West Hull Parish Meetings May 2002  
Each meeting began with a prayer and Fr Peter gave a resume of areas of progress in each of the parishes over the last eighteen months.
 
Reference was made to the various changes that have taken place in the three parishes, most of which could be described as cosmetic. Apart from the fewer services in each parish, the biggest changes centred round the role of the priest. No one parish has its own parish priest. The vision of priesthood shared by Fr Peter and Fr Des is different from that of their predecessors in the three parishes, an aspect which, for some, has been difficult to accept.
 
In the Middlesbrough Diocese five priests are retiring in the autumn of 2002 and only three students are in the seminary and it will be four years before the first ordination. Bearing in mind future retirements, this will herald drastic changes in the pastoral life of the Diocese with its inevitable effect on the West Hull Parishes.
 
Because of this, it is important, for all three parishes, that more people who are able become involved in areas of responsibility. Some of the immediate areas that need covering are set out on the posters in the three churches, inviting you to join the various groups.   MEETING WITH CORPUS CHRISTI Sunday, 12th May 2001 at 3.00 p.m.  
After an introduction and overview of our situation, comments and questions were invited.   COMMENTS

0. We have parish co-ordinators, but they are not cohesive. Could we have a parish committee which could serve the parish community?

0. We need to look to the future. Therefore we need committees etc..

0. Fr Des commented that we haven’t addressed the fundamental question of whether Corpus Christi Church is to continue as the focus of a parish community, or simply as a Mass centre. Mass centres look inwards - parishes look outwards.

0. We need to plan liturgies, e.g. Eucharistic Services etc.

0. We did have a Parish Council - it went by the board - we used to meet once a month.

0. If we compare roles we can see that Fr Roy led the Parish Council, but a future group would need to be able to operate without a priest.

0. If we agree that we want to continue as a parish we need to invite people to come and join us and be involved in he running of the parish.

0. Yes, if we want to continue as a parish we need to accept the situation we’re in and work on the basis that "our priest is no longer there."

0. We need to sort ourselves out so that we can manage ourselves without the priest.

0. We can’t drift forever. It’s either make or break.

0. Fr Des gave an anecdote about parish in Whitehaven who run themselves without a resident or attached priest. This might be the alternative for Corpus Christi; the other alternative might be to close down like St Patrick’s Hull.

0. Speaking from experience, Fr Peter said that the value of a self-running parish is that the people themselves run it. The local priest doesn’t have time. It was good to see the initiative taken here when a supply priest didn’t arrive here one Sunday and Keith led a Eucharistic Service. He went on to refer to the posters in the porch as the areas we need to look at.

0. We need to increase our repertoire of hymns. We could get together with the other parishes on this.

0. Garden - appeal for help, otherwise we need to pay someone.

0. Finally Fr Peter and Fr Des would like the 9.30 a.m weekday Mass to move to 10.00 a.m. This would make it easier to remember weekday Mass times since it would be in line with St Joseph’s and St Wilfrid’s. Also they are involved in three schools and often need to be there at assembly time.

0. Fr Peter said that the Saturday evening Mass is a special animal and we’re lucky to have it, but we need to involve more of the regular worshippers. If we take out the Saturday ‘visiting people’ we probably would have the smallest number of Mass-goers within the three parishes. Yet small communities are viable; this church has been well maintained and is manageable; there is no parish hall and no presbytery to pay for.

0. How soon can we have training for Eucharistic Ministers?

0. Within three weeks.

0. Will you put all that has been said tonight down on a big piece of paper - I’m confused by all the detail.

0. Yes.

0. We need to take some action immediately. If we haven’t the time or energy to do things it is no shame. It would only be a shame if we weren’t prepared to consider looking at things.

0. If we go away and mull things over, could we call a meeting of our own?

0. Yes.

0. It’s a question of who would have the courage to put themselves forward; it’s much better if people volunteer than being asked.

0. It is a question of getting across to the rest of the Parish what we have been saying this evening.

0. After the meeting people were invited to have a look at the Web Site and some signed their names on the Notices at the back of Church.

  MEETING WITH ST JOSEPH’S Thursday, 16th May 2001 at 7.30 p.m.  
After an introduction and overview of our situation, comments and questions were invited.
 
Justice and Peace
 
The possibility of adopting UNICEF as a charity for St Joseph’s for this year was raised.

0. Why UNICEF? Why not CAFOD or some local charity. I’m concerned that UNICEF is a national charity.

0. Fr Peter explained that we can’t give to every charity. We have to choose one or two in practice. We were invited to suggest charities and, in this instance, the initiative to adopt UNICEF has been accepted.

0. It was explained that the initiative at St Wilfrid’s, in adopting CAFOD, set the ball rolling as a way of being involved in justice and peace issues. We look at areas that need our support. There are 160 countries that deal with underprivileged children. The suggestion is that we could choose what we want to sponsor.

0. The question was raised of the morality of some of the charities; some of them, for example, might support the practice of abortion.

0. Fr Des observed that it would be impossible to look into the fine moral details of every charity or public organisation; there are many areas that could be described as immoral, e.g. investment in arms trading by some large companies, but that doesn’t prevent us from dealing with them. What we are looking at here is a specific issue.

0. The proposal for a UNICEF project was supported because it would provide a direct link between us and the people we are sharing with. Examples were given from the experience of pupils at St Thomas More School.

0. Clarification was asked for regarding the title Justice and Peace.

0. It was suggested that we check where we are going and, following the example of the children, choose an idea we like.

0. The proposal that we should adopt the UNICEF project was adopted.

Fund Raising and Social Events.

0. Future events were mentioned, e.g. a car rally, a murder mystery and a 100 Club.

Liturgy Group

0. To look at worship each week and for special occasions. The Liturgy should reflect us as a worshipping community.

Parish Hall

0. There have been several good changes to the Hall. It is an asset and can be used for fund-raising. We need a caretaker.

0. It was suggested that we need more Hall cleaners.

0. All the more reason to have a caretaker.

0. In answer to a question, Fr Des pointed out that the Hall electrics needed updating and upgrading.

Car Park

0. Fr Peter said that we need to take the problem of car parking seriously and do something about it. It is even more dangerous for pedestrians. It has been talked about over the years; now is the time to take action.

0. It was suggested that there is no problem with the car park, the road can be used.

0. Others suggested that there is still the problem about the bad surface with its severe camber, making it hazardous for elderly people and people who use wheelchairs.

0. It was commented that the car park is lethal for cars getting out.

0. It was suggested that we would need a group with proper expertise to look at the car park possibilities.

0. This would obviously be done.

0. It was questioned whether it would be safer to use the main entrance of the Church.

0. There is need for a ramp and access for wheelchairs.

The inside of the Church

0. There needs to be some flexibility with the seating arrangements.

0. It was commented that ours are not the most uncomfortable pews; there are worse ones in Sheffield.

0. It was suggested that we replace the back benches in Church with chairs to allow people in who need more space to be accommodated. This would be possible and affordable.

0. People with disabilities should have right to have a choice of where to sit; for example to be part of the music group at the front of the Church.

0. There is really a need for a wider aisle for better access for wheelchairs and children’s prams.

0. Fr Peter commented that the whole church interior needs looking at: a wider aisle, more space at the front and at the back.

0. It was commented that the Church Cleaning teams look good on paper but some teams are not so big. Perhaps one Sunday they could make an appeal for cleaners after the two Masses.

General Comments

0. The question of finance for all the changes was raised.

0. It was observed that, with all these proposals, we would need to look at everything and then decide on what we can afford to do and what not.

0. There is a danger of not realising whether or not things are affordable.

0. People are very generous if they know where the money is being spent.

0. The idea is that we take responsibility for these things. It’s up to people to come to meetings.

0. Suggestion that the Finance Committee meet and put forward affordable suggestions.

0. We need to be aware of the expertise there is in the Parish.

  MEETING WITH ST WILFRID’S Sunday, 19th May 2001 at 3.00 p.m.  
After an introduction and overview of our situation, comments and questions were invited.
 
Fr Peter outlined the changes over the past months - the refreshment facilities, seating improvements, welcome area, new heating and new sound system - but there was a positive need to look at the future of the parish and to see the way forward.
 
Fr Des said there was a need to make some kind of a decision. All present were committed to the parish. There were areas of responsibility. it was up to us to spread the word, make a new start, welcome outsiders and invite them to get involved, and to go forward as a parish to start the new way of doing things.   GENERAL DISCUSSION  
Filipinos - We only see these young people once a week - what are their needs? It was suggested and agreed that we invite them to arrange an evening when we could meet them socially - the parish would fund the cost.
 
CAFOD - Some preparatory work had been done on what we could do as a parish. It was suggested that people would be more sympathetic if there was something we could focus on, rather than just "collect for CAFOD". It was agreed there would be a collection for CAFOD on the last Sunday of the month and the Group would administer the project. There was a sum of money already in hand from the Station Mass to start it off.
 
Parish Hall - We have an excellent hall which is under used and we need to make more use of it. There is a need for an effective Caretaker/Property Manager to take responsibility for Hall bookings and lettings, and to look after the buildings, taking action where necessary.
 
Eucharistic Services - It was emphasised that these will happen and must be prepared for, particularly during the priests’ holiday periods.
 
Fr Peter closed the meeting by saying we must move forward positively. We must not believe that the people who were absent from the meeting are not interested. St Wilfrid’s parish has changed beyond recognition, and needs help from people who are willing to become part of the Christian message and take responsibility. We must look to the future and not dwell on the past.
 
He thanked everyone for coming - asked them to think about it and pray about it, and to put their names on he individual sheets showing areas of need and responsibility. They would continue to present the situation over the coming weeks from the pulpit.
 
At the moment there were no young people to follow up.
 
The meeting closed with prayers.