your Diary:SUNDAY 21st August
Burley Praise in the Park with Churches Together 10am – 11:15am.
Venue: Grange Park, Grange Park Road.
You are invited to come along to our joint Outdoor Praise Service. Do bring a chair or rug to sit on as we worship together in
our community.
Ilkley Half Marathon
A big thank you from me and from everyone at Burley-Tereli Friendship Trust for your support, encouragement and sponsorship as I ran the Ilkley half marathon last month. I managed to finish without stopping, though the last three miles were a real struggle in the heat. Knowing that Fr Michael was saying the 11am mass for the Inglehearn family even as I was running was the extra boost I needed to get to the finish line! We don’t yet know the full total, but with gift-aid it will be over £2500, which will probably be used to buy millet to feed the people of Tereli and the surrounding villages until the next harvest is in. Once again many many thanks for your wonderful generosity, support and prayers!
Ladies Please Choir sings for Tereli, Thursday 25th August at 7.30pm in Burley Methodist Church, Main Street.
We are delighted the Ladies Please Choir, based in Menston, are returning for a seventh Burley Summer Festival performance, singing a wide-ranging selection of songs guaranteed to please all tastes. All proceeds will go to the Burley-Tereli Friendship Trust.
Tickets cost £5 and are available from John Wood or Chris Inglehearn beforehand, or on the door.
Thanks and best wishes
Chris
MASS TO REMEMBER FR DAVID SMITH:
Leeds Trinity University is holding a Mass in remembrance of former Chaplain, Fr David Smith on Saturday 10 September. Initially planned for 2020, as it marked 25 years since his death, it sadly had to be postponed due to lockdown. Mass will start at 12noon, with refreshments following and networking in the Studio Bar. For refreshment purposes, please book your free place here: https://www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/events/ mass-to-remember-fr-david-smith-1.php
Rev Fr David Williams CP R.I.P.
It is with great sadness that I let you know of the death of Fr David Williams.
During his years in retirement in Otley, Fr David became a great friend to our Parish Family, praying Mass and being a member of the Scripture Group.
Eternal rest grant to him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen
‘FIRST FRIDAY FRIENDS’ is back in our Church Hall after more than 2 years!
Everyone, young and young at heart, is welcome to come for a catch-up, a chat, tea, coffee and cake in a dementia friendly environment between 2pm and 4 pm on Friday 5th August. Hope to see you there!
For more details or if you need a lift please contact Margaret on 01943874352.
CONGRATULATIONS to Majella Adie and Christopher Manley who will celebrate their wedding this weekend. We wish them great joy and happiness.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
CONGRATULATIONS to Alexia, Amity, Bo Belles, Iris, Jonah, Lottie, Lucy, Max, Orry and Will with their Catechist Nicola who received their First Communion on 12th June. The Mass was very special we all joined in the singing and responses and raised the roof with the Alleluia. Clare read the Reading and led us in the Psalm. Every First Communicant had an important part to play! 6 children read Bidding Prayers, the best Readers ever! The Offertory Procession was perfectly conducted by the other 4 First Communicants.
Thank you to Fr Michael, Nicola and all the parents for taking a full part in the Parental Catechesis style preparation.
Registration for next year’s Sacramental Preparation Programmes will be in late September
Sue Rix
CONGRATULATIONS to Year 3 and Year 4 children in our Parish Family, Ailie, Ani, Bo Belles, Eddie, Hannah, Henry, Jack, Marianne, Nell, Nyla, Rosa, Rosie and Seamus who received the SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION for the first time recently. It was a very special occasion for their Families and all of the Parish family.
CONGRATULATIONS to 2 Parish Family Members for their work in Burley-in-Wharfedale which links with the Tree of Life activities.
Alexander Hughes for winning the award for litter pickier of the year 2021!
Loraine Hughes for receiving a certificate at the LS29 Environmental Awards.
Live Simply
Sunday 22 May Trish & Paul, two of CAFOD’s LiveSimply assessors, visited our parish to discuss what we have already done and what new projects we will be doing. We also had a Children’s Liturgy centred on our Tree of Life project. Great news: we have gained a LiveSimply award, please see the message below from Sue, chair of our Parish Pastoral Council.
A message from Sue
Many thanks and sincere congratulations to one and all and, all those I have missed off the list through lack of contact details. We left church at 1.40pm following very positive and complimentary feedback. We were pleased to receive a little useful advice too and look forward to the written feedback.
I think I am at liberty to say that the next visit from Paul and Trish will be to present the plaque as we have been successful in gaining the award. We want everyone to be there to share in the celebration.
Special thanks of the Parish Family go to Fr Michael for his enthusiasm, encouragement and presence, to Frances, Keith, Mary and Loraine (and their long-suffering husbands and wives – your rewards will be great) who have given so much time, energy, creativity and tenacity to this journey.
To the 3 groups/ strands and thus 3 teams of people who have worked throughout the 3 years and everyone who has taken an active part -adults, youth and children.
I leave you with a thought…and we would welcome ALL ideas…… How do we continue and increase our efforts in response to “The cry of the Poor” and “The cry of the Earth” in meaningful and impactful ways?
Today is a Parish Family celebration but now we need to relax, regroup and proceed with vitality and creativity looking to increase our activities associated with our Spirituality and Petitioning as with seek to “Love one another” more throughout the world.
Sincerely
Sue R
In October 2019 you will remember we launched our Tree of Life project as our parish family response to Pope Francis’ Encyclical Laudato Si. This has given us an opportunity to “work with generosity and tenderness in protecting this world which God has entrusted to us”.
Our parish family has made an application to CAFOD’s LiveSimply award programme. The award is given to parishes and schools to recognise programmes they have put in place to show how they have been living:
• simply
• in solidarity with people in poverty, and
• sustainably with creation
Over the last 2 years we have progressed your suggestions in our parish family and in our homes, and by supporting charities in our diocese and overseas. You will see displays in the foyer and the hall with details of our projects, you can also find information about these on our Tree of Life page. This will include an opportunity for you to add new ideas to our Tree of Life, one of these will be an indoor area for recycling items such as blister packs.
Frances, Mary, Sue, Keith
Tree of Life – Easter Gardens
Mary co-ordinated a fantastic group of 3 children’s liturgy sessions in Lent which culminated in celebrating the Easter story on Easter Sunday.
We (and the children) made some Easter gardens and you will be able to see these if you haven’t already – in the structure we had previously used as a stable at Christmas-time.
Here are the children and the gardens they made depicting 3 crosses on a grassy hill and an empty tomb with the covering stone rolled away and the used shroud on top…..
SUNDAY 6TH MARCH – FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
17 children came to a special Children’s Liturgy at 11am mass where they started to make Easter Gardens. They used seed trays, peat-free compost, grass seeds, cress seed, moss and pebbles. It was a wonderful occasion.
Children came on Sunday 3rd April to help finish off the Easter Gardens. They brought twigs to make crucifixes to decorate the gardens.
Good Friday – Walk of Witness with the churches of Burley-in -Wharfedale.
On Good Friday morning more than 70 people aged 5 upwards from the 4 church Communities of Burley in Wharfedale walked from SS John Fisher and Thomas More parish church via St Mary’s parish church onwards to The Methodist church and then the United Reform Church and finally St Mary’s parish centre.
Alistair opened the Walk of Witness with a wonderful welcome to all including, family visitors from Hungary!
We then listened to readings from St John’s Gospel and a prayer read by Loraine, Rosalia and Mark; members of our Parish Family who live in Burley. Finally, we were invited to be silent for one minute to reflect on the story of the Passion we were sharing through the Readings. To help us we had a piece of rope, pieces of purple and white cloth, and a nail
With a hot cross bun for sustenance, although some were fasting, we were on our way, ably led by Nathan [Cross bearer] Christopher and Daniel.
The spring weather was perfect as was the company of friends old and new. The dogs, a little one with a scooter, parishioners with walking sticks and walking trolleys, adults from far flung Guiseley and Menston, youth members, clergy, parents and grandparents reminded us how wonderfully diverse God’s Family is and how all over the world Christians were celebrating the sadness of Good Friday.
At St Mary’s church, the Methodist church and the United Reform Church we stopped for further readings, prayers, reflection and time together as we undertook very meaningful activities with the help of items from our individual brown paper bags! Thumb prints to make up the Cross of Jesus, ‘scratch art’ crosses, and twig crosses bound together with Ukraine flag-coloured yarns.
Thank you to Margaret and all who helped to bring us together to listen, pray, reflect and share. May our Friendship continue in many ways.
Parish Donations
Dear Parishioner thank you for your generous donations over the past year, and a special thank you to those who have set up standing orders as this reduces administration and cost. I urge anyone that can, to set-up a standing order. As we start the new financial year this may be a good time, if you are able, to consider increasing your offering too. I am pleased to announce that we now have a digital collection system in the foyer. This will allow you to make contactless donations to the parish and to second collections using debit/credit cards or mobile phones. Where appropriate donations can be gift aided.
DIOCESAN LOURDES PILGRIMAGE: 1-7 July 2022
Please book online: www.tagneytours.com/pilgrimages/lourdes/leeds-lourdes or call 01732 886666. New volunteer carers and registered nurses welcome. Full training given. Please email Anita for more information about volunteering –anita.bodurka@dioceseofleeds.org.uk. Please book as soon as possible.