Parish Pastoral Council

Meeting (12) of the Parish Pastoral Council on Tuesday 25th February at 7.00 p.m. in the Parish Centre

Agenda

Apologies:
Minutes of the last meeting
Matters arising:
Council membership
Intercultural Mass
Links with St Peter’s School
Parish Directory and Safeguarding Officer
Items being removed from the Church
Update of Handbook
Parish Newsletter from Easter plus JN’s other jobs
Marian Pilgrimage to Walsingham/Parish Jubilee of Hope Pilgrimage to Harvington Hall
AOB


Minutes of the Meeting (12)
Community Centre Tuesday 25th February 2025

  
Minutes of the Meeting
The meeting started with a prayer

Present: Present: Julian Kuzminski (Chair), John Lally (Secretary), Helen Marsh (Vice Chair), Cecilia Hubble, Liz Lally, Terry Monahan, Yvonne Rendell, Steve Blakemore, Gemma Billig, Teresa Kehoe, John Newbold, Rosina Rutter.

Apologies for absence: Fr Thomas, Margaret Dance, Paul Hebblethwaite, Pat Comer, Tim Ryan, Adam Billig, Frank Fallon.

Agenda

The minutes of the last meeting (23rd July 2024) were approved with a correction in AOB:  Fair Trade Parish should now read Fair Trade Place of Worship.

Matters Arising: JK said it is uncertain if a rope to assist in climbing up the steps to the organ loft is consistent with building regulations. JK to explore further.
The Bishops’ Synod on Synodality. There has been little evident progress with this internationally or locally, and controversial matters were withdrawn from the Synod to be considered by groups appointed by Pope Francis. YR to keep a watching brief on developments on behalf of the Council.
JK congratulated those organising and supporting Mgr Graham’s funeral Mass which was a fitting memorial for him and a credit to the parish.
The old hymn books remain in the organ loft and do not appear to be wanted by any other parish. JN said he would take them to the Council Recycling Centre.
​
3.Council Membership:
a). JK, HM and JL agreed to serve as officers of the Council for a further year. JK then made his apologies and left the meeting as he was unwell, handing the Chair to HM.
b). As previously agreed the rules governing membership of the Council came into effect after the end of its first year. According to the regulations in the Handbook all of those ordinary members who have served for two years a third will either have to step down from the Council or be re-appointed for a further two years. As things stand four members of the original Council members have resigned or left the parish, one of who was Chair and therefore not subject to that requirement. This means that only four of current serving members would have to stand down. Action: JL to email all ordinary members having served two years asking if they wished to be re-appointed to the Council for a further two years. All would be told that their preference to serve again would not be a guarantee of re-appointment as the regulations would have to be followed. Fr Thomas would then be in a position to seek new members from the Parish.

4.Intercultural Mass:
JL, on behalf of Fr Thomas who was required for the diocesan priests’ retreat, informed the Council that the second Intercultural Mass would be in June this year. Those who remained from the planning group last year, RR, GB, and TK, agreed to serve once more. Action: TK to contact the school to discuss involvement of the pupils and the most appropriate Sunday in June for their involvement and the availability of the school hall after the Mass.

5.Parish/School Links:
EL has been contacted by a member of the Friends of St Peter’s School about getting parishioners involved in their activities and received an email from a Governor, Anne Hilson, asking who the responsible member of the Council for links between School and Parish is. In the former case the object appears to be to involve parishioners in the fundraising activities of the Friends. CH and TK affirmed that they are the links with the school, but have linked with the headteacher and not, so far, with the Board of Governors. Action: EL to email Anne Hilson, to confirm CH/TK are the Council links.

6.Parish Directory:
Amendments to the draft have been received by JL who will liaise with TK to update the draft. One key position (Safeguarding Officer) remains unfilled and so will be a significant gap in the directory TK then to circulate copies to each member of the Council. All listed in the Directory to be asked if they are willing for their contact details to be published in the Directory on the Parish Website.

7.Safeguarding Officer:
A parishioner, Paul Reilly, has agreed to serve in this position, but has been waiting for some time for a training course with the Diocese in order to be formally appointed. This is proving to be a significant restriction on important aspects of the work of the parish as, for example, no new Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist can be authorised with DBS to take Communion to the sick. Action: JL to contact Paul Reilly to see where he is with the diocesan training.
 
8.Items removed from the Church:
EL reported that silk flowers have been removed from displays in the Church with at lest two cases of this with two different members of the Flower Ladies’ group suffering losses, in one case the value was about £30. She had contacted all members of the Group to ask if they had removed the flowers as part of their normal role, but they said not. Action: an item expressing dismay that this should happen to be put into the Parish Newsletter.
 
9.Council Handbook:
The Handbook needs to be updated to ensure that our Council accords with the diocesan template. Action: HM to check the Handbook with the Template to see that it conforms.
 
10. Parish Newsletter et al.
a). Following the search for someone to take over producing the Parish Newsletter, a volunteer has come forward.  Action: JN to explain the process and carry out the handover to take effect after Easter. Further arrangements with Fr Thomas about  confirming the weekly Masses and other weekly events and when to use the Parish Office for printing the newsletter.  JL to provide a source book for the usual commentary on the Sunday Mass readings.
b). At the last meeting JL was tasked to ask John Smart if he would be interested in taking over the procurement of necessary supplies for the parish from JN. JS agreed but with a small team to assist perhaps with liturgical useable, office materials, maintenance of the Church for services (eg filling water stoops, setting timers for heating). Action: volunteers to be sought via newsletter/personal contacts. JN to explain sources etc.
 
11.Pilgrimage:
Two different pilgrimages put forward to the Council for discussion; a repeat of the one to Walsingham from two years ago and a Marian pilgrimage to Harvington. As the Walsingham pilgrimage was already being planned with Our Lady and All Saints Parish, Stourbridge, TK withdrew her proposal for the Marian pilgrimage to Harvington. TK drew members attention to the ACN Pilgrimage to York and the North Heartlands of Faith and Hope (see attached flyer) and asked that members should make it known to others wherever possible.

12. Any Other business:
a). CH said that the white strips painted on the steps to the Church are in need of maintenance. Members of the Finance Committee said that this is already in hand but the constant rain has delayed those who have been tasked to do it. 
b). TK reported that on Sunday someone came in to look for covers for statues, specifically that of St Joseph, in the Parish Centre while it is being used by a Muslim group during Ramadhan.  The Council’s view was that while anyone may hire the Centre, they must respect the Catholic beliefs and practices which are represented there.  

The meeting closed with a prayer at 8.50pm

PPC minutes 14 June 2022 
PPC minutes 12 July 2022
​PPC minutes 09 August 2022
​PPC Minutes 11 October 2022
PPC Minutes 13 January 2023
PPC Minutes 02 May 2023
​PPC Minutes 26 September 2023
​PPC Minutes 12 December 2023
​PPC Minutes 9th April 2024
​PPC Minutes 23rd July 2024 
PPC Minutes 12th November 2024
PPC Minutes 25th February 2025