Tag: Hope in the future

The Weather…

Keep on keeping on….

We live in a country where the weather changes rapidly and often. 

Many years ago I had an experience in India. I was working there in our seminary. I was involved in the organisation of one of the large feast days, where 6-8 thousand people would attend. It was the beginning of the rainy season and the planning meeting was scheduled for 5pm. At 4pm on the dot, the rain came down. Wow. It was torrential. The streets were like free flowing streams – a bit like in the many flooding scenes we have seen over the last months. Un-deterred, I headed of to the house of the Schoenstatt Sisters, where the meeting was to be held. I arrived around 4.55pm. I knocked on the door and a sister opened with a surprised look on her face. “Why are you here?” She asked. “I’ve come for the planning meeting”, I replied. Her answer has stayed with me until today. “But it is raining.”

For us, if we were to cancel meetings every time it rained – we would not get very much done.

There are many storms at the moment. We just need to switch on the news to see wildfires and floods. In the Church and in politics, there are so many cracks and issues, it can become overwhelming. Add on to that the heavy toll of the pandemic, and there is a danger that we will not find the energy to look for God’s plan as we move forward in our life as a community.

I am asking everyone to use a portion of the energy to be creative about our Parish life. To invest in it. To get involved and to bring ideas. So many things have changed and there is a longing to get back to normal. I want us too, long not for the past – but for a better future. Not only long for it, but, make it happen.

As we celebrate the feast of the Assumption – let’s ask Our Lady to raise our eyes to heaven, to raise our eyes to God and to have the courage and conviction to ask him where he wants us to go.

Fr Andrew Pastore SI

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St Vincent’s AGM 2019

Report on our Annual General Meeting in October 2019

This year we tried something new….

In past years we have had our meeting around the feast of St Vincent de Paul. The meeting has been on a Thursday evening – it was always useful. There was great feedback and those who took part could take away a greater knowledge of what was happening and who was involved in the various activities and responsibilities.

The issue was – attendance was very low.

How do we reach a great number of people and so include more parishioners in the stewardship of the parish community. It is about being informed, but more – it is also about having a voice and becoming involved.

In the Parish Pastoral Council we decided to anchor the meeting to our Sunday masses (a captive audience :-)). There were challenges of course. How long? What form? Getting people to join in…..

A feedback form was sent out 3 weeks before the meeting. We had 18 responses and looked at what was there and how we could respond.

We wanted the meeting to make visible the members of the council and showcase important themes and the way ahead.

So it was decided.

As we could not talk on all subjects we would present an annual report. As far as possible all members of the council would take part. This meant that we did not need and “open mic” – we had the feedback forms and in case of clarifications people would be encouraged to speak with he appropriate person and seek clarification.

Included in the report is the 5 year plan – our planning to develop both our buildings and our spirit over the coming years.

As well as a report we would also publish a calendar of events for the coming year. Together with this I laid out the 3 priorities for moving forward. The priorities come from our ongoing work as a council and stem from our away day at the Schoenstatt Shrine in August.

The priorities are:

  • Being a welcoming parish
  • Looking for and engaging the missing young adult section of our community
  • Developing our channels of communication

There was a bit of tense apprehension as we began these meetings. But the response was very positive. In a very short period of time we passed on a lot of information. More importantly we demonstrated by our actions how much we want to involve as many as possible in the development and challenges of our parish community.

Many thanks to all council members and parishioners involved in the many activities and responsibilities involved in helping a parish community to grow and develop. I would like to especially thank Jackie Solomon – the Parish Council Secretary for her work in collating our annual report (amongst other things!).

Now it is time to get on with he work….

These documents are available for you to download:

Fr. Andrew

Word for the Day

8 Friday after Ash Wednesday


Happiness is a paradox; we experience it most whe we accept the mysterious logic which is not of this world (Gaudete et exsultate 174).

`How is that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?’

Matthew 9:14-15

Just as a bird can’t fly with one wing, so the soul can’t arrive at genuine and generous love of God with prayer alone. If we want to come as deeply as possible into God’s heart, we have to strengthen and use the second wing: Discipline. (Everyday Sanctity – JK)

Word for the Day

7 Thursday after Ash Wednesday


I do not believe in holiness without prayer (Gaudete et exsultate 147)

‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me.’

Luke 9:22-2

St Augustine remarked that if we carry out our duties during the day out of love for God, and in dependence on God, and express this here and there through a brief prayer, we will have prayed all day. (Everyday Sanctity – JK)