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Present:
Fr.
Vincent Gallogley, Barry O’Halpin, Judith Carr, Paddy McEneaney, Yvonne
Nielsen, Walter Huyghe, Horst Dengler, Johny Van Der Bracht, Susanne Lehne
and Brian O’Neill..
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Apologies:
Yvonne
Stausboll, Jeff Thomson, Brigid Alty, Suzanne Christmas, Pat Farrington and
Lindy Martin.
Susanne
said the opening prayer and the meeting opened at 19.50 hrs.
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Matters
Arising from September 07 meeting:
Confirmation will be held on the evening of 14 May (18.00 Mass) and at the
10.00 Mass on 15 May. We will flag the 11.30 Mass as the Children’s Mass for
that weekend.
Music: Noel Doyle and Susan McEneaney are providing the music at the 10.00
Mass until a new choir is established.
The September Minutes were approved.
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Lay
Administrator:
Fr.
Vincent is still waiting for the Cardinal and the Vicar General to come back
to him about the long-term situation of the Parish.
It was suggested that a sub-group be formed from the Parish and Finance
Councils to look at what exactly will be involved with a lay administrator
and what the implications will be for the future.
Once Fr. Vincent reaches 70, he will continue with Masses/preaching and
baptisms and marriages but NOT the paper work and interviews that go with
these. An administrator will have had the training for this part of the job
and will have had a minimum of 3 years training in theology, liturgy and
pastoral affairs. At present, Maryvale in Birmingham offers the best course
for this. It can be done by distance learning and email and requires 3
visits to the college per year. After 3 years study, the student would have
a diploma and after 6 years would receive a B.Theology. The job here would
be full time i.e. office hours but there would be weekend work occasionally.
The lay administrator (male or female) would also have to be acceptable to
the diocese.
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Fund Raising Committee:
Barry sent out a short report re his idea for a fund raising committee
(Appendix A). It was suggested that the committee be formed from the PC, FC,
Fayre Committee and a member of any group or a general parishioner. Barry is
willing to chair this committee and it will be launched from the pulpit
after Communion on the Sunday after the AGM. An open meeting of interested
parties would take place probably in the following week.
Evangelisation
and Education:
Goodnews Bookshop: we will
try and get them for November 13/14.
David Wells: we will try and book him for March 19.
Lenten Course: the Promise series will be repeated sometime during the
Easter season and will be 4 evenings and an away day.
Fr. Vincent stressed that it was vitally important that all events within
the Parish are put into the diary so that clashes can be avoided.
There are about 50 children registered for First Communion and 40 for
Confirmation. The Confirmation class met last Saturday and will be having a
charity lunch, with parents, at the December meeting.
Next Wednesday, there will be a meeting with the First Communion parents.
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Worship:
There have been 2 sessions of the Children’s Liturgy of the Word, with about
30 children attending. The Kindergarten and Pre-Communion children attend
with their parents but others are coming along too. Susanne wants to get the
timing to about 25 minutes and go into Church at the end of the Word
Service. The children can then be greeted when they arrive. Details of these
sessions needs to go into Words and liturgical matters must take precedence
over everything else.
Eucharistic Ministers: they should go over to the priest to collect their
chalices rather than the priest making several journeys across the altar.
Greg is willing to do an appeal for volunteers for all our ministries as we
are always in need.
A short piece is to be prepared on how to receive Communion and the
celebrant will deliver it during the sermon. It will be done in the context
of showing the children and then the parents will continue to reinforce
this.
Baptisms: it was suggested that the names of all the newly baptised could be
put into the Parish Life newsletter that goes out 4 times a year.
Fr. Vincent is not in favour of baptisms during Mass except during the
Easter Vigil and once during the Catechetics year so that the children can
see what a baptism is.
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Parish Life:
Coffee and doughnuts have raised €640 before expenses have been deducted.
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Christian Service:
The Miles Jesu collection raised €3535.04, one of the biggest collections we
have ever had.
The safety audit of the crèche has been completed and all the dangerous toys
have been removed. There are enough helpers for the 10.00 Mass but more are
needed for 11.30. A short note will go into Words every other week and Barry
will also put an article into the newsletter for the Advent issue.
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Maintenance:
The new
classroom is up and running.
The old tables in the hall need to be disposed of; good homes will be sought
before they are thrown away. Fr. Benoît is supposed to be taking some of the
old chairs.
The balcony in Fr. Vincent’s room has been fixed!
Robert Mears is clearing out the fountain which was discovered beyond the
trees and which was filled in with compost. It is star shaped and is form
the centre of a new prayer garden that should be ready by next summer. Also
in the garden will be three marble statues from Leuven (Mary and Sts Francis
and Anthony). The Knights are also helping with clearing these grounds.
Next year’s big project is the connection of the drains. We have a legal
obligation to do this before the end of 2005. It is going to be a very big
job, going from the front door to the sewer on the other side of the road.
It is hoped that it will not be too difficult to connect it to the main
sewer, as there is only half a metre’s difference in height. The cost is
going to be €30,000 and we need to find the money.
The new classrooms will need cleaning after the weekend classes. A mat is
need outside the single door to prevent soil and leaves being brought in.
Brian agreed to purchase this.
Parking: there is a very serious problem at 10.00 Mass as there are too many
cars in the car park and some are badly parked. A chain is being provided to
prevent people parking on the grass. It was suggested that the entrance gate
could be closed once in a while when the car park is full so that people are
encouraged to use the other parking areas around the Parish.
Neighbours parking: we need to ask the Gemeente to put up ”No Parking” signs
either side of the gate as it is a safety issue; if a car is parked there,
you cannot see what is coming from the Sterrebeek direction. We could also
ask the car owner if he could park a little further back!
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AOB:
None.
Fr. Vincent said the closing prayer and the meeting ended at 22.25
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